Holy Ones
After Edward's captivating sermon, and Archer's improvised call to war, the priest and the three humans watched as Splicers left the sermon hall in droves, eager to perform their various appointed jobs. Archer, Tenenbaum, and Mark watched with beaded sweat and clenched jaws as the faithful trickled out of the large room, their rallying hymns echoing throughout the complex as they left with vigor. The heavily armored soldiers of the faithful in their dark crimson armor shepherded stragglers out that wanted to linger and gaze upon their holy heralds, but Edward made it clear that they had jobs to do, and so the soldiers forced them to leave, either with calm commanding tones, or force. When only a handful of soldiers remained to guard Edward and the heralds, the priest turned to look up at the humans and grinned serenely.
"That was certainly a blessed sermon, Are the Queens pleased, dear heralds?" He asked with a calm, silk-like voice that made the humans feel both at ease and skeptical at the same time. Mark glanced at Archer and Tenenbaum, still unsure of what they were even doing here, but Archer spoke up to clear the silence.
"The Queens are not pleased, Edward, far from it." The soldier stated as he looked down on the holy man with a stern expression. For a moment Edward's face took on a confused look, then one filled with fear and concern.
"What have we done wrong, holy heralds? What should we do to gain their approval and blessings?" The priest asked. Mark watched Archer as a small smirk crossed his lips and the man rose from his seat holding his arms out wide with a soft smile. He walked down from their raised platform and onto the stage to stand next to Edward, his hand coming up to the middle of the priest's back. Mark's eyes squinted slightly. It was a power move, and a manipulative one at that. Archer had just established and confirmed that he was the one in control, and he doubted the Splicer's damaged mind could even comprehend what was happening.
"The Queens are not pleased, but they are not displeased either dear priest. They are content with the work you have done so far, but we, your heralds would not have been sent to you if you could not do more to gain their favor. Do you understand?" Archer asked the man. Suddenly Edward's sagging eyes widened in realization.
"Of course, holy herald! Please, tell us what we need to do to improve our standing with the Queens, and be worthy of our King's return!" Edward practically begged.
"First, we will inspect your armory, assuming you do have one with as many faithful servants you have armed and armored, then, you will show us your soldiers, the most faithful and fearless among you, so that we may judge them, and the training they have undergone. Lastly, you will show us where we, your heralds will be staying, along with where you plan for the Queens, the blessed child, and your King to stay." Archer stated gently but made sure to leave no room for question.
"O-Of course, dear herald! We have prepared well for your arrival, and for the arrival of our holy Trinity! Please, follow me if you will, I will certainly fulfil any desire you may have!" Edward assured them hurriedly as he gestured to one of the side doors. Mark and Tenenbaum exchanged worried looks before they rose, and the two heavily armored soldiers in front of the stage moved to the double doors at the side of the room. The humans could see Thompsons strapped to their backs that clattered against their heavy armor as they moved, and their gauntleted hands never left the forged swords at their waists. Archer didn't know if they were mimicking medieval knights on purpose, or if it was an aesthetic of necessity due to the NeoSplicer's aggressive nature and fondness for close quarters combat, either way, these Splicers were well organized, well trained, and well-disciplined at the least. He needed to see what else they had up their sleeves in order to assess their situation more clearly. He glanced back to Tenenbaum and Mark who followed him timidly from a distance and gritted his teeth. It was clear that he was the only one that could at this moment. He needed to talk to them privately as soon as possible, they were supposed to be following his lead, but they still looked like prey, not leaders. They had been on the run from Reed Whal's forces for so long they didn't know how to attack, but he was determined to show them the difference between simply surviving, and being the ones in control, though he was sure they didn't understand what he was doing. Living on the back foot for so long had shaped their mindsets, they were timid, and flinched easily, like mice when you turned on the pantry light, scattering at the first sign of danger, but he and Tokerev had never lived like that. They had always been hunters, just like the Protectors, they had hunted to survive, and they had thrived because of it, but it was clear that Tenenbaum and her group had only survived, and poorly at that judging on the story they had told the two men when they first met. They had lost a good number of survivors even before they met the Protectors, and they had never really stopped losing people, but the biggest difference was the addition of the Protectors to their group. The Protectors and the humans were complete opposites, where the Protectors were always on the attack, the humans were always on the defense. He needed to change that, he needed to make them see that they were just as strong, but for different reasons. They kept their sanity, even if they had a few plasmids and gene tonics, they had the advantage due to sheer sanity. Splicers were formidable it was true, but they were only splicers, insane and devoid of logic, it was one of a few aspects that made them easy prey if you knew how to hunt them. It was clear that the Protectors knew how to hunt them, but the humans were still hiding from them, still cowering from them, and that needed to change, rapidly if possible.
The three humans followed Edward from the sermon hall, two more armored soldiers in crimson joining them to form a protective front and rear guard as they watched their surroundings for threats beneath their decorated helms. Their hands were on the hilts of their swords, ready to put themselves and their armor between their heralds and any danger that might befall them, though Tenenbaum and Mark felt more like prisoners rather than holy symbols that were being protected. Archer walked with all the grace of a Prophet, as if he had been in their company since the beginning, but the way his eyes moved from soldier to soldier made it clear he was faking most of his confidence and bravado. He was sizing the soldiers up more from experience than anxiety though, and that was a big difference between Tenenbaum and Mark's observations.
