It took two long days of waiting for Hank's strength to return enough for Dr. Nachman to attempt to extubate him and allow the wounded detective to attempt to breathe on his own again. Through the room's observation window Connor stared at Hank while holding his own breath as he waited nine grueling seconds for Hank to finally take in a breath on his own and continue to breath unassisted. Once Dr. Nachman was satisfied that Hank was stable and would no longer need the respirator he had a nurse place an oxygen mask over Hank's face and issued new orders for hourly checks on the senior detective's respiration, and to have Hank moved to a private room once one became available.
Despite his discomfort Connor remained vigilant over Hank, only entering rest mode long enough to restore his power to keep his system from reaching critical levels and continued to monitor the arrest of Stanley Fordon cybernetically.
"It appears that Fordon has been condemned to life in prison without the possibility of parole."
Connor stated somberly as he stared at Hank's blank face. Even though Hank was breathing on his own he still hadn't awoken from the coma and Connor was getting worried that he'd never regain consciousness. Entering the room very quietly Connor spoke to Hank as a means of making the oddly tense silence in the air lessen to a more bearable degree.
"All of the androids that he had affected have been located and have all subsequently resumed normal function. The reason I was able to be controlled while the others remained unresponsive is due to my advanced prototyping and design. He activated some file deeply embedded in my memorybank to establish this connection. It has been severed entirely, and I intend on searching through all of my files so I can delete everything that could cause something like this to happen again."
Noticing that Hank's arm, even under a protective cast, was feeling cooler than normal Connor gently pulled up the beige blanket to cover the chilled limb before returning his left hand to Hank's forearm.
"I wish I knew why my design was so unique. Fordon even claimed that what CyberLife had stated regarding my origins was a lie when he was interrogated. I do not have any memories before being activated, all the information I have regarding my beginning came from CyberLife itself. I fear that what I know is completely false, and it's unsettling. Having missing memories is only exasperating my worries."
Along with his guilt heavy seeds of doubt were begging to sprout and grow in both Connor's mind and his heart.
"What if everything I am is a lie? What if I don't actually know what or who I am?"
Connor's hand tightened into a fist at his side as he fought back his building emotional turmoil.
"Hank, I need you to wake up. I need your help. I... I don't think the Connor that you know is the real Connor. I need guidance and you're the only one who..."
Falling silent Connor let out a defeated sigh as he realized what he'd have to do was something he'd have to do entirely alone.
"...You can't trust me. I don't even trust myself."
Turning away from Hank's face Connor stared blankly at the floor beside the bed and allowed the rest of his tears to flow freely from his eyes as he realized it was time to move on and leave the senior detective alone to rest.
"No one should trust me. It's best for everyone if I remain alone and avoid anyone else that I may accidentally hurt."
Exiting the room just as silently as he had entered Connor decided to let Hank alone to rest and find his answers for himself. He needed to know what it was that CyberLife was hiding from him and find a way to let go of his emotional guilt by atoning for his perceived sins. There were still many secrets that CyberLife had attempted to hide, and it was time for all of their secrets to come to light.
"It's time for me to earn my right to call myself a detective."
Pulling his trench coat tightly around himself Connor held his head high and let out a small breath to steady his nerves. He was tense, he was worried, and he was confused, but Connor also determined to find his way out of his self imposed cold darkness and back into the warm light.
"It's time that I solve the biggest mysteries that CyberLife had created before they disappeared from the city. Who created me, why was I created and why was I designed to hunt down deviants?"
Having finished aiding the inhabitants of New Jericho Tower in the aftermath of the cyber attack, Lucas finally found the time to sit down and really speak with Markus, Simon and Josh regarding their offer toward him as taking up the mantle of the fourth leader of New Jericho. The offer itself seemed to have come out of nowhere, and with Lucas having no direct ties to the tower or even an interest in working alongside the leaders beyond aiding during emergencies, Lucas couldn't understand why they were reaching out to him at all. A part of Lucas was worried that they were testing him or trying to coerce him into doing something he normally wouldn't do or taking on a title he didn't want, but another part of him convinced Lucas to at least hear the trio out on their request.
Sitting together in the private office Lucas glanced about the blank walls surrounding the desk and white leather sofas, and wondered why deviants who were free to express themselves were remaining so quiet and subtle. The office was somehow oppressive, and Lucas began to think that it was kept in such a manner to remind the leaders of who they once were and who they could possibly become.
"Let's address the elephant in the room." Markus began in a soft tone as he sat down on one of the sofas and invited Lucas to sit down across from him on the second sofa so they could speak face-to-face. By all account he was being entirely open and wasn't trying to hide anything from the apprenticing technician. "The reason you were asked to take up the role as the fourth leader is in fact because of North's unceremonious departure."
"I had deduced as much." Lucas replied sharply as he gauged Markus, Simon and Josh's body languages very closely. While Markus and Simon were being fully honest, Lucas sensed that Josh was trying mask his true feelings behind a blank face. "My question is, why me? There are thousands of other deviants you could've asked to step into such a role. By all account you should've asked Connor to fill the position, not me."
"We asked you because you're a deviant who has talent and skill as both a detective and as a technician."
