Chapter Thirteen
Trigger Warning: Graphic depictions of torture and violence, as well as drug, verbal, mental, physical, and mild/implied sexual abuse. This chapter details some of Wren's conditioning. If you want to skip down to the second "…" chapter break, that's past the torture scenes. I hope that makes sense.
Connor rolled his quarter over his knuckles and tossed it from one hand to the other. He bounced his knees as he toyed with it. He tuned out the sounds of Hank washing dishes as his mind wandered to Wren. The thought of her returning to Prometheus gnawed at him. He glanced at the clock. He had one hour before he needed to be at CyberLife. It took roughly twenty-four minutes for him to get there from Hank's house. He had some time. Too much of it. He had an inkling of what he might see when he watched Wren's conditioning, based off the memories she'd shown him. But many of them she kept to herself. What did it take to condition someone to another's will? For an android, resetting and reprogramming was possible. But for a human—or even a cyborg—it was different. Rhett seemed adamant that Connor not witness Wren's conditioning. He couldn't help but remember Wren's words: Let me go. You'll save yourself a lot of heartbreak.
"Alright, out with it," Hank said. "What's bothering you? You haven't stopped messing with that coin since we got home."
Connor tightened his teeth and parted his lips, avoiding Hank's imploring eyes. Running his thumb over his coin, Connor drew in an unnecessary breath. "Wren said something strange to me. She said: 'Let me go. You'll save yourself a lot of heartbreak.' It's as if she wants me to push her away."
Hank sighed. "I know she's been acting weird, but you gotta remember that she's in a weird position—"
"I know, I know," Connor leaned back and stuffed his coin into the pocket of his blazer. "But she was still strange when we interfaced. I tried talking with her through that, but she still… She seemed so distant. Like she didn't care."
Hank looked at his hands. "She cares. She's probably keepin' her distance and hiding something to protect you or something. You know how she is."
Connor nodded and swallowed again. He pressed his lips into a thin line.
"What else is going through your head? Your LED's red."
"Tonight, we're meeting to go through more of the video files," Connor muttered. "And it'll be Wren's conditioning. Rhett told me I shouldn't watch it, but I can't… I have to do this. Wren trusted us with those files to find something to free her, so I can't sit out because it'll be difficult."
Hank reached out and placed a heavy hand on Connor's shoulder. "I know, son. I'll go with you."
Connor raised his eyebrows. "You don't have to. I know that it was difficult for you to see Wren in pain—"
"Yeah, it was. But it was hard for you, too. Wren needs us to find something, so we're gonna. Even if we don't find anything, we'll be learning more about our enemy, which will still help us. Besides, I can't let you sit through that alone. Come on, I'll drive."
A slight smile tugged at the corners of Connor's mouth. He pushed off from the couch, scratched behind Sumo's ears, and then followed Hank outside to the car.
…
When Connor and Hank entered the secure room—dubbed "The Void" by Kamski—Markus and North were already there. Connor frowned as he glanced around the largely empty room. He sat beside them on the white sofa.
"Where's Josh?"
"He had to stay late at Jericho," said North. She flashed Connor a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Connor's frown deepened and glanced away from her.
Markus leaned forward. "Elijah said he's joining tonight as well. He thinks its beneficial for him to study Wren's behavior to better understand her programming. He might be able to make something to help us."
Connor recoiled at the words study Wren. He didn't like the idea of Kamski studying Wren like she was an experiment, but he knew that Markus didn't mean it like that. The arrival of Chloe and Tina interrupted Connor's response.
Tina scowled as soon as she entered the room. "What the hell, North?"
Connor's eyebrows raised and he stole a glance at North, whose face darkened. "Nice to see you, too." Her words dripped with venom.
"Why did you blow up on Wren like that today? You just destroyed any progress we've made with her!"
"Progress?" North repeated, jumping to her feet. "What, is she some science experiment? Is she your fucking patient?"
"Let's all calm down," Markus stood slightly between them, holding his hands out. Connor readied himself to jump in between them, too.
"We're trying to get Wren to relax a little," snapped Tina. "She doesn't have anybody and then you come in a jump down her throat—"
"I was helping her," North snarled, stepping forward. Markus placed a hand on North's shoulder. She glanced at him, huffed once, and then backstepped slightly. "I was helping her keep her cover." North's voice softened a bit, though it still possessed an edge.
Tina blinked and drew back. "Oh."
"Yeah, oh," North mocked. She looked around at everyone staring at her. "Wren's got a cover to protect. She told us this. Prometheus is still listening to her, and she's got to maintain her trust with them. So yeah, she's going to act weird around us. She's going to push us away and maybe even say things to hurt us. Did you see the look on her face when she confronted me? It physically pained her to say those things. She doesn't mean any of them, and she's trying to show us that. Stop listening to what she says and fucking see her. She can't protect her cover when you guys are constantly demanding that she talk to you." North's eyes flicked to Connor pointedly.
He pursed his lips and chose not to respond.
"That was actually a good idea," Tina admitted.
"You're welcome," North plopped onto the couch and folded her arms.
Tina bowed her head. "Sorry."
North softened. "It's okay."
"This whole Prometheus pile of shit has got us on edge," said Hank. He patted Tina's knee. "We all wanna defend her and keep her safe. We all want her back."
"Good to hear," said Rhett from the doorway. Elijah Kamski slinked in behind Rhett and sat in the opposite corner of the room; his arms folded. Rhett shut the door and set up the screen. "Because this won't be easy. I've skimmed through the videos already and it's…" Rhett shook his head. He glanced up and met their gazes. "Prometheus didn't record everything, just some of the events. I think they recorded a new video every few weeks. Her conditioning took about a year or so, and that would've been a lot of footage. So they didn't show everything. What they did record is brutal. So, if anyone wants out, now's the time to leave."
No one moved. Connor frowned as Rhett returned his attention to the terminal, sticking the flash drive into the port. Rhett seemed tired. He slouched in his seat. Whenever Connor glimpsed Rhett's eyes, they appeared bloodshot and puffy, either from lack of sleep or crying. Connor's biocomponents lurched inside him. Rhett still loved Wren. He loved her a lot. Connor clenched his teeth and clasped his hands together. He supposed he was thankful that someone like Rhett loved Wren—it meant that they had a powerful ally against Prometheus.
Hank squeezed Connor's shoulder as Kamski shut off the lights. The screen flashed and the first video began.
Pauline and Atlas sat in an office with black and white décor. Pauline sat behind the desk. She looked about ten years younger than when Connor met her that brief time when she took Wren away. Atlas looked younger, too.
"01 is displaying behavior that is concerning. She's like a wild animal. She remembers more of her past and feels trapped here," Atlas complained, pacing in front of Pauline's desk. "She's hard to control."
Pauline steepled her fingers. "She doesn't quite understand that we're different from FBI and CIA. She still thinks we're a typical government agency. She'll come to understand. That's what the conditioning is for."
"This is the problem with choosing someone like her. She has too many ties, too many reasons not to be an agent. Are we sure the conditioning will even work? 01 is too messy, Pauline. We should've stuck with Cage." Atlas placed his hands on his hips and halted his pacing.
Pauline's eyes flicked to the camera before settling on Atlas. "We both know Cage was a poor candidate."
"He was perfect! No one would've missed him."
"He was outrageously violent and had poor behavior."
"He would've been easy to control."
"If 01 is this emotional and maladjusted, can you imagine how Cage would've been?"
Atlas sighed and dragged a hand through his cropped hair. "No use in arguing about it now. I'll keep you updated on 01's progress, or lack thereof."
"I'm confident she will progress."
"For now," snapped Atlas. "What happens when she remembers everything?"
"That won't happen," Pauline insisted. "I'm in contact with Dr. Hughman. He's working on something."
"If she doesn't improve, I will have to terminate her." Atlas glared at Pauline, who seemed nonplussed.
"That is not your decision to make," said Pauline. "Keep me updated. You are dismissed."
The video ended.
"Wait, Cage? As in Jonah Cage? Wren's piece-of-shit-ex? That Jonah?" Hank demanded while Rhett clicked on the next video.
