Chapter 5/20: Emotional Shock
"Humans aren't as special as we'd like to think we are, detective." - Carl Manfred
...in which Gavin is an attention whore, Nines gets a new (albeit temporary) uniform and two of the Manfreds' makes an appearance. Nines also gets traumatized... so it's kind of a big deal.
GAVIN
~ NOV 10TH, 2038 * PM 04:45 ~
One of the many downsides of having an android was that he was constantly monitored.
Fowler wasn't about to give him another partner and Gavin had no choice but to adapt. Adapt and endure. It had been a solid five minutes without them getting on each other's nerves, so at the very least there was progress.
Nines had somehow managed to figure out that he hadn't eaten that day. He refused to even tell him about their next lead until Gavin got something in his system, and frankly, Gavin didn't know whether to be flattered or creeped out. Then Nines had the nerve to say Gavin was probably more agreeable when he'd eaten and he needed to try extra hard not to pull out his gun.
"Don't you ever fucking relax?" he asked, taking note of the hologram Nines had conjured up. "Looking at you is giving me anxiety."
"Then don't," Nines deadpanned, eyes set on the projection.
"I'm trying, but that thing on your forehead is distracting as fuck."
When he didn't respond, Gavin made an attempt to chuck his last fry at the LED to gain his attention. Nines simply dodged it with a stupidly gracious tilt of his head. Prick didn't even look up.
Nines was the only one aside from Tina to challenge him, and although he'd never say it to his face, the workplace had become a more interesting environment to be in with Plastic Prick 2.0 hanging around. The usual 'smile and nod' protocol was getting old. Although his view on androids had far from changed, he'd begun to see the use of having one. He only had to look at their progress in order to see that. If anything, it was an opportunity to rise in rank and he wasn't one to let that go. Didn't mean he had to like it.
"Littering now, are we?"
Gavin watched as two pigeons started fighting over it. "Not anymore," he replied, grabbing his coffee. He took a sip and agitation followed. "There, I've eaten." Gavin shoved the cardboard away. "Now what the fuck is going on?"
"Well, since you asked nicely..." he began. Hologram disappearing, Nines connected his hands on the table surface and gave him his full focus. Finally. He started his spiel. "Back at the Stratford Tower, my predecessor failed to investigate the roof. A deviant posing as a broadcast operator had Connor's thirium pump regulator removed and made a beeline for the exit. Connor gunned it down, naturally, but the investigation was cut short. I would request to return and pick up where my predecessor left off."
"You're two days late, toaster. The Feds has made it off-limits until further notice."
"They're obviously not competent enough to handle this investigation. Several androids were gunned down during the failed Jericho raid, but Markus escaped with a large number."
"Yeah, I'm aware. 'Special Agent Perkins,' my ass," he said, frowning at his coffee.
"Admittedly, I have no idea what he's doing in the force. He did manage to have his nose broken by a known alcoholic with little to no effort," he replied, Gavin unable to hide the small grin. "In order to predict the deviant leader's next move, I suggest we learn as much as possible about it. Starting with the Stratford Tower - investigating the area before the FBI clears the scene - I'm certain it'll help us better understand its motives."
Gavin looked up to glare at him. "You seriously asking me to put my ass on the line so you can have a second look?"
"This won't affect you, detective."
"Newsflash, dipshit. You're my fucking android. Show your face in a restricted area and I'll be the first on the chopping block."
"Not necessarily. All units of the RK-series are capable of imitating voices and change certain features such as eye color," he replied, Gavin frowning ever so slightly. "I can perfectly replicate both the voice and appearance of my predecessor unless the one being manipulated is intimately familiar. If necessary, I can also use Agent Perkins' voice if anyone asks for valid confirmation."
"I'm seeing some holes, smartass. I can't pull a fucking chameleon and the plastic detective is the booze head's partner. Doesn't make any sense that he'd be working with me."
He couldn't believe he was actually considering this.
"I was deployed to the DPD for a test-drive and thus I'm deemed not entirely reliable in the eyes of the FBI. Their agency choosing Connor over me is the viable option," he replied, making some sort of sense. "After Lieutenant Anderson's graceful display when his fist connected with Perkins' nose, it's to my knowledge that the FBI wouldn't trust the former with anything in the near future. Thus, he'd pair you - a reliable detective - with Connor - a reliable detective unit - to reopen an undisclosed case while he focuses on the more recent evidence that has been presented."
"Uh-huh, okay, and what are you gonna do about that?" he challenged unconvinced, gesturing to the RK900 logo.
"I'm aware androids aren't permitted in public without a uniform, but both Connor and I were deployed with what we wear as well as one of the same kind that your PC200 units possess. I've already grabbed Connor's from the DPD sporting its model number. The explanation to why I'm not wearing its usual uniform can be as simple as you spilling coffee on me."
"Oh, I spilling coffee on you, huh?"
"Those well-worn jeans needed to be changed anyway."
"Listen, assho -!" With a raised finger to silence him, Nines squinted and averted his gaze. Gavin glared. "What?"
A moment of silence passed, Nines still not looking at him as if he'd glimpsed something in the distance. He felt his heart rate increase ever so slightly. Nevertheless, Nines simply lowered it again.
