Detroit Become Human: Deviants Rise
Chapter 4 of the Detroit story, enjoy.
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Now onto the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Detroit Become Human or its characters, all belong to Quantic Dream.
Waiting for Hank
November 6th 2038
09:56 AM
RK800 Connor opened its eyes, standing in a magnificent location, a large area that was identified by its sensors simply as the Zen Garden. It had a collection of white stone paths with large gardens and plants and flowers, a small lake with bridges over it, and an island in the middle. To the left, some distance away, was a strange stone device with a hand-shaped interface attached to it.
Approaching, Connor examined it and then, letting the synthetic skin on the left hand pull back, reached out and touched it, only to jump back as a strange burst of data almost invaded. Calming down, LED turning from red to blue, Connor returned to the path and crossed the bridge to the island in the middle. Standing in the middle, examining a collection of roses growing up a lattice, pruning a few of them and checking over the others, was none other than Chloe, turning to Connor with a smile.
"Connor, it's good to see you."
Connor nodded. "Hello, Chloe."
Chloe looked around briefly and said, "This is the new surroundings I mentioned: the Zen Garden. Much more pleasantly aesthetic, don't you agree?"
Connor nodded again. "It is quite pleasant."
Turning back to the roses, Chloe continued to speak. "Finding that Deviant wasn't easy, and the way you interrogated it was genius." she remarked. "You've proven remarkably efficient."
"I merely did as instructed." Connor replied.
Chloe nodded, thinking for a moment while examining a rose closely. "What did you think of the Deviant?"
Connor thought for a moment then replied, "It simulated emotion, fear in particular, rather convincingly."
"The number of deviancy cases continues to rise. We need to get things under control before there is a panic." Chloe remarked. "This Lieutenant Anderson has been assigned to the Deviancy cases. What do you make of him?"
"He's obviously not what I was expecting, but I don't have enough data yet to make an accurate conclusion." Connor answered.
"Yes, although he does seem...difficult." Chloe agreed. "But our investigation is still important. We may need to be cautious of him."
Connor replied calmly, "I will ignore him and focus on the investigation. So long as he doesn't get in the way, there shouldn't be a problem."
Chloe hesitated. "How have you been? I've noticed some...software issues?"
Connor tensed. It had wondered about that. "I have noticed. It is...troubling, but diagnostics don't show any lasting damage or abnormality."
"Well, we'd better be cautious, just in case." Chloe said softly. "If anyone can find answers here, it's you, Connor. Find them before it's too late."
With that, Connor's eyes closed and opened again, now standing outside the Detroit Police Station.
Entering the police station, Connor approached the desk, stepping before the ST300 Android that worked at the reception.
"I'm here to see Lieutenant Anderson." Connor stated.
The female Android replied, "Do you have authorization?"
Connor connected online with the Android, sending the necessary details.
The Android nodded. "Lieutenant Anderson isn't here yet, but you can wait at his desk."
With that, the small gate unlocked and Connor stepped through, into the main office of the police station where many officers and detectives were milling about or working at desks. Connor walked through, finding the desk with the nameplate of Hank Anderson. There was, indeed, nobody sitting at the desk.
Looking around, Connor called over to another officer, "Excuse me, what time does Lieutenant Anderson usually arrive?"
The officer smirked. "Depends on where he was the night before. If we're lucky, we'll see him before noon."
Connor nodded at that, before sitting down at the chair opposite Hank's death. After waiting for some time, Connor stood up. This was a chance to get to know Hank better. Checking Hank's desk, Connor checked Hank's headphones to note loud dark metal music from a band called Knights of the Black Death. Connor then checked Hank's answering phone message and scanned various objects on his desk and dog hairs on the chair, building up a profile. Hank Anderson was a decorated officer who had headed the Red Ice Task Force, which led to a number of arrests and successful convictions, he became the youngest Lieutenant in the department and was known to have passed top of his class in the police academy. He also had strong anti-android stances and something had to have happened to reduce such a man to the person Connor had met in the bar.
At that point, Hank himself arrived.
"It's good to see you again, Lieutenant." Connor greeted the man.
Hank groaned. "Oh Jesus Christ."
But before anything else could happen, a tall, dark-skinned bald man with dark eyes and dressed smartly exited the glass-surrounded office and stood by the railing on the edge of the platform outside.
"Hank, my office, now." he called out.
Connor quickly identified the man as Captain Jeffrey Fowler, who was Hank's superior at the station. Connor followed Hank up the stairs and into the office, closing the door, and stood, waiting as Captain Fowler spoke to Hank.
"I've got ten new cases involving Androids on my desk every day. We've always had isolated incidents, old ladies losing their Android maids and that kind of crap." He explained. "But now we're getting reports of assaults and homicides, like that guy last night. This isn't just Cyberlife's problem anymore."