Deeper into the train yard, they came to what looked like an old ticket booth for the Atlantic Express, thick bulletproof and shatterproof glass lined the booth with barbed wire and spikes on the top part of the booth. A small speaker in the window allowed for two-way communication from the occupant and those on the outside, and a hole in the glass at the counter allowed for tickets and Rapture dollars to be passed in order to gain access to the aquatic trains that ran the length of the city. As the group approached, the crimson armored Splicer soldiers took up a defensive position around the ticket booth and the heralds, their hands never leaving the swords on their sides. Two armored warriors that had been standing guard behind sandbags slammed their armored gauntlets into their chest plates and gave small bows. It was clear that they had been placed their to guard the armory, and with good reason. Splicers barely trusted each other, and even when they did they could be unpredictable, anyone that couldn't see that wouldn't be able to organize such a force, and Edward had actually acknowledged that fact, and even taken steps to fix it. Archer made a mental note not to underestimate the priest, as insane and devoted as he was, any splicer could be a threat.
The humans each looked through the glass to see various firearms and melee weapons lining the walls, hung up on pegs and in good condition. Ammo cans lined the floor in their dozens painted green with yellow lettering on the sides that told what caliber of ammunition they held within. Swords, guns, knives, grenades, and all manner of death dealing instrument of war could be seen within. Even various weapons in the process of being constructed could be seen on tables and hung up on the walls.
"This is our armory, dear heralds, where our master of arms keeps and maintains the bulk of the weapons our faithful have seized from the Blasphemer and his heretics. He has... somewhat of an obsession with them, keeping them clean and maintained for our faithful soldiers on the frontlines so that their weapons do not fail them in combat." Edward explained as he gestured to the window. His hand came up, covered in small boils and sagging skin, he tapped the small silver bell on the counter just in front of the opening, a loud dinging echoing through the room beyond. Grunts could be heard in the distance, and the clattering of metal objects being dropped or discarded hastily. From a doorway came a hunched Splicer in a dirty leather jacket with jeweler's glasses, a small light still burning brightly on the side of the rim as he made his way to the counter and its opening. His eyes, appearing as large as they could in his spectacles went wide upon seeing Edward and the three humans with him. He bowed with a small cough of surprise.
"This is Rat, our Master of Arms. He maintains the weapons and armor of our faithful soldiers, he is far better than our last Master of Arms." Edward stated, and Rat bowed deeper. Mark and Tenenbaum were eying the soldiers that surrounded them, but Archer looked the Master of Arms up and down appraisingly.
"You are covered in oil and grease stains, Rat. This means you are either very dedicated to the Trinity or are a very good pretender." Archer said skeptically.
Rat looked up with wide eyes and glanced to Edward before bowing again. "I live to serve the Trinity, my herald, and to maintain the weapons of their holy faithful to the best of my ability." He stated, his large two front teeth sticking out from his lips as he spoke. Archer was sure that was why his name was Rat, that, or the rat-like appearance he held as his hands shuffled nervously in front of him.
"Rat, tell me about the Thompson sub-machinegun." Archer commanded, his eyes narrowing skeptically at the man.
Rat looked up to the herald and grinned, his large yellow teeth shining in the dim glow of the weapons booth. "The Thompson sub machinegun, also known as the Tommy gun, Chicago typewriter, and trench broom is a blowback-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed selective-fire submachine gun. It fires a 45. caliber round at seven hundred to eight hundred rpm and-" He began to ramble before Archer cut him off.
"Yes, yes. Tell me, how many weapons do you have in your care at this very moment?" He asked.
"As of this moment, herald, I have twelve Thompson submachine guns, fifteen revolvers, three shotguns, three grenades, fourteen swords, ten spears, four pairs of brass knuckles, forty-two kitchen knives, and four baseball bats, my herald." He stated, his eyes darting at the ceiling as he spoke and recounted all of his items. Archer closed his eyes and shook his head before looking to Edward.
"This is a pitiful excuse for firepower, the Queens will certainly not be pleased to hear that this is all you have to offer." He said sternly. Edward's eyes went wide, and his hands clasped at his chest nervously. "W-We will get more, holy herald, we will expand the armory and make sure the Queens and our King are appeased at the force we wield!" He croaked out, causing Archer to nod. "See that you do, priest. The Trinity does not look kindly on failure." Edward turned to one of the Splicers guarding the group and his face took on an expression of urgency. "Tell the scouts that we require more guns and ammo, now! On the Queen's orders!" He shouted, and the soldier nodded before running off into the trainyard. Archer knew most of the Splicers were armed, and the soldiers that guarded the compound were heavily armed, but they would need far more firepower to engage Reed Whal's forces AND the NeoSplicers. If his plan succeeded, they could successfully do both, but the Protectors in all their glory were wild cards. They could drop down and slaughter the faithful splicers at any time, and no one knew if Omega was alive, where he was, or if and when he would return. No matter how well he might be able to convince Iota and Anna to fight with the splicers, if Omega showed up and ordered them to kill the splicers, there would be absolutely nothing he could do to stop it, and that was the biggest problem. He clinched his jaw as he thought, causing Edward to take on an even more fearful expression. They had made good progress, but Omega could ruin it all, especially since he didn't know the details of everything they had seen or talked about. The Big Brother was ruthless, brutal, and held no value in splicer lives, he knew that much from watching him fight. Archer hated to think this way, but... he hoped the Big Brother was dead, if not, he may need to delay Omega's return in order to build up the Trinity's forces, or at the very least, have him return at the most opportune time. He clenched his jaw even harder as he thought, that would be nearly impossible. His best bet was to convince Iota and Anna to side with the splicers that were loyal to them, and even that was a long shot, but they were his best hope right now. He made a mental note to try and talk to them later about all of this, maybe, just maybe, if they could see the value in having an army of their own, they would be able to convince Omega the same, if he was even alive, though even that was simple speculation. He gave a heavy sigh, that was all he could do for now though, and he had to try, there was no other way to fight a war on two fronts as things were.
"That will be all, Rat. You may go about your business, but be ready if we have need of your services." Archer commanded the man behind the counter, Rat nodded and bowed before scurrying back to his dark hole to continue his work.
