"Detective Anderson!" Jayden exclaimed as he approached her desk.
Lara looked up at him, "What's up, Jayden?"
He handed her a file, "Elijah Kamski." he began, "Former CEO of CyberLife. It comes to my understanding that he should have information on how androids turn to deviancy."
She swiped across the screen as she viewed the information on Kamski. She then nodded, "Thanks. I'll get right on booking an appointment with him."
"Already had your android do it." he explained. This caused Lara to glance over at Connor who was looking at a file with Hank nearby. Her heart dropped every time she saw him. It had been three days since he forgot her and he had not shown any signs of him remembering her at all...
"Will you be joining us?" she asked Jayden.
He shook his head, "I have to get back to Philidelphia. Have a load of leads there. I will be back in a few days though." he then handed her a piece of paper, "Call me if you need any help with the case here."
She nodded, "Thanks, Jayden." he smiled before walking away.
Lara returned to looking down at Kamski's file...
Something inside of her said that she wasn't going to like meeting him at all.
-x-
Hank exited the car first, leaving Connor and Lara in the backseat.
"You seem troubled, Detective." Connor said, hand on her shoulder.
She sighed, "I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about this place."
He nodded, "I understand where you're coming from, Detective. But don't worry... I will keep you safe if necessary."
He winked at her before exiting the car, "We got this, Detective." Her heart fluttered as she turned a light shade of red. For an android who claimed not to be a deviant... He had really been showing himself in a whole new light the past few days.
Lara shook her head, quickly leaving the car. She then made her way over towards Connor and Hank.
An RT600 android greeted the trio, allowing them inside. She informed them that she would return once Kamski was ready to speak.
Connor's wink replayed in Lara's mind as she took a seat. Hank took the spare chair. Connor paced around the room, scanning his surroundings. Lara couldn't keep her eyes off him.
"Nice girl..." Hank stated, leaning back in his chair.
Connor looked towards him, "You're right. She's really pretty." As he said the word 'pretty' he looked towards Lara and winked once again. He then headed over towards the giant Kamski portrait on the wall.
Lara raised an eyebrow at him, cheeks going red once again. He'd never called anyone or anything that before. She bit her lip as she looked down at her fidgeting hands.
Even though he forgot her... He sure seemed to remember some sort of feelings he had had towards her...
Hank soon asked the android, "So you're about to meet your maker, Connor... How does it feel?"
He slowly turned back around to look at the Lieutenant, "I don't know..." he said sincerely.
-x-
The RT600 android soon appeared and allowed them through the door. They were greeted by two other RT600s who were inside the pool which was pure red. The man known as Elijah Kamski was currently doing laps.
"Mister Kamski?" Hank questioned.
"Just a moment, please!" he replied before completing two more laps.
He soon began to leave the pool, the RT600 android who had greeted them showed up with a robe in hand which she then handed to Kamski.
"I'm Lieutenant Anderson. My daughter Detective Anderson and this is Connor." Hank said.
"What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"
"We're investigating devaints." Lara said.
Hank continued, "We know you left CyberLife years ago but... We were hoping you could tell us something we don't know. I don't know if you're familiar with Norman Jayden from the FBI but he was the one who told us to come here."
"Oh, I'm familiar." Kamski confirmed before pausing, "Deviants... Fascinating, aren't they?" his eyes trailed towards Connor, "Perfect beings with infinite intelligence... And now they have free will. Machines are so superior to us... Confrontation was inevitable. Humanity's greatest achievement threatens to be its downfall."
"Something in the deviants' program seems to emulate emotions. We thought you might know something about how that occurs." Connor spoke to the man. Both Lara and Hank glanced at Connor in subtle confusion.
Emulate emotions? Did Connor really think that it was the program's fault that deviants, and himself, were showing emotions?
Kamski noticed the looks that the Lieutenant and Detective gave the Android...
"All ideas are viruses that spread like epidemics... Is the idea of being free a contagious disease?"
"Listen, Kamski. We didn't come here to talk philosophy. The machines you created may be planning a revolution." Hank cut in.
Kamski smirked at the three before his eyes landed on Connor once again. Something about this RK800 android was screaming the word 'DEVIANT' at him.
"Either you can tell us something helpful, otherwise we will be on our way." Lara added.
