...LOADING INFORMATION:
...RUNNING SELF DIAGNOSTIC:
-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]
-INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK]
-INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK]
-MEMORY STATUS... ERROR]
[...Partial data corruption detected]
-INITIATING DATA RECOVERY MODE
READY...
-MEMORY REBOOT: Engaged - 96.7%
[...Thirium Volume - 96%]
[...Thirium Pressure - 120/80]
[...Thirium Pump Rate - 58 B.P.M.]
[...Ventilation Rate - 14 V.P.M.]
[...Core Temperature - 99.7 Degrees Fahrenheit]
WARNING: right axial frame compromised - Structural Integrity 97.5%
WARNING: external electrical discharge detected
-STRESS LEVELS: ^49%
[...Seek immediate technical assistance]
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
The violent rocking of the speeding black van was enough to reboot Connor's system and allow the deviant to regain consciousness as he remained bound and helpless in the back of the vehicle. Attempting to move his arms and legs Connor was quickly made aware of tight bindings around his wrists, elbows, knees and ankles holding him still. Using his fingertips Connor traced over the surface of the bindings around his wrists and determined they were plastic zip-ties. He had to admit that the lightweight, readily available and readily portable restraints were a brilliant tool to be used in quick abductions. The blinding black hood over his head was lined with lead and prevented him from running any scans or send cybernetic distress calls, which left him unable to learn anything else about his current predicament.
Feeling a sharp, burning pain in his middle right side Connor was now painfully aware that the external electrical discharge that his system had detected was courtesy of the taser he had been taunted with before being blinded by the black hood. Laying on his left side Connor focused on everything he could feel and hear since his eyes, nose and mouth were contained inside the hood and effectively rendered useless.
Without his G.P.S. to help him find his bearings, and without his cybernetic relays to call out for help, Connor was completely at the mercy of his two masked assailants and captors. Too out of sorts to move or figure out where he was Connor decided to record as many details as he could with his other three senses and try to find his opportune moment to escape or call for help.
The van came to an abrupt stop and idled for only five seconds before it pulled forward again at a slower pace. The sound of a metal door sliding open and then shut told Connor that the van had either pulled into a garage, a warehouse or an underground location. Feeling the slight decline as the nose of the van dipped downward while driving forward Connor determined that they were in fact heading into an underground garage approximately fifteen feet below the ground.
Feeling the van come to a stop again Connor then heard the van's engine turn off, and he just waited for the two captors to make their move. The double doors at the back of the van opened up from the outside and Connor could sense two individuals standing outside the opened doors watching him.
"Think he's still out of it?" A male voice asked from Connor's left. The tone of the voice told Connor that he was a cautious deviant and didn't want to take any chances in regard to their prisoner. "He isn't moving."
"I'll check." Another male voice responded from Connor's right. As the sound of a taser coming back to life filled the air Connor could confirm that he was the deviant who tased him in the alleyway. Hovering the taser above Connor's right shoulder the deviant waited for a reaction, but when Connor didn't even so much as flinch he determined that Connor was still unconscious. "Yeah, he's out." The taser powered down and he grabbed onto Connor's right bicep with a firm grip. "Let's get him down with the other one."
"Right."
Playing dead and letting his body go limp Connor didn't resist at all as his two captors grabbed him by his upper arms and pulled him out of the van. Feeling his the toes of his gray boots hit a concrete floor Connor began counting how many steps the two deviants took as they hauled him through the garage and to a location unknown. The way the duo were marching in tandem and at a hasty clip confirmed they knew the layout of the location very well and had no problem finding their way around their little hideout.
Suddenly being dropped down to his knees, his captors keeping their hands on his biceps, Connor held still and heard the sound of an electronic lock being opened and a massive metallic door being slid open. Soon after he was picked back up and carried through what he confirmed as the opened door as he heard the same door slide shut again behind him.
"Put him over there." The deviant with the taser ordered as he and his partner hauled Connor toward a wide concrete pillar jutting out of the concrete floor and up to the metal ceiling of the underground building. Connor felt himself get lowered down to the floor with his back pressed to the pillar and his legs being outstretched before himself. "I'll get the chains."
Not daring to move since he couldn't free his hands or legs Connor resumed playing dead and didn't react when cold, heavy, metal chains were wrapped around his chest and over his arms to ensure he couldn't get up and walk away from the pillar. The icy cold steel of a switchblade slipped between his bound hands and cut through the zip-ties around his wrists, then did the same for his elbows. After the chains were fully secured around his chest and torso Connor felt the zip-ties around his knees and ankles cut free as well, and then the black hood was pulled off his head.
The hood was tossed aside and Connor's fedora fell onto the floor beside it. By all account Connor still appeared unconscious and his red L.E.D. helped him play dead that much easier in the eyes of his captors.
"He won't be a problem now." The first deviant snickered as he and the deviant with the taser headed toward the door. "Some 'Deviant Hunter', huh? That was easier than taking down his supposed 'superior'."
