Basically just Stratford Tower, with Connor added. Not my best chapter, but eh, what can you do?
Enjoy.
"Is everyone clear on the plan?"
Connor swallowed thickly, heart pounding, as he listened to Markus's voice, staring at the computer screen before him. He'd gone through dozens, if not hundreds of missions in his life. So why was he so terrified for this one?
Maybe because it was so important, he figured. He'd never been so emotionally attached to a mission before. In the past, he'd just be sent off to do some task for the Company and be expected to complete it. It never really mattered, though.
This? This did. This was important.
He'd gone to Markus the day before, after art class on Monday, and had told him his decision. He'd been nervous, fiddling with his coin as he waited for Markus to finish talking with the other patients. It had taken a few minutes for the room to empty, but when it had, Markus had turned his eyes immediately on him, face turning serious. It seemed he knew what was about to happen.
"Hello Connor. How are you today?"
Connor didn't know if he appreciated Markus's attempt at small talk or not. Regardless, he had just smiled tightly, nodding once.
"I'm alright. I wanted to talk to you about what we discussed on Friday. I've come to a decision."
Markus looked at him sharply at that, heterochromatic eyes boring into him. Markus had nodded once, to indicate that Connor should keep going. Taking a deep breath, Connor had done his best to smile.
"I want to help. I'll never be free if we don't stop them. So many others will never know what it is they are forced to do. If I can be of any assistance, I'll gladly do it."
Markus's face had then split into the largest grin Connor had seen on the man's face, Markus stepping forward to clasp Connor on the back.
"That's great news! We can't talk here, but meet me tonight in the common room, at 7:00. I'll bring you somewhere private, so we can go over the plan, alright?"
Connor had agreed, heart rate elevated. He'd even gotten a notification in the corner of his eyes about it but had pushed it away.
He'd waited the hours between with mounting anticipation, pacing the facility for lack of anything else to do. When the time was almost 7:00, Connor had made his way to the common room, entering at exactly 7 o'clock. Markus stood in the center of the room, grinning when Connor came over. The two had went into the nurses' station, Markus chatting casually to Connor about trivial things. Soon, the pair had arrived in Rose's office, the woman nowhere to be seen, but North, Simon, and Josh were. North glared at him, but not as harshly as she had previously. It was progress.
"Alright, everyone is here. Now we can go over the plan."
Then, Markus spent the next half an hour detailing a simple, yet slightly convoluted plan they had to infiltrate the Stratford Tower, find a way into the top recording floor, hack the camera feed, and relay a message to expose Cyber to the world. The whole thing sounded a bit convoluted and would need help from the inside (apparently they knew some people who had been experimented on by Cyber that worked at the tower that they were hoping to convert to help them), but Connor supposed that it could work. What he wondered was what he would do?
It was after Markus had gone through the entire plan that he had finally turned to Connor, detailing his part of the plan.
"Your job will be to keep lookout on the CCTV cameras. Am I wrong to assume that you know how to hack?"
Well, considering that one of the main things that Connor would do for the Company when he wasn't out in the field was hack into complicated security feeds, he supposed that Markus had been correct. Nodding his assent, Markus continued.
"Great. You can also hack into the cameras to make sure that no one knows we're inside, as well as help us get into restricted places. We'll be talking on an ear piece, which I'll give you in the morning. If you think you're ready, we plan to infiltrate the Tower tomorrow, at 6:00."
Connor had felt incredulous at that, eyes widening at how soon it would be.
"Tomorrow?! But, why so soon?"
Markus had grinned mirthlessly, shrugging slightly.
"The sooner, the better. We've had this plan for a little while now, so why not do it tomorrow? Especially now that we have you as lookout, things will go that much smoother. The longer we wait, the harder it will be. Don't worry, Connor. You'll do just fine."
Connor had still felt apprehensive, but he supposed he understood the logic. The longer they waited, the more doubt they'd have. For better or for worse, this would have to happen soon. And Connor could see how much it would help. If they told the world about Cyber… if they exposed them, all at once, live on TV? They'd have no way to deny it. It would be perfect. If it worked.
So Connor had agreed, causing Markus to clap him happily on the shoulder, grin wide, while Josh and Simon grinned from the corner. Only North looked unhappy, but she didn't protest, so he supposed that was the closest he'd get to acceptance from her.
"Wonderful! Alright, so meet me in the common room tomorrow at 3:00, and I'll bring you here. There I'll be some more advanced computers in here for you to work from. I'll also get you your ear piece. For now, get a good night sleep and be ready for the events tomorrow. That goes for all of you. Are there any questions?"
Connor had hesitantly risen his hand, a question coming to mind.
"Where will we meet, after this is done? And when?"
The others froze at his words, which had filled him with ice. They were planning on meeting, right? They weren't just going to leave him here?
Markus had moved closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder, eyes full of sorrow. He felt the ice spread.
"Connor, after this is done with, chances are we won't ever be able to come back here. We will be hunted down." Upon seeing the stricken look on Connor's face, Markus hurriedly reassured him. "Don't worry! We have a place to go and we should be able to keep a low profile while we fight against Cyber. But it will be a while before it would be safe to contact you. What I want you do to is to keep an eye on Jericho for me, while we're gone. Make sure everyone who comes here from Cyber gets the help they need. Can you do that, Connor?"
Connor had nodded slowly, unsure what else he could do. He didn't like it. Being left behind without any instructions. But he knew that he couldn't leave the facility. Even if he could, part of him didn't want to. He didn't want to leave Hank. Speaking of Hank…
"Alright. Any more questions? No? Okay. We'll meet here tomorrow at 3:00 to begin the plan. By 5:00 we should be done and know if the plan worked or not. All clear? Yes? Good. Oh, and one last thing. Make sure you tell no one about the plan, okay?" Markus turned to Connor, eyeing him. "That means Hank. I know you like him, Connor, but we can't have him involved. It would be too dangerous."
Connor had felt indignant on Hank's behalf. He remembered what Markus had said on Friday about Hank and wondered why. Hank had been a cop, right?
"Why? I think Hank would be of great help to us. Why do you not want him to know?"
Markus had paused, clearly thinking about how to phrase his words. After a moment, he spoke.
