The Obsolete Protector

by M10m gas mask soldier

Upon being revived 10 years after being murdered by Sofia, Subject Delta has to fight his way back to his beloved master Eleanor. However, he is not alone. Upon being reunited, the two Alpha Series Big Daddies must get to their captured daughters before it is too late. Meanwhile, Eleanor wishes for Delta to be more than her father. Burial at Sea connections. AU BioShock 2.

5. Chapter 5: Eleanor's will

Ch. 5: Eleanor's will

A.N.:

Hey everyone!

Sorry about the wait. I was distracted by other things.

Anyway,

I did not realize that it was going to be this long of a chapter. I have a problem, I'm sorry. I like writing too much.

Right...so, we see Delta face his first Mass Production Big Daddy.

I will have the bonding time in the next chapter. I decided that Eleanor should play a bigger part in the story instead of the minor parts until the very end of the canon story.

As I said, this is AU.

Oh, before I forget, thank you to all who have been supportive! I appreciate it! I am just happy that people remember poor Delta, Eleanor, and their story.

Read and review if you want.

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Passing through the tombstone-like buildings of the decayed city in the submerged cabin of the train, I leaned against the side of the greenish interior of the vehicle with my right shoulder as I listened to the rhythmic thumping of the tram as it made its way along the uneven sections of track.

I reflected on the events that had transpired so far. I had died sometime around ten years prior. My bonded Little Sister, Eleanor, had been growing up in the care of her mother ever since that night. During that time, something had happened in Rapture. The majority of the city outside the train appeared to be in severe disrepair. As far as I could tell, the majority of the Little Sisters had been lost during the event and their protectors' corpses now rotted away in the flooding hallways of the war-torn metropolis. Andrew Ryan was dead. Sofia Lamb had taken control of the city.

The only reason that the city was still "alive" was because of the Rosie Big Daddies and their tireless maintenance work. Sofia had kidnapped new girls from the surface and created a new generation of Little Sisters for some unknown reason that somehow involved "paradise". The surviving generation of original Little Sisters had been turned into powerful, lithe, armored creatures called Big Sisters. The arms race in Rapture had brought a new model of Big Daddy into existence but it was an abysmal failure as far as I was concerned.

The fate of my brethren remained a mystery. I had come across evidence that at least one of my brothers was still alive. We had been abandoned by the city even before I was killed. "Impractical", they called us. The loss of their bonded daughters proved too much for those of my kind that had lived beyond the incident. In truth, an Alpha Series living beyond his bonded sister was rare in my time. We protected our daughters with our lives. In the rare cases that the protector was alive after the incident, however, the result was disturbing to witness.

I shivered as I thought of the fate I would face should I fail to get to Eleanor in time. Coma was a beautiful thought but I knew better. My instinctive drive to find Eleanor would drive me to madness for which death was the only solution. I only had a few hours left and I was still nowhere near Fontaine Futuristics.

Eleanor's beautiful face filled my mind as I peered out the windowless opening at the city going past me. Her marble-like skin, deep blue eyes, innocent face, and cute accent were enough to make anyone fall under her spell. She was rotting away in this place. I had to get her far away from here before it was too late.

I looked at my reflection in the surface of the left glass sheet. Subject Delta returned my glance. This monster was her only friend? Perhaps, I was already too late. My daze was interrupted by the familiar feeling of bliss. Eleanor's enchanting voice echoed through my resting form as she said, "Father, please do not think such things. You are not a monster."

I replied with an unenthusiastic grunt. Eleanor sighed before she said, "Father, we have been through this before. Just because they put you in this suit doesn't mean that it is who you are."

I let off a flat grunt before giving her a quizzical groan. She giggled before she said, "We are speaking through our link, Father. You can speak words."

Mentally face palming, I replied with a gruff voice, "Sorry kid, I forgot."

Eleanor huffed before she said, "I'm not a kid anymore, Topside."

I laughed dryly for a moment and then said, "Right...sorry. Eleanor...I..."

My daughter interrupted me as she assured me, "No, that was not your fault. Do not blame yourself for what happened Father. I certainly do not."

I asked, "Eleanor, why did you bring me back?"

Hurt filled her voice as she replied, "Father, you have no idea how much I have needed you all these years. Before Mother found a way to remove my conditioning, every moment was a nightmare. The happy world was gone and it would not come back. I was so scared...the only thing that allowed me to get through the day was to pretend that I was you. I thought that you would have wanted to be with me again..."

Alarmed, I assured her, "No, no, no. Sweetie please don't cry. Of course, I want to be with you again. Sorry kid, this is just all a bit much for me...please calm down...I didn't mean to upset you."

After a moment, she recomposed herself and said, "I'm sorry, Father. I'm just a little on edge right now."

I gave off an understanding grunt in response. As the tram passed by one of the many clear tunnels in Rapture, I observed a Rosie following behind a skipping Little Sister. Knowing what I was looking at due to our link, Eleanor said, "Father, you know that you need ADAM..."

I interrupted, "Yes, my little one. I know."

After a moment, she informed me, "Mother controls the ADAM, Father. To get it, you will have to deal with the new Little Sisters directly. By now, I think you have realized that they are made from me. Mother needed them but the process to create them was lost in the years following the Civil War. So, the new sisters are made from me, in part. I can feel them...they can feel me. However, I know how much you need their ADAM so I will let you decide how to deal with them."

I said, "I am not a cruel man, Eleanor. You know that. I will rescue them."

Curious, she asked, "How?"

I smirked slightly beneath my face before I assured her, "Leave that to me." Then, remembering my unknown brother from the train station, I asked, "Eleanor, at the train station, I encountered signs that another Alpha Series had traveled through there before me. Do you know anything about that?"

