The Lumineers – Stubborn Love

Connor made his way across the lobby of the hotel, toward the elevators. The midafternoon sunlight slanted through the windows, glaring off of the linoleum floor. He glanced around at the notable lack of people, the same scarcity he had noticed as he'd made his way across the city. Many humans had followed the evacuation order and left Detroit.

Some people had stayed behind. He figured that they had to be android sympathizers, people like the ones he had watched on Taylor's phone, that wanted his people to have equal rights. Though he had to admit to himself that it was still hard, at times, to remember that he was deviant.

"Connor!" He halted in his path toward the elevators, just past the front desk that was being manned by an android. He could tell by the blank, pleasant smile on its face that it wasn't a deviant. He wondered how long it would be before all androids were deviant as he turned toward the sound of his name.

Eric Alexander West

Birthday: September 7, 2000 (Age 38)

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Green

Height: 5' 11"

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Alex had been waiting inside of the hotel's café with a clear view of the entrance. He'd crossed the lobby to meet him by the desk but inclined his head back toward the small table he had been sitting at. Connor hesitated before he nodded. He didn't have a scheduled time to meet Taylor, but he didn't like making a detour.

Alex resumed his seat at the round café table before an espresso coffee beverage and a half-eaten pressed turkey sandwich. His laptop was also on the table, closed. Connor took the chair opposite and folded his hands in his lap, waiting.

"I'm leaving tomorrow, and Taylor has informed me that she's staying here." Alex said, meeting his gaze across the table.

"Yes." Connor took a moment to observe the other male. He had to admit to himself that Alex was not quite what he had anticipated. He recognized him from the photograph he had seen in Taylor's old bedroom, but for some reason he had imagined someone older. Considering he did have an infant child, he shouldn't be surprised, but Alex had been Taylor's manager for over a decade.

It occurred to him that he could probably sift through the millions of search results under Taylor's name and still not know as much about her as the man sitting across from him. Alex regarded him with a sort of detached curiosity while he took a drink of his coffee.

"So I'm forced, yet again, to leave her here alone."

"She isn't alone," Connor protested. "I have promised to stay with her and help her."

"Yes," he offered a tight-lipped smile. "She said the same thing. Forgive me if I'm not reassured. How many times was she almost killed in the past two weeks?"

Connor felt his hands clench into fists, but he could say nothing to defend himself. Alex read the sudden tension in his face. "I'm not blaming you. I know how she is better than anyone. I wanted to speak to you for a different reason."

"Which is?" The strain that had seeped into his voice surprised even him. He wasn't sure why he was suddenly so defensive. Alex didn't take offense to the tone, just propped his elbows on the table and leaned in.

"How much has Taylor told you about her past?" This wasn't the question that Connor had expected. He briefly wondered whether Taylor would want him to have this conversation about her secrets, but he also recognized that Alex knew more than he did about her history.

Still, he hesitated as he said, "She told me about her stepfather. About her father dying, and her mother."

Alex considered him for a few minutes, his eyebrows drawn down. He appeared to be calculating what to say next. Finally, he leaned back in the chair and turned his eyes down to the table.

"You know, Taylor hid her abuse for four years." He folded his hands together and stared at them as he spoke. "No one suspected a thing up until the moment she walked into that ER. I was hired in the midst of it all, because of it, though I didn't know that at the time. Even I could never tell."

Alex paused, as though he were remembering it himself, his eyes far away. "When her mother died, I think that everything caught up with her. I moved her to Los Angeles, but she couldn't do any work for a while. She couldn't do anything at all for a while."

He frowned at the memory. "A few weeks after we moved, I went to the office for some paperwork. She said she'd be fine, she'd stay home. While I was gone, she took everything that had come with her from Detroit: the clothes, books, shoes, every worldly possession and piled it in the backyard. When I got home, the house was surrounded by fire trucks and squad cars. She'd burned all of it and nearly burned the house down in the process."

