Revelation
'I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against.'-Malcolm X
After we passed through the gate, all that stood between us and Comstock house was a leaver. In the distance, storm clouds brewed with electricity and thunder. Statue heads of the founding fathers where below the mad house, it didn't make it any less terrifying.
As I cranked the leaver in front of me, I saw a dark blur zoom up from the empty space ahead if us. I felt the hairs on my neck stand up and my joints freeze in place.
Songbird had arrived.
"Elizabeth run!" I shouted. I assumed she took off because songbird had his sights, literally, focused on me. His cracked right eye shined red, "Bring it on shit-bird." I growled as I pulled my gun.
Before I could pull the trigger of my burst gun, Songbird clasped his hand around my body. I thought back to Battleship Bay and how he had me in the same position when I was in the water. This time though I had plenty of air, that positive thought lasted me a few seconds before Songbird drew his hand back with me in it and threw me towards the building.
I didn't manage to brace myself before I crashed through the window and blacked out.
...
I groggily opened my eyes, the floor was marble, so I may have a concussion from my little fall. That would explain why I was hearing voices and not seeing anyone.
"It's unstable! Jump through!" A distorted woman's voice said. Elizabeth, that's who I thought of immediately. Pushing myself up from the floor, I saw that I was in a room similar to the lab in the Lutece house.
The room seemed like a temporary living quarters, the bed in the corner was basically a mattress with a blanket and pillow. "Shit, I need to find Elizabeth, or Songbird, and get her to Comstock house, and keep him away from us."
I walked towards the door when I heard something that made me halt in my tracks, "STOP! THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANTED!" coming from the other side of the door.
In Columbia I wasn't surprised to hear THAT particular sentence, but what surprised me is that it was my voice that said it, and I didn't speak. I reached my hand out towards the door handle and grasped it, I took a breath, not entirely ready for what was waiting for me beyond the door.
I turned the door as my voice called out again.
"STOP!"
...
I opened my eyes when I felt the building tremble. The sound of breaking rocks make me look up at the cracking ceiling, when the chandelier fell I tried to move but I could barely feel a thing.
Oh. Fuck...
Songbird tore the roof off the building. His red lights shone into the room and landed on me. Hopping over the wall and landing in front of me, I was convinced that my fate was sealed.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" The both of us where startled to see Elizabeth run in between us. "Please, don't hurt him!" she screamed at the bird, waving her arms to get his attention.
"Elizabeth run...Go..." I managed to speak, she either didn't hear me or didn't care. Songbird reached his hand out to her and pushed her away.
"No No No No! Please, I-I love him, STOP!" she screamed at Songbird. He didn't care what we felt for one another, Songbird drew his arm back once again to deliver the final blow.
I looked over to Elizabeth, her face showed true terror, "Elizabeth," she looked over to me, "I love you, I love you more than you could imagine." If I was going to die, I wanted my last words to her to show that I cared for her more than I did myself.
Songbird threw his clawed fist at me, I waited for the release.
"I'M SORRY!"
Songbird's claws stopped a inch before my face. I looked to Elizabeth as she moved towards Songbird's hand, "I never should have left...please...take me back."
WHAT!
She tugged at the bird's large finger, "Please, just take me home...please." she panted as she drew the bird's digit to her. She may have been taking to Songbird but her where solely on me.
I couldn't let this happen! I wanted to shout at her to run, get out of here and don't look back. But in the end, that's not the kind of girl Elizabeth is, she would abandon me as much as I would her.
Songbird's eyes turned from red to green, he leaned his head down to Elizabeth and coddled her. He gently grasped Elizabeth with his right hand like a kid picking up a flower. As he turned towards the wall with her in his hand, Elizabeth slowly swung by me, she had tears in her eyes and a panicked look in her eyes, "I love you too."
That was all I heard before Songbird punched a wall out of the building, and jumped out and flew, Elizabeth in his hand.
"ELIZABETH!" I screamed. I needed to get up! I had to get up! I didn't know whether or not I could even move any part of my body, but the one thing I did know us that Elizabeth needed me. Now more than ever before.
I forced myself to move.
I stood up and immediately headed for the hole in the wall, outside in the distance was Comstock house, he had to have taken Elizabeth there! I looked down below and saw freight hooks, I took a few steps back, then I charged out with skyhook in hand.
I flew through the air, running on pure adrenaline, and latched onto the hook. I dropped down to the leaver I had turned just as the bridge formed. When the floor was stable, I sprinted across the sky at full speed. "You want to fuck with me fine. But you DO NOT hurt her, YOU HEAR ME YOU LEATHERY PIECE OF SHIT!? YOUR NOT GOING TO TAKE HER! YA HEAR ME!" I shouted at the clouds.
I kept running forward, I didn't care if the bridge was a 5k run, I wouldn't stop until my legs gave out! The only problem I had was visibility, the clouds where so sense I couldn't see ten inches in front of me. I don't know, or care, how long I ran, when I broke through the cloud line, I was ready to kill anyone in my way with my bare hands.
To bad I was way to confused to even move.
It was snowing. In July!
I mean we get insane weather down below in Michigan, but this? But again, I'm in a flying city. Still, this is just plain ridiculous. "Let go of me!" Elizabeth!
I ran up the steps to the house, nearly tripping over myself as I climbed to the top of the stairs. Instead of Elizabeth, I found a stupid tear, "I said let go!" she shouted through the tear.
Ok, maybe she's leaving a trail for me to fallow. If that's the case I need to head inside. Pushing through the large door into the parlor my jaw dropped. In the room was a statue of Elizabeth, holding a sword, similar to how Comstock's statue did when I first came here.
'Long ago, a man that I knew taught me to believe in myself,' holy shit, 'And I thank him everyday for that.' That voice...that's Elizabeth! Sprinting into the door at the behind the statue, I stopped in my tracks.
I've probably said this a thousand times but:
What.
The.
Fuck.
Is.
That?!
It looked like a completely normal person. That had a big...thing, on his head. It had a light shining out of it's mouthpiece, and the sides of it's head where what looked like trumpet ends that seemed to act as ears. The creepy part was that it didn't have eyes.
I heard Elizabeth screaming, begging for it to stop. And I wasn't going to stand for it.
It couldn't see me since I was clearly in his line of sight, but that light that projected from it's mouth reminded me of Songbird's eyes, how they shifted color depending on what he saw. So just to be safe, I should stay away from him.
I crouched down and slowly made my way around him, avoiding the light emanating from his mouth. I maneuvered around him and I slammed my skyhook into the back of his neck. I stood and headed towards the gate. Of course the thing was locked, it did have a intercom though.
"Comstock, I hope your hearing this, let Elizabeth go, and I may just shoot you instead of tossing you off this fucking city!" I shouted into the intercom. I didn't get a response, but the elevator shaft came to life as the small box stopped at my floor.
This has to be a trap. But I have no other options at the moment, and every second counted. As the door opened and I recognized the voice, "Please, just take me back to my tower."
Elizabeth! She sounded...broken.
I stepped in the elevator and hot the button as I listened through the tear, "It's to late child, your father gave you a lovely home, and you chose to destroy it." I could feel my blood boil. I am gonna put this guy's head on a plater.
"He is not my father." Elizabeth's voice said with conviction.
The elevator doors opened again and I wasn't alone. There where a few other people up on this level, but they where just like those two guards at the Good Time Club. They didn't notice me so I just ignored them, "Like my father, I saw what could be, and what must not be." the speakers said.
I entered the next room and found another tin head, I snuck around to the right of the room and entered what looked like a operation room. Inside was tear, "Child, would you like to pray with me?" Comstock's voice asked. I AM GOING TO KILL THAT MOTHER FUCKER.
"They're hurting me. Please just let me go." Elizabeth pleaded to the man. I need to find her, I don't care how but I need to. "They're trying to cure you.."
"I'm not sick!" Elizabeth spat at him. I could almost see Comstock shake his head, "Your sprit is. All I've ever wanted is to see you live up to your potential." And with that, the tear shut.
I needed to move faster.
Entering the corridor to the right of where I entered, I found another tear, "I'm doctor Pettifong Elizabeth, and I'll be taking care if you." Doctor or not, if your with Comstock, your gonna die. "Get away from me." Elizabeth muttered.
"Defiant, even after all this time. Harper just left you here. You need to give up on him love." Fuck you asshole, I'm on my way. "He will come." Elizabeth said, hope in her voice.
That's right sweetheart, just hold on, I'm coming to the rescue.
Entering the next room, I ran past the stupid Tin head without his knowledge. Okay maybe I'm scared of these guys for nothing. I found another tear along the way, "The specimen needs to be destroyed! We couldn't even hold her in that tower, and now the Prophet..."
IF THIS GUY LAYS ONE FINGER ON HER I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL MAKE HIM SUFFER! Pettifong is going to die, he's first on my list. Running into the next room, I ducked to the left and found another tear.
"Your not eating love." I swear to Christ this guy calls her 'love' again I will-, "I'm not hungry." Elizabeth replied calmly. "If your waiting for Harper, you'll starve to death, come now.."
I ran away from the tear, not wanting to hear any more of that lair's mouth. I was a floor above the elevator and I was closing in on the warden's office, two turrets where blocking my way though. Sending a possession at one, I used the remaining rounds in my burstgun to take care of the men guarding them.
I traded the burst gun for a carbine and continued inwards. I came across another tear as I circled around a gate , "The child is...uncooperative prophet. The False Shepard has had a affect on her. What will we do? What if she can't lead Columbia?" Pettifong asked.
Actually that was a good question, I hadn't thought about what would happen if Elizabeth for some reason couldn't lead Columbia. "My child has two problems, one of which your science will cure. The other is more spiritual ."
"Spiritual? Sir?" Ok for once I agree with the asshole, "Hope." Comstock said simply. I know that hope is strong, but everyone has something that can break it.
I continued onward into a Patriot assembly room, and of course another tear, "Your surgery is tomorrow you know. You better eat. Or do you expect Harper to burst in and rescue you hmm? It's been six months."
What?
It hasn't even been a day!
I charged into the next room where another...boy of silence? Okay that sounds better than tin head, awaited me. This one actually seem smarter, he was circling the room with his light.
Too bad I was a genius compared to this insane Psyco. I simply stayed behind the light as he circled. In the next room, I found myself on the other side of the gate.
I entered the room to the right, looked like a movie room, as I climbed over the wreckage into a private chamber the speakers turned on, 'A man I loved once told me, that he would free me of my chains. And he did. For a time. But the chains we bare are far to great to merely chip off."
I...I...I...I'm not to late...right?
Climbing the stairs in the next room, I finally found the warden's office. I cranked the switch without a thought. The monitors above me showed the door on the first floor open. "Elizabeth just hang on I'm-"
I stopped when I turned to find myself face to face with a boy of silence.
And now I'm scared of them again. Before I could react, he let out a weird noise and vanished into thin air. The stairway I came in from flooded with guards.
I threw a devil's kiss at the stairway, then I fired shots on either side of the stairs so they had nowhere to go without fear of being shot. When they burned, I hopped over the railing and headed for the elevator. Some more idiots thought they could stop me with shotguns, they where wrong.
I pressed the button in the elevator as I reloaded my carbine. When I neared the first floor I heard Elizabeth.