She was silent for a moment as if she was deciding how to word her response. I felt a wave of dread wash over me. I knew that my brethren would likely be in a bad way, but I refused to accept that all of them were otherwise incapacitated. After all, there were twenty-three of us. Surely, there would be survivors. Finally, she replied, "Father...I am so sorry...but...the only ones that I know of are...you and Sigma. Tenenbaum has Sigma doing something else for her but I can assure you that he is nowhere near you."

I grunted stubbornly. I knew what I had seen. There was another Alpha Series out there that was sane enough to be tactical. Eleanor thought for a moment before she informed me, "Well...there is...him...but it is very unlikely that he is still alive." I gave off an inquisitive grunt.

She explained, "You see, Tenenbaum returned to Rapture because little girls were being kidnapped near the sea. While she managed to rescue a few on her own, she realized that, alone, she could not stop Mother. Around that time, I made contact with her through the new Little Sisters. We have been planning on how to thwart Mother's plans ever since. We both agreed that we needed help against Mother and these fools that she has under her spell. Not only would the individual need to be strong enough to fight through the Splicers but they would also have to be a match for the Big Sisters and Big Daddies."

I asked, "You mean, strong enough to disrupt Sofia's ADAM supply line?"

She replied, "Yes, Father. Tenenbaum wishes to end the Rapture nightmare forever and I wish to escape and see the Sun. So, our goals are on the same path. We needed help from someone that would be strong enough to fight for us. There was only one person that I could think of: you."

Shocked, I remarked, "Me?! Appreciate the flattery, kid, but I am an old man for Christ's sake."

My beautiful Eleanor said, "Nonsense, Father. You are not as old as you think you are. Besides, you are Subject Delta, the strongest Big Daddy in the history of Rapture! We found your body and took gene samples. Tenenbaum removed your Protector Instincts and I worked out how to rig one of the Vita-Chambers to seek your signature. The Thinker in Minerva's Den helped too. Well, here you are."

I corrected her, "My instincts were only dormant. Not to worry, I reactivated them."

Eleanor was silent for a minute before she asked, "You...you...but...why? You could have been a free man, Father. Why?"

I replied, "I would do anything to protect you, Eleanor. If it means losing my freewill to keep you safe, then it is a small price to pay."

Through our bond, I could feel her blushing as she said, "F-Father..."

I assured her, "My beautiful daughter, I don't care what happens to me as long as you are safe and happy. Whatever you want me to do, I will do it no questions asked."

Eleanor replied, "I want you to reach me and take me to the surface just like how we always talked about doing, Father. I want to see it all...Paris, New York, London, and all those places."

I smiled beneath my armored face as I assured her, "You will, sweetie. I promise. Now, you were saying something about him?"

She continued, "Yes, Father. You see, until we could find a way to bring you back, we needed a friendly Big Daddy to protect Tenenbaum's Little Sisters so that they could bring her enough ADAM to mold your genetic structure as well as to keep it out of Mother's hands. There was still an Alpha Series that was in hibernation. Tenenbaum reactivated him and he spent about a month collecting enough ADAM for her to work with. At first, we only had him gather small amounts at a time so that Mother would not catch on to what was going on. However, she noticed the missing Little Sisters and began to watch the city like a hawk. We had no choice but to have him collect more ADAM each time. Mother thought that he was simply a rogue and merely sent her Splicers after him. Eventually, he had gathered enough and Tenenbaum was able to finish her work with your gene sample. Meanwhile, I had finished tinkering with one of the Vita-Chambers. Because of him, Father, you are now alive once more."

I asked, "So, where is he now?"

She replied, "I...he...I am not sure. See, Mother finally decided upon a more drastic measure. She sent a Big Sister after him. I have not heard any word from Tenenbaum since then. If it was him that had placed those rivets, then she has not told me that he is still alive. She probably did not think that it was relevant."

I asked, "Which Alpha Series is he?"

She replied, "I actually don't know. He didn't have a symbol like you do, Father."

Confusion hit me. Did not have a symbol? That was unusual to say the least. Every Alpha Series received a mark, even those that were not bonded to a daughter. Perhaps, the protector had received one, only for the mark to be erased by a combination of the conditions of his hibernation tank and time.

However, as much as I wanted to locate my wayward brother, I had more pressing concerns at the moment. I could see the silhouette of Ryan Amusements getting closer. I would undoubtedly encounter a Big Daddy and Little Sister within the theme park's walls. As much as I despised the disgusting hulking brutes, I was unable to offensively attack them due to my programming. So, for the moment, this old dog was chained.

I said to my bonded sister, "Eleanor, to get to the Little Sisters..."

My daughter interrupted me by saying, "Ah yes, the tin men, as you call them. I am sorry to throw you into harm's way like this Father, but we have to get the Little Sisters away from Mother...one way or another. Every drop of ADAM that gets to Mother only causes me more pain."

Alarmed, I let out a concerned grunt. She continued, "There isn't enough time to explain everything right now. However, know that the ADAM from those Little Sisters is causing me pain."

When she spoke again, her voice was different. Her tone was frighteningly cold and authoritative while all traces of warmth were gone. Yet, as she spoke, I felt nothing other than the desire to serve her unerringly. My freewill evaporated and I memorized her every word so as to follow her orders to the letter. My master commanded me with her icy tone, "Father, I am ordering you to disregard your combat constraints. From this point on, all that matters to you is my will. Do you understand Delta?"

I grunted in acknowledgement. However, she demanded, "Say it."

I replied through our link with a flat, deadpan tone, "I understand, Eleanor."

Satisfied, she informed me with her usual warm voice, "Oh, Father, you have no idea how...maddening ...it has been these past ten years. To have to...endure...being near these animals of Mother's flock. To have to listen to them ostracize you, my knight in shining armor: the strongest, bravest person that I have ever known and the man that I love, as a coward, a kidnapper of children, and a monster that defiled me. This is my will Father: make them remember, make them all remember...remember the man from the surface...the mighty Subject Delta: paragon of the Alpha Series. Make them remember you, Father. Make them remember the kind of man that you are."

