(a/n: Please enjoy and Review!)
Ch. 10: Freaks & Capital Punishment
Eleanor and Jack sat together at a table in the Kashmir Lounge.
The lounge was slowly growing less crowded, with people leaving to go home or leaving for another party somewhere else in Rapture.
The band was playing a slow song as some people drunkenly danced together.
Jack undid his bowtie and fanned himself. He had felt his temperature skyrocketing minute by minute. Eleanor told him that it was part of the treatments and she tried to keep his mind off of it. For most of the evening, they chatted and danced.
They even interacted with some of the party guests but that got old fast. Jack enjoyed himself a little while Eleanor enjoyed their time together thoroughly. She had been alone for a very long time, trapped in her own memories so her time with Jack was very stimulating.
At the moment, Eleanor was busy turning her butterfly mask over in her hands.
After a few moments of silence, she spoke "Jack"
"Hmm?" said Jack looking over to Eleanor.
Eleanor looked at Jack and asked "Are you familiar with a Doctor Gilbert Alexander?"
Jack nodded a little "Yeah, I remember him. He worked with Suchong when they were conditioning me. Why?"
"Your friends have eliminated him" said Eleanor sadly "I will certainly miss him".
Jack frowned "I'm sorry"
"It's ok" said Eleanor "Its what he wanted"
Jack raised an eyebrow "Really?"
Eleanor nodded. She explained, "Mother destroyed Doctor Alexander. Her experiments drove him to madness and she turned him into a monster."
"What happened?" asked Jack.
Eleanor frowned a little and she explained "She tried to splice him into some kind living saint who would calculate the common good and adhere to it tirelessly. But he became... something unspeakable. Mother's philosophy is just as corrupt as Ryan's. By her standards, it would be better to have the entire world equally miserable than to allow us to strive in our own behalf."
Jack nodded slowly "That sucks".
Eleanor smiled a little and sighed.
Jack noticed that Eleanor looked sad. Jack asked, "What's wrong?"
Eleanor reluctantly answered "Doctor Alexander was responsible for turning me into a Little Sister but he tried to make amends by reversing my condition."
"But that's not what's bothering you is it?" asked Jack.
Eleanor shook her head and said "Mother had found a way to rehabilitate me psychologically from being a Little Sister but she can't remove this... this thing inside my body, the ADAM-producing slug. Every time I look in the mirror I see a freak."
She looked down and mumbled, "If we do escape to the surface, where will I go? I'll never fit in, I'm just a freak".
Jack felt sorry for Eleanor. She had been experimented on and used to be a weapon for someone else's ideals. Something Jack had personal experience with.
He thought for a moment about what to say when he suddenly blurted, "I don't think you're a freak".
Eleanor blinked and she looked up to Jack "Pardon?"
"I don't think you're a freak" repeated Jack. He glanced around the restaurant saying "Compared to the entire population of this crazy town, you're probably the most normal person I have ever met"
Jack glanced back to Eleanor and said "If you're a freak, then I'm probably a freak too"
Eleanor raised an eyebrow "Really?"
Jack nodded "Yep. As a baby I was sold to some scientists to be shaped into a weapon against my own dad by implanting command phrases into my mind and changing my genetics to be physically capable of combat. The woman who raised me created Plasmids and Little Sisters. The man I called Uncle tried to kill me on several occasions. I murdered my own father at his command, my memories of my foster parents and pretty much most of my life on the surface was one major lie and I was forced to hijack an airplane and crashed it into the ocean."
Eleanor blinked in surprise. She had almost forgotten about what Jack had been through. In a way, they are similar and they had similar experiences. They both had distant parents with extreme ideals, they both had non-standard childhoods, and they were both raised to fight for someone's agenda or ideals.
Eleanor smiled and said, "I guess I'm glad that I'm not the only freak around here. Maybe we can be freaks together"
Jack felt his face grow warm and he grinned. But his grin faded quickly when he felt a jolt hit his heart. He clutched his heart and groaned a little.
Eleanor looked at him in concern "Are you ok?"
"Yeah" muttered Jack, rubbing his heart a little "It's just…nothing".
Eleanor felt completely helpless to do anything to stop her mother. All she can do was sit there and watch she and Jack slowly change from the ADAM treatments.
For the moment, the only thing Eleanor could do was wait and pray that her father and Jack's friends rescue them on time.
Meanwhile, Sofia had the Big Sister place Sinclair on the operating table.
The businessman was now dressed in a divers suit like a Big Daddy. She didn't have the time or the resources to fully convert him into a Big Daddy but Sofia could make do with what she got.
Sinclair's eyes fluttered open and he tried to move but he discovered that he was strapped down.
His eyes focused on a familiar face. "Sofia" muttered Sinclair
"Hello Augustus" greeted Sofia pleasantly.
The businessman lifted his head and he saw that he was dressed as a Big Daddy. He scowled at Sofia "What are you doing to me?"
"Granting you your wish" answered Sofia, her voice was dripping with sarcasm "You refuse to join the Family, now you will be a prisoner in your own body." A smile appeared on her face "After all, you said you like your body"
"You twisted little-" growled Sinclair but Sofia put an oxygen mask over his mouth. Anesthesia flowed through the mask and Sinclair's body went limp.
Sofia's smile widened a little "Now than…shall we begin?" she gestured and a Splicer wheeled over a tray of medical instruments over to the operating table.
Sofia lifted a syringe filled with a plasmid of her own design. She lowered the syringe towards Sinclair's arm and she soothed "This will only hurt for a second"
After she had injected Sinclair, Sofia glanced over to her assistant and waved him over. The Splicer approached the operating table, carrying a divers helmet. Two more Splicers approached the table. They sat Sinclair up and Sofia nodded to the Splicer holding the helmet.
The Splicer lifted the helmet and he slid it over Sinclair's head. Once the helmet was on, the Splicers helped finish the ensemble.
After several minutes of work, Sinclair's conversion was complete. The Splicers removed the restraints like Sofia requested.
Sofia then ordered the Splicers to leave and man their positions around Persephone. They obeyed.
Sinclair slowly regained consciousness. Sofia smiled "Ah, you're awake. Good. Now, arise"
Sinclair sat up and climb off the operating table. Sinclair blinked and realized that he didn't do that. He tried to move but his limbs wouldn't obey.
Sofia ordered "Kneel". Sinclair tried to resist but failed. He knelt down before Sofia.
She patted Sinclair on the head "Don't worry Augustus, you still have control of your voice and mind"
"Thanks" muttered Sinclair dryly.
Sofia ordered Sinclair to rise. Once he was back on his feet, Sofia handed him a heavy machine gun. She commanded in a firm voice "Take this weapon and defend us from the invaders. Fight the bitter end. Do not stop until either of you are dead".
Sinclair tried with all his might to resist but his hands took the gun and he found himself marching out of Sofia's office with his weapon in hand.
The businessman silently hoped that Delta and the others would be alright.
End of chapter.
(a/n: Well here you go, what do you think? sorry if its a little short but next one will be a longer! Please review!)