"He was supposed to be the first cyborg, not Wren?" Tina queried.
Rhett folded his arms, his brow furrowed. "I wonder if Prometheus had authorization to change targets like that. I know they have special clearance in how they obtain agents. But if they didn't have authorization…"
"That could be something against them," Tina concluded. Rhett dipped his head.
Hank shook his head. "I'd love to see that fuckin' weasel go through what Wren did and survive. He wouldn't have lasted a day."
"I'm starting the next one," muttered Rhett.
The video opened with a dark, concrete room. The floor glistened with puddles. A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling. Wren sat on the floor, her wrists chained to it. Two Sicilian androids stood on either side of her as a man approached her, his back to the camera.
"So you're the one they call CY001," said the man. "Pulled from the wreckage of a tragic accident and saved by CyberLife… The first cyborg."
Wren kept her head bowed as the man disappeared off-camera. He rummaged around offscreen; Connor caught the distinct shink of a knife. The man returned onscreen, his back still to the camera. "No friends, no family… No name. No one came looking for you after the accident. No one cared that you disappeared. You don't exist anymore."
"I have a name," Wren muttered.
"Not anymore," the man spat. He crouched in front of her. "You're CY001."
Wren shook her head. "I'm Wren. I have a family—"
"No, you don't," barked the man. "You're lying to yourself to make you feel better about the fact that you're such a worthless piece of shit."
Wren's brow puckered. "I'm not lying."
That earned her a harsh slap. "Don't talk back to me. I don't care what you think, 01. You're subhuman now. You signed away all your rights when you let them sew you up with those plastic pieces." He pushed Wren over. North tensed beside Connor.
"You are worthless. You're nothing." Silver glinted as the man withdrew a large knife. He sliced open Wren's forearm. Thirium leaked out and the synthetic skin peeled away to reveal white. "Disgusting."
Wren hid her face, but her body shook with a sob. The man used the knife to cut away Wren's shirt, leaving her in a sports bra. The scars around her cybernetic limbs—where mechanical met flesh—were still pretty fresh. Wren turned her face away, but her torturer grabbed her face.
"Look at yourself! Fucking ugly! You're just pieces of scrap sewn together like Frankenstein's monster. Can you even feel anymore?"
"I'm not supposed to be here," Wren sobbed. "I remember her, I remember my mom. This is a mistake; I shouldn't be here."
"You're the fucking mistake," spat the man. "You don't have a mother. You don't have anyone. You belong to Prometheus now."
Wren looked up, and the lightbulb illuminated her confusion. "What do you—"
The man smacked Wren across the face. "Don't look at me, bitch."
He nodded to the Sicilian androids. One of them stepped forward with a bucket and dumped the water onto Wren. She pulled her knees to her chest, shivering.
The man paced in front of her. "It doesn't matter what you think you remember. You are worthless and you belong to Prometheus. You were nothing before you came here, and you're even less now. Hold her."
The two Siclians were at Wren's sides in an instant, pinning her down while the man disappeared off screen. He returned with a rotary machine in hand. He straddled Wren while the Sicilian androids pinned her arms to the floor. The man used the rotary to roughly tattoo something into Wren's human skin. She cried out as they held her down tightly and the man dug the object into her skin.
When the man finished, he stood up and tossed the rotary machine to the side. "There. Property of Prometheus. CY001."
The video blinked to Pauline's office. The sudden brightness caused Connor to flinch. Atlas paced again.
"She's still clinging to the few memories she has. The Sicilians have been at this for three weeks, and 01 is still resisting."
"Well, at least we know if she were ever captured and tortured, she'd be resilient to it," said Pauline.
"That's if we manage to shift her loyalty," snapped Atlas. "She wants answers. She doesn't understand what Prometheus is and why this is happening to her—"
"That's the point of the conditioning," Pauline sighed, closing the folder splayed open in front of her. "We have to break her down. She still remembers her ties. Break those down and replace them with ties to Prometheus, and she will be loyal to us. Has there really been no progress at all?"
Atlas sat in one of the armchairs. "She's confused, disoriented… It upsets her the most when Damion mentions that her supposed family never came to look for her."
"Good. What's your opinion on our next step?"
"We should proceed," said Atlas. "We've kept that room extremely cold and wet, and she's been sleeping on the floor. We don't want her too sick before we proceed."
"Very well. Proceed to the next stage. I will discuss with Dr. Hughman what you've told me. And Atlas, do make sure they don't scar her too badly. She's going to need her looks in the field."
The video ended, and the room vibrated with silence. Connor's thirium pump thrashed in his chest. He felt its beating through the blue blood in his artificial veins.
Rhett faced them and crossed his arms. "We've got about nine more videos to go. How's everyone holding up?"
"How did they make her forget her past?" Tina breathed. "Can torture really do that to you?"
"Three weeks," Hank grunted. "They kept that up for three weeks."
"All of the stages lasted about three to four weeks," Rhett explained. "And it can't really make you forget, but… If she was conditioned to associate those memories with pain, she could've blocked them out herself."
"Without seeing her processor, I can't be too sure," drawled Kamski, "but it's possible they could've programmed her to help intensify that process."
Rhett puckered his brow. "For the androids in this room… You're going to hear and see a lot more android hate. I should've warned you beforehand."
"We're used to it," croaked North.
Chloe bowed her head. "And it's about to get worse…"
Rhett turned back to the terminal. "I'm starting the next one."
The video opened up with Wren still chained to the floor, though she looked sickly. Her hair hung around her face in damp, greasy strings. Redness circled her eyes. The tip of her nose looked red and the rest of her skin appeared sallow. Her lips were pale and chapped and dark circles shadowed her eyes. She obviously hadn't been sleeping or eating properly. She probably hadn't seen the sun in weeks, either. Her eyes followed the Sicilian androids as they marched past her and stood on either side of her. Then, she flicked her eyes as her torturer—the one called Damion—stood before her. He twirled a knife between his fingers.
"Good morning, 01. You're looking like shit."
Wren merely stared at Damion.
Damion nodded to the Sicilians, who stooped to unlock her wrists. They hauled Wren to her feet and chained her wrists above her head. Her shirt hung off her in tatters. Dried blood stained it in parts. Some of her skin was exposed, and Connor made out healing cuts and bruises on her torso. He clenched his teeth. Damion stepped toward Wren and placed the knife against her cheek. He trailed it down the side of her face gently. She held his gaze.
"Do you know why no one ever came looking for you? Why you don't have anyone?" Damion taunted.
"Because I'm worthless?" Wren deadpanned.
Hank buried his face in his hands beside Connor. "Jesus Christ, she doesn't know when to shut the fuck up."
Damion nicked Wren's bicep. Red blood oozed from the fresh cut. "Because you're a waste of oxygen. CyberLife should've left you in the wreckage."
Damion withdrew, pacing in front of Wren, who watched him with an unreadable expression. "What's your name?" Wren questioned.
Damion's pacing faltered. "I'm the one asking the questions here."
"Sure, sure," said Wren. "But you've been here for a few… weeks? I feel like we've got a bond here."
"Shut up," seethed Damion.
"You look like a Chad to me. Maybe a Taylor. Something that just screams, 'I'm a douchebag!'"
Damion slapped her. Wren worked her jaw and tilted her head to face Damion again. He leaned toward her. "It doesn't matter what my name is. All you need to know is that I'm the one who's in charge of breaking you."
Wren hummed. "Well, you're gonna have to be a little more creative because I'm bored."
Damion snorted. "Bored?" He grabbed a fistful of Wren's hair and yanked her head back. He placed the tip of the knife to the corner of Wren's eye. "We've only just begun. You think you remember everything? Oh, you had a sweet little family?" Damion's voice wavered with baby-talk. "No, you didn't. Want to know why? Because you were a fucking drug addict. That's right. You deserved to be in that wreck because you were high off your ass. Wanna know more? You were just a stripper who got high enough so that you could stomach wagging your tits in front of married men!"
