North is proud of New Jericho, always knew she would be when they first established the plan to rebuild it (just maybe not as a ship this time). Everyone goes there to seek salvation, freedom, and more so a use in this world after abandoning their programmed purposes. There's nothing more satisfying than seeing another deviant in this city making their own choices and their lives happen the way they want to.
There's one individual she doesn't trust though: Connor. He acts like he's deviant, but after what he did (hunted them, lead the FBI to their home), there's nothing she feels he can do to erase who he was made to be. Once a hunter, always a hunter. He's hiding – pretending – and nothing she says will convince Markus. He's sworn that Connor's one of them. She just can't believe it though, when its been such short time since he fled the ship with them, jumped off only for the opportunity to survival so he can make a come back and take sweet revenge.
It's a trick. It's a damned trick!
Regardless of Markus' opinions, she's determined to keep Connor away, has to for their safety, so North Takes it upon her own responsibility to deter him. He will not destroy this one, too.
Flyers with encrypted directions are torn down through his pathway. She distracts other deviants he nearly encounters so neither his not their presence is known. North hates being so social and dragging company along all day, but it's a price somebody has to pay for their precious, precious lives that are still at stake as long as he freely roams Detroit.
Now that he has no knowledge of their new dainty shelter and jas fallen into a routine she can easily manipulate, it's time to gather evidence, really prove his plot against them.
Damned if he isn't one of the best actors she's met.
His – their- day starts when he leaves a house in a small human community. It's a clever way to throw neighbors off. Earn humankind's trust and they'll let things slide right under their nose. He apparently lives in the house of an older man who serves as his investigation partner. Deceiving the very human he resides with takes sly to another whole level. Chances are, Connor changes his agenda when he isn't home, so she continues to trail him when he leaves.
Connor slips into a car, not one of those automated ones, though. He actually drives it himself without the use of an auto-navigation system. It's a vintage move, one that's probably used to sway his human roommate. Easier to track, luckily.
From what she can tell, Connor reports to the Detroit Police Department. What better connection to keep than that when going under cover? It's easy access to sensitive material, including on those like herself. He's just lucky to have started there before everything happened. It's what he was designed for. It's much harder to follow after him once he's on their clock, though… hiding from police, standing side-line in homicide scenarios without getting noticed, its a challenge - a thrill- she's actually missed. It's is turning into a game of dodgeball that rejuvenates her love to fight.
Most notably, its when he's by himself that she notices the small things come out. On police duty, he's stern, diligent, attentive... not much difference from before the revolution. Alone, though, when everything for the day is said and done? Connor fidgets, as if he's letting loose everything he held in. She doesn't want to accept it, but it's quite evitable: staying still in his own time doesn't exist, and the notion shows when his leg bounces up and down uncontrollably when sitting, little tugs at his jeans and jacket as sign of ocd. And how he bites his lower lip when his dark eyes roam the surroundings, as if paranoid that someone is watching. Well, technically she is watching, but he doesn't know. He's nervous, but she doesn't know whether to take it as a sign of guilt or anxiety.
The next day she trails him, Connor he actually has a form of entertainment: a coin. North has never seen anyone as efficient with a round silver piece as Connor is, watching the trinket flip back and forth from one hand to another. He barely has to move to catch it every time. The silver has him more satisfied than bobbing a knee. He actually has a smile on his face as it lands exactly in his palm as intended. It's like watching a toddler with a new toy, pure bliss.
As she continues to keep distance between them on the sidewalk they're cruising, North also notices the the slightest changes in his expression as he tries a fresh new, complicated trick. The coin flips into the air and he brings the other arm up, hoping to bounce it off his elbow, but it doesn't land as intended. It falls violently to the ground and rolls off into a bush. He swears under his breath-frustration- suddenly desperate to find it as he kneels instantly to the ground, shoving branches left and right.
Shit, shit shit!
North takes advantage of the moment to peer out a little more, watching as Connor gasps and reaches deeper into the bush. His search is serious. After some digging, Connor pulls out the now-dingy coin, brushing the dirt off of it and giving it a quick blow. A sigh of relief escapes as he holds the piece dearly in front of him. Strange how attached to the tiny object he is.
The drop doesn't stop him from trying the trick again. The coin soars back into the air, bounces off his elbow, and as he does a reach around his back, takes it back into his hand, and returns it to the other, all in blindside. North has to admit, she's pretty fucking impressed, and so is he , apparrantly. A smile spreads across his face in great pride.
He likes to stay busy…
Accomplishments make him feel good.