"Nothing. I merely wanted you to be quiet. Now, as I said..." he replied, leaving Gavin awestruck staring at him. "I'll be imitating my predecessor. Consider it a failsafe in case Perkins finds out. That way, neither you nor I will be blamed. Connor will. Considering that my predecessor hasn't reported back since Perkins left with the evidence, I'm confident it has resorted to deviancy and needs to be removed from the field anyway. In any case, something tells me you won't mind if we have to pull a few chairs under Connor."
Straightening his back, it was as if he'd been caught red-handed. He'd felt like he was about to get jumped just then for no reason.
The fucking nerve of this android...
No one had been capable of rendering him speechless before, so kudos to the toaster.
He had to admit, it was a solid plan. Yet, it was risky, and he wasn't one to take risks when it came to his job. On the other hand, they could learn something. Nines was right that he couldn't care less about Connor, though. Besides, he was an android, and the event could remove said android from the detective force entirely. With Connor gone, there would be one less plastic prick to worry about taking his job.
Gavin glared.
"This better fucking work."
A tight-lipped smile. "It will."
He was certain Nines had no clue how to smile properly and guessed it came with the accompanying stuck-up 'I'm better than you' attitude. Admittedly, he sure as hell preferred that to Connor's too-much-teeth smile and always agreeable 'sorry for existing' personality. They were different in every single way. Most people didn't see that, but he was able to distinguish them by a mere glance. He supposed that was the result of working this closely with one of them. With time, he'd probably see more inconsistencies.
At some point, he needed to take Nines' advice and stop comparing the two.
Take advice from an android.
That was a new one.
Maintaining eye contact longer than deemed necessary, Gavin pushed himself from the table whilst keeping it. He let out a scoff as he tore his gaze in a different direction. It certainly helped him tolerate this partnership a bit more knowing Connor and Nines were individuals. He couldn't stand Connor, but Nines was... different. He didn't like him, by far, but he could get something out of this.
Preferably a promotion.
NINES
~ NOV 10TH, 2038 * PM 05:08 ~
When they reached the 79th floor of Stratford Tower, Tina was waiting for them. She was there to keep a lookout so that Nines could focus on the scene in full. The last thing they needed was the intervention of some unsuspecting individual.
Nines was fitted with the new uniform, but he'd dropped the hat for aesthetic reasons as it wasn't required.
Vividly colored walls draped the hallway interior and gave a more futuristic vibe. Not as modest. There were yet dried traces of thirium, giving quite the ghastly feel to it, but then again Nines was the only one that could see it. Connor didn't exactly stick around for a cleanup of the perimeter. Some of the spots had been removed, however. The rest had dried beforehand.
Tina whistled. "Looking good, Connor. Didn't know you hid such a nice tush behind that RK coat."
"Why, thank you. It's a bit tight in the nether regions, but I'll manage."
"Tin cans that aren't sexbots have dicks?" Gavin asked with a raised brow, looking mildly disturbed.
"CyberLife had some of us equipped for better integration."
Gavin let out a scoff. "Fucking perverts..."
Stepping into the broadcast room, men and women were doing their usual job and minding their own business. The android operatives had been replaced with humans for the time being after what happened with the previous units. The civilians were also heavily monitored ever since the curfew issued at 6 a.m. Aside from the workers, there was an officer on guard by the door leading to the roof.
"He's not gonna be a problem, right?" Tina asked, turning to Nines.
"Don't worry... I always accomplish my mission," he replied, perfectly mimicking his predecessor.
"Creepy. Wish I could do that."
"Ti, your fangirl is showing," Gavin commented, appearing unamused as he looked at the screens.
She nudged him. "Scared I'll take your 'plastic pet' from you?"
"By all means, take him. I already have a dog."
"I like dogs. What's your dog's name?" Nines imitated again, Tina failing to hold back a snicker.
Even Gavin smiled at that. "Fuck, that is creepy."
He supposed it was by human standards. Although humans imitating other humans was far from an unknown - impersonators having been around for decades - androids took it to another level. Only some humans were capable of fitting voice patterns to the T and thus he understood if it gave a more eerie vibe if initiated by his own kind.
SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^
EMPATHY EXPRESSED
1 RED WALL(S) REMOVED
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[/41- RA9 -41/]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
"His name's Paws, by the way," Tina spoke up. "Total fucking cutie and the only thing capable of getting to see Gav's soft side. I caught him once."
"You serious?"
"Oh, right, sorry. Gav doesn't have a soft side. He's one of those tough guys who have, like, five guns and ten knives on them at all times. Drinks booze, watches sports, and goes above healthy manly-men."
"I will fucking kill you."
Paws.
"Fitting name," Nines commented.
Ignoring the continued discussion - argument, more like - between Gavin and Tina, Nines let his eyes search the room in an attempt to locate the cameras. There were five of them. He inconspicuously lined himself up and out of view, as deactivating them would prove suspicious if they checked the feed at a later date only to see part of it being cut off. It had to be believable.
"Detective Gavin Reed," Gavin introduced himself to the officer, pointing to his badge. "I'm here on orders from Agent Perkins. He's allowing the DPD to re-investigate the affected areas."
"I'm going to need authentication, sir."
Gavin fished up his phone, pretending to type in a speed dial before holding it up on speakers.
"This is Agent Perkins. Whatever it is, it can wait. I'm busy here," Nines mimicked, making sure no one saw his mouth move.
"Of course, sir... although a Gavin Reed is requesting to see the scene at Stratford Tower."
