I DO NOT OWN BIOSHOCK, NOR ITS CHARACTERS.
Thanks to my beta: DefinateStorm. What would I do without you?
They were sat at the table in the kitchen with cups full of now cold tea in front of them. Neither had spoken to one another in half an hour.
"He kissed you." Robert was the first to break the silence.
"I don't remember that." she replied quickly.
"You fainted, and... he kissed you. Why?" Rosalind sighed. "Are you having an affair with him?"
"What? No." she laughed. "Why would I? You've been talking to Lady Comstock again, haven't you?"
"Rosalind, this is serious. He took advantage of you while you were unconscious, and I'm sure he would not have done that if he wasn't confident that you would..." Robert took her hand across the table. "Does this have something to do with that period of time in which we didn't speak?"
When Columbia flew into the skies, Rosalind took their atom with her. She warned Robert that she wouldn't be able to talk with him through the Morse Code while the city was settled and such, but she never really told him why it took so much time. It'll be matter of days, dear Robert. Don't worry, she wrote in the atom, but months passed before they spoke again.
"Robert..." she started. "I... have done things. Things that I don't regret but you wouldn't approve." She was, in part, relieved to finally share this with him. She had wanted to tell him all about her life previous to the first windowed-tear for a very long time.
Robert took a moment to understand her words before asking the dreaded question. It just gave him pain to think about his sister – myself, he thought – in that way.
"Did you... sleep with him?" he didn't know any way to put it lightly.
"Them, would be more appropriate." She murmured. Robert lifted his look to gaze at her in horror. "But no, I didn't sleep with them."she added quickly. "There was not a carnal implication of that kind."
"But there were some carnal implications."
She nodded, "There was."
He hissed in disgust and turned to the doorway slowly. There was a carnal implication, but for what? For funds? That was almost prostitution!
"I-It was necessary, Robert... I wanted to meet you." She explained quickly, but he wasn't paying attention to her anymore.
"Do you think the tear in my London's lab will still be open?" he didn't want to hear what she had to say. The question caught her by surprise, but not because of the its suddenness, but for the fact that his voice was so emotionless that any Fink's shop would envy it.
"Probably. Why?" she asked, confused.
"I don't know what you are playing at, but I don't want to take part in it." He spat. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning."
"Robert!" she exclaimed, trying to reach him but he was already climbing the stairs to the main floor. "I know I made a mistake I should have told you about it, but - ! " she started to explain in vain.
"These are not the terms I came here under, Rosalind." said Robert turning to look at her with the most hurt look she had ever seen. "I find this... your life style, disagreeable. I'm sorry, sister, but I won't live your lie anymore."
The darkness hid the new stream of blood that was mixing with tears that rolled down her cheeks silently.
Rosalind knew that there was no turning back. She wished to talk to him and explain the things she should have told him before. But the next day, Robert was nowhere to be seen. Evidence of his decision, on the contrary, were all around the place. A small suitcase was near the lab's door, with his jacket and hat on the chair next to it. The bedroom she had dispossed for him over a year ago had been emptied during the night, even the sheets had been removed and thrown for laundry.
She stood on the hallway looking at the lab's door. Then, she looked to the main door, and again to the lab's. Robert was probably out, saying Farewell to the Columbia she didn't know. He was so emotional... She once had been, but not anymore. Then again, he hadn't been through what she had. Five years had passed since, when her naivety and her work had attracted a senator who was willing to invest in her work. She used to enjoy long walks and music too, but now all that remained was an old gramophone during her work.
Rosalind knew Robert wouldn't come back until late on the evening, maybe to avoid her, but she needed to explain herself further on the Comstock matter. She didn't want him to leave without having all the data, that would be a foolish action.
Now, she had two options: she could wait for him, risking to miss his entrance by falling asleep over the work, or she could go out and try to find him. It made her dizzy; thinking of going outside. She had never been there before. Well, she had stepped outside to meet Comstock at his house, but she knew that road like the back of her hand and a book was always held by it. Reading took her mind away, so it didn't count. And, of course, the video shoot for the kinetiscopes, but even then an equation was always on her eyes.
Now that she thought about it, she couldn't remember Emporia at all.
Moved by her sudden innate scientific curiosity, she opened the main door and stepped outside. A warm breeze caressed her neck, throwing shivers down her spine. Good shivers.
There was too much space for her unaccustomed eyes, used to be inside a room of constant length. She closed the door, deciding that this new environment needed further investigation, for the Contraption inside the lab had no importance without Robert by her side, working hand in hand.
Each step brought her nearer to the pavement. A couple passed by and greeted her. Their surprise was evident.
"Mrs. Lutece." Said the man, touching his hat. The woman smiled and turned to her companion to speak in a lower tone, probably for gossip. Good gossiping, Rosalind hoped.
Did she know them? She couldn't remember.