I assured her, "I will, Eleanor." Her presence left my mind and seconds later, the watertight bulkhead for the train lowered to allow the train car to enter the building for Ryan Amusements. As I pushed myself upright to face forward, I noticed damage to the original power lines running from the rest of the city to the building. It looked like they had suffered severe damage during a possible firefight and then some time later, someone had attempted to repair them only to realize that they did not have the necessary parts so they simply ran new lines to jerry rig power to the building.

I cringed at the sight. Without the main power line pumping juice into the structure, the building would have sealed itself due to standard security measures designed to prevent the building from flooding. The builders had designed the measures under the pretext that the lockdown would last, at most, a few days or even a week. By then, the belief was that the Rosies would have repaired the structural damage and restored power to the building, thus, freeing those trapped inside.

However, the damage that I saw looked old and the repairs looked relatively new. I gave off a low-pitch groan as I imagined those trapped within the building slowly starving to death over a period of weeks waiting for help that would never come. No, I corrected myself, starvation would not be what finally claimed the survivors.

In a sick joke, the main threat in surviving a place like Rapture was actually hydration. Surrounded by water, and one of the most cherished substances in the city, second only to ADAM, was fresh water. What would have claimed the survivors long before starvation was dehydration. Even Splicers required the life giving substance. Only Big Daddies, Little Sisters, and now, I assumed, the Big Sisters did not physically require the substance to live any more than we needed food. The only thing we needed was ADAM.

Any protectors and gatherers present when the power was cut likely did not even notice beyond the protector having to drive back the panicked mobs. After their gathering session, they would have left the building, the Big Daddies through the airlocks and the Little Sisters through the vents.

As the train car surfaced at the station, I mentally cried out in relief as the relatively warmer air of the amusement park replaced the frigid waters that had been surrounding me moments prior. The layer of frost that had grown over my leather, canvas, and copper hide began to melt. As the train pulled into the station, I realized that the watertight bulkhead that allowed further access into the city was frozen over by enormous ice sheets. The train would be cut to ribbons! Acting quickly, I began to apply the brakes.

As I did, the voice of Sinclair piped through my built-in radio as he advised me, "Whoa there, now, better apply the brakes unless you're aimin' to dash yourself against that glacier up ahead." Seconds later, as the front of the train approached the ice, the brakes squealed and the train car came to a halt.

The double doors of the forward car opened. With blue electrical arcs dancing around my left hand and my drill at the ready over my right hand, I turned to my left and then started to disembark the train. As I did, Sinclair informed me, "As you can see chief, the station is iced over. To reach Eleanor at Fountain Headquarters, we'll need to clear the way. Now, in order to melt that ice, you'll need a plasmid like a handful o' hellfire."

By then, I had exited the train and was searching the station for supplies. Meanwhile, Sinclair continued, "We used to sell a fine old product called Incinerate! in the theme park up yonder. Go on an' find a way in—I've already been on all the rides."

Unsure about how to react to his strange sense of humor, I merely grunted in response. Examining the frozen bulkhead, I discovered that the cause of the ice was a ruptured water pipe. Since the pipes were unheated, a ruptured one would eject frigid water that frozen against any surface that it touched. I would not be able to brute force my way through it, even with my drill whirling at full throttle because the pipe would simply refreeze ice over it, possibly even entombing my drill beneath the new layers of ice.

With no alternative, I turned back to face towards the security door that led further into the building. However, as I passed the ticket boot to the right of the station, I noticed an EVE Hypo in the window. Deciding to make the quick detour, I entered the booth and used my Telekinesis to levitate the needle and then inject the substance into my IV port.

I shivered as the cold substance traveled through my body while the excess went into my EVE tank. Exiting the booth, I noticed the train schedule reporting display in the middle of the walkway just beyond the metal grated floor of the station. According to the schedule, the Atlantic Express was on its last legs. The only line that was still operational was the one that I was currently traveling along, and thanks to the ice now built up along the bulkhead, it was nonoperational.

I mentally sighed in disappointment. That meant that my chances of running into my brother here were nearly zero because if he had used the train, there would be a second train car in the station. Moving past the schedule display, I walked through the puddle of oil as I proceeded towards the metal security door.

The greenish, oxidized door had the name "Atlantic Express" on it. As I neared it, the watertight obstacle raised up to open as the sound of metal grinding filled the air of the station. Moving through the opening, I came to a large flight of stairs. At the top of the landing, I found what looked like the makeshift home of a Splicer next to a Vita-Chamber.

The Splicer's living area was constructed out of a large, flat shipping crate for the far wall, the remains of a wooden bench for the other wall, a canopy/roof constructed out of some kind of cloth, and a mattress for the flooring. On top of the mattress, I noticed an unopened can of beans and an open suitcase that had a sealed thermos of what was likely coffee sticking out of it. Candles lit dangerously close to the cloth canopy provided what little illumination and warmth that they could for the missing occupant.

Moving past the dwelling, I noticed a handwritten message painted on the wall with white house paint. It read, "We are but STONES to pave the WAY." I grunted in irritation. More altruist ramblings? There was a fine line between devotion and fanaticism.

The thought returned me to Eleanor. I loved her, but I was afraid that she did not really love me as she claimed. She may even think that she loved me. However, I was worried that she instead loved the "idea" of me. It was perfectly normal for a girl her age to want a male figure that they could see as the ideal for a mate. In other words, I represented what she wanted in a companion and in the years that I had been absent, she had built up an imaginary relationship between us inside her mind.

