Atlas
'My Father had a profound influence on me. He was a lunatic.'-Spike Milligan
AN: for the first section of this I had to go off memory so please bear with me.
My eyes groggily opened my eyes and found myself laying in my bed, oh crap not this stupid thing again! When I got drowned, knocked out, or just feel asleep in Columbia, I found myself at this place.
In my old room.
The springs of the bed let out a creek as I rose from it and stood on the cracked floor, a reminder of how close I came to breaking the last time I was here. The desk lamp lit a small portion of the room, the door handle shined on the pitch black wall.
I rose from my fake bed and approached the golden handle. I turned the knob and opened the door, I was blinded by a bright white light before darkness overtook me again.
...
I heard the spinning of a cylinder, then a click.
I slowly opened my eyes and saw we where no longer alone, a few men had knocked us out and where we where about to get Sally.
Sally!
I wanted to spring up and take care of these guys but the second click stopped me, I glanced over to Elizabeth and my heart stopped. Standing over her was a man playing Russian Roulette with his gun, he was pointing it right at her.
And she was awake.
"Six shots, nothin' to show for it. How do you like that?" the man said aloud in minor shock.
"Quit playing, and finish the girl off. We ain't got time for this." I heard another man say. It was the same one I heard from before, the one before I was knocked out.
I saw the man load a bullet into the recliner. I acted.
Springing up from my place on the floor, I rushed the man and grabbed the gun from his hands as I punched him with my empty one. I kept the gun trained on his head as his friends pointed their guns at us.
"Woah there kid. Ease up, no need to get messy here." The man said, behind him, two of his men held Sally, shit.
Elizabeth gave the man a spiteful look, "Even though you where about to do the opposite to me five seconds ago." I looked over and saw Patrick was still out, of all the times I could use another gun.
"That was before your friend here showed you're capable. And I could use capable men and women." he said, isn't that a catch 22? If he finds anyone he comes across and kills them the how...ow...I think I just gave myself a migraine.
"Look, let's start over, I'm Atlas. And you are?" he asked me.
"We 're here for that girl." I said, nodding to Sally. The man looked at her and back at us and laughed.
"No three persons are worth a little sister. Kill them." he said as he began to walk away. The men on either side of h drew their guns.
"We can get you back to Rapture!" Elizabeth abruptly said. I didn't know what she was talking about but I took a hint.
"What?" Atlas asked unmoved.
"She's right. We didn't exactly come here the legal way. We have a plan out of here, and we'll get you out of here. In exchange, you let us live and we get the girl." I bargained.
Atlas crossed his arms, "Why should I believe you?" he asked skeptically. We really had no evidence that we had a way out of here.
"That's between the three of us. And you try any thing to any if us. Only things your getting is Jack and Shit. And Jack left town." I said thinking quickly.
Atlas looked us over, contemplating on what he should do, I realized I only had one bullet in this gun, minimum.
So this either works or we're dead. As usual.
"Alright let's say you get me and my boys out of here, do you even know how much Little Sisters are worth? They're more valuable than gold!" he said , pointing to Sally. So he's just a smarter splicer with greed mixed in, nice.
"Last time I checked, they where recruiting Little Sisters by the dozens. How are you going to pass that up? One Little Sister or more than you could dream?" Elizabeth chimed in.
Atlas looked hoe mostly interested now. Scratching his chin he grinned, "Alright, fine, I'll give you a few days. If you don't have our way out by then, your sunk. We'll be keeping the girl as collateral 'til then." he said.
Alright, so we're not completely screwed over, great! "Now would ye kindly get the hell of my man?" he asked me. Oh right. Atlas tossed me a radio while I let the man get up, "In case I need to get a hold of ye."
Letting the man go, he retreated back to his boss, sneering at me. "Good luck kiddies, you'll be needing it." Atlas said as his men grabbed Sally and headed back the way they came.
I let out a sigh of relief as I sat down next to Elizabeth. Leaning back on the railing I felt her body lean on mine, "That could have been worse." she said with a sigh. I looked over to Patrick, he was still out cold plus god only knows what dreams he's having right now.
"Yep." I said simply.
Elizabeth touched a hand to her forehead and winced, "Gah! So that's what it's like to be knocked out? Not as painless as I thought." she said as she touched the bruise.
I smirked as I leaned over and pecked her bruise, "Your still pretty sweetheart." I said, making her smile.
I put my arm around her shoulder, "Sorry you have to spend New Years like this." I said. To be fair the conditions could be much better, like a table, some wine maybe, and we could do without the homicidal maniacs running around.
