AN: Don't worry time2read, LMAO, this is not a Kara/Connor fic. I'm more of a Luther/Kara fan myself.
Connor knew he was missing something.
Ah, yes.
His arm.
No wonder he feels so strange. Is it because he holds his arm with his single hand? Is it because Markus is looking at him as if he had grown two heads - or rather - because he had lost an arm? Losing limbs was not an ideal result of pursuing an attacker. A person who, with all intent, had planned to harm Markus. They had pretended to play the part of a love-struck fan, bumping with Markus outside New Jericho, until they shook Markus' hand. It was then that Markus was sent down onto the ground on one knee. Connor, knowing this to be rather strange behavior for Markus, came to the quick conclusion that his friend had been sent to the ground after coming into contact with his so-called 'fan.' It was only a matter of connecting dots that made him realize that Markus was electrocuted and was recovering from a shock.
The fan has something in their hand that they displayed out to the world. They are rather smug. Smug, until they saw Connor's face.
He was angry.
The fan is a human woman with bright red hair. It's not a natural red, no, nor are her eyes truly green. He could tell that they were false when she connected her eyes with his own. They stared and then Connor reached out a hand to subdue her to her place. The woman saw that, though, and flinched backward. She took a few steps back, smiling maniacally, and said, "Haha… what…? Is something wrong with your poor baby leader? Can't get up, huh? It was just a little shock. Nothing serious. Honestly, I thought he'd be tougher!"
Connor doesn't let taunts get to him.
Even so… There was a first time for everything.
When she made a run for it, Connor made sure Markus can take care of himself before he ran after her trial. She's fast, for a human, but Connor was faster. He chases her as she runs, laughing hysterically as she does so, and the only thing that kept him from her was the sharp corners she kept taking. It slowed his progress on catching her. It wasn't until she ran straight into the middle of a street, ignoring the red warning lights for those who wished to cross, that Connor saw the trouble she had just put herself in. The cars on this street are faster and do not crawl at thirty miles per hour.
That's why he grabbed for her, pulling her from the sights of an oncoming car, and then losing the arm that lingered behind. It clattered to the ground and Connor shoved the woman to the sidewalk. He then snatched his arm from the ground and ran to join the woman on the sidewalk. The woman was no longer laughing. No. In fact, she seemed to have a face that forced her to acknowledge the brush of death she had. Had it not been for Connor, she would have been flung in the air just like his arm and left to die as cars trampled over her.
She is rather unresponsive when Connor hauled her to the police station. Of course, while he did so, he called Markus to make sure he was alright. The man informed Connor that he was okay. They both promised to meet at New Jericho after Connor had released the woman to the police, which might be a long process in itself considering the circumstances. They would probably want to keep Connor for questioning. It wouldn't be a short interrogation.
When he's finally finished at the police station it is already the evening. The blazing afternoon sun had dwindled into a glowing red. The horizon was painted in its rays, creating quite a beautiful scene that Connor might have appreciated had he not been so focused on returning to check on Markus' condition. It isn't until he goes into New Jericho, carrying his severed limb in hand, that he understands that he is the one who needs checking up on. He had lost a limb.
Markus makes sure Connor knows that with his shocked features. He's at Connor's side in an instant, a hand on his shoulder to urge him to sit down. Connor is compliant.
"You're bleeding-..." Markus notices because Connor's white button-up shirt was stained with blue blood. "And the police didn't bother to help you?"
Connor thinks aloud, "Maybe that's why they questioned me."
Markus gives Connor the biggest 'no, duh' look he can manage before grabbing hold of Connor's arm.
"It can be reattached," he says.
"How do you know?" Connor asks. Not many androids were capable of seeing what replacement parts fit, let alone what parts could connect back to their body. Perhaps Markus was made of the same stuff they put in Connor in Cyberlife? Come to think of it, wasn't Markus a one-of-a-kind android too? Connor hadn't seen any others like him.
"It was ripped off the joint," Markus explains, "and your joint isn't damaged so it's still functional."
Connor is silent as he watched Markus do his work. He jostles with the limb, positioning it steadily, and then he snaps it back into place. Connor's shoulder jolts at the sudden new weight and then Connor rolls his shoulder to get used to having his arm back.
Markus sighs.
"Don't do that again," he warns. "That scared me. A nasty little shock isn't worth losing your arm over."
Connor says, "On the contrary, I believe…"
Markus is quick to interrupt, "Nope. No. Don't want to hear it. Imagine this instead. Imagine, you, approaching Hank with a severed arm. Would he be happy with that?"
Connor does imagine it.
And no. Hank would not be happy.
"No…" Connor trails off.
"And there you go," Markus hums as he inspects Connor's arm. He lifts it up and makes sure that his elbow is still in working condition by bending Connor's arm a few times. "That's how I felt when you came back with a missing arm. Dude, so not cool. Don't do that again. I almost had a heart attack."
"Androids are not capable of having heart attacks."
"Connor?"
"Yes, Markus?"
"Be quiet."