Fighting McDonagh's Tavern was surprisingly large for a standard pub. Having a main floor and bar, a second level, and a series of offices and small rooms for the patrons who had frequented the place once upon a time.
Though now it was rundown and full of splicers that were busy ransacking the place. It took a decent amount of time and bullets to clear out all the hostiles, the lone spider splicer hiding out there had been tough to take out, but it thankfully wasn't as strong as the one he encountered outside of Peach's little safehouse.
The information he'd gotten from the first picture taken with the research camera really helped. And the newly acquired electric buckshot made it easier to keep the freak from jumping around too much. Needless to day, Alex was snapping a picture of the splicer's corpse by the end of it all.
He'd even managed to save another Little Sister while doing all of this.
Though he had learned that the 'Rosie' Big Daddy was also capable of tossing their own proximity bombs. Alex had to think quickly on his feet to avoid being pumped full of rivets and stepping on the mines the golem left laying around.
A combo of using his launcher, and electro-bolts to detonate the mines when it was close enough, had him taking the Big Daddy down and sending another cured little girl to Tenenbaum's safe house.
Currently, the former Ranger was sitting at the bar of the now quiet tavern. Shotgun resting on the counter top as he drank from a sealed bottle of beer he'd managed to find in storage. Taking a few moments to let recent events settle before setting off back out on his objective.
He had to admit, the Sports Booster tonic he'd taken earlier was pretty effective. Despite all the running and fighting he was hardly winded. He'd always been in good shape, even before his time in the Rangers. But his stamina and endurance had definitely gotten an increase compared to how he was before.
"Herr Alex, are you there?" his radio squawked with Tenenbaum's voice, breaking him out of his thoughts.
Alex picked up his radio after finishing the beer in his hand. "Hey, Doc. Everything alright?"
"The little ones you saved are settling in, they are singing your praises. Telling the other little ones about the 'brave soldier man' and how he had saved them."
The former Ranger couldn't help but smile hearing that, "That's good, I'm happy they're okay. Is there something you need?"
"Just checking in. Our earlier discussion about your ADAM consumption had me wondering about your health." said the doctor.
"You called at a good time then," Alex replied with a bit of confliction, "...I had to inject another plasmid into my system to get out of a tight spot. That brings me up to three, plus two tonics."
Tenenbaum was silent at first, "The Gene Tonics shouldn't have any bad side effects, but the plasmids…How are you feeling? Any dizziness? Nausea? Hallucinations?" she asked now in full medical mode.
"The first two, but only after I inject myself and it clears up in a few minutes afterward." he replied honestly. "The only hallucinations I have are the ADAM-memories from the needles I've used."
"Hmm…that is rather surprising. There have only been a rare few that have taken the number of plasmids you have without succumbing to the ADAM Plague." said Tenenbaum. "You are full of surprises, Herr Alex."
Alex ran a hand over his head, "Not really feeling that way. I'm on my way to the Pneumo hub next, I'll be sending a blood sample your way. Just to be on the safe side."
"Use pneumo tube A3-732. I'll be waiting for it and get started on examinations when it arrives. Until then keep a close eye out for anything out of the ordinary with your body. The first sign of trouble, contact me." said the doctor sternly.
"I will, doc. Thanks." He went to end the call when he remembered something, "Wait, one last question. One of the girls I saved, Maggie, she said something to me that's been on my mind ever since."
"What did she say?" Tenenbaum asked.
"She said that, 'they all knew I'd come'. Do you know anything about that? Have any of the other former Little Sisters said anything similar?"
The doctor thought over his words carefully, "That is strange…but no. I haven't heard any of the little ones mention anything like that. I'll ask around and see what they say."
"Thanks, doc. I'll keep you posted if anything comes up." The former Ranger hooked the radio back on his belt before picking up his stuff and heading out.
X
In her small lab in the corner of the sanctuary she'd built, Brigid Tenenbaum set her radio down. Her brilliant, yet sleep deprived mind, going over everything she'd seen and learned about the young man currently fighting his way through Rapture's underbelly.