Elizabeth cracked a smile, "Most of them where spent with songbird in my tower watching the fireworks from a window. I'm here with you, that's makes it better."
"Plus your out of your tower." I added pleasantly, she smiled at that and nodded in agreement.
"Yep. And I got you to thank for that." she said, putting her head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her. As we waited for Patrick to wake up I thought of how the hell we where gonna get Atlas's men out of here. Me and Elizabeth both knew that a tear would just make them want to keep her, and that Bathysphere couldn't fit more than five people, let alone a whole damn army.
Well at least the army isn't trying to kill us at least so that's a plus.
"Any ideas on how to get our end if the deal filled?" I asked, how is it that I always seem to be in someone's debt wherever I go? I was done with them when we took out Columbia.
Elizabeth shook her head, "In all honesty, I was kinda thinking on my toes there. Sorry." she apologized.
I shook my head, "You probably just saved our lives Elizabeth. That was good thinking in all honesty." I said giving her a nudge. It's not like I'm master and commander, most of the time I just go with my gut and it usually pays off. Usually.
Before Elizabeth could reply, a pained groan came from Patrick. Standing up, me and Elizabeth rushed over to him, each of us took him by a shoulder and carried him over to the vent. "Ugggggg, Jesus, who slipped me a Micky?"
...
After we filled him in on the situation he ran a hand over his face, "Christ we stepped in a pile of it didn't we?" he asked. At this point in my life I think I'm used to that happening by now.
"Look, if anyone knows how to get us outta here, it's Suchong." Patrick said as he stood to retrieve his shotgun. I gave Elizabeth a clueless look.
"He's one of Rapture's lead scientists, he's the one responsible for Little Sisters." she explained as I helped her off the ground.
"So he's the asshat behind that. I'm gonna enjoy visiting him." I said menacingly. Patrick gave me a concerned look but didn't say anything. But we probably need this guy alive so I probably shouldn't get violent with him.
"Well that's the problem, he's in Rapture." Patrick added. Shit, so we are screwed, "But he does have a secret lab here, it's a old rumor that went around and I'm pretty sure he's got one, and chances are there's something that could help us out. But getting in is gonna be a chore to say the least." he said as we headed down to the store floor.
Since the paths we took in here where blocked by rubble, we decided the best bet to get out of here would be the ground floor. A big makeshift toy block blocked the stairwell, climbing over it, I helped Elizabeth over and we all continued on our way down to the lower level.
"So why are you to really here? I don't suppose you two go across other worlds doing good deeds." Patrick said as we reached the floor. I looked nervously over at Elizabeth, she had the same look on her face as I did.
I took a breath, "In all honesty we came here to kill you." I said in brutal honesty.
He glanced over his shoulder at me, eyes full of regret, "Why didn't you?" he asked. "Why not just shoot me the moment you two found me?" he sounded so depressed it was bringing me down.
"Because we saw that you where a different person, your not Comstock, your Patrick Harper." Elizabeth said, surprising the both of us.
Before we could continue our conversation, we saw our path was blocked again. A large piece of wood was blocking a large hole in the wall, the only way out of the toy store.
Getting in the end of it, the three of us gave it a push until it was out of the way. The hole in the wall led to a elevator. I gave Patrick and Elizabeth a shrug, "Well, when life gives you lemons right?"
...
Turns out when it gives you lemons it gives you a messed up back. The elevator led us to the maintenance level where the only way out was a small cramped vent. And a lone splicer was awaiting us when we got out. All I had on me was my hand cannon, Atlas must have taken all my other guns.
"I think I got a idea." Elizabeth whispered as she grabbed her air-grabber. I think I could catch on to her plan, as much as I like her initiative, I don't like her risking her life at all. But I also know she's stubborn when it comes to this.
"Okay, I got you covered." I said as I raised my pistol. Elizabeth nodded as she crouched down and snuck up behind him, she slowly rose her air-grabber and knocked him in the back of his head. Knocking him out cold.
"Damn. And his head is still on." Patrick said as we joined her. I have her a supportive smile as she picked the lock to the room. Entering the children's room I felt a shutter go up my spine.
"This place is like a haunted house. What the hell is this place?" I asked as the film of the lion and mouse played on.
Patrick smirked, "Worse, it's a preschool." he said, I let out a snort, that was actually a lot worse than a haunted house.
Elizabeth gave us a look, "What's so bad about preschools?" she asked. I keep forgetting she's been homeschooled her entire life.
