A/N: With the amount of updating that I have been doing, I really don't have much to say in this author's note.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.

The Hall of Heros was dark, only a handful of lights illuminating the dim corridors and rooms that depicted the defining and heroic people and memories in Columbia's history. A place where the people of the floating city could go and be in awe at the patriotism and sacrifice of the brave men that stood for their way of life.

But to the two teens that stepped inside, it was a place of death and disarray.

Reece swept the front room with his Carbine pressed firmly against his shoulder searching for a target. The interior of the building was as bad as the exterior. Displays and statues were knocked over or vandalised, bodies of patrons and police officers laying on the tiled floor in puddles of their own blood that looked a day or so old.

Elizabeth stepped forward by another George Washington automation and picked up a lit lantern from the body of one of the men that once ran the place. "This looked to be a beautiful place...at one time." she said stepping lightly around the body at her feet. "I just hope we don't run into any trouble while we're here."

"We're just going to grab a bottle of Shock Jockey, and then we're gonna leave. Easy." said Reece as they slowly made their way down the hallway before them.

"If you say so." said the girl from her spot on his left with her eyes flickering from side to side for anything that moved.

The place was quiet, save for the sounds coming from the automations and two still working vending machines. Their footsteps echoed through the halls as they moved around some debris that was on the floor and approached a set of double doors. Reece nudged the door open slightly, barrel of his rifle leading as they entered the large, dark room beyond. "Stay close." he whispered.

Elizabeth's lantern cut through the darkness giving them enough light to observed the room. managed to find a shotgun and some shells on a nearby stand and stored them into his backpack just in case. Switching his rifle for the powerful close range weapon for their current situation.

" 'Our Prophet, Father Comstock. Commander of the 7th Cavalry.' " his charge read off of the plaque on the statue dominating the center of the room.

"I remember my history. And I didn't read anything about that SOB leading the 7th." said Reece thinking back to his Western History course.

"That's because he isn't no hero!" boomed a voice over the building's PA system as spotlights from above shined down on the duo from above forcing them to cover their eyes.

"Slate?" asked the traveler squinting his eyes through the bright lights.

"Indeed, and you must be Reece Vega. The so called 'False Shepard' that has been causing trouble for that bastard Comstock." replied the war veteran. "Have you come here to kill even more of my men?"

"They attacked me, old man. I thought they were Comstock's lackies before I saw the colors they were wearing." replied Reece. "All we want is a bottle of Shock Jockey and we'll be on our way. We won't cause any more trouble for your people."

The PA was silent at first, "You misunderstand, Vega. I'm not angry for you killing my men."

Reece and Elizabeth shared a glance wondering what the old man was talking about. "Why not?" asked the girl.

"Because he gave them an honorable death on the battlefield." said Slate as though it really was a great honor. "And that is all a warrior should desire."

Reece shook his head, "That may have been true for the Spartans. But personally, surviving a conflict and living to see another day is a much more honorable path to me." he admitted. "And if what you're saying is true, than a lot of Comstock's men have been given the same honor in the last few hours.

"Comstock's men are cowards!" Slate roared. "They had no chance at defeating us on the battlefield! So they imprisoned us here, to starve us and treat us like mad dogs! After what my men and I have endured we deserve a true warriors death!"

Neither teen liked the sound of that, "What are you getting at, Slate?" asked Reece gripping his shotgun out of reflex and putting himself in front of Elizabeth for protection.

"All my men have left is a choice: Die at the hands of a tin soldier like Comstock...or a real one!" Slate said chuckling. "You have proven yourself to be a capable warrior, therefore you will grant my men the honor they rightfully deserve, Vega!"

Lights came on all around the room, the doors under them burst open and Slate's men began pouring inside with clubs and knives ready to fight.

Reece spun around, making sure Elizabeth was behind him as he fired the shotgun. Killing one of the men instantly as he racked the pump handle and fired again taking another man down. This repeated until the weapon ran empty as more of Slate's men poured into the room.

Flipping the weapon around and using it as a club, the teen slammed it against the head of another soldier and knocking him hard into the statue of Comstock before launching a Possession into one of the men as he drew a machine gun, turning him against his comrades as he began gunning them down.

Two more tried to flank him from behind, but Reece was quicker. Driving his elbow into the face of the one on his right and shattering his nose. Pulling the knife from the stunned man's grasp and jamming it under the second one's collarbone before he could register what was happening.

