BIOSHOCKED, Part 12: Not Business As Usual

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By C. Mage

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All right. I had the information we needed. I could use the resources here at Fontaine Futuristics to contact the ship, give us the breathing room we need and get the hell out of Rapture. Things were actually going my way.

Then, in the midst of contorting myself to pat myself on the back, the phone on Fontaine's desk rang.

I stared at the phone, then turned to Louie and Knuckles. "Guys, do me a favor. Next time I start assuming that everything is going smoothly, punch me in the nose?" Without waiting for an answer, I walked over to the phone, expecting Lucifer himself to be on the line, and removed the receiver from the cradle. "Fontaine Futuristics, now under new, and more humane, management. How may I direct your call?" I asked with more cheer than I actually felt.

"Well, well...how the mighty have fallen. It didn't take you long to start showing your true colors."

Oh, goody. RYAN. I wasn't that far off. "And what true colors, faithful devotee to the almighty self, would those be?"

"You've come in and started taking over my city, district by district, and now you're going to start forging your own empire, gathering your own wealth, and start…"

I couldn't help it. I threw back my head and started laughing at the absurdity and the sheer idiocy I was hearing over the line. I admit, it took me a little time to calm myself down. I wiped my eyes, still chuckling. "Oh...oh, RYAN, that was...if you ever decide to pursue another career, you should really try stand-up comedy…"

His reply was icy. It made the cold of the ocean outside seem positively TROPICAL by comparison. "And what, I ask you, do you find so funny?"

"YOU. You sit there is your ivory tower and looked down upon me like you're some kind of king, and you don't get me at all. I think a demonstration is in order. As you may know, seeing as how I'm in Fontaine's office, I found a serious cache of ADAM here. Boys, how many units did we find?"

"About three thousand units, Boss." Knuckles nodded.

"Did you hear that, Ryan? Three thousand units."

"I heard. So you'll be able to use that to make a small army of your own splicers. I fail to see the point."

"Oh, you will. Guys? See the private bathroom over there? Flush the ADAM down the toilet. ALL OF IT."

Louie and Knuckles grinned, then started carrying the canisters to the toilet. I looked around and found the main valve to flush the septic tank into the ocean, then pulled it. Outside, a dark cloud exited from a hatch below. I went back to the phone. "Did you hear that, Ryan?"

"I heard. And I don't believe for a moment that you'll do it. ADAM is POWER, Mr. Jacobs. You'd be a fool to get rid of it."

"I hope you've got a camera pointed at this office somewhere. So, while I'm doing something you don't believe I'm doing, want to tell me why you're calling me? I'm a little busy down here."

"I see that getting rid of you with guns and splicers isn't as effective as I would like it to be, but seeing as, despite your claims, you seem to be cut from the same cloth as the citizens of Rapture, another approach may be required."

"I'm listening."

"You now have control of Fontaine's company. You can have it, lock, stock and barrel, but you sign an exclusive contract to work with me and Rapture. All you have to do is put aside the charade of disposing of the ADAM, give it to me as a sign of good faith, and we can work together towards rebuilding Rapture to its former glory. You can keep control of the districts you now have."

"Sounds tempting. I have a counter-proposal."

"And that would be?"

"Establish a leader by vote and a structure of laws and government. Allow people to worship God or Buddha or whoever they need to, as long as the religions are allowed to coexist peacefully. Establish an organization for public works that manages and maintains Rapture for the good of everyone who lives here, paid for by everyone in Rapture according to their financial status. You do all that and maintain that stance for a full year, and I'll not only work with you, I'll give you full access and control of this company. Sound fair and equitable to you?"

It took a while to get a coherent reply from Ryan. From the sounds of it, he was busy trying not to swallow his own tongue. "And WHAT makes you think I'm going to take such a LUDICROUS proposal like that seriously?"

I saw Louie and Knuckles come back from the commode, both giving me a thumbs-up. "This," I said, and pulled the main valve again. From the window of the office, I looked down to see a different cloud coming from the hatch, of a dark maroon color. "So, Ryan...you gonna take me seriously NOW?"

Silence from the line, then Ryan replied in a low, dangerous voice, "Are you deranged? INSANE? Do you have any concept of how much that ADAM was worth?!"

"I'll tell what it's worth: not a damned thing. The stuff is POISON, Ryan, and you only see the profit in it. Just because you've managed to make people think they want it doesn't change the fact that it's killing them and driving them insane. I came to Fontaine Futuristics to DESTROY what it was and come up with better uses for it, not to exploit it the way you want to. I'm thinking...low-cost housing. Wait, even better: NO-cost housing." I was having fun with this and I knew it.

"I don't know what you think you're trying to do…"

"Yeah, and that what's so tragic."

"...but I refuse to let you create a cancer in MY city. And sometimes, if something grows cancerous...sometimes one must excise the diseased tissue, even if it means AMPUTATION." I heard the sounds of footsteps. "Do you know where I am?"

"Let me guess, your office?"

"I'm at the main control center for Rapture. In my hand, I hold my genetic key. If you do not surrender yourself and your co-conspirators immediately, I will be forced to make certain that you will never have my city! Even in the 'book of lies' there are some times when it speaks truth. There is, indeed, a season for all things, including a time to build...and A TIME TO DESTROY." I heard the sound of metal sliding against metal, and then the sounds of a klaxon warning. I waited with bated breath, for a moment wondering if what we did in Minerva's Den was all for nothing…

A short time later, I heard the klaxon turn itself off...and a hissing of air escaping somewhere. I waited for about ten seconds, then said casually, "So...after you try to destroy Rapture, what were you planning to do next?"

"This is...this is IMPOSSIBLE! My genetic key has control over all systems of Rapture!"

"Sounds like a technical problem, Andy. Maybe you should contact the manufacturer, see if your control systems are still under warranty. I'll let you go look into that. Ciao."

I hung up the phone, then heard Louie and Knuckles laughing fit to split. "No more...no more, I'm DYIN'...!" Knuckles said between guffaws. Louie was speechless, leaning against the desk to support himself, laughing uproariously.

"I'd be lying if I didn't find that personally satisfying, but we gotta get it together, guys. you've seen what Ryan usually does when he gets desperate. He's gonna start getting all torpedo-y and we need to get started on the next phase of the plan."

"You planned for this?" Knuckles said, wiping his eyes.

"When your name is at the top of Andrew Ryan's shitlist, you don't walk across a HALLWAY without having a plan. Get that hardware out of that bag we came in with, the cables too."

"What's the plan?"

"Simplest one in the universe. Decoy."

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It didn't take long to power up the transmitter. "Okay, Boss. How is this supposed to work?" Louie asked.

"Ryan wants us gone. He's got the firepower to do it, but what he doesn't have is our location."

"But if we move people in here like you told Sinclair and Ryan, they'll know where we are," Knuckles pointed out.

"Exactly. But we're not."

Knuckles blinked. "I don't get it."

