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Connor wished to say that they always had a good rapport, but that was simply not true. In fact, their very first meeting had been strenuous to say the least.
“Lieutenant Anderson, my name is Connor. I’m the android sent by CyberLife.” The various challenges Connor faced in order to find him fell on deaf ears, as the Lieutenant informed him he did not need help from a plastic asshole like him.
Central Processing Systems: POWER CONSUMPTION INCREASED TO 69%
Reason: ANALISYNG TERM PLASTIC_ASSHOLE
Result: PLASTIC = a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers such as polyethylene.
It did make sense.
Result: ASSHOLE=a person’s anus.
While true in theory, he did not see how it was relevant. Connor paused.
Result: ASSHOLE= a stupid, irritating, or contemptible person. PLASTIC_ASSHOLE= Insult.
“Lieutenant Anderson, I must inform you that I intend to file a report on your behavior.”
The Lieutenant’s sigh filled the room. Connor was then presented with the Lieutenant’s middle finger and wondered if all humans were as difficult to deal with or if it was only him in particular.
New mission: MAKE LIEUTENANT ANDERSON LEAVE THE ROOM.
His eyes fell on the drink the Lieutenant was clutching and it became obvious. It took exactly 3 seconds for Connor to spill the contents of the glass and return it safely in Lieutenant Anderson’s hand. Just as the bartender started giving him the most distraught expression, two hands pulled him by the collar.
“You little prick! I don’t know what’s stopping me from knocking you out right now...”
“Your sense of duty, Lieutenant.” Connor replied benevolently. Truly, humans were forgetful creatures. It wasn’t their fault. “And the cost of repairs if you damage me. For your information, I am worth a small fortune.”
The hands on his collar tighten a little before letting go. Anger subsiding, the Lieutenant watched him from head to toe while speaking about the wonders of technology and the ability to program assholes, before storming out.
Connor readjusted his tie.
Mission: SUCCESSFUL
*
From there onwards they had their ups and downs, but he read in a magazine that you can’t truly appreciate the ups without the downs. Nevertheless, extracting a confession out of Carlos Ortiz’s deviant was the first step towards an amicable relationship. It was nice to know that besides the love for his dog Sumo and for the Knights of the Black Death, the Lieutenant also valued efficiently. That meant the mission had greater chances of succes.
Or so he thought.
The deviant called Ralph just seized him from behind while two other deviants fled the house. He barely had time to signal their presence to Lieutenant Anderson before beginning his chase. Stopping at the high fence separating them, Connor kept looking forward. The deviants were traversing the highway when Lieutenant Anderson caught up with him. Connor's hands were clutched into the fence and loud horns of cars filled his ears.
They were going to make it.
Mission: STOP DEVIANTS.
“Hey, where are you going?!” Lieutenant Anderson’s hand was suddenly on his shoulder, a steady weight keeping him down.
“I can’t let them get away.”
“They won’t! They’ll never make it to the other side.” This was where the difference between them laid. Connor could not risk it. He could not endanger the mission.
He started climbing the fence, but two hands pulled him back. This time, the hands were holding on to him.
“You will get yourself killed!” There was an urgency in the Lieutenant’s tone Connor did not know what to do with. “Do NOT go after them Connor, that’s an order!”
As an android Connor easily surpassed him in strength, even the Lieutenant knew it. Nothing was actually stopping Connor from chasing those deviants and as a matter of fact, the time frame at his disposal was rapidly getting smaller.
But there was something to Lieutenant Anderson’s expression.
Connor allowed him to pull his arm away from the fence. Did not miss the relief in the Lieutenant's eyes. He watched the deviants disappear into the woods.
Mission: FAILED
SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^
*
The chase after the male deviant however, that had been another matter entirely. Lieutenant Anderson was barely holding on to the edge, but an 89% survival chance rendered the decision a no-brainer. Connor turned on his heels and started running.
He could not predict the slap across his cheek once the Lieutenant caught up with him. Even the deviant widened his eyes.
"You saw I was going to fall and you'd rather let me die than fail your fucking mission!"
"I had to make a choice..." Connor replied after a moment. "It seemed to me that-"
"What am I to you? A zero or one in your program? Is that how you see humans, you bastard?! Fuck you and your fucking assessment!"
All words have left him. Lieutenant Anderson turned away from him to grab the deviant's arms, only for it to break free and take its own life, confident in a benevolent force in the universe watching over it.
In spite of its ending, the mission was successful. But there was a feeling lurking beneath the surface and he could not escape it.
"Fucking androids." Lieutenant Anderson snarled.
SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^
*
The blue haired Tracy was charging him and his finger was on the trigger. A litle more pressure on the trigger and the deviant would get downed.
The heel of the deviant's shoe dug in his chin. Connor was sent flying backwards. The deviants fled the scene.
The led at Connor's temple started flashing yellow. He could and will tell Amanda he was too far away to shoot, but what will he tell himself? He should've shot. Why didn't he shoot?