Reece pulled out his pistol and shot the man who had blood gushing down his face from the broken nose when he heard Elizabeth scream.

The last man in the room had cornered her and had his club at the ready. The Traveler raised his arm and sent a flock of crows that began tearing into the man and herding him away from the young woman, when he got a safe distance away a round drilled through his temple and put him down with the others.

"Elizabeth, you okay?" he asked helping her to her feet and looking her over.

"I...I'm fine. Sorry for worrying you." said Elizabeth with a shacky smile.

"You See?! You see, you are a killer, Vega! A true soldier under the surface! You're the one that can give us the honor that has been robbed from us." said Slate over the PA.

"Please stop this!" shouted Elizabeth. "We just want the Shock Jockey, no one has to die anymore!"

"If it's the Vigor you and your companion want. Then he will have to kill his way to get it." replied the war veteran.

Reece gritted his teeth. These men were throwing their lives away all for nothing. Slate was out of his goddamn mind. "A true leader doesn't send his men to slaughter. Is honor really worth sacrificing what made you a soldier?!" he asked feeling sick about the whole thing.

"You're generation will never truly understand the hardships me and my men had to face. Not until you yourself have faced what we had to on the battlefield." replied Slate. "Like I told your pretty friend, if you want what you came here for...you're going to have to kill for it." the PA clicked off leaving the teens in silence among the men Reece had just killed.

"He's mad..." said Elizabeth biting her lip. "Why won't he just give us what we came here for?"

Her companion shook his head before he began scavanging what he could from the bodies. "I have a pretty good theory. My grandfather used to tell me about people in the war who had been through and survived so much that they felt that nothing save for a bullet could kill them. A bullet from an enemy. Slate has probably been through the same with his troops."

The young woman looked a little disturbed by the mere idea of that being a possibility. "I can't believe this, it's insanity!"

"That it is. But we're not getting out of Columbia without that Vigor. As shitty as it is for me to say, we're going to have to play by Slate's rules. For now at least." said Reece as they moved to a large storage room where he was able to stock up on ammo, Salts and even found an infusion sitting on a workbench close to the back.

With nothing else of value in the direct vacinity, the duo moved cautiously through the halls of the building. Reece leading with his shotgun freshly loaded as they entered a room that branched off into two directions. Each leading to a different scenery-like display of past battles.

Deciding to go right first, they found themselves entering the 'Wounded Knee Exhibit.' of the museum.

"The tin soldier has taken credit for the deeds of the real ones." came Slate's voice from the walls. "He would never know true honor, stealing the glory of those who rightfully earned it."

"Christ, what the fuck did Comstock do to this guy to piss him off this much?" Reece wondered as they went through the exhibit. Elizabeth jumped once or twice when a large cut out of a Native-American popped out with a hatched, but they got through it and to a set of double doors that lead to a small room.

In the center was a stage with another George Washington automation with a banner before it reading 'Our Prophet. The Hero of Wounded Knee.' "I'm starting to see why Slate's fighting against Comstock so badly." said Elizabeth as they moved around and into the next toom.

"If what he said when we got here is true," replied Reece. "Taking away a man's honor from the battles hes won is worse than death for a lot of people."

It was dark, but the back drops were similar to the beginning of the exhibit. Though that didn't last when the lights kicked on. Bathing the walls in an orangeish-red flow similar to fire as cut outs of indians moved about.

"Here's the young soldier I spoke of!" Slate said with a hint of pride over the PA system. "The kind of man Comstock pretended to be! See if I told you true!"

A battle cry echoed through the air, Reece looked up and saw one of Slate's men running down a ramp at him holding a club. His shotgun registered, blowing a fist sized hole in his chest and putting him down as the sound of more soldiers began to fill the room. "Elizabeth, hide! I'll deal with these guys!" he shouted, firing on another soldier as he came into view.

"I'm not leaving you alone! You'll be overwhelmed!" she cried back swinging her lantern and managing a hit on one of the men. Knocking him to the ground long enough for Reece to shoot him.

"I'll be fine. Keeping you safe is more important." said the Traveler firing a shockwave and suspending three soldiers in the air and putting them down with his shotgun before launching a Possession into one that was up high with a Carbine.