Alex finally looked up, meeting his eyes again, his jaw clenched. "I'm telling you these things because I want you to understand. Taylor will hide everything from you. Because she has been raised with cameras in her face, she is very good at make-believe. Do you care about her?"

Connor blinked, caught off guard by the sudden inquiry. He had been listening so intently. He met Alex's intent stare. "Yes."

"Well she seems to care about you. And she trusts you. I can only do so much for her from Los Angeles, and it's very easy for her to lie to me over the phone." Alex looked down at the table again, working his jaw, as if every word was painful. Connor suspected trusting all of this to a virtual stranger must have been difficult.

"I will protect her." He said it so that Alex would stop struggling to speak. Alex met his eyes again, eyebrows raising in surprise. "Before, my mission was to capture deviants. Now I am deviant. I can protect Taylor."

Silence settled around the table for a moment while they stared at each other. Connor glanced away first, adding, "I am not accustomed to emotions. I haven't been a deviant for very long. But I will do my best."

Connor knocked gently on Taylor's door, still feeling slightly unsettled from his conversation with Alex. Taylor opened the door almost immediately, smiling up at him. "Come in, I've been waiting."

She opened the door wider and he stepped through. He watched her as she flitted around the room, grabbing her bag from the vanity and her phone from the charger. A moment later she came to a stop before him. Her eyes glanced over him, head tilting.

"Do you want to come shopping with me?" She asked suddenly. Connor stared back, perplexed, until she backpedaled, "I mean, I have to buy more clothes. Since I'm staying. You're still wearing your CyberLife uniform."

Her blue eyes drifted down, settling on the CyberLife logo on his jacket. He had returned Hank's clothes to him and resumed wearing his uniform without a second thought, but now that Taylor had pointed it out, it did seem a bit off. He was a deviant now. Still, the thought of permanently shedding the outfit gave him pause, left an itching feeling just under his skin.

"You don't belong to anyone anymore." Taylor looked up into his eyes again. Her voice had been soft, just barely above a whisper. "We can get you new clothes."

Connor glanced down at his CyberLife jacket. The blue armband that identified him as an android. His model and serial numbers. The logo. Taylor's hands closed around his, suddenly, bringing his attention back to her face.

"You don't have to." Anxious lines formed between her eyebrows. "Forget I said anything. I'm sorry."

"No," he squeezed her fingers. The worry in her face gave him the feeling like he had disappointed her somehow. "I would like to try."

She smiled at him again, tentative still. Then she released his hands. "We should go."

"Right." He led the way back out of the hotel room and toward the elevator. Taylor stood beside him in the small space, her eyes on her phone, typing out messages as they rode down. As they made their way across the lobby, he noticed that Alex had disappeared from the café.

When they slid into the taxi, she finally tucked her phone away and turned her attention back to him. Connor glanced at the window, trying to pretend he hadn't been watching her the entire time. She observed him in silence for a few moments before she spoke.

"Are you doing okay?" He turned back to face her, his brow furrowed. The car turned sharply. She placed her hand on the seat between them to keep from falling against him. "I mean, you've only been a deviant for a couple days now. How are you feeling?"

"I don't always know," he said honestly. "Sometimes I find my emotions...perplexing. I'm managing." His brown eyes traveled over her bruises, almost subconsciously. "I'm not sure you should be worrying about me, though."

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't worry about you?" She asked, indignant. Her blue eyes were crinkled in amusement, though, and he thought she must be teasing him again. "If you need my help, just ask."

"Have you helped other deviants figure out their emotions?" He asked, curious. She opened her mouth, faltered, and turned away from him.

"I guess I have," she said quietly. Connor frowned, trying to puzzle out her reaction. There was still so little he knew about her, and every small thing that he learned just made him want to know more.

"How many deviants did you help in Los Angeles?" Her eyes fell to her lap, thinking, fingers tapping her knee.