After all, our time together was short, not even a year. I never met Sofia before that night that she made me kill myself, but Eleanor convinced her mother to "sponsor" me in Dionysus Park to prevent Ryan and his men from being able to arrest me. The woman was brilliant. She sold me to the Rapture public as a hero and I gained enough of a celebrity status that they dismissed Ryan's outcries that I was a government agent.

As time went on, Eleanor grew attached to me. I guess I was everything that she wanted in a "Father Figure". I became a kind of surrogate father for her. Of course, this alienated Sofia's support of me as she had never wanted her daughter to have a father. Luckily, by then, Ryan had lost most of his interest in me as more pressing issues like Fontaine demanded more of his attention. Because of Ryan's discontinued interest in me, I was able to live in Rapture with Eleanor even without Sofia's sponsorship. However, certain events soon unfolded that led to our separation as well as putting us on the path to become what we were now.

By then, I had reached the main entrance to the park. On the wall before me, I saw another candle shrine with a piece of artwork that resembled a man with a butterfly for a head rising up like he was being raptured. Above the painting was the message, "WE WILL BE REBORN". Below the painting was the message, "She is OUR SALVATION". I wondered who it was that they were referring to, Sofia or Eleanor. I decided that it was likely Sofia that they were referring to.

Turning to my left, I saw another busted pipe that had amassed a large chunk of ice inside a pool of water. At the far end of the remaining path, I saw a Circus of Values vending machine. I did a quick mental calculation and decided that my tank reserves were near maximum capacity so I had no reason to stop. Instead, I turned to my right before I reached the machine to enter the room with the entrance to the park.

As I moved into the room, a Leadhead Splicer suddenly appeared standing on top of the remains of the clock tower in the center of the space. The man was wielding a Webley Mk IV Revolver and had a welding mask to cover his face. When he saw me, he cried out, "Clown, fucking clown!" The madman went to jump down from the pedestal-like piece of rubble that he was standing on. However, I electrocuted him with a blast of Electro Bolt and he fell backwards onto the hard, tiled floor.

Closing the gap, I rushed forward around the left side of the rubble. As I rounded the corner of the debris, I found him getting to his feet. Just before I was within striking range, he fired his revolver. I growled as the agony shoot through my body. Before he could fire another round, I swung my drill's razor sharp point into his face. The thin welding mask offered little protection and my drill's point easily penetrated the thin obstacle to crack open the man's skull.

To my amazement, the man side stepped me before I could deliver the final blow. The mask fell to the ground to reveal the horribly disfigured face of the Splicer. My blow had ripped open the front of his face to reveal the brain beneath. However, the man raised his revolver to fire again. Distracted by the obvious threat of my drill, the man failed to see my enormous gauntlet-encased left hand before I grabbed him around his neck.

Before he could fight back, I crushed his neck into powder with my hand by tightening my grip. Tossing the limp figure aside, I began to make my way towards the nearby gated entrance to the park. However, when I neared the brass plated entrance, an automated voice of a man announced, "Welcome to Ryan Amusements, insert your ticket now. Half-priced for children under three."

I mentally cursed. I would have to find a ticket in order to gain access to the park and the Incinerate! plasmid. Turning back, I noticed the advertisements for the El Dorado Lounge, the Park itself, and the Atlantic Express along the wall to my right. Beyond them, on the right, I saw the ticket purchase counters. If there was still a ticket to be found in this place, that would be the only place that they would be. It would be a miracle for a piece of paper to be intact after all this time.

Entering the area behind the ticket counters, I found that it was actually the Security Wing of the building, as indicated by the large yellow neon sign on the wall above the cabinets just after the left turn into the area behind the counters that read, "SECUIRTY MONITORING ROOM".

My radio activated as I entered the room. Sinclair informed me, "You're a rare old model son, -'Alpha Series', I believe. Now Rapture is full of scientific wonderments just like you and if we can sell 'em to the world at my price, curin' your condition ought to be a cakewalk. Once we find Eleanor...the sky is the limit."

So, that was his game? Collect samples of Rapture's unique products and then sell them to the world? No, that was too simple for old Sinclair. I was certain that he was working some other angle. People could call him whatever they wanted, but the man was as brilliant as they came. He did not have to be ruthless in his business like Ryan and Fontaine. He was so clever and good with people that he was able to escape public spotlight while making money just as hard and fast as he could. He was Andrew Ryan without the need for attention.

If he was planning to do something with Eleanor, I would break his neck! He might have been able to silver tongue his way with other people, but I was not a fool. My condition was irreversible. Once ADAM touched someone, there was no going back. Subject Delta may have appeared human on the outside, but the man beneath my façade was a monster; a freak of nature twisted by ADAM until it was unrecognizable. The surface would never accept me.

Of course, if Sinclair sold the genetic products of Rapture to the world, then the world would be consumed by the desire for ADAM just as Rapture had. No! No! I could not let that happen! The inhabitants of the surface world were Hell bent on destroying each other. If they got their hands on plasmids, it would be an Apocalypse on a biblical scale.

For now, however, I would have to play along with Sinclair. Continuing through the room, I scavenged through the desks and filing cabinets for supplies. Thanks to the cash register behind the ticket counter, I found enough money to give me a new total of two-hundred and thirty dollars. I proceeded to the corridor beyond the room. There, against the far left wall, was a secured arsenal of weapons.

Among them, I saw an unmodified machine gun that was used by my brethren. Curiosity hit me as to why it was here. No normal individual, Splicer or otherwise, could lift the heavy metal weapon. It was a Gatling design with four rotating barrels that were usually reinforced and had a compensator on the end to reduce recoil when my brethren possessed them. Chambered for .50 BMG rounds, the belt-fed machine guns were potent weapons that were useful at all ranges against any enemy. Even Big Daddies were vulnerable to the .50 BMG rounds, though the machine guns' slow fire rate kept them from being perfect weapons as the cramped confines of Rapture allowed experienced combatants to find ways out of the line of fire.

