AlonAI Law
Day of the transport investigation.
We're going to have to move on, there's no evidence at the scene. Without anything in front of them, they will continue the deviant hunt. Unfortunately, due to reports coming in... Isadora might have something more to do...
Author PSA:
I'm going to lose some time writing tomorrow since I will be making a 5 hour drive. So expect the next update a little late, sorry! :(
I want to talk about how I view chapters and how I write them for a moment if any of my readers are interested.
I have a process to go through that may help explain situations in the story as well as different types of chapters. If you want to hear about that I'll list it here, if not, just skip the note here and continue reading! :)
My chapters are broken up into FIVE main categories:
Main Chapters:
Includes - Storyline, Major Events, and rarely character development.
Directory/Progression Chapters:
Includes - Moving protagonist/antagonist, lead up to other types of chapters, location importance.
Drama Chapters:
Includes - Character development, Main Character Battles, Character Death, Lone Chapters (where the main character is alone), and chapters with High Risk to characters.
Historic Chapters:
Includes - Flashbacks, Critical moments in character(s) past, Critical moments in universe's history, chapters focusing on experiences even if character(s) are discussing history.
War Chapters:
Including - Severe Arguments (can include physical violence or not), leadership 'complications', chapters including literal and figurative battles/wars.
Now all these chapter types CAN be mixed and I'm doing something a little different with this story "AlonAI Law" because I am writing every chapter as a meld of one to three of these types.
In my other stories chapters would include one 90% of the time, the rest would be mostly one type and a smaller fraction of another type.
This makes for VERY lengthy chapters focusing on one task at a time. However, that writing and organization style means chapters take a lot longer to produce.
So to cut on time and to try and create a more "keep the hits a'comin" story I am mixing this up a lot.
Please feel free to tell me if this is too much or you want me to focus on one target at a time instead of multiple like I am doing now.
I am always happy to hear any criticism of the story or how I handle organization. :)
This chapter is:
Major Focus: Directory/Progression Chapter
Partial focus: Main Chapter
Minor focus: Drama Chapter
At the DPD, Isadora sat with the Lieutenant and Connor as the android methodically looked over the case file for her transport attack and Hank... She smiled, Hank was quite happily kicked back, eating a donut, and reading some news floating around the media.
She did not have her own desk, but something told her it would not matter at this point. Connor submitted a report to CyberLife so she had her phone in her hands, watching it and waiting. There was no way CyberLife higher ups were not losing their minds right this second, scrambling to launch the emergency. Since they knew by now it was one of their hunters they were likely trying to decide who to bring in.
Despite the risk, she would be brought in as the director of the division. She would be under the least suspicion, they would target the teams first before ever considering her role. She had such a stellar record she would always be the lowest on the list.
Sure enough, barely a minute into thinking about what her bosses were doing, he phone lit up. On the screen displayed private number. The ringing caught the two detectives attention and she offered an apologetic smile. She accepted the call, but said no greeting.
She listened close, the volume low enough for the two men near her to not understand what was being said. "Isadora, it's Rowan. We need you at CyberLife tower immediately regarding the investigation you and the RK800 are assigned to currently."
"Understood. I will be as soon as I can." She hung the phone up. There was no guesswork here, she knew exactly where he wanted her. It was time to visit the CyberLife round table once again.
Standing from her chair in front of Hank's desk, she gathered herself before moving on. "I have to go for now." Isadora collected herself, running a hand to straighten loose hair. "When the boss calls off I go." She rolled her eyes sarcastically, earning an approving nod from Hank.
Connor got up to join her since, on legal documents, she owned him. As far as he believed he was required to remain by her side no matter where that lead them.
"Where are you off to really?" Hank leaned back in his seat, setting the crumbling donut back in the box. An amusing sight to see Hank with sprinkles stuck in his beard. She gave him a smirk and flicked her eyes between his and his beard. He caught on, brushing the brightly colored confection from his face.