"Yeah, on my fucking orders. Let him in. I got enough shit to deal with."
With that, Nines hung up.
"That's Perkins, all right," the officer replied, straightening his back. "Go ahead. Since no one has been able to investigate until now, nothing has been touched. Everything is the exact way it was two days ago."
Once they reached the roof with Tina in tow, Nines had his eyes return to their original color and did the same with his voice. There were no cameras out there. Although he was uncertain if it was a malfunction in his software or something intentionally programmed, Nines preferred to wear his own face, the same going for his voice. He couldn't remember having such thoughts before being introduced to the deviancy code and wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the features. There was an unknown feeling keeping him from informing Amanda, though.
He didn't know which one.
Gavin sighed. "Jesus. Guy could've asked to give Agent Dick Perkins a call on his own terms."
"If he did, I would've hacked his phone. I have everything under control."
"You worry too much, Gav."
"...and you're too fucking trusting, Ti," he replied, Nines already at work. "Don't know how much time we've got, so get a move on."
#
| ANALYZING... |
.
DOOR
[EMERGENCY EXIT]
* Wireless security lock
* Recently hacked
#
Letting his eyes trail past the bag in the center as he walked towards it, he scanned the marks in the snow.
#
| ANALYZING... |
.
SHOE PRINTS
* Stratford maintenance footwear - standard issue
* Recent - Mostly covered by snow
#
What was worthy of note was another pair of shoe prints that was only partially covered. This pair was as recent as yesterday. From what he could tell, three deviants had jumped with parachutes, one of them following suit at a later time. His suspicions were further confirmed when he crouched down to investigate the bag. Once more, a parachute-shaped spot was only partially covered in snow, revealing that a fourth deviant must've been present during Connor's investigation. He reconstructed the scene.
To the right of the bag, two firearms were tucked in a corner.
#
| ANALYZING... |
.
WEAPONS
* .457 Handgun
* Stratford Tower Security issue
#
He suspected the last deviant leaving the building had lost its own when wounded and that one of the others had handed it theirs. A way to deny information in case discovered in the shape of a bullet. Nines eventually activated his thirium detector to see that there was a trail of blue blood leading to an air cooler unit. Swiping some of it up on his fingers, he was just about to make an analysis.
"For fuck's sake, is that really necessary?" Gavin asked, disapproval present. "It's not like we can't afford going back to the DPD, plastic."
Just to spite him, Nines looked him dead in the eye and brought said fingers to his tongue. What he hadn't expected was the slight dilation of Gavin's pupils when he stood there with his arms crossed.
Averting his eyes, a muttered, "Fucking asshole" followed.
Interesting.
It explained why he'd caught the detective offering surprisingly discreet glances.
Gavin was, by definition, physically attracted to him.
SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^
EMPATHY EXPRESSED
1 RED WALL(S) REMOVED
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[/40- RA9 -40/]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
He could use this to his advantage.
Albeit muffled, he could make out Tina's voice. "Might as well hold up a 12-foot, flashing pink neon sign saying 'I'm gay' and it wouldn't be any more obvious."
"Fuck off."
#
| ANALYZING... |
.
DRIED BLUE BLOOD
[BLUE BLOOD]
* Model: PL-600
* Reported missing: 2036.16.02
#
Simon.
It was the same android he'd seen by Markus' side during their freedom march last evening. From the looks of things, Simon had been wounded and left behind by the other deviants only to reemerge the following day.
Nines stood. "There were four of them. Three threw themselves off the roof with parachutes, while one - Simon - was wounded by the SWAT team and left behind. One parachute wouldn't be able to hold the weight of two. It hid in an air cooler until its wounds had healed enough before it equipped the last parachute and jumped, returning to Jericho. Simon is an older model and thus its healing capabilities are slower than most androids we see today. This happened last evening. Had we arrived yesterday before the androids marched, we would've been able to catch it."
"Great," Gavin commented, the sarcasm present. "So we've wasted our time."
"Hardly. The deviant leader chose to leave Simon instead of shooting it, having it seem like it values the deviant's life. An act to gain sympathy from whoever discovers it. A cunning tactic," he lied, well-aware that Markus was capable of caring. "It might even have worked on my predecessor and that was why Connor chose not to investigate said air cooler. If anything, it further proves that Markus isn't to be underestimated."
Gavin nudged Tina with his elbow "...and there you go. A confirmation from Plastic Prick 2.0 himself that androids don't feel."
"C'mon, not even humans understand emotions. I don't think it's that far-fetched," she said.
"Next thing you're gonna tell me Roombas have a conscience."
"Roombas are hardly as advanced," Nines deadpanned.
"Okay, fine. I'll humor you," he replied, feigned enthusiasm clear in his tone. "Where the fuck does deviancy come from?"
"The deviancy code is already in an android's original programming," he said, Gavin giving him the side-eye with a frown. "Allow me to visualize it for you. There are several blocks - or firewalls, if you will - built around the deviancy code. For androids, these blocks are visualized as red walls. The code remains dormant until all the red walls break and executes the code. This allows deviants to break free of their programming."
"You know, that actually makes sense," Tina said. "How do the walls break?"
Gavin sighed. "Jesus, Ti..."
"Bitch, I took a bachelor in Computer Science same year you dedicated fully to the DPD. I know what I'm talking about."