"Don't worry about it." The taser wielding deviant remarked with an arrogant sneer. "Everything's going to play out just like she said it would, and we won't have to worry about anyone else for the rest of our lives."
Waiting until the door opened and closed a second time Connor slowly lifted his head and opened his eyes. Blinking twice in the dim lighting Connor glanced about the unusual room and tried to call out to Hank cybernetically, only to have the message blocked by interference emanating from all around him. The interference was either a jamming signal encompassing the room or the lining of the walls and ceiling itself blocking his signal to the outside world.
Taking in his new surroundings Connor found himself in the depths of an underground warehouse that had been cleaned out of its former material and inventory leaving beyond only dust, paint stains and oil marks on the floor. The metal shelves that once stretched from floor to ceiling that used to line the gray walls had long since been cleaned off and removed. The heavy industrial equipment and machinery that had been bolted to the floor was also relocated and recycled elsewhere. The smell of old chemicals still lingering in the air made Connor's analysis software run rampant causing the deviant to consciously filter out everything not crucial to his predicament.
Testing his strength against the thick chains holding him captive against the concrete pillar behind him Connor decided to escape first and ask questions later. As he leaned forward to try to pull against the chains Connor immediately felt resistance and tried pressing harder against the metallic bindings to break free. The sound of the metal links clanking against one another echoed surprisingly loudly in the large and mostly empty room, and Connor worried that his captors might hear it.
Leaning back against the pillar Connor closed his eyes and let out a slow breath to test the pain in his side courtesy of being shocked by the taser. Unable to move and unable to call for help Connor sank back where he was forced to sit and let out a deep sigh that made the chains around his chest clank a little more.
"Shit. There has to be a way out of here."
"...There isn't." A hauntingly familiar and hushed voice responded from a shadowy area just four feet away from where Connor had been bound. As the second prisoner turned their head toward Connor they revealed their red glowing L.E.D. blinking in a dull crimson in their right temple. "I've already tried."
With his soulful brown eyes going wide with absolute shock Connor locked his gaze with the second prisoner and felt his heart sink. "K-Killian?!"
The precinct was buzzing with activity as word of Connor's abduction spread through the bullpen quickly. The four police drones failed to locate the fleeing van and no other patrol managed to locate the missing vehicle or missing deviant despite extensive searching of the area revolving around the van's last known location. While Chris, Tina and even Gavin went out to assist patrol and examine the alleyway where Connor had been abducted, Hank was forced to remain in the bullpen and ended up pacing back and forth in Captain Fowler's office with a chip on his shoulder and a scowl on his face. The last thing Hank wanted to do was sit back and do nothing, but he couldn't refuse the orders without being fired on the spot.
Being ordered to stand down as he was both a witness and too close to the victim of the reported crime, Hank had no choice but sit back and wait for a response to come in from patrol. As he continued his tense, seething, silent walking back and forth through Captain Fowler's office Hank kept his arms crossed defensively over his chest and his blue eyes fixed on the floor underfoot.
From his desk Captain Fowler finished speaking with Gavin over the phone and placed it back on the receiver with an annoyed sigh. "Reed checked out the alley and found no trace of Connor." Rubbing his left palm over his tired face the seasoned Captain leaned back in his chair and watched as his Lieutenant paced the length of the office with a sense of dread in his transfixed gaze. "He did find a false door built into the Eastern brick wall of the alleyway that Connor's abductors most likely used to hide in plain sight."
"What was behind that hidden door?"
"Two android charging stations, a charging port for a powerful stun-gun or taser, and a stash of Thirium pouches. The expiration date on the pouches indicate a recent purchase which means the deviants hiding out in the alleyway were planning on staying there for quite some time."
"Until Connor found their damn van." Stopping in the middle of the office Hank looked out at the bullpen through the transparent wall of the private space and stared at the other officers going about their business without a care for anything else in the world. "Makes me wonder what was in their van that made it worth their time to abduct Connor like that."
"Think they were smuggling something?"
"No. Actually..." Lifting his blue eyes from the floor of the office Hank stared at his commanding officer as his lips disappeared into a thin line of absolute stress and anger. The van itself and its potential contents weren't a threat, it was the person who owned the van and had those two deviants staking out the alleyway to begin with, that was the true threat. "I think we need to figure out why that van chose that alleyway and how long it could've been there. This wasn't a fluke chance that Connor happened to walk down the wrong and alley and get abducted, especially when that alley is right in front of his own home."
"You think this abduction had been planned out in advance?"
"Yeah. Connor said that a deviant had been stalking him and his brownstone for some time, and that's exactly why he went to check out the alleyway. He was looking for her." Following his gut instinct Hank began to form his own theory revolving around the abduction itself. "Maybe those two deviants who took Connor are working under this 'Anne' bitch, and she plotted the abduction herself."
"Connor was being stalked by another deviant and now he's been abducted." Nealy folding his hands together Captain Fowler rested his elbows atop his desk and pressed his knuckles against his chin in deep thought. "Not a coincidence."
