When Hank put Sumo's leash in Connor's hands the android stared at it. His LED flashed yellow, yellow, yellow, blue.
Then he said, "I am not a PL600."
"I don't know what the hell that is," Hank said.
"Different androids are programmed to serve different purposes," Connor said. "A PL600 is a male android that performs domestic tasks, such as walking the dog. I'm closer to the PC200, which were created for police work. Though I'm an RK800, a more advanced pro-"
"Alright, alright." Hank took the leash back and clipped it to Sumo's collar. "I'll walk him."
"I'll wait here," Connor said.
"No, you're coming with us."
LED swirled yellow again. The red blinked by so fast Hank wasn't sure he really saw it.
"I am not a PL600."
"I know, Connor."
"The Detroit Police Department does not own me the way they own PC200s and PM700s. I'm simply being loaned while I conduct my field tests."
"Okay, but-"
"And in between those field tests I should remain on standby." Connor's fingers were twitching like mad and Hank remembered he still had his quarter. Where the hell did he leave that thing?
"Because I cannot perform the tasks of a PL600," Connor continued. "Or of an HR400. I don't have the same equipment as an HR400, so to ask me to-"
"Which one is the HR400?"
"The male Traci."
Hank had left Connor and Sumo at the entranceway and gone further into the house to hunt for a quarter, any quarter, while Connor got his rant out of his system. But hearing that he straightened up and stared at the android.
"Did someone ask you to act like a Traci?"
Connor didn't respond, but both his fingers were still twitching like mad. Faster, now.
"Connor!"
"Of course not," Connor said. "But if someone had I would have reminded them of my function."
"Are you lying?"
Sumo was tired of being ignored. He jumped up on Connor's chest and the boy began methodically petting him instead of answering.
But when could that have happened? Connor was with Hank all the time. Whenever he got killed he'd come back and immediately look for Hank. Right?
Then again wasn't it already noon when Connor woke him up today?
"I need to recalibrate," Connor announced.
"English, Connor."
"The quarter. You were looking for it, right? I'll help. Because I need it."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're not a domestic android, I won't forget."
"And I will accompany you on your walk with Sumo," Connor said. "So that we can discuss the deviant case as we walk."
"Multitasking, whoopee."
oOo
He let Connor prattle on about all the different kinds of deviants on record. The scenarios that triggered the deviation was something he hadn't actually paid all that much attention to before. Hank had just figured it was an iRobot kind of thing. You hit it one too many times and then it gets fed up and hits back. Simple. Fair, in a way.
There was a lot of violence and abuse, but then there were the deviants who seemed to act out randomly. "But it wasn't random," Connor was saying. "It knew it was about to be replaced. The family wanted an upgrade, they'd already made the order."
"So what happened to the little girl?"
"I managed to save her."
"And the android?"
His quarter danced around between both hands. Hank knew to keep a close eye on it. The movements would speed up when Connor was uncomfortable.
Or that was his theory anyway.
"Connor, what happened to the android?"
"I had to shoot it," he said. "I'm sorry. The girl was deemed more important."
Hank sighed. "That's alright."
It had been the same when Connor shot the brown haired Traci. He clearly didn't want to, but he'd prioritized Hank's life over the android's. It was sad, but understandable.
"It was my first mission," Connor said. "It was a successful mission. My only success."
"You don't need to justify yourself to me."
"I suppose not."
"Hey, Connor…" Hank had been staring at Connor so intently he almost tripped over a crack in the sidewalk. "Shit, fuck."
"Yes, Lieutenant?"
"That time at the Eden Club," he said. "When the Traci did the freaky mind meld thingy… Like with the white plastic showing and the, uh… Well, you looked like you were in pain."
"I cannot feel pain, Lieutenant."
"It looked like you did."
"Alright. What about it?"
"What did she show you? She said she wanted you to see, uh, her suffering?"
"It was just… data," Connor said. "I'll admit, even I was affected by the… simulation. But the Traci, like me, is just a machine. We don't feel anything."
"What kind of data was it?"
"It was a strange juxtaposition," Connor said. "Between sexual acts with humans and… intimate moments with the other Traci. They should have been on standby when the club was closed, but instead they remained active. In each other's company."
"It's like they loved each other," Hank said. "They saw each other as family. Or maybe lovers. Shit, I wish I could have seen for myself."
Connor stopped walking. Hank tried to stop too, but Sumo tugged on the leash. "Heel! Wait for us, c'mon. Be a good boy."
He had to walk back towards Connor, which was a pain in the ass 'cause one thing a dog does not want to do is retrace his steps. Ever. "Come on Sumo!"
"Connor? Why did you stop?"
"I'm glad to see you taking an interest in androids, Lieutenant," Connor said.
The quarter was gone. Back in his pocket? And Connor smiled in that way Hank was coming to hate. It was the same polite smile he wore on the day they'd met. It was empty.
"Why'd you stop walking," Hank said.
"Ah," Connor looked down at his feet, as if he'd only just realized he had them. "I didn't realize."
Okay, this was unsettling. Even for Connor. "Let's sit down," Hank said. "There's a bench not far from here."
It was a bench he was particularly fond of. He'd had half a mind to take Connor there in the first place. Though it brought back painful memories of Cole.
Hank thought maybe it would be easier if he wasn't alone.
He glanced over at the way Connor robotically put one foot in front of the other and groaned to himself. Could an android actually be good for company? They only had so many phrases crammed into their heads. Maybe he'd broken Connor's algorithm and the poor kid would soon run out of words.
But when a deviant spoke it was like you were actually talking to a person. They didn't run on a script. They didn't smile politely when you bashed 'em over the head. How did it work? Where did their self-preservation come from? And their ability to love?
Hank wished he hadn't grabbed that girl at the Eden Club. He should have let her jump over the fence. She deserved to live a happy life, dead pervert be damned. They both did.
And Connor did too. Deviant or not, why should he be deactivated? What was worse was the way he was willing to literally walk himself to death's door.
But when they sat down Sumo jumped on him and Connor came alive. For a second he looked like another person. A person who could take a second away from work to play with someone else's dog. Someone young, who still needed help and guidance. He looked like he could be someone's kid.
And why can't he be mine? Hank thought.