Wren's brow twitched. Damion laughed and backed away from her. "You'd be pretty if it weren't for all the plastic in your body."
Wren glanced at her arms, which matched the color of her skin. They looked like her arms. But Connor watched the wrinkle in Wren's features. A pang shot through his circuits. He had never asked Wren how she accepted becoming a cyborg. He supposed it would have been a difficult transition.
"I thought a guy like you would like plastic. Everything about you says you like fake tits." Wren tilted her head. Damion smacked Wren. She spat out a mouthful of blood and grinned. "Now we're getting somewhere."
"You think you're cute, don't you?" Damion sneered. "You fucking dumb bitch. What low point do you have to reach to be a stripper? A drug addict? And you wanna act like you've got the high ground here?"
Wren looked up at Damion, blood dribbling down her chin. "I don't really know, Brad. I can't remember most of my life. But I'd bet you're the type of mouth-breather who'd be one of my customers."
Damion struck Wren with his forearm. Despite her bravado, she let out a cry of pain. Damion wiped the blood on his arm on his pants. "You're right, you're right. You are a glorified sex toy now. How much for which hole?" Damion took out his wallet and tossed a few one-dollar bills at Wren's face. "You dumb cunt."
North gripped the edges of the couch. Connor shot a glance at her, but her fiery glare remained trained on the screen.
Wren lowered her gaze. Damion stepped closer to her. "What's the matter? No witty comeback?" He grabbed her hair and yanked her head back again. "Look at me when I'm talking to you."
Wren closed her eyes. Damion fingered a few strands of Wren's hair. Much of it was matted and tangled. He took his knife and shorn Wren's hair, letting chunks of it fall to the floor. When he backed away from her, Wren's hair was a jagged bob. Wren furrowed her brow, looking as if she were trying not to cry.
"Are you going to cry? Do you want your mommy? Your family? The ones who didn't come looking for you? No one fucking cares that you're here. You are no one. You're just a number, a jumbled mess of wires and arteries. Nothing, you hear me? Nothing!"
The video transitioned to another meeting. Pauline and Atlas sat in their usual spots; except this time they were joined by Ellis Hughman.
"You need to keep a tighter hold on Damion, Montgomery," Pauline scolded, her cold gaze trained on Atlas. "Spouting off facts about 01's former life—"
"I know," barked Atlas. "I've already dealt with him. I've informed him that he needs to spend less time talking and more time hurting. 01 is using humor as a coping mechanism, and all Damion is doing is adding fuel to her fire. She won't have any jokes when she's in pain."
"Do make sure to treat her wounds quickly," said Ellis. "We don't want her scarring too badly."
"Pauline has already instructed me thusly," seethed Atlas.
Ellis raised his eyebrows, nonplussed. He turned his attention to Pauline. "Hand 01 over to me. I can make her forget."
"We can't interrupt her conditioning so that you can play mad scientist!" snapped Atlas.
"I won't be interrupting anything if I'm part of it," said Ellis calmly. "Besides, Damion is proving nothing but incompetency."
"Damion's methods are working on other subjects," said Pauline, lifting a hand. "Even on CY008, and he should be use to training protocols, given his background. 01 will break. They all do."
"01 is different," said Ellis. "The others are aware of Prometheus. We haven't told 01 much of anything."
"We've told the others because of specific reasons that you are not privy to," said Pauline coldly. "Dr. Hughman, you may participate in 01's conditioning. But please, don't fry her brain. We've already spent enough money on her."
The video ended. Hank looked a little sick. Tina gripped both of Chloe's hands; her face drained of color. North trembled, her face an expression of stone. Markus's forehead tightened and he rubbed the back of his head. Rhett pinched the bridge of his nose. Connor curled his hands into fists. His biocomponents constricted and he drew in a deep breath to ventilate his systems.
"Go ahead and get it over with," Hank grunted. Rhett nodded and played the next one.
Wren lay strapped to a table. Dr. Hughman inserted a needle in her brachial artery. "This is an immobilizer. I can't have you struggling too much. But I wouldn't want you to miss anything." Ellis winked at her. He withdrew, setting the syringe on a side table. "Today, we're just going to study some brain patterns." He pressed on Wren's forearm, opening up the plastic to see inside her arm. He connected some wires to a thick blue one inside Wren's arm. Her eyes followed Ellis's movements and froze as she stared at her cybernetic limb, open for everyone to see inside. Tears welled in her eyes.
Ellis placed two wires on Wren's temples. He connected the wires to his computer and typed something onto it. He looked over his shoulder at Damion. "Read the list."
Damion, standing in the corner of the room, held a tablet. "Red Ice. Stripper. Ellsworth, Maine. Dance. Mom. Dad. Sibling. Family. Car. Boyfriend."
Ellis studied his computer screen while Wren continued to stare at the mechanism of her arm. "Done," chirped Ellis. His fingers flew across the keyboard. He moved out of earshot of Wren, addressing the camera directly. "I'm altering her programming to recognize these brainwaves. Whenever it detects these brainwaves or hears those words, an electrical shock will surge through her body. The goal is for her to associate those words with pain."
The video transitioned to Wren chained with her arms above her head, her toes just barely brushing the floor. Blood oozed down the side of her face. Her left eye was swollen shut. She wore nothing but a sports bra and torn hospital pants. Electrical burns marked her sides. Connor recognized the bite of Taser. Her eyes fluttered shut and her head drooped. Damion slapped her awake.
"Don't pass out on me, Tin Tits. We've still got a lot more time together."
Wren eyed him. "I'm not really in the mood."
"That's too bad. Because I'm really curious. What the fuck are you, huh? Are you human? An android? A person or a fucking piece of plastic?" Damion circled behind her. When Wren didn't answer, he hit her in the back with a baton. Wren jerked and bared her teeth. Connor flinched.
"Hey, Red! Answer me!" Damion snarled. "Should I drill an LED into your skull?"
Damion circled in front of Wren and grabbed her face. "I wanna hear you say it, bitch. Say you're worthless!"
"You're worthless," Wren replied. Damion punched Wren in the stomach. She groaned, leaning heavily into her chains. "You kinda walked into that one."
"Shut the fuck up!" Damion snarled. He hit with the baton. Wren jerked at the impact. "Come on, I wanna hear you admit it! Admit that you're worthless!"
Wren straightened. "Make up your mind. Do you want me to shut up or tell you I'm worthless?"
Damion nodded to the Sicilians. One grabbed a water jug while the other placed a cloth over Wren's face. He grabbed her by the hair and held her hair back while the other dumped water over Wren's face. Her cries were muffled, but each one clawed at Connor's heart. He closed his eyes, and waited for Wren's cries to quiet.
"I can do whatever I want with you," Damion cooed. Connor lifted his head. Wren heaved for breath as the Sicilians ripped the cloth from her face. Damion ran his hands over Wren's breasts. Connor tensed, his eyes widening as Damion's hands slid down Wren's sides. He placed his hands in between her thighs. Connor's eyes pricked with tears while Hank looked away.
Wren gripped the chains and lifted her legs. She kicked Damion away from her and snarled, "Don't fucking touch me!"
Damion stumbled back and fell to the floor. One of the Sicilians zapped Wren with a Taser. She gritted her teeth and cried out, her voice rough from screams.
Damion stood, clutching his stomach. "You don't get to fight back. Fucking blue-blooded freak." He spat on Wren. She bowed her head.
"Enough," said Ellis, stepping onscreen. "Lower her."
The Sicilians obeyed. They lowered Wren so that her feet touched the floor and her arms hung at her sides, but Wren crumpled to the floor. Ellis turned to look at someone offscreen. "Tend to her."
The person walked in view. Connor furrowed his brow as Juno crouched beside Wren and moved Wren's hair out of her face. Ellis strode toward Wren and crouched in front of her. "Poor thing. We'll do what we can to get you out of this."
As soon as the video ended, North said, "What the fuck was that?"
Rhett sighed. "It's a common technique in conditioning procedures. They show an act of kindness when she's experienced weeks of torture leaves her confused and disoriented and establishes a sense of dependency."