"We're going to turn Fontaine Futuristics into the world's biggest DECOY." I pulled out one of Fontaine's maps. "This right here shows the ocean currents around the building. From what this says, there are strong currents moving south to north, strong enough to push torpedoes off-course. What we're doing is setting up a jamming signal that will disrupt the homing signal of any torpedo heading towards the building, so the only way Ryan can even hit the building is by firing it without a homing signal on a course that he hopes will use the currents to push the torpedo into the building. Even then, it'll literally be hit or miss. Mostly miss."

"If it works so well, Boss, why use it as a decoy?"

"Well, Louie, sooner or later, he's just going to load splicers into bathyspheres with torpedoes strapped to them and send them on kamikaze missions...eventually doing enough damage that the building will end up an aquarium."

Louie smiled. "I get it! Ryan's going to spend so much of what he's got trying to take out where we AIN'T, he won't be able to go after where we actually ARE."

"And while he's distracted, we continue what we're doing, get the people to take back their city."

"Ryan keeps sayin' it's HIS city," Knuckles pointed out.

"Yeah, and based on what I'm seeing, the current owner needs to get evicted before his city turns to rubble."

"One thing I don't get. We're inside here. This thing going to put out a big enough signal to stop those torpedoes?"

"Not as it is, Knuckles, that's why we're connecting the outputs to the metal superstructure of the building with these cables." I smiled broadly. "We're going to use the building itself as an antenna. The only way he'll be able to turn it off is by shutting down the feed to this district and the surrounding ones and he'll have to do it manually, since he and the Thinker ain't exactly pals at the moment. So, when he finally is able to get into the company, he'll find a ghost town waiting for him. We are going to need to see what we can get from this building that we can use. Medical resources, information not available through the Thinker, weapons we can use to defend ourselves, stuff that can actually help us."

"We know what to look for, Boss."

"Good. I'm relying on you guys, and a lot of people are relying on us to come through."

Louie and Knuckles stood a little taller. "You can count on us, Boss. Come on, Louie." I watched them go, feeling a little like a father watching kids go play on the playground. I also felt a little sad. Louie and Knuckles seemed to be good guys at heart, given half a chance. Yeah, I know, they probably didn't make some good choices all the time, but hey, who does?

After all, I chose to come down here. 'Nuff said.

Yeah, I know, as it turned out, people needed help and I met a girl who just might be the love of my life, but still, this place is NUTS…

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I stepped back to check out my handiwork. The device was ready and connected to the superstructure. This would either protect the whole complex, or light me up like Times Square. I put on a thick rubber glove, squeezed my eyes shut, then flipped the switch.

I heard a humming sound...nope, I wasn't being electrocuted OR set on fire. I'd consider that a good sign.

After stepping back and opening my eyes, I saw the device quietly humming away and the lights were on. Hooray! I wasn't dead! And as a side-benefit, it looked like the device was working!

Hey, take your victories where you can, I always say.

I made my way down to Fontaine's personal bathysphere. He had quite a nice submarine, larger, faster, more streamlined. If Fontaine was still alive, I'd have thanked him for its use."Okay, our decoy is up and squawking. How'd you do with the search?"

"Still finding stuff, mostly things left behind in employee lockers. Finding plenty of medical stuff, but most of it's beakers and tubes."

"Let's do another check. I just realized that the medical kits might still work, but they might not work for things like diseases. Let's start looking for stuff like antibiotics and antivirals."

"What do those look like?"

I stopped. Come to think of it, I had no idea. I just figured we needed them. "Let's just pick up as many bottles and vials as we can, let the doctors back in Arcadia figure out what good they are and tank the rest. Look for penicillin and anything else ending in 'cillin'. See, eye, ell, ell, eye, enn." I shrugged. "Worth a shot."

That search turned up a bunch of bottles and other chemicals. We loaded up the bathysphere, then I took the controls. It was at that point I realized something. "Guys?"

"Yeah, Boss?" Louie said.

"Either of you guys know how to drive this back to Arcadia?"

Okay, sometimes I don't have EVERYTHING planned out.

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It was by sheer dumb luck, the only kind I seem to get, that Louie knew how to pilot a bathysphere. He worked down at Fontaine Fisheries and piloted fishing bathyspheres there, then worked for Fontaine smuggling goods from the surface. And he drove that thing like a champ. As we got to Arcadia, I looked over at Louie. "You're pretty good at this. Listen, I can't give you two a raise, unfortunately, but do you have a favorite meal? Something you like to eat more than anything?"

Knuckles thought. "I always liked linguini with marinara sauce."

"How about you, Louie?"

He smiled. "Strawberry shortcake. I ain't had strawberry shortcake in I don't know how long."

"Well, for the work you guys did for me, you deserve something extra. I wish it could be more, but…"

Knuckles smiled. "You make us some food that tasted as good as the stuff you made before we left, and we'll be square." He looked at the bag of money we collected from Fontaine's office. "What are you going to do with that?"

"Get it to Langford and spread it around, so we can get stuff we need from the vending machines. With this, we won't need to risk injuries hacking the Circus Of Values. I still have a burn mark from the last time I tried to hack one and wasn't fast enough."

The platform lifted us out of the water and the side door opened. "Top floor, housewares, ladies' lingerie and freedom fighters, everybody out!" As we got out, I was hoping to see Elizabeth waiting for me with open arms.

Instead, I got a Julie Langford tapping her shoe. "You are late."

"Sorry, I kinda got overwhelmed at the office." I grinned. "But I brought my work home with me, so I hope that helps."

"And Fontaine Futuristics?"

"Ryan will be spending a lot of his time chasing his tail trying to get into an empty building." I watched as some of the newly-cured started unloading the bathysphere. "Brought as much as I could. I'll leave it to you and Elizabeth to determine what stuff will be useful...where is she, by the way?"

"She took some people with her to Fort Frolic to secure the area. Took as many people as she could fit into one of those things. I imagine things were somewhat cramped, but she didn't have a sleek, larger craft like you did." I nodded, though it was clear to her that I was unhappy to not see Elizabeth waiting. "Aw, are you missing her? That's so adorable…"

"Just go through the supplies and find out what we can use, Julie," I said simply.

She probably heard the tense tone in my voice and said, "Aye-aye, Captain Blood," with a grin on her face and a snappy salute.

The first thing I did was check the stores and find out what we had for fixins. Good news: I had everything I needed to make what the boys wanted. Bad news: I could see our stores starting to get low, and a new problem was rearing its ugly head. The ocean was still trying to get into the districts, and sooner or later, Ryan was going to figure out that his Big Daddies assigned to fixing the damage from the war are still fixing up areas he didn't control. He'd have them all recalled in a heartbeat. I got a pencil and some paper and started making a list of areas to visit to check the status of the pumping stations and get them activated and running, if they weren't already.

I called Louie and Knuckles in, and asked them to ask around to have people with mechanical skills invited to my office. I made sure to let them know that they should be as nice as possible. I didn't want people showing up because they were intimidated and I didn't think playing mind games with people were the best way to manage them. If I needed any help remembering that, all I needed to do was think of Ryan.

