A/N: Good to see that this story still has some good merit to it, and that readers out there are willing to give it a chance. Given that I never deleted the old chapters, I'll be able to update this story at an alarming rate since all I need to do is repost them after making the proper changes to them. But for now, chapter two is ready ago once again.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.

Reece wasn't an overly religious person. His mother was raised in a catholic family, and his grandparents on his dad's side were christian and jewish. Both of them gave him and his sisters the choice to believe whatever they wanted.

But looking around the church he found himself in a few minutes after arriving at the floating city had told him that the people here were extreme with their beliefs.

Sloshing his way through the warm, ankle deep water that covered the floors. Reece passed multiple plaques and busts of the man named Comstock. From the looks of things he was a religious leader and must have been of great importance to everyone.

"Excuse me!" he called out as he moved around a small statue of the prophet. "Can anyone tell me where I am?"

"Heaven, friend." Reece whirled around reaching for the pistol inside his jacket when he saw a man come out of an archway wearing an all white version of a priests outfit. "Or as close as we'll see till Judgement Day." the man continued with a very peaceful tone.

"Uh...okay." the teen said scratching his head. "Can you tell me where we are?"

The priest smiled, "You are in the sacred temple where we worship our leader and savior. His light and words fill these walls, purifying all who pass through. Washing away their sins as they are reborn anew."

An uneasy chill that he couldn't explain shot up his spine. "Um, I'm looking for Columbia...is that the name of this city?" he asked.

"Indeed it is, my son." said the priest motioning to the archway he came out of and a flight of stairs leading down. "Go forth. And may our Prophet's light fill you with serenity."

Reece nodded his thanks and began making his way down the stairs. Being careful not to slip and fall as the water around his feet flowed down like a small waterfall. "I better keep any big questions to myself. I have no idea who these people are and how they'll treat me since I'm an outsider." he thought reaching a landing close to the bottom.

The sight before him made him pause.

A large open room was ahead, hundreds of candles lined the surrounding tables that all lead toward the front giving off an ethreal glow. The center path had several archways made with stone angels. Their arms stretched outward with candles in the center of their palms lighting the way for all those who passed beneath them.

The teen slowly came down the remaining steps and back into the water that was now up to his shins. Two people wearing white cloaks came out of doorways on the pathways outside the one he was walking through and seemed to shadow him as he approached the front of the room where a preacher was speaking to a small congrination.

"And every year on this day of days, we recommit ourselves to our city, and to our prophet. Father Comstock. We recommit through sacrifice, and the giving of thanks, and by submerging ourselves in the sweet waters of baptism." said the preacher.

Reece felt another shiver go through him as he approached the back of the gathering and looked up toward the archway where the man was speaking.

"It is our right, and our belief to purify ourselves to ensure our place in the heavens above. And as such..." the preacher paused as his eyes locked on Reece's. "Who is this? Someone new? Someone from the Sodom below? Newly come to Columbia to be washed clean, before our Prophet, our Founders, and our Lord?"

The gathered people parted allowing the teen to step forward, comforting smiles on their faces as he passed by them. His guard up just in case.

Seeing his hesitation, the preacher held out his hand. "Do not fear, my son. Our Lord and and Prophet offers forgiveness no matter the level of sin. Come forth, and wash away the taint from your soul."

"I'm just looking for passageway into the city, sir." said Reece deciding to be respectful to the man of the cloth.

The man stroked his chin. "Passage to the city? Ha ha. Son, the only way to Columbia is through the rebirth in the sweet waters of baptism." he said motioning to the water all around them. "Will you be cleansed, my son?"

"I...have already been baptised. When I was little." said the teen remembering that he and his sisters had gone through it in respect to his mother's parents' faith.

"Ah, but since then your soul bares the taint of the Sodom below. Such taint would bid our city ill, as well as your place in the Heavens." said the preacher.

