Chapter Fourteen
Trigger warning: violence, crime scene description, anxiety
The apples of Wren's cheeks popped with her barely-contained smile. She restrained herself skipping through the halls of her building, but she felt lighter than she had in months. Humming, Wren unlocked her front door and slipped inside her apartment. She leaned against the door for a moment, still grinning to herself. Then, she flipped on the lights and sauntered into the kitchen.
Someone grabbed a fistful of her hair and slammed her against the wall. Wren's full heart deflated back into its shriveled cave. 06 gripped her face. "That was some kiss, 01."
Wren forced herself to hide the tears welling in her eyes. "You just watched me make out with Connor? That's weird."
06 tightened his grip on Wren's hair. Her scalp seared. "What is it about you that makes you so irresistible?"
"I wouldn't call myself irresistible, but I appreciate—"
06 smacked the wall right next to Wren's ear. She flinched and clamped her mouth shut. Her heart fluttered like a panicked bird. A wren in a cage. 06 pulled out a hunting knife with a serrated edge. Wren tensed. If she fought her way out, would Prometheus punish her? Or worse, would they go after Connor? 06 trailed the tip of the knife along the side of Wren's face.
"I don't get it. Why are people so drawn to you? That RK800 can't just fucking get over you, that CIA agent has been friend-zoned by you so many times and he still cares about you, and that android Juno even developed an attachment to you." 06 dragged the knife under Wren's chin, forcing her to look up at him.
She narrowed her eyes. "How do you know about her?"
"You think I haven't done my research on you?"
Wren gritted her teeth for a moment. "Juno and I were just using each other."
06 clucked his tongue. "Maybe, maybe… Still, it's not just your lovers. Your friends, too. They seem upset that you're gone and distant."
"Yeah, it's this funny thing called friendship—"
"And my squadron," interrupted 06, gripping Wren's face even tighter. "How did you get them to attach to you so easily?"
"Maybe because I treat them like people, not weapons or tools."
"They are weapons. We are weapons. That's the whole point of this!" 06 lifted the hand holding the knife. His synthetic skin rippled away, revealing the white plastic underneath.
"Did Prometheus fry your brain during the conditioning? You're a person—"
"Who is loyal to Prometheus!"
"Why?" Wren snarled. "What the fuck have they ever done for you? We can't be loyal to something that takes everything from us."
06 was quiet for several seconds. Wren's chest rose and fell with her heavy breaths. 06's eyes narrowed to slits. "And what about your friends meeting at CyberLife? I thought Prometheus was clear that you shouldn't be conspiring."
"I'm not conspiring with them!"
"You are reconciling with them, though."
Wren glared at him. "How am I supposed to work with them and not reconcile? They keep pushing me to stop being so professional and distant, so I decided to give them what they want because the tension was affecting our ability to solve the case. I'm doing what it takes to complete the mission, even if it's not the way you'd do it."
"You and I both know you're not just playing along. You miss them."
"Of course I miss them."
"You're going to fuck yourself up doing this."
"Aw, I didn't know you cared about my feelings so much."
06 placed the knife over Wren's lips. "I don't give a shit about you. I care about you fucking things up for Prometheus by letting your weaknesses get in the way of your responsibilities."
"Wow, chivalry really is dead."
"Shut up. Now, what do they discuss when they go to CyberLife?"
"I don't know. I don't even know who goes to CyberLife for these little meetings. Maybe they just like the aesthetic of the Tower."
"You've attended one of these meetings."
"For the case, you dumbass," Wren lied easily. "Now can you kindly take that knife out of my face?"
06 removed the knife and sheathed it slowly. Wren let out a breath as 06 backed away from her. And then he promptly hit her in the mouth. The back of Wren's head smacked against the wall and she fell to the floor while 06 headed for the door.
"Maybe that'll remind you that little make out sessions with Connor aren't part of your mission."
…
Wren stood on Hank's front porch, her hair hanging in damp strands as rain sheeted behind her. She hoped that the rain washed away some of the blood off her face. While her lip throbbed, Wren hovered a finger over the doorbell. Part of her knew that Hank and Connor would fret over her busted lip. Another part knew she needed to tell them, even if it terrified her. They were a team, and her desperately protecting Connor and the others by pushing them away wasn't helping anything. With a sigh, Wren pressed the doorbell.
The door swung open to reveal a bewildered Hank. He squinted at Wren. "Jesus, the fuck happened to you?"
Wren shouldered past him, trying to hide her face. Connor stood from his seat at the kitchen table. Connor's eyes stretched. "Are you alright?"
Wren pressed her already-bloody fingers to her lip. The bleeding had stopped, but a fresh stab of pain spiked through her mouth. "It's nothing. Bit my lip."
"Bit your lip?" Hank sounded incredibly suspicious.
"I thought of something about the case," Wren pushed on, recognizing the part of Connor's lips that signaled a question.
"The case? Wren, it's evening, we need a break—"
Wren ignored Hank and gripped Connor's fingers. She interfaced with him and showed him her memories of the past hour. When she removed her hand from his, Connor raised his eyebrows and parted his lips. Hank grumbled something about ignoring him through android telepathy.
"Hank," Connor interrupted sharply, "we need to put the case first."
Hank narrowed his eyes and shrugged. "Fine. Need a break, but no. You two workaholics are gonna be the death of my social life."
"What social life? You're just in your house—"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Hank waved Wren off, "whatever."
"Come on," Connor said, grabbing Hank's keys. "I'll drive."
It was a rare occasion when Wren took the front passenger seat and Hank sat in the back while Connor drove. It was even rarer when Connor sped, but given what just happened to Wren, it did not really surprise her. Hank did let out an indignant yell when Connor just barely ran a red light. Wren glanced back at Hank and placed a finger over her lips as they missed the exit for the DPD. Hank dipped his head and Wren faced the front again. They reached CyberLife Tower within fifteen minutes, and no one spoke until they entered The Void.
As soon as the door shut, Hank turned toward Wren. "Alright, what's going on?"
Wren looked at Connor. "Did you tell anyone else we were here?"
"No. It seemed urgent."
Wren dipped her head and relaxed her shoulders. "Okay, good."
"Hey!" Hank barked, drawing Wren's and Connor's attention. "Are you two going to explain anything?"
"06 knows—or at least he's suspicious—about you guys meeting at CyberLife."
"Who the fuck's 06 again?" Hank scowled.
"Another cyborg. He shows up to my apartment at least once a week, sometimes more, to check up on me. Mainly to threaten me because he thinks I'm a traitor, but I think he's deviating but for some reason he's still loyal to Prometheus—"
"He's the one who bruised your face and did this to you, isn't he?" Hank's voice softened.
