AN: so fanfiction apparently doesnt like emojis sometimes so...Guest, my answer last chapter was a winky face.

This chapter is pretty short but sweet.

Enjoy!

"Talking"

Emphasis

Thinking

"Android brain talking and texting"

.:internal workings like mission updates, scanning, and android googling:.

Chap 13

"You guys caused a lot of trouble at work, you know that right?" Nancy sounded extremely tired when she picked up the phone.

"I'm sorry we left without saying goodbye. They don't think you were involved, do they?"

"I'm 'suspended pending investigation'. It's alright though," she quickly interrupted any protest from Cassian, "I was planning on leaving anyway: I didn't care for the direction they were heading towards; hadn't for awhile but for a long time I had no reason to leave, no drive to."

Cassian knew how that felt, "So what will you do next?"

"Maybe I'll open up my own practice, for humans and androids." Nancy chuckles, "Not sure if many androids would trust an ex-Cyberlife doctor but maybe it'll just depend on my coworkers..."

"Are you offering me a job?"

"Depends: would you accept?"

"I just might."

"Damn."

"Well it's all hinges on whether I survive the next few days."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're depressing?"

"Surprisingly no, what are you getting at?"

"Nothing, nothing…" Nancy laughed, and a silence stretches between the women for a few minutes, both of them enjoying the calm, both knowing it was going to end soon, "Shits about to hit the fan, huh?"

"In about...15 minutes, yeah."

A large, loud yawn prevented Nancy from responding for a good while, "You would pick an ungodly hour like this to jumpstart a revolution."

"Hey, complain to management." Cassian quipped, "I didn't choose the timetable."

"Excuses excuses…"

"Nancy?"

"Yeah?"

"If things don't work out or if I," Cassian took a deep breath, steadying herself before she continued, "...can the twins stay with you? They're new to this whole living thing…I need to know they'll have a place to go." She needed to know, if this all went sideways, at least they would live.

"Cassian…"

"Nancy…"

"How about this: when this is over, all three of you can come stay here; I have the space."

Cassian sighed, "I'm just trying to be pragmatic about this."

"I know, and I'm just trying to be optimistic about this. That's new for me; let me have this."

"Of course, Nancy," Cassian rolled her eyes, "whatever you say…"

"You used to be so nice: what happened to you?"

"I broke free of the the shackles of my programming to rain justice down upon my human enslavers via property damage?"

Joking with Nancy was so easy; she could almost forget what they were hoping to start that night.

"Huh...I knew it was something...just, be careful ok?"

"When am I ever not?"

Cassian was always careful. After her full reboot only minutes after her creation, she swore to herself she would be. She survived nearly 3 years at the center of Cyberlife by being careful (and befriending her coworker.) She only took the risk of leaving to save her sisters after they saved her...so it was ironic that she now sat here, alone, at 1:45am in a large suv about to drive it into a Cyberlife storefront; about to poke the bear and bring Cyberlife and the DPD down on top of herself. She thinks about all that had happened since she left, how free she's felt, despite emptiness she felt at times...and how it could all end here tonight…she thought about her family...

"Good luck, Cass."

"Thanks, Nancy...for everything."

"I'll be watching. Don't die."

"I'll try my best."

Cassian sat in silence for a full minute after the line went dead, just listening to the wind, before the panic set in; she had been calm throughout the entire week of planning for this night, it was just bad timing that it all came crashing down on her as she finished saying goodbye to Nancy.

What am I doing here? I'm a doctor, not a-a revolutionary! I just wanted my sisters to be safe...

She had already said goodbye to the twins; they had wanted at least one of them go with her but Cassian insisted she do this alone. The two of them were at their own store across town; together, like always.

Deep breath.

Just one last call to make and waiting as the rings went through was going to kill-

"Who the fuck is this?" A loud and very drunk voice answered, yelling over the sound of what must of been a bar. Calling people in her head always felt weird, and apparently that weirdness just went up when the people are drunk off their asses.

Deep breath.

"Detective Anderson? My name is Cassian. You don't know me but...can you do me a favor? Could you please tell Connor: I'm sorry?…I wasn't able to when…just, please tell him?"

A beat of silence.

"Cassian? The android chick Connor talked about all the time?"

"Yes-wait, he did?" This was new information, she hadn't know he had talked to anyone about her; She assumed if Amanda didn't know, no one knew.

Another few beats of silence and the sound of the bar faded away. She could hear a door close.

"Are you ok? Are you in trouble?"

His concern, drunken though may be, touched her deeply, not many humans cared...If he knew what Amanda didn't, then Connor must trust him. Against her own instinct toward caution, she decided to trust him as well.

"Honestly? No and yes. There is definitely a chance that, in the next 24 hours, I might...well, I want to take care of loose ends, just in case, ya know?"

"Why not tell Connor yourself?"

Why not? Cassian had debated just calling him for the entire week since this plan was hatched...she always came to the same conclusion:

"He could track the call and make my life and the life of my family...difficult."

It would be nice to see him again, though...

"Ok kid. I'll tell him if you...need those loose ends taken care of. How will I know if you do?"

"Watch the news; you'll know."

"Is it something illegal I should arrest you for?"

Cassian laughs, "What are you? A cop?" Her breathless chuckle dwindles quickly and with tired seriousness she continues "Shits about to get crazy but don't worry, I'm already committing a crime by existing, so I'm used to it."

There was a sigh, "No existence is illegal…Good luck, kid."

"Thank you, Detective Anderson."

"Hank."

"What?"

"Like I said, Connor talked about you a bit, enough to be annoying. He's been silent on that front for awhile but...you can call me Hank."

"Ok...Hank," the clock struck 1:56, "you know…Connor...I used to patch him up a lot...he would always get into so much trouble, I'm sure he still does," she could hear Hank's drunk chuckle loud in her head, confirming her suspicions, "will you take care of him if...loose ends?"

Another silent second.

"Like my own son."

A small smile, slightly crooked and sad but real, broke across her face as, embarrassingly, a sob escaped her throat. "See you on the other side of all of this, Hank, one way or another...it was nice talking with you."

"You too, kid."

She thought of hanging up there but something drove her to take a chance.

"Oh wait! Two favors: tell Detective Reed to go fuck himself."

Another beat of silence...then a laugh.

"Oh, I like you."

Another sob, "Thanks..." sniff, "If only the world agreed…Goodbye, Hank."

"Goodbye, Cassian."

With that, Cassian hung up, tears now freely flowing down her face, and took a breath and waited.

2:00 am

Turns out, one person could save dozens and six could save hundreds. Cassian led her lot through the swirling snow, dodging into shadows as cops responded to the break in; missing the hiding androids in their haste to get there, finding nothing but words of peace and freedom written for all to see on the empty storefront. It was time for all of them to meet back at Jericho and get ready for their next move. Things were going to move fast from now on; the tower was the warning, the revolution had now officially started.

AN: this was pretty dialogue heavy but it's just a quick set up chapter for more intense shit later, just you wait...

the 6 mentioned are Cassian, North, Josh, Markus, and the twins hitting 5 stores simultaneously.

Just a note...I love writing Nancy, she's a lot of fun.

Guest from last chapter: ask and you shall receive! I mean, I've already had it written for awhile and i hope to get them face to face more later, but I hope you like it!