Reece sighed, there was no getting around this. If he wanted to get into Columbia and find the girl he was told about he'd have to do this. Although, he still felt a large amount of anxiety considering the last time he had been in water.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the man of the cloth and nodded. "Okay. I will be...cleansed." the word left a very bitter taste in his mouth.

The preacher smiled, "Praise be to the Founders." he said holding out his hand.

Clasping the hand, Reece was pulled forward and turned so that he was facing the group as they began to pray. "I baptize you, in the name of our Prophet, in the name of our Founders, in the name of our Lord!" the man's other hand grabbed the teen's forehead and forced him under the waters beneath them.

Reece was shocked at the sudden action and began to struggle since he didn't catch a good breath before being plunged down.

"And make him born again, in the bosom of Columbia!" the preacher continued pulling him back to the surface gasping and coughing for fresh air. "I don't know, brothers and sisters. But this one doesn't look clean to me."

"WAIT-" Reece couldn't finish as the man put his hand over his face and shoved him back under again. He struggled harder, what little oxygen leaving his lungs and water slowly starting to replace it. Flashbacks from the accident and drowning at the front of his mind as his vision started to darken.

His thrashing came to a slow stop as he slipped into oblivion.

X

The sound of someone knocking made the teen groan as he rolled over in his bed.

...wait. BED?

Reece shot up and looked at everything around him. He wasn't in the sky-city's church. He was in his old bedroom back home in Rhoad Island. Everything exactly how he left it when he went to college in Maine.

Getting out of the bed, he surveyed the room, walking up to his desk where his computer, tv and gaming systems were set up. He went to the dresser next, pictures of him, his sisters, his parents and grandparents were organized on the top making him smile seeing each one.

Had everything been a dream? Had he made up the whole thing and was actually home?

Another knock at the door drew his attention. "Reece, breakfest." his mom called from the other side of the door. "Hurry up! Your sisters are gonna eat everything!"

Reece smiled wide, "Coming mom!" he said crossing the room, stepping over his weight set on the floor as he grabbed the door knob and pulled it open.

The smile vanished from his face in an instant. His mother wasn't on the other side of the door, infact the house hadn't been there. Instead what he saw was a large city being torn apart by fire and explosions. Screams could be heard in the streets as airships hovered above raining explosives down below.

"What...? What the hell's going on?" he asked wide eyed as he looked around in horror. Looking up toward the sky, he found a massive city floating above, the image of an angel standing before the moon.

An airship suddenly turned towards him, the spotlight on the front beaming at his face and became blinding. Reece's vision went black once more when he heard another explosion.

X

Coughing violently, Reece rolled over on to his hands and knees expelling the water from his lungs as he took deep breaths in between. "S-Son of a bitch..." he wheezed before going into another coughing fit. "I'm starting to hate the fucking water."

Shaking his head when the water was all gone and the familiar burn in his chest began to fade, he looked up and was surprised to see that he was outside laying in a pond surrounded by the statues of three men wearing togas. Getting a closer look, Reece was stunned to see that they were statues of Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. The founding fathers of America.

"What the..." getting a closer look, he saw that the plaques under each statue depicted each of the founding fathers as 'Father'. It also showed Franklin holding a large key, Washington a saber, and Jefferson a scroll.

He also witnessed three people in white robes kneeling before the statue of Washington in prayer as they spoke to one another.

"These people are worshiping the founding fathers like catholics do for Jesus." Reece thought to himself as he made sure that everything that had been on him when he got there was still where it was. Glad that everything was still in place, he silently treaded through the pond silently past them and up a small set of steps.

Reaching the top, Reece was greeted by another priest who smiled at him. "Our prophet fills our lungs with water so they may better love the air." he said before nodding and heading off somewhere else.

"...right. I seriously doubt drowning people was listed in the bible." he muttered before moving through the courtyard that was filled with neatly kept grass and planters filled with bushes of beautiful flowers. The aura of the place coupled with the gentle words spoken by the folks in white robes gave off a feeling of safety and peace.

