To gain control of the Little Sister program, Sofia successfully bonded them to the Big Daddies with a kind of false Fatherhood. She succeeded where Suchong failed... and he died for it. Subject Delta was the perfect agent... the girl's own bodyguard, the first Protector successfully imprinted with a Little Sister. After that, it was just a matter of time before Sofia freed young Eleanor from Ryan's people. I am told he was killed during their escape... poor blighter. The girl was fine... fits of weeping, but otherwise intact.