A/N: Sorry about the long wait folks, a lot on my mind and plate as of late and I'm trying to prioritize. But no more interruptions for now.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock.
Getting their hands on the First Lady airship was proving to be a lot harder the second time around compared to the first. Though there seemed to be a pattern when it came to their attempts to escape and the seemingly endless supply of people trying to kill them.
With the Vox now turned against them, Reece and Elizabeth didn't have a single ally. They were completely and utterly on their own in a place where everyone wanted them dead and that was something neither of them had anticipated.
Still, the only way out of Columbia was in Daisy Fitzroy's possession. And the teens were ready to go through her forces like they did with Comstock's.
The atrium leading to Fink's offices within the factory was a complete wreck. The bodies of both his personal guard and the Vox scattered around in pools of blood amongst the debris as the duo picked around for any supplies they could use. The constant fighting they had to endure from the police impound to here had drained their supplies a bit and needed to be replenished quickly.
Luckily, there was a large amount of Silver Eagles in the desks around the room and a recently assembled vending machine which provided everything they needed before they had to press on.
"I wonder how many men Fitzroy has stationed from here to where she docked the ship." Reece wondered checking to make sure all of his weapons were loaded before they started moving.
"Hay Reece, I found something!" Elizabeth called out from the front of the room.
Heading that way, the traveler saw the young woman holding a Vigor bottle. Dark blue in color with the design of an octopus with its tentacles wrapped around it. A single tentacle was curled at the top acting as the cork with the word 'Undertow' written on the neck.
Pulling the cork off, he took a good smell and gagged. "Jesus...smells like low tide on the jersey shore." he muttered covering his nose.
Elizabeth took a smell and had a smiliar reaction. "You already have a decent amount of powers...don't punish yourself with that nasty bile for the sake of one more." she said wondering how bad the concoction would taste given the smell.
"It could be useful. Besides, it can't be no worse than the others." Steeling himself, Reece held his nose before gulping down the contents. Said fluid almost coming back up since the Vigor tasted like slimy fishwater.
Within seconds his arms started to mutate. The skin bubbling and shifting as golfball sized holes ripped open along the inside and outside of his hands. The holes shuttered and the flesh around them rippled before closing back up. Skin returning to normal as though nothing had happened to it.
With the knowledge of his new powers settling. Reece snapped his hand out and sent a jet of water out of his palm, slamming into a nearby desk and flipping it over as it was sent halfway across the room.
Using the same hand, he concentrated a moment before snapping out again. This time, a stream of water shot through the air wrapping around the dead body of a guard like a boa constrictor and snapping it back so that it hovered in the air before him for a few seconds before being dropped to the ground.
"Creepy as hell...but useful." Reece said as the 'suction cups' covering his hand faded away and he took up his burst rifle. Elizabeth made quick work of the lock sealing the door to Fink's office and they stepped oout into a wide open space on top of a large clock tower.
Cogs, pipes, pendulums and several smaller clocks surrounded them along with a few elevated platforms and a skyway that led around the entire tower.
Wind whiped around them from the elevation as they stepped outside. Reece sweeping left and right with his weapon incase of a trap while Elizabeth tucked herself in his hoodie a little more to fight the chill while keeping her eyes peeled. Walking across the circular platform before them and up a flight of stairs to the center of the structure, the traveler snapped up when he heard his charge scream his name.
Behind the glass window before them, on his hands and knees beneath the many cogs and gears working the tower was Jeremiah Fink. His back to them with his hands clasped before his kneeling form as he begged to someone in the darkness beyond with a little boy kneeling at his side. "No! Stop it! No! No, no, no!"
A gunshot rang out and the mogul's blood splattered the window. The boy ran into the shadows as another form stepped out of them.
Daisy Fitzroy, leader of the Vox Populi, stood over Fink's body coated in his blood. Smoking pistol in her hand as she stepped forward. Wiping the blood from the window before smearing it down her face like tribal markings.
Reece lowered his weapon and held up his hand, "Daisy...I don't want to fight you and yours. There's been to much fighting and death already." his eyes looked down at Fink's body before going back to the dark-skinned woman. "We just want the First Lady, that's it. Nothing else. Like we agreed."
