Author's Note: Greetings my wonderful Splicers and Protectors. It is I, Bladed Raptor bringing you all a wonderful chapter of the newly revamped Bioshock: A Brother's Love. I do apologize for the long wait my dear readers and I promise you that there will be more to come for I have not given up on this story as of yet. More importantly I understand what's going on out there due to the rising issue of Covid-19. For those who are suffering out there I give you my condolences and hope that every single one of you are doing your best to stay safe during this crisis and to hopefully remain calm. Don't let fear overtake any of you my friends because at the end of the darkest days there will always be light on the other side. For now spend time with your family, keep in close contact with friends and relatives that aren't living with or near you, practice social-distancing, and stay safe and healthy when going outdoors. We'll all be able to get through this and one day we'll look back at this event and be able to prepare ourselves. I've already lost some friends because of this virus and I know some of you may have as well so don't feel alone out there. Let's all be there for each other my friends. For now, I hope you all enjoy the latest chapter, please stay safe out there and hopefully I will see you all next time.
Arc I: Loyalty or Servitude
Chapter I: A Protector's Duty
-Outer Persephone, Medical Ward-
"Come on Lailla, she's this way!"
"Wait for me Lizzie, I'm not that fast!"
Two Little Sisters were busily and happily running through the halls of Persephone, passing by some workers and even fellow Little Sisters. While the two girls were categorized as Gatherer's of the Rapture family, they didn't bear the same light grey skin and glowing yellow eyes like the sisters they passed by. While they did endure the mental conditioning like so many other little girls, they had yet been implanted with the ADAM slugs giving them their still human characteristics. The one in the lead was about nine-years old and a bit taller than her counterpart and had freshly combed scarlet hair along with a cute looking purple dress. The other was only eight years old with nice black hair styled into a pony-tail and wore a rosy-pink dress. Both sisters looked as if they were in a hurry and didn't seem to be concerned about those they passed by and simply made a beeline towards the examination section of the area.
Taking a sharp left, the two continued running down the halls until finally came up to a particular room that they had been looking for. Before either of them could rudely enter the medical room to see the individual they've been looking for, both sisters heard voices emanating from the room which had gotten their attention.
"Can you explain to me how fighting twelve splicers while defending a little one was the best idea in your head instead of, oh I don't know, running away with her?! Right now I'm wondering if you also suffered some brain damage with your wounds Blake." The voice of an older woman said from within the room.
"Oi! It's not my fault this time, honest!" The voice of a young man nervously replied
"Not your fault?!"
"Look, it was not a big deal. I'm fine, honest."
The two sisters peeked inside of the room with curious eyes to see a woman glaring angrily at a young man that she was tending too. She was wrapping his head with a thick set of bandages but it didn't stop him from hanging his head in embarrassment as she continued scolding him. This was Frieda Belton, a woman in her early-forties with cream skin, black jaw length hair which was styled into a bob cut, light brown eyes paired with a pair of circular framed glasses and a doctor's attire. The outfit consisted of a buttoned-up white, black pants and a white medical overcoat. The only thing that contrasted from her outfit was the pair of white slippers she was wearing.
Sitting in the chair before her was the individual who she referred too as Blake, a young man in his late-twenties with pale skin, scruffy black hair, and a sickly yellow eye with a bag under it giving him a tired look. He was wearing a buttoned up white shirt paired with a black blazer which was smeared in blood and it's left sleeve was torn off, black trousers which were slightly charred in certain areas, and light brown dress shoes. It was also noted that the upper left portion of his head was covered in a thick set of bandages which also covered his left eye and the same could be said about his left hand.
"Really now?" Frieda said while making sure the bandages on his head were tightly wrapped, "Because you coming to Persephone in such a condition tell's another story dear."
"Look, if you were there you'd understand that I didn't have a lot of options, mum." Blake explained with a nervous smile in order to diffuse the situation, "I mean...I managed to get the kid to safety before things got worse and I didn't die as well. So...win-win."
The doctor let out a stressful sigh which she had been holding in ever since this conversation had started. A part of Frieda really wanted to strangle the man for his reckless behavior but she couldn't fully blame him. While his behavior was indeed reckless he did manage to save a Little Sister when her protector died and did what he thought was the best course of action at the time. Though despite his actions she wasn't going too let him off without giving him a piece of her mind, but before she could scold him even further, the pitter-patter of footsteps drew the attention of both adults.
"Mama Frieda, Mama Frieda!"
The energetic, child-like voice caught the attention of both adults as they turned to see the little girls running into the examination room and making a beeline for the doctor. The woman simply smiled warmly at the two girls as she crouched down to their level to greet them.
"Why hello there girls. Do you need something?"
"Lailla broke her doll of Mr. Bubbles again." The older sister, Lizzie said to the woman.
