"Do you think they are wondering where we went to by now?" Kara asked from beside Connor in his bed. "What do we do, now?"
"Oh, there are a variety of different-"
"I mean about this." She smiled and covered his busying thoughts. "Connor? We should move away."
"If we ignore the situation, you lose your brother, and that will make you unhappy. I can't stand for you to be unhappy. A side affect of love."
"If we don't move away, you lose Hank, and that will make you unhappy. I don't want that for you either."
"I already know what I need to do. There is only one solution. I have to talk to Luther," Connor decided.
"I should talk to him," Kara said as she curled up against his form tighter. "You both will hurt each other emotionally in the same room right now."
"It's true, we will, but you should have a chance to have your brother."
"Hank doesn't deserve to have himself dragged through this. He's not steady," Kara reminded him. "This could end bad."
"I am never averse to taking risks," Connor reminded her as he gave her a final kiss. "This will be over soon. Recharge. Detroit Blue will be with you. I will call up North to take Alice out of Luther's room, Markus will stay and then we can begin discussion."
North took Alice out of the room. Connor stepped in and closed the door with Markus. Since they had watched all details, they all knew Connor wasn't a threat. If he did something wrong, they would deal with him. In the meantime, it was time to do this. Past time to do this.
It was time to bring Luther back to their family. "Luther."
Luther didn't look at him. "Markus? Why did North take Alice away?"
"We are going to be having a discussion that doesn't involve other androids," Connor said.
Markus went to a corner and put himself into recharge.
"The contract said nothing about another not being in recharge while they were in the room with family," Connor pointed out. "He can't hear, speak, communicate or transcript. It's really just you and me. Luther."
Luther didn't look at him.
"I know that you are the one that found that loophole and wouldn't let it go. I know Markus was only trying to help, but when you saw it, you knew what to do with it."
"I don't know what you are talking about, RK800." Luther still didn't look at him. "I am doing what I can to help Kara."
Lies to try and save face with Kara. "Plausible deniability. I have to give you credit where it's due, Luther. It's the perfect revenge against me for killing Chloe."
"I don't know what you are talking about." Luther's voice was tenser though.
"Don't lie!" It was time to start turning up the heat. "Markus watched it with the others, and as soon as you saw what Kara revealed about Hank, you knew you had a grip on the future. My future. To make me suffer."
Luther didn't respond. "Why would I choose to make anyone suffer? It would only drive them away."
"You would like for her to believe that. You do not want to be brother to me, nor do you want Alice to be daughter. You cannot change anything with Detroit Blue, but you knew that extending family would put my job and Hank in jeopardy."
"I don't know what you mean. It's part of the rules."
"Hank is my father, by our standards. By our status. So, you make a case that Hank is also involved in this contract. That Hank is 'family', so I shouldn't be able to see him either without someone present in the room unless he signs the opt-out."
"Then make him sign the opt-out?" Luther suggested. "Wouldn't that solve your little tinker problem?"
"Then I would have to tell him," Connor said. "In just a short time, the truth would break out, and it would make his life miserable. He'd be on a bad road, getting teased, and just a short- it's not an option."
"Does it matter?" Luther pointed out. "All 'family' must be present at the signing. When Alice opts-out, he would have to be there."
"Yes. I know that too. The only way to proceed and leave Hank alone is to leave Detroit Blue behind here and move out. It is after all, my choice. Kara would see that. I can see my son when Kara brings him from the hotel. Or, I can just never see Alice or you or Hank again alone, only my son and Kara. Meaning, if Kara is gone, I can forget seeing anyone."
"Kara is home many times," Luther said, still keeping a straight face.
"Oh but I'm sure eventually my partner Hank would wonder why I'm not showing up for work. Why I won't talk face to face out of public. Why I can't figure out a way to see Alice. He knows I'd be doing something about it."
"He is perceptive, he is a detective," Luther said. "I still have nothing to do with that. It is just the way everything went."
Connor knew he wouldn't, but Luther was just about to break soon. "Things changed, Luther. I'm her lover."
"That was manipulation," Luther pointed out.
"No, not anymore. She is willing to move out as soon as possible with me, just so I don't have to lose Hank or Alice."
"What?" He couldn't believe it. "You lie. This is home. This place is the best for her, she would choose here. She has me and Alice here, her son, and you? You would be a question mark, but she would still have access to see you."