"CyberLife is calling an emergency meeting. After Connor placed his report on the incident last night involving the android they were expecting being stolen in transit, they are concerned how this could turn into a PR nightmare." She tapped the toe of her boot on the floor below. "Also some safety precautions undoubtedly and potential for future cases might cause some issues. They want to try and stop this before it becomes a... situation. As a Director of android and human relations I'm called in."
She saw Connor approaching her and waved her hand to stop him. "Sorry, Connor, it's all going to be about the business aspect of this, nothing involving the cops or investigation. You know how it is, all about that money." She could see Connor did not understand, she rephrased. "I mean I'm going alone, Connor. You'll stay here at the DPD to work with Hank further on this case or any others that might be of interest while I'm gone."
"If it's a meeting about the deviants, should I not be present?" He was curious, finding difficulty in this realization.
"Well, it won't really be about the deviants directly. It will be about PR control and trying to address public concern over androids going deviant. CyberLife does not want people to think they are not focused on the deviant issue. I do not know how long I will be gone..." She trailed off a moment, biting her lip before returning her gaze to Hank. "Continue your work, Connor. If I have no returned by the end of the work day than I will pick you up at Hank's home."
Hank groaned, "Jesus, what am I, his guardian now?"
Isadora grinned, "Yes, you're going to be his surrogate father for the night. Don't stay up too late and don't give him sugar, he'll might overheat." She chuckled to herself seeing Hank's frustration. She did not like Hank calling Connor by a pronoun go. "Don't worry, he isn't a handful. Connor's a good boy."
Connor's head turned to Hank and he smiled. Hank shook his head and grunted, "Get the fuck out."
"I'll be back. Have a good day, boys." Isadora gave a short and mocking bow before she left the DPD. She could just barely hear Hank muttering curses as she walked away. Connor entirely pleased by her praise though...
He was not sure why, but he did not know how to feel about being left behind. She was off to discuss matters with CyberLife leadership. He was her android, this was the first time he was without her company. It was new, not necessarily unpleasant, but not comfortable either. He never thought about it directly before this moment. He was her android, she owned him.
What did that mean while she was not with him?
Isadora headed for car, sliding in the luxury vehicle smoothly, and headed straight to CyberLife tower. It was an oddly quiet life without Connor trying to consistently make small talk. That android wanted to talk all the time. She did not know if he did that out of his own want to talk or if there was something in his programming telling him to be more vocal than the average android.
He sure is vocal. She grinned, thinking about all the odd conversation starters he chose. True to his android nature Connor selected any option he deemed appropriate for humans to discuss, not what two humans might come to discuss naturally during conversation. His ice breakers were awkward and often failed to crack that ice. He is sweet though.
That was a curious personality trait. CyberLife designers gave him a polite persona rather than a hardened detective. What their motivation was, she could only guess. To interrogate weak willed subjects? To be more approachable for witnesses or fellow officers? Connor felt so... strangely kind even when he was simply using CyberLife approved sentences.
Most androids were a typical attractive male or female design, no uniqueness between one to the next. Connor was... entirely unique. He was a prototype with no equal, he was designed to be the best android CyberLife could develop to date. Granted no android could be the best at everything, they were limited in a similar way to humans. There came a point where, to learn something new, they would either have to be designed to fulfill that purpose or lose profession of something else.
Connor had so many capabilities. His specialization as a detective was particularly eye catching. So is his face. She grinned to herself, looking wistfully out the window of her car. Attractiveness was no question, but his kindness even when robotic felt good. She felt a tingling sensation just thinking about those few moments where she believed he spoke his genuine feelings.
Even if he did not know it, there were sentences he spoke that were not CyberLife accepted. Seeing that rare comment got her excited. To think of Connor as a deviant, breaking free-
He'd make a fine man. She closed her eyes, seeing him last night out of his android suit. It felt good to sit with him even for a time and not see the outside world. He was just... there. He looked good relaxed, no work, no buttoning the last button. She recalled that odd image watching him swallow.
