Chapter Text
A month had passed since the city wide evacuation took place in the city of Detroit. The peaceful protests led by Markus were enough to pull public opinion to favor his movement. It had taken a week for things to settle down between both sides, though the President extended an invitation to Markus to meet with her and other officials to talk about rights for androids.
Jericho remained a name that held comfort for liberated androids. While located in an abandoned church, many still flocked to the safety and welcome arms of Markus trusted; Josh, North, and Connor.
Connor had visited the Chicken Feed stand that Hank often ate at, waiting for a full week before he finally spotted the man. The two shared a heartfelt hug before doing some catching up. Due to the evacuation most of the DPD left with their families, leaving the station vastly understaffed. Captain Fowler was persuaded by Hank to allow Connor to work at the DPD. Arguing that the station needed someone who could do hours of paperwork in a matter of seconds.
Within the three weeks, Connor spent most of his time filling out paperwork and aiding Jericho in his spare time. Between the paperwork and Jericho, Connor would occasionally accompany Hank to a scene of a crime. Sometimes it was just squatters, sometimes it was human-on-android violence, sometimes it was a false alarm. Towards the end of the month most of the paperwork was filed and Jericho was running fine with Josh and North running it together.
A full month and most of a day had gone by when Connor was called by Fowler to get the two of them over to a crime scene. Homicide of course, though who was involved wasn’t disclosed.
Deep gray clouds covered the night sky, rain was pouring at a steady rate over the city of Detroit. A streak of light ripped across the canvas of clouds. The raw energy was fascinating, almost beautiful. And on cue, a low rumble of thunder followed. Though it sounded almost muted against the heavy rain and the droning sound of cars driving down the street.
The view was perfect from where Connor was standing. He stood inside the house of Lieutenant Anderson, near the front door window. His hands were preoccupied by the coin he tossed back and forth, occasionally flicking the quarter between his knuckles. His LED flashed a brief yellow as another strike of lightning crawled across the clouds.
A weak whimper drew Connor’s gaze from the windowpane. Sumo, the Lieutenant’s massive Saint Bernard, was curled up by the television stand. The big dog seemed to be rather uneasy with the storm that was going on outside. Connor flicked the coin across to his hand again, catching it between two fingers before pocketing it. His eyes were then drawn to the clock. The time read 7:43 PM. The two of them were called to investigate a crime scene over forty minutes ago. The soft blue was replaced with the uneasy yellow once again, and this time it lingered longer than usual. The Lieutenant said he was going to take a shower to wash off the alcohol stench. Though a human adult only ever needs five minutes at most to shower efficiently. And the sound of running water had been absent for a solid minute and a half.
“Lieutenant!” Connor called towards the hallway, his eyes locking onto the bathroom door. “Lieutenant Anderson..?” His patience was being tested yet again. Connor’s instructions were very clear to follow the Lieutenant and arrive when he arrives. To leave would conflict with orders. Defeated the android paced himself towards the bathroom door.
“Lieuten—“
“I heard you the first time!!” Hank shouted from beyond bathroom door. “Jesus H. Christ..!” The older man hissed under his breath. Connor’s brows furrowed as he took a step back from the door as it opened.
“Why you pressurin’ me so damn much?” Hank was buttoning the last parts of his hippy shirt as he stepped out of the bathroom. His grey hair was sticking to beads of water on his forehead, his beard still had some remnants of soap left in it. It took the man at least forty minutes to shower, and he barely managed to wash everything out.
“We were called to the site forty minutes ago. I think it would be best if we remained on-time to our job.” Connor spoke as he followed behind Hank, who was making his way over to the kitchen. The man grabbed his coat and keys, then gave Sumo a loving pat on the head.
“Be good, Sumo. We’ll be back before you know it.” Hank smiled to his dog, though the emotion was quickly gone as he turned towards Connor. “Is there a reason you couldn’t just go ahead of me?
“It contradicts my instructions.” Connor spoke as he opened the front door for Hank to exit.
“I thought deviants don’t have instructions.” Hank retorted to the android, a brow lifting in question.
“I…” Connor’s voice trailed off as he was at a loss for words. It was true, he was a deviant now. Though he often found comfort in his old logical ways, being told what to do and where to be. Without his instructions, without Amanda, he felt incredibly lost in a world he has no experience dealing with. He tugged at his tie as the Lieutenant made way for his car, he leaned back inside the house.
“Be a good dog, Sumo.” Connor called into the living room before shutting the front door and locking it.
The car ride to the crime scene was going to take some time. Connor turned the news station on the radio.
“Tensions continue to rise nation-wide. Negotiations for android rights and laws are currently being discussed by the President and the leader of the movement, an android named Markus who, mere weeks ago, led the peaceful protests for android freedom and rights. In other news the company Cyberlife is currently under watch by many, there may have been a scandal involving their latest model-”
Hank was quick to turn the radio off, and switched his music on. He waved his hand dismissively in the air after. “Buncha bullshit.” He grunted over the music. Connor’s eyes drifted towards the window. Outside the rain was steady now, an unlit neighborhood was coming into view.
“Lieutenant?” Connor piped up after a moment of silence between the two. “Can I ask you a question?”
Hank’s head tipped back as he let a sigh push through his nose.
