Samantha had cried for what seemed like hours, though in reality it had been much shorter. If he was completely honest with himself David hadn't known how to react. Crying women were hardly his forte, ones that could kill him a hundred different ways in under a second much less so. In the end it hadn't really mattered, when she had finished she had stood abruptly, smiled sheepishly, and left the room like death itself was after her.
David removed himself from his pensive reminiscing with a brief shake of his head. Blizz, Thompson, and several other Splicers were arrayed around him, all readying weapons, armor, eve hypos, first aid kits, and whatever other essentials they deemed necessary. Dom, the large brutish Splicer Samantha had stolen food from, seemed to have a warped sense of necessity and had grabbed several bags of potato chips to bring along for the mission.
Thompson ambled over to the pensive human, raising an eyebrow in question. "Is the protector coming?"
"I don't think so, she uh…seems to fear the area we're heading to."
An incredulous look flashed across the doctor's face. "She fears it? Really? Protectors don't feel fear."
David had to suppress the urge to snap at the frustratingly close-minded Splicer, he didn't have time to start this argument again. "Let's just get going, I want to get this over with as quickly as possible."
With a slight sigh, Thompson nodded and motioned for the other Splicers to follow. As they headed for the elevator David couldn't help but look down the road, hoping for a sight of his absentee friend. He was disappointed; fighting down the surge of bitterness at that realization he followed the Splicers. So much for repaying his kindness from the night before…
()
Tony couldn't help but feel slightly bad for Harper, the man was a civilian after all. Leaving him to wallow in the putrefied remains of some poor woman had been…slightly excessive. Eventually though, Harper had found a burst water pipe and used it to remove the worst of the gunk. It was good timing too; the smell was becoming rather oppressive.
Tenenbaum's little coalition had gathered in the Rapture Welcoming Center. A small room off of the main entrance area, it was filled with various brochures and faded posters advertising various points of interest in the fallen city. Tony couldn't help smirking in amusement; once this was all over he'd be sure to view all of Rapture's "wonders" Preferably with some military grade explosives.
Tenenbaum instantly gained the groups attention with a brief clearing of her throat. "As you can all see, Rapture is falling apart. If we are to have any chance of saving the children taken here, and righting this wrong, we must act quickly."
Gesturing for Jack to step forward, she continued. "Jack has the most experience with Splicers and Rapture's other abominations you would all do well to follow his lead."
Obviously understanding his cue, Jack began to speak. "I know you have all heard this before, but I'll say it again. Splicers are insane, unfortunately there is no way to tell how insane until you come face to face with them. Most are going to be hostile on sight. They are faster then you, they are stronger then you and they know the area better then you. If you run it is almost certain that they will catch you."
Tony didn't fail to notice Harper's trembling. "We do have an advantage though; they are reckless and easily tricked. Simple ambushes will work, again, and again, and again. They don't learn. While there is the occasional somewhat cunning Splicer, which might not run headlong into a trap, the majority will."
For the twelfth time since his arrival in the hellish city, Tony checked his LMG to make sure it was in working order. For the twelfth time his LMG was in perfect condition. "The biggest thing to remember though is that I haven't been here in almost eight years. The Splicers will have changed so be ready for anything."
A slightly trembling hand was raised, causing Tony to roll his eyes in disgust. "H-how are we going to help these little girls?"
Tenenbaum smiled slightly at Harper's tentative question. "I'm glad you remember why we're here."
()
A vein was pulsing in Theta's forehead, she was sure of it. If it was physically possible she was sure that there would have been steam shooting from her ears. Though now that she thought about it, this was Rapture…
"I'm sorry Guardian; I don't know where Presley is." Shrieking in frustration, Theta turned and began sprinting away from the idiotic monster. It had taken at least five minutes of signing to get it to realize she had been looking for her helmet. She needed her helmet! She couldn't help David without it…
If one idiotic monster in this hell hole would know where her helmet was it would be the leader.
()
Sandy stalked as silently as she could behind the rest of the group. She'd been assigned to the rear guard, Tony and Jack as the "heavy hitters" were taking point. They had yet to see a sign of anyone in the halls of the dead city. Bodies were a surprisingly uncommon sight, either they had been moved or…eaten.
Her gun refused to stand still, something must be wrong with the damn thing. It certainly wasn't her, she certainly wasn't trembling, barely resisting the urge to turn tail and run. She was twenty one damn it! She should be out on the town with some girlfriends or spending time with a special someone. If there was any fairness in life she would have been doing just that. After her parents had passed she'd taken care of little Ann as best she could. She knew she wasn't exactly the best person for a little girl to live with but she was her sister! She hadn't been about to let someone take her only family away from her.