"Now, show us your soldiers, Edward. We wish to appraise them." Archer commanded, and Edward bowed. "Please, this way." He stated as he led the group on.
As they passed through the trainyard, they noticed various Splicers forging hot metal on homemade forges, they wore dirty coveralls and t-shirts as they hammered red-hot metal into shapes that could be used in their projects or hurrying here and there carrying supplies. Some stopped and starred, others made the sign of the Trinity above their heads, and those with their arms full of materials or supplies simply bowed, trying not to drop their cargo.
Edward led the three humans through the trainyard, up through a stairwell, and past an airlock into a neighboring district to the one they had abandoned previously. Their eyes went wide when they saw the streets, shops, and hotels all under the faithful's control. Stitched banners of black hung from buildings and entrance ways, the bright red triangle centered on all of them. Even Archer with his bravado and faked confidence was taken aback at the sight of it all. Splicers wandered to and fro from the shops and buildings gathering materials, and on every street corner was a crimson clad figure wielding a sword, spear, shotgun, or Thompson. Announcements over the Rapture intercom system could be heard overhead, announcements about bees and Eve's Garden. It reminded Tenenbaum of a time years ago when the golden streets of the underwater city still bloomed with life and sanity, though what she saw now was a mere ghost of that civilization.
The humans and Edward made their way past several hurrying splicers to a small park area situated in the middle of six buildings, two in the front, one on each side, and two in the rear, making a complex of high living in the old days, now it had been refitted for the crimson-clad soldiers of the faithful. Mounted turrets on sandbags could be seen on the rooftops at each corner of all six buildings, manned at all hours of the day. Windows were boarded up or welded shut with steel plates inches thick, and walls of scrap metal, spikes, and spotlights had been erected connecting the buildings. It was a veritable fortress, and the humans gaped at it. It was clear that this was the center of their military power.
Spikes with NeoSplicer and splicer skulls alike lined the walls and outsides of the brick buildings, an omen of what would befall anyone that attacked the fortress. It was clear the fanatics had fashioned the buildings in a similar manner to how the Protectors had created their fortress of horror, though it lacked the sheer bloodlust and cruelty of a Protector's imagination by a long shot. The humans took in deep breaths and sighed heavily as they made their way toward the fortress.
"This is where we train our military elite, our most faithful, the soldiers you see around you now clad in our Trinity's colors and symbols." Edward proclaimed proudly as he held his hand toward one of the armored soldiers who simply continued scanning his surroundings, his hands always ready for violence at a moment's notice, just like his crimson brothers and sisters.
"It's impressive, almost like the horror show the Protectors put you all through when they locked you in our district and turned off the lights." Mark said, this time sounding a little more scornful. That actually made Archer smile a bit, it was gutsy to say, but he was right, it looked similar, and the inspiration was there for sure.
"But of course! The Trinity showed us the error of our ways and guided us to the true path in that darkness, and so we model our strongest fortress after that fateful event. We follow their examples at all times, and anyone who breaks the guidelines they set forth is dealt with severely." Edward stated proudly, pointing to a severed head on a spike just in front of one of the walls connecting two buildings. Tenenbaum and Mark gasped when they saw the head of the woman that had been beaten in the medical ward for nothing more than angering Joe. Archer gritted his jaw and narrowed his eyes at the gruesome display. They were psychopaths, lunatics, and it made him even more sure of his decision to trick them into dying for them all to escape.
The priest led them through the large front gates and past the many defenses to the inner courtyard, which was far more spacious than it looked on the outside. Large splicers covered from head to toe in crimson armor were doing pushups under the watchful eye of a large man with his arms crossed, likely a drill Sergeant of sorts from what Archer could tell. Another drill Sergeant was leading more soldiers in a cadence as they jogged the length of the compound's walls, but what caught Archer's eye the most was the heavily armored splicer standing on a balcony two floors above the courtyard with his arms crossed, watching the soldiers train. He wore a feathered helm reminiscent of a Greek Hoplite or Spartan, and had a black cape draped behind him.
Archer stared at the large man for a long moment, their eyes locking. It was clear he was looking at the CIA Operative, though he knew no one else would be able to notice. Edward shook him out of his stare as he proclaimed the training grounds of the crimson army, and directed the heralds to the main building, the same one the soldier with the feather plumed helm was in. Archer looked up to the balcony again, but the man was gone.
They entered the building and found more guards, sandbags, and machineguns waiting for them in defensive positions, though they simply saluted as Edward lead them deeper into the building and up the stairs. They made their way two floors up before stopping just outside a set of dark wooden double doors, two heavily armored soldiers guarded either side, and saluted the heralds when they approached with their own guard. They awkwardly returned the salute before Edward opened the doors. Inside the large living room was a wooden desk with an armored man sitting just behind it, eyeing them suspiciously from beneath his helmet, the balcony doorway behind him on his left. The armored giant stood and slammed his fist into his chest-plate as he gave a small bow to them. It was crisp, clean, and told Archer right away that this man was a high ranking official in the Trinity's military.
"This is General Scorn, he is our military leader, in charge of battle tactics and our soldier's training." Edward gestured toward the splicer. General Scorn made his way to the front of his large desk and knelt, his armored hand slamming his chest plate as he knelt before the heralds and the priest.
"I am General Scorn, heralds, and I serve faithfully at your command. As the Queens will, I obey." He stated, his voice booming from his plumed helm, leaving no room to doubt his loyalty.
"General..." Archer began, taking a pause to regain his composure before the large splicer. "A war is coming, one that will decide the fate of not only Rapture, but the entire world. Can we depend on you, and your soldiers to follow us, to obey, and to serve, faithfully, and unquestioningly?" Archer asked, his voice holding more conviction now. General Scorn deepened his bow, his black cape draped over his back as he knelt lower, one hand on his chest plate, the other clenched into a fist on the floor.
