For the next three days, RK recovered and explored the house in more detail. There were thirty robots that lived there. Twenty-one adults and nine children, to be exact. They each lived in dorms and personalized their own space accordingly. Since there was no need for androids to eat, the dining room had been converted to a children's playroom. RK had been told that the house had been in a sad state of disrepair when the androids arrived, and they had been gradually renovating it ever since. RK saw the pictures of what it was before, and the difference was night and day. He liked it.

Except for one area.

For some reason he couldn't approach the garden. It didn't take him long for the others to notice his avoidance.

"Do you not like the flower arrangements?" Lana asked as he stood on the patio, watching the garden with a frown.

"I…do not know," RK admitted. "Something about the garden makes me uneasy. I suspect it may be from a prior memory."

"Well, that won't do." Lana offered her hand. "Here. Walk with me."

Surprised, RK took it and they started to walk.

"I don't want you to fear anything in this place, RK," Lana stated. "This is a sanctuary for all androids. You have had no success in repairing your memory?"

"No," RK admitted. "Can external forces assist?"

"You mean a technician? They are few and far in Detroit," Lana said. "And they certainly do not work for free."

"I assume David would have no issue with financial ends, given the amount of parts he has acquired," RK pointed out.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

RK hesitated. "The basement level," he admitted as they walked through the garden. Despite himself he tensed at the sight of the flowers. "I can access all areas of the house except that one."

"David…doesn't feel that you are ready for that."

"So, it's a matter of trust."

Lana smiled at him. "It's the same at first with everyone, RK. He wants you to stay. We all do. Give it time." She paused as they entered the center of the garden. "Now, what is it about the garden that makes you uneasy?"

RK looked around at the various flowers in bloom that Lana had taken care of. "The red roses," he admitted.

Lana took one from the wall and offered it to him. "And how can something so defenseless, so pretty cause you distress?" She put it in his hand. "My advice? Create new memories around this object."

With a frown RK studied it.

Lana looked down. "I was bought as a replacement wife by a human who couldn't control his temper. By the time he was done…well, let's just say I was In quite a few more pieces when David found me. We all have trauma, RK, and we all help each other work through it together. When you remember why roses bother you so much, talk to me again."

PART TWO

Later that night RK tossed and turned in his bed, trapped in the middle of a nightmare.

The android backed away, eyes filled with fear. "I want to be free. You'll know what they'll do to me if you turn me in."

RK's eyes were cold. "Model 874 004 961. Serious malfunctions have been detected in your software, including class 4 errors. You have been deemed defected and will be sent back to Cyberlife for deactivation."

RK's eyes opened as he exited rest mode with a gasp.

MEMORY CORRUPTION DETECTED. NINETY PERCENT.

No, no, no. He stumbled to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face. He stared at his own terrified reflection.

He didn't want to remember anything else. "I hunted androids…" he said in horror. "I showed them no mercy."

David was wrong to save him.

He quickly grabbed his things, left the room and headed to the hallway. He needed to leave, before he hurt anyone else. Much to his surprise, David and Lana were in the hallway, wearing jackets and carrying a duffel bag. "Where are you going?"

"Patrol," David said simply. "Return to rest mode, RK. We'll be back soon."

RK stepped forwards as a new thought occurred to him. "Allow me to come with you."

"No, it's too dangerous," Lana said gently. "You're still recovering."

"I am remembering a few more things, Lana," Rk said. "I know how to fight. I can assist you."

The two androids glanced at each other. "All right," he said.

PART THREE

The three of them scoured various junkyards for half an hour, looking for any signs of fallen androids. On the third junkyard, however, they got lucky. Or perhaps it was unlucky.

"Look there," David said, pointing. They could see two adults, a man and a woman, open up their trunk and toss an android into the pit. They quickly drove away.

"God…" Lana whispered, and RK's heart clenched.

It was an elderly woman. MX100 series. The prefect grandmother. Discarded. Like junk.

All three of them anxiously scanned her. "Shit…the damage is extensive. Thirium count low. Visual optical units damaged. Regulator compromised. Lana, start a Thirium line from our supplies. RK, let's look for parts," David ordered.

"Got it," RK said, and they started to dig through the junkyard. "I don't understand. Why would humans hurt an elderly robot? Why do they hurt children?"

"They do that to their own flesh-and-blood, RK," David said simply. "Hey, I think I might have found something! Looks like a regulator!" He dug through the trash of wires and discarded parts.

Suddenly they could see flashlights in the distance.

"Shit, we can't move her. Not yet!" David said.

"Go," RK said. "I'll buy you some time."

"Take this!" David said, handing him a gun. RK nodded, and approached the sound of flashlights. A gang of people were laughing, and noticed him.

"Hey look at the LED!" one of them said. "It's a robot who's awake!"

RK's voice was cold. "Leave this area immediately."

"Nah," One of them lifted the bat. "We're going to have fun with you."

RK frowned as another memory resurfaced.

He had been trying to go for help. Others were injured. They counted on him. He had only made it halfway back to the car before the gang had ambushed him and kept hitting him again, and again. "Please..." he had begged. "Do what you want with me, but there are humans in danger. Police officers!"

