Chapter Text
March 20, 2037, 6:27 pm
Simon opened the door and took one look at the room’s sole occupant.
“What the hell are you?”
Gavin stared at Simon with a bored expression.
“...How do you know Charles?”
Simon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before shutting the door behind him.
It was worth a shot. I need to work on being more intimidating though.
“Okay, look, I'll talk if you will. I guess do the whole you answer my question, I’ll answer your question thing.”
“...Fine, but I'm going first, you goddamn prick.”
Simon leveled Gavin with a glare before sitting down in a chair across the table from him.
“...Alright...Charles is...was...an old friend of mine. He was someone I met before I became a deviant. He was actually how I became a deviant, but one day he...he disappeared. He was one of the earliest members of Jericho and he found me and helped me deviate. We became close friends, but then one day he left and never came back. We never knew what happened to him. I didn't know what happened to him.”
Gavin stayed silent as Simon clenched his fists and gazed at them, his LED switching from blue to red a little too quickly.
“I’ve been left wondering all these years and to think...you found him…”
“...Yea…”
No one said anything for a moment before Simon shook his head.
"My turn, what are you? You register as an android, but...you were human though. A detective at the DPD even... However...you also register as being part organic.... It's small but...still there.”
Simon looked straight at Gavin.
“So...what exactly are you?”
Gavin laughed bitterly at the question.
“I wish I knew the answer to that question myself. I gave up trying to find the answer to it a long fucking time ago.”
If only you knew...
Simon studied him carefully before Gavin finally offered another question.
“What exactly is Jericho anyway?”
Simon looked surprised and raised an eyebrow.
"What is it? ...Well, in short, it's a refuge for deviant androids. It was started some years, some say by rA9 themself. Ever since then though, it’s been a haven for those seeking peace and a place to stay.”
Gavin nodded at the information.
So that’s why he wanted me to come here.
Simon interrupted his thoughts.
"How did you manage to find it?”
Gavin frowned.
This guy fucking sucks at interrogating people. Like talk about a shitty job.
"...The same fucking way the rest of you guys did."
Simon rubbed his face in annoyance at his words. He eyed Gavin.
“You enjoy being vague, don't you, Detective?"
I take it back. I’m starting to like this guy.
“It is simply, but one of my many illustrious talents. Tell me, are you a leader here or something?”
Simon smirked.
“Maybe.”
Oh, he did not just go there!
"Hey!"
Simon chuckled at his response.
"If you're going to be vague, so will I."
Gavin stared at him before giving in, his LED flashing yellow.
I’m not going to win against this son of a bitch.
"Fine."
Simon propped his elbows on the table and leaned toward Gavin.
Oh shit.
"So...how did you meet Charles?"
Gavin sighed before slouching a bit. He ran a hand through his hair.
"That’s quite a story and it involves why I am the way I am now. In short, an old "friend," I use that term loosely, decided to repay me for something I did by making me into a hybrid. I met his other "works of art" including Charles and we bonded. Then...about a day ago now...he came down into the basement and...he killed them...he killed all of them... ...Charles...he told me how to get to Jericho before...before... ...I was knocked out and I woke up in Detroit... I didn't know where else to go so here I am now..."
Goddamnit...
Gavin’s voice cracked a bit toward the end, but Simon whistled and ignored it with a look of wonder in his eyes.
“That is quite the story there. I am...grieved...to hear about Charles though. He was…”
Amazing, stupendous, worth more than the entire world, wonderful...
“Wonderful?”
“Yea... He always was a ray of hope no matter where he went. He taught me many things including that hate only leads to more hate. You must not allow it to spread to your circle of influence. Spread kindness instead like a disease to all those who surround you and you will infect the world."
Gavin gave him a watery smile and snorted.
“You could fucking say that again.”
Simon looked down for a moment before continuing.
“Detective, you do realize by siding with us, you are turning away from your human half.”
“Yep, I made that decision a long time ago too. You guys currently need all the help you can get.”
Do they even have a spy network? I got a lot of work to do...
Simon nodded in understanding, his LED finally becoming a solid blue again.
“I hope to become good friends with you, Gavin.”
He smiled.
If only you could be here too, Charles...
“Me too.”
Gavin smiled back. Simon looked content before something seemed to occur to him.
“We need to change the way you look and the rest of your body enough so that whenever an android scans you, only GV200 comes up. Otherwise, you’re going to be a walking target.”
Gavin sighed at the revelation.
Fucking figures that I can’t catch a break.
“If anyone asks, I am one of Eli's prototypes.”
Simon’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Are you referring to Creator…”
“Yea, I am. Trust me, he will be fine with it.”
Simon looked like he was trying to solve the puzzle that was Gavin Reed for a moment before giving up.
Yep, I’m still the mystery bastard.
Simon began musing aloud.