Connor listened intently, taking in all the information.
Fowler continued. "It's now a criminal investigation and we've got to deal with it before the shit hits the fan. I want you to investigate these cases and see if there's any link."
Hank reacted at once, furiously. "Why me? Why do I gotta be the one to deal with this shit? I am the least qualified cop in the country to handle this case! I know jack shit about Androids, Jeffrey! I can barely change the settings on my own phone."
"Everybody's overloaded." Fowler shot back. "I think you're perfectly qualified for this type of investigation."
"Bullshit!" Hank yelled. "The truth is nobody wants to investigate these fuckin' Androids and you left me holdin' the bag!"
With that, he turned and stood, glaring out the glass.
Shaking his head, Fowler gestured to Connor. "Cyberlife sent over this Android to help with the investigation. It's a state-of-the-art prototype, it'll act as your partner."
"No fucking way!" Hank yelled. "I don't need a partner and certainly not this plastic prick!"
"Hank, you are seriously starting to piss me off!" Fowler snapped. "You are a police lieutenant, you are supposed to do what I say and shut your goddamn mouth!"
"Oh yeah? You know what my goddamn mouth has to say to you, huh?"
Fowler raised his hands and shook his head. "Okay, okay, I'll pretend like I didn't hear that so that I don't have to add any more pages to your disciplinary folder, 'cause it already looks like a fucking novel! This conversation is over."
Hank looked agitated. Leaning in, he spoke.
"Jeffrey, Jesus Christ, why are you doing this to me? You know how much I hate these fucking things, why are you doing this to me?"
"Listen, I've had just about enough of your bitching. Either you do your job or you hand in your badge. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do." Fowler replied seriously.
Hank growled and stalked away, leaving the office, heading for his desk.
Connor spoke calmly. "Well, I can see you're busy, I'll get right to work. I'll leave you to it, Captain."
With that, Connor also left the office, closing the door, and started to look around the police station.
After looking around, having a short confrontation with Gavin Reed, who had scoffed at Connor and even punched him before walking off, Connor also spoke with the Deviant in the holding cells, which then smashed its own head in before it could be taken by Cyberlife to be deactivated and pulled apart for analysis. The whole incident disturbed Connor, with that increase in Software Instability once again showing up. Ignoring it, Connor approached Hank.
"I get the feeling that my presence causes you discomfort, Lieutenant. I'm sorry about that." Connor said, but Hank didn't reply. "In any case, I'm happy to be working with you. Is there a desk I could use?"
Hank pointed to the one opposite him. "No one's using that one."
Connor moved over and sat down and then decided to make use of the discoveries made earlier.
"Do you listen to Knights of the Black Death?" Connor queried, getting Hank's attention. "I like that sort of music, it's full of...energy."
"You listen to heavy metal?" he asked skeptically.
Connor shook his head. "Well, I don't listen to music per se...but I'd like to."
Hank looked at Connor, confused, before trying to work on his desk terminal.
Then Connor asked, "Do you have a dog?"
"How do you know that?" Hank retorted.
"There are dog hairs on your chair." Connor explained. "What's your dog's name?"
"What's it to you?" Hank snapped, but then relented. "Sumo. I call him Sumo."
Connor nodded. "Have you known Captain Fowler long?"
"Yeah...too long." Hank growled as he glared towards the captain's office.
Connor decided that was enough questioning. So he, instead, focused on work.
"If you have any files on Deviants, I'd like to look at them." Connor requested.
"Terminal's on your desk, knock yourself out." Hank remarked, gesturing.
Connor utilized the terminal and began looking through the files. A few of them stood out: a WR400 that disappeared after murdering a client, a PL600 that went missing two years ago, a PJ500 that disappeared after being attacked by drunken students.
The two most recent cases involved an RK200 that was destroyed by police after attacking someone in the home of painter Carl Manfred and an AX400 that had assaulted its owner and fled, both cases having happened just last night. Connor quickly analyzed the rest of the files.
"248 different cases, the first from two years ago. It started in Detroit and spread across the country." Connor mused. "There was an AX400 who attacked its owner last night, that could be a promising lead."
Hank sighed and instead picked up a nearby tablet and browsed through it.
Connor moved around the desk and spoke, determined. "Lieutenant, I came here to stop these Deviants. I didn't come here to wait until you felt like working..."
Hank suddenly reacted, grabbing Connor by the jacket and turned him around to slam him against the desk wall.
"Listen, asshole." he growled. "If it was up to me, I'd throw the lot of you in the dumpster and put a match to it, so don't try and piss me off. Got it?"
They were interrupted by officer Chris Miller.
"Um, Lieutenant, sorry to disturb you." he said. "The AX400 who attacked the guy last night? They've been sighted."
"I'm on it..."
Hank let go of Connor. It looked like things had taken an interesting turn.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.