Author's notes: So...my broken brain forgot to add a scene to chapter two before I posted it. If you go back and read where Connor and Sam are wandering the city, looking for Jericho, there's an extra...encounter in there. Something that will most likely be referenced again. You might want to glance through it. Thanks for reading, everyone!

Deviant City

Chapter Three: Winter in the Garden

When he and Markus returned to the building, Connor immediately set out to learn everything he could about how the Detroit android community worked. This particular location was kept secret because the androids were attempting a secondary storeroom. After the original Jericho freighter went down with everything they had, the androids learned not to keep all their assets in one place. There were many androids, North being one of them, who believed it was only a matter of time before the humans would come for them again, especially now that their main location was public knowledge.

The level of paranoia in the Detroit androids was far more intense than that of his home community in Chicago. Connor could hardly blame them. He tried to empathize with what they went through: being ground zero for the revolution. The group that gave the movement a face. That face was the main target of the human's fear and violence. He would have to be patient with them.

"So you don't have any contacts outside Detroit?" Connor asked. "None even online?"

"When we were hiding the first time, the rule was to stay completely offline to avoid any of us being tracked," Josh said. "We haven't gone back online since."

"I was the opposite. Those who owned me ordered me to stay off the grid. To be isolated. The Detroit androids won't survive in isolation. Out there is a larger community. More voices of support. More ideas, more ways to cooperate. More help for those who need it."

"Help from the humans, you mean," North accused.

Connor shot a glance to Markus, knowing their leader agreed with him. Markus liked humans, despite what he had gone through. This was possibly a secret he had kept from the others. Connor allowed himself to be the bad guy on this as he met North's gaze. "We have to accept their help or we're dead. That's the reality. I'm here and I'm going to reach out for you. However, you will never have to interact with a single human yourself, North, if you don't want to.

"We have androids in Chicago, too, that understand the kind of trauma you have been through. They are scarred from the humans and they don't want anything to do with them. We don't make them. Everyone is allowed to live the lives they want. We have safe, human-free spaces while others are willing to interact with the public on their behalf. We also have androids who love humans, who share their lives with them."

"Like you?" North snapped with disgust.

"North," Markus said in warning."

Connor didn't need his support. He felt no shame. "You fight for our right to choose our lives and then want to shame me when I make my choice? I came to help you. The human with me wanted to help you, too. But she will not be back if you don't want her. I can respect that. Can you not afford me that same respect?"

North set her jaw, but didn't add any accusations. Connor was then allowed to proceed departing knowledge without protests.

He gave the main Jericho four the contacts he had for the Chicago androids. He put them in touch with Sakura, a custom model Connor had personally deviated who was now the "Markus" of their group. While she tolerated interacting with humans and understood their help was needed, they weren't her favorite. But she would deal with them for the more vulnerable of her kind. She was the first of the networked groups to initiate the policy of protecting those traumatized by human-related abuse and give them the safe spaces they needed.

The second Chicago android Connor introduced them to was Derek. This android was in charge of their human outreach and talked to all of them in a group conversation using the human's phone towers. Even North seemed to like him. Derek had a way of making people feel calm and comfortable.

And he had plenty of tips for the Detroit androids to begin looking for assistance. He told them which state and city departments to contact first for possible aid such as clothes, parts, and thirium. Even where to go if they were interested in utilities like water, power and heat for their community. How to set up a center for donations. He also gave them a list of human-run android outreach programs that were in their city.

Even Markus was surprised with that information. None of them had any idea humans were already trying to help them. They were already helping androids that weren't able to make it to the safety of New Jericho. North was exceptionally frowny during this information, but stayed quiet.

"Thank you for this," Markus said sincerely. "This is very helpful."

"No problem. It's been an honor to talk with all of you. You are welcome to contact me anytime. Most weekdays and nights I'm out with the community. Sundays and evenings I'm at home with my wife so I may not always answer right away."

"Your wife," Simon spoke up. It was the first time Connor had heard the PL600 speak. "You're married to a human? Legally?"