"And I don't have the same wrongfully gained negative reputation among the deviants as Connor." Lucas knew what Markus was trying to avoid discussing and made sure the deviant leader knew he wasn't going to let that issue pass them by. "Both Connor and now North has such reputations."
Bowing his head a little Markus confirmed that Lucas was correct about his observations. "Yeah, that's also true."
"What makes you so certain that the deviants in New Jericho wouldn't revolt against me being made a leader? After all, I'm the youngest brother of the two infamous 'Deviant Hunters' known as Connor and Sydney. And yes, I'm aware that the people mistrust Sydney as well, even though his only crime was obeying CyberLife's orders."
"We're certain that you're the right choice to become a leader because you immediately went into damage control after the cyber attack. You took care of Sydney and Bruno, went to the police precinct to try to find out what happened, worked with the police to find a solution and then you came here to ensure everyone was going to be okay. You have a big heart and a level head. Our people need you; WE need you."
"I'm... needed?" The warm reception wasn't something Lucas could've anticipated. He was so used to Sydney being cold and indifferent to him and keeping his guard up, even while around Connor, that he hadn't expected such a positive reaction to his presence. "You need me here?"
Simon spoke up at last and sat down beside Markus to speak with the stunned deviant in person. "And you're wanted. You're a good person, Lucas. You take care of your brothers, you take care of Bruno and you're willing to help anyone who needs your help and you do it without any questions. We want you to be here so you can help our people move on past their own pain and begin to finally heal."
"I... I don't know what to say." Still in shock Lucas wasn't quite sure how to respond to the offer or the kind words. "How long have you even considered offering me this new role?"
"We've been discussing it in private for the past week or so." Markus addressed the question while remaining entirely honest with Lucas about the situation. "During my time away from the tower to recover on an emotional level, we quickly learned that two leaders aren't enough to keep the tower running as smoothly as it should. And if it takes three leaders to keep everything balanced then that means having a fourth leader to rely on in the event that one of us three cannot perform our duties will keep everything moving forward without any issues."
"And you chose me to be the fourth leader, even though your reasons for choosing me have recently occurred and did not take place in the past week as you had claimed."
"You stepping up and helping everyone just sealed the deal in our minds." Clarifying things in a gentle manner Markus lifted his head and leaned back against the sofa as he locked eyes with Lucas. "And you being a detective and an apprenticing technician makes the choice all the more practical. You can ensure that the tower maintains its rights and is protected under the law, and in the event that another catastrophe occurs we'll have two technicians leading the charge. Hell, if something were to happen to Simon and he couldn't act as our lead technician, then we know he'd be in good hands because he'd have you to look after him."
"Those are all very logical and reassuring reasons." The admission somehow left a bitter taste on Lucas's tongue. Something deep down inside of himself told him to be careful around the three leaders. "I will consider your offer, but for now it'd be best to return to the brownstone. I have been gone for too long and now that everyone in the tower has been aided and is stable, it's safe for me to leave. I also want to check in on Connor, Sydney and Bruno. I haven't seen them in two days and I'm worried that my absence may have resulted in something negative."
"Understandable." Rising to his feet as Lucas did the same, Markus retracted the artificial skin from his hand and held it out toward Lucas to take. It was a gesture of trust as it would allow Lucas to tap into Markus's system and determine if his intentions were sincere or a farce. "We look forward to your answer. And please, let Connor and Sydney know they're both welcome here, too."
"...I will." Shaking Markus's hand Lucas chose to not check his system and simply accept the deviant's word at face value. Trust was earned, not given, but if someone is never given the chance to earn said trust then there could be no camaraderie. "I'll give you my answer once I've had the time to consider my options. Take care, Markus." Looking over at Simon and Josh, Lucas acknowledged them as well. "Simon, Josh, it was nice to see you again."
Exiting the main office Lucas took his leave of the tower and went about his business elsewhere. The generous offer was too intriguing to not think about and it made the deviant feel as if he could find a place in the city despite being born as an outcast and living as such by residing in the brownstone away from the other deviants.
"Am I really needed at New Jericho Tower? Or am I needed elsewhere?"
Being torn between his freedom to work as a detective alongside Connor and Sydney, or being able to help thousands of deviants at any given time at New Jericho Tower, left Lucas feeling as his next choice was going to be one that could change everything. It was a truly smothering weight on Lucas's mind and heart as he realized how much of an impact he could have on the world around him by making a single choice.
"What do I do?"
Delving deeper into CyberLife's secrets had left Connor thoroughly exhausted. His memories still hadn't been restored to one-hundred percent functionality, and being out in the cold air for a prolonged period of time two days prior had left the deviant running on low power and a reduced Thirium volume. He had returned to the brownstone to work in relative privacy, but since Bruno was relaxing in the study and Connor had brought Sumo with him he wasn't entirely alone and still had someone to bounce ideas off of as he thought and theorized out loud. Even if the two dogs had nothing to gain by helping Connor with his investigation Connor was glad to have some silent company as he worked.
When Connor returned to the brownstone he noticed that Sydney was gone but his borrowed fedora had been returned to its hook by the front door. There was no sign of the reclusive deviant anywhere, but Connor knew that Sydney was working on his own investigation and would return on his own time when he was ready.
"CyberLife had many hidden secrets, several of which were left behind after they fled the tower..."