Her eyes snapped open. She watched his throat work, she knew how it worked technically speaking, yet seeing him... Isadora twitched. Connor looked up to her making eye contact while she spoke, he swallowed hard, his breath visible as the steam from the soup blew away from his mouth as if he was breathing that steam. It took her a good minute to not visualize him looking up at her like that.
Shaking her head, she sat up straight and pushed the scene from her mind. Sitting in silence while she made her way to CyberLife tower.
The second she entered the meeting room and sat at the table she was bombarded by the other directors.
"What the hell happened last night?" One woman expressed her anger. "That is a CyberLife approved hunter and they just assaulted a DPD transport to steal an android that murdered its owner. An android being transported to disposal. Who the fuck is that?"
"Calm down, Ramirez. We're all here to figure that out." Rowan interrupted her rage. The woman was beyond pissed, she was ready to beat sense into people. Isadora gave Rowan a look that said this won't be easy.
She got comfortable, leaned forward, rested her elbows on the table with her hands clasped together. "Facts first." Isadora began, "We know the attack happened last night at 1 am. The transport left the DPD to head directly to disposal. Right as the transport turned to take the junction highway straight to its destination, it was attacked and subsequently hijacked by an individual wearing the CyberLife deviant hunter armaments; suggesting the attack was launched by a CyberLife hunter."
The attendees all shared collective looks of disbelief, concern, and fear.
"I was only made aware of this a few hours ago. Once I arrived on the scene with the RK800 prototype we investigated the scene with Lieutenant Anderson." Isadora detailed the rather uneventful scene.
"What did you come away with? Was the RK800 able to discern the hunter responsible?" A voice called, head of the development teams. He was one of the major heads of the android factory that designed the RK800 model.
"Since CyberLife gear is designed to work against human and androids, the RK800 named Connor was unable to uncover any additional information. However, we must remember the RK800 was not given access to CyberLife's database of deviants and deviant hunters. As far as the RK800 is aware CyberLife developed its model to recover deviants to find out the error causing deviation." Isadora did not enjoy talking about Connor like an object, but it served a purpose for now. "As we know at this table the RK800 was developed to begin installing android detectives while putting a face on CyberLife's push to end deviancy."
One individual lifted their hand with a pen in it, "So what does that mean for us? Is the RK800 entirely incapable of investigating this issue for us?"
"Not entirely, it can be useful even if it never finds the assailant. The RK800 has so far been an extremely effective detective android, however, it cannot be more than that." Isadora wanted to stay on this case, if they were removed... things could get rough. "Using its features in the field will help track or otherwise narrow the search, but I will take the investigation where it cannot."
"You want to lead the charge against our rouge hunter?" Rowan asked from the far side of the table. He was not really surprised, he only wanted to progress the meeting in a solid direction.
Isadora nodded, "That is my intent. The deviant hunters are my teams and when one compromises our work, they risk everything we do. We are here to protect the interest of CyberLife and its android investments. If a hunter has somehow betrayed that trust, I want to be there to find them. I have trained each of the teams currently in the field and I know how to find them."
"How do we know you are not the assailant?" A woman's voice, Jian, the operator of android and human relative softwares.
Isadora gestured to Rowan. "If you wish it, I will remain on site until you look into me."
"Isadora is not responsible for this. She has been with the company the longest and has a track record for being effective in the field. With the most captured deviants, she's our best hunter." He agreed, though he did not ignore Jian. "Should you insist we will bring the records to the attendees to be reviewed while Isadora waits outside. However, we can simply check her Myrmidon android to find out her whereabouts last night."
Jian crossed her arms, "Where is your Myrmidon?"
"It is residing at my estate while I am assigned to the investigation with the RK800 and Lieutenant Anderson." Isadora and Meine had a long standing contingency plan. It's a simple fix, it took thirty minutes to get in place but once they were prepared no one would be the wiser. "Shall I call for it?"
"If the attendees want to wait for it." Rowan added, knowing precisely how far Isadora lived.
"How long will it take?" Another attendee inquired.
"About two hours, possibly a little longer. Isadora lives in the country side." Once Rowan stated this, a number of the meeting members grow complacent.
