My fist hit the button and gate closed, the carriage going upward to our final destination. For a moment the steel wall gave way to plexiglass windows, revealing the cityscape that was once the beautiful Rapture, now a decaying corpse of what it formally was. I could see Sinclair Tower from our position and made my heart clench. Sinclair was still alone in the bowels of Ryan Amusements and this fight would determine whether or not I return to him again. I clung to the measly strings of hope that Sinclair had a habit of giving me.

"How will we... go back? To America? After all this?" Camille questioned, leaning heavily against the wall of the carriage.

"We won't know 'til we get there." If anything, I was going back to the UK from America, but one step at a time. First we had to somehow defeat the severely spliced up Fontaine, then get to a sub that is hopefully still functional and get topside. Then we'd have to find some way to find land since it was still a couple hundred miles away from the nearest shoreline. Maybe my grandparents were still alive. Doubtful, but it was nice to dream. Sinclair would like the countryside, being from Panama and Georgia.

"I remember when me and the Kraut put you in that sub. You were no more than two," Fontaine rasped over the radio. He had already lost his damn mind, I could tell. He sounded just like the splicers that roamed around, if only a type of madness that came with intelligence behind it. If he wasn't try to brutally murder us, I would have been impressed. "You were my ace in the hole, but you were also the closest thing I ever had to a son. That's why this hurts. Betrayal, kid. Life ain't strictly business."

I felt Jack stiffen from the arm touching my shoulder blade. I reached back and squeezed the heavy gloved hand.

The carriage careened to a stop at our stop and the door slid open. I was out first, scanning the area with a keen eye and my finger on the trigger, but saw no immediate movement. Jack and Camille were behind me, guns poised to shoot anything. "Where is he?" I questioned, glancing around at the clump of computers monitoring everything and the huge vats of ADAM. It was a creepy looking lair, that was for sure.

"I don't know..." Camille said, stepping past me. "Fontaine! Come out you sonofabitch! Don't fucking hide!" She's been hanging around me way too much; her mouth got worse.

I shivered when I heard the devil himself chuckle darkly, stepping out from behind a vat of ADAM and I nearly froze at the sight of him. He was a hulking giant of pure muscle and thick skin, dark grey in its tone. He towered over us, even Jack who was quite tall for someone of his stature. He was a humanoid, statuesque being that would definitely pack a deadly punch. "Ya made it," He seemed to purr, sending an unpleasant shiver up my spine. "Let's see: a malnourished amateur spy..." Who the fuck was he calling amateur? "...a weakling office worker and a walking test tube." He chuckled. "Ya shoulda backed off when I gave ya the chance; now you're gonna regret comin' up here." He walked toward us. "I own this fuckin' city - you understand? Me. I'm king and you're nothin'."

Camille was trembling at this point, her hands wringing her shotgun, desperate to do something. Don't fuck this up, Camille, please don't be a moron. "Go ahead, Cam," He dared. "Take your best shot, kid. Don't miss. I mean it." He spread his arms, giving her a clear shot. I would have stuck a shell right then and there, but this was Camille; she hesitated to cock her shotgun when it should have been prepped.

Before I could leap to yank her out of the way, Fontaine lunged forward, snatching the shotgun from her grasp. The metal was easily crushed under his inhuman strength and he tossed it aside. "Cam-" I was cut off when Fontaine's hand shot out and seized Camille's throat, holding her above the ground like she weighed absolutely nothing.

I was about to charge him when Jack grabbed my shoulder; stopping me from saving my friend and the biggest pain in my ass I have ever met. But I quickly understood why: I didn't stand a chance again him. I would die before I could even get a finger lifted from Camille's throat. I nearly screamed when he spun around and slammed her into a nearby wall, her head colliding sickeningly with the cold concrete. His arm reeled back and again the young woman was slammed into the wall.

"You made a big fuckin' mistake comin' after me," He growled, leaning in close to her. "I tried to warn ya - I really did - but you never did take a lesson well. Now, I'm gonna make an example outta you."

