BioShock Rapture

“They had ’er ready to go,” Bill observed. “Just threw a switch, and she’s off. The bastards went out of their way to take the bloody sub down fast. They wanted to drown as many of us as they could.”

“We’re lucky more didn’t go down with it,” Sullivan said. “Goddammit … Grogan was a good man.”

“I reckon I saw Fontaine’s man Reggie, up in the rafters,” Bill said. “Didn’t have a chance to tell you. It was him. Whoever it was, they were using a radio.”

Sullivan looked up. “Yeah? Giving the signal to submerge…”

“That’s what I figure. They were waiting for us. Hard to keep this raid a secret—hard to keep anything a secret long in Rapture, Chief. We’re too crowded and becoming too bloody incestuous.”

“Of course, you know what the bastards will say,” Sullivan growled. “Fontaine will say that the sub was about to depart to do a job—and we just picked a bad time to go aboard. They’ll claim they had no idea we were there. But there’s one thing. I’ve still got a witness. Herve Manuela. He can point us to more evidence.”

Bill nodded. He looked toward the closed, submerged steel doors. And wondered where Grogan’s body was floating now …

Andrew Ryan’s Office

1956

“Andrew?”

Annoyed, Ryan looked up from his paperwork to see Diane in the doorway of his office. She had a you’ll-never-guess-what expression on her face. “Well?”

“Frank Fontaine is here to see you!”

Ryan sat back in his chair. He picked up a pencil and flipped it through his fingers thoughtfully. “Is he now? He has no appointment.”

“So should I tell him to go away?”

“No. Is Karlosky out there?”

“He’s the one who stopped Fontaine coming in. They’re kind of having a big-boy pissing contest of some kind—I mean, Karlosky and that man Reggie. He’s here with Fontaine.”

“Tell Karlosky to come in—and then bring Fontaine and his man in. This is overdue. It may prove interesting…”

“Very well. Can I—”

“No. You’ll wait outside.”

She pouted but went out to the entry room. Ryan wished he hadn’t given Elaine the day off. He was seriously tired of Diane’s airs, her possessiveness. He felt less and less like spending time with Diane; he needed one of his little intervals with Jasmine Jolene. A womanly woman, that Jasmine. A childbearer, with beauty and talent.

Karlosky came in, taking a pistol from a shoulder holster. He held it down by his side and stood to Ryan’s left, watching the door as Reggie came in. Reggie didn’t show a gun—but Ryan knew he had one.

Reggie glanced at Karlosky. “Tell him to put that heat away, Mr. Ryan.”

Ryan shrugged. “Holster the gun, if you please.”

Karlosky glared at Reggie before he holstered the pistol. Reggie looked like that wasn’t going to be good enough—but Frank Fontaine himself walked in then, long overcoat unbuttoned, hands in his pants pockets. He looked like a guy out for a walk on Broadway. His three-piece, light-blue suit was exquisitely tailored and pressed. Immaculate spats adorned his shoes, and a watch fob gleamed at his vest.

Fontaine looked relaxed, pleased with himself. The arrogant rascal, Ryan thought—almost admiringly.

“Normally,” Ryan said, “I require an appointment. But I’ve been wanting to talk to you in person. We lost a good man trying to inspect your sub.”

Fontaine grinned. “You wanted to inspect the subs, Mr. Ryan, well, you should have made an appointment.” Fontaine spread his hands in mock regret. “If you don’t tell us in advance … you might end up with your constables floating about facedown again.”

Ryan leaned forward, letting the anger show on his face. “You knew damn well we were coming!”

“You did another inspection the very next day, and one after that. You found nothing. I’m not smuggling anything, Ryan. That’s why I’ve come here. To set the record straight.”

“I don’t expect you to admit it, Fontaine. I understand that you and the truth are not on speaking terms. You were authorized to bring fish and fish only into Rapture. Unauthorized contact with the outside world is dangerous! We will put a stop to it— within the laws of Rapture…”

Fontaine looked at Ryan almost pityingly. “You guys are imagining things. The only outside world I’m in touch with are a lot of fish. You can’t call ’em close-mouthed, but they’re not telling tales about Rapture to anyone. I’m the one with a bone to pick, Ryan. I’ve heard rumors you’re planning to ban plasmids. They’re Rapture’s most sought-after product. The people won’t tolerate being deprived…”

“Deprived of their addictions?”

Fontaine shrugged. “Power is addictive. What do you know about that, Ryan?”

Ryan felt his hands clenching, blood rushing to his face. Then he forced himself to relax and lean back. He shook his head and chuckled. Fontaine was smart. He’d hit a nerve. “We’re not going to ban all plasmids. But there are some I won’t tolerate…”

“Such as?”

“Such as Teleport.”

“Too hard to keep people in Rapture? They can’t teleport that far!”