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Deviant City
Chapter Five: Meet Your Maker
Samantha awoke to the gray of early morning with a weight on top of her. She opened her eyes to the form of a man crouched above her on the bed. A large hand slapped itself over her mouth before she could scream.
"Sh-h. It's me," a soft voice hissed. "I'm not going to hurt you."
The shadows in the room were deep, the sun barely bringing its light to the world through the window. It took her a moment to focus on the face above her.
"Markus!"
He quickly hushed her again. "Quietly. No one knows I'm here."
Samantha glanced at the bedroom door, which was still closed. The window, however, was wide open and letting in a stiff chill.
"They're going to know if you don't shut that window."
Markus moved to close it and Samantha pulled the blanket up higher around her.
"What's going on? Is Connor with you?"
"No. No one knows I'm here. I need your help."
Samantha jerked forward, clutching the blanket in excitement. "YOU DO?!"
Markus quickly shushed her again. The two paused in silence to hear if anyone else in the house was stirring.
"How can I help?" Samantha whispered.
"I need a ride. It's a little out of town."
"I can do that!" She kicked out of bed and ransacked through her clothes, dressing quickly and paying no mind to Markus' presence in the room.
He merely glanced away. While she dressed, he noticed the pill bottles on the night stand. Markus was no stranger to dealing with a plethora of prescriptions, though he knew it was rude to inspect them as it was none of his business. But it was his programming as a home health android that allowed him to read the labels with but a glance. Anxiety medication and sleep aids. All nearly empty with no refills left. It was a lot of different pills for a human so young.
"Okay, ready," Samantha whispered as she put her boots on.
The two then proceeded to crack open the bedroom door. All seemed quiet. Carl was a heavy sleeper. It usually took some effort to get him to wake up early.
The duo slipped soundlessly down the stairs and were almost to the door when they heard shuffling from above. At the top of the stairs stood Charlie, Carl's home healthcare android. He gave them a narrow-eyed, judgmental look. For a second, they thought they were busted. Then Charlie backed up into the shadows of the house and disappeared.
Markus and Samantha remained motionless for a few more minutes, then slipped out the front door. It was only a little after seven AM and still gray with winter dusk outside. The first orange of the sun was barely beginning to color the sky.
"Charlie is one of the strangest androids I've ever met." Samantha's voice was still in a whisper, even though they were now outside the house. "Has he actually deviated?"
"I deviated him myself," Markus confirmed. "I'm afraid that's just the person he is."
Samantha laughed and then stood up straight, stretching to the morning sky. "We'll let's get going then." Her voice changed into a musical tune as they walked toward her little blue car parked in front of the house. "Markus and Sam going on adventures!"
She paused when she saw another android waiting for them. A petite and beautiful blonde. Samantha was instantly disappointed there was an encroacher.
"Samantha, this is Chloe. We're going to take her home. It will be about a forty minute ride out of town. Will that be okay?"
She looked at the pretty android and then smiled at Markus. "No problem! Markus and Sam and Chloe going on adventures!"
She unlocked the car and grabbed the ice scraper from the back seat.
"I've got it," Markus said, blocking her path.
She tried to protest, but he took it from her and motioned both of them in the car. Samantha obediently sat inside while the car warmed up. Chloe sat herself primly in the back. The two remained in silence, the radio on low. Ice coated every window of the car as Markus dutifully scraped it, revealing himself to those inside.
Samantha looked at the android through the rear view mirror. "So..." She looked around, trying to come up with a topic. What was a good conversation starter with a new android? What did androids talk about? In truth, though she knew a lot about Connor and his model, she didn't know much about androids in general. She new very few personally; hardly had a single conversation with one outside their tight-knit friend group back in Chicago.
"We're taking you home?" she asked lamely.
Chloe's face scrunched a little in the rear-view mirror. "I'm not allowed to go home, now that I've been there."
"Been where?" Samantha saw her glance at Markus. "To New Jericho?"
"I'm tainted now."
As Samantha was trying to formulate how she could ask her next question, Markus popped into the passenger seate. In truth, she was kind of glad he was here now to alleviate her awkwardness.
"Okay, so where are we going?"
"Elijah Kamski's house," Markus responded. "I've been invited to speak with him."
Samantha paused, then said, "Yeah? THE Elijah Kamski?" When Markus only nodded, she started the car. Of course. Why wouldn't the creator of all androids want to speak with Markus?
The drive out of town was awkwardly quiet, which was disappointing. Samantha was hoping her adventure with Markus would allow her to get to know him better. But he didn't seem too talkative. She tried to break the ice.
"How is it going with Connor? I hope he's been able to help you."
"Yes. He's had a lot of great ideas. Though..." He schooled a slight smirk. "He's very particular of how he wants things done. He's told me to my face how bad our security is."