"Did not!" The younger sister, Lailla shouted in response.
"Did too!"
"Girl's, girl's there's no need to fight." Frieda insisted, drawing their attention as she turned to Lailla, "Lailla?"
Upon hearing the doctor utter her name, Lailla lowered her head and the woman could tell that the girl was easily embarrassed. Placing a hand on her head, the woman smiled warmly, reassuring her that everything would be okay and this seemed to ease the girl's concern as she revealed the small doll that she kept hidden from the woman. It was a makeshift doll just like many others she had seen, but while the craftsmanship was poor it still brought out the girl's creative mind which the woman did smile upon. On closer inspection she also noticed that like Lizzie had said the doll did need some repairs as the threading on it's left arm had come loose allowing stuffing to fall out and there were also several holes embedded within it as well.
"Oh my, how terrible." Frieda gasped in surprise but it was quickly replaced with a smile, "Don't worry Lailla, I'll fix him up until he's good as new for you."
Lailla smiled happily after her response and the same could be said about Lizzie as she handed the doll over to the woman who gingerly took it from her care. With that, both girls started to grab hands and bounce about in excitement, saying words of wonder towards the doctor due to how kind and nice she was with every Little Sister that came her way. Picking herself up and smiling at the two energetic girls, Frieda turned to Blake who had been watching the scenario play out in front of him and flinched when he felt the woman's gaze land on him.
"I'm sorry for asking but do you mind watching over them while I fix this?" She asked while making her way to her desk in the far end of the room.
"Not at all mum." Blake said with a grin before setting his eyes on the two girls, "Hey girls, wanna see a magic trick from big bro!"
The two sisters immediately turned to the man with excitement written all over their faces and didn't waste a single second running over to him with giggles. Blake smirked at the girl's enthusiasm as they sat right in front of his chair with anticipation and the man raised his non-bandaged hand in the air. With a flick of his wrist, he easily summoned a ball of fire in the palm of his hand which allowed both girls to marvel at the flaming orb. They watched as the ball of flame hovered in his open palm and began to flicker for a moment as its form slowly changed right before their innocent eyes and in a matter of minutes, the ball of fire transformed into a small flaming rabbit in Blake's hand which bounced around.
"Ooh, it's so pretty!" Lizzie gasped as she focused solely on the rabbit.
"Look at it bouncing around. It's so funny!" Lailla laughed as she clapped her hands in delight.
With the two distracted by Blake and his 'magic tricks', Frieda was able to focus on fixing up Lailla's toy without any distractions. Opening one of her top drawers, the doctor pulled out a sewing kit which she casually opened and took hold of a sewing needle and a bundle of thread which she's used to fix many of the dolls that the little girls brought her. As she began repairing the doll, Frieda couldn't help but think about the little girls and their life here in Rapture. If this was anyone else, Frieda knew that they wouldn't take the time to help these girls or at least make them feel at ease. She knew the situation with these little girls and what each one of them were bound to be while they were down here, but it still didn't stop the woman from her work nor did she view them as monsters like many others had. Grant hated the method that Sofia Lamb had enforced in order for Rapture to rise and become a glorious utopia and while she was a member of Lambs circle, the thought of kidnapping little girls from their families on the surface and using them for the Gatherer project was utterly despicable to the woman. Yet despite such feelings she had for the girls there was nothing she could do to stop these kidnappings or persuade Lamb to an alternative. For the time being Frieda just had to be there for these girls and help them whenever they desired it. No matter how big or small it may seem, Frieda had taken it upon herself to treat each of the little ones right and be somewhat of a maternal figure for them until the processing and conditioning changed their views on such...taboo. Sewing up the last of the holes on the doll, the doctor gave the small object a quick inspection and smiled when she saw that it was good as new. Nodding in approval, she placed her tools back into the sewing kit and turned her attention to the little girls who were deeply invested in Blake's magic tricks.
"Lailla, Mr. Bubbles is fixed now." Frieda said, holding out the newly repaired doll.
Lailla and Lizzie turned away from Blake who had started a makeshift puppet show of animals made entirely out of fire though extinguished the flaming animals immediately when the two scurried over to the doctor. Crouching down, the woman held the doll out to the girl, watching as she eagerly took it from her hands and gazed upon her newly repaired doll. Seeing no rips and tears or any other damage did Lailla giggle happily and stare at Frieda before hugging her which the woman happily returned.
"Thank you Mama Frieda." She said happily.
"Mama Frieda's the best Mama there is!" Lizzie cheered happily and turned to her younger counterpart, "C'mon Lailla, let's go play now."
"Okay!" Lailla replied, removing herself from Frieda and waving by to the doctor as she and Lizzie ran off, "Bye Mama! Bye Big Brother!"