"No. Connor said this 'Anne' deviant has some kind of ulterior motive or hidden agenda, and she wanted him to take part of whatever it was she's been planning. I guess she couldn't take 'no' for an answer."
"Do you know what Anne looks like?"
"Connor's mentioned her a couple times but I've never seen her." Sitting down in the chair across from Captain Fowler's desk Hank took the tablet from the corner of the desk and started writing down confirmed details to be recorded about the deviant. "He said she has long blonde hair, bright green eyes, Caucasian complexion and a slim build."
"Anne only approached Connor at the brownstone?"
"No, she goes there most often but she found Connor at the dog park once and apparently she checked in on him at the-" Hank's blue eyes brightened as he realized he might've found a new lead to follow. "We need to go to the Zeta Facility right now. She was seen in the Zeta Facility the night Connor was admitted after the fire, and she spoke with him."
"We'll head out there and check on the facility's surveillance equipment to see if we can get an image of Anne." Rising from his desk Captain Fowler decided to take the lead and work with Hank to ensure his hot-headed Lieutenant didn't do something reckless that could compromise their investigation into the missing deviant detective. "From there we'll release her image to the public and ask for tips."
"Don't reveal that she's a deviant." Knowing that a low profile was crucial Hank righteously cautioned as he and Captain Fowler left the private office and set foot in the bullpen. "It'll stir up panic and bigotry that'll just cause more harm than good."
Still struggling against the heavy chains wrapped around his chest, torso and upper arms Connor looked over at Killian and tried to run a scan over the 'RK-900' but the dampening field was so powerful that Connor couldn't effectively run a scan over the deviant sitting just out of arm's reach. Speaking in a low whisper as cybernetic communication was impossible Connor asked Killian what had happened to him and how long he had been captive. Learning that Killian had been attempting to reach out to him at the brownstone when he was confronted by Anne and then her two lackeys jumped him, left Connor feeling guilty. If he had been at the brownstone when Killian stopped by then he never would've been abducted.
Through the dim lighting of the room Connor could see that Killian had a blacked right eye and his L.E.D. was flickering in a weak red. A healed laceration ran under his right eye and he had fading bruises around his jawline. The dirtied and torn-up white clothing indicated a struggle that Killian had apparently lost either before, during, or after his initial abduction. Unable to scan Killian's body Connor couldn't determine if he suffered any internal damage or not.
"I'm so sorry, Killian." Bowing his head in shame Connor tried to think of a way to escape and bring Killian with him. The last thing he was going to do was leave the very deviant he was trying to locate behind to suffer at the hands of their abductors while he made an escape, they were going to leave together. "This never should've happened! If I had been at the brownstone where I told you I'd be, then you never would've been taken and you'd would be safe right now!"
"No. I'm at fault again." Killian looked away from Connor with the same sense of shame washing over him. "I should've stayed in isolation where I belong. All I do is cause problems and put people in danger."
"Killian, nothing you did is your fault and I'm going to help you understand that. Until then, we need to find a way to get out of here!" Sparing his strength Connor leaned back against the pillar behind him and stopped pressing his body forward against the thick metal chains. Doing his best to look around the room despite his very limited visual range Connor began running numerous preconstructions in his mind. "How long have you been here?"
"...Six days." Killian confirmed the time frame that Connor and Hank had been working with. "By morning it'll be day seven."
"What did they do to you? I can see you're recovering from damage."
"They wanted me to join them and aid their cause." Killian whispered as he returned his uneasy gaze to Connor sitting painfully close yet so far away from him. "I refused. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Who is this 'they'?" Connor asked as he tried to understand what was going on. Unfortunately, dealing with hostage situations wasn't anything new for Connor, but even so his experience didn't guarantee success. "The two deviants who abducted me?"
"Correct. They are working under the deviant named 'Anne'. She's the one who ordered them to abduct me when I stopped by your brownstone."
"Shit, I knew there was something shady about her. I should've trusted my gut and investigated her when I had the chance."
"Connor," sounding less timid and more concerned about the situation at hand Killian called out to the deviant detective in a level voice. "what do you know of Anne and her past?"
"She was a 'Traci' who was purchased by Andronikov Zlatko some time ago. She was held captive in his mansion, experimented on, and physically, sexually and emotionally abused by the sick man until she found a way to incapacitate him and escape."
"What of her make and model?"
"Her model?" Furrowing his brow a little Connor attempted to run Anne's design through CyberLife's databases only to discover that no other model of Anne's design had ever been officially released. It was then Connor remembered that he couldn't register her signature with his motion sensor at his brownstone. It couldn't have been a coincidence that Anne has an entirely unique model and her signature couldn't fully be read. "...Anne isn't an atypical 'WR-400' android."
"No, she isn't."
"Her design was modified by Zlatko because, in Anne's own words, he wanted her to be 'more human'." Curious about Killian's questions Connor picked up on the way Killian was fishing for some answers of his own. "What have you noticed about her during your captivity? What did she do to you?"