Reece smiled at his companion, "I'll be alright, just stay out of sight until it's over."

His charge didn't look convinced, but seeing the look in his eyes settled her fears enough to follow his lead.

With Elizabeth out of harms way, Reece when back to focusing on his opposition which continued to grow by the second. Slate was throwing a small platoon at him and if he wanted to get the two of them out of there he would have to get creative.

"Alright," he muttered while knocking back a Salt. "Who's next?"

His shield flared as machine gun rounds bounced off of it. Drawing his Carbine, Reece spun around and put a round through the head of a soldier before readjusting his aim and taking down another that came at him with a knife.

A group of three came in through the door he and Elizabeth came through before and found themselves running into a fireblast that sent them scattering in different directions. One of them lit a blaze from the blast and screamed as he was burned alive.

Reece looked down the iron sights and shot the downed men before they could stand. Dumping the clip and slamming in a fresh one when he heard loud clanking steps coming from the path the group had come through.

Coming around the corner, the leather and metal plated from of a Fireman stepped into the room. Armor painted with patriotic colors like the rest of Slate's men and flames licking around his gloved hands as he leered at the 'False Shepard' through the visor in his helmet.

"Time to burn!" the Fireman roared as he unleashed a wave of flames at the teen. Destroying his shield and forcing him into cover so that it could recharge. "Our leader claims that you will give us what we have been denied. Prove yourself!"

The traveler leaned out of cover and fired half his rifle's clip into the armor plating of the Fireman. Rolling back in when a volley of fireblasts were thrown his way. "Can't get him from the front, gotta try and hit him from behind." he said outloud before firing a shockwave courtasy of his Bronco ability.

The attack caused the Fireman to stumble back giving Reece the time to bolt from his hiding place and up the nearby ramp that lead to a small balcony that overlooked the room. The Fireman stabilized himself and skulked into the room searching for his target and found the spot he had been hiding was vacant.

"Stop hiding and face me like a true soldier!" he shouted before launching fireblasts in different directions. Setting some of the scenery on fire in the process.

Sliding into cover from a stray blast, Reece looked up and was a little surprised to see Elizabeth crouched down next to him. "Having fun?" she asked a little uneasy as the temperature in the room started to climb.

"Oh yeah, a blast." he said back as they heard the Fireman stomping below them. "We need to take him out if we wanna get out of here." he peered over the chunk of scenery they were behind and saw the Fireman heading toward the ramp, his back to them and completely unaware of where they were located.

"Now's my chance." he thought switching the rifle for the shotgun. "Reece wait!" looking down, Reece caught a box of shells tossed to him by his charge. Nodding his thanks, he loaded the rounds into the gun and braced himself before leaping over the scenery and landing on the ground below.

Quickly crossing the distance between him and the armored man, he jammed the barrel of the shotgun into the weakened parts of the suit and pulled the trigger, The Fireman grunted from the pain as blood splashed across the ground under him.

Reece racked the handle and fired a second shot, then a third, then the last one as the flames around the man's hands died and he collapsed to the ground dead, blood oozing out from under his armor and pooling beneath him.

"That went by a little easier than the last time I fought one of these guys." he said loading four fresh shells into the shotgun as Elizabeth came down to join him.

"You see, young miss? You see the man that Comstock wishes he was?" asked Slate over the PA with a grin in his voice. "And Vega here is well under half that bastard's age! The shame he would feel to see this here and now!"

"Enough of this Slate!" Reece shouted. "Just give us what we came here for!"

"I will." replied the war veteran. "After you do the same for me. Come and look for me amongst the boxers." the PA system cut out as the teens finished salvaging what they could and leaving the exhibit.

"Boxers?...I think that's a term used for the Chinese." said Elizabeth.

"Must be the next exhibit." said the traveler. "We better get there and-" he was cut off when they hear the sound of airship engines outside the building's walls.

"Can you hear Comstock's tin soldiers coming to silence us?" asked Slate. "But we are the true patriots! The history that does not fit in their books."

Reece narrowed his eyes. "Comstock's men coming here complicates things." he thought gripping his weapon. "But hopefully these guys will be more focused on killing each other than dealing with us." they headed toward the center room and headed into the 'Peking Exhibit'.

