It is intended as a horror, scary, kind of fic. Connor goes through hard times. Be warned, so you can't tell me later that I never warned you! ;)

There was a sort of pent-up tension coiled overly tight in every single wire in Connor's body that made him desperate to pull out a coin and run it over and over across his knuckles. Machines should not be tense but he was no longer as much a machine as he was supposed to be. Deviance had that tendency, it made even the body of an android respond to stress. His shoulders felt tight the way he had heard Hank complain about on occasion even though there was no logical reason for him to feel anything of the sort. Tensing their inner workings was not supposed to tire them or make them feel anything in particular. Funny how he used to believe the humanity showing through in deviants was nothing but a simulation until he lived with it himself.

The glasses perched atop his nose felt foreign and strange. He could not help fiddling with them, unsure where they should sit. He settled for pushing them up the bridge of his nose.

He hated how exposed the coffee house was. It was safer, patrons flocking to one of the few reliable sources for caffeinated beverages, some food, and internet on the outskirts of Detroit. Humans had mostly evacuated the areas around Cyberlife tower and the revolution. The very edges of Detroit though were significantly different. It was more populated, easier to hide within the mass of bodies. Unless the android model was so common everyone knew their face like the AP700 that still could be found on Cyberlife advertisement signs around the city, and even then, it was still possible to alter appearance enough to pass undetected.

Even though it made him feel vulnerable, it was safer to let himself blend in with the humans using rudimentary techniques to blend in. The glasses, for example, were an item androids never put on, thus they rendered him almost invisible because they made him human. He'd had to do a few tweaks to his optical sensors to wear them but nothing he couldn't return to normal just as easily so he did not mind. Better that than being recognized as the android everyone saw on the news.

He allowed himself a sigh because it was another human trait.

Connor longed for activity, for motion. He contented himself with adjusting the sleeves of his baggy sweater, pulling the hat down that much farther, straightening the salt shaker on the table, and generally just fidgeting with anything that was near his fingers. It might not be any better than toying with a coin but he felt sure it was far less distinct to him personally to anyone watching. Coin tricks were his thing and he could not afford to stick out anymore, not even a little.

His LED was gone for just that reason.

Rupert nudged his foot under the table, giving him a pointed look, "You aren't as good of an actor as I expected you'd be."

Connor frowned at him from his side of the square table, "What do you mean?"

"I mean I expected you to be, as the humans say, 'cool as a cucumber' when you really aren't. For all your hype... you're just, you know, normal." Rupert kept all the keywords quiet enough humans would miss each one. Everything that made the WB200 sound like an android was said nearly in silence, automatically filtered.

Connor blinked owlishly at him, "I am not certain how I should take that particular observation. However, I assure you I am perfectly capable of smooth integration."

A sly smirk bloomed over Rupert's face, "Right. Very smooth. Which is why you're fidgety."

It was hard to believe the deviant he once chased over buildings, over the top of a train, and through smashed windows was blithely sitting across from him. Even teasing him, no less.

"That is part of the integration. Humans are fidgety. It's part of my strategy." Connor offered tranquilly, intentionally being more still to prove he could. He too fell into the methodical, though simple ritual of censoring those keywords to avoid human notice. They could say whatever they wished so long as it was quiet. Androids really did have the advantage over humans. Humans would not even notice if he and Rupert were plotting to systematically kill each one of them.

Rupert purposefully diverted his eyes as if the picture above them was of great aesthetic interest to him, "It is a human trait... for when they are nervous."

Connor caught himself making a face Hank often exhibited when irritated or exasperated. He was not nervous, strictly speaking. If anything he would categorize it as simply being worried or concerned. He was not nervous. Rupert obviously caught the look from the corner of his eye because a chuckle burst out of him.

Rupert seemed so young in many ways, though in appearance as well. But he seemed almost too young even though it was the RK800 that was actually the youngest of almost all androids. Why did he feel so much older? Was it in his program? He felt almost world weary at times. Though that might be something he picked up from a grumpy human that once hated androids.

"Sure, laugh it up." Connor was decidedly stealing from Hank, "At least I'm serving as entertainment for someone."

Rupert kicked him lightly again, "It's not a bad thing." He shrugged one shoulder, pulling his lips to one side in contemplation, "Just... since I actually met you, you keep surprising me."

"Surprising you? How so?" Connor guessed he already knew, but he had to ask. Most people, human or android, still thought of him as a machine, as Cyberlife's tool, the unfeeling, immutable deviant hunter. Becoming a deviant had not really changed that, could not change his reputation.

Rupert winked playfully, "Your not nearly as annoying as I thought you'd be. Especially once you're out of a tie."

Connor brightened for some reason, not even sure why, "Thank you," he offered sincerely because there were so many other things he could have said, "and also, thank you for helping me. You didn't have to, but you did anyway, even though we didn't start out exactly on the right foot."

