The Lamb Of Columbia (Songbird) - BioShock Fan Fiction

Chapter 4 - {Before Part 2} The False Shepherd

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT IT IS TIME.

This was a red alert, the highest order that I needed to attend to. It was so urgent, and I hoped that I would never see the day, but here it is. The False Shepherd is here.

He was sighted in Columbia only a day ago. Police were dispatched, and they attempted to assassinate him; in private at first, but then in all public view when they failed to do it out of sight. He killed everyone who apposed him. They didn't want to give me my orders until he reached Monument Island, and they thought he would never reach it. But he did.

In fact, he encountered some strong opposition. After killing almost three dozen policemen after the Raffle, they sent a Fireman to kill him. However, he managed to take it's life too, meaning he could then take the power of the Fireman, Devil's Kiss. With that, he continued on more powerful.

The False Shepherd then ran into a Zealot Of The Lady, more fondly known as a Crow. They were powerful hard hitters, more than the power of a Fireman. They had black flowing cloaks that hid their horrible deformities, and coffins strapped to their backs. They were circled by smaller crows of their own, with they could unleash on their enemies. Truly powerful creatures, their power almost as strong as mine. He killed the Crow too. And with that, he continued on with Murder Of Crows, more powerful.

He keeps getting better and better, the further he goes. I must say that I wasn't half as prepared as I wished to be, but all these test flights and training will do me well. I have never had to use my claws to attack anyone, apart from the day that I almost mutilated the Prophet, so they were as clean and stainless as the day I was put together. While this False Shepherd may have seen some horrors on the way to Monument Island, he is about to find the true horror of the skies.

I had not yet been dispatched, Fink telling me: "Time may be of the essence, but this must be timed perfectly. We need to make sure you catch him at the best time."

I let out a growl in frustration. But Elizabeth was in there! What if he was to attack her? What would I do then? She was only 20 years old, maybe not as young as the little girl I used to bring books and food to, but still, a child all the same. One bullet would have her dead, or severely injured.

Jeremiah stared at the screen in front of him, cameras that flicked from room to room following the intruder. He had his pace to get hid job done, that's for sure. He was darting about, checking rooms, probably for Elizabeth.

"Sir." one of Fink's employees said quietly for his attention. "We have done a check on the man's identity, and Mr. Comstock was right, his name is Booker DeWitt."

Fink looked away from the camera screen for a moment and to the employee: "What else do you know of him?"

"Well..." the scrawny little man pulled out a clipboard and read the information. "He is a former Pinkerton detective, gambler; in some serious debt. Drinking problem and severe anger problems, our experts say."

"I see. Fetch me my tool, I should deploy Songbird." Fink ordered, and the employee rushed to get it off of a desk nearby and hand it to him. "Excellent. Get this over with, Songbird. I need this out of tomorrow's papers if I can help it."

CAGE... CAGE... CAGE... CAGE...

And there it was. I squawked loudly, flapped my wings and took to the skies. As I travelled to my destination, I could see the damage the False Shepherd - the one they were calling Booker DeWitt - had caused. I glided over the wreckage of the Columbia Raffle and Fair. The grass in front of the stage was covered in dried blood and a body whose face looked like it had been ripped off violently. I cringed. What sort of weapon did the man have to do such unsightly things to others?

Monument Island was in view, but just before it lies the gardens before it, in which Zealots of the Lady (Crows) roam to put off anyone attempting to enter. Usually, when I flew to the tower to visit her, I could see the strange looking creatures stumbling around mindlessly. The frightened me intensely, the way they would look up at me when hearing my wings flap. Almost made me fall out of the sky in fear a few times. However, this time, I saw no Crows. In fact, I could see the caped creatures lying dead on the floor, their bodies strewn over their coffins. I shivered. This isn't good.

I wonder if Elizabeth knows that there is a lurker in her chambers. I must warn her, so she can hide or get to safety. I let out a piercing cry that echoed through the windows. They must have heard.

Perching on the large balcony fit just for me, I peered in. THE FALSE SHEPHERD! He was talking to her! I couldn't make out what he was saying through the glass. Elizabeth was holding up a book threateningly towards him, and he held out a hand to stop her. He said something, and she calmed down slightly. The man pulled out a key with a caged bird on it and spun it front of her face. The Lamb gleamed, snatching it off of him and running towards the large never-to-be-unlocked metal door that led to her inevitable freedom. NO! HE WAS TAKING HER!

I glided to the roof just above and began to scratch at it madly, the metal crunching. The sparks flew and the top began to creak. I glanced through a crack. They had already gotten through the metal door! They were heading for the exit! Not on my watch, I promised myself.

I forced all of my weight against the side of the building, rocking it. The two made petrified squeals and the building shook but didn't lose their balance. I could see them through the cracks in the building that I had made from countless failed test flights beforehand. I would fly towards, smash myself against the metal, hoping that this Mr. DeWitt would just die before he would take Elizabeth.

"This way, come on!" I heard her yell. She wad not being forced against her will! She wanted to leave! After all I have done for her! I screeched at the top of my lungs. He's given her a taste for freedom!

They made it to the lift and pressed the button, puffing and panting like crazy. This is my chance. I ripped the walls, forcing my huge body into the elevator shaft. The doors opened and revealed my face. They both screamed, edging away from my as far as possible. Elizabeth made terrified murmurs at the sight of me. Suddenly, the elevator finally broke, and it cascaded onto my head making me fall. I landed on the bottom, growling. They will be escaping yet again now!

I ripped another wall through, pushing towards the roof. That is where they will go, to the skies, where I also find comfort and ease. I could see them. My terrifying shadow flew past them and they both made shocked noises.

"What the hell is that?" Booker DeWitt cried out, but Elizabeth was to breathless to answer. They made it to the top. This was the final straw. One massive push by my mechanical body tipped the entire Island sideways, and they started to fall. There was no way I could get them; I was certain their deaths were assured there and then. But, Mr. DeWitt had other ideas. He propped up a skyhook and grabbed Elizabeth's hand, catching the next skyline. I cursed in my head. He just won't quit!

I zoomed in front, crashing down the skyline in front of them. He lost his rope, and let go of her hand, falling into the water below. He hit it with a terrible force, but he wasn't dead. I jumped in after him and swam to the bottom.

I readied my own claws, to strike a deadly slash, but my sight buzzed and one of my eyes went blank. I screamed. It was the water pressure, it was breaking my mechanics! I covered up my eye with my spare hand and made a final attempt to grab him before finally pushing up to get out of the water. I would die if I stayed in there any longer. The man would die down there. I had done my job.