Turning away from the Security Inventory, I looked down the corridor. I grunted in excitement when I saw the Power to the People machine against the far wall. Rushing towards it, I began to decide upon how I would modify my drill. By the time that I had reached the green-lighted device that indicated with a sign that it was "Open for business", I had decided that I needed to increase the damage output of my drill. I was not an engineer, but, as I had been working with my hands since I was old enough to work, I knew that the drill needed augers to increase its power.

Moments later, my newly upgraded drill with large augers running uniformly around its round exterior just above the bit glistened menacingly in the soft blue light coming in through the glass window against the far wall. I laughed in repeated grunts as I briefly revved up my drill. Its thunderous roar filled the silent air of the area with noticeably increased fervor and torque. Unfortunately, the Power to the People machines were only useful for one upgrade. No matter, my upgraded heavy-duty industrial tool was now more than a match for the Elite Bouncers' precious drills with their fancy harpoon-like blades.

Moving downstairs past yet another Vita-Chamber, I came to a workshop. At the other end of the small workshop, I saw a locked security door. Beyond the door, through the cracked glass, I saw the door's electrical panel against the wall. The cracked glass had a hole that was just big enough for me to send a blast of Electro Bolt into the panel. Just like it had against the door in the train depot, my blast overrode the locking mechanism and the door opened.

Moving through the threshold of the unlocked security bulkhead, I froze as I heard the strange, almost robotic sounding voice of a Little Sister as she declared happily, "I'm a good girl Mr. B." My Protector Instincts surged in my mind as they waited for the queue to activate. Moving forward in a kind of trance, I came to a large window. Beyond it, I saw the little girl gathering from the corpse of a male Splicer. There was another man sitting perfectly still behind a desk up against the wall. I quickly realized that it was one of the park's automatons and returned my gaze to the red dressed child.

As I reached the window, I heard a Bouncer Big Daddy growl at her. I scowled beneath my armored face. What's wrong tin man? Got somewhere to be? The girl finishes when she damn well pleases, not when it conveniences you! Bullies! All of them! The Mass Produced Big Daddies were unfit protectors. They only cared about their charges when they were in danger. Otherwise, they pushed the poor little girls around like cowboys on a cattle drive.

I emitted a low-frequency call that her protector would not hear. The deathly pale brunette girl looked in my direction with her glowing yellow eyes. She must have seen me because, for a moment, she gave me a pleading expression before she hesitantly stood and left the corpse as she returned to the Bouncer as he swung his permanently attached drill and continued to call out to her in an irritated manner.

My Protector Instincts throbbed inside my head like a severe headache even after the pair's shadows disappeared from view. Why did the city favor those palookas? WHY? My kind loved our sisters! Those tin men treated them like garbage! I was going to put them back in their place!

Turning to my left, I saw a ticket on top of a copy of Sofia's book on a desk against the far wall. After retrieving the miraculously intact item, I began to exit the workshop. As I did, Sinclair said approvingly, "Jim Dandy. That'll get you in the park. But buyin' Incinerate's gonna cost ADAM. It's sort of a genetic goo that lets you rewrite whatever God gave ya. The Little Sisters carry the stuff, as you may recall-so you'll have to locate one. I heard whisperin' near the El Dorado Lounge. Have a look."

I groaned in irritation. How clueless did these people think I was? Just because I was old, that did not mean ol' Subject Delta was slipping. Besides, some of the Mass Produced Big Daddies were older than I was. Especially some of the Rosies, since their main goal was to maintain Rapture and so they were rarely assigned as protectors. No matter, I would continue to play innocent for them.

By then, I had returned upstairs. As I exited the room with the Power to the People machine, I saw that the Security Inventory had been broken into. The machine gun was gone and a Prototype Rivet Gun was leaning against the broken security glass. I saw that the weapon's exterior was severely damaged and a broken tip of a Big Sister's needle-like weapon was sticking out of the side of it. While it was likely operational, the prospect of getting an undamaged machine gun had probably enticed my brother to forcibly gain access to it. I felt a new wave of excitement. My unidentified brother had been here. However, he had likely already moved on.

One of Ryan's old security guards was examining the inventory by hitting the already compromised glass with his baton. The man muttered to himself about God and other things. He was so distracted that I was able to get within striking distance without him knowing that I was there. Just as I was about to pounce on him, the Thuggish Splicer wheeled around. Swing my drill, I struck the man across his wrinkled face. My blow staggered the man and before he could recover, I struck him again, this time completely cracking open his skull.

The Splicer collapsed in a heap onto the floor. Returning my gaze to the abandoned rivet gun, I studied it for a clue to its owner's identity. My brethren all customized their weapons a different way. As such, we could tell each others tools apart. Unfortunately, the prototype was so damaged that I could not observe any telltale marks that would have allowed me to identify the wielder. Groaning in frustration, I continued forward.

As I approached the exit of the Security Wing, I heard a man yell, "Listen up choppers! Get yourself hid. No fuck-ups this time!" I idly wondered if the Splicers were aware of the fact that ambushes tended to work the best when the participants did not announce their presence at maximum volume as I exited the wing.

Upon moving into the main entrance room, I saw three people scurrying to find cover as the same man yelled, "Daddy's home! Take aim! Fire!" The Leadhead Splicers began to fire their revolvers at me. I growled as the .38 caliber rounds impacted my form. Ignoring the pain, I rushed forward towards the nearest Splicer. It was a disfigured woman wearing tattered aristocratic attire. She was out in the open underneath the overhang of the main entrance.