"Don't do anything crazy now squirts!" Blake shouted, watching the two run out the office in a fit of laughter, "Heh, kids. Can't help but smile at their innocent behavior."
"Sadly, they're unaware of the horrors that await them."
Blake noticed the tone shift in the room and turned to Frieda who's joyful expression upon seeing the two girls had turned to grief as she stared at the door. He knew what was going on through her mind and he couldn't blame her for how she was feeling when it came to the little girls.
"I sometimes wonder if this underwater utopia that some claim it to be is secretly cursed. That the people who try to take charge or have some form of power are always corrupted due to this damn city. So many people have come here to better themselves and start new lives, create a family, and find some way to prosper but instead of paradise...there only came war, disease, destruction, and death." Frieda said bitterly, removing her glasses for a moment in order to wipe her eyes, "Now people like us are continuing the cycle that Andrew Ryan had made and I can't help but wonder if it's for good intentions or bad"
"Well, what can we really do?" Blake retorted, leaning forward on the chair as he eyed the woman, "Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine have already left their scar on the city after their long war against one another. With both of them dead, Sofia Lamb is left to pick up the pieces before her and is reshaping what Rapture used to be and she has a ton of followers who would die for her cause. I'm not too keen on her kidnapping the girls on the surface, separating them from their family and forcing them to reside down in this hell hole so they can become the new Gatherers. But what can we really do to change her mind or stop her? Right now, you're either with her or against her and we see what happens to those who're against her."
"I know, I know." Frieda sighed, placing her glasses back on, "But, I just can't spend another minute watching as these young girls are turned into the new Gatherers. Some of them don't even look at me anymore once they're put through the process and it breaks my heart knowing that I used to care for these children like they're my own. This is the only reason why I decided to work in Persephone. Not only to operate on Protectors that are heavily damaged, but to also care and watch over the girls who were taken from their family. It's the only thing that I can do really."
"And you're a saint for doing such a thing for these girls mum."
Frieda glanced up and noticed the cheeky grin on Blake's face. The woman couldn't help but chuckle seeing how he tried to cheer her up and even if she didn't want to admit it, he was doing a fine job in keeping her spirits in check. Before she could reply however, the sound of metallic boots clanking heavily on the metal surface had caught the attention of both adults as they turned to see a Big Brother barge into the room with a panicked howl. The two were rightfully startled as they gazed upon the armored individual, noticing immediately from that from the particular armor that he wore that this was Epsilon though his body language was something that concerned them. His porthole shining a bright, ominous orange as he entered the room and his body armor slightly damaged from whatever situation he had gotten into but on close examination they noticed that he was holding something.
Or rather someone.
In the Brother's arms was a Big Sister and a heavily incapacitated one at that. Her armor was severely damaged as pieces of it were either charred or bullet indentations. There were even some areas which were pierced by bullets given the small holes on the armor. Her helmet was badly dented along with a small hole on the side of the helmet and a badly cracked porthole. Even her oxygen tank was destroyed given the gaping hole on it. Her body was the most horrific as her undersuit and even her skin was badly burnt while the skin exposed on her left side was almost gone leaving muscle and burnt metal attached it. Her right leg however also left an impression on the duo as it stuck out at an awkward angle with her shinbone completely exposed and broken in half.
"Oh god," Frieda gasped, staring at the mangled form of the lithe protector in Epsilon's arms and quickly went for her medical equipment on the other side of the room, "Epsilon, lay her down on the bed, Blake help me gather these tools and prepare to get your hands dirty."
Blake didn't respond but quickly followed suit with those orders as he followed Frieda while Epsilon went over to one of the empty medical beds. Placing the Sister down as gently as he could, took a minute to inspect the downed protector in the light of the medical room. He hadn't gotten a good look at her when he first saw her but now he saw the extent of how badly wounded she was. Her bodysuit wasn't in great condition as burn marks and tears exposing pale skin underneath were noticeable on the piece of fabric and he could see that even her skin had damage from the scuffle she had. Out of curiosity to know who he saved, Epsilon reached over to collect her left hand and brought it up to his line of sight to inspect her Protector number. His eyes then scanned the plate of steel on the back of her hand revealing a symbol but given how badly damaged the plate was, he could barely make out her name. The brother gave out a disappointed growl and gently placed her hand back on the bed and decided that removing the armor was his first priority. With that in mind the Brother wasted no time as he reached over for the Sisters helmet.
