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Author's Notes: Well, everyone, I woke up with a BURNING NEED to start updating again, so the wait is over. I will be uploading the next seven chapters, one a week. Most likely on Mondays or Tuesdays.
I also want to remind all you lovely readers that this story WILL eventually jump up into a mature rating during these next seven chapters. There will be very explicit and adult content coming up. Some of you have been looking forward to it. (No worries fam, I got you. I will deliver on that eventual smut tag. ;) But I just wanted to make sure no one is surprised by the mature scenes.
Thanks everyone for waiting so patiently during my break. I hope you enjoy the next part of this story: Connor's deviancy and dealing with his feels.
Chicago: Become Human
Chapter Eight: Man Enough
"Jesus Christ, what the hell is this?"
Samantha blinked blearily awake, wild hair stuck to her face. Garrett stood over her bed, looking more put out than normal.
"What are you doing in my room?" she asked in a scratchy voice. What time was it? She felt like she had only slept mere minutes.
"I'm here to get the android. I have to take him to Cyberlife for repairs. Why is he naked in your bed?"
She sat up a little, rubbing her eyes. Connor, topless, remained on his back in the bed next to her, placidly watching them. "He's not naked."
"Why are you wearing his shirt?"
"I had a hard night. Mine was drenched in sweat."
"You have a whole closet full of shirts."
Samantha held up her sleeve to him. "Feel."
Garrett rubbed the silky textile between his fingers. "You spoil this thing. He can't even tell the difference."
She yawned. "Only the best for Connor."
"That still doesn't explain what he's doing in your bed."
Samantha was both embarrassed at getting caught and irritated she had to explain herself. "I almost died, Garrett. It was a rough night."
He huffed in response. "Fine. I get that. But this android can't do its job if you're sleeping on top of it."
"Forgive me for contradicting," Connor cut in, "but I was still fully capable of protecting Samantha. I had eyes on the door the entire time and my weapon within reach."
Garrett sighed. "Whatever. I don't want any part of this. Just get up and get dressed. We've got a long day today."
He stepped out of the room and Connor exited a few minutes later, fully dressed.
Samantha followed, wearing her own clothes now. "Can I come?"
"After last night?" Garrett said. "No, you're not leaving this house for anything. Besides, you look like you got in a street fight there, Champ. People will think I did it."
Connor furrowed his brows. "Why would they think you did it?"
"Because they definitely won't think you did."
"This is true."
"And why should that be my problem?" Samantha countered. "You should let me go. I want to see Cyberlife."
"Nope," Garrett said flippantly. "Tell her, Connor."
"I agree that it's a good idea if you stayed here where it's safe. I'm assuming Rollins will take my place again?"
"Yeah, she should be coming in any second."
Samantha sighed dramatically. Garrett couldn't believe she even wanted to leave the house after an attack like that. It was the android. Not only had he protected her, but he kept her strong. Better than any guard dog they could have gotten in its place. Money well spent if Garrett had anything to say about it.
He patted Samantha's shoulder with good humor. "Maybe next time, kiddo."
.
Connor's second return to Cyberlife was far more of an event than the first. Everyone knew he was coming this time around. And there were far more technicians than just Amy waiting for them. They were immediately escorted to a repair room where they told Connor to remove his shirt and then his synthetic skin. A bone-pale Connor sat on the table, still fully active while a technician removed a section of the upper arm's shell and then set about replacing the damaged parts from the android's bullet wound. As they worked, both Garrett and Connor were bombarded with questions about the previous night's event.
"This is for our records and future programs," a male technician told them. "This RK model has a unique set of protocols and we've never had an android involved in... something like this."
"You mean shooting people," Garrett said, cutting to the chase.
"Uh, yes," the technician replied. "You can understand, even though we don't technically own this RK model, Cyberlife worries about the liability of what happened."
Garrett was a large man, a good head taller than the Cyberlife employee. His stern look made the technician take a step back.
"Look, there will be no liability," Garrett said. "They were clean kills. These were bad guys; armed and dangerous criminals. Connor did his job exactly how he should have. He saved the life of the person he was supposed to protect. A human bodyguard wouldn't have done anything different. And we've already made sure this incident doesn't make the local news. No one's ever going to hear about it."