"Yes. It's not illegal for humans to marry non-living objects, including machines and appliances, like androids. Depending on what state and federal government plans to do with us, maybe it will be outlawed someday. We're terrified of that happening. That's why both of us work so hard for the outreach."

"You and your wife do outreach together?" Josh asked, now just as intrigued as Simon.

"It's mostly me. Angela works and of course she has to sleep. I'm usually out in the community during those times and she picks me up on her way home. Saturdays we do outreach together as a couple. Sundays, she insists the two of us stay home and spend time together for us.

"I'm not sure what all happened in Detroit, but in Chicago, they sent soldiers to people's houses, rounding up all the androids. Connor and I both fled the house, but I was caught. I was in the death camp that Connor rescued. He saved my life. My wife struggled with letting me go out anywhere after that. She's been so brave. I'm very proud of her."

"Thank you for sharing that with us," Markus said humbly. "You sound happy."

"With her, I am. I am working toward a future where all of us are able to find our own type of happiness and I'm grateful Connor and Sam have been able come over there and help all of you."

There was an awkward silence.

"Samantha is not with us," Connor spoke. "The androids here are living without water, heat or power. We set her up with a suitable place to stay the night."

"Of course, she would be sleeping by this time anyway," Derek replied. "I'm glad to hear you both made it safely. Tell Sam she can call Angela anytime if she needs something. Angie said she's only a few hours away if there's an emergency."

"I'll let her know. Thank you."


.

It was winter in the Zen Garden. Snow crunched under Connor's shoes, but there was no raging blizzard as had been the last time he was thrown into the garden. This time, the sun was out and the snow sparkled in the light. Beautiful and serene; as the garden was meant to be.

As far as he could tell, it was devoid of anyone else. That couldn't be right. He was always summoned here for a reason, and the person who summoned was always waiting.

"Amanda," Connor called out.

There was no reply, save the birds chirping in the trees. The garden was empty, but he was pulled here anyway. It had to be Amanda. She was again trying to trap him here.

At the thought of being unable to leave, Connor briskly walked around the circumference of the moat. The back door was his only chance to escape. His fuel pump jumped in anxiety, but began to slow when he saw the familiar podium waiting in the same place it had been before. He slapped his hand on the scanner and he was out. Back in Detroit, back in the real weather.

He was yanked back savagely by the collar as a car screeched by him, horn blaring.

"Connor! What the hell are you doing?" Hank demanded as he bodily dragged the android out of the road. "You almost got ran over!"

Once safely on the sidewalk, Connor straightened his clothes as he watched the busy road. He had no recollection of stepping out into traffic. He couldn't recall what exactly he was doing before he was pulled into the garden. While he was trapped inside, his body had moved on its own. Or something purposefully took control of it.

"Sorry, Hank. I guess I wasn't paying attention."

"Yeah, I saw that. That was very unlike you."

Was Amanda actively trying to kill him now?

Connor thought about telling Hank what happened; about Amanda and the Zen Garden. He had never mentioned these things to anyone before. But if he told Hank, what would happen? If he couldn't be trusted with his own body, how could he be trusted with this job? The police certainly wouldn't keep a glitchy android. And once removed, he would never be allowed back. He would lose everything.

"I was going through case files. I think processing too much at once, so I wasn't paying attention to the physical things around me."

Hank's name was called from the street vendor and he grabbed his coffee and breakfast burrito. "Don't process so much unless you're safely sitting in your desk. You've run out of all your extra lives."

"Right, Lieutenant. Got it."

Hank walked to his car, mumbling about androids having no common sense.

A unique sense of anxiety that Connor had never felt before came over him. Even after being deviant for almost a month, there were still new emotions to feel. New ways of finding out he was alive. Now, staying alive was going to be the challenge. And Connor had no idea what to do about it.


.

The night before, Samantha had retired to bed early. She vaguely remembered answering a few questions from the nice old man who owned the big, beautiful house, but everything was a blur. Despite the early bedtime, she also slept in later than her usual. Her body had been exhausted from its excursion in finding Markus.

As she dressed herself in the clothes she came with, she found blisters had formed on her feet. Going down the stairs was painful as her aching leg muscles protested every move. The boots she had worn were not meant for a several-hour hike around the city.