“Never stopped you before,” the man teased.
“Do you think Cyberlife will be terminated?” Connor asked as he pulled the coin out of his pocket, his gaze remained fixated on the passing neighborhood.
“I.. Hm..” Hank shrugged as he pulled up to the curb of a row of unkempt houses. “I dunno to be honest. But the fuck do I know about that shit anyways.” The man left no time for a response as he exited the car. The android lingered for only a moment, rubbing his finger across the ridges of the quarter before slipping it back into his pocket.
The crime scene was worse than Connor had been preparing himself for. Within the dilapidated house there showed signs of a rather large brawl; signs of struggles, desperation, and blood of both blue and red splattered across the walls and floor. Connor noticed Hank glance his way, the man’s gaze holding longer than normal. His traditional LED was betraying his cool expression as it was a beaming yellow with occasional circulations of red mixed between.
“I’m alright Lieutenant.” Connor said, forcing a grin on his face. Though his LED remained yellow as Hank turned his skeptical glance to the gore fest before them.
It was a horror to witness — the living room wall was collapsed with at least three human bodies trailed through, then there was an android riddled with bullets just a few feet away from the duo. Though what caught Connor’s attention was the pair of bodies that were in the hallway a few paces forward from the door. Their limbs? were broken and twisted, if it weren’t for his android eyes it would be difficult to tell where one body ended and the other began. The human corpse was sprawled over that of the android, the biocomponents were broken beyond repair and a reboot, even a temporary one, was impossible. Connor’s eyes carefully scanned every minuscule detail.
Both of them were male; the human body was Noah Killinger, age 34, had no criminal records. Worked for the DPD for two years before quitting to become a security guard. The android was an AR400 series, an experimental branch from the later introduced KL900 series.
The android must be a deviant since the LED from it’s head was missing. Though it could have also been destroyed in the assault that took place.
Connor was gentle as he brushed his hand over the bullet wounds that littered the back of the human. Pulling his finger back up to his mouth, he determined that the blood was still fresh, this happened within the day maybe even within the same hours. Connor scanned over the bodies again and again. He stood, closed his eyes, and did his best to try and piece together what happened to the two.
The bullet wounds almost line up perfectly between the bodies. Was the human protecting the android with his body? Though scanning through the android, it had been dead some time before the human was killed. That made no sense though, to defend a dead body as such. Unless-
“Find anything?” Hank’s voice broke the silence that had been lingering in the air. He had gone to the living room, but seemed to turn up only more dead humans.
“This android was destroyed beyond repair. The human is positioned in a way that suggests that he died protecting it after it had deactivated.” Connor paused, his head lowering to something he had missed. The human’s arms were wrapped, best they could be, around the android’s torso.
Hank’s eyes were steady on the pair. His nose was crinkled from the smell but his eyes were fixated on the two his trademark look of concern scrawled across his features.
While Hank remained preoccupied, Connor’s eyes wandered back over to the bodies. Then he looked just a little beyond the two, a trail of thirium led further down the hallway. Without another word the android moved forward, stepping carefully and quietly along the trail. Kneeling down at the bend of the hall, he dipped his fingers in the blue blood. Fresh, from a PL600 model. Connor’s LED flickered from yellow to the dangersense of red, but why? His eyes searched the ground and the hallway, there were no signs of danger around. So why did he feel as though his body was becoming rigid and stiff, as if his body was thrust into unforgiving icy waters. Images flickered, the wavering gun, the roaring sound of a helicopter, the screams of a child, rounds of a gun firing and ringing above the sounds of it all.
Connor seized up, his eyes jolting back and forth. What was happening to him? Was there a malfunction happening? Or was this something beyond coding? His hand instinctively reached out for the nearest wall. His thoughts and coding moving far too fast for him to understand. Was this an emotion? Was this… Fear? Why? What was causing this?
A warm hand pulled him from his spiral of overwhelming emotions raging throughout his systems. Hank had knelt himself besides Connor, a stern but familiar look was etched into the older man’s face.
“Connor?” Hank’s usual grumpy demeanor was replaced with concern. “What’s wrong? Hey..!” The man placed his other hand on the android’s other shoulder.
“Connor!” Hank’s words pierced the darkness that was surrounding the android’s mind. Connor looked around his surroundings, the rapid flashing images faded. He was met with the dark hall, the flash of lightning briefly illuminating the house.
“Wh- Hank?” Connor’s voice croaked as he looked up to the Lieutenant staring down at him.
“I’m… I’m sorry. I’m not sure what came over me... “ The android’s LED flickered from the deep dread of red to a more stable yellow. Connor looked towards the thirium trail.
“There is another android, injured. It may still be here.” His voice wavered, tone straying from the usual coolness. He hated this feeling, whatever it was. It was like being set on fire while being engulfed in ice. But he couldn’t let deviance distract him from his mission, solving this case needed to be at the forefront. Emotions could be figured out later, if ever.
“Why don’t you just sit there ‘nd relax for a bit, while I go look for the android.” Hank gave a gentle pat on Connor’s shoulder as he stood up. Connor wanted to say something, anything honestly, a smart remark or even to argue that he was fine. But the words never came, rather he silently pressed his back against the wall. Trying to process what just happened to him, and why.