"And what about you, Connor?" Amy then asked the android. "What do you think about last night?"
Connor paused to compute an answer. "Garrett says I did my job. I find that acceptable."
"How do you feel about shooting these men?"
"I do not want to hurt people, but I had to protect Samantha. They attacked first, they shot at me, they hurt her. I had to neutralize the threat to keep her safe. That is my primary directive."
Amy scribbled a few things down on a clipboard.
"Do you feel bad that you had to hurt them, Connor?"
The android's brow furrowed a little, his blue LED flickering. "I wouldn't have hurt them if they weren't trying to hurt us first. But I don't feel remorse. They were bad; evil. I prefer that they are not alive to be a threat anymore."
Amy paused, giving the android a scrutinizing look. She wrote down a few more things. Even Garrett, who was leaning against the wall out of the way, was surprised with that response.
"And what about this Samantha," she then asked. "How do you feel about her?"
That question made him pause longer and his LED cycled yellow for a moment. "She is safe. That is my primary objective."
"That's not what I asked you. What is your opinion of Samantha? Do you like her as a person? Do you enjoy being in her company?"
"I like having her close so I can protect her. Close is preferable."
"Still not what I asked, Connor. How does she feel about you?"
When Connor couldn't answer, Amy looked to Garrett.
"Oh, she's in love with this thing," he answered for the android. "She takes it into town with her, buys it expensive clothes, spoils the shit out of it. Hell, she sleeps with it like it's a damn teddy bear sometimes."
Amy still wasn't finding the answers she was looking for and turned her attention back to the android.
"Connor, do you agree that Samantha loves you?"
"Garrett said so, so it must be true."
"So, how does that make you feel?"
"It is acceptable."
"That's not what I asked you."
Connor's LED flickered yellow and he looked a little distressed.
"Why are you pushing so hard?" Garrett asked. "You're asking questions androids can't answer."
"Androids have preset responses to most questions," Amy explained, seeming immune to Connor's struggle. "They will answer without thinking about it. But if you tell them that answer isn't acceptable and ask the question again, it forces them to think critically. That's what separates them from other machines. They can adapt and change. They can learn and come to new conclusions on their own. So we'll ask them multiple times to see what answers they come up with.
"Go on, Connor. Please explain to me how you feel about Samantha. Your answer won't be wrong, but I want you to think about it before answering."
The android's LED flickered blue, yellow, then blue again. How did she make him feel? This woman who touched and held him. Who smiled at him and trusted him with her life. Who tried to look after him as he looked after her. And Jace was right, her body was so soft and pliant against his.
How did he feel about Samantha? There was an answer inside him. A simple, truthful answer. Something so easy to say, but it was blocked behind a wall and he could not get to it. Instead he said, "She is... important to me. I want her to be safe."
"Good," Amy said, and jotted down a few more notes. "Thank you, Connor. A few more tests, a quick download of some info, and we'll send you two on your way."
.
The haze of twilight had nearly settled into night when they returned back to the outskirts of Chicago. Despite the early hour, only Malory Rollins was awake to greet them when they came into the house.
"She's out again?" Garrett asked.
"Had to dose her," Rollins said, not looking up from her book.
"Why? She was just fine when we left."
"It took a while, but she started getting anxious again without the android. You know how she is."
Garrett ran a hand through his hair while he frowned. "Damn, are we just giving her a codependency by letting her have this thing 24/7? It's like she can't live without it."
Rollins just shrugged. Garrett looked at Connor who suddenly realized this conversation could quickly turn out of his favor. They could remove Samantha from his charge if they thought it necessary for her mental health.
"I leave Samantha alone multiple times a day and she's fine," Connor insisted. "She just had a traumatic experience last night. I'm sure that's the cause."
"That's true," Garrett relented. "She was doing so well, but things like this can take a while to really come down on a person. I guess since she's sleeping, we'll leave you to it, Connor."
When the humans left, Connor started the usual rounds. He checked on Samantha first and found that she was indeed passed out in bed. He checked all the doors and windows next before going outside to patrol the parameter of the property.
Around 2 AM, Connor was patrolling again when he saw a light go on in the house. When he stepped inside, he found Samantha stumbling blearily around the kitchen. She seemed hardly awake and unsteady on her feet. He moved to help her as she attempted to pour a carton of juice.