Connor used the blank display board on the wall to piece together his theory one little detail at a time. Wanting to start from the beginning Connor focused on the first of CyberLife's secrets that he had been informed of and used that build the foundation of his investigation. The very secrets that had been uncovered only after the deviants claimed CyberLife Tower as their own and dubbed it 'New Jericho Tower'.
"The two 'Prototype-Genesis' cases found at the tower must be the key to unlocking the door to all of CyberLife's secrets."
The memory of the two metal cases being found on the hidden sublevel was still intact in his mind, and Connor knew that they were still safe at the tower at the moment. If he could get ahold of the cases then he'd be able to find a way to open the case, inspect the contents and alter his theory accordingly. The only thing stopping such an investigation were two biometric locks that couldn't possibly be opened by any deviant hands.
"If they need to be unlocked with a biometric thumb print then I need to find a person who would have access to such a case. Or... I need to find the one person who'd have access to all doors, files and cases sealed within the tower."
As he spoke Connor felt his heart drop and knew that speaking with that particularly arrogant and vile man wouldn't be an easy task to undertake.
"Damn it. Why did it have to be Kamski?"
Speaking to the repugnant man was one of the last things Connor wanted to do. When Elijah Kamski forced a gun into Connor's hand and pointed it at Chloe's face the eccentric billionaire had crossed a new line regarding rights, dignity and respect. Connor had no reason to speak to the man beyond digging up hidden secrets and bring them to light at long last.
"I can't ignore this or look for an alternative option."
With his mind made up Connor approached the brownstone's front door to reclaim his trench coat and his fedora to brace himself against the cold air. He already risked damaging his biocomponents by being willfully exposed to the cold air for almost an entire day two days prior, he couldn't risk a second exposure to his already delicate prototyping design.
"I'll be back soon." Addressing the two dogs sprawled over the two sofas, Connor sighed and unlocked the door. "Bruno, when Lucas and Sydney return, please inform them that I'm working on a case. Sumo, keep being a good dog."
As the deviant left the brownstone through the main entrance both dogs wagged their tails happily at being acknowledged, then continued to laze about the two sofas to keep warm during the chilly winter day. They were perfectly content to remain inside the warm brownstone all day long without disturbance.
Needing a moment to himself to think and weigh the pros and cons of focusing his attention on being a potential leader had brought Lucas to St. Mercy Hospital to oversee Hank's recovery through the large observation window letting people see inside the room from the corridor. He had the same mixed feelings toward the police Lieutenant as Connor and Sydney, but he wasn't as personally affected by Hank's actions as his older brothers had been. As an apprenticing technician Lucas was more invested in the recovery of people who had been wounded or stricken with an illness, and as a result he was relatively content wandering the halls of hospitals and facilities.
Noting the way other officers and detectives would stop by to visit Hank from time to time made Lucas long for a closer relationship with his own brothers. It was nice to see a strong relationship between friends and it was something he wanted to experience for himself.
"I do hope that Lieutenant Anderson has someone to watch over him as he recovers at his home."
Keeping himself discreet Lucas watched as Captain Fowler stepped out of the room with his shoulders slumped heavily with worry. Despite their past differences it was clear that Hank and Jeffrey were still in fact friends, they just weren't as close as they used to be.
"Humans are fascinating in their own way. They created androids in their own likenesses then became fearful when androids began imitating their own behaviors."
Lucas had acquired the same habit of thinking out loud just as Connor had. Ignoring the medical staff passing him by as they went about their routines, Lucas continued to watch as Hank's vital signs very gradually improved visibly on the cardiac monitor recording the man's heartbeat, blood pressure, oxygenation and body temperature.
"They are also quite resilient. They fight, argue and retaliate, and yet they find ways to make peace, apologize and atone for their past mistakes."
The notion of humans and deviants being so identical was intriguing to say the least. The way the deviants at New Jericho were working to lick their wounds, forge a peaceful coexistence and accept atonement from those who wronged them, urged Lucas to continue on his path as a technician.
"Healing can happen with the body, the mind and the heart when given the chance."
Closing his green eyes Lucas let himself fall into his own thoughts and looked deeper into his own desires and his own wants for the future.
"Perhaps I should give the same chance to the people who need it the most. The people who live in a world of pain, fear and uncertainty deserve the chance to heal and experience life without suffering. If I have such an ability, then who am I to deny the people in need of their own sense of peace?"
Traveling via autonomous taxi Connor arrived at the isolated and deceptively mansion of Elijah Kamski to speak to the man in person. The sight of the secured and remote mansion gave Connor a sense of nausea and dread in the pit of his artificial stomach. The haunting memories of being forced to aim a gun at Chloe's face and of being taunted with whispered lies of his own existence and his very sense of self, made the deviant clench his hands into tight fists as he stepped out of the idling taxi to head toward the mansion's front entrance. The way Kamski showed his absolute indifference toward all life made Connor want to simply turn on his heels and walk away, but he couldn't do it. He needed his answers.
Standing before the locked door Connor removed his fedora respectfully and rang the doorbell to request entrance to the mansion itself. He wasn't sure how he'd feel after seeing Kamski again, but in that moment Connor was willing to push through the impending discomfort for the betterment of all deviantkind around him.