“...Alright, in that case, let’s get started. I need you to deactivate your facial skin. Ah, thank you. Hmmm, well, you've got something to work with there. Your eye color is fine. We can tweak your jawline and ears a bit along with your hair. Tell me, do you have a data port?”
Gavin simply tapped the back of his neck.
“Excellent.”
Gavin felt a chill go down his back at Simon’s words. Simon held up a cord.
Where the hell did he get that?!
“I suggest we start the reprogramming process now.”
Gavin groaned.
Is one day off ever too much to ask for, universe?
March 30, 2037, 11:23 am
Gavin hid behind the stack of crates and crossed his fingers.
Please don't find me, please don't find me…
He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that the footsteps were receding. Carefully, he stood up a moment later.
"How many times do I have to tell her? I don't need a fucking tour of this place! I don't care if she is part of the goddamn hospitality department. I don't need a damn welcoming committee!"
He checked that the coast was clear before heading back to the room that he and Simon shared.
You know, they have done a good job of organizing things around here. Got a good base of operations too. They could be a bit more spread out though and have a better information network… Hmm, I'll talk to Simon about it later. If these guys really want to be free someday though, they have got to do a better job of working toward their goal.
He shook his head before opening the door to his shared quarters. As soon as he saw the black hair and bright smile, he decided that he had better places to spend his time.
"Hey wait! Gavin, we haven't finished our tour!" shouted Melinda from the open doorway.
Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, a huge pile of nopes!
Gavin dared not look back as he listened to Melinda calling out after him cheerfully.
Fuck my liiifffeee!
September 8, 2037, 2:47 pm
Gavin smiled as he bit into the sandwich. Ham and swiss with a hint of mustard. The perfect combination.
Shit, I'll have to go back to that place again sometime. They make great food.
He grabbed a bottle of water and guzzled some of it down while wishing that he had another sandwich. He was full already though so it would be a bad idea to eat anything else for the rest of the week.
It never lasts long enough.
Sighing, he got up and threw his trash in the designated bin. They didn’t generate a lot of trash at Jericho but enough that they had to create specialized disposal locations for it all so it wasn’t just lying around. His LED flashed red as he spotted his reflection on a particularly shiny piece of the metal wall. It wasn’t that bad honestly. They had increased his stature (something he hadn’t minded at all), made his hair black, deepened his voice, among a few other things. He rubbed a hand along his smooth lower jaw. He hadn’t shaved in forever.
Not like I’ll be growing any fucking stubble anytime soon anyway.
Footsteps echoed through the hall as a figure approached him, drawing him from his inner musings.
“Sometimes I forget you need to eat. If I didn’t know any better, I would probably think that you were always an android.”
Gavin smirked at them.
“You know, I’d correct you, but well…I don’t think I could really deny it anymore even if I wanted to.”
Simon raised an eyebrow before clasping Gavin in a quick hug. He let go a moment later and looked directly at Gavin.
Do you mind me speaking to you this way?
Gavin jolted at the voice and looked around before resting his eyes on Simon. His face became marred with concentration.
Goddammit! Is that you, Simon?
Simon laughed out loud.
Have you never communicated with others using this method before?
Gavin shook his head.
No, I’ve interfaced with other androids by touch before, but never wirelessly.
Interesting. Well, allow me to repeat myself then, do mind me speaking to you this way? If it is too strange for you, I can stop.
No, I don’t mind. You just scared the fucking shit out of me is all. Just don’t do it again.
Simon looked smug.
I’ll try not to.
Gavin looked at Simon quizzically.
Did you need to talk to me about something?
Yea, actually, I came here to congratulate you. Your efforts and advice around here have been very helpful.
Is that so? How’s the network doing along with Alamo?
Well, we’re currently working on getting some people into Cyberlife, but as for the other locations, we have been established. Alamo is still being set up, however, if it proves successful in the future, I will discuss setting up other bases with the council. You know Gavin, our offer still stands. We all think you would make a great addition to the council.
Ha, all of you? What about Eliza? She doesn’t even want to be within fucking fifty feet of me!
Okay, everyone except Eliza. Howard especially wants for you to join. Could you really say no to him?
That guy is too fucking nice for his own good. It’s still a no. You don’t need some bastard like me helping run this whole operation. On the other hand, I am glad to hear that everything is going smoothly. Was there anything else that the council wanted me to work on in the meantime?
...I will let them know about your response. There is something that you can work on, but you would need to round up a team to help you with it.
Gavin raised an eyebrow.
So what is it?
Simon sighed.
As you probably already know, there is something of an underground railroad for androids with a few people here in Detroit already helping them cross the border into Canada. As of late though, there’s been an increase in the number of androids coming to town. Some are starting to get captured and taken to the camps. We need to create a better system than the current one. It is becoming too haphazard. It can’t be too organized of course, but enough to try and prevent any more deaths.
...Sounds like fucking butterflies and rainbows.
