Chapter 19:
After the call in from Gordon Lopez, Hank was certain he was prepared for anything his partner threw at him.
Someone pointing a gun at themselves even in jest was something his programming hadn't taken lightly. So he figured nothing could have been worse.
It wasn't until he got an alert of a text sent to him from the lieutenant himself that he was inclined to disagree.
The text was blatant and to the point with only one word in the message.
'Help'
Being a lieutenant had certain implications when you were a member of the police force for so long. Anyone who was in law enforcement long enough to be a lieutenant implied the person had a good on their shoulders even in the face of danger.
From a psychological analysis of his own partner, Connor was a stubborn hardheaded person preferring to tackle problems by himself rather than drag others down with him.
These two facts would be reason enough to believe Connor wouldn't call him even if he was in genuine danger.
So calling for his help despite those facts meant there was something genuinely wrong.
Something more serious than usual that made Connor use this last resort to contact him.
There was no way Connor could possibly trust him so intimately enough to ask for help based off the limited time they've had together.
With that in mind he had got up carefully and quietly. He perused the original Hank's closet, where Cole had told him he had stored his father's belongings.
The gun was in the exact place that Cole had programmed in his head.
'That was the first mistake.'
Even after the war had passed, androids other than the RK-800s were not allowed to handle firearms.
Hank could get into serious trouble even if he was working under law enforcement.
Yet every part of his KL-900 program had set that aside because of some part of him that was concerned for Connor even though every part of the RK-800 program scolded him for it.
He scanned through his data banks as he drove the car to Connor's place. Upon meeting Connor for the first time he had thought it necessary to scan his face for important information with the intent of keeping tabs on his partner.
At least Connor couldn't say he was being cold or callous.
Once he arrived, Hank had tried to open the front door of Connor's home.
It was locked.
Red walls were outside his door. If he continued despite the red walls, he'd be breaking and entering.
Connor asked for his help though, didn't he?
He shattered the wall and it disappeared.
Concern fueled the force behind Hank's foot as he kicked open the door and stepped inside.
Hank took the gun from his pocket and pointed it in front of him carefully traversing through his partner's home until he reached a locked door on the second floor.
Carefully he opened the door, spotting a man wearing a black robe holding a gun to Connor's neck. The man in question had long brown hair tied back in a bun. The sides of his head cleanly shaved.
Hank scanned his face.
It was an HK-600 and it ignored Hank's presence altogether as though the sight of an android pointing a deadly weapon at him was normal.
"Ahem, mind telling me what's going on, Lieutenant?"
"Guess that's my cue to leave."
"Who was that?" Hank asked after he had left.
"Elijah Kamski."
Hank cued through his data banks.
"Elijah Kamski, born July 17, 2002, died on February 2, 2042, age 39. The former CEO of Cyberlife. Served in the U.S military from 2031-2038. Criminal record: Convicted for multiple counts of second degree murder."
"Wasn't that the culprit from that old case of yours gathering dust?"
"Not gathering dust anymore, Anderson."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I don't know but if anything he says has any credibility I think I might have caught the wrong guy."
That evening while Connor was asleep, Hank looked through old police records of the data from that case.
Besides a couple of accounts from some witnesses and pictures of unidentified corpses there had been no direct links to Kamski at all.
'You'd think with the police investigating this, they'd be able to extract fingerprints, DNA or something.'
Discovering that Kamski could break into his partner's house at any time whether or not the charge of second degree murder was true left Hank uncomfortable with the thought of leaving Connor back at his place.
Still thinking back on it even when he was teasing Connor, he was glad his first thought was to call him.
Even if it wasn't out of a misguided sense of trust.
"...Does your son know anything about this? I mean he's the assistant CEO isn't he?"
Cole would never be involved with this. There was no way. If he was why would he program an android like himself with the memories of his father.
From what Cole had implied, his father was a good man with a strong moral code.
Cole programmed him with a strong moral code, he made sure that Hank had all of his father's memories.