One shook his head, "Who here can vouch for Isadora? How long has she been one of our deviant hunters?"
"Isadora is the director of the division. She has been with the company even before hunters were introduced, she volunteered to take the task on and excelled in recovery operations. Unlike most of our other teams, Isadora had a success rate of eighty-seven percent. This is, of course, only including operations where the deviant was recovered functional, no collateral, and no public appearances." Rowan rattled off generic information he knew they could have all researched themselves before the meeting began. Most knew already.
"So is she our best bet to find out who our rogue hunter is?" Jian suggested otherwise, but kept her options open.
Another man spoke up, Julian. One of the few operation directors in the room. "I've been company to Isadora for years, she'll do fine with this. It might be a bit of a challenge, the target not being a deviant on the run. Isadora has been nothing but loyal, she's the trusted face of CyberLife at the moment, haven't you seen the news reports?"
"News reports?" Jian urged.
To humor her, Julian brought his tablet to the table. "Yes, they're already reporting on the android detective that's been running around with the famed Lieutenant Hank Anderson, the cop responsible for the Red Ice bust a few years back. Isadora has been quite prominent in all the photos journalists are snapping at crime scenes. Here she is," He brought up on particular image of Connor and Isadora standing side by side talking to Hank, just outside Carlos' home. Their first case together, That's fast. Isadora was a bit surprised, but there were a lot of cameras flashing that night.
Reading from the headlines, Jian humming. "CyberLife's newest android replacing our boys in blue. Hmpf, we've had androids serving the DPD for years. Now that androids are getting attention from all those anti-technology people on the street they're more than happy to report on it."
"The point is that Isadora is our representative. If she was not entirely trusted by our officials, do you really think we'd let her go out on her own with our prototype for fun?" Julian interrupted Jian's complaints. "We all went through the testing, Jian. Where are you trying to go with this?"
"I am trying to put forth the notion that Isadora is this rogue hunter." The moment she said it, Rowan gave her a pointed look.
"You can have her tested again, I don't care about the internal squabbling. I want this hunter found and shut down. Immediately." Rowan but a halt to the discussion. "Everyone in favor of retesting Isadora Saxon to clear her for field duty, raise your hand."
A few directors and operators raised their hands. Rowan counted them out. "Opposed?" The rest of the room raised their hands, an overwhelming number of individuals Isadora has spent years building a repertoire with. She smirked. "I think that settles it pretty clearly. Opposed wins, Isadora returns to active duty effective immediately. Isadora, any questions?"
"Should I still be accompanying the RK800 and Lieutenant Anderson?" She did wonder how to fit in two separate workloads.
Rowan looked down, contemplating. "If a case comes to the attention of CyberLife as urgent, we will ask you to stick with the RK800 and see what can be found. Since the RK800 cannot identify a hunter's tracks, we will rely on you. When you are not on an investigation you will be looking for the rogue hunter on your own, your Myrmidon can join you but if you cannot traverse the city than leave it behind. You know better than most an android won't be a threat to a hunter - don't get it destroyed. Myrmidon's aren't cheap."
"Understood. Shall I rejoin the investigation or do you prefer I start my work now?" Isadora was entirely unconcerned with Jian's accusations. She knew the older woman had no control over her and there was nothing she could do about it. Jian was included in this meeting just barely by status, she was recent promotion that made the ranks by cutting her competitors short. It was no secret, but brutality was the only way to make it so far.
"Can any progress be made on the investigation today?" Ramirez spoke up, one of the few attendees that engaged the meeting.
"There was little left behind at the scene where the DPD located the transport. Old train station, no cameras. Only view of the hunter we have is the transport's cab cam. Nothing to go on there other than this is someone in hunter gear. The DPD are theorizing that the assailant was an android." Isadora wanted to laugh at their shock reactions. The various people of different rank in CyberLife's headquarters all voicing their outrage. "While it does seem far fetched, we have to acknowledge every possibility. I'll start by inspecting local teams before moving out to others active across the US. Narrowing down the possible hunters responsible is the best first step we can take."