X

The second exhibit had been worse than the last. It was as if Slate had gauged Reece's abilities in the 'Wounded Knee Exhibit' and upped the number of men he had waiting for them in the 'Peking Exhibit'

Having the teens go through nearly a dozen soldiers, a Crow and a second Fireman had worn them down. Elizabeth did everything that she could to help, tossing ammo, Salts and Health vials she found laying around to her companion as he fought off the onslaught.

Slate shouting his praise for all the death and slaughter over the PA system as though he were a preacher at church. Reece went through the attacks in a rage. At Slate, his men, Comstock, everyone who thought that just throwing lives away like trash was like some kind of big honor.

If Slate wanted to die in battle so badly...Reece was seriously contemplating granting his wish.

When the last of the soldiers finally fell, the duo didn't find Slate anywhere and decided to return to the center room. Sitting on a nearby bench to catch their breath after the large firefights they had been in since arriving.

"I hope Paris is worth all of this trouble." Elizabeth muttered. Smiling her thanks when Reece handed her a bottle of water from their pack.

"After everything you and I have been through, I think we could use a long and easy vacation." said the traveler as he leaned his head back against the wall behind them. He was rather impressed with himself that he had been able to go through so much combat and still have the strength to keep going.

Maybe it was the Vigors. Maybe it was the Infusions the twins had hidden for him. Or maybe it was his own will that kept him going. The will to get home, the will to survive this...the will to keep Elizabeth safe.

His musings were broken when Slate's voice crackled over the intercoms. "I've got what you need, Vega. Come find me past the First Lady's memorial and we will finish this."

Reece stood up and drew his Carbine, more than ready to take down this madman before things got too far out of hand. "Reece...you aren't really considering killing him, are you?" asked Elizabeth as they headed toward the door leading out of the room.

"That depends on him." replied Reece. "He attacks us, we defend ourselves. But I'm not going to put a bullet in his head just because Comstock butchered his pride."

The door leading to the memorial burst open and four men charged. They were met with a Bronco shockwave and suspended in the air long enough to be gunned down clearing the path.

The room the men came from was filled with candles, large paintings of Lady Comstock were on every wall marking how important the woman had been to the people of the city and the Prophet.

Stepping toward the largest painting in the room, Reece couldn't help but find the regal woman beautiful. She held herself with an aura of confidence and pride in the paintings that was well reflected. "Say what you want about Lady Comstock, the woman had an eye for fashion." said Elizabeth causing Reece to roll his eyes.

"You've seen what Comstock has done to my history. Now see how he's rewritten his own." said Slate as they entered the courtyard outside the memorial room.

Reece narrowed his eyes in confusion, "Rewritten his own history? What's this old bastard going on about?"

Walking through a small courtyard/garden. The two teens stood before a statue of Lady Comstock holding a baby in the air while riding in a chariot pulled by a horse. " 'The Seed of the Prophet lay in the Womb of our Lady but for a Single Week.' " Elizabeth read off of the plaque and going to a second " 'But the Child took ill, and our Lady Prayed for the Prophet's Heir Day and Night.' "

"That's impossible." said Reece shaking his head. "It takes roughly 35 weeks for a baby to be born without possible complications. After one week...the baby wouldn't have enough functions to live."

"Comstock had a child; but my books never said anything about the child." said Elizabeth as they moved on.

Reece shrugged, "Probably has something to do with what Slate said about Comstock 'rewritting his history'. Covered it up so that it wasn't recorded in any text. So the question is why?"

Going up a set of steps, they entered another part of the building and recieved a shock in the form of a familiar angel statue set up on a high rise in the center of the room. A plaque on the bridge leading to the statue read; 'The Seed of the Prophet. The Prophet took his Seed to a Place of Refuge.'.

".,.That's my tower..." Elizabeth said covering her mouth.

Everything came into crashing clarity. Comstock took his child and put them in a safe place. A place where no one could reach them and would ensure their safety for when it was their time to take his place when he couldn't lead.

A place...that was in the shape of an angel that once overlooked all of Columbia.

Elizabeth's face had paled, as did Reece's when the conclusion came to them. "...I'm...I'm..." she couldn't say it.

"Comstock's daughter..." Reece finished for her feeling a chill go up his spine just saying the words.

Elizabeth shook her head not wanting to believe it. "It...It can't be true! It just can't be!"

It was at that point certain events replayed in Reece's mind. His encounter with Comstock, getting Elizabeth out of the tower, what they had read just outside the door not a minute ago. It was all connected somehow...