At first glance, he seemed like just another thug fighting over the scraps the war had left behind. But after seeing how he was with Sally, and the anger in his eyes when he learned of his involvement with the Little Sisters, she knew then that this one was different.
His willingness to save the little ones, despite having no reason to do so, further cemented the fact that he wasn't like the people still living in this crumbling metropolis. And the little ones' animated discussions involving what he'd done for them was almost inspiring.
When Alex first mentioned his worry about ADAM addiction she'd been thankful. Anyone else would splice up with any plasmid and tonic they could get their hands on. But he came to her with advice to avoid becoming like the splicers. He truly had a strong will, and a good heart.
Taking one last drag on the cigarette in her mouth, she stamped it out in the overflowing tray on her desk before stepping out into the wide room that was a living space for the little ones.
She'd managed to save six Little Sisters herself before Alex came along. The four he'd saved brought the number to ten. All of them were scattered about, either playing games, drawing and talking with one another.
All of them being the little girls they were meant to be, and not the experiments they became.
Smiling at the sight before her, Tenenbaum stepped out to check on them. The girl looked up and smiled at her.
"Mama Tenenbaum! Look at the picture I made!"
"Mama Tenenbaum, can I have some juice?"
"Mama Tenenbaum, can you play with us?"
The requests from the girls came from every direction, making the woman sigh yet continue to smile at their innocence. "In time, little ones. Dinner will be ready soon, so go get cleaned up." The girls all made their way to the bathroom off to the side to do as she asked. The former German scientist caught a flash of red hair and reached out, setting her hand on one girl's shoulder.
Maggie looked up at Tenenbaum confused, "Is something wrong, Mama Tenenbaum?"
"No little one, I just wish to ask something." she replied gently, "I was just talking with Herr Alex," the mention of the man who had saved her had the little girl beaming. "And he told me you said something to him. Something about knowing he was coming for all of you. What did you mean?"
The girl thought to herself for a minute, "Oh! The man and woman told us!"
"The…man and woman?" asked Tenenbaum, now very confused.
Maggie nodded, "Uh-huh! I remembering seeing them, but Mr. Bubbles never did. They said the soldier-man would come and save us."
"They told me that too." said Sally, coming up to stand beside Maggie. "They didn't look dirty like everyone else. And they talked words I didn't really understand. But they said Mr. Alex would come for us."
The doctor became lost in thought as this bit of information. "Thank you for telling me, go join the others and get ready for dinner." Sally and Maggie smiled as they ran off to get cleaned up, leaving the older woman to her thoughts.
Who were these people the little ones mentioned? And what did they have to do with Alex and his arrival here in Rapture?
X
A handful of splicers had taken up residence in the Jet Postal office and had to be dealt with, which was what Alex was currently doing. Taking cover behind a damaged pneumo tube while bullets pinged off its metal body. When the splicer firing at him stopped to reload he leaned out and fired a controlled burst into their center of mass, making them stumble back before finishing it off with another.
Standing up and reloading, the former Ranger ventured farther into the office and looked around.
The Jet Postal office was similar to a post office in every sense, only there were tubes running through, around and out of it from the various pneumo tubes set up along the walls. This was the obvious way the residents of Rapture got their mail.
Searching for a while, he managed to find the pneumo that Tenenbaum had mentioned. From there the former Ranger found a box small enough to send through and some newspapers he'd found laying around and laid it out on an empty desk.
Taking out an empty syringe, Alex inserted the needle into his arm. The constant injections making him almost numb to the sensation as he drew his own blood until it was full. He then wrapped the newspaper around it and put it into the box, packing more around it to ensure nothing was damaged in transit.
Closing the box and sealing it with tape, he slipped it into the pneumo. There was a sound of air rushing before the package was sent through the tubes and toward wherever Tenenbaum was.
"Hope she gets back to me soon." he thought out loud before turning to leave.
A deep laugh had him snapping his weapon up, scanning the room for the source. But there were only the bodies of the splicers he'd already dealt with. Then he picked up the telltale sound of metal on stone.
Alex slowly looked up and was greeted with a spider splicer sticking to the ceiling right above him in a reverse crab-walk. Male with torn overalls that was looking back at him with a sadistic grin on his face.