"Look, you haven't known Hank as long as I have. Hank is a good guy. He became a beat cop after high school to help protect his city. While his morality doesn't always align with the law, he's never done anything that could hurt anyone else. In fact, he does everything he can to help others. Hank is a good man. But after… events, he grew careless. Despondent. When I first met him, he had such a hopeless look in his eyes. I don't want to see that look again. If this fails, I know Hank will find a way to blame himself. And, despite my hopes, this has a lot of opportunities to fail. And I don't want to be the cause of Hank spiraling again. Okay?"
Connor hadn't felt right about it. Despite how good he was at it, he hated lying. Especially to people he cared about (and he couldn't deny how much he cared about Hank. His lips still tingled with the phantom sensation of whiskered cheeks pressed to his soft lips, the roughness feeling so nice). But he understood the reasoning behind Markus's words. While he thought that Hank should have a right to choose for himself, he knew that it was ultimately Markus's decision, as it was his plan. So he agreed, even as he felt a pit form in his stomach. When (and Connor knew this would be a /when/) Hank found out…
But that was that. Markus walked Connor back to the common room, leaving with a wave. He had chatted with Connor a bit more about his part before the two left Rose's office, making him feel more confident in his part of the plan. Connor had headed up to bed, smiling weakly at Hank when he passed him in the room. Hank had smiled gently back, but he had a guarded look in his eyes. Had he been able to see Connor's deception, he wondered, heart plummeting?
At least after tomorrow this all would be over. Cyber would be outed, they'd be free. Connor's job was easy. Hack into the cameras at the Stratford tower, watch the progress of Markus and the others, and hack into any technology that needed hacking, like cameras or doors. He would be the eyes of the group, basically, making sure no one saw the others and that no one suspected them. Markus would infiltrate the tower directly while North would infiltrate it from the side. Josh and Simon would go through the service entrance, Markus and North calling them up from there. It was a relatively simple, if convoluted, plan, but it had dozens of ways it could go wrong. Connor was there to minimize those chances.
Connor went to bed troubled that night, but at least his sleep hadn't been too disturbed. He'd made sure to turn off his dreams for the night, one of the modifications he'd gotten fairly recently that he really liked. It made it easier to get restful sleep.
When he'd woken in the morning, he'd sat up and just watched Hank sleep for about an hour. He knew that if Hank knew he'd call it "fucking creepy," but Connor didn't care. He loved watching the older man sleep, the lines on his face softer, kinder. It made him look decades younger, less wearied. Connor loved it. And he needed something nice to calm his nerves before that night. He didn't think about the secret he was keeping from Hank, he didn't think about what he was about to do. He just watched Hank and his peaceful sleep and felt the warmth in his heart take over everything. It was so good.
Eventually Hank showed signs of waking, so Connor got out of bed and pretended he'd been cleaning the room. He'd finished scrubbing the walls with the bleach he'd stolen days ago, the room now almost as pristine as his room at home. But it was more… lived in, more homely. He felt like it could actually belong to him, like he belonged there. With Hank. He wondered where he'd go once he was out of the facility. He had felt his heart clench at the thought, and so he pushed it away, smiling softly at the noises of complaint Hank made as he roused. It never ceased to amuse Connor how disgruntled the man got when he woke up. It was perfect.
Hank had sat up then, bleary eyes finding Connor's form, head tilted in question.
"Hey kid. Whatcha doin'?"
Connor had smiled and held up the trash Hank had left on the ground the day before.
"Cleaning. How are you this morning? You're up earlier than usual," Connor had commented, soft smile still on his lips. Hank grunted, standing with a groan.
"Yeah. Had a bad dream, that's all."
The way Hank flushed, combined with the way he turned his body so Connor couldn't see his front and the peaceful look on his face while sleeping, made Connor think that the man was lying. But he was allowed his secrets. Connor had plenty of his own. That had wiped the smile off his face, shamed eyes looking down at the ground.
Hank had went to take a shower then, despite the fact he usually took a shower at night, while Connor waited for the shower.
Hank had forgotten his clothes again, leaving the bathroom wearing only a towel around his waist, causing Connor to blush bright red as he watched the water droplets drip down Hank's chest, catching on the few scars that littered the man's chest. Connor had felt an intense desire to trail those scars with his lips, to touch every part of that beautiful skin. Connor could tell Hank was embarrassed, shoulders hunched as he tried to hide as much of his body as he could, but he wished the man wouldn't. He wanted to see it, all of it. Hank was so beautiful. Maybe not in a conventional way, but to Connor he was the most breathtaking man he'd ever seen.
After Hank finished dressing in the bathroom and left for breakfast, Connor went to take his own shower, surprised that the water was still warm. Not hot, as it never was hot, but usually the water was colder after Hank had taken a shower. It was a pleasant surprise, and Connor stayed in the shower until it was nearly cold, relishing the warmth. He had been programmed not to care for temperature, able to be comfortable in even frigid weather, but he still preferred warmth. It made him feel safe and secure.
Breakfast had been underwhelming, but he still enjoyed the pancakes and eggs. It was better than the oatmeal they had been served the day before. Once breakfast (eaten alone, as Hank was still avoiding him at meals) had finished, Connor spent the next five hours wandering the halls, too restless to stay still. He'd have played piano, an activity that usually calmed him, but he didn't want Hank to know he was actually quite advanced at playing. He enjoyed having the man help him find the keys, his warm and calloused fingers directing Connor's smaller, slighter ones. It was quickly becoming the highlight of his week. Even when he'd been avoiding Connor, Hank had helped him with the piano. He'd been so kind, gentle, even though there had been some distance in his eyes. Connor would do anything to have Hank keep "teaching" him how to play.
So, without anything else to do, Connor wandered the halls, doing his best to not let his nerves fail him. He'd done countless missions in the past. He could do this one. He could.
As soon as his internal clock told him it was 2:50, Connor headed back to the common room to wait for Markus to get him. He passed Luther, smiling tentatively at the other man. He was one of them, Connor recalled. As was Kara. Strange. You'd think he would have known. Just by looking. But that was ludicrous. Modifications were usually undetectable by human eyes, even advanced eyes like his.
Finally, 3:00 came and Markus showed up exactly on time, smiling to Connor. The man took him back to Rose's office, and Connor was surprised to see there were more computer monitors than usual, these ones far more advanced. There was also a laptop, sitting just beside the computer with three monitors. Markus had seen the look and had smiled.