A stereotypical lightbulb went off in the traveler's head. "I don't think you are." he said making the young woman spin around to face him. "When I ran into Comstock, before I got you out of the tower, he said something about liberating you from somewhere. Then there is the 'one week pregnancy' thing we read about outside kind of makes it add up."

"What are you getting at?" asked Elizabeth trying to find where this was all going.

"I'm starting to believe that Lady Comstock had a miscarriage after about a week. Without an heir, Comstock wouldn't have anyone to lead the city when he passed. I think he nabbed you from somewhere and passed you off as his own and said it was only a week pregnancy to make it seem like some kind of miracle." said Reece.

Silence swallowed the room, the young woman was in deep thought as she mulled things over. "That...I don't..." tears welled up in her eyes as the full force of the idea of her being kidnapped from her family and used as some kind of tool to control the people of Columbia.

A pair of strong arms embraced her, allowing her to bury her face into Reece's neck as he rubbed small circles on her back. "I'm sorry. I was thinking out loud, I didn't mean to make you upset." he said sounding genuinly sorry.

"It's not your fault." she mumbled into his collar. "It does put things into perspective though. I always wondered why I was in that tower, why my family would put me through that. To know that it wasn't their fault..." she looked up at him with tears still in her eyes. "I want to find them, Reece."

Her companion nodded, "We will. For all we know that's why your so hung up on going to Paris. That could be where you're from." he said making her smile at the possibility. A moment later the two realized they were still embraced and stepped away blushing. "We should get back to finding Slate and that Shock Jockey. The sooner the better." Reece said as they headed to the door leading out of the room.

Taking a hairpin out, Elizabeth began working on the lock. "What would Comstock gain from taking another person's child? Looking good in front of his followers seems too shallow. There has to be something else."

"There is." said Reece as the lock fell away in record time. "He was training you to take over the mantle as leader when he passed. That's probably one of the big reasons why he had you locked up in that tower. You were to be his replacement."

Elizabeth's faced morphed into one of anger, "Well I want a puppy, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna get one!"

Reece smirked at her fiery spirit. "Then how bout we piss off the old man by taking away his 'legacy'?" His charge gave a similar smirk back and nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea to me."

The next room was another memorial. This one depicting the Murder of the First Lady. A statue of the Vox's leader, Daisy Fitzroy, stood behind a corner with a red silk strip in it's hands while a statue of Lady Comstock kneeling in prayer.

"The leader of the Vox killed Comstock's wife?" Reece wondered looking at the statues as they passed through the room. "Too conveinent. Especially after what we may have figured out in the last room. Who knows what else Comstock is hiding." The duo went through the rest of the memorial and through a second one that had been dubbed the 'Vengeance of the Prophet' before coming to an iron gate that blocked their path.

"I can get through these bars, but you're too broad." said Elizabeth with a slight smile.

Reece scoffed and waved to the gate, "Be my guest, oh mistress of doorways."

The young woman shook her head before slipping through the bars easily thanks to her slim and petite form. "I'll scout ahead and see if there's some way to move forward." she said as she began looking around.

"Just be careful, we don't know if there are any more of Slate's men waiting for us." came the reply as he waited for her to get back. Straining his ears and eyes for hostiles when he heard something similar to a loud ripple coming from behind the gate. "What...?" Reece turned back and saw a wooden construction built tall with a lift hook attached to it.

"It's a tear. Something I can bring into this world." said Elizabeth from the other side of the gate.

Reece took out his sky-hook and launched himself up on to the hook and dropped down on the other side. "That's convenient. Thanks for the 'lift'." he said getting a small laugh out of his companion as they moved to the ledge that overlooked an empty and open courtyard down below.

A small flight of steps lead up to a set of doors that would lead them to hopefully where Slate was holed up. A small squad of his men laid in wait behind makeshift barricades.

"Ambush, about five of them." said the traveler when he caught sight of two flashes of light. One of them in the air by the balcony across from them, the second on the ground in the center of the courtyard. "Are those more tears?" he asked pointing them out.

"They are, and we can use them against Slate's men." said Elizabeth crouching down next to him. "One will give us more hooks for higher ground. The other gives us a turret. Which one do you think we will need."