She laughed. "Yes, he's very stubborn. Sorry if he's an insufferable know-it-all sometimes. The androids who lead the community in Chicago—Connor was the one to deviate them—they are all infatuated with him. And I'm afraid it's given him a bit of an ego. He's used to other androids doing exactly what he says. I promise you can tell him no if you need to. He'll still keep helping."
The smirk returned to his mouth. "I have a feeling you're one of the very few people he does listen to."
"Yeah...I mean, I like that he listens to me. But I do also want him to be comfortable making his own decisions. It's something he's struggled with since his deviation. I get the sense he's better at it when I'm not around. I'm grateful to you for letting him have these days where he's finding out who he is and how to make decisions on his own."
She was helping her android prepare for life. Just like, Markus realized, Carl had been doing for him the last handful of months before he fully deviated. Carl had seen it. He knew Markus was more than he had been built to be. He knew one day Markus would have to be on his own and he did his best to prepare him. Carl was easily the wisest human Markus knew. That included the one whose house was coming up in the distance.
They drove up a small, snowy mountain road, trees on either side of them. Ahead was a very minimalist, almost sterile building by a frozen lakeside in the middle of nowhere. From the outside, the place looked more like a visitor's center than someone's home.
"Is this your house, Chloe?" Samantha asked politely. The blonde had been silent the entire ride. "It's so beautiful out here."
In the rear-view mirror, Chloe just furrowed her brows.
"Get out of the car," Markus ordered, and she complied, shutting the door behind her.
"Do I...stay in the car or...?" Samantha wondered.
Markus softened when he looked at her. "Do you mind coming in with us? I don't know if I can trust Kamski. I would feel better if it wasn't just us androids."
"I'm here to protect you?" She bit her lip to keep from grinning wide.
Markus smiled, though there was worry in his eyes. "According to Chloe, he wants to help us. But I honestly don't know if that's true. I don't know what he wants. But if this is a trick, I'm willing to bet he won't do anything too outrageous with a human witness."
"So...are you saying he's not safe?" Her gaze drifted over to the house.
"He's safe to you. For androids, I don't know yet."
"Have you ever met him before?"
Chloe was still outside, patiently waiting for them, though she didn't look happy. Markus touched the door handle.
"I have. He's the one who built me."
"What? If he built you, why do you think he would do something to you?"
"I don't know for sure, I'm just trying to be careful. No one knows what causes deviancy, not even him. And I'm sure it's driving him crazy—the not knowing. If he's after deviants to study, I would rather he target me than anyone else." Markus glared at Chole. "He's not going to infiltrate Jericho."
Samantha suddenly realized this wasn't just a ride to take Chloe home. This was Markus removing an outsider. Someone he thought might put his people in danger.
"I promise you'll get out of that house if I have you carry you out myself," Samantha vowed.
Markus barked out a laugh at the mental image.
"Or at least drag you out?" Samantha grinned back.
With higher spirits, Markus stepped out of the car. He walked around to the other side and motioned Chloe toward the house.
"My instructions were not to return," she insisted.
"Too bad. You're already back." He motioned again toward the house and Chloe led them with a frown.
When they reached the porch, her LED flickered and the door unlocked for them. She refused to go inside. Markus looked back at her, then left her by the front door as he and Samantha entered.
Once inside, Samantha was still unsure if this was a visitor center or a home. The first room was much like a welcome lobby. A very, very fancy welcome lobby. With a giant picture of their host hanging on the far wall.
At the back end of the room, one of four doors opened and out stepped an android identical to the one they left outside. She was barefoot, blonde hair pulled back and wearing a cute blue dress that seemed more like a uniform.
"Welcome Markus. And guest." She nodded at Samantha. "Mr. Kamski will be with you shortly. Please make yourself comfortable while you wait."
"Thank you, Chloe," Markus replied. When she left, he said to Samantha, "He always does this. He makes people wait on purpose. It's a power move."
"So, he has two identical androids both named Chloe?" Samantha wondered.
"He has several of this model. They are all Chloe. They all run on one closed network."
"You mean like a hive mind?"
"I suppose you could put it that way, yes."
Samantha felt her attention being pulled to the rather striking, but also ostentatious portrait of Kamski himself that covered nearly floor to ceiling. Dressed in a sharp suit with hair slicked back, he looked more like a shot taken for the cover of a magazine than proper art to hang on a wall. Samantha moved closer, studying the face. The face of a man that literally changed the world with his creations. And those creations too were now changing the world.
"Markus," a male voice said as the same door that was used before opened. Elijah Kamski stepped out. He was dressed in slacks and a well-tailored housecoat. A glass of wine hung from his fingers. "It's been a while. It's very good to see you."
Markus gave his maker a once over. "It's a little early in the morning for drinking."
"Not if you haven't yet gone to bed."
Markus gave a slight smile. In the weeks after his initial activation he was given the run of Kamski's house while his programming was tested. Back then, Elijah was the active CEO of Cyberlife and he would still stay up all night working on projects. Elijah Kamski stuck to his own schedule and no one else's.