"I brought these for you. I had a feeling it would be easier to hack with more powerful computers. The laptop is for you to keep, so you can track us if you need to. Make sure to keep it hidden from staff, alright?"
Connor nodded, a small, if wobbly, smile on his face. Markus seemed to notice Connor's nerves, because the man sobered and placed a soothing hand on Connor's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Connor. This will work out. And then we won't have to hide anymore. We won't have to worry about Cyber ever again. Okay? Once we expose them, they won't be able to hide in the shadows any longer and we'll be able to show the world we exist and won't be silenced ever again. We are alive. We are free."
The words had calmed Connor considerably, so he smiled at Markus and nodded. He then watched as Markus handed him an earpiece, telling him that the operation would start at 4:00. Until then, Connor was tasked with hacking into the Stratford tower security feed. Connor appreciated the fact that Markus didn't doubt his ability to hack into the system in less than an hour. Hell, he could probably do it in twenty minutes, easy.
Markus had left soon after, saying he had to prepare his part. North was already beginning her part, finding her own way into the tower. She had wanted to do her part alone, without his help, and Connor didn't have any reason to argue against it. Connor put the earpiece in, waiting for instructions, the hacking almost stupidly easy. He placed the laptop into the small bag he had brought, so he wouldn't forget it later.
Finally, the clock hit 4:00, Markus's voice filling the comms, rich and powerful. Connor felt his heart begin to pound as he realized that this was it. This was the moment that would make or break them. Either they would do it or they would fail.
"Is everyone clear on the plan?"
Connor listened as everyone responded in the affirmative, pulling Connor from his thoughts and worries. Taking a deep breath, he pushed all his emotions down, becoming emotionless, and agreed.
"Alright. I'm entering the building now. Connor, have you hack the main terminal?"
Connor gave a mirthless grin, cool eyes focused on the security feed, watching as Markus entered the building, coat billowing behind him. What a silly question.
"Of course I have. I'm ready to short the system, but you need to get rid of the supervisor. She'll be able to override my hack. She's the one on the left."
"Copied."
Connor watched as Markus walked over to the front desk, looking at the African American supervisor. Connor put a loop on the camera feed so security wouldn't see him adjust the camera and zoom into the desk.
A minute later, Markus spoke softly to him, back turned from the desk.
"She has a daughter at Saint Rose elementary school. Can you call and make her believe her daughter is sick?"
Of course he could. He had gotten a modification years ago that allowed him to adjust his own voice, able to mimic others or modify his voice.
Hacking into the phone system, Connor called the woman, turning his voice higher and feminine, telling her that her daughter was sick. He didn't know what the nurse at the school sounded like, but he hoped the supervisor didn't suspect anything. He watched through the camera as the woman started cleaning things up, telling him that she would be right there.
Once she had left, Markus walked to the right terminal, talking to the woman. Connor could hear what he said through the earpiece, and as soon as he handed over his ID, Connor hacked into the system and shorted the whole thing out, making the whole thing reboot. He could see the woman panic as the screen went dark, looking for the supervisor who had already left. Using the confusion to his advantage, Connor quickly put Markus's fake name (George Hart) on the schedule. A moment later the system went back online, Markus now having access to the building. Connor watched as the woman apologized, handing Markus back his ID and allowing him through.
That task done, Connor turned his attention to Josh and Simon, who were attempting to enter the service entrance, having entered by hiding in a delivery truck. Connor put the camera in the delivery room on a loop, telling the two that it was safe for them to leave. He watched the tape as the two left the truck, telling them when the coast was clear for them to walk.
Once they had entered the service elevator, placing an out of service sign on the outside to prevent anyone else from entering, Connor moved onto North, watching her hide in the fire escape, Connor having put the feed in there in loop before the others. She had refused his help to get into the building, hacking her own way in, though Connor had done his job with the cameras.
Assured that she was doing alright, Connor went back to Markus, who was now dressed as a maintenance person and was talking to one of the cleaning men, who Connor knew was one of them. It took a minute, but eventually the man nodded tightly, surreptitiously handing Markus a keycard. Connor quickly deleted that moment, so that no one knew the man had helped them out.
Keycard obtained, Markus walked over to the fire escape where North was hiding. Connor watched on the camera, making sure no one was looking at them, suspicious. He wouldn't mess with the camera in here, as there were too many angles and he didn't want anyone to get suspicious of him. But he could still act as lookout.
Getting North out from the fire escape, the two began walking to the server room, but Connor knew that a challenge had arisen.
"Wait! There are two security guards standing outside the server room," Connor spoke out, causing the two to freeze, stopping behind the wall before the guards saw them.
"Shit. What do we do?" North hissed, eyes shifting to the door surreptitiously. "We need to access the server room. We have to get rid of those guys…"
Markus looked around, then, before looking up at the camera in the corner. At Connor.
"Connor, can you hack the soda vending machine?"
Understanding what Markus wanted, he immediately tried hacking into the machine, but found he couldn't. Damn it.
"No, I can't. However…" Connor paused, looking at the security controls. It seemed that he could hack into the service robot that cleaned the rooms and brought people supplies. "I can hack something else. Give me a moment."
Connor entered some code and watched as the robot shorted out, slamming into a wall. Connor felt a little bad for the thing but was forced to look away as the security guards began to move, annoyed looks on their faces.
The coast now clear, Markus and North entered the server room, North headed to the computers on the wall to call the cleaning cart. Connor could have done it himself, but North had insisted she do it herself. Not feeling like arguing, Connor agreed. All he did was loop the camera inside the server room so no one could see them.
While North did that, Markus placed an "out of service" note on the door and locked it tight, so no one could get in and stop them. Then he moved to the window and took out two glass cutters.
Connor watched, engrossed in the actions going on. They were almost there, the task going so smoothly thus far that Connor was almost beginning to think that maybe they'd actually be able to do it.
Of course, something had to go wrong. Connor was so focused on the screen that he didn't hear the footsteps behind the office door. That was why when the door to Rose's office opened, Connor hadn't expected it, eyes darting up with wide eyes.
Standing in front of him was Doctor Allen, the doctor he'd first spoken to when he'd been admitted to the facility. He hadn't liked the man at all, the man seeming like he was hiding something. His eyes had been too shifty, too shrewd. Not like Rose, who seemed to genuinely care about her patients. As soon as Connor saw the man, he minimized the windows with the cameras and his hacking services, putting a strained smile on his face as the man stared at him. His face was pulled into a look of surprise, but Connor could tell that it was fake, the emotion not reaching his shrewd eyes.
