'I told you.' - Said Elizabeth but I was still in shock.
'I know… I know you've warned me that Cohen is... weird. But this...'- I said while looking around me.
'If this surprises you, wait till you get to meet the man.' - Elizabeth walked down the white room and I followed her though I was a bit scared when I was walking. It was so white that I saw no shadow and my vision was somewhat blurred by the lack of it.
'Is there anything I should know about Cohen before I talk to him? Besides kidnap little girls...' - I asked as we approached to the next entry that was guarded by a suited man wearing the same bunny mask.
'His conception of muse is varied and is very passionate about his art and ideas. Don't dare to speak bad about them.'
'Got it...' - without knowing Cohen, the man was starting to be a little scary by his excessive extravagance. When we arrived, the doorman gave a couple of knocks on the wall and the door opened. When we walked inside, this closed behind us, leaving us in the dark.
'Great...' - muttered Elizabeth a little annoyed.
'If you are afraid, you can hug me.' - I said mockingly. I couldn't see Elizabeth but I won an elbow in response. - 'Ow...'
'That's for joking.'
'Sorry.' - I said with a sigh. Suddenly a light went on and this formed the shape of the mask. Both jumped in surprise and Elizabeth took my hand. Couldn't help but smile. - 'I told you.'
'Oh, shut up.' – said more annoyed and I laughed. Continued down the hall and another light with the bunny appeared. I had to admit that that effect was very original but also very weird. Then the end of the hall opened, also in the shape of the mask, and listened to music. When we were coming, we saw two long shadows moving across the wall.
'Dance, dance, move!' - cried the voice of a man and I assumed it was Cohen. When we got to the next room, I saw two large sculptures of a same face on the walls and in them , a face was showed, probably of Cohen. His face was painted in white, her lips painted in red and also a thin mustache above them. It was like a version of Dali but that it was more grotesque.
'I'm beginning to feel sorry for you.' - said while watching the faces. Elizabeth knew what I meant and sighed.
'Trust me, I wish I hadn't met him.'
We moved around the room and saw more guests wearing rabbit masks. I looked down and saw two small white rabbits that run around as we approached. Elizabeth and I went slowly down the stairs while Cohen was asking again a couple to continue moving. We went down the spiral stairs and had a better view of what was happening: a couple dancing in the middle of a platform while Cohen was painting vigorously on a large canvas. When we got down, there were more guests watching the performance but then I noticed that Cohen seemed angry.
'No... Why do you fail in this fashion?! To embarrass me in front of my muse? My muse shall not be mocked!'- said furiously and the couple stopped dancing. They looked very nervous.
'No, please, Mr. Cohen...' - she said.
'Fitzpatrick! The stick!'- cried Cohen to someone who was upstairs.
'SANDER, FOR GOD'S SAKE!' - pleaded dancer. Suddenly the platform on which they were was electrocuted and they screamed in pain.
'MY MUSE SHALL NOT BE MOCKED!' – cried again Cohen. Then the platform stopped and the couple fell unconscious, hanging from wires that were in their backs. – 'Get them out of here! There shall be no failure on my canvas!'
'Elizabeth, I don't think it's a good idea to be here.' - said in a whisper still looking the couple that were being rising up through the wires. I didn't know what problem or obsession had that man but he was really mad.
'No. We have to talk to him.'- she said with determination.
'That man just electrocuted that couple.' - I said looking at her this time but she shook her head.
'It's our only chance to find Comstock. Let's go.'- I gave a long sigh. I hated when Elizabeth got so stubborn in such dangerous situations.
'There's no room in Rapture any more for the artist.' - said between angriness and sadness. Elizabeth guided me to Cohen and I gulped. I was literally praying that that man didn't do something crazy... When we arrived, I decided to take off the mask. I couldn't talk well with that thing on my face. Then, before I could speak, he raised his head and looked me straight in the eyes.
'WHO ARE YOU?' - Asked me intensely and pulled away my body.
'My name is Marc Clark.' – I didn't know how I responded so camly... Damn, that scared!
'Is that right?' – muttered and looked me curiously up and down. I felt a shiver through my back and I got nervous. He turned away to look me better and let out a small laugh. - 'My... this one's a real biscuit. Isn't he a biscuit, ladies?'
He asked at the female guests who were watching us and these laughed. Elizabeth looked around and grimaced. Breaking news: I'm not the only one who is jealous type.
