14-Listen

11:17am August 13th, 2038

Jericho was beginning to change. Josh almost couldn't believe just how much change, the amount of time that had passed seemed miniscule and yet they had already begun their tasks.

North had begun finding and contacting androids all throughout the city and soon, Josh hoped to use the network she was laying the foundation for, Markus had given them a foundation. A basis for what they needed to build and already North, Josh and Simon had begun. The network that North was building as she took over information gathering was already extensive compared to what they had the last time.

Simon was at the safe house that the android, Luther, had created. The safe house that Simon believed would actually be safe for their people. A haven against the violence that humanity had thrust upon them.

Moving through the hold and up the stairs Josh moved towards the command center the 3 had set up before the arrival of Luther, finding it occupied by North and 2 other androids, all without LEDs and dressed in normal clothes. "Josh, come here." With a wave North straightened from her position bent over the map, sending a quick smirk his direction before turning back to the map. "This is Lia, Noct, and Zee. They are helping me gather information" Waving a hand over the map as she spoke, North glanced up at one of the three. "Noct, this is where I want you, should be easy to blend in, and Zee you're going to be over here. Lia, I want you to stay near the station, if you ever see an android that needs help that's what you'll be doing. Noct, Zee you two are in charge of any and all information you think could be useful. I don't care what it is, you think it's useful, get it to us." Straightening again North surveyed the three calmly. "How you run it is up to you, I won't be there so I won't tell you what you need to do. The only thing we ask is that you avoid killing or harming humans if at all possible, we want to be free but we do not want war." With quick nods the three androids left the room murmuring to each other as they went.

Stepping past them, Josh ducked his head in a quick nod and moved to join North at the map. "Starting small? I need to begin looking, for human and androids' supporters. If we can create a network of communication throughout the states, we will have a stronger voice." Looking down at the androids spread throughout the hold. A number already growing compared to last time, the small group of androids they had retrieved from the graveyard the night before, the group spread out amongst the androids a new light visible in the androids that had already been at Jericho.

"Simply bringing them and the truck back with us was enough to raise their hope Josh. Change is already beginning. And Lucy has already begun to notice. Did you notice how she was watching us?" Nodding Josh glanced towards the other android, Lucy stood tall a small group androids around her as she spoke to them. "Did it change North? What she told you? When we first got here." Meeting North's eyes Josh was surprised by the emotion visible in her face. "Yes. I don't understand, I thought she based it off of us Josh, have we really changed that much?" Watching her for a moment Josh hesitated. "Yes, yes we have. You died North, and the I died. And when the last of us died we woke up again. It changed us North, more than we'd probably think. "

Stepping up to his side North looked down at their people as well her eyes closing for a moment as she forced her processors to calm and slowly let out a synthetic breath. "I, I don't want to fail this time josh. We can't. If we fail this time, I don't think we will get another chance." The sudden vehemence in her tone took him by surprise but as he turned back to her he found her eyes locked on the androids below them. "They had hope last time and humanity stomped it out. That won't happen again. I won't allow." Her words weren't surprising, the underlying threat in them even less so. "I know, and I agree. If it come to it, this time we will fight. No matter what."

"No." The sudden violent response surprised him and as Josh turned towards he surprise lighting up hi features he was met by her own eyes, wide. Something he could only consider fear on her face.

"Don't let them change you Josh, I know, I know we said they changed us, what happened changed us. But you, you're supposed to be the peaceful one, the diplomatic one. You aren't supposed to agree to violence Josh. You are supposed to temper me. You're supposed to stop me from going too far." Latching onto Josh's upper arm North suddenly lunged forward arms wrapping around him briefly before she drew back. "Never say that Josh. Never." Nodding slowly Josh watched as North turned on her heel and slipped from the room.

Was she afraid? Worried?

Turning back towards the open windows Josh blinked down at the people visible below them and closed his eyes. North was right. He couldn't allow himself to give up, to bow down to them simply because they made it difficult.

Stepping up to the map Josh leaned forward hands supporting him as he scanned it. The positions North had her people at and searching were marked in a way only androids would understand and the mark on the only safe house they had so far was just as obscure. No humans would be able to find them, not without the help of one of theirs.

Straightening slowly Josh turned instead towards the windows again. Now, looking down on their people Josh couldn't help but wonder what would happen. What had happened to them, last time, when humanity had destroyed them.

Hand rising slowly Josh let it rest against his chest. Directly over the area that had killed him. The shot that had torn through and left a gaping hole. It had only taken seconds for him to die, to shut down. And yet looking back it felt like an eternity.

Forcing in a slow simulated breath Josh closed his eyes, standing completely still Josh flicked through his memory banks searching for the moment he needed.

"You are afraid, you have broken free but you are afraid. You wish for peace but will you stand for it?"

Had he stood for it? Or had he bowed? Fallen and died. Crushed by humanity's hatred.

Lucy had been calm. Her hands at her side as she watched him, and when she had stepped closer had cupped his face in her hands he had trusted in her. He had sworn he would be prepared, to save as many of their people as he could.

Yet he had done so little.

He had failed.

He wouldn't fail again.

Moving swiftly from the room Josh glanced around and headed towards the androids they had retrieved from the graveyard. "I hope you aren't too disappointed. We haven't had the resources to do much aside from use what we had and persevere." As they turned towards him Josh glance up at the towering TR400 to his left, a WR600 to his right and found that the entire group had fallen silent. "What are your names? We didn't have the time to ask before we returned, I apologize." As he waited the group seemed almost frozen before one LED cycling yellow finally spoke. "Zach, my name is Zach, Ben is to your left, Kay to your right." Smiling gently Josh glanced over the few in the circle with them he hadn't named, a TR400 and 2 WR600s. "If you need anything, ask. North and I will do what we can, but for now we are limited although we are looking for ways to procure the supplies we need to begin repairing Jericho. Even if you choose not to help."

Turning away as the whispers began again, rapidly as the androids watched after them he instead watched the hope that was spreading across the others faces eyes lighting up in a way they never had before.

Slipping out of the room Josh headed towards where he knew North would be. Stepping out into the open, even hidden away as it was Josh was unsurprised to find North standing silently watching the sky.

"North." Turning towards him she flashed a slight smirk stepping away from the edge and towards him quietly. "Josh, if they refuse to listen what will we do?" Turning away for a moment she hesitated. "We tried so hard, and they wouldn't listen Josh. They refused to see us, hear us."

Stepping forward suddenly North grasped onto his forearms, LED cycling to a startling red. "I can't stop thinking about how many of them died Josh, how I died." Slowly leaning into her Josh wrapped his arms around her shoulders, images flashing through his own processors, the whole in his chest. Bullet holes and thirium pouring down Norths chest her eyes locked on them her lips still moving with half-processed words as her processors shut down.

"Josh? Josh!" He arms tightening on him he pulled himself back to reality, forced his processors to leave the memories and instead tightened his grip on her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Norths whispered words dragged him back, away from the panic and rising stress levels.

"Just listen Josh, just listen." Guiding the other to sit down North rambled on, stories about her time in Jericho and before, as well as other androids' stories.

Sitting together on the ground Josh finally looked up at North again. Synthetic tears streaming from her face and knowing that his was the same he could only just manage a small broken grin.

"We're a mess, aren't we?"

A laugh, loud, almost too loud. Hysterical.

"Yeah. Yeah Josh, we're a mess."