I know I said I was going to make the upload speed much faster... but if I'm honest... I've been so busy with work and other personal shit... I struggled hard to even think about what to write with this chapter. Thank you for your patience though... I did this as fast as I possibly could. I just haven't had a lot of time and focus to do this. I will try my best to do better.

Chapter 16: The Getaway, The Malfunction

With his systems slowly entering an imminent shutdown, Connor forces himself to intervene, overriding the process before it can be executed in full. With the process reaching fifty-six point three-nine per cent fulfilment and his recovery period prolonged, his intervention leaves Connor's capabilities profoundly limited, but Connor would prefer that him being completely incapable of any form of action. Regardless of his intervention, however, due to the strain on his mental strength, the tears continue flowing down his cheeks.

Data Encoding: Shut Down Override: Action Complete.

After a couple of minutes, Connor's tears finally stopped, his quelled sobbing leaving the abandoned building in silence once again. After answering Connor's final question, Malakai found himself comfortably in his seat, taking in the picture of the hero of Detroit defeated, broken, sitting in a puddle of his blood and tears. Pieces of Connor's clothes are torn from his encounter with the Androids that ambushed him, while most of his clothes are stained with dirt, dust and blood. In simple terms, Connor is worse for wear; an abundance of his biocomponents are degraded, his Thirium levels have been vitiated and his mind has been broken down to its last fragment. Every system and program in his arsenal is screaming at him, requesting or initiating actions without his consent. If Connor's operating at all, he's operating on fumes, barely operating at all; limited and malfunctioning at best. Why Malakai hasn't killed him is a mystery. He told Connor he had one final question to ask before his death, yet, minutes after that final question was responded to, resulting in Connor's breakdown, Malakai hasn't even bothered giving one of his Androids the order, let alone finding himself from the seat. Realising that Malakai is soaking in his victory over him and using the opportunity to his advantage, Connor places his hand onto the section of his skull damaged by the ambush he endured by the Androids, the Nines he's decided to call them. As he keeps his LED covered by his hand now trickling with blue blood, Connor focuses enough to begin uploading his memory to the external storage, specifically his computer at his desk at the Department, remotely connected to his systems and programs. This remote connection allows for quick upload if he was running at full capacity, due to the physical and emotional damage endured by current events, Connor's upload speed has been modified to fifteen per cent. To keep the illusion abiding, Connor starts weeping once again, his pretended tears dropping to the ground alongside his authentic ones. Malakai proceeds to take the sight in, chuckling softly as his Androids don't move nor make a sound as they stand by their master's side. As Connor's memory stretches to its upload, Malakai ceases his chuckling and begins speaking to Connor, his voice unstable yet absolute at the same time. Connor theorises the absolution is to make what's about to happen easier for Malakai; telling himself that he's doing what he needs to be done for his cause, for his mission and not for his own accord. Not for his selfish desires. Whether or not Connor's speculation is correct and whether or not the absolution works for Malakai are unknown. One thing is certain, however; whatever Malakai has in store for Connor, he plans on executing it soon, very soon.
"So, I've broken down the city hero, have I? I have to admit to you, Detective, it was much more permissive than I expected, much, much more. These Androids are the first six, if things go as planned there will be many more to come, a battalion of Androids at my beck, call and disposal. The best part is nobody will know the distinction, they can barely distinguish the differentiation between humans and Androids without their LEDs, let alone standard model Androids and my RK900s, they could anywhere at any time."
"You talk too fucking much for your own fucking good," Connor grumbles, his eyes thinning into a death stare. "You talk more than you act, McKnight, that's going to get you killed one day."
"Is that right, Detective?"

Data Encoding: Memory Upload: Action Executed.

Allowing Malakai to keep talking, Connor examines his options, anything he can hack into to make a diversion, any option at all he could take really. After analysing his surroundings, it was discovered that this building has been abandoned for three years, eight months, twenty-six days. Most of the power in the building has been shut off, but there are some exceptions to make, it appears that the main power switch wasn't switched off, instead, specific power switches were shut off to intersect individual sections of power. According to Connor's analysis, the room he, Malakai, as well as the Nines are currently sitting and standing in is one of the many rooms that still have power. With a scanty smirk, Connor stares into Malakai's eyes as his LED flickers from processing yellow to a warning red and then finally to a neutral blue, watching as the realisation hits Malakai's face. But it's too late, Connor, regardless of his injuries and mental state, has found the upper hand against Malakai. Once again, he's found a way to survive.
"Yes, that's right, McKnight."
With a blink of his eyes, all adequate lights in the room switch on, some of the lights are more eminent than others, but the combined illumination blinds Malakai and temporarily blinds the Nines, allowing Connor an opening that lasts two and a half seconds. Using that opening to his advantage, Connor, although his injuries, charges from his current position before swiping at his handgun and continuing on his escape, however, due to the Nines covering the hole in the wall, he's limited to charging through an exposed threshold that leads to an empty and somewhat lit up hallway. Pushing his body to its restricted limits, Connor continues to move through the halls, leaving a trail of Thirium in his wake. It's only seconds before Connor begins to hear the Nines pursuing steps, Malakai's voice following closely behind.
"You cannot hide from me, Connor, nor can you escape from me! With these glasses, I can see where you are at all times, each step you take makes enough noise for me to locate you!" Without warning, a bullet pierces through one of the rotting drywall, the bullet hitting Connor in the leg, causing him to fall onto his stomach, shrieving in discomfort as his systems scream at him once again. "Take that for example! This place is rotting, falling to pieces, every bullet I fire will tear through this place and you like a hot knife to warm butter. I have to give you some credit though, you're valiant until the very end of your miserable life."
Acting fast, Connor fires at the same drywall as he rolls back onto his feet, limping this time around. Once he's finished firing the barrage of bullets, an examination of his weapon designates that he has three rounds remaining before a reload is required.