Popping the latches on the side of the helmet, Epsilon gave the helmet a slight tug in order to remove the armor piece though he noticed that it didn't budge. Seeing that it was probably due to the damage it received which made it harder to remove, the Brother was careful to not add unnecessary force as he gave the device a strong twist and with a hiss he managed to remove the heavy piece of armor, allowing locks of black, shoulder length hair to fall out. Quickly snatching the pillow on the bed and placing it under her head to allow comfort as she remained unconscious, Epsilon examined her face. Her skin was deathly pale as if she had not seen the light of day in her entire life and he noticed that her lips were half open as she seemed to be taking ragged breaths due to the pain riddling her body and he noticed her sharp canines along with a small trail of dried blood led a path out of the corner of her mouth and down to her chin.
Epsilon would have taken a moment to inspect the face of the unconscious Sister but he was more focused on removing the rest of her busted armor. Gauntlets, chest piece, oxygen tank, harvester, armored leggings, diving boots; Epsilon made sure that every piece of gear was removed from the Sister and tossed into a pile on the other side of the room. Once she was left in her diving suit, Epsilon didn't hesitate to tear the garment off of her form, leaving the teenager bare for everyone to see her glory. Tossing the now useless bodysuit aside, Epsilon inspected the Sister and saw the extent of her wounds as her body was in dire need of medical treatment given the burn marks, bullet wounds, and bone exposure.
It was then that Frieda had made her way over to her patient, now sporting a pair of medical gloves and surgical mask with Blake in tow as he was pushing a cart filled with needles, syringes, scalpels, pliers and other devices which were going to be used. Backing away slightly to allow the two some room, Epsilon watched as the duo began setting to work on the unconscious Sister which left Epsilon to watch in silence as the two desperately tried to mend her wounds.
Under normal circumstances the Brother would be roaring furiously and hovering around those who would try and restore any wounded Protector back to full health and wouldn't leave their sight even for an instant though these two were different however. He knew them, Frieda especially and had trust in the doctor knowing full well that she would do everything in her power to make sure that his fellow Protector wasn't in any life threatening situation. Despite having such trust in the individual Frieda however, Epsilon still worried for the life of his fellow Sister and thus he watched in silence while recalling everything that had happened prior to his arrival to Persephone.
-Pauper's Drop-
-Moments before Epsilon's Arrival-
Epsilon navigated his way through the main sector of Pauper's Drop via buildings and nearby statues that littered the area rather than sprinting down the roads. After being ordered too return to Persephone, the armored teen wondered what Sophia Lamb wanted given that he was meant to watch over each sector of Rapture. Leaping off a rooftop, the protector found himself suspended in the air for a moment before reaching out and grabbing hold of the arm of a broken statue. While still having momentum he targeted the closest building he could find and rotated his body in a way that allowed him to gain more momentum before propelling himself off of the glorified decoration. Flying in the air for a few seconds, the armored figure landed on the roof with ease and he took a moment to survey his surroundings. As much as he enjoyed jumping around the sector like a predator on the hunt for his next prey, Epsilon knew that he needed too obey the orders given to him and find a route that would lead him to an airlock that could take him out in the murky waters. Once outside he would have an easier time navigating his way towards Persephone without any trouble.
The Brother hummed softly as he surveyed the surrounding area and noted how silent it was. Normally silence was a bad sign within Rapture too majority of its denizen unless something was either dying, or the heavy sounds of protector boots were heard. In this case however, Pauper's Drop was the exception to this as the denizens here, despite being Splicers, acted differently. From time to time you would have your occasional, ADAM crazed Splicers, turf wars, and 'Tin Daddy' hunts within the area, though there were some Splicers who seemed to know their place as they stayed away from the Protectors. More importantly, with the new rising power of Sofia Lamb and her laws, splicer violence has varied from time to time. Though Epsilon tried not to dwell on such irrelevant matters since he cared very little about splicers. Whether they have sided with his mother or not didn't matter to the brother. If any of them attacked any of the protectors that roamed Rapture, himself for the most part, but also the growing world that his Mother was ushering in this dying city then he wouldn't hesitate to bring a swift end to their lives. However, if any of them lay so much of a finger on his innocent little sisters or so much as look at them with their Adam hungry eyes, then he would make sure that they endure the most excruciating pain that none of them had ever experienced before granting them death.
Before the protector could continue forth, a loud ferocious roar had drawn his attention. The bellowing sound was quickly followed by gunfire, metal being torn, and explosions. The protector turned to see the explosions nearby and was hesitant for a moment as he pondered whether to help the protector and his charge from whatever was attacking them. While it was his duty to assist protectors from splicer attacks, the words of Sofia Lamb, the Mother of Rapture, echoed deep in his mind after the recent conversation they had.
"You are to return too Persephone immediately. Do not dawdle Subject Epsilon."
And Mother's words are absolute.
He did not want to upset the woman nor face her wrath for not following orders. More importantly this sector would still be under watchful eyes of another of Raptures fabled protectors. While the Big Brother was indeed a terror in the eyes of many the same could be said about his counterpart, the Big Sister. Each sector had its own malevolent guardian watching over everyone and everything and like many others he's encountered, he was certain that the Sister in this sector could manage things while he was away. The Brother turned away from the smoke and prepared to continue his journey to Persephone. But...