"No!" I shouted, breaking from of Jack's grip. I was cut off instantly by a swarm of splicers coming to Fontaine's defense.

The fight was on for myself and Jack. I ducked from a wild pipe swing, slamming my elbow into the nose of a splicer behind me and whipping him around to use him as a flesh shield from a machine gun spraying bullets towards me. I dropped the splicer and spared a moment to glance over at Camille and Fontaine only to have my breath hitch in my throat. Camille was slumped against the wall now, a knife embedded in her side; her own knife.

"Shit!" I growled, sticking a bolt into the skull of another splicer before kicking another in the groin and flipping over his hunched over frame.

The splicers would have to wait, Camille was dying. Fontaine raised his fist to cave in her chest when I jumped on to his back, scrambling to get a hold of his throat. I whipped my switchblade out and stabbed directly into his chest. He let out a roar and caught my ankle - shit... I was quite literally ripped from his back and thrown like I weighed no more than a baseball into the wall besides Cam knocking the wind out of me and rattling my rib cage. I'm pretty sure a few ribs had cracked and my spine would be feeling it for weeks. "Jamie!" Cam called out, reaching for me.

Before he could advance on us, Jack slammed his shoulder into him which threw him off balance.

"Why did you do that?" I heard Camille choke. I couldn't breathe much less answer.

I groaned, coughed and sat up. Camille ripped the knife out of her side and dropped it in lieu of pressing her hand against her side to attempt to stop the bleeding. "Jesus Christ," I cursed, ripping one of the sleeves of my shirt off to make a makeshift bandage. "That was a stupid move, Adler. You should have kept the knife in." I pressed the cloth over the wound and placed her hand over it to hold it in place.

"Kept the knife in? Are you insane?" She grumbled.

"It would have slowed the bleeding. I thought you studied medical books while working with Atlas." She glared at me for patronizing her. If it kept her alert and engaged, I didn't care.

Jack and Fontaine fought wildly: gunfire, plasmids and roars being exchanged at an almost frightening pace that made me thankful that Jack was able to hold his own against Fontaine. "I really do have a death wish," Camille mumbled, her voice way weaker than it should be.

"Don't die, Adler," I said, pressing a revolver in her hand so that she would be able to defend herself should I fail to do so. "Don't do anything stupid either. I'm getting real sick of babysitting you."

"That's a lot of orders. I'll do my best."

I shook my head before spinning around to stick a crossbow bolt between the eyes of a splicer that tried to capitalize on me being temporarily distracted by Camille. My back flared up in pain but I suppressed it - now was not the time.

Jack was faring no worse for wear against Fontaine who barraged him with his fists of ice and fire plasmids to try and take the young man down. I did my best to hold off the splicers that tried to attack Jack from behind, none getting too close to even land a hit on the boy's diving suit. I cursed when my crossbow ran out of bolts and I dumped it, grabbing a dead splicers revolver and continuing my attack, my switchblade appearing in my opposite hand.

My limbs were growing heavy as the fight continued and had no idea how long I could keep this up. I threw my knife into the throat of a splicer running toward Jack at a distance. My foot slipped against the blood coating the floor and a bullet clipped my arm, my yelp uncontrolled. I ducked behind one of the supercomputers and hastily bandaged my wound with a bit more material torn from my canvas jacket. "Shit..." I cursed, glancing out from cover.

Bullets took out a few splicers rounding up on me and I said a small thank you to Camille who also took out two bots even from her sitting position.

Fontaine let out a yell and charged towards the vat of ADAM, injecting himself with needles. "He needs to recharge!" I shouted at Jack. "He's getting more ADAM!"

Jack retrieved the Little Sister's needle from his belt and plunged it into Fontaine's body, holding fast while Fontaine wreathed underneath the far too large needle in an attempt to throw him off. Fontaine finally ripped Jack away and threw him aside like garbage, almost landing on top of me. The fight was on again, Jack seeming to have the upper hand this time.

