A Small Unwitting Smile: Chapter 10: Another Voice in the Dark Part I
Written By: ehProudCanadianWriter
Main Characters: Markus x OC, Elijah Kamski, Connor, Jericho Androids (+ others)
Rating: T (Violence, Swearing)
Point of View: Rheia Elliot (OC)
Disclaimers: This is to note that any similarities that can be found within this work to other fan fiction or works are completely unintentional.
Tumblr & AO3 Username: ehProudCanadianWriter
Please review and favourite if you enjoyed.
A/N: I want to thank everyone who has left a review or a like. It means a lot to me. I will take all the constructive criticism to heart. Thank you for reading along all the way to chapter 10! I hope you all enjoy this temporary shift in perspective. It's funny how some of you can read my mind (the chapter was half written when I got the request for a chapter like this, so it works out for us all!). I do have a lot more planned so stay tuned! Thanks again!
November 10th, 2038. 4:35 am
There was no denying the heaviness of the church as a quiet mourning lingering over the crowd of androids. A medley of emotions hung overhead as if the light from the stained glass brought them in from the outside world. Fear, anger, desperation, and sadness all became simply part of the hum that lingered in the anxious silence. Although a few individuals could be heard occasionally, striking up small conversations amongst themselves, everyone was simply too tired to process what had just occurred. Thousands had died with the loss of Jericho and even more would be dead by morning. They would be all that was left.
In that crowd sat a small girl. Her blond hair tussled with pink was awry and knotted with the exertions of their escape. Covered in dirt, Chelsea was one of the survivors of the attack on Jericho. She sat silently next to her sister who was attempting to keep the other child androids calm with small lullabies and songs. The young girl, however scared she might be, was not thinking of herself as many of the others were. Her eyes scanned the crowd as her fingers toyed with the small white ball that had been taken out of her cooling system only hours before. Her mind was not plagued with overwhelming doubt or fear but rather, a quiet resolve.
She needed to thank her. She had saved her and maybe, maybe the woman was scared too.
Although the attack on Jericho had terrified the poor girl, she scanned the room looking for the doctor who had helped her - the one who had broken her fever. It was the woman who had put everything on the line for her in her mind. Everyone had gotten so mad at her. She could remember the man yelling at her in the hallway. Those memories of that short time when she was not herself still lingered in the back of her mind, stored in her memory before she returned to her physical body. Without the woman's quick thinking, she would have disappeared with her hard drive failure. Chelsea was back to her old self again because of the team's quick wits. Whether it was a desire or a need, her mind thought of nothing else but that gratitude.
Her eyes found the blond android Simon who sat by himself across the room. He leaned over himself, his head hanging low. He had been so kind to her, put her mind at ease, and had helped the woman. A glint caught her eye and an idea sprung into the child's mind. She should thank him too.
Slowly the girl slid herself from the pew she sat on, brushing a hand down her clothes to remove a bit of dirt from her pants. Emily's eyes rose with the girl's movements. "Chelsea, where are you going?" her tone was laced with her worry, but the girl simply smiled a bit.
"I want to go thank Simon for helping me. Is that okay?" Her genuine intentions shined through brightly and were not deterred by Emily's impatient and hesitant glance.
"Chelsea, he's probably pretty shaken up after what happened. He might want to be alone right now."
The compassion in Emily's words only fueled Chelsea's determination. "Please, I promise I'll be right back. It might make him happy. Everyone is so sad right now and- he saved me. I want to thank him."
Emily met Chelsea's eyes and a small sigh escaped her. She pushed a hand through her dark hair and pushed herself up from her own seat. Emily's heavy shoulders were lightened ever so slightly by her sister's enthusiasm and all she could do was play along. Maybe it would help deter the gloom.
"Alright, but when I say we leave him alone - we do okay? I don't want to bother him right now."
Chelsea nodded, taking the small victory. Emily gently took her sister's hand and they both hesitantly crossed the open area of the church. Eyes followed them, both in curiosity and exhaustion. Chelsea's determination was unhindered by the heaviness of the air around her as she almost marched to Simon's side. It took the man a moment to notice her, but when he did his eyes softened slightly. A small wave of relief flowed over him. He was thankful she was safe at the very least. Simon remembered almost every body he had run past in Jericho, but there was always the lingering question as to how many had actually perished in the raid. His home, the place he had built, was gone but at least they had survived. Any least the few hundred inside the church had survived.
Chelsea released Emily's hand, but her sister was the first to speak. "We're sorry to bother you. I know this might not be the time, but Chelsea wanted to talk to you if you have a second."
Simon's eyes were soft and he nodded, pushing himself up to an upward position. When he sat upright, his eyes were at the same height as hers. Although his face was sallow, he tried to give her a small smile. Slowly, Chelsea spoke, "I wanted to thank you for saving me... I know things are bad but I just wanted to make sure I said that just in case anything else happens."