"Time to cut a rug!" The splicer bellowed before dropping down with meat hooks ready.
The former Ranger ducked and rolled out of the way as the maniac's hooks cleaved/burned through the desk he'd been standing by. He quickly hit the splicer with an electro-bolt before he could turn around and pumped an entire clip into his back.
Switching to his shotgun, he blasted the splicer with electric buckshot to keep him from moving and doing serious damage at the same time. The splicer convulsed, but managed to shake off the effects of the special ammo, dropping low to the floor to avoid another blast from the shotgun and leapt at Alex who swung his weapon and clocked him hard in the side of the head with the stock.
The spider splicer howled like a wild animal, swinging his hooks violently at his target. Struggling against the close range onslaught, Alex managed to get one of his legs behind his attacker's before grabbing one of his arms and hip tossing him across the floor.
One of the man's heated hooks slicing into his left forearm and making him hiss as he brought his shotgun to bare and fired. The splicer leapt to the ceiling to avoid the buckshot, attempting to scuttle his way out of the room only to get another electro-bolt that made him seize up and fall back to the floor with a hard thud.
Not giving the psycho a chance, the former Ranger was on him. Pressing the heel of his boot into the splicer's neck to keep him pinned down while drawing his revolver, then emptying a whole speed-loader's worth of anti-personnel rounds into his head.
Threat now dead, Alex took out the research camera and snapped a picture of the corpse. Collecting the data photo that came out before assessing the injury he'd been given.
The heated meat hook made a clean cut, the skin around it cauterized and only bleeding slightly. If this was a simple grazing, he'd hate to be gutted by those things.
Pulling out a roll of bandages and some fresh water, he cleaned the wound before wrapping it up. It wasn't serious and not worth wasting one of the healing-hypos he had on hand. Once finished, he reloaded his weapons and left the postal office.
"Atlas, I got the research photos. Heading back to the fisheries now." he said while making his way back to the wharf.
"Fantastic, get back to Peach as soon as you can." The Irishman replied, "You know, me wife, Moira, she's a right pain in the neck. But she's a beauty and she means the world to me. I can't help but feel God's punishing me for bringing her and Patrick to this place. I thought this would be a better life for us. Can you imagine a bigger fool than that?"
"You're not a fool for wanting a better life for your family," said Alex sympathetically. "Ryan made big promises and didn't deliver. If anything, he screwed everyone over."
"Appreciate the sentiment, lad. But I'll feel better when me family is far from this nightmare." Atlas answered back.
Entering back into the upper wharf, Alex paid a visit to a vending machine. This one that specialized in just munitions called 'El Ammo Bandito'. Stocking back up on ammo before making his way back to the fisheries.
He'd made it halfway across the upper wharf when the sound of a Big Daddy approaching caught his attention. Ducking out of sight behind a conveyor belt, the former Ranger watched the armored golem come lumbering around the corner. Its heavy footsteps echoing through the wood flooring as it approached a vent and pounded on the bronze surface.
A moment later a pair of small gray legs wiggled out before the Big Daddy helped the Little Sister down to her feet. The ADAM gathering duo stepped away from the vent as the little girl began her harvest with her massive guardian close.
Watching the duo go about their ghoulish task, Alex did his usual tactic of observing them while coming up with a strategy to separate them.
Grabbing the proximity mines he'd collected, he switched them on and placed them in one spot grouped together. Taking out his grenade launcher, he lobbed an explosive down range that hit the Big Daddy head on.
Now enraged, the golem spun around. Pulling a proximity mine from its belt and tossing it at the former Ranger. Alex had been expecting this and used TK to grab it out of the air before throwing it right back where it exploded. He then grabbed a gas canister with his power and threw that at the Big Daddy as well.
The repeated explosions kept the Rosie off balance. Attempting to raise its rivet gun in defense, Alex opened fire with his machine gun. The rounds hitting the larger weapon and damaging it to the point of being unable to fire.
With a bellowing roar, the Big Daddy threw the ruined rivet gun aside and charged at Alex who backpedaled to keep the distance between them. The larger being too lost in its rage to see the trap set up on the floor until it was too late.