"No! Please stop! I don't understand! Please! Ahhhh! Ahhhhhhh!" NO! I nearly broke through the glass as I ran through the open door. "ELIZABETH HANG ON!"
I pivoted around a statue and didn't find her. But another damn tear. With the Lutece twins standing behind it. "What...a tear..."
Robert started this time, "Why do you ask what.."
"When the delicious question is when?"
"Lived, lives, will live."
"Dies, died, will die."
The lights above us began to flicker, "No! She can't be-" it was to late, they had disappeared. Elizabeth can't be dead, she can't be. I sprinted into the next room and fell into the snow.
She's not dead. She's not dead. She's not dead. She...she can't be dead. "As you can see Jacob. The lunatics are running the asylum." I looked up from the ground towards the voice, it sounded like Elizabeth. But older.
I walked towards her, "All I can do, is watch as everything I put into motion, goes into it's final stage." Final stage?
"It took all I had left, just to bring you here." The voice said depressingly.
"Elizabeth? I-I don't understand. I heard you screaming, I was coming to rescue you and then..." I was standing before her now, her shadow blocking out her face.
She dropped a hand at me, "Here, take my hand." I grasped it, it felt...old. When I climbed up my mind shut down.
Elizabeth was...was...god she looked like she was in her 80's! But that was nothing compared to the shock I felt when she lead me through the door behind her.
New York City was on fire.
"The seed of the prophet, shall sit the throne. And drown in flame the mountain of man." she quoted as I looked out.
This can't be happening. This can't be happening! We have much more advanced weapons than Columbia it isn't even funny! I fell to my knees and looked out at the destruction.
"Say what you will about Comstock. But he was a hell of a fortune teller." I couldn't respond. The nightmare I had when this all started was becoming all to real, "It wasn't the torture that broke me. It wasn't the indoctrination. It was time. Time rots everything Jacob. Even hope."
I shook my head in disbelief, "I was coming...I could have-" Elizabeth shook her head, "Songbird. He stopped you every time." The damn bird, the same one that was made to protect her just broke her.
"Then what's the point. We've lost." I said, look at our situation, New York is currently being destroyed, the entire USA may as well be next. I watched as my tears hit the boards below me, she had every right to have given up on me. Hell I might as well just...end it. It seems better than living under Columbian rule. But...Elizabeth...the woman I risked my life for was in pain, the same person that I love.
I'll just fail in the end.
Elizabeth let out a sigh, "I wanted to bring you here so you'd see how fruitless it is Jacob. Go home to your family. Forget about all this."
It'll end the same way that she says.
It is hopeless.
Just...give up Harper.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
No.
No I won't give up!
I stood from where I was, "Elizabeth..." The old woman turned to me, "I will not give up. I can't, not now. Eliz...you needed me. And if there's a way to stop him I will take it." I said with what felt like hot lead in my veins. Her face turned back to the destruction, "Jacob if I send you back-"
"Worst case I die? So what! If I don't even try, how could I even live with myself knowing that I did nothing to try and help you." I know the odds of survival are really, extremely low. I'm entirely convinced that I'll die, but I don't care! I'd do this from the very beginning of my adventure if it meant Elizabeth would be free.
So bring it on Comstock, send all your soldiers, fire every bullet you have at me. Let the handymen tear me limb from limb, let the fireman burn me to a cinder, let your patriots turn me into target practice.
Drop the whole damn city on top if me if you want. I am never giving up!
Elizabeth turned to me with a very small smile, "You once told me you weren't a hero. But here you are, ready to charge in to save the girl once again." she handed me a paper.
"Take this. It'll help her." she said as I took the paper. I glanced over it, it had a depiction of a cage on the bottom of it. That was the only real thing I understood, the rest of it was just random letters.
"Ok...what am I exactly looking at?" I asked. Elizabeth smiled, "It's advice for her." she said. As she was about to flail her arms out, I hugged her. She didn't expect me to embrace her obviously.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." I whispered, Elizabeth shakily put her arms around me, like this was the first time in a long time she had been shown any actual emotion.
"Don't be." she whispered before I was engulfed in a blinding white light. When it died down, a desk with a old timely music player and a bird cage where in place of the surface's destruction. "I'm back...1912...Elizabeth!"
I looked around and saw a door behind me, sprinting towards it I didn't bother to knock. I slammed my entire body into the door, slamming it off it's hinges.
Holy fuck.
"ELIZABETH!" I shouted. In the center of the room was a glass wall that reached the ceiling. Inside it where two doctors and Elizabeth. In the observation room was Comstock. "Harper...this is a surprise. What's the saying? A day late and a dollar short." He said, quite pleased with himself.
"Fuck you douchbag! She's not even your daughter!" I shouted back up to him.
"You two up top! Pull the switches and pump in the sedatives NOW!" Pettifong ordered. That fucker was dead.
"COMSTOCK I WILL KILL YOU AFTER I AM FINISHED WITH THESE JACKASSES! YOU HEAR ME!" I shouted as I ran into the right side of the room. I don't know if he heard me or didn't care, but he shut up.
Entering the room, I saw the turret lock on to me, I flung a possession at the automation as the founders filed into the room. I drew my carbine and fired a headshot at the first one I saw as the machine gun fired on the rest.
I slammed my hand cannon ontop of the last man's head, as he stood dazed, I aimed and fired between his eyes. Entering the next room I swore, two turrets and a patriot, "Fucking fantastic that's just what I need." I didn't have time for this, I sent another possession at the turret, the patriot and other turret opened fire on it as I ran into one of the upper booths, leaving a vigor trap behind me.
When I entered the booth, the man in white looked at me with terror, "I-" I kicked him in the ribs, Shen he was down on the ground I drew my shotgun and splattered his brains over the floor. I grabbed the leaver and cranked it.
The doctors on the ground began to panic, "No! Stop him! If he gets to that other leaver she'll wake up!" Thanks dumbass I think I'll do just that. The sound of my vigor trap going off signaled that my little diversion was over. I headed back into the other room and saw a patriot stunned from the fireball blast.
I squirmed past him and used my carbine to destroy his gear spine. When he fell, I turned at the feeling of bullets on my shield, more founders where here. Good, I got some bullets I've been meaning to get rid of.
I kept firing my carbine into the crowd of men. When the last guy was crying out in pain on the floor I reloaded and headed to the next room. The doctor tried to pleaded with his life like the last, he died as well. When I cranked the leaver though nothing happened!
"Elizabeth! Wake up!" I shouted, Pettifong and his partner seemed to think she was out cold, and that they would get away with what they wanted.
They where wrong.
Above the door that I came into the room, a gigantic tear shimmered, when it opened I think my jaw fell to the floor. Inside the tear was a twister beginning to form in a field. Like in the wizard of Oz but so much more real. The glass began to crack, I braced myself against the machine in front of me.
When the glass shattered, all hell broke lose. On the floor, various instruments and tools where sucked up into the tornado, I even saw one of the doctors fly into it. I just hope it wasn't Pettifong, I wanted him alive. For now.
The metal supports began to bend towards the powerful winds, thankfully, Elizabeth must have been conscious enough to know when enough was enough. She willed the tear to close as the twister got closer to us. I was holding onto the control panned for dear life, "Damn."
Seriously, that was...destructive.
I shook those thought from my head, I slammed the but of my gun against the cracked glass and jumped down to the surgery room. I climbed over the wreckage to Elizabeth, her eyes where shut and she didn't look too good, "Oh god no...please..."
She can't be dead, she isn't dead, she must be...resting! That's it, she's just asleep and...and she'll wake up when she's ready. I reached my hand out and cupped the side of her face, "Elizabeth!? Oh god...please, please god, let her be okay.."
Her skin wasn't cold, that was a good sign. I put my fingers on the side of her neck and searched for a pulse. When I didn't feel anything I felt my heart stop...NONONONONONO!
I shook her gently, "Wakeupwakeupwakeup!" I repeated over and over. Please god...she's all I have right now...please just let her be okay. Please just let her be safe, that's all I ask. I laid my head against hers, "Please Elizabeth...I love you...I...I can't lose you...I swear I'll get you out of here...just open your eyes..." I begged as tears went down my face.
I don't care about Comstock anymore, I haven't cared about my well being for a while now. All that I want, is for Elizabeth to be safe and sound. Somewhere she won't need to worry about being captured by Songbird, somewhere she can live a normal life.
"Jacob..."
I looked down at her face, her beautiful blue eyes where open with a look of disbelief in them. I saw tears in the brim of them, just begging to fall out. "Elizabeth...Elizabeth!" I exclaimed as I pulled our faces together and locked our lips. I felt her hands clamp down on the side of my face, making sure that I was real.
When we drew away I pulled her into the biggest hug I've ever given. That's when I saw the thing in her back, "Oh my god!" I shouted as I pulled her up from the chair, she hissed at the sudden movement.
"Shit! I'm so sorry I-" I started, I really didn't mean to hurt her. She shook her head, "It's okay, just...get it out okay?" she pleaded.
Turning her back to me, I firmly grasped the needle. "This will hurt." I outstretched my hand to her, "Squeeze my hand. And please try not to move." I didn't want to accidentally paralyze her if I screwed this up. Elizabeth breathed a shaky breath and grabbed my hand, "Just do it." she said.
I swallowed, I felt her fingers entwine mine in anticipation. I gave the tool a vice grip and yanked it out as fast as I could manage. Elizabeth let out a short cry as she squeezed my hand, she sniffed for a second before easing forward.
After she recovered from that, she leaned against my chest, "That...hurt." she said simply as I buried my head in her hair. "Yeah...needles suck." I replied as I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her closer. Thank you god, thank you so much. I swear I'll never ask anything else ever again.
The needle had left a hole in her back, it was deep but not wide in diameter. I should find something to help her, "I'll be back in a second okay?" she nodded as she reluctantly let go of my hand.
After making her able to sit up on her own, I searched the wreckage for a first aid kit, or some gaws, anything that would help ease her pain. When I heard a shuffling I stopped, pinned under a chunk of metal was doctor Pettifong. "Father Comstock, please protect me in my hour of need, let the-" "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I shouted as I kicked him in the face.
That felt good.
As he coughed up some blood, I pulled his head up by his hair, "Where's the first aid kit?" I asked with a snarl. He stayed silent, "Ok. Good, the silent treatment Huh? I've been meaning to fuck you up." I really was, I wanted to make this guy suffer for what he did to Elizabeth. And I am going to enjoy every minute of his suffering.
I don't care how dark that is, this shit head was gonna hate the last few seconds of his life. First thing's first, find a first aid kit. "I'll ask one more time before I get violent. Where's the first aid kit?" I asked, drawing my skyhook and spinning it. His eyes widened and pointed to the right side of the room.
Jumping over him, I quickly grabbed the bag and hurried back to Elizabeth, stomping on Pettifong's hand in the process. "Ok, so...what do I need?" I asked her, setting the bag down and digging into it.
"Just a bandage for now. I'll take care of it later." she said as she ran her hand over the wound. I could tell she still was in a good deal of pain from it so I worked quickly. Cutting off a small piece of gaws, I tapped the edges of it to her back, over the wound. "There, done." I said, planting a small kiss on her shoulder.
"Good." she said as she turned her head to me. This time it was Elizabeth who started kissing me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and tightly embraced her. I remember how of the tears I came across said it had been six months since she was taken, I felt horrible, I should never have left her.
