A Few More Delusions

by Many A Mistake

Welcome to the au/spinoff/mistake that no one asked for but exists because Malice played Bioshock again after 7 flipping years! Fair warning, this story includes cannon typical violence, horror, non-con elements and of course gross abuse of the Atlas voice. Side stories, AU's and smut that never got put into Delusion Tax, including the Outlast cast in Rapture.

10. Outshock6

"I'll fucking kill you!"

Ah, it seemed Riley had finally managed to corner Miles. Lisa had to hand it to the Irishman, he'd managed to hide for longer than she'd expected. Made all kinds of excuses to get away, they were currently swimming in supplied after Miles frankly ludicrous amount of 'scavenging' missions. Anything to not be in the safe house at the same time as Riley.

But a man could only escape judgment for so long and he just so happened to sleep here. Couldn't avoid the person you lived with forever. But to Mile's credit, he'd given it an honest to god shot.

"H-Hey, lets just calm down for a second there, lad." Mile's nervous laughter carried through to where Lisa was sitting at her desk, wishing dearly she could just block out the children's argument. Waylon was asleep, finally. He had been up most nights, stressing likely.

Their reactions to what had happened those few weeks earlier were…varied. For her part Lisa had set to trying to see if there was any way to replicate the chemical concoction that Trager had destroyed, and found herself meeting little success. Waylon had been distraught, although he never said a word about it. He's stopped eating as much as he should have and just wouldn't sleep. Most days he'd just drop somewhere, usually sitting with the girls in the middle of some game of make-believe. The children had gotten very good at handling Waylon's accidental naps. Miles had run off, burying himself in his own work so to speak. Gathering supplies, fixing and setting up old traps and defenses. Kept himself just as busy as Lisa had.

Then there was Riley. Then there was Riley….

Sighing Lisa set down her journal and scooted out of her seat as quietly as she could, unwilling to take away the few hours of sleep that Waylon managed to get. Although it was entirely possible that Miles and Riley's bickering would wake him up before long.

Stepping outside of her room she found exactly what she expected to find. Miles pressed up against a wall, barely able to stand on his tippy toes while Riley jammed his arm up under the man's throat with a snarl. What she had not accounted for was Riley's other arm. Where usually there was nothing more than a stump, today he had the drill attached. Most days he kept it off when in the safe house, figuring it was of no use around the place and would just unsettle his companions.

That and he honestly despised it. Said the thing reminded him of unpleasant things. Lisa understood that, thoughts of Trager's manic glee when implementing the drill coming to mind. Riley did not like to be anymore comparable to a big daddy than he already was.

Today it was locked in and by the look of it Riley was all of five seconds away from starting it up and putting it right through Mile's chest.

"Give me one good reason not to just kill you right here." Riley growled, body trembling with the sheer force of his rage. It had been building for weeks after all. He always just missed finding Miles. Admittedly neither Lisa nor Waylon had been particularly helpful, directing Miles out whenever Riley was heading back. Even the girls had started moving the two around so they'd always just miss one another, seeing it as some kind of big game of hide and seek.

Met with that challenge Miles – the shrewd man – took one glance around the safe house and answered. "The children are watching."

Lisa watched in morbid fascination as every single muscle in Riley's body locked up. Going tight as he remembered that they were indeed not alone. Around Riley's feet the girls had been gathered, at first thinking they'd lost the game of hide-and-seek only to be scared by the sudden explosive violence their usually gentle giant displayed. He'd killed for them plenty in the past, but he'd always been fighting mad men and splicers – never raised a weapon to someone that was, at least to some extent, family.

Taking a look down at the girl's frightened expressions, Riley's expression twisted from one of rage to guilt. Immediately Miles was set down, the drill lowering in the same motion, although he still reserved a steely glare for the man that seemed to say 'don't move an inch'. Miles lifted his hands in surrender and stayed where he was put. Riley turned to the girl who still looked frightened and carefully took a knee in front of them. "I'm sorry." He murmured, offering his human hand out to them. "Everything alright, I'm here. Just…a little adult talk. It's all okay I promise."

There was hesitation in the girls but only for all of two seconds before they were hugging up to Riley again. He carefully wrapped them up in his arms again, still uttering quiet apologies until he was sure the girls were feeling secure once again.

Miles was safe so long as the little ones were around…which was precisely why Riley immediately suggested they go play in the other room with the rest of the children. Lisa very nearly laughed as Mile's relieved expression turned pale, knowing right away that Riley was sending off his only saving grace. He turned to Lisa for help but she'd never been one to dig the past revolutionary out of his self-made graves.

Hesitant to go the little one glanced at the remaining adults for confirmation. Lisa gave them a nod and Miles managed a slightly uneasy smile for them. With that they were bustling out of the room with talk of playing a new game. To Riley's credit he did not immediately go back to strangling Miles, having calmed enough while dealing with the girls. Now his anger was quieter but no less vicious.

"Any other reasons?" He asked in a cold hiss not yet turning to face Miles again as he stood back to his full height.

"Lad I…" Miles looked like he was swallowing the words, not sure what he could say that would save his own skin in that moment. After a beat of silence Miles actually reached out for Riley and uttered the only thing he could. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?"

Turning sharply, Riley grabbed Miles by the front of his shirt as the words tore out of him. "Is that all you can fucking say? That was my brother you sent out there. Even after I told you he couldn't go, even after you knew it wasn't safe! You sent him out there because that's what you've always done!"

"Riley, plea-"

"You just send men to their deaths and call it a fucking revolution. Men died for you and what the hell did you give them, huh? Nothing. You gave them less than nothing, you fucking handed them right over to Blaire and now you've gone and given him my bother as well. You self righteous, arrogant, selfish piece of-!"

There was a jarring thud as Miles fist came crashing down across Riley's jaw.

More stunned than anything Riley ended up on his backside, with his hand hovering over what would be an extraordinary bruise come tomorrow morning. It was hardly the worst Riley had ever taken, but clearly the shock of it coming from Miles had struck him harder than any big daddy.

Above him Miles had his hands still clenched into tight fists and even from this distance Lisa could clearly see he'd busted at least one knuckle on Riley's face. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen!" Miles shouted, voice replacing Riley's angry words. "I was doing what was right. Not all of us have the luxury of having a squeaky clean fucking conscience. Some of us had to make the hard choices; we couldn't all just walk through life with clean goddamn hands. I tried alright, I tried to do something good and look where it got me. Nowhere, no bleeding where! I didn't ask for men to...to die for me."

Words that were meant to be angry, loud and leaving no room for a moment of weakness. Except that's exactly what happened, Mile's words broke. The anger drained away, leaving only a grief stricken Miles standing in silence staring down at Riley who had not even tried to get back up. Instead he was just watching Mile's face, looking nearly as surprised as the Irishman felt.

"I…I didn't…" Miles muttered staring at his own two hands. Littered with scars, the years of abuse evident in the callouses along his fingers.

But he had done just that, hadn't he?

Names and faces of people long gone came unbidden into his mind, dragged up from the darkest corners he'd managed to force them back into. Each one another death he'd never be clean of.

It had all been so different once. Back when he'd still spoken with Atlas's name to his person, inspired the same fire that burned away in his gut inside of others. As Atlas he'd rallied people, provided them with hope that things could change. That he would be the one to change them. Even as they lost people, as their friends died fighting for their cause – it hadn't done a damn thing to slow the movement. They just pressed on, never stopping to count how many had already fallen until they could look back and find hundreds of bodies left in their wake. Some theirs, others Murkoff's and too many bystanders.

But none of that mattered. They forced it not to matter and clung to hope. It was that blind devotion that had truly brought everything to a grinding halt.

He'd lined it all up perfectly for Blaire, provided him with people more than willing to die on the slim chance that others may live without Murkoff's shackles tying them down. Miles had handed them all right over to the slaughter.

Now he may very well have added Sebastian's name to the numerous others that rattled around his skull during the late night hours.

All the fight drained out of Miles. The shame he'd been working incredibly hard to avoid, hiding behind anger and work to keep it at bay, was now overpowering. Standing in silence he waited as Riley slowly eased back to his feet, waited for the moment his earlier display of violence would land him his own black eye.

There was something unnatural in the way Riley so casually reached for him. Miles tensed, prepared for the first strike but expecting it to hurt like a bitch straight outta hell all the same. But as the seconds trickled by and no immediate harm came to him, Miles gradually opened his eyes again. Finding Riley staring at him, hand still lifted. The motion caught between grabbing the Irishman and something else that kept his fingers splayed out and lax. That same quiet disconnect shinning through in Riley's expression, blank save for the pinch of his eyebrows. Uncertainty if Miles were forced to name it.

Riley didn't know what to do.

"If ya want to beat the shit outta me…" Miles began dryly. "Might as well get to it lad."