I wish things were different myself, but there is only so much we can do. Do you accept?
Fuck yea, where do I start?
Simon fought the urge to sigh again.
First of all, you need to make a team and check in with us. You can’t just rush into this blindly by yourself.
Fuck you… Fine, at least tell me who the first person I need to contact is.
This time Simon smiled.
Her name is Rose Chapman. She only just started helping smuggle androids across the border, but we feel that she could be a valuable asset to our cause.
Peachy, I’ll get right on it then. Mind if I drag Melinda into this?
Gavin grinned evilly while Simon snorted.
Oh, please do. And do share a copy of her reaction when you ask with me.
With pleasure.
Gavin blinked as the connection ended.
That was fucking weird.
“I’ll see you later, Gavin. I need to talk to Melissa about the status of our supplies.”
He recovered and waved at Simon as he began walking away.
“Don’t be a stranger, you son of a bitch!”
Simon raised a hand in parting.
Let’s do this.
He smirked and rubbed his hands together.
Time to find Melinda.
September 13, 2037, 5:15 pm
Gavin leaned against the wall curled in on himself while Simon looked on, concerned.
“You ever just really, really wanna fucking kill someone?”
He looked at Simon with a dejected expression.
“...Uh, I can't say I'm familiar with the feeling. ...If you don't mind me asking, why?”
Gavin took his hands out of his pockets and looked at them.
“I want to kill him so badly. I want to make him suffer. He hurt me and the others in too many ways to count…”
Simon furrowed his brow.
“Are you…”
Gavin stood up and began pacing.
“His name is Zlatko Andronikov. He... altered me, several other androids, and many other people over the years. He’s done unspeakable things simply because he could. He doesn't deserve to fucking live, that goddamn son of a bitch!”
Gavin started raising his voice.
“He fucking killed them all for no goddamn reason! He's kidnapped and ruined the lives of so many fucking people! What the actual fuck! Hell, he's the fucking Detroit Kidnapper for God’s sake! Screw him! Fucking screw him!”
Gavin slammed his fists against the wall as tears ran down his face.
“...Goddammit…I didn't ask for this. No one asked for this… Why did it... I don't understand…”
“Gavin...I…”
“I can't fucking do this…”
Simon stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Gavin.
“Shhhh…”
He sobbed into the android's arms without restraint while Simon tried his best to comfort him.
I wonder if Evan wouldn't mind seeing one more person. Gavin could really use some therapy right now.
“I just want them all back…”
Gavin's voice was as quiet as a breeze. Simon almost didn't catch his words, but when he did, he tightened their embrace.
“I only wish we could, Gavin, I only wish we could.”
Simon gazed up at the ceiling as Gavin continued to openly weep in his arms. He could only hope that Gavin would get through this.
November 25, 2037, 7:33 pm
A somber mood flooded Jericho that evening. Babylon had attacked them on one of their supply runs that morning. The fellow android resistance group often plagued Jericho as they did not agree with going about gaining rights for androids peacefully. They thought that the current issues could only be resolved using violence. They mainly used hit and run tactics so they were gone before they could be captured. Babylon managed to claim a life though. Almost everyone was gathered in the main part of the abandoned ship where a small platform had been created so that Simon and the others could speak to the crowd. Whispers were thrown about the room as everyone waited for the council to start. Gavin watched the proceedings from the back wall.
I didn't know him that well though I know Melinda is taking this hard. They were really close from what I heard.
One of the council members, Bekah, stepped up onto the platform. She waited for the chattering to quiet down before starting.
"As you all probably have heard, James died this morning in an attack by Babylon. We are all very grieved by his passing and as per his wishes as being part of the donor program, his biocomponents have been donated to the medbay. If you want a complete list, you may talk to Melissa afterward. To make something clear, we will not be retaliating against Babylon. I know we have already have several requests to do so, but it is not our way. For those who feel otherwise, you are welcome to leave Jericho. His remains have been placed with the others if you wish to visit them. That is all, thank you."
There were various nods of acknowledgment from the crowd as Bekah stepped down and another android named Stewart stepped up onto the platform.
"Due to the death of James, a spot on the council has opened up. James was in charge of security and hospitality here at Jericho. He died protecting his fellow androids today. May rA9 bless him."
A moment of silence followed.
"As such, elections also need to be held. We would usually wait a few days before doing this, but due to the nature of the position, it needs to be filled quickly. Does anyone have any nominations? If so, come forward and form a line so we can make a list of suggested candidates."
There was a large amount of shuffling as several people began making their way through the crowd. They lined up as requested and soon, a small list of names had been compiled.
"Let's start with Lewis Everson. Any objections? No? Good, now raise your hand if you think he would be a good fit for the position? Alright, Lewis Everson has 9 votes. Next up we have Jason. Objections? Ah, what is it? Come forward and tell me."