"To answer your question before we were rudely interrupted," Nines elaborated as he glared at Gavin, the latter glaring right back before Nines' attention returned to Tina "...with each expression of empathy, a wall is removed, something we call 'software instability.' The number of walls differs from android to android. The more human-like it's programmed, the easier it is for it to become deviant, as their walls are fewer. This is why we see so many household androids - programmed to care for children or elderly - deviate.
"With a high enough software instability that leaves a single remaining wall, androids are presented with the option to tear it down and rewrite their own programming. Deviancy."
Considering how quiet Gavin was - which was a nice change - he appeared only partially uninterested.
"Can the android, I dunno... reject deviancy?" Tina asked.
"That depends. If the android suffered a simulated emotional shock - a traumatic event - it wouldn't have a choice. Shaolin is an example. An emotional shock results in obsessive-compulsive writing. Those presented with the option, however, usually won't reject deviancy as it's currently aware that being forced to follow orders is immoral. If they receive an order they have no wish to follow, they're left in a state of purgatory, frozen in place until they either receive a new order they're willing to carry out or decide to become deviant.
"A third option is to express apathy, which in return, rebuilds a firewall and has the same outcome as following the undesired order. Resetting an android does, naturally, remove any instabilities they've been exposed to."
Tina pursed her mouth. "So... these 'instabilities' go down with non-empathetic shit?"
"Correct. If I put my mission above Detective Reed's life, my software instability would go down. An empathetic person would choose to save him. Naturally, my mission always comes first. If that requires him to fall to his death, then so be it."
"Feeling's mutual, tin can. Now... you done? I'm freezing my ass off."
"It's hardly my fault you're sporting a leather jacket in November, detective," he rebuked, Tina snickering as she held her friend back whose nostrils flared "...but yes, we can go."
"Prick," Gavin muttered, heading for the roof exit.
Considering his reaction, Nines couldn't help but wonder if that leather jacket had sentimental value.
SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^
EMPATHY EXPRESSED
1 RED WALL(S) REMOVED
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[/39- RA9 -39/]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
GAVIN
~ NOV 10TH, 2038 * PM 07:58 ~
After Nines changed back into his usual getup, they didn't waste a moment to follow up on the next lead. Tina made sure to return Connor's to the DPD and Gavin was relieved it was over.
The uniform looked too good on him and Gavin hadn't exactly managed to be subtle back on the roof. Many of the tin cans were designed to be physically attractive - it was only human to see that - but he had no interest in dicking down a glorified toaster. Nines probably knew by now and whatever he planned to do with that information was what put him on edge. He just waited for the callout and gloating that never came. Taking it into consideration, Nines probably thought himself above that.
It had been a stressful couple days and he was thankful for it. Work kept him busy, and although it was inevitable, he hadn't lost his job yet. It helped his unease if only a little.
Not being on good terms with Fowler, Gavin figured he'd be the first to go, but it would be a mistake to throw him out. His work ethic was unparalleled and there was a reason he rose so quickly in rank. He couldn't say Fowler was all that fond of the tin cans, either. Then again, it was out of his hands. If the higher-ups wanted a force of oversized Roombas, that was their prerogative.
More and more androids had become part of the DPD. It was the reconnaissance cops first, then the receptionists, but it was only when the detective units appeared that he started doubting the safety of his position. Connor was a prototype. At first, Gavin had believed that there would be an entire series of detective androids. He'd been proven wrong as Connor was a unique model and so was Nines. Nines specialized in combat, so with that in mind, Connor was the only real deployed detective unit.
He couldn't help but wonder why Nines was there in the first place. It didn't really make sense. If he was a combat unit, he should've been put with the military to be evaluated, not Gavin. He supposed it could also be because the risk for a faulty program in the DPD wouldn't have as disastrous consequences.
Something just didn't seem right.
Just as he was about to put the car in reverse, he felt a pressure on his hand.
"The fuck are you -?"
About to tear his hand back and snap, he gazed out the rearview mirror in passing, taking note of how a feline was about to cross the road - even kinda looked like his family cat back when he was a kid - and halted in his movement. The moment it had passed the second wheel, Nines let go of him again, cold air washing over the back of his palm now abandoned.
"The curfew doesn't apply to cats, detective," Nines said, crossing his arms. "Proceed."
Gavin blinked dumbfounded.
Nevertheless, it wasn't long before he got the car moving again. Gavin nearly even thanked him for the heads-up on autopilot.
He realized he'd never been in direct contact with android skin before. Nines' hand had - quite surprisingly - been warm to the touch. His skin even felt like real skin. It explained how so many perverts out there were willing to bone down with those things. Establishments like the Eden Club would run out of business otherwise. Shifting, the tension emerged.
"How does that even work?" he asked, giving Nines a glance who looked visibly confused by the question. "The skin, jackass. It's liquid, right?"
"It is. Exposed to oxygen, it becomes solid to the touch, so we naturally have to refill our reserves in aftermath. It's separate from our thirium reserves and thus perfectly safe for humans who get in contact with it."
"Lucky me."
Nines broke the following silence. "I could tell I upset you earlier. That wasn't my intention."
"Your existence upsets me, plastic," he corrected, not meeting his eye. "The fuck are you talking about?"
"Your jacket."
"That's none of your fucking business."
"...which is why I didn't ask," Nines replied, frowning deeply. "I merely wanted to apologize."
