Chapter Twenty-Five

Warning: Violence

As soon as the car stopped in front of the townhouse, Connor jumped out and sprinted inside, Hank and Gavin yelling after him. It certainly looked like Prometheus took the bait. The fight that undoubtedly happened wrecked the kitchen and living room. Blue and red blood splatters sent Connor's biocomponents reeling. Whose blood was it? Wren's? How hurt was she?

Tina and Chloe held each other. Chloe sobbed into Tina's shoulder, and Tina rubbed her girlfriend's back in soothing circles.

"I'm okay, babe," Tina murmured. "I'm okay."

"I hated this, I hated this so much!" Chloe whimpered.

Connor hurried over to them. "Are you both alright?"

Tina nodded. "My ribs are bruised, but I'll be fine."

Connor nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. Gavin and Hank hurried inside.

"Holy fuckin' shit," said Gavin, dragging a hand through his hair.

"Jesus," agreed Hank, stepping around a blood splatter. His eyes zeroed in on Tina. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah," Tina coughed, "good idea to have us wear Kevlar vests underneath our shirts. I just feel bad we didn't tell Wren."

"Rhett said it needed to look authentic," muttered Hank.

Connor helped Tina to her feet. She winced, and Chloe shouldered most of her weight. Connor kept a hand on Tina's back to help steady her.

"Let's get back to Kamski's and track Wren," said Hank. "They took the bait. Let's get her back."

"Was she okay?" Connor asked, his voice much quieter than he'd intended.

Tina's brow curved with sympathy. "She was a little beat up, but nothing she can't handle. I don't think I'll ever unhear her, though."

"Seeing your best friend get shot would be upsetting to anyone," said Chloe. "I was upset and I knew about the vest."

"Wren probably thinks I'm dead," Tina muttered, bowing her head. "Make sure you tell her I'm okay when you see her."

"I will," Connor replied. He helped Tina into Hank's car, and then they rushed back to CyberLife Tower to track Wren's whereabouts.

As soon as they burst into the Void, Connor and his companions rushed toward the terminal where Rhett and Kamski pulled up a GPS that showed a blinking red light to indicate Wren's tracker. She was on the outskirts of Detroit. Connor's biocomponents flopped. It seemed strange that Wren was still in the city, still so close, yet not.

"What are they doing in Detroit?" Markus queried from behind Connor.

"If Prometheus has been here this whole time, I swear I'll jump off the roof," said North.

"They haven't," muttered Rhett. Connor narrowed his eyes at Rhett, but the other man avoided Connor's scrutiny. "They're probably boarding a plane."

"Shouldn't we?" Connor demanded.

"We've got a set schedule for this," said Rhett. "We have to give Wren time to be a proper distraction."

Connor set his jaw. This was too much to place on Wren's shoulders. How could she possibly cause a big enough distraction at Prometheus that would hide the CIA raid? How could she do that without getting hurt?

The blinking red light vanished.

Connor's synthetic heart dropped. "What happened?"

"I don't know," said Kamski, looking very pale. He typed on the terminal, trying to reconnect the signal to Wren's tracker, but to no avail. "It should've worked. It should've been undetectable…"

"Did the we lose the signal?" North demanded.

"Pull it back up!" snarled Gavin, smacking Kamski's shoulder.

"I can't! It's been disabled somehow," said Kamski. "We didn't lose the signal. Someone found the tracker."

"We lost her?" Hank croaked.

"There has to be some other way," said Tina. "Maybe—"

"There's nothing I can do from here," snapped Kamski. "The tracker's gone. It failed. I failed."

A heavy silence choked everyone in the room. Connor was frozen. The tracker failed. They lost Wren. They had no way of finding her or Prometheus. Connor promised her that he would get her out. That he'd find someway to free her. But he'd failed. He failed his mission.

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Rhett turned his back to them, running his hand through his sandy brown hair. Connor narrowed his eyes. Rhett had seen the inside of Prometheus. Somehow, he'd known that Wren was getting on a plane, and that Prometheus was not located in Detroit.

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Connor grabbed Rhett and slammed him against the wall, gripping him by the lapels of his jacket. "Where is she?!"

"Connor!" Hank yelled.

But Connor ignored the cries of his friends. He bared his teeth at Rhett, who grasped at Connor's hands. Connor lifted Rhett a few inches off the floor. "Where is Wren?"

"I don't know!" Rhett yelled.

Connor pulled Rhett forward and slammed him against the wall. "You promised she'd be safe!"