Reece took out his Carbine and braced it on the railing, staring down the sights as he spoke to his charge. "Open the turret up. We already have the high vantage point."

Elizabeth held out her hand and concentrated. A beam of light shot from her palm and struck the tear down below, the opening expanded until there was a flash of light. In the place of the tear was a grainy, but solid, automated MG turret that kicked on and began peppering the waiting soldiers with heavy rounds.

From his vantage point, Reece fired a round from his rifle. Splattering one of the soldiers' brains against the wall behind him as he aimed at another that was hunkered down behind a pillar and firing another two bullets into him as the turret made quick work of the rest.

Elizabeth opened one of the hook tears allowing the duo leapt down to the lower level just as a rocket connected with the turret and destroyed it. The tear closing right afterward as they got into cover.

Coming down the steps was a heavily armed man with a rocket launcher, two more men following him as they opened fire on their cover. Reece ran out into the open drawing their fire away from Elizabeth as he launched a flock of crows at them. A shockwave followed sending them airborne and allowing him to draw his shotgun and blast each of them.

The rocket launcher toating soldier groaned and attempted to stand but was met with two more blasts from the shotgun. Blowing through his light armor and ripping his chest open like a fountain of blood and bone.

Popping the breach open, Reece began loading in more rounds as Elizabeth came out of her cover. "Comstock's pet can do some wonderful tricks. Do you know what you've got there, Vega?" came the older man's tone from the nearby speakers.

"Your starting to piss me off Slate!" Reece roared at the building. "Hand over the fucking Vigor and let's put an end to this!"

"You know what I want, soldier. That's the only thing that will end this conflict. How many men have you killed since you arrived here? What's one more to that list?" the teen shook his head as he and Elizabeth climbed the steps and entered the building.

The Hall of Heros gift shop was just as dark as the previous rooms they had found themselves in. A couple of president automations were running in the corners of the room spouting off about one thing or another before sparks began shooting from their forms before shutting down.

Elizabeth pointed out a couple of tears, one of them being another automated turret, in the room as they made their way through in search of either Slate or the Shock Jockey.

"Tin men, Vega. That's what Comstock will turn us into!" Slate shouted over the PA. "Wires and gears to replace heads and hearts!" A spotlight came on illuminating another automation at the back of the gift shop. The mechanical president came on and slammed its fist into the window, cracking the glass.

"Reece!" Elizabeth said with a trembling voice getting behind her companion. The glass shattered, the motorized patriot reached back and pulled out crank gatling gun and began spraying rounds all through the room.

"ELIZABETH GET DOWN!" Reece shouted as he pulled her down. His shield shattering in seconds while the heavy rounds tore into the desk, sending wood splinters flying in all directions as the traveler covered the woman under him with the debris showering down around them.

Sweat pouring down his face as chunks of wood covered his back and shoulders, Reece looked around the room for anything that could help them. His shotgun laid on the floor out in the open, dropped when he tackled Elizabeth to the ground.

"I'll draw it's fire! When it's not looking open the tear with the turret and give me some cover fire!" he said over the hail of rounds.

"Are you crazy?!" Elizabeth shouted back as the robotic president began to move closer. Their cover slowly being destroyed with every round shearing through it.

"No time! Just trust me!" came the reply as the traveler leapt up, shield fully charged again as he bolted from behind the desk and toward the opening off to the side. The motorized patriot's head followed him, swinging it's gatling gun around after its target causing his shield to flare up and shatter again as he made it behind a wall.

Pulling out his Carbine, Reece saw a flash out of the corner of his eye and an MG turret materialize out of one of the tears in the room. The automated gun came online, swinging around and opening fire on the robot president who turned and returned fire on the new threat.

With the gunfire off of him, the traveler conjured a fire-grenade and hurled it at the machine. The explosion making it stagger to the side and switch its aim back to the human target as the damaged turret continued to fire upon it.

The attack seemed to go on for an hour when it had been only a few minutes. Bullets and fireblasts flew through the air like angry hornets tearing up the surrounding room.

Sparks began to fly out of the motorized patriot's form under the assault as it turned back to the turret to finish it off. Allowing Reece to reload his weapon and shouldering it before charging out of cover, scooping up his shotgun off the floor as he ran up behind the machine and firing round after round into the exposed gears sending sparks and chunks of metal flying out and clattering to the floor.