As I neared her, I electrocuted her with a shot of Electro Bolt. As she cried out in agony while blue electrical arcs danced around her body, I swung the razor sharp tip of my drill into the side of her skull. As she began to crumble to the ground, I used Telekinesis to levitate her body out in front of my. Using the corpse as a shield, I moved towards the remaining Splicers in relative safety.

A Thuggish Splicer wielding a baton got between me and the levitating body. After I quickly dispatching the addict, I reoriented my shield to absorb the incoming rounds from three Leadhead Splicers. I rushed forward towards them. Seconds later, I had closed the distance. I took aim at the men and launching the bullet riddled remains of the woman. The corpse hit the men and they fell to the ground like bowling pins. While they struggled to stand, I quickly terminated them by stomping down on their skulls with my heavy, armored right foot.

I would need to find a first aid kit, as the fight had slightly drained my reserve tank. However, thanks to my use of the corpse as a shield, it was not an urgent issue. Returning to the entrance, I inserted the ticket into the slot on the machine just beside the ornate security bulkhead. The door rose up to allow me entrance.

As I proceeded into the park, I noticed a model of Rapture's silhouette on the far end of the pathway. As I approached it, suddenly, light illuminated a pedestal with the mannequin of a woman motioning towards it as confetti shoot up into the air. Music started playing as a gene tonic vial rose up out of the pedestal. Then, the recorded voice of the big man himself played over the loudspeaker system, "Greetings, my name is Andrew Ryan. Welcome to Ryan Amusements. Please enjoy the park."

The loudspeaker system continued playing the song of the park, though, occasionally, the unmaintained speakers garbled the sound. After I injected the tonic into my IV port on my left arm, I felt the muscles in my leg tighten while my joints loosened up. Sport's Boost, I realized. I laughed slightly as I thought, 'This Alpha Series just got even more agile.' Looking back down at the pedestal, I noticed a sign that said, "FREE SAMPLE! Get more at The Hall of the Future." So, the Gather's Garden machine was in the Hall of the Future? I would have to go there once I managed to find some ADAM.

Turning left, I walked towards the main part of the park. Having gathered with Eleanor here, I knew its layout. Turning right at the Vita-Chamber, I faced the main crossroads of the park. To the left on the floor that I was on must have been the Hall of the Future. To the right across the bridge was the gift shop. At the back was the corridor to the El Dorado Lounge. Downstairs at the very back was the entrance to the propaganda machine called "Journey to the Surface".

I remembered poor Eleanor being so frightened by the exaggerated sights and sounds along the propaganda machine that she could not continue her gathering, since she was in her artificial wonderland until that moment, until she saw me rev my drill and kept its thunderous motor running. It cost me an entire tank of fuel, which was not cheap to refill, but it was worth it to keep her healthy.

Moving towards the lounge, I ignored the displays that informed people of the history of Rapture. I had already heard them, several times, thanks to my curious daughter. My throbbing Protector Instincts demanded my attention so I became disinterested in the specifics of my surrounds as I made my way towards the lounge.

As I approached the entrance to the corridor that went to the restaurant, I saw a golf ball roll from the other end of the corridor. A woman called out, "Boy, help me find this scoundrel." Moments later, a female Thuggish Splicer wielding a golf club appeared as she went to retrieve the ball. After dispatching the woman, I continued towards the lounge.

I proceeded through the threshold of the security gate. There, in the path towards the lounge, I saw another red wagon with a jar of fireflies down by its back left wheel. In the wagon, I saw a vial of a gene tonic and another object. On the floor in front of the wagon, I saw the message, "Hope this helps" written in chalk. I began to approach it, but, once again, the feeling of bliss overwhelmed me. However, this time, I could still move and I made my way over to the wagon.

As my the edges of my vision became pink, Eleanor's enchanting voice filled me as she said through our bond, "Until you arrive Father, I'm trapped here—smuggling these gifts out is the most I can do to help..." Before I could respond, the feeling vanished as well as the pink edges around my vision.

Now that I was before the wagon, I was able to see that there was a drawing of myself on the floor and I was accepting a present from a Little Sister. I smiled slightly beneath my emotionless copper face as I looked at the chalk drawing. I briefly wondered if it was normal for a parent to be more affected by the little personal things that their children did for them than the big things.

I injected the tonic into my IV port and grunted slightly from discomfort as I felt the fibers of my arm muscles rip and then heal what felt like hundreds of times. Finally, the sensation ceased and I noticed that my drill felt incredibly lightweight though I could still feel it give me resistance when I moved my right arm. Though it might have been my imagination, I also noticed that the canvas skin of my arms was now bulging as if the muscle beneath had become more defined.

I was puzzled for a moment. I already had all the available tonics from the series called "Wrench Jockey". Perhaps, Eleanor had gained access to some powerful prototype tonics meant for Big Daddies. Contrary to popular belief, the real source of the Mass Produced Big Daddies' strength was not from their own bodies but from the life support systems on the exterior of their suits. However, like the rest of my kind, my strength came from my own body.

I had heard of a prototype line of tonics that were intended for the Bouncers before the scientists at Point Prometheus decided to go with the life support systems. What was it called? Drill Power, that was it was called. I had always thought that it was just an "office rumor" that such a tonic line existed. However, I realized, not only did the series exist, but also Eleanor had gained access to it. I smirked, as I was now just as strong as the standard Bouncer. I would need the advanced version to match the Elite Bouncer, but, for now, I was ecstatic that I was just as strong as the smug Bouncers were.

I was about to proceed into the lounge when I noticed that the second object was actually an Accu-Vox recorder. If Eleanor had gone through the effort of smuggling this to me, then it was definitely worth the time to listen to it. I bent down and pressed the play button. Seconds later, the voice of Sofia Lamb began, "In ethical psychiatry, we must..."