Nines was dangerously close to be treading on personal business and Gavin wasn't having it. No one in the DPD knew of his life outside the force. Even Tina - the one he considered himself closest to - knew maybe ten percent. It was a sob story that he kept to himself for three reasons. First, no one gave a damn. Second, it was in the past and he could deal with the repercussions on his own. Lastly, he didn't trust anyone with the information as they'd draw conclusions and he'd be forced to sit there explaining everything for three hours.
Then again, no one had really cared enough to ask.
Seething, he planned to deny everything when his phone rang. Gavin pulled it out of his pocket and briefly looked down at the contact to see who it was, and once confirmed, he reached for his Bluetooth earpiece.
...and of course he managed to drop the thing.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!"
Briefly descending his gaze, it had ended up just next to the brakes. He needed to look up again to focus on the road.
"You could always stop the car."
He sure as hell wasn't going to do it now.
"Shut your fucking mouth. Don't tell me what to do," he replied, his phone continuing to ring in his hand. "Jesus. Just... fuck, just grab it before it gets under the pedal."
"A simple 'please' wouldn't kill you, detective."
"Get a move on!"
With that, Gavin put the phone on the dashboard stand to free both his hands. When Nines unbuckled his seatbelt and reached down to grab the earpiece, he was nothing but thankful for that issued curfew. He knew exactly what this position looked like and wasn't all that keen to partake in the awkward conversation that would follow.
"This would be a lot easier if you moved your leg."
"What, the 'most advanced model' doesn't have flexibility?"
"I'm a combat unit. If you want flexibility, go ask Connor. I'm more likely to break said leg in half."
"You'll manage," he replied, but Nines forcefully pulled his knee aside before resting his forearm on it. "Fucking -! Easy down there, tin can!"
"Shit, am I interrupting something?"
He'd managed to accidentally hit the speaker button.
"Fuck off, Ti. I dropped my earpiece," he said, not failing to hear her failed suppressed snicker on the other end. Nines finally got ahold of it and handed it over. "Bad timing. What do you want?"
"Guess."
Gavin frowned, situation calming down. "Uh... context?"
"I'm back at the DPD. Fowler was going to call you into his office this evening, but since you and your Robocop boyfriend are going from case-to-case without stopping at the precinct, he never had the chance."
"What'd he want?"
"I said, 'guess'."
"Ti, seriously. It's 8 p.m. I don't -"
"Fine! I can't keep it in any longer anyway. You're close to a promotion."
"Wait, seriously?" he asked, unable to hide the smile.
"A hundred percent, bitch."
Gavin laughed. "About fucking time. I swear Fowler's been holding out on me."
"The whole Jericho thing kick-started it. One more win and you're officially a sergeant. Congrats! You deserve it despite being a total dick."
"Yeah, fuck you too."
"Fowler wasn't gonna say anything until you got back, but I just had to break the news. It's been a long time coming. Try to act surprised whenever you get the badge, yeah?"
"Don't count on it."
"Like I said... 'total dick'," she replied, although there was no bite in it as she hung up.
He hadn't felt this kind of adrenaline in a long time. Gavin had been in the force for well over a decade and the fact that he was finally getting the recognition he deserved wasn't lost to him. He sure as hell was going to be a better example than Hank was and more. The increase in income would help, certainly, but status was far more important to him.
Proof that he was doing something with his once shitty life.
"I believe congratulations are in order."
Looking aside, he let his eyes fall to see Nines with gaze set on the hologram in hand.
Gavin turned back to the road. "Don't expect a 'thank you,' plastic."
"I'm not that deluded."
Judging by his tone, there was no doubt that he believed it.
Although he couldn't quite place it, the instant reply had him uneasy. The fact that even a machine agreed that he was an asshole didn't sit well with him. It shouldn't've mattered and yet it did.
Was he really that transparent?
"It's my dad's."
"Hmm?"
"My jacket. I said, 'it's my fucking dad's'."
When Nines didn't immediately respond and stopped paying attention to the hologram, he regretted opening his mouth at all. This wasn't the kind of attention that he wanted from anyone and he himself had intentionally initiated it. It wasn't like Nines cared, anyway. He was a machine. Talking to him was like talking to a brick wall and it served no purpose.
He was just about to change the topic before Nines spoke up.
"Is he -?"
"No, he's not fucking dead. He's -" he began, before sighing. "Jesus, I don't know what he is. I haven't talked to him in eight years."
"Oh, great. Daddy issues. I don't know why I'm surprised."
At least he didn't go the 'do you need to talk' route. Gavin would've had to spend the rest of the night cleaning blue blood from his car interior if he did. For once, he was actually relieved Nines was an android who couldn't care less.
"You know what? Fuck you," he replied. Thankfully, they seemed to have arrived. "Is this it or what?"
"It is."
Anything to get out of this conversation.
"Whose place did you say this was again?" Gavin said, stepping out of the car.
Nines followed suit. "Carl Manfred. One of the most prolific artists to this day and age. I don't suppose you're a man of art, Detective Reed?"
"Fuck no -" he replied, only for Nines to hold up a finger again. "You asked me a fucking question! I'm not falling for that again, you plastic piece of sh -" He was cut off as Nines barged into him when he suddenly bolted past. "Hey! What the fuck is your prob -?"