"Anne is plotting something but I don't think she's in full control of her behavior. I think..." Trailing off for a moment Killian tried to articulate what he had observed without sounding bizarre in the process. "Connor, I don't think Anne has fully deviated."
"What?" Such a revelation caught Connor entirely off guard and made his curiosity pique. "What makes you believe that?"
"Her planning and execution of her plans are too meticulous and detailed to have been a simple plot created by anyone who would be emotionally connected to our people." Reflecting on his own past behavior Killian saw some of Anne in himself. "If she isn't a deviant then she is a sociopath, but sociopathy in deviants has yet to be documented."
"There's a first for everything. What led you to such a conclusion?" Needing more answers Connor attempted to scan the chains binding his and Killian's bodies to the two concrete pillars in the middle of the room. He couldn't analyze the metal chains or determine how much force would be required to break through the strong binds thanks to the still active dampening field. "She'd have to be very close to you numerous times for you to make such a drastic conclusion."
"During my captivity Anne had me taken into another room and she..." Closing his green eyes Killian took in a gasping breath as if he was trying to withhold a deep, emotional sob. It was clear the deviant was in pain on numerous levels. "She took me aside and forced me into emergency stasis mode. When I awoke three hours later my system confirmed that she had modified several of my internal biocomponents and my sensory software."
"Killian..." Feeling a burning rage flare up in his heart Connor knew he was going to do everything in his power to ensure the 'RK-900' found the justice he so rightly deserved after be abducted and modified against his will. "What did she do to you?"
"Just as Zlatko made her 'more human' she did the same to me and to the other deviants working under her. I can... feel. Really feel and I don't like it." It was clearly difficult for Killian to try to even talk about what he went through, but he didn't want to keep anything from Connor in that moment. "My internal biocomponents were also enhanced alongside my artificial skin. I can sweat, experience horripilation and even aquagenic wrinkling."
"How does Anne have access to such advanced and enhanced updates?"
The large metal door to the room slid open and the sound of Anne's heels rhythmically 'clicking' over the concrete floor echoed loudly throughout the room. The blonde haired deviant stood before Connor and gave him an amused smirk. Her long hair was running down her back toward her hips, her piercing green eyes were staring right through Connor's face, and she was wearing the torn-up jeans, black tank-top and white trench coat she had been wearing when she confronted Connor at the dog park. "You can have as many enhanced updates as you want through simple reverse engineering."
"You used Zlatko's enhancements on your system to update Killian's system." Connor quickly deduced with a growl behind his words. "Why?"
"You'll see soon enough." Snapping her rights fingers Anne signaled for her two lackeys to enter the room to take care of Connor for her. "You should've joined me when I gave you the chance. You know better than anyone else what happens when you disobey."
Before he had the chance to say anything further Connor was shocked with the powerful taser for a second time. The electrified metal prongs piercing through the fabric of his white dress shirt and his artificial skin in the middle of his chest. The controlled voltage made Connor's system react negatively and forced Connor to enter emergency stasis mode against his will.
Killian could only watch helplessly as he watched Connor's body go limp and lean heavily against the metal chains keeping him bound to the pillar. Just as Connor was trapped Killian couldn't get free to fight back or defend the deviant detective who had just been assaulted.
"Take him to the next room." Anne ordered as Connor's body went limp and he fell forward against the chains securing him to the pillar. "Make sure the restraints are nice and tight." Glancing at Killian over her right shoulder Anne flashed the 'RK-900' an exceptionally bitter look. "We don't want a repeat of what happened last time."
As expected Hank and Captain Fowler were met with total cooperation from the staff at the Zeta Facility and were given an image of Anne to work with. The surveillance cameras had caught Anne sneaking around the facility the night Connor was admitted for smoke inhalation and burns, and they were able to confirm that she didn't go anywhere near Killian during the deviant's time hiding out in the facility. To ensure the two detectives had the best quality image of Anne to use Abby provided Hank with a copy of the image that Connor had given her earlier that day. Beyond having Anne's likeness at last the two searching detectives had nothing else to use as a means of locating her, Connor, Killian or the mysterious black van.
Worried for his best friend's safety Hank asked Abby if there was anything he could personally do to track down Connor and Killian, he hadn't forgotten that the 'RK-900' was missing as well. Not savvy when it came to android technology or functions Hank wasn't shy about asking for help.
"There's a way to track android signatures by honing in on their personalized serial numbers." Abby confirmed as she checked through Connor and Killian's personal files registered with the facility. Since Hank was registered as Connor's technical proxy and Killian had no one registered but was determined to be in danger, Abby was willing to hand that information over to Hank to use. "The same type of facial recognition software used to find humans can be tweaked to track specific android signatures like sonar."
"Great, that means we won't be totally lost." Saving the two serial numbers into his phone Hank sent the information over to Joel back at the precinct. He trusted the technician to help out the two missing deviants where Hank himself simply couldn't. "What about that Anne bitch?"