However, the recording became garbled for a moment. Then, I heard Eleanor's voice from when she was a child as she giggled before she said, "Eleanor Lamb speaking. Mum says I am not to play with the other children, because..." Her voice deepened as she mimicked her mother, "...they're being raised on a diet of dog eat dog." Her voice changed back to normal when she continued, "I wanted to see these dog-eaters...so I waited until Mum was gone...and went out to find one...and guess what? The dog eaters wear human skin...makes them look just like us!"

The recording ended. I mentally sighed. That had been the Eleanor that I had first met: the naïve, sheltered little girl that had been locked away from the rest of Rapture by her mother. She was brilliant just like her mother, but, even with her rebellious nature, she was stunted when it came to people skills.

I suppose that is what she had desired to learn from me before she had grown attached to me: my people skills. I was charming when I had to be because of my military experience, but, otherwise, I was crude in my dealings with people like every other working class stiff. It was not that I purposely used crude language around her, just sometimes, as when I was helping to maintain the infrastructure of Dionysus Park as my way of making it up to Sofia for putting herself on the line with Ryan, some things just escaped my censor.

Unfortunately, since in Eleanor's mind I "could do no wrong", she picked up a few less desirable phrases from me that no little girl should have known. I tried to correct her when I realized that she, like most children, was a walking recording device, but, by then, the damage had been done.

To my surprise, her new tomboyish demeanor was more sociably acceptable in Rapture than the uptight, aristocratic demeanor that her mother had instilled into her since the majority of the populous was working class. The workers of Rapture even found it charming that such a little girl acted tough just like I, the weathered navy diver, did. Of course, Sofia did her best to "reprogram" Eleanor but the little girl's heart was set on being just like me.

Moving forward, I made my way towards the lounge. As I entered the lounge, I caught Eleanor's scent in the air. My mind became razor sharp as I hacked the convenient Security Bot on the floor near the entrance. Meanwhile, the Bouncer was giving off its long-winded whale calls that echoed through the air of the lounge.

I made my way around the bar and, turning the corner, there, on the stage at the far end of the lounge underneath the yellow neon sign of "El Dorado Lounge", was the Big Daddy and the Little Sister. I was unable to smell anything other than the scent of the Little Sister but I knew that anyone else would be gagging from the awful stench of the Big Daddy pheromones.

The brute bent down to allow the Little Sister to climb down from his back onto the ground. Meanwhile, Sinclair was saying, "Now, that Big Daddy won't bite until you do, but to get to Lil' Sis, you'll have to put the old boy down for good..." I only vaguely heard my ally as I watched the little girl courtesy as she looked at the tin man. Then, she waved at him as she said, "Thank you, Mr. B."

As the little girl began to move around the lounge, I quickly studied my surroundings. In the center of the space, there was a large statue with pools of water on either side. To the right, was the bar area. To the left, there were booths, including a little side area immediately to the left of the statue. I smirked beneath my face. I could not have picked a more advantageous place to fight the big, dumb brute if I had personally chosen it.

Even still, I would have to be at the top of my game to take on the other Big Daddy. After making a trip to the Circus of Values vending machine behind the bar area to buy a first aid kit and an EVE Hypo, I returned to the pair. As I exited the side area behind the bar, the red dressed Little Sister suddenly veered towards me and began to skip along the edge of the pool of water.

I cringed. If I attacked the Bouncer from where I was, I would put the little girl in the line of fire. I had been hoping to put myself on the other side of one of the pools of water to counter the brute when he attempted to charge at me as an opening move. As close as she was, I doubted that I could get around the pair without alerting the child, who would then alert the tin man.

Luckily, the little girl seemed to be trying to help me despite her conditioning by noticeably slowing her pace just long enough for me to dart along the side of the bar and back towards the statue. As I waited for the perfect moment to pounce, the little girl again seemed to want to help me because she led her following protector towards the barrel near the bar that was leaking oil around its base. I waited for the girl to get as far away from the barrel as possible and then began my assault.

As my opening move, I sent a blast of Electro Bolt into the barrel. As the high-energy electrical arcs made contact with the metal skin of the barrel, the object exploded. The blast peppered the giant with shrapnel and further damaged him with the shockwave. Simultaneously, the explosion ignited the oil beneath the tin man's feet and the giant was soon ablaze. Giving off an enraged roar, the Bouncer began to turn towards me.

Meanwhile, my Security Bot chirped in alarm and began to pepper the armored giant with machine gun fire. The rounds, however, did little more than further enrage the tin man as they bounced off his modified Carmagnolle Atmospheric Diving Suit. With a single swing of his drill, the Big Daddy destroyed the bot, sending pieces of metal flying in all directions. With his numerous portholes giving off Hellish red light, the brute focused his attention on me.

Suddenly, the Little Sister cried out, "GET 'EM MISTER B!" Artificial, burning fury filled me as my Protector Instincts stormed full force into my mind. The frightened little girl had unknowingly activated the aggressive response of my Big Daddy programming. Hellish red light began to emit from my porthole.

Then, revving my drill, I let out an ear-shattering guttural roar that thundered through the entire park and even shattered the beer and wine bottles in the bar area. If there was a Big Sister in the area, I was certain that all of her attention was now on this fight. Good, I was giving to give her something to tell the rest of the protectors, the 'Rapture Family', and Sofia Lamb herself.

The brute charged towards me, but I electrocuted the water in front of him with a blast of Electro Bolt. The Bouncer growled as he made contact with the water. I charged towards him. However, before I could get around him to attack his only weak point, the tanks on his back, the protector recovered. Wheeling around, the brute smashed the side of his drill into my armored head, causing me to lose my balance and stagger.

Enraged, I roared loudly as pain shoot through my body. The giant attempted to bore into me, but I used my agility to side step his slow attack. As the brute attempted to recover, I got around to his back and sent my revving drill into the fuel tank for his drill. In the seconds I had, I managed to rip open the tank, causing a huge stream of fuel to impact my torso.

