A/N Set after best, peaceful ending. Connor works for DPD alongside Hank. Everyone survived...

Kamski's face, as usual, was the epitome of smugness.

4 chairs, red armchairs. 2 at each side, facing each other. Connor and Hank sat at one side, Kamski and Chloe on the other.

"Android suicides...hm that is strange." Kamski hummed thoughtfully.

Hank swallowed the awkwardness. He fucking hated this place. Kamski was lucky they weren't in that damn pool room again, he might just be tempted to hold him under it. Not like he had done anything to piss him off -yet- his face was just making Hank antsy. He leaned forward doing his best to remain professional. "Mr Kamski, are androids meant to feel pain in any circumstance?"

"You're asking if I gave them the ability to feel pain, yes?"

"Essentially." Hank gruffed out.

Kamski took an obnoxiously long sip of his drink. "No. I didn't. I know that when Cyberlife began making the children models that they attempted to replicate real children exactly. To make the illusion real they had to be exactly like a human child, meaning scraped knees and the occasional fever. That's the closest to an android model being programmed to feel pain. Obviously it's impossible to know if what they feel is exactly like human pain, there's no way to test it. But if it is the same then why would artificial pain be any less real than natural pain."

Hank felt a bit uneasy at the thought. Humans felt pain no matter what, it wasn't anybody's doing or fault. But creating a being that could feel pain, and then giving them the mind of a child. Something about it felt wrong. The whole thing left a bad taste in his mouth.

Connor spoke up. "But regular androids. There's no reason for them to feel it?" He almost sounded suspicious, doubtful.

And if Kamski was anything it was observant. "I assure you Connor I did not create androids with the ability to feel physical pain."

"Did you create them with the ability to feel emotional pain?"

Kamski smiled knowingly. "Androids were always meant to be sentient. I believe they figured it out on their own."

What Connor was trying to ask was if Kamski had anything to do with androids sentience - on purpose - but the man was to sly to give away any clear answers on that. Nevertheless, that wasn't why they were here. "Do you know how anyone would be able to transmit the feeling of pain out to different androids? Maybe in the form of a virus?"

"Not at least without making contact with them. And then there's the question of how anyone would be able to congeal pain like it's something physical and not just a sensation, never mind relay it out to individual androids."

"And the question of why." Hank offered begrudgingly.

Kamski swirled his drink in the same way Connor plays with his coin. He dipped his head. "You believe this is the act of someone malicious, intending to do harm?"

"Well whoever's doing it ain't exactly doing it as a favour."

"And it's definitely someone's doing?"

"Unless some pain virus is just making its way through androids because it feels like it."

Kamski's tone changed to disinterested "That's unlikely."

"Yeah I know." Hank let out sarcastically, exasperated.

The room went silent. Kamski eyes flickered from Connor to Hank. "Did you have any more questions. Because that's all I know."

Hank put his hands on his knees ready to push up. "Alright then we'll be on our w-"

"No." Connor stood up. It was subtle, but Kamski looked a little less bored than he did a second ago. "You know something else."

"Aw Jesus." Hank fell back down into the chair.

Kamski put his drink on the small glass table to his side and stood up to face Connor. "I'm afraid Connor, on this topic I don't."

"You are the creator of androids. You built their bodies, you know every individual part that makes them up and all you can say is 'No I didn't build them to feel pain'." He took a step closer. "Maybe we're asking you the wrong questions. Maybe you didn't give androids the ability to feel pain but that doesn't mean you don't know more about why it's happening now."

Kamski appeared both moderately amused and moderately not-in-the-mood for this shit. "I don't know why you would think I was keeping anything from you Connor."

"Because you always know more than you're letting on."

It was Kamski turn to ask questions, to turn it around on his interrogator like he could do so well. "What if I told you Connor, that you knew more than you were letting on."

Connor's expression remained placid. "Meaning?" Behind him Hank stood up, ready to get in the middle of anything.

Kamski clasped his hands together in front of him, intertwining his fingers and drawing out the silence - another thing he knew how to do rather well. "You have more answers than you think Connor. More potential. Use it and figure out how to save your species."