'I need to ask you some questions.' - I said trying to talk about what interested me but this man put my nerves.
'Questions! Yes, yes! It is the work of man to ask. It is the work of the artist… to answer.'- he approached again to look at me straight in the eye and I had to restrain myself not to pull myself away from him. - 'You're a smart boy... yeah... I can see that in your eyes. Maybe you can understand what the others couldn't.'
'You've seen this girl, haven't you?' - Then asked Elizabeth showing the picture of Sally and Cohen walked away. I almost sighed of relief...
'We artists see more than the most. But this is the second time someone asks me for this little "thing"...'- said looking at the picture and what he said caught my attention.
'Wait, someone else asked for her?' - asked quickly and he looked at me with a smile.
'You should know who, right?' - Then stared at Elizabeth. - 'You're more than you claim to be, little songbird, are you not?'
Didn't know why he said that that but I didn't like the tone. Did Cohen know about what Elizabeth really was? And how he knew we were after Booker...? This was starting to be really scary.
'Watch this one, Clark. She'll take you where you don't want to go.'- said pointing to Elizabeth. She and I looked and I shook slightly my head to point her to not worry. True or not, I would follow her to the end even had to face an entire army. - 'But I know the child in that photo is important to you. So many children flit-flit-flit away… I know where the girl is. And I will send you to her.'
'I would thank-' – I was going to say but then he looked at me and held up a finger.
'In exchange for this information, all I ask... is a dance.' – Oh no… no way. Elizabeth looked around, watching people who were singing the word to point us to go to the the pedestal... but I wasn't going to allow that.
'Mr. Cohen, I can assure you I'm not going to do that.'
'I see something in you two... Something unique that intrigues me and I want to discover what it is. Art strips away artifice. Show me who you are!'- raised his arms and looked me in the eyes. - 'And I will show you where you need to go...'
'Oh, please...' - muttered in exasperation and ran a hand over my face. There had to be a way to convince that lunatic...
'Marc.' - I looked up and saw Elizabeth in the platform, offering me her hand. - 'Dance with me.'
'Elizabeth...' - I heard the chants of the people becoming more insistent and looked at Elizabeth. Her eyes showed a strange calm and asked me to follow her. After taking a deep breath, I approached to her and took her hand. I passed my other arm around her waist and she put her other hand on my shoulder.
'Come on, dance! Feel the music, feel the music!' – said Cohen while returning to his canvas.
'I shudder to think what greater price he might care to extract.' – said Elizabeth with a whisper.
'Fitzpatrick!' - called the artists to his assistant and music started playing. Elizabeth and I slowly started to move and danced following the rhythm.
'Beauty and pain. They can be no more separated than birth and blood. '- Elizabeth and I looked at each other. I had a feeling that the only one could understand him was himself.
'Beauty and pain? It's okay to compare you with the first but me with pain...'- I said with a frown and Elizabeth smiled. As we were dancing and we moved onto the platform, I saw Cohen talking loudly and painting vigorously.
'Hey Marc... I'm sorry I got you into this mess.' - Then Elizabeth said guiltily. - 'I was so focused on finding Comstock and...'
'It's okay. The important thing is that this will lead us to him... and also find that poor child before something bad happens to her.'
'What do you think Cohen's customers do with the children?' - said with some fear.
'I don't know... but I hope it doesn't exceed that they use them to obtain ADAM. Because if they have done something else to them... '- I felt a chill.
'Marc...' - she moved closer to me as we danced and looked me in the eyes. I don't know how many times I've said that but I adore those blue eyes. - 'When this is over, I-'
'No, no, no, no!' – cried Cohen and we stopped dancing. When I saw him, I noticed he was angry. That wasn't good...
'Mr. Cohen, calm down pleas-'
'Fitzpatrick!' - Elizabeth and I looked at each other again. Shit...
'NO, WAIT-AAAAAGHHH!' - the platform was electrocuted and both screamed in pain until we fell to the floor. My vision blurred and my head began to throb. I tried to open my eyes and saw Cohen in front of me.
'I see suffering in you... I know how to shine a light 0on your pain.'
'Elizabeth...' - I called her weakly. I had to get to her but my body didn't react. Then I heard her whimpering in pain and saw her on the floor behind Cohen. Then he knelt in front of me and looked me in the eyes. - 'A moth will become a butterfly.'