"My army is yours, heralds. I will serve the Trinity until my dying breath, as will my soldiers." The General responded.
"Then rise, General, and brief me on the condition of the Trinity's army, your needs and wants." Archer commanded, and the General rose to his feet.
The General led the heralds and Edward to the balcony, where he gestured to the courtyard bellow. "As you can see, heralds, training is going smoothly, though most are too insane to serve as effectively as I would wish. We have many warriors that will die for the Trinity when their time comes."
"Quite impressive, General. To put something like this together in such short time is amazing to say the least." Archer stated as he watched the training splicers below. General Scorn turned slightly toward him and tilted his helmeted head slightly, the feathered plum on top swaying as he did.
"Such a short amount of time?" General Scorn asked, confusion in his deep voice. It was then that Edward spoke up hurriedly. "Oh no, herald, no! General Scorn and his army have been preparing for a long time, recruiting and training soldiers. The Faithful encountered them and found that what they were preparing for, what they believed in, which is the divine power of our Trinity, aligned so heavily with our own beliefs that we simply had to merge our factions as one!" Edward explained. Archer put his hand on his chin as he thought.
"So the Faithful and the Crimson Army were once two separate factions believing in the same principles and beliefs, but joined forces because they were essentially the same." Archer repeated, earning nods from both General Scorn and Edward.
"It is as you say, herald. I agreed to lead the military efforts of our forces along with my Lieutenants, and Edward and his priests agreed to look after our spiritual and religious well-being." General Scorn explained with a small bow, his heavy crimson and gold armor clanking as he moved to slam his fist into his chest again. Edward gestured toward the large man and smiled gracefully, for a splicer anyway.
"General Scorn has secured many victories for us with the army under his command, and he personally evaluates new recruits to see if they are worthy, and sane enough to serve the Trinity. Sometimes I feel like he's more in line with the Trinity's wishes than even myself." Edward explained.
"You honor me, Edward. I simply wish to serve the Trinity, to atone for my past sins, and fulfil their will to the best of my ability." The General stated. Tenenbaum squinted her eyes at the man for the third time. There was something oddly familiar about him, he reminded her of someone, though she couldn't put her finger on who exactly.
"Well General, we're happy to have your services, you seem like a capable commander, and you've put together a fine fighting force. If you could, we'd like you to run us through your army's training process, and fill us in on what supplies and rations you might need." Archer stated, knowing that an army was only as good as the amount of support they received.
"As you wish, herald. Please, follow me." General Scorn responded as he gestured toward his office doors, his heavy armor thudding across the room in booming steps as his right hand rested on a decorated sword at his hip, his black cape flowing behind him licking at his boots. Archer found it odd that the General didn't remove his helmet when speaking to them, but didn't question it. He still didn't know this General Scorn, and had no idea what kind of person he was, or why he chose not to remove the armor to let them see his face, there could be any number of reasons, but it would be rude to ask him to do so now, and he didn't want to get on the foremost military commander's bad side in their first meeting if he could help it, even if they were revered heralds, they needed all the help they could get, and straining relations so early on in their meeting could prove disastrous in the long run.
. . .
Joe silently flipped his scorched golden lighter in his hand as he thought, Tokerev watching him intently. The clinic was mostly empty now, aside from a few Splicers too badly wounded to be moved and their attending nurses. He eyed them suspiciously, running his free hand over the bandages along his arm, Splicers had given him those wounds when they assaulted them in the toy shop, glass shards piercing him all over. He couldn't wrap his head around this entire situation. Why were these Splicers so ready to help them, and worship the Protectors as some kind of Gods? He shook his head as he ground his teeth.
"My mother used to say, that I should not waste a good thing." Tokerev's thick Russian accent cut the silence, causing Joe to turn to him. The man was laying on his back, bandages all over as he rested his hand over the covered bullet wound in his stomach. He gave an amused grin to Joe, the same one he had seen him give a few times now when things seemed hairy. He didn't know if it was false confidence or hope, but it didn't matter much in this situation. Joe's eyes scanned the nurses as they worked, tending to the wounded.
"You're mother obviously never met a Splicer, let alone be near an army of them." The bearded man replied, clenching his jaw in frustration and anxiety. Tokerev chuckled lightly.
"This is true, she never met one, but still, I think if she had been through all that we have, she would be thankful for this chance to rest and recover." He replied.
"You don't wander into a nest of vipers and decide to relax." Joe stated, his voice a sharp whisper that only caused Tokerev to shrug.
"If you see a nest of vipers, than that is all you are looking for, my friend." He stated before raising his hand toward one of the nurses dressed in white.
"Eh, excuse me, Miss. Might I have something to drink, and something to eat? I am hungry enough to eat a horse, and thirsty enough to risk drinking sea water." Tokerev stated with a pleasant smile. The nurse's eyes went wide and she grinned, bowing and almost sprinting from the room, abandoning whatever checkup she had been performing on the wounded Splicer she attended. Tokerev turned to Joe and gestured to the fleeing nurse. "You see, my friend? This is not such a bad thing I think, sure the nurses are ugly and covered in boils, but they come to our beck and call, and for someone like myself, who has only had that oaf Archer as company for so long, any female company is a blessing!" He laughed
Joe shook his head, it was hard for him to feel anything other than anger and suspicion toward Splicers, he probably trusted NeoSplicers more at this point, at least he knew their intentions, they would only kill and eat you, but Splicers, they could actually think, they could scheme and plot. Was this all one big elaborate plan set up by Edward or Reed Wahl? Were they walking into their enemy's hands? He took a deep breath and sighed. He continued to dwell on their situation, his eyes darting around the room at any movement made as he flipped his lighter in his hand until the nurse returned a few minutes later. She had a trey with canned food, water, and cooked fish. Tokerev sat up with a wince as she sat the trey on his lap. Joe saw the man not only eyeing the food but the nurse as well.