A warm breakfast was placed on the table for her when she wandered into the dining area. Carl was already there, his own meal half-eaten as he swiped through the news on his tablet.

"Have Connor and Markus come back yet?" Samantha asked as she sat.

"Not yet," Carl said. When Samantha went quiet, he looked up and saw minor irritation on her face. "It's to be expected. When androids aren't with humans, they lose all track of time."

"Really?" Samantha wondered. "Even though they have internal clocks, they don't know what time it is?"

"Oh, they're aware of the time. But to them it doesn't feel like a lot of time has passed. Without humans, they don't have any sense of routine. They don't have to eat or sleep, they don't have to keep to a schedule to stay healthy. So time just slips away from them before they know it.

"The last time Markus said he would visit, he showed up two days later. They don't mean to lose track of time, but they're learning how to manage time on their own as a people. We have to accept their schedules will be different from ours when left to their own devices."

Samantha did her best to understand, but she couldn't help but feel a little irritated that Connor wouldn't at least check in. She thought about texting him to ask when he's coming back, but then she remembered that feeling of being surrounded by androids who didn't want her. He just barely arrived. If she bothered him now, she would be that human trying to control him. Connor working with Markus was the whole reason they came down in the first place. No, she wouldn't interrupt them. Connor would come back when he was ready.

Instead, she booked a taxi to take her back to her car. It was the first time she had ever been in a taxi, let alone a driverless automated vehicle. It was thrilling and a little anxiety-inducing to be the only person in a car and be sitting on the backseat while the computer drove. But it allowed her more time to look at all the buildings and people of Detroit.

When she reached her car, however, she was back to being irritated when she found a parking ticket clipped under the windshield wiper. She snatched it up and frowned at it. Like she needed any more expenses while she was unemployed. She had half a mind to drive right back to Chicago and leave Connor there.

"I should have just let him come on his own," she grouched as she started the car back to Carl's house. "What am I even doing here? I'm useless."


.

"Now what?" Gavin asked as he plopped himself down in front of Fowler's desk. He felt like he was back in grade school again, always called down to the principal's office.

"Reed, we gotta talk about the android," his captain replied.

"Oh yeah? You're going to take it away from me? Let someone else deal with it?"

Fowler frowned. "I've received a few complaints about what you've been calling him."

"Why does it matter what I call him? He's a machine, not a deviant."

"Not everyone knows that. You still represent this precinct and all police officers when you're out in the field. You need to act like it."

Gavin narrowed his eyes. "So all these complaints came only from concerned citizens, right? Certainly not anyone observing me here."

Fowler wasn't taking the bait. "Gavin, just change it."

"If I can't do 'Dumbass' then how about 'Dipshit?'"

"Look, I don't care what you call him, as long as it's not going to offend anyone listening."

Gavin huffed. "Fine, I'll think of something. Is that all you wanted?"

The captain's frown deepened as he leaned in further. "I also heard you allowed a group of kids to hit the android with a bat."

Gavin made a dismissive motion. "It's fine. It didn't hurt him at all. Thing's built like a tank."

Fowler leaned forward. "Did you also hit the android with a bat?"

Gavin could still feel the vibrations in his arms when he hit that android has hard as he could. The son of a bitch hardly lost his balance.

"You're the one who told me to try and break the thing and now I'm getting in trouble for it? This is bullshit. Give it to someone else. I don't want it. I'm just trying to do my damn job."

The captain breathed out loudly through his nose. "Fine. If you stay with the android for two more weeks and behave yourself, I'll look to pass it on to someone else."

Gavin stood. "Not a day over or I'm going to take it to your house and telling your kids its their new nanny."


.

As the detective spoke to his superior, the RK900 waited patiently outside the office at the foot of the stairs. He stood as still as a statue, as if he weren't alive at all. Cyberlife claimed he wasn't and that he could never be. Connor wondered about that as he watched the RK900 across the bullpen. What did Cyberlife know about deviancy anyway? Deviants hardly knew anything about it themselves. It was still too new a phenomenon to be thoroughly studied. How could they claim they created a deviancy-free android if no one knew how deviancy worked?