She had cared for her sister for almost seven years! She'd stolen when she'd needed to, but she'd never hurt anyone. She'd never thought she'd ever want to, but after that…monster threw her from her sister like she weighed nothing more then a leaf. Sandy knew one thing and one thing only, if she ever had the chance she'd make that fucked up abomination pay for hurting her sister!
She had been too weak to realize the threat the creature posed, too stupid to act fast enough to save her weaker sibling, too distracted by her own petty problems to hear the creature before it could-her heart jumped into her throat as a boil covered arm wrapped around her throat.
"Such a sweet little thing." The monster behind her inhaled deeply. "So delicate, so soft, so sweet smelling." As she opened her mouth something sharp pressed up against her vulnerable throat. "Ah ah ah…so much as moan and I'll bleed you like a stuck pig."
The sharp object against her throat pressed harder as the creature began to pull her further away from her allies. "Shhhhh…no need to get too excited. At least not yet." Something wet and covered in small tumor like growths ran across her cheek; with a shiver of horror and disgust she realized it was its tongue. "So sweet…you taste almost as good as you smell."
"One as young as yourself is most rare!" The scent of the creature's breath almost caused her to vomit on the spot. "Tell me, where have you been hiding?" She was unable to prevent a whimper as a malformed clawed hand groped her chest. Her reaction provoked a cruel chuckle from the abomination. "You react with such fear! Tell me, this isn't your first time is it?"
Before she could even think of responding the creature holding her spun her around and shoved her into a side room and closed the door. Terrified beyond belief Sandy turned over from her position on the floor and looked at her attacker.
He was hideous but much more human then she had imagined, somehow that just made him worse. His two beady black eyes bored into hers with an insane intensity and glee. His mouth was horribly disfigured, it looked as if at some point his left cheek had been slit open but instead of healing his body had just extended his mouth to encompass the damaged tissue. The result was a large slightly curved gash that extended from the left side of his mouth making it look as if he was always smirking and revealing blackened teeth. Almost all of the skin on his exposed arms was covered in scores of boils and lesions, as she watched in horror one burst releasing an off white sludge that oozed slowly down his forearm.
Lower on his arm was his least human feature, protruding from a scabby slit just below the palm of his right hand was a long spur of bone ending in a sharp point. Noticing her attention on its unnatural weapon, the creature's freakish smirk widened before with a slight squelching noise the blade retracted into the monster's arm.
Perhaps his most disturbing trait was his face. When Sandy paused to look past the hideously deformed mouth she realized the skin of his face was fairly normal, there were no boils or growths. Overall his face was normal, even handsome. The fact that at some point this thing had been a normal good looking person somehow only made the situation worse to her.
The monster fell atop her, warped hands tearing at her shirt. "N-no! Get off of me!"
The abomination's twisted hand grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks. "I really would recommend staying quiet. It doesn't matter if you're alive or dead to me; I'm going to…enjoy myself either way." Sandy trembled beneath the crazed monster, desperately blinking back tears.
The monster paused, sick smile spreading further. "Awww…your friends are more observant then I gave them credit for." Its hand caressed her face; she flinched in sudden pain as the creature's blade extended slightly cutting into her cheek. The beast's cancerous tongue lapped over the cut. "You taste so sweet, so clean. You aren't from around here…are you?"
Before Sandy could respond the door behind the beast slid open. There was a pregnant pause as the two beings in the room froze and whoever was at the door took in the situation. The beast on top of her smiled, gave her a cheery wink, and dove at the person in the doorway…strait into the hail of bullets sent in response.
The wet thump the monster's body made as it hit the ground was almost as comforting as Tony's voice. "You alright kid?"
()
The monster leader's face was turning purple, as amusing as that was to her Theta really did need it to talk. With a disgusted huff she released the monster's throat and dropped it to the floor. "I…apologize for the wait Guardian." To her pleasure the monster's normally charismatic voice was raspy and dry. "Presley is right there." What?
Spinning around Theta saw the short soot covered monster standing sheepishly behind her, her repaired helmet held in its hand. The monster cleared its throat briefly before talking; its voice was raspy beyond belief and broken up by ragged inhalations. "You have my sincere apologies Guardian; I didn't know where to find you."