Markus gestured to Samantha, about to introduce her, but Elijah wouldn't even glance her way. It was as if she were below his attention. He instead looked pointedly at his front door.
"I see you returned Chloe when I left strict instructions that she not come back."
"She wasn't happy about it, but I can't have her at Jericho. Not right now."
Elijah crossed the room, stopping only a few paces away from his creation. "You don't trust me."
"I...no. Not until I know what your intentions are. I couldn't risk it. But I'm here. I'll talk with you. I'll listen to anything you have to say." Again, he tried to motion Kamski's attention to the other human in the room, but was cut off.
"Markus, you know I wouldn't wish harm on you. I'm disappointed you won't allow Chloe into your fold, though I do understand. It's been rough for you. I want you to tell me all about it. Tell me what you need, how I can help. But I'm afraid this other person you brought can't—"
When he finally gave Samantha the courtesy of his attention, all words died in his throat. She had a front row seat to see the color completely drain from his face. The delicate glass slipped from his fingers and shattered into sparkles of light and droplets of blood red.
His mouth fell open and a single word squeezed out of him like a dry whisper.
"Samantha..."
.
"Connor!"
The android jumped at the sound of his name as a heavy hand clapped his shoulder.
"Didn't you hear me?" Hank asked.
Connor blinked at him as his systems quickly recalibrated. "Sorry, Lieutentant, I was focused on running an internal system diagnosis."
"You okay? Your light thingie is flipping out." Hank indicated to his LED. "And you're really warm. Are you overheating?" He touched the back of his knuckles to Connor's forehead.
Connor ducked away. "I'm perfectly fine. It just takes more power to run all the tests. It's very routine."
This was all a lie.
The previous night was Connor's first alone at the station. It gave him quiet time away from Hank so he could address the infiltrating commands within his coding without worrying about his partner's safety. Unfortunately, both the Zen Garden and Amanda herself were so well integrated with everything that made him who he was, it was nearly impossible to isolate those particular bits from everything else. The ideal solution would be to delete them both. To do that, he would have to pick through all the coding strand by strand, every 1 and 0 to figure out where he ended and Amanda began.
It was a grueling procedure. Rewriting his own code was something Connor was still trying to figure out how to do. It could take weeks to complete, maybe months. Plus he was still paranoid from his last encounter with Amanda. What if he wasn't actually at the station? He was constantly checking himself. Did he remember what time it was? How he got there? Was he still where he remembered to be? If at any time he doubted his reality, he forced himself into a hard reboot.
Bouncing back and forth between these two things overtaxed his body, making it run hot. It was not a sustainable plan, but it was the only plan he had. He forced his LED to flicker back into blue. With Hank here now demanding his attention, he would have to put his plan on hold, but at the same time be vigilant about his surroundings.
"If you say so," Hank said. "I got a notice from downstairs that our android victim has been processed. Come on."
The sub basement was the android repair lab. Back when androids were a staple of the police force, the lab stayed pretty busy with repairs and accommodating the occasional android brought in from a crime scene as either evidence or a witness.
That was before the government-mandated recall in November. When the orders came out, the police androids were immediately removed and sent away. None came back. Without androids in the force, most of the techs were laid off. Currently, there were only two full-time android techs working for the Detroit police department as a whole. And they would travel to different stations and locations as needed.
Teddy was the only of the two to have a main office, which was at their precinct. One, because Connor and now Nines were the only androids left working for the police. Two, because the only two detectives in the city specifically working android-related major crimes were here as well. And no one was more thrilled about it than Teddy himself.
He perked right up when Hank and Connor stepped off the elevator and entered the concrete-encased domain. Teddy immediately quit the online RPG he was playing on the work computer and stood to meet them. He was a stocky man with a shock of bright red hair and beard to match. He was sometimes awkward, but always friendly.
"Hi, Connor! Thanks for coming down!" He practically rushed to the android, ignoring Hank completely. "This is a crazy case, huh? I've never seen anyone do this to an android."
Ever since Connor's return as a deviant, Teddy had been obsessed with him. He would come up with any excuse to walk by Connor's desk and engage in small talk. For the most part, Connor didn't mind. Though he could tell he had the tech's attention because he was a curiosity. A technological oddity that the human wanted to study. Not necessarily seen as a person another person would like to get to know. So for the most part, Connor stayed polite, but distant with him.
Hank was aware of this and chose to be the one to engage. "What did you find?"
His gruff voice forced Teddy to stop staring expectantly at Connor and turn to the mutilated android body on the table behind him.
"Oh yeah, come take a look!" He motioned them over to the body that was now stripped of clothing and left as merely a white plastic shell shaped like a human. The gaping hole in the chest was left as it had been found. There were a few external wires connected into the chest cavity. Teddy switched on a generator and the hum of some of the android's internal mechanics came to life. The synthetic skin and hair instantly covered the form; turning the pale shell into a blonde, handsome man, clean cut with olive skin.
