Welcome back to being sore and tired, Atlas's body seemed to say.
Embracing that familiar ache the same way and egg greeted the asphalt at the end of a ten story drop. Which was exactly why he hadn't shifted so much as an inch since the dramatics had ended.
With his eyes shut he could hear the scuffling of little feet as Tenenbaum ushered the terrified girls away from the torn room, leaving behind only Beatrice, who remained close to him, behind. Atlas would have shooed her away were he not so busy trying to fight off the wave of nausea that punch to the gut had left him with.
But that was not the sound he was focused on with what shred of coherency he clung to. No. What he was listening to was Delta.
The bellowing roar that had been shaking the train no more than ten minutes earlier had gone completely silent. He could hear the scrape of metal here and there, and he thought on occasion he heard Delta's low droning voice. As if he was whining.
He sounded like some wounded beast.
But Atlas wasn't arrogant enough to think that had anything to do with the one shot he'd gotten in. It might have hurt in the moment, fire did that, but Atlas didn't believe it would be a long lasting pain for Delta.
Unlike him. Who was apparently in everlasting pain.
Down by Delta's side was Sinclair. The man looked like there were at least ten other spots he'd much rather be in and there was an obvious hesitation with getting close to the big daddy. Could not fault him for that.
Distantly he could make out Augustus saying something to Delta though it didn't seem like he was being heard at all. Delta seemed too out of it and all Atlas could pick up on was the tone of anxiety in Sinclair's voice. He tried to dodge around thinking of that tone as concerned.
Sinclair never cared about anyone. It wasn't concern. Couldn't be.
Atlas told himself it must have been fear over their best chance at getting out of here rather than Delta himself. That would make it easier for him to sleep at night and so that's what he believed.
"Christ, sport..." He heard Sinclair utter under his breath, abandoning his attempts to get a intelligible response out of Delta. This time the tone was so undeniably weak that Atlas had to ark up.
"Yeah, sorry to butt in here but I got a quick question - what the fuck?" Atlas coughed on cue and while it had not been a planned emphasis, it did lend a particular rough effect to his cursing.
He saw Beatrice's eyes dart up to him from the corner of his vision but didn't bare the blatantly bad role model he set any mind. Kids were going to curse if they damn well wanted to, he couldn't be held accountable for that. Adults cursed all the time over smaller things like stubbed toes and ruined checks, he's nearly had his chest cavity pulpersied, he got a free pass on the swears for this one.
Sinclair of all people didn't begrudge him for it and the only other person present to take issue with it while Tenenbaum was absent would have been good ol' Johnny and he didn't seemed to be conscious enough to hear it.
"You going to keel over on us, Atlas, buddy?" Despite himself Atlas chuckled at Sinclair's dryness, only to immediately cringe and regret it. The moment of amusement was no worth the sharp strike of pain through his ribs.
Worse still, with Beatrice still clinging to his side he could feel her startled and hold a bit tighter. Probably wondering if he was going to die like Sinclair suggested. Fucking prick didn't have to say that in front of the kid.
He then noticed the other girls watching him from around the corner, likely waiting for Beatrice to rejoin with them. God he must have looked real fucking impressive down there struggling just to breathe. What a stunning image he set for himself. "Just a bit bruised." He dismissed, even though he was in incredible fucking pain right now. Thanks Delta.
Finally it seemed like Sinclair was actually paying attention to him. Funny, he was fairly sure he would have been ignored even if he'd said he was standing on the step of the pearly gates.
For once Atlas was relieved for Sinclair's keen eye. He watched the man take in the situation quickly and figure out the best way to work things in his favour. Fortunately Augustus's favour aligned neatly with Atlas's for the time being.
With one last look at Delta, Sinclair got back to his feet and approached both Atlas and Beatrice, the latter was who he looked to first. "Go on." He gestured back over his shoulder towards the lingering girls. "They're waiting for ya."