I tried to say or do something but I was too dizzy and weak. Then everything went dark.
'Marc... Marc!' - a voice called me but it sounded too far. My head was spinning and my body was weak. I was so tired... Then the voice called me again and sounded clearer. She shook my shoulders and I winced. When I opened my eyes, Elizabeth was in front of me. I saw that her face had some bruises and a few small cuts... but she was beautiful as ever. Also her clothes were dirty and somewhat broken, and her sleeves had small cuts and a small tear near to her chest... I had to make a great effort to not look there.
'Elizabeth...' - I called her in a whisper as I watched her in awe and she gave a sigh of relief.
'Marc... Are you all right?' - asked me while stroking my face.
'I think I'm fine... Have I ever told you that you're beautiful?' - she smiled and looked at me funny.
'I think your head hasn't recovered at all yet.' - said giving a few touches on my forehead with her finger. Then I noticed we were in a bathysphere.
'Where are we going?' - asked with a frown and then a radio rang.
'Pain and beauty. To an artist, they are inseparable lovers.'
'Cohen...' - I muttered when I recognized his voice. That damn bastard...
'I'm sending you to find your… young one. No need to thank me.'
'I wasn't going to thank you anyway...' - muttered as I got up and saw that the bathysphere was descending away from Rapture.
'I'm not so sure you'll like what you find.' - said Cohen and I didn't like the tone of his voice. The bathysphere continued descending until we were in the dark and suddenly a focus from the bathysphere lit. The ship went down between the sea walls and Elizabeth looked at me a little nervous. I approached to her and took her hand.
'It's okay.' - said to calm her and she nodded. Then the bathysphere reached a huge building with the shape of Neptune.
'Fontaine's Department Store...' – said Elizabeth. - 'I heard Ryan sunk the building to the bottom and use it as a prison.'
'Why would Cohen have sent Sally there?' - I asked with a frown.
'Everyone has needs. I merely provide a service for those who have the means to pay.'- responded Cohen but it was unjustifiable for me. - 'You'll find your little bird in the housewares department.'
'Well, we know where to look.' - I said as I approached to the bathysphere dock building to get inside.
'Takes a cold son of bitch to do that to a living person.' - I was a little surprised how easily she swore.
'What?'
'Burial at Sea' - That reminded me of something... I couldn't help smiling.
'It's ironic. When my mother suggested me I should go to a psychologist for my nightmares, I said I preferred being buried under the sea.'
'I guess you got what you wanted.' - said Elizabeth with a smile but his eyes were sad.
'I don't regret coming here.' - I said with determination. - 'Anyway, in Rapture we're all buried at sea.'
The bathysphere ascended to the first floor and when it arrived, stopped and opened the door. Instantly, I felt a strong stench that was worse than disgusting.
'Damn... It's clear they haven't cleaned this place for long time.' - I said, wrinkling my nose.
'This place was abandoned by Ryan, the people who "live" here has to fight to survive.' - said Elizabeth as we walked out and watched the place. There were some dead bodies and there was water on the ground.
'Well, we're in another mess... but let's do this. Ready for another round of crazy adventures?'- I asked smiling as I lifted my arm to her.
'Said in that way, it doesn't sound funny.' - said Elizabeth raising an eyebrow and I pouted.
'Don't ruin the moment.' - She smiled and shook my arm with hers.
'Ready.' - Said with a sweet smile. - 'I missed this.'
'Me too.' - Then we pulled out my gun and breathed deeply. - 'All right. Here we go.'
We walked through the great room and picked up some coins along the way. I didn't found ammo, but with the ammo I already had, I could hold several battles. We climbed the stairs and reached a gate that blocked the only way forward.
'Okay, we have to pass somehow.' - I muttered while looking around me.
'This way.' - Elizabeth approached to an area with benches and I realized that part of that place was frozen. There were two corpses, also frozen, one on the floor and another hanging.
'God... I do not know who or what has done this but is quite powerful.' - Then I noticed that the corpse that was hanging was wearing something on his arm and it was too familiar. - 'Wait that's... a sky hook!'
'Constants and variables...' - muttered Elizabeth as she picked one that was hooked in the ice near to the corpse of the floor. As I examined the hook, I noticed that its design was much more modern and was more metallic. Then I read the brand of Fontaine and...