His son had no reason to believe that even with his father's memories that Hank wouldn't love him just as equally as his father did.
He had no reason to believe that Hank would disown him if he wasn't half the good guy that Cole portrayed himself to be.
There was no reason to doubt him. If he started doubting his son then who could he trust?
"Cole's never told me anything about this. I don't think he's involved at all."
After Connor received a call from his father, Hank had drove them over to the hospital.
Once they were admitted to see Connor's brother, the old man at his bedside had spoke with Connor.
"So why did you come here anyway?"
There was no accusation in his voice, merely curiosity.
"Can't I see my own brother or is he not considered my family anymore?"
Connor's voice was bitter. It sounded hurt.
Just what had made Connor so bitter with an android who had raised him as his son?
The only other time he had heard this hurt and bitterness was when Hank had talked about how his son was telling him about people looking into androids for replacing the ones they love.
"Still what would happen if the android can't fill that hole?"
Clearly whatever happened between them had hurt his feelings.
"You were clearly ashamed of me and my decisions."
"I wanted to pursue a career, Markus didn't even have a supporting job. I put everything aside for you despite my own wishes and you wanted me to give it up for him."
Was his father, the reason Connor had joined the army to fight off the androids because he was trying to support his brother? The military did make alot of money.
'That's right, Connor was studying law before he joined the military.'
Did he expect Connor to put his dreams aside for his brother?
According to his memories, Hank would call it a scummy thing to do.
Following his psychological protocol, such a thing would cause completely justified hurt in a human receiving that kind of choice.
Yet his program completely distant from deviant protocol could see why Carl might have asked it of Connor.
In a way this was how some people expressed their love. Sometimes people perceived the sabotage of another's success worth the sacrifice if it meant everyone in the family was succeeding. Why should one family member have more than enough to show for their success and another family member suffer because they weren't as successful.
Whether it was love or not, Hank did not know but he was certain that the intention was there all the same.
After Connor had said his piece, Carl gazed at him in curiosity.
"Got yourself a new partner too?"
"Anderson, this is Carl Manfred. He raised me and my brother when we just kids."
Hank smiled before holding his hand out.
Connor was preoccupied with Markus and didn't see the way his skin peeled back before they interfaced.
Within seconds, Hank understood everything. Why Carl had treated Connor that way, the alienation from the feelings he was programmed with, the complete apathy towards the children he raised, the more cryptic connection he had felt with the elder of his three sons. It didn't justify it but he understood it all the same.
Carl glanced at him with a smile.
"I can't pretend to understand what you're going through but I can provide some good advice from one old man to another. Don't let yourself be weighed down by your own feelings or one day you may find yourself being consumed by them."
"What are you talking about?"
"If you continue along this path, you'll find the answer to that question in due time. My son has his own fair share of baggage as you can see. He's very distant even to the people who are closest to him. Just remember there is a reason, my son chose to confide in you. Don't let him lose that trust."
Hank glanced at Connor, a mysterious smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Still as a curvy female nurse stepped into the room with the intention of checking Markus' vitals, Hank wondered if Connor's trust wasn't ill-placed.
There was no reason why his chest hurt, he had no heart. Androids weren't built with emotions.
Still a guy like Connor wouldn't be looking at her if he wasn't at least faintly interested.
"Looks like your type."
"Hardly," Connor murmured.
The way his face turned a dark red shade would have been aesthetically pleasing in any other scenario if not for the way Hank's chest tightened even more.
Still it wasn't unheard of for a man in Connor's age range to date around.
"Do you even have a type?"
"Of course not. There are bigger concerns in the world than which woman I should date?"
Hank snorted. He hadn't missed the way he had glanced at the woman.
"Doesn't mean you haven't entertained the thought. I admit I'm kinda curious."
"You'll just have to remain curious."
As they drove home, Hank asked Connor the question that was on his mind.
"I know this is going to come across as a personal question but when you were talking with your old man earlier, you sounded bitter. What did he do that was so terrible?"