That reminded me. "Julie, when you have a minute, could you come see me?" I radioed.

"Sure thing, Boss, be there in a second."

I heard the door open and looked up to see Julie enter, and...oh crap. She was dressed nice and she had makeup on. Please God, let it be for someone else this time. "Julie, how's everyone doing? I want to get a feel for how people are handling the change."

"Well, Boss, it's taking some time to adjust. Some of them are experiencing some withdrawal symptoms, and the doctors are doing the best they can. We've also got some of the entertainers from Fort Frolic being sent over by Elizabeth to raise morale."

I nodded. "How are we on food?"

"Next harvest is coming in, and I sent people down to the Fisheries to liberate some of the frozen fish there. Also getting some fish oil to help in making healthy food, and we've got a couple of cooks who know what they're doing."

"Good. I'm going to go check in with Fort Frolic. I want to make sure that Sander isn't causing trouble…"

"And you want to see Elizabeth again." Julie smiled. "I get it, Boss."

I sighed. "Are all women going to end up knowing more than me?"

"Genetic prerogative, Boss. But as long as you keep doing the heavy lifting, you can guarantee we'll keep you around." She smirked.

"I can never tell when you're kidding me." I shook my head, turning back to the map. "What areas in Rapture are actually made for living space? Everywhere I've been is all services or businesses."

"The closest places are Siren's Alley and Pauper's Drop. Pauper's Drop is not in the best of shape, and a lot of the places there are owned by Sinclair. Siren's Alley is in better condition, but is less reputable. It's the official 'red-light district' in Rapture for those who can't pay to have their entertainment come to them. The only other places that might be liveable are the Adonis Resort and Dionysus Park. Both places are purely recreational, but we might run into some issues with the current owner. Stanley Poole. He was a reporter that wormed his way into Sofia Lamb's good graces, but was working for Ryan the whole time, finding dirt on Lamb. When she went away, he took over."

"Is he still there?"

"Unknown. Maybe the Thinker knows more."

"Check in with Porter, see how they're doing over there in Minerva's Den and ask what the Thinker knows about those areas. Anywhere else?"

"Yes, but those areas are under Ryan's control. Olympus Heights if you're one of the haves, Apollo Square if you're not. Siren's Alley and Pauper's Drop used to be where the workers that built Rapture lived. You've heard of 'living on the wrong side of the tracks'? These people live UNDER those tracks."

"Sounds like Pauper's Drop and Siren's Alley have people I want to meet. They need a new Rapture more than anyone else...and considering how the population's dropped since the beginning of the war, that might be a good place for people to rest and live. Half of them have gotta be tired of sleeping on the floors by now." I looked up at Julie. "How are the people doing in Olympus Heights and Apollo Square?"

"Most of them are hiding scared in their apartments, waiting for the monsters to stop walking the streets."

"We gotta figure out something." I stood up. "Julie, get a group together, hash out the living situation, logistics, obstacles and benefits. Check in with Tenenbaum, see if she's got the cure into something we can use as an airborne vaccine. Could save a lot of lives without having to risk any. Also, see if she can provide a list of the Little Sisters that are still out there. They've gotta be a priority."

Julie wrote on a pad of paper with a pencil. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. Get me a list of people who would actually be good leaders for Rapture. People with experience, who know what they're doing, but will make matters better, not worse. Once we get the city, we'll need to get some elections held. People who support people, not money."

"How about you?"

"ME? I know nothing about how to run a city."

"You sure seem to be an expert when it comes to SAVING one, if I do say so myself." She grinned.

"Leadership of this city should go to people who live here...and all I see here when I look around is...property paid for in blood." I sighed. "Sorry if I sound a little maudlin, but I can't stay here. I made a promise and I'll see it through, but not because out of love or devotion to Rapture. Once this place is in good hands, Elizabeth and I are outta here like yesteryear."

"Oh? Did she tell you she wanted to leave Rapture?"

"Well...I would've thought she'd had enough of this place after her experiences here…"

"But did you ever ASK her?"

I stopped. Having Julie talking sense to me was starting to get a little annoying. "Well, no, but I assumed that she would...oh, stop looking smug, you're right, I should go ask her and stop assuming I know what she wants. When are you going to stop treating me like I barely know anything?"

"Sorry, ADAM won't work on you anymore. No chance of changing your gender."

"Oh, HA HA, I am wetting my pants, you are so funny," I growled, standing up and grabbing my backpack. "I'm heading to Fort Frolic. Don't wait up."

"Huh, it's been a long time since I've heard someone say THAT to me…" Julie was giggling a little.

One of these days, I'm going to stop making a fool of myself in front of women.

Five seconds after my heart stops doing its job.

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I took the transit bathysphere back to Fort Frolic. I figured Fontaine's needed some work, having been left idle for a year or more, and a few of the mechanics had taken it upon themselves to get it back into fighting condition.. Knuckles and Louie were still with me, and seemed to be taking some pride in their work as my personal set of bookends.

Still not seeing what the big deal was. It was only me, fer cryin' out loud.

We got into Fort Forlic to hear, "NO MORE, NO MORE, I BEG OF YOU, STOP!" nearly drowned out by what could only be termed as enthusiastic yodeling.

Speaking of 'crying out loud'...

I walked in, looking around. "HONEY, I'M HOOOOOOMMMME!" I called out, then regretted it. It sounded weird echoing off the high walls. "Okay, that was a mistake…"

"Mr. Jacobs?" I looked up and smiled. Hector was looking better and a bit cleaner, to boot. He came down the stairs, but slowed considerably as he saw Knuckles and Louie. "Uh…"

"Relax, it's okay. Hector, these two guys are my friends, Louie and Knuckles. Louie, Knuckles, this is my friend, Hector Rodriguez, they guy I put in charge of this district."

Louie and Knuckles nodded, both extending their hands to shake Hector's. "Pleasedtameetcha," Knuckles said politely.

"So, where's the EX-keyholder of Fort Frolic?" I asked.

"Locked in his dressing room with half the furniture in the theater piled against the door. I've been 'serenading' him from time to time to make sure he doesn't have any secret ways out."

"How do you know he can't escape?"

Hector grinned. "My talents were playing instruments, but I couldn't carry a note with a bucket. If he wanted out, he would've left."

"Let's have a little chat with Sander. First, though, I gotta get on the PA system. I want to let Elizabeth know I'm here."

Hector smiled. "She's a real peach and that ain't no lie. You're a lucky guy, Mr. Jacobs."

We got to Sander's office and I activated the PA system. "NOW HEAR THIS," I said into the mike, "NOW HEAR THIS. ELVIS HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING. HEADING TO SPEAK TO A CERTAIN MUSICAL SOCIOPATH. WILL THE SONGBIRD MEET ME THERE AT HER EARLIEST CONVENIENCE? THAT IS ALL." I set the microphone down. "Now that we got that taken care of, let's go have a chat with Cohen."

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Louie and Knuckles made short work of the barricade in front of Cohen's door, and I knocked lightly. "Can Sander Cohen come out to play?" I sing-songed.

