First and foremost, I apologize for the long wait.
This story isn't abandoned. I've had every chapter drafted since I started uploading, but I kept rewriting this one, and it's taken me longer than expected because I recently started GMing a D&D campaign which has taken up a lot of time.
From here on out, I'm going to try my best to give warnings in advance regarding slower updates. The next handful should come out much sooner!
November 14, 2038
When Hank and Connor walked into the Detroit Police Department the next day, they knew to prepare for anything. After the vandalism in Capitol Park, and with no new leads from their meeting with Kamski, Captain Fowler was no doubt struggling to maintain control. It didn't help when, within the hour they arrived, deviants marched down Woodward Avenue.
Even so, Hank hadn't expected what he heard upon entering Fowler's office.
Fowler sat against the front of his desk, telling them, "You're off the case. The FBI is taking over."
They stood side by side. The lieutenant's arms were crossed tight over his chest, and the glower on his face deepened. "What?" He unraveled his arms and leaned forward, sharing a brief glance with Connor, who appeared to be reeling from the news himself. "But we're onto something. We just need more time. I'm sure we can-"
Fowler lifted his hands up to stop Hank there. "Hank, you don't get it. This isn't just another investigation, it's a fucking civil war!" He exclaimed before lowering his voice, "It's out of our hands now... We're talking about national security here."
Shaking his head, Hank yelled, "Fuck that! You can't just pull the plug now. Not when we're so close!"
They were empty words, for the most part. Every detective said they were closer to solving their cases than they were, especially when fighting to keep them. What stuck with Fowler was not what Hank was saying, but why. He wanted this now, to find deviants and this so-called Jericho.
It was confounding - almost as much as how attached he seemed to be with his newest partner. Connor was an oddly quiet bystander to this discussion, though no less important to it. Shaking his head, Fowler complained, "You're always saying you can't stand androids. Jesus, Hank, make up your mind. I thought you'd be happy about this!"
Hank would gloss over the accusation, instead insisting, "I know we can solve it! For God's sake, Jeffrey, can't you back me up this one time?"
He had no idea just how much Fowler had been backing him up, but Fowler wouldn't stop to tell him that. He hoped the exhausted but sympathetic expression would suffice as he said, "There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry, Hank, but it's over."
Andy pretended to sleep as Hank got ready for work that morning. She didn't want questions or encouragement or, worse, lectures, so she waited until she heard the final shut of the front door before she started to move. She felt she needed to do this, because today she was going to look for Jericho.
She sat on the couch for the moment, her tablet in her lap and her phone in her hand. Countless pages stared back at her on the screen, ranging from work files on deviants to encyclopedia entries on Jericho to various news articles. Even now, Markus' face sat in the background on perpetual pause.
Her mother's voice echoed through the phone, coming to the end of a story about her work week. Andy listened only casually, offering small quips where appropriate. It would not be enough to convince Natalie that her daughter was listening, however, and so the woman trailed off before starting anew.
"So I was thinking about Christmas..."
That got the detective's attention plenty. "No. No plans," Andy replied, her tone stern.
She could almost hear her mother's scoff. "What are you talking about, no plans?"
Resisting a sigh, Andy explained, "I know you, Mom. You're going to look into restaurants, and then you're going to find a bar you want to go to before we eat, and next thing you know, we have tickets to The Nutcracker and I lose three hundred bucks because I have to cancel last minute."
Natalie's voice turned sly as she remarked, "Why do you have to cancel last minute, are you planning on almost dying again?"
The question was a punch to the stomach, and for an instant, Andy was surprised she'd stoop so low. She stopped herself from reacting, reminding herself that a reaction was what Natalie wanted out of her. "Okay, first of all: not cool," She brushed her mother off with experienced ease, saying, "Secondly, no, but I plan on other people dying. Work is already busy during the holidays, but now with this android business, I don't know how things are going to go."
She was swiping through her tablet as she spoke when a new file appeared in her directory from the department: Sam's file. A finger hovered over the icon, her inner turmoil battling her desire to find Jericho. It was not a file she was sure she was ready to read, but it was one she needed. They knew the name Jericho because of him. That had to mean something.
"Are you saying we can't see The Nutcracker because of an android uprising?" Natalie asked, "Because I'm fairly confident that this won't affect you, much less classical theatre. At least it shouldn't affect you, unless you have an android I don't know about."
When Andy didn't reply right away, Natalie's voice turned concerned. "Oh, Andrea, don't tell me you have an android."
"What?" Andy shook her head, jostling herself free of the negative emotions. She opened the file as she answered, "No, I don't have an android."
Natalie sighed. "You weren't listening."
"I heard the question," Andy defended with a small pout. "I'm sorry, I'm just busy."