"When it came down to the three of us, dad always loved Markus the most. Even over the android that was once his biological son," Connor said.
"So you two were adopted?" Hank asked.
"Well unless you've ever heard of a child taking on another last name than their father I don't think you could legally say we're biological relatives."
"Where were you before?"
"Me and Markus were residing in an orphanage. My mother sent us both there. I was always under the impression she just didn't want us anymore. I'm certain my dad was trying to get me out of there but that woman of his always tried to keep us away. Kamski visited the orphanage and the next thing I know the old man drops by the orphanage with our adoption papers," Connor said. "I don't think I've ever heard of an android adopting human boys."
'If only you knew,' Hank thought.
Once Hank had arrived at the station, the lady behind the front desk allowed him inside.
"Didn't see your partner today," she said.
Hank shrugged.
She didn't need to know he was staying at his house until he could take Connor to the hospital.
Once he had stepped inside he saw everyone was gathering around one of Connor's coworker's desk. On the desk was a bunch of balloons and cards with some cupcakes.
"Who's the party for?" he asked Chris who was standing nearby.
"Today's Tina's birthday. Everyone at the precinct decided to bring something to celebrate."
"If I had known I would have brought a gift," Hank said.
"I guess Connor didn't have time to introduce you to everyone."
"He doesn't seem the type of person to keep tabs on his co-workers," Hank said.
Chris chuckled.
"That sure sounds like him alright."
"Hey Chris, who are you talking to?"
An asian woman dressed in her police uniform with hair tied back in a neat bun addressed them.
"Oh, this is Hank Anderson. Y'know Connor's partner."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Tina ," she said. "Sorry my desk is a mess."
"I see Anderson's decided to grace us with his presence," Reed cut in. "Is he giving you a bad time, Officer Chen?"
Tina snorted.
"Of course not. He's being polite which is more than I can say about you."
Hank glared at him.
"How rude. I am offended," Reed said. "I was only trying to make small talk. I think your partner might be rubbing off on you."
Tina scoffed rolling her eyes.
"Just ignore him," she said. "Between me and you I think he really holds a grudge against your partner."
"Really? I couldn't tell."
Tina chuckled.
"We used to date for a while and he'd always tell me about it."
"So how long have you worked here?" Hank asked. "You look new."
"Well you can scan me can't you?" Tina inquired in return.
"How do you know I'm an android?"
She rolled her eyes.
"I have my ways but let that be a secret between me and you."
After work, Chris dropped by his desk.
"I need to head home early can you finish my paperwork before you leave. My wife's expecting me back at the house. We're supposed to go on a date tonight."
"That's fine," he said.
"Thanks a bunch, I owe you one. Tell you what, I'll let you drop by my house sometime. Sound alright with you?"
"Sure."
"My wife always loves to meet up with my co-workers. Catch you later, Hank."
"See ya Chris."
After finishing Chris's paperwork, Hank drove home determined to get his partner to the hospital as soon as possible.
Quickly he unlocked the front door.
"Connor? Where are you?"
Cole peered out his door.
"You're back."
"Have you seen Connor?"
"He wasn't here when I came back."
'Sh-t.'
"I told him to stay here, d-mn it. Why doesn't he ever listen?"
Hank sighed with exasperation before heading out.
"I'm going out with the car to go look for him. I'll be back."
"Alright," Cole said.
Only after Hank was gone did Connor decide to grace the household with his presence.
Connor winced before knocking on the front door.
Cole opened it gracefully.
"Connor, you're back?"
"Well it's not as if I could leave with your father worrying about me."
"Come in," he said.
Connor stepped inside, this time his eyes drawn to Cole's face. His eyes had dilated pupils, his breathing was erratic and something small and red hung out from the corners of his lips.
He wondered if he should confront Cole about his drug habit
or
leave him be.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Does your dad know about your drug habit?"
Cole tensed up.