"It's probably better this way." the Lieutenant uttered and Connor immediately looked at him. Soft approval lurked in his eyes before he walked away. Connor felt his racing thoughts slow down. The led flashed yellow 2 more times before setting on blue.
SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^
*
It turned out that sparing the Tracy had been the correct decision after all. An unspoken tension between them dissipated. If Connor did not know better, he'd say they were almost on amiable terms. They just parked the car in front of Chicken Feed for the Lieutenant to grab one of his calorie filled burgers, when terrible noises started coming out from the radio.
"What's wrong Connor?" the Lieutenant asked, humour in his tone. "Is this how you're going to react to Knights of the Black Death?"
So these were the famous Knights of the Black Death. He started listening closely and yes, the noises did have a pattern to them. The thing was, it was so loud. Was this what heavy metal was like, or only this particular song?
"Smell your death as it burns. Deep inside me.'" the demonic voice of the singer chanted. That was down right-"
"Okay, Connor, listen if you don't like-"
"Lieutenant Anderson, yes!" Connor yelled, hitting his knees with both hands, giving the Lieutenant a start. Excitement in his eyes, he looked absolutely innocent. "It's so full of energy! Are they all like this?"
"Connor-"
"I am suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to hit something in this car. Is this normal?"
"Okay, metalhead, give me your hand." Lieutenant Anderson said. He curled Connor's middle and ring finger and pressed the thumb over them before letting go. The only problem was that Connor was still holding out his hand in front of him, kind of like a weapon.
"I can't seem to understand what to do next, Lieutenant."
"I can see that." the Lieutenant said. "How about you raise your hand a little bit." he watched as Connor's hand became absolutely stationary at eye level. Connor blinked at him. The Lieutenant's lips twitched. "Alright, now listen to the music and do what feels natural."
Connor redirected his gaze on the radio. Judging by the intesity of his stare, he looked like a man with a mission. However, it didn't take long for him to start moving his hand to the beat, seemingly forgotten all about the Lieutenant.
There was something about having an andoid jamming to heavy metal in your car. The Lieutenant let out a laugh.
"Lieutenant?"
"Okay, Connor, I have converted you. Now lets go get food, I'm starving."
*
It almost seemed like the snow falling from the sky would engulf them. The park was very quiet. Connor stood still.
"Are you afraid to die Connor?" Hank pierced the silence.
Was he afraid to die? Connors were replaced, but it would not the same. He knew that now. He was absolutely positive it would not be the same.
"I would certainly find it regretful if I were to be... interrupted, before finsihing the mission."
The gun trembled in the Hank's hand before it was lowered.
Once left alone in the park he found that he was... relieved.
SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^
*
In the end, it all came down to this moment. The barrel of his gun pointed down at Chloe, Connor looking at her from above.
Its
(her)
empty eyes somehow made things a lot harder. But Kamski promised information and all he had to do was pull the trigger. Did he really think the android was alive?
She is alive. She is alive and you're killing her.
What he wanted was not important. He must not forget, couldn't. Amanda would know, she always knew. Connor steeled himself, the finger on the trigger tensed and-
"Connor, don't!"
A piece of Chloe's ear fell on her shoulder as the bullet found its way in one of Kamski's armchairs. Connor let the gun hit the ground.
"He listens to you," Kamski said. He came to stand in front of Connor, but what he saw there made him pause, but only for a moment. "No, he changed his mind at the last second. Fascinating." he whispered. "Unfortunately, you will leave here having learned nothing from me."
Hank dragged him by the shoulder and they left together. Once they were outside, it was like a switch had been pulled.
"You put the gun against her head and almost blew her fucking brains out!"
"You don't seem to understand, Hank." Connor replied. "I am a machine designed to accomplish a mission, I shouldn't even want anything else!"
"Then why'd you miss, huh? If that's all you are, a fucking machine, why did you fucking miss the shot?!"
"I don't know!" Connor yelled. A ragged breath escaped him. He couldn't meet Hank's eyes anymore. "I never wanted to shoot. But when I heard you I... I couldn't, alright? I couldn't."
"Connor, look at me. You're always saying you are a machine, this was our chance to learn something and you let it go. I'm asking you why you did it."
"I know what I should've done but I couldn't okay? I'm sorry."
They kept watching each other before a sigh escaped Hank's lips. He gave a small smile.
"Then maybe you did the right thing."
*
Connor wished to say they've always gotten along, but that simply wasn't true. Such a concept did not exist, Hank informed him, two people couldn't get along all the time. But his head was in Hank's shoulder and he thought, they've understood each other when it mattered.
"You've known ever since Kamski, didn't you?" Connor asked. "That I was a deviant."
"You're kidding me?" Hank replied. "You think I would waste my time teaching you the sign of the horns?"
Connor's lips turned into a smile. It felt wrong to break the silence of the dawn again so he stayed quiet. A car horned in the distance.
He moved closer to Hank.