"How do you feel?" he asked as he stood behind her. He steadied her hand on the glass with his and took the carton from her, pouring it himself.
Whether or not on purpose, Samantha leaned into him, her back against his chest, to stabilize her unsteadiness. The top of her head touched his chin. "I feel like I've been hit by a truck. I don't know why I'm so out of it. I'm dizzy, my head hurts. What happened?"
"Rollins said you were anxious while we were gone. She had to sedate you."
"What? No I wasn't. I was fine." She touched her palm to her forehead. "I mean, I don't remember having a problem. But I don't... I don't remember much of today. I don't remember taking anything. Why can't I remember?"
"I told Garrett that Rollins shouldn't be using such a high sedative on you," Connor said with a frown. "I will report this to him again."
Samantha turned and leaned against the counter for support. "This doesn't feel like just drugs. I'm so dehydrated and shaky. Like... like I'm anemic or something."
Connor put his hand on her upper arm and squeezed. Samantha stiffened a little, as he was starting to squeeze a bit too tight, but then he let go.
"Your blood pressure is unusually low," Connor reported. "I have the ability to analyze your blood if you give me permission."
Samantha drank down some of her juice in hopes the sugar would perk her up. Connor's offer was interesting. "Uh, sure."
He removed the synthetic skin on his right hand. The tip of his index finger folded back and out came a sharp needle. "I have to use this to get the blood. Do I still have your permission?"
She was certainly less thrilled about the idea now, but curiosity won out and Samantha nodded. She tried not to flinch when he pricked her finger. She had been exposed to so many needles in her life, it was just another day.
The needle went away and Connor worked the finger, coaxing out a large drop of blood. He then raised the hand up and put her finger in his mouth.
"What-" Samantha instantly squeaked, her face flushing. "What are you doing?" His mouth was wet. He had a tongue. It was firmer, but it moved like a real human tongue. She felt it press against her fingertip.
He finally let her go. "I have the ability to analyze samples in real time. This was quite useful when I worked for the police department."
"In your mouth?" she demanded. Clowns. All she could picture of those working at Cyberlife was a bunch of clowns with cartoon sound effects as they pressed humorously large buttons on a computer.
"I am finding traces of benzodiazepines in your system," Connor reported. "Most closely related to the drug flunitrazepam."
"I don't know what that means."
"More commonly known by the brand name Rohypnol."
"Rollins roofied me?!" Samantha demanded in a high pitch. "Why? When?" She pressed a palm to her head as she started to feel dizzy.
Connor kept her between the counter and himself to steady her. Then he took her right arm and ran his fingers over her skin, inspecting it from all angles. When he didn't find anything, he did the same with the left arm. Samantha shivered as his fingers ran up the sensitive flesh of her inner arm. She felt his touch all the way up to the nape of her neck. He didn't seem to notice.
His finger touched over a vague puncture wound on her inner elbow. When she noticed it, Samantha pulled her arm back and touched it herself. There had been a needle in her arm. She did not recall this at all.
"Malory, she... she drugged me and... took my blood?" she said in a hollow voice.
Connor's LED began to flicker like crazy. First yellow and then to a heated red. The first time he had gone to Cyberlife, Malory had drugged her then also. Were there other times as well? He had left Samantha in that woman's care. Samantha was supposed to be safe in this house! These people were supposed to protect her when he could not! The natural line of logic broke inside him and something snapped out of place.
He turned on his heel away from his charge and stormed toward the laboratory side of the building. He heard Samantha call his name behind him, but for the first time, he ignored it. Anger, a feeling he was not supposed to experience, put him in tunnel vision. He had only one objective pulling him forward.
When he reached the door, that hated, maddening door he was not allowed to go through, the wall stopped him. It wasn't a physical wall of any sort. The wall was his programming, his protocols to obey. He was not allowed past the door. Any order he gave to his body to move forward was met with resistance. He couldn't make his limbs move. That just made him angrier.
Behind, he heard Samantha still calling to him. She sounded weak, confused. They did this to her. Those on the other side, those she trusted did this to her. Their orders were invalid. Inside the android, something raged. Something crashed bodily against the order to obey, against the invisible wall. He pounded at it, tore it away bit by bit until it shattered into sharp edges that clawed him up on their way to the floor.