"So, they're just fucking with her head more?" Tina rasped.
Rhett nodded and lifted his reddened eyes to meet Connor's. "Ready?"
Connor found that he could not push words past his lips. «scanning… processing… COMPLETE: Diagnosis: No damage in voice box detected»
He simply inclined his head once and Rhett started the next video.
Wren sat strapped to a chair. Metal clenched around her wrists and ankles. Electrodes were placed at her temples. The wires connected to her temples attached to a small box. Damion forced a block in Wren's mouth.
"You're going to want to bite something, sweetheart," he promised.
Wren merely glared at him.
Damion chuckled as he paced back ad forth in front of Wren, fiddling with a blade. "How much longer are you going to make me do this to you? You don't have to go through this. Just let go of Wren."
Wren's eyes narrowed a fraction.
"Not gonna talk? Okay…" Damion flicked a switch on the box. An electrical buzz sounded and Wren's back arched. Her hands curled into fists and her head tilted back. A gargled cry ripped from Wren's throat as she convulsed. Damion flipped the switch and Wren slumped in the chair. The block dropped from her mouth as she panted.
"Kind of… hard to talk… with that…" Wren nodded to the block.
"Ready to let go of Wren? This will all be over if you just accept 01."
Wren bowed her head. Her hair—now a bit longer and less jaggedly cut—hung in her face. "This will never be over."
"It will," Damion assured her. "Once you let go of Wren."
Wren barked a laugh. "Just as simple as that?"
"Just as simple as that." Damion crouched in front of her. "What's it gonna be, 01?"
Wren shrugged. "It doesn't matter what I do because you're still going to flip that switch."
"Why's that?"
"Because you're a sadist," Wren breathed. "You enjoy hurting me."
"You don't know me."
Wren tilted her head back. "I don't? We've gotten very intimate through all this. And I see the way you look when you hurt me."
Damion straightened and flipped the switch on the box. Wren gritted her teeth to muffle her guttural scream. The sound raked down Connor's back like a set of claws. He resisted the urge to rip out his audio processor. Damion flicked the switch and Wren slumped in her chair, panting.
"You're right," Damion murmured. "There's something about seeing a beautiful woman in pain… There's something so raw in your look. Something only pain can bring out. It's better than sex."
Hank groaned and buried his face in his hands. Tina looked away; her brows pinched together. North perched on the edge of her seat, as if she were about to launch herself at the screen. Connor swallowed a scream.
But Wren laughed.
It sounded so unlike her usual carefree laugh. This one was dry, like dead leaves scraping against the concrete. Wren grinned as she lifted her head. "You know what? I don't care. Do what you want to me. I don't give a solid fuck."
Damion frowned. "Why's that?"
"Because that's the problem with constant torture. You reach a point where you can't be hurt anymore. I don't care what you do to me. You get off on doing this? Fine. I don't care what you do."
"You think I can't hurt you anymore?" Damion leaned toward her. "I will bring you to the brink of death and leave you there. There will be nothing left of you. Just a husk. An empty tin can, like those fucking androids. Just wires and plastic imitating a person."
Wren's eyes narrowed as Damion backed away from her, looking smug. Wren bared her teeth. "Then do it, pussy. You're just talk—"
Damion increased the voltage and then flipped the switch. Wren's body convulsed as electric currents ripped through her. She screamed until she couldn't handle the shock and slumped over. The electricity buzzed until Damion flipped the switch again. He patted Wren's cheeks until she jerked awake.
"Don't tell me that's all you've got. I think you're the one who's just words, sweetheart. All bravado and no bite." Damion smirked and folded his arms.
Wren tilted her head back, grinning. "Why don't you let me out and I'll show you my fucking bite?"
Damion snorted. "I don't think so, sweetheart. We play by my rules here. Now. State your name, 01."
Wren glared at him. "My name is Wren."
She screamed when Damion electrocuted her.
"State your name."
"Wren."
Scream.
Name.
Wren.
Scream.
Name.
Wren.
Scream.
Wren panted as she slumped in the chair. Sweat gleamed on her exposed skin in the dull light.
Damion sighed. "I've gotta give your brain a break. I don't wanna fry it." He dipped his head to the two Sicilians in the background. They stepped forward and released Wren from the chair, only to chain her wrists above her head. Her toes barely touched the dirty floor. Damion grabbed a small whip from the table and circled Wren.
"You could be so much more than you are. But you choose to cling to a past you can't even remember."
"I'm choosing to make things more difficult for myself. I love a challenge."
"I thought Kamski knew something. I was wrong."
"Maybe he did," Amanda replied coldly, "but you chose not to ask."
"I chose not play his twisted little game!"
Connor withdrew from the memory just as Wren's quip earned her a strike from Damion's whip. She let out a sharp gasp and jerked with the impact. Connor's heart twisted.
"What's all this bravado getting you? More pain. Just let go, 01. Prometheus isn't bad. You could be so much more if you just gave into them."
"Kinda hard to believe they're not bad when they're doing this to me," Wren grunted. Damion whipped her again. Wren muffled a groan and pushed a shuddering breath through flared nostrils.
"You must be broken down to nothing so that you can be reborn through Prometheus."
Wren laughed. "That sounds like a default bad guy speech. Did you take a class on bad guy monologues or were you just born naturally talented?"
Damion punched Wren in the stomach. "Wren is—"
"Nothing, yeah, I know. I get it." Wren rolled her eyes. Connor turned his head as Damion raised the whip. The slap of the whip on Wren's back burned Connor's audio processor. He tightened his teeth and turned back to the screen as Damion flung blood off the whip. Sweat sheeted Wren's face.
"You know, maybe you're not a sadist," Wren panted. "Maybe you like hurting me because you're not smart enough to insult me."
"Do you ever shut the fuck up?"
"Only on Wednesdays, but I've been down here so long I can't tell what day it is—"
Damion interrupted Wren with a harsh slap. He gripped her jaw. "I'm tired of you talking back. I can't take your tongue because you'll need it, but… You don't need all your teeth."
Wren's eyes stretched as Damion walked offscreen. One of the Sicilians stepped forward and grabbed Wren's face. He forced her mouth open. She struggled, but the android overpowered her. Damion returned with a pair of pliers. Hank and Tina looked away when Wren let out a gargled cry. Rhett shuddered and rubbed his mouth at the loud crack from the screen. Damion flung the tooth aside and went into Wren's mouth for another. She whimpered and cried as Damion wrenched out another tooth. Her legs kicked out, but she was too close to Damion to cause any damage. Damion tossed the other tooth aside and backed away from Wren.
Tears and blood streaked Wren's face. Saliva mixed with blood ran down Wren's chin and onto her neck. She bowed her head, sagging against the chains holding her upright.
Damion wiped the sweat from his face with his shirt sleeve. Wren's blood speckled his hands. He set the pliers down. "What, got nothing to say for all that?" He laughed at her.
Wren lifted her head and spat a mouthful of blood at his face. He wiped it away with a roll of his eyes and raised his fist to strike Wren, but a door opened, giving him pause.
"Damion, your services are needed elsewhere." Ellis Hughman stepped into view.
Damion glowered but left the room. Connor flexed his hands, glad to see that bastard leave. But somehow, seeing Ellis peer at Wren over the brim of his glasses coiled Connor's biocomponents. Wren glared at Ellis, though she trembled a little.
"You are resilient," Ellis tilted his head. "That's invaluable in this line of work."
Wren lifted her chin but said nothing. Tears streaked clean paths through the grime on her face.
"Don't tell me he broke your spirit by taking a few teeth," simpered Ellis. "I can fix it. A little cosmetic surgery and new teeth will make it seem like you never lost them."
Wren spat another mouthful of blood, but this time to the side. "They won't be mine. Most my body isn't mine anymore." Her voice wavered, and Connor's heart clenched for her.
"Maybe not. But what does that matter? You belong to Prometheus. CyberLife saved your life, and we saved you from CyberLife."
"So, what? I owe you now?" Wren spoke around the gathering blood and saliva in her mouth.
