Part 6: The Hunt
David stepped from the train, entering Gaia Plaza. The skylight above let in the dim glow of the ocean, illuminating the Plaza's bizarre architecture. Initially Gaia Plaza had been a part of Rapture's foundation, acting as an anchor for the city. Pillars of steel, hundreds of feet long, had been driven into the solid bedrock, and Gaia Plaza had been built around them. This meant that the train stopped at the top floor, and the building descended down, into the bedrock.
"You need to hurry, David." As she said it, David could hear why. Beyond the small train station, the sound of a firefight reached his ears. Leaving the station, he entered the main complex. Like most of Rapture, Gaia Plaza had been built around a central atrium that let the light from the ocean seep into the lower levels. There were five levels between the top and the bottom, each lined with a balcony that made a circle around the central plaza.
Looking down, David could see flashes of light, shadows moving beneath the lowest balcony. The bottom floor was a simple, open area, almost like an indoor park. Moving swiftly and silently down, the former assassin stayed away from the edges of the balconies, knowing he'd be an easy target for the combatants below.
Without warning the building shook with a thunderous roar. For a moment David thought a whale must have injured itself, the sound was so low and loud. Then, the source of the noise slid into view. The copper shod teenager felt his eyes widen in surprise. Steadying itself on the tiled floor, a massive creature in a diving suit roared again.
"That, David is a Big Daddy," Tenenbaum explained. The hulking monstrosity was easily six feet tall, and at least another four wide. He was dressed in a diving rig, a bulkier version of the suit David was wearing. The creature's helmet was a dome of spun copper that faced forward. Covering the dome were several dozen small portholes, each one emanating a red glow. The thing that caught David's eye, however, was the massive drill affixed to the Big Daddy's right arm. Every ridge on the drill was covered in blood.
"It is a Bouncer model. They are responsible for protecting the little ones while they gather ADAM." As the doctor continued her explanation, a Splicer shot into view, possibly hoping to club the Bouncer with a piece of piping. The armored giant calmly plucked the man from the ground and used him as a makeshift club against a second attacker. Next to the Big Daddy, a small girl in a tattered dress scrambled away from the fight.
More Splicers came at the duo from every direction. The girl stumbled, and before she could recover, one of the attackers grabbed her arm. Screeching in her inhuman voice, the Little Sister called out to her protector. With more grace than something covered in spun copper and brass should display, the Bouncer whipped around and drove his drill into the offending Splicer. There was a splash of blood and gore, and just as quickly, the Big Daddy lifted the girl onto his shoulders.
Despite the shocking ferocity of the Bouncer's attacks, David knew the Big Daddy would falter soon. As if on cue, a shotgun blast rang out, echoing off the plaza walls. The armored giant stumbled to one knee. A pool of blood was forming under one massive boot, and each time the Bouncer swung his drill, the blow would be slower, less coordinated. One wild swing landed a lucky blow on another Splicer, killing the attacker.
David felt a pang in his chest as he watched the dying protector attacking blindly, vainly trying to defend the Little Sister who rode on his shoulders. He recognized the look of a creature being used. He'd seen it in the mirror every day he'd worked for Ryan. Poor bastard, David thought morosely. With a sickening calm, a Splicer approached the flailing Big Daddy from behind, staying out of reach from the gore encrusted drill.
Knowing what would happen next, the former assassin darted for the stairs. This was beyond cruelty. It was murder, plain and simple. This was a pack of hyenas bleeding their victim dry. David also knew there was no way he'd be fast enough to stop it from happening.
With a thunderous blast, the shotgun put an end to the Bouncer's struggle. The hulking giant let out another groan before falling to the floor. The silence was broken only by the sobs of the Little Sister as she cried over her dead protector.
"Get up Mr. B. Please get up." Despite how alien her voice sounded, David still hated the sound of her crying, pleading with her dead protector to come back to her aid.
"Don't worry Poppet. Everything will be okay now." The same edge that David had recognized in the killer's voice from Fontaine Futuristics permeated the Splicer's tone. It was the voice of a killer, the voice of a man who lusted for violence and destruction. The six surviving Splicers advanced on the girl, looking at her like a piece of meat. "ADAM will make everything all better."
Still a floor above the plaza, the former assassin leapt over the balcony. As he fell, he let a charge of Electro-Bolt fill his hand. With a flick of his wrist, David let the bolt fly, watching with grim satisfaction as it slammed into the furthest Splicer with a concussive force.
When he had leapt, the former assassin had been aiming for the nearest of the Splicers, hoping to land close enough to stab the man as quickly as possible. Instead he ended up landing on the Splicer, sending both copper shod boots into his opponent's spine. Standing next to the man he'd just crushed to death was another attacker. The Splicer, shocked at having witnessed his compatriot squashed beneath an armored killer, frantically trained his pistol sights on David's head.
Fueled by his outrage, David whipped the gun aside, turning the man so that he faced away from the teenager. With the ease that came from repetition, the former assassin bent the man's wrist back until the pistol was aimed at his own spine. David pulled the trigger, killing the Splicer with his own gun.
Now armed, the former assassin put his foot into the dead man's back and launched him at one of his former compatriots. The attacker fell back, trapped under the weight of the dead Splicer. David cocked the hammer back and fired at the Splicer nearest the Little Sister. His aim was wild, and the bullet merely clipped the Splicer in the shoulder, knocking the man to the ground.
Before the armored teen had a chance to take another shot, the final standing Splicer leveled a double barreled shot gun on his chest. Diving to his right, David sought cover behind a nearby support beam as a solid, deer slug slammed into the marble pillar. Behind the pillar, the former assassin knew he was pinned, and that he only had seconds before, the other two surviving Splicers retaliated.
David pulled off a feint, moving as though he were rounding the pillar on one side, only to quickly pivot back and come around the other side. When the support beam took another slug, he knew the ploy had worked, and he took his time to train the sights on the Splicer as the other man tried to reload.
This time, the former assassin's aim was perfect, and the bullet slammed into the man's right eye, killing him instantly. Glancing at the Splicer who still struggled to free herself from her dead companion, David felt ice spread through his veins. With a calm that was eerie even to him, the former assassin went to the fallen Splicer, ignoring her fuming hatred as she spat insult after insult, and shot her. Next he went to the Splicer he'd clipped and finished the job he'd started. At last the room went silent, a stark contrast to the incredible violence that had taken place only seconds ago.
It wasn't until David heard her sobs that he remembered why he had acted so swiftly, why he had put an end to six lives without feeling even the slightest bit of remorse. Huddled behind one of the Big Daddy's limp arms, the Little Sister continued to sob. Moving to her, the armored teen couldn't help but be reminded of Alice. She was the same age and general build. However, this girl was blonde and her dress was in tatters. A thin line of red, what looked suspiciously like a blood stain, ran from the corner her mouth to her chin. She had the look of something that had come back from the grave, a notion that was only reinforced by her almost supernaturally glowing, yellow eyes. Her skin was gaunt and pale, and even her crying for her lost companion sounded faked, like an actress in a bad movie.
Slowly, and as gently as he could manage in a suit of spun copper and brass, David knelt next to her and held out his hand.