Booker DeWitt ran at full tilt towards the door. His only thoughts were of saving Elizabeth from the horrible fate the other Elizabeth had befallen. He was so focused on this goal that he nearly ran headlong into the two people that had suddenly appeared in front of him. "You look as though you could use some help." a voice said.

Booker had seen some strange things in this blasted city. Machines that walked and shot like men, holes appearing in thin air... Hell, he could shoot bolts of electricity from his hands now and fly across whole rooms in less than a second if he had someone in his sights. But these two damn near took the cake.

One was shorter than the other, with a perpetual scowl upon his face. He had strange markings all over his exposed torso and wore what looked like gauntlets made of solid gold. The other was taller and had longer brown hair instead of his companion's shock of white. He was dressed in what Booker could only call 'Oriental' attire (although he was sure Elizabeth would reprimand him and be able to name the culture it came from to boot), with two white scarves trailing behind him.

"Outta the way, pal; I don't have time for this." Booker snarled as he attempted to push his way past them.

"Time? Have you not heard?" the shorter one replied.

"Heard what? Screaming? Cause I've heard a lot of that, and all from one person. The way I see it, you're trying to stop me from getting to her, and that's not a good idea." DeWitt raised his hand and formed a fist-sized ball of fire out of nothing. "Last chance: get out of my way, and maybe I won't roast you alive."

"The music has stopped," the tall one said. "For all intents and purposes, time itself is standing still, to allow us to speak." Booker stopped and listened. The man wasn't lying; the radio on the desk behind him had stopped midnote.

"If you're right..." he mused. "Then maybe I can get in there and stop those doctors before they've even gotten started."

The shorter one grunted in annoyance. "There are rules to these things, DeWitt."

"Rules? How can there be rules? And how the hell do you know who I am?"

"We have been observing you for some time." the tall one said. "Asura the Protector thinks he sees a kindred spirit in you."

"Last I looked, they called me the Destroyer."

"You destroyed the gods to protect the ones you cared about."

"'The Protector' is completely beside the point...!"

"HEY!" Booker shouted, and the two men glared at him. "WHY are you here?"

The short one, who his companion called Asura, grimaced even more. "We've come to offer you strength."

The tall one nodded. "You have fought well thus far, but you could be so much more."

"I know the rage that resides in your heart. I saw what you saw in that accursed place." Asura growled. "If you allow it, I will grant you my power."

"Your human body could not normally contain Asura's essence, but the...Vigors you've picked up have changed you. They will let you channel the might of the God of Wrath for a short while." the tall one added.

Booker snorted in disbelief. "I don't know what you guys think you are, but I've seen things up here that make it pretty damn clear there's no such thing as gods."

Asura laughed. "That is what I fought for. The right of men to choose their own fate! To believe what they will! No God of Mantra in his golden palace ruling over them!"

"Instead they've chosen to let other men rule them and their fates." the tall one murmured. "But that is irrelevant. Booker DeWitt, do you accept the gift that we offer?"

DeWitt scratched his head thoughtfully. "I've always been a bit wary of folk offering me power without saying what they want out of the deal. But you're no Luteces, so you're all right in my book. What the hell, I'm in."

Asura flexed his arms dramatically. "You have chosen wisely. Now..." Suddenly, he lunged forward and clamped his metal-clad hands around Booker's head. His eyes glowed white, then every fiber of Booker DeWitt's being screamed in agony, just as he himself did.

In the distance, he dimly heard the other man's voice. "Be still. It will be over soon." And he was right. As quickly as it had begun, the pain vanished, leaving Booker crumpled on the floor, his eyes staring blankly ahead. "He took it better than I would have accepted." the other man said. A grunt of assent from Asura. "On your feet DeWitt. She is waiting for you." A chime sounded from far away, and a breeze rippled past him.

"Come on, you bastard. Up you go." he thought hazily to himself. With a groan, he hauled himself upright. "Radio's on again. Gotta get in there..."