[BaalsBaby]

Steinman saw the fight leave Jack and that was... almost good enough. Still, he held onto the trigger of the gun, knuckles still ghost-white. He thought about it, ohhh did he think about it, putting a bullet straight through the eyes of the would-be godling and show him, show EVERYONE that Dr. J. S. Steinman was not one to be trifled with! All in Rapture would know!

Of course, there was Cohen though, cooing in his ear. Calming him. He was trying to breathe calmly, the thin fabric of his mask marking every labored breath he took, every passing moment in which he didn't act on his fury and just end Jack right then and there.

One last breath and Steinman finally lowered the weapon, fingers relaxing especially on the trigger. "Fine, fine," he grumbled irritatingly, sneering down at the boy before he sighed. "I suppose... You are lucky, little godling, that my friend here also thinks you are better off still drawing breath," he grunted.

[31]

[Middy]

"So if you aren't gonna kill me, then what will you do to me?" Jack said, relieved that Steinman decided to listen to Cohen and lower his weapon. Really, he thought he was dead right then and there. He tried to wriggle under him, the weight on his chest was getting to him now, even starting to hurt.

Cohen looked to Steinman, and then to Jack. A shame that his pet had to misbehave, they really did make a nice contrast together, like a sublime painting of two lovers. Ah, it was so cute once he thought of it that way even if there had been some conflict between them. All couples had their spats, right? "Steinman, did you perhaps want some alone time with Jack? Maybe you two need to work out your 'lovers quarrel'," he joked, grinning widely at the scowl Jack had shot him.

"Er... yeah Steinman? Sorry about my outburst and everything, but I really have someone I need to go kill so.... can you let me go?" Jack gave his best puppy-dog eyes at the surgeon, trying to keep his annoyance from showing. If he could act all cute just to get out of this situation then he would gladly ham it up.

[BaalsBaby]

Steinman's head snapped up at Cohen. "What? 'Lover's' quarrel? That is preposterous," he huffed angrily, to think that HE, a professional, would be in love. That was absolutely ludicrous.

Silly masked fool. They weren't lovers and this wasn't some game for Cohen to delight in (though Steinman knew he would delight in it anyway, he could see it in those painted eyes.)

He was still growing, fuming slightly at the fact that he had gotten ELECTRO-BOLTED by this knave when- "..." Jack was apologizing? What was this about? "Ahh... Yes. You and your undefined vendetta with Ryan," he said with disinterest, though it was amusing now that Jack was appealing to his better side. He let his eyes trail up and down the fallen form before he finally grunted and stooped down, plucking Jack up into his arms like he was some precious parcel. "Why do need to get to Ryan so badly anyway, my little godling?" Seems like his mood had shifted again, "You have much more important work to do with me. For me. Beneath me," he grinned, smoothing one gloved hand along the other's arm while he held him.

[32]

[Middy]

Cohen chuckled at how upset Steinman was getting over one little comment, oh he did enjoy the show they were putting on and was thankful that it didn't come to them spilling one another's blood. "Alright Steinman, keep telling yourself that," he cooed.

Jack ignored the artist, keeping his attention on Steinman, "I... I don't know, I just feel compelled to kill him, like something is driving me to and I can't understand why. Oh I don't know, I just NEED to. He must be stopped--" he caught himself, not wanting to make himself sound crazy. He knew his reasons didn't come off as good ones, 'some unknown force compelling him to kill Ryan' wasn't a good one for sure.

The artist tilted his head, a Cheshire-like grin spread across his painted lips, his makeup only exaggerating his widened smile. He had an idea what was going on with the poor boy, yes of course he felt compelled to do so. Someone must have known the phrase--- but who? Who wanted Ryan dead so damn badly? Other than, oh... now it all made sense.

"Beneath you? Oh- right," he blushed again, still recalling what they had done together. Now that was something he wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon, "If I entertain you long enough, will you let me finish off Ryan? I mean---" he swallowed hard, no believing what he was going to say next, "It doesn't mean I won't come back to you once the job is done, right?"