With no words rushing to his defense, Miles had little choice but to accept whatever punishment Riley dished out. Hit me. Miles thought viciously, frustrated the longer Riley's arm remained up and without a punishing blow behind it. Why would he bleeding hit me? Do it already, hit me, just fucking—"Hit me!" The words tore straight out of Miles and before he could think better of it he'd reached out to snare the stronger man's wrist, as though he might somehow be able to prompt Riley out of his inaction.

Startled the young man had little choice but to stumble forward when he was grabbed. There were no illusions as to who was physically superior between them, but Riley was still outmatched by Miles's sheer fierceness. Always that little bit taken aback by him. "What are you waiting for?" The angry man barked. "After all that strong shit you were spouting earlier – why in bleeding hell won't you hit me now, huh? Gone soft behind the ears have you?"

Still Riley did not move. Still his hand didn't so much as twitch. Instead he was just staring at Miles. This was unacceptable.

"All those people that died, yeah I killed 'em. Walked them right into their graves – so hurt me if it'll make you feel better, boyo."

Finally action, only not the one Miles wanted. In one quick motion Riley snapped his wrist right out of Upshur's grasp. The scowl twisting on his face was not one that promised an immediate beating and instead Riley's hand fell limp back at his side. The drill at his other remaining blessedly silent.

Then suddenly Riley's eyes were on him again, sharp and unforgiving. "I am not your weapon." The words were just as cold and bitter as his stare. "Do not try to use me to make yourself feel better."

Oh my. Lisa thought wryly with a quiet sigh, leaning back against the doorframe as she watched the pair engage in a glaring match. Looks like they're at a stalemate.

Over her shoulder Lisa could hear Waylon stirring. She couldn't say for sure if it was all the bickering that had dragged him away from his much needed sleep or if his body had simply had its fill – either way she felt a small pang of frustration towards both of the men in front of her. As he emerged from the bedroom, rubbing his face clumsily, Waylon took notice of the tense atmosphere quickly.

Straightening back up he looked to Lisa for answers. His wife giving little more than a helpless shrug. She'd let Waylon mother them, her duties only extended as far as the girls and occasionally tinkering with Riley's screws to set her wrongs right where she could.

"Hey." Waylon smiled uneasily as he approached the two. "Are we all okay?"

"Just peachy." Miles ground out through clenched teeth; eyes not shifting from Riley's face at the lie came out. A few more seconds trickled on by before Miles was willing to turn his back to Riley with a low snarl of frustration. "Need a damn drink." He muttered under his breath before heading for the door. Nearly made it out too before a little sister came rushing on in.

In her haste the young girl nearly hurtled straight into Mile's legs. "Easy there!" It was as though she was deaf to the words, alarm written across her face clear as day. The adults took notice quick enough and it was Waylon that moved fastest. Hurrying over to Miles and the child, dropping down to a knee before the girl with what must have been the most well practiced expression of concern and comfort.

He uttered quiet assurances, questions littered in between the soft reassurances – trying to pinpoint to source of her distress. The words were blurted out after a few minutes of the girl struggling to just catch her breath. "Come quickly!" She urged, grabbing hold of Waylon's hand to try and pull. "Mary just came home!"

The name meant nothing to most of those present, all except Lisa and Riley who startled when hearing it. "Mary?" The previously silent protector repeated, too shocked at hearing it again after so long to truly process what was being said. "But we haven't…she's been trapped in Persephone since…"

Realisation swept between Lisa and Riley in the same second and both were quick to join Waylon with the girl. "Where?" Lisa asked quickly and with a relieved smile the little sister lead them back into the main room – where the other children had gathered around the vent Mary had only minutes earlier crawled out of.

Riley's breath caught seeing her again, eyes no longer a unnatural yellow glow. Instead a pair of bright, human, blue eyes turned to look at them and Mary smiled from ear to ear. "Big brother!" The other girl's parted, allowing Mary to rush over to Riley, throwing herself into his one armed embrace. Immediately he took her up into a tight hug, almost desperate in how close he held her to his person.

She was alive. Not only alive, but safe and cured. Something Riley had very nearly given up on after so long. She'd grown so much since he last saw her, the four years they'd been separated having changed her in a few ways. None of which were enough to stop him from recognizing her the moment he saw her.

"Thought you were gone…"

Lisa allowed the two all the room she could manage. It would be rude to steal away their reunion but there was only so much patience she could muster and finally Lisa stepped forward to speak. "Little one. How did you find your way back to us?"

When questioned Mary glanced up at Lisa, if she recognized the woman responsible for implanting the slug in her stomach all those years ago she didn't show it. "Big brother saved me." She explained as though it were the most obvious thing in the world and while she showed no recognition for Lisa, she certainly remembered her 'brothers'. "Sent me back, said I would be safe."

Looking over at Riley who had turned deathly silent and still Lisa didn't dare imagine what he was thinking. Instead she focused on the young one in front of them. "How many other little ones are there in Persephone?"

Thinking about this for a moment, Mary eventually offered up an uncertain answer. "Two…I think." That was good enough for now. It meant there was at the bare minimum one more child out there that needed help.

This changed things, they would need to move quickly. If the path to Persephone had been opened up they would be able to reach the other girls. Martin would be an obstacle surely but at least they would have access to the previously barred off section of Rapture. All too quickly Lisa's focus had narrowed to a tunnel vision. They had to work to do if they hoped to see the surface. But Riley was still stuck on the first thing that Mary had said.

Waylon's attention moved from Lisa to Mary and he had to ask permission from the stonily silent guardian to relinquish her from the hug so he could make sure she didn't have any outstanding injuries. Just as the little sisters trusted Waylon, Riley obediently released Mary to allow Waylon to see her. Miles never bothered to ask why it was Waylon was able to get through to the ADAM based creatures regardless of their mental state. But if he were to make a grim guess he'd assume it was programed into them by Lisa, some long standing form of hardwired affection for her husband being built into all her creations. It certainly had saved his life in the past, but likely Riley wouldn't appreciate it if this were to be the case.

With Waylon distracted by Mary – whom seemed more excited than anything else – and Lisa gone to find where they'd stashed the old vent system plans, that just left Riley and Miles among the eagerly whispering children.

Riley hadn't gotten up, sitting on the ground as his silence stretched on longer and longer with every second. The girls steered clear of him, out of respect rather than fear. Each and every girl knew instinctually as a little sister he'd never harm them and once saved they trusted him just as much. But they also knew when to give their protector space.

Miles was bound by no such courtesy.

So as he came to stand directly besides Riley, lighting up a cigarette, Miles spoke to him where a kindlier man would have remained silent. "Brother, huh?" He mused aloud, able to feel Riley actually flinch by his leg they were so close. "Now I wonder who that could be."

"If you think this means I forgive you…"

"I ain't asking for your forgiveness kid." Not deserving of it, not wanting it, not asking for it. Miles took a long drag of the cigarette, a relieved shuddering running through his body as he got the nicotine back in his system. It felt as though he hadn't paused for a smoke since the kid went missing back in Olympus Heights. "What I am asking…" He continued slowly, able to practically feel Riley's doubt just rolling off of him. "…is that you don't bite me head off when I come with ya to get him."

At this rather casual comment Riley's entire body became animated. Head whipping up, carrying most of his body along with it as he stared at Miles. The sight got a small huff of amusement out of the Irishman. "You…" Riley paused, swallowing heavily. "You're coming with me?"

"Ya wound me, lad. Making it sound like I'd leave you twisting in the wind. 'Course I'm coming along."

The light of the cigarette would eventually draw Lisa back. She liked a good smoke of her own – but not in the kid's play rooms. She'd catch wind of his little rebellion before long and Miles intended to be long gone by then, out there making for Persephone. Able to still feel Riley's surprised stare, Miles tossed the younger man a smirk. "Not too keen on adding your kid brother's name to my conscience, boyo. Only one solution then ain't there? Go drag his hide out of there me self."

It was always quite the sight, seeing the way Riley's head worked in contrast to his heart. The boy was built to take a battering, and to give out double that. But there was nothing protecting that soft heart of his, there was certainly nothing in place to help him hide every honest emotion that passed through his person. Miles had gotten comfortable watching them play out through Riley's expressive face. In that moment he watched an onslaught of something painful passing over the kid's face. Too happy to not hurt at least a bit.

Smiling faintly Miles took another drag of his cigarette, pretending not to be wholly aware of how Riley's emotions played out. There was no harm in giving a man a sense of privacy in his own thoughts. But Miles could hear them loud and clear.

"I'm still angry." Riley eventually huffed and Miles bit down a smirk because – no he ain't.

Instead of pointing out how ludicrously obvious a lie those words were, Miles instead took a step forward, placing himself in front of Riley to offer the kid a hand up. "Sure thing, Riles. But pissed as you might be – we should make tracks, don't you agree?" After a moment of speculation and regarding Miles's hand as though it might just be a snake, Riley finally relented and reached up to lock hands with the old freedom fighter.