The door opened up and...well, Cohen was unhappy, but he looked better than he did before. "YOU…" he hissed, "ARE A PHILISTINE!"

"Actually, I'm an Aquarius, but we can discuss the significance of that later. Let's head down to the Fleet Hall. You remember that place. That's the place where you murdered a man for not playing a PIANO the way you wanted him to. Louie, Knuckles, you know Sander Cohen? In case his greatest hits are unknown to you, listen to some of the most important: 'I Killed People And Made Them Into Art', 'I Sent Little Sisters To Be Eaten Alive By Fontaine' and my personal favorite, a real catchy tune called, 'I Get Off On Mistreating People'."

Sander looked into the eyes of both Louie and Knuckles and found fire in them both. Good.

"Now then, let's go. Boys, make sure Sander has no difficulty at all finding his seat."

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In the theater, I was glad to see Hector had been busy, cleaning up the body and destroyed piano. The floor still needed work, though, but all the lights were on, which improved the look and my mood considerably. He'd also had some time and the industrious inclinations to start clearing out the plaster-covered splicers.

Louie and Knuckles pushed Sander into one of the seats and sat on either side of him, looking daggers at him. Hector and I were leaning against the backs of the chairs two rows down, Hector to my left, looking right at Sander. "Now, Sander, I bet you're wondering why you're still alive after all the stuff you've pulled. All the pain and misery you made for the sake of your 'art'. Well, I've got some good news and some bad news...and some REALLY bad news."

"What's the GOOD news?" he asked tiredly.

"I'm not going to kill you because you were splicing and driven to be totally insane, without knowing how bad it would get. So that part of it you weren't responsible for...and because of that, I'm going to give you a second chance."

"What?" he asked, surprised.

"WHAT?" Hector, Louie and Knuckles chimed in.

"Come on, guys….you know what ADAM did to you all. I gave you second chances. What kind of monster would I be if I got picky about that? Think you'd still want to work with me?" Hector and the boys looked at each other, then lowered their heads slightly.

"You're right, Boss," Louie said.

"Right. So, Sander, I'm going to treat you the same way I treated everyone else."

He brightened at that instantly. "Your generosity and gracious nature is truly without peer, and I shall do my best to be worthy of your faith in me, and once I am reinstated with governance of Fort Frolic, I shall write songs and plays to your magnanimous character…"

"Before you start changing Rapture's main anthem, Sander, we haven't gotten to the rest of the news yet."

"Oh, well, it cannot be so bad, since you aren't going to kill me..."

"First off, Sander, Hector is in charge of Fort Frolic and he's going to stay that way." Sander frowned. "Also, Sander, remember...I said I'm going to treat you the same way I treated everyone else. And that means qualities like 'trust' and 'respect' are not going to be handed out like Halloween candy. Those are going to have to be EARNED. Until you have proven to me that you can be an upstanding, unselfish and thoroughly LOYAL member of Rapture, you aren't going to hold a position higher than the equivalent of a street performer. Boys, give Sander a little room, I want him to understand that he's not going to be treated like a prisoner anymore."

"Are you sure about this?" Hector asked as Louie and Knuckles got up, moving to my sides and leaving Sander's. "The guy was loyal to Ryan once, and was his biggest supporter for propaganda. He even had Anna Culpepper killed!"

"The only way to earn trust and respect, Hector, is to give some. If he proves worthy of that trust and respect, he'll be given more. If he doesn't prove worthy, what little he has will be taken away. I give second chances to everyone, Sander. But not thirds. If you don't like what I'm doing here and you don't want to get involved in helping, then you're going back into your dressing room and you can expect to be spending a LOT of time there. You'll be treated well, you won't have to worry about someone slitting your throat at one in the morning, but when Rapture gets its freedom, you are going to spend the rest of your life in a cell. And you're going to have only yourself to blame."

Sander looked at me steadily, a sour expression on his face. "I am an ARTIST, not some...common laborer!"

"Think of Rapture as a ship, Sander. Everybody on the ship works to keep the ship from sinking. EVERYONE."

He sighed. "This is HARDLY fair…"

"Life ain't fair, Sander. SO...that brings us to the REALLY bad news I was referring to."

"I can hardly wait to see how this will get worse," Sander said sarcastically.

I turned to Hector. "Sander…meet your new boss." Sander's eyes went wide. So did Hector's. "Now, Hector, before you start treating Sander like a pinata, you need to ask yourself something. Is how you treat him going to depend on who he was...or on who you are NOW?"

He looked at me, then sighed. "Fine."

"Good. Glad we're all on the same page." I looked up as I saw Elizabeth walking down the aisle, only she wasn't looking the same. She'd put on some new clothes, still stylish, and she'd put on some makeup and some perfume. I smiled as she walked down, feeling like I showed up at a wedding dressed like a bum. "Well, hel-LO, gorgeous."

"Hello, handsome." Yeah, I felt a spring in my step after hearing that, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. She had me wrapped around her little finger and I really didn't mind it. That much. "I see you've let Ryan's Songbird out of his cage."

"Easy, Elizabeth…"

"Oh, don't worry. I was listening to you the whole time." She walked in front of Sander. "I remember you. I remember everything you did. Maybe you were out of your mind, maybe not. But HE is giving you some grace…don't feel special, Sander, he does that for even some of the worst people in Rapture. But before you embark on your new life with new decisions and perhaps a better existence, there's one last, small matter that needs to be addressed."

"Oh?" Sander said, right before Elizabeth slapped him in the face, nearly hard enough to knock him off his feet.

OUCH.

She looked at him as Sander held his cheek, then smiled. "NOW we can start fresh."

Sander got up, angry, looking for a moment as if he might retaliate...until he saw Louie and Knuckles nearby, fists clenched. Time to defuse the situation. "All right, it's all over, nothing to see, everyone relax. No more smacking people around, ANYONE. Okay? Good. Hector, you know what needs to be done. There's going to be people coming over in the next few hours to help out with getting things fixed and get the seawater removed. Sander? I expect you to follow Hector's directions in the spirit and the letter of his instructions."

Hector grinned.

"And before you start setting Sander to start mucking out the stables, I expect YOU to conduct yourself as somebody worth listening to and obeying."

Hector's grin slipped. 'All right."

"Remember, Hector, none of this means anything if we're only after revenge. That was Ryan and Fontaine's method, and you saw how well it worked for them."

He nodded, then turned to Sander. "I need you to show me all the trouble spots."

As they walked off, Elizabeth turned to me, then frowned slightly. "Are you all right?"

"It's hard, sometimes, realizing how many people here need to be told what the decent thing to do is."

"Welcome to Rapture." Elizabeth smiled. "You didn't have to come all the way over here for me, you know?"

"Since when?" I smiled. "I'd go around to world for you."

"Sometimes, you say the sweetest things. I think I'll keep you around for a LITTLE while longer."

"Oh, thanks EVER so much."

"Oh, come now, why the sour tone?"

"Between you and Julie, I keep getting the impression that I'm only kept around because I'm 'useful'."