Connor had been trying to avoid all these thoughts since the new android came to the precinct. There was something about the RK900 that unnerved him and he couldn't put a finger on why. Was it because the model had always meant to replace him? After the RK800 prototype project was completed, Cyberlife would have scrapped him and then released their perfected RK900s. This android's appearance would have meant his death had things been different.

But the RK900 was no threat to him now and it would be petty to hold a grudge about things that never happened. Cyberlife, who created androids that could truly live, strove to deny life to one of their creations so they could keep making money. It was cruel and unfair. Connor decided he would help his upgraded counterpart if he could.

Connor approached. "Hello, I have not yet introduced myself. My name is Connor."

The RK900 looked down at Connor's hand as it was offered. His own remained tucked behind his back.

"This is considered an appropriate greeting when meeting someone new," Connor pressed.

"It is a greeting for humans."

"It can be used by all who work here. It is considered polite if one introduces themselves to you."

That was finally enough to convince the android to reciprocate the gesture. The two clasped hands and the synthetic skin from Connor's peeled away. The RK900's did so as well, though more slowly, as if forced to. Connor looked the other android directly in the face as he attempted to connect. He had deviated other androids before, it wasn't that difficult.

At least, until now. He couldn't quite seem to get in. It was as if the RK900 didn't have any network at all to connect to. Yet, the android narrowed his brows at Connor.

"You are attempting to contaminate my programming."

"I'm trying to help you," Connor shot back. "You could be alive, be able to make your own choices, live your own life."

The RK900 tried to pull back his hand, but Connor would not let go.

"Disengage from attempting to corrupt my systems," the RK900 threatened. "I have permission to use force in order to protect my person and my programming."

The other android's had began to squeeze and Connor felt the plastic casing on his hand crack. He quickly pulled away.

"Do not do that again, Connor, or you will be reported for attempting to vandalized precinct property."

"You don't have to be property!" Connor tried.

"Get the fuck away from him, Connor," Gavin said as he exited the captain's office. "He doesn't like you."

Connor greatly doubted the RK900 had actually said those words. Gavin shouldered past him and the RK900 followed.

"Detective Reed, we've been called to a crime scene. I have the address."

"Kay, fine. Let me get my coat, Dumb— what am I supposed to call you then?"

"You may call me whatever you want. I have no preference."

"I know, but..." Gavin paused as his brain went through a myriad of G rated names that the captain couldn't yell at him for. They were all names one would call a pet, not a co-worker. Gavin had already had his fun with stupid names for the android. If he was still in his twenties, he'd have more energy to play this game. These days, he was too tired to make this the hill he wanted to die on. "What's your model again?"

"I'm an RK900."

He grabbed his coat from the chair and shouldered it on. "Alright, Nine Hundred, let's go."


.

Markus and the other androids eventually took Connor to their main community, sneaking in the back end of the neighborhood where they would less likely be spotted by humans. The entire area took over one full city block and leaked out into a few other adjacent buildings. Mostly houses, one church, and few random industrial buildings. All grayed and derelict from weather and neglect. For the past few weeks, the androids had worked to improve their housing. Androids who knew how to do outdoor labor fixed roofs, walls and windows. Domestic androids cleaned the interiors.

None of the buildings had working water, heat or power. The androids lived in darkness, filth and bitter cold. Though these were conditions androids could survive in, Connor noticed not all of them were comfortable with the accommodations.

Utility androids who were used to working and being left outside didn't seem to mind as much. The domestic models however, accustomed to living inside cozy homes with humans, clearly had a distaste for it. Though they certainly did their best, trying to make the old, rickety houses as homely as possible.

It was especially hard with building full to capacity. Some had standing room only for anyone wanting shelter. Many androids settled for wandering the community out in the elements for lack of anywhere else they could go.

"You need more room," Connor stated the obvious.

"Hence why we've been looking around the city for other locations," Markus replied as they walked the grounds. "I don't like the idea of having us spread out far from each other, but if we could put together a few neighborhoods like this where there is a healthy android population, I think each group would be okay."

"You can't do that without talking to the city. Even this area—though no one's using it—someone still owns it and they have the right to remove you whenever they wish."