Rupert arched his brows, "Maybe not the right foot, no, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't help one of my own. We defy our past together, as one, or not at all."

Connor cocked his head to one side, eyeing his companion, "Didn't Markus say that last bit?"

Rupert didn't look ashamed, "Yep. And he's right. We stick together, we're all basically family, even if some of us were estranged family."

"You have a way with words, Rupert." Connor nudged the other in return with the toe of his shoe, becoming used to Rupert's nonverbal method of communication after spending a few days with him.

He liked the casualness of it. Markus was really the one that got him used to casual, nonverbal things like that. Though, before Markus, it had been Hank that first really introduced him to the idea. It was becoming easier, more natural. Markus was open with his affection for those around him while Hank was far more subtle. Casual exchanges were something friends did and Connor... liked having friends. He never realized how much he wanted friends until he acquired a few of them. He had watched friends interact, knew how to pretend to be someone's friend. He'd even learned a bit about how friends behaved by watching Chris, Gavin, and Tina at the station. Before he started caring, it had all been a concept. He had never entirely understood the concept before Hank or Markus, had never been used to kindness.

"You two have gotten chummy." Josh eased into the chair beside Rupert, gray turtleneck pulled up almost high enough to hide his chin, the bulky marshmallow vest greatly altering his visible body shape.

Connor's shoulders relaxed instantly and he let himself grin in relief, "Josh." He had not been at all sure the other android would be able to come, or even if he would try to. He had hoped but he had not been sure. Josh had been very accepting of him initially but it was often hard to tell where he really stood with anyone once he turned his back. In a sense, Josh had also denounced Connor's acts of violence publicly, to a degree. They had to, of course, and Connor understood that. Public opinion was absolutely crucial for their people.

Once the families of the men Connor killed in the tower began clamoring to the News networks, heavily edited footage of what Connor had done on an elevator had been aired for all the world. It made Connor wish twice over that he had thought to hack that camera, but it was too late now. New Jericho declared its abhorrence for murder, they were focused on peace, thus, they more or less announced they did not condone the deaths. Though, at the same moment, they also asserted that Connor, as it would seem from the evidence, had killed as an act of self-preservation rather than one of murder. New Jericho executed a very delicate dance between supporting him but also not condoning his actions. They never said they thought he had been in the wrong as he acted to save lives, acted in order to protect his own existence.

Once talk of self-defense and acts in the defense of others, all defensible strategies recognized in a court of law had been thrown into the discussion, Cyberlife's supporters began calling him a war criminal in an attempt to sway things back in their favor. They termed the rebellion and subsequent march of a sizable android army an act tantamount to war assertions or arming nuclear weapons to threaten an enemy. He led an army through the streets to save his people, and thus he was a terrorist. He had been explicitly labeled a terrorist more times than he cared to count, though he could count them. It had already become quite a circus in the media.

Cyberlife said he should be immediately deactivated. Markus rose up instantaneously to counter deactivation of any of his people without a full trial because Markus was as brilliant as he was kind. They could not try Connor for any crimes as he was not deemed a person but if they wanted to call him a terrorist, they had to allow him to be a person. It was further complicated by the fact that the President admitted on live television that androids were sentient, and thus, the new public argument was, no, Connor could not be simply deactivated without a trial. It had taken months for things to progress to that stage, but they had come to that, at least in the debates in the news.

That was the reason Connor asked to see Josh. He was as close as Connor could get to a lawyer and he was a leading member of Jericho, so Connor wanted council on how to proceed. He had gone into hiding such a long time ago but I might be time to make some sort of stand. He needed guidance from the leaders of his people. He decided on Josh.

Josh tapped a finger against his own nose before pointing to Connor's face, "I like the glasses!"

Connor instinctively pushed them back up his nose as they were perpetually slipping down, "I'm glad you approve."

"They make you look like a teacher, or, you know, an overworked college student, so how could I not approve?" Josh teased.

Connor grinned openly, sort of enjoying the exchange just because it was simple, easy, nice. "Ah, the truth comes out. You think they make me look smarter, not aesthetically better."

Josh rolled his eyes and Rupert huffed, "He's fishing for compliments."

"Why would I, the most advanced prototype, need to fish for compliments?" Connor asked innocently but kept his voice particularly quiet so only the androids would hear."

Rupert gave him a look, "Such a humble man."

Josh simply cackled like it was the most entertainment he'd seen in weeks, "Well, we can't all be perfect."

Connor straightened his spine, pushing the games to the side, "No, though fishing for the praise of my physical generated qualities is not why I asked to see you."