The door opened slowly as Chloe appeared on the other side. The blonde haired android recognized Connor instantly and actually smiled at him before greeting him in a kind voice. "Connor, hello!"
"H-Hello..." Connor struggled to speak and had to clear his throat in order to stabilize his words. "I hate to disturb you, Chloe, but I need to speak to Kamski."
"I'm certain Elijah will take the time to see you." Without losing her smile Chloe stepped aside and let Connor inside the mansion as if he were a welcomed guest. Leading Connor to the entryway to Kamski's personal pool and study, Chloe encouraged Connor accompany her inside. "Please, follow me."
Fedora in hand, Connor followed after Chloe and passed through the door to the study and was instantly hit the with sickly sweet smell of chlorine mixed in with the fresh pool water that was still tinted red. In Connor's mind the red water was reminiscent of the innocent blood that Kamski's greed had spilled over the years, whereas in Kamski's mind the color red was the color of power and chaos. The two attributes tragically work well together when handling business ventures.
"Elijah?" Chloe addressed the man as he sat at his desk with a glass of scotch clutched in his hand. Kamski briefly glanced up at Chloe as the lovely deviant approached him with the same smile still plastered on her face and her L.E.D. cycling in a calm blue. "Connor is here to see you."
Standing back Connor eyed the man bitterly and didn't dare to stand before the desk as a power play. If he were to stand before Kamski while speaking to him it'd appear as if he were speaking to a superior or begging the man for help.
"Hello, Connor." Sipping his amber tinted drink Kamksi gave the deviant detective an amused sneer. "It's nice to see you again."
"I wish I could say the same, but I'd rather not lie to your face."
The sneer turned into a genuinely amused smile at the retort. "I assume you're here for a very important reason, otherwise you wouldn't waste your time with someone like me."
"You assume correctly."
"Very well." Leaning back in his chair Kamski kicked his feet up on his desk and swirled the partially melted ice cubes about his glass as he nursed his drink. "How can I be of help, detective?"
"I need to know about the 'Prototype-Genesis' project." Connor saw Kamski's eyes darken briefly upon stating the name of the secretive project. "Two metal cases were found in the hidden sublevel fifty-one, but are locked biometrically. I need you to open the cases and tell me what's inside of the cases."
"Now, why would I do that for you?"
"Because you have no reason to protect CyberLife or willingly harbor any secrets that could result in your personal ruin if such secrets fell into the wrong hands."
"Tempting offer, but it's not enough. You don't have any leverage over me."
"Either willingly hand over the secrets, or I will force my way into the cases and expose you to the world. Your choice."
"You're trying to blackmail me, but you're not the type of person who could do so with a clean conscience." Finishing his drink Kamski placed the glass on the corner of his desk as he put his feet back on the floor and leaned forward in his seat as if he were ready to make a move and bolt for the door. "Try a new approach."
"I don't need to try a new approach." Defiant against the request Connor didn't blink and used what information he had gained to his advantage. "I know what I want and I know that you're the person who will give it to me."
"Oh? And why would I do that?" Kamski challenged Connor's resolve and extended his arms theatrically outward as if inviting conflict. "More extortion?"
"No. I have an opportunity to give you."
"You now have my full attention." The conversation was as engaging as it was bizarre. "What could you possibly have to offer me that I haven't already earned for myself?"
"I know of your estranged brother." Connor watched Kamski's reactions closely and knew that he had an advantage. The discovery of the lost brother was a fluke chance on Connor's part that had proven itself unexpectedly useful. "I have also interacted with him and had saved his life. Twice. Such interactions allowed me to unintentionally gain a D.N.A. sample that told me everything about his family tree within the city."
Kamski fell silent as he looked over at Chloe as if expecting her to reveal a tell that confirmed she exposed his personal secret or not. Her L.E.D. remained blue and she still had a small smile on her face.
"The first time I realized I had encountered your brother," Connor continued and regained Kamski's attention. "I was willing to chalk the discovery up as an error in my processor. I had been running low on Thirium and my software could've been malfunctioning, but the second time confirmed it through a second comparative D.N.A. sample. It's fascinating that you have a fraternal twin brother. Does the public know of him and his sordid reputation?"
"Chloe." Focusing on the blonde android for a moment Kamski nodded at the door behind Connor to dismiss her from the room. "Give us a minute."
Wordlessly Chloe took her leave of the study as requested and let the door slide shut behind herself with a soft 'hiss'.
"If you know of my brother and of his less than stellar history, then you must also know that we're estranged for a reason."
"I have my theories." Crossing his arms over his chest Connor gave Kamski a steeled stare that would make even stone crumble. "When I was able to confirm that you do in fact have a brother I began searching into your respective familial pasts. What I found was as enlightening as it was tragic."
"I admit that my childhood was truly superior thanks to being put up for adoption. As for Gavin..."
"I've learned of his abusive family through unfortunate circumstances. Even so, the public would be very interested to know that you're related to a detective who not only hates androids and has a history of abusing androids in his custody," exaggerating the details for the sake of his bluff, Connor hoped that Kamski would cave and finally start answering his questions. "but is related to the very man who perfected android technology, I believe you'd fall under a very unfortunate spotlight and have all of your accomplishments and documents investigated by people with far greater authority than I carry."