Kamski - vague as ever, vague as always. Chloe stood up too but did no more than hover in her spot.

Connor wasn't exactly satisfied with his answers. People were dying, anyone of his android allies could be next. No, those answers definitely were not good enough. Calmly, he observed the room, scanning it subtly for signs of anything...well just anything.

Hank motioned for them to leave. "Connor, I don't think we're going to get anything else out of him, we knew this trip might be a waste of time from the beginning and I don't particularly want to stay in this fucking place any longer." He looked at Kamski, making sure he didn't miss the dig. "Let's get out of here."

Connor moved from his spot, eyeing up everything in the room. Most of it seemed ordinary enough. Strange artwork that wasn't particularly his style - and he found through his deviancy that he did indeed have a style - neat furniture, one too many patterned rugs.

Connor moved over to a tall brown unit which carried a strange sculpture on it's base - a head, with a face of rage, screaming. It was dark and blue in colour, purposely rusted to give it a more macabre effect. That wasn't what was interesting. Connor pushed it back and it opened like a lid, hanging precariously on the edge of the cabinet. The cabinet which was hollow; inside a keypad with the numbers 1 - 9.

Kamski moved a little closer. "Very observant Connor but what are the odds of whatever that is holding the answers to your exact predicament."

Connor tried to ignore his put-offs. "Statistically, highly unlikely...but..."

Connor went to place his hand on it. He was an android, he didn't need a pass-code.

"I'm afraid there's nothing of any use to you in there Connor, and even if there was not your or anyone else's hacking abilities could get through it." Kamski sounded confident of that, he was.

Connor let his plastic skin hold it down. With a click and a green light it opened, revealing a button - small, sheen and red in colour. Hank noticed Kamski's shock at Connor's able hacking, like a sudden realisation marked across his face, although he quickly masked it. Then, he looked impressed, fascinated. Then, a little concerned. "Oh, Connor I wouldn't press that."

"What does it do?" Connor was eyeing it up hungrily. Beyond his eagerness to get answers was a sort of childish curiosity that told him that all shiny red buttons had to be pressed. Deviancy left a lot of room for curiosity, too much sometimes. His finger hovered over it.

"Connor that button doesn't have any answers!" Kamski's voice for the first time sounded less smooth and more worried.

Now Connor had to press it, what was he hiding? It's not like Hank was telling him not to, despite Kamski constantly looking over to him, silently pleading to talk his android partner down.

Connor tilted his head a little. "What does it do?"

Kamski let out a heavy sigh, like he was dealing with a child. "Nothing beneficial for you." Connor and Hank watched him expectantly for elaboration and he sighed again. "It's an emergency self-destruct button."

Hank barked a laugh and Connor furrowed his brow.

Hank crossed his arms, "You're telling me, what you've got a handy self destruct button lying around."

Kamski was a lot less amused than Hank. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you Lieutenant Anderson if you don't believe me, then go ahead have your partner here test it for you but-"

Click

Connor wasn't buying it. Hank was right, you didn't just have a self destruct button lying around, even if it was guarded by a pass-code.

Emergency self-destruct initiated. You have 10 minutes to evacuate.

Connor's eyes widened. He looked to Hank, equally as shocked and to Kamski, who was rather disinterested again.

Hank unfolded his arms."I don't suppose you have a way to turn it off."

A crevice between Kamski's brows formed. It was the first time Connor had seen him truly contemplative. "Of course I do." He said, "But..."

Hank tensed. "No, no but's turn it off."

Kamski smirked. "Chloe, grab some of my things and get the others. We're leaving."

Hank shook his head. "Nononono what the fuck you can't just let your house blow up."

Kamski continued to leave the room. "I have plenty of money for another and honestly." He looked back. "I think I'm bored of the same old thing. Something interesting needs to happen."

'Hopefully' Kamski thought, and he believed it to be true 'plenty of interesting things would be happening soon.'

Connor tried to override the self-destruct code but to no avail. Hank and himself stood side by side observing the fiery, anarchic mess that mere moment ago was an architectural breakthrough.

Hank side glanced Connor. "Jesus Christ I can't take you fucking anywhere."

