RK1K Hope Chapter Twenty:
"EXCUSE ME FELLOW OFFICERS!" Connor spoke into the horn. Everyone slowly started to calm down.
"My name is Detective Connor Anderson! I am an android police officer!" he spoke again. Some of the android police officers cheered as Connor said his name.
"Just like you, my job is on the line, all because I am an android, my friends that work with me, their jobs are on the line, all because they are my friends," Connor went on. Then, Connor felt something deep inside of him. There was a feeling of anger, hopelessness, helplessness, as well as something else. He had felt this before, when he was working on a tough case, or met with some challenge, there was that feeling that wouldn't let him give up, and also pushed him forward, made him think Chapter Twenty:
Connor, as well as Markus and the others met back at Markus' office. Connor had Anthony in his arms and was bouncing him on his hip.
"If this thing passes, it would completely undo what we are doing as far as Android rights are concerned," North said.
"There will be anti android laws across the country, and they are starting here in Detroit, where everything has started," Simon added. Markus watched Connor.
"There were some people that supported us, that is a good thing," Josh said.
"There were human police officers that were worried about their jobs," North said. Soon, Traci, Amber, and Kara came in.
"You are one of them too, North," Markus said.
"I know," she said.
"So, now what? What do we do now?" Kara asked. She smiled at Anthony who was lying his head on Connor's chest, his eyes drooping.
"Senator Douglas had his turn, now, it is our turn," Markus said. He looked at Simon.
"Simon, do you think we can get a town hall, or call the TV stations, and ask if there is some way that we can get our side of the story out there?" he asked.
"What about a protest?" North asked. Just then, Connor got a text message from Hank.
"So yeah, there are a lot of police officers that are in front of our precinct right now, and they are going to go on a march on the streets, I think you and Markus better get your asses down here now!" it read.
"Yeah, about that protest," Connor said. Everyone looked at him.
The sun and set and it got dark when the android group arrived at the precinct. Sure enough, there was a massive group of police officers, android police officers as well as androids and other humans gathered at the front door.
"WE HAVE RIGHTS TOO! FIGHT BACK!" they kept chanting loudly over and over again.
Markus, Connor, North, Simon, and Josh, as well as the others gathered outside of the group. They were confused, but Markus had a slight smirk on his face.
"WE HAVE RIGHTS TOO! FIGHT BACK!" the crowd kept chanting.
"Well, for once I am actually proud to be a police officer," North said. Connor looked at her.
"The one time I never thought I would see humans and androids fighting for the same cause," Josh said.
"This is astounding, but they may get out of control, we have to do something," Simon said.
"They're cops, how could this get out of the control?" Traci asked. Just then, Connor noticed some familiar faces. Gavin and Hank stood close by, watching the crowd. Connor ran up to them. Anthony was safe with Kara, who along with Alice and Anthony, was dropped off at the Manfred mansion where Connor and Markus lived.
"Hank!" Connor asked in a loud voice.
"Hey Connor, one hell of a party? Am I right?" Hank answered with a scoff.
"What happened?" Connor asked.
"A lot of us police officers are pissed off, Connor, we are not going to let this go on anymore!" Hank answered. He and Gavin turned to walk into the crowd.
Just then, military showed up. Markus jumped a little. The last night he had to deal with the military was that night in November.
Both Connor and Markus walked to the what was the leader of the military group. Connor immediately noticed the slogan on his sleeve.
"Captain," he greeted the tall middle aged man in a soldier uniform.
"You want to explain this?" he asked.
"Sir, with all due respect, this is a peaceful protest of police officers, they are fighting for their jobs that are on the line, due to Senator Douglas," Markus started to explain. Then, something came over Connor. He felt the same way just like all of those other times before, just like the one time in the Cyberlife warehouse, the Cyberlife tower, and other times.
"Sir, if you let me, I can lead this protest," Connor said as he stepped up.
"If you don't control these police officers we will," the Captain threatened.
"Please we just need our voices heard, not only our jobs are threatened, but our lives as well as Detroit," Connor pleaded.
"We? You are a cop, Android?" the Captain asked.
"He is a homicide detective, Captain," Markus said, defending Connor.
"I am Detective Connor Anderson, but sometimes I go by the name Connor Manfred," Connor explained. He pointed to the crowd.