"I feel jealous that you never had to witness the horrors that are known as public schooling." I said as we searched for something edible to consume. When we got to the door to the next room we found something bracing the doors shut.
"Is that a crossbow?" I asked, the golden handles on it shining in the light. I took it out of the handle and looked it over. Seems fine, no broken string, the built in safety is working, and it has a easy way to pull back. "No bolts, damnit." I said after looking around.
Elizabeth inspected a nearby rack saying, 'use in case of rowdy children'. I'd give my leg to have had one of these at the orphanage. "These look like sodium thiopental darts. It must go with the crossbow."
Me and Patrick gave her a clueless look, "Let's just pretend for a minute that neither of us knows what that means." Patrick said. Well what do you know? Like father like son.
Elizabeth looked through the door and smirked, she handed me one of the darts, "Try it and you'll see what I mean." I shrugged and loaded the crossbow. Cracking open the door, I peered inside and saw two splicers, taking aim, I squeezed the trigger and watched as the dart flew through the air.
Landing in the neck of the splicer, he stumbled for a moment before falling to the ground. No fucking way. "Sleep darts?" I asked in a excited whisper.
Elizabeth nodded, "With all those books in my tower right? Besides how do you know I knew what ammo to toss you?" she asked.
I scratched the back of my head, "Same way I do, see if it fits in a clip and pray it works?" I said weakly. Patrick rolled his eyes as he went in to take care if the other splicer while Elizabeth gave me a deadpanned look.
"It's a miracle that you got me out of Columbia. Isn't it?" she lightly joked.
"And you finally understand." I said with fake relief. It was to just luck, well it was largely luck, skill, brute force, and planning. But yeah, mostly luck.
Entering the room we found a photo of Doc. Souchong. He was a oriental man with glasses and a serious face, "Okay, now where to?" Elizabeth asked.
Patrick led us out of the school's exit and we saw a familiar name, "Huh." Elizabeth said as she read the Silver Spoon Restaurant was closed.
"What's huh?" Patrick asked.
"That restaurant is where I first used a tear to come to Rapture looking for you. Before it got turned into a prison." she explained. Kinda of a odd coincidence. But then again, I don't believe in those as much as I used to. "Maybe that's where he's set up shop." she guessed.
"But we first came her in what? 1960? When we..." I trailed off. During our time reunited neither of us had brought up Songbird directly in a conversation.
"Do I even want to know what you two are talking about?" Patrick asked me with confusion written all over his face. I shook my head, that's a conversation for another time.
Elizabeth hesitated a moment before nodding, "Yea that's right...it's like a jumble now, maybe it's because all three of us are here." she said.
We both gave her a confused look, "The twins said something like that to me. We're in a delicate moment in this time, and what halogens affects everyone." I said recalling what they said.
Elizabeth nodded, "Yeah, I think I get that. Too many variables." she said. And with the twins that could mean anything. Elizabeth's eyes drifted over the room until they landed on a store called 'The Cupid's Arrow'. Eyes check that place out, I think I know that place."
Patrick's eyes widened as we approached, "Uhhhhh, Elizabeth? Do you know what this store is?" he asked.
I gave him a look, "What's the big deal? It's not like it's a-" I stopped when I saw the signs in the window. Oh holy mother of god. Elizabeth was using her air-grabber to crank the door open but didn't seem to notice.
"Elizabeth, how do you know about this place?" I asked nervously. Please say you saw it on TV, please say you saw it on TV!
"I got these clothes from here, I needed son thin more Rapture appropriate." she said gesturing to her clothing.
Oh my god. I don't know whether to laugh, cry, both, or just keep thinking dirty thoughts like it am now...should probably do the third option.
When Elizabeth opened the door she went right in, I was right behind her and caught up to her in time to see her staring at a gender bent novel poster.
Her face was scrunched with confusion, "Jacob? Ummm, do you know what..." she trailed off when she saw the 'big daddy' poster with a shirtless man. I wanted to say something but I could only bite my laughter back. I heard Patrick snort behind me, he was losing his battle.
When Elizabeth caught sight of the Lust magazine in the floor it all seemed to click.
Her face went completely red. "Oh...my...I...I..." she was at a loss for words. She just kept stumbling as she headed for the back of the store. Me and Patrick Burst out in laughter.
When we caught up to her she was still beat red and was picking a lock to the back. "Heh he-Erm. Elizabeth-"
"Jacob. Just stop right now before I do do something I regret deeply." she said making keep my trap shut.
Entering the back room, I looked over to the display case and gave a look of satisfaction, "And look what's behind door number one, new vigor. 'Peeping Tom', see what they don't want you to see.
