Atlantic Ocean, thirteen years and five months earlier.

Andrew Ryan pressed his white linen handkerchief against his lips. He was ashamed to admit it, who had traveled on the same ocean in atrocious conditions but he was sick as a dog. Finally, it was true that the Atlantic circulation had nothing to do with flying over, like now. Strangely, this would be the first time Andrew was flying. He had traveled by train, boat, car, truck, horse... but never by air.

Andrew turned to the driver and asked if they were still for long. The man replied that they would arrive in a few hours. Cursing inwardly, Andrew tried to focus on its records to forget his airsickness. The project was well advanced. A little over a year after the green light is given, Rapture was built. Ryan's fortune had almost entirely disappeared. But a dream like Rapture worth every penny. After much deliberation, Andrew had decided to build the city at the bottom of the Atlantic, between Iceland and Greenland. The area was deserted enough for them to be left in peace. On paper, much like Rapture in New York with large skyscraper art deco style.

The construction of Rapture had asked them fewer problems than expected is impossible to build the city directly under the water, we had built a huge glass cage sealed designed to withstand the pressure, with a huge pipe. Once the cage weighted at the bottom of the water, it was simply pumped water to create a vacuum zone. Finally, it was used to route the pipe material and labor to build the city. When an area of the city was completed, we had to move the cage and water engulfed the new neighborhood. Currently, Rapture was not extensive but Ryan had planned to continue to expand the city from within. It was a huge project, but Andrew was hopeful.

Swerve driver forced him to support his handkerchief harder against his mouth. Andrew thought he heard they were finally going to happen. He let out a long sigh of relief. Indeed, a dark stood substantially to the surface of the water. They were soon close enough to the point to distinguish the true nature: a lighthouse. A huge lighthouse in the middle of the ocean, miles from civilization known. A passenger ship was moored there. Andrew smiled they realized they were the first Rapturiens?

The plane splashed down not without shaking the back end of the billionaire's stomach. It is therefore unsteadily but no less determined that trod the stone of the building. He climbed the steps four to four and turned to face the boat. That's when he actually saw the impact of its advertising campaign: hundreds of people massed on the boat, which was not without reminding him his own trip to Ellis Island. Men, women and children who had responded to his call. If he had not hated religion, it would be compared to a prophet. The crowd cheered and the first time he had to show leadership to be heard through the cheers of the masses:

"My name is Andrew Ryan."

Entry in, but instead he preferred this option.

"Allow me ask you a question: Is man entitled to the sweat of his brow...?"

Enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.

"No, Says the man in Washington. It belongs to the poor."

Few boos were heard.

"No, Says the man in the Vatican. It belongs to God."

This time, laughter mingled with boos.

"No,Says the man in Moscow. It belongs to the people."

An uproar broke out in the crowd. Ryan smiled. At least, it was good.

"I chose to ignore and reject those answers. I chose a different path. I chose the impossible. I chose..."

He stopped for a moment noticing that the whole mass hung from his lips. He opened his arms and gestured at the lighthouse.

"Rapture... A city where the artist would not fear the wrath of the censors. Where scientists are not bound and bothered by weak ethics and morality. Where the Great would not be controlled by the small. And the sweat of your brow, the city can be yours as well."

It was delirium on the boat. The entire crowd screamed his name, shouted applause. Took a dramatic surge, Ryan greeted as if he'd do a show. He had thought amused at the thought that the situation would surely pleased Sander Cohen.

Think his friend was doubt: where was therefore the artist? In the end, he had not seen since the Winter Garden Theater. He had echoes concerning but that was all. Cohen he drove his thoughts. The artist was not on the agenda. Today, it was him, that Andrew Ryan cheered.

Ryan was followed by the crowd inside the lighthouse. He reveled in their surprise discovering his immense chest bearing the banner "Neither Gods nor Kings, only Man." He delights in seeing their wonderment copper plates bearing the image of the city and its values: Art and Industry. He charmed fear of seeing the famous bathysphere unique link with Rapture. Ryan reserved the first trip. He entered the unit and pushed the joystick. During transport, he fixed his gaze on the only thing worthy of the name of wonder: his city, Rapture.