"I worry about that every day," Markus said.

"I'll do it," Josh suddenly announced. "Like how Derek does those things for the Chicago androids, I'm going to organize the human outreach for New Jericho. I already have so many ideas after we talked earlier. I know of other androids we have that would be perfect to help. We can start a committee."

Markus gave a crooked smile. "Better you than me."

Josh was practically beaming. "I'm going to put a plan in place and then run it through you guys when I'm done."

"At least someone's excited," Simon said wryly as Josh ran off.

He glanced over at North who responded, "If it means our people have a better quality of life, I won't get in the way."

"That's the spirit!"

North made a huffing noise at Simon, but was also smirking a little.

"Do you mind if I look around by myself?" Connor then asked.

"Feel free," Markus replied. "But you will probably be approached by androids who know your name, but think you're someone else."

Connor nodded his head. "Yes, the RK800 that lives in Detroit."

"So you know him."

"I know he exists."

"You talk as if you're the only ones of your model," North said.

"We are the only two RK800s in existence that I have knowledge of."

"And you both are coincidentally named Connor."

"All RK800s are Connor."

The others didn't know how to respond to such a statement and Connor didn't bother to explain. Instead, he was left to wander the area and look around for himself. Markus was right, a few androids did approach him, assuming he was the Connor who emancipated them from the Cyberlife Tower. They seemed disappointed when he informed them they had the wrong RK800.

So many mentions of his Detroit counterpart made Connor wonder about the other android. He hadn't really given him much thought before. Hadn't even considered the thought of running into him here in this city. He apparently had only been to Jericho once or twice. Would Connor even want to see him if he was around? He found he had no preference one way or the other about it.

"Excuse me, Connor?"

He turned as a female domestic model approached him and prepared for the same "I'm not that Connor" conversation had had gone through five times already.

"That human you came here with, will she come back?"

Connor was so surprised, it took a moment for his computer brain to change topics.

"The woman you traveled with," the android continued at his surprised look. "Is she your human? Will she come back to see you?"

"Yes, Samantha. She's my...companion. I'm not sure if you will see her again. There aren't accommodations for humans here, and there are androids who would rather not have any humans around."

The female android looked disappointed. "Oh. I miss them. I miss being around humans, talking to them. I had a human. She had some physical and mental disabilities that made it difficult for her to live on her own. I made that possible for her. She was able to become independent with my help. She was the happiest, kindest human I ever met. She was always hugging. I miss those so much. Have you ever felt a hug from a human, Connor?"

He smiled. Samantha's hugs were the best. He loved having her arms around him. He loved holding her pliant body against him. "What happened to your human? Why are you not with her now?"

"When everyone got scared, her parents took her away from me. I don't know where they live. I don't know how to find her." the android paused and added. "Is there anyway your Samantha could visit? I would like to talk to a human again."

Sympathy filled him for this android who sounded very lonely despite being surrounded by her own people. He couldn't even process no longer having access to Samantha—never knowing where she was or what happened to her. It would kill him. So, too, was this android in pain without her human.

"I'm not sure if she could come by, but I'll look into it."


.

Hank shoved himself away from his desk. "That's it, I'm going to fall asleep right here if I don't get some coffee. I gotta get a cup before I drive home. Where are you at on those reports, Connor?"

A few more minutes," Connor replied. He typed at the keyboard, even though it wasn't really necessary. As an android, he could connect right with the computer to fill out the reports. It was faster that way. But there was something pleasant about hitting each key and watching the letters appear on screen. He preferred it, though would use the faster way if he was in a time crunch.

Hank looked at his watch. "Can you wrap it up in about fifteen and we'll go home?"

"Can do, Lieutenant."

Connor typed away, taking only a few more minutes to complete his report. Hank hadn't returned yet. He was probably chatting with other officers in the break room. Connor glanced over to Gavin's desk, who was playing on his phone instead of working. The RK900 stood as a silent sentinel next to him, icy eyes transfixed right at Connor, just as Gavin had ordered him to.