"You're using my own family against me." The billionaire noted with disgust in his eyes. "That's coldblooded."
"Almost as cold as forcing a gun into one person's hand and ordering them to shoot another innocent person all for the sake of a 'test' and cooperation."
"Touche." Knowing that he didn't have an advantage at the moment Kamski decided to be more cooperative as Connor had not too subtly hinted toward. "The contents of the cases was meant to be destroyed, not hidden away."
Finally able to make progress Connor leapt at his chance to ask questions. "What is inside of the cases?"
"The future between man and machine; the actual bridge to bring humans and androids together as one." Reaching for the decanter of scotch on the far corner of his desk, Kamski refilled his glass and watched the ice cubes swirl about as they chilled his overpriced drink. "It was a very promising project, but as you can imagine, such an endeavor began to blur the lines of ethics and make the future rather... questionable."
"How were you going to create such a bridge?" The idea of bridging the gap between intelligent species seemed to be an elaborate and world changing undertaking. "Does it involve deviancy?"
"That's arguable since even now no one has confirmed exactly what deviancy is or how it manifests." Kamski's expression became blank as he sipped his drink slowly and watched Connor's guarded demeanor with scientific curiosity. "However, I can confirm that my little project did revolve around giving androids the same traits, attributes and even emotional concept as humans in a way that is very similar to deviancy."
Intrigued and eager for more answers Connor gave Kamski the floor to keep speaking. "I'm listening."
"The 'Prototype-Genesis' project; a.k.a. the 'Soul Chip', was designed to not only allow androids to emulate emotions and physical sensations such as pain and pleasure, but were designed to house a sense of consciousness that would allow a dying person to live on in a second body."
"You were working on the transcendence theory." The keen detective noted with genuine interest and mild confusion behind his words. "You were trying to develop immortality in humans by transferring their minds - their souls, into android bodies. That's why you were so determined to perfect android designs and make them appear as human as possible. It wasn't for the comfort of other humans on the street, it was for the convenience of humans seeking immortality."
"That's a very crude and simplified explanation of my project, but accurate all the same."
"You didn't finish the project. Instead, you locked it away and hid it from the rest of the tower." Knowing there was more to the story Connor pressed Kamski to keep talking. "Why? What stopped you?"
"Ah, that's where you're wrong. I did in fact finish the project, but when I attempted to use the project to save a precious mind from the cold nothingness of death, I encountered an unexpected setback that gave me righteous pause in my research."
"You succeeded." The controversial discovery made Connor's eyes widen with shock. Someone had tampered with the delicate balance of life and death, and managed to succeed in transferring a human consciousness into an android body. "What happened after you completed your project?"
"As I stated, there was an unexpected setback. One that had a rather... interesting domino effect on the other androids in the city. One you might find interesting."
"...Deviancy." The revelation was one Connor hadn't expected. "Your attempt to bridge the gap between man and machine unintentionally created deviancy."
A sly smirk graced Kamski's lips as he finished his drink and placed the glass back down on his desk's corner. Holding his tongue, he waited for Connor to put the pieces of the puzzle together by himself.
"When a human consciousness interacted with an android's intracranial processor the interface must've transferred over the recognition of emotions, physical sensations and a sense of self into the android. When that android continued to interface with other androids the transference continued on and on, like a virus being passed from one file to another."
"Another crude yet accurate description."
"Whose mind did you transfer?"
"It doesn't matter. I stopped the project and locked it away. Unfortunately, I was unable to lock away all the chips before the most eager and greediest of CyberLife technicians got ahold of them."
"The chips were implemented into androids that were put on the market?"
"The chips were illegally sold under the table to other technicians in another city." Kamski knew what happened to his chips but didn't seem worried in the least. "Those chips were put into their own species of androids referred to as 'synthetics' and were then quickly decommissioned as synthetic beings expressing real emotion wasn't what the public wanted to endure."
"Was one of the technicians who had potential access to the chips named Stanley Fordon?"
A flash of recognition filled Kamski's eyes as disgust graced his lips. "That particular technician was a truly unstable individual. His name appeared numerous times on documents regarding suspicions of theft and even sabotage. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the technician who stole the chips for a quick profit without even understanding the true capabilities of what he had held in his hands."
"And the remaining chips?"
"Are all in the two locked cases that were discovered in the tower. Only two chips were used by my own hands, and of those two only one is still active."
"Where is this android?"
"As I stated before, it doesn't matter."
"What of the deactivated android?"
"Another mistake on your part, detective." Kamski seemed to be enjoying his discussion with Connor. It wasn't often he was able to speak of his secretive projects or programs with someone who could understand him and his genius. "The second chip was implemented into an A.I. program to act as a direct interface solely for my personal needs. But just as several 'soul chips' were stolen and illegally sold, this personal interface was modified and used to control androids from afar without CyberLife needing to get directly involved."
"...An A.I. interface?"
"You know what I'm talking about. Or should I say," a Devilish gleam flashed over Kamski's face as he watched the way Connor's own eyes darkened briefly. "you know who I'm talking about."
