"Thank you Mister. Thank you."

Tristina's eyes flew open as a small girls voice reached her ears.

Her eyes traveled to the floor as a small pattering of feet reached her, and she beheld a small girl running hurriedly to the dark brown and black metal vent. the child's yellow eyes were now gone (from the brief glimsp Tristina had gotten as she ran past) and her skin was now a fresh healthy peach instead of a pale white.

"Jack." Tristina croaked, turning to the man.

His gaze was still fixed on the small child crawling into the shrine like hole in the wall. "I freed her." said Jack, staring at his hand. His eyes then met hers, and he smiled as she noticed they were wet.

"Its like I told you, Trish." He said gently. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

Gratitude for the mercy Jack had not only shown her, but now the Little Sister, flooded Tristina. a slow smile spread across her face as she felt two tears slide down each of her cheeks.

"The path of the righteous is not always easy, yes?" Jack pulled out his walkie as Tenenbaum's face slid into view. Tristina smiled at her attractive features and her curly brown (it was difficult to tell from the black and white photo) hair.

"The reward will become clear in time." Tenenbaum continued. "be patient."

As the walkie went silent, Tristina wiped her eyes and smiled.

"Tenenbaum's playing you and the lass for saps." Atlas' Irish brogue pushed into the silence.

"Those things may look like wee little girls, but looks dont make it so." Atlas argued

"You'll need all the Adam you can get to survive. The lass cant fend off everything." In response, Jack picked up a dark bottle on the trunk and downed it in one gulp.

Tristina's eyebrows raised towards her hairline as she watched him. she didn't think Jack was THAT big of a drinker.

"If you cross paths with one of them Gathers Gardens, make sure you pick up a new plasmid or two...That is, if the price isn't too dear of course." Finished Atlas as Jack wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

a rattling hum stopped Jack Mid wipe, and Tristina turned to see a deep red curtain on the far wall being parted. slowly, a oblong machine with two faded, metal Little Sisters on either side was revealed.

Setting down the emptied bottle, Jack quickly crossed the room to the machine which chimed its haunting tune:

In the garden we are growing
many changes will be flowing
If you wanna be amazing
see the flowers we are raising.

Tapping the metal cover with his electrified hand, the metal cover rose to reveal brown tabs with a list of what, to Tristina at least, looked like 'products'. "I don't see anything I really have to have at the moment." muttered Jack, perusing the list.

"What's that one?" Tristina asked, pointing to a tab that bore the word 'Enraged'. Jack pressed a button next to the tab and read the description aloud:

"'Enraged: Developed for use in today's uncertain environment, ENRAGE! will make your victim forget what side he's on, and attack anyone nearby. Just make sure 'anyone' isn't you!'"

"Its your body." said Tristina with a shrug. "I'll save my Adam for now." said Jack, closing the machine with another tap.

"'Incinerate', 'Electro-Bolt', and your Ki should work for any splicers we might face."

"Hey look." said Tristina, picking up another tape player and fishing out the cassette.

"Who's it from?"

"Stienman." said Tristina, reading the label. "Play it." said Jack with a shrug as they headed for the fallen Big Daddy outside the room.

"Something to listen to, at any rate." Tristina inserted the tape into her player, and pressed the button as they walked back towards the Securis door.

"Not only are those little girls veritable Adam factories, they're nearly indestructible. They regenerate any wounded flesh with stem versions of the dead cells. But their relationship with the implanted slugs is symbiotic... if you harvest the slug, the host will die. "So you see, it's not like killing," Tenenbaum said. "It's more like removing a terminal patient from life support."

As the tape clicked off, Tristina shook her head in disgust. "Such a brilliant man. If only he laid off the Adam." Jack merely stared at her as they walked through the door.