8
Hephaestus, Rapture Central Control
"… and now it's gonna to ask you to confirm – all you have to do is type 'CONFIRM'. Simple. After that, you're finished." Coleman drawled over the speaker. "You'd better hope you got it right, sport,'cus I don't plan on repeatin' all that."
For the last time, just to check everything was in its designated place, Jack glanced over the codes Coleman had sent him, before confirming the changes. His eyes hurt from staring at the little screen for so long, and his head hurt from all the technical mumbo-jumbo that he didn't understand in the slightest. It seemed to him that computers were more trouble than they were worth… "I guess we'll just wait and see, won't we?" Jack muttered, stretching his back in the uncomfortable chair he had seated himself in.
"Ah, yes. And it will be on your head if I go down to Persephone and become riddled with bullets, wouldn't you agree?"
"Sure. What a shame that would be."
"But then," Coleman abruptly continued, sounding very thoughtful, "it wouldn't be the first death on your shoulders, now, would it?"
Jack opened his mouth to respond sharply, but no words formed. He didn't know how to react. He didn't know what to say. Coleman was obviously up to bad business, and Jack wasn't sure he liked where this conversation could lead. "Of course." He agreed slowly, cautiously. "Anyone who's been in Rapture has killed, whether they admit to it or not. It's hard to avoid."
"Oh, but you! You, my boy, are a killin' machine." Coleman replied, seemingly pleased with Jack's answer. "Doctor Steinman… Ol' Peachy Wilkins, that crazy dog. You also put down the lame horse, Andrew Ryan. And let's not forget Mister Frank Fontaine, either – the big shark himself." Coleman paused long enough to let out a soft laugh. "And, my personal favorite, Sander Cohen. The man who went down thrashin'…" Jack tensed his muscles, knowing that Holly could be just around the corner from Coleman – or even in the same room – so he didn't respond. He simply let Coleman continue. The last thing Jack needed was Holly hearing him admit that he'd murdered her only parent. "You know… it's fascinatin', really, that the poor girl you're with hasn't tried to kill you, yet. Why would that be, hm?"
Well, wasn't Coleman just a treasure trove of secrets?
Coleman knew the answer, yet he was still waiting for Jack's reply, likely just to get him all riled up. Jack shook his head slowly, doing his best to keep calm. "She doesn't know."
"She doesn't know, that's right… She still thinks it was the Big Bad Blue who did it, doesn't she? Now, I may not like the woman, but does she really deserve to be blamed for your actions?"
"What's your game?" Jack demanded angrily, not liking where this is going.
"My game? Why, this is no game – this is real life. This is what happens out in the real world. Accidents happen, and compensation follows. It's a sort o' business."
"Why the hell are you bringing it up, then? What do you want?"
"I want you to do everythin' I ask, no complaints and arguments. I want you to know who runs things, 'round here. I want you to be loyal to me. No backstabbin', no back-door-dealin'… and no goin' AWOL. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be sayin' any of this if your radio had been workin', earlier. But I don't trust that your radio's open broadcast just happened to 'turn off' while I was tryin' to contact you." With steel in his voice, he said "I know I ain't the only down here that can interfere with a radio, Hell, even Cohen could, the poor bastard. And you've got yourself a track-record for helpin' out whoever's pressing a gun to your back, don't you? You'd switch sides at the drop of a hat, granted you survive in the end, and that you don't have anythin' to lose." A ghost of a smile entered his voice, bringing back the friendly tone, though it seemed sorely out of place when he spoke. "And now… you got somethin' to lose!" He laughed. "So you're not gonna do anythin' stupid, are you?"
"Something to lose?" Jack echoed.
"Why, you're little dame, of course!"
"Holly…" Jack muttered under his breath, furrowing his brow thoughtfully. Was this the reason that Coleman split them up? So that he could use Holly as leverage against Jack?
"That's right, mister. And the moment I start to get nervous that you and Sapphire are in cahoots, the girl's a dead dame. You understand?"
"And if I just let you kill her?" Jack had just met the girl only a couple of hours ago. It wouldn't be overly hard to get over her death. But he wouldn't be able to just let her die, either. Once again, his morals were conflicting with his priorities.
"Then I'll just have to tell the girl about how her daddy died, and then simply… let her go on her merry way." Coleman paused to laugh, as if he was envisioning the situation unfold. He then said "I got eyes and ears all over Rapture, boy. I have dirt on people that dwarf your popularity, down here. Sometimes I accidentally find things out. Other times, I have to go diggin' for information. But, when you were first down here, you made no attempt to hide yourself, did you? You killed people without thinkin' twice."
"I didn't have much of a choice…" Jack growled.
"Sport, I have nothin' against you – don't get me wrong. But I need these rules, these safety measures, in place in case you flip-flop across the board." Jack could imagine Coleman smiling. "If you don't do anythin' stupid, I won't either. Capisce?"
