Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Blue eyes peered into the mirror.
Elizabeth had been incessantly examining the two persisting wounds on her body: the purple marks on her neck via the bathroom mirror, the puncture wound in her upper back via her divine sight.
The neck bruises shouldn't be there – for multiple reasons.
The puncture wound should have healed.
She thought of Colombia. Specifically of Comstock and the doctors that had studied her, given her medications, and had performed experiments on her.
What did they do to me … ?
Perhaps if she were able to focus on the world she was currently in, she would have checked on Booker and found him charging at Lillian – snagging her knife-wielding wrist with a viper's swiftness. Or at least maybe she would have checked on Anna, who was crying within her crib – hungry.
But she couldn't focus on her current world.
She used to supernatural sight to gaze upon realms that still had Colombias.
A part of her wondered if she was capable of true torture. If she got her hands on a Comstock or one of the doctors that experimented on an Elizabeth, what would she have to do to break them? To force answers out of them? It … obviously wouldn't be the same doctors or Comstock that specifically worked on her … but perhaps their answers would still apply to her own situation.
Sure, she had subdued the notorious Negotiator using violence … but the sadist was obviously a strange case. He clearly had fun with it all, goaded her for more when most men would beg …
Waltzing with Reed had been oddly entertaining … empowering. But surely it would not be the same to torture scared, desperate men.
Could she ignore a man's fearful pleas?
Could she ignore pain-filled screams … ?
Elizabeth … needed to find out what they did to her. She couldn't go into the past of her own Colombia – it never existed at this point. And the thought of painstakingly shifting through the pasts of still-existing Colombia's filled her with anxiety. She'd likely have to spend hours sifting through the past ... listening to discussions of crimes planned for and possibly performed on her parallel sisters ... because any Colombia that still exists meant that it never had a Booker who successfully freed her.
Tears started to seep out of those pretty eyes as she thought of her original Booker. Her friend … whose sacrifice saved so many, many lives. But she knew in her heart he didn't allow himself to drown for the good of mankind.
He did it for her.
More and more tears started to fall.
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"Can you … please … remove your knee from my back?" Lillian asked bitterly. On one hand she was happy Booker hadn't killed her … on the other hand, she had been pinned face down on the hotel bed for over twenty minutes at this point, and it was damn uncomfortable having the weight of a man's knee on your upper back for that amount of time. Especially when you have large breasts.
Booker, having helped himself to one of Lillian's cigarettes, took a drag from it before responding: "You gonna tell me why Noah sent you after me?"
"I told you – Mr. Reed wanted me to observe you."
"Observe me. Not seduce me, not kill me, just observe me," Booker responded, trying to will away some of the extreme irritation he was experiencing, "well, let's see what the man himself says."
"I'm telling the truth!"
"Seems really damn strange that the person he sent to observe me is a beautiful dame that knows how to slice a throat. I saw what you did to that thug, Lil – "
" – Mr. Reed said you were bound to cause trouble in Buffalo. And, such a surprise, he was right. You started that gunfight – in broad daylight. – "
" – they were gonna take that man in front of his family – his entire damn family. That shit ruins a kid. And I didn't know he was a damned pederast at the time."
"I … I shouldn't have come here," Lillian acknowledged, tone soaked with sadness, "they're going to kill me over this."
The ex-pinkerton was about to ask what the hell she meant by that when the hotel room's phone rang.
It would be Noah. Booker had left a message with the criminal's answering service about twenty five minutes ago. The attendant that took the message advised he would usually respond within an hour.
Booker snatched the phone before its second ring.
"Noah," he snarled into the phone.
" … We've made an arrangement – I'm your employer now," Reed responded, "perhaps consider your tone when you speak to me."
"You send bitches with knives after all your employees, or am I special?" Booker asked, with the same damn tone he answered the phone with.
" … Oh you're very special to me. And so is Lillian, so I best not find out you harmed her. - Not all ladies I've commissioned can fully handle a man of my … stature-"
"- She's fine," Booker interrupted impatiently, "Why did you send her after me? Lure me into bed and slice my throat? Make sure I can't get home to Elizabeth?"
The ex-pinkerton's teeth clenched when he head a short laugh come out of the phone.
"Oh Booker, let me tell you all the ways I've imagined murdering you. Scalping you, slicing you into pieces and feeding you to either my hound or the pigs of redskin men, forcing you to drink vitriol until your insides start to melt, hacking off one hand and one foot before leaving you in the forest, at which time I will– "
" – You're a sick fucking animal and one of these days I'm going to put you down, Reed," DeWitt promised with complete sincerity.
"Trust that if I make the decision to kill you, the pleasure will be mine. I did not send Lilian to Buffalo to slice your throat."
" … seduce me, then? Convince Elizabeth I'm unfaithful trash, hope it helps you win her over?"
Booker would never see the smile on the other end of the phone.
" … You are my employee now, your actions will be tied to my organization when other criminals begin to recognize you as one of mine. This escort job of yours had me curious - it is not common for people to require armed protection to take a train to Buffalo. I hired Lilian to watch you – discover whatever she could on the work you were performing, observe for any signs of trouble. I advised her you were violent and that she needed to be cautious with you, she was not specifically instructed to make any physical exchanges with you."
"Cut the shit. She's a prostitute. How else was she going to get information out of me?"
"There was a possibility she could obtain the information directly from your employer, if she was able to determine who that was. Charm him rather than you – "
" – Yeah, sure – "
" – And, I loathe to give away one of Lillian's secrets, but she does have some familiarity with criminals who hail from our city. There was a possibility for her to simply recognize specific criminals encountered, and in that situation she would not have had to make physical exchanges with anyone to secure valuable information for me."