Simon's smile grew slightly and his blue eyes shined in the dim lighting of the room. He gently patted her arm, attempting to reassure the young girl. "Thank you for saying that and don't worry, they won't find us here."
Chelsea nodded before looking down at her feet. By the shifting of her body, Simon could tell there was something else on her mind. Luckily Chelsea was not a shy sort and her eyes eventually rose again. "I want to thank the other two too. Do you know where they are?"
Simon's expression fell a bit with her words and his eyes shifted to the ground. His hand went up to the back of his neck as he attempted to decide how to tell the poor girl that Rheia had not arrived with them. Emily caught sight of his discontent and gently put a hand on her sister's back. "We can find them, Chelsea, why don't we let him rest?"
Simon gradually raised his eyes to meet Emily and they shared a hesitant gaze. With as subtle of a movement as possible, he shook his head. Chelsea watched his expression and her own slowly fell. Her shoulders slumped and her lips created a firm line. Although Emily's hand gently moved to her shoulder to lure her away, Chelsea stood firm. She met Simon's eyes and kept an expectant gaze, awaiting the answer to her question. Simon's mind began to turn, attempting to decipher what to say but nothing came.
It was only as they watched each other that another soft set of footsteps patted through the dense air around them. The wisp of Markus' coat was soft but loud enough to hear over the silence of the grandiose space. Emily's eyes shifted to him as he made his way into their small conversation; no other eyes rose to meet him. Simon and Chelsea held their look as if his eyes would be able to tell her so kindly that the woman she imagined couldn't be thanked. The blond android grappled with the young girl's innocent stare, attempting to find the words in the air. Not only was Rheia not there, but she was not an android - how many more rules could they break? How much did it matter anymore?
"You must be Chelsea. I've heard a lot about you. I don't know how much you remember me."
Chelsea hesitantly pulled her eyes from Simon to look up at Markus. A mix of awe and admiration filled her expression as she looked up at the man so many claimed to be their liberator. Emily had once told her that he would save them, that she believed that he was the one she called rA9. Although Chelsea did not understand much of gods and faith, everyone did look up to him and so, she did too. She turned to him and Markus sat down on the box next to Simon. Simon looked down at his hands before his eyes met Markus' own discoloured pair. The two shared a momentary glance before Markus sighed and returned his attention to the child. The trade-off had been silent and it was simply one more thing that Markus was required to handle, one more thing to add to his mantle as their leader.
The small android watched Markus' expression as they once more locked eyes. Markus had met Chelsea when she was still recuperating before the hard drive had been reset. It was not Chelsea he had met but the collection of protocols that were buried beneath her skin. He couldn't deny that he was relieved to see that she had returned to her senses, especially after all of the hard work they had done and the risks Rheia had taken. With Chelsea, Emily, Kara, Alice, and the other children, Markus felt some level of responsibility beyond that of the other androids. He was forced to leave Carl and he didn't want to see the destruction of other families in the process. Chelsea, however, was a bitter reminder of his own failings. It was hard to look at her and not see Rheia's panicked expression after the surgery and her subsequent smile as they talked on the bridge. Although he tried to be kind and welcoming, his tone had fallen and the girl saw right through it. She was not about to let it go.
"Are you okay? You look sad. You're not hurt too are you?"
Markus was taken aback by the young girl's question. Although Emily began to protest, Markus simply offered a disheartened grimace. "I'm okay. The humans didn't hurt me. I'm just sad that all of this happened."
His words were coated in white lies and gentle truths, hiding his pain behind his teeth. Although she was an android, his eyes saw a child and his heart yearned to maintain that sense of gentle calm she had.
"The woman who helped me, she's dead isn't she?"
The words were so soft that Markus pulled in a quick breath with the shock. He set his jaw firmly, releasing a firm sigh. "She's not but she didn't come back here with us."
"Why not?" The girl's voice almost tripped on his words. Emily wanted to interject but Markus continued.
"The humans took her. She- she saved my friend and me."
"Oh..."
Chelsea's voice became a whisper and Markus watched as the wheels turned in her head. Her face was not inherently defeated, but rather was filled with a melancholic curiosity.
"They didn't take her because of me right?"
"Chelsea..." Emily tried to comfort her but Chelsea continued.
"I know people were mad at her - for - well for a lot of stuff. I heard people yelling... He said I might have alerted the humans with my tracker."
"It's not your fault, I can promise you that," Markus told her, taking the girl's hands in his own. Her face seemed to falter slightly and some of her own guilt began to play into her features. She held back, attempting to restrain the tears that glossed her eyes, but Markus' compassion threatened to push right through it, "they just- managed to find us."
"He's right."
