Chapter Fifty-Four – Into the Barricade

Lin took a breath as he looked over the makeshift wall they'd created. They'd pushed a couple of cars together, and filled in the rest with any scrap wood, barrels and sandbags they could scavenge from the surrounding SWAT defences. They'd been allowed quite close to the camp. Less distance to carry our corpses if they open fire…He thought warily, knowing the humans were eager to fire. They were only hesitating due to media presence. It seemed John, or someone else, had tipped them off. One of the deviants who'd joined them at the protest had a small pad connected to the internet. There were two feeds, the major news that was focused on Detroit, and the local news running their story.

Right now a camera above had a close up of their group. A few androids had been hit by pot shots earlier, but the SWAT teams had been told to hold off for now. It seemed they were waiting for orders, or perhaps they would see what happened in Detroit. That group also seemed to be in a standoff. A member of the FBI had tried to talk to Markus, but the leader had refused a private meeting. He stood with his people. For freedom. Peaceful freedom.

"You'll be fine." Lin assured one of the AP500s as he removed the bullet from her shoulder. She would be fine for now. He'd stopped the bleeding and her skin had patched the hole until it could be mended properly. He looked up as he heard a new commotion, camera flashes lighting the area to his left, where reporters were kept behind a police line. There was an inhuman roar and loud shuffled steps, human voices shouting in alarm.

"It's a polar bear!" A voice exclaimed, Lin looking across to see the huge white animal careening towards their barrier, a small figure gripping its fur and keeping low. The bear was definitely an android. Polar bears had been extinct for some years at this point, and the animals were new models. He didn't even realise Cyberlife had released them yet. But why is it here? He wondered, distracted as another unit called him to help. He ignored the small crowd gathering at the edge, where the figure hopped down and left the bear to flee back into the street. Police raised their weapons, but were hesitant to fire, running and dodging out of the way as the animal loped by.

"Will you let me in? I need to see Lin." John said as he crouched, barely out of sight of the humans. The small group of androids looked at him as if he'd gone mad. Why was he asking permission to enter? To them he was an android, the yellow LED on his temple flashing nervously as he waited. John breathed a sigh of relief as a hand reached out to help him over. There was one problem as he straightened up though, coming face to face with one of the RG600s. The mentally stable one this time.

"You! What are you doing here? I thought Lin sent you away! And what the hell are you wearing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" The blonde android demanded as he gripped John's shoulders and pushed him to a quiet corner of the barrier. John took a breath as he pulled a holographic pole from his jacket and slid it open. It was made to display a flag once it was activate, something their little fort was missing at the moment. He also had two holo-message display guns, which he handed to the RG600.

"I came to help…I've programmed a message for the media. You have to display it. Getting the media onside it the only way we can get through this…I have a plan." John assured, though he didn't let slip that plan. If Lin found out he'd be killed. There's a chance I'll get killed anyway…John thought nervously. One thing was certain. It had to be him. He'd even changed his identification chip so that any androids scanning his face, and any newscasters doing the same, would know who he was. Johnathan Edwin Wishart, son of Cyberlife's CEO, was siding with the deviants.

"What plan? I don't like this." The maintenance unit sighed in despair as he accepted the laser guns. He didn't trust humans at the best of times, and something about John's 'plan' was setting him on edge. The human was…afraid. John gave him a weak smile, his skin paling a little. Whatever he had planned was surely dangerous. The human was shaking, despite trying to seem put together.

"Please just find a friend, point the message that way, and shoot." John pleaded quickly as he pointed towards the media. The unit sighed as he looked at the guns. He'd used them before, so it wasn't a problem, but he didn't like the way the human was acting. "If all goes well this should be over soon." The teen assured as he looked around for Lin. He bit his lip as he found the tall Asian tending to a PC400, mainly reassuring the scared unit. It was still wearing its police uniform, it must have deviated just before the decommission order went out. John wanted to call out to Lin desperately, but his lips were suddenly stuck shut. He made a small sound in his throat, his feet carrying him before he could think.

"You'll be fine, we're in this together." Lin assured gently, the young brunette model seeming a little calmer, its LED shifting from red to yellow. Lin sighed as he pushed himself to his feet, looking over his shoulder as he picked out a set of familiar footsteps. Uneven, shuffling, human footsteps. His thirium pump pounded in his chest as he turned his head in disbelief. "No…No-no-no-no-no, what are you doing? You can't…you can't be…" He stammered, barely registering as John barrelled into his chest and gripped him in a tight embrace. He looked down as he felt John look up, tears in his bright blue eyes. He pulled John Lin by the lapels of his borrowed black coat, kissing his lips as if he'd been starved.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I know I said…I wouldn't come, but…I had to see you…I had to be here…There's something I have to do…Something only I can do…" John said between kisses, his whole body warming as Lin held him tight. Lin gripped his biceps hard, holding him back a little, both of them breathless. Lin shook his head, his own eyes tearing up. He didn't want John to be there, it was the worst thing he could imagine in that moment. If he were human he'd think this were a nightmare, but as an android he knew it wasn't. John was really there, standing in front of him, in the middle of a potential battleground.

"John, please…You don't know how dangerous this is. Why did you come here?" Lin demanded, unable to hold back from shaking the human. He was tempted to rip the fake LED from his temple. The LED flashed red, as if it were actually connected to John, but it wasn't. It was subtle, but Lin could see the delicate wire connected to something behind John's ear. John reached out, palm facing Lin. Despite his hurt and anger Lin couldn't refuse his human. He extended his hand, his skin automatically drawing back. John linked their fingers and squeezed, his blue eyes closing almost peacefully.

"Because I love you." He replied with a warm smile, standing on tiptoe expectantly. Lin felt his own chest warm as he leaned down and returned the kiss. John leaned into it, demanding more, pushing all of his love and desire into that moment. Lin returned it, a small moan escaping his throat as John's tongue demanded entry. It was strange for the blonde to take charge, but Lin allowed it, his free hand cupping John's cheek and tilting his head to a better angle. John's cheeks were flushed as they parted breathlessly. "Sorry." John murmured, dropping his eyes as he took off at a run.

"John!" Lin shouted, too surprised to stop the teen as he dove by and face forward, towards the front of the barrier. "No! Don't!" The android cried in horror as the human activated the holo-flag and easily jumped onto the roof of one of the taxis. He didn't stop or hesitate as he took the sharp metal pole and drove it through the front window of the tax, knowing his human strength wouldn't get it through the metal roof. The flag was pure blue light, shining with the triangle of Cyberlife and a raised fist in the middle.

John was shaking as he stood on the taxi's roof, staring across at a line of black armoured humans. His heart pounded as they ducked down, aiming their rifles cautiously. I made it this far…John thought, unwilling to lose confidence now. To his left he could see the RG600 had done as he'd asked, the bright blue lighting standing proud, facing the media. John swallowed, almost deafened by the sound of the helicopters and drones. Everything else was eerily silent.

"Red or blue, it doesn't matter!" John shouted as loud as he could, surprised by just how far his voice carried despite the roaring motors. He could feel the eyes on him, blinking at the camera flashes.