"Madame Lutece!" a yell stopped her half way through the last step of the staircase her. "Madame Lutece! Would you sign it for me? Please!"
A child was begging her, looking up at her with so much excitement in her eyes that Rosalind was reminded of herself in front of the very first lab of her own. The girl carried a book in her hands and was giving it to her.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm sorry for the interruption, Ms Lutece. Anthony Copper." Anthony shook her hand. "We didn't want to interrupt you. Sarah, honey, don't disturb the lady." Said the man who had accompanied her, perhaps thinking that Rosalind's disoriented look was a expression of annoyance. Judging by their clothes, their family wasn't one of the richest.
"Please?" tried Sarah again with big tearful eyes.
"It's alright." she took the book.
Rosalind was surprised to find her name on the cover. Was this little girl reading her physics books? She found it improbable that anyone would read them, let alone a girl named 'Sarah'.
Two pairs of eyes were looking at her waiting for some reaction.
"It's... my book." she tried, not sure of what to say.
"Yes!" Sarah smiled. "I've read all of them! Well... almost all of them." she blushed.
"Sarah's been reading those books of yours I can't understand but... she enjoys them, so I buy them for her when there is spare money..." explained Mr. Copper.
A warm feeling filled Rosalind's heart at the hearing of those words.
"Come in." she said without giving it a second thought, getting back to the porch.
"But, Ms. Lutece..." began the father.
"Really!?" Sarah was already in the door. Rosalind found herself giggling.
"It won't take much," she said to Sarah's father. "I... didn't expect this, but Sarah seems enthusiastic about physics and I want to reward that. Is that alright for you?"
"O-Of course."
"Great." she smiled politely, as usual.
Rosalind felt, of course she felt, but she wasn't as good as Robert at showing it. She lead Sarah and her father to her parlor, where racks full of books were resting on the wall.
"Pardon the disorder." said the physicist, noticing now why Robert complained about it.
"It's okay ..." the man couldn't believe the amount of things she had. "We get you are a busy woman."
"I am."
"Daddy, look at those!" Sarah was pointing at some books dangerously near to the door that lead to the laboratory. "Look at them!"
"That is private" said Rosalind, reaching the knobs and closing them quietly. There was some things she didn't want to show.
"Sarah, behave yourself!" Mr. Copper reproached the girl.
"Sorry, Madame Lutece." said the girl going back to the side of his father.
Rosalind sighed and looked for a pen. Once found, she signed the book's first page: 'Follow your dreams, young Sarah Copper, and one day you'll write books like this one. ~ Rosalind Lutece.' That was the best advice she could give her.
"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed when she read it. "Thank you so much!"
"Sarah! That isn't proper for a young lady like yourself."
"I'm... sorry?" Sarah didn't know what she'd done wrong this time, but it was best to keep him happy so she could spend more time with her heroine.
"This is my collection of books" said Rosalind, never minding the father. "And these are written by me." she pointed to the ones in the lower part. "Do you find any that you don't have?"
"That one!" she screamed. "There weren't anymore in the shop!"
"Is that the one you searched for, Sarah?" asked his father with his usual soft voice, full of love and care for her daughter. Rosalind felt slightly jealous.
"Yes, yes it is!"
"Well, then, I'll see what I can do to get you a copy." said Rosalind nodding. "And now, If you excuse me, I have commitments to attend to. Shall we?"
"Of course, of course. Come on, Sarah, it is time for us to leave now." said Mr. Copper.
"Thank you so much, Madame Lutece!" smiled the little girl lifting the book the physicist had just signed for her.
"You welcome. Ehm..." she followed them to the exit; she had forgotten why did she go outside in the first place. "May I ask you a question?" she asked, closing the main door with her key once in the porch. "It may seem an odd question, but... Well, Robert – my brother – he told me -"
"Oh, do you have a brother? I have one too! Is he a scientist like yourself?" cut Sarah, excited.
"Let her finish, darling."
"Yes, I have a brother. And yes, he is a brilliant physicist." Sarah let out an amazed 'ooooh', the girl was curious, Rosalind couldn't deny that. Oddly, she didn't find it annoying as she would have in other circumstances. She didn't know why. "He said I have a... statue? I am sure I will find him there, but I don't recall being said of where it was situated..."
"Have you been living under a stone?" the ten year-old giggled. "Of course there is a statue! It is down in Main Street."
Mr .Copper sighed, his daughter, who seemed so proud of knowing something that Rosalind didn't, was incorrigible.
"Oh, well, thank you." Rosalind felt embarrassed. She wasn't used to being so... ignorant.
"Hope I may see you again, Madame Lutece!" the girl smiled.
"Good morning, Ms. Lutece." added her dad, leading Sarah up the street.
"What a strange meeting." smiled Rosalind to herself, feeling kind of high on the experience.
