A Different Lighthouse

Chapter 10

Blue's heels were digging into his chest as she clung tightly with all of her limbs, but Ben didn't take her off of his shoulders. 

They all appeared to have fared the poison gas better than Dr. Langford. He closed his eyes against the flash of her slack face and empty gaze. Blue was still coughing a bit and wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. His own still stung a bit, his chest a bit tight, so he figured taking it easy for a while was their best bet. Despite the logical side of his brain knowing this, he was starting to feel Armitage’s impatience to get this fucking show on the road. Every move they made, every corner they turned, revealed another road block. Another distraction, a detour. Meanwhile it felt as if eyes were on them always, and Ben was starting to think maybe he wasn't just paranoid, because Armitage was wary of the cameras, too. 

Did he think Ben didn't notice how shifty he was, how his eyes darted to every dark corner and lingered as if searching for something? More importantly, what ,or who, the hell could scare Armitage so badly?

"We'll take the bathysphere outside Fort Frolic," said Armitage, startling Ben a bit as his voice cut into the silence. "Ride it to Ryan's and get this shit over with."

Ben glanced at the back of his head, then traced the tense lines of his shoulders, arms, and fists.

"Okay," he replied. "Armitage, about Langford, I-"

"Don't start, Ben."

"But it's okay to be sad. I know you felt the same about that doctor when he-"

Armitage whirled on him, Ben almost colliding with him as Armitage gave him with a dark glare.

"I said don't," he spat angrily.

Ben frowned back at him, not backing down but not pushing any farther for the moment, either. "I'm sorry. I just want to help."

"You can't," Armitage muttered. "Should've just let this whole goddamn place burn itself to the ground years ago. Nothin' can fuckin' live down here."

"So be angry about it," Ben retorted. "Don't pretend you're this stoic jackass, because I know you're not."

"Ben-"

"I'm just trying to help," Ben interrupted, before nodding up ahead. An imposing neon sign for Fort Frolic buzzed overhead, bathing the hallway in a pink glow. "I think we're here."

Armitage ground his teeth for a moment, before turning away. "Aye. Through this door, and the bathysphere will be straight ahead."

They emerged into the lobby of Fort Frolic, somehow the most rundown section of Rapture that Ben had encountered, yet. It had been quite grand, once, the tile beneath their feet intricately patterned and vibrant but obscured by muck. Lovingly crafted, Grecian-inspired pillars had toppled over in the years of neglect, crumbling to pieces and forcing the three of them to climb over the remains. 

"We need to get in and out of this area as quick as we can," said Armitage tensely. "Ryan put one of his goons in charge, here. One Moff Tarkin. He's fuckin' mental."

"Isn't everyone?" Ben snorted, turning and reaching out a hand to help Blue clamber over the rubble in their way.

"True. But trust me. We don't want a run-in with this guy."