"Weird to hear it this quiet, eh?" Tristina breathed as the two made thier way back to The rubble blocking thier way. "Yeah." said Jack in a low voice, knowing that both of them were trying to avoid attracting splicer attention.
As the two arrived on the thresh hold of the bloody script on the floor, Tristina held out a arm to stop Jack. closing her eyes, her ears twitched as she focused on any sounds that were coming from the room ahead.
The same stale scents of dried blood, recycled air, grimy floors and mold covered walls flowed into her nostrils. Heavily resisting the urge to cough at the pungent scents, Tristina gave her report.
"Sounds like Miss psycho and Mr. Bomber man have retreated to the rooms beyond this one, but I hear thier footsteps. Stienman still hasnt returned, and I dont smell any fresh blood so Im guessing if we cant ENTER..."
"No one else should be able to EXIT. Nice job, Trish." Tristina smiled at Jack as a light blush accented her cheeks.
"Its natural after years of-" Tristina abruptly stopped, catching herself as she and Jack pressed themselves against the wall. "I mean, its just instinct." Tristina amended hastily, shifting slightly so her left eye could make out the area beyond.
"See anything?" Jack breathed.
Just inside the alcove beyond railed landing, Tristina could vaguely make out a burly shadow bustling in the depts.
As Jack re whispered his question, Tristina dipped her head once, slowly, then twice to both signal she heard him and to answer his question.
"I can toss a Ki bomb up there to get his attention, but that would leave me open to attack from our tommy gun wielding mistress up there." Tristina whispered, nodding to the opposite railed catwalk on the other side of the room.
"Leave her to me." said Jack, quietly removing his own tommy gun and loading a fresh clip. "How would you distract her AND catch the bombs?" Tristina asked, frowning with concern. Jack bowed his head and bit his lip in thought.
"Can you get his attention, but not hit him?" Jack asked, shifting the gun to a more comfortable position. Tristina bit her inner cheek to give herself time to think. "A ki bomb might be a bit much. maybe just a shot or two on the walls next to him?"
Jack nodded.
"Once he tosses the bomb, switch your aim to the woman, I'll blow up the rubble, and then we can hustle through to Stienman."
Tristina nodded and closed her eyes once again, taking a few deep calming breaths. Focusing her energy on her hands, she felt them warm slightly as they began to glow. "Okay. I'll get the bomb guys attention, you do the same for the woman. On the first toss, we switch. Once the rubbles cleared, book it to Stienman. Did I cover everything?" Tristina asked, keeping her eyes on the alcove in the distance.
"Got it. On three?" Jack asked, hoisting his gun to attack. Tristina nodded as she let out a shaky exhale.
"One...two..." Tristina then raced forward, raising her left hand to the right side of her face. "THREE!" She cried, all senses focused on the alcove.
Slashing her palm through the air, a wave of Ki departed from it and hurdled towards the alcove, striking the area just above it. A disfigured burly human male stepped out onto the landing, a box of what Tristina assumed to be bombs tucked under one arm.
Briefly distracted by the 'rat-tat-tat-tat' from Jacks gun behind her, Tristina barely noticed the black ball with the sparkling tail hurdling towards her. "Jack! Bomb!" Tristina screamed at the top of her lungs, forcing the fear to the back of her mind.
"Switch!" Jack shouted, rushing in front of Tristina as the latter turned to the railed catwalk near the back. The woman, garbed in a dingy and bloodied nurses outfit, was holding her left side. Red leaked from between the woman's fingers as she fumbled with her gun and pointed the barrel straight at Tristina.
"God forgive me." Tristina muttered, forming a Ki bomb and hurdling the pulsing ball of light to the area to next to the woman. A click of her fingers, and Tristina was hot on Jacks heels as the two hurdled past the formerly blocked Surgery wing.
As the explosions and smoke died from the open area they had departed, Tristina forced her senses on the imposing darkness in front of them. "Cant detect any splicers or Stienman, but I hear something muffled. its hard to tell any distinct sound. Its near water, so the sound is bouncing all over the place." Tristina whispered, frowning.
