Chapter 45
Poseidon Plaza - December 1958
"I was all for Ryan sinking Fontaine's store, especially when it gave us the monopoly back on the Bathysphere's. God knows it was healthy for our bottom line, but I do fear that nowhere will soon rival it for its shopping - even when we open the new retail floor in Talos Tower, we'd have a long way to go to match it. But this is just shit..." Edward held out his hand, and using Teleport, sent a used drink bottle through the air and into a trash can. He looked around Poseidon Plaza, and couldn't think of anywhere here he could find a decent christmas present for Sheridan.
Christmas in Rapture had always been a tricky topic, because Ryan had forbidden any religious festivals, yet anyone with a brain in the retail trade new what a prime opportunity Christmas was for bumper sales. Christmas had therefore been maintained, but as a winter festival, entirely built on the premise of congratulating oneself and your family for a prosperous year.
"Come, let's try Market Street." Edward Pulled Sheridan by the arm and spinning him about. Sheridan grunted, and bid as he was told. He was looking truly terrible - it had been months now since Amelia had died, but the affects had only worsened. Their relationship had become plutonic almost overnight, and any thoughts of outward affection were long gone, but how could Edward think to complain? Sheridan's issue with his face had also grown worse, to the point Edward was recommending they take him to Dr Steinman early in the new year. The swelling on his temple had grown to a large deformity almost, and his eyes were dark, his jaw slightly crooked, but he insisted it caused him no pain or discomfort. Edward had also noticed some similar issues on other's around the city, and was growing curious. Hell, since he'd ingested Telekinesis, Winter Blast and Security Command ( a must after his close-call down in Persephone) he'd notice some of his own irregularities in his skin and down one arm.
"Oh my darlings!" The voice coo'd over the crowd, and an arm fell over their respective shoulders. Cohen. Edward jumped at first, then turned to face him.
"Good afternoon Sander, how are you?" He cautiously asked, tired of the man but recently reassured by the trade his art exhibit in Talos Tower had been bringing in.
"Oh I'm just divine, divine! Had a little... late-night picnic in Arcadia with the boys last night, it was quite the adventure..." he giggled, and swooned closer to their faces. "I'm putting together another show soon, something entirely new. I was forced to gestate for a while after I lost some of my finest work down in Lamb's sunken parlour..."
Sheridan cast him a wary glare. "Oh, my dearest I must beg your pardon. I didn't mean to be so heartless, can you ever forgive me?" He took Sheridans hand, curtseyed and kissed its top side in a ludicrous gesture.
"What do you want from us Sander? Investment?" Edward enjoyed speaking as bluntly and straight-forward as he could around Cohen, the old fool never said it, but he could tell it antagonized him intensely.
"It's all alot more involved than that, dull details need to be discussed - why don't you swing down a floor to my apartment sometime, and we can... chew it over with some wine in more comfortable surroundings..." his sentence turned into a hiss through clenched teeth. "Until then! My dear friends..." he grew so close to Edward that their cheeks brushed together, before finally leaving towards Fleet Hall.
"Excuse me Mr!" A sweet, small voice called up from beneath them, and both looked to see a small, pale girl brushing between their legs. Her eyes were as they'd come to expect, large, vacant and starting to develop a yellowish blemish so luminescent they appeared as if they were glowing. She carried her special syringe that Suchong had just developed especially. "At least they're finally out and doing their damn job..." Sheridan murmured grumpily, slurring his words again having been revisiting his old friend the liquor cabinet.
"I signed up to the ADAM programme, and the Plasmids, which I still probably wrestle with in my mind on a daily basis, but those little girls - I'm not sure I'll ever be comfortable with our supplying them to Suchong for his experiments. I mean... look at them. Wandering around with one of those fucking slugs sewn up inside her - just like Kinkaid." Edward complained.
"You weren't moaning when it all paid for us to knock through and extend the apartment, or when you bought an entire vintage from Worley Winery with the cash from Suchong's cheque book." Sheridan snapped. "They're earning their place in the city, just like everyone else".