Certainly, the workers had worked well. Rapture was a jewel at the bottom of the ocean: A underwater replica of Manhattan,New York, without smoke pollution or gray sky. A place where freedom could really express themselves, without being hampered by parasites. Elation like parasites but not to force it to destroy it. This time Andrew felt whole. He was forty-six years and for the first time in his life, he was happy, truly happy. As he felt his eyes mist up. He wiped a tear from the index. It seemed to be a father.

The ride was fast: it took just five minutes for the unit to the lead in his city. It is out of the bathysphere he saw how things were different views inside. Behind the windows and sliding doors, millions of liters of water and in the latter, Ryan could see many fish and even saw a whale go near him. It was just wonderful. Too crazy to be true and yet ...

Without losing a moment, Andrew went straight ahead and progressed to large living area that was just built. He sat for a moment and looked up to try to see the sky. He did not succeed. It was the sky would have meant that the city was not quite well hidden.

Ryan then passed through a long tube of communication. He gasped in fear when a huge whale brushed through the tube. Andrew noted to find a way so that the animals do not damage the city. This is after several minutes that Andrew came to Rapture Metro and programmed the bathysphere that lead him to his office. On the way, Ryan could admire far parts of the city still under construction. The founding of Rapture would take time but the result is up to his expectations.

Arrived at the Heart of Hephaestus who was none other than the center of geothermal energy production of Rapture, Andrew rushed to Central Control, quickly crossed the great hall which was the threshold of his private quarters. He climbed several stairs before finally arriving at his desk and sank into his chair. He smiled. Everything was perfect. Nothing could happen to would prosper, free from parasites and religion. It will become a true Eden.

And its founder was none other than himself, Andrew Ryan, born Andrei Artiomovitch Rydjii. A Russian driven from his country by the Marxists, disappointed by the US a billionaireatheist and anti-religious at the head of a fortune and considerable power. It was all that and more. In fact, a sentence his father suddenly returned in memory, so clearly he could believe that it had been decided at the time not many years ago. "A man chooses, and a slave obeys." Long ago, he had not fully understood the meaning of this sentence, but now everything is illuminated. The slave was prevented, both physically and morally. Instead, the man was free to do the most natural thing in the world of choice. Choose his profession, his family, his goal, his future, his slave did not have that luxury.

Ryan began to establish some ground rules for his city could not run a city without law or anarchy would reign supreme.

*The first rule was that: Rapture had not been built at the bottom of the ocean for nothing. Contact with the outside world was strictly prohibited. Their secret was their best defense. It was enough that parasites find this place to come and defile it. If this happens, serious sanctions will be taken against violators.

*The second was that of Parasites: if everything was done for external parasites do not harm Rapture, should not that thieves or rogue are born within it. Vandalism, theft, taking advantage of society... all this was strictly forbidden.

*The third and final act was that of Liberty: there was no straitjacket Rapture, it was the essence of liberalism. As long as your actions does not hinder the proper functioning of the city, you were free of your actions. Free to think, speak, and of course to take.

Three unique laws for Eden. It seemed right. Andrew copied these laws on a paper promising to promulgate them the next day. But a question arose in his mind: although no control was to take place, it was nevertheless a power up. Would that to enforce these laws. A single leader at the head of the city was out of the question: Ryan believed in freedom, not commissions would only block the system and would be iff. Andrew leaned for a single Council composed of a small number of members. An odd number, so that a majority is always possible. Ryan gave up the leadership of the Council, after all, was it not the legal owner of Rapture? Other Board members come from different branches of city security, merchants, civil ... Andrew opted for democratic elections for these members, himself remaining perpetually at the head of the Council.

He nodded. Everything was perfect. He activated the screens to see the first Rapturiens discover the city. He smiled before returning to work.

There was still much to do.