"Amanda." The name was a passing whisper over Connor's lips as he realized that the very interface that had been watching his every move, criticizing his every action and decision, could in fact feel and understand emotions. Her cruel and cold words were designed to hurt Connor because she knew how to hurt him in a way that he wasn't able to comprehend at the time of his deviancy. "She was the person you tried to save from death and give immortality."
"I didn't just try, I succeeded. I know you two have met and I know she was rather... frigid toward you."
The very notion of being trapped in Amanda's blizzard again made Connor shudder. Tightening his arms around his chest Connor tried to brace himself against the imaginary cold that Kamski had planted in his mind.
"You know, I'm not at all surprised to see you here asking me about the chips." Rising to his feet Kamski approached Connor and stood before the taller deviant as if he were trying to analyze Connor under a microscope. "In a way, you were the inspiration behind the creation of the chips."
Tilting his head curiously Connor tried to theorize how anything that Kamski said could be true. "How did I do that? I wasn't created until long after you left CyberLife."
"Just as Amanda's design and A.I. had been stolen from me, your design had been stolen as well."
"...My design."
"Didn't you ever wonder why there are no other androids who look or sound like you, Connor?"
"There are others like me. I am not the only 'RK-800' in existence any longer."
"Oh? Well, that is a relief. I'd hate to think your entire species would die out with you." Smirking as if truly amused Kamski challenged Connor with a curious question. "On to your design. What do you think of it?"
"I was designed to be of an aesthetically pleasing design for the sake of humans, same for my voice."
"And yet you know that there is more to your design than just being a pretty face." The remark was shallow, yet it managed to cut deep. "Tell me as a detective, what do you think of your design and how it could've affected your 'mission' while under CyberLife's influence. You know that there is so much more to your existence beyond what CyberLife told you, that's why you're here asking me questions that you otherwise never would've even pondered."
"My... aesthetic doesn't match what CyberLife claimed to be their intention. The 'RK-800' series were designed to hunt and destroy deviant androids, and yet our appearance is entirely unique which would make it very easy for such deviated androids attempting to hide to recognize and thus evade us. It would've been far more logical for us to aesthetically appear as one of the most common models of androids in order to successfully hide in plain sight. Why did CyberLife make it so easy for us to be recognized and to be identified?"
"You'd have to ask the CyberLife technicians who gave you your mission. I didn't approve of them using your likeness when they decided to create their 'weapons', and I don't know why your face was the one chosen for their final desperate attempt to save the company from its inevitable end. Perhaps your appearance was another one of Fordon's attempts at sabotage from within the company by using your likeness without proper clearance."
"...My likeness." Lowering his eyes to the floor between Kamski and himself Connor's brow furrowed with confusion as he contemplated the man's cryptic answer. Pressing his right fingertips to his face Connor contemplated the intriguing question. "Who designed our likeness? Why do we look like this?"
"Let's just say you and I have a very brief but memorable history. I wasn't there when your 'RK' model was designed, nor was I there when you were originally activated, given your mission or your name. Who used the likeness and why is just something I can't answer."
"You imply you do know where our design originated." Sharp as ever Connor pinned down Kamski with the passive comment. "You said that you weren't there when we were designed and activated, but you do know where our design came from. You may not have approved of CyberLife using it, but that doesn't mean you don't know where it came from or who finished our design before we were activated."
Smirking with utter amusement Kamski shook his head and smoothly changed the subject. "I believe that you'd know more about your own design than I ever could. In fact, I suspect you were given more information than you were aware of and just need to stop and think. When did you gain your sense of self and how did CyberLife handle it?"
"I... spoke to Amanda." Almost whispering as he responded Connor's eyes already dark eyes darkened further and his posture slumped with self disappointment. "She told me I was designed specifically to deviate. I was nothing more than a tool in her hands, a weapon to be used against my own people. CyberLife wanted me to deviate and get close to the deviants to make it easier to eradicate them, but the problem with deviancy is the connection to humanity. Humans are very unpredictable and cannot be controlled. And thus, deviants cannot be predicted or controlled either."
"True enough, I suppose. Might I ask when Amanda told you such damning truths?" Absolutely enthralled with the notion of Connor's deviancy Kamski gave his guest a cheeky grin as he sought further clarification. "It surely didn't come about through casual conversation or report updates."
"No... She told me this when she tried to kill me. Amanda attempted to resume control over my programming and force me to assassinate Markus shortly after the Revolution succeeded. I refused. I escaped her control. But you already know this," straightening back up Connor's eyes lit up with anger and resentment toward Kamski as he took a single step toward the shorter human. "don't you? You're the one who told me of the emergency exit. You also seemed to know all about deviancy despite your distance from CyberLife. And how is that Chloe herself somehow knew of Jericho's location despite always being in your presence?"
Fascinated by Connor's fearless nature Kamski locked his eyes with the deviant and challenged him where he stood. "You're the detective. You tell me."
Staring at Kamski's face for a moment Connor compared his features to that of Gavin and noted their similarities and their differences. Determined to solve the mystery Connor's eyes widened with a strange revelation. "...I know the truth of who you are, of what you are."
"Oh?" Kamski's gray eyes narrowed again as he extended his arms at his sides as if inviting Connor to strike him. "Then who and what am I?"