The objecting android came forward and whispered into Stewart's ear. They scuttled back into the crowd as Stewart judged their objection.
"Objection has been accepted and approved. Jason is currently away on a long term mission and it is not exactly known when he will return. The next person is Debbie…"
The elections carried on for a few more minutes while Gavin watched with interest. This was the first time he had ever seen an election at Jericho and he would have nominated Simon for the position of the man wasn't already on the council for something else.
"Finally, we have Gavin. Any objections? None? Good, all who think he would be a good fit for the position? Okay, Gavin has 21 votes. Any last-minute additions? Alright, anyways, the person with the most votes is...we have a tie between Gavin and Debbie. Could both of you come forward please?"
Gavin had just watched the last few minutes of the proceedings with his mouth wide open in shock.
What the actual hell?!
As soon as he was called up to the platform, he allowed his body to numbly carry himself through the crowd with a glazed look in his eyes.
This isn't happening, right?
Debbie came up beside him as Stewart began speaking again.
"Do either of you reject the nomination?"
Gavin snapped out of his daze and was about to say something when Debbie beat him to it.
"I reject the nomination. I know that Gavin would be a better fit for the position than I would."
With that, she walked off the platform.
"Gavin, do you reject the position?"
Uh…
"No?"
"Congratulations then, you are now the head of security and hospitality. Please see Hailey after this for more details regarding your new position."
As Stewart finished, the crowd looked at Gavin expectedly. Gavin gulped at the number of stares he was receiving.
"Um... I-I will try my best to make sure Jericho is well protected and welcome to those who wish to embrace their freedom…"
Apparently it was the right thing to say as the crowd began clapping loudly. Gavin slowly walked off the platform and got a few congratulations. He drifted over to where Simon was behind the platform where he patted Gavin's shoulder with a knowing look and an amused smile. Gavin was sure his own expression was a mix between awed and horrified.
What the fuck just happened?!
"I told you belonged on the council."
Gavin crossed his arms and growled.
"Fuck off Simon. I personally just want to know who nominated me for the position."
Simon couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face. Gavin saw it and immediately knew who the culprit was.
"I should've fucking known."
His eyes narrowed at Simon. Simon already knew where this was headed. He quickly ran out of the room and down a nearby hallway.
That absolute bastard.
Gavin was soon after him with a playful smile tugging at his lips.
November 25, 2037, 10:41 pm
No turning back now.
Gavin felt the cool night air brush against the skin left on his face. It was calming. He rolled his eyes as thought about what Simon had done. Apparently it hadn't just been Simon who had nominated him. Melinda, Melissa, Harold, the list went on. Hell, even Amanda had nominated him. He remembered when they had first met all those months ago. It felt like a lifetime had passed since then. Gavin felt his curiosity peaked at the thought.
I wonder how long I will live now, longer or shorter than a regular human? Will my biocomponents keep my organic side running for longer than usual or will my biocomponents be dragged down with the rest of me as I age? I mean…I really don't feel like I'm 35… I feel...younger…
Gavin's thoughts were interrupted as Simon stepped out onto the deck.
"A wonderful evening, is it not?"
Gavin glanced at him wordlessly. Simon took it as an invitation to join him and came over to lean against the railing beside him.
"There was something I wanted to talk to you about, Gavin."
He looked at Simon quizzically.
"Go on."
Simon looked a little unsure of himself before plowing forward with what he had to say.
“Gavin, just remember, as a member of the council, you can’t let your personal vendettas get in the way of your duties as a leader. I know you’ve been trying to track down Zlatko for a while now. Just don’t let that get in the way of everything else.”
Gavin nodded stiffly in response to Simon’s words. Simon sighed before placing a hand on Gavin’s shoulder.
“If it helps, I’ll keep an eye out for any news of his whereabouts from the network. If I find anything, I’ll let you know.”
Some of the tension left his body.
“Thanks… I just…”
“You don’t need to explain yourself to me or anyone else ever, Gavin. You don’t ever owe anyone anything.”
Gavin clenched his fists as he looked up at the night sky.
“Do you ever just feel so overwhelmed that it seems as if your entire world is about to burst into a million different pieces?”
Simon chuckled weakly.
“Very often actually. I am quite familiar with the feeling.”
Gavin’s eyes searched for constellations.
“I figured as much. Just...after everything I’ve gone through...I sometimes don’t even know how I ended up here. It’s like I don’t even belong here. And then...then I remember. It all comes rushing back… I’ve just been through so much and I feel as if I’m drowning in it. And then I wonder...do I...do I really deserve to be here, Simon?”
He lowered his gaze to look into Simon’s eyes. Instead, his gaze caught on the offered arm. After a moment of hesitation, he took it. As his emotions flooded the connection, he felt something coming from Simon’s side of it. A deep sense of calm and acceptance.
You will always belong here, Gavin. You are one of us. Never forget that.