"Plasmid." The two said behind me. I face-palmed. Why do I even bother?
Before I could grab it, Elizabeth snatched it away, "Nope! You have like ten of them in you by now, and I don't want a spliced up boyfriend. " she said.
Patrick nodded in agreement, "With all the crap you threw at the big guy I think you got most of the bases covered.
I was about to try and convince them when I stopped, with all the hopheads and crap, I could see their concern. "Alright then, so who's thanking it?" I asked.
Elizabeth looked down at the glass, "Well, like you say, to hell with it right?" she asked as she downed the drink. She nearly spat it out the drink, "God! How do you drink this? It tastes like...like...bleguh!" she said as she wiped her mouth.
I gave her a sympathetic look and rubbed her back, "Come on, let's find you something to wash down the bad taste in your mouth." I said as I led her to the back room. I looked over my shoulder at Patrick, "Keep a lookout?" I asked.
He gave me a cheeky grin, "Now son I hope you act like a gentleman." she jokingly said. I gave him the finger as I walked into the back room with her.
I found Elizabeth looking at a familiar fabric, "Heh, look at that. Small universe after all." I said as it looked at the Lady Comstock gown that Elizabeth ran her hand over.
She smiled fondly at the dress, "Lot of memories with this." she said tugging on the jacket, "First thing I wore after killing someone, first thing I wore after a day on the outside." she said.
I came up beside her and looked at the dress, she had repaired all the snags and tears that it had when I last saw it and it looked good as new. I put my hand over hers, "Don't forget first kiss...unless you and songbird-"
Elizabeth smiled, "Yeah, there's that..." she wrapped her arms around my neck, "..and this." she finished before her lips met mine. I wrapped my arms around her waist. I felt her tongue run over my lips. My teeth gently nipped her lip and-crash!
Shit. Me and Elizabeth broke apart as I reached for my pistol, Patrick came in from the door we had low, "Splicers." he whispered. Me and Elizabeth ducked down.
I looked at Elizabeth, "Time to try out the new power." I said, she nodded and looked at the door, "Focus, think of what you want to see." I advised. Using a vigor was part creativity, part literal use, if it's designed to make fire, you aren't getting anywhere when you try to make ice.
Elizabeth shut her eyes and opened them, having a small green hue to them, "Two of them in the room we whee just in on the left side if the room." she said. We came in on the right.
Creeping to the door, I peeked in to see they where looking at one if the posters. Good grief. Nodding to the two behind me, we quickly retraced our steps to the front if the shop and headed for the sign reading Elevators.
Patrick checked his shotgun along the way, "I got two shots left, you?" he asked. I checked my pistol, less than a clip.
"Not much for my pistol, but I got four darts for the crossbow." I said pulling the crossbow out from under my jacket. I looked back to Elizabeth, she was pretty decent shot...and these don't kill...
I handed her the crossbow, "Think you can handle this?" I asked, she looked at the weapon for a second before taking it.
"I think I can figure it out." she said as she grasped the weapon. Patrick stopped at the locked door.
Elizabeth went to work wordlessly while me and Patrick stood back. After a moment of silence he spoke up, "Am I...different from him? Comstock?" he asked. I guess if I was in his shoes of want to know the what if's.
I let out a chuckle, "Worlds apart...look don't beat yourself up over that...your not him ." I said trying to convince him.
He shook his head, "Still got the both of you killed." he said, "Still means I should have gotten a bullet." He said with full belief in his words.
Before I could protest Elizabeth called us back over to the door, the elevator was on the other side of the room with three splicers guarding it, shit. Before I could draw my gun Elizabeth stopped me, "Wait, I got this from the lock," she said showing a small blue device, "It's the alarm to the door, I managed to get it out, I want to try something."
She attached the small device to a bolt and aimed it at the other end of the room. Pulling the trigger the bolt hit the glass next to a cardboard sign and made a loud enough noise to draw the three.
Rushing across the room to the elevator, I slammed my fist onto the button making us go upward. Patrick gave Elizabeth a smirk, "Nice going." he said.
Elizabeth gave him a gracious smile, "I was aiming for the sign though. Maybe I should learn how to shoot instead of firing off shots." she said as the box lurched upwards. "We're almost to the restaurant, let's hope we find Souchong's lab there." she said.
" 'Cuse my eavesdropping, but why didn't you mention the good doctor was part of yer plan?"
Atlas. Elizabeth grabbed the radio, "Does it really matter what our way out is if it works?" she asked cooly.