With a grin Miles hauled the kid back onto his own two feet. He weighed a ton with that blasted drill attached, so really the movement was all for show, Riley picking himself up more than Miles actually pulled. But that was just the purpose of the exercise – a point of faith.

"Might not be me weapon, boyo. But you'll mind my back out there won't ya?" There was no doubt in the question, hardly even needed asking. But Miles said it all the same if only to see the slight smile that fought its way onto Riley's face. He tried for annoyed but it fell flat and they both knew the expression hadn't been convincing. So finally Riley gave a small nod, hand still joined with Miles even now he was back on his own two feet.

Finally Riley relented and uttered a firm. "Always."

Satisfied with this Miles tapped a knuckle back against Riley's chest, right above where his heart beat firmly in his chest. "Then we're good to get going. Let the brainiacs do their bit in here and we'll do ours out there. Going to have your brother home safe and sound before the night is out – ya hear? Come on…time to go."

Miles would not be adding any more names to his list. Not today.

…

…

Part 6

He'd never say the words, but there was something to be said for freedom in servitude.

Granted not the freedom to choose, of course not. But there was no need to think, no hesitation behind the swing of his muscles as another splicer's teeth caved in around the heavy metal of his wrench. There was no doubt or guilt, barely a single personal thought stuck in his skull. Just the order of the man holding his chains and the momentary thought of how to achieve whatever it was that had been demanded of him.

It was easy. The easiest thing Sebastian had ever done in his long life. This may have, in part, had to do with the fact it was programed into him to be obedient. Once the resistance was gone, his mind fell into a comfortable lull, happy to do as it was meant to without Sinclair's incessant griping.

What was less easy were the moments when personality was once again required. If Blaire called him over, told him to speak his thoughts when there were none in his head, Sinclair had to break away from that carefree haze and become himself again. These moments were…difficult to say the least.

Usually accompanied by the weight of all his guilt and disgust hitting him at once. Perhaps Blaire knew this, maybe that was why he insisted on calling Sebastian back into focus, just to see all the wretched emotions play out on his face again. Without fail he'd grin and utter something along the lines of, "There you are." Always sounding so pleased once he saw the lucidity return to Sebastian's wide eyes.

Thankfully he had not called him back for some time now. Sinclair could feel Jeremy at his back, ever aware of the man's position in regards to his own. Vigilant to make sure there was no chance a rouge splicer could make its way to its target. If Blaire had to fire his gun Sebastian would have fallen short in his primary purpose and that – his programing screamed – was unacceptable.

Sebastian knew they were getting closer to where Blaire's office was, if only because Blaire kept muttering to himself about Martin being in there and all the different kinds of dead he would be once Jeremy got his hands on the sick bastard. The sooner he got Blaire to that office, the sooner he'd be safe from the splicers and Sebastian will have completed his task of safe guarding him to the office. Although he held out little hope for this potential cure to ADAM sickness that Martin had apparently holed up with.

Straightening out his spine Sebastian stood motionless over what he guessed to be the last lead head splicer around. The screaming and mad rantings had all fallen silent with this last corpse being added to the pile. Taking in a deep breath Sebastian began the usual process of checking his supplies, reloading all his guns and shooting another blast of EVE through his veins. It took a little longer than it once had, a whole assortment of new weapons having been gathered over his endeavors.

It was while Sinclair was making sure he was prepared for the next wave of madmen that he heard it. The distant happy chanting of a little sister. Abruptly his personality returned to him, a quick, sharp clarity that momentarily stunned Sebastian into stillness. With the EVE hypo still in hand, needle digging into his wrist, Sebastian perked up looking in the direction of the girl's voice. Then just as quickly he turned to look at Blaire, awaiting approval anxiously. He was afraid Blaire might decide this time to retract his earlier 'generosity' but Blaire only gave him that slightly irritated stare before waving him off. The 'go ahead' gesture was more than enough.

This was the only instance where Sebastian did not bemoan the return of his clarity, these rare instances where he could do some good. The only thing that still brought a genuine smile to his face and a fleeting sense of relief.

He felt no regret for his actions when this was the trade off.

Cautiously Sebastian turned a corner, looking for any sigh of a metal daddy or splicers. But the entire place seemed to be silent, nothing but the quiet hum of a sister to fill the air. Sebastian could have sworn he was the only thing so much as moving when he set foot into the room.

Then he saw her.

Dirty, torn dress, glowing eyes and all. The little sister stood by one of their crawl spaces, humming and tilting from foot to foot. The tune was dead, toneless and the trill of her doubled voice sent a familiar chill down his spine but too reminded Sebastian that he'd have to adjust his voice for her. To replicate that unnatural hum in order to keep the child from panicking at the sight of him.

Glancing around Sebastian failed to see any sign of a big daddy. Not even a whiff of the usual putrid stench that accompanied the beasts wherever they went. It seemed as though this child was truly without a guardian and it was just as well there were no splicers around or this would have been the end of her. But Sebastian didn't approach any closer, keeping his distance and silence as he watched the singing child.

He'd heard of the 'if it's too good to be true' saying and this was looking decidedly too good.

It wasn't until father Martin's voice cut through the air that Sebastian knew this had to be some kind of trap. "The only way out of this place is the truth. Accept the gospel and all doors will open before you." On instinct Sebastian spun on the ball of his foot, a warning already tearing from his throat just as the doors he'd come through slid shut tight behind him, effectively separating monster from master.

Frantic Sebastian rushed the gates, slamming his palms flat against them to see if they'd give. Through the gaps of the metal he could see Blaire, looking rightfully alarmed and just as angry. Rather than approach the divide he took a step back. "Kid, your telekinesis." He reminded sharply, although judging by the strained panic in his voice, he suspected it would do no good.

Sebastian obeyed all the same picking up the first piece of debris he could find and flinging it at the doors. Barely more than a scratch and the slab of concrete broke apart uselessly where it hit. Once the dust cleared Blaire snarled under his breath. "This is what I get for ordering the best security." He muttered sourly before glancing back to Sebastian. "The entire place is going to be on lock down. We're not going anywhere until all those doors open back up. Sinclair, you'll need to meet me at the office. No way to bust through those gates without a direct override."

"But if I'm not with you…!" Sebastian began, hands once again pressed urgently against the bars. The terrified words never got all the way out but Blaire seemed to have understood his panic and smiled thinly in response.

"Keep your radio close, kid. Don't forget who you're-"

Both men looked up as Martin's voice returned, cutting through Blaire's instructions sharply. "Each new tyrant ventured here in search of conquest, child. First Murkoff and now you, false apostle. But every aspiring Caesar must learn to fear the knives of his fellows. Ask yourself... what does the heretic doctor stand to gain by keeping your secrets, heathen?"

At first it seemed as though Blaire was merely tired of Martin's voice, not unlike everything else he'd said but as the words 'heretic doctor' were spoken suddenly Blaire was all ears. Startling he grabbed for the radio at his hip, calling into it for an answer from Rick. He waited, radio held up tightly. Even from this distance Sebastian could see Blaire's fingers shaking when he pressed the button down and tried again to get a response from Rick. Nothing.

Fists clenched tight at his sides Blaire turned to look straight into a security camera, looking as though he would have liked nothing more than to scream but couldn't muster more than a hushed snarl. "What have you done with Rick?" He asked and Sebastian shuddered just listening to the pure venom that saturated every syllable.

But it was Martin's purred satisfaction that really had Sebastian's blood running cold. "Yes, what of Trager. The man who would enslave god's messengers and sell utopia... what of him now?"

"Listen here you fucking creep, when I get my hands on you-!"

Now Blaire was shouting but his words were overshadowed by a distant scream. "Your suffering is over now. These men will ease your burden. Please understand that like all I have done, this … is an act of god." Martin told them gently the words followed quickly by the howls of splicers off in the distance.

Cursing viciously Blaire turned to take one look towards the source of the racket before looking once again at Sinclair. "My office." He instructed sharply, tone leaving no room for debate. "Twenty minutes, don't you dare be late." Pausing for just a second Blaire cast Sebastian a look that might have been just a touch apologetic. "Keep an ear out kid." Sebastian felt dreadful as he watched Blaire run out of view, wanting to do anything to ensure Blaire would be safe but there wasn't a damn thing he could besides flick his radio back on and do at he was told.

Twisting to look over his shoulder, towards what he guessed was the direction of the office and the location of Martin. He tried not to think about who may have made the sound. Sebastian next tried to look for another way out of this trap of a room, but when he turned he found the little sister at his feet smiling expectantly up at him.

Startled Sebastian only thought to stare back at her for a second before his senses kicked back in. Separated or not he still had to save this sister and so he switched to the plasmid Lisa had given to him so long ago and took to one knee by the girl.

"Why would you wish to remove your sister from her divine existence, child?" Martin asked, voice closer this time. He was using selective speakers now, no longer addressing all of the building, now speaking directly to Sebastian who did his damndest to tune him out.