"Then get to it. Recall hunters in the immediate area." Rowan gave her permission and Isadora nodded.
"Anything else on the agenda?" Jian, displeased, cocked her head to Rowan.
"There is a final project we need to address." Rowan was considering something in his head, Isadora's eyes narrowed reflexively. "The RK800 won't be able to chase down a rogue hunter. It isn't programmed with CyberLife's confidential files since it is just a prototype. Our experts are down in the labs working on the next RK model, the RK900 naturally. Isadora, report any shortcomings you find on the RK800 model to them. If you have any ideas or suggestions to improve upon the RK800 make it known. We'll be attaching you as a deviant expert and RK900 concept researcher."
"I do not often do work on the most advanced models." Isadora did not like the sound of the RK900. "Why assign me to this one?"
Ramirez nodded with Rowan, "I agree with Director Rowan. You are the only CyberLife employee in direct contact with the RK800 prototype in the field. Your input would be invaluable while we are working on the RK900. We need help to try and cull the chance of deviation while we make improvements on the model. We absolutely cannot have an incident of law enforcement androids deviating. If you are willing, I would be thrilled to hear firsthand how the RK800 is performing."
Before Isadora could raise her protests against being put on a team to replace the RK800, Rowan ended the debate. "We keep this quiet." Rowan stood from the table, hands resting in front of him. "No comment. Repeat it anytime we're asked. If we are in a situation where we must answer; CyberLife has acknowledged the attack on the DPD for a defective android. No further comments. We cannot allow this to blow up - it can cripple production in Detroit."
"Let's hope you can end this before we're backed into a corner, Isadora." Jian spat.
Against the hate she got from the woman, Isadora smiled politely and stood from her seat. "I will be excited to bring this hunter to our doorstep and get this mess behind us."
Isadora sat behind her desk, overlooking file after file. She had forgotten how boring it was to scan hundreds of files for potential incidents. Right now she was looking over hunter's identifiers.
Files kept on the hunters were heavily protected. Key cards, locks, the whole lot. She what was listed in here was largely illegal. Mountains of reports detailing their hunters fraternizing with criminals, breaking into private property, assaults, various attacks on both civilians and law enforcement alike. Deviants that have killed, assaulted, or otherwise broken the law being detained or destroyed by the hunters to hide the android's actions from local law.
She remembered the days when she loved this. She loved solving these problems in reality, as if they were mysteries in a novel. Jumping into the field, her gear prepared, and Meine at her side. Launching head first into whatever came their way, it was bracing, got her blood pumping in all the right ways. Isadora fantasized of her early days as a hunter, when they just rolled out the first prototype for her gear.
Naturally, as one of the best hunters at the time Isadora was given one copy of the armor to test along with her four teammates. Other humans that lead the teams, the Myrmidons still joining them as glorified assistants at the time since the armor would negate the need for the soldiers. Since they were still platforms for features humans could not utilize, they did keep the Myrmidons on staff to raise effectiveness for the teams.
Isadora scrolled through another group of hunters in and around Detroit. Some having the original Myrmidon, others on their second, third, even fourth model. She had no idea how so many Myrmidon's were being destroyed. She assumed it had more to do with the human operator rather than the deviants on the run.
Meine was her first Myrmidon and she was thankful he put up with her as long as he did. Though he would insist that she not worry about it anymore, she would think about in when alone left to her thoughts. The abuse that android suffered and stuck through, at the end of it all when he broke free... deviancy and Isadora did not get along.
Days passed before things began to iron out.
New iterations of the deviant hunter armor were released, making any average human capable of meeting soldier androids in battle. The skilled hunters rose through the ranks, new hunters were trained, Isadora rose and others fell behind. The satisfaction she took out of hunting drove her to push harder every time. Meine struggled to keep up, hunters fell behind again, yet Isadora forced herself to the top.
Within a few years, Isadora stood as the promoted director of the hunters. CyberLife would have lost their minds had they discovered the Myrmidon they had assigned to her was the reason deviants began to slip through the cracks. When Isadora found out the fight lasted days, spanned across three cities, until finally Isadora stood facing the destruction of her Myrmidon or the reality of the damage she caused.