I pulled her body closer to mine as we deepened the kiss, I gently tugged at her lower lip with my teeth, asking for entry. She was all to happy to oblige, she experientially ran her tongue over my upper lip, that made us both get more active. I let my tongue brush against hers and I was rewarded with a moan from the brunet beauty. Before we could we could continue, Elizabeth's eyes widened and pulled away.
"What? Oh crap are there founders behind me?" I asked as I reached for my hand cannon. I was really enjoying that, and I'm sure Elizabeth was as well. Speaking of which , her face was flushed red and she was holding her sides, "No, but...could you help me?" she asked, turning around in the chair.
Crap had the band aid come off? Before I could ask, I saw what she meant, her corset had ben undone in order to reveal enough skin to preform the operation, that also made her corset begin to slide down.
I felt my face grow hot when I thought about the curves she had. And how her nice and soft her bre-NOPE! Stop it, stop thinking dirty thoughts now. Stop! She just went through a traumatic experience, comfort her and tie her corset now, undress her in my head later.
And that was my current problem, I didn't know how the hell to tie a fricking corset. Well, it looked liked a shoelace so...if it quacks like a duck right? As I was about to begin, I remembered the note from the other Elizabeth, I dug into my pocket and pulled the parchment out and handed it to her over her shoulder, "Here."
Elizabeth looked at the paper curiously as she took it from my hand, "What's this?" she asked. I'm not sure if I could even begin to tell her how I got it, "Just read it while I attempt to figure out how to tie this thing."
She snorted a little, "That's a surprise." she said as she began to decode the note, "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked with a bit of offense in my voice. I'll admit that the thought...may have possibly crossed my mind, but still!
"Well, a man such as yourself I would expect to have...experiences in this field." she said as she read the note, her voice faltering a tad. "Hey, I am a gentleman for your information." I said defensively with a pink tint on my cheeks. Elizabeth stayed silent, she just stared at the sheet of paper.
"You ok?" I asked at the awkward silence. She took a breath and let it out, "Your dream of New York. It comes true, and I'm the reason it does." she said, her hands dropping to her side. I finished up the corset and put my hand on her shoulders, "No your not. Not anymore at least." I said in a attempt to comfort her.
She put her hand over mine, "We have to stop him." she said with iron in her voice. I was all for making Comstock pay, but after everything she went through, I want Elizabeth to be well first. "I want to kill him as much as the next guy Elizabeth but-"
"No. Not as much as I do." she said as she stepped down from the chair. I felt a chill go down my spine, Elizabeth never outrightly said that she wanted anyone dead, she regretted killing Daisy I know, but Comstock? "Elizabeth, lets just go, get out of this city and never look back." I pleaded.
She pulled her blue jacket out from under a wooden box, "Jacob you said it yourself, he needs to pay. And who better to do it than the False Shepard and his own Lamb?" she asked as she slid the jacket on. I shook my head, "There's a difference between Justice and Revenge Elizabeth. And I don't want you to kill him."
She looked at me with disbelief, "Jacob do you hear yourself! The things he's done to the people here, are you saying that wouldn't be justice? Or what about me? Do I mean that little to you?" she asked. That cut deep, I loved Elizabeth, and she knew that. But saying something like that? Like I said, it cut deep coming from her.
I closed the space between the two of us and I embraced her.. She didn't do anything at first, but after a few moments she returned it, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. But he...he needs to pay." she whispered softly. He did, he had so much to answer for it wasn't even funny. I kissed her forehead, "I know Elizabeth. I know. Which is why I'm going to do it for you."
I know, what about all that about Justice and all that? Well Elizabeth had a point about everything he's done, all the people that are dead now because he wouldn't compromise, the Vox, the Luteces, his own wife. I need to finish this, because if I don't, because if we don't, who will?
Elizabeth drew away with a knowing look on her face, she nodded, "And after this, we will never have to think back to this place." I smiled at the idea, "Just you, me, Paris and all the croissants you can eat." I said, causing her to laugh. It was the most beautiful thing I've heard in a while.
Making our way over the wreckage, Elizabeth and I made our way over to Pettifong. I never knew Elizabeth could just...project all her hate in one look, "Now listen love-" neither of us expected Elizabeth to kick him in the face. "As my boyfriend here would say, 'Fuck you doctor'." she said with a smirk.
Holy crap...what have I done to the sweet innocent girl I rescued?
She turned to me with a sinister look in her eyes, "I'll be in the office waiting for you when your done." the doctor looked at us with a panicked look on his face, "Y-you can't leave me here with him! He-he'll kill me!" he said pointing his finger at me.
Elizabeth looked at him with hate once more, I heard the sound of a tear being opened behind me, I turned and saw the tornado from before start to form in the sky, "What he's going to do, is NOTHING compared to what I would do."
The man's eyes widened, Elizabeth looked over to me, "Have fun." she said as she closed the tear behind her and walked towards the office above the surgery room. I looked down at Pettifong, I don't know what Elizabeth had in mind for him but I think what I had planned topped it.
She's not the one whose seen any torture porn movies.
I drew my skyhook from it's place on my belt, "You probably know how fast this thing goes. Honestly? I don't have the slightest idea. All I know it's able to separate a man's head from his shoulders. But I've been meaning to try it on someone's arm for a while, I just didn't want Elizabeth to witness it."
Pettifong's eyes where wide as dinner plates, his lower body was pinned down by a slab of metal from the scaffolding, lucky for him it didn't slice him in two. Unlucky for him, that meant he could feel his lower body as well.
"Lets start with the left hand first. It being the devil's hand I doubt you'll miss it." I said as I pinned his left forearm down with my boot. He tried to peel my boot off his arm but I had a good amount of weight on it. I slid the skyhook over his wrist, "Don't flinch."
I pulled the trigger.
The tool spun and tore though the flesh and bones, he screamed in pure agony and pain as it happened. It was so loud that I was sure Comstock heard it wherever he was. When the hand was separated from his arm I stepped off his forearm. I'm not gonna lie, I felt sick with myself over what I just did, but I wanted to make him suffer, if was sickened with myself afterwords, so be it.
"Oh dear. That looks bad...how about I fix that for you?" I said as I made my hands take on devil's kiss. I pressed hand against his open wound. He screamed of course, but it did cut off his blood loss and left a nasty burn afterwords. "Ok. That's one limb gone. Lets work on the other three."
...
After I did the same with his other limbs, I thought he had suffered enough. I walked over to the operation chair and grabbed the needle that was in Elizabeth, when he saw me approaching, he looked scared shitless, "I may have spited you, but I've served my prophet as best I could, and for that I am forgiven in the eyes of god."
My grip on the needle tightened, "There's no god that approves of what Comstock has done." I stated. The doctor stared up at me, "And there's one that approves of what you do?" he asked sarcastically. I shut him put with a needle through his eyeball. I'll be honest, I don't know, and right now I don't care.
...
After cleaning my bloody hands off with undertow, I walked up the office to see Elizabeth already working on the gates, "When I heard him stop wailing I got to work." she explained as she worked on the lock. When the piece of metal fell to the floor she stood, I quickly wrapped my arms around her.
I felt disgusted with myself, what I just did made me want to heave. "You ok?" Elizabeth asked, I shook my head, "I feel like I'm gonna vomit." I said honestly. Elizabeth frowned but returned my embrace, "It's okay...just...move past it. Right?" she asked. I nodded, "Yeah...ok, lets find the prophet." I said as I stepped into the elevator.
As the box moved towards the top floor I thought back to how Elizabeth acted before she left me alone with Pettifong. She was so...confident...I almost thought it was someone else for a moment. I looked over to her and saw the look of determination, Elizabeth had charged, and I don't know if that was for the better or not.
"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked, catching me staring at her. I smirked, "I may regret saying this but, when you where threatening the doc back there? I thought that was pretty hot." I said, making her blush red at my words, I doubt she'd consider that word to describe herself.
"Hot?" she asked curiously. Crap, "It means...um...in my time, it means you find someone...sexy..." I said as my cheeks turned pink. That was in all honesty the best definition that I could think of that she may understand.
She clearly did.
Before I knew it she slammed her lips against mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. I felt her lean her whole body into me, causing me to back up against the wall of the elevator. Ok that's how it is Huh?
I drew back from her kiss and planted small kisses down the side of her neck, "Jacccooobbb." she softly moaned. I moved my hand down her back and down towards her ass I realized something. This really is not the time for this, but god I know we both had lost time to make up. But this really wasn't the time to be treading new waters with my girlfriend. When I pulled away she pouted, "Why'd you stop?" she asked.
"Again, kill the egomaniac now. And later we can continue doing this later. Okay?" I asked. She didn't look satisfied but she knew it deep down too, "Your right. Unfortunately." she said with a small bit of disappointment. When the elevator dinged we exited the small box.
"And after this is all over, we should discuss what 'hot' is more." she said, a playful smile on her lips. God I think I'm falling in love with her again. "Ok...so where are we heading? Don't tell me he has like a secret lair or something." I said as she picked the lock to the outside balcony.
"The Hand of the Prophet. It's Comstock's personal flagship." she said, still working on the pesky lock. I looked out the window, "This flagship, it wouldn't happen to be a incredibly large blimp that makes a war ship look like a ballon. Like that?" I asked, pointing outside to the big ass airship.
Elizabeth looked up to the ship and her face darkened, "Yeah. That's it. Come on, lets end this." She said, the lock falling to the floor. I nodded. Time to finish off the prick once and for all. Pushing the door open, I took the lead as we exited the building. As the flagship flew away, it launched missiles at the building's roof, "Elizabeth get down!" I shouted as I pulled her down and covered her with my body.
I cracked a eye open when no explosions rang out. Peeking over the railing, we saw that the missiles where lodged in the ground. "Are they duds?" Elizabeth questioned, warily eyeing the supposed duds. "I don't think Comstock's ship would fire anything defective." I said, sliding the firing chamber on my carbine back.
The missiles' door burst open to reveal a patriot, "Fuck me." I said as I fired my carbine. Elizabeth flung her arms open and brought a rocket turret into existence. It fired on the patriot and blew it off the rooftop. I saw the flagship send out some gunships towards us, great, just great.
I ran across the bridge and fired at the men who where jumping down from the ships with my carbine. Throwing a devil's kiss at one of the top's of the ships, the founders on the ship fell off like fiery asteroids from the ship.
Another ship docked on the far end of the rooftop with a half dozen soldiers on it. I ran forward, my shield absorbing their bullets, and brought undertow up in my hand and shot a stream of water out and knocked them off. "Hey, we may be able to take this up to the flagship!" Elizabeth said as she got on the gunship.
I was planning on getting a warship and forcing our way onto the ship. But I like the idea of taking this small one and sneaking on board...ok not sneaking but not being a big target. I cracked the leaver on the ship and we where on our way to The Hand of the Prophet.
Elizabeth looked at the flagship with anticipation in her eyes, "Look Elizabeth, we can just take this ship to Paris right now and just leave. This may be our last chance." I said, silently hoping she had a change of heart. Unfortunately she shook her head, "We have to do this Jacob. If you want to leave go ahead. I'll do this alone then." she said.
Here I was, in a flying city heading straight for one of the most evil men to ever exist. I had gained more blood on my hands in the past few days than I have in my entire life. I had seen and experienced things that only madmen could dream up, I've battled foes that could easily kill weaker men than I and I've defeated each of them. I had experienced hell, or something so much like it that it'd be impossible to tell the difference.