I kept the splicers and bots off once again, finding a bot shutdown station nearby thankfully.

Fontaine bellowed again and returned to the vats and Jack was on him again. Fontaine's desperate attempts to punch Jack in the face was almost pathetic. Shots ran out again and one of the ADAM vats exploded in a display of glass and the genetic goop. Camille slumped forward from the splicer body she fished the additional revolver bullets from, her eyelids becoming heavy.

No, she couldn't sleep. Not yet. Not until I was sure she would wake up again. I was next to her in an instant, growling out, "Oh no you don't." She'd hate me for this later, but I could have cared less: I slapped her clear across the face, startling her awake again. I dragged her dead weight to the wall again and leaned her against it, out of the way of any stray shots from what I could tell. "Hey, look at me," I called to her. "Look at me."

She obeyed thankfully. "I made you a promise, Cam. We're gettin' out of here - " A shadow fell over me and I cursed, "Shit!"

I barely managed to dodge the lead pipe that came swinging down on us. I rolled away and fired a few bullets into the splicer's chest. The splicer crumpled to the ground dead and I grinned.

Camille gestured toward Fontaine again who was limping this time toward the vats. Jack plunged the needle again and Fontaine fell, trying desperately to get Jack off of him. With a lucky knee to the man's stomach, Jack was kicked across the floor and he didn't get up right away. Fontaine staggered to his feet and hovered over Jack's prone body. I knelt beside Camille again, watching carefully. "I had you built! I sent you topside. I called you back, showed you what you was, what you was capable of! Even that life you thought you had? That was something I dreamed up and tattooed inside your head." Fontaine grabbed the Big Daddy's helmet shielding Jack's face from any real damage. "Now if you don't call that family: I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS!"

"Shit, shit, shit," I hissed. "Get up, Jack, c'mon, get up!" I raised my revolver and fired frantically at Fontaine. I missed several times, but the ones that did hit brought Fontaine's attention to me which meant Jack wouldn't die, but now I was going to die. I shifted over until I had put myself between her and Fontaine who roared and charged.

Sinclair... I'm sorry.

A collective of small battle cries flooded the area and Tenenbaum's Little Ones came through the vents, Ruth included in the gaggle. They launched themselves at Fontaine's legs, throwing him off balance with their needles. They stabbed their needles anywhere they could: his legs, chest, arms, neck, stomach. The ADAM filled their needles easily, but they continued.

The ones he threw away landed hard on the floor and cried since they were just children. Ruth landed near me and I had my arms around her instantly to quell her crying. "That fuckin' Kraut. Unbelievable," I nearly laughed hysterically, my face in Ruth's hair.

"Get off me, you little shits!" Fontaine roared, but the roar fell on deaf ears.

It was finally over.

Fontaine laid dead on the ground, the little girls cheering for his defeat, jumping around with their needles held high. I sat down heavily on the ground, bringing Ruth tighter against my chest. Jack stumbled over to us and ripped his helmet off, revealing the sweaty, pale and flushed face from exhaustion he was suffering. Jack's hand clamped over Camille's bleeding wound and moaned.

One of the little girls wandered over shyly and held out a shiny object to Jack. "Fontaine's genetic key..." I said softly, letting Ruth return to her sisters.

Camille pushed Jack away. "You need to undo Fontaine's hold on the city..." she rasped. "Unlock the bathyspheres. We need to..." She gasped as pain shot through her. Dammit, she was dying. "We need to leave."

I was instantly surrounded by Tenenbaum's Little Ones, Ruth making her way into my lap again, each little girl hugging on to my arms and torso. "Are we going to leave this place?" One asked and I nodded.

"You're getting out of 'ere. You'll know what the sun looks like."

Ruth reached up and touched my head. "You're bleeding," She commented, drawing her fingers away to reveal blood. I hadn't realized my head was bleeding. I must have gotten hit at some point, but I don't remember. Everything happened so fast.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure I'm in for a headache."