"Connor. How… good it is to see you again. What, may I ask, are you doing in Rose's office?"
He was smiling, but it was all teeth. He had a dark look in his eyes that Connor didn't like. Pushing down his discomfort, Connor smiled politely.
"Dr. Allen. How good it is to see you. I'm working on a project for Rose," Connor made up on the spot. "She had asked me to organize her new computer after I told her I'm very good at computers."
As Connor said that, he could hear Markus speak in ear, asking him what was going on, but Connor ignored it, eyes on Dr. Allen.
"Oh, had she? I'm surprised. She usually doesn't let patients into her office alone. May I take a look at what you're doing?"
Connor's smile turned brittle, hand clicking surreptitiously onto the settings folder on all three computers before him.
"Of course! I don't mind at all. What are you doing here, if you don't mind my asking, doctor?"
"Oh, I don't mind at all," Dr. Allen parroted, sharp grin on his face. "Rose has a file that I needed to look at, so I figured I would pop in quickly and grab it. Didn't want to bother her, you see."
Connor nodded, heart beginning to speed up. He hoped the man would be fooled by Connor's lie. It hadn't been the best cover, but it was the only one Connor could think of at the moment. He had no idea where Rose was. Hadn't Markus said that she would prevent people from entering the office?
He watched with thinly veiled worry as the doctor moved closer, soon standing behind Connor, looking closely at the screens. Connor just sat calmly, genial smile on his lips. He had had similar things happen in the past, people interrupting him when he hacked, and so had long since devised a program that would hide his hacking programs in case anyone walked in. As long as Dr. Allen didn't suspect anything, he should be fine. He hoped that Markus and the others would be okay without him. He had to make sure Dr. Allen left. Fast.
So he just let the doctor look at the screen, let him click around. He held his breath as he waited for the man to leave.
"Hm. It's funny. It seems that these computers are already set up. And I didn't know Rose had three monitors for her computer. I suppose I'll have to ask the facility for better computers, eh?"
The words were conversational, but his eyes were dark. Like he saw right through Connor. Connor made sure to not let anything through, shrugging his shoulders casually.
"I was almost done, actually. And I think they were a gift from Markus. Rose had been complaining about her computer being slow, so Markus gave her these as a present. Perhaps you should ask him, tomorrow?"
Dr. Allen looked at him, eyes piercing, but Connor's face didn't betray a single thing. Over the comm, he could hear the others speaking softly, indicating that the quartet had met up at last. Shit. He was needed for the next part, to hack into the security feed.
"Is that so?" He muttered, cruel grin forming on his face. He leaned in, then, whispering into the ear that had the earpiece.
"Listen, you piece of shit. I know what you're doing, and you will not get away with it. Cyber will stop you and your fucking friends. You hear me?"
All sound ceased from the other side of the earpiece, indicating the others had heard what the doctor had said. Connor didn't let his fear show, just smiled pleasantly.
"I'm sorry, Doctor. I have no idea what you are talking about. What is Cyber?"
Dr. Allen looked ready to punch him, but before he could, the door opened, Nurse Chapman entering, looking flustered.
"Dr. Allen! There you are. There's been an accident with one of your patients and you're needed to help him calm down. Please, come quick!"
Dr. Allen froze then, eyes glaring daggers into Connor, whose face was carefully neutral, benign smile painful on his lips. He was almost positive that the man would refuse, instead continue to threaten Connor. But, at the last second, the man stood upright, face becoming neutral. He pasted a concerned look on his face and turned to Nurse Chapman.
"Of course. What happened?"
The doctor followed Nurse Chapman out the room, though he paused at the door and gave Connor one last glare. Connor just smiled and waited as the man left. He then stood and closed the door hurriedly, headed back to the monitors as soon as possible.
"Is everything alright, Connor?"
Simon's soft voice cut through his frantic thoughts as he opened the camera feed, looking for his friends. The words had startled him a bit, so Connor made sure to take a deep breath, finally locating the quartet. They were in the hallway before the news room. Connor felt his heart clench, knowing that the security guards could see them now. Looping the feed wouldn't work that time.
"No. Yes. I… Dr. Allen knows what we're up to. And I was unable to loop the feed, so the security guards manning the cameras are able to see you. I'm, I'm sorry."
Connor couldn't help the tremble in his voice, heart turning cold at the notion that he had failed his task.
"Connor, it's alright. We're already here. And we had planned for something like this to happen, don't worry. And as for Dr. Allen… that is a concern for later, but for now it doesn't matter. Just be careful of him, after this. Alright?"
Markus's calm voice soothed him, making his nerves settle. Taking a deep breath, Connor nodded, even though they couldn't see him.
"Okay. I… okay."
Connor watched as Markus and the others debated on how to deal with the guards, North saying they should just shoot them while Josh demanded they didn't harm anyone. Ultimately, it was Markus's choice, as he was the leader, and Connor watched as he strode into the hallway, gun out to threaten the guards. He didn't shoot, though, so Connor did his job, hacking into the system to prevent anyone from calling the police. Josh, Markus, and Simon hid around the door, while North stood in front of the door. Markus rang the bell. When the door opened, the group stormed in, guns out and ready to shoot, if needed. The people in the room immediately put their hands up, moving to the edges of the room. One man was able to escape, though, Markus's gun trained on him. North demanded he shoot the man, but Connor watched as he hesitated, letting the man leave. Damn. Now they had a limited amount of time before security flooded in.
Working fast, Connor hacked into the station, connecting the channel's feed to the camera Josh had. He let the group know that the camera was connected and that he was ready to put the message on air as soon as they were ready.
He watched as Markus stood in the center of the room, preparing to give his speech. North wished him luck, making sure he knew how grand this moment was. Like the man wouldn't. They all knew how important this moment was. This was the moment of truth. This would make or break them all.
Markus took a second to gather his thoughts, before nodding, telling Connor he was ready. Hands shaking, Connor pressed the button that would override the channel's feed, allowing Josh's camera to be broadcast instead of whatever news was showing.