"If you'd prefer to think of it like that." Ellis shrugged and walked toward the table to the left of Wren, upon which laid torturous instruments, including the pliers that took two of Wren's teeth. Connor tensed. Ellis ran his fingers along some of the silver devices. "But why think of it that way? Why make it harder on yourself?"
Wren's head rested against her arm. "Why do I need to give up my name? You guys have taken everything else from me."
"What did we take from you? Your arms? Your legs?" Ellis turned to face her. "You were never going to walk again. That wreck destroyed you. You should've died or been in a coma; you actually flatlined in the ambulance. Yet here you are. CyberLife helped save your life. We kept you from being a lab rat and paid the expenses for your enhancements. You have a chance to renew yourself. This is your tabula rasa."
"That doesn't explain why I have to let go of myself," Wren snapped.
"Damion does a poor job of explaining. You don't have to give up everything that makes you who you are. Just the things that hold you back from reaching your full potential. Think of Wren as a separate person, an entity apart from yourself. You're in limbo here. 01 is someone you can become, on the other side of this in-between state. Wren represents everything about a past you can't recall. 01 is your future."
Wren's brow puckered. "That's the thing. You haven't even explained what that future is."
"Heroism," replied Ellis. He turned back to the table and picked something up. When he faced Wren again, he hid the object from her sight. "From what we know of Wren, she was a parasite on a shriveling and dying world. There's evidence she was a Red Ice addict. No friends, no family. Nothing to show she even existed. CY001 matters. Prometheus is a covert organization that works to protect humanity. With the rise of machines and technology, we could see an uprising one day. Unlikely, but you never know. Sometimes we protect humanity from itself. You have a chance to be an active part in creating a safer world. You're proof that humanity can evolve into something greater by combining synthetic with organic components. Those with Prometheus work to make a difference. But all of us make a sacrifice to cut ties with who we were. We can't have pasts or emotional ties. Because in Prometheus, you don't exist in the outside world. That's the point of being covert. It's your choice."
Wren's eyes well with tears. "I don't know how." She lowered her head as tears dropped down her cheeks. "I don't think I can."
"Maybe I can help you," Ellis murmured. He withdrew the object from behind his back. The syringe appeared gold in the dim light. "Most people prefer to smoke Red Ice. But there are ways to obtain a liquid form. Some consider it 'purer.' This isn't enough to kill you, but it is enough to show you what it would be like to be Wren."
"No—"
Ellis stabbed the syringe into one of Wren's veins. After several seconds, her eyelids drooped and her head lulled. Ellis shined a small flashlight into Wren's eyes. He nodded to the Sicilians.
"Let her down. Bring her with me." While the Sicilians lowered the chains and dropped Wren to the floor, Ellis shut off the camera. The screen darkened and then flashed with a new video before Connor and the others could react.
Wren was high as the Sicilians strapped her to a chair in a linoleum room. It was a stark contrast to the dank dungeon she'd been in before. This looked more like a hospital room. Or something straight out of a horror movie.
Ellis stepped forward and placed a metal ring around Wren's head. Wires extended from the temples of the crown and connected to a computer. Ellis straightened, gazing at Wren, who stared blankly past him.
"This device will send an electrical shock every time you refuse to let go of Wren. You're familiar with our methods by now. The Sicilians will administer a new dosage of Red Ice as you come down. You will not eat, drink, or sleep, either. Try not to stay down here too long. You need medical attention, or else your wounds will get infected. Mouth rot is particularly tricky to treat. All you have to do is let go of who you were."
Ellis left the room and the Sicilians stood before Wren.
"State your name."
When Wren failed to respond, the other Sicilian switched on the electricity. Wren's body rippled with spasms, but they were limp. They shut off the electricity.
"State your name."
"W-Wren."
The screen faded out as electricity buzzed.
The next video showed Wren in a new chair, free of chains and wires and metal crowns. Her head bowed. Through the curtains of her stringy, tangled hair, electrical burns marred her temples. Shadows darkened the skin under eyes. Connor traced the veins of Wren's eyelids with his gaze. Wren's skin looked dull and dirty.
"State your name."
Wren lifted her head and Connor deflated with a soft gasp. There was no fight in her eyes. "CY001."
The video ended. Connor flinched when Kamski turned on the lights. No one said anything for a solid minute.
"I am not going to sleep tonight," Tina croaked. Chloe's forehead tightened and she rubbed Tina's arm.
North leaned forward, balancing her elbows on her knees. "I can't believe…" She closed her eyes and shook her head.
"That's just what they recorded," Rhett rubbed his eyes. "This went on for a year and they only recorded what we just watched."
"How the hell did she survive that?" Hank's eyes appeared misty.
"How are we going to face her and act like we didn't see all that?" Tina whispered.
Connor swallowed the lump in his throat. The thought of seeing Wren and pretending that he hadn't seen that yanked on his biocomponents. He knew some of the torture that Wren experienced based off what she showed him, but this? He never imagined… A weight settled on his chest and he wanted to wrench out his thirium pump regulator to alleviate it. He took a few breaths to ventilate his systems.
"The good news is that I don't think we watched this for nothing. The whole tampering with Wren's memories and Jonah Cage being the original target raises some red flags. I'll look into it more and I'll see you guys next week." Rhett dipped his head.
Even Kamski looked paler than usual. He cleared his throat. "I believe I have some ideas that will help us in our investigation, though I will need to meet with Wren to discuss some things."
Hank nodded quickly and sniffed. "Yeah. We'll get her here somehow."
…
Connor stood outside in the cool summer night. CyberLife Tower split the darkness with its crisp neon lights. Hank paced in front of his car, his hands twitching. Connor recognized the signs of Hank wanting to drink. Tina leaned against her car, her arms folded around her middle and her head bowed. Chloe stood with her arm pressed against Tina's. Markus wore an expression akin to the one he wore through much of the Android Liberation Movement—pinched brow, wrinkled nose, and haunted eyes. North stared at the ground, her expression soft. She seemed to stare at something the others couldn't see, something that gnawed on her heart.
"I'm gonna tear those fuckers apart," Hank snarled.
North snapped out of her reverie, the fire returning to her eyes. "Get in line." The fire flickered as her face fell. She hugged herself and looked back at the ground. "I didn't realize how hard that would be to watch."
Markus deepened his frown and stared at the ground. "I don't know what to say."
Connor widened his eyes. If Markus didn't know what to say…. Connor folded his arms to hide his quivering. He glanced back at Tina, who had huddled closer to Chloe, her eyes wide and staring at nothing. Connor's brow furrowed. "Tina, are you alright?"
Tina's eyes flicked to Connor's. "I should be asking you that. That was your girlfriend up there. If I saw Chloe go through something like that…" She shuddered while Connor tightened his jaw and curled his hands into fists. "I mean, it was hard enough to see Wren like that. She's like my sister." Tina's bottom lip trembled.
North left Markus's side to join Tina. The fierce android rebellion leader slipped her hand into Tina's. Connor averted his gaze, feeling choked.
"I…" He paused. He didn't know what to feel. "I'm okay."
No one looked like they believed him.
Markus cleared his throat after a few seconds of awkward silence. "One thing's for sure: We are going to free Wren, no matter what it takes."
Hank didn't say anything the whole car ride home. Connor wished Hank would turn on some music and fill the silence, but neither of them moved toward the volume. Connor presumed that Hank needed the silence to work through his own thoughts. Or maybe Connor needed it, too. He tired to discern what exactly he felt about seeing Wren's conditioning and torture, but every time he came close to defining it, the words swirled in a tornado. Maybe that was it—a tornado. He felt a tornado. He knew it wasn't a real emotion, not logically, but… He felt whipped around, as if dust and dirt and debris clouded his judgment in angry winds that tore houses out of their very foundations. And in its wake, all that remained was devastation.
Hank parked the car in the driveway, but Connor failed to get out right away. He knew Hank wanted to talk, but Connor didn't know what to say. Sometimes it seemed he never knew what to say or how to feel.
"You comin'?" Hank called from the front porch.
