Spy was getting very annoyed at Scout.

He really doubted that Scout's pranks could keep him alive in Rapture, even if he made them lethal. Someone had to be helping him. Or Scout was splicing so he had special abilities to help him survive. Scout had been evasive enough that Spy felt the latter was a very distinct possibility, which meant that it was either less destructive than Scout had led them to believe (But how else had the splicers become so inhuman?) or Scout honestly didn't care what happened to himself, which seemed more likely and scared Spy more than he was willing to admit.

"Do you think Scout's using this ADAM stuff?" asked Sniper.

Spy sighed. "So that's occurred to you as well."

Sniper nodded. "There's only one of him."

"I think it is very likely," admitted Spy. "Which means he may no longer be sane when we meet up."

"Sanity is not an issue!" said Soldier. "He can be just as effective as a babbling loon."

That got lots of eye rolls. "I can correct any deformations that occur," said Medic. "If he is still employed after this is all over."

"And we yell at him," added Demo. "Lots of yelling."

Heavy calmly blasted a splicer's head off. "Depends on if Scout has good reason."

"There is no reason to leave your assigned post!" argued Soldier.

"Little Scout is willing to die," said Heavy. "Is not little thing. Scout must have strong reason to go so far."

"The Family splicers are willing to die too," pointed out Demo. "Damn cultists," he muttered.

"I'm starting to think that Scout's mother had something to do with it," mused Spy. "It is probable she came to Rapture before Scout, and I'm sure she had a reason that she must have shared with him." He looked around. "I would prefer not to share any further suspicions. It's likely we are being watched. I am not certain if Lamb can hear what we are saying as well, but it's a distinct enough possibility that it's best not to risk it."

"You tea-swilling limey daughter of a bitch!" Soldier suddenly shouted. "You stop eavesdropping on us now or I will shove my boot so far up your ass my shoelaces will be coming out of your nose, fairer sex be damned!"

"You are as crass as ever I see," came Lamb's voice.

"I said to stop eavesdropping!" demanded Soldier. Spy couldn't help but be annoyed with him. Chances were good that Lamb would do something troublesome now.

"You are correct. Your…companion has been splicing quite heavily. Do you know why?" asked Lamb.

"Gotta live somehow," commented Demo. "Who cares if you're crazy or not?"

"I have dealt with those who have succumbed to the mind altering effects of ADAM for years. At its climax the users are unrecognizable both physically and mentally. It can take years to reach that point, but it is definite and unavoidable. This one's fate was sealed the moment he gave in to the temptation to alter his genetic code. When the day comes where he is but a shade of his former self will you be able to watch or will you choose to put him out of his misery?"

Spy would. If Scout asked anyway. Some people weren't bothered by going insane, and Spy could put up with them for the most part. Others…found such an existence intolerable and reacted by ending said existence.

Speaking of which…Spy could hear footsteps. Sniper fired at the ceiling, muttering curses under his breath about spiders and hooks. Spy turned invisible and took out the revolver Scout had sent over.

The revolver was unwieldy and not nearly as elegant as Spy preferred. The chambers had an empty can attached to it that held additional bullets along with a modification to the chamber that allowed the bullets to easily slip into the chambers. It meant less reloading so Spy couldn't complain. There was also an attachment along the barrel that Scout claimed increased bullet acceleration so it would do more damage. It was the first time Spy was using it so he'd find out if it was true.

Spy was relieved to see that shooting a splicer in the head was killing them more effectively now. He wasn't sure if the others had noticed, but shooting splicers in the head didn't always kill them, even if it was an injury that should have been fatal. It was a bit terrifying to consider why they were able to survive such an extreme injury, and Spy honestly wasn't sure he wanted to know the reason behind it.

Soldier's new shotgun also seemed to be working quite well. The chambers had been modified to hold six rounds (Same amount as Soldier's usual shotgun. Rapture used older models of weapons due to their self-imposed exile.), the barrel had been sawed off, and there was some sort of odd device on it with electricity dancing in glass containers. It seemed effective. The splicers that weren't immediately killed would jerk around for a few seconds, which was enough for another shot to finish them off.

The odd flying turret that was following Sniper around fired at splicers that got too close as well, which was useful considering that Engineer and Pyro couldn't fight at the moment.

Actually, there weren't as many splicers attacking them in this area as the previous ones. Spy suspected that it had something to do with the claim that Scout had burned down a section of apartments, something Spy would normally expect from Pyro.

The last splicer fell, and Spy turned visible again. So far no teleporting splicers. The mercs took a moment to scavenge the bodies. Shortly afterwards they were at a nearby vending machine buying ammo. "What are we going to do if Scout's insane?" asked Sniper.

"Same thing we do with Solly and Medic and Pyro," said Demo.

"What about me?" asked Soldier.

Medic just nodded. Pyro was humming and rocking back and forth.

"Sanity is not required in our line of work," admitted Spy. "I'm more concerned about the physical effects. You didn't see Scout's father. He was bound to a wheelchair, mute, unable to control his own bodily functions, and I'm sure there were lesions under those bandages of his."

"That sounds more severe than anything we've seen here so far," noted Medic. "I suppose it could just be that those who had more severe symptoms were taken out early on, natural selection and all that. Still rather odd though. I wonder if he would consent to an examination when we return."

Spy shrugged, internally cursing himself for managing to miss that little observation. Why would Scout's father be in worse shape if he wasn't in Rapture as long as the natives? Even if it was just a bad reaction…Spy sighed internally. He didn't know enough about biology to come up with viable theories. He would just have to interrogate Scout or his mother about it.

If the two were still alive when this was all over.