" Connor are you ok " I ask as I run up to the visibly troubled android. He doesn't move. His LED is bright red and blinking. I dont know how but I can feel his pain. Its radiating off him like the heat caused by his bio components. he'd only been away for a few minutes. what had he seen that made him like this.

all he does is stare at me for a while. we are surrounded by a civil war, humans and androids fighting each other, but he doesn't seem to care much about that now. i have to find a way to snap him out of it or we will both be caught in the fighting. the roof we are standing on wont be safe for long.

His LED turns a yellow color and his face becomes blank. As if nothing had happened but I can still feel the pain radiating off him

" I'm fine" his voice is monotone.

"No…no your not! What happened?" my arms are wrapped around him now. I dont know whats going on. And I cant think of any other thing to do.

He says nothing in responce, so I keep trying to reach him " I can feel it Connor. Feel all this pain…. Its like its my own. Dont tell me nothing is wrong"

He tilts his head. " androids do not feel pain, Physical or emotional Ms. Baquero"

The use of my last name rather than my first hit me hard. I cant remeber the last time he did that.

" your not just an android! " I yell " your my friend. At least you were…."

He just looks at me…. I hate it… Watching him slip away like this is more pain than I can handle. The pain radiating from him is subsiding. Replaced by my own painful realizations that I'm losing my best friend.

He pulls away from me slightly " ms. Baquero, I've received a report of a bomb nearby. You should get to safety "

He's not going to tell me what's wrong…. Does he even remember whats wrong or has he already repressed that memory.

" you have to tell me whats going on first" but he is already dragging me off the roof and down into the lower levels of the building.

i just want the old Connor back. this one was so much colder… i pull away from him. i'm in tears now "Connor your not listening to me at all"

he turns to face me, frowning, and the LED is red again. " it its important that i focus on the mission right now… you must comply"

Comply?! what is this, an episode of star trek…. i dont know this android any more. at this point i dont give a fuck about the mission, or weather or not our lives are in danger. i want my best friend back, not an empty shell with his face on it. i find myself wishing that i could turn it off too. just decide i dont want to feel any more.

while i am stewing in the anger, frustration and sadness brought on my not being able to help him he leaves. i dont notice till its to late. i'm left there to wonder what the hell just happened. could i have done something different…could i have protected him from whatever it was that hurt him so much he couldn't bare the pain. or was the machine always there just waiting to take control again. as i'm wondering this i hear a loud boom, and a flash of light fills the sky…..now i'm not sure i'll ever find out.

Mission Failed