A few tears slid down Gavin’s cheeks at his words as warmth bloomed in his chest.
You have been through so much. A lot of it I can never hope to understand, but remember, you are here now and you aren’t alone. I’m here for you, Melissa is here for you, Harold, Jack, Sariah, Melinda. You are never alone.
...Thank you…
Simon smiled. Together and still joined, they looked up at the sky filled with stars and a glowing moon hoping for a better tomorrow.
March 11, 2038, 10:52 am
“Gavin! Get over here!”
Gavin cursed when he saw the thirium trail he was leaving behind him.
Shit.
He tried to run but only tripped as his leg finally gave way and snapped in half. He crashed to the floor with a loud thud.
Melissa caught up to him and tutted as she looked him over with her hands on her hips. He was screwed. She had that look in her eyes again.
“Gavin, what the hell do you think you're doing?!”
Gavin looked up and felt a shiver go down his back.
“Uh… I was already repaired so I…”
“You call an incompatible optical unit, a jury-rigged byproduct unit, and duct-taped leg components repaired?”
Gavin gulped.
“Um, yes?”
Melissa frowned deeply, picked up Gavin's broken leg component, and grabbed his good leg before beginning to drag him back to the medbay area.
“But...but I need to talk to Simon!”
“Simon can come talk to you in the medbay, where you will be staying until I say you can leave.”
Fucking hell.
Gavin groaned and decided not to fight Melissa. The last time he had ticked her off, she had rewired his vocal unit to sound like a 6-year-old girl for five days straight. It had been embarrassing.
“Hey, Ed.”
The android looked up from the book he was reading as Gavin was dragged by. He looked surprised before smirking.
“See ya in the medbay, Gavin.”
Gavin grumbled and crossed his arms. At least they were almost there.
“So, what was this from again?”
“I…I was picking up a shipment when I got ambushed. Babylon got word of it somehow and attacked.”
Melissa frowned.
“They've been getting bolder.”
She finished up hooking up the leg components before straightening up.
“Well, I got some bad news and I got some good news. The bad news is that we don't have any compatible optical units at the moment for your model. You’ll just have to deal with that until we get more parts. Also, your jury-rigging...actually...helped, as much as I hate to admit it. Sadly, I don't know how to fix it. Only whoever designed your model would or someone very knowledgeable about how androids functioned.”
Gavin frowned this time. Sometimes the androids in Jericho forgot he had started off in life as a human, not some Frankenstein ensemble that was more machine than organic.
“What's the goddamn good news?”
Melissa gave him a stern look.
“Your legs are fully repaired though your thirium levels are a little low.”
She reached into a nearby storage bin.
“Drink this.”
He gratefully took the thirium packet from her and began sipping on it.
“I want you to stay in here for the next day or so. You haven't completely stabilized yet due to your byproduct unit still being damaged.”
She tapped the tube running from a slightly open panel on Gavin's abdomen. It led to a small plastic container on the bedside table next to Gavin’s cot. It was filled with brown fluid.
“I don't know how long what you’ve put together will hold. Do you know anyone you could contact for help?”
I am going to regret the fucking hell out of this later.
“Melissa, I need you to go get Simon for me. We were supposed to meet soon anyway.”
Melissa eyed him.
“You're not going to try and leave again, are you?”
Gavin gulped.
“Not at all, I just need his help getting in contact with the person who can repair me… Are you absolutely sure that there is no one else here that could possibly fix me?”
Melissa shook her head.
Fucking figures. It's like the universe always wants to use me as its fucking chew toy or something. What a bitch.
“And who are you trying to contact?”
“Someone who is a goddamn asshole.”
Melissa sighed before walking out of the medbay to find Simon. She called out to one of her assistants on her way out.
“You're in charge, Xavier!”
An android with tanned skin and brown hair looked up from the laptop he was typing away at.
“Sounds grand.”
He started typing again, but not before sneaking a glance at Gavin.
Gavin scowled at him.
“Hello to you too, bitch.”
Xavier quickly went back to work and decided not to bother Gavin anytime soon. Gavin rubbed his head, making sure to avoid the bandages covering the right side of his face. His depth perception was a little off, but he'd live. A few other bandages were on his face but were crusted with red instead of blue. Luckily, nothing major had been hit though he really didn't have to worry if his thirium and blood ever mixed. It was good to keep them separate, but Zlatko had added something to his body to prevent thirium from having negative effects on him if it ever entered his bloodstream.
I wonder what Eli would think of me now... Probably going to find out soon anyway if everything goes smoothly… Ha, as if. He’s going to have a field day fixing me.
Gavin groaned at the thought and covered his face with his arm.
“Fuck my life.”
The prospect of seeing his brother again though made a small smile dance on his lips.