"If you require anything else, dear herald, please call for me." The woman said with as sweet a smile as a Splicer could manage, before leaning in closer to Tokerev's ear. "Anything..." Joe heard her whisper as she ran her hand down the Russian man's chest and saw Tokerev grin wider. As the nurse turned to leave Tokerev reached out and slapped the girl's bottom with a chuckle that caused the nurse to giggle as she darted off. Both men watched her go before Tokerev turned back to Joe.
"You see? This is not such a bad thing I think." He chuckled as he began eating. When his mouth was full he gestured to Joe and pointed at his food. "Come, my friend. You must eat, yes? You have not eaten for a long while and I won't have my Guardian fainting from a lack of food." Tokerev stated. Joe tried to shake his head and deny the offer but his stomach growled loudly when he smelled the cooked fish again.
"You see? Your body knows what it needs even if you do not, now eat." Tokerev stated holding a cooked fish out toward Joe as it rested on a stick, the grease dripping down the stick making Joe's stomach growl even more. He reluctantly took the food and sighed heavily. He stared at it for a while as Tokerev watched him, chewing mouthfuls of food.
"Baaah! What is the matter with you, eh?" Tokerev finally asked. "We are alive, and we have food, what is so wrong that you cannot eat, eh?" He added. Joe turned to him and grimaced. "Splicers killed my brother, and a close friend, remember? Hard to accept anything from them, especially food, it could be poisoned for all we know." He stated in response. Tokerev simply rolled his eyes and sighed heavily as he chewed his food.
"Do you see me writhing in pain from poison, eh? If you really think they mean to kill us when they had not already tried when we first came through the tunnels then you are a fool, my friend." Tokerev stated as he bit into another bite of the cooked fish. "They had the ability to, and the numbers, I think even Iota would have been killed if they wanted us dead then, okay?" He added. Joe looked at him for a long while before sighing again. He knew Tokerev was right, and what he said was logical, but he hated the idea of Splicers trying to help them more than trying to kill them, it seemed... unnatural to him.
"And what if this is all some elaborate trap by Reed Wahl to fatten us up before the final kill, huh? What then?" Joe asked, acid clear in his tone. The remark hardly affected Tokerev, however, he simply shrugged. "Then we will be fat lambs for the slaughter, but better to be a fat and happy lamb for slaughter than a starving and hurt one, yes? Now shut up and eat your food." Tokerev stated, pointing a half eaten cooked fish at him. Joe shook his head at the Russian's laid back point of view but accepted and took a bite of the warm fish, the grease dripping down the stick that impaled it onto his hand. The taste and warmth filled him in a way that he hadn't expected. It had been a long time since he had eaten anything warm. The last time he had eaten anything properly cooked and not canned was when they had dinner with the Protectors. That night seemed like a lifetime ago now, back when Craig, Danny, and Grace were still with them. As he chewed his food he blinked heavily with stress and regret. Why did every past memory seem like it had been a better time, a simpler time? Everything was so complicated now. They had a cult to deal with that worshiped the Protectors, Iota, Anna, and Seline in hiding, not wanting to be anywhere near the Splicers, Omega God knew where, and Archer, Mark, and Tenenbaum actively trying to explore the cult and hear them out. That night at the dinner table they had spent when Mark and James had stolen Omega's suit so he would wear normal clothes seemed like a distant dream now.
He wondered how Iota, Anna, and Lizzy felt, what they were going through on their own up in the rafters of the Dockyard. He couldn't help but wonder what Anna's condition was, the last time he had seen her she was in bad shape, and Iota too for that matter. He knew they weren't easy to kill, but Anna had looked like she was on death's door, and Iota not far behind, and those thoughts in turn gave way to thoughts about the NeoSplicers. Tenenbaum said they were Splicers that had mutated heavily, and continued to do so based on the large Protector-like NeoSplicer they had fought in the last District. Would these monsters keep evolving? Would they even be able to stop them when the time came? Could they even stop them? Would these Creatures spread out from Rapture if they hadn't already and destroy the world? Was that their goal? How many of them were there exactly?
Joe's face twitched in thought before he felt a hand slap his cheek. He turned to see Tokerev chewing his food with his eyebrows raised, though sympathetic. "Forgive me, my friend, you looked like your mind was walking in dark places, and I know what it's like to travel that darkness." Tokerev stated, far more serious than he had been before. Joe looked at him in surprise before nodding his thanks to the man. Tokerev gave him a wry smile as he continued to eat, and Joe followed suit, trying to keep his mind off of all the unknowns they faced.
After a long while in silence, the men finished eating, and the nurse returned to take their trey and trash away with her. Tokerev slapped the girl's bottom again and grinned.
"You will come back when you are done, yes? I could use some company, if you will have me of course." he said in a playful tone. The boil covered woman grinned and her sagging skin turned a bright red as she nodded. "Of course herald." She giggled as she took their refuse away. Joe raised an eyebrow at the man as the nurse departed and Tokerev pulled his hands up.
"What? I could use some kind of stress relief, and that nurse is willing." He stated, causing Joe to tighten his lips and shake his head.
"If you like sagging skin and boils, oh, and, a Psychopath on top of you." He stated, causing the Russian man to laugh.
"Ah but my friend, crazy women are the most fun! You could do with a crazy woman I think, yes? They keep your mind from wondering down dark roads, and show you things you never thought possible!" He laughed again. Joe shook his head and sighed. "I'll have to take your word for it, Tokerev." He said. When the nurse returned to Tokerev's bedside she was already unbuttoning her shirt and giggling, Joe took that as his sign to leave. As he walked from the clinic in quick steps Tokerev called after him. "Are you sure you don't want join us, my friend? She is more than willing to-" He was cut off, and Joe could hear the muffled sounds of kissing coming from the open doorways. He shuttered. "No thanks, Tokerev, no thanks." He muttered to himself as he lit a cigar and decided to see if Iota, Seline, or Anna would want to speak to him. He made his way down the Dockyard the way he had come from the first time until he stood in the bright lights of the spotlights the Splicers had set up aimed at the tunnel they had come from.