In a flash she was before the sooty monster, snatching her helmet from its grimy hands. Showing her attachment to it, she carefully inspected it for any mistreatment. After several seconds she found, much to her relief, that her helmet was as good as new.
Theta secured her helmet in place and turned to go, shoving the sooty monster off of its feet for good measure. It had been late after all…
()
David hadn't seen a Splicer for over an hour, apart from the Splicers he was "friends" with that is. Their journey had been uneventful for the most part, except for Bennie's occasional thinly veiled threat that was.
As if he could sense his thoughts, the evil rodentesque Splicer ambled over. "You know, I just realized something."
Jumping at the chance to alleviate some of his boredom, David grinned at the Splicer. "Oh! What is it? Did you have your first feeling?"
A predatory grin spread across the Splicer's face. "Well since your friend isn't here to protect her pet something could happen…"
Rolling his eyes, David glared at the thoroughly unpleasant individual. "Accidents and all that, right?"
With a chuckle, the Splicer nodded while fingering his knife. "Something like that yeah. I'd be careful if I were you. Who knows what could happen."
Unable to resist the urge to further antagonize the short tempered entity David responded. "Oh believe me Boris; your attempts at intimidation have worked! I'm quaking in my nighty!"
Rage flashed across the Splicer's face. "That's it you little shit! My name is BANES!"
Raising his knife the Splicer started towards David…only to be interrupted by Thompson's calm voice. "We're here."
()
The power was off, meaning the lights were off, meaning David could only see a foot in front of his face, meaning for all he knew he could be about to walk into a Big Daddy. Wow he really missed Sam, if she were here at least she would have had a hand on his shoulder or something making sure he didn't walk into a wall.
Apparently the Splicers weren't oblivious to David's stumbling in the dark. "Keep up you worthless piece of shit or I'll leave you behind."
"Charming as always Brent, charming as always." A frustrated hiss was the only response.
Thompson looking to ease the tension handed David a recently pilfered flashlight. "Here David, this should help."
With a nervous nod of his head, David grabbed the offered light source revealing a dank hallway. He couldn't help but feel like he was doing something wrong, like he was desecrating a tomb. Shoving aside the feeling of treading where he didn't belong David took point, flashlight piercing the darkness.
()
Theta sighed in impatience; Amanda might just be the slowest being she had ever met. She had insisted on "readying up" and had sequestered herself in the bathroom, most likely playing with the makeup the monsters had supplied.
Theta shook her head with a sigh, something was bothering her, something was wrong and she couldn't put her finger on it. She closed her eyes tuning out her weakest sense and focusing on the others. Voices, some talking some screaming, gears grinding against each other, cleavers carving into flesh, hammers striking metal. Nothing out of the ordinary, Theta switched to a different sense. Sweat, blood, anger, sex, food, vomit, lust, refuse, meat, fear, Adam….
Adam…
Adam…
Theta switched to her last sense, Adam…Adam was everywhere. It was strongest in her sister; she could clearly sense her position as she happily applied makeup to her face. The monsters were…hazier…blurred. They were everywhere and the majority of them were too blurred for her to make sense of them. Some that were nearer to her were cleaner; she could barely discern one walking down the hallway towards its apartment. Adam permeated even the walls allowing her to barely see the outline of the various rooms and hallways of the building she resided in.
Everything seemed to be normal but still something was off... It frustrated her something was different and she just couldn't seem to see it. Theta expanded her search, stretching herself to the limit. The city seemed normal she could clearly see its Adam stores, nearly depleted. Monsters where spread throughout the city, ambling about their business and only occasionally trying to murder each other.
Theta punched her leg in frustration, she couldn't…there! In the underwater cavern that surrounded the city, there was something there…near the bottom of the cavern was a spot of brightness…a cluster of Adam. It pulsed vibrantly, triggering other lights to spring into existence, more Adam to awaken.
Theta stood abruptly, eyes snapping open she walked to window of her apartment. She had wondered why they had a window that opened onto a pitch black cavern, there wasn't anything to see. But as she peered cautiously into the black she realized the true purpose of the windows, to allow what ever lurked in that cavern to see them not the other way around.
With renewed purpose, Theta opened the bathroom door and snatched her sister off the ground. Placing Amanda in her pack she sprinted towards her human friend, pushing aside the thought of the hundreds of human sized creatures that were awakening beneath her feet.
I was planning on having this go on into the exploration of Suchong's laboratory but it was getting too long. Rest assured Suchong's little house of horrors is up next.