"SHRIIIIEEEEEEEECCCCCCKKKKKK!"
A very familiar and all too discerning sound echoed through Rapture caused him to stop. Not even a second after the sound was followed by a shriek laced in terror. Those very sounds were enough to cause his yellow porthole to glow crimson instantly as the order Sofia Lamb had given him moments ago was immediately disregarded. While any order from the Mother of Rapture was absolute, even she couldn't get in the way of his instincts when they kicked in. Propelling himself from the roof and landing on the streets with a heavy thud, Epsilon ran faster than any Protector could ever move as he navigated his way through the streets of Pauper's Drop.
Don't waste seconds! Protect them from danger! Eliminate the threat!
Those very words he was conditioned to follow echoed through the Protectors mind as he raced towards the source of the cry while releasing a blood curdling howl that warned anyone nearby to stay out of his way. Cutting a corner to where the distinctive cries were coming from, Epsilon came to a screeching halt and stared at a sight that caused his blood to boil. A group of three splicers cornered the Little Sister near the Fishbowl Diner without having to kill the Big Daddy accompanying her. Speaking of the Protector, the Rumbler Daddy simply stood there with its green porthole glowing without so much of a warning to the Splicers and was flanked by another splicer. While he would normally question and wonder why the protector was standing there and allowing the vermin to get close to his charge, his attention was focused on the Big Sister lying at their feet.
The sight of one of Rapture's beloved Big Sister's lying motionless on the ground caused something to snap within Epsilon as his crimson porthole glowed even brighter due to his rising anger and the Protector roared furiously at the group of Splicers. The powerful war-cry shook the entire area, causing the splicers to cover their ears and turn around too see the enraged Brother. When their sight met his, everyone knew that a demon was standing before them.
"Shit, Shit another one!"
"Shoot it Johnny! Make the tin man fight that thing!"
Not being told twice, one of the splicers fired a bullet which simply grazed Epsilons helmet as he approached though it was enough to set the Rumbler off as it's once green porthole glowed an hostile red. It quickly turned to Epsilon who noticed the Big Daddy turning to him in a hostile manner causing a moment of realization and horror to wash over him as he found out why the Protector was idly standing by. Taking aim at the Brother, the Rumbler fired it's shoulder mounted grenade launcher with deadly precision and the projectile managed to hit its target as an explosion followed after, sending the Brother crashing into the Diner.
"Yeah! Fuck him up tinny!" One of the splicers shouted.
"Kick it's ass!" Another said with a sick grin.
The Rumbler stomped forward while prepping its cannon to fire again but was surprised when a large table crashed into it, sending the behemoth stumbling backwards after being hit. Seconds later, another table was sent flying out of the building, crashing into the Protector and sending him tumbling to the ground. The splicers watching the entire thing felt their excitement dwindling as they watched the Big Daddy slowly climb to a stand while inside of the diner, Epsilon climbed through the massive hole he created and was furious. Epsilon watched as the armored Protector slowly turned to him and without any warning, fired another rocket which he quickly evaded. He wasn't going to be caught off-guard again and began leaping from one area to the next as the Rumbler continued firing rocket after rocket at the nimble Protector.
The splicers watched the two Protectors duke it out as the Rumbler continued to needlessly fire at Epsilon who leaped, bounced and ran circles around the behemoth. He was effortlessly dodging each explosive projectile as he waited for an opening. The Brother soon leaped off of the ground in an effort to evade another rocket and landed effortlessly on a nearby lamppost. From there, it ignited both of its hands with his Incinerate Plasmid and began lobbing a volley of fireballs at the Daddy who had no time to react. The behemoth backed away as Epsilon continued pelting the behemoth with the hellfire until it finally had enough. With a bellowing roar, the Rumbler charged at the lamppost that Epsilon had propped himself on and smashed it immediately in hopes of getting him down but the Brother was able to leap away before he lost his foot-post.
The Rumbler whirled around once Epsilon landed and cranked the lever on his shoulder mounted Grenade launcher only for the weapon to make a distinct high-pitched sound as it got jammed. This was the opportunity Epsilon waited for as he propelled himself towards the Big Daddy who had little time to react and speared its large Adam syringe right through the behemoth's porthole. The Rumbler let out an agonizing roar after the weapon pierced it and it immediately tried to smash Epsilon but let out another agonizing wail as it's body was violently electrocuted. The splicers watched in horror as the massive protector shook and twitched violently as currents of electricity surged through its armored form and soon its loud metallic wails died out. The smell of burnt metal along with charred skin fused to fabric signified the end of the once powerful Big Daddy and the five watched as Epsilon kicked the charred corpse off of him. With the obstacle out of the way, the Brother glared furiously at each of the terrified splicers.