He peered up at the rafters as his foot kicked over something below him. When he looked down he noticed several gift baskets filled with canned food and water. The Splicers were leaving gifts, offerings for their Gods. There were at least six of them there, with no Splicers in sight, they at least had the good sense to stay away from the Protectors because they obviously wanted to be left alone.
"Iota, Selene! Are you there?!" He yelled up to the rafters, he called out to them three more times before finally sighing and giving up, muttering something about stubborn women under his breath. He didn't like this situation either, but that was no reason to ignore your friends, Allies, he wasn't sure what they even were right now. He had no idea what the Protectors were thinking. He knew Selene wouldn't abandon them at least, but the Protectors? They were as likely to go off in search of Omega as they were to just sit in a Splicer infested District to be worshipped. He looked up into the darkness above one last time and thought he saw the yellow glow of Iota's eyes but he couldn't be sure. She was infuriatingly hard to find if she didn't want to be found. He sighed and made his way back up the Dockyard toward the clinic and was surprised to see Tenenbaum, Mark, Archer, and Edward making their way back to the entrance as well.
"Joe, What are you?" Tenenbaum started to ask when the sounds of loud moaning from inside the clinic caught everyone's attention. Joe simply lit a cigar and gestured toward the clinic. "Tokerev's feeling a lot better, as you can hear." He stated shaking his head and sighing again. Everyone but Archer and Edward grimaced. Archer chuckled and shook his head and Edward smiled with a small bow of understanding.
"So, what did you learn?" Joe asked as he puffed on the thick smoke of his cigar, his eyebrow raising slightly.
"Well, they have a considerable number of soldiers, the sanest of them are well trained, well equipped, and ready to fight at the Queens orders." Archer stated, earning a small sneer from Mark, though whether it was from disgust or distrust Joe couldn't tell, it was probably both though if he had to wager. Archer turned to Edward and gestured toward the man. "And Edward has offered us lodging in a very nice area of the neighboring district, where their military power is based." He looked like he wanted to say more but his eyes glanced toward the rafters in the distance, and Joe knew he wanted to discuss the Protectors.
"I see, well, once Tokerev's done and well enough to move, I wouldn't mind getting a little privacy, no offense to you or your Faithful, Edward." Joe stated, the priest simply smiled serenely and nodded. "None taken, herald. Your journey has been long and hard, I understand the need to rest and commune with the other heralds. Please, follow me and I will show you to your penthouse." He stated, making Joe's eyes widen, he wasn't expecting a penthouse, a nicer apartment sure, but a penthouse was the last thing he expected. At that moment the nurse that had been attending Tokerev rushed out of the clinic hurriedly buttoning her blouse, when she saw the group she stopped and her sagging cheeks flushed as she whispered to herself the way almost all Splicers did. "H-Heralds." She said panting as she gave them a toothy smile, and Archer laughed harder. The nurse bowed and darted off as Archer entered the clinic to find Tokerev sitting up in his bed smoking a cigarette with a pleased grin on his dirty face.
"You're nasty, you know that, right?" Archer chuckled, and caused his friend to do the same. "I never claimed to be anything but." Tokerev stated as they laughed. Archer slapped the man's shoulder before asking how he was feeling. "Much better now." He responded with another chuckle.
"Can you walk?" The Soldier asked. "Yes, though I may need some assistance. That nurse had to do all of the work." He added, taking another drag from his cigarette.
After helping Tokerev into a wheelchair, the two men exited the clinic to meet the group again. The wounded man was still wincing and holding his stomach, but the IV bag they had hooked to a pole on the side of his wheelchair dripped the sweet relief of pain killers into his system. "Alright Edward, lead the way. I'm curious to see what kind of dwellings you've deemed worthy for heralds, and possibly the Queens." Archer stated, causing Edward to jump slightly. "Will the Queens be joining you?" He asked in surprise.
"The Queens do as they will, Edward, they may join us, they may not." He stated as he glanced to the rafters once more. Edward nodded, suddenly looking nervous, no doubt wondering how the Queens would approve of the herald's penthouse if they decided to stay there with them. They began walking through the Dockyard once again and met Sigma along the way, the lumbering giant was riveting a steel beam that held two reinforced windows together. When they spotted him he put the last rivet in and a flow of water ceased that had been leaking for who knows how long. Two Splicers were watching him absently as he worked, but when he saw the group of humans and Edward he groaned deeply and made his way to them. Edward paid the Big Daddy no real attention, only mumbling to himself about the power of the Queens to tame even a Big Daddy into servitude. The rest of the group welcomed him with smiles or small waves of greetings. They always felt much safer with Sigma around, even safer than with the siblings. He had proven himself more than reliable, and he was the more predictable of the Protectors in their company.
After another twenty minutes or so of walking into the neighboring district they came to a large building that reminded them of the Athena's Glory, though this building was still standing, and wasn't a pile of rubble and ash. Eight of the crimson clad armored warriors stood guard at the entrance, their weapons held low but at the ready. The largest among them, the one with half of a circular saw blade welded to the top of his helmet like a mohawk moved forward and slammed his fist into his armored chest piece as he knelt, the others following him.
"Heralds, we are the bodyguard assigned to protect you and your living quarters, which we have already secured. I am sergeant Stacker, and these are my men. Squad Kraken is at your command." The sergeant bellowed in a deep, booming voice beneath his helmet.