Fitzroy's face was emptionless, her eyes black pits as she leered back at them from behind the blood stained window. "Kill the imposters. Burn their bodies when you're done." she said icily before disappearing back into the darkened room behind her.
"FIREMAN!" Elizabeth shouted. A crimson colored airship flew around the tower before dropping off the armored fire-wielder on to the top. Two other rebels joined him as they opened fire on the teens with complete abandon.
Reece raised his burst rifle and put a three-round brust into the two men before focusing on the bigger threat. Dodging a volley of fireballs thrown his way. "Time to test out the new Vigor." he muttered lashing his hand out. Ensnaring the Fireman with a stream of water and suspending him in the air.
Wasting no time emptying his whole clip into the now up close visor of the armored man. The traveler sent several bolts of electricity into his body to make sure he stayed down.
Two more airships arrived and started off-loading rebels on to the tower making it harder to focus on where to shoot. "Elizabeth! Get to the lower level, we're sitting ducks out here!" he shouted as he began firing on the new arrivals. They backed up to the stairs, Reece putting rounds into anything that got too close or took pot shots at them.
One rebel ran at him with a club and recieved a hard left cross and kicked over the railing before he could recover. Another went after Elizabeth and was sent away courtesy of a shockwave from her companion.
Seeing the number of hostiles growing, Reece quickly formed a plan and sent a jet of water on to the ground in front of him. Making a large puddle before backpeddling to where Elizabeth was taking refuge. "What did you do?" she asked seeing five members of the Vox coming for them.
"Wait for it..." Reece said as he held off till the last minute. When all the men stepped into the puddle he sent an electric bolt into it. Electrocuting them where they stood and taking them out indefinately.
Switching to his machine gun, the traveler sprayed rounds into two more rebels that had been dropped off before they could gain a foot hold. But it seemed the more that was taken out the more showed up. Daisy was pulling out all the stops on this.
His clip ran empty very quickly, forcing him to duck into cover and reload as the rebels continued to fire on their position. Reece poked his head up and sent two Possessions out into the attacking force and immediately caused chaos in their ranks. Giving him and his charge precious time to leap on to the nearby skyway and zip back up to the top level.
"There's too many of them!" Elizabeth exclaimed as a group of three rebels charged them with knives and clubs.
Reece took two down with his machine gun before the clip ran empty. Using the weapon to block the knife-strike aimed for his throat and delivering a hard kick to the man's chest. Knocking him into the wall allowing the teen to send a fireblast into him. "Find a way into the room where Fitzroy's held up! She's the only one that can call them off!" he said back reloading his weapon and switching to his hand cannon.
The heavy rounds tearing through flesh and bone with each shot fired, leaving his other hand free to send out Vigor attacks that kept the Vox from getting to close.
Three more came charging up the nearby ramp weapons spraying bullets everywhere. Reece's shield shattered in moments, be he disregarded it as he channeled energy through his body. Taking off like a blur and slamming into the lead rebel sending him and his friends hurdling over the railing behind them and plummeting to their deaths.
With the last of his powers used up, the traveler went back to using his guns and hand-to-hand tactics to ward off the Vox as they slowly began to box him and Elizabeth in. The young woman in question was doing everything she could to keep him supplied while opening what little tears were located around them.
One such tear was a large tesla core that sent out electric bolts that fried anything that got to close.
"Reece Salt!" he caught the bottle thrown to him and drank it fast. Smashing it off of the face of a rebel that had charged him and sending electricity through his head right after to finish the job. His sheild charging for what felt like the fifth time since this all started.
The Vox's numbers weren't thinning by very much. And they were starting to run out of Salts and ammo. Not to mention the constant fighting had begun to wear on them. Reece was sporting new cuts and bruises and Elizabeth had taken a stray club to the arm which she was now cradling.
Firing everything he had left in his machine gun until it clicked empty. The traveler swung it like a baseball bat into a rebel's face. Snapping his head violently to the side and dropping him like dead weight before throwing several fire-grenades at other hostiles who were shooting at them from behind a few pieces of machinery.
Doing a quick look, Reece saw a platform that overlooked the rest of the tower along the skyway. The Vox were regrouping and he could hear more airships coming so that didn't leave many options open for them. "Elizabeth, get up to that platform up there! I'm right behind you!" he called out taking his hand cannon and blowing a bloody hole through a man's chest.