Kamski finally took a step towards Connor, "What about you, Connor?" the android tilted his head in response, "Whose side are you on?"
"I have no side. I was designed to stop deviants and that is what I intend to do." Connor tried extremely hard to keep his composure. He didn't want to show any sign of deviancy. Kamski knew that the android was lying...
"Well, that's what you're programmed to say." Kamski chuckled, "But you..." Both Hank and Lara looked at Connor for answers, the two of them looking hopeful. Kamski took another step towards Connor, "What do you really want?"
*SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^^^*
"What I want... Is not important."
Kamski smirked at Connor. He knew he was getting close to cracking the android. He was so close to bringing out Connor's deviant side, "Chloe?" he said, looking for his android.
As Chloe approached Kamski turned towards a drawer. Lara nudged her father, "Maybe we should get out of here, dad." she whispered.
"I'm sure you're familiar with the Turing test." Kamski continued. He wanted to know if Connor would show empathy... Because if he did... Then he would be seen as deviant, "I call is the 'Kamski Test', it's very simple, you'll see." he then turned to Chloe, "Magnificent, isn't it? One of the first intelligent models developments by CyberLife... And beautiful forever. A flower that will never wither."
Lara was still uncomfortable. She knew something wasn't right here, "Dad-" she whispered but was quickly cut off.
"But what is it really?" Kamski questioned, "Just a piece of plastic imitating a human... Or a living being?" he then pulled out a gun from the drawer, making Chloe drop to her knees in front of Connor, "It's up to you to answer that fascinating question, Connor." he handed him the gun, aiming it at Chloe's head, "Destroy this machine, and I'll tell you all I know. Or spare it... if you feel it's alive, but you'll leave here without learning anything from me."
"Okay, I think we're done here. Come on, Connor, lets go." Hank finally decided. He didn't want to risk Connor actually shooting Chloe.
"What's more important to you, Connor?" Kamski kept on pushing him, "Your investigation, or the life of this android?"
"Connor..." Lara began, "Come on. Lets just go. You don't need to shoot her, we'll find another way." Connor's eyes flickered towards Lara, the gun still aimed towards Chloe.
Kamski saw what was happening here as Connor's LED turned to yellow. Fascinating. Very fascinating.
"Decide who you are, Connor." Kamski said, softly, Connor's eyes flicked back towards Chloe, "An obedient machine... Or a living being, endowed with free will?"
"That's enough! Connor, we're leaving!" Hank exclaimed.
Kamski took a threatening step towards Connor, "Pull the trigger."
"Connor! Don't!" Hank ordered.
"I'll tell you what you wanna know."
"Don't..." Lara said, stepping forward and placed a hand on Connor's outstretched arm, "Don't pull the trigger." she pleaded, "There will be some other way to get information." Connor looked at her with worried eyes, she knew he didn't want to shoot, "I promise... We will learn more some other way."
Kamski definitely saw the way Lara looked at Connor. He also saw the influence she had on him.
Connor instantly put the gun down and handed it back to Kamski, LED flashing red, "Fascinating..." the man whispered, "CyberLife's last chance to save humanity... is itself a deviant." Lara took a step away from Connor, she didn't want to be in the line of fire if he exploded because of his stress levels.
The RK800 looked back at Kamski, "I... I'm not a deviant!" he said trying to convince his creator. He was also trying to convince himself...
"Really?" Kamski asked walking back towards the drawer, returning the gun. He then ordered Chloe to leave the room, "How about we try another test to prove your 'obedience'."
"We don't have time for this." Hank said turning to leave, followed by Lara, "Come on, Connor." But Connor stood still... Awaiting Kamski's next test. He had to prove he wasn't a deviant. Hank and Lara stopped in their tracks once they noticed Connor wasn't moving.
"Connor?" Lara said walking slowly back towards the android. Kamski put a hand up to stop her from walking.
He then approached the young detective, "Move. And I will shut him down." Kamski threatened, "For good." she reluctantly nodded... She definitely didn't want Connor to be shut down.
Kamski lifted a hand slowly as he looked to his right, eyeing the RK800, "Be a good little robot. And stay there. That's an order..." He then looked back towards Lara, slowly moving his hand to cup her cheek...
But just before his hand reached her skin, a certain android's hand had grabbed the man's wrist. Connor's LED was a hard red, "Leave her alone." he commanded with a glare.