[BaalsBaby]

Steinman gave Cohen the side-eye before he was listening to Jack's explanation. Some unknown force pulling him...? "Are you a natural little murderer, my godling?" he chuckled, as if he had not just been attacked moments before. It was highly amusing in fact, considering the amount of bodies Jack was wracking up. Just look at all of those dead spiders, mangled and strewn across Cohen's theater; it looked like Cohen had had some fun with Jack too, in other ways.

The doctor narrowed his eyes at Jack. "So... it is like the calling of a muse then." Or something. Though what Jack said next did make his smile beneath his mask, upturning his eyes even. "Hmmm... If you entertain me, I suppose. How am I to know you won't just go running off again though, boy? I've not nearly enough ADAM in my system to forget that," he growled again, expression changing.

To think, he had even been waiting for Jack to return too, only to find the showers empty and his halls filled with dead splicers who had likely run into the boy on his apparent 'journey'.

Also why was Cohen smiling like that? Was there something his friend knew that he didn't know?

[33]

[Middy]

Natural murderer, or just some lost boy trying to survive in an undersea hellhole. Maybe both, seeing as how he was dead set on killing a man he had never met face to face. The only interaction he had with Ryan was from the audio tapes, or when he talked to him on the loud speaker. That and the only things he knew of him were more recordings and anything Atlas said to him via radio. So why did he feel so compelled to kill him?

"I will not run off again, once Ryan is dead I will come back to you if I must, even if--" he sighed, remembering the brilliant sunlight of the surface, the longing he felt to smell fresh air and the faint breeze flowing through the trees. He hated being in Rapture, it was so artificial-- so unnatural. It had its own beauty, and seeing the life of the ocean was truly a sight to behold, but it wasn't home. "Even if I yearn to be on the surface again... I will come back to you," he grit his teeth, not wanting to show that he was upset of the notion of remaining in Rapture for an extended period of time.

Cohen shook his head. It would be horrible to stay in Rapture in some aspects yes, it's not like the place was a stunning example of beauty at the moment, and splicers ran amok there on a daily basis. That and many of the pipes would break and allow the frigid waters to seep into some of the buildings. Ah, Rapture just wasn't what it used to be. "I suppose I should leave you two alone then."

[BaalsBaby]

Ah, Cohen was taking his leave. What a dear one he was. "Thank you, friend. We will discuss your payments further when I get the chance," Steinman said to the other artist, the only other man in this forsaken hellhole that he could trust and find similar interests with. He nodded his thanks towards the artist before his attentions turned down at Jack.

For some reason, when he looked at the boy, he thought about... life before Rapture. Or rather, the man he had been once upon a time. Jack would have been the kind of person with the face of an angel, walking into his surgery center and Dr. Steinman would have had to turn him away. Back then he would have been alright with the mundane, maybe even the beautiful then, and he would tell Jack that his face should not be one to be touched. And then he would ask the boy to a late night dinner, perhaps a show, woo him.

That was then, and it was hard to remember life before Rapture, but upon seeing Jack, parts of him still seemed to come alive again. Perhaps it was one of his godling's talents. "What does the rotten surface world have that this place does not, my godling? Tell me," he purred again, rocking Jack a little since he still had the man captive. Could Jack really want to go back to the surface world? Why not live here, live as a king or a vulture, as a free man.

And he was starting to move, to seek out somewhere he could lay his precious parcel down and marvel over. He could even lay Jack out on the piano on the stage, Steinman didn't care, just, Cohen's work was up there and there would be hell to pay should there be just the slightest tampering of his... what was he calling it? His masterpiece?

[34]

[Middy]

Cohen gave a bow, starting down the way they came to lord over his masterpiece once more. Jack felt relief that artist left, giving him time to deal with just the one if another fight were to break out. In actuality he wanted to avoid another confrontation at all costs. What he did back there was stupid, really stupid. He had to face it, so long as he was in the presence of the doctor or the artist, he was a captive.

What did the surface have that Rapture didn't? Clear skies, fresh air, the warm sun bearing down on him, the sounds of life, the night sky... there were so many things to list off. Thinking about the surface more and more was only serving to depress him further, Jack buried his head in Steinman's chest, hiding any sort of emotion that was expressed on his face. How could he put into words that he didn't belong under the tides in such artificial confines?