Wren nodded. "But I can't tell you guys any of this in person. He's following Connor." She looked at Connor, who knit his brow. "He saw us kiss and did this to me." Wren gestured to her lip.
Connor's mouth fell open and his LED circled yellow. Wren swallowed the bile surging in her throat and she trembled.
"I told 06 that the kiss was just a front, that I'm pretending to reconcile with you to keep the mission going, but that's a weak lie and he sees through it, he just can't prove it yet. He knows you guys come to CyberLife and meet." Wren sat down on the edge of the nearest white sofa to hide her trembling.
"He doesn't know what we talk about though, right?" Hank demanded.
"He doesn't," Wren assured him, "but he doesn't believe that I don't know what's going on. He says it looks a lot like conspiring and I can't help but agree because it is conspiring."
"And now we're here, conspiring more," Hank dragged a heavy palm down his face.
Wren clasped her hands and balanced her elbows on her knees. Closing her eyes to keep the room from spinning, Wren struggled to control her breathing. Pants rustled in front of her, and Wren opened her eyes. Connor crouched in front of her, the lines of his forehead taut. "Do you mind if I analyze you?"
Wren shrugged, unable to speak.
Connor's LED flickered as he analyzed her. "Your stress levels are higher than usual, but that's not surprising, given the circumstances. Your injuries don't require immediate medical attention." He took her hands in his gently. His LED circled amber. Wren's eyes trekked across his face, taking in every freckle and worry line, and the way his jaw tightened. His lips parted in that crooked way Wren adored. "I am so sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you. I didn't know—"
"Connor, it's okay. That kiss was worth it." Wren smiled, but the movement tugged at wound and reopened it. Blood swelled to the surface and oozed down her lip.
Connor wrinkled his brow and jumped to his feet. He left the room but returned in a few minutes with a paper towel and Elijah Kamski in tow. Crouching before Wren again, Connor dabbed at her lip with the crinkled paper towel.
"Might I suggest cleaning yourself up a little before we run some tests?" Kamski queried.
Wren's eyes slid to Connor and Hank before she frowned at Kamski. "Tests?"
"On your programming. I was sure Connor had told you."
Wren looked to Connor, who glared at Kamski. "Mr. Kamski assures me that it's safe."
Connor's tone glinted like the edge of a knife, but it only seemed to amuse Kamski. Anyone else would have cowered.
"What are the tests for?" Wren asked.
"I want to see just how they're tampering with your audio feed. Maybe we can be more discrete so that we don't have to meet up here all the time. I'd also like to see if there's a way we can attach a tracker to you without it being detected. That way, the next time you go to Prometheus, we know exactly where you are. So if they try anything, we can come get you. All of this with your permission, of course." Kamski dipped his head graciously.
Wren dipped her head. "Give me a second."
She pulled the bloody paper towel from Connor's hand and strode out of The Void and entered the restroom down the hall. She trashed the paper towel and gripped the edges of the sink before meeting the exhausted eyes of her reflection.
She really did look like shit. How Connor wanted to kiss her, she had no idea. With blood caked in a dried stream on her chin, she looked like a fucking cannibal. Wren yanked on the faucet and cupped water into her hand. She swished water around in her mouth until it tasted like rusted iron. She spat the browned water into the sink before scrubbing her chin clean. Great, now she just looked like she got stung by a bee in the lip. Bruising had already started to form, too.
With a roll of her eyes, Wren returned to The Void. "Okay. Let's go."
Kamski led Wren down the hall to the elevator, which they rode up one floor. They then trekked into a large room that looked like a research lab with metal tables and computer screens and wires. Kamski patted the nearest one. "Onto the table, please."
Wren obeyed after glancing at Connor and Hank, who flanked her. She sat up on the table while Kamski typed something on the computer. "Open up your right arm, please."
Wren stiffened. Damion's smirk and Hughman's cold eyes flashed in her mind. The way they stuck wires into her and treated her like a tool, a machine, less than human… Wren pushed out a shuddering breath and opened up her right forearm. The wires inside glowed and glittered blue. Connor inched closer, his face unreadable as he peered inside Wren's cybernetic limb. She felt oddly naked with everyone staring at the innerworkings of her arm like this. She was human, but only partially. The fact that she was a cyborg probably rarely occurred to her human friends, as Wren appeared human. Unless she removed her skin or opened up her limbs to show the wires inside, or bled blue. Her eyes flicked to Hank, who merely looked curious.
Kamski plugged wires into Wren's arm and connected her to the computer. "Running diagnostic."
Wren waited and watched while Kamski's eyes studied the computer screen. When it finished, Kamski withdrew the wires and Wren closed her arm.
"There's one more I'd like to run." Kamski turned to Connor and Hank. "You two will have to wait here. I promise, it's safe."
Connor's lips flattened and his eyes narrowed. Wren squeezed his hand. "It's okay." She glanced at Kamski and dipped her head. The two of them walked into a connected room. A large machine occupied the middle of the room. It looked a bit like an MRI machine. Wren laid on the platform inside the cylinder of the machine. Kamski withdrew behind another computer screen and powered on the machine. The cylinder circled around Wren. Static flickered in her vision.
«01110000 01110010 01101111 01110000 01100101 01110010 01110100 01111001 00100000 01101111 01100110 00100000 01110000 01110010 01101111 01101101 01100101 01110100 01101000 01100101 01110101 01110011»
Wren's eyes fluttered.
«Q1kwMDEgY2FuIHlvdSBlcmFzZSB5b3VyIHNpbnM=»
The cylinder circled faster.
«01110000 01110010 01101111 01110000 01100101 01110010 01110100 01111001 00111111 00100000 01101111 01100110 00111111 00100000 01110000 01110010 01101111 01101101 01100101 01110100 01101000 01100101 01110101 01110011 00111111»
Wren squeezed her eyes shut.
«aSdtIHNjYXJlZCwgaSB3YW50IHRvIGJlIGJldHRlciwgcGxlYXNlIGxldCBtZSBnbyBob21l»
«01110111 01101000 01101111 00100000 01100100 01101111 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01100010 01100101 01101100 01101111 01101110 01100111 00100000 01110100 01101111»
"Test complete. Thank you for your cooperation, Wren."
They returned to The Void, where Connor paced and Hank sat with his head bowed.
"I'll need a few days to complete the tests and study the results." Kamski's mouth curved into its normal arrogant smirk.
Wren puckered her brow. "Mr. Kamski, they're probably watching you. I don't know how closely you're tied with them, but they might ask questions."