It truely did look like an Eden.

"Gotta stay focused." Reece thought shaking his head as he kept moving. His wet clothes already drying from the warm sunlight bathing the area. "Need to find some kind of landmark as a guide. Who knows what this place is like up close." Approaching a set of white wooded doors.

"Okay...still have to find the girl." squaring his shoulders. Reece put his hands on the door. "Let's do this." he pushed them open and was once again awe struck.

Beyond the threshold, the city of Columbia was revealed. Clusters of buildings hovered up and down around the 'island' that he was currently standing on. A railway system connected several buildings allowing crates of supplies to zip from one end to the other.

A couple of airships drifted lazily between structure as the island the teen was on lowered down, attaching a ramp to another island to grant passage.

Overcoming his shock, Reece began walking along the cobble-stone path toward the square ahead. Several people were off to the side speaking to one another, casting glances his way as he walked past.

He was having trouble trying to come to grips with everything around him. The very idea of a city in the clouds was unheard of. And the fact that this was not only possible, but very real had left the teen feeling lightheaded.

"You look a little peckish, son." Reece snapped out of his thoughts and saw that he had stopped next to a hotdog vendor. "Here, on the house." he said handing a fresh frank over to him.

It was in that moment Reece's stomach growled reminding him that he hadn't eaten the whole day. "Thanks." he said taking the food graciously and taking a big bite out of it.

"It isn't a problem at all son." said the vendor grining. "Today is a special day after all."

Nodding his thanks, the teen finished the hotdog and tossed the wrapper in a nearby garbage can as he headed forward. Along the way he began to take notice of several things out of the ordinary. The people were dressed really old fashioned and spoke formally between one another. Nothing at all the way people spoke back on the mainland.

"Extra! Extra! Vox Populi supporters sentenced to life in prison for acts against Father Comstock!" shouted a boy standing on top of a crate waving a newspaper in the air. Curious, Reece walked over and accepted one of the prints and looked over the front page.

His world coming to a screeching halt in the process.

At the top of the page where the date should have read April 21, 2015. Instead read back April 21,...1912!

At first he thought that this was some kind of joke, a delayed April fools prank or something like that. But then Reece remembered everything he had seen and heard up to this point. The old technology, the way people spoke and dressed, the modes of transportation around him. "...No...it's...it's not possible! There just isn't any way this is possible!"

"Sir? Are you alright? You look a bit pale." said the boy that had given him the paper.

Swallowing hard, Reece put on his best fake smile. "Y-Yeah, just can't believe what I'm reading here."

The boy smiled back, "I know what you mean. Don't worry, those Vox Populi monsters will pay dearly for attempting to usurp our savior!" he said with a lot of enthusiasm.

Paper clenched in his hand, Reece headed toward a nearby bench and flopped down hard on it. Putting his head in his unoccupied hand as he tired to calm all of the thoughts spinning around in his head.

The fact that he was basically forced into some weird odyssey after nearly dying was bad. Finding himself in a strange city that defied the laws of gravity was even worse. But now he discovers that he somehow went back in time 103 years into the past.

Reece may not have been aiming to get a degree in physics and the laws of the universe, but he knew damn well that this all defied everything that scientists had ever written.

That's when he remembered the letter he had gotten at the light house. Reaching into his back pocket and pulling the damp paper out he carefully unfolded it and re-read it until reaching the bottom. His earlier shock and confusion giving away to seriousness and anger.

"R & R Lutece...whoever the hell [;;'you are you better have some fucking answers when I find you." Putting the note back, he looked down at the newspaper and figured that if he was going to be stuck here, he might as well learn about current events so that he didn't stand out anymore than he already did.