"I'm sorry!"

Connor pressed his forearm to Rhett's throat. "Where did they take her? I know you know where they're located! Tell me where they are, you scumbag!"

Rhett gagged under the pressure of Connor's grip.

"Connor, calm down!" Hank tugged at Connor's arm, but he brushed Hank off and pressed harder onto Rhett's jugular.

"Where the fuck did they take her? Tell me!"

"Connor, let him go!" Markus pulled at Connor's arm.

"Connor!" North placed her hands upon Connor's other arm. Rhett's face was now an unhealthy shade of red. Connor jerked back and let Rhett crumple to the floor, coughing and gasping for breath.

Breathing heavily, Connor whipped out of the room. He charged into the men's restroom and gripped the counter.

[Warning: Stress Levels Rising]

[Overheating Detected]

[Activated: Internal Fanning System]

Connor drew in several deep breaths to cool his systems. Tears welled in his eyes. Everything that he'd been locking inside poured out, and a choked sob fought its way out of Connor's chest. He could've killed Rhett. He wanted to for a moment. That bastard knew where Prometheus was, and still Rhett chose his loyalty to the CIA over Wren. Rhett didn't give a damn about her; he only cared about his mission.

The door opened. Connor squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to face anyone's disappointment. "I know you think that I don't care about her, but I do."

Connor's eyes flashed open. He turned, grimacing at the bruises already forming on Rhett's neck. "Then why won't you tell me where Prometheus is?"

Rhett sighed, and then coughed slightly. "I took an oath not to, a long time ago. That kind of loyalty is hard to break. I feel like you should understand that. It couldn't have been easy for you to go deviant and betray everything you were programmed for."

"It wasn't." Connor clenched his teeth for a moment. "But then I realized that there were more important things than my mission."

"There are more important things than Wren, too," said Rhett. Connor curled his hands into fists. Rhett's mouth slanted with a smirk. "This goes deeper than you know. Prometheus, CIA, all of it. I took an oath to not share any information about my mission. If I tell you where Prometheus is located, I'm putting Wren above my mission. I'm breaking that oath."

Connor's chest hurt. "So, that's it? You're just going to sacrifice Wren, after everything she's been through?"

"I didn't say that," Rhett said. "I'll tell you where they are, but only you. Wren is your mission. You won't get help from the CIA to save her."

Wren was always Connor's mission. He squared his shoulders. "I understand."

Rhett ducked his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Get her out, okay? I want Wren to have a chance at freedom, too. I just don't want you to think that I don't care about her."

Connor scowled. "It doesn't matter what I think about you. What matters is her. Right now, we're wasting time."

"Measuring dicks," Rhett snorted.

Connor blinked. Of course. Wren would say that. "Measuring dicks."

Rhett's lips twitched. "C'mon."

Connor pushed off from the counter. "I'm sorry for…"

"Don't mention it."

They returned to the Void. Connor's skin heated at the stares he received, but he ignored them. Rhett squared his shoulders.

"Connor is the only one receiving the exact location of Prometheus. No one else is qualified enough to know. Markus, if you choose to help him, now's the time to say so."

Markus stood from his seat. "I'll go."

"Markus," North sighed, bowing her head. Markus crouched in front of her and cupped her face in his hands.

"Wren needs us," he said.

"I know, but your people need you, too." North's eyes filled with tears and she sounded miserable. Anguish squeezed Connor's chest, and he swallowed a lump in his throat. He knew North's pain all too well, and he hated that she suffered what he'd been suffering lately.

"I trust you and Josh to do what's best for our people, if anything happens to me," said Markus.

North's brow puckered. "Nothing better happen to you, or I'll kill you myself."

Markus kissed North's forehead. "I love you, too."

Kamski cleared his throat. "I can help you better access some combat protocols if you'd like."

"I thought deviancy helped unlock things?" Gavin queried.

"There's still so much we don't know about deviancy," said Kamski, lifting his nose in the air as if he smelled something delightful. "Certain protocols and programs remain hidden in androids. I think with time, these things would be open to a deviant, but we don't have time, do we?"

"I'll do it," said Markus, standing.

"I suggest you hurry," said Rhett. "Say your goodbyes, too."

Markus and Kamski left the room. Rhett stepped out into the hall. A thick silence hung over the DPD's and Jericho leaders' heads. Connor clenched his hands into fists and then flexed his fingers. Gavin patted Connor's shoulder heavily.

"Be careful out there, man," Gavin said, avoiding Connor's gaze.