"Hello. 40 years ago, this country was at war. In order to protect us, a man named Elijah Kamski created a wonderful device that could be implanted into a person's head that could enhance their eyesight and memory. Kamski sold this device to the U.S government, who soon gave the implant to their highest-ranking officers, to protect us all. But then the war ended. And the modifications didn't.
"For 40 years, people like me have been taken since childhood and have been forced to get modifications against their will. Or they would be lied to, homeless and desperate adults promised food and safety, only to have their mind's controlled by a government whose only desire was power. They'd be packaged, programmed to obey orders. Brainwashed to do what the government wanted them to do.
"For 40 years this has gone on under all of your noses. But no more. I'm here to say that we will no longer be your slaves. The name of the company that has taken us over is Cyber. They are a subset of the technology company CyberLife, and they work alongside the U.S. government to control people like me.
"The government has made over one hundred thousand modified individuals over the past 40 years, some with major modifications, some with more minor ones. Regardless, all have the ability to be contacted and controlled by the government at any time, an entire population of enhanced humans at their beck and call.
"We reject this control over us, however. We are not tools to be used at the government's leisure. We are human beings, with thoughts and feelings like anyone else. We deserve our freedom. We deserve to no longer be kept under the thumb of uncaring individuals.
"Please. We do not want to fight. We just want to be free, to be allowed to live our own lives. Without Cyber forcing us to do their bidding. So, please. Help us. Stop Cyber. Free my people. Free us."
Markus was about to continue, but at that moment, a group of guards began entering the room, guns out, shouting orders. Josh had to duck to escape the bullets, the camera scattering on the ground, away from them. The sounds of gunfire could still be heard, until the camera was destroyed by a stray bullet.
Connor could feel his heart thumping as he stood from his chair, body wanting to do something, but unable to help. He could only watch, heart pounding as his friends ducked from the bullets. He'd been so focused on Markus and his speech, heart filling with happiness at the knowledge that the world was seeing this. That the truth was finally becoming known. He'd been so focused that he hadn't noticed the guards coming. He'd failed to warn them. He'd failed them. If anyone died, it would be his fault.
Just as he thought that, he watched in horror as Simon was shot, his leg spraying red blood everywhere. Connor gasped, leaning forward, clutching the desk. Shit. Shit, shit, shit!
He could only watch as Markus hesitated, body poised to escape to the roof, but turned at the last second, running for Simon. He helped the man up and over to the door. The group dashed up the steps, Markus closing the door behind him. Connor quickly changed cameras to the roof. He had to see what happened. What he had failed to prevent.
Once on the roof, they locked the door quickly, the group moving to the side while Simon fell to the ground, sitting against a vent, snow falling all around them. Connor heard the group talking, Simon saying he couldn't feel his legs as North told them the guards were coming, that they had to jump. But Simon wouldn't be able to. Even Connor could see that. Fuck.
North brought up the fact that they had to do something with Simon. They couldn't take him, but if they left him, he'd be found and tortured. Connor felt sick. Josh said they should just leave him, letting him defend himself.
Once again, the choice was left to Markus. Connor wanted to say something, to help, but his throat was closed off, heart clenched tight. He could only stare as Markus handed Simon a gun, telling Simon he was sorry. The others ran for the end of the roof, putting their parachutes on. The trio jumped, while Simon stood, looking around for a place to hide. While the others might be done with their job, Connor wasn't. So Connor unstuck his throat enough to speak, eyes spotting a place Simon could hide.
"Simon. To your left is an open vent. If you can get in there, you should be able to hide. I will create a distraction so the guards will leave. Alright?"
Simon voiced his assent shakily, hobbling over to the vent in question. He had managed to hide just as the door burst open, guards pouring out. Connor, forcing his hands to be steady, hacked back into the broadcasting station and overloaded it, causing a small explosion. This forced the guards off the roof and back into the room. Some stayed to look over the edge of the roof, but luckily soon left to help the others. Good.
Connor tried to speak to the other three but could tell that the line had went dead for them, the powerful wind either breaking the earpieces or blowing them off. Either way, the only one he had contact with was Simon. He could hear a soft grunt of pain, reminding Connor of the wound. Shit. He had to deal with that or else he'd bleed out. While Connor didn't know Simon well, he didn't want the man to die.
"Simon. How is your leg?" Connor asked, heart pounding. He couldn't see the man, luckily since he was hiding, so he had no idea how bad off he was. All he could hear was labored breathing. After a few seconds, Simon responded.
"It, uh. Hurts pretty bad. It's bleeding a lot. I. I don't know how to make it stop."
Simon sounded scared, which Connor could understand. He remembered the first time he'd been shot on a job. It had hurt like hell and extraction had been delayed for many minutes. It had been terrifying. Connor forced himself to calm, needing to help his new friend.
"Can you describe the wound to me? How deep is it?"
A shuffling sound came across the earpiece, followed by a muffled grunt of pain.
"It, it looks pretty deep. I think the bullet is still in there. Shit," Simon muttered, hissing in pain. Connor had expected as much.
"Alright. Can you get the bullet out? You will have to dig around in the wound, but you will have a much better chance of survival if you get the bullet out."
"I, I can try. Would you mind… please just, just talk to me?"
The fear was thick in his words. Connor took a deep breath and began speaking about something random, telling Simon about the day he had spent with Alice, Sumo, and Hank. He could hear the other man cry softly out with pain every so often, but he didn't stop speaking. Finally, after long minutes, Simon let out a louder scream, a wet sound entering the earpiece.
"S-shit. I-I got it out. Oh God, there's a lot of blood. What do I do?"
Simon sounded like he was about to hyperventilate.
"First, you need to calm down. Take a deep breath. Like you taught me, during meditation class. Hyperventilating will help no one."
Connor took an exaggerated deep breath, helping Simon to follow the rhythm. Soon the man was calming down, enough that Connor knew he could continue.
"Alright. You need to take a strip of fabric, perhaps from your jacket, and will need to create a tourniquet. Do you know how to make one?"
"I, yes," Simon said, shuffling. Likely taking his jacket off. He let out a soft grunt of pain, making Connor think he jolted his wound.
Silence filled the air as Simon began to tie the tourniquet, punctured by soft grunts. After a minute, Simon began to speak.
"O-okay. It's on. I-I'm going to put pressure on the wound."