He spent the next 20 minutes reading the paper and soaking in all the information that he could about what was going on in Columbia. From what he could gather, there was a group of rebels called the Vox Populi that was fighting against Comstock and his followers. The public painted them as terrorists and enemies of the city for their actions which left Reece wondering why they were doing what they were.

It also seemed that today was the marking of Comstocks biggest achievement, and the people in the city marked the occasion by throwing a big fair in the man's honor. There were also ads depicting very strange beverages called Vigors that seemed to be a big commodity and came in a large variety for any situation.

Finished with his reading, Reece set the paper on the bench next to him and rubbed his face as he wrapped his mind around things. "Excuse me?" The teen looked up just as a woman wearing a regal looking dress sat down on the other side of the bench. "Is that today's paper?" she asked motioning to the article.

"Oh, yeah." said Reece handing her the paper with a smile.

The woman smiled back and accepted it. Her eyes looking him over briefly, "That's a very interesting outfit that you have. I've never seen such material." she commented running her fingers along the sleeve of his denim jacket.

"It's called denim." the teen said feeling a little relaxed, while at the same time remembering that the point in time he was now in didn't have a lot of things that were currently on him. "I got it from a friend who's currently experimenting with new fabrics for those who work hard jobs." he said covering his tracks.

The woman's hands wrapped around his bicep and gave a gentle squeeze, "From what I am feeling, you must be used to hard work." she said fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Reece blushed at the obvious flirting and grinned at her, "Indeed I am." He mentally shook himself, "Got a job to do." "Sorry I can't stay long, but I have to meet someone soon and I don't want to be late." he said causing the woman to pout.

"That's a shame. If you find yourself needing company later, don't be afraid to come find me again." said the woman with a smile that had the teen's heart pumping a little.

Bidding the woman a farewell, Reece began walking along the busting streets of the floating metropolice. It really was like stepping back in time. Everything looked like what the US had been like back in this era, leaving him feeling very out of place considering that he was from the 21st century.

But everything wasn't all old fashioned. He walked past a carriage being pulled by a horse only to discover that the 'horse' was mechanical. The steed being powered by a power conduit attatched to its back as it trotted forward at a slow and steady pace.

The creation had the young mechanic's mind reeling. What he wouldn't give to look at the mechanized animal's inner workings like he would a cars engine just to see what makes it work and how.

Pressing on, Reece had to stop among a group of people who were waiting for a gate at the end of the 'island' to open and allow passage. In the open are just ouside, a parade of airships with floats on top of them drifted by depicting everything Comstock had done for the people of Columbia.

The last float caught his attention. It depicted Comstock holding a child in his arms with a woman holding his arm. The banner under the image reading, 'A Miracle Child is Born. The Future of the City is Secured!' He hard the narrator of the parade saying something about the 'Lamb being the future of the city' and that she was to lead the Sodom below into rightousness.

This put an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach as the parade finally passed and a bridge came up connecting the islands allowing the people passage.

Keeping as low a profile as possible, Reece did the best he could to blend in with the crowds. But every so often someone would come up to him and comment on his outfit and asked either where he had gotten it or if he knew of a way for them to get something similar. He knew that all the attention would probably be an issue, but no one was treating him with hostility so it put his mind at ease for the time being.

Even though he was searching for the girl in the photo, the teen couldn't help but look over the various shops and stands that were open. It wasn't anything like the shopping districts and malls from his time. It wasn't chaotic or rushed, no one fought over anything and didn't feel so cluttered either.

"I wonder if this is what grandma and grandpa meant when they where telling me about their childhood." he thought stepping through a large archway and looked up to see something very familiar.

In the distance was a large statue of an angel with her arms outstretched that towered over the city like a watchful guardian. The sunlight reflecting off of the golden surface casting a beautiful shine on the surrounding buildings of the island clusters around it.

Reaching into his back pocket, Reece pulled out the postcard he had gotten from the box at the lighthouse and saw that it was a match. "Monument Island." he said to himself before looking back at the large tower. "Guess that's where she is...now how do I get over there?"