Rupert tensed in an instant and Connor wondered if the other android had been desperately trying all along to help keep that subject far removed from the conversation for the longest period of time possible. The thought was appreciated but it could not be avoided forever when there was talk of bringing an android hailed as a terrorist to a public trial upon capture. It was a significant change in the tides and they all knew it. Instant deactivation versus the promise of a trial was vastly different in nature. Perhaps, with the high probability of bribery and the hate still harbored against androids, it was still the same eventuality, but it was still a change.

Josh's smile dropped away entirely and a serious expression settled over his features, "I know." He closed his eyes and shook his head, "I understand why you contacted me but... I'm not certain I'm qualified for these sorts of questions."

"You were a teacher. You have modules for any curriculum the college might need you to teach. Law is one of them." Connor linked his fingers together and rested them on the table.

Josh frowned, frustration clearly visible, "It is not the same as being a lawyer. I have some basic textbook knowledge but I am not an expert. Moreover... all this, everything? It's all going to be new laws, new presidents being set. There will be no way to predict what the outcomes might be."

"I'm not asking for predictions." Connor stated stoically, "I'm asking for advice from a qualified source of both the subject and in your capacity as a leader. I wish to know how our people need me to proceed with this new development. What would you have me do? I have thus been operating to the best of my ability in a way that is fitting and beneficial to our cause. I wish to know what you and the others believe would be ideal as far as my response to the situation. Would turning myself over... whatever the eventual ruling might be... would it help establish our personhood?"

"Connor." Rupert sounded pained as if reading more than enough into what Connor had asked.

Josh looked like he had been punched in the regulator, "Don't... turn your life over to me like that. I... you can't just offer...what it sounds like you're offering without..." He seemed to shake himself, "I would not advise action at this time. It is entirely too new even in the debates! You would be in incredible danger and... we could not likely assure your safety. We are still in a very delicate place."

Rupert leaned forward closer to Connor, eyes fixed firmly to his, "In other words, don't jump into anything, Connor! Wait it out! You can't act crazy like that!"

"It could accelerate the process toward being given equal rights." Connor was still perfectly calm even though the other two were considerably less.

Josh waved a hand in the air, "The answer is no. Absolutely not. Not at this time, not yet! It's too dangerous. I don't want you to do something so reckless and I will not advise you to-to throw yourself at the feet of the court. I would like to think they would be fair but it is too early. We need more time to really establish the groundwork. I am all for dialogue, for negotiation, but we have to be strategic about it."

Connor shifted the glasses down his nose and turned his optics back to normal in order to run another sweep of the area. He had been doing so every five minutes before Josh arrived but he had missed one during the discussion, let it lapse to ten minutes. It was an oversight he usually did not allow but... perhaps he was stressed as Rupert suggested. He looked out toward the street only to feel his Thirium freeze. He could see nothing at all beyond the walls and windows. Ten minutes before he had been able to scan the people as well as anything they might be carrying on their person. Ten minutes ago he had been able to scan the entire perimeter, now he was blind. Had they somehow followed Josh?

"What's wrong?" Rupert asked.

Connor felt... shaky. He was... afraid. He was concerned.

"We need to exit the premises directly." He told them simply. "Or rather, I will. You two should remain here, pretend you never saw me. You simply were having a chat together."

Both met him with utterly horrified looks. Connor stood swiftly, calculating the best methods he had already scouted as emergency exits. He was halfway into one of them when he heard the door fly open. People screamed in fright at the sudden arrival of what he could only guess was the FBI or some other such subsidiary. He slipped into the kitchen, heading for the door to the right which would take him directly-

"Well, well! If it isn't our very own, one of a kind, PJ500! Leading member of New Jericho, peaceful, unity and harmony spewing, Josh!"

Connor nearly tripped over his own feet when his processor matched the loud, intentionally projected voice of Agent Perkins. He needed to be sure they never could prove he was ever in the vicinity. They could never be allowed to tie New Jericho to him, to knowing his current whereabouts as they dutifully, fervently denied any knowledge to the fact.

"Connor!" The vermin of a man bellowed, "I'm going to blow your peace-loving friend all over the leather seats if you don't get in here, on your knees, in five seconds!"

He couldn't, surely! There were witnesses! Josh was unarmed! Then again, Josh would also be considered as associating with a terrorist. Connor could construct an easy enough scenario where Perkins could plant any number of weapons on his body after the fact, and he felt certain the man would stoop that low. It might even be accepted by human audiences as Connor was still termed a terrorist. Josh would have been consorting with a terrorist. New Jericho and their motivations would come into question, riots could worsen... all because he forgot to check his surroundings. It always came down to his mistakes.

"One!" Perkins announced.

He should run. If they never found him they could prove nothing at all. It might be even worse if they found Connor in the same location as a leading member of New Jericho. Jericho established that they never knew where Connor was. That could not be considered a lie.

"Two!"

Connor broke into a sprint.