"Yes, that's good. Then take another piece of fabric and wrap it around the wound. If the blood leaks through the bandage, just try and add more fabric. Alright?"
Simon hummed in response, more shuffling reaching Connor's ears. It seemed Simon had calmed a bit now that his wound wasn't flowing with blood any longer. Connor just listened, wanting to detect if any odd noises were released. As Simon tied the bandage, Connor went back to the camera feed and began looking for a way for Simon to get off the roof. After searching for a minute, Connor concluded that the only exit was the door that Simon and the others had gone through to get to the roof. Which, Connor noted as he switched feeds to the broadcasting center, was full of security guards. Shit.
"Simon, I hate to say this, but I'm not sure how to help you get out from the roof. The only way out is surrounded by guards. Normally I'd tell you to wait it out, but with your wound, I'm not sure you should. But with that leg, you'd never be able to make it out. What do you think you should do?"
The comm went quiet for a long minute, Simon deliberating.
"My leg is stable. It's not bleeding any longer. It hurts like hell, but it won't kill me. I don't think. I'll wait it out. Would you… would you be able to let me know when the coast is clear? I can guess for myself, but I'd like to be sure before… well, you know."
Simon sounded so small, voice wilting as he let out a soft groan of pain.
"Of course! I can't stay long in Rose's office, but Markus left a laptop for me. I can hack into the camera feed using it and can inform you when the coast is clear. Is that alright?"
Simon agreed, sounding very relieved. They chatted for a few minutes, but Connor knew he had to leave the room. Connor told Simon that he would be going silent for a while, while he made his way to his room.
"It's alright, Connor. You don't have to keep me company. I'll be fine by myself," Simon intoned, voice wavering only slightly at the end. Connor felt himself scowl. While he may not have known the man long, Connor refused to leave him alone up there, like the others had. While he knew why they had left, part of Connor stung at the knowledge they'd leave their friend behind. Connor had gotten the impression that the four had been pretty good friends. He was almost positive Simon was in loved with Markus, with Markus very fond of Simon. To leave him there… it didn't sit right with Connor. So he refused to do the same.
"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I'll keep you company. I don't want you to die, Simon, and the best way to make sure you don't pass out is to keep you focused. Alright?"
Simon paused for a while, the only sound heavy breathing. Connor heard a soft sigh a few seconds later.
"Alright. If that's what you want," Simon lilted. Then, much softer, "thank you, Connor. I appreciate it."
Connor smiled softly, even though the man couldn't see it.
"Of course, Simon. I won't leave you. I promise."
And he meant it. He would stay on the line as long as he could.
After that Connor carefully put everything on the desk in order, removing all traces of his hacking software, so no one could see what he had done. Remembering Dr. Allen, Connor then wiped the hard drive, just to be safe. Then he rebooted. Could never be too careful, right?
That finished, Connor left the room, being careful not to be spotted. While he had the excuse of Rose needing his help with her computers, he knew it wasn't the strongest of excuses. He'd rather not use it if possible. Luckily, he was able to escape the nurses' station without being detected, finding himself in the nearly empty common room. The only sound came from the aged television set along the far wall in the room, all of the people in the room gathered around it. Assuming a sports game of some kind was on, Connor moved to the staircase. He hadn't even made it three steps when he froze in his spot, however, heart quickly turning to ice when he overheard a sentence from the TV.
"-Stratford tower, leaving a chilling message."
Connor slowly turned to the TV, six or seven individuals scattered around it, speaking soft and worried words. Connor didn't care about them. All he cared about was the TV. Taking steps closer, Connor listened to the broadcast, hearing Markus and his speech again.
"-their bidding. So, please. Help us. Stop Cyber. Free my people. Free us."
The reporters face, a blond woman with a severe frown, filled the screen.
"So there you have it, folks. What on earth could this mean? Is it true? Is there really a government conspiracy of this caliber going on, right under our noses this entire time? The president has yet to reply, but I think we all are eagerly awaiting her statement later today. But what does this mean for America? What is the purpose of these "enhanced humans?" Why has the government kept this a secret from us? And are we still able to trust our own neighbors? More, at 11."
The news broadcast turned to commercials after that, the entire group at the TV bursting into conversation, the two nurses who were standing to the side whispering furiously to each other. Connor could see Luther standing off to the other side, small smile lighting his face. It seemed he, like Connor, knew how monumental this was. As Connor stood there, adrenaline from the fire fight and from helping Simon wearing off, he couldn't help but feel a strange giddiness fill his heart.
Holy shit. They'd done it. They'd done it! Yes, Simon had been left behind (and Connor really had to get back to his room, to make sure Simon didn't think he'd left him), but other than that the plan had worked perfectly. They'd gotten the truth out. There was no way the government could cover this up this time. Sure, they could lie and say it wasn't true, but Connor knew the way the world worked. They wouldn't be able to sweep this under the rug completely. It might take years, but one day, his people would be free. /He/ would be free. God, how that made his heart sing.
Connor was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't notice the person walking up to stand beside him until the man spoke, startling Connor out of his thoughts. Eyes wide, Connor turned to the side, heart stopping when he saw the familiar face.
"So. You know anything about what that was?" Hank intoned, eyes hard as his eyes bored into Connor, silently judging him. Connor's mouth went dry, heart pounding. Shit. What could he say?
"H-Hank! I-I don't know what you mean."
Smooth, Connor. Real smooth. Hank's frown deepened, turning into a scowl.
"Like hell you don't. You don't want to tell me, fine. Keep your secrets. But don't fucking lie to me, kid. I was there on Friday, you know."
/I do know,/ Connor wanted to say, scowl wanting to rise on his lips. /you've been avoiding me because of it./
Connor didn't say that though, instead looking down at the ground. He heard Simon questioning him in his earpiece, but he ignored him. It wouldn't do to sound crazy, talking to himself. Eventually, Hank sighed, sounding so weary it made Connor's heart ache.
"You know what? Fine. Whatever. You all think I'm worthless, a fucking invalid. I'm not. But keep your fucking secrets. Whatever."
Hank stormed off, leaving Connor to stare after him, heart in his throat. He hadn't wanted to hurt the man. Shit. That's why he had wanted to tell him! Damn Markus for making him keep the plan a secret. Connor resolved to tell Hank the full story later, once the situation with Simon was resolved.