The splicers knew they couldn't stand a chance without the Big Daddy and it failed too kill the Brother. They knew that running away seemed like a pointless idea, but that didn't stop them from trying as they turned tail and began screaming loudly. Epsilon however, wasn't keen on letting anyone live as he leaped towards them with a feral roar. Their deaths compared to the Big Daddy was far from swift as their screams eventually lead too gasping breaths then gurgling whimpers and finishing with a loud crunching noise. While Epsilon focused on the splicers, the Little Sister quickly scampered over towards the Big Sister who still laid on the floor.
"Big Sister. Big Sister, wake up. Big Brother's here to help us." The girl urged as she tried shaking the unconscious Protector but to her dismay she received no response from her.
Covered in blood from his onslaught, Epsilon's once crimson porthole turned into an eerie orange after exterminating all known threats and quickly turned his attention to the Little Sister and the downed Big Sister as they had his undivided attention now. The Little Sister turned to the approaching protector with teary eyes as he crouched beside her and the unconscious Big Sister.
"Big Brother, Big Sister isn't waking up." The Little Sister whimpered sadly and fearfully, "Wh-what are we going to do?"
Epsilon replied with a low growl as he placed a hand on the small girl's head in order to calm her down while inspecting the unconscious form of Big Sister. Her porthole was a dimly lit red so he knew she wasn't dead, probably just passed out from the pain which was a good thing but her armor was completely mangled and damaged signifying that she was badly wounded. Epsilon knew immediately that she also didn't look too good and if he was a second slower than her wounds would be far worse, maybe even fatal.
At the thought of that did Epsilon's rage slowly begin to consume him, a low growl threatening to turn into an angered roar knowing that it was his fault that she was in such a state. If he had simply gone to assist rather than heed the words of Mother, then this could have been prevented. Lamenting on his mistakes would need to wait however as the Brother immediately shrugged off any irrelevant thought and focused on his female counterpart. While she wasn't in any mortal danger, he knew that if left unchecked her wounds would become drastic and if possible, life threatening so he had to work quickly.
Reaching into his belt, Epsilon took hold of a first aid kit he kept on him, quickly pulled out the syringe and stuck the needle in the Sisters arm. While this would indeed help her in some way, Epsilon knew that this wouldn't be enough to fully heal the Sister and turned to the Little Sister beside him. He uttered a small groan, catching the girls attention and pointed to the cage on his back which she understood fully as she eagerly hopped to her feet and climbed on his back until she nestled into the cage without any problems.
"Are you going to help Big Sister, Big Brother?" The girl asked, to which the Brother replied with a sharp nod as he carefully scooped up the unconscious protector bridal-style, careful as to not remove the first aid that was attached to her, "Yay! Don't worry Big Sister, Big Brother will make you all better!"
Epsilon smiled behind his mask seeing the innocence of his young sibling. He wished he was also ignorant of the world around him but...that was a wish that would never come true. Without another word the armored teen quickly walked off with the two siblings accompanying him.
"She's in stable condition, for now at least."
The voice of the Frieda had broken through the silent Protector's thoughts as his head jerked slightly seeing the doctor remove her surgical mask and blood stained gloves. He took note of the woman's weary expression but no doubt saw triumph as she examined her work and he couldn't help but follow her gaze. He saw the Sister resting peacefully, her face now longer writhing in pain after everything Frieda and Blake had done. Her body was completely cleaned up of any blood and grime that she had on her while bandages were firmly wrapped around her chest and stomach while a thick piece of gauze was wrapped around her exposed shin. Any and all burn marks she had were visible but had some ointment placed on it and was slowly fading away from what he could tell. Any bullet wounds she had received were also patched up as any projectiles that were lodged within her had safely been removed and any other injury she had sustained was slowly beginning to heal up. He also noticed a syringe inserted into her right arm and was pumping a red liquid within her leaving Epsilon to assume that whatever it was it seemed to have the desired effects on her.
"For now we should let the Adam I injected into her earlier and the first aid do their work while she rests. After everything she's been through I'm sure she needs it."
"Jeez, that was a rush. Never thought I'd have to help heal up a Big Sister of all things." Blake said, plopping down on a nearby medical chair, "Gonna write that down in the journal."
Epsilon remained silent, his gaze trained on the Big Sister who rested soundly after everything that's happened. If the Brother didn't know any better he would have thought she had died though the signs of her chest slowly inflating and deflating said otherwise. He had no idea which Sister he had saved but nonetheless he saved two siblings from dying today and that was all that mattered to him. However despite his feats and actions, the guilt slowly began setting in knowing that he could have prevented her from getting injured if he acted faster.