Judging by the look Beatrice cast between the two of them, she was not exactly biting at the bit to get moving. Atlas swallowed down a groan, this kid was stifling. Sure she probably had good intentions but he was too sore and too tired to have the patience for a saviour complex in training.
"Do us a favour, kiddo. See if you can't convince the doctor to get me something for this pain, yeah?" He suggested in the hopes that a simple job would help Beatrice to feel useful and stop her from lingering. He needed some breathing room damn it.
This time her scrutiny was turned on him and Atlas couldn't help but find her little scowl endearing. Kid looked like she'd lambast him for his blatant attempts to send her off.
He was lucky that Beatrice seemed to make a judgement call of her own and get up from his side. If it was because he actually did really need some medical care or because she knew how to read a situation even being young as she was, Atlas couldn't have said with any certainty.
Regardless he was relieved for it and watched as she cast one last borderline scornful look back their way before rushing over to the lingering girl. Just one now. The oldest with the blonde hair. Atlas had no intention of learning their names but at this rate he was probably just going to have to.
Once Beatrice was gone Atlas found himself praying she wouldn't actually be missing for that long and that when she came back she brought him a at the very least a health kit. Though preferably a needle in the hands of the good doctor. Atlas couldn't be arsed to pretend he didn't need it.
That little scuffle with Delta had depleted the very minute remains of EVE from his veins. He'd been practically running dry as it was and now his body was punishing him for using up what he had left.
Atlas didn't want any of the stuff in his system and yet felt compelled to replace what he'd lost.
He wasn't a splicer. He wasn't hungry for it. But he knew he needed it.
With the girl gone Sinclair was free to talk more freely and Atlas found it almost insulting when the man opted to crouch down next to him. Looking over his sorry state with a grimace. "Well, I've seen you in worse shape." He ventured ever so helpfully.
"Never up close, right?" He replied a touch bitterly, not that Sinclair seemed to care. "Forgive me for saying, Augustus, but you ain't ever been the dirty hands type."
"Hey now, don't go saying that. You'll give me a good reputation."
Un-bloody-likely.
Sinclair's obvious joke got another wheezy laugh from Atlas. Which immediately became painful for him again and broke the sound off sharply. "Alright, shut up." Atlas demanded with a winced. "No more laughing."
For a moment Sinclair merely smirked at him, though slowly the expression faded and Atlas watched as his eyes darted back over to Delta's still form. The only indication he was still alive the slight shifting of his broad shoulders with each breathe. Atlas followed his stare and frowned once again.
"You didn't answer my question." He reminded flatly. Then as a refresher, repeated himself. "What the fuck?"
Without turning back to look at him Sinclair replied, "Separation anxiety."
Well, Atlas thought, that's not the least bit helpful.
Outloud he sighed sharply and tried not the cringe when his chest ached in protest before saying, "Going to have to give me more than that."
It was as though Sinclair wasn't really acknowledging him anymore. His eyes stayed fixated on Delta's form as slowly the explanation came tumbling out. He knew Sinclair well enough to know he only gave it because he thought he stood to gain something. At least that was just another thing he chose to believe.
"It's his girl." Sinclair admitted slowly. "His bond to Eleanor. It's tryin' to shut him down…"
Despite himself Atlas found that he was also looking at Delta now. As if he could somehow find physical tells of this broken bond. He knew this part. Sinclair had told him about this already. But that did not explain why he was sitting against this wall begging his lungs to just stop aching. He held his tongue, waited for Sinclair to sort through the various words in his head to figure out which ones he was willing to give.
He waited all of five seconds before Sinclair spoke up again. "The Alpha Series was pair bonded to those little girls. If they die the old boys just...lose it. Physically, mentally, they just break down. Rage, comas, death…"
After that Atlas didn't need it spelled out anymore clearly. The simple inclusion of 'rage' on that list explained it enough for him. Not only was Delta dying, he was losing his mind along the way.
Atlas felt he could empathise with that.