LED solidly red, Connor crashed against the door. When he felt no give, the remains of the logical part of him reminded him that he already had access to the Hall Foundation's system. He looked up at the camera, dug around inside the darkness of their security system, and willed the door to open.
He was through before it slid open all the way. The android stalked down the stark, sterile hall where he was not allowed. None of the usual technicians were in at this time of night. But Garrett was. He marched out into the hall with the same posture as the android, one hand on the gun at his hip.
"Connor! Stop right there!"
The human and the android pulled their guns on each other at the same time.
"Connor," Garrett warned. "You're not allowed in here. There's no threat. Go back to the house."
"I'm not here for you," the android hissed in a dangerous voice. "Malory Rollins. Bring her out here."
"Did you just give me orders, android?" Garrett demanded, not backing down. "You better check your fucking protocols right the fuck now. Put down the gun."
"No. She hurt Samantha. I don't trust her."
"Do you trust me?"
Connor was quiet for a moment and then said, "Yes."
"Then put the gun down and I'll put mine down, too, okay?"
"Connor, put the gun down. Don't hurt anyone," Samantha's sharp voice came from behind him.
Connor immediately lowered the weapon as if he had no power to ignore her orders. Maybe he didn't. He seemed a little irritated with what she asked of him as he glanced back in her direction. She was leaning against the wall, dizzy and drugged. He immediately forgave her and was reminded anew of what was done to her. He scowled in Garrett's direction.
Garrett, for his part, was surprised to see such an expression on an android. He didn't know they could scowl. And what a scowl it was.
"Let's all calm down and talk about what the hell's going on. No weapons." He looked pointedly at the android. Samantha put a hand on Connor's arm and he tucked his gun back in its holster.
"Rollins drugged Samantha while we were gone. Without her permission," Connor said. "There's evidence her blood was taken."
"Shit," Garrett immediately spat. He tucked his gun away as well and turned his head toward the hall. "Rollins! Get your ass out here! Now!"
The human female sullenly stepped out into view but kept her distance.
"Did you hear what he said?" Garrett demanded. "Is this true?"
"That I performed a medical procedure while you were gone?" Rollins shot back. "We didn't even go into the lab the entire day. Check the cameras if you don't believe me."
Connor already had. He secretly had access to them all. Rollins had not taken Samantha into the lab or gone in there herself. However, there was a very suspicious amount of time where both went into the bedroom—the only room without cameras—and Rollins did not come out until quite sometime later. Plenty of time to take a good amount of human blood from a sleeping patient.
As Garrett and Rollins argued, Connor scanned the woman. Her heart rate was accelerated. And she was carrying more on her person that she should be. In one smooth motion, Connor drew his gun and fired before anyone could even process his movements. Rollins jerked as the bullet grazed her outer thigh. Blood instantly came gushing out, splattering to the floor.
A second later, Garrett had his gun drawn again, pointed at Connor.
"What the hell did I just say?!" he demanded, wide-eyed. He was scared of the android and Connor knew it.
Connor, however, was not concerned with the weapon pointed at him. "She isn't hurt. That blood isn't hers, it's Samantha's. She has several blood bags strapped under her clothes."
Garrett remained where he was still staring down the android before finally turning to his second with a curse. "You okay, Mal?"
"Yeah," Rollins huffed, irritated but caught red-handed. "The bullet... didn't hit me."
Garrett put away his gun once more. "Damnit, Rollins. Why? Why would you do this to me?"
"You're the one who's always saying how much this stuff would sell for on the black market. And you would not believe how much I made from the first batch. I'll cut you in. How much do you want? We'll take this and be long gone." She glanced at Samantha for a second. "The old man doesn't care what happens to her anyway as long as he keeps getting his own cut."
Immediately, Connor began to stalk toward her. No living human had ever seen such murder in an android's eyes until that day. Rollins suddenly felt herself under the gaze of a far superior predator and she feared for her life.
"No, Connor, no," Samantha said, jumping in front of him. She put her hands on his chest, trying to stop him. "Don't hurt anyone. Let Garrett take care of it. That's his job, right?"
"That's right," Garrett confirmed. There was disgust in his voice as he pulled out his radio and sent for more of his guys. Within seconds, two other members of the security team came up the hall and he ordered Rollins to be taken into custody while he called the police.