She was hesitant, but the fight was beginning to get more and more vicious with no end in sight. Taking her sky-hook, while being careful of her bruised arm, she jumped up into the rails and zipped off to the platform her companion pointed out.
Back on the tower. Reece channeled several of his vigors and set up traps incase they were followed. Firing a Bronco shockwave to handle a couple of stragglers before following after his charge. All the while taking shots where he could along the skyway and managing to kill a few more Vox before reaching his destination where two men had Elizabeth cornered.
He lept off, slamming his sky-hook into the side of the head of one man before round house-kicking the other off the platform. "You okay?" he asked the young woman reloading his powerful sidearm.
"Been better." she said rubbing her arm. "What do we do? They have us outnumbered."
Before he could speak, Reece pulled Elizabeth down as a hail of rounds tore at the platform from the tower below. Taking out his burst rifle, he laid on the floor and started sniping the men from their vantage point. "Keep fighing!" he shouted squeezing the trigger again and again.
Heads exploded in showered of pink and red mist with each burst fired. Reloading became robotic like clockwork, Spent clips and shell casings laid on the planks next to the teen as he kept firing. Making sure to take down the ones on the skyway before they could reach where they were holed up.
It felt like an eternity. Reece's whole body ached from the firefight but he didn't have time to grab a health vial from the pack to rejuvinate. So he pressed on...until the number of rebels finally began to let up. There were only a handful or so left now, and it looked like they might have the fight won.
The platform suddently shook, throwing the traveler's aim off and making him roll over a little. His eyes widened and he quickly rolled out of the way as a large, mechanical hand crushed the planks he had been laying on a moment before.
A Handyman, dressed in red garb that made him look like a devil, stood tall. His massive fists clenching and unclenching as he observed his opposition from under the hood of his outfit.
Reece snapped his rifle up and fired several bursts at the large man who raised his hand to deflect most of the rounds peppering his from. "Shit." the teen used his Undertow ability to ensnare the Handyman with water before grabbing Elizabeth and using the skyway to put as much distance between them and the mechanical behemouth as possible.
"I don't have nearly enough ammo to fight this guy, we're gonna need a back up plan." he said loading in one of his last clips and taking down one of the remaining rebels still in the area.
The Handyman slammed into the ground close to them, turning their way as Reece threw several fire-grenades into his chest. Keeping him on the defensive as long as he could while they could come up with something.
Elizabeth scanned everything around them, searching and preying for a tear to appear and give them much needed help before they were crushed by the large man's hands. Her blue eyes locked on to a sliver of light not too far away. A closer look revealed it to be a second testla core like the first one she had opened.
Her brain turned over several ideas until one of them seemed to stick. The core was right next to a railing that looked to be in repair. If they could get him close enough...
"I got it!" she called out running over to the tear. "Get him closer here!" she said preparing to open the tear.
Not having the time to argue, Reece began backing up. The Handyman following him slowly before he began to charge after him on all fours. The traveler stopped next to his charge as she waited for the last possible second and opened the tear.
The large man saw the flash and couldn't stop in time as his mechanical form slammed into the testla core and began to convulse from the discharge.
"We have to knock him over the edge!" Elizabeth explained as the power conduit began to slowly lose juice. Understanding what she was trying to say, Reece postioned himself in the right way and waited. The Handyman convulsed a little longer before his massive hands slammed against the testla core and destroyed it. That one flash was all the signal the teen needed as he channeled all his remaining power into one attack.
Wind whipping around him, Reece launched forward with a powerful Charge. His body slamming into the Handyman with the speed of a ballistic missile, shield shattering on impact from the force as the large hostile was sent skidding back along the wooden planks. Crashing through the partially repaired railing and tumbling over the edge while the teen rebounded off of his mechanical form.
Getting to his feet, the traveler approached the edge of the platform just as a large hand reached up and grasped it. The Handyman clung hard to the edge of the tower, intending on pulling itself back up as it reached with the other hand.
"Can't let this thing get back up here." Reece thought pulling out his hand cannon and aiming down. Cocking the hammer back before pulling the trigger.