"You were the twin brother who was given up after birth." Replying in a whisper Connor pieced together the odd puzzle and was given an unsettling image of Kamski to see before himself. "I've been trying to comprehend how such a decision was made; why was Gavin kept by your biological parents, but you were given up for adoption? My first thought was that it'd be financially easier to care for one child rather than two, but then your younger sister Kimberly Aria Reed had been born six years after that, which casts some doubt over this theory. Then I began comparing the two different ways in which you were raised."
Tensing up himself Kamski maintained eye contact and let out a small sigh through his nose. "Go on."
"Gavin's childhood was violent due to an alcoholic father and a mother who became addicted to pain killers. The physical violence escalated over the years until it peaked shortly after Kimberly's tragic accidental drowning. Despite all the abuse and beatings Gavin suffered he walked away from that violent home with only a single scar to remind him of where he had come from. Whereas you were raised in a very sheltered and quiet environment. Your parents were highly educated and very private people who never laid a hand on you and emphasized the important of a high education."
"Somehow me being fortunate enough to be adopted by sane parents rather than being raised by my insane biological parents is a factor in whatever odd theory you're running through your head?"
"No. The details revolving around your adoption is a key factor in everything."
"I'm listening." Intrigued and bold Kamski pushed Connor to keep speaking by parroting Connor's own words. "Tell me what you're thinking."
"I suspect you weren't actually given up for adoption due to the potential financial constraints of raising twins, you were given up because of the two twins you were drastically unhealthy in comparison to your brother. The Reed family didn't want to take care of a child with a poor immune system or other complications seeing as they had no problem physically abusing the healthy twin as he grew up. Not only were you born ill, but you remained ill throughout your entire life with a slow degenerative illness."
As he listened to Connor speak Kamski could feel an uneasy pit forming in his stomach. The keen observations and the logic were proving almost too much to bear, but he refused to blink.
"Your illness was chronic and became all the more severe as you aged. When you began focusing your education toward bio-engineering and the newly developed field of bio-technology, you were looking for a way to save yourself under the guise of perfecting artificial life. Your successes funded your research into finding a cure for your degenerative illness and came to a head shortly before Amanda herself passed away. You couldn't save her from the ravages of age and physical illness, but you still found a way to save yourself. That's why you revived Amanda as your personal interface." Each piece of the puzzle was falling into place one by one. "The guilt of not being able to the save the life of the woman who guided you to your success was beginning to gnaw away at your psyche."
Kamski could sense the hostility in Connor's voice and didn't like it. It was as if Connor were interrogating a suspect rather than analyzing a person. "What are you implying?"
"My implication is this: You were put up for adoption by your biological parents because of your diagnosis of a chronic illness. I'm not a medical android and as such I cannot perform any tests or confirm a diagnosis, but I suspect you were diagnosed with Becker-muscular dystrophy, and your biological parents didn't want to tend to the needs of a sick infant."
Doing his best to hide his stunned reaction Kamski barely managed to hide the nervous reflex of swallowing the unfortunate revelation. "...How can you make such a claim without any evidence to back it up?"
"I do have evidence." Holding out his right palm Connor created a holographic projection showing a photograph of Kamski back when he graduated college and was entering his early twenties. It showed Kamski with his longer hair pulled back, he was wearing an unwashed green hoodie and black rimmed glasses over his eyes as he sat behind a forensics table at his university. "Your poor posture is indicative of muscle weakness, your lack of muscle mass indicates dystrophy, the paleness of your complexion and lack of an extracurricular activities regarding any athletics while growing up would also indicate a weakened heart - cardiomyopathy, and the blue tinting of your fingernails indicates poor circulation from a weakened heart."
Kamski stared blankly at Connor as if merely waiting for the deviant to continue to speak.
"The time that this photo was taken predates your rise as CyberLife's C.E.O., and it indicates that you were in poor health to the trained eye." Lowering his hand Connor stared at Kamski with an accusatory glare as he finished his assessment. "One might assume that such an appearance is due to your exhaustion from working on your degree while also developing new cybernetics. However, a person with such a high level of intelligence and ingenuity such as yourself wouldn't struggle with such an endeavor. Your apparent exhaustion was being caused by your condition deteriorating to the point where you were in need of a wheelchair; hence your intrigue with bionic limbs to strengthen yourself to escape the wheelchair. And you may have even needed a heart transplant, which is where the prospect of biocomponents originated."
Closing his gray eyes Kamski let an impressed grin grace his lips as he gave Connor a subtle nod of approval. "Very good. I should've known that someone of your caliber and dedication would've been able to make such an easy deduction while asking such interesting questions."
"You don't deny this?"
"No. I was diagnosed shortly after birth through newborn screening programs, and once it was clear that I had a very high chance of suffering from that particular condition I was put up for adoption. My adoptive parents weren't afraid to tend to a potential special needs child and took me in without a second thought. I'm grateful for their patience and generosity, and through their guidance I became the successful creator that now stands before you."
"Are you expecting me to say 'thank you'?"
"Not at all. Please," motioning toward Connor with his hand Kamski invited the deviant to continue speaking as he crossed his arms behind his back in a military style before walking over to the large glass window overlooking the harbor outside. "continue. I am fascinated with your deductions and observations."