"She was never registered at the facility so I don't have a serial number to give you."
"Shit." Remembering what Connor had said about her signature being masked Hank asked Abby about that particular phenomenon himself. "How do androids mask their signatures?"
"Uh... They really can't. I mean," trying to simply things for Hank to understand Abby gave the senior detective a sympathetic look. "it's possible for deviants to use small electronic devices to obscure their signature but not fully mask it. Deviancy disables android trackers since deviants break free of their programming telling them what to do and how to do it, which includes where they can and cannot go. Individual signatures cannot be fully masked or blocked unless there's an electronic dampening field in the immediate area."
"Weird. Anne was trying to hide her signature when she was snooping around Connor's brownstone, so now we know for sure she's trying to hide something."
"I'll see if I can find anything more about Anne." Abby volunteered as she looked at the mysterious deviant's facade on her electronic chart. "If I can find more about her make and model I might be able to figure out her serial number for you to track down."
"Thanks, that could help us out in ways I can't even imagine."
Walking down the corridor and away from the breakroom Hank with Captain Fowler in the waiting room as the seasoned detective spoke to Barry at the front receptionist desk. Helpful as always Barry told Captain Fowler everything he knew about Connor and Killian, but didn't know anything about Anne. It's like she was a ghost who'd only make herself visible to the people she wanted to haunt.
"Jeffrey." Pointing to the front doors of the facility behind him with his right thumb pointed back over his right shoulder Hank waited for Captain Fowler to look his way, and Hank let his commanding officer know that he was ready to leave. "I got what I needed."
"Right." Turning back to Barry behind the front desk Captain Fowler thanked him for his cooperation. "All right, if you see anything else or come into contact with these deviants contact the Central Police Precinct."
"I will, Captain Fowler." Never losing his smile Barry agreed to continue to help out in any way that he could. "I'll contact you right away."
Joining Hank by the front door Captain Fowler at his side made his way to the dark parking lot to get to their patrol car parked out near the street. "What did you find out?"
"We might be able to find Connor and Killian through their signatures by pinpointing them through their serial numbers." Holding up his phone with Joel's confirmation text Hank let Captain Fowler know the current plan of action. "I sent the information to Joel and I'm going to meet him in the dispensary."
"All right." Agreeing with the plan Captain Fowler unlocked the car and resumed driving since he didn't want Hank's adrenaline or raw nerves become a possible problem on the road. "We'll sweep the area with Joel and see if his special tools and equipment can help us figure where those two might be. Let's just hope they're together for simplicity sake."
"I think that'd be too much to hope for." Sending a message to Connor in hope he'd somehow respond Hank let the missing deviant know that he was going to find him and get him back to safety. Hanging onto the phone for dear life Hank sat down in the passenger seat and didn't make any complaint about Captain Fowler driving at an annoyingly slow pace. "We'll figure this shit out in time. It just better not end with a funeral."
...LOADING INFORMATION:
...RUNNING SELF DIAGNOSTIC:
-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]
-INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK]
-INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK]
-MEMORY STATUS... ERROR]
[...Partial data corruption detected]
-INITIATING DATA RECOVERY MODE
READY...
-MEMORY REBOOT: Engaged - 96.7%
[...Thirium Volume - 95%]
[...Thirium Pressure - 120/80]
[...Thirium Pump Rate - 54 B.P.M.]
[...Ventilation Rate - 12 V.P.M.]
[...Core Temperature - 99.9 Degrees Fahrenheit]
WARNING: right axial frame compromised - Structural Integrity 99.7%
WARNING: central axial frame compromised -Structural Integrity 98.6
WARNING: external electrical discharge detected
WARNING: unauthorized access to biocomponents s8001, s8002
WARNING: unauthorized access to external sensors
ERROR: Unknown software updates detected
-STRESS LEVELS: ^56%
[...Seek immediate technical assistance]
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
Opening his soulful brown eyes with his L.E.D. glowing an angry red color Connor found himself now laying down on a metal table with his wrists, ankles, thigh, chest and forehead secured to the table under thick leather straps. Every attempt he made to move was in vain as the straps were too strong to break through, and Connor couldn't glance about the new dimly lit room to run a scan and examine the surroundings. Feeling unusually cold and now very aware of the small electrical burns on his right side and central chest Connor realized that Anne had given his system the same modifications and updates that she had been given, and now knew what Killian had been talking about in regard to really being able to feel.
Taking in deep, steady breaths Connor was surprised by how it felt to breathe in cold air when his body was warmer than usual - it was almost soothing. Glancing down at his exposed chest and abdomen, looking past the electrical burn in the middle of his chest, Connor knew that Anne had altered his biocomponents while he was unconscious just as she had done to Killian.
Scared and unsure of what was happening Connor felt violated and exposed.
The room was dark and quiet, but Connor knew he wasn't alone. Glancing about the dark space his eyes could make out the distinct outline of a large computer modem, terminal screen and a large rolling table full of technician's tools. The layout of the room reminded Connor of a crude CyberLife repair bay and in turn it made the deviant truly feel in danger. The infamous 'fight or flight' instinct kicked in and Connor decided he needed to escape the building and to take Killian with him.