The weapons registration was swallowed by the howling wind around them. But the fist sized hole punched through the Handyman's right eye was hard to miss. The being's mechanical fingers slackened and slowly released the edge of the tower before falling down, disappearing into the clouds until it vanished completely.
Seconds passed, Reece let out a sigh of relief before turning to Elizabeth. "Heh...great plan. Really saved our asses." he said getting a small smiled out of his charge.
"After seeing what you've been able to come up with, I just had to think like you." she replied getting a chuckled out of the traveler.
"True enough. Let's find Fitzroy and get the hell out of here."
After finishing off the only two remaining rebels, and gulping down one of their remaining health vials in their pack, Reece and Elizabeth went back up to where they last saw Fitzroy looking for any sign of the rebel leader.
Approaching one of the other large windows surrounding the central office, the young woman gasped. Running up to the glass and began pounding on it. "No! No, no, no!" she shouted as her fists struck the glass feebily.
Daisy stood on the other side, the small boy that had been next to Fink when he was executed was now in her grasp. Pistol at her side while he struggled against her.
"She's going to kill that child! Reece, we have to do something!" Elizabeth said looking around quickly. "We have to act...we have to get in there!" she ran around him toward a vent next to the window. "Give me a boost up."
"Elizabeth it's dangerous I can't let you do that." Reece said not feeling right about it.
"I wasn't asking Reece." his charge said with hard, determined eyes. "Now are you going to help me or not?"
The traveler knew full well never to talk any woman out of her thoughts when she had that particular look. He knelt down and cupped his hands together, "I'll distract her, get the kid and get out of there." he said seriously as she stepped into his hands and he lifted her up. Pushing the vent open and slipping inside as silently as possible.
Hand cannon still being gripped, Reece walked back to the window in time to see Fitzroy press the barrel of the pistol to the back of the boy's head. "FITZROY STOP!" he shouted pounding loud on the glass causing her to turn. "Is this suppose to be your movement? Shooting innocent children?!"
"This is what needs to be done!" Fitzroy shouted. Spinning herself and the child around to face the teen making him mentally curse. "You see, the Founders ain't nothing but weeds. Cut'em down and they grow back! If you wanna get rid of the weed, you got to pull it up from the root."
The boy struggled against his captor. Her hand clasped over his mouth as the other waved the pistol around before pressing the barrel to the child's head.
"Daisy no! Listen to me! This isn't the way, he's innocent! Killing him will only show the city that the Vox are the monsters Comstock is preaching about! The Vox are better than this! You're better than this!" Reece was damn near pleading. Hoping that the woman saw reason and lowered the gun.
Daisy looked up at him, her eyes tracing his face as her grip on the pistol slackened a little. "You look just like him..." she said forlornly. "Everything like the archangel sent to deliver us from Comstock's lies. To set us free."
Her face morphed into one of fury, "But you not him. You may have his face, his skills and his luck. But you don't possess his drive! My Reece Vega knew what the Vox stood for! What we are fighting for! He knew what needed to be done." She dug the barrel into the boy's head making him whimper. "This is the only way to ensure the root is removed..."
"NO!" Reece raised his hand cannon, preparing to shoot his way through the glass and get inside before it was too late.
Fitzroy went to pull the trigger, but suddently jerked forward. The boy broke from her grip and ran for the window, pressing a few buttons close by causing the barrier to slide open before bolting past the traveler as he stood in shock.
The front of Daisy's white blouse had a red stain over the stomach that quickly began spreading. She collapsed on to her knees as the lights within the room behind her came on. What Reece saw made his heart nearly stop.
There stood Elizabeth, shaking like a leaf on a tree with a sharp pair of scissors in her hand. Coated in blood along with half her forearm.
The leader of the Vox turned around, reaching up and grabbing the young woman by the hoodie as blood flowed freely from her mouth and the gaping wound in her back. Gurgling sounds coming from her throat as she tried to speak before collapsing to the floor. The life completely draining from her where she laid.
Holstering his weapon, Reece stepped slowly into the room. "Elizabeth..." he said gently. She was a white as a sheet, blood staining the front of his hoodie and most of her skirt as she continued shaking.
"I...I guess it runs in the family..." she whispered, not taking eyes off of the body before her.
