A/N A note to new readers, my posting schedule is every Monday and Thursday, and I'm in the UK.

To everyone, er, TW for android death

3.10PM Tuesday 9th November 2038

Alex had been right, public transport was still running. There was a long queue by the bus stop and she rushed to join the back of it, getting her ID ready in her hand. Looking around the crowd of people, she saw the reason it was taking so long.

There was someone in black military body armour checking the ID of every single person getting on. That was fine, she had ID, there wasn't going to be a problem.

"Please, you have to let me on the bus!" someone cried at the front.

"Then show me your ID."

Megan looked around the crowd again, and felt her heart crawl up her throat. Maybe it was the amount of time she had spent around Paul, but she recognised the person at the front as an android.

"I forgot it! Please you have to believe me!"

"Hold still ma'am," the soldier took out a black instrument, not unlike an older fashioned supermarket checkout scanner. The android was scanned, and before it was complete the sensor was put away and the assault rifle whipped out.

"ON YOUR KNEES!"

"Please, I'm human!"

"ON YOUR KNEES!"

The android complied, still begging.

"Please, I just want to go home, my partner is waiting for me-"

CRACK

BOOM

Blue blood sprayed across everyone in the crowd that was range and the android's head was tilted back. It revealed a wide eyed gaze that stared at nothing, a blue stained hole in her head.

The soldier holstered the rifle and appeared to look down the rest of the line, although it was difficult to tell with the mirrored helmet.

"Next!"

The line shuffled into life, and it was only a shove from behind that got Megan moving.

She slowly shuffled her way towards the front, eyes fixed on the dead android. She couldn't look away.

"ID please."

Megan blinked, and held it up her ID. The soldier waved her on board, but it took a few seconds for her move, still focused on the android.

"It was never alive," the soldier said. "Now move along."

Fury suddenly rushed in and threatened to overwhelm her. How dare they. How could they say that this woman was never alive. The desperation in her voice still rang in Megan's ears, and the teenager felt a strong, near overpowering urge to either punch or throttle the soldier.

You can't help Paul if you're arrested

"Ma'am, move along please."

Megan got on the bus, scanned her bus pass, and looked around for a seat.

It was packed, every seat taken. People were even standing in the android compartment.

Megan awkwardly stood near the front, holding onto the rail as more people got on. Finally, the bus moved off.

It was snail journey around Detroit, as each stop took a minimum of five minutes to get everyone on board. Soon, there was barely even breathing room, let alone standing room.

The bus stopped by the train station and Megan had to get off here. Mumbling apologies she ducked and weaved through the crowd, occasionally brushing against someone.

The train station was the busiest she'd ever seen, but thankfully everything was moving quickly since trains ran on a tighter schedule. IDs were checked at the ticket stile, and that was it.

The carriages were still standing room only, so Megan kept her focus on the stops and maps. She couldn't think about Paul, or the android at the bus stop, the blue blood arching through the air, her pleas.

Megan curled in on herself, still gripping a rail for support. She needed to keep it together, needed to hold herself together.

You can't do anything. You can't help him.

Not alone I can't

You couldn't even help that android at the bus stop

It was too fast

You were too scared

That shocked the supportive voice into silence.

You're too scared to do anything. All the others are doing the work right now. Lucas, Nathan and Ivy are on traffic cams, Julia has her uncle, Alex, Allison and Oscar are unstoppable, and what about you? You're the weak link in all of this, always have been. You bring nothing to the table.

I-

Nothing

Megan was no longer holding onto the rail. She realised that she was currently on the floor hugging her knees on a crowded train, with nothing but her thoughts.

You can't help him. All you've ever been is a burden. He wouldn't have been caught if it weren't for you. Why are you still here?

Paul needs me

No he doesn't.

The train announced her stop and Megan took a deep shuddering breath, running her sleeve across her face roughly. Now was not the time.

I can worry when I get to Alex's.

The train slid to halt and doors hissed open. Megan wasted no time in getting off, hands shoved in pockets and head ducked to hide her red, blotchy face and tear streaks. She didn't want anyone to see. She was certain is anyone bothered to ask if she was okay, she would burst into tears.

4.05PM Tuesday 9th November 2038

It didn't take long to walk to Alex's from the station, and soon found herself knocking on their door.

Alex opened it, and Megan reeled when she saw them; Alex looked terrible!

Their eyes were red and swollen, their face blotchy like they'd been crying, and there was a horrible rattle in their chest, which had been missed over the phone.