Josh nodded. "We'll have your back in any way we can."

Tina and Chloe remained huddled together on the couch, but Tina leaned forward a bit, Chloe's hands around her own. "Bring Wren home."

North stood from her spot and approached Connor, her expression rather unreadable. Then, she threw her arms around Connor's neck. "Please, be careful."

Connor returned North's embrace. "I won't let anything happen to him. I promise."

"Yeah," North's voice sounded choked. "Bring both of them home. And you be careful too, okay? I don't want to lose anyone out there."

"Okay," Connor replied thickly.

North withdrew, her cheeks a little wet. She wiped at her face furiously and sat down with crossed arms. Josh placed a hand on her shoulder. Markus and Kamski returned, and North jumped up to hug him immediately. Hank caught Connor's eye and jerked his head. They stepped into the hall.

Rhett sighed. "Jesus, I can't get away from this lovefest. I'll be in the bathroom."

Hank scowled after Rhett for a moment. "What a sour fucker."

Connor's lips twitched, but his synthetic heart twisted like an aluminum can. "Hank, I'm sorry."

Hank drew back and folded his arms. "What for?"

Connor bowed his head. "If this fails, you'll be alone—"

"Jesus, kid, I should be worried about you, not you about me," Hank shook his head. "If anything does happen to you and Wren, I won't be alone. I've got a whole team now. A bigger family than I ever thought I could have."

Connor's eyes snapped to Hank's. "Hank…"

"Don't worry, I've thrown out all the liquor in my house," said Hank. His eyes twinkled with tears and he smiled sadly. "But nothing's gonna happen to you or Wren. I've watched you take out whole crews of armed guards single-handedly, cross an interstate, jump on a train… You and Wren are gonna come home, and we'll finally celebrate her birthday. And you two are gonna take some time off and go on a trip or something. Get out of Detroit, go see the world together, I dunno. Everything's gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay."

When Hank's voice cracked, Connor's eyes welled with tears. "It's not me I'm worried about."

"Jesus, son, you can't constantly put everyone above yourself," said Hank. He gripped Connor's shoulders. "I will be fine. Wren will be fine. We've seen what Wren's survived," Hank cleared his throat and Connor winced. "That kid survives. She'll be okay. I'll be okay. But I want you to worry about you, okay?"

Connor frowned. "I can handle this."

"I know, son," said Hank. "But if you're constantly putting others before yourself, you'll end up getting hurt."

"I thought that was the right thing to do?"

"It is. What I'm trying to say is… Don't get killed, okay? Make sure you look after yourself out there, too. The world wouldn't be the same without you in it, son."

Connor's eyes pricked. He pulled Hank in for a hug. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too." Hank squeezed Connor for a moment, and then patted his back. "Now, go kick some ass."

Connor and Markus wore Prometheus uniforms that Kamski designed when Wren showed them from her memories. The uniforms came with helmets that covered their faces and guns. They also bore bulletproof lining. Connor found the helmets annoying, but agreed that they were convenient for their disguises. It took them three hours on a jet to get to Prometheus. Once, Connor peered out the window of the jet. Snow-capped mountains stretched out below, and Connor's synthetic heart sank. Out here, even if an agent managed to escape, they'd die in the icy wilderness.

The jet landed in a hangar cut from the side of a mountain. Rhett stood in front of Connor and Markus. "They shouldn't question you here. Don't say anything until we get inside, got it?"

"Got it," Connor said. Rhett dipped his head and the three of them exited the jet. Connor's heart pumped so fast that his other biocomponents seemed to vibrate. His thirium pump regulator quivered. He was about to enter Prometheus. This place tried to destroy the woman he loved. It was a site of torture and conditioning. This place trained killers.

Guards lined the perimeter of the massive hangar. Rhett climbed up a set of stairs and stopped at a pair of thick, metal sliding doors. Two guards wearing armor similar to Connor's and Markus's stopped them.

"ID, please," said the guard on the right.

Rhett held up his badge. "That won't be necessary."

The guards exchanged a glance. "There are no scheduled CIA visits today."

"I didn't schedule one," said Rhett. "But I don't need to. I have clearance."

"Sir, with all due respect, we were ordered not to let anyone—"

"Who were you ordered by? Agent Thomas, your boss?" Rhett snapped.

"Yes sir," said the guard on the left.

"Well I'm her boss, so stop dicking around and let me through."

The two guards exchanged a glance. Connor tensed, readying himself for a fight. Then, the guards sidestepped. Rhett hit the elevator button and the doors slid open.