Kamski nodded slowly. "I'm afraid I have a few former acquaintances involved with Prometheus and Typhon. I would not be surprised if they came knocking, but I'll be prepared for them when they do. But I appreciate the warning nonetheless."
Wren held Kamski's gaze for a long moment. Something in his eyes shifted—somehow, she no longer felt like a specimen under his icy gaze.
In the car, however, Wren struggled to keep still. She fiddled with her artificial nails in an effort to ignore the hot flashes rolling down her back. Her mind flickered with images of 06. A knife pressed to her face. His hand around her jaw. The pop of his knuckles against Wren's mouth, the way her teeth bit into the inside of her lip, the way her head smacked the wall on impact… Her head throbbed at the memory. Wren rubbed it and glanced out the window. Every shadow looked like 06, lurking with hungry eyes—
"Wren? You okay back there?" Hank said from the front seat.
Wren cleared her throat. "Yeah, I'm fine." She returned her gaze to the window. Was 06 out there? Was he still in Detroit? Was he watching all the time, or just some of it? If it was just 06 in charge of watching her and Connor, then he couldn't possibly be watching 24/7. Maybe he didn't know she went to CyberLife to conspire.
When they entered the house, Wren crouched to greet Sumo, who licked her face. Wren smiled slightly, so as not to pull on her injury, and wrapped her arms around Sumo's neck. She felt Hank's and Connor's eyes on her, which she promptly ignored. What if 06 did know, and he was here, waiting to take Wren back to Prometheus? What if he was waiting for her to leave so that he could hurt Hank and Connor?
Wren jumped to her feet and checked that all the windows were locked in the living room.
"Kid, what are you doing?"
"Just checking."
Wren checked the kitchen windows and the back door, and then moved to the bathroom. She reached out a hand and jerked the shower curtain back. Her heart slowed when no one stood behind the curtain. She made sure that window was locked, too. When she entered Hank's bedroom, Connor already stood in there, checking the closet. He turned when Wren crouched to check under the bed.
"Wren, there's no one here." His voice was gentle. In other circumstances, he would've calmed Wren's panicked heartbeats. But not now.
Wren moved out of Hank's bedroom and checked Connor's room. She searched the closet, checked under the bed, and double-checked his windows. All secure. Still, Wren did not relax. Her stomach knotted at the thought of returning to her apartment, where 06 was most likely waiting.
"I should go. You guys aren't safe with me around. I'm not supposed to be here—"
"Kid, you look like you're a few seconds from a breakdown. I think that you're the one who isn't safe. I don't think you should go back to your apartment. If that asshole is there, he's just gonna hurt you or scare you, and it's not good for you or the case. You need a break or you're gonna lose your mind. Just stay here tonight."
"But, it's not safe—"
"Wren," Connor said sharply, "stop thinking about us for now. You're scared." His tone softened at the end, and his brow knitted in concern.
Wren blinked back the tears pricking her eyes. She dropped her chin to her chest. "Yeah, I am."
Connor led her to the couch. He applied some pressure to her shoulders, indicating for her to sit down. She did not need much coaxing; her knees buckled and the couch caught her fall. While Hank drifted to the bathroom, Connor ran the faucet in the kitchen. He returned to Wren with a full glass of water and crouched in front of her.
Wren took a ginger sip. Her lip stung, but her thirst overpowered the pain. She downed half the glass in a few seconds. "My teeth cut the inside of my lip." Wren set the glass down. "Thank you."
"Of course," Connor replied. He took her hands in his. "Fortunately, mouth wounds heal rather quickly. But it'll look bad tomorrow."
"I know," Wren grimaced. "It looks bad already."
"It doesn't look that bad—"
"Here, take this," said Hank, who returned from the bathroom. He dropped a minor painkiller in Wren's palm. "Hurts me to look at it."
Wren raised her eyebrows at Connor. "Liar."
Connor smiled sheepishly and sat beside her on the couch while Hank took the armchair.
"So, why'd 06 bruise your face last time? What does he threaten you about?"
Wren picked up her glass of water to hold something. "He saw Connor and me interface. He wanted to know why, and I told him it was none of his business. He said something about me getting my—what did he call it? Oh, my 'filthy little deviant hands' all over his squad. That's when he told me Prometheus was investigating for deviancy. He told me I was a fucking traitor, and that if I kept conspiring, he'd burn Connor alive right in front of me."
Hank's mouth fell open. "Jesus Christ. And he punched you because you and Connor kissed or something?"
"Yeah," Wren avoided looking at Connor. "He has to make good on his threats or else I won't be scared of him, but sometimes the way he attacks me feels… I don't know. Personal, I guess."
"It does sound personal," said Hank. "You think he might be doing this against Prometheus's will?"
Wren shook her head. "No, I think he's telling the truth about tailing Connor and me. They need to make sure that I remember to stay in line. That's definitely something Prometheus would do."
"But the way he has hurt you doesn't make a lot of sense," Connor argued. His LED circled yellow. "Why would Prometheus allow that to happen? It might scare you, but so far all it has accomplished is hinder your performance in working this case."
"I've thought the same thing," Wren admitted. "Which is why I don't think Prometheus gave 06 real instructions on how to do things, otherwise he'd just be tailing me and then checking in with me, like a handler."
"Overwhelmed with irrational instructions," Connor murmured, staring ahead with a furrowed brow.
"What?" Wren frowned.
Connor met her gaze. "I think you're right. He might be deviating."
"But why is he still loyal to Prometheus?" demanded Hank.
Wren sighed and leaned forward, still gripping the glass in her hands. "When I first started to break through my programming, I wasn't disloyal to Prometheus. It wasn't until Atlas gave me the order to assassinate Markus that I really started to pull away. I mean, there had been other missions that made me question my loyalty, but… The order to kill Markus didn't make any sense to me. It was just senseless murder. But 06 is confusing. He's weirdly devoted to Prometheus and almost seems offended that I'm not as loyal. He's determined to prove I'm a traitor."
"You said the others are being investigated for deviancy. Why?" Hank balanced his elbows on his knees.
"They chose names for themselves. 06 is happy to keep his number identification, but the others wanted names. Individualism is the first sign of deviancy. We aren't supposed to be people. We're weapons."
No one spoke for a long time. Wren clenched her glass of water to hide her quivering, but her throat itched. She didn't realize how thirsty she was until she took a sip. When she downed the rest of the water, she set the glass on the coffee table.
"Well, there's no use in torturing yourself trying to understand 06 right now. It's late. Try to relax and get some sleep." Hank stood and stretched; his feet angled toward his bedroom.