He remained quiet even when he felt himself being moved, possibly to some other location where they weren't out in the open. He clung tightly to the bloodstained coat of the doctor, figuring that being so upset was likely due to the amount of stress he was in through his whole time of being in Rapture.

"The surface..." he started, taking in a deep sigh, "it does have a lot to offer. The warm sun, the never ending blue skies, the sounds of nature that can be heard all around you... family..." oh what did it matter, it seemed like Steinman was too cozy being down in Rapture, and maybe he had his own reasons. He must have lived on the surface once, so what did he hate so much about it that he retreated down here?

[BaalsBaby]

Like this, it was almost serene, having his godling clinging to him and accepting the fact that he couldn't outrun him. Steinman kept a steady hold on Jack, never wanting to drop the other, even when moments before, he had nearly put a bullet right through the boy's head. He looked almost child-like like this , Steinman taking extra care to be sure he was comfortable in his arms. Why, he wasn't entirely sure, considering he didn't even bother to anesthetize his patients these days.

His poor godling's distress was poestic in it's longing, but it was naive and it would pass. "And how often up there are you allowed even to enjoy such things? Surely not with all of the hustle and bustle, not with society's reins dragging you down, pulling you back, hiding you behind windows and bars and concrete," he spat at the thought of surface life. That's when he paused for a moment though.

Family.

Oh.

"Family, dear godling?" he grunted, hoping this young one had not been tied down to something as trivial as marriage. He sneered at the thought, didn't thing of the ugly ghost feeling around his ring finger, didn't think about- about- No. None of that.

Steinman looked as though he warred with something internally before he pressed on, passing gaudy signs and neon lights, heading through the warm, open halls of Fort Frolic. At least here, the heating still seemed to be working. Splicers scurried before him like roaches; unlike Jack, Steinman barely had to lift a finger at any of them to get out of his way, they knew him, knew what he did. They needed him.

[35]

[Middy]

Is that why Steinman was so bitter towards life on the surface, that he felt he was being held prisoner within the confines of cities, politics, and the law? Was that it? Jack never experienced things like that, he just remembered the fun times of growing up on his parent's farm, tending to the livestock and spending hours playing outside. Even when he grew into adulthood, he always felt free, maybe going into town now and again sure, but never did he feel trapped. "Yes... my parents. I miss them, I miss life out in the country...," he said before trailing off, looking up from the safety of the other's coat to look to where they were going.

It was actually amazing how the splicers scattered like a spooked school of fish, no doubt because of Steinman. He must have been well known throughout Rapture then, feared even. Some of them still hissed at Jack's presence, but were smart enough to leave him alone.

"Where are you taking me?" Jack asked, glancing around at the familiar halls of Fort Frolic that he had been just moments before to fill out Cohen's odd request. Wait he wasn't going to drag him back down to the medical pavilion was he? No, he couldn't afford that! His grip on Steinman's coat tightened, hoping that the doctor was taking him somewhere within Fort Frolic still. Jack buried his head back in the surgeon's chest, not knowing what else to do in that situation.

[BaalsBaby]

There was something to be said in the way Steinman let his breathe sound relieved when ack spoke of parents. Hah, he really was a boy, wasn't he? "Ah, farm life? So you are by no means even used to cities like Rapture," the doctor chuckled and shook his head, "How absolutely darling. To think you have come to the most unique and perverse of all cities now..."

Steinman had to pause for a few moments, consider where he was going just as Jack asked it of him. He knew there were many rooms offered to honeymooners and lovers, tall resort getaways wedged just next to the Poseidon Plaza. They offered splendid views of the coral beds and the sea life that continued to live around Rapture relatively with little interruption. Of course, there was also Eve's Garden as well, of which he knew there were likely places with which to settle his godling down comfortably; the latter was closer so that was Steinman's choice, obviously, though perhaps... one day he could take Jack...

No. That was preposterous too.