And yet. I don't regret it. Mainly because of her.
Elizabeth. This woman has completely changed my life. I couldn't imagine my life without this amazing person, but I blame myself for what she's witnessed. She's seen the worst that humanity had to offer, she's seen people treated like dirt, she's seen a good person turn bad. And she's endured only god knows what under Comstock's imprisonment. This woman is my reason for going on, she has been since she first helped me out of her tower.
This all started with 'Bring us the girl, and wipe away the Debt' and that seemed like ages ago. The debt I owed, to which I had no idea what was, mattered nothing compared to Elizabeth. The twins had my family, and with them I knew they where safe.
I grasped Elizabeth's hand tightly, she looked at me, "Elizabeth. I love you, and I will not leave you." I said with honesty. She smiled sadly as she squeezed my hand, "Promise?" she asked with a small bit of hope in her eyes. I honestly couldn't promise that, I may die five minutes from now. But for her? I don't think I had the heart to say otherwise. "Promise." She smiled and gave my hand a squeeze, "When we get out of here-"
"Oh crap." I interrupted. Elizabeth looked to where I was and frowned, the flagship sent out founder gunships to try and stop us. I released our hands and readied my carbine, I only had half a clip left in it. My hand cannon was full but my shotgun was empty, "Elizabeth, any chance you can pull in the tornado again?" I asked weakly.
She gave me a sarcastic look, "Ok yeah dumb question, never mind. Just stay here while I take care of these guys." I said aiming my carbine at the nearest ship.
It suddenly was impacted by rockets and exploded.
Me and Elizabeth looked up and saw a warship with red, white, and blue painted all over it. "What the hell?" I questioned. Elizabeth and I stood and watched as the blimp destroyed the other ships that tried to get close to us. When the wing lowered to our level, Elizabeth and I readied ourselves for whatever was about to come after us.
A familiar face walked out onto the wing.
"Slate?!" I yelled out, surprised by the old solider's appearance. He smiled at us, "You didn't think I'd let the last real solider go up against those tin men alone did you boy?" he called back over. Me and Elizabeth where happy to see him again, I was worried that he hadn't made it this far.
As he jumped over to our vessel I gave his hand a shake, "I thought you joined up with the Vox? Why aren't you trying to kill us exactly?" I questioned. Elizabeth hit my arm, "Do you have to ask that?" she asked as I rubbed my arm. Jesus she has a good right hook!
The veteran gave a chuckle, "Don't worry about that, we real soldiers stick together. Those Vox Populi knew we where close and tired to brush us under the rug. I about figured that it's best us fight together than against one another." he said, making me and Elizabeth let out sighs of relief.
"Thank you. Look, me and Elizabeth are going after Comstock to finish this. I'd hate to ask, but can you try and keep his reinforcements from showing up?" I asked. I didn't want h to risk his life for our sakes but desperate times call for desperate measures. He gave me a crooked smile, "I wouldn't have it any other way. Give 'em one for me would ya?"
It was my turn to smile, "I'll be happy to oblige Slate." the man smiled at us. He put his hand behind his back and brought out a radio, "Take this, in case you need to relay any info to me." he said as I took the device. Elizabeth gave Slate a smirk, "Thank you. Mr. Slate." she said politely. He gave her a grin, "Think nothing of it. Just make that bastard suffer."
If anything that's the one thing I could assure. As he jumped back aboard his ship, the Hand of the Prophet came into view as we breached the cloud line. This was it. Time to end this.
"Jacob. Are afraid of God?" Elizabeth asked. That's a hard question, I'm not a churchgoer, but that doesn't mean I don't think I'll go to hell when I die after what I've done here. "Honestly?" I asked, she looked at me and nodded, "I've been terrified since I picked 77 at the raffle. But since I met you, I've gotten less and less scared...and more brave. And after...all of this? I don't regret it." I clasped my hand on hers again, "Because I was able to meet you Elizabeth."
She blushed at my bold statement, it was the first time I've said it aloud to her. I've probably thought of it like a million times before but I felt that it needed to be stated for the record ya know? As the gunship began to dock, I hopped off with Elizabeth right behind me.
"His personal cabin should be at the top of the craft." Elizabeth said, pointing towards the door on the far side of the room. We charged forward and entered, three founders awaited us. Using murder of crows, I fired my carbine at the first two stunned men and used my skyhook to finish off the third by shoving it into his head.
I switched my carbine out for one if their machine guns, dropped my empty shotgun, and headed to the outer deck of the ship. A MG turret at the end of the walk fired at us alongside six founders, sending a possession at the MG which turned to the founders, and fired at them, I used the machine gun to empty half my clip into four of them as the machine gun finished off one but was destroyed by a RPG man.
"Salts catch!" Elizabeth shouted as she threw the blue liquid container at me. I quickly gulped it down and pulled the rocket man towards me and shoved the machine gun in his face and pulled the trigger down until blood came out. Man I am becoming brutal.
I peeked into the next room and saw a few men guarding a control panel. I used devil's kiss to dispatch them, I moved towards the panel and saw those pods that released the patriots down to the rooftop. "Jacob we could ride those skylines up to the upper level of the ship! We just need to get those patriot pods off and we can move on." Elizabeth said in realization.
"Ok, lets clear the way." I said, pressing the switch that was hanging from the ceiling by a wire. As the first pod fell I heard the radio on my belt come to life, "Harper? You still alive?" Might need to work on your bedside manner Slate. "I'm here, what's wrong?" I asked the radio.
"We're keeping the tin men out of your hair but the Vox managed to get around our flank and are en route towards you." Slate explained. Shit, so much for no reinforcements, "Thanks Slate, keep yourself safe alright?" I asked as I headed for the wings of the ship.
I threw some shock jockey traps on either side of the aircraft. I headed back to where the control panel was and set up a defensive position at the controls. "How many left until we can go?" I asked as I reloaded my machine gun.
"Just about half of them. We still have a few more minutes." she said joining my side. I readied myself at the left side of the craft, "There's a tear on the other side with a machine gun turret, can you bring that in?" I asked, keeping my sights on the wing.
Elizabeth nodded and went off to open it. When the sound of the traps going off was heard, I fired at the twelve men who boarded on my side. Two of them where hit in the legs and fell to the floor, tripping up the men behind them and letting me be able to get some good shots at a few mens center mass.
I threw a devil's kiss at the mass of men and watched as they burned. I quickly ran to the opposite side if the walkway and joined the machine gun in wiping out the other men. When we where finished, I ran to the controls and found the lines clear me and Elizabeth jumped on and rode up to the next level when the speakers came on.
"Harper. With each man you slay, you show what you truly are: a agent of chaos. But...I am wiling to show mercy. Surrender now, and you shall be dealt with accordingly." Oh I am so glad he said that. "The only one who'll be begging for mercy when I'm done with you." I shouted up at the speaker.
As we landed on the next floor, Elizabeth spoke up, "Jacob...make it quick for him...please?" she asked. I sighed, I know what she meant, she still had what I did to Pettifong in mind, "I just want him to know that he failed, that'll make him feel bad enough I guess." I said. She gave a small smile of support at my answer.
We found the patriot pods and hit the button again. Unfortunately this time there where twice as many pods to drop. "Fuck this is going to take forever isn't it?" I asked. Elizabeth let out a sigh, "It would appear so." she said, folding her arms over her chest.
"It's the False Shepard! Kill him!" Oh that's just wonderful. I drew my hand cannon and fired at the man who called out, his friends took cover, but my bucking bronco to lift them above their bits of cover and I brought them down to earth with my hand cannon shots.
Just as I finished off the last man, the last pod dropped to the empty sky below. Oh crap I hope we aren't dropping these things down on some poor guy's rooftop. Don't want kids to wake up to the first persistent with a mini gun in their living room thinking it's Santa Claus.
When we landed on the next level, we took the door into the craft and into ship itself. The small corridor lead into what looked like the engine room, "I don't like the idea of shooting my gun in a room full of helium." I said as I led the way.
"Well actually don't use that anymore since-" she started but stopped when she saw the handyman in the room. "You really do have bad luck don't you?" she asked as he leaped towards us, I pushed Elizabeth back into the narrow corridor as he closed in on us.
Thank god he was to big to fit into the narrow space, "Ha! Not so easy being a big fucking tank now is it?" I said. He grinned and put his hand on either wall and started to pull them outward. I need to learn to shut the hell up. Me and Elizabeth backed up to the door we came in at.
"You said they don't use helium right?" I asked, Elizabeth quickly nodded. Thank god, I don't want to blow her up alongside me, I pulled out my hand cannon. When his hands where far enough apart, he accidentally showed his glowing heart. And gave me a clean shot to shoot it at point blank range, thankfully he fell backwards.
As I reloaded my weapon, Elizabeth spoke up with wide eyes, "Did you...plan that?" she asked. I smirked a little, "Uhhhh yes?" she shook her head but she smiled nonetheless. Climbing over the behemoth, we where greeted by founder reinforcements. I used murder of crows to stun them, then fallowed that with a charge to the man in front.
He was sent flying and knocked two guys on their backs, I killed the men on either side of me with a single shot to their heads with my hand cannon. I finished the rest of them off similarly while the crowds plucked out patches of skin.
"We must be getting close to him now. We got one more level to go. Come on." Elizabeth said as she led the way up the stairs with me right behind her. Opening the door to the outside, we hopped on the skylines again and ran up to the next level of the airship.
...
Entering the top deck, Elizabeth let out a small gasp, "Jacob look! It's my tower!" she said, pointing to the model of her tower. As we walked up to it, I saw that it was a pretty accurate, it had every part of the tower that I saw. But the highlight of the display was at the base, something called the 'Siphon'.
"Any idea what that is?" she asked, pointing to the Siphon, I thought back to the tower, how they had a chart showing dangerous levels in power, "Yeah, I saw the thing on my way to get to you. It looked like it was sucking something from some...speakers...like the one at lady Comstock's grave!"
Elizabeth said she was so powerful that she could at one point create worlds, but now she couldn't, "That thing...I think it's what makes it so I'm not as powerful as I used to be." Elizabeth said in realization.
"So...if we take that thing down," I started to see where she was going, "We could get out of here in a instant!" Elizabeth finished. That sounded like a good idea, plus, I am curious to see what 'full powered' Elizabeth could do.
Then I noticed something, "Hey, look at these." I said, approaching the wall behind the statue. There where...murals on the wall, and they all had places I recognized, "That's the lighthouse I took to get here." I said pointing to the first.
Elizabeth's eyes widened in shock at the next one, "And that's the tower when it was destroyed." she said as she examined the second picture, depicting a tower with no head. It went on like that for a bit, one was Battleship Bay, Finkton, Comstock House!
"Jesus how the hell does he know this!" I yelled, Elizabeth had a panicked look, "Maybe he can see the future...Jacob how do we know that he knows what we're going to do?!" This was creepy, if he knew all this in advance, he could have killed me any time! Why let me get this far?
"Then we'll have to be unpredictable I guess." I said as I pulled her towards the door to Comstock's chamber, "Stay here, I'm finishing this." I said as I pulled out my hand cannon. Elizabeth stopped my hand, "No, where doing this together. Even if this is a trap."