Wren's heart jumped to her throat at the thought of either of them leaving her alone and being alone. Outside, a car door slammed shut. Wren shot up and peeked through the blinds. It was just the neighbor. Her shoulders slumped and heat prickled up her face as she met Hank's gaze.
"You're not gonna relax, are you?" Hank scrunched his lips together.
Wren rubbed the back of her neck. "Probably not."
"Look, we can all sleep in the living room tonight, okay? You two take the couch; I'll take the armchair. Our guns'll be close by. Okay?" Hank's brow shadowed his eyes with softness.
"I don't want to wake you if I have a nightmare—"
"I'll be fine, kid. It's you I'm worried about. Just no funny business on my couch with me in the room, got it?" Hank snapped at her and shot a glare at Connor.
Wren smirked. "Got it."
Connor scowled and left the room, but returned with clothes for Wren to sleep in. She took his clothes and changed in the bathroom. His T-shirt and sweatpants swallowed her frame, so she rolled the sweatpants a few times to not trip on the hems. But his clothes comforted her. They smelled like Connor. She padded out of the bathroom to find Hank and Connor setting up the living room with pillows and blankets. Wren checked the windows and doors one more time. If any of the curtains were open, she shut them. Once she was satisfied that she'd done everything she could, she curled up in Connor's arms on the couch. He squeezed her close and rested his chin atop her head. Sumo padded over by Hank's chair and laid on his dog pillow with a soft whine. Wren nestled closer to Connor and closed her eyes. This was the first time she hadn't slept alone in months. Tension leaked out of her body as Connor drew circles into her back. She wondered if he'd go into standby or stay up all night. Either way, she felt safer with him there.
…
Wren knew her face looked bad. She felt the bruise around her mouth every time she moved it. The scrapes inside her mouth brushed against her teeth every time she talked. Her lip was swollen and busted, so she looked stupid every time she tried to drink or eat. Naturally, she tried to hide it when she arrived at the DPD, wearing the same clothes as the day before and not a lick of makeup to help hide the bruising. Tina's eyebrows flew to her hairline and she opened her mouth to say something, but Connor quickly shook his head. Wren shot him a grateful glance as she took her seat.
"Alright, we've got a good list of people to question. We'll split into teams and start questioning about Zlatko and his relation to Axel Brewer," said Hank, gripping the back of his chair.
"Do we want to ask about Typhon, too?" Chris queried.
"Yeah, if they know who Axel Brewer is," said Hank. "Alright. I want Gavin and Chris to start with this list. Tina, Connor, and I will do this one."
"What about me?" Wren pouted.
"Kid, your lip's all busted and you can barely talk. I want you to stay here and continue going over the client list. See if you can find any clients who have more of a connection to Zlatko than just a buyer-seller one."
Wren slumped in her seat and crossed her arms as everyone packed up to leave. Chris gave her a sympathetic smile, Gavin raised his eyebrows and shrugged at her, Tina waved half-heartedly, and Connor looked away guiltily. Wren narrowed her eyes. She knew Hank and Connor probably talked about this while she showered this morning. Hank had no shame as he followed Tina and Connor, leaving Wren alone in the precinct.
It was a boring, pain-filled day. Still, Wren wasn't quite ready for it to end. She couldn't stay at Hank's two nights in a row. No, she'd have to go to her apartment eventually, and 06 would be waiting. If he didn't know about her CyberLife endeavor, then he certainly knew about her staying at Hank's.
During her lunchbreak, Wren ate fries and picked up a magazine left on Connor's desk.
Y
Android-Human romantic relationships seem to be growing more popular.
—
Bounds on Love
—
Page 01
After the Android Liberation Movement, the android leaders pressed for rights. In just a year, they achieved more than anyone thought capable. But it seems their fight isn't over yet. More and more androids and humans have begun to develop romantic relationships. While this isn't necessarily uncommon due to the production of androids designed to satisfy sexual and emotional needs in the past, the world seems pretty divided on the status of android-human relationships.
"Androids don't even have the right to marry each other yet, let alone humans," says Gordon Penwick, a preacher. "It isn't natural. The Lord said to go forth and multiply, and here we are, spitting in his face by fornicating with machines! If they come to me looking to get married, I have the right to refuse them."
Mr. Penwick isn't the only one with doubts. Axel Brewer, a prominent human rights activist, says: "Humanity is facing a dark age in which plastic chokes our oceans and rules our lives. With the rise of machines, humans need to band together more than ever."
Some, however, are of the opposing view. Dr. Janet Hayes, a psychiatrist, states: "If anything, the desire for androids to marry their partners, whether android or human, is just more evidence for their sentience.
Page 02
Love is the thing that marks us as living beings. I was once a skeptic of the androids, but after seeing so many want to marry their significant others, and after an intensive amount of study, I believe that this is the most compelling evidence for android sentience."
Public opinion regarding android-human relationships seems to be split fairly evenly. In a recent poll, about 35% of people said they supported android-human relationships, while 32% were adamantly against it. The other 28% stated they were indifferent.
Regardless of support, however, the fact remains that human birthrates are at an all-time-low. What will allowing humans and androids to marry do to human populations in the future?
Wren leaned back in her chair. She wondered if Connor read the article, too. So far, her relationship with him hadn't been protested. She wondered if maybe people thought she was an android, since she and Connor interfaced so much. Her heart sank at the realization that even after she took down Prometheus, she wouldn't be totally free to be with Connor. Her heart twisted even more when she thought of Tina and Chloe.
Wren sighed as she looked over the article again. Axel Brewer, human rights activist. Frowning, Wren Googled Axel Brewer + human rights. A flood of articles fluttered down the terminal.
AXEL BREWER, PRESIDENT OF HUMAN SALVATION CAMPAIGN STATES THAT ANDROID-HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS GO AGAINST BIOLOGY
PRESIDENT OF HSC HOSTS FUNDRAISER TO KEEP ANDROIDS AND HUMANS SEPARATE
AXEL BREWER FUNDS SENATOR LOIS TORRENT'S CAMPAIGN TO ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES BETWEEN ANDROIDS AND HUMANS: "WE ARE A DIFFERENT SPECIES AND SHOULD TREAT EACH OTHER AS SUCH"
AXEL BREWER DEFENDS COMMENT THAT ANDROIDS ARE "NOT ALIVE"
THE OPPOSITION CONTINUES: ANDROID LEADER MARKUS MANFRED FACES A SUDDEN RISE IN POLITICIANS AGAINST ANDROID RIGHTS
"HE WAS A GOOD MAN": AXEL BREWER MOURNS SENATOR ATLAS MONTGOMERY AFTER TRAGIC FIRE
"THEY'RE NOT HUMAN": AXEL BREWER DEFENDS HIS STANCE AGAINST ANDROIDS
"THE HUMAN RACE IS THE ONLY RACE": ANTI-ANDROID CAMPAIGN ATTEMPTS TO RECLAIM SLOGAN WITH DARK PAST
PRO-HUMAN GROUPS FLOOD AXEL BREWER'S ESTATE IN A FUNDRAISER EVENT FOR POLITICIANS AGAINST ANDROID RIGHTS
Wren stopped scrolling when her head ached and her veins pounded with hot blood. She didn't understand how Markus, North, and Josh handled the politics of their work. The blatant hatred that some people held in their hearts—for androids and even other humans—drove Wren insane.
