Early retirement, they said. Should'a done it sooner, they probably thought.

And if Sumo hadn't been brought back to him, he'd probably have put a gun to his head right then and there.

All the androids were gone now.

Destroyed.

Hank heard some of them made it to Canada. They were allowed a plot of land by the Canadian government and left to their own devices.

Like the reservations for Native Americans, the Canadian president had said.

But both the American and Canadian governments agreed on one thing: No more manufacturing. CyberLife went bankrupt cause of that particular law.

"You're an old dog," Hank said to Sumo while walking him through the park one breezy August morning. "When are you going to give up the ghost, huh? I'm just waiting for you."

There was nothing else left, after all.

Sumo barked and strained against his leash.

"Alright, alright," Hank said. "Grass not good enough today? Fine, pee on the bushes."

Sumo did not pee on the bushes. Instead he dived into them.

"Find a squirrel or somethin?" Hank said.

He sighed and tried to pull Sumo back.

And the big old dog walked himself back out of the bushes. With something firmly latched into his jaw.

It wasn't a squirrel.

"Jesus christ!" Hank looked around. There was another couple in the park. They had two dogs and were walking the same path, ten feet ahead and in the same direction.

Sumo's tail was wagging like crazy. He let go of his prize and barked.

"Shhh!" Hank said. "Hush, don't bark. Don't bark."

Sumo's ears flattened on his head at Hank's tone.

He knew when he was being scolded.

For a moment they regarded each other in silence. Then Sumo sat down and whined.

"Be a good boy," Hank murmured. "Nice and quiet."

He wrapped Sumo's leash around his hand and grabbed him by the collar, removing the dog's mobility.

Sumo wriggled, wanting to dive inside the bushes again.

But Hank stared at the hand his dog had pulled out by its sleeve.

Then he lent down and touched it, just to make sure he wasn't looking at a potential corpse.

Android skin is always smoother. They don't have pores, Connor had said, once. No pores, no hair-except on their heads- and no fingerprints.

"Let's go on home, Sumo."

The dog resisted. He kept turning back towards the bush.

"I'm coming back for it, you dumb dog," Hank hissed. "I can't move it in the middle of the damn day."

What kind of android was it? He didn't know. Was it dead? Out of batteries? Or just hiding. Standby mode?

Hank tried to remember all the things Connor had told him, but back then he didn't care to listen.

Just one more thing to regret.

oOo

The android was in the exact same spot when Hank returned with his car.

He quickly wrapped it in a bundle of blankets and loaded it into his truck.

Didn't get a good look at it. Just saw enough to know it was a male. A really tall one. And dressed in a long sleeve turtleneck and black pants. No shoes.

Covered in mud and other junk.

When he finally got home he had trouble carrying the bundle of blankets inside.

This android was a hefty one.

But then he had it propped up in his bathtub. Got the dirty clothes off, wiped the mud off his face and nearly had a heart attack.

Because this wasn't a generic construction worker android or anything like Hank had been guessing

This android had Connor's face.

It wasn't exact, but close enough to get Hank's blood pumping.

Then the android opened its eyes and Hank noticed they were blue. Not the baby browns of his Connor.

Still, as soon as it locked eyes on Hank the android grinned.

"Hank," he said. "It's nice to see you."

Gobsmacked, Hank sat himself down on the bathroom tile and stared up at this sort-of-Connor android.

"H-how do you know my name?" Hank said.

The android gripped the edge of the tub and leaned out, hair dripping on Hank's pants.

"I'm Connor," the android said. "And I was not sent by CyberLife!"

The android chuckled. "I sent myself. I found you!"

Then he regarded his surroundings. "No," he corrected. "It seems you found me first."

"B-but." Hank gestured at Connor's face. "Your eyes are blue."

Connor- was it Connor?- blinked.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Did you like the brown? I don't know how to fix that."

Hank stood. "You said there wouldn't be any more bodies for you to download into!"

The android nodded. "The RK800 models were discontinued. As was the manufacturing of all androids."

It... he... Connor looked down at the muddy water he was in. "Is this a bath?" he said. "I've never taken a bath before."

"You aren't an RK800," Hank said. To get him back on track.

"This model is an RK900," he said, pointing at his chest. "Manufactured before the law that halted android production was passed."

"So you aren't Connor," Hank said. "You're RK900."

"I am Connor," the android said. "I'm housed in an RK900, but I'm not... them."

"What?" Hank wanted a drink, but Reed had gone through the house and taken all of them out. Made him sign up for AA, but Hank never bothered to go.

The android tapped his head. "I'm RK800-55, technically speaking. I have memories of all the other RK800s. Including 54, who agreed to leave Detroit with you."

Hank could feel his eyes welling up, his throat constricting, but he wanted to nip that in the bud right now.

"If you're RK800-55," Hank said. "How did you... why are you..."