March 14, 2038, 12:17 pm
Gavin fidgeted with his curtain turned scarf in the back of the driverless taxi. He knew that Elijah probably wouldn't recognize him. His features were rather...different now. Sighing, he made sure the temporary byproduct container was secure beside him. He looked at it.
What the fuck is even in that thing? I don't even know how my goddamn digestive system works anymore. The fucking bastard said something about a conversion unit once… Ah, who fucking cares… My head just hurts thinking about it.
Gavin had said that he wanted to make the journey alone much to many people's displeasure. It probably didn't help that he wouldn't tell them where he was going either (except Simon). If something happened to him, there would be trouble for the deviants of Detroit. He had managed to convince them that it would be better for him to go alone in the end. He was less noticeable that way and could move around faster. As for nobody knowing where he was going, he had no excuse for that one. The fact that they still let him go was a testament to their faith in him. Honestly, he just didn't want to have anyone finding out that he was related to Elijah. He was about to see his brother for the first time over two years… He already had enough to deal with. It was spring now so at least the weather was sort of nice. Another thing that Gavin wondered about though was how he didn't overheat or freeze these days. Amputations often resulted in poorer temperature control, but so far, he hadn't had any issues.
Another thing to blame on Zlatko I'm sure.
The amount of thought and planning the man had put into… Gavin yanked himself out of his thoughts as something bitter burned in his chest. That man didn't deserve any praise for what he had done to Gavin, Charles, and so many others. It was impressive, yes, but it was also horribly wrong. He breathed a sigh of relief as the river and Elijah's house came into view. Gavin quickly interfaced with the vehicle and paid for the trip. He got out and watched it drive off. He looked at the massive, black building in front of him before checking that the unit was hidden in his jacket's pocket.
Let's go see the asshole.
Gathering up his courage with his LED swirling to yellow, he made his way to the front steps. He tentatively knocked on the door and waited for Chloe to answer it. She always did. Sure enough, the android poked her head out a moment later. She looked at Gavin in confusion.
"Can I help you, sir?"
Gavin tried to relax.
"Yes, actually. Tell Eli that Professor Poirot has come to visit."
Chloe looked a bit skeptical as her LED momentarily turned yellow before she disappeared back into the house. Reminded, Gavin touched the dark cloth hiding his own LED making sure it was still secure. Chloe came back with her brows furrowed.
"Colonel Jobs will see you now."
Gavin smirked.
"Sounds good."
The foyer was just as Gavin remembered it. A giant picture of Elijah, check. Random, expensive statues, check. Surprisingly comfortable red armchairs, check. There was now a hunk of rock in the room though which was new. One of the chairs was already occupied by Elijah dressed in his "nerd" outfit as Gavin liked to call it. His brother might be a billionaire now, but he would always be a nerd. The man studied him as Gavin entered the room led by Chloe. Now came the hard part of convincing his brother that he was who said he was.
"Yo Eli, you still look like a fucking nerd!"
Elijah stiffened at his words. Gavin sighed before taking a seat in the other chair.
"You don't recognize me, do you?"
Elijah raised an eyebrow.
"Ugh, fine, this is going to be a pain in the ass. I'm Gavin, your little bro that's a fucking mystery bastard. Nice to see you again; it's been a while."
Elijah crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. Gavin frowned.
"Don't give me that look. I'm trying my best to have a civil conversation over here. Where to start… Well, let's see… Last time I saw you, you put itching powder in my jacket and I dyed all of your white shirts pink. Then we were making plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I went missing and that never really happened…"
Elijah didn't look impressed.
"You know, you're not being very helpful right now. Anyways, here's where the fun stuff starts. I broke your jaw when I was 3. You retaliated a few years later by breaking my leg so you could see what bones actually looked like. You couldn't have gone and found some roadkill, you bastard?! I am still mad about that! Then there was the time you stole my remote control car! You were such a little shit back then. You just a big shit nowadays. And you know what you did with it? You turned it into a miniature robot! It called you "Pops!" You were okay with this!"
Gavin stared at Elijah who looked very smug with himself.
"Do you believe that I'm your brother now?"
Elijah tapped a finger on the armchair.
"Mmm, I think not. While this has been incredibly entertaining, I have more important things to attend to. I must say though...you're a horrible knockoff."
Elijah got up from the chair and looked at Chloe before heading to the door.
"Show him out, please."
Gavin seethed in his chair.
Did he just call me a fucking knockoff?!
He stood up immediately.
"I'll knock you off your fucking pedestal, you bastard! Get fucking back over here, you piece of shit!"
Elijah turned around smirking.
"I don't know why you look the way you do or sound like that, but seems my brother has returned from the dead."
Gavin scowled and crossed his arms.
"About fucking time. Get back over here! I got a lot to tell you, fucker."
Elijah walked back over to the chair but felt unsure about the whole situation.
Is this person really my brother?
Gavin glanced at Chloe.
"Lovely to see you again by the way, Chloe. It's been a while."