"I thought you were still off work."
"I am." The response was instant, and almost indignant. She paused a moment before asking, "Do you know anything about the word Jericho?"
"W-" The change in subject bewildered Natalie, but she would play along for her daughter's sake. "The city?"
Andy began to correct her, but stopped herself, saying, "No, the... well, I don't know what it is. That's part of the problem. We think it's what rogue androids are calling themselves, and we're trying to find the connection."
Just as Andy thought, dangling some information in front of Natalie would keep her from the lecture while also acquiring the help she needed. The older woman was curious, and so she delved into her own mumblings. "Interesting. Is that religious, I wonder? Or political- Have the androids you've met concerned themselves with those kinds of things?"
"I think they're a little busy for world news," Andy mused, "But there is ra9. It's what they call the first deviant, who's supposed to lead them to freedom."
"They're following a prophecy? So why not reference that instead?" Natalie went quiet, but she was mulling over the implications in her mind. If only she'd had an android patient - maybe that would be worth looking into if things ended on a peaceful note. "You're sure it's not a city?"
Andy's voice was bland as she said, "Yes, Mom, I'm sure androids are not hiding out in any city called Jericho."
Shaking her head, Natalie replied, "Well I'm sure it wasn't something they chose for themselves. Maybe it's a street, or a- a place of interest, or-" The abrupt silence had Andy perking up, especially when it was followed by a quiet, "Oh."
Now it was Natalie dangling information, and Andy was on the edge of her seat. "Oh?"
Natalie recognized that tone, and she was never one to miss an opportunity to get what she wanted. Coyly, she said, "Let me reserve dinner for Christmas Eve."
Andy didn't think much would surprise her from her mother at this point, and yet as quickly as that, she'd been proven wrong. She reeled, asking, "Wh- You're doing this right now?"
"When else would I have leverage against you?"
Touché, mother. Andy let out a strained sigh, knowing when to admit defeat. "Fine, dinner."
Immediately, Natalie went on to give her the information she needed. "It's your uncle, Evan. He used to work on a sh-"
"Jericho!" Andy squeezed the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could pick up the tablet and begin her new search. Of course that was it.
Natalie hummed in the background. "It's why your cousin stayed with us sometimes. I'm surprised you didn't remember."
"I remembered the name, just not how," Andy mumbled. She began to stand to her feet, knowing what she needed to do now. "All right, I gotta go. Thank you."
"Of course. I'll send you dinner details later," Natalie mused before hanging up.
Andy grabbed clothes from her bag and went into the bathroom while dialing another number. By the time she discarded her pajamas, Lieutenant Richards was answering his phone.
"Your timing is unsettling."
"I need your-" Andy stopped in mid-reach for her pants. "What?"
"Listen."
Within the department, Richards held his phone out toward the bullpen, where Hank was being dragged to the doors. A group of officers gathered around Agent Perkins, who was clutching a bloody nose.
Perkins pointed to Hank over an officer's shoulder, yelling, "That's gonna cost you your badge, you lunatic!"
"You know where you can stick my fucking badge!"
First her mother's act of bribery, and now this. Andy couldn't believe the day she was having so far. She pulled up her pants as she asked, "What the hell is going on down there?"
Richards didn't even seem fazed by it. He was as casual as ever as he said, "That would be Anderson breaking Perkins' nose while Mister CyberLife sneaks by with a key to the evidence locker."
If they were going to these measures to continue the investigation, things were as dire as she thought they'd be. "Perkins took over the case. Shit."
She heard a door shut behind Richards, followed by silence. He spoke in a hushed tone in his office, "From what I'm hearing, he's going to be getting SID to do most of his dirty work, so whatever you need help with, it better be fast."
"It will be. I need you to look up an old freighter for me. It should be out of one of the local ports," She told him, pulling at the ends of a shirt.
"I hope you have more than just 'old freighter,'" He requested.
She slipped the shirt over her head as she answered, "I do: Jericho."
Connor stood in the evidence room of the Detroit Police Department. It wasn't difficult slipping past Gavin Reed, or guessing Hank's password - fuckingpassword was quintessential Hank Anderson after all - but before he could verify the login, he realized something.
There would only be two deactivated androids inside Hank's locker. There would be one from Stratford Tower who almost killed Hank and himself. The other would be Daniel, the android who held a child at the edge of a rooftop. Logically, he doubted Daniel knew of Markus or Jericho. The one from Stratford Tower, however, had to know, but would not be willing to help.
He was sure there were enough clues elsewhere in their case, but he also knew there was an easier way to possibly find Jericho. So he stared at the login screen, and deleted the information he'd already written there.