"What about those two?" demanded the guard on the right.

"What do you mean? They obviously work here, dingbat." Rhett stepped onto the elevator, and Connor and Markus flanked him. The elevator doors closed before the guards had a chance to argue.

Connor opened his mouth to snap something at Rhett, but the camera in the corner stopped him. Prometheus was always watching.

The elevator descended what felt like a mile or two underground before opening. The main lobby of Prometheus gleamed white. Shining floors, sleek glass décor, and sharp edges gave the place a very modern feel. It felt like CyberLife, a little bit. CyberLife but colder. There were no people, not even androids, to greet them. Everything was automated. Rhett scanned his badge and stepped through the blocked area.

"Connor, you're up," said Rhett.

Connor stripped his hand of his glove and palmed the scanner. His synthetic skin retracted. His code mingled with Prometheus's. He mimicked a sequence that guards used. The gate blocking him from the rest of the facility opened, and Connor stepped through, Markus close behind.

"It won't be long before they realize what's happening," said Rhett, leading them into a rounded area with multiple elevators. "We have maybe twenty minutes."

"How long until CIA?" Markus muttered while they waited for the elevator.

"An hour," said Rhett. They boarded the elevator. It descended even deeper underground, but it was eerily bright. All the white walls, floors, and florescent lights made the place too bright. Too clinical. The elevator dinged and they stepped off into a corridor. Rhett led them to a large room—a cafeteria—only to find it empty. "Maybe she's in her room."

Rhett exited the cafeteria. As they walked, Connor peered into the rooms along the way. An empty gym. Empty rooms, labeled. 005, 004, 003, 002, 001. Wren. Connor's breath hitched as he stood outside a steel door with a single, rectangular window that was too high to see out of. Rhett scanned his ID and the door unlocked. Rhett, Markus, and Connor stepped inside. Connor's biocomponents shuddered. Nothing about the room suggested Wren lived here.

The walls were bare, and the single bed bore white sheets. A sink and toilet sat across from the bed. In the back corner was a shower with no curtain. Wren didn't get any privacy here. The only thing with color was a tennis ball, sitting on top of the pillow.

Rhett huffed. "Maybe she's in the next corridor with the other squadron."

They left Wren's squad's corridor and hurried to the next one. Rhett led them into the cafeteria, where two men sat. Connor recognized them from Wren's memories: Dex and 06. Connor gritted his teeth, and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to launch himself at 06's throat. Instead, he remained still.

"You're not supposed to be here," said 06, narrowing his eyes.

"I came for my check-in with Wren," replied Rhett.

"Don't you usually check in with her elsewhere?"

"She wasn't in her room."

"Have you talked to Pauline?" 06 shifted in his seat, looking ready to jump to his feet. Connor tensed.

"I don't usually have to check with Pauline."

"You will this time. CY001 is unavailable," 06 said coldly.

"Unavailable?" Rhett demanded.

06 stood and approached them. "Unavailable. You would've been informed had you checked in with Pauline first."

"Look, I don't have to check in with her. My clearance is high enough that I don't need to. Now, take me to Wren!"

Dex stood slowly. Connor's hand twitched to his gun. 06's eyes flashed to Connor, and then back to Rhett.

"What's with the guards?" 06's voice was dangerously quiet.

"They're my harem, asshole," Rhett snapped. "Tell me where Wren is."

06 covered his wrist with one hand and smiled. "You know, it's funny. We just extracted 01 and found this neat, covert little tracker in her arm. We disabled it, of course. And now, you're here. One of the few to actually know our location. Big coincidence, huh?"

Dex inched behind 06.

"What the fuck are you getting at, 06?" Rhett growled.

Dex raised a plate over 06's head and crashed it down. 06 stumbled, and then Connor knocked him out. Dex panted, staring at 06's unconscious body with wide eyes. "I'll take you to her."

Connor opened his mouth to thank Dex, but the shrill screech of an alarm interrupted him. Rhett crouched and examined 06's wrist. He wore a watch, the screen of which bore a message from Pauline Thomas: Back-up is on the way.

Connor's heart dropped. They were going to have to fight their way to Wren.

Sorry for the late update. I've been feeling burnt out. :/

Also, I've been thinking of starting a tumblr page for this story, with face-claims, outfit pics, music, location inspiration, aesthetics, etc. IDK if anyone would be interested in that, but I thought it would be a fun way to get involved!

Let me know what your favorite part was! I'm super excited for the next chapter. Lots of action ahead!