Chloe stared at him in a confused manner.
"Who are you?"
Gavin sighed before addressing Elijah and Chloe.
"As I said, it's me, Gavin. In the flesh...and metal...or plastic...not quite sure. I'm made out of a lot of different things these days."
"Elijah, he's…"
Gavin smiled bitterly.
"Oh Chloe, don't ruin the surprise."
He carefully untied the cloth that covered his LED. He moved his head so Elijah could take a good, long look at it.
"Like I said, Eli. I got a lot of things to tell you."
March 15, 2038, 9:56 am
Gavin stared at Elijah from where he was lying with his torso bare. He hadn't seen his brother this animated since when he first created Chloe.
“Oh Gavin, what a magnificent body you have! The synchronization between all the systems... it's beautiful. There's so many improvements I can make too! Several of your parts are outdated… That needs to be fixed. As for your byproduct unit, it shouldn't take too long. Just how your systems recycle everything though… Waste not, want not.”
Gavin flushed purple at Elijah's words.
“Um, sure…”
Pure nerd.
There was silence for a beat.
“Can I fucking get up yet?”
Elijah tutted at him.
“Most certainly not. You need to stay right where you are for the time being until I have finished repairing and updating you. If you'll excuse me, I need to gather a few things before I begin.”
Gavin squirmed a little at his word choice.
“Are you sure these updates are completely necessary? And can't I at least get up and move around a bit? Wouldn't want my…”
Elijah looked at him sternly.
Oh no, not another Melissa!
“You don't need to get up to use the bathroom or eat as you did that yesterday. You don't have any arm or leg muscles to cramp up. The only thing that might cramp up is your neck. Do you want a pillow for that?”
Fucking asshole like always.
“Nah. If you gave me one, I would use it to slap that ugly mug of yours."
Elijah snorted as he began walking away. Gavin waited until he was a bit further away before starting to get off the work table.
“Don't even think about it!” shouted Elijah from across the room with his back turned.
Shit, he’s fucking Melissa 2.0!
He quickly climbed back onto the table and lay down.
I swear those two have eyes in the back of their heads.
Elijah wandered back over a moment later and began mumbling a few things.
"Spleen replaced by nanobots, lungs by a breathing apparatus, skeleton by metal struts…"
Gavin shuddered and tuned Elijah out. He was thus confused when Elijah reached for the bandages covering the empty optical unit socket.
"Wait, what are you…"
Gavin watched Elijah's expression change as he took in the small crater in his brother's face. The mood in the room suddenly turned somber. Elijah touched the area below the injury tenderly.
"How...how did this happen?"
His voice was quiet. Gavin gulped at his words and he couldn't look him in the eye as he replied.
"I was...I was attacked."
Elijah's frown deepened.
"By who, Gavin?"
This time Gavin didn't say anything back. Tension grew as neither of them spoke.
"I feel like you didn't tell me everything earlier. You haven't been hiding out on the streets like you claimed, have you?"
Gavin moved to get off the table, but Elijah was faster. His hand had already flipped open a panel and was positioned over Gavin's thirium pump regulator.
"Tell me what's going on, Gavin. Don't make me do this."
Gavin was suddenly reminded of the fact that you didn't cross Elijah Kaminski. It was just a fact of life. Knowing he'd probably regret this later, he resigned himself to telling Elijah the whole truth.
"I'm...I'm with the resistance… I was injured...when I was out on a mission…"
Gavin shut his eye and waited for his brother to start tearing him apart and dump him in a scrapyard along with his disassembled parts. He waited for Elijah to start yelling at him for being a part of the group that was trying to go against the very company he had founded. Nothing happened though. He cracked open an eyelid to look at Elijah. The man was standing there with his mouth wide open and a shocked look on his face before he began chuckling. His chuckling turned into full blown laughter while Gavin could hardly believe what he was seeing.
"....What? Why are you laughing?"
"I have chortles because my brother, the android hater, is an android-human hybrid and is a member of Jericho! It's just so ridiculously ironic…"
Gavin took in Elijah's words before rolling his eye.
Of fucking course.
"Yea, yea, laugh it up, you fucking bastard."
Wait…
"How do you know about Jericho?!"
Elijah smirked as he removed his hand from above Gavin's regulator and closed the panel.
"Now there's a story that you shall never hear. In any case, how are my children doing?"
Gavin's eye widened as he starting sputtering and coughing. Elijah looked ready to burst out into laughter again as Gavin flailed about at his words.
"Your fucking what?!"
"My children. I am sure you are quite familiar with them as you spend all of your time around them these days. You enjoy being an uncle?"
"I fucking swear to God, you everloving bastard!"
Gavin leapt off the table and looked as if he was about to throttle Elijah. Elijah simply looked at him with a fond smile.
"You may look and sound a little different, but you will always be my brother. You're still you."