A much larger explosion shook the entire pier. Chunks of smoldering wood flew in every direction as the Big Daddy was lost in the blast radius.
Lowering his arm, Alex watched the smoke clear and saw the Rosie's burnt form half dangling through the new hole that had been blown into the floor. Its dented and shattered helm laying slumped forward.
"Good thing I snagged a pic of that last Big Daddy with the camera." the former Ranger said as he went about curing the Little Sister and sending her on her way.
With the last Little Sister cured in Neptune's Bounty, there really wasn't anything left for him to do here besides head to the fisheries and meet up with Atlas.
Heading back to Fontaine Fisheries, Alex was stopped when he came down the stairs and saw one of the Little Sisters that had been cured crouched down in front of the Gatherer's Garden machine. Hearing his approach, the girl looked back at him, smiled and waved before running toward the nearby vent and climbing inside.
Curious, he approached the plasmid vending machine and found a teddy bear holding a gift in its arms with a note on the top. Taking the note first, he opened it and found it was from Tenenbaum;
Herr Alex,
The little ones speak highly of you. You've become their hero in this horrible place. And because of that, I've gifted you a few things that will help you on your journey.
B. Tenenbaum
P.S. - I received your blood sample and am already examining it. Though it will take time before I can get any results. Keep yourself in good health regardless.
Smiling at the woman's words, Alex knelt down and opened the package attached to the teddy bear. Inside he found a vial of ADAM marked 200-units, $100 in cash, and a small syringe labeled 'Eve Saver'.
According to the small tag attached to it, it was a tonic designed to reduce the amount of Eve used with plasmids allowing the user to use their abilities longer.
Knowing Tenenbaum wouldn't send it to him unless it was safe, he injected the new tonic into his arm and let it settle before pocketing the money and picking up the ADAM vial. Turning his attention to the Gatherer's Garden, he gave it some thought before inserting the vial in the proper slot and browsing what was available.
The doc had said the tonics wouldn't have any bad side effects, so he would at least check for anything that could help him along.
Skipping over the plasmids, he went through the gene tonics and saw they were split into three categories. Combat, Engineering, and Physical. The Armored Shell tonic he currently had was combat oriented, while the Eve Saver and Sports Booster were physical. So he decided to try and find something from the engineering category first.
After a minute or two, he found a couple that could help. Security Expert and Alarm Expert. Which would allow him to work around the various security systems around the city while he was out and about.
The two syringes dropped out and Alex wasted no time in injecting them. There was a brief moment of disorientation and a headache, but when it passed he suddenly had knowledge that was never there before. Knowledge in how the security systems of Rapture operated and how to work them in his favor.
Seeing he still had some ADAM left, he went back to searching and found another tonic that looked unusual. One called Natural Camouflage.
Reading the information provided, he saw that the tonic made the user like a chameleon. If they remained still for a couple seconds, they would blend in with their environment and essentially become invisible. Becoming visible again when they moved afterward.
After mulling it over, the former Ranger spent the rest of the ADAM on it. Taking the syringe that came out, he injected it like the others. An odd tingling sensation went across his skin similar to cool raindrops that faded after a moment. Remembering what he'd read, he remained still, counting four seconds in his head when he felt the tingling sensation on his skin again.
His body then faded from view, not completely invisible, but enough to not be noticed in most situations. "Yeah, this'll be useful." he said as he faded back into view again.
Business finished, Alex made his way to the fisheries. Climbing over the barricade and entering the transfer room where he knew Peach would be waiting.
He was partway to the door when all too familiar flower petals began to rain down from above, a deranged female laugher soon following.
Turning around, the spider splicer he'd encountered the last time he was here dropped from the hole in the ceiling and stood there. Hunched over with her hooks already heating up with the intent to fight.
Alex cranked the bolt handle on his machine gun as he turned to face the splicer. "Round two, bitch."
The splicer cackled as she charged the former Ranger like she did before. Only this time he was ready.
Firing an electro-bolt that stunned her, Alex unloaded his machine gun into her center of mass until the effects wore off. The splicer jumped toward the ceiling and began to crawl, but the former Ranger was already prepared as he used TK to throw an oil barrel at her followed by a blast from incinerate.