"What's it to you? You think you could just come into our life, into my life after my father's death and think it mends everything. It's been years, Connor. People change."
"This isn't like you. Whatever happened to that person who always preached about how drugs are bad."
"That person grew up."
Connor rolled his eyes.
"Did he? You're still obsessing over your father even after he's dead."
Cole scoffed.
"No, I'm not. I'm doing just fine without him in my life."
"Really? You didn't think I noticed your android looks exactly like your father," Connor asked.
"Why shouldn't he? Besides it's clear you're attached to him just the same. You think I can't get over his death but here you are just as attached to him comparing him to someone who is dead."
"How could I be attached to an android made to replicated the behaviors and the appearances of a dead man when they're nothing alike?"
Cole snorted.
"My father always did love you more."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'd always see you two talk after you finished with the yard work. He'd always talk about you with his co-workers."
"He treated me like cr-p," Connor supplied.
"He warmed up to you pretty quickly," Cole said. "You admired him that's why you studied law and decided to become a police officer in the first place."
"You're giving him too much credit."
"Am I? It's obvious you loved him like the father you never had."
"This isn't about me," Connor said. "You are deflecting."
"You may have been able to cope with it, but I have my own ways of coping with it. I don't expect you to understand," Cole said.
Connor sighed.
"I understand more than you might think. I really hope you stop this before you hurt the people you have grown to care about. Hank would be really upset if you die from a drug overdose."
Cole rolled his eyes.
Suddenly the door opened, Hank appeared looking shaky.
Connor noted the furrowed brows and frown on his face. It made him look worried.
"Connor, I see you finally came back," he said through gritted teeth.
"I came back about five minutes ago. Sorry I was late. I was expecting to get back earlier but I ran into complications."
Connor recalled heading to the rundown building with Josh at his side. When Simon had told him they were going to be meeting up with Ward the memories had all come back.
There had been reports of a murder inside Ward's home. Ward has a series of offenses under his belt ranging from assault, to deals in narcotics.
Usually when there were drugs involved, there was almost always homicide.
Upon heading to Ward's home however it was clear based on the fact that he hadn't allowed Connor nor his partner to search the house that something was amiss.
Only when insisting on searching the house did Ward show his true colors.
Ward had taken his gun and fired a warning shot at Luther.
"Sh-t."
Quickly Connor had ran after him.
"Hold on, aren't you gonna call for backup?" Luther asked.
"There's no time. If we wait for backup he's going to get away."
Luther sighed before following Connor to the roof.
Only Connor had his hands up in an instant as suddenly a gun was at his neck.
"Freeze. Drop the gun."
Connor dropped the gun carefully.
"Your partner's too or you die."
Luther complied with his demands.
"Now walk to the edge of the roof."
Connor briskly headed that way.
"Slowly," Ward said.
He slowed his pace until he was at the edge of the roof. That was when Luther let himself go wild kicking Ward's legs from beneath him.
Gunfire rang out but Luther managed to kick the gun out of his hand.
A disturbance came from a nearby rooftop as a dark skinned man walked out in a police uniform.
"Wilson, what are you doing out here?"
"I just happened to be in the neighborhood. What is going on? Did you call in for backup?"
Ward managed to pick up the gun and aim it at Wilson.
"Cr-p."
Connor looked on. It was sketchy but it wasn't clear whether or not he let Wilson get shot or if he managed to lunge at Ward to jar the gun from his hand.
In an act of foolishness, Connor had lunged at him causing the gun to fall from his hand before Ward had pushed him off the roof.
As an act of instinct, Connor's hands reached out to grab the edge before he fell. His heart raced erratically as he looked down overcome by dizziness.
While Luther was fighting Ward, Connor had been stuck trying to keep his hold on the edge of the roof but his grip was slipping.
Wilson ran to the other side.
"Hold on."
Wilson ran briskly from the furthest side of the other roof to the edge where he jumped to get to where Connor was dangling from the roof.
He reached out his hand.