"I agree, she wins everything just by staying here," Connor said. "Except I already told you. It's not a lie. She is ready to move out. She doesn't do what's best for her. She cares about my happiness too." Did he see it yet? "I would be packing and getting out with her right now, if I didn't also care that she was losing her brother. That's because I want her to be happy too."
Luther was speechless.
"You can't deny it, Luther," Connor finally said over the silence.
"She has everything here, and if you don't stay, then that is up to you. It is perfect for her, she has everything." Luther didn't want to believe it. He shook his head. "It's not true."
"It is." Connor extended his hand toward him. "We are brothers, Luther."
"No!" Luther took a step backward. "It's not true, never! You killed Chloe, leaving her in a pool of cold blue blood while you probed her!"
"Yes, I did." Connor wouldn't deny it. "To save Kara, Alice, and the unborn I didn't even know was mine. You looked at those transcripts with Markus, I know you did. Every single one of them was convinced that I was a safe and kind android. You can't deny that. I never put your sister into any harm that she herself said no to."
"You just made her malfunction." Luther was still denying the truth. "She is just broken and so are you. You messed with your status, and you made her mess with hers."
"She went willingly with the plan. I didn't force anything. You saw that too," Connor said. "My status moves with everyone else, except her. Hers does too. Several calculations were ran, with both of us involved in it. There isn't a doubt. I am her lover. I am part of this family."
"So she is just willing to run away with you?" Luther sunk against the wall. "Kara." He shook his head. "This whole hotel, even it was just a last stand. This isn't home. Canada is home. Rose and her son is home. This is not home." He slumped further down. "Alice and Kara. With you, ever since you were discovered to be the father, I never got close to convincing her to go back. As soon as she knew. It was cut off forever. Only the hotel so you could keep working soundly here and see him. She's too caring."
Wait.
Wait? My calculations have been wrong. This isn't about Chloe. He knew. He saw. He must have reasoned it out with Kara, the time she was gone, seen the private videos the others had, and accepted the truth. It might have still stung, but ultimately, this was not about Chloe.
Luther wasn't taking Hank away to punish him for Chloe's death.
He was taking Hank away for taking the concept of home away.
He knew. He'd seen it, somehow, their closeness. What she had done for him. Luther knew . . . "You are truly her brother. You probably knew before anyone else."
Luther finally looked toward him. "Knew what?"
"This isn't about Chloe, this is about me taking your family away."
Yep. Luther gave him an expression that clearly spelled out Connor was right. "Humans grow up. Gain brothers and sisters. Then, then marry. Go and leave them all.
Connor felt himself relax. "Androids aren't human. Kamski wanted to create what Kara says is Humanity 2.0. but we aren't. There are no rules to how we form or bond." He stretched out his hand. Connor knew what it was like to not have family. He would never let another android feel that. "You did not lose anyone. You've only gained a brother."
Luther looked at him, perplexed. "Me?"
"What kind of work are you built for, Luther, and/or what have you always wanted to do?" Connor asked. "I work with the Police Department. Kara is working on college. What would you like to do?"
"I like . . . taking care of people," Luther said. "I am built strong, but I just want to take care of people."
"Then that is a good place to start."
"For what?" Luther asked.
"For work, because if I am going to have something that comfortably fits Kara, Alice, Detroit Blue, Me, You and occasionally Hank on bad nights, I can't be the only one to get a job."
Luther was quiet. Connor let that quiet seep in for a few more minutes before continuing. "We do have to start out here for a little while, so it's imperative we make another contract. I'm not exposing Hank's status to any other androids. He's a sensitive human, and if people start treating him bad, I don't know what would happen."
"If you shared it all, it would exonerate you. You will still deal with contracts and looks from those who still think you did wrong, to make sure he is okay." For the first time, Luther smiled at him. "I will gladly make a second contract for your friend."
Connor smiled back. "So you aren't going to play ignore with me at the door?"
"As far as I am concerned? You can leave it open," Luther agreed.
"I wouldn't go that far," Connor reminded him. "Kara is in my room right now and is unsightly. We are lovers. There are activities associated with those terms that-"
"I get it." Luther held his hand up, signaling for him to stop. Still with a smile. "I am still her brother. I don't want to hear that. I am sorry to you and Kara for Chloe almost decommissioning her and Alice. I was neglectful to my family."