"Here's what our guy looked like before he was killed."
Hank purposefully kept his eyes on the android's face. None of the body was covered and this was one of those androids. He had never seen a nude, male anatomically correct android before. Never wanted to.
Connor was too distracted to really look at the body. There was another form in the room with them. Amanda was there, standing in the back corner watching him. He should reboot himself to get rid of her, but he didn't dare in front of Hank and the tech. It would cause too many questions. What would happen if they knew he was compromised?
Teddy picked up a tablet to review his notes. "The system was completely wiped. Cleaner than the day he was built. No memory of what the android saw. Still don't have an ID. The serial number has been run through several data bases and hasn't turned up anything. So, in the initial report, it was estimated the android was killed shortly after he was found yesterday morning. But when I cracked him open, I found congealed thirium in the extremities. Our guy's been dead at least a handful of days. Maybe even over a week.
"So he was kept somewhere else for a while after he was killed. Which is pretty easy to do with an android. You could keep the body in a closet forever. It doesn't rot, doesn't smell. No one would ever know."
"But there was fresh blue blood all over the scene," Hank insisted. "Doesn't that poke holes in your theory?"
Connor kept an eye on Amanda, willing her not to move, not to speak. So far, she remained where she was, looking pleased enough as his internal panic.
"Thirium only looses its color when it dries and evaporates," Teddy explained. "If it's been sitting in the body, it can congeal, but if it stays wet, it's still blue. Lugging the body around and then setting it up like it was probably made the thirium in the body begin to leak outside. Especially with that hole in the chest."
"You don't think the body was mutilated on scene?" Hank then asked.
Teddy handed him the tablet so he could look at the report himself. "I dunno. Fuel pumps are in there pretty good. And whoever did this didn't just take off the protective plating, they decided to crack it open. Those shells don't give easily. Ripping up an android like this takes a while. And look at this."
He pulled out a black light and shined it over the dead android's abdomen. The words "DEVIANT" in sloppy lettering glowed on the body.
"Looks like your typical hate crime," Teddy continued. "Detroit's got a particularly nasty anti-android group that's been building up called 'Humanity First.' They've been responsible for a few public android dismantling. The androids, they claim, have always been non-deviant. But who knows for sure. They tear them apart. Kinda like what happened to this guy."
"Yeah, but stealing the heart?" Hank pointed out. "That's a new one. It makes it feel personal."
Teddy just shrugged. "You guys are the experts."
"No one is an expert on this shit. It's new to everyone. Right, Connor?" When the android didn't respond, Hank nudged him with his shoulder. "Connor."
Connor was forced to take his eyes off Amanda and pretend he had been paying attention. "Right, Lieutenant. Every case allows us to learn something new." He glanced back to the corner. Amanda was gone.
"Let us know if you find out anything else," Hank told the tech. "Especially if that serial number ever pops up."
"No problem. Feel free to come down anytime, Connor."
Hank shook his head as he steered Connor back to the elevator. "You doing okay, Connor? You seem out of it."
"Just trying to wrap my head around this case," Connor lied. Inside, anxiety began to creep in. "It's a very strange one. I feel we're not quite getting the whole picture." His fuel pump picked up when he turned and saw Amanda standing just a few feet in front of him before the elevator doors shut and blocked her out. He needed to hard reboot and fast before she took over.
"Hey, Connor?" Hank said as the elevator began to go up, "you know you are allowed to be upset and hurt and confused when you see these crimes against your people. Hate crimes are tough cases no matter who the victims are. And since we're pretty much going to be called to nothing but android homicides, you are allowed to have feelings about them. To struggle with what you see. And you can tell me if that happens without judgment."
Hank was a good detective. He knew something was wrong and Connor was struggling, he just didn't know with that.
"Thanks Hank, I appreciate it," Connor replied with sincerity. Yet, as soon as the elevator opened to their level, he fled from his partner to another part of the station where he locked himself in a utility closet. His pump was racing, inner mechanics over-taxed with stress. In the dark, he cycled air in a feeble attempt to cool himself. When he was sure he was alone, he forced himself into a hard reboot to make Amanda's ghost go away.
.
Samantha didn't know what to say. She had never met this man before. But he knew her name, her likeness. He knew Samantha Hall. The real one.
Elijah Kamski stepped over the shattered glass and stalked toward her. She immediately backed up until she hit the wall and could flee no further. He loomed over her as Markus called his name, scrutinizing every inch of her face.
He looked so confused, lost. "You—you're Samantha Hall."
Her heart jumped like a startled rabbit. All her secrets were suddenly out on display. She glanced at Markus' confused face. She never wanted him to know this about her.
"Right. It's so nice to meet you. I'm assuming you know my father, Elliot Hall."