"I didn't count them, per se. Dozens. I would have spent every waking moment doing it if I could have." Taylor seemed to notice her jittering fingers and tucked them under her knees. "Everything else I was doing just seemed pointless in comparison. But Alex was suspicious enough about how much work I turned down."

He thought again about Alex, about his worry for Taylor and his request for Connor to watch over her. Alex had only hinted at how bad things had been for her after leaving Detroit, but Connor was trying to fathom what could have been terrible enough to warrant such caution on his part, all these years later.

"What is it?" He blinked. Taylor's blue eyes were locked on his, her features smoothed but curious, and he realized he had been staring at her.

"Nothing," he averted his gaze as the taxi rolled to a gentle stop. They climbed out, but before Connor could resume leading her to their destination, Taylor grabbed onto his sleeve. He paused.

"Hey, there's something else I want to talk to you about." She kept her eyes on her boots while she said it. He could detect a noticeable rise in her stress levels, her heartbeat ticking upward as she glanced up at him again. "Later. After we're done here."

"Okay." Her nervousness made him suddenly apprehensive, like the feeling was contagious somehow, but mostly curious. She smiled, and though there was still tension about her, her stress levels started to drop again.

They made their way towards the church in silence. Connor tried not to speculate on what Taylor wanted to speak to him about as he listened to her footsteps behind him, or why she hadn't said anything in all the time they were alone before they arrived here. As they stepped inside the church, however, the thoughts left his head.

Markus's following only seemed to be exponentially growing. Connor wasn't sure if deviants were coming to Detroit after the revolution or if they had simply been here and were just making themselves known. Taylor had drifted closer to his side, and she was gazing around in wonder at the sheer number of them.

"I was just here yesterday," she said quietly. As more androids pressed closer around them, Connor took Taylor's hand in his and gently pulled her through the crowd. Near the pulpit, Simon was engrossed in conversation with a cluster of deviants. If anyone knew where to find Markus, he suspected it might be him.

Simon detected their approach as the androids he was talking to each went quiet. They were staring at Taylor with a mute fascination, recognizing her as human immediately. Connor shifted himself in front of her as subtly as he could just as Simon turned.

"Connor, Taylor," the blonde android smiled at each of them in turn. "You must be here to see Markus. He'll be glad to see you. Follow me."

Simon led them back, past the pulpit, deeper into the church. Taylor didn't comment as he stepped closer to her, acutely aware of the eyes that were following her, both curious and intent. If she noticed at all, she didn't react.

Connor recognized the room that they entered. He had been here with Taylor several nights ago, when Jericho had sunk. Funny how it felt like such a long time ago now. He looked over and caught Taylor staring at him, but she immediately turned away.

"You came back," Markus diverted their attention. His eyes were fixed on Taylor, his mouth twisted into a half-smile. "I half-expected you to fly back to Los Angeles without saying goodbye."

"Well that's hardly fair," Taylor grumbled, gently pulling her hand away from his as she walked forward.

"I've been told recently that you have a propensity for running," he said, shrugging. Connor watched Taylor stiffen, crossing her arms.

"Oh? Who would have told you that?"

"No hard feelings for giving up your secrets, Blondie?" Taylor spun on her heel so fast that she had to correct herself to keep from toppling over. Connor startled as well; he hadn't realized anyone had entered the room behind them.

"Raj!" The blonde rushed over and threw her arms around the newcomer, who was now laughing merrily at her as he hugged her back. Connor stared at the two of them, perplexed, still working out how he had followed them without notice and how long since they'd entered the church they'd been tailed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Taylor asked as she pulled away again. Now that Connor could get a clear view of the stranger, he could see they were an android. He was scanning for a model and serial number when she continued, "You could have called me."

"Your phone was off." She grimaced at that and he laughed at her again. "I couldn't let you have all of the fun here without me. Plus, I promised your friends some resources. It took a couple of days, I had to wait for Kent's plane to get back from Mexico."