The explosion that followed threw her into a wall, using her hooks to stay in place where she hissed at her prey. Alex quickly injected a Eve-hypo into his system before launching another electro-bolt that ended up missing as the splicer leapt out of the way.
Twisting in midair, she threw her hooks at him. Alex dodged the first, but caught the other with TK and hurled it back. The splicer drew a second set of hooks and deflected the one coming at her. "I'll bury you in my garden!" she screamed before leaping at him again.
The former Ranger drew his crowbar in his free hand and channeled electricity through it. When she got close enough he swung upward, the hook end going up through her jaw and snapping her head back before arcs of electricity shocked her from the point of insertion into the rest of her head.
In the same moment, Alex raised his machine gun and emptied the rest of the clip into where the splicers heart and lungs were located. The recoil was almost impossible to control with only one arm, but she was so close it didn't matter as small bursts of red burst from her chest through her back as the electrified crowbar fried her brain.
Cutting the power, Alex pulled his crowbar out and let the body drop to the floor. The head severely burned and blackened with smoke wafting from where hair used to be and a pool of blood spread beneath it.
The smell was nauseating, but the spider splicer was dead at least.
Reloading, Alex made his way over to the door and pounded his fist on it. "Hey! Open up!"
The panel slid open and Peach peered out, "Ah, you see, they're much easier with a bit of research. Aren't they?" he said, seeing the dead spider splicer laying on the floor.
"Yeah, it was a real learning experience." The former Ranger said sarcastically. "You gonna open up or what?"
"Not so fast! The camera and the snappies first!" The conveyer beside the door moved in reverse for emphasis. Alex took out the camera and the pictures he'd taken and set them on it, watching them disappear behind the wall.
"Ah, yes! These will do nicely! You set there a spell, I need to set on some coffee, maybe puts on some silverware and the like." The panel slammed shut.
While Alex waited, Atlas came back on his radio. "Before you head into the fisheries, a word to the wise. Ol' Peachy seems to be as straight as a dog's hind leg. Keep your eyes open."
"Kinda figured that out the first moment I met the guy. Just the way he was acting, pretty sure we can expect a double cross." replied the former Ranger as the door opened for him. Entering the small room beyond, he immediately noticed the ice built up along the walls and in the corners.
Given this was a fish storage place, he wasn't surprised to see it partially frozen, but it didn't help his growing caution about a possible betrayal.
Approaching the next door that had a pneumo set up beside it, Alex had to stop when it didn't open.
"Nobody walks into my swampy carrying the heat! Put your weapons in the pneumo, then I'll let you in." Peach ordered over the radio.
His caution just became full blown belief, and every instinct he had agreed. This crazy bastard was definitely leading him into a trap with all the red flags going off.
"If that's his price, you're gonna have to pay it." said Atlas. "But he can't very well take your plasmids, now can he?"
The former Ranger was hesitant, but knew Atlas was right. He'd have to play by Peach's rules until he showed his hand. Making sure his Eve was topped off, he slipped a couple healing and Eve-hypos into his back pockets before taking off his backpack and weapons and slipping them into the pneumo tube to be sent on ahead.
Everything but his knife, which was well hidden.
The door opened barely a second later allowing him entry. Mentally preparing himself, Alex stepped inside. The entrance closed behind him and locked, another red flag.
Calming the adrenaline already pumping through him, he made his way forward. Past frost covered walls and running water flowing into drains from above, he turned a corner and entered a large room that had two large metal doors frozen on either side and a couple of deactivated security cameras.
The moment he stepped inside, a gate sealed shut behind him and the lights went out. A dense fog filled the room and making visibility almost impossible.
"Now, I bet when your boss wiggle out of hell he done told the Devil he'd be right back and the Devil said, sure thing Mr. Fontaine, I'll hold you a spot." While Peach was ranting, his men poured into the room and began scouring the room for their target as the fog lifted and the lights came on. "Ryan promised Fontaine was dust, and now here you are, doing his dirty…I guess that makes Ryan a bum, and you a-"
"Boss, he's not here!" One of the men shouted after they searched the whole room.