"Would have been nice to fucking know that." Atlas snapped, feeling increasingly less forgiving with the man.
"Wasn't exactly common knowledge, Atlas." There was a defensive note to Sinclair's tone that rubbed Atlas all wrong. "He's a rare old model, how could I be expected to know we could lose him to some kinda...brain fever? Not in my sphere of information."
Liar.
Sinclair kept talking. "Either way, Elenore is at the Fontaine HQ and so is Delta's lifeline, so that's where we're heading on the double." He continued to speak but Atlas was no longer listening. Instead he was hearing only the overpowering weight of that one word being hissed in his head.
And still Augustus spoke. "Best I know is that those old series tin men comin' out of them labs had their DNA so strung out that it just blanked out their brains when they got put into those suits like the other daddies. Kinda curious how Delta is the only one who hasn't gone squirrelly after all this time."
He is lying to you.
Atlas acted on that accusation being thrust into his mind.
"Don't fuck with me, Augustus." Atlas growled, the words pushed through grit teeth.
Sinclair's eyes snapped back onto him in an instant and Atlas could see it there. That unspoken alarm. That anger. It was the look of someone who knew their lies had been caught, just now wondering what part of their deceit could be salvaged.
"I know you." Atlas continued to snarl under his breath. "You cannot con me."
A heavy silence fell between them both. Atlas scowled at Sinclair, waiting for the moment he would crack and give something away. He knew Sinclair was a liar. He knew it. He knew it as firmly as he knew Rapture was a sinking ship.
He knew it and yet…What was Sinclair lying about?
Just as that question came creeping in, seeming to undermine all that certainty he had, Sinclair opted to crack the terse silence.
"What con?" He asked, tone dangerously friendly. Sinclair was feeling out the situation, seeing what Atlas might have to hold against him. While he was still convinced he knew Sinclair was lying.
Atlas just couldn't remember.
And like the perfect tell it was, Sinclair saw his empty hand.
The tense set of his shoulders eased and some of his usual 'charm' bled back in, but they were both watching the other more closely now. Just like the good old days. Days that Atlas was sure would have provided him with the answers to Sinclairs lies if he could just remember them.
"Looks like you've taken one too many knocks today, champ. Let's leave you to Tenenbaum, hm?"
Neither of them was about to let their guard down around the other now. Atlas recognised that immediately and while he had no intentions on being the first to make any move to change that he did still find himself somewhat put off by that tension. Despite their history he'd at least felt at ease with Sinclair just a few hours earlier.
But he knew when someone was trying to pull a fast one on him and Sinclair was doing just that. Atlas just needed to pin down what the specific lie was. Without thought his gaze dropped back on to Delta.
And all he could think was how Sinclair's retelling of Johnny's story in the theater had crawled under his skin and pulled at nerves he didn't quite know what to make of. He hadn't been able to place then what it was that felt so off about it at the time. Just as he couldn't remember what caused him to so violently assert that Sinclair was lying now.
Was everything he said about Johnny a lie?
Slowly Atlas's anger settled. Put to the back of his mind to simmer and burn at a slower pace, to be patient and careful with how he played things. Sure they were all acting fairly buddy-buddy now, but Atlas couldn't forget all the knives they were all willing to stick in each other's backs.
"Yeah. Guess a guy gets a bit grumpy when he's woken up too soon and knocked around." He supplied carelessly and while neither man for a second believed the flimsy attempt of normality, neither did they call it out.
It was just a long game.
Blessedly before they both realised their hands were duds, the sound of hasty feet rushing down the length of the train reached them. The little terror had returned, this time with Tenenbaum in tow and Atlas could genuinely say he was pleased to see her.
As she approached, Sinclair retreated.
He didn't give Atlas so much as a passing word and while he did seem to pause momentarily by Delta, he eventually moved away from him as well. Vanishing through the doorway and likely heading back to his own den. Atlas couldn't help but be a tad envious, he recalled being more comfortable in his own hideaway when all he was doing was speaking through a radio.