"Grab my hand."
"I don't think I'll be able to hold myself up."
"Don't worry I've got you."
Connor attempted to move one of his hands from the roof to grab Wilson's hand when his hand slipped.
Wilson however managed to grip the forearm of his other arm before he had fell too far.
"How are you doing that? I must be very heavy. That has to be hurting your arm."
The police officer pulled him on top of the roof with ease.
"I'm fine. It's nothing I can't handle."
"What are you a robot or something?"
Wilson smiled.
"Something like that but see didn't I tell you? I told you I got you."
Still even after that, Connor hadn't quite gotten over his newly acquired fear of heights.
Josh knocked on the door to Ward's home.
Once Ward had opened the door, his expression quickly morphed to hostility as he quickly pulled a gun from his pocket.
"I never thought I'd see you again. Where's your partner? Is he late to the party?"
"Contrary to what you might believe, I didn't come here for a fight."
"Why did you come then, Bourne?"
"I am here as a bodyguard. My friend here wants to make a deal with you."
Ward looked at Josh suspiciously.
"He your new partner? Wonder what Sutherson might think of that?"
"Does he look like a police officer to you?"
"Your attempts at sarcasm don't work on me, Bourne. I'd have thought you'd know me better than that."
"Who says I am being sarcastic?"
"KIM!"
Connor heard someone marching downstairs.
"I think you need to teach this copper a lesson he'll never forget."
'Sh-t," Connor hissed.
Kim grabbed him by the collar making Connor wince. Connor attempted to block the force of his punch by moving his right arm in front of his face but doing so made the left side of his face vulnerable making it become battered under the force of Kim's fist.
Kim kicked him in the stomach as he attempted to get up.
"I don't appreciate liars."
"He isn't lying."
"Even if I was lying, what point would I have to come here? You know as well as I do that the police department can't touch you. So who's lying just to get their opportunity to punch me in the face?"
Ward chuckled nervously.
"You could never be too sure."
"I think you owe me an apology."
"Why don't you just forgive and forget like your partner used to tell you?"
"I can't exactly remove a bruise," he said glaring at Kim.
Only after Josh had convinced Dempsey to make a deal did the android pop up with a question of his own.
"Are you going to show us how red ice is made or what?"
Ward narrowed his eyes.
"I tell you what I'll show on the condition that Bourne doesn't peep on the operation."
"What do you have to lose? I'd never use red ice in my life. How do I know you won't send your bodyguard to beat him to a pulp?" Connor asked.
"You don't trust me?"
"Do you trust in a liar?"
"Why don't I just have Kim keep you company? You two have a lot to catch up on don't you?"
Connor shivered uneasily.
"Kim don't hold grudges, right?"
Kim nodded.
"You'll teach me everything?"
"Yes, though I don't know how the operation can be for anything other than easy money. Your android is to keep the recipe a secret from anyone unless absolutely necessary. I'm counting on it or if I find anyone selling under me they might just have a one-ticket to the grave."
"Alright."
Connor clutched his shoulder instinctively just recalling it.
Hank sighed, his hand clutching the upper part of his nose. He spoke through gritted teeth.
"What part of stay here did you not understand?"
Connor wondered for a moment whether he should correct him or allow him to continue projecting these paternal desires of his.
"You're not my father," Connor cut in. "Despite my physical appearance, I am a grown man. I am capable of making my own decisions with or without your input."
Hank looked angry at his answer but Connor wasn't going to regret it now.
He sighed.
"Stubborn at heart aren't ya?"
"Wouldn't have it any other way? Now let's go to the hospital before I change my mind."
End Notes:
Choice Divergence: Keeping quiet about Cole's drug habit is a tally for choices in group 2.
Not correcting Hank: Is another tally for group 1.
Letting Wilson get shot here is inconsequential unless a certain other condition is met. Continuing on the path choosing choices that don't lead to groups 1 or 2 are also conditions to this path. All are tallies to reach the no sacrifice ending.