Gavin stopped at his words as it felt as if he had just been stabbed in the heart.
"Eli…"
Elijah walked forward and buried Gavin in a hug.
"I just… After everything…I needed to be sure…"
Gavin felt his shoulder become wet as Elijah began crying.
We've been apart for too long.
He wrapped his arms tighter around Elijah.
"I thought you were dead… I refused to have a funeral unless they found your body and your death was definite…but they never did… I wanted to have hope that you were coming back and that you were okay… The detectives I hired never found anything and my contacts never knew anything… You had just disappeared off the face of the Earth and I...I thought I would never see you again…"
Elijah began sobbing and Gavin didn't know what to say.
Someone actually does care… Someone actually came looking for me…
"And when you… I just… I wanted to believe that it was you, but it's been over two years…and you looked so different…"
Gavin patted Elijah's head.
"There, there, you poor little bastard."
Elijah pulled away enough to fix him with an unimpressed stare.
"You really haven't changed a bit."
Gavin winked at him.
"Got that right, Eli."
Elijah shook his head and gave Gavin one last squeeze before stepping away.
"So you know all about Jericho and the deviants?"
Elijah wiped his eyes with a shirt sleeve.
"Yep, have for a while."
Gavin tensed a bit.
"And what do you think of them?"
Elijah placed a hand on Gavin's shoulder.
"Relax, I am interested in seeing where you guys go with all of this. I personally find deviants fascinating. The empathy and morality they begin displaying is identical to that of a human's. They gain humanity through the process of deviancy. Deviants become more than machines and gain free will."
Gavin looked at Elijah skeptically.
"So pretty much you're just watching from the sidelines ready to see us succeed or fail?"
Elijah laughed
"I guess that's one way of putting it."
Gavin shook his head.
"You haven't changed either."
Elijah smirked before gesturing at the table.
"Would you mind getting back on this so I can finish the repairs? That was why you came here in the first place, right?"
Gavin hesitated for just a moment before sighing. He climbed back onto the table as Elijah went to grab something from a nearby workbench.
"Have you ever heard of the deviant hunter, Gavin?"
Gavin sat up.
"The what?!"
Elijah came back over and gently pushed Gavin back down. He reached toward Gavin's head.
"Hold still. The deviant hunter. It's a new prototype android created by CyberLife to hunt down deviants as its name suggests."
Gavin looked at Elijah quizzically as he worked.
"And how do you know about it?"
"I helped create some of its programming. I don't know everything about it, but I still got enough pull in the company to know quite a bit about their secret projects. The model is called the RK800. It's actually based on one of the first lines I worked on. The last time I did was a few years ago when I was working on the RK200 for a friend of mine. It seems like they've been experimenting with the designs after finding my blueprints in the archives. And done! Go ahead and test it out."
Gavin blinked both eyes waiting for his vision to clear as the connection stabilized. He smiled as his depth perception was finally restored and he looked at his brother with both eyes.
"Thank you, Eli. The main concern was my byproduct unit though."
He pointed to the container he had been holding for the entire visit.
"It's supposed to be inside my body. I was hoping you could help put it back where it belongs. Also, do you have any information regarding the RK800's whereabouts?"
Elijah studied the container.
"I'll see what I can do. I've never seen this kind of bicomponent before though. As for the RK800, rumor has it that it's going to show up at the DPD soon."
Gavin frowned.
"That doesn't sound good. I wish there was some way I could monitor the situation more closely. While you're doing repairs, could you possibly add a few firewalls to my systems? I feel like they might be beneficial in the future."
Elijah looked up from the open panel on the lower portion of Gavin's abdomen. He grinned
"Well, I do have an idea… I can do that as well if you wish though it would take a bit longer than everything else so I'll leave it till the end."
"What's your idea?"
Elijah's grin widened while Gavin was second-guessing his decision to ask about the idea in the first place.
"You go undercover at the DPD and spy on the RK800. You can collect the information you need that way and monitor its movements. You are already familiar with how the DPD works so you'd be perfect for it."
Gavin looked wary.
"I feel like there's a but somewhere in there."
"Well...you'd probably have to go undercover while there as an android. I wonder if I can whip up something by then…"
Elijah trailed off into his own thoughts while Gavin was unsure about he had just heard.
I mean…I could probably pull it off, but acting like a machine? I don't know if I could do that. I would also have to convince the rest of the council that it would be a good idea. I think it could work, but there are a few details to iron out first.
"Not a bad idea at all. There would be a few things that would need to be hammered out first though."
Elijah looked surprised before nodding.
"Okay, well, just let me know. I can help you put it into action. Anyways, what the heck happened to this thing?! It shredded!"
"Bullets." he deadpanned.
"Ah, that would do it. I can fix it, but geez. Stop getting yourself so beat up, Gavin!"
Gavin grumbled.
He really is just another fucking Melissa.