Setting that aside he watched the doctor stop by his side and look him over. The girls had returned with her but seemed to decide they wanted to stay near the door just as before.
Though he did see them looking to Delta with a sort of desperate longing. They wanted to trust him and return to him but...well it was hard to shake off violence like that.
How are you supposed to expect a kid to trust and love you if you can't even be yourself all the time and scare them so horribly when you're someone else? Atlas could not blame the brats for wanting to keep a distance. And yet he found himself feeling a touch sad. Sure that the fear from those little ones would just break Johnny's stupid heart.
Finally he was allowed to stop thinking about those less than pleasant thoughts as Tenenbaum took note of the more physical ones he endured.
"I do believe I just fixed you, herr Atlas." Tenenbaum sniffed, looking incredibly irritated with him.
"Come on, doc. Be nice." Atlas replied, a lazy grin falling on his face. "I was being a hero."
He was corrected sharply by the German woman. "A fool."
Well, he couldn't very well argue with that logic now could he? A little appreciation wouldn't have gone amiss. He had at least attempted to protect those brats she was do damn fond of. A 'thank you' would not have killed the steely woman. With a roll of his eyes and a little wince as he pulled himself upright against the wall, Atlas gave up any sort of jab he might have made. Too tired for that.
"Alright, give the fool a break then. You got anything good for me?"
With a life weary sigh, Tenenbaum approached him and reached into the satchel she had flung around her shoulder. She produced just what he wanted and hated to see. The glowing needle repulsed him as much as he wanted it.
"You have depleted your EVE." She informed him, as though his burning veins didn't already know it. "I do not recommend the use of ADAM any more than is strictly necessary with you, herr Atlas. However...some evils are necessary."
Atlas felt something cruel form on the tip of his tongue. He had plenty to tell her about 'necessary evils'. But he could see Beatrice lingering by her side and decided to let those demons lie for the time being and instead reach for the offered hypo.
Tenenbaum continued to search for things in her bag once Atlas busied himself with the needle. He didn't flinch around them anymore, far too used to this bullshit to bother with the effort of even that. He was watching as the needle slipped under his flesh while Tenenbaum was pulling free some first aid kits.
Turning to the girls in the doorway to ask, "Would you retrieve Atlas's belongings for me, little ones? It is time we move on."
Before Atlas could respond to that he had to get through the initial shot of adrenaline that EVE gave him. A choked off groan and full body cringe as it entered his body and was greedily soaked up by the ADAM lingering in him. Fuel returned to the rather literal fire he was wielding.
He still felt sane. But then again he was sure insane people would say just the same is asked.
"Don't tell me we're already here." He groused, mourning the rest he never got. Between the nightmares in his sleep and the nightmares in his reality there was no breaks to be found.
No sympathy was supplied to him as Tenenbaum calmly confirmed his fears. "Fontaine Futuristics is but moments away. The train will stop for you soon."
Great. Just fantastic. So the day began and this was just his wake up call. Atlas had to take a moment to just breathe, needing those precious few seconds to collect himself. Then he glanced again to Delta. Poor bastard looked in worse shape than he was. "Not sure Delta will be up for it either…"
There was genuine grief written across Tenenbaum's face when she too looked to the weary big daddy. She no more wanted to send him out than Atlas wanted to go, but they were short on options and time.
"Give him a moment." She suggested quietly. "I will see to him before you go...but you best prepare to leave all the same." For a moment he saw her pause, look at him again as if trying to figure out where she stood. The doctor had done that a lot since he arrived. Always sizing him up and looking for something that Atlas couldn't figure out.
He didn't have the time or energy to chase her up on it of course. Instead he took a deep breath, dragged himself to his feet with a groan, and got moving. Lord hates a quitter.
"Right." Atlas muttered, feeling the familiar swell of exhausted resentment towards the city, steeling himself to fight it once again. "Lets get on with it then.