'Air grabber... Well I'll keep calling it sky hook.' - said with a shrug. We returned to the gate and saw a hook hanging above it.
'We can go through there.'- said Elizabeth. I jumped to there and smiled.
'I missed this.' - But my smile faded when I tried to move down to the other side but couldn't.
'Something's wrong?'
'The damn hook is stuck.' - I said as I tried to make the thing work somehow. Meanwhile, in the other side I saw a big hole in the ground and a huge jet of water coming from a broken pipe and it fell to the other side. Then I heard the echo of footsteps.
'I want the frosty! GET ME THE FROSTY ONE!'- shouted a man's voice.
'Elizabeth, stay where you are. Someone is coming... '- I said as I looked everywhere while trying to make work the hook.
'No! Come back! I want the frosty! I want it! I want it!'- then from a tunnel that was close to where I was, a man appeared and shot a ray into the water. This froze, forming a makeshift bridge to the other side and the man jumped there. As he ran toward a door, two men who were armed with pipes followed him. The one who was trying to escape stopped and frozen the first enemy. Then he run again and the second enemy tried to follow him while the first got rid of the ice. When they reached the door, they found it closed and tried to open it with blows. I returned my attention to the hook and, after squeezing the trigger several times, it worked again.
'All right, I got the grabber unjammed.' - Then I focused on the two enemies. I pushed the hook into one of them and threw myself to hit him. The second enemy tried to react but I hit his head hard and he fell to the ground. With the way cleared, Elizabeth passed the gate and approached to me.
'Is everything ok?' – she asked when she arrived.
'Yes but...' - I said as I knelt to examine one of the bodies and I couldn't help noticing how they were disfigured. - 'My God... what happened to these people?'
'I've heard of them. They're called splicers, people who became addicted to the plasmids and ADAM. This substance is what deforms them.' - after hearing that, I felt a chill. A person addicted to drugs could be very dangerous and in that safe place there were hundreds of them...
'This is getting very dangerous.' - said something a little nervous. Then Elizabeth approached to the large window that was next.
'Marc... look.' - I followed her and saw a building shaped like a sea horse floating around. There was a large sign rotating and I read "Housewares". Behind there was another building although I couldn't see it well. – 'That's where Cohen said we'd find Sally. The store ran trams between the three buildings.'
'Will they still work?' – asked not feeling sure.
'Hope so...' – I pressed the elevator button and stepped inside. While waiting for it to arrive at its destination, I leaned against the wall and gave a long sigh. – 'You look a mess, huh?'
'That electric shock was a bit strong. I still have a headache but I'm fine... I think.'- said looking at my clothes. My trousers had some tears and my shirt, white before, had a grayish tone with some darker patches. My jacket was also dirty and had some tears. With my clothes looking in that way, I couldn't imagine how I was physically. - 'By the way, are you okay?'
'Yes... I had never experienced anything like that, but I'm fine.' - Said with a smile to not make me worry. Then the elevator doors opened and both crouched instantly.
'There, little birdies. Eat up. It's good for you, you know!'- said a splicer. Confirmed, the splicers were pretty mad. Elizabeth and I moved quietly and watched the enemy after stairs. I pointed to stay behind a counter and I climbed up until I got behind enemy. Quickly I hit her in the head with the hook and she fell to the ground unconscious. Although I hadn't made any noise, there was an enemy to my left who was armed with a stick and ran towards me. I quickly ducked to dodge his attack and hit his neck with hook, decapitating him. I went to turn around to look for the next enemies but then I noticed a blow on the back and the Lutece shield, that should have worked in that moment, broke.
'OW!' - I complained and, in response, I threw my arm to hit my enemy but he dodged. When he went to attack me, I saw Elizabeth approaching from behind and hit him on the head. He fell on his knees and before he could react, she hit him again to finish him off. I turned and saw the last splicer running to me. I pointed the gun at his head and fired, killing him instantly.
'Are you okay?' - asked Elizabeth as I arched my back that was hurting.
'I just discovered that the Lutece shield, which I didn't remember that was there and was supposed to have worked, is weaker than I thought and I've received a good blow on the back. But forgetting that, I'm fine '- said grimacing. - 'I also forgot how deadly the sky hook could be...'