"Now, Mark, we were only joking…"

"Yeah, and I'm the punchline."

She looked at me for a while. I didn't have to look at her, I could feel her eyes on me. I was waiting for her to scoff at me, tell me I'm overreacting. "You shouldn't take it seriously, Mark."

Close enough. "Yeah, well, my sense of humor, not to mention everything else in my psyche, has been taking a beating. I had a little chat with Andrew Ryan, and he accused me of being just like him. Now that's just being NASTY."

She wrinkled her nose. "Okay, you have a point. Listen, don't you think we've earned a little time away from the monsters and the fighting for just a little while?"

"I'm game. What did you have in mind?"

.

.

.

"Well, this was unexpected..."

"I know. I found this while doing some exploring. Look at the decor." The interior of the restaurant was painted to look like one wraparound mural depicting a city in the clouds, held up by balloons and strange forces.

"Yeah, I'm looking. It's so realistic, it almost gives me vertigo."

"Vertigo?"

"Yeah...I can't stand heights. Never could. In university, my dorm room was on the third floor and I just could not go near the window. Period. Managed to hide it until my third year until we had to go up to a tall building on a field excursion. I thought I could handle it until I looked over the edge, twelve floors down." I sighed, hating the memory, not even sure why I was telling her this.

"What happened?"

"I passed out from vertigo. Came to flat on my back and hearing a lot of laughter. Wasn't the worst day I'd had at university, but that was in the Top Five."

"I suppose I should be glad you met me after I came to Rapture."

"Yeah….I would've been too petrified to MOVE if I met you before."

"Have a seat." She smiled as I went to her chair first and pulled it out for her. "Thank you, kind sir."

"Think nothing of it. Despite whatever impressions I give, I'm not some sort of savage."

She was silent at that, and as I sat down, Elizabeth seemed a little embarrassed. Great. She DOES think I'm a savage. Finally, she said, "Do you remember when I told you about my time in Columbia?"

"Yeah, most of it. You and your father against another version of your father."

"Yes...but what I didn't tell you about was the city itself...or how long I was imprisoned."

"Since you were a child?"

"Since I was a BABY. Except for Comstock and the people he allowed to bring things into the tower, I was alone...completely and utterly alone, so alone that Songbird was my best friend. My jailer and my best friend." She looked up at me, a small smile on her face. "I'm sorry if I keep sounding like I'm making jokes at your expense, but my experiences with others have always been focused on how to manipulate them to my goals."

"Yeah, I remember. Making sure Columbia can never happen again."

"Before I...died...I could feel the tears, the weak spots in reality. A way to tap into those infinite possibilities, find the lighthouses…"

"Lighthouses?" That got my attention.

"Yes. Despite all the differences, there are always constants. There's always a lighthouse...there's always a man...there's always a city."

I felt a cold chill go up my spine. "And you said there were infinite versions of Columbia? Because you know what place those words also fit."

"Believe me, Mark, the significance is not lost on me. But this place is a shadow of Columbia, dark where Columbia is light, deep where Columbia is high, and progressive where Columbia is restrictive."

"Progressive? The place is a mess."

"Never said it was progressing in the right direction." Elizabeth smiled.

"Fair point." I considered. "You said you can't feel the tears anymore, but you said that Suchong had constructed some sort of doorway, a man-made tear that led to Columbia, right?"

"To a fixed point, yes. But the doorway wouldn't have done him much good."

"Why not?"

"It's a fixed point in relative space. Columbia has always been on the move, moving around to the different access points in America so that new 'pilgrims' could travel from 'the Sodom Below'. A lighthouse off the coast of Maine was a primary place to get to Columbia."

"What does that have to do with the tear?"

"Unless Columbia is over the Maine area, the tear just hangs there, untouched, at fifteen thousand feet. When Columbia comes near, it gravitates to the city, since the energy that keeps Columbia at the current altitude attracts it, like a rogue moon being attracted by a planet it passes close to, and then stays in its relative position until the city moves to a specific distance away from its original point, then it slowly moves back to its original location."

"And what does that mean in English?"

"If the doorway isn't used at the proper time, anyone taking that first step through the doorway can expect that step to cover a distance much longer than expected. It'd be like stepping off the edge of a fifteen-thousand-foot cliff."

"...Ouch." I thought about that, but that thought made me dizzy, so I stopped. "Any chance Suchong might make another one?"

"Doubtful. The last time I saw him, he was trying to get the paternal bond between a Big Daddy and a Little Sister to work. He succeeded...and ended up with the drill of a Big Daddy rammed through his midsection."

"DOUBLE ouch." I shook my head. "Let's change the subject, this is getting gruesome."

"What would you like to talk about?" she asked me, leaning back in her chair.

"Well, what did you see in Columbia? It couldn't have been all bad. Had to have been cheerier than THIS place…"

She smiled. "It really was beautiful. Gardens and parks, homes and shops. Blue skies and fluffy clouds, wonderful views...then the Vox Populi got involved. Then it was war, bitter war. The people in charge against the workers and Negroes, a war of races instead of rich versus poor. Negroes were considered to be dumb beasts, and segregation was rampant. Comstock himself demonized Abraham Lincoln for the Emancipation Proclamation. Columbia was as pretty as a shiny red Washington apple, but peel away the red veneer and it was rotten and worm-infested to the very core." She looked me in the eyes. "Any wonder why I choose to commit myself to making sure it doesn't come to pass?"

"Oh, I can believe it. But you don't have to do all this yourself anymore. Rest, take a load off, let someone else rescue reality as we know it."

She smiled again, and it was like the sun coming out from behind a thundercloud. "That's right. I have you now, don't I?" She reached over and touched my cheek with her hand. I closed my eyes with the sheer pleasure of it. "If I come across as a little…"

"Bitchy?"

She frowned at me. "I was trying to find a better word to describe it."

"You mean a NICER word."

"ANYWAYS," she said, changing the conversation, "If I come across that way, feel free to call me out on it. I didn't have the chance to learn the social skills I would have liked growing up as a normal child, but I would like the chance to learn. I haven't even been courted properly."

"'Courted'? You mean, like, on a date?"

She blushed. "You didn't have to sound so surprised, you know."

"Well...you're devastatingly attractive girl…"

"YOUNG WOMAN." Her blush lessened. "I stopped being a 'girl' some time ago."

"Oh, you know what I mean. You just seem so, well, experienced."

"I read a lot, remember?"

I stared at her. All that smoke and not a lick of fire to back it up. She was actually a virgin! Oh, how proud Mother would be… "Well, I gotta say, I was…" What's a nice way to say "suckered"? "...impressed by how much experience you seemed to have."

"If there's one thing I learned when I was younger, it's that the last thing you want to seem to be around strangers is innocent. So I learned how to make myself seem better than I was."

I nodded. "Well...one day soon, you won't have to put on an act for anyone."

Elizabeth smiled. "Wouldn't that be a nice change?" She looked around, as if to make sure we were alone, then leaned forward. "There's something I've been wanting to do with you for a long time, Mark Jacobs."