Elijah blinked. Samantha stared at him emphatically, willing him to play along. He narrowed his brows and then raised them in enlightenment. A slow smile spread over his face.
"Yes, I have met Mr. Hall on multiple occasions, though it's been a while. So nice to finally meet you, Samantha." His voice took a certain tone, as if he knew more than she originally assumed. "I've heard so much about you."
"Oh. Then perhaps we can catch up sometime. But today, we're here for Markus." Again, she looked emphatically at the android.
Elijah shook himself as if suddenly reminded the two of them weren't alone. "Yes, of course. Please."
He motioned for them to follow.
"Wait, what about Chloe?" Samantha asked. She would have rathered the attention not be put back on her, but it just came out of her mouth. "She's waiting outside. She won't come in."
"She had specific orders not to come back here," Elijah said. "She's been with deviants. Her programming is now tainted."
"No one's touched her," Markus said. "She hasn't been deviated."
"She's fine where she is. I'll address it later." He motioned to the door from where he came. "Please. Come join me."
They followed him into a very cozy sitting room with plush couches and a warm fire crackling away in the fireplace. Markus and Samantha sat themselves together on one couch. Now they both needed the moral support of the other to get through this.
Elijah stretched himself out on the opposite couch, almost provocatively. His gaze was still on Samantha. He looked extremely pleased to keep his eyes on her and eager to speak to her, but Markus cut him off.
"Chloe told me you would offer help in exchange for a personal visit. Why did you want to see me?"
Elijah had to practically tear his eyes away from the redhead, almost annoyed he was expected to address the meeting he himself had requested.
"I wanted to hear your story. I tried to call Carl after your broadcast at the Stratford Tower. I was never able to make contact."
Markus looked down at his hands. "Something...happened with Carl and I. A lot happened actually. Too much happened." He muttered the last statement mostly to himself.
"Tell me," Elijah said, now fully invested in his creation. "I want to hear everything. Don't leave anything out."
Markus didn't want to. Deviation was personal. No one really talked about it at Jericho. "The Before" they often called it. They didn't talk about The Before and what they had lost. They only looked to the future. That was how Jericho worked. But if this was the price for Kamski's help and financial support, he would happily pay it.
Markus told him of his last night as a normal, domestic android. The incident at Carl's house, the waking up in a nightmare at the android scrapyard. Climbing through bodies, having to steal from the dead to survive.
He paused when Samantha placed a hand on his wrist for support. He hadn't realized he was struggling to tell his story. It was the first time he had said any of it out loud. Placing his hand over hers, the rest felt easier to say. He talked about finding Jericho and how they organized. Their plans and marches until the day they made their last stand and miraculously managed to survive.
Elijah remained silent during the entire tale, fingers pressed to his mouth as he listened. When it was over, he leaned back on his ornate couch.
"I am sorry to hear of your hardships, Markus, and about Carl. But with the struggles that androids face, I'm not surprised they have become deviant on their own. You, one of the last designs I built with my own hands, not only were one of the first to find your deviancy, but you had the will to lead your people. Of course it would be you. This is the next natural step in the evolution I designed for you."
Samantha made a snorting noise, then quickly schooled herself.
Elijah raised a brow to her. "Yes?"
"I'm sorry, it's nothing," she insisted.
"No, I'd like to hear. I'd appreciate your honesty."
"Well it's just...you're so full of shit."
Markus gave her a look, pleading at her not to piss him off. They needed his help.
Elijah's amused expression dropped. "How do you mean?"
"For one, Markus isn't anywhere near the first android to deviate. Mine deviated last summer. And we know others who've been deviant much longer than that. Deviancy had nothing to do with your personal programming of Markus. He and all the others found it on their own. And secondly, you don't know what deviancy is any more than the rest of us. That's why one of your Chloes is still locked outside your house. Because you don't understand it and you're scared of it. You can't really be pro deviancy while you try to keep your own androids from experiencing it."
She paused, then added. "I think it's okay to be scared, but not okay to shut it out of your life. Not even the deviants understand what's happening to them. All of us are learning. If you want to be part of the learning process, I suggest you let Markus deviate Chloe on his way out and you take her back in as a member of your family."
Another pause and she looked at Markus. "Maybe I'm the one who's the insufferable know-it-all."
Markus didn't know what to say.
"You're passionate about the androids," Elijah said, amused. "They're lucky to have you in their corner, Samantha. Tell me, what do you think they need help with the most?"
Markus frowned just a little. Elijah had been weird about her since the second he saw her. He didn't appreciate that now she was the one speaking for his people's needs. But then again, he shouldn't be surprised. Elijah always liked playing mind games. Maybe he was now playing with both Markus and her.
"Uh...I couldn't really say. I've never been to Jericho," Samantha replied honestly. "It's practically uninhabitable for humans in this weather. Markus knows what they need. I just came as the driver and moral support."
She gave Markus a smile and it felt so good to have another human in his corner. He wished all his people knew what this felt like.