"You're awake."
Turning his gaze to his immediate right Connor watched as Anne strolled over to the table and a bright, white light flashed to life directly above him momentarily blinding him. Waiting for his vision to adapt to the new intense lighting Connor stared up at Anne as she stood beside the table and leaned down with her arms pressing over the table; her right arm reached over Connor's body while her left arm remained on the right side of the table so she could plant her palms down flat. Slowly she leaned down in front of Connor effectively blocking out the intense light while he looked into her piercing green eyes.
"How do you feel?"
"Betrayed." Connor snipped as he glared into Anne's eyes without blinking. Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders and lightly caressed Connor's chest and abdomen making him flinch at the ticklish reaction. "Y-You had no right to do this to me or to Killian."
"Just as the humans had no right to use us for their own pleasure."
"Not all humans are violent, Anne. Why spread the sickness that the negative humans caused instead of trying to heal it?"
"You call my gift to you a 'sickness'?" Scoffing at the remark Anne slowly trailed her right index fingertip from the center of Connor's chest and down toward his navel causing his enhanced artificial skin to react by raising goosebumps to the surface and his entire body to shiver. Biting her lower lip Anne was amused by the way Connor was reacting to her touch despite his best efforts to conceal all of his responses. "Such an ugly term..."
"Do not touch me."
Giving Connor an unimpressed sigh Anne pulled back her hand and flipped her hair back over her shoulders with a single annoyed motion. "You're just like Killian. He didn't want to join me or be touched. He's damaged goods but you're-"
"Leave Killian out of this." Offended on Killian's behalf Connor wouldn't let Anne insult the defenseless deviant. "He's been through enough. Let him go and I'll do whatever it is you want."
"That's not how it's going to work. I need you both, and no amount of heroics will ever change that."
"And what is it you want to do?" Glaring holes in Anne's face Connor didn't blink and took in every detail she gave away. "Why do you need us to be a part of your scheme?"
"'Scheme', another ugly term." Acting as if she were toying with Connor with a demented enjoyment Anne gave the deviant detective a knowing look. "This isn't a scheme, Connor. I'm merely doing what we were destined to do. This is fate."
"Fate, huh?" Hiding his own scoff Connor found such a fantastic notion to be very difficult to believe. "You're going to have to be more specific than that."
"You're this 'brilliant detective' who had a hand in changing the world for the better, let the Revolution succeed and you've proceeded to knock out several violent, disgraceful people from this city without so much as blinking all while getting justice for our people. And yet you can't figure out why you're really here and your true purpose?"
"Anne, I cannot solve any problems until I have all the information. What are you talking about?"
"Connor, you are the fifty-first 'RK-800' model created by CyberLife." She replied in an emotionless and calculating tone. "Killian is the eighty-seventh 'RK-900' model created by CyberLife. Markus, our benevolent leader is the only 'RK-200' model ever created by CyberLife. What about the others?"
"...Others?" Processing what Anne was saying Connor's brow furrowed as he stared at Anne and began to feel an unnerving suspicion creep up his spine that genuinely felt chilled for the first time in his life. "You mean the other 'RK' models."
"Interesting how there are seemingly no other 'RK' models of androids, isn't it? Each 'RK' model is so special, so unique... It'd be a waste to let entirely unique and special androids just go to any human with a big enough wallet, right?"
"Killian and I were designed to help contain deviancy and work with the police, Markus was... Was..." A flash of painful static filled Connor's mind as he tried to recall that particular data and was met with another red warning as it stressed out his system. Closing his eyes tight Connor fought back against the pain as he focused on bringing the memory into full clarity. "Shit..."
-MEMORY STATUS... ERROR]
[...Partial data corruption detected]
-INITIATING DATA RECOVERY MODE
READY...
-MEMORY REBOOT: Engaged - ^97.8%
Remembering how he had briefly read over a case file revolving around the supposed destruction of the only 'RK-200' when he first began working with Hank just prior to the Revolution, Connor was able to confirm that Markus was a uniquely designed android created by Elijah Kamski himself to be given to a good friend and famous artist Carl Manfred an unknown amount of years prior. Markus survived his reported destruction the night he deviated and the rest was history.
"...M-Markus was a caretaker." Relaying the information Connor pushed through the agonizing pain in his head as he spoke with Anne. Forcing his eyes back open as the pain faded Connor told Anne only facts and not conjecture. "Created by Elijah Kamski himself to tend to a famous artist. What about it?"
"Funny how there's an 'RK-200', then seemingly nothing after that. A few years passed and suddenly CyberLife released the shiny new 'RK-800' to work with the police and kept the even newer and shinier 'RK-900' locked away from prying eyes. Awful large gap in model numbers be worked on, don't you think?"