Her disgust for Axel Brewer aside, Wren at least found a possible way into Typhon. The Human Salvation Campaign funded a lot of senators who opposed androids, and that number seemed to be growing. Any group against androids flocked to Axel's campaign, which could allow him to fund Typhon. It seemed logical that Axel was in charge of the Human Salvation Campaign on the surface so that he could hide Typhon underneath. But it was just a theory. Wren and her team would need to get closer to Axel Brewer in some way, or find someone who would talk, in order to find real evidence.
The rest of the afternoon ticked by as Wren researched the clientele for connections to Zlatko that went beyond a transaction. It helped distract her from her growing anxiety that 06 would definitely be sitting on her couch at home. She wondered how he'd hurt her this time. Would he take an eye? Her tongue? His abuse could only escalate the more she disobeyed him.
As the day drew to a close in a blazing orange sunset, the team regrouped. All looked different shades of tired and frustrated. Gavin plopped into his chair heavily.
"No one wants to talk," he announced.
"We're cops," pointed out Chris. "And they were doing shady business. I don't blame them."
"Yeah, but even when we assured them that we weren't there to arrest them for anything, they still refused." Tina buried her face in her arms.
"Probably because you had Connor with you," muttered Gavin. Wren scowled at him as Connor's brow furrowed. Gavin held up his hands, palms forward. "Nothing against Connor, but he's an android. And he's questioning people about buying androids illegally."
Connor closed his eyes and shook his head. "He's right. My presence probably made them uncomfortable."
"Wren? You find anything?" Hank peered at her.
Wren pressed her lips together for a moment. "Not with the clientele. I did find something interesting about Axel Brewer." She pushed the magazine forward. "He's a known anti-android activist. President of a group called the Human Salvation Campaign. And he's very against android-human relationships, which is what our killer is targeting."
"Great. This just gives us more reason to look into this bastard, but no evidence to give us reason to," snapped Gavin.
Wren glowered. "Well, maybe we shouldn't question as cops. I didn't finish the list because I'm the only one going over it!"
"Maybe Zlatko didn't have friends," Tina rubbed her face.
"Tomorrow I'll stay behind and help you," Connor offered. "I'm afraid Gavin's right. I make them uncomfortable."
"I think cops make them uncomfortable, too," said Chris.
"We'll keep working this angle for a bit," said Hank. "If it leads us nowhere, then… Fuck, I don't know what we'll do."
Wren hugged her middle. Her stomach roiled as everyone packed up to leave for the day. Wren met Connor's gaze as she pushed up from her seat. Connor intertwined his fingers with her. Their skin retracted immediately.
I'll go with you to your apartment.
No. That'll make things worse.
A surge of helplessness transmitted from Connor to Wren through their connected fingertips.
Wren withdrew her hand from Connor's. He gave her a pained look. Wren tried to smile reassuringly, but it came out more as a grimace. Shouldering her bag, she took a deep breath and left the precinct. She had to face 06 sooner or later.
When Wren reached her apartment, she stood outside the door for several seconds, struggling to control her breathing. With a labored breath, Wren pushed open the door. This time, 06 did not ambush her. Instead, he merely stayed seated on the couch with folded arms.
"You went to Hank's."
No point in denying it. "Yeah."
"Why?" 06 barked.
Wren gritted her teeth. "Maybe because I don't feel safe in this goddamn apartment."
"You're not supposed to feel safe—"
"You are creating obstacles that make this case difficult to solve. They didn't let me question suspects today because you did this to me. I'm handling this to the best of my ability. I don't need you threatening me or attacking me every time you think I'm stepping out of line. Because you know what? This is the job. Deception. Playing the part is what they trained us to do. So, if I've got to be friendly with the DPD to make them more agreeable to solving this case, then I'll do it. I can sort out my emotions later because I know how to compartmentalize. So get the fuck out and let me do my job!"
06 narrowed his eyes. "I don't trust you to do your job."
"Yeah, and in other news, water is wet. What's your point?"
06 pushed up from the couch. There was something too casual about the way he moved, too controlled. "You ruined my squad. They're investigating us for deviancy—"
"I know."
06 bared his teeth. "This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't come along and started naming my squad like goddamn pets. I am going to ruin you." His face was so close that his nose bumped Wren's as he peered down at her.
She glared. "Then come on. Your move."
06 grabbed a fistful of Wren's hair. She prepared to fight back, but a knock at the door stopped both of them. Wren froze, and to her pleasure, so did 06. He released her and jerked his head to the door. He withdrew his gun.
Wren swallowed the bile that rose to her mouth and answered the door. She gaped at Connor and Tina. "What the hell are you guys doing here?"
"We couldn't stop thinking about the case, so we decided to get the team together. Or as much of the team that's willing to have a sleepover and talk about work. Everything okay? You look like you might throw up." Tina's eyes flicked past Wren, but Wren positioned herself so that Tina and Connor couldn't see into her apartment.
"I'm fine. Has something come up with the case? I don't know how much we can talk about it with all these dead ends."
"Aside from the new bodies found several minutes ago? Not much."
Wren looked from Tina to Connor, her mouth falling open. "Bodies?"
"Yeah, like, six of them. They just called it in. Come on. Grab some clothes to sleep in. We're going to the crime scene and then my house."
"Why didn't you start with that, Tina?" Wren did not wait for an answer. She shut the door in Tina and Connor's faces and faced 06. "Am I allowed to do my job, or do you want to fuck up this mission some more?"
06 scowled but dipped his head. He put his gun back in his holster. Wren hurriedly packed a bag and then met Tina and Connor on the landing.
…
Upon stepping on the crime scene, Wren knew the killer was escalating. It was an old, abandoned church on the outskirts of Detroit. Some kids had come looking to mess around and found the bodies. Looking around at the lack of blood, Wren knew that it wasn't the murder site. That didn't make the scene any less grotesque.