Connor pushed open the door and strode toward the house, feeling heavy. As soon as Hank shut the door, Connor busied himself with feeding Sumo. The back of Connor's neck burned with Hank's eyes.
"Alright, son. I know you're not okay no matter how much you lie through your teeth."
Connor flattened his lips, still squatted beside Sumo's food bowl. He stood and turned in one fluid movement. "What am I supposed to say, Hank?"
"You can't just bottle up your feelings, kid."
"I don't know what I'm feeling," Connor snapped. Hank's brow furrowed and Connor looked away. "There's too much going on, and I can't… I can't figure it out."
"You can feel more than one emotion at a time," said Hank gently.
"I know." Connor gripped the sides of his head. "I feel like that tore me apart and now I don't know what to feel or how to react. I know how I should feel, but I can't tell because there's just too much and—"
"Hey, it's okay." Hank gripped Connor's wrists. "It's okay to not know how to feel. It's okay, son."
Connor's vision blurred as he lowered his hands. "Androids don't get sick but I feel… I feel sick."
"Yeah, negative emotions can do that to you," muttered Hank. "Maybe you should take a break from watching those videos of her."
Connor shook his head. "I can't. I have to do everything I can to get her out. I promised her, Hank."
"Yeah, I know. But you're destroying yourself. Wren wouldn't want that."
"I don't know what Wren wants anymore," Connor jerked away from Hank, his lip curling with bitterness.
"Kid, you know why she's acting the way she is."
"I know," Connor sank into a chair. "I hate this feeling. I hate it."
"What do you mean?"
Connor opened and closed his mouth. His biocomponents quivered and heat rushed through the blue blood circulating in his systems. He swallowed. "I'm… I'm so angry." That was it. Anger. It had burned all the sadness in him like a fire torching the underbrush of a dry forest. "I hate being angry with her. I know it's not her fault; I know why she's doing this. I know it's them, not her. So why am I so angry with her?"
Hank sighed as he sat across from Connor. "Because there's no face to the people doing this. Right now, Prometheus is just a phantom playing with the strings, and Wren's their puppet. No matter how much she doesn't want to be, she's still their puppet, and that means she's gotta hurt you. You don't have anyone to blame but her because right now, she's the face of Prometheus. It may be against her will, but she's still with Prometheus. You're angry with her because you're angry with them. It's okay, son."
Connor stared at his hands. Tears welled in his eyes. "I think I'm angry with me, too."
"I know."
Connor's face crumpled. "I promised her that I wouldn't let them take her. But when they came, I just… I just watched as she walked away. I didn't do anything. I didn't fight back, I didn't call after her, I didn't do anything to stop it—"
"There was nothing you could've done, kid." Hank placed a hand on Connor's shoulder. "I know that was hard for you. But Wren made her choice. You know how she is."
Connor squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm so scared we're going to lose her."
"Me too, son."
They sat in silence for a few minutes. When Connor's tears subsided, Hank trudged to his bedroom with dragging footsteps. Connor pushed off from the kitchen chair and went to bed, too. He stared at the ceiling.
He once promised himself that if Prometheus ever threatened Wren, if they hurt her, he'd be the machine—the hunter—that CyberLife designed him to be. They were here, threatening and hurting Wren. The fire that shook his biocomponents returned, and Connor set his jaw and narrowed his eyes. Tartarus was deep and dark, but Connor would jump into the pits of hell and pull Wren out himself. The monsters wanted to keep Wren trapped in between their teeth; but Connor was ready to be a monster too, if that's what it took.
…
Connor's head snapped toward the elevator every time it dinged with someone's arrival. He failed to hide his scowl when the third time it happened; it was just Gavin.
Gavin pushed Connor's head playfully. "What, hoping to see someone else, pretty boy?"
Connor suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, actually."
"Come on, Gavin," said Chris, grinning from his desk, "Wren's got a way prettier face than you."
"Better not let your wife hear you call another girl pretty."
"Hardee-har-har," Chris shook his head.
Connor glanced toward Tina, who offered him a tiny smile. Connor took comfort in the fact that Tina felt weird, too. Gavin and Chris hadn't witnessed the horrors they had, so of course they were okay with joking around. But Connor, Hank, and Tina were not in the mood.
The elevator dinged with the arrival of Wren, and Connor spun in his chair to see her. Tina jumped from her seat and threw her arms around Wren's neck.
Wren backpedaled and pushed Tina away a little awkwardly. "Um… Hi."
Tina backed away and folded her arms. "Hey."
Wren's brow puckered, and the corner of her mouth pulled downward. Then, she held up a file folder. "You guys ready to meet Luther?"
Hank and Connor exchanged a glance, but Hank stood and grabbed his keys. Connor rose from his chairs, his eyes never leaving Wren's face. His eyes narrowed at light purple finger-shaped shadows hidden under a little makeup on both of Wren's cheeks.
«scan» [Processing…Complete]
Reconstruct
[Bruising caused by strong grip]
Connor grinded his teeth and stiffened his shoulders. Someone grabbed Wren hard enough to bruise her. And he wasn't there to help her because she wouldn't let him.
…
The drive to the border was thick with awkward silence. Connor tried not to think of someone hurting Wren. The bruises were fresh and occurred within the last ten hours. He drew in a sharp breath and gazed out the window while Hank showed their documentation to the border patrol. He hadn't seen Kara in a while. He had only spoken to her once, right before he went to CyberLife Tower to free the androids. He tried to explain to her that he regretted nearly killing her and Alice, but it came out more like an excuse. Kara had thanked him quietly, but Connor never forgot the way Alice hid behind Kara, or the way Kara's eyes widened and how she tensed as he approached. He deserved their fear, but he hoped that they no longer feared him.
It took them about ten minutes to get to Kara and Luther's apartment building. When they arrived, Connor fiddled with his coin on one hand. Wren folded her arms and lowered her head so that she shielded her bruises from Connor and Hank's view. Connor knew she wanted to hide it, and now was not the time to ask about it. But the question burned on his tongue regardless. Hank knocked on the door to Kara and Luther's apartment, forcing Connor to swallow the question.
Kara answered within a few seconds. "Markus told me you were coming." She stepped aside to allow them entry.
"Well, that took a lot of the awkwardness of explaining why we're here away," said Hank.
Kara smiled slightly at him. "You must be Lieutenant Anderson. And you're Wren, right?"
Wren glanced up and nodded quickly. Connor averted Kara's gaze.
"I'd offer to get you something, but we don't really keep food here unless Rose is coming for a visit."
"No, we're fine, thank you," said Hank.
"Sorry if I seem a little nervous. Markus didn't really explain why you were coming," said Kara, leading them to the living room. She gestured for everyone to take a seat.
"It's understandable," said Hank. "We chased you and nearly got you killed."
"You're not in trouble," said Connor, meeting Kara's gaze. She puckered her brow.
"What's this about?"
"We were hoping to speak with Luther," said Wren.
Kara nodded. "Of course. Markus said that on the phone. Luther's on his way back from dropping Alice off. He should be back soon."
Connor placed his hands on his knees while they waited, trying not to focus on how his shoulder pressed against Wren's.
"So, how have you been, Connor?" Kara asked. "I see you're still with the DPD."
Connor raised his eyebrows a bit. "Yes, I'm a detective. We look into all android-human-related cases."
"Oh, that's nice," said Kara. "Not still chasing deviants?"
Connor shook his head. "It's a slow-going process, but androids are gaining more rights. We can work and own property—"
"As well as seek and face justice," said Hank. "We're not hunting deviants, and we're not here to uproot your life. That's actually why we chose to cross the border instead of having Luther come in for questioning."
"Questioning?" Kara furrowed her brow. "Is something wrong?"
Before anyone could answer, the front door opened.
"Kara?" called a soft but deep voice. Heavy footsteps thudded against the hardwood floor. Connor twisted to see a large android. The android, presumably Luther, lifted his chin at Hank, Wren, and Connor. "You must be the detectives Markus said would be coming."
"We just have some questions," said Hank as Luther sat on the couch opposite them. He and Kara intertwined their fingers.