Divine existence, the words sat uncomfortably in his mind, a note of disgust attached to them. There was nothing divine about the work of men's greed and so Martin's question went ignored as Sebastian worked to find that unnatural voice deep inside of his throat that would sooth the girl, though she hardly seemed to need it. This pause gave Martin ample time to go on.

"She is your sister, child! Do not forsake family for the false apostle." He urged but Sebastian was in no way doing this for Blaire of all people. This was for the girl – for family. Smiling faintly Sebastian offered his arms to the sister and was relieved when she rushed into them. Murmuring to her gently in that freakish voice Sebastian laid his hand atop her head.

Only to be stopped short by her voice. "Brother Sebastian?" While he hadn't hesitated on Martin's command he did stop when the sister spoke, peering up at him curiously with those bright yellow eyes of hers. Then she smiled and Sebastian couldn't immediately put his finger on what it was that scared him about that. She provided an answer with what she said next. "I'm glad that you're safe, big brother was very worried. He missed you very much, but we'll all be together again now." Then the young girl pointed towards the opposite side of the room. Following her direction Sebastian saw a flimsily bolted shut opening. The vent easily large enough for him to squeeze through. "You can go through there to find him."

A chill rushed down Sebastian's spine. Fearing what that might mean for him, if Riley appeared now and saw him as he was…Sebastian tried not to think about it. Instead he focused on the child and finished destroying the slug in the lining of her stomach. As always a wave of relief rolled over him once the child was freed from that wretched existence, yellow eyes fading back to a set of sweet brown hues. The usual motions carried through, confusion and then gladness.

The child thanked him and Sebastian murmured back quiet words for her to be safe as she head back to Lisa and Waylon's care. Helping her up into the vent once again. The dark haired girl paused only for a moment, looking between Sebastian and the dark cavern of the vent's opening. "Will you be safe too? You'll be back with us soon won't you?" She asked quietly and Sebastian was so startled by the question he almost forgot to lie convincingly. He tried to smile when he nodded but even that small lie left him feeling hollowed out on the inside.

He couldn't go back, Sebastian knew that and as the child naïvely believed him with a smile of her own – his heart broke that little bit more.

She'd only just vanished from sight when Sebastian heard the distant sound of a gun being fired. The echo of the bullet being shot jerked him back into motion, the only thought present in his head a very sobering one. That had to be Jeremy.

Prying the metal grate free of its screws, Sebastian took only a second to peer into the vent. Hesitating for at long as the silence between gunshots persisted. Another fired and in he went. All he could do was hope the sister was not perfectly accurate in her instructions. Crawling through the vent as quickly as his hands and feet would allow in the tight space, Sebastian occasionally caught sight of the outside world through the few grates and gaps in the vent. Most looked exactly the same as the rest of Rapture, the only difference was that some of the bodies he caught sight of were fresh. Their blood still pooling out where they'd been shot. Which meant that there'd definitely been a fight through this way and Sebastian was on the right track.

As the path ended Sebastian found the final opening and knew this was where the line stopped. Jamming his foot against the grate separating him from the rest of Rapture. It took two kicks to knock the metal loose but finally it gave falling to the ground with a loud crash. Sebastian slid out a moment later, landing atop the fallen grill. He'd come out into a mess of blood and bodies, all fresh enough to be worthy of concern but it was the state of the bodies that really bothered Sebastian.

Even at a quick glance he could see some of these killing blows were not dealt by a pistol. A few of the bodies had been torn, shredded by something more vicious than a gun or knife. At a guess Sebastian would say a daddy must have come this way, taking down splicers with its drill but a few of the bodies weren't even the work of a big daddy's drill. Some looked more like they'd been torn apart with something's hands.

The analysis of the situation took all of five seconds and Sebastian could spare no more than that. Turning on the ball of his foot to run down the hall. He was met with absolutely no resistance, likely all the splicers this way had been taken care of and judging by how the sound of a fight got closer with every step he took he'd find all the remaining splicers up towards Blaire's office.

Splicers he'd expected, hell he'd even pulled out his go to crowd dealing plasmid, nothing caught a group of splicers in a bind than a fist full of bees. Except what Sebastian found himself faced with when he turned that final corner was exactly what he'd hoped wouldn't be there.

At first he felt relief at seeing Jeremy still alive and standing, that relief quickly turned sour when in the next second he saw the state Blaire was in. Clutching his side with one hand, the other used to keep his gun up as blood seeped through his fingers. The man had one eye shut in an effort to keep the blood out of it that came running down from his forehead where a sizable gash sat. Injuries aside Jeremy looked ragged and out of breath, arm shaking with the effort of keeping his gun raised.

"Jeremy!"

Startled by Sebastian's voice the hand holding the gun lowered just a fraction as Jeremy instinctively looked in the direction of his monster. Sebastian had not expected the wide eyed look of terror that met him. "Kid, get the hell out of here!" Blaire shouted at him with an urgency in his voice that briefly took the speed out of Sebastian's steps. Confused he stumbled to a near halt, unable to understand why Blaire would order him away when he clearly needed help.

Fortunate he had slowed in his approach, had he kept at the pace he'd been moving with before Sebastian would have been in the exact spot that a moment later exploded in a shower of cement.

His arms whipped up to protect his face from the cascade of debris, a few pieces of shattered cement catching his arms and face as they flew past, littering cuts where his skin was exposed. Peering past his own defensively raised arms, Sebastian caught sight of Blaire's hardened expression and clenched jaw as he jerked the gun back up in the direction of the thing that had just landed between himself and Sinclair.

The familiar whirl of a drill roaring into life momentarily mislead him into thinking it was a daddy that had landed squarely between him and his objective. Difficult but certainly nothing he couldn't handle provided Jeremy got himself clear.

Except Sebastian's mind began to assign complications to this initial assumption. Like the fact the body that uncurled from where it had landed, drill whipping out to the side as it spun back into motion, was too small and made of flesh rather than metal. That was a human's form and it took only a second more for the truth of the situation to settle in and Sebastian was sure his heart stopped the moment understanding washed over him.

It was a split decision to swap out his plasmid for the wrench as Sebastian rushed the larger man. Similarly it seemed to only be a coincidence that he was met with the barrel of a shotgun rather than the drill. The gun almost gave way under the force of the wrench flying down across its barrel, were it anyone else they would not have been able to hold steady with only one arm lifting the weapon, oh but his brother was built for it just like he was.

Surprise registered in Riley's eyes when he saw Sebastian standing opposite him. Confusion came next as it stole precious seconds away from Riley's defense, Sebastian had no such hindrance – having already dealt with his shock before lifting the wrench. With a sharp turn and an outward throw of his leg Sebastian slammed his foot squarely into his older brother's chest, sending the other monster flying back a few feet not braced or prepared for the sudden strike.

The urge to turn and get a visual on Blaire again was almost overpowering but Sebastian knew better than to turn away from a potential attack. Especially one that was being delivered by someone like himself. He distantly recalled his encounter with Billy and while Riley was by no means the same monstrous creature that Billy had become – Sebastian knew better than to underestimate his brother. A virtue that could not be extended to Riley, who still seemed more shocked by what was happening as opposed to actually being hurt by the attack.

Straightening up Sebastian did his best to continue taking steady breaths while facing his brother. Mind racing with all the things he couldn't possibly say to explain himself. Even if he'd tried Sebastian knew there'd be no way to convey to Riley how the situation had twisted out of his control. There was no influence of a trigger phrase commanding his actions for the time being and that was the smallest freedom he had. The one thing he could fight to keep – Riley wouldn't understand how delicate it all was. Wouldn't understand how ingrained the urge to protect his master was.

Or maybe….

Sebastian's eyes drifted to the drill his brother used as a crutch in that moment, one arm hooked under his chest where Sebastian had struck him and the drill jammed into the ground to keep him upright. Perhaps Riley might understand the urge to protect, he'd been hardwired to protect the sisters after all. But it was the nature of any moral person to guard those girls, there was no logical reasoning or morality behind Sebastian's need to protect Blaire.

"Seb…" His brother's voice was wretched, racked with confusion as he stared at his younger brother. Horror reflecting in his eyes. "What are you doing?"

Rather than answer Sebastian instead fired up inferno, a clear display of aggression. A warning to back off he dearly hoped Riley would take. He knew that would not be the case when Riley's eyes hardened, expression turning cold as his gaze fleetingly flicked over Sebastian's shoulder. Towards Blaire no doubt. "What did you do?" He seethed, easing guardedly back to his feet, wary of Sebastian's movements. "What did you do!?"

There was no answer from behind Sinclair. Good. If there had been it might have just been coloured with a kindly word Sebastian could not ignore. Instead it was Sebastian that took a step forward and spoke. The words directed at Blaire. "Go ahead." He instructed flatly, were the situation any different he would not have been brave enough to give orders. "Get to your office, I'll meet you there when I'm finished here."

A pause.

Sebastian cringed, expecting an order in return. "Remember what I said about being late." Was what he heard instead. Surprised Sebastian actually began to turn to look Jeremy's way. A mistake.