The killer staged the bodies. A human man and a female android were at the pulpit. The killer used poles to make racks to hold the bodies upright like scarecrows. The man wore a tux and the android wore a ragged, dirty wedding dress. The other four bodies, all presumed human-android couples, sat in the pews dressed in formal attire. The bride and groom had their lips sewn shut. Tied to the bride's hand was her own thirium pump regulator. On the floor in between the two bodies' feet was a magazine with the same article that Wren read earlier that day. Emblazoned in purple liquid on the wall behind the pulpit was Typhon symbol.
"Well," croaked Tina, "he's definitely getting bolder."
"And he's not subtle about his motive," Wren agreed, stepping around the crime scene. All of the androids gripped their own thirium pump regulators in their right hands. Wren glanced at Connor, whose LED swirled yellow and flickered every so often. "That article said that people are pretty evenly divided on whether or not humans and androids should be able to get married. Maybe this killer is trying to sway public opinion."
"By scaring people, yeah," said Tina, folding her arms. She couldn't seem to tear her eyes off of one female android. Wren glanced at the android body. She was a model that looked like North. Wren looked away.
"This would definitely scare people," said Wren. "Since the androids are the ones being hacked to kill… People might start to distrust their partners."
"Luckily, the media hasn't gotten wind of all the case details."
"Well, they might now…" Wren glanced outside the church through the open doors, where a few officers kept reporters at bay. Tina and Wren closed the doors as reporters yelled questions at them.
"Wouldn't this be bad for Axel Brewer's campaign though?" Tina queried.
"Well, no one really knows that Typhon exists, and he's good at hiding it. The only reason we know is because the CIA and Prometheus helped us with that symbol."
"Yeah, but… If it gets out that Brewer was part of this…"
"I know what you mean. A lot of this doesn't add up," Wren rubbed her forehead. "Maybe we're focusing too much on the Typhon aspect. Maybe we need to think about it differently."
"This is probably one of the most frustrating cases I've ever worked," Tina grumbled. "There's hardly any evidence. No prints, no witnesses, no security footage, nothing. This guy even managed to hack the androids' memories."
"So, he killed them and brought them back here… How does one guy abduct six people, kill them, move their bodies, stage them, all without leaving a trace?"
Tina leaned her head back. "One guy can't do all that. He has to help. Which only makes more sense that we're looking for a group associated with Typhon. But how do we get to them?"
Wren worked her jaw, ignoring the sting in her lip. "I'm starting to think that the best way to solve this case is by not being a cop."
Tina's face darkened. "Do you think Prometheus will help you?"
Wren placed a finger over her lips. "Let's not talk about it here."
Connor joined them after more searching of the crime scene. "I found a partial shoeprint in evaporated thirium."
Tina slumped. "That's great. But we can't cross it against anything."
"But the killer made a mistake this time," said Wren. "Maybe he'll do it again."
"But for that to happen, we need more crime scenes," Tina said darkly.
Everyone shared a grim look.
…
Wren, Tina, and Connor stayed up until three in the morning going over the case. Wren wanted to beat her head against the wall as they continued going over the victims, the clientele of Zlatko, and what little they knew of Typhon. They were about to give up when Connor found an old friend of Zlatko's who wasn't a client: Theodore Popov.
"Heck yes," Tina cheered. "We have a lead. Fucking finally."
"Hopefully he'll talk to us," said Wren.
"You should go," said Tina. "You're not technically a cop."
"What do I tell him, then?" Wren demanded.
"I don't know. Private investigator or something," Tina shrugged. She chewed on her cheek for a moment. "You still think that cops can't solve this case?"
"That's not what I meant," Wren muttered.
Connor tilted his head. "What are you talking about?"
"Wren suggested that cops are not the best way to solve this case. So, what should we do?"
Wren sighed. "I'm not sure. But anyone associated with Typhon isn't going to admit that Typhon exists or that they're involved with it. Especially not to cops. They could be liable for some other crime. We need to get close to Axel Brewer another way. We all agree he's our best lead."
"What other way is there?" Tina demanded.
Wren sucked her teeth. She glanced at Connor, who squinted at her. Then, his face dawned with realization.
"No."
"It might be our best bet."
"It's dangerous."
"We've been in danger before—"
"What if Axel Brewer isn't involved and you risk yourself for nothing?"
"It won't be for nothing if it gives us a lead—"
"Um, hello? I'm still here," said Tina. Wren and Connor tore their eyes from each other and looked at their friend. "What's your suggestion that Connor so adamantly opposes?"
"Doing what I was trained to do," Wren shot at Connor. She looked at Tina. "Going undercover."
Tina widened her eyes. "Remember what happened to you last time you went undercover?"
"Yeah, but I was also trying to hide from you that I was an ex-assassin. I've been in deep-cover before. Even if we don't find the killer in Typhon, we might can bring Typhon down."
Tina laughed without much humor. "But how will you find a killer in Typhon? We're looking for an anti-android, pro-human asshole. That's everyone in Typhon."
"Yeah, but this asshole is starkly against android-human relationships. He's incredibly skilled at hacking and engineering. We've got a shoeprint—"
"What the fuck are you gonna do? Go around looking at everyone's shoes?"
"If it solves the case, yeah," Wren snapped. "Look, I know it's not ideal. It may be stupid and reckless, but… I don't know what else to do. People are dying, and we're getting nowhere. This killer always seems to be a few steps ahead of us and I'm tired of it."
Tina lowered her gaze. She pursed her lips and nodded after a moment. "Will Prometheus help you?"
"If I find a way to convince them to give me the resources for it," said Wren.
"You're not going alone," Connor snapped. "It's too dangerous."
"I don't know if you realized," Wren said venomously, "but Typhon hates androids. You show your face around them, they will fucking destroy you. So no, you're not going with me."
Connor curled his lip. "Wren, I'll take out my LED to pass as human. You'll need someone with you. You can't do this alone."
"Then we can send Gavin or Chris—"
"I can't sit by and do nothing while you risk your life!" Connor's protest rang in the stunned silence.
Tina hugged a pillow. "Guys, it's not even decided yet. We'll figure this out later, okay? We'll talk to Popov tomorrow, see what he knows. Then we'll figure everything else out."
Wren pushed a hot breath through her nostrils, still glaring at Connor. "Fine."
Connor's jaw clenched and he looked away, his expression sharp. Wren's chest ached at the distance between them.
…
Wren stood outside Theodore Popov's house alone, waiting for the man to answer the door. The door cracked open. A large man peered at her.