"WHAT?! What do you mean he's not there?!" Peach demanded.
"We looked everywhere! There's nowhere in or out, but he's nowhere!" the same man replied.
While this was going on, the thugs were unaware that their quarry was closer than they believed. A slight distortion in the air that was low to the ground and moving very slowly behind one of them that was holding a machine gun.
"Yous best be finding that lap dog! Or I'll have you strung up for chum!" Peach shouted. Before any of his thugs could move out, the one holding the machine gun felt his head jerk back before a blade was jammed into his throat. His bloody gurgle caught the attention of the others as Alex appeared behind him, one hand holding his knife still stabbed in the man's throat while taking the machine gun in the other.
"It's him!" one of the other thugs bellowed before he was gunned down in a hail of bullets. The former Ranger using the dead man in front of him as a shield against the return fire as he backed up. Taking out another thug before pulling his knife free and diving behind the large central pillar in the middle of the room.
A nearby camera snapped toward him, but a burst from the stolen weapon destroyed it before the alarm could go off. Grabbing a spare clip he'd gotten off the thug he'd killed first, he slammed it home just as two other thugs came running around the corner. A quick blast from incinerate lit them both ablaze, a couple of controlled bursts putting them down right after.
Not wanting to be caught out in the open Alex got moving, several bullets bouncing off the ice covered walls as he ducked around the central pillar again. Right into the path of a machine gun turret set up in the alcove ahead of him that opened fire on him when he'd come within range.
Quickly zapping it with an electro-bolt. Seeing an opportunity, he ran up into the alcove and began rewiring the stationary gun. His new knowledge from the tonics he'd taken already at work as he got into the weapon's systems and got it back online in seconds. And not a moment too soon as several more of Peach's men ran out into the open, the turret now turning on them as the former Ranger added his own machine gun fire into the mix.
All three men went down quickly.
"W-Worthless fucks! If you want something done right!" A nearby door slid open and Peach himself came charging out, a box of explosives held under his arm with one primed in his hand.
Alex aimed and pulled the trigger of his stolen machine gun, but the click of an empty magazine had him cursing and tossing it aside before having to leap out of the way as a lit grenade came flying into the alcove. The explosion destroying the turret as the former Ranger rolled to his feet, electricity crackling along his right hand while he charged TK to his left.
"Gonna send yous back to your master in pieces!" Peach bellowed, pulling another grenade from the box.
"What master you crazy old bastard? I'm just trying to pass through!" Alex said back, preparing for whatever the man's next move was.
"Don't you try to fool Ol' Peach! I know you're working with Fontaine! Just like fuckin' Atlas! Yous both be getting it!" He hurled the grenade at the former Ranger who caught it with TK. Zapping the madman with an electro-bolt with his other hand before throwing the explosive back with the other.
The explosion threw Peach back, but he'd managed to keep a tight grip on his ammo crate as he attempted to fish out another.
Alex snapped his fingers and ignited the crate, forcing Peach to throw it away just before the remaining explosives detonated in a large blast. "Gonna fuck you up good!" Peach shouted, drawing a pipe wrench from his belt and ran at the younger man, intending to bludgeon him to death.
Drawing his knife and flipping it into a reverse grip, Alex ducked left to avoid the first swing. Swiping with his blade and catching Peach on the arm. His plasmids were out of power, and with the man coming at him he didn't have a chance to inject any Eve, so he needed to handle this up close.
Peach growled like an animal from the wound and began swinging more violently. Alex's quick reflexes and training kept him one step ahead of the attacks, but the other man was showing no sign of tiring until he caved his skull in.
Dodging another wild swing, the former Ranger stepped into the man's personal space and kneed him in the stomach. Stunned, Peach couldn't stop the elbow that struck the side of his head that left him staggered and disoriented.
Pressing harder, Alex grabbed the man's arm that was holding the wrench and twisted it before driving his knife into his elbow.
Peach screamed, dropping his weapon as the younger man tore the blade free and kicked him hard enough in the chest to send him into the wall behind him hard where he slumped to the floor.
