CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
When we arrived at the police station, I saw Hank at his desk looking grumpier than usual. It appeared as if he was still slightly drunk from the night before or he had a bottle in the morning. He was mumbling angrily to himself when we stopped beside him.
He let out a long sigh. "Look, Connor. We're off the case."
Connor frowned. "But we're close. I know we are. We just need a little more time!"
"It's not up to me. The damn FBI is completely taking over this damn thing and there's nothing we can do about it!"
"But I'll be sent back to CyberLife… I-I'll be deactivated…" Connor looked down and I squeezed his hand in comfort. He squeezed back.
Hank finally looked up and looked startled when he saw me. "What the Hell are you doing here? And why the Hell are you in your fuckin' pyjamas?!"
"Shut up… I – I forgot… Anyway, I'm here to stop these bastards from getting rid of my Connor," I angrily mumbled, pushing away the embarrassment of bursting into the DPD in a matching set of blue bunnies printed on the fabric.
Without knocking, I stormed into Jeffrey's office.
"Artemisia? What are you doing here? What are you wearing?" he asked. It seemed that everyone was frowning today.
"What am I hearing about Connor being sent back to CyberLife?" I went straight to the point, ignoring the question that had no relevance to what I needed to know. They were just going to have to accept the fact that I was in some strange outdoor clothing and stop questioning my choices in life! "Why didn't you tell me anything about it? He's my android!"
He looked guiltily back at me. "I know you made it, but where the RK800 is concerned, I am to report back to CyberLife. It's completely out of my hand."
"You could've at least told me as… as a friend." It didn't bring me joy to see him in distress, but I was so tired of everyone lying and keeping secrets from me.
"What do you want me to say?" he sighed. "It's been stressful with everyone on my ass and now the FBI has jurisdictions over the entire thing! I hate those bastards as much as everyone else here! Hey, if you want to save Connor, you can talk to your boss. You have more pull than me."
I nodded. That was going to be my second stop if this didn't work. It had been a while since I've been at work and I really didn't want this to be my first request, but I was going to have to do it if it meant saving Connor.
Suddenly, there was a loud bang and shouting in the halls. We quickly left the office to see Hank's fist still in the air and the other man was on the floor with a bleeding nose.
"God damn it, Hank!" Jeffrey angrily shouted. "What the Hell do you think you're doing?!"
Instead of answering the Captain, Hank shot me a look.
I tilted my head at him, trying to figure out what he was trying to tell me, but his shifty eyes were not telling me anything, so I moved in to help him up as he whispered, "Distract Perkins, Connor is in the Evidence Room."
Not really understanding the extent of this, I assumed that Connor was going to try his best to keep himself from become scrap plastic.
"Hey, are you alright? I know a bit of first aid. I can help you stop the bleeding," I offered Perkins who ripped his glower away from Hank and re-directed it at me.
Cursing under his breath, he begrudgingly accepted my offer, but I could see his eyes lingering distastefully at my clothes.
Once the adrenalin wore off, I knew that I was never going to live this moment down.
I led him to the small staff room where Jeffrey had showed me the first aid kit. I opened up the box and tried to find something I recognised because I really didn't know anything about first aid. It was really the only thing I could think of at such a short amount of time. I just hoped that he didn't know anything either and I'd be able to fumble my way through this.
I slowly took a cotton ball and dabbed uncertainly at the blood before he let out a huff and snatched it away from me. "Can't rely on anyone to do anything, anymore…"
It was awkward sitting here beside him, but I just had to make sure he didn't leave, until Connor was done… whenever that was.
"What are you still doing here? Don't you have anything better to do? Are you even an officer? Why are you wearing that and what the Hell are you even doing here?" he growled and I quickly stood up and backed away.
Well, that didn't last long. I hoped that he was at least going to spend a little more time here to tend to himself because it looked as if he was seconds away from shooting me. I really didn't want to be shot, again.
"I-I'm just a friend of a few officers here. Thought I could help, but… I'll get out of your way!" With that, I scurried away and quickly bumped into Hank who had just finished speaking with Jeffrey. "Is he done? Perkins really doesn't like me. If I didn't leave now, I don't think I'd ever be leaving that room alive."
Hank rolled his eyes. "It's not just you, kid. He doesn't like anyone. Those damn blue bunnies probably didn't help you one bit, did they?"
I crinkled my nose at him. "Did Connor…?" I told him that I would handle it. Why did he have to do this to me all the time? He just promised!
"Yeah. He's gone off with whatever information he has," Hank said. Despite his tone of voice, I could see how worried he was.
I returned home shortly after.
"You wore those outside…" Simon blinked uncertainly at me, surely questioning my sanity.
With a huff, I quickly told Simon of what happened.
Simon looked torn for a moment. "I know where he's probably going. I can… I can see if I'm able to bring him back if you wish."
I shook my head. "I don't need the both of you in trouble! One is enough to give me a mild heart attack!" After giving it a think, I went on with my thoughts. "Maybe Hank can help… We can talk this over with him. I don't want to do anything rash."
Simon gave me a small nod and I smiled back at him before wrapping my arms around his neck. "We'll bring him back and then… and then we can be a family?"
He pressed his lip on to the top of my head. "Yes, we can be a family."