He heard Riley's drill jerk free of the ground, recognizing the danger a moment later. Abruptly snapping his attention back to his brother Sebastian moved before fully taking in the situation. Rushing to the side to catch Riley by the throat before he could get past him. It was no easy task, Riley weighed a ton but it was the speed that gave Sebastian the edge. Throwing his brother downward. Riley crashed into the ground, leaving cracks scattered along the floor. It was a hard hit but no more than a second later the man was back on his feet, a good distance away from Sebastian again and snarling.

Sinclair didn't turn his gaze away a second time, and instead contented himself to hear Blaire's footsteps as he ran down the other pathway and towards his office. Until they had access to it the doors out of this place would remain locked up tight.

That hard stare didn't soften in the slightest, behind it there was still confusion as Riley tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Let him believe it was the effect of his mental conditioning, or let him think his brother had simply broken. Sebastian didn't say anything to convince him one-way or the other. Instead he remained silent, waiting for the sound of Blaire's footsteps to grow fainter until he could no longer hear him.

Only then did Sebastian right his spine, looking at Riley with as much coldness as he could muster. Best not to let his brother know he was breaking on the inside.

Unlike himself Riley had absolutely no qualms about expressing every horrible emotion that raced through him. "What are you doing?" He demanded, voice rising to a shout. "Protecting that man? What did he do to you?"

Sebastian ground his teeth together, would have bitten off his tongue if he thought it would do any good. "Don't get any closer." He instructed, the effort of keeping his words even nearly impossible to keep. "I won't allow you to get any closer to Blaire."

There was a moment where it seemed Riley would have torn right through Sebastian just to get at the bastard. But then an eerie calm settled over the older monster, followed quickly by a cold smile. "Fine." Sebastian's heart stuttered, undeniably afraid of that voice. Low, echoed and not even close to human. "I don't need to get any closer."

For a moment those words didn't add up in Sebastian's mind but then there was the telltale sound of Jeremy gun from down the hall and in an instant Sebastian was turning even as that small voice at the back of his mind murmured that this was better. Better that Jeremy die and Sebastian be free from him finally. That voice was quickly drowned out by the panic that roared through his mind.

He should have learnt from the first time that it was always a mistake to turn his back on Riley. He'd not expected a man of his brother's size to move as fast as he did. The result, Sebastian was quickly trapped under Riley's arm as it curled around his throat, the drill resting across his torso – a warning not to move. Riley might as well have been made of stone for how movable he felt in that moment, his arm curling tighter around Sebastian's throat until he was struggling just to drag in another breath.

"Lisa will set you right." Riley promised, voice hushed but no less vicious. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you insist…" The arm tightened further and Sebastian couldn't even choke down a single breath, as his windpipe was painfully crushed shut. "…I know where the closest vita-chamber is."

The panic that overtook Sebastian now was purely self-motivated. Memories of the chamber rushing back into his head as the oxygen failed to. Where he'd remained still in Riley's immovable hold before, now he struggled feverishly. Desperate not to go back to that wretched chamber.

With a grunt of effort Riley was able to keep Sebastian secure for most of his struggling, then noticed he only clawed at the arm holding him with one hand. The other was bandaged up. Making the connection quickly Riley pressed the rough edge of the drill punishingly into Sebastian's wounded hand. He winced when his brother howled in pain, losing what remained of his oxygen.

Even with his arm constricting around his little brother's throat, Riley buried his head into the younger monster's shoulder, uttering quiet apologies in the voice he would use with a little sister. A vain attempt to comfort his brother while he stole away his air. "Didn't want to do this to you." He muttered grimly at one point and it broke his heart to do this, but it hurt more to see his brother so completely trapped by the man that commissioned him.

Riley would have killed anyone in order to free Sebastian from that. Morbidly that included Sebastian himself.

Then abruptly Riley's attention shifted hearing Martin's voice coming from the speakers. "It is a sad sight to see brother's fighting among themselves. To see angels turned against one another by man. Poor soul. Don't be afraid, you're doing His work. Whether you know it or not." For his part Riley rather hated listening to Martin's nonsense, he didn't see anything in this horrible place as 'divine' certainly not himself or the state of the little sisters.

But in this instance Martin's voice served as more than a simple distraction. "Worry not child. When in need our lord will not forsake you." Then there was the shriek and Riley's arms very nearly went slack. Enough that Sebastian was able to choke down a gulp of air but was not free enough to move.

"Billy?" Riley muttered under his breath, recognizing that distant wail.

He hadn't so much as caught a glimpse the oldest of the three brothers in years, almost as long as Sebastian had been missing. Part of him had thought Billy dead, the only evidence to the contrary being the occasional banshee wail that could be heard through Rapture, but most days Riley refused to acknowledge that sound. Thinking the abomination Murkoff had made had completely swallowed up the brother he once had. It was the fear that the same thing would happen to Sebastian that drove Riley to such extreme measures.

But that sound was definitely Billy or rather the thing he'd become that Martin called the Walrider.

For the first time the mistake was on Riley's end. His momentary distraction costing him his grasp on Sebastian. He was startled when the flames exploded out from Sebastian's hand, burning both brothers in the close proximity. Sebastian screamed, copping the worst of the heat but he got what he wanted, breaking free of Riley's grasp as the older man cursed sharply, angry red burns dotting the arm he'd had curled around Sebastian.

Stumbling away the blonde's scream turned into quiet agonized groans, he'd burnt his own face and arm in that little stunt, were he anyone else Sebastian would have likely lit himself up and burnt alive. It was only his manufactured body that kept him able to move and fight through the pain.

Riley attempted to regain his balance but Sebastian was quicker than he was. Lashing out the moment he had his own two feet back under him. This time Riley was not lucky enough to catch the wrench with the barrel of his shotgun. Taking the full brunt of the strike as it came crashing down across his face. Snarling Riley felt something break, felt blood oozing out from a newly formed injury above his eye but he'd taken worse. He was designed to take far worse than that. Sebastian was still curled forward from the strike when Riley's knee came flying up, catching him in the gut. The blow pushed all the air out of Sebastian's lungs and Riley heard the sound of the blonde gagging, likely coughing up a splash of blood but Riley was moving again. Reaching down to grasp Sebastian by the back of his hoodie and fling him in the direction of the closest wall. The collision was little more than a dull thud but he was sure that something in his brother must have cracked upon impact.

As such he was genuinely surprised when Sebastian got right back to his feet and lunged at him again. This time he was ready for his brother, batting away the wrench with a single sturdy swing of his drill. He saw his brother flinch as the force of that blow traveled up the length of his arm, Riley did sometimes forget how powerful the drill was even without being powered up.

With his weapon of choice lost somewhere in the distance behind him, Sebastian went to his second choice, lighting up electro bolt in his fist. The first blast of electricity rushed past Riley's face and he cringed, feeling it licking at his sides. Plasmids were harder to deal with, making it near impossible to get any closer without the risk of being set ablaze or lit up like a Christmas tree. Riley had never been able to use them, never gotten himself shot up with ADAM in that particular way, although Trager had frequently remarked on how much he would have liked trying a few out on him.

Riley always had wondered why Trager never had.

The result of his lack of experience with the blasted things, Riley fell into easy traps. He realised a moment too late that the thing he'd thought to be his brother and consequently tried to strike with the drill was little more than a decoy. He had heard about this plasmid but never actually seen it in use until that moment. Stunned Riley whipped around to try and catch sight of his brother, only to be struck with the full force of a shot of lightening.

Lightening raced up his body, burning right into his very bones, sending every muscle taunt as it tore at his nerves. Roaring in pain Riley dropped to his knees, the static discharge still jumping across his skin as he fell still on the ground at his brother's feet. Above him Sebastian was still holding a fist full of lightening and staring down at Riley with what the older man could only refer to as murder in his eyes. There was evidence of his earlier use of inferno, an angry red burn running up around the left side of his face, a stark contrast for his blue eyes. They were glowing and Riley recognized that look in an instant.

He wasn't all there.

It was in no small part desperation that had Riley's eyes begin to shine right back. Echoing Sebastian's luminous gaze with his own. Sebastian's body stuttered to an uncertain halt, the plasmid in his hand dying away at the sight of the older monster's eyes – recognizing them as family.

Riley knew it was unnatural, knew it made Miles uneasy to even look at him when his eyes lit up like this. It was to be expected that humans would recoil from the eerie glow, it marked them as things that did not belong in the natural world. Of course it would unsettle regular folks…but for other monsters? It might as well have been the most comforting thing in the world – it was proof of family. The little sisters trusted those eyes, their own burned a bright yellow and Riley noticed they always shone that little bit brighter when met with his own. Blue some of the girls called his eyes, green a few others argued – but Sebastian's were undeniably blue as he stared down at his brother, still unmoving as his mind processed the sight of another monster's gaze looking up at him.