"Epsilon," Frieda called, her voice cutting through the Brother's thoughts as he turned to the woman. Concern was written all over her face and he knew that she needed answers given the fact that a Big Sister of all Protectors was heavily wounded and he was the one to find her in such a state, "Tell me, what happened dear?"
A ragged growl echoed behind his helmet as he recalled everything that had happened. Propping himself against the wall and raising both hands, Epsilon carefully began signing to the woman of the events that transpired just moments ago. Frieda watched Epsilon attentively as he signed to her, telling her every detail of what he experienced and what had happened to the Sister. Frieda for her part had a hard time keeping her emotions in check as she seemed to widen her eyes in shock and horror at first before furrowing them in disdain and disgust as the Brother went into great detail on what the Splicers were planning on doing. When he finished retelling everything that had happened in great detail, he lowered his hands and turned his attention back on the slumbering Sister which left Frieda to her thoughts. The woman relished a stressful sigh after hearing such frightening events from the Protector yet she was relieved seeing that he managed to get both the Little Sister and the Big Sister to safety.
"I see, the Splicers are getting bolder by the day. Them taking control of a Big Daddy and setting up a trap for the Big Sister proves it." Frieda said before turning to the unconscious sister, "You did a fantastic job in protecting both girls and getting them to safety, Epsilon."
Yet despite her praise the Brother didn't respond or even acknowledge the doctor's words, his sights were locked firmly on the Big Sister after everything that's happened. While Frieda and Blake did everything they could to help the unconscious Protector, all that was left was for the Adam slug within her to do its work and heal her up. Blake noticed Epsilon's demeanor and noticed that his orange porthole had not once changed after entering the room. Even when the duo were tending to the wounds of the Protector, his gaze remained solely on the unconscious Protector and his porthole shined that eerie orange hue. Whatever was going on through his mind didn't sit well with the man as he spoke up.
"Hey, she's gonna be fine Eps, so don't get all down." Blake informed the Protector in order to ease his troubled mind, "You of all people should know that it's going to take more than that to kill a Big Sis."
Epsilon growled in response, not even bothering to turn to the man as his gaze remained on the Sister. Of course, Blake didn't seem to appreciate the hostile response and marched over to the Protector knowing full well how the Protector was feeling though this caught the attention of Frieda.
"Blake…don't." She warned, watching with a worried gaze.
"Oi, Tin head!"
The sudden outburst and name calling from the splicer caused Epsilon's orange porthole to snap red as he turned to the approaching man. A menacing growl emitted from behind the helmet as a warning to Blake but the man didn't back down at all as he stopped right in front of the Brother and pressed his finger against his chest plate.
"She's not dead alright, and neither is that little girl you saved! If anything, be glad that none of them got killed by any of those shit heads. I get that you're worried and it's your duty to protect her and the little girls but she's fine alright! She's a Big Sister for crying out loud and I know for a fact she ain't weak." He stated while keeping his gaze on Epsilon, "So, quit acting all depressed, own up to whatever mistake you made and move on. You're a Big Brother, not a Big Baby!"
A tense moment of silence passed between the two as they both stared each other down. Frieda could feel the murderous aura radiating off of Epsilon and knew very well that the Brother didn't take being told off or yelled at by anyone lightly. She remembered the last worker who had spoken to him in such a patronizing way and after what Epsilon did to the man...well...all she knew was that the janitors were cleaning the walls of Persephone that entire day. More importantly he wasn't the first worker that Epsilon had killed and he most certainly wasn't going to be the last. Epsilon then twitched, causing the woman to step forward to say something in order to stop any bloodshed but was taken back when the Protector let out a ragged sigh, his porthole fading into a yellow before growling softly.
"Yeah better change that attitude." Blake said, patting the protector on the back, "Trust me, everything's going to be fine so don't act like this is your fault."
The Protector merely snorted after Blake's response and observed the unconscious Sister again. However he did believe in the man, but only a little bit given that this was a delicate situation. Big Sisters and Little Sisters were his responsibility to watch over, protect, and ensure their safety was assured above all other directives. As he continued staring at the Sister, a moment of realization struck the Protector as he remembered the reason as to why he was in Persephone in the first place. Shoving himself off of the wall, Epsilon started making his way to the exit which caught the duo's attention.
"Are you leaving already Epsilon?" Frieda asked as the Protector made his way towards the door, "I want to at least make sure if you're also physically okay before you head out there again."
Epsilon turned back to the woman and shook his head in response. He then made several hand signs towards her which caused her eyes to furrow for a moment before turning into shock and soon replaced with disbelief when he finished signing. Blake had also been watching in silence but he seemed left out since he was unable to understand sign language and cursed himself for not even learning such a basic form of communication.