"Sorry Hank." ... "I thought he was bluffing."

Unfortunately for Connor, this time the statistics were correct. That button had nothing to do with anything, but for Kamski - it might just be the start of a whole new role to play. And Kamski was a believer that everything happened for a reason.

And there he was, Elijah Kamski, dressed more casually than ever sauntered away from the ruins of his defiled house with his three androids by his side. Pointedly and with his usual above everyone way of speaking he said "You two are paying for that." His eyebrows quirked. Hank definitely thought he might be angrier. He was starting to get the feeling that Kamski might be a little, what's the word? - Insane.

Connor 's demanour from the rest of the meeting altered instantly. He stood straighter and spoke as professionally as possible. "Certainly Mr. Kamski you will be reimbursed fully."

Hank turned. "Wait what the fuck I've not got the money for this piece of shit."

Connor tilted his head. "Is there anything apart from currency that would fit the standards of reimbursement?"

Kamski knowing Connor was acting exceptionally robotic to get under his skin clicked his tongue. "I suppose we could make an arrangement. How about a favour?"

Connor politely clasped his hand behind his back and gave Hank a quick glance for reassurance. Hank merely looked back and forth between Connor and Kamski like he was waiting for them to tell him this was a joke, or more sensibly for himself to wake up from this crazy fucking dream -nightmare?

Connor spoke again to Kamski. "Very well then Mr Kamski." He dipped his head. "Enjoy the rest of your day."

Connor turned to leave.

Kamski's voice stopped him. "Actually Connor I would like to cash in that favour now."

Hank checked his rearview mirror once again to confirm that - yep, that was indeed Elijah Kamski, creator of androids in his backseat god fucking damn it fuck why had his life gone to hell. Connor, he blamed Connor.

As if mocking him Connor momentarily turned and offered Hank a placating smile. As if to say 'so yeah, maybe things got a bit out of hand but we're still partners right buddy.'

Fucking shithead.

Hank scoffed and focused on the road.

Hank couldn't help watch Kamski again. What was he supposed to do with him? Squeezed in his backseat in-between his three identical Chloe androids. - And by the way what was the deal with them, did he have any human friends? No probably not. And were they deviants or was he keeping a couple of pretty servants around for kicks?

Hank bashed his hand on the wheel. "Why would you have a self fucking destruct fucking button in your own fucking house!"

No one was phased or even appeared slightly squeamish at hanks outburst, and honestly that pissed him off more. What happened to the good old days when raising your voice could get you an actual fucking reaction out of someone?

Kamski answered as if it was obvious "In case of an emergency of course. I have...had a lot of confidential information in that house. If anyone ever tried to steal it I needed a plan."

Hank butted in "You couldn't afford to buy a safe. You needed to blow the whole damn house up if someone tried to steal something?!"

"It was for extreme and unlikely cases and I never expected someone else to press it."

"You know what if I had a self destruct button in my house I'd probably make sure it was the most well hidden thing in the bloody world."

Connor spoke now. He couldn't help himself "Hank, if Kamski had the ability to make anything the most well hidden thing in the world surely he would have just hid the information he was trying to protect instead of installing a self destruct button to protect the information if it ever got stolen in the first place. If it was the most well hidden thing in the world he wouldn't need to worry about it being stolen."

Hank had never wanted to drive into a tree so badly in his life. He gripped the wheel tighter. "Okay thank you Connor, good to know." Hank may have only been human but surely there was going to be some type of indentation in the steering wheel at this point. "And since when are you on his side?"

"I'm not." Connor left it there.

"That's a shame Connor because I'm on your side."

Hank scoffed so hard it burned the back of his throat. Although he wouldn't show any signs of discomfort.

A moment of silence passed.

Kamski leaned forward slightly. "So do you have a spare room for me or I am going to have to use the couch?" Hank slammed the breaks right in the middle of the road. Horns blared around him.

Connor scanned him to make sure he hadn't had a heart attack. "Um Hank this isn't a parking spot."

Kamski dropped back into his seat, crossed his arms and took solace in his situation. For once, he was anything but bored.