"This just keeps getting better." Kamski smirked, retracting his hand from the android's grip, "You're still going to say you're not a deviant?"
Connor then moved stand in front of Lara, protectively, "I'm not a fucking deviant..." he said, clearly starting to get annoyed as he looked directly into his creator's eyes - His LED rapidly flashing yellow and red.
"Never have I ever met an android like you, Connor." Kamski took a step back, "You show emotion. Worry. Anger. Empathy. Jealousy. Love. What's next Mister 'I'm not a deviant'?"
Lara held onto Connor's arm and squeezed slightly once she heard the word 'Love'. There was no way... Connor didn't even remember her... Right?
"I..." Connor began. He didn't even know what to say.
"An android without a thing to say." Kamski kept his smirk up, "You're right. You're definitely not a deviant." Sarcasm.
Hank finally stepped in and grabbed both Lara's and Connor's arms, pulling them towards the exit, "We're. Leaving." he decided.
Kamski turned to look out of the window as the trio began to leave, "By the way..." Kamski called, causing Connor top stop in his tracks, "I always leave an emergency exit in my programs. You never know..."
"Come on, Connor." Lara whispered, taking his hand in hers.
Once they were outside in the snow, Connor retracted his hand from Lara's and headed straight for the car, getting into the back seat.
Hank folded his arms and nudged Lara, "He's not your everyday android, I'll tell you that."
"Yeah..." she replied.
"He has emotion, Lara." Hank smiled towards the car, "Never thought I would actually feel sorry for the poor bastard." He noticed Lara trying to hold back tears. He could tell that she really wanted Connor to just come out and say 'I am a deviant'. He soon decided to turn and pull his daughter into a hug. He was in shock as she instantly reciprocated. He let out a sigh, "I'm sorry, Lara. I see why you sympathise for these fuckers. They go through a lot of shit and some of 'em actually act upon it." he glanced towards the car, "He's a fighter. But he'll come around."
"I hope so." she muttered.
-x-
Connor looked out of the window at the night sky. He thought it looked quite nice with the snow falling down. He was fascinated. His LED slowly pulsed yellow as a smile formed on his face.
Hank pulled up to Lara's house and she instantly got out of the car, shutting the door behind her. She slowly walked up towards her door.
The Lieutenant groaned, "All right, Connor... You wanna crash at mine tonight?"
Connor tilted his head as he looked at Hank in the rear-view mirror, "Crashing doesn't sound at all reasonable, Lieutenant."
"I meant stay at my place, Connor! Jesus..."
The android actually chuckled slightly, "I know, Lieutenant. I was just, what you humans call, 'joking'."
Hank gave him a confused look. Since when was Connor one for making jokes? And has Connor ever laughed before?
"If you wouldn't mind, Lieutenant. I would like to stay here at Lara's. To try and reconcile."
"I er... I think she would like that." he agreed, still in shock from the fact that Connor laughed and attempted to make a joke.
Connor nodded, "Thank you Lieutenant." he got out of the car, "I will see you at 9am sharp tomorrow morning."
"I'll be there when I feel like it..." he mumbled in response as the android closed the car door.
Hank drove off as Connor made his way to Lara's door. His LED turned yellow as his metal heart began to thump faster... He tried to calm his systems down but ultimately failed.
He knocked on the door. Lara soon opened, "Connor? Why are you still here?"
"I was hoping that I could stay here for tonight, Lara." he smiled, "If that wouldn't be a problem? I can always head on over to the Lieutenants."
She shook her head, "No need to do that. Of course you can stay here." she stepped aside to allow him to enter before closing and locking the door, "Please. Sit." she said motioning towards the couch, "I will get us coffee." she winked.
"You know how I like it." Connor said, taking a seat. Lara went ahead into the kitchen.
Lara was confused. Why was he here? He didn't even remember her! He should be at Hank's!
She switched on the coffee machine and stared at it. Processing everything that had been going on over the past few days.
One the coffee machine had finished she turned around only to bump right into Connor, she noticed that his LED was red, "C-Connor? What-"
He quickly cut her off, "I remember."
He then leaned down and placed his lips on hers.
*SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^^^*
ANOTHER CHAPTER WILL BE OUT APPROX 1-2 HOURS AFTER THIS CHAPTER!