Reece took another step forward, over Fitzroy's corpse as he drew closer to her. "Elizabeth..." he reached out for her. She jerked her head up and stumbled back, bloody weapon in hand as her companion held his hands up. "Whoa, hey...easy." he approached her as slow as possible. "Take it easy. It's me."
He reached out again when she relaxed, grasping the bloodied scissors and taking them from her and throwing them aside before pulling her into his chest. Her delicate fingers white knuckled as they gripped his jacket like it was a lifeline, her face burrowed in his shirt as strangled sobs came from her throat.
"I...I...I couldn't...she was going to..." she managed to hiccup between sobs.
"Shhh. It's okay, I got you." Reece whispered holding her closer. Offering whatever comfort that he could.
Elizabeth shook her head. "It's not okay!" she screamed into his chest. "Reece...I...I just killed someone! How is that okay?!" Her anguished blue eyes looked up into his torn green ones. "How can you deal with all of...THIS?! All this killing, death and violence. HOW?!" she demanded.
The traveler just looked into her eyes. The once innocent eyes he had met two days ago that were now dimmed because of all the chaos that had happened since her escape. Pleading with him to make sense of what was going on.
He reached up and stroked her cheek. Wiping away some blood that had splattered there as he spoke. "Because I have something important to protect." his voice was as warm and gentle as he could manage. "My doubts, my fears, they don't mean anything if your life is at risk. I made a vow to protect you no matter the cost. And I won't rest until you're safe."
Tears fell down Elizabeth's pale and blood stained cheeks as she pressed her head underneath Reece's chin. The familiar feeling of peace she felt whenever she was close to him washing over her.
Her heart fluttered and her stomach did small flips hearing his words. Even though she felt a sliver of fear wondering how far he would go to protect her, she mostly felt the same familiar feelings from before show themselves yet again. Warmth spreading from her chest into the rest of her body as she felt his arms lock around her form as the shivering slowly calmed, making her feel safe from the world.
The woman she had killed almost forgotten as she lost herself in her protector's embrace.
Reece turned slowly so that his body was blocking Fitzroy's corpse from Elizabeth's view. Scooping the girl up in his arms as he began carrying her out of the room, through a set of large double doors and down a long hallway that lead to where the First Lady was docked.
Craddling her in his arms as he headed forward. A similar feeling going through his own heart as he held Elizabeth close. He meant every word, and his actions spoke miles when it came to how far he would go for her.
Getting back home to his time was important; but at that moment, nothing was more important than the girl in his arms.
X
The First Lady had changed a bit since they first 'acquired it'. It had been turned into a mobile hospital/command center for the Vox. It was pretty simple to tell that Fitzroy had been using the airship to spearhead the rebellion.
Reece took stock of what was scattered around the bridge after making sure all the exits were locked and sealed from anyone that tried to follow them. The ship had needed refueling and thankfully, Daisy had the airship attached to the small refinery located close to the factory's rooftop.
Elizabeth had went into the large suite located right next to the entrance and had locked herself inside. The traveler figured that she needed some time after what had happened.
You can never really prepare on how to deal with your first kill. Reece just got the luck of keeping it all buried inside while continuing to put one foot in front of the other for the sake of his and his charge's survival.
He failed in the promise he had made when they left the gunsmith's shop. She had been forced to kill someone, he hands now had blood on them even though they weren't as staind as his was.
After combing through the ships contents, he walked over and sat down in the chair facing the control panel. Sagging into the cushions as he felt the adrenaline fade out of him. The last firefight had taken a lot out of him, and even the health vial he had taken couldn't replenish all of his lost strength.
Running a hand down his face, Reece saw that the sun was setting over the horizon once more. It was then he realized that he had been awake for two days solid, save for the time he was knocked unconcious. The constant supply of Vigors, health vials, Infusions and his own adrenaline had been keeping him awake all this time.
But he could feel exhaustion slowly creeping along the edged of his conciousness. How much longer could he hold out until his body had, had enough?
He leaned his head back against the head-rest and starred at the ceiling. "God...I know I haven't really been praying much lately. But I could use a little guidence right about now." he sighed. "I've...I've killed so many people in the last 48 hours. Whether for my own preservation or Elizabeth's doesn't change anything, I know. But everything is getting out of control."