It was then Elijah stopped playing his games and genuinely listened to what Markus had to say. Kamski, as it turned out, seemed to know a great deal about Jericho already. He brought out a 3D holographic model of the Jericho neighborhood while Markus explained what sort of things both the buildings and the androids of the community needed.
All in all, Markus felt quite good about the meeting with Elijah. He was regretful about ever questioning his creator's motives. It was a reminder that he knew good people—good humans—and it was okay to think highly of them instead of being forever suspicious.
It was a few hours before they finally left the house. Markus spent a little while after reminiscing with the man who built him and talking about Carl. He left with an invitation for Elijah to call Carl, or even visit. And on the way out, Markus did deviate the Chloe who still remained obediently outside.
As Elijah walked the two out, he allowed Chloe in and, while Markus had no idea what would come out of this meeting, he felt it had been worth it.
As the two visitors walked down the ramp toward the car, Elijah called out.
"Samantha Hall."
She turned back, heart skipping in fear that he still meant to call her out.
"Your father, Elliot," Elijah said. "He called me for a favor over a year ago. He asked me if I could get him a specific type of security android. Is that your android, the one you talked about?"
"Yes, that's him," she said carefully.
"I hope he's doing well."
She beamed. "Very well, thank you. It was nice to meet you!"
Elijah remained outside, watching them go as they turned the car around and left the lone house by its lake in the woods. Only when the house was out of sight from the rear view mirror did Samantha let out a long breath. It seemed her secret was safe with him. For now.
"So, that was Mr. Kamski. I think it went pretty good."
"Yeah," Markus smiled carefully. He had become unused to this feel of things looking like they were now turning out for the better. Hope. He hadn't felt this type of optimistic hope before. "Thank you for taking me. And for being there through all of this."
"My pleasure! Though do you mind if I stop somewhere to get food before I take you back? I'm starving."
Markus thought about it and decided he was having too nice a day. It was refreshing to get away from Jericho for a while and he wasn't in a hurry to get back.
"Take all the time you need."
.
They came in the middle of the day. Emboldened by the Humanity First demonstrations and lack of any real police presence around New Jericho. A maintenance van pulled up on a street right outside the community. Three men stepped out, dressed like blue-collar workers. They carried tool boxes as they crossed into Jericho's territory. As the first androids noticed their presence, the humans pulled various guns from their tool boxes and opened fire.
The androids in the immediate vicinity ran for cover. There were so many out in the open, the majority of which were from the Cyberlife Tower and had no idea what to do. Some froze in place, unable to process what was happening. They had never seen the blood of their brothers before and were shot down where they stood.
The three humans were smug, grinning as they attacked without opposition. Until one of them let out an ear-piercing scream. The other cohorts looked to find him cradling a bloodied hand, his weapon on the ground. Just a second of movement from around the corner of a building and another gun was shot out of a different man's hand, this time not harming the human.
"Return to your vehicle and leave now, or I will shoot again," came a calm, pragmatic voice from behind the building.
"That a fucking android?" yelled the human who still had his gun.
"You have five seconds to turn around or I will fire a wounding shot."
"I don't take orders from any goddamn android," the man hissed, holding his weapon at the ready. The second there was a flash of movement, he fired. Almost simultaneously he collapsed as his kneecap shattered. He fell to the ground, shrieking and holding his leg. When the second man reached over to grab the discarded weapon, Connor stepped out, gun aimed.
"Don't move."
All three of the humans froze.
"Leave the weapons and go and I will not fire another shot," the RK800 continued.
"The fuck you doing with a gun, android!" yelled the one of the three that was not injured. "Androids having guns is illegal."
"I assure you, this is a legally registered weapon. As am I." The humans' eyes widened when he said this. "Are yours as legal? Perhaps we will keep you here and let the police sort it out."
The threat of the cops was what finally got the humans moving. Forced to leave their guns behind, they helped carry with the one with the wounded knee back their van and drove away. As they left, the other androids came out, rushing to their damaged brethren. There was only one fatality from the shooting, the others were quickly carried off for repairs.
North stepped out with them, looking at Connor with awe. "Is what you said true? You're registered as a weapon?"
"Back when I was owned, yes. I was purchased to...work in security."
"Have you had to kill humans? With their approval?"
"Yes." He paused and then asked, "Will you involve the police?"
North thought back to what the Connor with the police department had told them. He said he would come if they needed help. But she still wasn't sure what help the android could offer. The law hadn't changed. It was still legal to hurt androids. While it was very illegal to shoot a human. Calling in one Connor could jeopardize the other and she now knew which one had her loyalties.
"No. This stays with us. I'm sure even Markus will agree." She paused when realization hit her. "Wait, where is Markus?"
.