He saw Sebastian's hand tremble, watched as some kind of control returned to him and he was once again all there. It seemed as though Sebastian had been about to speak, but whatever words he might have offered up were lost under the ear-splitting shriek that cut through the air.

Sebastian did not even had the chance to fully turn and face the source of the cry before the Walrider was on him. There was a scream of terror from Sebastian as the monster leapt down onto him from the ceiling, sending them both crashing down to the floor.

Their bodies were created to bare much punishment, but the Walrider was a creature made to dish out ten times that amount and Sebastian was about as efficient as a toddler against the Walrider's advances. Stumbling back to his feet, Riley looked over as the creature pinned the youngest of them down, letting loose a series of shrill cries and snarls that sounded to Riley like a warning. Still Sebastian kicked and screamed, trying to get free of the thing.

There was nothing human about the Walrider really. Perhaps its body was humanoid is structure but it had no face, no way to express any emotion besides its screeching. Even now all Riley could see was a mass of black shadows, the faintest green outline across its form, he couldn't see anything that looked remotely like a person inside of it.

And yet… "Billy!" The creature stilled when Riley called the name of the boy it had been made from and then ever so slowly it inched its head back to peer at Riley. Under its clawed hands Sebastian too had turned still. At a glance Riley had been concerned but he could still see the steady rise and fall of Sebastian's chest. Cautiously Riley took a step forward, hands raised in what he hoped were some kind of peaceful approach.

Then he tried something that made him feel sick to his stomach. "Are you all there?"

The response to the familiar phrase they'd all been programed with was immediate. The Walrider twisted and hissed unpleasantly but did not release Sebastian. This went on for a few seconds more, the creature writhing and letting out little sounds of discontent until finally Riley could just make out something human inside of it. As though it were shrugging off its own skin, the Walrider melted away a little more with every passing moment until finally through the haze of black and green – Riley could see his brother.

When the Walrider turned its head to look at Riley again, he saw the burn of its green eyes. Answering Riley's still glowing gaze.

Family.

All the air in Riley's chest came out in a shuddering sigh of relief. Billy was there, maybe not as he'd once been, but still in there. "When in need." Martin's voice repeated over the speakers, sounding much calmer than he had previously. In fact he sounded pleased.

"Bring your brother up to the chapel." Is that what he was calling it now? Riley had to scowl at that, wishing very much that Martin had at least been able to blame ADAM abuse for his insanity. But no the man was mad before Rapture even found those wretched slugs. "And we'll see if we can undo the devil's deeds. How fitting that the true witness should be the one to capture the fake. This can be nothing other than divine providence."

Still wary Riley approached both his brothers. "Can you help me?" He asked Billy gently, knowing he'd need their eldest brother to help get the youngest to Martin's 'chapel' without further incident.

It was a welcome relief to see Billy still understood human speech and nodded wordlessly in response. What Riley wouldn't have done to hug Billy just then, but he knew better. Billy might still be in there, but so was the Walrider. Best not to push his luck.

Honestly Riley would have rather taken Sebastian right back to Lisa but with a cautious glance Billy's way he knew that wasn't on the table right now. Besides he couldn't very well leave without Miles and the man had gone on ahead of him. Good thing too, otherwise he would have lost Blaire for sure.

Miles might not like it one bit, but they still had words to exchange with the mad priest.

When an opportunity presents itself…

…
…

He couldn't fight them both.

Sebastian knew the moment the Walrider arrived that he'd lost that fight. Even if it had only been Walrider, he wouldn't have been able to compete. He had no choice but to fall still once he was outmatched. All the while his terrified eyes kept flicking to different escape routes, none were viable so long as Billy was there.

Billy…

Even thinking his other brother's name felt unnatural. Sebastian had not known who he was the first time they met, but now when he looked at the other monster all he could think of was how he'd felt while unplugging Wernicke's life support. This supposed brother of his had loved their father. Sebastian knew it was hypocritical of him to find that as abhorrent as he did.

After all, did he not too love his creator to some capacity?

No matter how twisted or deranged it was – they were creatures that loved the men that made them. It just so happened that not one of them had been given love in return. As he was unwillingly pulled up to the place he'd been trying to reach before his brother's intervened, Sebastian distantly wondered if that too was part of their programing. That feverish need to garner the love of the men that made them, despite there being no chance they'd ever get it.

Part of him hoped it was.

The exhaustion he'd been fighting since his encounter with Chris Walker had finally caught up to him. He'd depleted his EVE and worked his body to its limits while fighting with Riley, the broken bones scattered around his body all beginning to make themselves more known. His hand was aching horribly, the small patch up job Blaire had done for him coming undone after Riley jammed his drill into the bandages. He was falling apart and he knew it, which was why Sebastian was unsurprised to find himself slipping in and out of consciousness while his brothers moved him.

It was a small mercy that most of the Walrider's monstrous exterior had melted away, leaving the frail looking human underneath visible as Sebastian was carried. Being cradled in his older brother's arms rather than dragged along the ground, which was more than he deserved surely.

However when he came back to awareness only to see all the lights had been killed, replaced by a mass of candles – Sebastian much preferred being unconscious. But once he'd seen the strange scene, he couldn't let his eyes slip shut again, afraid of what might happen while he was out of it.

Perhaps he whimpered, made some sound of weakness, because Billy's arms tightened around him. It was almost comforting the way he was being hugged to his older brother's chest. Despite everything a horrible traitorous part of Sebastian curled tighter into Billy's arms, craving even the smallest shred of tenderness. They were…family after all. That thought still sat uncomfortably in his mind, likely because the last time he'd dared refer to another monster as family Blaire had not taken it so well.

Peering past his brother's arms Sebastian could see the extent of Martin's tampering with the shell of Blaire's company. The candles that had all been painstakingly lit for the occasion – at least he hoped it was an occasion determined lighting otherwise that meant someone was setting and relighting candles all the time – illuminated the walls. All of which had blood scrawled notes across them.

He did not try terribly hard to read the manic writings but even without trying he picked up a few reoccurring words. Follow the Blood, as though there was anyway in Rapture to identify just one trail of blood. Down the Drain said another and Sebastian might have found that amusing when thinking about Rapture being their grave under the sea were it not for the fact they were all trapped down here.

Eventually Billy paused, the gentle side-to-side rock of his steps stilling and once again pulling Sebastian back to the surface. Having been close to slipping away again. Wearily Sebastian looked up, saw the name scrawled over the door and found it in him to sneer.

Of course Blaire would have his name hanging above the door in big bold letters, the man had no sense of humility.

Besides the doors Sebastian saw posters, all of which said Murkoff had seized the company. For all the good it did them in the long run.

Riley pushed open the door and Sebastian nearly groaned when he saw that the candle situation had doubled in mass beyond them. What had once been an office that Blaire would have been happy with had been turned into a rather ridiculous display of 'faith'. But behind the clumsily made alter and burning torches, Sebastian could see the echo of what the office had once been.

A large desk placed just beyond the alter, directly in view of the doors and elevated above the ground level to sit against the backdrop of the deep sea. It took no imagination at all to picture Blaire seated up there back in a time before Sebastian had even be conceptualized. A king awaiting his newest throne to be handed to him while still entertaining the one he already sat upon.

Billy strode into the room, not at all concerned by the unusual display of religious symbolism, almost all of it dedicated to him. Or rather the Walrider. Unconcerned by the gathered splicers that all shrank away as they stepped inside, Billy gently carried his little, barely conscious, brother inside.

It wasn't until they'd passed a fair distance into Martin's ridiculous cult that Sebastian saw it.

Hanging off to the side of the alter, and Blaire's former throne, was a large painting.

Sebastian frowned as his eye caught sight of the thing; it was a portrait of a family. It looked like a lovely picture of the family of three. At least it had been, someone had defaced it.

The woman in the photo had witch written across her face, heretic across the man's face and over the young boy in the picture, someone had written false witness in blood.

It was only the inclusion of that final insult that cemented the purpose of this painting in Sebastian's mind – that was Blaire's family?

The thought didn't seem to fit somehow, as though this image was some kind of contradiction. But of course Blaire did have parents, he'd been born after all. Although perhaps Sebastian should have known better – he barely had a father and hadn't the foggiest if a woman was ever involved in his conception or not. Motherless freak, rung in his head.

Regardless, the sight of the painting hanging in Blaire's office left Sebastian a little uneasy.

"Oh dear, child." Martin's voice on the other hand had every single muscle in Sebastian's body tensing up in dread.

It was childish but in an effort to stay as far away from Martin as was humanly possible he clung to Billy, curling tighter in his arms as the old man approached them.

Curiously Billy peered down at his apprehensive brother. As though he couldn't even begin to understand why Sebastian was recoiling from the mere human man. Justifiably so, after all even in his sorry state right now Sebastian could no doubt snap father Martin's neck.