Silence was his response, but he kept speaking. "I just need to know...why me? The twins still haven't been forth coming with that information, but I keep getting this feeling. Every time Elizabeth and I jump worlds, almost like I have to do something. Something important. I just don't know what."
A dull thud was heard by the console making the traveler perk up. On the floor close to the ships controls was what looked to be an old recording device. Curious he picked it up and gave it a once over before a tape-label on the top caught his attention. The words. 'R. Vega'looked back at him stealing his breath.
"Wait...it couldn't be." he thought reaching out and pressing the play button on the device.
"...cough, cough...I...didn't think it would end like this." his own voice, albet a little older and worn came from the small speaker on the device. "Been thinking about what's happened around here since I arrived. All I wanted to do was go home, see my family again, get back to my life. Instead I got dragged into a war in a place I never knew could exist."
"cough...Though I can't find it in myself to regret it. I helped a lot of lives here in Columbia. My one objective turned into an ambition that fueled a revolution. The Vox will be able to take back what Comstock and his lackies have taken from them. Daisy said I must have bedded lady luck at some time in my life, since I seem to come out of very conflict alive while saving many others."
"...but I guess my luck was bound to run out eventually."
The voice sounded weak, and fading. Reece's other self took a shacky breath before continuing. "I don't have much time...cough, cough, cough...F-Fink managed to get a lucky shot in...and I can't get the bleeding to stop. If someone finds this, get it to Daisy Fitzroy."
"Daisy...you've been a good friend to me. Joining your cause and fighting for the rightous was one of the best decisions I could have made...but I know that it won't stop. Even if Comstock falls, it'll never end. The cycle will keep repeating unless it is stopped at the source."
"You need...to find the root of the problem and tear it out. Elizabeth is the key, she always was. That's why Comstock needs her. It wasn't just for his legacy, it was for his own preservation as well."
A loud, wet cough ripped through the speaker making the teen wince. "...E...Elizabeth...if this manages to get to you...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry...I did everything that I could, but I guess it just wasn't enough. I only hope that you can forgive me some day."
"And...I just wanted you to know...I L...uhhhh..." a soft thud was heard and everything went silent. The recording ended not long after leaving Reece feeling a sense of dread and forboding.
What was his otherself talking about? Cycle? Root of the problem? And how was Elizabeth a 'key' to all of it?
Shaking his head, Reece set the device down and rubbed his eyes. "As if things couldn't get any more complicated." he thought before reaching into his jacket pocket and taking out his IPhone. The power bar read that there was only 21% energy left in the battery, but he paid it no mind as he brought up the picture of himself and his family. Smiling at the frozen image as he heard the door in the back open and footsteps move across the wood floors.
Turning the seat around, the traveler felt his heart nearly stop for the second time that day. But for a completely different reason.
Elizabeth stood there wearing a completely new outfit. A long, dark-blue skirt that connected to a white corset that hugged all the curves of her figure beautifully and making her breasts pop up a little. The look was completed with a dark-blue half-jacket with white wrist cuffs that covered her arms and was left open.
Her once longer hair had been cut short into a pixie-cut giving her a completely different look than what she had before. And Reece had to admit...he really liked it.
"This was all they had." she said tossing away the short ponytail she had cut from her own hair and looking at her companion's awestruck expression. "And your sweater was covered in blood...does it look okay?"
Reece had to shake himself to answer her, "Oh...yeah. You look fantastic. I mean! You look beautiful! I mean...dammit." he muttered getting a light giggle from his charge while she blushed at his compliment.
"Are you okay?" he asked getting over his embarrisment.
Elizabeth sighed, absently rubbing her hand along the sleeve of her new jacket. "A little better, though not by much." she looked out the window at the clouds. "When do we leave?"
"After the ships finished refueling. Shouldn't be too long." he replied before going back to looking at the picture of his family, while doing his best not to ogle the pretty young woman standing close to him.
He felt her move around the chair and look at the screen with him. "You'll see them again." she said softly.
Reece nodded, "I know, this just reminds me of the second thing I'm striving for in all of this." he said smiling.
The young woman smiled back, remembering his words of how the only thing important to him until all this was over was her safety. Her heart warming again in rememberance as they stared into each other's eyes.