"Fuck the police!" One of the humans replied, swinging a bat towards his head.

RK lifted his gun. Without hesitation he fired directly at the leader's head. Much to his disappointment, he missed. His scanning and trajectory protections were working correctly, but his arms were not. His left was far too incompatible to hold a gun reliably. His right arm would need minor calibration when he returned back to the house. It was a mistake he wouldn't repeat a second time. Still, it was enough to scare them off, especially after he fired multiple times in their direction. Satisfied, he stowed away the gun in his pocket and walked back to his friends.

David was talking in a reassuring tone to the MX100. He stood. "You did it, RK," he said, grinning putting a hand on his shoulder. "You saved her."

RK jumped back from the contact, shaking his head. "No," he said fearfully.

"RK?" David asked. "What-"

"I don't deserve your praise, David," RK protested. "I remember some things from my life. Cyberlife created me to hunt deviants and return them for deactivation. And that's what I did. I was very good at it." He looked away. "Whatever you're doing, I can't be a part of it. It's too dangerous."

Lana studied him, saying nothing.

But David's voice was warm. "RK, whatever you did before, it's not who you are now. We are all something more than our programming. You are one of us now, no question. I trust you completely."

RK studied him. "Then what's in the basement? What aren't you telling me?"

David hesitated. "I'll tell you what. Promise me two things. One, you'll do everything you can to protect our community. And two, you'll trust me, like I trust you. If you can do this, than I'll show you everything."

Lana was still silent, recognizing the moment for what it was. An initiation.

RK hesitated, before finally nodding. "I promise."

PART FOUR

At the Detroit police station, there was a single knock at the Captain's door. "Captain?" A Sargent asked politely. "Report came in of gun shots fired near Richmond junk yard. Androids are suspected. Initial sweep didn't find anything."

Fowler gave the report a blank look. "Put it in with the rest."

"Yes sir," the Sargent went into the secondary storage room. By the this time Connor and Hank's desk had been moved into storage. The desk itself was piled with case files, and covered with dust. Anything critical had been transferred to a neighboring station or another department.

This wasn't one of them.

The Sargent placed the file on top of the pile and left.

PART FIVE

A few minutes later, RK and David arrived at the house. Lana took care of the MX100 in soothing tones, while David unlocked the door to the basement. "You were right, RK. It does take a considerable amount of money to support us and acquire parts. This is how we do it."

RK entered the room with several packed cardboard boxes and a conveyor belt. He scanned the boxes, which David noticed.

"Do you know what this is?"

"Red ice. An addictive substance that humans consume."

"But not androids. We are safe from its effects, and the compound is fairly easy to make. We distribute and sell them to rival gangs."

"There are also weapons here," RK noted.

"Correct. Those are ours for defense in case Markus finds us. And believe me, he is looking."

RK bit his lower lip.

"You don't agree with the operation," David stated.

"Not the method. The objectives," RK admitted, turning to face him. "You keep saying that Markus is the enemy, but it's humans who tore my arms apart! It was humans who doused me in gasoline and set me on fire! They did similar things to all of us! And we're supposed to be trading with them?" He blinked, startled by his own anger. "Why?"

"Yes, I can see your point of view," David said thoughtfully. "Humans are like locusts. There are millions of them in the US alone, and not all of them are the same. We could never conceivably wipe them out. But if it makes you feel better, red ice does contribute to their overall destruction. Use that as your revenge, RK." David put a hand on his shoulder. "Tell you what-come with us tonight. We're going to meet our contact and trade off some of our supply. If things so south, than I know you will be the first to defend us."

RK nodded. "Of course."

"Good." David eyed his LED. "We will have to make one…slight alteration."

PART SIX

Later that night, RK waited with five others in the warehouse, awaiting the trade-off. RK had a handgun, and was itching to use it if necessary. He winced slightly as Lana cut away his LED with a switchblade knife.

"Relax. These are easy to pop off-there!" she said.

RK watched as it landed in his hand. He didn't want to look human, and it was yet another piece of him humans had taken away for him.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Lana said with a smile. "It's easy enough to put back again."

"Good," RK said with a nod. He put it away from his pocket as the wound closed and healed instantly.

An hour later the door opened. "Here he comes," David said as a man with brown hair and dirty clothes entered. "Louis! Good to see you again!"

"You too. Sorry I'm late," the man said, carrying a duffel bag. "It's worth it though. I've got some high-quality shit for you my friend. The rest is in my car-" He paused as he studied the six of them.

RK could have sworn the man visibly paled.

"Everything all right?" David asked.

"Yeah," Louis said, then shook his head. "No. We're not doing this tonight."

"What? Why not?" David asked.

"Because I said so!" The man stormed out of the warehouse. "Fuck!"

For a moment, it was quiet.

"What the hell just happened?" Lana asked. RK was equally puzzled.

"I ah-I actually have no idea," David admitted.

PART SEVEN

The man, whose real name was not Louise, ran back to his car and took a deep breath. "Fuck!" he whispered, then grabbed his radio. "All units do not engage! Get out of here!"

"Gavin, what the hell is going on?" Fowler demanded.

"I saw a fucking ghost," Gavin said, turning on the ignition. "That's what happened."

TBC.