"Thank God you're here, get in!" Alex ushered Megan and shut the door, letting out some spluttery coughs.

"What the hell happened to you?" Megan asked, horrified.

"We had a protest yesterday. Police got called, tear gas was thrown, pretty awful," they coughed again. "Can't talk for long without hacking up a lung, we're this way."

Alex led the way to the basement and Megan gripped the straps of her backpack as she followed them down.

Inside was scattered with normal and blow up mattresses, blankets, a few pop up tables with folding chairs and a flip chart.

Everyone was scattered around. Ivy, Maggie, Lucas and Nathan were all at the table on their laptops, charging cables twisting into the dark. Allison and Oscar were keeping an eye on the news on the tv in the corner, and Julia was nowhere to be seen.

Everyone looked up as Megan and Alex came down, and Maggie left the table to meet them.

"Alex, go sit down and rest for God's sake," she commanded, it was jarring to see her take control like this. "We've got everything in hand here, so maybe you should take a nap."

"I don't need-" Alex cut themselves off with a sudden coughing fit.

"My point exactly," Maggie turned to Megan, and her expression softened. "You look like hell."

"Feel like hell," Megan muttered in agreement. The female android was still in her mind, and her face kept being replaced with Paul's.

"Would you like a hug?"

Megan found herself nodding and Maggie swept them into the offered hug. Megan found her face pressed against Maggie's shoulder, and suddenly she couldn't take it.

"He-he's gone," she sobbed into the other girl's shoulder. "I-I cou, I couldn't-!"

"We'll get him back," Maggie reassured. "I promise."

"Wha- what if we c-can't? What i-if he-?"

"We'll never know until we try," Maggie was gently running a hand up and down Megan's back. "We're all working on it."

"I-I can't... I don't know how to help you."

"You don't need to. Paul is our friend, our ally. This group isn't whole without him, and we will find him. Okay?"

"...Okay," Megan sniffed. "...I'm getting snot all over your jacket."

"It's fine. It can be washed."

The two of them stood like that until Megan had recovered and pulled out. Maggie smiled kindly, her brown eyes full of sympathy. "We will get him back," she stated again.

"We will get him back," Megan repeated.

"Good," Maggie patted her shoulder. "You know what this van looks like, so let's get your eyes in on the feeds."

The two went over to the table and pulled up a few chairs. Maggie sat next to Ivy and Megan sat in the middle of all of them, getting a good view of all the screens.

"Hey," Lucas nodded at her. "Do you remember what time Paul was taken?"

Taken. Not 'went missing'. Not 'arrested'. Taken. That seemed more apt.

Megan thought for a second. "About four yesterday."

"Narrows it down," Nathan noted, typing. Megan leaned back to look at their feeds.

"Got it!" Ivy cried a few minutes later. She moved the laptop screen so Megan could look. "That's it, right?"

Megan squinted. Police van outside a familiar looking apartment building. Not to mention she recognised the officer who had taken Paul.

"That's it."

"Great!"

Ivy got Lucas and Nathan up to speed, and the three of them got to work, tracking it on the cams. Since they didn't need her Megan got up and went over to the tv.

Alex was napping off to the side as Maggie had suggested. Allison was still awake, despite looking just as bad as Alex.

"Ah great, you're here," Allison rasped. "I can sleep now too."

With that brusque greeting, Allison went to a nearby mattress and curled up to sleep. Oscar merely glanced over and Megan took Allison's spot.

"Where's Julia?" Megan asked, and Oscar shrugged.

"Said she was at the police station. That was an hour ago."

"Great."

"Sounds like our guys have it anyway," Oscar shrugged.

"Should we tell her?"

"She said she'd call us," Oscar turned back to the news.

"What are we looking for?"

"Anything that could tell us where they're taking the captured androids."

Megan nodded, and turned her attention to the tv. It distracted her from thinking about dead androids.

So, things get off to a flying start. The Capital Park protest would still have happened (if I've got my dates right) and Alex told everyone Paul's an android. Not too sure on reactions yet, but everyone's calmed down by this point

Other Options Flowchart

(Megan) Attack the military personal at the bus stop (would lead to a Megan Arrested Ending)

(Megan) Agree with Maggie about Alex. Make a joke

(Megan) Disagree with Maggie about looking like hell. Make a joke. Say nothing.

(Megan) Decline a hug from Maggie

(Megan) Don't repeat Maggie's statement