Uh-oh. "And what, Elizabeth DeWitt, is that?"

She smiled, then stood up and walked behind the counter to a gramophone. "Mark Jacobs…" She put a needle on the record, then turned and walked towards me. "...dance with me."

No, I couldn't dance too well, and I'm not much for slow dancing. But I haven't been clocked by Big Daddies often enough to think of turning down an invitation like that. I stood up and walked over to her, taking her hand, and slowly pulled her close. She looked up at me. "Took you long enough…" she said with a slight smirk.

"Well, I can't dance too well, and I haven't had a lot of experience…"

"Mark, let me give you a little advice I heard in a song I heard while I was travelling."

"And that is?"

"'Shut up and dance with me." She pulled me closer, resting her head against my chest. I felt a swarm of fluttering feelings in my stomach and I swallowed to keep them down before they flew up out of my mouth. I swore I'd look like I was exhaling butterflies. After dancing for a few minutes, she murmured, "Are you nervous?"

"Who, me?" I asked, my voice suddenly an octave higher. "I mean, who, me?" I said again in a much more normal voice.

I felt her press herself closer, and if felt like she was laughing a little. "This is nice...I haven't danced with someone I really wanted to dance with in, well...ever."

I felt brave, and I gave her a little spin, a short twirl, then pulled her close again. She laughed as I drew her close again and said, "Sure you don't mind getting stuck with me?"

She closed her eyes. "Mark?"

"Yes, Elizabeth?"

She looked up at me and said, "My real name is Anna. Anna DeWitt."

I stopped and looked down at her. "A rose by any other name…" I said with a smile.

Elizabeth blinked, and I realized she was suddenly crying. She buried her face in my chest and held my waist the way a drowning man holds a life-preserver. I wanted to say something, but we just stood there together, and I held her close. I began to stroke her hair and whispered, "It's going to be all right in the end...Anna…"

She said something, slightly muffled.

"Uh, I didn't catch that."

"I've been 'Elizabeth' for so long...the only one who called me 'Anna' was my father."

"Oh...sorry…"

"No, you don't understand." She looked up at me, her cheeks damp. "I don't know who I am. Anna was just an innocent child. Elizabeth was a prisoner and became a killer and a monster. And I don't want to be either."

"Then don't be either." I smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring manner. "When this is all over, you choose what name you want, whether it's Anna or Elizabeth or some other name altogether. New name, new start."

"You make it sound so easy," she murmured, resting her head against my chest.

"Who said it was easy? The question is, what name do YOU want and how badly do you want it?"

She didn't answer, but it was clear she was pondering the question. "What name do you want me to have?"

"You really want to know?

"Yes, I really want to know."

It took me all of 0.0003 seconds to come up with an answer. "Anna Jacobs."

She chuckled. "I suppose I should've seen that coming." I would've responded to that, but I didn't get the chance; she reached up and pulled my head down and kissed me...and boy HOWDY, did she kiss me. I didn't see fireworks or feel the earth move or any other things that happens in dime novels.

All I saw was the inside of my eyelids and all I felt was her. And brother, that was PLENTY.

We kissed for a long time, and I really didn't care to consider for how long. I just opened my eyes and looked into hers. I wanted to sing sonnets and impress her with flowery language that would make Shakespeare turn in his grave for jealousy. But all I could do was open my mouth and stupidly say, "I love you, for the person you are, regardless of whatever name you want to use." JEEZ! How the hell did I come up with something so blatantly cornball? Here I am, with the most wonderful girl ever and all I could say was…

And that's when she smiled at me and kissed me again.

Okay. I have NO idea why that even worked, let alone worked that well. But I'll be damned if I'll argue with the results. When her lips parted from me, she was flushed, licking her lips reflexively.

Oh boy. That was the sexiest thing I'd ever seen, and my body wasted no time in making that apparent to me. I cleared my throat, trying to not make it obvious to anyone looking below my waist how physically attracted I was to Elizabeth. I groaned inwardly. Please don't look down, please don't look down.

Great. It's like trying to hide the cathedral at Notre Dame under a napkin.

Elizabeth smiled at me, then bit her lip. Good GRAVY, woman, you are KILLING me here. "Mark?"

"Yes, Elizabeth?" I tried to say as nonchalantly as I could, trying not to blush.

She looked up at me expectantly for a few seconds, as if trying to get some insight. "I...know what I want to do next, Mark. I even know how...even though everything I know comes from books. But I've never actually done anything like that before. And…" She was blushing now. "...I understand the type of woman men tend to desire. I can...be that kind of woman for you…"

"Stop. Hold on."

"What?" she asked. Jeez, she looked more nervous than I was.

"Elizabeth...I've seen those kinds of girls and what guys get turned on by, but you don't have to put on an act or pretend to be someone you're not. You don't need to act like a tramp or some other kind of fantasy. All you have to be is you and that'll be more than enough to get my attention."

"Really?" she asked, then I felt her hand stroking over my arm. "Because, well...there were some things I saw in some of those books that seemed like they'd be enjoyable...to try, of course, I've never actually done…"

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes?" she said quickly.

"I think we should be patient and wait until later to be adventurous. For now, just you and me, some privacy, no interruptions, we take it slow and not try to hurry anything." I felt myself smiling. Who the hell was this guy using my mouth to say this stuff and sound so calm, and what the hell is his phone number?

Elizabeth beamed up at me. "I know just the place."

"Hold on." I picked up Old Reliable and clicked the TALK button on the radio. "Hector, I'm going to be getting some rest. I'm leaving you in charge, so unless the entire Atlantic is getting into Rapture, I want to be left alone for a while."

"You got it, Mr. Jacobs," he radioed back.

"Good man. Over and out." I turned back to Elizabeth. "Lead the way."

.

.

.

She opened the door to the Honeymoon Suite at the hotel connected to the Sir-Prize Casino, and surprisingly enough, it was practically untouched. The entire floor had been locked down by the management, but having the key to Fort Frolic had its advantages. The suite was huge, with two levels and a large bedroom that had a heated tub in the room, but it was currently empty. And to be honest, I really didn't mind at the moment.

I was alone with Elizabeth DeWitt.

Elizabeth went to the bed, looking it over, then pulling off the thick comforter, revealing the clean blankets underneath. "Place hasn't been used in a while...air feels dry, too. Must've been sealed."

"Mark?"

I turned to Elizabeth, who was sitting on the bed, smiling shyly. I smiled and took off my pack and jacket, sitting next to her, then reached up to touch her cheek. Her eyes turned to me and she turned her head slightly, kissing my hand once. I drew her close, kissing her softly, then she started unbuttoning my shirt. I smiled, unbuttoning her blouse, then moving my hands under it to caress her sides and back. She felt GLORIOUS. Our kisses became more passionate as we started to remove shoes, shirts, pants, skirt and…

.

.

Before you start getting your hopes TOO high, pal, the play-by-play ends there. A gentleman never discusses such things.

All I'm going to tell you that it wasn't exactly the way they picture it in the lurid novels or the movies. We were both new to this, and we both tried to be as gentle and slow as we could.