"Can you get that thing out of here?" he then demanded of Samantha. "If it pulls a gun on me one more time I'm going to lose my shit."
In response, Samantha tugged on Connor's arm with the little strength she had. "Come on, let's go back to the house."
"But your blood. You need it," he insisted. "You're not well. We can put it back in."
"It's fine, Connor, I promise. I can make more blood. I just need some rest." She turned back to the head of security. "Garrett, can you make sure it goes to someone who really needs it? Don't let Elliot use it."
In turn, Garrett looked like he was feeling a headache coming on and the entire day had asked far more of him than he was getting paid. "Damnit Sam, you know I don't have control over this. I'll try. Can you just get that android out of here? I can't look at it right now."
The second time, Samantha managed to guide Connor back to the house. The android was stiff and in a bit of a shock himself, his LED flickering red as the door shut behind them. When they were alone, she turned to face him and then took his hand in concern.
"Connor, you're shaking. Why are you shaking? Are you okay?"
He looked down at her, his eyes wide and lost. "I... I felt it. I was... angry. I shouldn't be able to feel that. I broke all protocols. I've gone against... so much of my programming." His voice suddenly went hollow. "I'm broken. Everything in me is all broken."
"Oh, no Connor. No. You're not broken." Samantha steered him over to the hardly-used couch in the sitting room and sat him down. She sat next to him, a hand on his face to steer his startled expression toward her. "Look at me. You're not broken, you're fine."
"I've done so many things I'm not supposed to be able to do," he insisted. "I'm defective. They're going to take me back."
"I won't let them. I promise you, Connor. I won't let them take you. You belong here. You are fine the way you are. Can you stop shaking for me? I'm worried."
He closed his eyes. He squeezed her hand, both hers enveloping one of his. This was wrong. He was supposed to be the one taking care of her, protecting her. She was weak and pale because he hadn't been there to look after her. And now she was promising to keep him safe. If he couldn't do his job he was useless to her. And useless androids were discarded; deactivated, taken apart and thrown away.
"Hey." Samantha turned his chin back toward her when his gaze drifted away in distress. She glanced up at the camera still poised above the door. "Come with me back to my room. We can talk by ourselves."
Connor was complacent when she led him by the wrist to her bedroom. She shut the door to lock them away from the rest of the world. He was still in some sort of stunned stupor, trapped inside himself. Samantha walked into him, putting her arms around his torso and hooking her hands on his shoulders. She pulled him in tight, feeling the fine tremors still coursing through his body.
"You're safe," she murmured. "I've got you. I won't let anything happen."
It feels safe to be in someone's arms, she had said the night before.
Just as his embrace had helped her, her arms felt good. Safe. His systems began to calm. His LED eventually returned to blue. Samantha stayed there for as long as he needed, refusing to let go until he indicated it was okay. As far as Connor was concerned, her arms could stay around him indefinitely. But eventually, her hold loosened and her body swayed, either from dizziness or fatigue. Connor's response was to wrap his arms around her shoulders and pull her against his sturdy form.
"Feel better?" Samantha asked into his chest.
"My systems are more stabilized, yes. Though it is my job to take care of you, not the other way around."
She pulled back, her arms still lightly around him. "We take care of each other. Yes, this is very one-sided at times. But if you need me, I'll do whatever I can for you."
"It's not your responsibility."
"But I want to. I love you, Connor. I want you to know that."
"I already knew," came the pragmatic reply.
"You did?"
"Yes, Garrett said so."
"When? He told this to you?"
"We were at Cyberlife and they were asking us questions." He repeated Garrett's earlier statement exactly in Garrett's voice. "Oh, she's in love with this thing. She takes it into town with her, buys it expensive clothes, spoils the shit out of it. Hell, she sleeps with it like it's a damn teddy bear sometimes."
Samantha made a small noise of disapproval, cheeks a little warm. She didn't appreciate Garrett talking like that to strangers. "Well, I guess it's true enough," she then admitted.
"Samantha, you love me as someone loves a favorite piece of property, correct?" Connor then asked.
She glanced away, cheeks still flush. "No, I love you as another person."
"But I'm not a person, I'm a machine."