"Telegram for Mr. Vega!" Reece jumped in surprised before looking down to see a boy holding out a letter for him.

"Huh?" he asked dumbly.

The boy held out the letter and smiled, "Telegram for you, sir." he said as the teen took it. The kid snapped a salute before running off down the street.

Confused, Reece turned the card over and started reading.

'Vega STOP'

'Do not alert Comstock to your presence STOP.'

'Whatever you do, do not pick #77 STOP.'

'Lutece.'

Narrowing his eyes, he looked back up at the monument before continuing on his trek. Tearing the telegram up and throwing it away as he walked so that no one else could read it. "Whoever they are, they obviously want me to keep a low profile. Better keep to myself as much as possible."

A few minutes of walking found the teen stepping into a fair that had been set of for the festival that was going on. Stands of food, arcade games and people selling various things were set up everywhere as the crowds gathered at each one.

Reece looked around in wonder at all the sites. One of the stands showed a man talking about Vigors and their uses and had two men dressed in costumes demonstrating various uses for them.

The time traveler damn near had to scrape his jaw off the ground when he saw the performers literally showing off super powers! Shooting around bolts of electricity and flames from their fingertips and levitating one another off the ground with the wave of their hands while the man speaking gathered the crowd.

"NO FUCKING WAY! Bottled super powers that you can drink? And here I thought Amp and Rockstar gave you an edge..." he thought as the performers continued showing off their abilities.

Yet another tally mark in the unbelievable column from what he had witnessed in this place.

After another minute, Reece moved on and made his way through the fair. Passing by the various stands that was giving away free food and drinks that he indulged in as he moved. No point in going through this situation on an empty stomach, something told him that he'd be needing the energy for what was ahead of him.

Passing by a row of games, one of the vendors called out. "Here's a young man who looks like he's got the skills! What do you say son? Care to give it a go?" Reece paused and looked at the stand where people had gathered around.

It was a target shooting game that tested the player's accuracy skills. A couple of people were already attempting it and weren't doing so well, but having fun regardless.

Shrugging, the teen stepped through the small crowd and stood in front of the stand where an old school carbine rifle laid on the counter. "It's really simple! Just shoot down those vile members of the Vox Populi and the their leader Daisy Fitzroy!" said the vendor. "The higher your score the better the prize!"

Picking up the rifle, Reece tested it in his arms and looked down the iron sights. "Okay, I'll give it a shot." he said making the man clap.

"Excellent! We got a live one!" shouted the vendor as a few people stood and watched the teen get set up. He'd played these kinds of games before. Even went to a couple shooting ranges with his dad and grandpa.

Pressing the stock to his shoulder, the teen waited patiently as the timer in the the back of the booth restarted itself. A moment later a buzzer sounded and targets began to pop up.

Taking a deep breath, Reece looked down the sights and began pulling the trigger. Putting down the first three targets in quick succession as more took their place. Each time one popped up he reaimed and put it down before it could slide back. "Oh! Those Vox are quaking in their boots folks! This kid's got the goods!" the vendor called out as more people watched him take down more targets.

Reece kept shooting, excitement starting to go through him as he started to enjoy himself. The timer in the back reached the halfway point as a moving target in behind the others began to move from right to left. Getting a lock on it, he shot it three times as it moved before going back to the ones in the front.

"And he's hit the monster Fitzroy ladies and gentlemen!" exclaimed the man as the crowd started clapping.

When the game came to an end, the teen had racked up a score of 31 which had gotten him the 1st place prize of 50 silver coins. Taking his winnings and slipping them into the bag he had gotten earlier. "Well done, son. Well done." said the vendor clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Your a natural gunslinger you are."

Reece nodded, "It was fun." he said as he went back to his original path.

The other booths were roughly the same, and another man stood on a stage speaking about an invention he called the 'Handyman'.