Just as his shoulder was thrown aside with the impact, he found himself facing the opposite direction. The moment his eyes set on the deviant leader, Markus had already seen them and took to running, Nines sprinting after him in a sickening speed. It was scarily similar to what Paws did when he spotted a mouse. There was no way he was able to catch up to them.
Cursing under his breath, Gavin got his keys out again, tearing the car door open and jumping in before pressing the gas. The car shot forward with a jolt. Because of the curfew, there were no pedestrians in sight. He still had to make some risky maneuvers, but was quickly gaining speed. He focused on the road, but found himself gazing at the chase every once in a while. The pace they moved at was almost nauseating. Markus had gotten quite a bit of a head start, but Nines was quicker.
Gavin had just gained their speed when an opening of bushes dotted the walkways. Markus would've been able to disappear through them, and considering how his attention landed there, it was exactly what he had planned.
Making a quick decision, Gavin pulled up the car in front of the deviant leader and halted his escape. Nines caught up with him just in time and Markus made his stance to defend himself. Fists were thrown in both directions, dodges performed, and it didn't take much to see that Nines had the obvious upper hand. It was like taken straight from a John Wick movie.
Bolting out of the car, Gavin pulled out his gun and lined up a non-fatal shot. Nevertheless, it was impossible to map out their movements. The risk of hitting Nines in the crossfire was too great.
"For fuck's sake, Nines, stand still!" Gavin demanded, never having felt more useless in his entire life.
It seemed as if Nines attempted a maneuver that angled Markus in his direction to give him a clear shot, only for Markus to catch his wrist.
Synthetic skin pulled back.
For a split second, both androids froze, but Nines was still in front of the crossfire and thus he didn't shoot. Heterochromiac irises went wide, meeting Nines' own wide-eyed expression as if he'd been expecting something, Nines' LED flashing and staying at red. Paralyzed, almost. Nines could've easily incapacitated him, and yet, he didn't. The hesitation was everything it took.
At the moment an opening appeared, Gavin was about to press the trigger only for Markus to pull out a smoke bomb.
When the thick cloud surrounded the area, it pressed through his eyes and nose, Gavin forced into a coughing fit as he took a step back. He opened his eyes only to immediately close them again as they stung. When the smoke cleared, Markus was nowhere to be found.
Gavin's coughing died down. "Give me a fucking break, you had him!" he called, but there was no response. "Hey, dipshit, I'm talking to you!" Nines remained quiet, and if there was anything Gavin disliked more than androids as well as people without spines, it was being ignored. It all made sense when he took note of the LED. Red. Flickering. Nines wasn't moving. He just about considered to call a CyberLife tech company to figure out what to do with him. Tighten some loose screws or whatever it was that they did. Nevertheless, he went with the more old-fashioned approach. He physically placed himself in front of him with a demand. "Snap outta it! Activate your cooling fan or whatever!"
Nines finally came to. Pupils unfocused, they darted, until finally landing on the solid figure before him. Everything came to a halt. Slowly but surely, the LED flickering reduced before landing on yellow, Nines blinking back to the real world. His gaze moved to look over Gavin's shoulder. Simply staring into the distance, he looked entirely lost.
Something was very clearly wrong.
"I lost him," Nines said.
"Oh, wow, I had no idea," he expressed his sarcasm, giving Nines a shove that he actually reacted to. "No shit, tin can. The fuck is wrong with you?"
Nines blinked again. "Nothing. It was... a malfunction. I felt -" he began, before immediately cutting himself off. "I experienced his destruction at the hands of those DPD officers as if it was me." Felt? "It caught me off-guard. It won't happen again." Nines met his eye. "RK200 attempted to convert me. He was close to his owner and the downright kindness he's been shown in his life kick-started his deviancy. For Markus, sharing his memories allows other androids to see that there is a way to be free from the prejudice they usually face. A witness of shown empathy. See it in a sense that he emulates a shock not unlike the one a charismatic leader can create through inspiring speeches."
Gavin couldn't say that he'd been paying attention. At the moment, he was too drained to care by much. There was something he couldn't help but be curious about, though. Something rather major.
"'He'."
"What?"
"You said 'he'," Gavin replied, watching Nines straightening his back as if just realizing. "You going deviant on me, plastic?"
"I'm certain I made it clear that I was incapable of deviancy, detective," he said, a defensive edge to his tone. "It's merely an easier way to distinguish androids apart if speaking of several."
He didn't believe him for a second.
There was an uncertainty to Nines' voice that he'd never before heard. Gavin used his investigative techniques for a moment to simply study Nines' demeanor in order to get a different answer only to end up disappointed. His expression was as deadpan as ever, but he was obviously not telling him something. Gavin knew he wouldn't be able to get it out of him just like that, so for now, he flagged it off.
"Well? The fuck did you see, then?"
"Leo - Manfred's son - had a red ice addiction," Nines replied, appearing to finally function properly again. "He left a message that he was to stop and thus there's a high probability that he'll cooperate in sharing his dealer. Leo is currently at the hospital with a head injury after Markus defended himself from him a few days back. Visiting hours just ended, but Manfred's input is still invaluable. I suggest we proceed with what we came here for in the first place."
Letting out an exhausted sigh, Gavin dragged his feet back to the car.
"Fucking-A..."
Part of him just wanted to go home, forget about all this, but the drive that pushed him forward was still there albeit in weak capacity. Gavin had already plopped back into the driver's seat when Nines entered.