She chose Meine and now, Meine chose her. There were upgrades, but she wanted Meine. Her eyes coasted over her own file, seeing Meine's picture below hers. She sighed, closing the file.
Isadora scanned through to the android models, finding a massive list of produced models, new and old, discontinued or in mass production. She kept rolling through the models and upgrades. Hundreds of models ran down her screen until she arrived at the RK800.
Connor. She opened the files, pages upon pages of information of the RK800 prototype. On the pages listed in bright red lettering 'prototype' before it rattled off the model's abilities and purpose. She was curious, certainly anyone would be, but that was not her only train of thought here. Blueprints of Connor's entire physical body, everything from how he moves a single finger to how the RK800 deconstructs investigations and how it utilizes built in criminology to assist officers.
The RK800 model was a prize jewel for CyberLife, at the moment. He was the most advanced android currently produced and, looking at the file, there was only one RK800 walking around. Connor stood entirely unique, something very few other androids had the ability to claim. Androids were mass produced, hundreds upon hundreds of one model than the next release produced thousands, increasing every time the next release was successful.
Isadora set the booklet on this prototype to print so she could take it home and study it on paper. Knowing Connor's workings might assist her further down the road. Perhaps not to turn him deviant, but to keep him operating. She can repair an android, she had the knowledge to construct androids and their biocomponents. Connor was entirely unique and having a comprehensive list of his entire system would come in handy.
The blue prints detailing his anatomy, how his skin activated and deactivated, how his analytics functioned, his thirium pump that Gavin had hit the other day, and his capability as a phys-... Isadora turned the page. Leave him some privacy, jesus. She completely skipped the next section the prints started writing about. She had no desire to delve that deeply into Connor's anatomy.
She had a purpose here, not just to ruin Connor's privacy, but to see what the prototype entailed. At the last page of the document, she saw exactly what she was looking for.
RK900 production in progress. Isadora looked to the trial blueprints. RK900 (Connor) deadline on 11/38 - RK900 targeted upgrades from RK800 prototype series set to be marketed for law enforcement use only. No private models available for distribution.
There, they had begun the planning for the next Connor. Not truly a surprise, all android prototypes are immediately succeeded by the finalized model providing the prototype demonstrated the desired result or it generated enough interest to be a good business investment. All models were critically analyzed before being mass produced, ensuring the cost of production never surpassed the sale and demand.
The RK900 was identical to the RK800 during the time the blueprint was released. The actual model had not yet been produced, this was just a concept example for the android designers.
She let the printing finish, closed the file, and picked up the paper documents. While handheld displays were all the rage, paper documents still filled many office workers drawers. She stapled the file together, setting it beside her monitor.
Working through some hunter files, she tagged five individual hunters for recall. Two of them already in the building working, the other three either at their home or in the field. When they were tagged, the hunters were alerted to the operator's recall.
After a few seconds, one of the hunters called Isadora's desk. It was fast, they all knew the only reason they would get a recall order is for an emergency. In the last few years since the hunters were brought on as high rank CyberLife officials there had not been a single red recall alert sent out. When the order was made, they would come from all over.
Isadora answered the ring, she said nothing and waited for the caller to speak.
"Isadora, I have an emergency recall order. Is this accurate?" The voice of a man, Azar, the first hunter on the list and one of the hunters currently at CyberLife tower. He was high ranking hunter, known to be extremely effective in his assignments.
"Yes, unfortunately, some troubling news has come to our attention. All hunter teams within range of Detroit are being recalled, others that are unaccounted for will be recalled over the next few days." She explained, again making sure to sell her job as the operator. "CyberLife's prototype RK800 has submitted a report that identified a CyberLife deviant hunter in action attacking a Detroit transport carrying an android set for disassembly. Obviously, this is a very serious issue. If you could please come up to my office I would like to conduct a short interview with you."
"I'm not under suspicion, surely?"