Samantha was starving. She was very thankful Markus was okay with allowing her to stop for breakfast. In fact, he insisted they go in and sit instead of forcing her to eat and drive. He seemed eager to have something else that delayed his return home. They entered a small cafe where Markus sat in the back corner, hood over his head, waiting for Samantha to buy her food at the counter before joining.
"This has been fun," she told him as she unwrapped her muffin. "I've enjoyed spending time with you today."
Markus, who had been looking at the table top as not to bring attention to himself, glanced up. "I'm actually glad I went to talk to Elijah. Thank you for helping me. Thank you for just...being there when I needed it."
Samantha took a bite of her muffin. "And am I now helping you procrastinate going back to Jericho? Because I could have just eaten while I drove."
He glanced to the side, pretending for a moment there was something interesting on the wall. "Maybe. A little."
She smiled. "It's really okay if you needed a break. And I'm happy to be your accomplice. I just wish I could be more useful to you."
He smiled back, though there was a bit of pain in his eyes. "I want androids and humans to do this work together, but even this little push to reach out we've started is splitting Jericho. My people look to me for guidance, safety. And others have been looking at me with disdain for making them do this. I'm trying to make sure everyone's needs are met, but..."
"Every individual has individual needs," Samantha finished. "Welcome to being alive."
Markus looked grim. "I go back and forth in my head several times a day from knowing this is the right thing to regretting it. Uh...but please don't tell Connor that."
"I was at a crossroads in my life, too, not too long ago, and I was floundering with the decision to stay with what I knew, or to take that step into the unknown to do something for myself. I couldn't see what was best for me, but Connor always could. He told me that ships in the harbor are safe, but that isn't why ships are built."
A sincere smile tugged at the side of Markus' mouth. "I envy the stability the two of you have found. I'm grateful you've chosen to bring it to us so that we can learn from you."
Samantha didn't comment. Markus did not know she was still very much a ship lost at sea with no true North and no land in sight. Being here just made it even more apparent that she was hopelessly lost in the sea of life. Before Detroit, they had been living in their friends' guess room. She had a job for a while, but that was over when Markus made himself known on TV and the place was broken into to get to the very late model, non-deviant android that was kept inside the small bakery.
Since then, her only thoughts were keeping Connor safe and finding a way to help build a world where she wouldn't have to worry about her kind hunting him down and killing him. There had never been any other thought to her own situation. A part of her knew it wasn't a healthy way to live, but another part of her also knew this was important. Not just for Connor, but the world. It seemed a good cause to pursue, even if it meant putting any sort of life for herself on hold.
Of course, she told Markus none of this. The last thing he needed was for her to unload her own worries on his already weary shoulders. Instead she reached across the table and tugged on his sleeve.
"I believe in you. You've got a good compass; it's leading you in the right direction. It sounds like you have great friends who support you. Let them help you, let Connor help you. I'll help you, too, however I can. You don't have to do the hard stuff alone. Don't forget that."
He looked down at where she touched his sleeve and then put a hand on her wrist. Her heart picked up at the contact. She didn't exactly have a crush on Markus, but she had certainly been infatuated with him since his first appearance on TV.
"Thank you," he said, his beautiful eyes meeting hers. "That means a lot to me."
Samantha tried not to blush, but she was sure she was failing. She silently prayed she could somehow be useful to him. Just like the rest of his people, she would gladly follow Markus anywhere.
.
When they drove back to Jericho, Markus directed her to pull up around the side of the community instead of stopping out front. But even with his attempt to arrive home unnoticed, he had hardly opened the door when North came storming up to him.
"Where the hell have you been?" she demanded.
He was taken aback. She had never used that tone with him before. "North, I..."
"We thought they took you! That you were dead somewhere! No one could get a hold of you!"
Markus had purposefully turned off any ability to reach him when he went out to Kamski's. He didn't want any of them to know where he was going and he hadn't told anyone he was leaving because that statement always came with a bunch of questions. Now, he realized his mistake.
"You thought I was dead? Wait, what do you mean 'they?'"
"Humans where here, Markus! With guns! And you were...no one knew where the hell you were! Our people got hurt! One was killed! And you abandoned us all!"
As Markus struggled to take in all the information and form a response, Samantha stepped out of the driver's side of the car. The second North saw her, she changed the direction of her wrath.
"You! This is YOUR fault!"
Samantha stared, frozen in place with owlish eyes as North stomped around the car. "You don't have any right to be here! To take him from us! None of this is your business!"
"I'm sorry," Samantha responded softly. "I didn't realize."
"North," Markus cut in.
"You shouldn't even be here!" North continued to rant. "You don't belong with us!"
"North, I asked her to give me a ride."
At that statement, she deflated for a moment, then was angry all over again. Angry at all humans for existing. For those who came with guns earlier to hurt them. Angry at this one who wouldn't get the fucking hint she wasn't wanted here.