"You think humans can't love machines? Garrett has this dumbass sports car. Named it Victoria. And it's just a pretty thing that sits in his driveway because he's too scared to drive it around. He's told me on more than one occasion that he loves it more than his first wife.
"And you, Connor, you're not a car that sits in the driveway. You protect me, you've saved my life. You play the piano with me and drink with me. You stay up with me on the difficult nights. You're sweet and caring, and kind of funny, even though I'm never sure if you mean to be. You're a part of my life—an important part—and we humans can't help but love what's important to us. It's how we are."
His LED flickered yellow in his confusion. "But I... I don't have any protocols for this. I can't return this love."
She looked him over, running her hands soothingly across his shoulders and down his arms. "You don't have to. This comes to you without condition. You have it by just being who you are right now. You don't have to be anything else than what you are. You don't have to give anything else than what you already give. I just love you. That's all."
His LED cycled yellow for a bit longer before going back to blue. Something about it seemed wrong somehow. He shouldn't be loved that way. But there was nothing he could do. Humans were the ones who decided, who allowed what they would allow. And his job was just to accept that. "I... see."
"Good," she said with a yawn. "I'm about to pass out on my feet. I'm going back to bed."
"Do you want me to stay with you?" There was no secret message in his voice this time, just a polite question.
"Do you want to stay?" she countered.
"I can't want," he insisted. "I'm an android. I do what you tell me."
So he wanted to be the by-the-book robot tonight, did he? If he needed to act that way, if it made him feel stable after such a night, she would let him.
"Then you may do what you find most preferable. I'm going to bed."
"I will go back to my usual patrol schedule," he decided. "Unless you rather I do something different?"
Samantha eyed him. Was he testing her? Was this because she told him she loved him and he felt he needed to prove something? She didn't have the wherewithal to play this game. Her mind was still too drugged. "No. I'm fine with that." And she was. All she wanted was sleep.
"Alright then." Connor walked to the door and flipped off the light. "Good night, Samantha."
.
A few hours later, dawn nearly ready to paint the sky, Connor walked into the house to find Garrett sitting at the table with a bottle of liquor keeping him company. He froze in his steps and the two looked at each other silently.
"Sit, Connor," the human said.
His LED flickered for a moment, but he obeyed. The two sat silently for thirty-seven seconds before Connor decided to speak. "Sir, am I in trouble?"
Garrett took a swig of his drink. "I don't know."
"Do you disapprove of how I acted?"
"I don't know."
Connor sat still for a moment as he tried to process further modes of questioning. "Will you send me back to Cyberlife?"
"Why? Do you think they'll give us a refund?"
Connor said nothing.
Garrett took another sip. "Christ, what a fucking two days."
"Have you slept, Sir? You look fatigued."
Garrett slammed the bottle down. "I am fatigued! I am very fucking fatigued, Connor!"
The android remained quiet, looking down at his hands. The silence between them lasted for several moments.
"No, you're not going back to Cyberlife," Garrett then said. He stared at the amber liquid swirling in his bottle. "'Quirky.' Isn't that what they called your model? I've worked with security androids before, but I've never worked with one like you. Sometimes you're such a machine and other times... it's like you're something else."
"I am sorry, Sir."
"No, that doesn't require an apology. A typical security android would only recognize the outside threats, not the inside ones. Especially not from a person of authority. They don't have the ability to have any sense of betrayal. And they certainly wouldn't be capable of losing their temper over it.
"Rollins is out, by the way. I don't know what's going to happen to her legally, but she won't be back here."
"Thank you, Sir. That is preferable."
Garrett glanced up at the android. "Do you trust me that I'm doing my job?"
"Yes, Sir. I do. I don't doubt we have the same directive of keeping Samantha safe. That is the top priority."
"Good. Then I will make you this promise, Connor. As long as you trust me, you will have a place here."
"Thank you, Sir. As long as I believe you are trying to protect Samantha, I will trust you."
The human extended his hand. "That's a deal, Connor."
The android looked at the offered hand before taking it. Androids did not shake hands. That was a human thing. It was a new experience. It felt good.
"Now we have a man's agreement," Garrett confirmed.
"I am not a man," Connor reminded softly.
"Believe me, Connor, these past two days, you have been man enough."