"About what?" Luther's frown deepened.
"Zlatko Andronikov," Wren replied.
Kara and Luther exchanged a wide-eyed glance. They tensed, and their stress levels rose. Kara's eyelashes fluttered as she faced Connor and his companions.
"W-we didn't kill him—"
"That's not what we're here about," said Hank.
"Zlatko was involved with a group called Typhon, right?" Wren asked.
Luther nodded. "How did you know?"
"We found his storage closet in the wall," Wren replied.
"Can you tell us the nature of his work with the group?" Connor queried.
Luther drew in a deep breath before answering. "Zlatko sold androids to Typhon after resetting them. I don't know much of Zlatko's time before I came along. He set some androids free to spread the word to deviants so that he'd get more victims without having to pay for them."
"That's how I found out about Zlatko," murmured Kara. "Another android told me that Zlatko could help me. He said he'd disable my tracker, but…"
"Trackers automatically malfunction in deviants," Connor finished quietly.
Kara nodded. "He tricked a lot of androids that way."
"He bought some for very cheap, especially if they were deviating. He'd fix them and reset them, and then sell them. Some he kept for his experiments. He sold some androids to Red Ice dealers to harvest blue blood. A lot of androids he sold to one man. Axel Brewer."
Wren stiffened beside Connor. "Axel Brewer? You're sure?"
"Yes," said Luther. "I was forced to deliver some androids to Brewer's estate."
"You know the name, Wren?" Hank queried.
Wren nodded. "Yeah. It rings a bell."
"I can't tell you much more about Zlatko's involvement with Typhon. All of his clients were connected with Typhon in some way. And some of all of his profits went to Brewer, too. I can't tell you Typhon's purpose. I wasn't even supposed to know this much. Zlatko wiped my memory frequently."
Kara rested her head on Luther's arm. She looked at Connor. "What's all this about?"
"There's been a series of murders," said Hank. "We think Typhon might be responsible, but it's hard to say who. We knew Zlatko was involved with Typhon, but we didn't really have any other names."
"You'll be safe looking into any of his clientele," said Luther. "But I'd start with Axel Brewer."
"Thank you," said Wren, standing. Hank and Connor followed suit.
Kara walked them to the door. "We won't be targeted, will we?"
"There's no reason you should be," said Hank.
Kara lowered her gaze and dipped her head. "The truth is, we've been thinking about moving back to Detroit."
Connor's brow puckered. "But you worked so hard to get here."
"I know, but… We have to disguise ourselves as human, and none of us age… We could be freer in Detroit than we are here." Kara lifted her head and offered Connor a soft smile. "You seem like you're doing well."
Connor's eyes flicked to Wren before he could stop himself. "I've adapted to deviancy since we last met."
"I'm glad," Kara beamed. "You deserve some happiness."
Connor's systems hitched for a moment. An android—one he nearly got killed—was telling him he deserved happiness. Was this forgiveness for his past sins? His eyes pricked with tears. "Thank you."
Kara squeezed his arm. "Of course. I hope we were able to help you. I'm sorry we didn't know much more."
"No, what you told us helped. We have a lead now," said Wren.
"Connor, can I talk to you for a second?"
Hank and Wren glanced at each other. Hank shrugged. "We'll wait for you in the car."
Connor faced Kara as his companions left, tensing. Was she going to take back what she said, now that they were alone? Maybe she didn't want to berate him for what he did, who he used to be, in front of others.
"I didn't want to say this in front of them. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable," said Kara. Her eyes still seemed kind, and there was no hint of a sneer in her smile. Still, Connor tensed. "I want you to know that I forgive you for what you did. I didn't say much to you when you apologized, and I didn't really trust you, but… I'm saying it now. You weren't awake yet, and you were just following orders. I know how hard it is to deviate. Just don't be too hard on yourself, okay?"
Connor wanted to cry. His chin dropped to his chest and his throat thickened. He swallowed and sniffed. "Thank you, Kara. It means a lot to hear you say that."
Kara's brow pinched. "Are you alright? You seem… sad."
Connor lifted his head. "I'm alright."
Kara stared at him for a few seconds. "Well, I hope you catch whoever's doing this."
"Me too."
"Stay in touch." Kara offered him a sheepish smile. "It would be nice to have some friends from Detroit. Friends we don't have to hide our true natures from."
Connor nodded. "Thank you for your help."
"Of course."
Connor left Kara and Luther's apartment and slid into the passenger side of Hank's car.
"Everything okay?" Hank queried.
"Yes."
"Let's go get lunch," said Hank.
"Shouldn't we focus on the case?" Wren said coolly.
Hank peered at her through the rearview mirror, but something inside Connor snapped. "We can talk about the case at lunch."
Wren's eyes flicked to him, and her forehead tightened. Her eyes fluttered downward and she pulled her knees to her chest. Connor faced the front again, and clasped his hands together in his lap. The wires in his body felt as if they tangled together.
Hank picked a sandwich spot not too far from Kara and Luther's apartment. They were seated quickly at a booth. Wren sat across from Hank and Connor, averting their gaze. Connor clenched his teeth. She looked like a suspect in this light.
"How do you know Axel Brewer?" Connor demanded.
Wren's eyes snapped to his. "A couple of my missions were linked to him."
"What kind of missions?" Hank asked.
"Were they recent?" added Connor.
"No," Wren hissed. "And I can't just tell you about my past missions."
"If it pertains to our investigation, you have to," Connor snapped.
Wren's gaze hardened as she stared at him. "One was an arms dealer. I went undercover for eight weeks. I got information off his computer and leaked it to the CIA. They took down many of his suppliers. Another was a Homeland Security agent who was dealing in Red Ice rings. I went undercover for six months gathering information, and then…" Wren trailed off. She swallowed and leaned forward. "I don't know much, okay? Just that in both of those missions, Axel Brewer's name came up."
"Okay, but that doesn't tell us shit about him," said Hank.
Wren shrugged. "He's an entrepreneur. He owned a medical science company for a while. He takes over failing companies and fixes them. He's got the funds to support Typhon. But that's all I really know about him."
"Alright," Hank muttered, leaning back. "We'll look into it more when we get back. He's the closest thing we have to a lead."
The waitress came by with their drinks.
"What did Kara want?" Hank asked, sipping his pineapple soda.
"She wanted to tell me that she forgave me," Connor replied, avoiding Wren's gaze.
"That's nice of her," said Hank. "She seemed really sweet."
"Yeah, she was," Connor replied. You seem… sad. His chest constricted. If Kara could see that, could Wren? And did Wren even care?
Connor pulled his coin out of his pocket while Hank and Wren ate.
"How was your visit with Prometheus?" Hank queried.
Wren looked around the mostly empty restaurant. "We shouldn't talk about that here."
"No one can hear us," said Hank.
"It was fine," Wren shrugged.
[Probability of lying: 85%]
Connor scowled but kept focusing on rolling his quarter over his knuckles. He refrained from tossing it between his hands at the table. Hank paid, and the three of them headed outside toward the car. In the natural light, Wren's bruises were more visible.
"So, are you gonna tell us how you got those bruises?" Hank asked while he fished for his keys.
Wren's eyes stretched, and then she bowed her head. "It doesn't matter."
Hank sighed. "Jesus Christ, kid…"
"Don't you trust us?" Connor spat.
Wren looked up sharply. "It's better for you if I don't. Just drop it."
The venom in her tone stung Connor's chest. He pressed his lips together and got into the car. He slammed the door shut.
Hank and Wren got inside a little gentler, but the tension crackled the whole drive back to the DPD.
Connor's heart tugged for Wren, but he also couldn't shake the itch under his synthetic skin. She was like a brick wall. He knew she was scared, but he also hated the lies and the pretending. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were. He didn't want Wren to be a stranger to him. He sat across from her at the conference table with the rest of the HAD, flashing glances at her every now and then.
Hank sat at the head of the table. "Alright, we've got a name. Axel Brewer. Luther said that we'd be safe looking into all the clientele of Zlatko's."
"That's a shitload of clients," groaned Gavin.