Standing next to the speaker was something that looked like a robot with a man's head on the top and a heart in a glass sphere in the center of its chest. The hands on the creation looked big enough to grab a full grown man like he was nothing and probably had the strength to throw him like a small rock.

"Damn...wouldn't want to piss one of those things off." he thought to himself as he headed toward a gate that was blocked off by a robotic vending machine.

No matter what he did, the thing wouldn't grant him passage saying that the path beyond was closed off because tickets were sold out for the day. "Dammit...now what?" Reece said looking for another way through.

"Dear friend, have you ever lost a penny to a vending machine?" Reece turned to see a woman holding a basket full of odd looking bottles that were green in color, a woman on the top with a heart above her bosom acting as the seal.

"Has a pay telephone ever refused to connect you with a beloved spouse?" she continued. "Well it's time to take back control from the men of metal! With Possession. YOU are the master! You will bend any machine to your will!"

Tilting his head, Reece looked at the strange beverage. "What does it do?" he asked.

The woman smiled, "It's a Vigor, sweetie. You drink it, and you'll know how to use it. Since you are my first customer of the day, I'll give you one for free."

A little surprised, the time traveler picked up one of the bottles and looked it over. Seeing the circular picture of a heart being run through by a green sword under the small statue on the front. "Thank you." he said examining the strange concotion.

Remembering what he had seen at the beginning of the fair, the thought of super powers did seem appealing. And considering that the vending machine wasn't letting him pass it seemed like his best option to keep going.

"Well...you only live once right?" he thought popping the top off and drinking the fluid inside.

It tasted strangely like coke laced with a large amount of spearmint. An odd tingling feeling followed the beverage as it went down his throat that quickly began to spread through the rest of his body. His vision starting to go a little blurry and causing him to stumble back a step as he looked at the vendor as her arms reached out and tracing an ethreal green heart in the air between them.

She leaned forward and began to whisper, "With just one whisper, they're all ears." she blew a kiss that sent a green mist from her lips before his vision returned to normal and the strange feeling faded with everything going back to normal.

Reece looked at his hands and didn't feel any different. Concentrating a little, he felt a warming sensation stretch from the tips of his fingers on his left hand to his forearm.

Then he saw it. A light green glow covered his left hand and a small projection of what looked like a woman drifted around his fingers lazily as though she were waiting for something to command her.

He then started to know things he didn't know before. Like an instinct that he didn't think he had, had awoken and was now showing him what to do.

Holding out his hand, Reece felt a small surge go through his form and down his arm. The green, ghostly image of a woman shot out of his outstretched hand and flew into the vending machine. The robot on top of it shuttered a moment before its eyes turned green. "Go onward pilgrim! The raffle awaits!" it said bowing to him and opening the gate.

Reece looked at his hand as the green glow faded, he couldn't help but feel a slight thrill go through him. "That...was different." he said before heading through the open doorway.

On the other side was a small courtyard, and standing before him was a man and woman. Both with red hair and brown-beige clothes standing side by side. The man holding a chalk board with Heads/Tails with tally marks written on it, the woman holding a plate with a coin on it.

Something about the two caused him to be more alert as the man spoke in a monotone voice. "Greetings. My name is Robert. This is my sister, Rosalind. Which side will you choose?" he asked. "Heads?"

"Or tails?" said the woman in the same tone tossing him the coin.

Reece looked at the coin oddly, "Uhh..." he was a little stumped at the sudden question. But before he could flip the coin for the sake of it, the names of the two before him rang in his head again.

Robert and Rosalind...R & R..."R & R!" he screamed in his head.

"Lutece?" he asked praying that he was correct.

The woman smiled and turned to her brother, "I told you he would piece it together."

Robert nodded looking a little disappointed, "So you did, sister." he looked at Reece, "We are Lutece, you are correct."

Anger burned through the teen as he clenched his fist around the coin in his hand. "What the fuck is going on! Why did you bring me here!" he demanded taking a threatening step forward.

