A/N: Here we are at Crossroads, just a little different but the same endings that I've had will be mentioned later. Because I'm annoying and love a bit of suspense... this is part one! Please enjoy!


9:34pm- The Car

Ruby

The tension was high in the small space of the car as it trundled along the icy road. They had had to squeeze in the back. Four of them in three seats. But they made do.

"It's not too far," Rose had said, giving Alice a reassuring smile. But the poor child held tightly onto Luther anyway.

Kara sat up front, staring out of the window. Her eyes widened as they drove past two androids being beaten and shot.

"They've been conducting raids all over the city," Rose explained quietly. "Everybody is on edge after what happened yesterday… It's gonna be alright, we're almost there."

Kara switched on some music, so jazz filled the aching silence that followed Rose's statement. Ruby felt sick with anticipation, but finally ready to make a progression. She wanted to help them. It was just a matter of time.

The car finally turned and stopped near some dumpsters. They were sheltered here for the time being.

They got out, into the cold. The snow was still coming down fast, but their trembling kept them warm enough.

Rose pointed further down the road. "A little further on that way, there's a large freighter called Jericho. When you get there, find Markus, he'll help you. The last bus for the border leaves at midnight. You absolutely have to be on it. You'll be safer on the other side." She handed Kara a dollar bill with a sad smile. "It's not much, but it's a start. I've given you my brother's address, let us know when you get there safely." She gave Kara a hug. Rose leant down to Alice and gave her a hug too. "You're a brave little girl, Alice. You deserve to be happy."

"Thank you for everything, Rose," Kara whispered, voice shaking.

"We'll make sure they get there. Stay safe." Caleb nodded gratefully.

Rose hugged the assassin's quickly and placed a hand on Luther's arm.

"Take care of them."

Luther nodded, picking up Alice.

"Come on. We'd better not hang around. We have a bus to catch."

They waved to Rose as she got back into her car, not looking back as they left the dumpster area.

As soon as they turned the corner, they could see the side of the freighter. The blue and reddish-brown colours on the side was almost difficult to make out in the darkness. Trashed cars sat along the road, a couple burned. But a new hope had been sighted so they hurried towards Jericho as fast as they could.

"Do you think Vera is here?" Ruby asked Caleb as they spotted the name 'Jericho' painted on the side.

Caleb shrugged lightly. "I have no idea. Depends if they found it for themselves. I wouldn't like the cops getting a whiff of this place right now." He craned his neck to look up at the mass of the freighter.

"No. Me neither. I don't like keeping it from her though."

"She'll understand. Let's just help them get these passports."

There were a lot more androids in Jericho than they thought. A lot of them stood in the corridors and gave them directions towards the hold.

Ruby began to feel outnumbered. Like all eyes were on her. Even if no one was taking much notice of them.

In the hold, the news was on three big screens on the walls and many android stood around them exclaiming angrily.

"We've gotta do something! We can't just stand by and let them slaughter us!" An android in a grey uniform was shouting. A few agreed with him.

Many others were standing around fires for warmth, talking quietly amongst themselves.

"We've gotta find a warm place for Alice," Kara said, interrupting Ruby's thoughts. She marched over to a corner on the other side of the hold, where white boxes sat near a fire. Alice sat down and Kara felt her forehead.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm hot and cold at the same time," Alice replied in a small voice.

Kara sighed slowly, standing up and taking Luther to one side.

"Stay with her. I'll try and find this Markus."

"The last bus is in two hours," Luther reminded her, "and the terminal's on the other side of town. We haven't got much time…"

"We'll leave as soon as we have passports."

Luther put his hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Kara, there's something I have to tell you. It's about Alice…"

She shook her head. "We'll have lots of time to talk on the bus. I'll be back. Stay with Alice." Then she marched off, looking worriedly left to right.

"Perhaps it's best to let her find out whatever it is, on her own." Ruby pressed her lips together. "If she won't listen to you, maybe she will understand more if she sees it for herself."

Luther glanced at Alice for a moment. "I just want her to be prepared. It's going to be a big thing for her if she finds out before I can tell her."

"Don't worry, Luther. It'll be okay," Caleb reassured him. "We'll be back in a minute." He pulled Ruby away.

"What is it?" She asked, pulling her arm out of his grip.