"She's Bianchi, isn't she?" Booker said instantly, looking down at the pinned female – she was keeping her face turned away from him, "she knew one of their names."
"… Oh. She knew one of their names," Noah repeated – the phrase a clear sign there had been trouble in Buffalo, "I've shown my hand, now share yours. Who employed you and what happened?"
Booker took a deep breath. Instincts told him that he was only getting half-truths, but ultimately Noah's claim that Lillian was not sent to kill him rang as true. And there was one thing more important than sussing out Reed's games – protecting his family: Anna and Elizabeth.
Booker had a plan to deal with the one Bianchi that survived the violent outbreak in Buffalo, but he wanted Reed's help, so he was about to use what was likely the only tool that would work on the twisted criminal.
"I know there's something going on between you and Elizabeth."
" … nothing physical, much to my disappointment."
Booker shoved away possessive thoughts.
"Some shit happened here in Buffalo … and it's going to follow back to New York. So now I gotta ask – do you actually care about Elizabeth? Cause her life may be in danger over this."
" … I'd die for that woman," Noah informed, unable to fully strain amusement from his voice, "I actually expect to one day. Tell me what happened and what you want from me."
The ex-Pinkerton's eyes narrowed, wondering if there was any truth to the psychopath's words.
"I was hired by Milton Boudain to safely get his family on a train from Buffalo to Chicago. When we arrived to Buffalo, there was a shootout. Bianchis. I killed six but one survived – "
A sharp laugh cut off the ex-soldier's explanation.
"That's all three, Booker. You've now offended each of the city's three major mafias by either killing or injuring multiple members. All three could justify hunting you down," a few more laughs, "how have you … How have you survived into your thirties?"
"I'm really good at killing people before they can kill me," Booker explained without hesitation, "I'm sure some day I'll get to show you."
"That does sound fun …. though I must point out we're allies so long as Elizabeth wills it. – Back to the point, any chance you have the name of the one Bianchi who survived … ?"
"Just the first name: Ben."
Booker felt a small movement from Lillian's body which still remained underneath his knee.
Noah responded: "The Bianchis have three Benjamins within their ranks: Benjamin Hammond, Benjamin Langer and Benjamin Boyd."
"Six foot three or four. Blue eyes. Tough bastard and a total asshole. He was in charge."
"That would be Benjamin Boyd. Not the most forgiving of the three Benjamins – he will make efforts to hunt you down."
The ex-soldier made a mental note: there had to be hundreds of mafiosos in New York City and it seemed Noah had many of their identities committed to memory.
"I do like Boyd," Reed added, "so quick to anger – makes dealings with him rather fun. Did he survive you unscathed or … ?"
"Nicked his abdomen with a crowbar and shoved him out of a window – third story. Not clear if he had any major injuries. Strongly believe the cops snagged him, but we both know any charges aren't going to stick."
"You actually brawled with Big Ben and shoved him through a window? I'm impressed."
"If I'm being honest: wasn't easy," Booker admitted, "he hits pretty fucking hard. – and he got away. I want to finish the job, Reed – "
The men's conversation was suddenly interrupted by by Lillian. She spoke loudly, so the blonde criminal would hear her voice through the phone: "I want to speak to Mr. Reed!"
"Give her the phone," Noah insisted.
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Booker's emotions toward Lillian had been a damn bronco ride – swinging wildly up and down and left and right. Their awkward initial meeting on the train, the moment he almost smacked her over a voice that spoke within his own mind, the mutual sympathy that occurred immediately following, watching her charge into the street to save a wounded man in the middle of the gunfight, witnessing her fleeing from an armed man bleeding from the throat, finding out she had been working for Noah the entire time … All these moments had been tugging at his mind and giving him a god damn headache.
And soon there would be a new moment: watching her sob on the phone as she spoke to Reed. And when that happened he'd be once more on the path of feeling a sympathy, a softness towards the girl.
At first she was sullen, but not actively crying, when she spoke into the phone.
"No. Booker didn't hurt me. Just scared me."
Booker bit his inner cheek. The very first thing Noah must have asked was 'Did Booker hurt you?'
" … The Boudains are all safe … "
The ex-soldier assumed the second question must have been 'did Booker succeed with his mission?' Then Lillian's next words caused some bitterness to surge within the ex-soldier.
"Booker started the gunfight, right at the station … they were trying to take Milton Boudain right in front of his family … Booker told me that's what made him pull the trigger."
Did he have a right to be bitter at that moment? Reed obviously would want to know how the gunfight started, Lillian's answer was only the truth.
The blonde female's tears started with her next string of words. Booker forced himself to watch Lillian's fearful expressions … even though the sight of them made him uncomfortable.
"I didn't … didn't see Booker's bullets strike any civilians, but … Ben shot three men I had been hiding with in their faces. Just shot them – directly next to me. And he knows who I am – he's a client. He threatened me ... He told one of his thugs to put his gun inside my body and shoot me if I betrayed him. And I lied to him. I told him Angelo sent me to Buffalo to deliver a package. Ben's going to find out that's a lie. He's going to come after me, Mr. Reed."
There was a brief, brief urge to just … slide an arm around the frightened girl and pull her into a loose hug, just to comfort her. But obviously that sort of thing could be taken the wrong way, so he dismissed the thought.
Lillian's following comments would surprise him.
"That's why … that's why I invited Booker into my room. I offered him a drink. He … he made it clear multiple times he is a faithful man to his partner, but I thought maybe … maybe if I told him I'm scared I could convince him to … to stay in my room with me. Just in case. Just in case Ben somehow found me before I could get back to New York. I thought … surely a man like Booker could protect me. I can't believe he took all those men down … if only he took downBen too … "
And for a moment Booker was almost mad. Why hadn't she just said she wanted help?