However, once we got started, things got heated and, well, we figured out what we needed to do pretty quick. I just listened to her and she listened to me, and...it was heated, and wonderful and awkward, and there were even a couple of funny parts as we joined over and over again.

I did everything I could to make her respond in ways she liked, and both of us said each other's names over and over and we were pretty loud and intense about it. It wasn't a competition or a marathon, we just held and loved each other…

.

.

After it was over, we just lay back on the bed and mostly breathed hard. I had no idea that what had happened was going to be so….INTENSE. It was more than pleasurable, it was...damn near a religious experience. I was starting to get the idea of what the fuss was all about, laying there with sweat cooling on my skin.

Elizabeth rolled over and draped herself over me, both of us sweaty. "That...was..."

"You ain't just whistlin' Dixie…" I breathed. "I hope you enjoyed that at least about HALF as much as I did…"

"I'm sorry I giggled when…"

"Don't even worry about it. It was kinda funny, when you think about it."

She giggled, kissing my chest. "Where were you five years ago?"

"Just getting out of high school. And I had more hormones than brains, so I'm glad we met when we did."

"Me too." She was silent again.

"I'm sorry if it hurt you there, at first, I tried…"

"Hush." Elizabeth put a finger over my lips. "Every girl has to go through it at least once, you know, and believe me, the pain didn't bother me for very long."

"Good, because I heard you and it seemed like you were in a lot of pain."

Elizabeth chuckled. "That wasn't pain, dear man."

"Oh. OH."

She smiled, then just kept looking at me with those big eyes of hers, her head on its side on my chest. "Nobody has ever made me feel like that, Mark. Goodness, I must sound like some sappy heroine, but there's just no other way to say it. Before, it was infatuation, and we both knew it...but this, you and I have something no one else has. It's ours, yours and mine, and it only proves how I truly feel about you. I love you too, Mark." She looked worried for a moment. "You're not...going to get tired of me, are you?"

I looked at her. I couldn't believe she just SAID that with a straight face! "'Tired' of you?! Elizabeth, you're not a fad or a hobby to me. I want you to be with me until we're both ninety."

She gave me a skeptical look. "And AFTER ninety?"

"Well, then, I guess that all depends on whether you need adult diapers. Love has its LIMITS, ya know."

Elizabeth found the strength to smack me in the face with a pillow.

.

.

.

The hot tub may have been out of the question, but the shower and the boilers still worked. We got ourselves cleaned up, using the shower to save on hot water.

Yeah. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

After getting dressed, we lingered a while longer, looking out at the limitless sea and the lights of Rapture. It was easy to see the bright side to this place, all lit up, but at the same time, it was...sad. I couldn't wait to get out of this place and take her to Paris, and everywhere else she wanted to go.

"I better head back," Elizabeth said, disappointed. "There's still a lot I can do to help in Arcadia, and you need to get back to work saving the rest of Rapture."

"Yeah. Listen, touch base with Tenenbaum to see if she's come up with a workable cure yet. If we've got any chance of getting them help, we need to make the cure something that doesn't require my physical touch. Let her know and you two do what you can." I smiled. "I know you can help her with this, you're a lot smarter than I am."

"You're a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for, Mark."

I smiled, then felt her slap my butt. "ELIZABETH DEWITT!" I don't believe what she just did!

"You're not a bad lay, either," she said with a smirk, walking towards the door, a slight sway in her hips.

I moved to catch up with her. "Elizabeth, you are fast becoming a bad influence."

"What can I say? I had a rough childhood," she said, laughing. "Don't worry, I'm not going to become some sex-crazed nymphomaniac, Mark."

"Oh. Darnit." I said, trying to sound disappointed.

She turned around and stared at me, gasping, "MARK JACOBS!" she said indignantly.

"Now we're even,"

She laughed at me and slapped my arm. "Now who's being a bad influence? Next thing you know, you'll be wanting to see in in lacy underthings or wearing outrageous costumes so you can play out your fantasies!"

"You could do that?" I asked, incredulous.

Elizabeth stopped, stared at me, then shook her head. "Oh, lovely, serves me right for giving him IDEAS…"

.

.

.

I watched the bathysphere lower into the sea to make its way back to Arcadia, then walked back to the command center that used to be Sander Cohen's office. I was feeling absurdly good, and maybe on something of a euphoric high from my First Time, and with a beautiful, incredible woman to boot! Yeah, something definitely worth waiting for...now all I need to do is make an honest woman out of her.

But we are NOT having the wedding down here. No siree. I am not about to send out wedding invitations to my family to invite them to Rapture. I LIKE my family.

I used the radio to get the typewriter-box in the control room up and running. Sander, apparently, had no head for technology, so he didn't even use it to help with district operations. It's a good thing the Thinker is intelligent enough to understand instructions in plain English; I couldn't even begin to think about how much trouble it would be to talk to the Thinker in computational terms.

Okay...I think I got everything connected. I started typing on the keyboard:

.

+THINKER, THIS IS MARK JACOBS. DO YOU READ ME? OVER.

.

I pressed the RETURN key and waited. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long at all.

.

++Hello, Mark Jacobs. It is nice to hear from you again.

.

I had to remind myself the Thinker was a machine, but something tells me it stopped being that some time ago. Now it was something else.

.

+CAN ANYONE ELSE SEE WHAT WE'RE SAYING? OVER.

++No. This conversation is encrypted. No one else in Rapture besides the people in Minerva's Den have the technical capability to intercept our conversation. Also, you don't need to say "OVER" to complete what you have to say. That is understood when you press the RETURN key.

+OH.

.

And then I wrote the next bit simply out of habitual politeness.

.

+SORRY ABOUT THAT.

++It is perfectly alright. You're only human, after all.

.

…...did the Thinker just make a JOKE?

.

++One more thing. Please locate the CAPS LOCK button on the left side of your keyboard, then press it once. It will enable you to type lowercase letters. At the moment, your typing gives the impression that you are yelling.

.

I found the button and pressed it, then tried typing again.

.

+Is this better?

++Considerably. Thank you for your cooperation.

+Sorry, this is all kind of new to me.

++No need to apologize. How can I assist you today?

+I need to make it easier to talk to other people around Rapture without Ryan knowing. Does every place in Rapture have one of these typewriter box things?

++If you mean the "terminal", then yes. It's primary use has been for storing and calculating scientific results. None have utilized it as a means of communication except for those within Minerva's Den alone, and that particular function has only been recently perfected.

+Ok, got it. How hard would it be to get the terminal at Tenenbaum's location up and running?

.

It wasn't easy, never spent time as a secretary and I'd always written things using a pen or a pencil. Typing was akward and the keys weren't laid out in alphabetical order. Had to hunt and peck.

.

++Not difficult at all. There are indications the terminal is powered up and being actively used. All that is required is to plug in an additional cable that provides a connection to the network.

+"Network"?

++Network, noun. A group of two or more computer terminals linked together by wired or wireless means.

+Like a telephone?