I sighed, "Elizabeth..." I didn't want her to go into this trap with me, "I know your trying to protect me Jacob, but think about it, if he knows what you might do, he'll have no clue what I will do."
Oh...wow that's cleaver, "Have I mentioned how much of a genius you are? Because you are, you really are." I said smiling. She rolled her eyes but still blushed at the complement. I saw the. Intercom in the side of the door.
Before I could press down on the button, it came to life, "I'll be out in a minute." Comstock spoke over the device. "Fuck that's creepy." I said with a bit of fear. Elizabeth swallowed, "I'm still going in. I'm with you Jacob." she stated with determination.
I put my hand over hers and gave her a small smile, "I wouldn't want anyone else." she mirrored my smile and pushed the door open. Ready for whatever awaited the both of us.
...Holy shit...
This place was a garden. Literally a garden, there where trees and flowers on the room, in the center stood Comstock himself beside a birdbath, and above him was a glass mural of Elizabeth with her hair cut short leading the Columbian people. Cocky son if a bitch was actually smiling.
"Child, come." he said with a outstretched hand. I stepped in front of Elizabeth, "You got some balls asking that after what you did to her." I snapped at him. I so wanted to pull my gun out and blow his head off his shoulders, "Not her, you Jacob."
Ok, so when the madman asks for you to come near him you obviously stay the hell away from him. But what Elizabeth said about being unpredictable made its way to the front of my mind.
He he chuckled, "Come child, I won't bite." Ok I am really off put by this, I could almost feel Elizabeth's tense form behind me. I hesitantly stepped forward, "Jacob!" Elizabeth exclaimed, I put my hand up behind me, "It's alright." I stated, staring into Comstock's cold blue eyes.
I was close enough to him to deck him and it was really tempting to try that. "Child you look filthy, come here." he said reaching out to me, I quickly withdrew my hand out of his reach, "Last guy who I lent my hand to put a knife through it." I stated a matter-of-factly.
He frowned, "Son, everything I've done has been to try and help you." I laughed dryly, "Really? You paint me as your False Shepard, send people who want to kill me, make me Kill people! Torture your own fake daughter! AND YOU SAY YOUR TRYING TO HELP ME!" I screamed at him.
He closed his eyes and opened them with a look of...sadness?! "Jacob...I know you think that I am your enemy-" I was getting tired of this, "Think! No. I know, without a doubt that your my enemy. You spat on the people less fortunate, you let intolerance become the norm, and worse of all, you claim to be a man of god, but all you are is a murderer and a liar."
He let out a sigh, I was about to hit him just for making me stand here and listen to his bullshit when he said something that made me stop dead in my tracks.
"Jacob. What if Patrick saw you do what you've done?"
How the hell does he know my brother!?
"Comstock I swear to Christ, you even think about hurting my brother and I will make you feel more pain than you can even imagine!" I snarled at the surprised man, "So that's what you think of me? Someone who harms one's own family just to spite them" he said. He looked over my shoulder at Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth...have you ever wondered what happened to your finger?" Ok now I was confused, how did we get to my brother to Elizabeth's finger exactly. Elizabeth had a scared look in her eye, "Wha-what do you mean!?"
Comstock chuckled darkly and circled the bird fountain, Elizabeth made her way in front of me, much to my discomfort. What the fuck did he know! "Jacob I've been a fool. I've sent mighty armies to defeat you, and the only thing I've needed to do, is tell her the truth." what does he mean? I've told Elizabeth nothing but the truth!
"Ask him child. Ask him what happened to your finger!" He demanded as he grabbed Elizabeth's right hand. My body acted on it's own, my hands latched on Comstock's and Elizabeth's and pulled them apart. Then they went around around his neck.
"What'd you do! You cut off her damn finger now!" I slammed his head into the birdbath, Elizabeth was yelling to me that I stop, "You try and pin that on me! Huh! ANSWER ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" I screamed at him.
The only words he said where, "It is done."
I'M DONE WITH THIS FUCKER!
I put my hands on the back if his head and plunged his head into the birdbath, Elizabeth was saying stop, hell she was begging me to stop. But she wanted this, I wanted this! This is what had to be done!
He struggled, he tried to pull his head up.
I kept pushing his head into the water.
Bubbles where popping.
He was starting to stop.
The bubbles stopped.
He wasn't moving.
It was done.
Comstock was dead. By my own two hands.
I killed him.
I killed him...
I...I...I killed him...
My hands started to shake, my legs where weak. Elizabeth was still calling my name, but it was more out of concern than anything now. I felt blood leak out from my nose. What...what have I done?
Everyone I've killed...every one...had been in self defense in some form. But Comstock wasn't armed, he didn't threaten me, all he did was talk to me. He even called me by my first name like he was taking to someone he knew!
And I killed him for it.
I fell forward, and I blacked out.
...
I was in my room again. I didn't want to get up from the floor, I just wanted to sleep for a eternity. But I couldn't, I needed to get Elizabeth out of Columbia. When I stood, I saw Elizabeth, the twins, and him there. They all repeated the same exact thing, "Bring us the girl, and wipe away the debt."
"Bring the girl, and wipe away the debt."
"The Debt."
"The Debt."
The Debt!
THE DEBT!
"SHUT UP!" I yelled as I covered my ears. The floor cracked below me, they just let saying those words, "Please...just stop..." I begged the voices. Why wouldn't they wouldn't stop! The walls and ceiling where begging to fall apart.
I shut my eyes, "I just want to go home..."
Then...it stopped. I looked around me and I was alone. The room was still cracked all over but it still looked stable at least. I tentatively stood up on my own two legs, "Wake up!" I heard.
"Elizabeth?" I didn't get a answer right away but I heard her again after a few minutes, "Please wake up...(sob)..I...(sob)...I-I need you..(sob)...don't die..." she sobbed. I really hope this wasn't heaven I was in right now, Elizabeth needed me, that's all that mattered. I ran to the door and flung it open.
...
I opened my eyes and regretted it, my head was pounding like someone hit me in the head with a fucking wrench. And when I tried to open my eyes it was like staring into the sun itself. And my nose was bleeding like a open artery, I felt something dabb under my nostril. "It's okay...it's okay...you'll be fine."
Elizabeth.
I opened my eyes and saw her tear stricken face, she gasped when she saw my eyes open. "Oh my god!" she yelled as she buried her face next to mine. I was in her lap in the corner of the room. I felt wet tears on my cheek, "I-I-I thought..." I sat up from my position.
I nearly fell back down but she kept me steady, "Are you alright? Do you need to rest or-" she didn't know what to do, I think it was one of the first times in her life that she didn't know what to do. So I decked to help her, "Elizabeth...right now...I just need you..." I said leaning my head on her shoulder.
She was shocked, this was the first time that I needed her for comfort. She wrapped her arms around me and kissed my forehead, "It's okay Jacob...shhhh shhh, there there..." she whispered into my ear.
I don't know how long I stayed like that, but after a while I realized that we still needed to get out of here. I shakily stood up and held my hand out to her, "Come on. We still need to get out of this city." she nodded and grasped my hand. I didn't bother to look at Comstock's corpse as we climbed the stairs out of here.
"What did he mean? When he said that you knew about my finger?" she asked cautiously, trying not to make me have another blood spurt. I sighed, I honestly thought that he was just fucking with my mind. But still, I only got those blood spurts when it dealt with something with memories.
So there's no way to be sure.
"I don't know what he was talking about Elizabeth I swear. But...we can't be sure." I said as I looked at her with honesty. She looked crestfallen, I wanted to know what he was talking about...but part of me thought it was better left buried. But..."What if we destroy the Siphon? Then you could use your tears to find out what he meant."
Elizabeth looked at me with disbelief, "Jacob it's a whole tower! How are we going to destroy that?" she asked as we approached the control room behind the glass Elizabeth on the mural.
I couldn't help but smirk, "Elizabeth we literally have a entire flagship at our disposal. Worse case we just abandon ship after we make the auto pilot or whatever run into the tower." I said as we entered the controls to the airship. She thought the plan over for a moment before speaking.
"Ok, but maybe we should make that our last ditch effort. I don't want to race to the docks again." she said in agreement as I grabbed the wheel to the ship. After getting my bearings with the controls, I steered the airship in the assumed direction of where the remains of Monument Island were.
Although it would have been easier if Elizabeth wasn't pacing back and forth in front of me looking at that paper the older her gave her, "Okay, I'll bite, what's so interesting?" I asked, leaning on the wheel of the ship.
Elizabeth briefly stopped her movement and turned to me with a look of frustration, "It's this last symbol on the paper. This cage, I can figure out what all the other letters mean but the last one is what I don't understand." she said as she looked out to the front of the ship.
"Well maybe it's...oh fuck me."
There was...a battalion between of Vox ships between us and Monument Island. There where six warships with Vox colors, and they where all heading right for the airship, "Comstock! You still think the penniless man hasn't a say? What about now!" One of the speakers blared. If they're after Comstock then were pretty much screwed.
Wait, the radio! I grabbed the small metal box and pressed the button, "Slate, any chance your in fighting condition to take on, I don't know, six warships?" I asked with a pleading undertone. "Sorry Harper, they wished on to me and sent half of their fleet to take me out. And my men are barely holding on as it is."
Damn, "Ok...stay safe Slate. If it gets too hairy just bug out. Okay?" I asked, if he couldn't guarantee my safety, least I could do is ask he take care of himself. The man chuckled over the radio, "True soldiers never run boy! I'll meet you in hell boy!"
Oh I really hope I don't.
I looked at Elizabeth from behind the wheel, I stepped out and walked up beside her. She was trying her best not to show panic, but I saw the look in her eye and her hands drumming against her sides.
I wrapped my hand around her shoulder, "Hey, we're going to get through this." I said, trying to cheer her up. She gave me a small smile, "Yeah...somehow we always do." she said as she leaned into my embrace. I just want to go home, I immediately imaged Elizabeth in my arms and the both of us dressed up like a price and princess. I could almost laugh at the idea.
"Wait...cage...Cage...CAGE!" Elizabeth repeated over and over as she got out of my hug. I wanted to groan, I was trying to think positively and she was thinking about the stupid piece of paper! "Ok! I get it, your obsessed with the picture!" I exclaimed as she looked at the Comstock statue in the corner of the room.
She picked up a nearby pipe and stuck it, "Elizabeth what the hell!" I asked, the absolutely last thing that we need right now is featherhead around to try and kill me. She looked over her shoulder with a expression of realization, "It's not a word, it's a song!" she explained.
Cage a song? Wait...the twins played the piano version of his song...it was, "C." Elizabeth said as she hit the statue, "A!" Bam! "G!" Bam! "E.!" One last hit and the head of Comstock fell of the statue. I saw something in the head, it looked something like the end of a harmonica.
Elizabeth ran over and picked up the head, "Elizabeth, I love how smart you are, I fricken love it!" I said as I helped her pull the instrument out. When the thing was out if the head, I thought back to the diagram that Robert handed to me, it looked just like it. "You know how to play it?" I asked hopefully as I looked out to the airships. We had about five minutes.
I then saw the familiar leather wings. I stepped in front of Elizabeth to shield her from the bird. I heard a quick tune play behind me and only saw his talon a inch before my face. Again.
Elizabeth pushed past me, Songbird's eye had shifted from red to green now, "Are you there?" she asked tentatively, the big bird gave a chirp. Obviously Elizabeth understood what he said and grabbed his finger, "Please, help us. Do this thing, this one last thing and you can be free I promise!"