There was nothing hostile in the man's movements as he reached out towards Sebastian, the robes he's adorned nearly able to hide away his frail body. It was only as he reached forward, revealing his lanky fingers and bone arm that Sebastian could see how feeble the holy man's body was. There was a growl of warning from Billy's side when Martin pressed his hand against Sebastian's face, Riley might have come all this way but he never gave the man free reign to touch his brother.

Martin glanced in his direction; gaze benevolent and more patient than Riley was likely to be in return. "Rest easy, angel." Riley scowled at the title, wishing Martin would put an end to this ridiculous half-baked religion he'd built around the Walrider. There were no angels in Rapture and once the final sister was safe there'd be no reason to pretend otherwise. "Your brother merely needs a helping hand."

Riley very nearly felt her presence before he heard the sister crawling out of the vent at the corner of the room. Her little limbs made a bit of a racket as she came crawling out and it was purely an instinctual reaction that dragged Riley away from his brothers to collect her.

There was a giddiness filling up his chest, this was the final child. The last one that still had glowing eyes and ADAM rushing like poison through her veins. This one last girl…Riley couldn't seem to stop smiling as he gently hooked his hands under the girl's arms. Lifting her free of that golden vent and carefully onto the ground. Her beaming smile looking up at him, invoking a familiar rumble of comfort from deep within his chest.

"Going to have to forget that habit after this." Turning Riley was met with Miles's tight grin.

Not far behind Miles there sat the bastard Riley had very nearly had the chance to impale on his drill. Blaire didn't seem to be conscious, Miles's work no doubt.

Frankly it was impressive he was not dead, Miles had either exercised near superhuman restraint or the 'king' of Rapture was tougher than he appeared. But for the time being he was unconscious and judging by the tape over his mouth – appropriately gagged.

It had been quite a shock to learn that Lisa's work had been undone. But there was a small relief; it was not a perfect installation of the commands. Although this ought to have been nothing except a good thing, there was still one painful catch to it all. Sebastian had once been hardwired to respond to the WYK command without fail regardless of who spoke it. Now he only responded to one of two voices – both of which Blaire could produce.

The gag was a requirement, not a whim.

However, Miles just so happened to be in possession of the second voice. They all knew that if he so much as slipped, for even a second managed to misuse that power – Riley would have him dead where he stood before the final word of three was uttered. But…Riley trusted Miles. For all his quirks and irritations – Riley truly did trust his friend not to do anything that would strip them of their freedom.

Miles was attempting to appear optimistic despite the tense situation. He too recognized what this sister meant. The final thing that could tie them to the dying city. Get this girl back safely and they'd finally be able to leave. All they needed now was for Martin to give up his lifeboat to them.

It was very nearly impossible for Riley to hold in his anticipation. There was plenty of fear still left in him but with the young girls' hand in his own and Miles at his side, Riley felt he could be optimistic as well. "Why have you called one of my sisters here?" He asked Martin tightly, not trusting the man even as he made claims of the little sister's divinity. For all he knew this little cult was into the sacrifice of divine children.

Father Martin's smile remained gentle as he coaxed both Riley and the sister closer. "Your brother needs only a helping hand of the child to be what he was always meant to be. As you have become their guardian, messenger to the Walrider, your brother too must take his rightful place. Then he will be free of his man made shackles."

By his side Riley swore he heard Miles mutter something about Martin being as batty as a splicer under his breath. Riley wholeheartedly agreed but through all of Martin's rantings there was a common thread that intrigued him. "You can help him." Riley would have preferred Lisa's help, but they'd tried that and it seemed to have all been undone in those past few weeks. Perhaps it would be prudent to try a different method. "How?"

Martin's smile turned further upwards and it was little more than a silent gesture of his hand that brought an answer. Riley felt the pit of his stomach drop out from under him when the splicers rushed on Martin's call, dragging forward a chair with some poor soul bound up tight to it.

At first Riley did not recognize that person, at the very least his mind refused to put a name to them after so many years hiding from the man – but it was undeniably Trager they had lashed to that chair.

The man was slumped forward; only the uneven rise and fall of his shoulders as evidence that he was still alive. The thin strands of light hair he usually kept so neatly secured were loose, falling around his face now caked in blood and unkempt. Riley had never once in his life seen the mad doctor in such a state and looking on him now sent an unnamable shock through his system. It was not quite fear and not quite anger that curled unpleasantly in his chest when looking upon his creator and tormentor – but there was no satisfaction at seeing him like this either. Riley simply felt as though it could not be real.

Then Trager moved.

It was barely more than a slight upward twitch of his head and Riley was back peddling. The sister pushed protectively behind him as he took four rapid steps away, moving right past Miles who only glanced at him in confusion for a moment. Then understanding settled in and Miles's eyes hardened a bit, knowing how frightened Riley was.

Unfortunately so too did Trager.

Laughter slipped out of the weak man's mouth, dry and bitter to the ears and then slowly he eased himself further upright. Each movement looked as though it hurt, the doctor having taken more of a beating then what his body could easily weather. "Ah...there you are Riles." Trager crooned, watching with faint amusement as every single muscle in the bulky man's body pulled tight on hearing his voice. "Don't suppose you'd give a guy a hand? For old times sake."

No words came to Riley's mind. Not even furious refusals or curses. He just kept on staring at Trager, as though he was afraid to so much as breathe with the man present. Trager waited and then laughed again when Riley failed to response. "No, I suppose not…" Then gradually shrewd eyes moved over to Martin, narrowing sharply once they rested on him. "But I'm not dead yet…so I guess that means you're not done are you? You little shit."

"You keep the tongue only to prove how useless it is against the angel now, heretic. All you could command from him is that abhorrent nightmare and I doubt you'd risk it." Martin's voice answered coldly, almost becoming an angry snarl. Quickly he returned to a more composed way of speaking. "Other voices had to be muzzled for the occasion."

It might have been entertaining to see Trager take notice of his employer and friend in a similar state to his own, had Sebastian not become aware of it at the exact same moment.

Whatever it was that Trager said in that moment of near human vulnerability was lost behind the violent panic that Sebastian responded with. Billy had not expected Sebastian to suddenly become animated again. With a small cry of alarm the blonde was struggling, kicking out of Billy's startled hold and away from Martin, a call for the man that had created him falling out of his mouth in the same moment.

Crashing to the floor Sebastian managed to get free of Billy. The startled man thought to grab at the younger brother a moment later but once Sebastian started moving he just didn't stop. Knocking aside his brother who was still too surprised to properly respond without running the risk of accidentally tearing his brother's fragile body.

Stumbling back to his feet Sebastian looked like he fully intended to rush right up the steps and to Blaire's side. He'd almost made it to the first step when-

"Stop, would you kindly."

Sebastian's body came to a shuddering halt as the familiar phrase sank its way into his bones. It was jerky, and hardly immediate. As though his mind was turning to try and process that command and failed to do so smoothly when it came from a voice it was rusty in obeying.

For a moment there was just horror and confusion, having thought he'd heard the last of those words in that particular Irish lilt. But then understanding settled in and Sebastian's heart only seemed to ache more horrible as it did.

Slowly he looked towards Miles and Riley, eyes wide with hurt. Riley had to look away, wishing Miles had not been forced to say that but also knowing it was necessary. Hearing those three words even now sent unpleasant tingles down his spine, he could not imagine how painful it was for Sebastian to hear them used against him by a friend.

However Miles did not look even mildly apologetic, eyes hard as he approached the frozen man. "You ain't right in the head, boyo." He told Sebastian flatly. "You'll be forgiving me when you are."

The scowl on Sebastian's face said otherwise. But he glared at Miles for only a few seconds before looking miserably over at his brother. "Please." Riley's heart tightened painfully in his chest. He was not the bad guy here, the bag guys were all tied up and for some unholy reason Sebastian seemed adamant he help at least one of them. "You don't understand…"

"No." Riley agreed flatly in an attempt to close off his heart to his brother's pleading. "I don't understand. I don't want to, Miles is right…you need help, Seb."

As he spoke, Billy stepped forward and gently drew Sebastian back to his chest, arms wound gently around his younger brother's shoulders. "Help." He uttered quietly, the first human word he'd spoken in years by the way it came awkwardly out of his mouth. Distorted, hitching and pulling in pitch on every letter – but still a human's voice somewhere underneath it all.

Miles watched only a moment longer before turning to look at Riley, this time there was a hint of apology behind his eyes. But there was no hesitation. "Got to get it done." He uttered under his breath, just for his friend to hear before stepping forward. Eyes hard once again as they rest on Sebastian.

"Down, boyo…" Miles murmured before adding the kindly word that made Sebastian's legs give out from under him.

Billy's embrace did not break as he sank down with his brother, holding him tight. Perhaps it was truly a sign of affection that kept his arms around his little brother's body, or maybe it was just another way to assure he didn't try running a second time.