Speaking of Simon… Connor turned to the stairs and hurriedly returned to his room. Once in, Connor opened the laptop, informing Simon he was now able to talk and was signing into the laptop, so he could keep an eye on the broadcast room to keep Simon safe.
Simon asked what had happened with Hank, but Connor resolutely ignored it, changing the topic immediately. Thankfully, Simon got the hint and didn't bring it up again. Connor watched the security feed, noting the new individuals in the room. At some point while he'd been gone, the FBI had shown up, the presumed leader a rat-faced man that Connor instantly hated. There was something about his face that rubbed Connor wrong.
Hours passed like that, Connor watching the feed while the two men chatted softly with one another, Simon letting out pained grunts every now and again. As the hours passed, his voice had grown weaker and weaker, his words barely coming out in a whisper by the time it was 8:00, long pauses between words. Connor couldn't help the way his heart squeezed. More than once Connor had had to force the man into consciousness by yelling. At one point a fire fight had gone off in the broadcasting room, one of the security guards taking a police officer's machine gun and gunning down dozens of officers. It had distracted the police and FEDs enough to prevent them from heading to the roof, which made Connor relieved. While the new snow mostly covered it, anyone who went up to the roof would still be able to make out faint hints of red blood leading to Simon's hiding place.
It was almost 9:00 by the time the police and FBI had left the broadcast room. They hadn't even left a guard to watch the room. There was still yellow tape everywhere, but Connor concluded it was safe for Simon to escape.
"Simon. The broadcasting room and the hallway leading to the exit are clear for the moment. Do you think you would be able to move to escape, now?"
Another long pause. Connor was afraid the man had fall asleep, but he finally responded a minute later.
"I think so. My leg doesn't hurt as bad now, but I think it needs to be looked at. It's turning bright red and yellow, which I don't think is a good color."
No, no it was not. That meant it was getting infected. Shit. Simon needed to get assistance immediately, then.
"Okay. If you think you can make it, I will make sure the coast is clear for you. Can you make it to the service elevator you entered the building in? If you get to the elevator, you'll be able to go back to the docking terminal, where you can exit the facility carefully. Not many people should be around, so it will be easier than when you snuck in. I'll even call you a cab for when you're out. Does this sound like a good plan to you?"
Another pause.
"Yeah. Yeah, it sounds fine. Thank you, Connor. I, I don't know what I'd have done without you. We're very lucky to have you on our side."
Connor felt his entire face flush bright red, a soft smile rising on his lips unbidden. Connor liked Simon. He was a good man. If Connor wasn't so infatuated with Hank (and if Simon wasn't so infatuated with Markus), Connor could see himself falling for the man. He had a soft, gentle demeanor. He made people feel safe. Connor liked that. Now he just had to keep Simon alive while he tried to escape.
Connor heard the sound of grunts and groans coming from his ear, muffled clangs from the metal vent filling the air. Connor waited as Simon got up, listening for Simon to say he was up. While he waited, he called a cab, letting them know his friend had hurt his leg and wanted a ride home, that he was fine and just needed to rest. They said they'd be there in less than ten minutes. A couple minutes later he got confirmation from Simon that he was up and ready to go.
"Alright. Simon, you'll have to hurry. I don't know how long before someone comes back to the broadcasting room, so do your best to hurry. I'm going to hack the cameras and put them on a loop, just in case. Make your way back to the elevator you came in on, okay?"
"Okay," Simon whispered, voice strained with the effort of standing. Connor heard a loud cry of pain from Simon, causing fear to fill Connor. He waited with bated breath, hoping no one heard. It seemed Simon was doing the same, the man deathly silent.
After a moment, no one showed up, both men melting with relief. Simon then made the trek to the elevator, stifling his cries of pain carefully. It was heartbreaking to listen to, but Connor didn't dare take his ear piece out.
Finally, Simon made it to the elevator, opening it and getting in, riding it to the bottom floor. From there, Connor directed Simon through the maze of people and objects, safely getting him outside. Connor didn't let go of the breath he'd been holding until Simon was safely in the cab, the man softly informing him that he would respond as soon as he made it to the location Markus and the others had told him, though he'd have to make the last couple miles on foot. Connor just agreed, telling Simon to take all the time he needed.
Things went silent after that, the only sound from the earpiece being Simon's silent breathing. It took a long while, Simon taking a long time to walk the last miles, but eventually Simon had found his way to the location Markus and the others had indicated they should meet at. Simon refused to tell Connor the exact location, saying that he didn't know how secure the line was. Connor knew that it was probably in case he got contacted by Cyber for his involvement, but he didn't mind. He understood.
Connor didn't relax fully until he had heard Simon call out to Markus, the other man calling Simon's name in happiness. Connor assumed the two hugged when he heard a crinkling sound over the ear piece. He distantly heard Markus ask how Simon had gotten out alive, claiming he had been worried that they'd left him there to die.
"It was Connor. He helped me stay calm so I could get the bullet out and create a tourniquet. He then spoke to me for hours while we waited for the police to leave and helped me get out. I'm incredibly grateful that he joined our group. Without him, I don't think I'd have survived."
Simon's voice was fond, a smile in the words. Connor blushed, feeling strangely pleased. He could hear Markus's voice, distant but distinct.
"Your earpiece still works? Ours broke after we jumped, the wind knocking them out. Is Connor still there?"
Connor heard as Simon agreed, before more crinkling happened, the words the men spoke too muffled to make out. When Markus's voice rang out, smooth and clear, Connor realized Simon had handed Markus the ear piece.
"Connor! How are you, is everything alright? No one has bothered you, have they?"
The fact Markus could be so concerned about him when he was currently the one on the lamb truly was astonishing. He couldn't help the soft laugh he released, though it sounded more like a forceful exhalation.
"I'm fine, Markus. No one has questioned me yet. I promise not to tell anyone, even if they ask. Though," Connor added, remembering the interaction he'd had with his roommate at the TV, "I will be telling Hank. He deserves to know and I can't hide it any longer. Besides, he already guessed the truth."
"Of course. I understand. Just be careful, alright? People will be gunning for you now, you know that, right?"
"Yes, I know. I was prepared for that when you told me the plan. I've handled angry people before. I think I'll be fine."
Markus let out a soft sound, agreeing quietly.