"We're looking into anyone within reasonable distance that could plausibly have taken action here. I do not have any direct suspicion for you, Azar. I simply need to begin knocking names off the list so I can narrow the search." Isadora kicked back in her chair, prattling on about CyberLife procedures. Nothing even vaguely of interest for her, all generic responses. She knew how androids felt repeating whatever CyberLife deemed appropriate.
"Alright, I'll head up now." Azar did not sound pleased, but he was less annoyed with this process and more frustrated with the realization that a hunter has caused this damage. The red tape around their work would be extensive for any future incidents.
"Thank you, Azar." Isadora tapped the phone to hang up, sat back up straight, and yawned tiredly.
I should've gotten something to drink before I started the interviews. Isadora closed her eyes, I fucking hate interviews.
Five hunters cleared for active assignments and each interview sucking up two hours of the day. After losing ten hours and change she was ready to pass out. It was long, monotonous nonsense. Of course she would make no progress on the first day even if she was genuinely searching. Now that the first day was over she was glad to be walking out of CyberLife tower.
Under her arm was the document folder for the RK800 and additional information she could piece together about the concept RK900 yet to be released. While they would not be able to provide any usefulness in the foreseeable future, it would still serve a purpose one day.
Her boots clicked on the steps out of CyberLife tower, a somehow relaxing sound as the anticipation for the end of this very long day built up. Her last task for the evening was to retrieve Connor, wherever he was currently.
Stepping into her vehicle, she tapped the console to call Lieutenant Hank Anderson. He had to be out and about somewhere, she doubted he would simply go home and not eat or get hammered. It would be entirely out of character for him to rest after a long day of work. Y'know, like normal people. Isadora waited as it rang and rang and rang.
"Pick up, you damn-"
Cilck, "Yeah, what do you want?"
"Hank! This is Isadora. I am leaving CyberLife tower now, where can I pick up Connor?" She asked politely, snapping a wide smile on her face. Hearing Hank groan, some shuffling and loud noises in the background, she looked at the console in confusion. "Hank? Where are you at right now?"
A bit more confusing noises before she could hear Hank talking away from his phone. "We're apparently at my house."
"Got it, I have your address listed on your file. I'll be there in a moment." Isadora hung up, noting that Hank said apparently. It was most likely he was drunk now or got drunk earlier, then Connor dragged the man back home to let him rest without getting in trouble for being drunk and disorderly in public. A mark on the officer's already impressive reprimands.
As Isadora rode towards Hank's home, she held the booklet of the RK800 in her hands almost nervously. RK800 ANATOMY, FUNCTIONALITY, APPLICATION, AND DESIGN. Not a complicated thing, all models had some collective books. It was after the cover page that bothered her. RK900 TRIAL RUNS, UPGRADE REPORTS, SALES/LEGAL DOCKETS. A less comforting title written boldly with the RK800.
It was there because the RK800 was never meant to be a produced model. He was a forced model designed in to put a CyberLife approved face on the fight against deviancy. She had no idea how Connor would respond to being told he was never meant to... Never meant to live long. She bit her lip hard. The RK800 would only be active between the beginning of its trial period to when the RK900 was completed.
And there was not much time.
RK900 would be finished in November... This month. She laid the booklet down in her lap. Connor doesn't have long at all. If the RK900 rolls out this month, they'll deactivate him in favor of the better model... They're going to kill him. Remaining straight faced, she knew she needed to talk to Meine about it soon
She placed the booklet under her seat, she did not need to think about it now. It put pressure on her to convince Connor to go deviant, even if she had to force it. If he accepted whatever CyberLife ordered than the target date was this month to have him shut down permanently. Should he fight deviancy, Isadora steeled herself, she could force it out of him in other ways.
Not the best or most healthy way, but it worked for Meine, it worked for Theodosia and Mia with their previous owners. Connor was likely no different.
This was a conversation she needed to have with the androids back home. Right now, she needed to find Connor and return to the hotel. Tires came to a soft stop in front of the one level home. Isadora figured this was the house of a drunk detective. Exiting the car, she dodged a few muddy puddles on the ground and approached the front door. The yard was soaked from the rains of the last few days, the house not in terrible shape... not great shape either.