Maybe she had been planning on asking but there hadn't been enough time. Booker had barely been in the room for several seconds before finding Noah's coat in her luggage.
Whatever Noah was saying to Lillian on the phone seemed to calm her down. A few seconds later, Lillian said 'all right, Mr. Reed' then handed the phone back to Booker.
Before the ex-soldier took the phone to his ear, he looked Lillian square in the eye and said words meant to reassure her: "I am going to take down Boyd. Just like I did the rest of his men. I swear."
It wasn't exactly a smile, but Lillian's face lit up with something that resembled hope.
"Reed," after he brought the phone up to his ear.
"Booker – I appreciate the level of lunacy it takes to start a midafternoon gunfight at a crowded train station."
"Great. So you going to help me or not?"
"Possibly. – I've my first task for you as your employer. You are to remain at Lillian's side until you both return to the city. You do not allow her out of your sight. You will be paid well if you ensure her safety."
"Sure," Booker replied, "now, here's my plan for Boyd … "
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Noah's final words to Booker before their phone call ended were: "I like your plan, but I have to check on one thing before I can agree to it. I'll call you back at this number in exactly two hours. In the interim, be nice to Lillian, make sure she has something to eat – keep her from that hysteria that plagues women on occasion."
"I want to make one thing clear," DeWitt called out to Lillian as he hung up the phone, "I fucking hate Reed and I'm going to take the bastard's money, but even if he hadn't made it my job to help you, I would have."
Lillian, sitting with her legs crossed in a chair at the room's corner, watched Booker's face. DeWitt had made multiple comforting comments since she had revealed to Mr. Reed that she was terrified.
She wiped the sleeve of her nightgown across her cheek, drying up some of the tears she had shed. Of course she had overheard the bold man's plan for Boyd … and from your average man, the plan would sound like a death wish moreso than reasonable idea, but a man that could kill six armed mafiosos single-handedly was anything but average.
Still. She felt compelled to provide a warning.
"Ben's reputation is … everything to him, and if you're counting on him to have a sense of chivalry, you're just being foolish. He won't meet you alone at any location. He'll bring men to kill you, Booker. Results mean more to him than a dead man's respect."
"That's fine. He brings thugs to me, just means I'm gonna kill them too. I just need some set up, and," while there was a sureness with Booker's prior words, the next words were tainted with a sense of regret, "I want to keep it away from civilians. Away from my family."
There was a wordless moment. Lillian willed away thoughts of Fred – the man she had almost saved. She placed her focus back on Booker and the words he just shared. Really the words felt more and more ridiculous with each second spent thinking on them.
"You're so confident," Lillian responded with a weak smile, almost laughing, "I never met a man so confident in his ability to kill multiple people at once."
"Guess I'm one of a kind," as he took a drag of his cigarette, "probably for the best."
There was another awkwardly quiet minute before Lillian revealed: "Mr. Reed is never again going to hire me for anything other than lying on my back."
" … Probably not – I gotta say I find it a little funny he sent you."
" … why?"
"Your best opportunities to get information involved seducing me, or the guy that hired me," Booker explained, "Reed knows I have the perfect girl at home – there's no scenario where I was going to betray her. As for seducing my employer … you're too old for Milton."
It took a moment before the humor of the situation brought a small laugh from the blonde prostitute.
"Likely by more than a decade," Lillian admitted – she was just a couple years shy of thirty, after all. Far too old for a pedophile.
"Doomed to fail charming us from the start," DeWitt reiterated. He almost smiled.
The courtesan sighed, both bitter and amused at once. She tapped her fingers against her own knee several times as she mused over the situation.
"It's just a handful of years before men start referring to me as a hag."
Booker eyed her. He couldn't help but think the intention behind the self-pitying comment was to seek some reassurance out of him. And, well, he could afford to be a little nice to her, so he was going to play along.
" … All right," the ex-Pinkerton relented, "you clearly want to hear a compliment, so you can have one. A one-time thing and you're never getting another out of me again. Ready?"
Lillian's bitter amusement deepened as she gazed at Booker. She hadn't really been trying to force a compliment – advancing age was simply a sore subject for a prostitute – but now she wanted to hear what was about to come out of the man's mouth. Her new bodyguard wasn't particularly charming … very attractive, but not charming.
" … making such a fuss out of complimenting a woman," Lillian commented teasingly, "make it good, or you'll have fussed over nothing."
Booker wouldn't even look at her when he spoke, instead focused on tapping his cigarette against an ash tray in the room: "I would have been all over you if I didn't have Elizabeth back home. You're beautiful. You'll still be beautiful in a handful of years. Bet most men would kill for you."
" … one man actually has," she replied wistfully.
Booker felt like he only needed a single guess to figure that one out; it's likely why she held onto Reed's coat like a school girl with a crush.
"There – that's it," he told her, "we're done. No more fishing for compliments."
" … The words were nice, but the delivery was boorish. A disappointing effort, overall," she noted playfully, "you'll have to try again."
"Could have sworn I just told you no more fishing for compliments" a flat and quick response, his green eyes flicking back to the female. Truth was he was pleased she seemed to be cheering up, but he wasn't going to tell her that.
"Hm … Well ... I suppose I owe you a compliment … -"
"- not necessary -"
" – you've got that … tall, dark and handsome thing going for you, Booker. And that strong body women like, as well," she admitted, taking a second to envision passionately peeling off the man's vest and shirt to get to the muscle underneath, "it would have been fun, between us, you know."