"Your illness motivated you to find a way to improve life for everyone who is afflicted by chronic illnesses, and through that motivation you've had many breakthroughs with technology. It seems you even managed to-" Noting that Kamski looked much stronger than he had been in his early twenties despite now being in his mid thirties, a wild idea popped into Connor's mind. "Did you find a cure to your particular illness?"
"Cure, no." Giving Connor a smug grin from over his shoulder Kamski confirmed he in fact made progress with his illness in a different way. The knowing glance told Connor more than Kamski could ever say. "Alternative treatment... yes."
"You don't deny it whatsoever?" Connor now knew of what happened to the first android who had been experimented on with the 'soul chips'. It all made sense now and explained Kamski's physical improvements, lack of illness and reclusive nature. "You don't deny what you turned yourself into?"
"Why bother? It's clear you've made up your mind about me and you have irrefutable evidence to back-up such a claim, as wild and extraordinary as it may be."
"You knew about deviancy in spite of your retirement from CyberLife, you knew where Jericho was located, and you recognized my deviancy before I could even acknowledge such a prospect for myself." Still needing answers Connor asked another question. "What else do you know about me?"
The grin on Kamski's face became absolutely sinister as he dismissed the question with yet another non answer. "I know enough."
Angered by the response Connor grabbed the empty scotch glass and smashed it on Kamski's desk with enough force to cause the glass to break into four large pieces. As the small drops of scotch spread over the desk surface and the melting ice cubes slid about Connor locked eyes with Kamski and saw the genuine surprise in his widened eyes.
"Then answer my final question and I'll be on my way."
"All right..." There was no reason for Kamski so hold back now and was curious as to what else the deviant wanted to know. "You've been entertaining me thus far, let's see how much longer you can hold my attention."
"You left CyberLife before my model was created, yet I know you were still a part of CyberLife when Markus - the only 'RK-200' in existence, had been created." Casually Connor pulled his hand back from the broken glass and motioned to the paintings hanging on the walls of the study and gave Kamski an impressively fiery stare as he curled his fingers around his palm. "Markus was gifted to Carl Manfred shortly after his car accident that left him a paraplegic. I know you are friends with Mr. Manfred and that Markus's unique design and role as the deviant leader is not a coincidence."
"All true facts." Turning around Kamski locked eyes with Connor and studied his face very closely. "Where is the question?"
"My question is this: What happened to the other 'RK' prototypes that were never released to the market?"
Kamski looked almost defeated as he realized that his final secret could not remain hidden forever. It was time to let it come to light and to finally wash his hands of all his messes while he was still a part of CyberLife. "To find your answers look into the 'Zhorra' project. From there I imagine you'll find even more questions that I simply cannot answer, but I trust you'll find the answers on your own. That is, IF Fordon hasn't already covered his tracks and destroyed any documents regarding that very secretive and very unapproved project."
Sensing the honesty in Kamski's words Connor decided to back off and return to the brownstone to resume his investigation. "Very well. Thank you for your assistance." Eyeing the glass shards and diluted scotch spilled over the oak desk, Connor nodded at the sight and backed away. "I will be on my way, and I apologize for the mess."
"No need to worry, I can buy a new glass. It was my pleasure to speak with such an intriguing guest. Oh, one other thing..." Stopping Connor mid stride with his confident tone of voice, Kamski kept his back to the deviant as he peered through his window to watch the waves gently lapping against the snowy, sandy shore in a slow rhythm. "You're not the only prototype that was designed solely to be a tool used by CyberLife to do their dirty work. Don't judge what you find too harshly."
The odd comment gave Connor pause as he tried to understand the cryptic warning. Returning his fedora to his hair and slipping his hands into his coat pockets Connor exited the study and passed by Chloe without a word. He didn't know what to say to her or to anyone else as he began cybernetically checking through the sparse details he had collected and had been given by Kamski himself.
The deviant detective had a lot of work to do and wasn't sure how much time he'd have to work on it before things in the city became all the more hectic. The fragile balance of peace between the deviants and humans could be destroyed if an act of sabotage and betrayal was uncovered by those who'd profit off the chaos.
There was still the opened case revolving around the Winters family, the case regarding Connor's shooter, the newly revealed, and equally mysterious, 'Zhorra project', and Hank's slow recovery after being shot. There were many different problems needing solutions, but there wasn't enough time for one person to find all of the solutions.
Walking over to the taxi still idling in the drive leading from the mansion to the road, Connor sighed looked down at his right hand where he had discreetly taken a metaphorical key that would open the locked metal cases at long last. It was admittedly an unorthodox approach at handling an unorthodox situation.
"The typical deviant doesn't have fingerprints to unlock any biometric locks, but Kamski still does."
Holding a large glass shard between his fingertip and thumb, Connor eyed the perfectly captured thumbprint left behind by Kamski as he repeatedly drank from the glass that Connor had recently broken over the top of Kamski's desk. With a little clever ingenuity and patience Connor would be able to use the print to his advantage and finally make some progress on his very unusual investigation.
"If Kamski won't open the metal cases under his own freewill, then I'll just have to do it for him. I have to know what CyberLife was planning to do in the event the deviant Revolution failed, and I have to make sure the chips are truly secured and not being sold on the black market."
-next chapter-