He gestured at the android's body. It wasn't just the blue eyes. This one was taller than Connor had been. Broader. His whole face seemed more square, somehow. Cheek bones? Chin? Just... sharper.

Less friendly looking, Hank realized.

"How am I in the body of an RK900, you mean?" Connor looked down at his hands. "I was able to... appropriate it."

"The hell does that mean?!"

"Well, I had help." The android, Connor, ran a hand through his damp hair. "And as soon as I had a body, I knew I had to find you. I wanted to find you."

"What's the last thing you remember?" Hank said.

Connor sighed.

And Hank realized something else for the first time.

This android didn't have an LED at its temple.

"Well," Connor said. "I told you that you should get a rental car. And you said I should stay put."

He paused. "Then I decided to disconnect from CyberLife's cloud."

They stared at each other as Hank let that sink in.

"So the last time you-you," Hank sputtered. "That's all you have?"

"There was a brief moment," Connor said. "When Amanda must have re-connected me. I resented her doing that and severed the connection. I think that happened two or three times."

Connor shrugged. "That footage... I mean, those memories, are too brief for me to know what was going on. Except that I know I was fighting with her."

Hank gulped. "She was an AI in your head."

Connor nodded.

"Is that... was that a normal thing?" Hank said. "More than one android in a body?"

Connor grimaced. "No. And Amanda was never an android. Just an AI."

"What was she even in your head for?"

Again, Connor shrugged. "I was a prototype. Maybe CyberLife was testing a method for combating deviancy. If so, it was ineffective."

Abruptly, Connor stood. Mud and water slid right off him.

Hank averted his eyes, but not quickly enough.

Androids don't have genitals, Hank thought. Weird.

Except for Traci's?

Hank groaned.

'I'm sorry Hank," Connor said. "May I borrow some clothes?"

He threw a towel at him. "Yeah. Use that for now."

"Thank you."

"I'll just, uh, go and look for something that'll fit." Hank stood and hesitated at the door.

"Thank you," Connor repeated.

Hank stared at him. Connor smiled politely.

"Do you know how long it's been?" Hank said.

"No," Connor said. "How long has it been?"

"Nine months," Hank said. "What were you... just... in the cloud?"

Connor wrapped himself in the towel like a girl might. Using his arms to keep it in place.

But it was a small towel and it left his... blank area exposed. Hank tried to keep his eyes up.

And up. Connor was taller than him now.

Connor said, "I was in a... computer server. Most likely, it belonged to CyberLife. But when they went bankrupt ownership was transfered to Elijah Kamski."

"Uh... so you were stuck in his computer this whole time?"

"Yes."

"Alright," Hank said.

What else could he say?

He finally left the bathroom to get those clothes.

Brought them back for Connor without another word.

And when Connor emerged from the bathroom...

His ankles were exposed by the jeans Hank had scrounged up. They were his biggest pair.

And Connor's broad shoulders had the buttons straining to stay buttoned.

Connor chuckled. "It's like I had a growth spurt."

Hank smiled at him. "Ah, well. We can just... get you some new clothes."

Connor nodded.

There was a pause.

Hank stared at Connor.

Connor stared at him.

And then they were hugging. Hank couldn't hold it in anymore. He was crying.

"I'm sorry," Connor murmured. "I wish I could have found another RK800-"

"You look fine like this," Hank blubbered. "Just fine."

"Then why are you crying?" Connor said.

"Cause I'm happy! You idiot." Hank patted him on the back. "I'm really happy."

"Oh," Connor said. "Me too."

"Welcome back," Hank said. "Welcome home, son."

Connor smiled. "It's great to be here."

Then Sumo came bursting in, jumping all over Connor and trying to reach his face.

Connor bent down and allowed the dog to lick him right on the nose. Chin, mouth, eyes. Everywhere.

"I missed you too, Sumo," Connor said. "I think I heard you barking at me."

And it was like they were complete again.

"Glad you didn't give up the ghost," Hank murmured.

"I'm sorry?" Connor said. "Ghost?"

"Nothin'," Hank said. "Let's all sit down somewhere. C'mon Sumo get off him."

He led his dog, and his android, to the living room.

They sat on the sofa.

"Now what?" Connor said.

He was sitting with his arms wrapped around Sumo, who continued to lick at his face as if to make sure it was there.

Connor had to peek around Sumo to look at Hank. "Now what?" He said again.

"I don't know," Hank said. "Let's just… be."

"Be," Connor echoed. "Alright."

There was an awkward moment of silence and they both just looked at Sumo, who was still wriggling around, tail thumping.

"I guess I can turn the TV on," Hank said.

"Alright," Connor peered at the screen. "I've never watched television before."

Hank chuckled. "Let's make a list later. Of things you haven't done. And we'll do them."

"Sounds good, Hank."

Yeah, it did sound good.

But they would probably need to move to Canada.

I'll worry about that later, Hank decided.

Then he turned the TV on.