The ex-Pinkerton didn't allow the courtesan's words to spark any imaginings. Instead he said: "I don't know, and I'll never know. We're gonna go get some food – which means you're gonna get dressed while I go stare at the wall in the corner."
For a small second, when the ex-soldier's back was turned to her … Lillian wondered, if Booker hadn't taken her knife away, would she have the courage to attempt a slice at his throat … ?
Not due to any lingering animosity toward the serious man … but because he had referred to Mr. Reed as an animal on the phone – an animal that needed to be put down.
Even if Mr. Reed had no feelings for her, she owed him. He killed her original pimp – Sergio – who garnished ninety percent of her earnings and had no qualms with smacking her. He threatened her new pimp, Angelo, and told him he was only allowed to garnish twenty percent of her earnings. He also taught her how to slice a throat … giving her a means of defending herself against aggressive, heartless clients. Her life was forever changed for having met Mr. Reed. And if he dies … she'd likely suffer the consequences of having earned his attentions. At the very least, Angelo would surely go back to stripping seventy percent of her earnings.
Forget it, Lilly, she advised herself silently, as she started to strip off her nightgown, Booker's … rash, but he clearly has a heart. He wants to help you get home, and you have children to go back to. Let the men figure out their own affairs …
And be honest with yourself…
You couldn't stop Booker even if you wanted to.
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Elizabeth's quiet sobbing was interrupted by the ringing of the apartment's telephone, which had only been a several feet away from her.
She picked up the phone, hoping to hear Booker's voice.
"Hello?"
"Hello Elizabeth. I must discuss – "
The unfortunate realization that Noah was calling caused the sorceress to sigh. She hung up the phone, used her sight to determine Reed's location and created a tear so she could just talk to him in person.
The criminal was still at Stefano's mansion – though this time he was in one of the guest bedrooms. Elizabeth stepped through the tear and into the well-furnished room.
"Ah. Elizabeth," Noah called out as he set down the phone and turned to face her, "I need to discuss our mutual acquaintance Booker. Are you aware he just killed six mafiosos in Buffalo? Truly … you neither require me nor a catalyst to rid this city of its criminals … allow Booker to run amuck long enough and he'll shoot us all sooner or later."
It wasn't until after the words spilled from Noah's mouth that he noticed a subtle wetness on Elizabeth's pale cheeks. Recent tears?
But Reed didn't have time to comment, as the unamused female delivered her response: "I'm truly not in the mood for your mouth, so enjoy your reminder that you acquired two fractures to your ribs yesterday."
The goddess displaced Noah ten feet in the air, placing him in a horizontal position. He unavoidably began to fall, and Elizabeth used tears to ensure he could not use his arms to protect himself from the landing.
The large criminal's defenseless torso shifted, trying to avoid collapsing face-flat into the ground – he hit the floor with a heavy thud.
"Oh … ha," Noah breathed, adorning a bitter smile. When his arms were returned to their rightful place, the blonde man stirred from the ground and moved his gloved hand to the area of his chest that had rib fractures lurking underneath, "a part of that bone is … most certainly out of place now … haha."
Elizabeth immediately told herself she didn't care that Noah was freshly injured, but her effort to maintain apathy failed. His only crime was a quip – disregarding that, it seemed like he was reaching out to her in an effort to be helpful … or perhaps the more correct phrasing would be, making an effort to serve his … goddess.
A sense of regret, with a pinch of self-loathing, seized the brunette after several seconds of watching Noah slowly move onto his knees, pressing his palm against his own chest over and over with an odd look on his face – a look that managed to convey some pain, thoughtfulness and amusement all at once.
What musings filled his mind right now? Perhaps 'Is there any chance this will properly heal?' … 'Is there any way I can fix this … ?' Maybe his thoughts were more ominous than that. Maybe he was thinking: 'over time, she's going to break me into pieces over trivial offenses … '
Elizabeth used her powers to return Noah to a standing position. She watched a disoriented look come and go on the man's face, then their eyes met.
"Don't move," she instructed, lifting a palm. She used her supernatural sight to evaluate his internal injuries. The man was correct: one of the bones of his ribs – originally fractured from when she dropped him into a cliff repeatedly yesterday - was now quite out of place from this new fall injury she had forced upon him.
Within a second her powers had set the fractured bone piece back to its original location. She couldn't repair the bones, of course, but by putting them exactly where they belonged, they'd have a better chance of healing properly and less of a chance of irritating nearby anatomical structures.
Apparently the act caused an immediate change to the pain sensations Noah was experiencing, because he once more set a hand over the area of his damaged rib.
"Of course manipulating bone is within her power … she can drain from the heart … " he commented quietly to himself, those unfocused eyes falling upon her shoulder. The detail-obsessed side of Noah wanted to sit down and write a master list of all her known wonders and all the wonders he could theorize she was capable of based on their experiences so far …
"You deserve so much worse than I have given you – do not expect an apology," she advised with a neutral expression.
Reed's gaze returned to her as that telltale smirk resurfaced.
"I wouldn't want you to apologize," he revealed, "and I'll mind my words."
"… Good. – What did you want to tell me about Booker … ?" she asked – taking a moment to peer at her lover from afar. Apparently he was at a restaurant with Lillian. She felt a surge of irritation – why are they together … ?
"I've a few matters to address with you: the Bianchis, my agreement with Booker and Lillian. Are you aware Booker killed six Bianchis during a gunfight in Buffalo yesterday?"
"Of course."
"The one survivor – Benjamin Boyd – is a violent, well-respected member of the Bianchi mafia. He will be a problem. I would be more than happy to correct the problem utilizing my usual men, but Booker has developed a plan of his own. Booker wants me to ensure Boyd meets him at a safehouse away from civilians, so that they may settle their conflict whenever Boyd happens to return to New York City. The police apparently picked him up following the conflict … with Buffalo being outside of my realm of influence, I cannot say for sure whether Boyd will be in their hands for several hours or several days. But when he returns … Booker wants to deal with him personally."