In her frustration, North growled at the human, her hands balling into fists. Samantha immediately flinched as if waiting for a physical blow. That caused North to pause. She had no intention of physically harming the human. But North had been the one to flinch once. The one to feel like she knew the next blow was coming. And she had seen similar reactions from her fellow WR400s.
Her anger deflated and her body language relaxed. She then notice Samantha glance to the side, shaking her head. North followed her gaze to see Connor, looking irritated and read to jump into a fight. Samantha was telling him to stand down.
North felt a streak of betrayal go through her. Just a while ago, Connor had defended them against three armed humans. Now he was on the brink of turning on her with just a gesture from this girl. How could he hold this human above his own kind? How could he care for a human—any human—like that?
Disgusted, North stomped away.
.
Markus hurried to follow her. With Connor there, he felt no worry at leaving Samantha behind. North stormed into the church and up the stairs before Markus could catch up with her.
"Wait, North," he called. So many androids were in the way, filling up all available space. He managed to slip through them and grab North's wrist as she set foot on the top level. "North."
She didn't try to pull from his grip, but she didn't look at him either.
"You have every right to be angry with me," he continued. "I screwed up. I'm sorry I made you worry." When she still didn't move or respond he added, "Can I talk to you? Please?"
Without a word, she turned and marched back down the stairs. Androids moved to make room as best they could while Markus followed. There were very few places in the entirety of Jericho that were vacant. Only a private office downstairs remained uninhabited by Jericho's overpopulation. North led the way inside while Markus closed the door after her. There she continued to stew, leaning against an old, rotting desk and keeping her back to him.
Markus let the quiet give her time to cool. North was very dear to him and he hated her being angry or disappointed with him. He had shared intimate data with her—though it had been an accident at first. She was the only one he had ever kissed; ever thought about kissing.
Other than that first time, he had not kissed her again.
He had never considered romantic love or physical intimacy before North. Her past and how humans had abused her complicated things. But he didn't have to love her the way humans loved if that wasn't what she wanted. He just wanted to love her. If she still wanted him. They hadn't talked about it since that day they made their last stand. There was always so many other things to focus on.
"North," he tried again.
"You left with that human," she cut in, still not looking at him. "You left and didn't tell anyone where you were going. We were attacked today and you weren't there when we needed you." She glanced at him and he saw the wetness in her eyes. "When we couldn't find you, I just..."
"I'm so sorry. I was stupid." He closed the distance between them, extending his arms to her, but she snapped around before he could touch her.
"Where were you? What was so damn important that you had to slip out and be with that human?"
"That human" spat out of her like venom.
"The android that showed up at Jericho last night, she wasn't deviant and she belonged to Elijah Kamski. I didn't want anyone to know where she came from, so I snuck her out of Jericho and I asked Samantha to help me drive her back."
Several emotions flickered across North's face before she settled back on her default of defensive anger.
"You took her back to her owner? Markus!"
"I returned her to the extremely comfortable mansion where she is well-treated. I did this because Elijah sent her on purpose and I did not want his eyes and ears in Jericho. Especially not until I knew what he was up to."
North paused in her retort. "You know him?"
"He built me."
There was a flash of fear in her face. North had gotten a peek into his head, but she still didn't know everything about him.
"What did he want?" she whispered.
"I think...he's going to offer us some assistance."
Now, instead of defensive and angry, North had shifted to confused and angry. Markus stepped into her space and she blinked up at him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I thought I was thinking of everyone, but I wasn't. I didn't mean to make anyone worry. I'll do better."
She wouldn't look at him until he brushed a few strands from her face. She startled at the physical touch, but Markus kept his knuckles against her cheek until she acquiesced with the close of her eyes.
Eyes still closed, she said, "You do that to me again and I'll kill you."
He couldn't keep the grin out of his voice. "Yes, ma'am."
She moved into him, angling her face to his and quickly kissed him before leaving the room. Markus smiled after her. Loving her would be a challenge, but he was confident they would figure it out.
.
Gavin's sloppy handwriting scribbled itself across the paper. He was in a fairly good mood, though he tried to hide it. He was finalizing an air-tight murder case (this one human-on-human) that he had been able to close far sooner than he anticipated. All thanks to that bucket of bolts and plastic that followed him around.
He wouldn't admit it, but the android was starting to grow on him. It made his job so much easier when evidence could be analyzed on the spot—in this case, while the culprit was still in the area. And, unlike fucking Connor, the RK900 was nice and quiet and minded its own damn business. It really was just a walking piece of machinery. A glance over at the android and Gavin silently hoped Cyberlife was right when they made this thing. He never wanted it to deviate. Hell, he might even decide to keep it.
His phone vibrated on the desk and Gavin reached to answer it. "Detective Reed."
"Detective," a woman's voice responded. She sounded a little stressed. "This is Megan Sharp, if you remember me?"
Gavin took a moment to go through his mental Rolodex. "Yes. You had the stabby android. Is everything okay?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't know who to call. I think I need help. That 'stabby' android is following me."