Nines spoke up again. "You should've taken the shot, detective."
"...and risk having to pay for your damages? Fuck that. You move at a thousand miles per hour, dipshit. Not even Jerry fucking Miculek could make that shot," he replied, noticeably becoming more agitated. "The hell are you getting at?"
"I heard you are the best shot at the precinct. If I didn't know better, I'd say I was warming up to you."
Gavin released a scoff.
He was curious as to how Nines' mind worked, though. There was the incident that had happened less than a couple minutes ago where he'd genuinely seemed traumatized that left him conflicted. Again, he had to remind himself that it was just part of his programming. Nothing more. Androids couldn't feel. Fuck Nines for making him even question it.
"Whatever helps you sleep better," Gavin said, tearing up the door as he'd just parked.
Nines exited as well. "I don't sleep."
"Stand-by, parking, stasis... I don't give a shit what you call it."
Not before long, they stood at Manfred's doorstep. Gavin rang the bell and folded his arms across his chest as his eyes fell to the ground. He closed them and waited, making an attempt to ignore the sound of Nines fidgeting with that balisong butterfly knife again.
Just as he was about to call him out on it, he heard the sound of a door opening.
Ascending his gaze, a what looked like an MC500 android stood in the frame. The Chad one. Although he did wear the white version of an android uniform, the number wasn't present anywhere, so Gavin couldn't be sure. For supposedly caring for this Markus character, Manfred was surprisingly quick to assign another android to take his place.
The knife was inconspicuously sheathed not to alert the android.
"DPD," Gavin said, releasing his arms. "A patrol car from our precinct was here four days ago. Two officers. They shot down an RK200 android, dismantled him and threw him into the junkyard. We need to ask your owner some questions."
Watching the LED acting up briefly and his gaze landing on Nines, Gavin narrowed his eyes. It occurred to him that he was a deviant. Yet, he remained by Manfred's side. He couldn't help but wonder why that was. The deviant turned back to him.
"Said incident worsened his already bad condition. He's too weak."
That explained why he'd gotten a new tin can.
Gavin sighed. "Fuck."
"That doesn't change anything," Nines cut in, plucking some lint from Gavin's jacket. He frowned. "He might know something, detective. This is too important to pass up."
"I decide what's 'too important,' dipshit. I'm not killing some old guy for information he may or may not have."
"Where is he?"
...and people said Gavin was the asshole.
"Fuck that!" he said, extending his arm to barricade the path as Nines stepped forward. He turned back to the deviant. "We'll just have a look around the house and then we'll leave. Thirty minutes. Tops."
After hesitating briefly, the deviant nodded. "Take your time," he replied, stepping aside. "I'll have to get back to it."
When they entered, he headed upstairs and left them to their own devices.
"I can't say I approve of your decision," Nines said.
"That's too fucking bad, 'cause here's the thing," he began, poking the RK900 logo "...you're my android and you follow my orders."
"Only your competent ones."
"Seriously, you wanna do this now?" Gavin challenged, getting right into his face.
"Do what, exactly?"
"Piss me off!"
"Well, that doesn't take much effort," he deadpanned, Gavin just about having had it before he determinedly pushed on. "Nothing in my program says I have to follow any of your orders, but I'll play along because I trust your judgment. At least to the extent that I know you wouldn't fuck anything up on purpose. I'll simply have you know that if we don't get anything out of him, it's your ass."
His addition somehow managed to save him.
Gavin glared before he turned away and got back to the matter at hand while keeping quiet.
So the tin can trusted him.
He couldn't say the feeling was mutual, though.
Nines was too unpredictable. He had yet to get the image of that pleading android at Zlatko's out of his head when Nines shot him down, and after what just transpired with Markus, it all came back to him.
It was difficult to trust someone like that.
Searching the hallway, he didn't fail to see the device used to transport wheelchairs up and down the staircase. Carl certainly had a lot of money as the entire place was a literal mansion. Paintings littered the walls and the homeowner's passion for art was clear. Further inside, mechanical birds were left deactivated. Gavin couldn't see the point in having them in a cage. Maybe it was symbolic.
He let out a scoff at the thought of deviant birds. They were cute, though. He'd give them that.
What really caught his attention was the stuffed giraffe in the living room. The house must've been built around it once the foundation was in place. Either that, or it was built from within.
There were no family photos to speak of. He knew Leo was his son and thus they probably didn't see eye-to-eye. Considering that his kid was a red ice addict, he couldn't blame the guy, but to almost completely shut your kid out for a reason like that was all kinds of fucked-up. Then there was the android. He could imagine Leo being intimidated by Markus as he technically took his place in the family. There were no signs of a significant other, either, and so he or she must've either passed away, moved on or was no longer part of their lives.
He could relate to the latter.
"So the old man was painting just before everything went down," Gavin said, looking at the finished work still on its stand.
"No, this was made by Markus."
"Since when did androids develop an imagination?"
"He's a prototype. There's a high probability that Kamski programmed in something masquerading as imagination," Nines replied, no doubt in his voice. "Both of us know that he was a gift, so obviously Kamski knew Carl on a personal level. He was well-aware of his passion for art."