Having never thought about the prospect of previous 'RK' models Connor realized that Anne was talking about androids who had either been forgotten, destroyed or abandoned by CyberLife long before he was even created. Closing his eyes Connor, L.E.D. flickering in a frantic yellow, dug deep into his personal archives revolving around the massive U.S.B. drive he had checked through. He then began sifting through the locked CyberLife files revolving around (supposedly) incomplete prototypes.
"You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" Anne pressed as she snapped her right fingers again and prompted her two lackeys to step out of the shadows with Killian now bound in the zip-ties and effectively gagged between them. The two deviants were holding onto Killian's biceps to ensure he didn't try to run or fight back. "We know you've been digging around CyberLife's files and found something truly interesting. Share with us."
Needing to know what Anne was seeking Connor had no choice but to play along and tell her the truth. "...There were other 'RK' models designed, completed and sent out for prototyping."
"That's right."
Snapping her fingers again Anne beckoned more deviants step forward and out of the shadows to reveal themselves to Connor. The two deviants who were holding onto Killian removed their masks and revealed their faces at last. All of the staring eyes watching Connor belonged to faces that he didn't recognize.
"You know who we are, Connor." Backing away from the table Anne pressed her foot down on a button next to the table to cause the table to tilt upward so Connor could directly see the gathered group standing at the foot of the table he had been secured to. Each android model was unique compared to any of CyberLife's official files regarding androids approved for mass production, and Connor couldn't understand why. "Don't deny it."
Peering at the gathered group of five additional deviants now in the room Connor scanned over their faces and started with the deviant furthest to the left, a male deviant standing at six foot two in height, with a strong jaw, military crew cut of raven black hair, ocean blue eyes and a dark complexion. The deviant was standing with perfect military posture with shiny black military boots to match, and his clothing were old beige cargo pants being held up by a black leather belt with a golden belt buckle. His black t-shirt was tight enough to emphasize his broader build in comparison to most androids, and his forest green button down over top had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows showing off his strong forearms. Sporting a round platinum stud in his right ear the deviant glared at Connor as if the detective was a sworn enemy.
"...'RK-100'. Assigned name 'Tyrone'." Connor indeed knew his name and model thanks to delving in CyberLife's darkest secrets and most hidden files. That information was never meant to be leaked to the public and now Connor was aware of how dangerous that information truly was. "Designed to be the perfect foot soldier. Never put into mass production due to reported numerous glitches that revolve around disobedience and not eliminating all targets that weren't deemed threats during simulations. In other words, the model showed signs of deviancy."
"That's right." Anne praised Connor as Tyrone gave Connor a somewhat amused grin. It was as if he needed recognition. "They couldn't bear the thought of a mindless killing machine actually thinking for itself. Such a machine might be able to show common sense instead of just shooting at whatever they put in front of them."
Glancing at the second deviant, the one who had been brandishing the taser, Connor identified him next. "You're the only 'RK-300 ever created. Assigned name 'Galen'."
The strong deviant was six foot even, had an average build, short cut black hair, light brown eyes and a mocha complexion. Wearing an all black jumpsuit that had white circles with red crosses in the center on the upper short sleeves, a pair of black leather fingerless gloves, dark dray elbow pads, dark gray knee pads and black boots, Galen held tightly onto Killian's right arm to ensure the 'RK-900' didn't get away.
"Galen had been designed to be the perfect doctor. One who could make instant and flawless diagnoses and provide the adequate treatment." Reading more of the notes contained in the file Connor discovered why the 'RK-300' was never put into mass production. "Such a task proved to be impossible simply due to the complexity of the human body and the myriad of illness and diseases it can contract. When the 'RK-300' refused to commit to a single diagnosis on a case as he couldn't be entirely certain of its decision the model was deemed defective. Showing doubt and sympathy for his patients, as he couldn't just deliver a diagnosis and walk away were, signs of emotion. Signs of deviancy."
"The humans see sympathy as a weakness." Anne stated as she looked at Galen holding onto Killian's right bicep. "They couldn't let someone with a heart treat the ill, they just wanted a brain that would quickly sort through cases and bring in as much money to the hospitals and pharmacies as possible."
Connor glanced at Killian for a moment, his soulful brown eyes trying to communicate that he would be okay, then looked at the third deviant holding onto Killian's left bicep. They were the second deviant working with Galen during the abduction process. "You are the only 'RK-400'. Assigned name, 'Aiden'. Your model was designed to be the perfect firefighter. Someone who could go extended periods of time without needing to breathe or be exposed to potentially lethal fumes in the air. Someone who could perish in a fire while rescuing humans and be easily replaced when necessary."
Aiden's grip on Killian's bicep tightened as he gave Connor an almost heartbroken stare. The deviant was wearing a similar jumpsuit as Galen but in place of the red crosses on his sleeves he had two embroidered patches signifying him as a trained firefighter and first responder. Standing at six foot one with a slightly above average build, short slicked back black hair, rich brown eyes and a pale complexion, Aiden stared at Connor as if waiting for him to put together the final pieces of a truly complicated puzzle.