Likes…feel…
No, no, it just can't be! It's difficult to accept, but she's nearly convinced now in what Markus saw in the deviant hunter, but it has to be consistent, a proven way of life to be true and a handful of days isn't enough to show he won't relapse into machine mode right under their roof. North reserves some of her conviction aside, determined that he cant, wont, trick her, too! Maybe he knows she's following him and this is all just for survival. It has to be!
The pursuit is becoming fruitless, though. It's the same every day. He leaves, does whatever tasks are necessary for the DPD (makes the most human choices there than she's ever seen in and for both people and androids), doesn't bat an eye at other deviants nearby that she recognizes from Jericho. In fact, he kind of avoids them, and they avoid him in exchange, scattering away even when he hasn't approached them. And lastly returns home once errands are finished. She even camped out in the neighborhood one night just to catch him during sun-down when everyone would be asleep, but he never left the old man's side, never once stepped out in their slumber to pull any suspicious acts.
He's proven it, he's… actually a deviant.
On one last excursion behind his tail to confirm her brand new suspicion, the sun sets and he heads down town, making one last stop at a place she least expects: a park, and he has a dog with him, a very large Saint Bernard. She certainly can't follow him around in the open, lest becoming an obvious sore to his privacy and maybe get announced if the canine felt her intention, so she lingers in the parking lot, her car serving as a safe haven.
Connor has the dog on a leash and has just finished a friendly stroll along the local trails. He kneels down, scruffles the fur on top of the animal's head. The warm smile on his face as he talks to it like it's family is all it takes for North to know his life, his independence, his deviance… it's all very very real. She's mistaken him all this time, silently accused him behind his back of something she actually knew nothing about.
Is there anything she can do to rectify her mistake? Maybe he could join them in tomorrow's party, enjoy himself among his kind for a day and for once connect - as an android- as a deviant. Connor's made it to his car already, dog stowed away in the back seat, and he's about to get in, too. There's no time to wait, so North jumps out of the tinted vehicle, rushes to the driver's side of his, and steps in front of him, blocking his way to the seat. "H-hi!"Now that North has his attention, though, she's not sure what to say, so she blurts out the best she can manage. It's awkward as shit, but a lot better than "I followed you here!"
His brows furrow in baffled expression as he responds, "…North. Hello. It's so strange, I wasn't expecting to see you here."
He… he still knows her name…
It's actually quite pleasant knowing Connor had never forgotten them. That's not something she wants to admit, though, so she throws on a smirk and a quip in her voice as she answers, "you remember me, after all."
"Of course. How could I forget? It's been a while. How is everyone doing? How are you doing?"
"I'm great, really. Everyone's…." With a sigh, she confesses, "Everyone's doing good, too." Connor sends her a genuine smile at the news. It's been long since the revolution and they haven't spoken even once since. "You know, with Jericho being back up and all…"
Connor pauses. "So, they did rebuild it. I'd heard of it once before and wanted to see it, but…" There's a quiet, fallen tone in his voice and Connor's smile fades. From the drop in his eyes, it's evident how the subject touches him. The mere name of Jericho drops every ball in the air she'd managed up till now. It sends a wave of regret through her. All this time, and he could have…
No! North can't let it end this way. The aura between them shouts disappointment, and she needs to fix it. He's tried to atone for what he did when he was a machine, used against their cause. Now it's her turn to be responsible and atone for her actions as well.
"Listen, everyone there is having a party to celebrate it's success tomorrow, and… well, I'd like you to join. You saved so many of them, after all." The truth is that it's his place, too, and for once, North's excited about the idea of his presence in the gathering, games, and fun. She's prepared to give all the welcoming support, and…
Connor slowly shakes his head, though, can't even seem to hold a steady look into her eyes as he turns her down. "I appreciate the invitation, but… I'm not one of you guys, never was. I'll just scare everyone when it's always been you and everyone by your side that's made your beautiful new home possible. All the ones I brought from Cyberlife probably already moved on. But you…. you made their lives possible after the war, not me."
"But Connor, you-" North begins, but Connor interjects. She forgets how to speak as his next words strike her with yet more of this other side she's never seen before.
"-I just live for the law, North, I work for the DPD and look over Hank and Sumo. It's not my celebration. It's yours. Enjoy yourselves and don't worry about me. I'll still be out there catching the bad guys. Somebody has to do it." He offers a half smile as he opens the car door and slides back inside as Sumo nudges his shoulder with a head butt. "I gotta get Sumo back home, but maybe we can catch up later. Take care, North. I'll see you around."
North watches as he shuts the door, starts the engine, and drives away with one last wave goodbye. His smile is sad, and yet it offers peaceful treaty.
That's when the truth sinks in even deeper: Jericho has always been home to all lost deviants...
…except for one.