"Water?" Jack asked. "How much water?"
"Not sure. Best be prepared for anything." Jack gave a solemn nod, then followed the astute wolf as she carefully made her way into the darkness.
As the two inched forward slowly, Tristina's breath echoed in her own ears. Hands trembling, Tristina peered from around Jack to make out a dimly lit room with dingy bluish white tiles.
"I see Stienman." Jack breathed. Tristina nodded, easily spotting the red scrubs of the mad physician. stopping Jack held out his hand, palm down, and pressed it towards the ground.
Tristina nodded and crouched with the sandy haired human as the two sought cover against a opposing wall.
Tristina barely kept from gagging on the combine scents of blood and salt water as they wafted up from beyond their tiled barricade. opening her mouth wide, Tristina doubled over and gagged, only to find Jacks hand over her mouth moments later.
Looking up at him, Silver eyes met brown as Jack slowly pressed a index finger against his lips. perking up her ears, Tristina straightened as Steinman's voice flowed towards them.
"What can I do with this one, Aphrodite?" a male voice, which Tristina recognized as Steinman, cried.
"She WONT." Tristina grimaced as a sickening squelch erupted from the room beyond them.
"STAY." another squelch followed by a thick splatter of a deep scarlet liquid on the window above them.
"STILL!" a final squelch and a even heavier spattering of blood.
Curiosity getting the better of her, Tristina silently shifted her weight to her knees and pushed upwards, so her silver eyes barely crested the edge of the window. "I want to make them beautiful," Stienman driveled on.
Even through her fear and anxiety, Tristina frowned as she noticed a note of pleading in Steinman's voice. "But they always turn out WRONG!" Stienman thrust something sharp into the crimson stained abdominal area of the being on his grimy blood drenched table.
Tristina ducked her head below the sil for a moment, struggling to hold back a sob from the grotesque atrocities infront of her. "Please die." she breathed to her stomach. "Please, God, just let it die..."
"This one!" Tristina's head shot back up as a loud 'clack' sounded from somewhere above them. a spotlight illuminated another figure on what looked to be a white grimy cross enclosed in a circle. the figures head, completely shaven, hung low, its chin pressed against its torso. "Too fat!" Tristina, despite her fear and disgust, took in the site of the anorexic man and concluded Steinman's insanity had effected his professional expertise as well.
"This one," Stienman driveled on, and a similar structure was illuminated by a second spotlight. This one female, Tristina noticed she was positioned on the crucifix similar to the first. "Too tall!"
Tristina's heart hammered in her chest as she felt her hands begin to tremble against the grimy bluish white tiles. "This one," A Steinman's proclamation, a final spotlight illuminated a third figure to the far right. "Too symmetrical!" Stienman finished with another stab at the mass of flesh and organs in front of him.
Tristina closed her eyes and gave a shiver as images similar to the one before her began to flash in her mind...
"No...No, please..."
Tristina rolled her head as far as the restraints would allow, a dark sillouette slowly walking towards her.
"Such power in lighting..." a velvety voice murmured, and Tristina let out a squeak as she felt a forefinger trace her jawline.
"Please...I'll do anything..." "I wonder... If that power can be contained..." a flash of silver hovered over Tristina's left arm.
"Please dont...no...no..."
"NO!" Tristina cried, her mind thrust back into the present as Jack clapped his hand over her mouth and pulled her away from the window. "Whats this, Goddess?" Stienman asked, looking up at Tristina's cry.
"Intruders...They're ugly...ugly..." Tristina felt all her senses return to her as Stienman ducked under the table and pulled out a gun similar to Jacks. "UGLY!" Tristina and Jack screamed as they dove to the grimy tile floor, Steinman's bullets sailing over their heads and striking the back wall.
"Alright dickbag." Jack muttered, pulling out his own tommy gun as Tristina bathed her hands in Ki.
"If its a fight you want..." Tristina stood up with Jack and ran towards the deep red and faded yellow doors. "Its a fight you'll get!" Tristina finished with a yell as she hurdled Ki into the room beyond.