Another voice entered the fray as a Connor slowly made his way to their side. Chelsea's eyes shifted to look at him. His face was beaten, withering in guilt and agony far more than the other people she saw. His large clothes seemed to hang off of his form. His body, although moving with a unique precision, seemed to drag ever so slightly with the weight of his mind. Although the girl did not understand why, she watched him intently as he attempted to reassure her. "The humans had the information necessary to locate Jericho. There was never any tracker information so; I can assure you that you are not to blame for what happened."
Although Chelsea questioned his surety, she looked back once more at Markus. His face sunk and settled in his bereavement. She gently squeezed his hands. There was a silence as all the adults watched the young girl contemplate her words. Her eyes sat squarely on Markus, watching the movements of his face and shoulders. Although she did not entirely understand, she tried to empathize with his suffering. "Did she help you too?"
His eyes wavered and he looked down at her hands. Chelsea's hands were enveloped in his; both of them were trembling. How could he explain to her all that Rheia had done? Did he want to? Every thought of her being taken felt like a fish hook being stuck into his back, preventing him from doing what he needed to keep his people safe. His people were what mattered, he knew that, but every small guilt pulled upon his flesh and reeled him back. Rheia had expected safety and instead was faced with a barrage of death and gunfire. He had failed her in every way he could possibly think of. Even though thinking of her was agonizing, there was no way to deny the answer to Chelsea's question. "Yes, in every way she could and I just hope I get the chance to thank her - like you. She- she's a hero."
There was a moment of hesitation before Chelsea's small hand unhurriedly moved to press her palm against Markus'. The skin on her hand shifted from her ivory skin to the porcelain white plastic beneath. Markus wavered but slowly, his hand mimicked hers. She was looking for something, some kind of reassurance. There was only one thing he could give her. He offered her nothing of his past but one simple memory. One moment, Chelsea blinked and she saw Markus. The next she blinked and she was him. Wearing his flesh, she remembered his memory as if it was her own.
She was faced with the chaos of their escape, the loud soldiers' demands echoing in her ears. They had shot his friend and he had gone to save her. Markus was prepared to sacrifice himself to fight them but was faced with something more. One moment, his eyes were blinded by the lights on the end of the soldiers' guns. The next, they were shaded by a frame. Although her face was hidden by her large coat, Chelsea unconsciously knew it was her, the woman from the surgery room.
"I'm human! I'm human, don't shoot!"
"Get out of here Markus, get out of here! Go!"
The light shined around her, bathing her in a seemingly angelic glow. With the movement of her coat, the light seemed to bend around her, blooming to haze her silhouette. To the young girl, she looked like an angel with large white wings made of a misty light...
Although Markus called out her name, she threw herself into the fire for him. The memory withdrew back from Chelsea's vision and Markus' eyes blinked with the connection's retraction. Although the memory was brutal and fresh, the girl smiled sweetly. "You like her, don't you?"
The innocent response almost made Markus smile, but he did not have the heart to answer. His own emotions were pooled in a complex web of intricate and delicate knots. Although he worked hard to try and pry them apart, and he knew how his heart sped up when Rheia smiled, the question was far more complex than Chelsea seemed to realize.
"She saved you - so why don't you save her?"
"Sadly, it's - it's not that simple," he told her honestly.
"No, but I'm sure jumping in front of those soldiers wasn't either."
Chelsea's words felt heavy against Markus' chest and were wise beyond her years. He gave her a gentle smile, putting a hand gently on her head to ruffle her already dishevelled hair. The girl smiled softly, attempting to swat his hand away. Emily placed a hand on her sister's back. "We should go see the other kids Chelsea."
Her sister nodded but gave one last look to Markus, "Please thank her for me when you see her okay?"
He nodded and it was only a moment later before the young girl walked off. Markus' eyes trailed after her, watching the slight bob in her step as she gripped onto her sister's hand. "Markus, there's something you should know," Connor spoke softly, so as not to alert the girl.
Markus looked up at him, meeting the android's eyes. "CyberLife and the police department have not yet retracted by clearance. I still have access to the police network. I just received word that Rheia Elliot has been brought to the Detroit Police station."
"Why the police station?" Simon asked softly, "wouldn't the FBI would have another base somewhere?"
"I'm not sure why they would bring Ms Elliot there. When I left, I thought the FBI was taking the evidence we had collected on deviants, but that does not seem to have been the case. I might have an idea as to how we can retrieve her - if that is your goal."
Although there were a hundred things passing through Markus' mind, those hooks pulled harder, peeling away at his skin. It would be too dangerous. He needed to protect his people. Part of him knew that she would be safe enough with them, that she would never betray what she had seen, but those hooks pulled... and pulled. His heart ached and his reasoning was clouded. Markus pushed himself from his seat next to Simon and turned in his entirety to Connor. The men locked eyes and Markus' determination was set. She was one of them and he was not going to leave her behind.