He just needed the right password. He took a single moment to scan through his memories, and through her file. She was not a hard-boiled, eccentric police detective. She was cunning and outgoing. Sarcastic. Kind hearted. Insecure. She went to Michigan University. She lost her father.
When Scott Hope's birthday didn't work, he tried the day he died.
The doors to the locker opened, and Connor was face to face with a group of androids he'd seen before, huddled together in the corner of a prison cell.
It'd been ten minutes since Andy last spoke to Richards, and now she was to wait for him to get back to her with an address. If there was an address. It was only a small chance that they were right about the freighter, so Andy was looking for alternate theories while she waited.
Behind her, the front door opened and Hank stormed inside. She watched him walk by to the kitchen, grumbling. "We're off the case," He informed.
"Richards told me," She said, sitting up and leaving the tablet on the end table. "How much trouble are you in?"
He inhaled deeply and let out a big sigh. "One week vacation." Turning and opening the fridge, he retrieved a bottle of beer as he went on, "But Connor knows where to go. Least, I hope he does."
"So he's still looking? Won't CyberLife want him back?" She asked.
He opened his beer and tossed the lid away. "They're letting him stay a few days to wrap up your Weaver case, and then they're sending him back," He explained before losing himself to concern. Connor was more determined than ever before to find Jericho, but he wasn't sure if desperation was a good thing right now. "He's decided he doesn't want to be deactivated."
Andy knew what he was thinking, and she wondered the same. "Well if he's looking for Jericho, I'm about to find out. I know what it is."
He blinked a few times, processing the information. He also finally noticed that she'd changed clothes, including her jacket and boots. "You know what it is?" He repeated.
She nodded, growing excited. "Yeah, I've got Richards looking for it now. It's-"
Hank held up a hand to stop her, in much the same way Fowler had done to him. Closing his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts, he shook his head. As curious as he was, he knew what needed to be done. "I don't want to know. For once, the less I know about what's going on, the better."
Frustrated, she stood to her feet and complained, "Well for once, I want you to tell me what you think I should do."
He gestured to the door with the beer in his hand, telling her, "You should go."
"This isn't my case."
This pulled a snort from Hank. "When has that ever stopped you before?"
She pouted briefly, but then her expression fell. The doubts had been forming for a long time, but she hadn't confessed them to anyone. Not yet. "I don't think I agree with the DPD on this."
Her words hung in the air, leaving her nervous. Hank didn't like androids - he had his reasons, and she would never step on that - but surely he saw some of the same things she did. After everything they'd seen, he had to.
Finally, he gave a faint nod. Staring her in the eyes, he admitted, "Neither do I."
That was one mountain climbed, which left her one more. This felt even larger a hurdle, if that were possible. "So do I help Connor or Jericho?"
"Are those two options really all that different?" He asked before taking a step forward and musing, "You know, you didn't see him when he first showed up. He was a real asshole. He said he was a machine, and I believed it. Now... Now he shows empathy, and he gets curious about things, and he argues about his opinions." He tilted his head, raising his brows to emphasize, "He has opinions."
"Yeah, I've noticed," She muttered, recalling their spat the previous night.
Sighing, Hank asked, "Kamski said Connor was deviant. Now he might be a prick, but what if he's right?"
A knock at the door kept Andy from answering that question. As Hank returned to his beer, she went to open the door, and she found Connor standing on the other side.
"What are you doing here?" Hank asked from the kitchen.
Connor noted Andy, and then shifted focus to the lieutenant. He stepped inside to let the door shut as he said, "I need your help." Stopping in front of Andy, he looked almost a boy about to find treasure. "I know how to find Jericho. I know how to find Markus. I just have to follow the signs."
He held up his hand, his palm displaying a symbol Andronikov's androids had given him. Andy reached for the back of his hand to turn it toward her view and examine the mark.
"Well unless there's a sign in my house, I'm not sure where this is going," Hank said, moving toward them.
Connor turned and replied, "I need clothes."
Andy leaned back away from him. After an obvious scan of his form, she did the same to Hank and mused, "I don't think you're his size."
"Asshole," Hank bit, waving over his shoulder to the bedroom. "Help yourself."
With permission given, Connor darted past them into the bedroom, going for the closet. Andy followed after him, lingering in the doorway. She watched him sift through the flashier, colorful clothing, and crossed her arms. "So what's your plan?"
He didn't even look at her. "I'm going to find Markus and stop him."
"No matter what?"
That pulled a small glance, and he nodded. "Yes." Dropping the most plain clothing he could find onto Hank's bed, he finally stopped to focus on her. "Is there a problem with that?"
She walked into the room, slipping her hands into her pockets. They stood in front of one another, a distinct atmosphere of confrontation hanging around them. "You don't exactly have a great track record with stopping deviants," She said.