The twins made no move and didn't look the least bit threatened by his hostility. "Your life was coming to an early end." said Rosalind.

"We saved you from your demise." added Robert.

"In exchange we gave you an objective to follow." said the sister.

"One that you would be capable of completing." said the brother.

"Unless Death comes to claim you again." they said at the same time.

The teen looked between them a little weirded out from the constant switching of sentences. "Why me? Why not someone else?" he asked still pretty pissed off.

"If it gives you what you desire, does it really matter?" asked Robert in return.

Reece gritted his teeth, "It matters if I'm being jerked around like a dog on a leash. So you better have some damn good answers or I'll take your so called 'mission' and shove it where you'll least enjoy it."

Robert turned to his twin with a smug grin, "I told you that he wouldn't be easily swayed."

"Indeed, brother." said Rosalind before turning back to the teen. "Ease yourself, Mr. Vega. We are here to offer you aid in your quest. However, we can only offer support from behind the scenes. You will have to do the rest on your own. Your natural instincts being your guide."

Shaking his head, Reece decided to ask the one question that would probably help him the most. "Who exactly is 'Elizabeth'? Why is she so important that someone has to break her out of that tower?"

The twins merely smiled, "That you must find out on your own. Everything will become clear soon enough." said Robert.

"Good luck, Mr. Vega." said Rosalind as they began to walk away.

"Hay wait!" Reece called out going after them. But a small crowd of people blocked off his path making him stop. By the time the path cleared the twins had vanished. "Dammit." he cursed. Looking down at the coin they had given him, rolling it over in his hand a moment before shrugging and flipped it in the air. Catching it as it fell and looking at the result.

Heads.

"Maybe that's a good sign." he sighed before pocketing the coin and following the cobblestone walkway. Being sure to keep the angel-shaped tower in the distance in sight as a marker to know where he should be going.

Walking by a couple of police officers, one of them showing off a device that was attached to his arm with three hooks on the end spinning like a saw blade. He wondered what something like that did for the people here. Was it a weapon? Or was it a tool of some sort?

Regardless, he kept moving forward until he saw a bunch of people heading through an archway at the end of the path. Tilting his head, he followed them at a safe distance to see what was going on.

When he reached the door way leading to where they were gathering, he stopped when he saw a sign set up infront of it.

It showed a black demonic looking hand with a cross with a star in the center on the back of it. The words, 'You Shall Know The False Shepard. By His Mark!'

Reece felt his heart stop and his blood freeze in his veins. Looking down, he slid back the sleeve of his jacket to reveal a black tattoo on the back of his right hand.

A catholic cross with the star of David in the center of it. He had gotten it and a couple others not long after he started college. This one was in honor of the faith on both sides of his family.

His parents were a little stunned at first, but respected his choice in what he was doing with his own skin. His sisters thought it was cool and wanted to get their own tattoos when they were old enough.

Realizing the situation had now turned for the worse, Reece looked around quickly to see if anyone had seen his tattoo before covering it with his sleeve once more. "What the hell is going on in this place?" he said feeling as though he had walked into a den of lions.

It was beyond coincidence that the mark depicted in the poster and his tattoo were exactly the same. "It's almost like...they knew I would be coming..." fear pierced his heart. He had to keep his hand hidden, these people were strong in their beliefs. And if they saw the 'mark' on the back of his hand there was no telling what would happen.

Trying to remain as calm as possible, Reece shook himself before heading through the doorway and the small park beyond before stopping in front of a stage where a man was speaking to a large crowd of people. There was some kind of raffle going on and everyone wanted seemed to be feeling lucky today.

Slipping into the crowd, the teen made hs way to the steps on the other side but found himself blocked off by a wall of people. "Excuse me." he said slowly pushing his way through.

"What's the rush stranger?"