" … Of course he does," Elizabeth sighed.
"I can appreciate that Booker wants to handle his own affairs … but, you mentioned you wanted to keep him from violence, and, if I'm being honest, it'd be a thrill to take care of Boyd myself."
"Oh would it be?" a puckish question – she was well-aware that having the man elaborate would bring out that malicious side.
And it certainly did. Elizabeth could see physical signs of excitement – Noah's hands clenching as he spoke ... a new intensity to his smile.
"I've had my eye on Boyd for a while – he's such a beast Elizabeth … a beast I can have a terribly fun time with, one who deserves a spot in my hound's belly."
Elizabeth was planning to comment on Noah's penchant for violence until the man brought up his dog. She froze for a moment … realizing she had left the German Shepard in the Grand Canyon somewhere. For over twelve hours.
"I had been meaning to ask," Noah spoke, excitement dimming once he noticed Elizabeth's perturbed expression, " … is Achilles still alive … ?"
"One moment," she murmured. Those space-defying powers were used to locate the hound. It took her a minute – but she found Achilles alive, hiding in the shade of a rock formation within the canyon. The creature was panting, lying on its side, seemingly desperate to cool off.
Elizabeth immediately placed Achilles back in Noah's cabin, providing him a fresh bowl of ice water.
"He's fine. I tried to put him in his place and cure him of his taste for human flesh … turns out he's more difficult to train than you are."
"That's my boy," Reed reacted – clearly proud.
The brunette folded her arms about her chest before announcing: "I'm not done with him; he is a work in progress."
"Elizabeth … I implore you, spare Achilles your … training. I enjoy him as he is. He and I have an arrangement, an understanding - "
" – that arrangement being … you kill people and then feed him their flesh."
"Achilles and I have been purging this city of its worst criminals long before you entered the game," he pointed out.
"Noah … you've already admitted to me you like killing others over trivial crimes, so please spare me the noble purpose dialogue. I've actually witnessed you flay a seventeen year-old over stealing two pennies."
The sadist disguised a laugh with the sound of a cough, followed by a clearing of his throat. He hadn't realized Elizabeth had witnessed that particular murder when investigating his past …
The sharp female was not fooled by the cough; she cocked her head, waiting for whatever excuse that was about to come out of his mouth.
"Well," Reed started with a whimsical tone, "he steals two pennies this year … four pennies the following year, who knows how many pennies in the year tailing that … best kill him before the economy collapses."
Elizabeth's lips twitched. She had almost smiled – it was likely a terrible omen that she found Noah's irreverent humor a little funny, on occasion.
"I see."
" … in any case, how do we proceed with Boyd … ?"
Elizabeth took a minute to muse it over before answering. Booker must be quite set on taking out Boyd if he asked Noah for help. And her lover had sounded so vulnerable during last night's phone call … clearly bothered by the happenings in Buffalo. Perhaps he needed to be the one that dealt with Boyd – needed a sense of closure with it all.
" … Let Booker take care of him. But … have some of your men nearby when the time comes, in case they try to ambush him. Be prepared to help him if he needs it."
"Understood. – I … pray our next subject does not offend you."
"You're perpetually offensive," Elizabeth clarified dryly, "the only real variable for our interactions is the amount of patience I have for you."
"Mm. – I request that you allow me to utilize Booker as my employee, as he and I had previously agreed," and Elizabeth's palpable irritation prompted Noah to continue, "I intend to assign him tasks that carry a minimal risk for violence – tasks where no bloodshed would be anticipated… if I ever consider perilous work for him, I would, of course, seek your approval before appointing him."
The annoyed female sighed at a dramatic volume. Of course she had no problem with disappointing Noah … but Booker, on the other hand, wanted the work and wanted to feel as though he was personally handling his own debt.
"This is a victory for all involved parties," Noah added, "I get to make use of Booker in return for paying off the remainder of his debt, he gets the dignity and comfort of having consistent work, you and Anna get to enjoy the financial benefits of Booker's newfound high earnings."
"Granting him high wages while also paying off his debt?" a leery observation, "how terribly generous of you."
Noah's sight focused directly on blue eyes as he declared: "I loathe that my goddess lives in squalor; being able to personally ensure a respectable income arrives to your home would be a comfort to me."
" … You've ... always imagined yourself becoming my provider, haven't you?"
"Since the day we met," a response without hesitation.
A few wordless seconds passed between them.
It would be Reed that broke the silence.
"To our last subject – Lillian."
"Ah yes … out of curiosity, did you really think Booker would betray me for her?"
"… If I answer that question honestly, are you going to drop me into a tree or steal my arms prior to tossing me upon the floor…. ?"
"Getting dropped into a tree will be a risk you take every time you open your mouth," Elizabeth assured.
"Then I suppose my best course of action is … " then Noah went silent and waved a hand just in front of his own mouth, as if to say: "to keep my mouth closed."
A pleased smirk appeared on Elizabeth's face.
"On one hand it's irritating you're refusing to answer my question, but on the other hand … I appreciate that you truly are capable of holding your tongue. I'm proud; we have come such a long way in the past twenty-four hours, haven't we?"
The only response she received was a small nod, and a slight deepening of the criminal's persistent smile.
"Tell me what's happening with Lillian … and you may also wish to include why I am expected to care."
Noah reclaimed his voice to say: "Boyd is familiar with her. He saw her in Buffalo, threatened her. I took the liberty of tasking Booker to protect her until they both return to New York."
