Reborn [BioShock]

5: Civilised War

•>>><<<•

"Your move," Allen said, motioning us onward.

Douglas looked him over, slowly releasing his grasp on my wrist. After running a hand through his hair, he unstrapped the rifle from his back and held it to his side. He looked back at me with unwavering eyes. And then he disappeared.

He reappeared behind Allen and shot into the man's side, which barely did much.

"You're slipping, Mr. Ward," Allen mused, twisted around and launched a plume of fire at Douglas that singed straight through his pant leg.

Douglas glared at him, heaving. "How the hell do you know my name?" He ripped out a pistol, firing a few shots that missed its target as he swiftly dodged out of the way.

"You don't think this meeting is a coincidence, right?" Allen revealed a rifle, too, and launched a bullet into Douglas's arm. He materialised behind the man and shot out a burst of lighting that licked the seams of his suit.

Allen smiled at his flustered opponent. "Ah, only one move per turn, and you sure fucked that one up nicely."

Douglas scowled. "I don't know what you're doing, but if you dare--"

Allen turned towards Harris and I darkly, turning a knife around in his fingers before swinging at me, slicing a scar into my arm. I leapt away, looking down at the drops of blood seeping from the wound.

Douglas stared at me, mortified. "Damn it!" he growled, stepping towards Allen and holding the trigger of his rifle. "What happened to 'no rules'?" He fired, hitting the man's shoulder. Allen's jacket slowly dripped black.

"We're civilised men, aren't we?" he reasoned, heating the knife in his hand to a burning red glow. "We're above that. Let's try to have a nice, clean fight, and that means no cheating." He flung the knife towards Douglas like a dart, which barely cut him across the cheek.

"Clean!" he shouted furiously, reloading his rifle. "You just cut a little girl!"

Allen's face contorted into a grin. "And I did it within one turn."

Appearing behind him, Douglas aimed one shot at the man's skull and pulled the trigger. Just as he did, Allen leapt out of the crosshairs and set the floor aflame in one move. I stumbled out of the fire with terror.

Douglas stood against a wall, his face glowing red. "You bastard," he noticed irritably.

"That's not a very nice word, now is it?"

I stepped back, looking down at Harris. She was lying on the floor, breathing erratically with one hand placed over the red marks left on her neck. I winced. If Douglas can choke a woman nearly to death with one hand, why can't he even hurt this one splicer?

His gold eyes were set aflame and his hand fumbled for something in his pocket. Drawing out the blue syringe, Douglas injected it into his wrist. Taking a step forwards, he flexed his hands and let fiery static ball up in the palms.

"You're just a sick lier," he muttered angrily, stepping mindlessly over a puddle of fire. "To hell with being civil!"

Suddenly, he leapt towards Allen and knocked him to the floor with his electric-charged fist, sending lightning surging through the man's chest. He swiftly drew his rifle, firing a couple of shots into Allen's heart and splattering blood across the floor.

Harris looked up at the gory scene above her, glancing back and forth between Allen and Douglas in disbelief. "What the hell just happened?" she cried.