"Is leaving really the best option if they're safe here? We could find the Piece if it's here. We don't belong here."

"But we need to protect them. Protect Alice—she's just a little girl."

"I know that. I'm not suggesting leave them right now. But we could search for it while they're settling in and we're waiting for passports."

"I'm not sure you two should be talking about that here, you know…"

Ruby and Caleb whipped around, arms raised defensively. But Vera stood there, smiling at them smugly.

"When did you get here?" Ruby asked, checking over her friend.

Vera shrugged. "Just now. Connor muttered something about finding Markus and walked off. But I saw you two whispering in the corner so I thought I should say hello."

Caleb frowned. "Is that wise?" He hissed, leaning closer to her.

"Why wouldn't it be? He just wants to help."

"Are you sure?"

"Look, a lot has happened today…" Vera crossed her arms over her chest. "The creator of androids decided to test Connor, demanding he shoot Kamski's own android for answers. Connor didn't shoot her. He's definitely becoming deviant…"

"The creator of Cyberlife? You met him?" Ruby asked incredulously.

Vera chuckled. "Yeah, not as good as you think." She paused. "Then we were thrown off the case but convinced the Lieutenant to help create a diversion so Connor could solve the case. And now…" She shrugged, gesturing around her.

Ruby looked around as she spotted Kara coming down the stairs. Then stop still, eyes widening slightly. Ruby moved towards her, but Vera grabbed her arm.

"We should be finding the piece. I think I have an idea of where we can start: the first android to awaken."

"You're sure it's not Markus?" Caleb spoke from behind them.

Vera shook her head. "I'm not sure. But I think the android who first discovered Jericho, is a good start."

Luther was standing next to Kara now, who was unblinking. Then they both made their way over to Alice who was hugging her knees. Kara sat down next to her, staring at her own knees. Alice turned to her, and Kara only glanced at her for a moment before pulling the girl into a hug.

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief, nodding to her friends.

"I'll just let them know we'll be back. We still need to help them get to the border, remember?"

"Okay but be quick. I don't know how much time we have…"

Ruby left Caleb and Vera to catch up as she moved towards the androids. She smiled.

"We will be back once you've got the passports. We've promised to protect you until you get over the border so that's what we'll do."

"Thank you," Kara said, pulling Alice closer.

Ruby joined her friends again, confirming it was done.

"Should we split up? It's pretty big…"

"I don't think we have much choice," Caleb snorted. "I'll take the lower deck, Ruby take the second floor and Vera take the third."

"Yes boss!" Vera laughed as they made their way to the corridors…

Caleb

Caleb dodged the androids in the corridor as he made his way into the belly of the ship. He waved to the girls, instructing them to be careful as they clattered up the metal stairs.

It was darker down here than in the hold and Caleb strained his eyes as he pulled the torch out of his pocket.

There were so many rooms branching from the first corridor that Caleb suddenly felt overwhelmed. Taking in a deep breath, he turned the wheel to open the first door on the right.

Something was dripping in here. It became louder the further in he went. He felt the puddles under his feet, grimacing as they leaked into his boots. A loud creak echoed from above. It sounded like it echoed through the whole ship.

Caleb ventured further in but there was nothing in here, so he moved onto the next room and the next. Nothing to be found anywhere.

He scowled as he came out of the fifth room in the corridor.

I swear there's a rat's nest in there… He shuddered.

Suddenly a strange noise vibrated through the freighter. Caleb strained his ears to hear it, he was so far down. The whirring. Remembering where he'd heard it. His heart dropped.

Shit!

Abandoning his search, he rushed back up the corridor towards the hold. Pounding feet, gunshots and screams were already ricocheting through the upper decks.

They're coming from all sides…

Three soldiers were advancing on a small group of androids, guns raised. The corridor was too small for them to scatter. They'd all be killed easily.

Caleb pulled his gun from his belt, aimed and shot the soldier in the back of the head. The other two whipped around, firing at Caleb who dodged the bullets. He fired quickly, running towards them, giving each soldier three bullets so they were dead by the time he reached them.

The androids remained watched breathlessly, nodding in thanks. But more soldiers were coming.

"Go! Save yourselves!"

A bullet hit the wall behind him. He ducked instinctively. Quickly reloading his gun behind the wall, he took a second to breath. Then he started to shoot using the wall as cover.