"Capisce," Jack responded with a grunt. Not that he was planning anything anyways. Lady Sapphire had offered a deal, but Jack wasn't planning on accepting it – She was the lady he planned on killing, and so he had no reason to help her. Even still, he was between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, if he doesn't do what Sapphire says, Jack's head is put up for money. On the other hand, if he doesn't listen exclusively to Coleman, Jack is a dead man anyways – and so is Holly, once she kills him in a bout of revenge for her father's murder.
"Very good… Now, hop to it, kiddo – you've got some ground to cover."
Rapture, An Unknown Location
Patiently, Lady Sapphire waited for Coleman to finish speaking to the Ryan. She had a few choice words for him that he, frankly, deserved to hear with his own ears. While she waited, she reflected on her conversation with Jack. She couldn't decide whether or not it went over well.
While the man may not have openly agreed to her, Sapphire was fairly certain that she left a nagging doubt in the back of his head. If he was the type of man she thought he was, that nagging doubt would simply grow louder and louder until it was screaming in Jack's face. Of course, he could simply ignore her out of spite, which would be just as likely. Either way, Sapphire would get what she wanted; a dead Jack Ryan, or a dead Wayne Coleman. Both were preferable.
On the monitor that she was watching, Jack lowered the radio, clipping it back to his belt. Sapphire took this as a sign that Coleman was finished speaking, so she quickly made a broadcast for his radio.
When the channel opened, Coleman responded in an annoyed tone. "What do you want, kid? I'm busy." It sounded like there were people in the background, talking and bustling about.
"Wayne," Sapphire greeted him coolly, keeping her tone even.
There was a pause on the other end, as if the sound of her voice had startled Coleman. "… Lady Blue." He greeted back stiffly, though his voice held a hint of humor in it, mocking her.
"Surprised to hear from me?"
"I imagine anyone'd be, darlin'."
"How are you, Wayne?" Sapphire asked calmly. "It's been a while since we last spoke… Let's catch up."
"Why, that sounds like a grand idea, darlin'." Coleman agreed, though it still sounded as if he were mocking her. "As of a few minutes ago, I'm swell. I'm on top of the world, like a fat kid with the keys to a candy shop."
"Ah, that sounds lovely. Things are finally looking up for you, are they? Why is that, Wayne?"
"'Cause I've got everyone under my thumb, kiddo; your little Splicer, the boy, and even you. Soon, I'll have a way to Persephone ready for me and the boys, and I'll be able to pay Doctor Lamb a visit."
"You've even got me under your thumb now, is that right? Please, do elaborate…"
"I have in my possession your precious little lackey – the Cohen girl. You may not act it, but I think you'd do anythin' to keep her from dying." He had a sickly smug tone. "I'd venture to say she's your favorite lackey 'cause of that 'exclusive' Plasmid that she uses, yeah? Must be expensive to manufacture a Plasmid that unique."
"Coleman," as much as Sapphire knew that Coleman enjoyed her anger, she couldn't hide the fury that was glaring through her voice, "you are the single most disgusting human being I've had the misfortune of meeting. Which is saying quite a lot, since I've worked with Frank Fontaine. He may have been despicable, but he at least had a line he avoided crossing at all costs. You? You couldn't care less. You think the world must cater to your needs. It's time to wake up, Wayne: This is no game – Real lives are at risk. And that girl you're-" Ingrid choked on her own words. "- using… She's suffering because of you. There will be ramifications that you must face."
"As I recall, you're doing somethin' that'll have consequences, too, darlin': Claimin' Rapture as your own. Trying to give these people back their sanity. But let me ask you somethin'." He dropped his voice. "Do you honestly believe these people really want it back? Do you think that want to see what they've become? What they've done? You ain't doin' them any favors."
"That isn't any of your concern, Wayne…" Sapphire hissed. "You won't be the one dealing with them." She planned on having him killed before moving on with her idea for Rapture. He would only cause more trouble to the citizens once they were cognate. "Right now, I am your only concern."
"That so, darlin'?"
"Quite. And I am warning you right now: You are not to touch another hair on that poor girl's head, do you understand? She is not yours. I will not have her returned to me in pieces because you got greedy." She paused thoughtfully, and then said "You can try whatever you like with Mr. Ryan, but the girl is off limits."
"My, my. Sounds to me like you've just declared this girl as a special delicacy." Coleman paused, and then asked "What's it to you, Blue?"
"I told you – I will not have her returned to me in shambles. She is a valuable asset to me, and I will not let you ruin her like you've ruined so many before."
Coleman laughed enthusiastically. "I think you're tryin' to make me out as some sort of monster, kiddo."
"It's not very hard…" Sapphire admitted dryly with a thin-lipped smile.
"Yeah? Well, let me tell you somethin': I'm just doin' business. That's all I've ever done. I ain't no monster, and I ain't stoppin' my work just 'cause you're throwin' a tantrum."
"You sound surprisingly confident for a man who knows he's about to die…"
"I expected to die a decade ago, darlin' – I'm beginnin' to think that I've already died, and this place is just my Hell." Coleman laughed again, though it was far quieter this time.
"Oh, believe me, Coleman, you're still very much alive. But don't worry – I'll have that fixed as soon as possible. And when it happens, when you're finally dying… I'll personally be there to watch you breathe your last breath."