Jeremiah Fink saw himself as a lion, a big, powerful beast capable of running the jungle beneath his sight. He was not the biggest one, and that was annoying. A city like Columbia needed more than just a spiritual shepherd, it needed someone to lead them in the victory over the Sodom below, something more than words and feelings. Columbia needed a factory, military equipment. And although so far he had managed to give them that. Jeremiah Fink still wanted more.
All that nonsense of the Sodom and the lamb were things he didn't care for. Workers were cattle, and the hyenas were enemies. Once the hyenas were extinct, the cattle would be free to follow the lion (And he would be that lion). It was going to be like a trade: the Sodom would be destroyed and Jeremiah would be rich.
But, of course, there was the Lutece problem.
Fink had met Rosalind long before her twin had come to Columbia. She was already a beautiful, yet cold, lady who didn't enjoy the company of others. He had heard even more about her when the shepherd of Columbia started looking for someone to build the machinery that Ms. Lutece needed to lift the city into the air. It sounded impossible, but the description had nothing to do with the reality.
Then the tears appeared all throughout Columbia. There were reports of people seeing them, hearing things. They were knocking at her door, sending her telegrams. She was one of the great minds of the city, the most important physicist! She should know, right? But she didn't appear. and she didn't say a word about the matter but, slowly, the tears disappeared.
Except one, at Fink's brother music studio. And then the success came for him.
Jeremiah was successful, but he wanted more. He didn't care that Rosalind couldn't see the lioness resting within herself (the less the better, in fact). He had convinced Zachary Comstock of the necessity and he compelled her to create a tear for the factory.
Time passed by, Zachary Comstock was hanging from his little finger and Rosalind Lutece was nowhere to be seen. There was already a small part of Columbia who needed him as much as the Shepherd did, and that was Shanty Town. The progress was slow, but steady.
And yet, Jeremiah Fink needed more.
When Zachary Comstock shared a tea and the news of a new success of the Lutece field with him, the goal was clear again: a travelable tear was needed this time in order to bring new goods to Columbia. At least, that was what he was going to tell Rosalind Lutece to convince her. Zachary was not an option anymore, it would have to be done by himself.
... or maybe Robert Lutece could do the job?
He decided, and started his way out of his empire to the streets of Columbia to find them. They were most likely at the laboratory.
He headed to Emporia and was surprised to find Rosalind Lutece herself staring at a sign down the street. Could he be any luckier?
"Ms. Lutece." he greeted.
"Mr. Fink." she said, surprised by his sudden presence.
He stopped next to her. The sign was a map of Columbia. Didn't this woman know her own city?
"What a rare occasion to find you out of the lab." he showed a omnipotent smile.
Rosalind decided it was best to be polite with such an arrogant man, though it was difficult to control her temper with this one in particular.
"It is a lovely day." she replied as calm as she was able to, still searching which street should she turn to.
"Indeed, it is." Mr. Fink complied.
"Is there something you need?" she turned to look at him when, after a while, he was still looking at her.
"I've been informed of your... little success. Congratulations."
"Which one?" she smiled, knowing how much would it annoy him.
"The latest." he grunted.
"Oh, that one" she nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Fink."
Neither of them was stupid. Fink knew that Rosalind knew what he wanted, and she knew this as well but she was not giving up. Her devices where not on sale. Comstock had convinced her once and the repentance came after. Handyman, Skylines, exploitation... Her creations were used to control people, and she didn't like that.
She felt too controlled already.
Rosalind was about to resume her walk when a hand gripped her wrist and forced her to look at Fink. He closed the gap between them. She looked around, but the street was empty.
"What do you think you are doing?" she looked back at him, denying him the pleasure of seeing her cry.
"I want one of those tears, Rosalind, and I won't stop until I get one." he hissed near to her face.
"You shan't get any, now let me go!" she struggled but Fink was stronger.
"It would cover a need, woman, and I have no problem in having you covering other needs of mine." His menacing words were sufficient to make her wince and tremble.
"Mr. Fink!" a voice that was not hers broke the moment. It was Reverend Montgomery, a priest highly known by his pure intent to helping people – white people that is. "I was told Greed was your darkest sin, but I didn't imagine that Lust would be on the list!"
"Father Montgomery." Fink smiled letting Rosalind go reluctantly. It could cost him his reputation if his actual intents were discovered. "I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding here. I would never hurt Ms. Lutece. In fact, I was holding her from falling." It was a lie, a polite lie.
"I hope it happened that way, Mr. Fink. God wouldn't be pleased to find Wrath on your soul as well."
Religion was one of the pillars in Columbia's society. Talking further would only bring him problems.
"If you excuse me." he touched his hat and walked away.
"Are you alright?" the Reverend turned to Rosalind, who had been staring silently at the two men.
"Yes." she nodded, rubbing her wrist. It hurt.
"You should see a doctor. I'll walk you." he offered.
"There is no need, Father." she smiled, but Reverend Montgomery insisted.