"So," words delivered harshly, "after literally just informing me you would ask me prior to assigning Booker to a dangerous task, you instruct him to protect your little whore from a man you described as a violent beast without my approval… "
"I … genuinely anticipate no trouble. Lillian and Booker will be heading back to the city tomorrow, Boyd is likely in the hands of the police … even if the police released him relatively quickly, knowing the man … he'd likely focus on apprehending his original target – Milton Boudain – and defer pursuing Booker and Lillian for now. Truly… assigning Booker to her care was more of an effort to keep her calm than anything else. She was frantic, on the phone – "
"- Not sure I care at all what happens to your little whore, Noah."
"In the … truly unlikely event that Boyd somehow tracks them down … I trust DeWitt would be able to dispatch him quickly. He just killed six men … one more shouldn't be a bother."
"It's … strange," she said, "I keep thinking it over, and I keep finding myself not caring what happens to your whore."
"Oh, come now, Elizabeth," playfully scolding her, "she's blameless … terrified. It was admittedly my error, to send her there. -"
"- That is accurate – "
"- And surely you'd feel awful if something happened to her. She has ... kids. Two or three of them, I believe? I can't recall the specific amount … I cease listening when the women I bed start discussing their spawn."
An amused huff escaped the pretty female; she could not keep a humored curl from her lips.
" … People have actually used the word charming to describe you, and I … I just don't see it."
" … is that so? When you first arrived, there was evidence of tears on your face. Now I have you with a smile – a beautiful one."
The humor faded from Elizabeth's expression as her eyes drifted from the criminal. It did feel like a misplay to allow Noah to steal a smile from her … but, worse than that, her disturbing collection of anxieties from earlier were now starting to resurface. Once more she was thinking about the marks on her neck, and the puncture wound on her back that would not heal.
"What brought you to tears earlier … Elizabeth?" a serious question, "is there a problem I can assist you with … ?"
The questions caused a thought to pop up in her mind.
" … Booker's my lover, my friend, my champion, my hero …. and my heart," she said suddenly, but then her eyes found Noah's, "but you're … my expert on both criminals and … anatomy."
"Your songbird, as well," Reed added. Whatever the reason was that Elizabeth had started referring to him with that moniker, its usage seemed to suggest she felt a deeper connection between them then that of an employer and her knowledgeable employee. He was not about to let her forget that fact.
Another quiet moment between them.
Elizabeth touched her neck – the location of the purple bruises.
"I should not have these marks … "
"I emphatically agree," with an atypical abrasiveness in his voice.
"Not for the reason you're thinking," Elizabeth noted with a tone of her own, " … look at this and tell me your thoughts."
Elizabeth turned about, and opened a circular tear at the area just in front of her upper back … a tear that would allow Noah to see past the fabric of her dress and view the half-inch wide puncture mark in the center of her spine.
The tall man leaned downward to examine it.
The space-twisting female used her powers to observe Reed's expression as he leaned to look at her wound. An obvious irritation had crossed his features … Once more Elizabeth imagined Songbird's eyes shifting colors.
"I'd like to have a word with whoever did this to you," Noah commented – no question in his mind that this wound, perfectly centered along Elizabeth's spine, was present due to the actions of a man.
"Tell me your thoughts," the blue-eyed female repeated.
Noah's posture straightened, but he continued to stare at the wound on her back.
"This offends me – the mere sight of it is offensive. I can only assume, despite your power, you allowed a man who fancies himself a spine specialist to perform a spinal tap on you. The incompetent performed the procedure to your upper back, rather than the typical location - the low back. The reason this procedure is performed to the low back, is because one's spinal cord runs from here," Noah lightly touched his gloved finger against the base of her head, then he moved that finger to the uppermost portion of Elizabeth's lower back, "to here. Performing this procedure at the bottom-most area of the back eliminates the chance of inadvertently slicing one's spinal cord and causing paralysis. And, I'll take the liberty of informing you that even when this procedure is performed in the correct area, it has a high incidence of death. So you were the subject of a fool's experiment … and you are ridiculously fortunate to be both functional and alive at the moment."
Elizabeth mused on the blonde criminal's words for several seconds. The doctors who were attempting to apply an unremovable shock collar to her body had also intentionally targeted an area close to her spinal cord with a puncture procedure for some unknown purpose.
Noah would interrupt her thoughts with a question: "Why did you pursue a spinal tap … ?"
"I did not agree to this procedure," the troubled brunette admitted, folding her arms about her chest … as though to provide herself a hug.
There was a quizzical look from Noah – but he ignored the urge to ask the several questions that toiled within his mind. Instead, he commented with a small smile: "I'd be delighted to handle any imbecile willing to force an act of malpractice on my goddess … I'll remove him from this world if you haven't already."
The words struck more thoughts within Elizabeth – thoughts that seemed to become darker and more terrible with each passing moment.
The female took in a deep breath. While Noah's information was certainly a worthy effort, he was limited by his lack of knowledge of Colombia …
"What if I told you this procedure was performed at a place of advanced technologies? A place where machines can allow a doctor to see into the body … and minimize the risk of injuries to someone's spinal cord."
" … What place would that be, Elizabeth?"
She took in a deep breath, keeping her back toward Noah … Just the thought of 'Colombia' passing through her lips was summoning a sense of nausea out of her.
She chose not to answer.
When the tall criminal realized no reply was coming, he further elaborated on the crime committed against Elizabeth: " … Regardless of whether this doctor had sight into your body, performing the procedure to your upper back was still an unnecessary risk. A mid-procedure tremor of the hand, a sneeze … could have caused you irreparable harm. Unless the objective was to damage your spinal cord and paralyze you … then I suppose the location makes sense."
