Bioshock: The Story of Henry Walker

Chapter 7: An Unexpected Visit

After Andrew Ryan’s speech, Henry had many questions for the grey suited businessman. Peach had gone back to the ship’s deck to supervise the crew and make sure all the materials needed for tomorrow would be ready for use. Naledi had decided to go with Gil to the lounge, they urged Henry to join them but he needed some time to himself, he needed to think. He made his way back to the cabin. Henry looked at his watch; it was two thirty in the afternoon. ‘Maybe a nap will do me some good’ he thought. ‘Maybe it’ll clear my mind.’ He walked down the hall of cabins and stopped at the end and turned to the door with the name H. Walker on the front, he reached into his pocket and took out his key. The door was unlocked. Henry hesitated, somebody had been in his room, or maybe they were still in there! Henry calmed himself, he knew how to deal with thugs, and he had his share of them back in Alabama. He took a deep breath and turned the handle. The door creaked open. The room was dark. Henry looked around the room and fixed his gaze on one of the chairs in the corner. There was a man sitting in the chair. A man with a neatly trimmed moustache and slick black hair, and he was wearing a grey business suit! “Mr. Walker, my apologies, I didn’t know you were still out, I hope you don’t mind if I let myself in.” Andrew Ryan said with a small smile. Henry was dumbstruck, he had no words to say, Ryan had told them he was going to talk to them, but Henry had thought it would be later, and not in his cabin! Ryan stood up and walked over to Henry. “I saw you during my speech Henry, you seemed quite confused, was there something I said that you didn’t understand?” Henry blinked at Ryan, “I uh, to be quite honest Mr. Ryan, I don’t ever remember donating any of my inventions to your cause.” Ryan stared at Henry with dark eyes, but they looked at ease. “Ah yes, Henry, do you remember the U.S Government making a contract with you?” Henry nodded. “Well, I had known for quite sometime of your success in the world, I know quite a bit about you, I’ve seen your success in engineering and manufacturing during the war, I even saw some of your boxing matches.” Henry stared and let Ryan continue. “Well, It had come to my attention that you went on to become an inventor, and struck a deal with the U.S Government, to relinquish all inventions that would provide usefulness to the United States Government was to be turned over immediately and in return you would receive a substantial financial reward.” Henry nodded numbly. “Well, when I had heard that the government was taking many of your successful inventions and wasn’t giving you the reward you rightly deserved, I couldn’t stand by and watch, I took matters into my own hands. You see, I have many people in my organizations, I pulled a few strings and called in a few favors and got your inventions, the prototypes, from the U.S Government vaults. They are here now Henry, waiting for you to make more of them, to perfect them. So in a way, by giving your inventions to the U.S Government, you were giving them to me, so in a way, you did donate them, and I have kept them safe from the prying eyes of the Government, waiting for the time when you would come and perfect them.” Henry stood as still as a statue, an expression of pure awe had stricken his face. He closed his mouth and cleared his throat. “So you, you have my inventions here, on the ship?” Ryan nodded. “They are safely inside my vaults on the other side of the ship, later during our journey, we will have need of those inventions, some more than others.” Henry didn’t know what to say. “Th-Thank you Mr. Ryan, I’m truly grateful for all that you’ve done for me, I promise to use all my skills to help Rapture become a reality!” Ryan smiled and put a hand on Henry’s shoulder. “I know you will Henry, your skills in engineering and tinkering are of the highest tier, that is why I sent for you. But you’re not the only one with such skills. Ryan looked at Henry, still smiling. “I have recruited many other engineers and landscapers that you will work with to make this city.” Henry nodded. “I expected as much, I didn’t think I was going to be doing this on my own!” chuckled Henry. Ryan nodded. “Yes, you most definitely will not be working alone, three teams of deep sea welders are awaiting to begin construction on the city, but they will need schematics, an entire layout of the city structure, buildings, facilities, entrances, exits, everything. You will be working with three others to create these schematics. Two brothers. Simon and Daniel Wales, and a veteran welder, Jacob Norris. You will work along with them to create the schematics so our welders can start construction.” Henry couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Andrew Ryan wanted him to build the schematics for the entire city! It wasn’t going to be easy, far from it, Henry would need to use all of his skills in engineering to make sure this ran smoothly, yet these other three men sounded just as skilled, if not more, he knew they could do it. Ryan looked at Henry, “I know you can do this Henry, you were born to create, and Rapture shall be your greatest creation of life.” Henry nodded, “How long do I have to make the schematics?” Ryan paused for a few seconds, “You have three months to make the initial bedrock schematics.” Henry nodded, it sounded reasonable enough. “How many others have you talked to Mr. Ryan?” Ryan walked over to the cabin door and turned to look at Henry, “You’re the first Henry, the first of many great individuals.” He smiled at Henry and turned to leave, “Sleep well Henry, tomorrow we start the creation of a new world.” And with that, Andrew Ryan closed the cabin door and walked away. Henry was left standing in the middle of his cabin. Tomorrow they started on the creation of Rapture. ‘This is it! Henry thought, ‘This is what I’ve been waiting for!’ Henry needed a good long sleep if he was to do his best tomorrow, but Henry knew, he was too excited to fall asleep.