"If you'd wait a few seconds, I'll tell you how to narrow it down," Hank quipped. He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, let's look at clients who are connected to Axel Brewer. Then, we'll look into those who have the means and ability to hack androids."
"Are we going to look into this Brewer guy, too?" Tina queried.
"Yeah, we will," Hank pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not sure what to do with him, exactly. We don't know how he's involved, if he is. He purchased androids from and made a profit off of Zlatko's shady ass, but… That doesn't mean he has anything to do with these attacks. But we should compile some research on him for the time being. Tina and Wren, you're in charge of that. The rest of us will start compiling the list of clients connected to Brewer."
Connor worked faster than the others, purely due to his ability to consume information at such a rapid rate. He flipped through the files, tossing clients who were connected to Brewer in one pile and those who weren't into another. Gavin, Chris, and Hank got through one box of files together by the time Connor fished through three boxes. The sky outside darkened with thunderclouds.
"Um, guys? I think we found something," said Tina from her terminal. Wren sat beside her; eyes glued to the screen.
"What?" Gavin said, looking up from his file quickly.
"Axel Brewer was a massive shareholder at CyberLife after Kamski left," said Tina. She twisted in her seat. "Not sure how it connects, but…"
Chris sighed. "I feel like we just keep finding all these important pieces but none of them fucking fit together."
Hank checked his watch. "Look, it's time to go anyway. Let's come back to this with fresher heads. Maybe somethin' will come to us."
Wren pushed from her chair and hurried out of the room, leaving her stuff behind. As she hurried toward the elevator, Connor scanned her.
«processing» [Level of Stress: ˄53%]
Connor glanced at Hank. "Don't wait for me."
"You sure?"
"Yes." Connor didn't look back as he followed after Wren to the roof. When he reached it, he found her with her back to him, gripping the edge of the concrete barrier. Her breath came in heaves. Connor's steps slowed.
"Count down from ten and tell me ten things you see," Connor called to her.
Wren's shoulders stiffened. "I'm fine. Go away."
Connor stepped toward her. "I'm not going anywhere."
Wren faced him and squinted. Thunder purred overhead. "I told you to let me go."
"I know," Connor murmured. They stood only a few feet apart now. "I should let you go to save myself the heartbreak. But I'd rather the heartbreak. I can't let you go. I won't."
Wren's face crumpled. "And I can't watch you die!"
"I don't need you to protect me, Wren. I know what I signed up for with you. You can't treat me like I'm helpless, because I'm not. I was built to be a weapon, just like you." The wind ruffled Connor's hair.
Wren shook her head. "I was built to be a fucking monster, Connor. A hellhound for humanity. They made me into something worse. And there are others like me, others who will tear you apart, and I can't be the reason you die. So don't be stupid and just fucking let me go!"
Connor narrowed his eyes. "Have you let go?"
Wren blanched. "Y-yes."
Connor's heart plummeted. He knew she was just trying to hurt him, and she was succeeding. But he needed to get through to her. He needed to break down those walls. He needed her to talk to him. But to get her from reinforcing her walls, he needed to say something that would catch her off guard, that would make her say something honest. He allowed the hurt aching in his biocomponents—the hurt he hid ever since she left—to bleed into his expression.
"Do you…" He stopped, choking on the words. "Do you even love me anymore?"
Wren's brow creased. She held up a hand, the synthetic skin peeling away as tears filled her eyes. Connor placed his palm against hers and let the synthetic skin disappear. Blue light glowed where their palms touched. The thunder overhead crackled louder, but Connor lost himself in interfacing with Wren.
He saw her memories and felt her emotions. He caught flashes of cinderblock walls and faces of people he didn't recognize but Wren did—he presumed they were other cyborgs—and he felt the ache deep inside Wren's chest, that hollowness that longed for home. He lived through Wren's nights alone in her cell, curled in her uncomfortable bed, crying herself to sleep because of how much she missed him.
Suddenly, he was in a fully-fleshed memory.
"But you still love him," said Nina. "The RK800."
Wren swallowed. "Yeah, I do." Her voice cracked and she lowered her head. [Connor felt the dull stab in her chest like it was his own.]
"So, what's it like?"
Wren stared at her cooling coffee. "Being apart from him… This is the worst thing in the world. Sometimes I wish we'd broken up badly, so I could move on or he could hate me, but… We're in this in-between now. In between what we were, what we could've been… and what we are now, whatever that is. We both need to move on, but it's hard when it doesn't really feel like it's over." [Connor's nose stung and pressure built behind his eyes, but he had to hide it, needed to hide his pain or else Prometheus would know… If they knew…]
Nina's shoulder slumped and her face fell.
Wren leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Being in love feels like… I can't really describe it. It's different for everyone, but for me… I guess it was like coming home. And I'd do anything to keep him safe. Understand?" [Fire raced through him. Wren would die protecting him. She would let Connor hate her if it meant he'd be safe. She would lock herself in Prometheus forever if it meant they never touched him. She'd rip out throats for him.]
The memory shifted to a more recent one inside a bland apartment.
06 smirked softly. He crouched in front of her and tilted his head as he scrutinized her. "I saw the RK800 interface with you. What did he want?"
[Terror ripped through her lungs like a pair of claws.] Wren swallowed. "That's none of your business."
06's smirk stretched. His hand flashed to Wren's face, gripping her jaw so tight that it hurt. "It is my business. Anything about you is now my business. Want to know why?"
"Because you do whatever Pauline tells you to do," Wren spat.
06 squeezed harder. A whimper clawed its way past Wren's lips. 06 merely sneered. "Because you've gotten your filthy little deviant hands all over my squad. And now Prometheus is investigating my squad for deviancy because of you. You're a fucking traitor. When I get proof, I'm going to burn Connor alive right in front of you." [Everything in her wanted to scream. Tears welled in her eyes and she prayed that 06 couldn't see them. Connor felt the terror scraping through him, grabbing at his wires and knotting them. Dizziness gripped Wren and Connor felt it, too. She couldn't let this happen. She'd break Connor's heart if she had to. She'd do anything to keep him alive.]
Wren withdrew her hand and Connor stumbled as if he'd been pushed. He gasped, his chest heaving like it had when Simon killed himself. Rain splashed around them in thick, sparse drops. Wren lowered her hand. Tears streaked her face. "I can't love you anymore."
She turned and hurried inside, leaving Connor stunned. He shook himself into action and followed her. She'd already grabbed her stuff from the bullpen and beaten him to the elevator, so Connor took the stairs. By the time he reached the outside of the DPD, rain poured in sheets.
Running to catch up to her, Connor squinted in the rain. He grabbed Wren by the wrist.
"Connor, I—mmf!"
He smashed his lips against hers. Their mouths were wet and slippery, rendering their kiss sloppy. It was hungry and desperate. Connor's hands cupped Wren's face, and her arms gripped onto his sleeves. Rain soaked their clothes as Connor pulled Wren's body flush against his. One of her hands cupped his face while the other sought his fingers. When their hands intertwined, they interfaced. Connor poured his emotions into the kiss, into their connection. He felt the warmth spreading through Wren's chest, the way she finally felt at home, the little spike of fear, the way she loved him more than anything.
Connor broke off the kiss first. Wren needed to breathe and get out of the rain. But he remained interfaced with her as he pressed his forehead against hers. Please don't push me away.
You know why I have to…
You can pretend to push me away, but please don't. We are in this together. We're a team. We're going to take down Prometheus together. Do you trust me?
I trust you.
Connor brushed his open mouth against Wren's one last time. "I love you."
Wren stared up at him. I love you, too. She squished her lips against his and then walked away. Connor watched her disappear in the rain, feeling lighter than he had in months.
…
Super long chapter for you guys! (I didn't realize how long the conditioning scenes would take!) I would've posted sooner but I had to travel for my cousin's wedding and I've started working full-time. Anyway, I hope you guys really enjoyed this chapter! I enjoyed exploring Connor's angry side, lol. Please leave some feedback, and thank you all so much for your support! I don't deserve you guys! :')