He altered his course just a little towards the Plaza where he would find his destination. "Hmmm. Seems you've been cleaning up around here. Having fun meeting all of the locals, I see," he chuckled, stepping over the masked corpse of Hector Rodriguez just before the doors to the XXX den of sin; the man looked both frozen and burned at the same time, were that possible.

[36]

[Middy]

It would explain why Rapture was so overwhelming when he first came down, hardly used to the whole artificial feel of everything, being enclosed in big rooms rather than endless land and sky. Yet somehow the city under the seas felt so... familiar somehow. He had never stepped foot in Rapture, let alone heard of it before, so it was impossible that he was ever down here without his knowledge. Yes, he would remember something about that for sure, but why. Why did it feel like he had been here before? In another life? No, that didn't make sense either.

Jack looked around again, noticing where they were heading this time-- Eve's Garden. Given what the place was solely there for made it obvious what Steinman's intentions were. "You could say that... had to take a picture of that fool for Cohen," he muttered, still angry that he had to jump through hoops for Cohen's masterpiece, only to be double crossed in the end.

[BaalsBaby]

"So that's where the pictures came from," Steinman snickered, guessing Cohen had had vendettas against these men and women beforehand. What a sad tragedy everything was; at least here, things still seemed somewhat presentable. He hadn't thought anything of the state of the Medical Pavilion, but now that he was here again with Jack... he almost wished things were back to normal down here, if just so he could show Jack just how splendid it had all been before Ryan's spaghetti tower had all crumbled and fallen apart.

It was true the people had all been ugly from the beginning, but if Jack was a man who appreciated his surroundings...

"You must have entertained Sander quite a bit too then," he said, looking to where cameras should be up in the corners of the rooms. How else would they be able to spy on Jack if there were no hidden cameras?

"I still wonder about your vendetta with Ryan but that should be reminisced on later," he hummed, moving past the main show floor and towards the back, up the stairs where there were rooms to be used. He chose one with the doors still open, suddenly coming upon a spider splicer who was crying in the corner.

"Out! Out you vermin!" he hissed at her ragged tatters, her ugly shapes and grotesqueries, stepping aside to leave room for her to go.


[37]

[Middy]

Jack was beginning to get used to being around Steinman now, especially since the man had been civil with him now. Still a nutter, but he was fine so long as he didn't have a gun pointed at him, spewing crazy ramblings. Admittedly, he liked him more than Sander Cohen who gave off all sorts of creepy vibes, and his little outburst during the progress of his masterpiece was more than odd. "I had no choice but to entertain him," he said, remembering how the artist put him in a situation that he couldn't get out of unless he complied.

He already knew where they were going, it didn't take a genius to know. However, he had to see what Steinman was yelling at. Jack should have known, a splicer. It was actually amazing how she immediately listened to him and bolted out of the room. He was right, they really were smart enough than to mess with Steinman. Come to think of it... that could be used to his advantage.

Jack wasn't sure what else to say, anything he could say would just be obvious, like 'why are you taking me here', or 'what are we going to do'? No, he knew very well what the doctor wanted, why else would he take him to an XXX part of Fort Frolic, certainly not to just 'chat' that was for sure.

[BaalsBaby]

The doctor chuckled again, "Ah yes. He does tend to do that. Gets what he wants, he knows how to pull strings," he shook his head. But he couldn't complain, Sander was on his side so there was nothing to complain about.

With the spider slicer now having screeched and run away, Steinman nudged the door closed with a hip and moved to take a seat at the edge of the bed, adjusting Jack so that he sat in his lap. This prompted the 'hero' to sit a little higher than he was, the doctor having to look up a little at his godling now. He let his arms wrap around the other's waist and smirked up at Jack, getting comfortable as hhe sat there on the bed.

"So... I want you to show me," the doctor said at first before he realized he needed to explain. He reached down and plucked up the hand that Jack had used to summon his plasmids, looking over it, surveying it this way and that, turning it back to palm and back again. Completely unmarred. Strange again. Not the hands of some working class farmer boy...

"Show them to me again," he said, but there was a warning in his eyes as he ran his thumb along Jack's palm. "What can you do?"

[38]