(Drip, drip, drip, drip…. Drip)

Nothing is worse than walking throughout a city where danger lurks everywhere; including the ceiling. But the constant dripping of a leaking city, where danger lurks everywhere, made the experience even worse and freaking annoying. And to top that off, Stan was back and he brought friends, she seethed in her mind. After all that has happened… she could not even think about it for fear of exploding. But she would make him pay; oh she would make him pay. First, his pride and then, then his family jewels.

After trudging up the steps the group round the security booth. Max glanced around to make sure nobody was looking. When she was satisfied she took out a recorder and held it up to the security vocal print lock.

"Agnus Dei," said the recorder sputtering.

"Access granted," replied the security feed.

Fred looked at Max with a weird look. "Agnus Dei?"

"Latin," said Max as she entered the security booth. "Means: Lamb of God."

"Ah, yes. So, reloading?" he asked grabbing a box of rounds for his revolver.

Max smiled and tossed him a revolving shotgun. "Upgrading. you'll probably need it."

To Eleanor, Max handed her a machinegun with anti-personnel rounds and to Stanley she handed him a pistol.

Stanley looked at the measly weapon and summoned the best incredulous face he could muster. "why do I…"

Max put a finger to his lips. "Wouldn't want anybody to suspect that you were compensating for something." Score: her, 1 him, depressed.

Everybody filed out and the door promptly closed behind them. Max lead the way into the next room consisting of a giant staircase and several hallways. Clearly upset at the treatment he was enduring, Stanley huffed passed her in the direction of the vendor. Suddenly Max grabbed him by the wrist, tugged him back behind the wall, and held him there with her arm across his chest.

"What do you want now? I was just going to get my favorite bar."

"I…," she replied looking longingly into his eyes. But he obviously did not understand.

"What?"

Max bit her lip. "Shh! I think we're not alone in here."

"And what makes you think that?"

In her frustration, Max took out the two-way radio and smacked it against Stanley's forehead. "Do you hear the damn thing clicking like morse- code?"

Stanley took moment to listen then shook his head.

"Then we've got company and the unpleasant kind."

"When did it stop making clicking noises?" Fred asked.

"The moment we entered the room it went quiet. I'd been keeping an ear on it since I stole mine from the first one that jumped at me. Fred, you're with me. Eleanor, you take Stanley and circle around that way. Make sure to pick up his favorite bar while you are at it. Head around the stairs and then make a right. Keep it quiet as you can then run when they first come charging. Got it? Go," she whispered tugging Fred in her direction.

Eleanor swallowed and motioned to Stanley who was staring at his feet. She walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder to which he returned with a poor smile. They made their way around the stairs weapons pointed at shadows just in case.

After a few feet, Eleanor realized her hands were sweaty. But why, surly she had faced worse than a rabble of spider splicers? Maybe the fact that she was about to learn the truth about herself had a role to play in her anxiousness. "So," she whispered to Stanley, "We finally reached Fontaine Futuristics."

"Yeah so," he replied harshly but in truth he was thankful for the diversion.

"I just wanted to thank you for your help. I do not think I could have gotten here without your help."

"Yeah well don't thank me just yet. I'm betting Max…"

Max's ears were tugged away from her surroundings to the sound of Stanley whispering.

"…has it in for me more than the spider splicers do."

She was about to yell at the stupid oaf for being so loud but when she looked over she saw him standing on the other side of the room. In her puzzlement, she paused and listened.

"I do not think so. It seems like you two have a history. Lover's spat," Eleanor teasingly whispered.

"No, I," he paused. "I don't know."

Half tempted to continue listening Max motioned to Fred.

"What is it?" he replied.

"What is it," Both Fred and Max heard together.

Max's eyes went wide and she tore through her pocket retrievin1g the two-way radio.

"But there has to be something between you two. I can feel it," Max heard Eleanor reply over the radio.

But neither Eleanor nor Max were carrying a radio on them. Then that would mean…

"Stanley, Eleanor," she shouted, "Run!"

Both complied and charged full steam down the corridor. The spider splicer that had been stalking them on the ceiling jumped down and gave chase.

Realizing what was happening, Fred aimed at the ceiling and pulled the trigger right as the spider splicer leapt down. The force of the shotgun blast flung the body like a rag doll. Fred turned around to see a spider splicer running toward them at full sprint. A round from Max's rifle made a red hole on the splicer's otherwise white forehead. Max looked just in time to see a spider splicer fall from the stairs and receive a double barrel to the head and neck from Fred with love.

She was about to smile when another four splicers began charging behind Fred. Two on the ceiling and two on the floor. "Duck," she screamed.

As Fred obeyed Max flicked a switch on the side of her rifle and went full auto. The weapon repeatedly kicked back in her hands as she sent round after round down range. One of the splicers tried retaliating but a round pierced her wrist shattering the bone. As the splicer fell another round pierced her lung causing blood to erupt from her mouth. Concrete and blood flew around the room as another two splicer's bit the dust.

The last Spider splicer lunged at Max trying to kick her weapon. The last round from Max's rifle pierced the spider splicer's foot and traveled up the leg until it embedded itself in the splicer's pelvis. The splicer hit the ground hard. She opened her mouth to scream in agony but no sound came from her sewn shut lips.

Fred stood over the injured splicer and shook his head with disgust. "Save your screams for hell." He drew his shotgun to her chest and pulled the trigger. The body flopped over lifeless and Fred wiped the blood off the end of his barrel with the loose end of his shirt.

Max sighed in relief, "all in a day's work in Rapture."

Fred nodded ruffling his hair. "I, Noooooo!" Fred abruptly jumped toward Max.

She looked at him quizzically then gasped as a hook sank into her side. Someone kicked her sideways causing her to hit the wall hard. All went black.

Author's Notes: You know I was already going to have a funky thing between Stanley and Max but the rest of this was a last second thing and well... I love it. It basically works out most of the things i wanted in this segment of the story. Keep reading!