"I know the feelings you felt." Connor gave him a hand up. "Apology is not needed. Can we go make this new contract now?"
"Yes. Let's go, Connor."
"We could just change this part to twelve and under for the rules," Markus agreed. "I think most would agree it's safe." He looked from Kara to Connor to Luther. "Are you all sure about this? The stigma that Connor has dealt with since day one. It would be gone."
"We are sure," Luther spoke up. "He will not drag his father into this. This is fair."
"I wish we could get rid of it altogether now." North looked at Markus. "Isn't Luther being willing to make bygones enough?"
"There are a lot of androids that are still protesting this itself," Markus warned her. "Things could get dicey if we get rid of it. Luther's conviction or not."
"Keep it," Connor insisted as he took Kara's hand in his. "We will only be here for so long anyhow. Kara isn't the type to want to stay in a hotel all the time and she is studying for college. Mothering while using the inferior educational system limit shouldn't be tough for even the weakest android. I never stay for long, I prefer the outside world. Luther is going to be studying to become a nurse while looking for helpful jobs outside."
Markus only smiled. "Whatever makes an android happy. You're welcome to stay as long as you need to. If you have any advice to share, Kara, that would be helpful too. We'll be beginning our very first volunteers."
"Just don't do too much at once," Connor reminded him. "Humans are animals. Similar to animals. They are skittish and will stampede if scared. You might consider having them go to the police station toward the ending too. Humans stop caring about what they see everyday if there's nothing to it."
"Eesh." North didn't like that. "It'll be considered."
"Anyone who tries is putting themselves on the line, I'm the only one who has done this." Kara smiled at North. "Being observed by humans isn't the worst part. Remember to tell them that too."
"Done."
"Who wants to see Uncle Luther?" Luther watched as Detroit Blue hobbled over to him. Alice was right beside him. Kara was studying for a project. Connor was working on a case. Was.
"You are getting mobile." Connor stopped to see Detroit Blue. "I predict within six months you will be walking."
"Walking," Detroit Blue echoed.
"How long until he can really talk and not just echo?" Alice asked her Dad.
"Echo," Detroit Blue said.
"I have no idea," Connor admitted. He looked toward his room. Right now the door was open and Hank had arrived. "Hello, Hank."
"Yeah, not staying long," Hank warned him, "I'm heading down soon for a beer."
"Beer," Detroit Blue said.
"The ****?" Hank asked.
"****," Detroit Blue said.
"Uh, Hank?" Connor wasn't quick enough as Kara got up from her studies.
"Will you please not cuss in front of him?" Kara said. "He is sensitive right now, his language skills are being learned."
"Learned," Detroit Blue said as he sat himself up.
"Doesn't sound like it," Hank complained, "he sounds like an echo."
"Echo," Detroit Blue said.
"He is learning to say what people say at the end of a sentence," Luther helped Hank.
"Sounds annoying," Hank complained.
"Annoying," Detroit Blue said.
"Yeah, he's definitely your son, Connor," Hank said. "Make sure you wrap it up so you don't get another one of those while it's small."
"Small," Detroit Blue said.
"You are small," Alice said toward him. "Sister, Big. You, Small."
"Small," Detroit Blue repeated.
"You've already got a hell of a housing problem, better not add to it," Hank warned him.
"Oh, I can't," Connor reminded him. "As long as there is no B-bol then no baby android can be created through any activities that are sexual."
"Sexual," Detroit Blue repeated as he finally made it to Luther.
"Connor," Kara's warning voice again.
"Connnorrrr," Detroit said holding it out as long as his mom.
"I. I have a different kind of family," Luther said, noticing the shift in dynamics.
"Family," Detroit Blue said.
Luther picked him up, and handed him to his daddy. "I like my different family."
"Yes. Change can be beneficial." Connor held his son close. "My."
"My."
"Name."
"Name."
"Is."
"Is."
"Detroit."
"Detroit."
"Aw, screw it, I'm out and gettin a beer."
"Beer."
Connor looked toward Kara, who this time, only smirked.
There family was different. It consisted of an android detective, a daughter android made to get sick and be perfect, a large android brother that was scary but only wanted to help people, a lover who did everything she could for those she loved, and a father that was still trying to find his own way in life.
And also cussed a lot.
It was a strange family. A strange big family.
But it was his family, and he'd never change a thing about it.