'Well, the important thing is you're okay.' - she said trying to cheer me up. We moved through the room to the background and we found another obstacle: a large hole between us and the only way forward and huge water jet propelled toward it. - 'That's the entrance to the tram. But there's no way to arrive there...'
'The splicer from before had no problem freezing a path for himself. I'm sure he'll be happy to do the same for us. - said sarcastically.
'I have no doubt you'll prove persuasive.' - said with a smile. Then she pointed a snowman holding a sign. - 'There's an ice rink on the top floor.'
'A perfect place to look for our new friend.'
'Come on.' - We went to the next door and saw her we locked by a lock.
'Are your lockpicking skills still intact?' - I asked with a smile. She approached to the door and in less than a second, the lock fell. Elizabeth tapped on the door and it opened.
'Does that answer your question?' - said with a proud smile and I couldn't help but laugh.
'I missed this. By the way, you still owe me a "private lessons" to teach me that skill.'
'And I
'And you'll have them.' - said with a seductive smile. When we walked in, we saw that close to the next door there was ice around.
'It seems that our friend is leaving clues.'
'Marc.' - I turned and took in the air the object that Elizabeth threw me.
'I also missed this.' - said smiling and looked at the object. I recognized instantly the blue bottle. - 'Wait... a bottle of salts?'
'Eve. They are like the salts from Columbia.'- informed her and I watched the bottle.
Constants and variables...' - I muttered.
'I don't know if you should drink it. We don't know whether it will serve for your vigors and splicers are addicted to it because of plasmids... '- muttered Elizabeth nervously.
'One thing is clear: without vigors, we can't move forward. Also when I received these powers, nothing weird happened to me so...'- I put off the top and I drank. I winced at the strong flavor and Elizabeth looked at me expectantly.
'So…?'
'Two things: first, that tastes as bad as salts but this is like syrup mixed with bad smelling salts... The second is that I feel the same.'
'What about the vigors?'
'Now we will know if it works.' – I passed the next door that was leading to the second floor stairs. In front of a door that led to a place called "The Daily Bread", we saw several splicers. I walked quietly until be behind them and looked at my hand. Thinking about bucking bronco's vigor, I felt the energy flowing through my veins and I threw a wave t my enemies. They were thrown up in the air and quickly thought on devil's kiss to throw a grenade. These were thrown around after receiving the explosion and fell dead.
'It seems they're working as always. Although Marc...'
'Yes?'
'Beware of plasmids and eve. We don't know how your body may react... and don't want it affects you too much.'- said fearfully.
'Don't worry. I'll be careful' - I said with a smile. But this disappeared when I saw more enemies coming from the second floor. I put explosive traps in the middle and they fell directly on them. One who had managed to dodge the, approached with his gun but sent him an electric shock and finished him shooting him in the head. After that, we approached to the door of the restaurant.
'Maybe there are provisions.' – Elizabeth worked on the lock and when she opened the door, it was like having Christmas presents again. Near a body I found a Tommy Gun and took it as something too valuable. Elizabeth looked at me with a frown. - 'What are you doing?'
'If my grandfather could see this, he would go mad. He loves gangster movies and this is a TOMMY GUN.'- responded while grinning. Elizabeth sighed and went to a bar.
'Look what's here.' - When I looked at her, then I looked at the sky - at least that was my intention - and I thanked God and the Lutece. Elizabeth had found a Lutece infusion, just what I needed.
'It's like Christmas again.'
'At least the twins are watching us… or at least I think. Don't think they know the Lutece in Rapture.' – she was right… and may say thanks if I see them. I drank the tasteless liquid and instantly I felt better.
'Now that I remember, I promised my sister that I would bring her something...'
'A gift?'
'Yes. As compensation for not being in the New Year's eve.'- said laughing. Then an idea came to my mind... and I smiled.
'Have you thought about?' – asked when she noticed my smile.
'Yeah, something like… and I think she will love it.'- said as we left the restaurant. Although I wanted to find something nice to Juliet... sure she would love the idea of having a "big sister".
And the adventures have started! Hope you liked the chapter. Now that they are in the serious part there will be more action and, of course, problems for our couple. Things are going to get interesting…
Btw, some said that would wish to see some lemon but also warned me that have imposed strict rules about this. I tried to find those rules to be well informed but couldn't find them… if someone knows better about this, please, send me a PM. You'd help me a lot.
PS: In case you didn't understand Marc's idea, he is thinking with Elizabeth.