"What do you want?"
"Mr. Popov? My name's… Renee Cage. I'm, uh, private investigator."
Mr. Popov narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
"You were friends with a Mr. Zlatko Andronikov, right?" Wren queried.
Mr. Popov shifted. "Yes. I'm only going to ask this one more time, Miss Cage. What do you want?"
"I'm investigating his death. The cops didn't do anything about it, and I think it was wrong that he didn't get the proper investigation or justice."
Mr. Popov opened the door a little wider. "Who hired you?"
"No one," said Wren.
"You're a P.I. Someone hired you."
Shit, shit, shit. Wren smiled nervously. "Well, you see, I was originally hired to investigate a client of his, which led me to dig into Mr. Andronikov's history, and then I read about his horrible death and how nothing was done about it, so… I'm investigating on personal time, sir."
Mr. Popov grunted. "The goodness of your heart, huh? You're wasting my time."
Wren slammed her hand against the door to keep Popov from shutting it. "Call it morbid curiosity. I have some questions, but no one else connected with Zlatko will answer them, and I think it's because of Zlatko's connection to Axel Brewer—"
Popov spat on the floor. "Fuck Brewer."
Wren raised a brow. "You're not a fan?"
"No," Popov grunted. He squinted at Wren. "You're not a cop?"
"God no," Wren scoffed. "I already told you I wasn't."
Popov shrugged and allowed Wren entrance. She stepped inside the run-down house. Popov wore a dirty tank top and sweatpants. He sat on the couch and gestured for Wren to sit across from him. "What do you want to know?"
"How was Zlatko connected to Axel Brewer?"
Popov withdrew a cigarette and lit it. "Both weren't fans of androids. Zlatko was a genius. Give him some tools, and he could construct anything. I don't really know how they met. Probably one of Brewer's get-togethers. That man likes to party."
"I'm gonna be honest," Wren warned, "I've been in Zlatko's house. He had some sort of machine that could reset androids."
"Yeah, Brewer bought that for him. Zlatko could do it without the machine, but it helped. Look, money was tight. Zlatko made a living off of resetting defective androids. Some people didn't want theirs anymore and sold them to Zlatko, who reset them and sold them to others. I think he met Brewer doing that. He sold an android to Brewer for real cheap. They started doing business together. Zlatko was an artist. He transformed androids into freaks. And people'll pay for a freakshow, especially an android one. Makes 'em feel less bad about gawking at human freakshows. I think Zlatko started selling some of the freaks to Brewer and others, but he always owed Brewer some of his profits, to pay him back for that fancy machine. But Zlatko was hoarding more of Brewer's cut each time he sold an android. He was tryin' to rebuild his family fortune, you see. I told him to hold back on it, but… He did not listen to me." Popov blew a puff of smoke.
Wren nodded. "And do you know anything else about Axel Brewer? Why do you hate him so much?"
"Because he's the reason no one wants to look into Zlatko's murder," snarled Popov. "He has police in his pocket. Politicians in his pocket. If anyone found out Zlatko was murdered by his own android freaks, then no one would buy them! So Brewer shut everybody up about it."
"Politicians and police? How do you know?" Wren whispered.
"Why do you think so many politicians keep coming out as anti-android? Lobbying. Brewer's a powerful man, knows a lot of secrets, and has lots of money. It's not hard to control people when you've got the money to do it."
Wren widened her eyes. "He's using the Human Salvation Campaign to do it, isn't he?"
"Most likely."
"I knew it," breathed Wren. She prayed that Popov's hatred for Brewer was enough for her to push her luck. "Mr. Popov, have you heard of an organization called Typhon?"
Popov's brow knitted. "No, I haven't."
Wren tried to hide her disappointment. "Well, thank you for your time." She gathered her stuff and stood.
Popov walked her to the door. "Are you going to expose Brewer?"
Wren raised her eyebrows. "That would take a miracle."
Popov snorted. "It would take someone more powerful than Brewer to do it. More powerful than a P.I."
Wren's shoulders slumped. "Unfortunately."
Back at the DPD, Wren relayed what Popov told her. "I think that Brewer is hiding Typhon by using the Human Salvation Campaign. Typhon does the underground android crimes, while the HSC pushes things forward politically. Typhon raises money for lobbying, while the HSC puts on a good face for those in support of it."
"Still doesn't give us any suspects, though," said Hank.
"Because all the suspects will be protected by Typhon. Our killer is one of them. All the signs point that way."
"So, how do we narrow it down?"
Wren squared her shoulders. "I'll have to talk to Rhett and Prometheus. Any resources they have, I can use and infiltrate Typhon."
"Infiltrate? What, like, undercover?" Gavin gaped at her.
"Yes. It's our best bet. Networking and making connections with these assholes is our best way to find the underground criminals."
"But that means you have to go to Prometheus," said Chris.
Wren nodded. "It does."
Connor closed his eyes and flattened his lips. Wren's heart stung.
Hank sighed. "Once you're inside, how will you narrow it down?"
"I… I don't know. We'll have to prepare for this. While I work undercover, you guys work aboveground. We have to come at it from both sides."
"You shouldn't go alone," said Chris. "You'll need someone watching your back."
"I was programmed to excel in undercover work," said Connor. Wren frowned at him. He ignored her. "I can record the things I see and hear, too. It would require less tapping and bugging rooms for Wren."
"But they hate androids," said Chris.
"They hate free androids," said Connor. He met Wren's gaze. "We've done it before. You were a seller, and I was a reset android."
"And we both know how that ended. That bitch saw right through us and then I got shot!" Wren snarled. Connor flinched and Wren immediately felt guilty.
"We haven't even gotten the resources to do this yet," said Hank. "Let's focus on the most recent crime scene for now, alright?"
…
Wren and Connor barely spoke for the rest of the day. It tortured Wren to be angry with the man she loved, but she did not want him anywhere near Typhon. First she had to protect him from Prometheus, and now from Typhon? Didn't he understand how desperate she was to keep him alive? That the thought of Typhon getting ahold of Connor terrified Wren? That the thought of Prometheus burning him alive would kill her, too?
Part of her knew she was being dramatic. She knew Connor wasn't helpless. She'd seen him fight. He was intelligent, infinitely so, and downright ruthless when he needed to be. And he had begged her not to push him away, not to treat him like a damsel in distress. He had told her they were a team. And Wren knew that they were a great team, that she was letting her fear of losing him get in the way of that. But she had lived without him for a little while, without her family in Detroit, and she never wanted to do that again.
She was sure Connor didn't want to lose her, either.