Reece turned and saw a young woman holding a basket full of baseballs smiling sweetly at him. "The raffle is just starting. Don't you feel lucky?"

"Sorry, no sale miss." he replied.

The girl giggled, "There's no charge for the raffle, sir. You been sleeping under a rock?" she asked tilting her head confused.

Not wanting to blow his cover, Reece grabbed one of the balls with his left hand. Being sure to keep his right in his jacket pocket out of sight.

It turned out that each ball had a number on them. And the one he drew had a bright red 77 on it. "Seventy-Seven." he said making the girl smile even brighter.

"That's a very lucky number. I'll be routing for you." she said winking at him before heading off back into the crowd.

Reece rolled the baseball in his hand as the man on stage asked for a bowl filled with small slips of paper. The drawing about to begin. The girl walked on stage as the speaker said to the crowd. "Is that not the prettiest young white girl in all of Columbia? Ha ha!"

Reece choked and nearly dropped the ball from what he just heard. White girl? What the hell did he...? The crowd around him began cheering hitting home that something really wasn't right about this. Looking back down at the number, something clicked in the teen's mind.

"Number 77...didn't that telegram say that I shouldn't pick this number?" he thought as the feeling of unease increased.

"Alright then, the winner is..." said the man reaching into the bowl and pulling a slip of paper out. "...Number 77!"

"Oh fuck me..." Reece groaned as the woman next to him called out that he had the lucky number as the crowd began cheering again.

"Number 77, come forward and claim your prize!" the man shouted as the teen approached the stage. The crowd parting like the red sea as he stood at the front while the curtain behind the stage opened.

What he saw filled him with dread and anger. A fake jungle scenery was revealed and opened up as a white man and a black woman that were tied up were brought to the front.

Reece's unease had reached it's peak as the crowd behind him started chanting, "First Throw! First Throw! First Throw!"

"These people are out of their fucking minds!" he couldn't believe this. The people here were racist! And they were intending on stoning these people with baseballs for fun like it was some kind of sick game!

The interracial couple pleaded not to be harmed as the man on stage grinned down at Reece, "Well, Son? Are you gonna throw it?...or are you taking your coffee black these days?" he asked laughing loudly with several others joining him.

Rage filled Reece's being. Some of his good friends were African-American back at school. And these assholes were expecting him to punish these innocent people because they were different and obviously loved each other?

Tossing the ball to his right hand, clenching it with all his strength as he leered at the speaker who awaited his throw. "You want me to throw it?" he asked earily calm. People nodded eagerly not hearing the tone in his voice. "Then here!" Reece shouted cocking his fist back about to launch it forward toward the speaker.

He got halfway through the throw when a police officer caught his hand, stopping him. "It's him!" screamed a nearby man pointing in fear.

Reece struggled in the cop's grip when he realized his error. In his angered haze he forgot about his tattoo that was now completely on display for the whole world to see.

The cop sneered at him before jerking his hand forward for the man on stage to see it to, "Now, where'd you get that brand, boy?" he asked darkly. "Don't you know that makes you the back stabbing snake in the grass False Shepard?"

Everyone in the crowd gasped and stepped back as another cop grabbed Reece's other hand and held him in place. The teen stuggled to get free, but the two men held him firm as the man addressed the crowd.

"I ain't letting no 'False Shepard into our flock!" he exclaimed making the crowd roar with agreement. He looked down at the police officers with a sadistic grin. "Show him what we got planned for him, boys!"

The cop on his right reached back and pulled out the same kind of hook-device he had seen on another officer earlier. Pulling the trigger and causing the hooks to spin around, going faster and faster with each passing moment like a deadly buzzsaw as he began pushing it toward Reece's face.

"Time to die FALSE SHEPARD!"

A/N: The first steps into Columbia, and there's already more than enough trouble for Reece to handle. The first cliffhanger of many I'm afraid, but if you know the game then you can expect such in many ways.

Next update coming soon!