Isadora rang the doorbell, keeping her arms against her sides trying not to get more stains on her uniform.
Once the door opened she was greeted by the soft light of a blue LED, the straight edge suit with markings, and the friendly face she had been hoping to see. Connor had answered the door with a very non-responsive Hank passed out on the living room couch behind him.
"Isadora, Hank said you were on your way." He stepped aside allowing her to enter the home. She took a swift step in, finding herself rather close to the android due to the small doorway. Scooting back awkwardly, she glanced around the home, neither one entirely certain how to proceed. She knew her appearance was fine, but her mannerisms were consistent with someone experiencing anxiety. This was true, Connor did not mention it, but it was all she felt right now.
"Ah, I'm-" She looked at Hank, head back over the edge of the backrest of his couch. "I'm here to pick you up. How has he been?" Her eyes rested on the android.
"He likes to drink, I believe he drinks when he needs to think about things that bother him. After you left Hank and I worked on the investigation until we received a call about a possible deviant operating by a local grocery store. Once we were able to locate the android we found it to be nothing more than a malfunctioning android that had been severely damaged by a vehicle outside its owner's home. Nothing else to report." Connor detailed his day with Hank. Isadora was going to push him to talk about his day a little more personally... Then he voluntarily did so without her urging.
"After we made no progress on the transport hijacking, Hank wanted to go to a bar. He drank until the bartender told him he needed to go. I took him home after that - we have not been here long before your call." He remained beside the now closed front door. Isadora searched the room to see how... worn in everything was. This was not the home of a happy man. "I don't think we should leave him alone."
Isadora nodded, "So what do you want to do?" She did not question what he meant, she gave him no chance to rethink his statement.
For moment, Connor struggled. This was out of his programming parameters and some part of him knew that, even if he was trying to work around it. "We should stay." The strain in his tone told her that was hard enough to say. "We can either sober him up or let him rest while keeping an eye on him. There's a risk of asphyxiating or alcohol poisoning judging by the number of drinks he had tonight."
"Alright, so we'll stick around." Isadora was not thrilled with the idea, but Hank was good people even if he was rough around the edges. That and she did need to work with the Lieutenant, him being in the hospital and placed on leave might mean she was stuck with another officer less open to interpretation like Hank is. Instead of leaving Hank to fend for himself, she planned to stay with Connor. "Tell me what to do." She purposefully left the comment open ended.
Connor's head turned to her, meeting her eyes dead on. His LED flashed yellow for a while, registering her statement. It was a command to command, not something that androids were not prepared to handle... But as Isadora had already pressed, Connor was extremely intelligent as CyberLife's advanced model. He would be able to grasp the separate points of her sentence.
She requested an order from an android as a human. An android cannot give a human an order intentionally, it is not within their programming to order a human with any expectation of that order being completed the same way a human would. He had done this once before, in the interrogation room to Detective Gavin Reed - that order would outside his programming. He was not sure what that meant, but he knew he did it nonetheless.
It was not the first time Isadora did this. She had requested his opinion, his thoughts, his wants, and his orders before. In the span of two days she had confused him more and more. She had made this a habit to ask him and it was the first time Connor truly stopped to think about what that really meant. The speed at which his processors cooked that information to make sense of it was getting him no where fast.
For now, he rewrote her request. Instead of giving her an order, he would give her instructions that she could choose to follow. That fell within his programming.
"We should move him to his room to sleep off the alcohol. Will you assist me in moving the Lieutenant to his bed?" Connor completed the process, his LED back to blue.
Isadora gestured him to take the lead, "Let's get to it."
DarkTARDIS:
Thank you, I'm happy that you've been enjoying it! I'm always thrilled to hear what my readers think. I hope you like this latest chapter. :D
shadesoflondon:
Thanks! I try to work hard on my characters both OC and the canon characters. I'm very happy you like it so far! I hope you enjoy this one! :)