Songbird seemed to like that idea and chirped accordingly. Elizabeth turned to me, "Jacob he'll help us fight the Vox!" she exclaimed. I looked up at the bird skeptically, I wasn't entirely ready to put my faith in something that's been trying to kill me for the past few days.
I sighed, "All right big guy, you wanna help? Take out all those big airships for us. Can you do that for me?" he chirped. I don't speak bird but Elizabeth must have, "Thank you...thank you. Now go. Go!" she said, gently pushing the giant out towards the top of the ship.
As he flew off I felt like we actually had a pretty good chance. And I rethought that when Songbird dive bombed into one of the airships. Ok yeah we got pretty good chances. Elizabeth pointed to the tubes sticking out from atop the airship, "We need to keep them away from those generators. If they're destroyed, then we'll just plummet to the ground." she explained before we jumped down to the deck.
I quickly set vigor traps of shock jockey around the generator just as the small gunships arrived and dropped off troops. I drew my machine gun and jumped onto the skylines. I rode along the lines at to speed and crashed to the men on the walkway that went around the sides of the ship.
Five of them where already down on the lower level and the three on the walk where still recovering from my entry. I finished off the men on the walkway with short bursts of fire to their chests.
Jumping down to the men who where attacking the generators, I threw a devil's kiss at the group of five. While about half of them where caught in the explosion, I killed off the other two with my remaining machine gun clip ammo. As I picked up one of the fallen's burst-gun, I heard the sound of bending metal.
I looked towards the warship to the right of the of the deck. I was about to cheer him on when I heard the sound of warship's horn, I turned around and saw another war ballon. "Of course..." before I could jump onto the skyline, Elizabeth grabbed my shoulder, "Oh no! You are not doing that again!" she said as she placed herself in front of me.
"Hey I don't want to do it either! But Songbird's a bit tied up right now!" I said, pointing behind me. At the rate he was going, the generator would be destroyed by the other warship after he would be done with the one he was preoccupied with now.
Either that, or the generator would be badly damaged, Elizabeth rolled her eyes and sighed, "Fine. But in coming with you!" she said, jabbing her nail into my chest. No use in arguing with her, jumping into the skyline, Elizabeth fallowed me onto the wind of the smaller aircraft.
Dropping down to the railing of the warship, I shot a burst of fire into the man's chest who was about to fire at us. Entering the belly of the ship, I kept pulling the trigger as I quickly moved through the ship, taking down one Vox solider after another. I drew my skyline as I approached the engine and cut through the wires sticking out of the engine.
As the ship caught on fire, the doors on either side of the craft blew open. We jumped down to the nearby gunship and used them like leap pads to get to the deck of the ship. When we landed on the wooden deck, we turned in time to see the airship's body catch fire and explode.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Elizabeth had a look of excitement on her face, "You okay Elizabeth?" I asked, carefully word sing my sentence. She looked back to me with a smirk, "That was...very exciting." she said with a bit of a bubbly in her voice.
She must still have adrenaline in her system, "Well if your not to busy basking in your own amazingness, we have some company." I said pointing to the front of the ship where a gunship with a massive rocket launcher was stationed.
Elizabeth looked across the deck and brightened up when she found what she was searching for, "Here, catch!" she yelled as she threw a RPG to me. Aiming at the big launcher, I fired the rockets towards the small blue ship. Cranking the leaver again, I fired the sixth rocket at the ship and watched as it blew up and crashed.
The ground under us shook as two patriot pods landed on the deck of the Hand if the Prophet. Bring up return to sender, I stood in front of the generator as they where shot at by the Gatling guns. I didn't realize how many bullets this thing t take!
The ball grew from the side of a baseball to the size of a medium medicine ball. I let go of my gun temporarily to hold it with two hands and throw it in between the two robots. The explosion took off the respective sides if their bodies. I picked up my gun again as the volley gunners stormed the deck of the ship.
"Elizabeth, is Songbird done with the airships?" I asked. She saw where I was going and blew the whistle, as the Vox neared the center of the deck, songbird cashed down into the ground and took care of the founders. I couldn't help but let out a 'ha' when I saw the men go flying.
Even with the look Elizabeth gave me.
"Hey, it's funny when it's someone else." I said defensively. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at my logic. "Come on, we need to get to the high ground." I said as I jumped back onto the skyline again and headed up towards the antenna looking thing.
Landing on the maintenance walkway, I headed towards the far right end and picked up the sniper rifle that was leaning against the railing. Using the metal bars to steady my aim, I fired the rifle precisely at my targets into the skulls of the Vox Populi.
I pulled the bolt onto rifle back and loaded the bullet into the chamber, I fallowed a man along the walkway on the top deck. When he crouched under cover, I had a clear shot at his head and I took it. Damn, I'm getting better at this...god that's bad.
I readied my gun for the next target, but after a few moments of relative peace, the Vox stopped. No more soldiers, no more airships, no more gunships. Nothing.
I looked away from the scope of my sniper and saw that Monument Island stood standing in the distance. "Jacob...we've won." Elizabeth said with disbelief. I'm not sure if that was the remaining Vox forces or not, either way, we where in the clear for now.
Landing on the deck of the ship, Elizabeth and I headed for the tip of the bow. Braving herself against the railing, Elizabeth pointed to the tower, "Jacob look, we can have Songbird bring the whole damn thing down."
She held out the harmonica towards me, I shook my head, "You should do this Elizabeth. That was your prison, not mine." I said, gently pushing the instrument back to her. She looked down at her hands briefly then back at me, "Don't give me your little pouty face, I can't be the only one of us that destroys a part of Columbia." I said jokingly.
She smiled at me before putting her lips on the harmonica. She blew the notes out slowly. Songbird flew overhead towards the tower.
When he was directly overhead of it, he dove down. I felt the shock wave all the way out here on the Hand on the Prophet. That's not got my attention though.
Elizabeth was glowing.
I know that guys say that about girls that they find attractive and all but she was literally glowing! Her hair looked white for a moment and her skin grayed for a moment. Fortunately she turned back to normal quickly.
Unfortunately the thing that controls songbird basically turned to ash and dust in her hands.
Goddamit! Why!
Of course, Songbird miraculously survived the massive explosion. And he was coming right at us!
My burst gun was empty, I only had one full clip in my hand cannon. I stepped in front of Elizabeth for what I assumed would be the last time of my short life. "Elizabeth, he's coming! Run!" I exclaimed as I pulled the hammer back in my pistol.
Elizabeth pushed past me, "No. He's not." She said in a monotoned manner as she waved her hand. All I saw was a flash of light.
...
When the light died down, instead of the open sky, a glass window with...god hates me soooooo much...the ocean or something before me. I stepped beside Elizabeth, "Where is he? Did you-GAH!" I exclaimed when a giant hand pressed up against the glass.
There he was, in the sea. Elizabeth tensed up as he kept banging on the glass, shit that crap must be bulletproof! Elizabeth stepped towards the glass and pressed her hand up to it, "Shhhhhh, it's okay. It's okay. You can let go now...he'll keep me safe now." she said as Songbird mirrored her actions.
I felt bad for Songbird. All he wanted to do was to protect Elizabeth, just like I have been. I don't know if he is man, machine, or maybe both; but I think we could have been friends in one world.
I stepped up beside Elizabeth and put my hand over her's on the glass, I looked up to his one eye, the one that wasn't cracking under the pressure of the ocean. "I protect her as much as you would. I promise." I said to the bird. It's eye focused on me for a moment and flashed blue for a moment.
His cracked eye couldn't take the pressure anymore, the glass broke. Oil flooded out as he tried to cover it, Elizabeth and I could only watch as he sunk to the depths of the ocean below. It seemed unreal, in fact I thought he would never stop looking for her, even across dimensions. But the impossible had happened.
Songbird had died.
I looked over to Elizabeth, she had tears in her eyes but she refused to shed them. She wanted to be strong, even when her oldest friend had died in front of her. I lifted my hand off of her's and carefully wrapped my arms around her petite frame.
She shakily coiled her arms around my me as she returned it. She leaned on my shoulder and silently let the tears slide out of her eyes. I kept brushing my fingers through her hair in a attempt to comfort her, I gave her a peck on her forehead.
When I drew away, she wiped the water out of her eyes.
Wait. Water.
We are under water right now...
.
.
.
.
.
.
Fuck my life.
My grasp on her tightened. WE WHERE UNDERWATER! "Jacob, your... squeezing a little tight." she said awkwardly. I was for the first time in my life, to scared to speak, I just kept looking out the window to the...City!?
In the distance, I saw neon lights illuminating the otherwise dark ocean. There where fish that navigated themselves around the skyscrapers with ease, like they've been there for years.
"Oh...right...your aqua phobic." Elizabeth said in realization. I nodded, still unable to speak. She managed to slip out of my vice grip and grabbed my hand, "Jacob I know your...freaking out a little right now. But we still need to go. Okay?" she asked as though she was talking to a wounded animal.
I realized she was right, we where in a unfamiliar setting. And I'm pretty sure that whoever lives here wouldn't like any uninvited guests. "Y-y-yeah. So which way do we go?" I asked as I looked around.
I gotta say, this place might put Columbia to shame. The marble columns that reached the ceiling, the nice carpet, and just the advanced feel of this place made it feel superior. Elizabeth looked around for a moment before answering, "This way, come on!" she said as she went down the dark hall under the stairs.
"Wait up! We don't know what could be waiting for us!" I shouted after her. At the end of the hall she was climbing over a fallen column, "No, I can now." she said as I hopped over.
"How? I mean-" I started, I grasped her waist and helped her down from the wreckage, "-how do you know what's ahead of us?" I asked. She looked at me with a look of happiness, "Because you helped me see." she put her hands on my arms, "Now that the siphon is destroyed, I can see...everything.." she said in a far off voice.
Now I was really confused. "Wait...as in other worlds?" she nodded and smiled, "Yes! I can see what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen." she explained. My god, that's like...godly power that she has.
"Wait, then you know what happened to your pinky then?" I asked as I remembered why we destroyed the thing in the first place. "Yes. And that's where we're going. Come on." she said as she brushed past me towards the arrival/departure lounge.
I don't know how exactly they would get people here, only way I can think of is by submarine, and as smart as Elizabeth is, I don't think she can operate one with just me. "This way Jacob." she said as she entered a small sphere looking device. It was in a pool of water and had seats in the inside it, only thing that looked like the controls was a leaver.
"No! No no no no! I am not getting in that thing!" I said, backing away from the pod. Elizabeth looked at me disbelievingly, "Jacob it's safe, don't worry." she said as she stepped inside it. My hands gripped the railing tightly. I did not want to go outside those windows.
"They said the same thing about the Titanic! And look where it's at now!" I exclaimed as Elizabeth's lips tugged upward. "And what's so funny?" I asked.
She smiled, "It's just...here you are, the bravest person I know. And your scared of something as little as water." she explained while stepping towards me. Ok yeah that would be pretty funny if the shoe was on the other foot. "This will take your mind off it." what could she possibly-
Her lips where firmly planted onto mine, it was unexpected but what the hell right? Not like a Vox or Founder will come along and interrupt us. I felt Elizabeth slide one hand around the side old my head and stopped right on the back of my head. Her other hand she placed on my shoulder and brought me closer to deepen the kiss.
