Her mind racing, Tristina grabbed the shortwave radio from Jacks belt and held it up to her mouth. "Atlas, what do I do? Jacks unconscious and he wont wake up!" Tristina breathed, looking around fearfully.
Her right ear flicked at the sound of muffled sounds coming up the stairwell. twisting around, Tristina's heart leapt into her throat and missed Atlas' response. "Come again?" Tristina whispered, holding the walkie to her mouth. "I said 'who are you?' lass." come the Irish accent laden reply.
"We'll talk about that later. Now, what do I do? Jacks unconscious and I think some people approaching!" Tristina whispered, her silver eyes spotting shadows of two grotesque figures becoming larger. "Find some place to hide, lass. they can't attack what they can't see." came Atlas's reply.
Tristina nodded, stood up, and looked around. the round table where she had found the pep bar could be easily overturned. a plan already forming in her head, Tristina hurried to the corner and turned the round table on its side. As the voices grew louder, Tristina ducked behind the table and stayed still as the muffled footsteps drew closer.
peering around the corner, Tristina saw the two figures, apparently arguing. One had tattered and bloodstained trousers, and a red and white business shirt. Tristina could barely make out the thin wispy hair underneath the mass of clotted blood spattered on the back of the mans head.
As for the second man, who was crouching over Jack, Tristina noticed a blood-red tie around the mans neck along with a blood spattered, brown plaid vest and white business shirt. "This little fish looks like he just had his cherry popped" the second figure commented, his voice sounding as if he was possessed.
"wonder if he's still got some ADAM on him?" the man asked, looking over Jacks back and pants. After a few minutes, Tristina's ears perked up at what sounded like a low metallic groan. "You hear that?" the 1st figure whispered, giving a start at the noise. "Lets bug!" the man whispered, running back towards the steps.
"Weak!" called the 2nd man, standing up after his comrade. "You're a weak chopper!" "This little fish aint worth toeing it with no Big Daddy." the 1st man called back fearfully. Tristina could barely make out his retreating back down the tunnel they had come up.
"Yellow, always have been!" the second man called before lowering his disfigured face down to Jacks. "You'll be no better off with the metal daddy, little fish." he said, sounding smug. the 2nd man then hurried after his comrade. "See you floating in the briney."
Tristina let out a quiet sigh as the two disfigured men hurried off. "The coast clear, lass?" Atlas asked as Tristina sat down and leaned against the wall. "I think so. Jack's still not moving though." said Tristina, eyeing Jacks still unconscious form. "He'll come around eventually, lass. now, about your name..." "Tristina." said Tristina, immediately kicking herself for not making up some fake alias. "I was in the lavatory when the plane went down. I think Jack rescued me, I'm not sure." said Tristina, falling silent as a faint rhythmic thudding could be heard.
"I think... I think someone else is coming." Tristina whispered into the radio, which she clutched in her trembling white furred hands. "Stay where you are and stay quiet. that splicer mentioned a Big Daddy. Your wont survive if it sees you." Atlas said quietly.
"but what is..." Tristina trailed off as the source of the thudding came into view. about twice her size, with a large round bowl where its head should have been. on the head were various metal bands as well as small glass bubbles protruding out if it.
around the body of the being was a brownish black material and rusty metal bands near the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. its left hand was a thick rubberized cloth glove, while its right was a monstrous lethal looking drill.
as its rattling metal feet stopped near Jack, Tristina ducked further behind a table and let out another haunting moan that sent shivers down Tristina's spine. A tiny pattering of bare feet caused Tristina to dare another peak around the table.
"Look Mr. Bubbles, it's an angel!" said a small girl, wearing a blood covered smock and carrying a long lethal looking needle. her pale face twisted in delight as Tristina watched the child approach Jack with glee. her eyes emitted a strangely hypnotic yellow glow, no Iris or pupils could be seen.
"I can see light coming from his belly." said the child, poking at Jacks stomach with her long needle. "wait a minute, he's still breathing." said the little girl, backing away from Jack.