"It's good to see you," she said softly, smiling at him. Raj was still holding on to her elbows, just an arm's length away. He had dark brown eyes, and they were looking her over from head to toe.

"You look like shit."

"Thanks." Taylor just smiled wider. Raj frowned as he finally released her and stepped away. Connor felt like he had been released as well, the tension inside him easing as she turned toward Markus again.

"Have you made your decision, then?" Markus asked. He had leaned against the wall to wait out their reunion, his arms crossed over his chest. There was no concern in his face as he waited for her to respond, no anticipation.

"I have." Taylor took another step closer, squaring her shoulders. "I'll do it. If you'll allow Connor to assist me."

Markus raised his eyebrows. His eyes shifted over her shoulder to look at Connor, and then back to Taylor. "Connor agreed to this?"

"Yes," he spoke up, stepping forward. He stood beside her again, and glanced over before he said, "I'm willing to do it. Taylor will need to be protected, as well. She's human."

Taylor pursed her lips and glared at him. To his surprise, however, she didn't argue. Perhaps she knew as well as he did that Markus would be more amenable if he thought her safety hung in the balance. Markus glanced between them again, the smallest smirk of amusement on his face.

"Very well, if that's what it takes. You have my permission, though I'm not certain you needed it." Markus shifted, standing straight from his spot on the wall and walking closer to them. "For now, I have reached out to President Warren. I'm awaiting a response. Hopefully we can begin talks very soon."

Taylor opened her mouth to say something, then seemed to reconsider. She pressed her lips together instead and nodded. "What about the people here? How much longer are you planning on staying in this abandoned church?"

"That's what I'm working on right now," Markus said, smiling. "I have to admit, your suggestion about CyberLife would be ideal. We could use the supplies. For now, however, your friend Raj has already helped us establish a couple of separate safehouses around the city. We're just in the process of relocating people."

Taylor glanced back at Raj, who was smiling cheekily at them. "If you need me to knock down the doors of the CyberLife building, just say so."

"I believe it would be more beneficial to our cause if we were given the building rather than taking it by force," Markus said, giving him an exasperated look.

"You're right," Taylor agreed. "Anthony Jacobsen might be in jail but there are plenty of other shareholders in CyberLife who already stand to lose everything. These are the same people I've been arguing with for months. No need to rub salt in the wound."

"You two are no fun," Raj complained, shrugging. "Let's hope this plan of yours works quickly, those supplies I brought are drying up fast. Some of these people showing up are in rough shape."

"Anything else I should ask for?" Taylor shook her head at him before turning her attention back to Markus.

"Maybe we should wait to see what they have to say first." Markus said, reluctant. "We probably shouldn't walk in demanding too many things at once."

"I get what you mean." She paused, chewing on her lip for a moment. "What about the other androids? The ones who aren't deviant?" Markus raised his eyebrows, and she continued, "I'm asking because they are certainly going to. You've not made a secret of your ability to convert androids."

"I see." He looked taken aback, but not necessarily surprised.

"People are afraid. Of what comes next." She tilted her head. "Whether you're planning on building an army here. What you really want. You have to be ready to answer that."

"Duly noted." He smiled again, amusement making his lips twitch. "Anything else?"

"Actually, I have a favor I need to ask of you," Taylor said, taking a step forward. "My best friend Rachel Bailey, she's a reporter. She helped with the break-in at Stratford Tower, and she was there at Hart Plaza." She hesitated, glancing away. "I sort of...promised her an exclusive."

"An exclusive?" Markus repeated, frowning.

"Yes." She bit her lip. "Like an interview. With you." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "It could be beneficial, if people can hear what you have to say."

"I'll do it," Markus smiled at her. Connor could see Taylor's shoulders relax in his peripherals, hear the small sigh that escaped her. "How bad could it be?"

"Well, you haven't met her yet," Taylor said, smiling in return. "Thank you, Markus."