My attack backfired as the sparks coming off my whirling drill bit ignited the fuel. We both roared in agony as we were engulfed in flame. However, unlike the dumb brute, I had sense enough to extinguish the inferno around my body before any permanent damage was done to both my suit and my person by using the nearby waterfall coming down through the roof above the stage. However, the Bouncer merely allowed the inferno feed off the enormous fuel reserve on his back as the agonizing fire ate away at his person and the life support systems on his back.

With the flesh beneath the canvas skin of my suit tingling from the burns, I focused back on the damaged Big Daddy. By then, the blaze had consumed the available fuel and the crispy protector roared at me as he lifted his drill into the air. Realizing what he was about to do, I attempted to electrocute him. However, I was too late. Using his namesake attack, the Bouncer slammed his drill into the ground.

I was temporarily stunned and unable to dodge his attacks properly. Taking advantage of my temporary disadvantage, the mass produced model bull charged me. Unable to move, I could only brace myself by loosening up my form to lessen the damage that I would receive. The same principle explained why, in car crashes, the individual who was DUI was usually the one that walked away unscathed.

Throwing his entire body mass into me, the Bouncer slammed me up against the wall behind me. I grunted in misery as I heard and felt several of my ribs snap while I also heard the throne for my master when she was on my back crumple. Seconds later, relief filled me as the red liquid of the tank on my back filled my body and repaired the damage to my ribs. The brute retreated away slightly and then swung his drill towards me.

Roaring, I ducked down to dodge the attack. The brute's drill became embedded in the wall behind me. Quickly moving around the Bouncer, I pounced onto the brute's vulnerable life support system on his back. Swinging my drill twice, I shattered the tin man's kneecaps. As the sound of cracking bone filled the air, the wounded giant collapsed onto the stage as he roared in pure agony.

Lost in my rage, I forgot that I was in the presence of a child. Eleanor's pheromone signature was overwhelming my senses to the point that I felt the urge to dry heave. I heard the Little Sister cry out, "End my pain, Daddy! Please!" Eleanor? Wait, no that was a new Little Sister, not my daughter. Right? The Little Sister cried out desperately, "Unzip him, Father! Unzip him!" Eleanor! That was Eleanor! The Bouncer had my Eleanor?! Though it seemed impossible, even more burning rage filled me. I roared in unimaginable fury. NO ONE touched my Eleanor! NO ONE!

I placed my right boot on the back of the Big Daddy's armored torso. Then, reaching up with my gauntlet encased left hand, I grabbed ahold of the brute's life support system, which was the second tank on his back. Unlike my kind, who could still "breathe", if our metal lungs were compromised, with the ones that we were born with, the Mass Production Big Daddies were grafted into their suits. Therefore, if their external lung was compromised, the brutes would die nearly instantly due to both the shock and the obvious reason.

However, for it to work, the tank had to be more than just punctured. Grunting as I exerted my new muscles, I pulled up on the tank. The Bouncer pinned beneath me flailed his arms like a defenseless tortoise. Had the tin man been able to swing his drill, he would have flipped himself over. However, the drill was still lodged in the wall and the awkward angle of his position prevented his other arm from being able to roll his enormous bulk over to dislodge me.

Finally, with a nauseating, sick, wet popping sound, the Bouncer's tank began to succumb to my assault. Blood began to shoot out of the sides of the tubes that connected the tank to the giant's back. My hearing was replaced by ringing as the Big Daddy's agonized cries overwhelmed my ears. With one final exertion, I forcibly detached the tank from the Bouncer.

I stumbled backwards with the tank still in my left hand for a few steps. Then, regaining my footing, I stopped. Throwing down the tank, I looked back at the essentially eviscerated Bouncer Big Daddy. The portholes were black and the giant was completely still. Still overwhelmed by rage, I stomped over to the lifeless protector. I placed my right boot on top of the armored hide of the giant. Then, after inhaling deeply, I let out the loudest roar that I had ever given off as I smashed the side of my drill against my armored chest repeatedly.

My roar vibrated the very walls of the building as it rocked the air of the park. I would not have been surprised if all of Rapture heard me. It was a message to all those who dared to get in my way. Subject Delta was not a frail old man! I was the paragon of all the Big Daddies! I was the boogeyman that haunted the nightmares of anyone who dared to consider hurting my beautiful Eleanor.

The Alpha Series were NOT dead! I was back! Me! Subject Delta! I was going to make them pay! I was going to make them all pay for leaving me and my kind to rot! When I finally ran out of breath, I collapsed onto my hand, drill, and knees. My calm, rational mind returned as I gasped for air while I continued to stare at the hardwood floor with the three sections of my oval eye.

Suddenly, a shadow approached me. Lifting my bulk up to identify my new assailant, I came face-to-face with the Little Sister that had just witnessed me heartlessly and brutally kill her "knight in shining armor". Shame and guilt began to overwhelm me but, suddenly, the Little Sister reached forward with her left hand.

She placed her tiny pale palm gently against the side of my armored head. Meanwhile, I noticed green light against her tiny body. My visor must have begun to emit green light instead of the typical golden yellow or Hellish red. Confusion filled me as I attempted to understand what was happening. I got my explanation seconds later when the little girl addressed me, "No, Father. You are my knight in shining armor. I knew you could do it!"

Shocked, I let out an inquisitive grunt. The pale girl smiled, the traces of ADAM in the corners of her mouth being the main indication that she was because her tiny lips were nearly translucent, as she nodded. As I scrutinized her glowing yellow eyes, I saw it: that sharp edge of intelligence and strong will. It was Eleanor. She must have been somehow controlling the Little Sister. She motioned for me to stand. Smiling, I pushed myself to my feet.