Chapter 7:

Tenenbaum sat in the basement of Jack's house pouring over all her research and current data. Rapture was full of bad memories even when recalling the name, but she had felt the need to take some of her work to the surface. She had been very careful in hiding it and taking it with her. Always best to have something and not need rather than need something and not have it Tenenbaum had thought.

So far everything still looked good. No further sign of mutation or plasmid development in any of the girls. The suppressants were working with optimal ranges, preventing any plasmid traces from bonding together. However Tenenbaum theorised that a severe stressed induced situation would override the chemicals. Base instincts were sometimes too strong. She was one hundred percent sure that the plasmids would activate if any girl's life was in danger.

Tenenbaum was so tired. She had been working more or less every night since she arrived. Checking, double checking, combing over every detail to make sure she missed nothing. No random number or odd genetic sequence that would be dismissed in a hurry.

I must not be so blind. Just because one threat is gone doesn't mean another is lurking in the shadows. She thought, but still she felt exhuastion weigh heavily on her. I had hoped we were at least done with this..... although, I left some unfinished business down there. The thought of it brought a lump to her throat. Mihkiel.... are you even still alive?

The memory that hit her was so vivid it felt as if Tenenbaum had never left Rapture. She was standing at the bathysphere port, Jack had gone up first with the girls. They were so excited that for the first time they didn't mind leaving her side. She was packing another bathysphere with supplies, Mihkiel would be there soon with his people. He couldn't believe what Tenenbaum had told him about Atlas, let alone Jack. What he did believe was that there was finally a way out of this nightmare.

The radio at her side began buzzing. "Hello? Mihkiel? I think I'm going to have to trip the system again, pull up more bathyspheres. Problem is it would leave the security vunerable, a clever hacker could just waltz in and-"

"You must go. Now" he said in a flat voice.

It didn't register straight away. "But... I what's happened? Has there been more collapses?"

"Something else, but its vital for you to leave right now!" Mihkiel sounded worried, not like himself.

"One minute" she clicked to the other channel "Jack? Mihkiel is in some sort of trouble. I'm going to see if there is anything I can do".

"Bridgette don't be stupid! What if splicers are on the way?" he replied.

Ignoring his protest she switched back to Mihkiel and loaded her pistol. "Tell me where you are, are any of your people with you?"

"Damn it woman listen to me!!" he whispered down the wireless. "Its not safe! I don't even know if they're tracing this... but I'm stuck here now. My people are fine but the place is crawling with..."

"What?"

"The more time we spend talking the more likely it is that-"

Mihkiel's voice was drowned out by static "Mihkiel? Mihkiel!" Tenenbaum cried at the device now in her hand, furiously hitting the buttons.

"Good evening Dr Tenenbaum" a calm, female voice responded. "I'm Dr Sofia Lamb. We met at Rapture's Best and Brightest conclave?"

".... I remember you".

"As I you. After all who could forget the woman who changed the very life of Rapture?" there was nothing threatening in her voice, no hint of ill intent. "I have been.... away for some time. Mihkiel's people were so gracious in accepting me and what few companions I have into their midst, but details of past and current events are still foggy".

A flashing light on a makeshift console lit up. Tenenbaum walked over to it, it was the perimeter alarm she had set up. In case any splicers made a last ditch attempt at the girls.

"Two facts however blare out as clear as sunlight" Lamb continued. "Ryan and Fontaine are dead. Their arrogant, selfish war is over, which means we have a chance to rebuild".

"Rebuild?!" Tenenbaum practically choked on the word. "Look around you Sofia! Rapture is nothing more than a hollowed out nightmare!".

"Rapture's fall was down to two men" Lamb pointed out. "Totally uninterested in the people here. The notion of this city was to further Ryan's ideals of competition and struggle. Nevertheless, the discoveries made here surely dwarf those on the surface. Are you suggesting we let it all sink into the depths because of bad memories?".

Tenenbaum calmly placed her gun in her bag and began locking down the bathysphere system. "Men like Ryan, and Fontaine, still exist Lamb. Suppose they find out? Then the whole world would suffer because no one here had the God damn deceny to let this place die!".

"But there is a third perpretrator" Lamb said. "Someone who has destroyed countless innocents, torn apart families, and set the very monsters of Rapture's fall to roam its streets. You are quite familiar with this person are you not? Perhaps in the slow demise of the city you seek to purge more guilt?"

Tenenbaum felt something cold hit her chest. "What are you saying?". She could now hear banging on the door at the end of the corridor.

"If Rapture is a testament to sin, as you so put it, then it bears your mark" she said, her calm voice now held a distinct venom. "Instead of staying, to try and salvage what little good you did here, you run. Rapture is full of bad memories for you, it was you who created the Little Sisters and gave ADAM to Fontaine. It was you who then took them, and might I add either killing or driving most of the Alpha series insane."

Tenenbaum felt her hands trembling as she climbed into the bathysphere and locked it.

"Stop running from one extreme to the other Bridgette" Lamb's voice now had a motherly feel to it. "With your help, Rapture can be that vision of human achievement. And think of the potential that is within those girls now".

Tenenbaum grabbed the lever just as the door gave way. The splicers tripped the proximity mines, blowing the first lot to pieces.

"Enjoy ruling hell, Dr Lamb!". Tenenbaum pulled the lever and smashed the radio into the bathysphere wall.

"BRIDGETTE!".

Her eyes opened with a start and she flung herself forward on the desk. Cursing as she rubbed her stomach she realised that it was early in the evening. The basement door opened and Jack came walking down.

"Are you alright?" he asked eyeing the mess of papers she was scrambling into draws.

"Fine fine, yes. Just a bit... tired." She took in a deep breath and smoothed her clothes.

"Hmmm" he said, not convinced. "The girls are leaving for Amanda's party so when you're ready".

She raised an eyebrow "They want my opinion before the big night?"

"Of course". Neither of them believed that, save for Marsha, Beth and Mary.

Jack moved a bit closer and put his hand on her shoulder "Come on. You've missed much so don't miss how stunning they can look."

Tenenbaum smiled and walked up the stairs. "At least they can still have a good time".

Jack chuckled. "I have a feeling Amanda will never let us hear the end of this party".