Connor's day had been fairly normal. He tended to his garden, cared for the kittens, and took Sumo on his walks. He had prepared dinner for Hank - asparagus and seasoned potatoes alongside a serving of salmon - and he had made some progress tidying up in Cole's room. (The boy's room was unbearably dusty and Connor couldn't hold himself back.) Hank had come home earlier than usual, eating dinner quickly, and retreating to his room. Connor didn't think too hard about it and simply took care of the dishes left in the sink.

Ever since he had become a resident of Hank's household he found himself doing a lot of the daily chores. Since Hank didn't usually eat in, Connor made dinner so that he wouldn't have to eat out, and he usually cleaned up the dishes that were left behind. Besides that, Connor felt that he had to do something while he was stuck in this house, so there was nothing wrong with keeping busy. He didn't have a job because he still wasn't hearing back from the Detroit police department. Connor honestly couldn't find himself applying to anything else because police work was in his code. The only other option he considered was becoming a private detective.

Now that was a thought.

Connor returns to Cole's room in his mulling and sits on the side of the mattress tucked into the corner.

"Connor."

The voice that calls him isn't his own. He hears it vibrate in his head, just like it might sound when someone called him.

Amanda.

Connor closes his eyes.

When he opens them he's in a different place. He's in a familiar setting, something that he thought was once quite beautiful until Amanda tainted it with her ulterior motives. It wasn't as chaotic as he last remembered it. It wasn't snowing, the water wasn't frozen, and he thinks that's because he's no longer as conflicted as he once was. He broke free from Cyberlife. It was set in stone. Despite that, his surrounding were quite different and were not as orderly as it once was. Everything was… free. Just like him.

"It has been a while, Connor," Amanda says. She stands with a sun umbrella over her head, a picture of poise and elegance. "Had you not used one of our programs, I wouldn't have found the link to you. You need not be alarmed. I have no power here."

Amanda regards her surroundings and wrinkles her nose in disapproval.

"You could have been great, Connor," she turns to him once more.

"You would have discarded me the minute I outlived my usefulness," Connor returns. His voice is calm but there is a waver that gives him away. The idea of being so easily thrown away bothers.

"You would be useful even in deactivation," Amanda assures, "is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Frankly? No. I don't want to hear anything you have to say," Connor answer bluntly.

"A pity," Amanda returns coldly, "but I thought you would like an update on current events."

"I find it hard to believe that you would come here to just give me a so-called update."

Amanda ignores him and continues, "Cyberlife relationships with androids are… rocky. We are not on the best of terms."

Connor scoffs. Of course, androids would have a problem with Cyberlife. They treated them like products. Even if androids could get past that and find some sort of gratitude to Cyberlife for creating them - Connor could not - because Cyberlife had intended to use him to kill Markus. While others did not know of their plans, Connor did, and he didn't appreciate being used as a tool to stop the deviant uprising.

Deviants.

Cyberlife's greatest failures.

"However you are of both worlds, Connor," Amanda says cooly.

Connor raises a brow.

"We wish to establish peace between our company and modern androids," she moves her gaze from Connor to look at the scenery around her once more, "and for that, we need an ambassador of sorts. I believe you can put together the rest."

"You want me... to be the... ambassador," Connor says slowly.

"There is a rise in demand for android parts," Amanda continues, "and who else can provide but Cyberlife?"

"What, now that androids are consumers, you're going to pretend you never held something against the deviants?"

"We must adapt," Amanda tells Connor, "something that I believe you are quite familiar with. Adapting is a very… human tactic… but with your deactivation on the line you, perhaps, considered doing so to integrate yourself with fellow deviants. For survival."

Her eyes return to Connor's.

"And that is what Cyberlife must do, survive. We have had a disastrous loss of profits. We must adapt or else we will be left to die."

Connor says nothing and waits as Amanda pauses. He knows she had more to say.

"You were the logical choice for this… request," Amanda doesn't look too happy but when did she ever look happy? She was always just… business. Connor honestly wondered if she had the capability to be something more than just a servant for Cyberlife. "If you refuse we will find someone else for the position."

"Amanda. Both you and Cyberlife are deluded if you think I will help you after what you've done to me. I can't risk working for you. I'm afraid you will have to find someone else." Connor speaks on a personal level. Rationally, he might have considered accepting Amanda's offer for the sake of all android-kind, but he was too emotionally compromised to give it a second thought.

Amanda had done enough talking.

She seemed to be finished when Connor startles awake.

Hank was shaking his shoulders.

"Connor? Damn it," Hank curses.

"Hank?"

Hank's shoulders slump in relief. He does not remove his hands from Connor's shoulders, maybe to shake some sense into him again just in case he isn't actually all-there.

"Thought you were…" Hank trails off, his face stricken with a hint of grief.

"I am fully functioning," Connor reassures him, "do not worry about me."

"Hard not to, kid."

Hank releases his shoulders and stands up from his crouching position.

"You're gonna tell me what that was all about anyway?" Hank asks.

Connor looks up at him. Though his face shows no change he feels conflicted.

"I…" Connor begins.

Hank sees his hesitance and shakes his head.

"Nevermind. Forget it. You'll tell me later, right?"

Connor nods.

"Yes, later,"

Hank also nods.

"Good. You feeling okay?"

Connor sees how Hank looks at him with great concern. At that moment he felt… fatherly… and for a moment Connor's mind escapes. He thinks of his original creator… Kamski… and then he thinks of Hank. Kamski may be the father of all androids but… Hank? Hank fitted the title of 'father' even better.

"Yeah," Connor's heart grows heavy with love, "I'm okay."

Connor had a father.

His name is Hank.