The little sister that had huddled behind Riley gave the man's shirt a gentle tug, waiting for his cyan gaze to turn onto her. "Is it safe to help big brother now?" She whispered and Riley mustered up a small smile for her. He might not trust Martin, but he certainly did trust the child and with a small nod she went scampering out from under his feet and approached Martin who in turn produced a vile from under his robes. One that both Riley and Miles recognized in an instant.

Understanding rushed over Miles as he looked between the Lot 192 and Trager. The latter's face devolving into a feral snarl at the sight of it. And there was something else in the man's face, twisting his expression into one of shame. Something Riley didn't believe the mad doctor was capable of – guilt.

"Where the bleeding hell did you get that?" Miles asked, clearly not making the instant connection between the doctor's being here and the vial in Martin's hands.

Martin smiled as he opened the vial and rounded Sebastian's kneeling form. "The good doctor may not be weak of will, however he lacks the true strength of faith. Such men are not hard to break."

"We had a deal you loony fuck." Trager snarled viciously but there was little reaction from Martin. Barely more than a shrug.

"You wished to be cured." Martin reminded, as though Trager were a mere child throwing a tantrum over some lost toy. "Murkoff has led us astray, wandering confused and alone in the dark. But Walrider shows us that we are not alone, we are together, as a family. The cure you seek can only be found in its guiding hand. Our lord, the Walrider tears his truth into the unbelievers and so to does he cure wicked souls such as yours."

Clearly this was not how their 'deal' had originally been phrased but Martin seemed to have no qualms about cheating a swindler. Instead he gestured for the sister who went about piercing her skin with the needle all sisters carried with them. Riley watched as the red glow of her ADAM infused blood fill the glass end of the needle. Once she withdrew it, the child handed the needle over to father Martin readily and Riley nearly kicked himself when he saw the man add it into the mixture. ADAM was likely the cause and answer to most problems in Rapture, but the ADAM that existed in a little sister was special when compared to what came directly from those disgusting slugs.

That final ingredient seemed to do it and the concoction looked exactly like the one Sebastian had once set out to find. Only to have Trager drop it right in front of him.

For the first time Sebastian was watching Martin with something other than fear or disgust. "That…that can't work." He muttered, staring at the vial as though it was some impossible thing. "I can't be free. It won't work. I…I can't." The broken edge to Sebastian's quiet words nearly had Riley firing up his drill just to jam it between Blaire's fucking eyes, knowing that the helplessness Sebastian had bored into his head was all that man's doing.

Rather than become angry as Riley did, Martin kept perfectly calm and eased down to his knees in front of Sebastian and Billy, still with that fatherly smile. "Now my child, do not fear. You have a calling; your brother has already ascended. An angel has become god. Our lord Walrider born from your brother's divine suffering. The brothers of our lord are destined to become his holy apostles. Only you remain and you are so close to joining them, come son. See what you can become. What are you destined to be."

Besides all of Martin's ridiculous insinuations that Billy was a god – an idea that Riley didn't fancy in the slightest – there was still some good to come of his ramblings.

When the concoction was offered to Sebastian the man didn't seem to know what to do. It wasn't until Billy's hands dropped down to gently loop around his wrists and raise his arms that Sebastian seemed to remember he could move at all. Trembling he took the vial into shaky hands. He gaze nervously flicked over to where Blaire was bound up tight to his old office chair and then to Miles and Riley – receiving looks of encouragement. Miles didn't order him to drink it and Riley suspected this was by design – giving Sebastian his first honest to go choice in the path his own life took. Although there was a clear desire to speak those kindly words the longer Sebastian failed to make the right choice.

Then finally Sebastian tipped his head back and downed the liquid.

He'd expected it to burn, thought the taste would be absolutely horrific. What he found instead was that besides the strange bubbles and metallic tang it all went down smoothly. Almost like a slug crawling its way down his throat, that thought nearly had him vomiting it all back up anyway, but Sebastian merely squeezed his eyes shut and forced the rest of the gooey substance down the back of his throat. Coughing and shuddering once it was all down.

As Sebastian gagged on the lingering sensation of the fluid clinging to the walls of his throat, Martin was already moving and talking again. Saying something to Billy as Sebastian's world came in and out of focus in sharp bursts of red. Not entirely unlike what he'd seen when Blaire had commanded his hear to stop beating and it would occasional shudder to a near halt.

Then there were warm hands on his skin and for a moment Sebastian was only mildly surprised rather than alarmed. It almost felt nice. Nothing more than gentle warmth against his skin. But then what had been warm became hot and hot to scorching.

In seconds flat Sebastian was howling as the stench of burning flesh assaulted him along with the blinding agony that raced up his arms. He was being burnt, both his wrists held tightly by the white-hot hands that seared away his flesh. All the while there was Martin's voice, comforting him, assuring him it had to be done, that once it was over he'd feel better.

He'd be free.

Beyond that there were other voices, one that was distinctly Miles cursing and demanding to know what the hell was going on. Martin's voice turned to pacify those others while the pain continued.

But it wasn't until Billy spoke directly to him that Sebastian truly comprehended the words passing by him. "It will hurt for only a moment longer." Billy's not quite human voice told him quietly. It was so distorted and unnatural that for a confused second Sebastian thought it was all in his head. "Better this than chains."

His wrist, Sebastian realised with a distant sense of dread. Billy was burning his wrists.

The chains…

The fight dropped out of his body and while Sebastian still produced agonized whines and moans, he no longer pulled against Billy's seemingly immovable hands. Instead he hunched forward, limp under his brother's hands and waited for the pain to pass. He'd been hurt before. Countless times, he knew pain…if he just let it happen it would be no less horrible but it would end.

All things end with time and so too did the pain.

When it did stop his brother's hands turned cool against his throbbing wrists and Sebastian felt Billy carefully changing from incinerate to old man winter. He might have told Billy that it was a bad idea to go so cold so fast but it felt too good to complain besides – his body would surely deal with it as it had countless other abuses.

While he was still limp in Billy's arms, Riley approached them both, dropping quickly to his knees to cup Sebastian's face. He gently angled Sebastian's face side to side, looking to see if he was still lucid. In answer Sebastian pulled away, coherent enough to find Riley's actions irritation. "Jesus Billy…" Riley muttered as he lifted Sebastian's scorched wrists up gently. They were angry and inflamed, no doubt they'd leave horrendous burns even after he was fully healed – but there was no way to see the tattoos that had once been chained around his skin.

It may have been too much, overkill but Sebastian could not help but feel grateful to see them essentially wiped clean off his body. They might be there under the scarring, but Sebastian need not look at them so long as he never returned to another vita-chamber.

Chuckling quietly Riley smiled, eyes overflowing with relief as he watched Sebastian come back around to himself. Over his shoulder Miles called out. "You want to test it, kiddo?" He could see frustration returning to Riley's face, barking back something about giving them a moment of rest but Sebastian nodded mutely.

Better to know now if this small, rapidly growing sense of hope was only going to hurt him. "Would you kindly pinch your brother's face?" Riley immediately made a sound of protest, whipping around to scowl back at Miles as the man in question grinned impishly.

But Sebastian didn't move. Barely even felt the need to move. He…just didn't.

It didn't work.

For a second time Sebastian felt the weight of freedom fall onto him and he let out a near hysterical laugh as it did. Billy's arms tightened around him as an answer to that shaky breath of laughter and Sebastian's fingers came up to clutch the hugging arms tightly, ignoring the aching of his wrists as best he could.

He was free. Well and truly free.

In front of him Riley too laughed. Just as disbelieving and relieved. This time when Riley reached forward he gathered both brother's into his arm, the drill carefully avoiding contact with this skin. But with his one human arm Riley was crushing both his brothers into a tight hug. Whatever reservations he'd had about touching Billy flying far from his mind in that moment of happiness.

Sebastian for his part fell into the embrace, still laughing even as tears began to bud at the corners of his eyes. He was so happy that for a moment he was sure his body would fail him, unable to process the overwhelming emotion. He'd never been so happy before, they'd not been built to feel happiness, or love.

But that was the only thing passing between the three brothers in that moment.

Even Billy who seemed more confused by this display of affection gradually settled into it. He'd never been held like this, not even his father had held him like this and through all of his conditioning, through all the madness and fear and anger – Billy found he actually could still feel something more human.

As the moment passed between the siblings, Miles found himself smiling as he leant back against the wall and watched. His hand lingered at the handle of his gun, just daring Martin to do something to take this away from the three of them. But thankfully the mad priest stayed well back, looking pleased to see his angels back with their god.

By his side the little sister watched, a gleeful smile on her face as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. Humming something about angels and brothers. For all the different layers of hell that Rapture was, for those few seconds Miles thought that they could be happy. They were so close to freedom now, getting back to the surface was the final step.

Miles chuckled under his breath, smiling around his cigarette as he lit it up. "He thinks this is freedom?" He muttered quietly to himself. "Just wait till he takes his first breath of fresh air." These boys would see the surface again if that was the last thing Miles ever did.

The surface. That was true freedom.

…

…