I wrapped my arm around her slender waist and pulled her body closer to mine as we started planting kisses all over each others' faces. Right as we where about lock lips again, she abruptly pulled away and headed to the pod, "If you want to continue our little 'session', you'll have to join me in here."
Aw come on! You know what? Screw water! I quickly made my way to the pod, cranked the leaver, sat down, and dug my fingers into the seats as the whole small room lurched. I felt my stomach do flips already. "Wow. You weren't joking about you being scared of water." Elizabeth said with concern as she sat beside me.
We where going down a tube now. And we where spinning. Oh god I don't want to puke right in front of Elizabeth. I felt a hand over mine, "It's okay, it'll be over before you know it." she said reassuringly. I felt my entire arm relax at her touch. When we exited the tube,the pod pulled away from the building we where in and begun to rise.
My god.
This place was beautiful, I mean Columbia took my breath away too but this? This place seemed so much more real, like it could actually be made in my time. As we neared the surface I felt relief wash over me. "See? Not so bad." Elizabeth said softly.
"Lets see you say the same thing when I bait you into a room full of hornets." I said with false malice. She let out a short laugh, "We both know you could never do that to me." she said with a smile. I mirrored it, she truly did know me well. When the pod broke the surface, I felt the breath leave my lungs.
"Do you see them?" Elizabeth asked with disbelief. Up above us, there where more stars in the sky than I have ever witnessed in my life. "My god. They're beautiful." Elizabeth said in awe. I noticed the lighthouse the pod was drifting towards, great, what's next? A underground city called Hades?
"Yea. The stars are beautiful, not as much as you though." It's corny sure, sue me. Elizabeth lightly blushed at my words, "They're not stars, they're doors." she stated. Wait, doors...as in, "Tears?" I asked.
She nodded as the pod docked at the steps to the lighthouse. "Yes, every one if them leads somewhere. Be it a place or a time, they can lead to infinite possibilities." she explained as we disembarked from the pod. Elizabeth led me towards the door to the lighthouse.
"So...the answers we want are just behind this door? Well lets crack it open!" I said, trying to open the door only to find it locked. Of course. Elizabeth gently pushed me aside, "Let me take a crack at it." she said as she pulled out her trusty hairpin. As she went to work on the keyhole, I looked up.
We where so close to the truth, and we both weren't going to stop until we uncovered it. "Damn it!" Elizabeth exclaimed. I couldn't help but chuckle, it was too damn cute when she swore. "What is it?" I asked. She turned away from the door with a frustrated look, "I thought that when I got here I'd be able to open it. But..."
She stopped when she looked down at her hand, I fallowed her gaze at the key, wait key? "Where'd the hell...?" I questioned. She looked at it with disbelief, "I think...it was always there. I just couldn't see it." she said as she put the key in it's proper place.
When the door clicked we both waited a moment before acting. Hesitantly, I pushed the door open and I felt my brain turn off for a second. When it came back on I rubbed my eyes just to make sure I wasn't seeing thinks.
There where hundreds...thousands of lighthouses!
"Oh god. It's happened, I've gone crazy after I've seen so much wired shit." I said clutching my head. Elizabeth put a hand on my shoulder, "No your not. All of those are are doors to other worlds." she said, gesturing to the many lighthouses.
"Jesus...we could spend the rest of our lives looking through them and not come close to finishing." I said looking around. Elizabeth clasped my hand and pulled me towards the empty space above the ocean. As Elizabeth stepped forward, rocks sprang from the ocean and formed a bridge. "Holy shit."
As we approached one of the lighthouses, I tentatively pushed open the lighthouse. There where still thousands of lighthouses spread throughout a ocean only it was sunrise now, and at one of them, I saw some very familiar faces. "Is that...us?" I asked, pointing to them. The other me mirroring my actions. "That's not you, but another version of you." before I could ask what she meant I noticed he didn't have his hand wrapped up.
I think I get it, same person, different experiences. Ok I gotta do this, one in a lifetime, "MARCO!" I called out. "POLO!" I...him...shouted back. Our respective Elizabeths smiled at our antics.
"Ok, so where are we going? I mean, Comstock's dead, we're out of Columbia, why not get out of here and get to Paris?" I asked as Elizabeth led the way. She turned to me, "Comstock is not dead Jacob. Only a version of him is. And if we truly want to put a end to what he's done, we have to finish him off."
So...we weren't done yet. As Elizabeth brought me to a lighthouse, she turned to me, "Jacob. Beyond that door is the answers we want...but..." she trailed off. "But?" I questioned. She looked at me sadly, "Jacob...you don't need to know if you don't want to." she said.
Was the truth really that horrible? Was it really that bad that she didn't think I could accept it? "Elizabeth, I need to know. If I don't find out now, it'll haunt me for the rest of my life. I need to know." I said as I put my hand on the door handle.
"But only if your there by my side along the way." I said looking at her troubled face. She let out a sigh, "Okay...of that's what you want." she said joining me by my side. "I wouldn't have it any other way." I said with a smile.
She gave me one quickly before facing the door. I took a breath, and we opened the door.
...
We found ourselves near a river, on the ground thank god. And there where people in the water in full cloths, including a preacher. "Come now! Come now! Who of you will have your sins cleansed? Come forth, and I will wash away the sins the devil has bestowed upon you!"
Wait a minute, "That's the same guy who nearly drowned me when I first entered the city!" I exclaimed as one of the people from the crowd came forward. I turned to Elizabeth, "Why are we here?" I asked. She kept her eyes on the crowd at the river, "This Jacob, is where Comstock was born." she said with certainty, a grim line on her face.
"Anyone else? Anyone else who wants to be cleansed of sin?" The preacher asked as he let the man he dunked go. "Wait, what year is this?" I asked, if the pastor was the same one who was at Columbia, he couldn't be that old. Elizabeth started towards the river, "It's eighteen hundred and ninety, two months after the Battle of Wounded Knee. It turns out Comstock was at the battle. Just not as Comstock."
"Come now, this may be your last chance to join in the waters of sweet baptism. Anyone else?" For a moment, no one moved, not until one man stepped forward. "I would father." he said. He had green eyes, dark brown hair in a military crew cut, and a look of regret on his face.
"Do you want your sins washed away my son?" The pastor asked. The man nodded, "Yes, yes I do!" he said at the idea. If this guy is Comstock, I can end it all right here and now. I still had a full chamber of my hand cannon.
I was about to pull it out when Elizabeth stopped me, "No! You need to see this. This is important." she said, looking at me pleadingly. I've already killed one unarmed man today, I don't want to kill another. As the pastor said the usual, he took the man in his arms.
"And what my son is your name? One that will be cleansed once you become Zachary Comstock!?"
"My name is Patrick Harper!"
My world stopped.
Patrick...no...nonononononono! That...that's not possible! Patrick's younger than me! And I'm from 2014 for christsakes! I know his birth day is...is...when the hell is it! "Jacob, your bleeding."
I touched my hand up to my nose and sure enough there was blood coming out of my nostrils, "That...Elizabeth Patrick may be a ass to me sometimes but he wouldn't-" I started but Elizabeth stopped me with her hand taking mine. "We still have much to see Jacob. It should all come back to you in the end."
What does she mean by that! I may not have the perfect memory, but I for damn sure wouldn't forget Patrick was my brother! But..."Elizabeth you need to listen to me Patrick-"
"Jacob, what can you remember about your brother?" she interrupted. I tried to think of something special, like Christmas or something but...I can't...I can't remember a thing about him. For gods sake I can't even remember what he looks like!
Elizabeth pulled me across the shallow river to the small house on the hilltop, "Jacob. I know you are confused beyond all reason right now, but please just stay with me. Okay?" she said as she tried to calm me down. I must look really bad if she's saying that, I just nodded as she brought me to the door.
She pushes it open and we found ourselves in a alleyway. A small apartment on the floor above us up some wooden stairs, the night sky and it's stars where back over our head. "Where are we now?" I questioned fearfully, I was really regretting this, "This is Patrick's former home. He and his wife lived here for a while before he went off to fight at Wounded Knee. He's only been 'Comstock' for about three two months." she explained as we slowly climbed the stairs, careful not to make a sound.
When we where at the door, I heard voices inside.
"Patrick I told you I am not going! And it's final!" a woman's voice said.
"My love this is what god wants! He wants us to rise from this Sodom and join him in the sky. It's already underway, and congress is funding it. We can have a new life!" Comstock pleaded.
"Are you that delusional? You think that just because you took a dip in a river, have a holy man say a few words and poof'ed, your someone else?" the woman asked. I'm surprised Comstock has managed to keep his temper, he doesn't seem the kind of guy who has patience.
"Eleanor. If you do not join me willingly. Then I will force you." Comstock said menacingly. My blood ran cold...mom?
It could be a coincidence, Eleanor is a common name right? Especially in times like this, right. Right? Right?! Fuck it I need to be sure! I reached out to the door and charged in.
.
.
.
.
.
M-mom...
There she was, short black hair, blue eyes, angular face, and a look in her eyes that showed only a fraction of how smart she was. Only thing that surprised me more was that we where in Columbia again.
And the one of the twins where here. "Are you sure about this Lady Com-"
"It's Lamb. And yes Rosalind I am, so you can stop the formal speak. Is Robert ready on her end?" My mom asked. Wait...what are they doing? I was about to walk towards them but Elizabeth firmly planted her hand on my shoulder and stopped me, "We can't interfere, only watch." she explained.
Before I could protest, a tear opened at the nearby wall where my mom and Rosalind where talking, on the other side of it was Robert. My mother turned to Rosalind, "Are you sure it won't...change me like it did...him?" she asked, referring to Comstock.
Wait, Patrick looked like early twenties when I first saw him, then why does Comstock look like a old man in his forties? "Granted, our machine did advance his age, along with a few genetic mutations such as eye color. But we've made the proper modifications to the device since." Rosalind explained.
So wait, Comstock basically got tear cancer? "Elizabeth is it possible that-" she shook her head, "Don't worry, he got his ailments from radiation from a machine, mine are all natural." she said reassuringly. Oh thank god, "What about...birth defects?" Mom asked.
Oh..
"Eleanor...are you-" Rosalind started with wide eyes.
My...
"He doesn't know...and I want to keep it that way. For as long as I can."
God...
"Comstock...Patrick...was...Dad..." I was in complete shock. I had killed my own dad...and in his last moments...he still cared for me. "You thought of them as two completely different people. patrick was the brother you always wished for. And Comstock was the father you knew." Elizabeth explained.
Tears gathered in my eyes and slid down my face freely, they hit the ground softly. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around my waist from behind, trying to comfort me.
I wanted to yell and scream, I wanted to pull my hair out of my scalp. But the one thing I wanted the most, the one thing that I needed? Was someone to confide in...I wanted Elizabeth by me now. "Jacob...I am so...so sorry." she said with sincerity. She hated my father for what he did to her, but she said that she was sorry I lost my dad.
I pulled her hands up to my face and kissed them, "I love you Elizabeth...I love you so damn much." I said, wiping the tears away. She leaned onto my back, "And I love you too...but...we still..." she struggled. There was still more to see? Ok...I'm still standing miraculously. So I'll go along.