"Its alright." said the girl, smiling up at the Big Daddy. "I know he'll be an angel soon." with that, the little girl turned and walked back towards the stairs, followed by 'Mr. Bubbles' who lumbered behind the child like a moaning labrador.
"They're gone." Tristina whispered as the last piece of the Big daddy disappeared down the stairwell. "Hows the lad?" Atlas asked as Tristina stood up.
"Still unconscious. Whatever Jack injected into himself must have really knocked him for a loop." reported Tristina, carefully approaching her friend. "They're called 'plasmids' lass." Atlas explained.
"they allow people to change their genetic code so they can wield lighting and things like that. the act of injecting the plasmids itself is called 'splicing'." Atlas explained patiently. "Hold up, Atlas." Tristina said into the walkie. "Jacks moving."
Jacks eyes fluttered open, and his shoulders squeezed as his arms folded underneath him. as he pushed himself to his knees. Tristina approached her friend and held out the radio. "You alright, boyo?" Atlas asked. Jack nodded his thanks to Tristina, then took the radio. "Yeah, Atlas. A little dizzy, but Im okay."
"First time plasmids a real kick from a mule. But theres nothing like a fistful of lightning, now is there?" said Atlas, and Tristina frowned in the vengence in his voice. Jack held his left hand up to his face to examine his now light blue glowing viens.
"How do you feel?" Tristina asked, her silver eyes searching Jacks face for a answer. "Powerful." said Jack, throwing out his hand to a small switch near a door. the switch crackled and the securis door slid opened.
"Ladies first." said Jack, motioning to the hallway with his newly electrified hand. Tristina smiled, then walked forward into the hallway. As the door rattled closed behind them, Tristina reconized the mostly glass hallway as one of the walkways they had seen on the way in.
Before Tristina and Jack could take another step, the concrete flooring trembled beneath them. "What the..." Jack began, and Tristina looked to see the tail end of thier crashed airplane hurdling towards them. Tristina cried out as the plane's tail crashed through the glass tunnel, wedging in the wall and bringing with it a wave of sea water.
"Come on!" Jack shouted, pulling Tristina to her feet by her hand. "We've got to get out of here!" Jack continued as the chilly atlantic water continued to rush around thier ankles.
Sloshing towards the tail of the plane, Tristina and Jack turned to clamber up the rear end of the plane towards the emergency exit. As Jack stood in the doorway of the emergency exit, Tristina cried out as the water swept her feet out from under her.
"Trish!" Jack shouted as Tristina latched onto one of the deep red velvet seats. "keep going!" Tristina cried, as her bare white feet struggled to regain traction in the slippery water.
After a few paniced minutes, Tristina finally regained her footing and clambered out of the rear half of the plane. scrambling out of the emergency exit, Tristina's silver eyes found Jack a few feet infront of her, watched a neighborning tunnel implode.
sloshing her way through the icy water, Tristina grabbed his shoulder. "Jack, we have to keep moving!" she called over the roar of the water. Nodding, Jack doubled over and began to trudge through the rushing shallow water.
The icy water filled Jacks shoes, soaking into the leather shoes and his thick black socks. A sudden crackling caught Tristina's attention, and she turned to see long black lines forming in the glass of the walkway.
To their left, another metal airlock door was bulging in various places. "Come on!" Jack called, running up the steps that lead to semi dry land amidst fish flopping and gasping in the foreign world.
Kicking one back into the water while shoving the other into her bag, Tristina followed Jack through another airlock door and collapsed as the door sealed shut behind them. For the next few minutes, there was no sound except for the sound of panting, gasping, the occasional cough, and the sound of water dripping.
"You okay?" Jack asked, finally breaking the silence. Tristina nodded, shifting her body so she was sitting beside Jack with her arms on her knees.
"you?" "I'm fine. You?" Jack asked, looking the white wolf over. Tristina nodded, looking herself over. "whats that?" Jack asked, pointing to the back of her hand.
"Tell you later. let's make sure this room is secure first, shall we?" said Tristina, placing her left hand on her right leg and pushing herself up.