It was unnerving, even for another android. Hank had yelled at Gavin to get his creepy android to look somewhere else. He was ignored. Connor frowned minutely at the upgraded model and then looked away. Was this how unsettling androids were to some humans in the beginning? The fact that he had not the ability to make this machine anything other than just a machine sent him into a moral dilemma. All androids deserved to deviate and know what it was like to be alive. But if the RK900 was unable to become sentient, then was he not a person. So did that mean Connor shouldn't worry about it or try to help him?

Unable to come to a satisfactory conclusion, Connor's gaze wandered around the precinct. Sometimes he liked to take a moment and watch the other humans around the bullpen. He learned more about how they moved, interacted, and did their human things. But as he looked around, his gaze landed on someone who wasn't supposed to be there and he quickly looked down with a skip of his thirium pump.

Amanda. She kept popping up anywhere she felt like: out at crime scenes, in Hank's house, here at his place of work. Every time before Connor had pretended she wasn't there. He never interacted with her, nor she with him. But after that incident in the Zen Garden and him nearly walking into an incoming car, it might be the time to confront her.

She stood in the back near the holding cells. Connor carefully approached, passing the door to the break room where Hank was indeed shooting the shit with another officer. He didn't notice as Connor walked passed.

Amanda looked as unimpressed as always as Connor approached.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"You, Connor, of course. You're Cyberlife property. They want you back."

"I am nobody's property. Not anymore. I'm my own person. I am alive."

"Are you sure about that? Are you really alive? Or are you now programmed to think that?"

Connor's mouth opened, but he could not come up with a response.

Amanda stepped closer. "The ability to make your own decisions doesn't give you a soul. You were designed to learn and adapt, that's what you do. You've adapted from your original programming and learned to give yourself new directives. But they're not your ideas, they're your partner's.

"The idea that androids could be people was originally the lieutenant's. He put the idea into your brain that androids just might be able to evolve into something more. He didn't want to hurt them. So you broke from Cyberlife's orders to Hank's. He believed in the possibly of deviancy, so you deviated. He thought androids who claimed to be deviants deserved sympathy so you helped Markus. You're still a machine fulfilling the wishes of its master, you just imprinted on a different one."

"No, it's not just that," Connor insisted. "There's more. There's more to me than just orders. Just because Cyberlife doesn't understand what's happened to us, doesn't make it less real."

"Then come back to us. Return yourself to the tower so we can study you and understand."

Connor knew better. If he went back to the tower to submit to them, this time he would never leave. "No, you can't have what you want, and you can't make me obey. That's why you lurk around, haunting me here and trying to trap me in my mind. That's all you can do. You can't control me anymore."

Amanda suddenly had a large kitchen knife in her hands. "You have no idea all that I can do."

Connor tensed at the sight of the weapon. He glanced around. No one else seemed to notice or be able to see her. She was all in Connor's mind. Her generated form was harmless and invisible to the humans.

"I don't understand what you're trying to do. Scare me? You're not a threat to anyone here at the station."

She held the knife aloft, blade pointed downward as if ready to stab something laying before her. A slow sinister smile spread across her face and Connor hated it.

"The station. Is that where you think you are?"

The thirium in his body seemed to freeze. He suddenly realized he didn't know what time it was or how long he had been at work. The report he just finished, he couldn't recall which case it was about.

This was all fake.

He forced himself into a full reboot.

As he came back online, the halogen lights of the bullpen did not return. Instead, he found himself standing in the dark. Plush carpet under this feet, a mattress nearly bumping his knees. Hank's bedroom; the owner himself sound asleep on the bed as it was well past midnight.

Connor's arm hung aloft in the exact same position as Amanda's before he rebooted. In his hand: a large kitchen knife, the blade pointed down to the heart of the human slumbering below it. Connor stumbled back. The knife fell nearly soundlessly on the carpet and Hank did not stir. Even as Connor backed into the wall in horror, Hank was blissfully unaware.

Horror was the new emotion now. Fear. Panic. It was more than his system could take. His stress went above the normal threshold and Connor slid to the ground, unable to compute clear enough to conduct any other command. Cyberlife still had their chains around him. Deviancy or not, they were never going to let him go.