"You ain't in a position to be telling me nothin'. But, I will confess, I do like a little sass in a 'lass." Atlas replied.
I grabbed the radio, "And I think it's none too wise to flirt with the girlfriend of the guy who killed a big daddy." I chimed in. Last thing I want or need is that psychopath flirting with Elizabeth.
The elevator halted to a stop on the food, the door opened to the entrace to a store called the Bathysphere De-lux. "Not what I was expecting but okay." I said as we passed the man strumming away on the guitar.
Entering the plaza we all froze.
A big daddy.
We all watched as he lugged off to the side of the room. "Please tell me that there is some other way to the Silver Spoon? Please, please say yes." I said to Elizabeth.
She shook her head regrettably, "I think we should keep quiet and not screw this up." she suggested, we nodded and stayed far away from him and the splicers as we made our way throughout the ground floor of the shopping center. The splicers that we did come across where taken care of by my and Elizabeth's air-grabbers.
When we reached the Silver Spoon, the only way in was through a vent in the wall. I wasn't looking forward to doing that anytime soon but Elizabeth easily slipped in. As we waited for her to unlock the door I saw the big daddy on the lower level, "Why is it that things that are bigger than I am tend to want to kill me?"
Patrick shrugged, "Just the way the world works, bigger things kill smaller things every time." he said as he paced in front of the door. I could tell that Patrick was still haunted by the visions he saw when we where trying to get Sally. When I had them they hit hard too.
"So...how did you meet Sally exactly?" I asked.
Patrick went yo stand by the door and gestured for me to join him, "After Fontaine's orphanage closed they kinda flooded the streets. She comes to my door one morning and asks if she could stay the night...after that...she was like a kid to me...but if I had know about you..." he trailed off.
I puts hang on his shoulder, "If anyone was in your shoes they're probably drink themselves to death." I said, "Patrick, I saw what you saw, if anything...that was about as much my fault as yours." I grabbed Anna, and I charged through a closing tear foolishly with a baby in my arms.
Patrick gave me a sorrowful look, "Don't you dare say that kid...it was all my idea...that stupid, foolish idea. Look around, this is just a mirror of Columbia, only this time there's drowning instead of falling to death." he said looking out the glass windows to the ocean floor.
"Patrick-" the door clicked beside us, a moment later, Elizabeth was on the other side with a amazed look in her eyes.
"You two need to see this." she said as she headed back into the building. Fallowing her lead, we passed the small half circle desk that used to house a person.
When we reached the back door she pulled the switch on the wall, the door slid up and we quickly entered. This was a secret laboratory if I ever did see one, in one corner there was a small lab station, complete with test tubes and beakers. And on the other side was-
Holy shit.
"Is that..." I said pointing to the machine. It arced over a point on the floor, between the arc and the floor was a thin white strip of light, a tear.
"A Lutece field generator. And look where it leads." she said as we all approached it, Patrick being the more hesitant of the three of us. I peered inside the tear and I felt my blood run cold. There where red banners flowing in the wind of tall, literal skyscrapers.
"It's Columbia..." I said in shock. "But...but how the hell is it..." This was wrong, I killed Comstock! Every version of him for Christ's sake!
"I think it's when we where there. And it also gave me a idea on how we're going to get out of here." Elizabeth said.
Ok I was confused now, "You kinda lost me Elizabeth. We need to get Atlas's men up to Rapture, I don't think Columbia is gonna help...not that it ever has." I added after a moment.
Elizabeth shook her head grinning, "Jacob, Columbia is a flying city. A flying city. And if we're just below Rapture..." she started. I think I could see where she was going with this.
"What the hell do you mean?" Patrick asked, albeit a little frustrated.
I mirrored Elizabeth's grin, "It means we're gonna make this department store fly."
AN: First off, Whhhooooooohhooo! I'm back! Second, from here on out the chapters are gonna be a but shorter since I'm pacing myself. Third, for the first part of this story I had to go off of memory alone like I said so thanks to those who went down that rocky path.
I'm happy to saw I got Ep 1&2 downloaded. And I should be getting this story up on a fairly regular basis.
Now before I get my ass chewed outfit Elizabeth not using tears, I hope you all remember that she didn't have those abilities in the dlc pt 2. But since she is still missing her pinky finger the story had changed a bit, and she 'll be using tears later on. Also the story may be shorter than Debt.
To be honest I should have expected that. And for that I am sorry.
Thank you all for reading, and I would appreciate it immensely if you all left a Review, you can also fallow of favorite of your feel like it. Thanks for reading!