Bloody knife still in hand, Alex scooped up a revolver dropped by one of Peach's thugs and stood over him with the business end aimed at his head. "Start talking, Peach! What the hell makes you think I'd be working for a dead man?!"
The old fisherman coughed, clutching his wounded arm. "F-Fontaine ain't dead! Everybody thinks he is, but he's craftier than people think! Always hiding in the shadows! Making folks believe they're safe! But we ain't safe! Nobody is!"
"So, what? You just assume I'm working for Fontaine?" asked the former Ranger.
"You work with Atlas!" Peach hissed, "Atlas believed in Fontaine! Fought against Ryan and his ilk! You think Ol' Peach stabbed you in the back? Yous best be thinkin' hard about who you trust!"
He pulled his hand from his belt and revealed a grenade that he'd kept hidden, Alex shot him in the head before he could get close to the fuse. Peach slumped over dead with a hole in the center of his skull.
Lowering the revolver, the former Ranger thought over the madman's words. Why would anybody still be afraid of a man that has supposedly been dead for months now? And what connection did Atlas have to said dead man?
At that moment, Alex remembered the message that had been left for him on the first bathysphere he rode on. And the words that had been at the very bottom;
'Atlas held up the world for his own reasons.'
Something about all of this twisted his stomach. Atlas had been helping him through this whole situation, only asking to help save his family in return. But something about the Irishman seemed off. He couldn't put his finger on it, and he had always been told to trust his instincts.
But the only evidence he had to go on was a cryptic message, an odd feeling and the ramblings of a madman that was trying to kill him. Realistically, not enough to condemn.
"You alright down there, boyo?"
"Speak of the devil." Alex muttered before picking up his radio, "Yeah, I'm good. Peach and his men have been dealt with."
"Damn shame. Peach's paranoia ended up being his undoing. There should be a pathway to the submarine bay at the back of the fisheries. Head that way and we'll meet up there."
Deciding to shelve the thoughts he'd been having, for now at least. The former Ranger made his way toward what he'd been told was the exit. Finding a pneumo set up by the entryway that thankfully had all his weapons and supplies, he gathered everything before making his way down a small ramp to the lower levels.
A new kind of machine caught his attention, far different than the ones he'd found so far. Decorated with gun parts on the outside, a large compartment in the front with a banner above it that had 'Power to the People - Fontaine Futuristics' proudly displayed
Approaching the machine, Alex gave it a thorough look over and found that it was designed to give specialized upgrades for firearms. Which was beyond strange given where it was located.
From what he'd seen, this machine only had one upgrade left in it. Taking into account his current arsenal, he thought over what he thought would be best before making a decision.
Slipping his machine gun into the compartment, he selected what he needed before pulling the lever on it. There was a sound of gears grinding and metal banging that lasted for over a minute before a sharp 'ding' went off. Opening the compartment, he retrieved his weapon and found a stabilizing cylinder attached to it that would greatly reduce the recoil when fired in full auto.
Now holding his newly upgraded machine gun, Alex used incinerate to melt the ice from one of the metal doors and went inside. Finding a hole drilled in the back of the large freezer beyond, the air distorting when he approached as a pair of ghosts materialized before him.
"You can't quit! Fontaine will find you…" said the first 'ghost' to the second.
"Hey! Fuck Fontaine!" the second snapped back.
"You don't FUCK Fontaine! Fontaine FUCKS you!"
The ADAM-memory faded and the world returned to normal. Alex shook his head to clear the remaining confusion before melting the ice covering the secret tunnel the local smugglers had been using and stepping inside.
Atlas was just ahead, and hopefully so was the end of his journey.
X
A/N: Never an end...but the beginning of another chapter.
I know a lot of people were expecting a copy and paste of the game. And for the most part a majority of the dialogue is still present, but I'm making sure that Alex's input is known and alters the once one-sided conversations.
And the plot has thickened further. Though I'm pretty sure a lot of folks out there have an idea of who Maggie and Sally were referring to. And Alex is already getting second thoughts involving Atlas and putting pieces together, though it's still too early.
I'm gonna start slowing things down, giving myself more time to write and prof-read everything I need to so I can keep the momentum going. But I'm pretty sure you all will enjoy the results.
Till next time!