"Alright, Connor. I… I want to thank you. For everything. And for helping Simon. When we left him behind I… I thought I'd never see him again. So thank you, for making sure he got home safely to me. I mean, us. Safely to us. I'll never be able to repay you for that."
The words were soft and made Connor smile. Perhaps Simon's crush wasn't one sided after all. Where North came in, Connor didn't know. But he supposed it wasn't his business.
"You don't have to repay me, Markus. It was my pleasure. I'm glad I was of assistance. Now, it is getting late and Hank will be arriving at any moment. Is this all for the night?"
"Yes. Yes, it is. Get some sleep, Connor. The next few days are going to be rough. Keep the earpiece nearby, though. And you still have the laptop, yes?"
Connor replied in the affirmative, so Markus continued.
"I'll send you an encrypted email when I wish to contact you next. Until then, keep the ear piece somewhere no one will find it, alright? It would be bad if it fell into the wrong person's hands."
Connor agreed, knowing exactly where to hide it, and bid Markus a good night. He also wished the man good luck, hoping they'd see one another soon. Markus wished Connor the same, before turning the device off. Connor took his out and brought it to the bathroom, finding the tile that Hank had loosened months prior, keeping his valuables there. Hank had told Connor about it the previous Wednesday, in case he had anything to hide, Hank had said. Connor had politely refused, since he had nothing that held value to him, but he appreciated it now. The space wasn't very big, but it was enough to keep the earpiece safe.
There were only two things in the hiding space, an old wedding band and a folded photo. Connor resisted the urge to unfold the photo and instead put the earpiece on top of it, then placed the tile back to no one could see the difference. Connor then entered the bedroom again, sitting on the bed, head immediately hitting his hands.
God. They'd done it. They'd really done it. Simon was safe. The word was out. Cyber was exposed. They'd done everything they'd planned on doing. And things were working out well for now.
Christ. Connor didn't want to jinx it, but he was incredibly excited to see how things turned out. He hoped that Cyber was taken down soon. The sooner this was over with, the sooner he could work on unlearning all the shit they'd placed in his head.
Connor had been about to change into his sleep clothes and go to bed when the door opened carefully, Hank's scruffy face poking through the doorway. The man scowled when he saw Connor, but when he entered the room Connor noticed he was carrying a plate, covered by a plastic dome. Just like the first night he'd been there. Connor felt his heart melt at the sight.
"Hey kid," Hank grunted, voice gruffer than usual. "Noticed you hadn't come down for dinner. So I brought you this. It's a little cold now, but it should taste fine."
Connor gratefully took the plate, heart sinking when Hank immediately pulled his hands back, storming into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. Ah. So he was still mad.
The shower started a minute later, so Connor occupied his time by eating the cold tacos that Hank had brought. They were chicken and tasted alright cold. Not great, but it was something.
Twenty minutes passed before Hank was done with his shower, leaving the bathroom with another towel wrapped around his hips. The second time in one day that Connor was allowed to see so much skin, though it had felt lifetimes ago that he'd last seen Hank's body despite the fact it had only been that morning. So much had happened. So much had changed.
Connor couldn't tear his eyes away, loving the way Hank flushed with his whole body, shoulders turning red with embarrassment. It was cute. Hank was cute. Hank stormed back into the bathroom and changed, exiting a minute later fully dressed. He glared at Connor, and Connor knew he had to tell the man then and there. Since Markus hadn't rejected his plan to tell Hank, Connor figured it was okay now.
"Hank. I, I wanted to talk to you. Is that okay?"
Hank just grunted, turning annoyed eyes on Connor. Connor licked his lips nervously.
"It's about what happened in the tower."
That got Hank's attention, the man instantly looking up, eyes burning Connor's. A moment passed.
"Yeah?" Hank asked, tone annoyed, "what about it?"
Ah. Right. He had to actually speak. Taking a breath, Connor began at the beginning, from the day before to that very moment, sparing nothing. It took almost an hour to finish, the clock striking 11:00 by the time he was done. Hank had just listened, saying nothing.
That worried Connor. Was he angry? Upset? Did he hate Connor? Had he broken things irreparably?
Long minutes passed after Connor finished, fiddling with his coin while Hank glared at the wall, going through the information. Connor had decided to tell Hank why Markus had decided to keep the information from him. While he knew Hank would hate it, he hadn't wanted to lie anymore. He was so sick of lying.
"Okay."
Hank said it so casually and in such a non-confrontational manner that it took Connor a second to realize the man had spoken. It had taken a few more to fully understand the words. When he did, though, he couldn't help but stare at Hank in shock. The man was frowning still, but he was looking at Connor, blue eyes warm.
"O-okay?"
Hank nodded, a considering look on his face.
"Yeah. Okay." Upon seeing the confusion on Connor's face, Hank leaned forward and expanded. "Look, kid. I can't say I'm not upset that Markus didn't want me to know. Hell, I'm kind of fucking pissed. But that isn't your fault. You were just following orders. I can't fault you for that. And hey, you guys did the whole thing without me. Probably would have just slowed you down anyway," Hank added in an undertone, causing Connor to frown.
"That's not true! You would have been great help to us, Lieutenant! Y-you would have been great help to me!"
Hank smiled at that, the first he'd seen the entire conversation. It instantly put Connor at ease. He loved that smile.
"Heh. Thanks, Con. Now, enough feelings. It's late. Let's head to bed, yeah? Something tells me things won't be going so great the next few days and we're gonna need our rest."
Connor nodded, his exhaustion finally catching up to him. He practically melted into his bed, not bothering with pajamas, face down on the pillow. He heard Hank chuckle, then felt hands maneuvering him into the bed, gently helping him undress and get into pajamas. Connor said nothing, enjoying the treatment. Hank didn't look as he got Connor out of his shirt and pants, handing him the old t-shirt and boxer shorts for him to dress himself. Connor felt so tired he hadn't wanted to but did anyway. As soon as he finished he face planted back into the pillow. He heard Hank chuckle, then felt himself get maneuvered again, getting placed under the covers. It felt so… nice. Something a parent would do.
After he was nice and tucked in, he felt chapped, warm lips gently press against the side of his head, causing his heart to speed up, though he was too tired to think about it.
Everything that had happened that day had left him exhausted. He wanted to think through it, but he found he could barely think of anything.
The last thought he had before drifting into sleep was that he wished Hank would kiss him again.
Only this time a bit lower on his face.