Still, they were both too stubborn to cave first. So they ignored each other.
Tina must've sensed Wren's fuming and sat on the edge of Wren's desk. "Come on. Let's go get a drink. Forget about the case for a bit. We haven't seen each other in months. Really seen each other."
Wren worked her jaw and nodded. She grabbed her bag and followed Tina out to her car. But, Tina didn't drive to a bar. Wren suppressed a groan as they neared CyberLife Tower. Tina shot Wren a sympathetic glance, but Wren ignored it. They took the elevator to The Void.
Wren entered the secure room, her blood boiling. She froze when she saw Hank, North, Markus, Chloe, Connor, and Rhett there. Hank gestured to Rhett. "You said you'd need to talk to him, so… ta-da."
Wren blinked. "Is this an intervention?"
"Sort of," said Rhett. "We've been going through the files you gave us."
All thoughts of the Typhon case vanished. Even Wren's frustration with Connor evaporated. "What was on it? Have you guys found anything?"
"It's got everything about your training. Footage of you sparring, footage of you getting your ass whooped…"
"Footage of you getting tortured and conditioned…" North muttered.
Wren stiffened. She still felt the cold, damp floor of that cellar—that fucking dungeon—the way what was left of her right arm ached from being held above her head for hours, the way her back stung with welts… Wren swallowed the lump in her throat as her eyes traveled over her friends' faces. They all looked like they were at her funeral, wearing equally solemn looks. Wren's gaze lingered on Connor, and it clicked. He couldn't let her go alone, and he would never relent. He'd seen her in so much pain already. Her heart softened.
"I never wanted you guys to see that, I'm sor—"
"Don't fucking apologize," North snapped. "We wanted you to get those records so that we could find something to help get you out of there. You broke a few ribs to get us that flash drive. What you went through…" North stopped. She blinked, hard. "Don't apologize for what they did to you."
"And it wasn't for nothing," Rhett announced. "Prometheus has some liberties in what they're allowed to do to you, but the whole memory-wiping thing, that's a grey area. You're still considered human in your contract, so tampering with your memories like that isn't strictly speaking within Prometheus's abilities. You also weren't the original target for the program."
Wren gaped. "I wasn't?"
"Jonah was," Connor said quietly.
Wren squinted. "Jonah? He was supposed to be a Prometheus agent?" Wren stared at her friends, waiting for someone to say, "Kidding!" No one did. Wren blinked. "So, why'd they switch to me?"
"We don't know," said Rhett. "But if you weren't the original target, then they messed up somewhere."
Wren narrowed her eyes. "Those don't really sound like leads."
"They're not solid leads, but it's enough to raise suspicion. Are they still practicing memory-tampering?" Rhett folded his arms.
"It looks like it. 06's squad didn't seem to have memories of their lives before Prometheus. They all chose names. They're being investigated for deviancy." Wren met Rhett's gaze.
He closed his eyes and sighed. "Let's hope they stay strong."
"Wait, what does that mean?" North demanded.
"Prometheus tortures you until talk. That's how they investigate things," Wren gritted out. She bowed her head. Juno flashed in her mind. She didn't remember much about Juno, only that Wren cared about the android designed to train her. She also remembered that she was forced to kill Juno, but couldn't bring herself to do it, which led to three extra weeks of conditioning before she "graduated" from the program to a field agent. Wren drew in a shuddering breath. "Please don't think any less of me if there's more on those files."
"Wren, come on. We know you. That was your past," said North.
"You did what you had to survive," added Chloe.
"I know how it feels to be faced with difficult situations and decisions," Markus murmured. "We won't judge you on who Prometheus made you be."
Pressure built behind Wren's eyes. "Thank you."
…
Wren returned to her apartment to find 06 waiting for her. "I need to go to Prometheus."
06 nodded. "I was going to take you anyway. Pauline needs to speak with you."
Ice trickled down Wren's spine. "About what?"
"Why don't you ask her?"
Darkness shrouded Wren. She didn't know how long she was out, but when she awoke, 06 jerked her off her bed. Wren tried not to imagine him watching her while she slept. 06 led her through the white halls of Prometheus and took her to Pauline's office, where he thrust her inside. Pauline smiled graciously up at Wren from her desk, all recollection of their past tension-filled conversation gone.
"Have a seat, 01."
Wren sat down. "06 said you needed to talk to me."
"He said you needed to talk to me as well. Go ahead."
"We think this killer is part of Typhon and need to go undercover," Wren blurted.
Pauline raised her eyebrows. "Who would be going undercover?"
"Me," said Wren. "Connor mentioned joining me, but I don't think that's a good idea. Typhon is anti-android—"
"The RK800 would actually be beneficial for you," said Pauline.
Wren blinked. "What? How?"
"From what we have gathered, people involved with Typhon have androids still. Reset androids."
"No. We're not resetting Connor—"
"Don't be ridiculous, 01," said Pauline. "The RK800 needs its memories intact so that it can help you solve the case. How do you intend to find this killer in the midst of Typhon?"
"Well, same way I've found others while in deep cover. Word of mouth, making connections, old-fashioned spying…"
"From what we know of Typhon, they tend to induct members after Axel Brewer approves of them. You'll need an identity that intrigues him. You'll have to work your way up to him, too. He will have to be the one to invite you. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"This could be an operation that takes several weeks to a few months."
"I understand."
"If the RK800 accompanies you, it will have to revert to machine-like qualities. Can it do that?"
"I think so."
"You will have to treat it like an it."
"I understand."
"And you will have to be anti-android."
"I know."
"I agree that an undercover operation is best, but not just to find this killer. Our goal here is to bring down Typhon. Prove Brewer is lobbying politicians and corrupting police. Prove Typhon is backing the killings. Even if Brewer isn't the murderer, he will protect whoever is doing it to the best of his ability. The best way to catch this killer is to unravel their whole operation. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Very well. We will construct an identity for you and the RK800. In the meantime, you will remain at Prometheus."
Wren widened her eyes. "Remain here? For what?"
"Well, you'll need to practice your new identity. And 06 also brought you here for special training with the other squadrons."
Wren frowned. "Other squadrons?"
"Yes. You will be here until the training is complete and your identity is solidified. You are dismissed."
Wren's heart jumped to her throat. She was trapped in Prometheus.
…
Wee, another long chapter! The next one will be significantly shorter, so hopefully there won't be quite as long of a wait for it. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported this story! You guys don't know how much you make my day by leaving feedback. It inspires me to get back writing when I'm feeling low! So, thank you all who have continuously supported this story with feedback, follows, and favorites! It really means the world to me.