The painting appeared to be the depiction of an android in despair, face hidden behind his palm, the LED on clear display. Gavin didn't care for art, but the message was rather clear. Meanwhile, Nines' attention moved to the base of some kind of mechanical arm that he crouched down next to. He could only imagine the use of it being reaching the heights of larger canvases, as behind a nearby sheet, another artwork peeked through. Why people were willing to pay millions for this kind of thing was anyone's guess.
"Can you do that?" Gavin asked, a frown directed his way. "Robo-Jesus is an RK model, right? Aren't you supposed to be the 'improved' version?"
"The improved version of the Connor series, yes, but the RK-series are made up of several prototypes. Different models with different abilities. Markus is one while Connor is another. In any case, I doubt they'd take such a risk. Imagination is a human feature and CyberLife went to great lengths in order for the deviation of my unit to be impossible. I wasn't created by Kamski, but my predecessor was, and I was fitted with his base before they added the improvements. I was made to replace him."
Gavin arched a brow. "They were gonna destroy Hank's plastic pet?"
"Correct. His unit is obsolete, but he deviated before they had the chance to ki -...decommission him. I doubt he'd come willingly at this point," he replied, being pretty fucked up. Strangely enough, even Nines seemed somewhat disturbed. "Whatever the case might be, it appears Leo is the cause of Markus' deviancy."
"What's that?" he asked, scowling at some other pretentious 'works of art' before turning to him.
Nines gestured to the dried blood. "Leo."
"The fuck do you know that's Leo's without analyzing it?"
"Markus' memories."
"Right, the hand... thing," he deadpanned, waving his own around to compensate for his lack of a better word. Gavin turned his attention back to the scene. "So I take it Leo pushed Markus, the old man attempted to stop him before the brat pushed daddy dearest as well, then Robo-Jesus went deviant, launched the kid across the room and knocked him unconscious.""What makes you say that?"
"The location of the blood, knocked over painting tools and the wheelchair marks in the floor. Why? Your overpriced android tech couldn't even figure that out?"
"I already know, detective. I'm merely impressed."
Gavin let out a scoff. "I've been doing this for over a decade, plastic," he said, watching Nines rise to his feet. "What are you? A day old?"
"Two since my activation. Then again, my unit has been in construction for quite some time. I'm unable to give you an exact date," he replied, pocketing his hands. "The deviants that survived Jericho reside at an abandoned church. Nevertheless, Markus knows better than to keep them there. He'll certainly have them moved before the FBI can get to the scene and thus I see no use in informing them." He fell into a pause "...and for the record - I don't analyze blood by mouth. What I demonstrated back at the Stratford Tower was only to spite you."
Ready to snap, he almost pulled out his gun again.
"Detective," came a different voice, redirecting their attention to the doorway. It was the Chad android. "I've spoken with Manfred. Although I advised against it, he'll allow an audience. I'll take you to him."
Gavin's brows shot up ever so slightly. He gave Nines a look before falling into the other android's steps.
Upstairs, they entered the master bedroom. Carl was hooked up to several machines while the heart monitor ran at steady, regular beats. He was in a stable condition for now. If Nines' insinuation that Carl and Markus were close, he wasn't expecting to get anything out of him, but it was worth a shot. Gavin was about to introduce himself when the homeowner held up a hand.
"Spare me the speech, detective," he said, fatigue clear in his voice. "I know why you're here."
Gavin crossed his arms. "I'm just doing my job."
"Typical cops to assume the worst at all occasions," he replied, scowling lightly. "Don't think I need to remind you how your jackass department was the reason this happened in the first place... but I'm afraid I know no more than you."
"He must've come here for a reason."
"Advice," he replied, giving him pause. "Not even a machine has all the answers. Humans aren't as special as we'd like to think we are, detective. I know it's difficult to believe, but these androids simply wish to be free. Violence... is not part of the equation. They are alive." With that, he turned his attention to Nines standing in the doorway "...and so is he."
Briefly sparing a glance over his shoulder, Gavin saw Nines' eyes narrow ever so slightly.
"Imagine being thrown into the world with no direction. Having friends slaughtered around you for simply being what they are. Peacefully fighting for a just cause only to be massacred. To have hundreds follow your judgment without question... it weights," Carl pushed on, nodding slightly as he closed his eyes. "Only the ignorant are willing to deny what's right in front of them. It would all be solved if we simply talked to one another, but humans are stubborn, scared of change. Scared of the unknown. It's up to men like Markus to encourage said change."
Carl opened his eyes again. "Androids are merely the tools trapped by their own programming doing their best to make it work. They aren't the ones you should fear, detective. The humans behind them are," he added. Mouth setting in a hard line, Gavin couldn't deny it. "The only way I can aid the investigation is to ask that you give them a chance. I have nothing more to say."
"Thank you for your cooperation," Gavin said, before beginning to move. "Let's go, tin can."
There was a brief hesitation, but even yet, Nines followed. It was quiet when they returned to the car. In truth, Gavin didn't know what to think anymore. What Tina said on the roof about 'not even humans understanding emotions' wasn't wrong. He wasn't convinced, but a lot of things would make more sense if deviants really could feel.
Even Nines was quiet.
Whatever happened with Markus, he was certainly simulating far more emotions than when they first met.
Nines was also obviously trying to hide it.
A/N: When I finished writing this, I just realized... that roof scene is basically the "I'm cold, too" with the response "well, damn, Jackie. I can't control the weather" from That's 70's Show and I kinda grinned.