"That's…" The woman started, taking a moment to process what Epsilon had told her before staring back at him, "Has she told you why you needed to return?"
Again, Epsilon shook his head earning more concern from the woman as he signed to her again. She stared at the Protector as he told her everything that he knows giving Frieda something to think about. Another minute passed as Epsilon finally finished signing and Frieda nodded in response. Seeing that he was no longer needed, Epsilon immediately departed from the room as he didn't wish to keep Sofia Lamb waiting for his arrival.
"Okay...mind telling me what that was all about?" Blake asked now that the two were alone and his curiosity was getting the best of him.
"You mean that you didn't understand anything that Epsilon was signing just now? I thought you understood sign language." Frieda retorted with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey, the application didn't mention anything about sign language being a necessity for the job. Plus I missed out on my sign language classes back in the day so bite me."
Frieda merely shook her head at the man's wisecrack response and decided not to humor him. She did however get to the point of what her and the Protector were saying as she said, "Before Epsilon arrived here, Sofia Lamb had personally informed him to stop whatever he's doing and return to Persephone immediately. However, he doesn't understand why he was called."
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. She asks Epsilon to return to Persephone for whatever reason despite the fact that he's busy dealing with all the shit that's happening out there?! I mean...if she needs something done she could've sent a Big Sister to do whatever assignment she wants."
"Normally yes but something isn't adding up. If she wanted Epsilon's attention she would have had someone else notify him while he was still doing his duties and like you had stated, she could have sent a Big Sister to handle the situation as well. For him to come here means that something isn't quite right." Frieda explained as she walked over to her desk, "Regardless of the issue and what we think about it, there's nothing we can do about him being called here. However, there is something you can do in the meantime."
Blake raised an eyebrow as he turned to Frieda who was now rummaging through one of the drawers of her desk and immediately pulled out a gene tonic. She tossed it over to the man which he caught with ease and he immediately inspected the blue jar with a curious look.
"Teleportation." Frieda said with a knowing smile while digging into her desk again, "You said you wanted to have the ability to do so and I just happen to have a tonic lying around.
"Something tells me you want me to do something and this is merely a bargain to enforce whatever it is you're gonna say." Blake said, reading the details on the back of the vial along with the symptoms but gave Frieda a questionable look, "So...what is it?"
"I don't know what Sofia has planned for him but she will have him deviate from his current Protector duties. Given that this is from his superior, Epsilon has no choice but to oblige by her orders." Frieda said, taking a carton of cigarettes from the drawer and pulling one out of the carton, "So in the meantime I want you to take Epsilon's place for the time being. Protecting the little ones, helping out Protectors that are in trouble, dealing with Splicers...regular protector stuff."
"Wait. So...you want me, a non-Adam crazed splicer, to go around acting as a temporary Big Brother, save Little Sisters from Splicers while trying not to get my face stomped in by an over protective Big Daddy or skewered by a ravenous Big Sister, fight off any crazed splicer that is looking to do any harm and anything else that a Big Brother normally does while the actual Big Brother is preoccupied with his super secret assignment? A job so dangerous that any sane man would literally go down to the nearest brothel and have sex with the ugliest broad around rather than have to deal with a suicidal job that isn't worth any Adam in the world?"
"Something along those lines."
If Blake had a gun right now he would have eaten the end of the barrel long ago without any hesitation due to how insane this was. However, after being indoctrinated in Sofia Lamb's cause, helping out with whatever mundane task she's given him along with Frieda and any other worker held up in Persephone, finding himself in a dangerous experiment that involved numerous of procedures along with being spliced twice with two Plasmids which no one has really tested, met death around every corner he took, and getting into more fights than he could have ever imagined...the words insane and sane had disappeared from his dictionary long ago. The man snapped his non-bandaged hand towards Frieda, igniting her cigarette with a light spark and watched as she silently took a puff of the thin cylinder.
"Well, since you asked so politely I guess I can't say no. Though I'm gonna need a drink knowing the anxiety inducing, stress raising, suicidal bullshit I'm getting myself into." He replied with a sigh, tossing the tonic in his hand before taking his leave, "I'll let you know how things go on my end so keep that radio close by mum."
Exhaling heavily, Frieda watched as Blake departed without another word and sighed knowing that the next few hours were going to be stressful. Already she had to deal with patching up Blake after getting hurt from rescuing a Little Sister and the two of them had done everything they could to make sure that the wounds on the Sister that Epsilon had just rescued were no longer endangering her life. Now here she was, the second female doctor in Persephone mulling over what the Protector had just informed her and after ten years of her life she was now back to using the cancer stick she tried so hard to get off of. Taking another puff from the thin cylinder, Frieda glanced over at the unconscious Sister who was sleeping peacefully with a single thought passing through her mind.
"What do you plan on doing with my boy, Lamb?"