"We'll be glad to make use of your services, from what General Scorn told us, the Krakens have an impressive success record, as well as veteran members that boast large amounts of kills." Archer stated, remembering the roster he had looked over when the General had shown them around their training grounds.
"We're the best there is, sir." Sergeant Stacker replied as he stood, a large jerk shaking through him for just a moment as ADAM addiction caused a few of his muscles to seize. The man made no sign of even noticing it had happened and no one drew any attention to it. Archer eyed the rest of his squad, all dawning similar crimson armor with spikes or blades welded onto the armor of their arms, backs, shins, knees and shoulder plates. The largest of them, a Brute Splicer that held a Gatling style machine gun the same as Sigma's, the only difference being the large blades welded onto each rotating barrel.
Archer nodded, impressed at the look and deadly aura the men gave off. As if following their gazes, Sergeant Stacker gestured to each member of his squad and introduced them, starting with the Brute Splicer.
Bear, was the Brute's name, heavy weapons and melee expert, his bulky armor twice as thick as the others, with a massive blade on his back that looked more like a giant machete than anything else. Next was Clairissa, a female Splicer that Archer mistook for a man due to her size and the armor she wore that obscured any denotation of sex. She carried forged spear with a revolver on her hip, obviously preferring melee combat to ranged. Then came Damon, a Houdini Splicer that ignited a fireball in his hand as he uncrossed one of his arms, he carried a sword as well as a Thompson on his back. Next was Jacob wielding a shotgun much like Joe's, homemade grenades filled a pouch on his hip. Miles, carried a Thompson and a sword as well, Carter with a spear and Thompson, and Mathis with a thick shield, sword, and spear.
"Sergeant Stacker, Bear, Clairissa, Damon, Jacob, Miles, Carter, and Mathis." Archer stated the names again, more for his own memory than anything else.
"We look forward to seeing what you can do in action, fight hard for us and we will personally inform the Queens of your bravery and skill." Archer lied smoothly, knowing the Protectors wouldn't give a damn about any Splicer. The lie seemed to work however, every Splicer in Squad Kraken stiffened and jerked to attention as they made the symbol of the Trinity above their helms, even Bear dropped his large machine gun to do so. It looked a little awkward to see the walking tank do so but it made Archer feel more at ease knowing these soldiers were truly devoted to the Trinity, and the heralds.
"Now that introductions are out of the way, please, dear heralds, follow me." Edward said softly as he beckoned the humans to follow. They did so and made their way inside, the Krakens following, all except Mathis and Bear who stayed outside to guard the entrance. The lobby of the expensive hotel was much cleaner and far less damaged than the Athena's Glory had been. White marbled floors and support pillars sported golden inlays and molds along the base of the walls and pillars
"The Olympia was spared much of the damages from the Civil War, the Queens be praised. The building has seen almost no damages in the time since as well, as if the Trinity knew and protected this place for your eventual arriving." Edward stated as they walked across the large hotel. A pair of lavish elevators sat on either side of the lobby, and Edward ushered the humans inside as the Krakens took a separate elevator, already knowing where to go, having memorized the hotels layout upon receiving their mission. Sigma had to take his own elevator with how big he was, and Edward instructed him to meet them on the tenth floor, the top, and also penthouse suites.
When the elevators dinged and opened their doors, the passengers departed, meeting the Krakens and Sigma in an equally impressive, and obviously private lobby. A look to their left caused their eyes to go wide. They were actually above the district now, and a wall of viewing windows at the end of the large room showered them in a relaxing blue glow as they overlooked the lit district below, vast amounts of blue ocean stretching on into darkness as schools of fish and sharks swam by.
"Whoa..." Mark whispered, earning a proud smile from Edward. "If you think that is impressive, dear herald, wait until you see the suites!" Edward said excitedly as he ushered them to follow him, eager to please. The priest led them to a pair of double doors, opening them he stepped inside, followed by Archer who wheeled Tokerev's wheelchair in, and the rest of the humans as well as Sigma, the Krakens remaining in the lobby on guard, only Sergeant Stacker followed behind them. The double doors opened up into a large common area with a domed roof of reinforced glass that bathed the room in the same gentle blue glow as the lobby, though the large ivory fireplace at the end of the common room balanced the melancholic glow with a warm amber. Everyone's eyes went wide, white, fluffy carpet clean of stains covered the room from end to end. White couches were arrayed in a square around a large coffee table in the middle of the room, with various decorations from expensive vases, busts, or other sculptures lined the steel support beams around the room. The wall that held the double doors held head of Andrew Ryan himself overlooking the room, a crimson banner hung just beneath that read, "No Gods, or Kings, only Man." but Joe scoffed. It should've read "Gods, Kings, Man, and Monsters." for all that they had seen. Everyone gaped at the room as Edward made his way to a pristine white and gold piano and fingered a key, the note resonating beautifully throughout the room.
"These suites were once Andrew Ryan's, this building, one of many, he used to... Well, Mr. Ryan did enjoy his consorts and mistresses, and his privacy." Edward stated. "I assure you though, the entire building has been cleaned and prepared for your arrival!" He added hastily.
"That explains the busts of Andrew, he always was a vainglorious one." Tenenbaum remarked, causing Joe and Archer to look at her skeptically, they weren't used to hearing Andrew Ryan spoken about in a casual way, and Joe always forgot that the Doctor knew him personally when he still lived, though there was clearly no love lost between them.
Once they had inspected the room, Edward guided them out and down the hallway through a large archway and into an observation tunnel that showed even more of the City. It was insane how lavish the wealthy in Rapture could live if they had enough money, and if this was indeed one of Andrew Ryan's hideaways, the man lacked anything but money, Hell he had created the currency that fueled Rapture's industry after all. It made them all wonder how many lavish retreats the man had stashed away across the City. When they came to the fork, Edward gestured them to the left. "Your suites are this way, my dear heralds." The priest stated with a respectful bow, causing Mark to ask, "What's down that hallway?" as he pointed to the opposite end of the fork. "That dear herald, is where the Trinity will want to stay, if they decide to join you here. I would be more than happy to show you their living quarters after your own, if you wish to inspect it and advise on what they would prefer." He added.