A spasm claimed Elizabeth's heart and mind. Would Comstock and his so-called medical team truly had gone to such lengths … ? Did they want to fully paralyze her … ? Partially paralyze her? Had she been less than a moment away from actually being paralyzed when Booker came to her rescue …. ? A yearning to be with Booker again suddenly filled her. She told herself she would never allow him to leave New York City without her again.
Apparently her body language, and her lack of words, had triggered a response from Noah. The man had taken a step closer to her, moving to set a hand upon her upper arm.
"There's no cause for concern, at this point, Elizabeth. If any damage had been done during the procedure … you would have already experienced the effects of it."
"Remove your hand," the brunette insisted quietly.
Reed did as he was told.
"There is a cause for concern, Songbird," she noted, "when do you believe this procedure was performed on me … ?"
The blonde criminal tilted his head. It had seemed rather obvious based off the limited healing of the wound that this procedure was performed in the past week … but her words suggested the obvious answer was not correct.
Reed once brought his eyes to closely inspect the puncture wound … Was there any cause to suspect this lesion was more than a week old?
"Have you fussed with it at all?"
"No."
"was the wound ever with a strange odor, leaking yellow fluid or warm to the touch?"
"No."
" … then I have no reason to evaluate this as being greater than a week old."
" … I've had this wound since the day we met, Noah."
"Elizabeth," with a sound that was both incredulous and mirthful escaping him, "how could that possibly be true … ? We met over several weeks ago."
"It's true, Noah," Elizabeth responded, voice devoid of strength. She was a little too perturbed by her own situation to care that the sadist verbalized doubt following her words.
" … Does it hurt … ?" he asked, straightening his posture once more.
Elizabeth finally closed the tear that had revealed her wound for Noah.
"No, it doesn't hurt," the female answered, "in fact I … forgot it was there until Booker recently made note of it. If I arch my back far enough … I can feel it a little."
" … Odd. It is by no means a horrific injury but … you should certainly feel its presence. Daily activities such as dressing yourself, lying down, leaning forward … should produce a reminder of this wound."
"The bruises of my neck … " Elizabeth started, finally turning to face the tall man, "I looked at the event during which they were incurred – the deed should not have led to bruises. So it isn't simply the puncture wound … My body is prone to injury, and I am not recovering properly."
" … Regrettable. – Allow me a moment to contemplate all of this," Reed requested, wrapping his arms about his chest. What a curious situation. He couldn't let go of the fact that the wound didn't hurt. Even in a place with advanced medical technologies and possibly medications he is unfamiliar with … the human body's function, if nothing else, should be the same. If Elizabeth's procedure was performed beyond several weeks ago … any drugs administered at the time should have been processed by her body with any effects long since passed, including painkillers and anesthesia. The only explanation for why a person with an ongoing wound that should cause pain yet doesn't is …
" … Elizabeth, you've demonstrated to me multiple times that you are able to see within the human body … have you looked inside your wound?"
Those words nearly stopped the troubled female's heart.
It didn't hurt.
She could go weeks without thinking about it at all.
The wound was only a half inch wide.
She had never thought to look inside.
That divine sight aimed at the exterior of the wound, but she hesitated to look directly into it. Anxiety was clawing at her psyche … was a horrible truth lurking within her?
Elizabeth was dimly aware that Reed was still talking.
"The lack of pain, the delayed healing … I have to believe a persisting drug, perhaps multiple drugs … are creating the peculiarities of your wound. An abnormal form of medication that is dissolving at a laggard pace within your body … "
Elizabeth finally looked inside, and she saw it.
For a moment she forgot to breathe.
" … it must still be physically present, still continuously exposing you to its effects, one of which being to numb the wound locally… perhaps the drug even has – "
There was a thin metal device directly inside the wound.
After a moment of feeling stunned, Elizabeth used her powers to remove the offending object. There was a flash of light between her and the criminal as the small, thin tube dropped through the air and landed on the ground with a small 'tink' sound.
"They put something inside me … !" she shouted loudly. Her breaths were coming quick, her body trembled as she held back what would have been a fearful sob.
"Oh, excellent," Noah responded with a satisfied smile, kneeling so he could pluck the extremely small implantation device from the ground, "we have our answer – it is a … what is this?"
"It's … it's a small device, it must dispense medications, at a slow rate ... like you suspected," Elizabeth's apprehension was transitioning to anger when she repeated: "they put this inside me!"
"Simply astonishing," Reed remarked as stood back up, "and now … I advise you to promptly put it back where it was."
"Are you insane?!" the vexed brunette asked, rage consuming her expression.
"We … both know the answer to that question," the criminal noted as he captured Elizabeth's eyes, "but one can be insane and correct."
"I am not putting that device back inside me."
"Elizabeth," Reed began, removing the humor from his voice and the smile from his face, "you have been receiving whatever medications that were inside this device constantly for multiple months. Abruptly ceasing drugs you've developed an affinity for can cause multiple disastrous reactions within one's body. Nausea - "
" – I am not putting that thing back inside me!"
" – heart issues, fatigue, aches, death in certain cases. Be rational, replace the device for the moment and ulgh– "
A word of gibberish left Noah's mouth when Elizabeth suddenly displaced his tongue.
Apparently he was not allowed to talk anymore. Reed set his hands on his hips, sighing, briefly wondering where his tongue was – he didn't see it within the room they were presently in. Ultimately the man's gaze settled on his emotional goddess's expression … one with equal portions of frustration and desperation.