"Is that how you want to play this game, Detective?! Is that how you want to play?!" Malakai screams, his voice echoing through the building as semi-automatic rounds tear through the walls, forcing Connor to continue his move. "You're running out of bullets, Detective! You only have so many magazines on you, while I- I have more than enough to wipe you off the face of the Earth!"
"You're going to have to catch me before you can do that!" Connor growls, turning to face the pursuing Androids, firing and discharging two rounds into the Markus-resembling RK900's chest before firing the third shot, which hits the Nine in the side of the neck. While the shots to the chest merely slow the Nine down, the shot to the side of his neck catches the Nine off-guard, causing him and the rest of the Nines to take cover from a falsely predicted onslaught of bullets. "The armour doesn't cover from the neck upwards, interesting."
Connor swiftly ejects and replaces a magazine in the weapon in seconds, allowing for a swift recovery but a continued barrage of bullets that tear from the walls keeps Connor on his toes. To avoid further injury and cessation, Connor has to adjust his speed every couple of seconds, effective enough to avoid damage, as well as make his adjustments unnoticed by Malakai. Managing to maneuver through the barrage of bullets and continuing to blankly fire at the pursuing Androids, Connor finds himself converging onto a wooden door bolted by a large padlock; with the padlock being the only thing holding the door closed.
"STOP HIM! THIS IS WHAT I MADE YOU FOR! HE CANNOT ESCAPE! STOP HIM NOW!" Malakai's outcries, his voice reverberating throughout the entirety of the building. The reason behind Malakai's franticness goes far beyond Connor simply escaping his grasp for the first time. But due to the overpowering noise the city produces, the echolocation feature of Malakai's tactical glasses will make it difficult if not impossible to locate him once he escapes the building. If he escapes the building.
As Connor redirects his handgun onto the padlock, more bullets tear through the walls, with one of them hitting him in the side, pushing him into the wall as he fires his weapon. With some lucky timing and regardless of his injury, Connor's bullet tears through the lock and as he charges into the door, he's blinded up sunlight. Connor, beaten, damaged and profusely bleeding from the majority of his injuries, has found himself in a busy street, with many eyes inspecting his sudden appearance. People stop in the street to witness the display, most of them in shock and awe due to Connor's physical state, as well as the mess his blood is making on the sidewalk. With the Nines no doubt continuing their pursuit, Connor doesn't stop to answer the questions the approaching bystanders are no doubt going to ask. He keeps on the move, limping his way down the sidewalk as fast as he can, turning only once. What he discovers is the Nines, except for the Connor and Markus-resembling ones, due to each of their bullets wounds, continue to pursue him, strolling instead of chasing after him but pushing anyone that gets in their way, out of it. However, due to two of them resembling Elijah, who is a celebrity, as well as North, who is practically an Android celebrity, each of them is slowed down significantly, while the Hank and Kara-resembling Nines continue the pursuit.

Connor pushes on, knowing very well that the Nines are faster than him, especially in their physical state, ultimately refusing to give up without doing everything in his power. But that's when he sees it; a pickup truck driving along the road beside him, with the driver concentrating on the road and not him. He's driving slightly over the speed limit, leaving Connor with a small window of opportunity and by pushing his body to its limits, Connor manages to throw himself into the back of the pick-up truck, out of Malakai's grasp. The impact causes a great thud and the pickup truck to bounce slightly, catching the attention of the driver.
"What the fuck?!" The driver screams, slowly easing on the brakes until Connor opens the back window of the pickup truck.
"DON'T STOP THE CAR! JUST DRIVE! DRIVE FAST! PLEASE!" Connor screams, turning to face the pursuing Nines. "DRIVE AS FAST AS YOU FUCKING CAN!"
The driver, regardless of his panic, follows Connor's commands and slams his foot onto the accelerator, causing the pickup truck to storm down the road and away from the clutches of the Nines. Still bleeding heavily and without a lighter to slow it down or stop it entirely, Connor turns to face the driver, his simulated breathing slow, heavy and unstable. "I need you to take me to a repair Android, or I'm not going to make it. I need to use your car lighter too, slow this bleeding down as best as I can."
"Of course, man, of course! I didn't recognise you at first but you're the hero of Detroit, man, you're like my fucking idol! I'll get to a repair droid as soon as I can!" The driver says, tearing the car lighter from its socket before passing it to Connor. "Here, man."
Before Connor can take it, however, his arms seem to lose function, succumbing to the serious lack of Thirium. Slowly and steadily, Connor slides from his sitting position, sliding from his back against the pickup truck to flat onto the ground. Paralysis, but of a different kind; not an EMP charge, but something fatal, something dangerous.
"This must be what it's like to be tired," Connor says to himself, his eyes closing and his simulated breathing ceasing.