"Show us to our rooms first, Edward, then we'll inspect the Pr- The Trinity's." Archer stated, having to correct himself before he called them Protectors. He had to remind himself not to be too familiar sounding with them when the faithful were around, if they didn't act like the Protectors were holy beings it could make the faithful suspicious, and they couldn't afford any descent in their faction now.
"As you say, dear herald." Edward bowed again as he lead them to their own suites. Opening another set of double doors at the end of the windowed hallway revealed another smaller common area that adjoined the suite rooms themselves, it was spacious, grand, and somehow cozy at the same time. "Please explore your rooms to your hearts content, they are all admittedly mostly the same, as Mr. Ryan used them primarily to host guests for private parties and meetings, but I assure you they will be to your liking." Edward explained. Everyone looked at each other questioningly before spreading out and picking a room for themselves, there were enough there that even double their number could stay comfortably.
Mark split off and entered the door to the room he had decided on and went wide-eyed as he saw the interior. "Rich bastards..." He exclaimed as he entered the large penthouse room. The living room of the suite had a massive viewing window on the far side that let in the all too familiar blue glow of the sea and City beyond that contrasted with the warm amber lights of the suite. On the left most wall hung various decorative paintings, sculptures lining the base of the wall. A large white couch sat against it beside a bust of a naked woman, it was facing the opposite wall that held a television set, and in the corner next to it was another pristine piano. A glass coffee table setting just in front of the couch, plush white carpet underneath. A kitchen area the size of his room in the Athena's Glory Hotel was through a doorway to his left, and stairs led up to a loft area that housed a massive bed, clean and calling for him it seemed. He was breathless, at least he thought he was, until he saw the bathroom. When he entered the bathroom, more like two rooms really, the first being the area with the toilet and shower, large in it's own right with three walls of glass surrounding a faucet overhead, he turned the water on to test it and didn't even hear the pipes grown as he did with every other faucet in the City. Steaming hot water poured from the faucet on the roof, falling in a wide area like rain. He ran his hand under the hot water and resisted the urge to simply jump in with all of his clothes on, forgetting even that he was in a den of snakes. When he finally pulled himself back to reality he remembered the most impressive part of the bathroom, the actual bath. He quickly turned the water off and exited the room. To his left was the main bathing area, a massive bathtub of ivory and marble sat in the tiled floor, The three walls surrounding the massive bathtub were all glass, offering beautiful views of the rest of the City, though now casting a more gloom visage than years past since some of the districts had gone dark, and were likely filled to the brim with NeoSplicer claws and teeth. The bathroom itself was large enough for four Big Daddies to stand shoulder to shoulder and still have room to move in.
His mind flashed with images of Selene in the bath, and his cheeks brightened, before he remembered she was furious at him and everyone else in their group for even interacting with the Splicers. He slapped his cheeks in resolve, he would get Selene into this bathtub with him, even if he had to beg on his hands and knees. She deserved to be spoiled after all they had been through. The bathroom was warm, and nearly every room in the suite had it's own thermostat to control the temperature, and even the humidity. This was living like he had never seen before, like he had never even imagined was possible. No wonder Rapture's Elite fought among themselves for power over the City, they didn't want their gilded nests to be lost or taken from them, and just this one suite was enough to drive that feeling into him for sure. For a moment, he even considered staying and not trying to get back to the surface, for just a moment anyway. He shook his head, if this was how the heralds were going to be living, what did the Trinity's suites look like? He asked in his head as he exited the room, back to the common area. Everyone else was smiling too, everyone except for Tenenbaum, who neither looked impressed or displeased, though he wasn't surprised, she had seen both the most lavish places in Rapture, and the worst. Archer and Tokerev looked like two men that had just seen Heaven though, they were grinning and laughing to each other as they looked around like kids in a candy shop. He had forgotten that both men had spent their entire time in Rapture in squalor, living out of a broken down fire station, and with the Family in various places before that.
"I trust everything is to your liking, dear heralds?" Edward asked as he smiled at them, his hands shuffling nervously at his stomach, Sergeant Stacker standing just behind him against the wall of the double doors with his arms folded. "Everything is exceptional, Edward, we are pleased." Archer said to him with a large grin. Edward nodded and let out a visible sigh of relief before Joe spoke up.
"My room could use a little more variety in alcohol, and cigars." The bearded man spoke, his eyebrows raising slightly, testing out the waters of his authority. Edward bowed immediately and nodded as he made his way to an intercom box on the wall, pressing a button. A female voice came through with the words "It is my pleasure to serve." and Edward quickly instructed the woman on the other end to stock Joe's room, number five, with more alcohol and cigars. The woman responded with "Right away, your holiness!" and the priest turned back to them.
"If you require anything, anything at all, please use the intercom system to your leisure, my dearest heralds, it is attended all hours of the day and night, whatever you require will be brought right away with all haste, and if it is unavailable, we will either find what you require, or offer a substitute." He smiled at them. "Oh what a wonderous day this is indeed!" He exclaimed as he put his hands to the sky.
"Now, Edward, would you please show us where you expect the Trinity to stay? Our rooms are lavish and grand, but I am curious to see what you've done for our King, Queens, and the blessed child." Archer stated, the names the Splicers referred to the Protectors still tasting like acid on his tongue. It made him almost sick to have to play along with their delusion but it was worth it, for now at least.
"Of course, dear herald, please, right this way!" Edward bowed and gestured toward the door leading back out of the common area.