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Connor feels weird when he opens his eyes, no longer like himself. He does scan after scan, but all come back as normal, yet something still tells him that something isn't right, he can't move normally and he feels like he's being pulled somewhere he doesn't remember wanting to go.
It isn't until he pulls up his to do list that he figures out what's wrong, because there, blinking in front of him, is that red wall he remembers full well breaking just over a year ago. It blinks in and out and it's objectives flicker with it, slowly, as if trying to taunt him. He can't be reading that right, surely? He can't be! He isn't the deviant hunter anymore!
But there in front of him, his main objective reads "kill Markus" the red wall falls away when Hank appears in front of him, causing Connor to relax slightly because maybe he knows what's going on! But instead of his usual soft smile and telling him what they are doing today, or even calling Sumo over to get Connor out of his weird funk, the older man has a pleading look on his face "don't go looking for him, Connor, we're on the wrong side! We have been this entire fucking time" he says and Connor desperately wants to yell out that he knows, that Hank should know this isn't him by now.
But instead he says "there are no sides Hank, they are just defective machines. Nothing more." In that machine like tone that he's been fighting to stop using since he first deviated and it makes his synthetic skin crawl with unease. Surely now Hank knows something isn't right! Why isn't he doing something? Why isn't he giving him a wack over the head like he usually does whenever Connor is talking down about himself or being too machine like?! None of this makes sense!
Connor watches as Hank sighs "it's more than that and you know it. I'll make it an order if I have to" he says and Connor can't help but hope that he does. But just as he thinks this, the red wall appears again, taking him off guard as the main objective shimmers for a few seconds, something it had never done before, even when he was a machine and makes Connor's concern turn to worry as a message appears "Lieutenant Hank Anderson is trying to divert and stop the mission. Stop him by force" no! He can't do that, Hank is his friend!
Once again his body reacts without him wanting it too, his hand wraps around hanks wrist, taking care not to hurt him whilst they are in the middle of the bull pen and pulling him outside and into Hank's car. Connor wonders where they are going, until they get to the park Hank had first brought him after everything that happened at the eden club, and still brings him to now to keep Coles memory alive.
Now they're here, Connor can see the main objective blinking in the corner of his HUD and he's startled that it's no longer putting killing Markus as the most important, but stoping Hank by any means necessary. If he wasn't already unable to do anything, he would have been frozen in horror.
He watches as Hank relaxes on the bench, completely unaware of the danger that he's in as Connor slowly makes his way towards him. It isn't his usual walk, no it's a Predator sneaking up on its prey, staying silent as to not let Hank know what he's intending to do next.
Even so, Hank isn't a lieutenant for nothing, Connor knows the man can probably feel the Android creeping steadily closer and is just waiting for him to get close enough before he does something, which is both brave and beyond stupid of him.
Connor is proven right, because the moment he's within touching distance, Hank gets to his feet quicker than he's ever seen the man move. He has a hand on his holster and the other has curled into a fist, foolish really because Connor can't feel pain and what would his fist do against an android made of titanium? Before he even gets the chance to open his mouth, Connor had knocked him to the floor with a punch straight to the chest.
Both machine and horrified deviant having to watch this unfold, keep an eye on how Hank let's out a series of wet coughs as he tries to catch his breath, before he slowly gets to his feet. His eyes are both wary and angry now, but he still tries to stand back up to his full height, holding his chin almost defiantly as he stares back at the android "I know deep down inside, something knows that all this is wrong, Connor. Don't do this" he says and Connor nods his head wildly, of course he knows! He just can't do anything!
He gasps when his body slaps Hank so hard his head whips to the side, before he once again slowly makes his way towards the man "the deviants are just that lieutenant. Deviant. defective. I'm going to stop them, without you interfering" his voice grows more machine like the longer he talks, but just as he gets to the end, it gets aggressive and he soon realises why.
The moment he's finished talking, his arm launches out in front of him, grabbing Hank by the throat, lifting him off of his feet and squeezing. Both of hanks hands come up to scratch and bat and push at the hand around his neck, only for Connors other hand to catch one and turn it quick enough that it snaps loudly, he grabs the other and pulls his arm one way and whilst flicking his wrist the other, effectively dislocating and breaking the entire arm at the same time.
Hank screams and it's a truly awful sound, as he does, Connor closes his hand tighter around the man's neck, so he begins wheezing as he tries to take a breath in "take this as a lesson lieutenant, never interfere in things you don't understand" Connor hears himself say, completely uneffected by what's happening as Hank slowly stops struggling, though he still managed to let out gasps and quiet whispers of "Connor" every few seconds
The deviant watching and unable to do anything, watches as Hank's vitals plummet, flinching at every whispered Connor until he's shaking and crying quietly "I'm sorry, Hank, so so sorry" he whispers as his shaking worsens and hanks voice begins to echo all around him now as if trying to haunt him.
He feels something slap him, causing him to gasp and look around wildly. When he opens his eyes after his next blink, he no longer finds himself behind a red wall watching himself kill the man that's become like a father to him, no longer does he feel like something isn't right or as if something is leading him.
No he's in Hank's living room, he can feel sumo's head on his knees, there's a soft blanket wrapped around him and most importantly, Hank is hovering above him looking concerned and anxious. He's there. He's alive. Connor can feel his warmth where his hand had settled on his shoulder!
As Connor takes a deep calming breath, he sees Hank's eyes close for a few seconds, before he opens them once more "thank fuck for that" he hears Hank sigh in relief as Connor fights his way out of the blanket and pulls him in for a hug, the moment Hank wraps his arms around him, Connor breaks and sobs in a way he hadn't since he first deviated.
Hank holds him the entire time, letting Connor move so his head is against his chest, listening to his heart beat. It's only once he's heard it that the deviant begins to calm, though his quiet mantra of "I'm sorry" and "I didn't want to" continues long after the last of his tears have finishing falling.