A soft click was heard in the quiet room making the teens look down at the phone. They were so lost in each others gaze that Reece accidentally hit the camera button on the screen. The image that popped up was of the two of them looking at one another smiling.
"S-Sorry about that." Reece said leaning his thumb out for the delete button.
Elizabeth's hand reached out and took the device. Looking at the picture of the two of them frozen in time and smiling wider. "I think we can do better." she said before gently sitting on her companion's lap making him turn beet red. "Can you show me how it works?" she asked looking to him.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Reece hit a few buttons on the IPhones screen until the camera feature came on. The lense showing the two of them together on the pilot's chair. After showing her what to do, she moved the device to the right position and smiled after puting her head closer to Reece's.
The couldn't help but smile after seeing her's as one of her delicate fingers tapped the camera on the screen. The digital shutter flashed and reappeared showing the picture taken, and the traveler had to admit that it was a pretty good one.
Looking the image over for a few moments, Elizabeth looked at her companion as she handed the device back. "I think that one is a keeper." she said getting a small laugh out of Reece.
"Indeed it is." he replied putting the phone away before noticing the postion they were in.
While she had been playing with the device, his arms had wound around her waist. Holding her in his lap comfortably.
Elizabeth must have noticed as well from the blush that dusted her cheeks. Her hands coming up to rest gently on Reece's shoulders as she shifted a little. "Reece...I really can't thank you enough for being here with me through all this. You've done so much for me in a short time than others have my whole life. I owe you so much, yet you ask so little."
Reece squeezed her hips lightly, "You don't owe me anything, Elizabeth. When I make a promise, I keep it. I promised you freedom, and god help me your going to be free of this place."
The warmth in her chest turned into a fire. Her heart hammering against her ribcage in a way that was scary and exhilerating. She could feel the same coming from her companion, Their breath coming out slowly as they kept their eyes locked with one another.
Elizabeth's hands slid from his shoulders up to his face, Reece's hand's moving up from her waist to the sides of her stomach on their own as they moved closer together. Eyes sliding closed at their lips were pulled to one another.
BUUZZZZ! The teens jumped from the sudden noise and saw that the ship had finished refueling.
Looking from the console back to one another, their faces reddened realizing what they were about to do a moment ago. "R-Ready to go?" Reece asked trying to slow his racing heart. Elizabeth nodded not being able to find her voice as they got up from the chair and went about getting the First Lady ready to travel.
Disconnecting the refueling line and punching in the coordinates for Paris like they had before. The large airship pulled away from the factory and began making its way through the buildings around them.
Neither teen looked at each other, embarrisment being the leading cause, but also fear. The two had developed a strong bond over the short time they've been together and it seemed to have reached a boiling point that neither of them could control anymore.
Feeling the need to talk to her about it, Reece turned to his charge. "Elizabeth, I-" A large, flying form zoomed past the front of the airship making his blood run cold. "Oh FUCK!" he shouted as he watched Songbird bank left around a building.
"No, no, no no no no no no no NO!" Elizabeth screamed in terror.
"We need to find a way to make this thing go faster!" Reece shouted as they went at the controls in an attempt to increase speed. Changing course in different ways as they tried to lose their persuer.
"Theres gotta be some sort of..some sort of throttle, or accelerator, or something!" she shouted as the shadow of her captor flew past them again.
Reece kept pulling switches, "Keep looking! We have to get moving before..." he looked out the front window and saw Songbird coming straight at them. "ELIZABETH GET DOWN!"
The bird-creature smashed through the window of the airships bridge. Sending wind and glass showering over them as it knocked both teens on to their backs. Songbird crunched the supports its talons were holding on to as it tried to force its head into the room.
Reece drew his hand cannon and fired rounds into the creature's neck while firing electric bolts at the same time as he felt the ship start to pitch forward. "He's taking us down! Grab on to something!' he called out as the First Lady started rolling. Tossing him and Elizabeth around like rag dolls.
There was a loud crash and everything went black.
A/N: Several more twists for the never ending chaos that is the world of Columbia. And with Songbird still hounding them, the chance of escape is looking more an more bleak by the hour, even more so now that the past events are starting to take their toll on Reece and Elizabeth. Though, it also seems to be bringing them closer together as well...
Update coming soon guys.