"Alright. Where to next?" I asked. She lead me to the door we entered from, I looked back in the to see my mom step through the tear, after she gave Rosalind a fair well hug. Much to the later's protest.
When we passed through the door, we where somewhere I actually recognized. "This is my mom's orphanage. We couldn't have a place of our own yet and business was slow at first." I explained as I walked around my old home.
When the door opened I froze, there in the doorway was me, but...younger, he didn't have the same cloths as me but I could recognize myself. But what got my attention was the lack of a scar on his right hand.
"Mom? You home?" he called out. God this was so weird it wasn't even funny. "He can't see us, don't worry." Elizabeth said, that was a relief, I didn't want to explain to my younger self what I was doing here. As he shut the door behind him, a note that was taped to it fell to the floor.
The young me picked it up and read it, his face paled and he began to shake. He then dropped the note to the floor and thew the door open. On the other side was Robert, "Good evening Mr. Harper. Will you come withered please?" he asked politely. The little me was too shocked for words, he simply fallowed Robert.
I went over to the note and picked it up. I read it over, I re-read it. I read it a third time just to make sure I was t seeming things. The note was the exact same one that I read at my house in Michigan.
I ran towards the door after him. When I opened it, I found myself in another apartment, there was a desk at the far end of it, and the younger me was talking to a older man. "And what of my debts?" he asked the young me. This guy looked like he was from the 1900's, button up vest, stripped shirt and pants, his hair was nearly combed to the side.
"They'll all be repaid. And...and she'll be safe." the young me said. She? My mother? The man thought a moment before speaking, "How does your employer know of me? I can't imagine knowing a man like him on friend terms."
The younger me thought a moment before answering, "Well...he said...that no one could forget...sorry, 'The White Ingine' from wounded knee."
God damn racism. I just...seriously can't everyone just get along!?
The man's face looked gravely me, younger me that is. He retreated into a room off to the side wall, after a moment, he came back with a bundle in his arms. Is that...
The young me pulled back the cloth covering it, it was a baby. What?!
"She's beautiful...what's her name?" The young me asked. The man hesitated a moment before his face turned soft, "Anna...Anna Dewitt." The scar on my hand felt like it was burning.
Anna Dwitt.
A...D
The young me brushed past me and Elizabeth, as he was about to open the door he said, "Mister Comstock wipes away your debts." The door shut behind him. I ran and opened it and found myself in a boat.
Boat!?
I felt Deja vĂ¼ all over again. Only this time Elizabeth was in the boat, "Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt..." I muttered. Elizabeth cast me a look of sympathy, "Jacob, that happened three years ago. Comstock took your mother, and in exchange you brought him the girl for her freedom." she explained.
I shook my head, "No! I...I never separated a father and daughter!" I said, I felt dampness on my nose. "Jacob..." I was bleeding again. "Your mother was gone, and to get her back, you where willing to do anything to save her. Even if it was something horrible." Elizabeth said as we docked near a lighthouse.
I climbed the latter and walked to the lighthouse with her beside me. "But, that doesn't mean you didn't try to atone for it." she said as I reached for the door handle.
"STOP! THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANTED!" I knew where I was, I was back in the Lutece lab. At the far end of the room was the Comstock, he looked younger, no white hair but the beard was there. He was struggling with the man who gave me Anna!
Anna!
I sprinted forward but I was stopped. Not by Elizabeth, but by my mother.
"Jacob no! You've done what you can! We need to go!" She said, I wanted to, I wanted to leave and go back home. I wanted to forget about this whole thing, but I couldn't! I broke out of her grasp and ran towards Comstock.
But it was too late.
The tear on the wall close as he brought Anna through. And as she came through, the tear close on her...pinky...
Sweet merciful god...
Elizabeth...Anna...
It all came back to me.
Comstock found me and my mom. He wanted me come with him, but my mom didn't want to lose me to him. And I certainly didn't want to join my deadbeat dad, so he made a proposal. Being him Anna in exchange for me, and we'd be left alone.
I got Anna from her father who had a debt with people who wanted him and his daughter dead. So Comstock made him a offer, let the girl come with him and be his heir, and the father would be wiped clean of his debts. And most importantly, Anna would be safe with him.
But when he came to try and take Anna back, Comstock wouldn't let him.
I tried to interfere but...it was too late.
After it was all done, Comstock kept his word and let us go. But before he left us I promised him, and myself that I would get her back to where she belongs. He simply said, "Child, if you truly cared for the innocent one, then you would have let yourself become the heir to my legacy."
After he left I branded her initials on my hand, so I'd never forget the life I ruined.
And three years later, the twins came to me with a offer. To save the girl, and get back at my father. I accepted.
I was in the ground now. I was weeping. I was weeping for all the death, all the sacrifices, and for everyone whose life was ruined. I felt a small hand on my shoulder.
"Ohhhhh goooodddd..(sob)... ..Elizabethh...you.,...you..." I hated myself, I hated my entire being! I wanted to end it, I wanted to end it so that in some small way I'd make up for all the damage I've caused. "Jacob...it's not your fault." Elizabeth said.
"Comstock gave you a impossible choice...and you did what you thought was right. And I could never hate you for what you've done." she said as she pulled me up and embraced me.
I held on to her for dear life, I never wanted to let go.
I opened my eyes and saw we where back at the river where he was baptized. "We can go...we can go now..." she said kind heartedly. Now that we knew the truth, we actually could go.
But I can't.
"No...I need to stop this." I said as I stood. Comstock needed to die, and every version of him needed to as well. Elizabeth looked at me surprised, "Jacob there's nothing to do. We've done...everything we can."
"Not quite."
We both turned to see the twins with us again. This time in the river.
"Jacob. How do you kill a bee hive?" Robert asked. I didn't get it at first, you just gas it, but that only works if...
"You kill the queen bee." I said. I think I understand. Elizabeth gave me a concerned look, "Jacob, what are you-" I turned to face her, "Elizabeth. Can you take me to Patrick before the baptism? When he wasn't Comstock?" I asked.
She looked at me with confusion for a moment, "What? Why would..." Then it hit her. The only way to stop Comstock is to kill him before he becomes...well Comstock. And if I do that...then we, or at least I, would cease to exist.
"NO! Jacob I'm not doing that! We-we-we can find another way! We can...we can.." she said, trying to think of another way. I looked at the twins, "You two knew it would come down to this, didn't you?" I asked, partially knowing the answer.
"Yes, but only until recently." Rosalind said sadly. Guess I was starting to grow on them.
Elizabeth shook her head frantically, "There has to be another way! Jacob if you do you'll..." I hugged her tightly. She was still for a moment, it seemed like a eternity before she returned it. "I...I don't want you to die." she said with her voice cracking.
I didn't either. But..."Elizabeth. If I do this, you'll get to have a normal life. You'll be able to see the world, go to school, go to Paris! And...and if I have to die for that to happen...then it's worth it." I explained as her grip on me tightened.
"I love you so much Elizabeth. I couldn't imagine my life without you. And...this needs to happen." I said, pulling away from her, wiping the tears off her beautiful face. She leaned in and kissed me passionately.
I returned it. I knew that this would be the last one I ever received.
When we pulled away, she let her grip on me slide off and brought her hands up to her neck, "When I was captured, whenever I thought you'd given up, I looked at this...and it gave me hope." she said as she slipped the bird pendant off her choker. She grasped my hand and slipped it into it.
"And I want you to have it." she said, trying to control her breathing. I was touched, I ran my thumb over the small white bird. I had nothing to give her...wait!
I slipped the pendant into my pocket and went to work in my banged hand, "Jacob what-" I pulled the cloth off, it was a little crimson from the blood but it'd work.
"Back home, people believe that, when you find your soulmate, you gain a invisible string around one if your fingers." I took her right hand and tied it around her pinky, "And no matter how tangled the string gets, no matter how had the two are from one another. The string will never break. And neither will the love the two people share."
Elizabeth had tears in her eyes again, "Jacob...I-" I quieted her with a kiss. When I drew away, tears ran down her cheeks. She brushed them aside and pointed to the door at the house on the hill. "He's through there." she said simply. I nodded and gave her one last hug.
Making my way through the water I looked at either of the twins, "Will this...you know...hurt?" Hey it's not like being wiped from existence sounds like a good thing. Rosalind sadly smiled, "In our experience,"
"It's like falling asleep." Robert finished, a look mirroring his dimensional twin. I nodded and gave each of them a one armed hug, surprising the two of them.
"Thank you. Both of you." I said, heading to the door.
As I was about to each out for the handle I took a breath, I was literally walking to my death, "Jacob!" I turned in time for Elizabeth to run into my arms. We brought our lips together one last time, the things I've done for her, I would do them all over again just so we could have this moment itself. The moment where she said she'd never forget me.
Our lips clung together like that for a while before she let go. I gave her a smile, and she gave me one back. I turned to the door and opened it.
It was dark at first but my eyes adjusted, I was in a forest in god knows where. I saw a light a few yards ahead of me. As I got closer to it I saw it was a campfire with only one occupant, Patrick.
I took a breath.
I pulled out my hand cannon and checked the shots, six. More than I needed.
I kept to the shadows.
I raised my gun.
I took aim.
He didn't see me.
I squeezed the trigger.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Blam!
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
I opened my eyes.
I was in my bed?
I sat up and saw that I was in fact in my room at home. Stepping out of bed, I saw I still had the cloths I wore before on.
It couldn't have been a dream...could it?
I looked down at my hand. I had my A.D. Mark, but with a slit down between them from the knife. "Ok, so it wasn't a dream...so am I dead?"
"Not exactly." two voices said at the same time.
I turned to see the two people I didn't expect to see again. The twins where in my room. "Wait, if I'm here...is Comstock-?" Robert shook his head, "We didn't take into account of the crosses between tears would affect one subject."
Rosalind nodded, "Indeed, that's one variable we failed to take in." I waved my hands, "Wait wait wait, what about Elizabeth...is she...? I questioned.
The two smiled at me, "No, she's actually joined up with us in that field. Able to see through all the doors and into all the worlds." Rosalind explained. I let out a sigh of relief. She was alive and well, and that is all I could ask for.
"Wait...then why..." I started, "She's not here because she see doesn't look for you through the doors." Robert answered. Right, she probably thought I was dead. "And before you ask what you want to ask. You two will meet again." Rosalind said, bringing a smile to my face.
So it may not be today. May not be this week. This month. Hell it may not even be this year. But one day, hopefully soon, we'll both see each other again.
"Thanks aga-" and they're gone...great. That will never cease to scare me. I unclasped the holster that went over my arms. Stuffing it under my bed, I wanted to see something, I thought of murder of crows and held out my hand, sure enough my nails extended and feathers grew on my forearm.
Definitely not going to do that in public.
I heard the sound of movement out my door. Hesitantly I made my way towards it and gripped the knob. I turned it, and hoped to god I'd find who I was looking for.
"Mom?
'Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.' Martin Luther King Jr.
AN: And it's done! For now at least.
First: We all know that I was going to fit Eleanor in at some point.
Second: I hope you all enjoyed my twist on the ending. Instead of oldboy I hope I delivered a surprise as good as the game.
Third: Rosalind stated in a voxophone that when Robert came through to her tear he created his own memories. I was interested to see how far that would go so that's what I did with Jacob.
Fourth: Hopefully by next week I should have the sequel out with a ending that everyone will love!
Finally: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!
Thanks for reading!