Jack lumbered over and gestured to a nearby bathysphere port; Fontaine's personal bathysphere. I nodded and motioned for the Little Ones to follow Jack while I picked up the now unconscious Camille. She was still breathing so that was a good sign at least.

We rushed to the bathysphere port Jack gesturing for the little girls to clamor inside. Tenenbaum showed up and didn't say a word, only putting her hand on my shoulder and stepping inside. I sighed, staring at the interior of bathysphere, cold, damp, unused for months and my heart longed for it; to step inside and leave this place forever. But I couldn't leave; not yet.

Jack reached out and took Camille's arm from me, laying her on the seat opposite of himself and the Little Ones. Tenenbaum immediately went about trying to patch Camille up and stabilize her enough so she wouldn't die. Camille moaned from the administrations, her eyes cracking open. "Jamie..." She lightly called, her fingers twitching for some purchase on me.

I moved into the 'sphere and took her hand lightly with my own. "Camille, you're a royal pain in my neck."

She smiled, barely a quirk of her lips really. "We're going to the surface…" She chuckled under her breath. "At long last."

"You deserve it."

She sat up painfully, grunting as her strength mostly failed her. By pure willpower, she managed to sit upright by herself even with me and Tenenbaum hovering over her and her every move. "Where are we gonna go?" She asked.

"Anywhere."

"Where do you want to go?"

I sighed and answered, "Maybe back to the UK. See my grandmum and grandfather again." I didn't even realize until mentioning the UK that the accent had somewhat returned. It had been too long since I heard it from my own vocal cords that I almost missed it.

"And you're coming with, right? You promised." I inhaled sharply. "Jamie?"

"I'm sorry."

I stepped back out of the bathysphere. Jack looked at me confused as did Camille. I glanced back at Fontaine's corpse; growing cold and for a moment, Sinclair lying flat on the ground flooded my mind and wrenching at my heart. I looked back at Jack and thinned my lips. I put my hand on the bathysphere's heavy bulkhead door and started to close it. "Hawkeye!" Camille nearly screamed, "Jamie Donovan, don't you dare!"

Before the door could close fully, Camille's fist connected with my jaw. I hit the ground with her straddling my waist as punch after punch connected with some part of my face. It wasn't the strongest of punches I've ever had. In fact, I'd say it was the weakest I've ever felt, but getting punched still hurt. "You promised!" She growled, grabbing my hair and slamming my head against the ground. "Even if I had to drag you kicking and screaming!"

I caught her fist finally and with a small shift of weight, managed to plant my foot on her stomach and monkey flip her over me. She landed heavily on her back, gasping for the air that was knocked out of her. Her wound had opened up again and dripped on to the floor. "Sorry, Camille," I apologized, wiping my busted lip with the edge of my sleeve. "But I'm goin' to 'ave to break my promise."

Grabbing the back of her shirt, I dragged her toward the bathysphere again. With a grunt, I threw her on the floor of the bathysphere with strength I didn't even know I had. Adrenaline, I guess. I smiled meekly at her and closed the bulkhead, the automatic seals catching and sealing them air tight. "I'm sorry, but I can't abandon 'im."

Camille shot to the door from the floor, her fists slamming into the window. "Jamie! Jamie, no! Open this damn door!" She shouted, her delicate hands slamming painfully against the glass. "You promised!"

I sighed and shook my head. "I'm sorry, Cammy."

"Don't 'Cammy' me! Don't throw away your life for him!" She pleaded, sinking to her knees. Her burst of strength was disappearing as quickly as it arrived. Her hands fell from the glass to the ground limply. "Please..."

I looked to Jack and smiled. "Take care of 'er. She can't be left alone for more than 5 minutes without doin' somethin' stupid." Jack gritted his teeth, the sorrow evident in his face, but he nodded moving behind Camille and hooking his hands under her armpits to haul her into to the seat again. She struggled against him with what little strength she had, cursing me in every way she knew how. "I'm sorry, Camille Adler. I won't leave him behind. I'll try to get to another bathysphere, but that's all I can do."