There were too many of them. He knew it. But the androids were being slaughtered, and he couldn't just stand by and watch it happen.

He pounced on a soldier coming up behind him, wrestling his gun from him and slapping him with the hidden blade. No more soldiers were coming now, so he advanced further into the freighter, to help people. He had to find Kara or Vera and Ruby.

There were more androids lying in the corridors as he made his way toward the stairs. He shook his head sadly, ducking out of the path of a torchlight.

An android was slammed against the wall by the soldier who then stood back to shoot. But a falling figure landed on the soldier before she had time to shoot the deviant. The figure silenced the soldier beneath her.

"Ruby!" Caleb cried gratefully.

"Thank you," the android whispered.

"Hurry! Join the others and stay out of sight!" Ruby ordered.

"I was coming to find you. Have you seen Vera?" Caleb continued, checking her for injuries.

"No. I was hoping you had. Come on, let's go and find her. We have to get out of here."

They hurried up the stairs, checking around corners for the sounds of angry shouting and gunshots. They ducked into rooms as the soldiers pushed further into the freighter.

"Luther!"

The pained shout came from behind them. They turned the corner and Luther was clutching his leg on the floor of the corridor. Kara and Alice stood over him. There were soldiers coming this way!

"It's too late, Kara! Save yourself! Save Alice!"

"No, we're not going to leave you behind!" Alice protested. "Right, Kara? We can't leave him!"

Kara frowned for a moment, then dived for him. Caleb hurried forward to help.

"What are you doing?" Luther demanded, gasping with the pain.

"We're not leaving you!" Kara told him sternly.

"Kara, no…"

"In here, quickly," Caleb said, nodding towards the door on their left.
"Don't move!" A soldier yelled as they ducked inside.

"You should be safe here, Luther," Ruby reassured him.

"You shouldn't have done that. You can't put Alice in danger. Go now, before they come back," Luther hissed worriedly.

"What about you? What will you do?" Kara asked him, frowning.

"I'll manage," Luther said gently. "Alice is all that matters."

Alice hugged him tightly. "I don't wanna leave you, Luther…"

"Don't worry. I'll catch up with you at the border, okay? Go now!"

"Be careful." Ruby gave him a sad smile before pushing Kara and Alice gently out of the door. Caleb stopped them.

"You have to go with them. Get them to safety and I'll find Vera."

"What? No! I'm not leaving without you."

"Look, we can't have a debate about this now. Protect them like we promised we would. I'll make sure we help Luther get out once I find Vera."

Ruby tried to scowl but her lips trembled.

"Stop!" A solider yelled beyond the corridor.

"Go!" Caleb hissed, ready to run back the other way.

"Stay out of sight," Kara advised softly.

He nodded before leaving them, not glancing back once.

Finally, he found an empty stairwell and hurried up. This floor was crawling with soldiers and androids were being caught in the crossfire. A small girl who looked just like Alice, clutched her leg against the wall. She was crying and alone.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." He knelt down next to her. "Do you have a name?"

She sniffed, her LED flashing yellow. "Elira…"

He checked around before looking back at her.

"Come on, I'm gonna get you out of here." Caleb lifted her, holding her tight to his chest as he hurried down the corridor.

A gunshot sounded and Caleb felt the sharp pain slice through his shoulder blade. Elira yelped.

"He's coming!"

"Are you hurt, Elira?" Caleb gasped as his left arm struggled. She shook her head. "It's gonna be okay. Just tell me if another one comes, okay?"

She nodded slowly, voice shaking as she exhaled.

Elira shouted out a few more soldiers as they ducked down the dark corridors. But Caleb began to stumble. He could feel himself sweating and the world was spinning. Draining.

How big is this damn ship?!

He leant against the wall. Two androids shuffled out of a room before them.

"Hey! Can you take her? Please…"

The androids glanced at each other, then at the girl in his arms. It took a moment, but they nodded, carrying her as Caleb had. He thanked them and they disappeared around the corner.

He slid down the wall, onto the floor. The walls moved less when he closed his eyes.

Just one minute and I'll get up and find Vera…

He leant his head back against the wall and sighed slowly…

To be continued…


A/N: Oops sorry, you'll thank me later...