"Some of these police officers are my friends, and colleagues, they will listen to me!" Connor pleaded. North, Simon, and the rest of the group watched Markus and Connor confront the military leader.
"What are they doing?" Josh asked.
"Hopefully, get us the fuck out of here," North answered.
"You have until dawn to get these officers under control or else," the Captain said. He turned and walked away.
"God, more U.S. cities are falling apart!" he yelled out. Markus looked at Connor.
"Well, now what?" he asked. Connor looked at the crowd. All of the cops he knew over the short years on Earth looked back at him.
"Well, let's go," Connor said, his software instability was going up.
"Connor, wait!" Markus called out.
"WE HAVE RIGHTS TOO! FIGHT BACK!" the crowd kept on chanting. They were pumping their fists in the air as they chanted. Police cars with sirens blaring and the red and blue lights on top of the cars were flashing in sync with the shouting and chanting. Connor saw an opening. Markus, as well as the rest of the group that was with him followed. Connor managed to climb on top of the steps of the precinct that lead to the front doors.
"HEY!" Connor cried out. Everyone else turned to him.
"Hey, it's Connor!" Officer Miller said as he pointed at him. Some of the cops Connor recognized weren't in their police uniform. Someone handed Connor a mega horn.
and do things that lead him and others. It was hope. He had developed hope throughout the time since he was activated. He felt it when he had marched the androids to Markus that night. He felt hope when he finally became a police officer. He felt hope whenever Markus had lead a protest, the times that he went to Washington DC with Markus and the rest of Jericho, the first time when he saw Markus on the screen without his synthetic skin, the time when he and Markus got back together after they were broken up for about a year, and the time when he had escaped the deactivation encampment. Hope had lived in Connor, lived in Hank, Anthony, Markus, his friends and family, and his co workers.
"Many of you like me got a second chance in life from becoming cops, we serve and protect the people here, we lay down our lives and sacrifice our families, we put ourselves in danger everyday, with our loved ones fearing that one day, that one time they will get that phone call," Connor went on.
"We chose this because we love our city, this is our home, and now a senator who probably doesn't have any idea what goes on in Detroit, wants to take away our jobs and take away our android rights, my android brethren, who wear the same badge as me, we must fight for our lives, not just as cops, but because we are androids, and we are alive," Connor said. The android police officers, along with Nines and North, cheered.
"My human brethren, who wear the same badge as me, that like me and the android cops, who swore a life of duty to that badge, we hear you, yes androids are angry because our right to serve is under threat, but we are angry that your jobs, your lives are on the line too, we want to work with you, bond with you, serve with you, the bigots in Washington, and Senator Douglas himself are trying to rip apart what we humans and androids had worked hard for and died for, as well as built together," Connor went on. In some of the cops that he knew and worked with over the years, he saw the light in their eyes. He bonded with them, talked with them, met their families, befriended them. He had to fight for them too.
"Don't let Senator Douglas tear us apart! Here in this city, here in Detroit Police Department, despite the color of our blood, we are brothers, we are sisters, we are the ones that protect this city and we must protect each other!" Connor yelled into the megahorn. Everyone cheered. Connor glanced at Markus. Markus had a look of pride in his eyes. Connor never did anything like this people. He had talked to a group of humans before, and to a group of androids before. But not like this.
"WE ARE ALIVE! WE LIVE MORE FULLY UNLIKE ANYONE ELSE!" Connor yelled.
"WE HAVE RIGHTS TOO! WE ARE ANGRY!" Connor yelled again. This time the crowd erupted in a roar.
"LET'S TAKE THIS TO THE STREETS AND SHOW THE COWARDS LIKE THE BIGOTS IN WASHINGTON AND SENATOR DOUGLAS THAT WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!" Connor yelled one more time with his fist, the synthetic skin removed in the air. Then, he walked down the steps and lead the human android police group down the street.
With Markus, Hank, Captain Fowler, Captain Allen, and the Jericho with him in front, he lead the group down the streets of Detroit.
"BLUE BLOOD RIGHTS NOW!"
"CIVIL RIGHTS FOR ALL! CIVIL RIGHTS FOR ANDROIDS NOW!" the crowd cried out into the night sky.