"Not another word on the subject of returning that device into my body," Elizabeth insisted, eyes falling to the floor as she tried to calm herself down. She had been on the verge of screaming at the blonde man – viewing his recommendation as audacious rather than practical. The drugs were clearly affecting her health and her ability to heal while possibly causing other unclear effects, and he was telling her to purposely expose herself to them once more? Reed had no idea what Comstock had been willing to do to turn her into a merciless leader capable of large-scale genocide, and it was very likely whatever medications they had been putting inside her was yet another heartless effort to force her down that terrible path …
"You speak on matters you don't understand. I feel … I feel myself getting angry at you, and that should not be my focus, right now … What I need are answers, Songbird," she acknowledged, determined blue eyes venturing back to the criminal," … and if I am bound to go through withdrawal over these medications … then I cannot waste time. I am going to locate the men who did this to me, I will confront them and ask them my questions … and you are going to ensure my queries are answered very quickly."
Noah, with that smile, reached inside his suit jacket to pull a knife from a concealed shoulder holster. He bowed his head to her – an obedient gesture, and that's when his tongue was returned to his mouth.
"That will not be a problem," he assured, "I can be rather inspiring."
Elizabeth, watching Reed, felt a sense of satisfaction. While earlier she was doubting her ability to torture a desperate man, having Noah perform the deed seemed like such an obvious choice. She could look away from any bloodshed that left her queasy, displace her eardrums to avoid any screams that disturbed her… and simply let the sadist perform the work he was exceptionally good at.
The Dr. Harrison Powells of the multiuniverse's Colombias deserved such a fate.
Elizabeth used her powers to see across realms … seeking one of the remaining versions of the soulless doctor – the man who personally planned the surgical procedure capable of summoning a monster unlike any the world had ever seen.
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Dr. Powell was briefly going over some surgical notes within the operating theater – the massive stage within Comstock house where surgeries were performed.
It was a happy day: Comstock's men had captured Daisy Fitzroy.
The leader of the Vox Populi was finally within their grasp, and Comstock had decided she was to receive a lobotomy that very day.
Colombia could use some good news. Their Elizabeth had killed herself a month ago, after all. And she did it in a very dramatic, very public fashion, leaving Colombia in a state of shock and turmoil.
And now Comstock was working with his red-headed scientists to try to obtain another Elizabeth – an adult Elizabeth … with the plan of making it appear like their own Elizabeth had risen from the dead, much like Jesus himself.
The plan would likely work. Colombia was filled with simple-minded, easily-manipulated folk, and the surgeon would like to think his medical plan for an alternate Elizabeth would be more successful than the first attempt he had made with their own version.
Dr. Powell was cleaning the tools for the planned Lobotomy procedure when a tear suddenly opened up within the room.
A sense of alarm filled him as he watched two figures step through.
One blonde man, tall and muscular, shirt-sleeves rolled up and with a knife in hand. The other was a beautiful brunette in a blue dress, hands clasped together, with a cold expression on her face.
It was an Elizabeth … and a Reed. A still flesh and blood Reed.
The alternate Reed was glancing about the room with a thoughtful look on his face: "Mm. The air is different here … "
"You'll get used to it quickly," the alternate Elizabeth responded, before those stunning eyes moved to stare directly at the frightened doctor.
Christ, they had turned off their siphons after their own Elizabeth died … they only had one functioning siphon remaining in Colombia, and if it wasn't nearby … then this alternate Elizabeth had no leash at all.
"Eh … Elizabeth," the doctor stammered. Though she appeared calm, it was so clear there was a storm underneath the surface … a rage beyond anything he had ever seen in their own Elizabeth.
The words she spoke were terrifying.
"Dr. Powell, I am here because I have some questions for you … "
"And ... I know I am going to despise the answers you have for me … "
"But ... I guarantee this meeting will be significantly more unpleasant for you than it is for myself."
"If you fully cooperate … perhaps it won't have to be too painful for you."
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Gah! Longer chapter this time. There was SO much info dump in this one and not a lot of action … hopefully it was still a fun chapter to read.
Thank you sososososoosososososo much to the people that took the time to review. I was amazed and thrilled people are still interested in the story! I am a such slow writer and getting reviews is so, so motivating. Thank you!
Anyone who likes Noah or wants to see what I'd do with Cornelius Slate's character might enjoy chapter 2 of "The Manor!" I was using the manor to get back into writing sex scenes again and then Cornelius and Noah kinda locked horns unexpectedly in my mind.
Also, funny story, I cant believe how friggin popular chapter 3 of The Collector's Whore is. Apparently the public wants gangbangs with Anna.
TO MY REVIEWERS!
John Bell: Thanks for taking the time to give a shout out! So glad you've enjoyed reading it!
"I love it": Thank you! Hope you enjoy this longer chapter! Think Im gonna try to keep chapters around 8-10k words for the sake of my sanity.
Yuukaa: Thank you so so much for the kind review! It was super inspiring. Nice to think there's a lot of lurkers out there rooting for me! And it is incredibly touching to be referred to as one of someone's favorite authors. You rock!
I've never been big about establishing an amazing setting, its always about characters and their actions and their relationships with me. – I am posting on AO3 too but I am actually rewriting the chapters a little here and there as I post them there. Just some small changes! Anyway, huge thank you!
Wombatburrito : Thank you for your review! And I friggin love your name man!
31days : Ahhh you've loved it for years? That's so touching! Thanks for being here as I climb back in the saddle!
Iamskittles : Thanks for your review! Also, another username I love!
TheLifeLongEditor : Thank you Gordon for the repeat reviews! Honestly if it weren't for the nice reviews I had gotten on chapter 13 I likely wouldn't have come back, so you're part of the wind beneath my winds man! So glad you enjoyed the teaser chapter! Hope you like this one too!
Again, thanks everyone!