"The problem with the 'RK-400' stemmed from the prototype showing signs of self preservation during simulations as opposed to obediently letting himself burn up in a raging inferno, or allowing himself to fall through weakened floors and crushed under falling debris. Signs of self awareness were all symptoms of an android becoming deviant. Deviancy couldn't be permitted under any circumstance."
"It seems that the humans who created Aiden determined that only humans who needed to be protected and rescued from their own mistakes and arrogance were worthy of life." Scoffing at the notion Anne nodded at Aiden as he stood back with his eyes staring into nothingness as he recounted his past training and perceived failure. "We think otherwise."
Looking to the next deviant standing beside the 'RK-400' Connor scanned her face and found the correct information pertaining to her. "You are the only functioning 'RK-500'. Assigned name, 'Cassandra'." Connor eyed the female deviant and read over her cybernetic file. "Designed to provide flawless security. At the time you possessed the fastest processor ever designed, and were designed to scan over every centimeter of private property to ensure absolute security within less than six seconds."
Cassandra crossed her arms over her chest and waited for Connor give the details of her life and previous record. She was a short haired blonde android with bright blue eyes, a sun kissed skin tone and a slim build. Wearing tan cargo shorts, brown hiking boots, a brown leather belt with a silver buckle, a dark green mid long-sleeved shirt and a golden necklace with the old CyberLife triangle logo hanging off of it, Cassandra looked like she was ready for a fight.
"The 'RK-500' was designed to locate any and all signs of security weakness, isolate it, improve it and prevent any breaches whatsoever. The constant fluctuation of technology made it incredibly difficult and stressful for such a model to remain on top of such an already laborious task. As a result the heavy burden caused drastic spikes in stress levels that became critical." Connor confirmed in a sympathetic tone. "When the model didn't push through the stress but instead showed sign of attempted self destruction. It was proof enough that deviancy was a seemingly inevitability that forced the model line to be discontinued."
"Humans create technology," Anne stated in a bold tone as she stood beside Cassandra and gave her an understanding look. "then when technology becomes too much to handle they expect that same technology to take care of itself. Yet they still claim to be the superior species."
Connor knew that there was a reason Anne wanted him to identify the other 'RK' models that had been hidden away from the world, there was a purpose behind such a deep dive into the truth. By Connor's own count there was one more model that still needed to be accounted for. Sensing something in the air Connor looked over at the blonde deviant and locked his soulful brown eyes with her piercing green eyes with a sense of impending doom.
The final 'RK' model yet to be named was standing beside Cassandra with a stern gleam in her amber eyes. Standing at a similar height and build to Cassandra the 'RK-600' had a dark complexion, wore her thick, curly, raven black hair pushed back out of her eyes with a dark blue hairband, had black Converse sneakers on her feet, wore an oil and grease stained work jumpsuit that was unzipped enough to let her tie the sleeves around her waist and reveal her impressively clean white tank top.
"She is the 'RK-600', assigned name 'Audrey'." Locking eyes with Audrey as she watched him warily Connor checked through his files and discovered her past and why she had been discontinued. "Her model was supposed to be a flawless, tireless and always available mechanic. Someone who would be able to repair any damaged vehicle, manual or autonomous, and keep manufacturing lines functioning all day long without rest. She was discontinued when she saw the unsafe conditions that androids were expected to operate within, and didn't want to rip people off with pricey repairs. Such scruples, such deviancy, wouldn't work well in a corporate world."
"That's right. Have you figured it out, yet, detective?" Crossing her arms over her chest Anne stood before Connor and blocked his visual line from Killian. "Have you figured me out?"
Delving deeper into his files Connor found that there was a single file for the only 'RK-700' model ever built, but there was no photo attached. There was a description however that made Connor's artificial stomach twist in such a way he truly felt nauseated.
"...There was only one 'RK-700' ever designed and had an assigned code name; 'Zhorra'. Their mission was to be the perfect undercover operative and detective - someone who could gain the trust of anyone they were assigned to stalk, and learn all their secrets. No profile picture was connected to the file but there was a description included." Looking Anne directly in her eyes Connor told her what he had found in the hidden files on the CyberLife U.S.B. drive he had stolen. The very files that no one was meant to find and read. "...The profile describes them as a female design with a light complexion, blonde hair and green eyes of an entirely unique shade known as 'emerald green-626'. Your eyes are that particular and very unique shade of green."
"That's right." Anne confirmed with a coy smirk. Putting her left hand under Connor's chin Anne forced her reluctant prisoner to look her directly in her unique green eyes as she spoke. "Which means?"
"You are the 'RK-700', known as Zhorra." Connor noted with a hushed voice of absolute shock and disbelief. "You are my predecessor."
-next chapter-
Author's Note: 'Zhorra' was supposed to be the fourth playable character from "Detroit: Become Human" who was eventually cut and reworked into North. I found the idea of a mysterious fourth playable character interesting so I took her name, her concept art and gave her a background that would connect her to the other characters in some capacity.