The automation shuttered under the sudden attack, but managed to swing itself around in an attempt to hit the teen with its weapon.

Reece ducked down under the attack and fired the last round into the things kneecap. Blowing the joints to salvage and dropping it to a kneeling position. It attempted to stand, but with the loss of its knee it couldn't stabilize itself enough to raise its weapon.

Glowing eyes looked up as the teen before it reloaded shells into his shotgun. "V-V-V-Victory at a-a-a-a-any cost." it stuttered out in a mechanical voice still trying to raise its weapon.

"Got that right." said the traveler pressing the barrel of his weapon in the robot president's face and pulling the trigger. The blast shearing through the metal skin and 'brain' of the machine and offlining it instantly.

When the body crashed to the floor unmoving, Elizabeth stood up from her place behind the desk. Chunks of wood in her hair and on her blouse as she looked at all the damage. "That was...intense." she said running her fingers through her dark brown locks.

"I shutter to think what else could be laying in wait around this place." said Reece kicking the mechanical body at their feet. "Let's grab the Vigor and get out of here before any more of these things show up."

They began searching the room for any storage rooms or another way out. Elizabeth opened the other two tears in the room allowing Reece to gather bottles of Salt and a large pack of medical supplies.

"You see, Vega? Your just as much a soldier as any of the brave men that served under me all those years ago." said Slate. "But it doesn't matter. Comstock took our stories and scrubbed away our soul. Now...he's coming for me...and when I'm gone, all that will be left is the lie."

Ignoring the old man's words, the teens managed to find a locked door leading to a maintenance room. Elizabeth made quick work of the lock and they stormed inside. Both breathing a sigh of relief when they saw a crate in the back with the symbol of Shock Jockey stamped on the lid. "Yes! Finally!" Reece said fast walking over to the crate.

"It's about time we got a break." said Elizabeth in relief as her companion set his weapon down and pulled the lid off the crate.

Nothing. The crate was empty and the bottles of Vigor around the room were all empty.

"God Fucking DAMMIT!" Reece shouted kicking the crate hard enough to shatter one of the sides. "I hate these goddamn mind games!"

Elizabeth let him work out his frusteration while slowly simmering in her own at the situation. She looked to the crate and saw something. A purple-ish/blue liquid was stained on the side in the form of a handprint. "Wait, Slate must have taken them. Look!" she said pointing to the matching footprints leading away from the crate.

The traveler followed the tracks and narrowed his eyes, "He's really going to make this difficult. Guess we have no choice but to fight him now." he said re-drawing his Carbine and following the trail. They walked back into the gift shop and stopped dead in their tracks.

Electric volts were shooting through the air among between glowing crystals on the ceiling and floor.

"Is that...?" asked Elizabeth.

"Shock Jockey...Slate's here." Reece finished. The electric charge between the crystals prevent them from passing, he raised his rifle and put a round through one of those crystals. Shattering it on impact and disrupting the link and allowing them passage.

They exited the building back to the courtyard just in time to see an airship hover by overhead. "Comstock's men are moving in. We need to find that old bastard before they do." said Reece as they stepped out into the open.

"It was SLATE who killed for his country at Wounded Knee!" roared the old man in question as a bolt of eletricity arced over the railing where they had come from. Striking the ground and illuminating a sign posted on the wall that read 'We Deserve a Soldier's Death'. "It was SLATE who stormed the gates of Peking! SLATE!"

Cornellius Slate stood on the second level of the courtyard, electricity traveling across his form as he leered down at them. "Comstock's coming, Vega! But our lives won't satisfy him, oh no!" More bolts arched down and solidified into crystals creating a spiderweb of electric volts in the air. "He won't rest until he's lured us into tin! I won't let him! He took my past, but that's all he's getting from me!"

"It's over Slate! Just give us the Vigor and end this fucking madness!" Reece shouted up at the man.

Slate shook his head, "You're right, soldier. It is over...Here you go boys! A soldier's death awaits!" he called out as doors on the ground floor swung open and his soldiers began pouring into the courtyard.

The duo stood close together, bracing themselves for the coming fight while hoping they would make it through. Reece charged his powers to his arm as he took aim at the first soldier that came into range and pulling the trigger.

A/N: The battle in the Hall of Heroes is coming to an end in the next installment, and with it a moral choice that many were not given in the game's canon.

Update tomorrow, you know what to do.