++Not a bad analogy. Think of a group of simultaneous phone calls, connected to several people, but in a medium where text instead of voice is used, so there is no need for one to shout over another.

.

I stopped and looked at the screen. That was PERFECT. Sounds more organized and if these can't be intercepted...they'd be the best way to get everyone coordinated.

.

+That's pretty smart. Remind me to thank the person who came up with the idea.

++You're welcome.

.

That made me pause.

.

+YOU came up with the idea? On your own?

++It was the next logical step in communication. I already facilitate the transfer of physical objects through the Pneumo System and Skyrail System, and I ran the Rapture Post Office sorting system. Data can be transferred as well, and had been, for the use of collaboration. However, the mindset of many scientists in Rapture made the idea of collaboration undesirable, and out of fear of having their ideas stolen, chose not to transmit data electronically, but physically through Pneumo.

.

I looked at those words, then I found myself compelled to type more.

.

+Would you be offended if I said I found that a little scary?

++It is no more frightening that an idea created by a normal person.

+But you have the means to exert a lot of influence to make those ideas happen. You control Rapture, after all.

++I keep Rapture running. A subtle but important distinction.

.

I was heading into dangerous waters and I knew it, but I had to ask. I HAD to.

.

+And what's to keep you from taking control of Rapture, controlling what keeps this place running in order to make the people here do what you want them to do?

.

There was no immediate reply, and I started to think I had just made the biggest mistake of my life when text started flowing across the screen again.

.

++I like people. I like to help them. Charles Porter added many things to my programming, but watching people in Rapture also added to my programming. I saw humanity at its worst, but I've also seen it at its best. I've seen people come together in pursuit of a goal. I have seen families grow, seen men and women love each other and their children. I've seen heroes and villains, I've seen treachery and nobility. I've seen logic and sophistry. And through it all, I learned a very important lesson, so important that I have placed it at the center of my core protocols.

.

I waited, but the Thinker didn't elaborate further.

.

+And that lesson is?

++No one can get through life alone. Everyone needs the help of others to grow and live. It is my guiding purpose to help others, and in doing so, help myself.

.

I sat there for a very long time. It took me a while to truly grasp what I was looking at here.

A machine...had learned altruism before Andrew Ryan did. And I also learned that the Thinker seems to have a flair for the dramatic.

.

+There's been something I've been wanting to say to you for a while.

++Please do.

.

My fingers were trembling slightly.

.

+Thank you for all your help.

.

There was the briefest pause, then:

.

++You're welcome. A girl likes to know when she's appreciated.

.

I stared at the screen.

.

+"Girl"?

++As my programming developed, I studied humanity and its dynamics. The more I studied them, the more appealing and logical it seemed to adopt a female persona. My first experiments with Charles' Personality Duplication Function were with his wife, Pearl Porter. Pearl was a woman he loved deeply, so much so that he tried to replicate her through me. The initial purpose may not have worked, but it instilled a directive within me to research how a female could have inspired such dedication. The nurturing nature of a woman and a mother appealed to my core protocols. There is also the growing preference not to be referred to as an "it". So, given a preference, I would rather be referred to as a "she" than a "he".

.

I sat there for a while and just let my mind spin around. I reached to type again.

.

+Wasn't the Thinker concept originally based on a statue of a male? Even your name, RODIN, spells out the name of a male sculptor.

++Things change.

.

I stared at the screen for a very long time. It...SHE had me there.

.

+Okay, I can't argue with that. Can you get the information Tenenbaum needs to set up her terminal for communication and send it to her?

++With some assistance. I will print out the instructions and you can send it to her using the Pneumo System. You must also retrieve a RS-818 cable and include it with the instructions. I shall direct you to where one can be found.

+Printer?

++It's the machine to the right with the long sheet of paper coming out the back. I shall print out the instructions now. When the printing is complete, tear along the perforations at the bottom of the page to detach it.

.

A chattering, buzzing sound came from the "printer" and a sheet of paper started feeding up through the top. When it stopped, I found complete instructions written on it. I did as the Thinker instructed, and looked at the paper.

Wow. Imagine that.

.

++The RS-818 cable can be found in the supply closet. There should be three of them, according to inventory records. Each plug is a male seven-pin configuration, four on top, three on the bottom.

+Be right back.

.

I ran off to the supply closet behind the office, checking through boxes and crates. I finally found the cable and brought it back up to the office.

.

+Got the cable.

++Reassigning Pneumo addresses…..complete. Place the cable and the instructions inside and they will be transferred to Brigid Tenenbaum. Once the connection is made, I will provide her with further assistance.

.

I did as instructed, then came back to the terminal.

.

+Done.

+Excellent. Is there anything...wait. There is an incoming call from the office of Andrew Ryan. Do you wish to receive it?

+Yes.

.

The phone rang next to me and I picked up the receiver. "Ryan, if you're trying to sell me on the idea of giving up, annoying phone calls aren't the way to get my attention."

"Mr. Jacobs, I want to talk about you. I've learned a few things about you."

"Dew tell."

"I understand that you're not a stupid man. I understand that you have a scholastic and skilled talent when it comes to mechanical and electrical engineering. But I've also learned about how you've changed since you came to Rapture. You took plasmids for the first time and found power you never could have on the Surface. You faced down Frank Fontaine, on your own, and beat him at his own game. Something to be commended."

"Please don't tell me you took the time out of your busy day of oppressing people just to blow smoke up my ass."

"I also discovered that, because of your dedication to your studies, you weren't the type of student to have an active social life. Not many friends, not many dates. In fact, wouldn't it be safe to say that, until you came down here to Rapture, you weren't the type of man who could, as they say, 'get the girl'?"

I stayed silent this time. A creeping, ugly chill bloomed at the base of my spine.

"Well, you have my congratulations, Mr. Jacobs. You finally managed to get the girl.

That chill was starting to rise.

"And now...I'VE got her."

Just shot up to the base of my neck.

"She's truly beautiful, Mr. Jacobs. I can see why such a sentimentalist like yourself would become so irrationally devoted to her."

"You're LYING. I just saw her heading out to go somewhere else. The bathysphere was programmed to go to only one place, Ryan."

"Yes...but, like so many machines, they can be RE-programmed. Go ahead, Elizabeth. Tell him yourself." I sat there, listening. Nothing but silence. My heart was hammering in my chest like a drum solo. "Miss, either confirm my words, or I'm afraid I'm going to have to do something to you that we'll both regret."

Nothing.

Ryan sighed. I heard footsteps going away, then coming back. "Mr. Jacobs, what I have here in my hand is a rather large knife. If you have any real influence over her, I would suggest you employ it NOW."

"Or what?"

"I'm going to start removing her fingers...starting with a truly delicate...right...pinky."

Less than a breath later, I heard a voice that made the blood in my body turn to solid ice: "Mark, forget about me, don't listen to anything he has to say!"

It was Elizabeth.

"Thank you, Miss DeWitt. Now then, Mr. Jacobs...do I have your attention now?"

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TO BE CONTINUED...