"Jamie!" She shouted one last time before Jack pulled the handle to 'Surface'.

The bathysphere slowly sunk into the Atlantic salt water, the water bubbling around the 'sphere. Camille's face streaming tears along with the Little Ones (especially Ruth). Jack nodded one last time to me, a sign of respect and an 'I'll miss you'. "Goodbye," I said once the bathysphere slipped beneath the water's surface and was gone.

"Rest in peace, Patrick." I let out a shaky breath and turned back to the corpse of Fontaine. "I did what you couldn't even do, Fontaine. I got Camille out. I actually cared for her. Rot in 'ell," I spat before loading up my revolver and scooping up my crossbow again. I removed my switchblade from his chest with a tug.

It was deathly quiet now, a drop of water echoing loudly in the lair. I glanced over at a nearby chair that had managed to survive the onslaught enough to remain on its 4 legs. Draped over the back of the chair was Fontaine's canvas jacket that he wore on occasion with his Atlas disguise. I slipped my arms into the sleeves of the jacket, leaving it unbuttoned to shield me from the cold temperatures. My footsteps seemed loud as I walked to the elevator again and stepped inside, leaning heavily against the carriage siding.

Camille was gone. Jack was gone. So were Tenenbaum and the rest of the Little Sisters rescued by Jack. From what I knew of Jack, his kind soul would take those little girls in as his daughters; give them a chance topside unlike what they had down here. Sinclair and I were mostly alone now. With the exception of Sofia Lamb running around in Persephone, but she was the least of my concern.

I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my newly acquired jacket and I closed my eyes; listening to the sounds of the city and the elevator.

Once I was out of Point Prometheus, I was in the vents again, making it to Ryan Amusements in record time.

I dropped down in front of the entrance to the park and walked calmly to the maintenance room, knocking 4 times. The door slid open and Sinclair grinned at me. "I was gettin' worried," He joked, crossing his arms.

My lower lip quivered and within an instant I was wrapped in Sinclair's arms, the tears silently streaming down my face. Sinclair placed loving and gentle kisses in my hair, nuzzling his cheek against the top of my head. I leaned back a bit and looked up into the emerald green eyes that never lost their shine even with the grey streaking his hair. He pulled me inside the maintenance room and locked the door behind us before taking me in his arms again. "You look like you've seen Death 'imself," He said, his smile faltering at my sorrow filled eyes.

"I did it. Fontaine is dead," I stated. "Patrick was avenged."

I thought for sure that I would never see Sinclair again facing down Fontaine. Be held in his strong arms; inhale his musky scent; kissed by his soft lips. Instead of speaking, I placed my arms around his neck and kissed him hard - tasting him like I was dying for the evil I've seen could make the Devil sick.

In the distance, I could hear a few splicers gossip, "Didja hear? Atlas was Fontaine. And he's dead!"

"We must inform the Lamb."

We packed up our things and made a run for it: there were more bathyspheres to board. Rushing through to Fontaine Futuristics, we caught sight of another bathysphere puttering away, but it wasn't the one Jack and the rest were in. By now they'd be at the surface. These were people who could still retain the ability to operate a bathysphere, meaning they were sane and not under the control of Fontaine. "Would'ja look at that!" Sinclair exclaimed. "There's more people who are sane."

"Yeah. C'mon!" I cheered rushing toward the Metro Station. All we'd have to do is find a bathysphere, make sure the CO2 scrubbers were functional and then make a break for the surface. I glanced up at the retreating bathysphere already in the water and my eyes got wide. "Augustus..." I muttered, watching a torpedo head right for the 'sphere.

The resulting explosion tore the 'sphere apart, killing its occupants instantly.

The all too familiar chant echoed through the PA system.

"THE BUTTERFLY HAS TAKEN WING!"