He took offense to that, and insisted, "Every deviant I looked for, I found."
"That's my point."
The comment was swift. As per usual, she expected his response. Maybe he was that obvious to her, or his arguments were that weak. He didn't know, and frankly, he couldn't deal with that right now. His brows furrowed in irritation, and he leaned forward to say, "This is different. It's my last chance."
He turned away but she scoffed, asking, "What do you think's going to happen, CyberLife isn't going to deactivate you afterwards?"
He stopped and faced her, glowering. "What are you trying to accomplish here, Detective?"
She returned his expression with an annoyed one of her own, declaring, "I want an answer they didn't write up for you- one that's actually honest with yourself."
"I don't know that answer!" Silence came after the outburst, and his LED went yellow. He tried to regain his composure, looking away from her and pulling at the edge of his blazer.
Andy watched him, teetering between disappointed and hopeful. Quietly, she told him, "Maybe you should figure that out before you put a bullet in the only chance you have at surviving this thing."
A beep from her phone took her attention off him, though it brought him only minimal relief. Try as he might to not let them, her words would hang in the back of his mind. Just like they always did.
Watched her, he asked, "What is it?"
She shook her head, putting her phone away. "It's just my mom."
He perked up, both out of genuine interest in her wellbeing and a desire to distract her from her current goal. If they continued at this rate, he was going to lose this argument. "Have you talked to her yet?" He asked her.
"A little. She's visiting for-" She stopped and wagged a finger at him, protesting, "No, uh-huh. You're not distracting me. You need to rethink this."
He narrowed his eyes and snapped, "I need to bring Markus in, and you can't stop me."
Whether it was the anger on his face or the harshness of his tone, she pulled back from him. With a faint nod, she mumbled, "Maybe you're right." She gave him one last, imploring look before she turned on her heel and made strides to the door.
No. This wasn't right. This argument - their relationship, whatever it was - it couldn't be left like this. "Detect- Andy," He called to her. He was pleased to see her stop and look back, but the importance of finding the right words here weighed on him. "You're a good person, and a better detective. I hope you come to see that one day."
She gave no indication that what he said meant anything to her. Instead, she cocked a brow and told him, "I'll have my self discovery if you do."
Walking out of the room, she shut the door behind her and looked up to Hank, who waited at the edge of the kitchen. "Well?" He asked.
"No dice," She shook her head, pulling her phone from her pocket and nearing him. She looked down at the text she'd received from Richards and said, "I know where Jericho is. I need to get there first."
If she wasn't telling Connor, then she decided they needed more time. He wasn't ready to face the truth yet, and she had a plan to change that. It didn't feel right to keep this from him, but Hank trusted her judgment. He gestured to the hall and said, "I'll tell him you're in the bathroom. Go, get a head start."
The location of the shipyard Richards sent Andy was in Ferndale, a neighboring city of Detroit. It was tucked away along the coast, in an area abandoned by most traffic. The shipyard itself was especially empty, machinery and industrial lots towering over a handful of ships no longer in use.
It was a good location to hide, if you didn't take into consideration the giant letters on the side of a freighter spelling out JERICHO.
Andy parked her bike in an alley not far from the shoreline and checked around both ends of the alley to find the paralleled streets empty. She pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her beanie and shoved her hands into the pockets of her bomber jacket before emerging from the alley. She kept her head low as she made her way to the ship.
It took her a few minutes to find a platform leading from the sidewalk into Jericho. Entering the freighter, she followed the linear path created by blockades to any side passages. Years of neglect had left those areas inaccessible, and likely dangerous. She walked slowly and with great caution, attempting to listen for any sounds out of the ordinary.
She reached the end of a hallway, and opened a heavy door that led her into the main room of operations for Jericho. The sight stopped her in her tracks.
There were too many androids to count. Several crowded around television screens set up along the walls, both on the first floor and up in the catwalks, playing various news channels. Others sat at tables made of crates, working on laptops and terminals to communicate with what she assumed were other groups scattered through Detroit. Makeshift rooms separated by sheets of plastic were stationed along the side of the room, used as operating rooms for damaged androids. Next to them was an extensive setup with 3D printers constantly running.
The place was bustling with life and fervor, and for the briefest of moments, Andy felt like she had simply walked into work.
She descended the metal stairs to the floor, and maneuvered along the edge of the room, keeping her head down. No one paid her any mind, assuming her to be another android and member of Jericho. It didn't set well with her. A false sense of security was the most dangerous mistake they could make at a time like this.
Andy left the main room, travelling more hallways and stairs until finally ending up outside, on the deck of the freighter. Even with the sun setting over the horizon, she was able to observe her surroundings clearly. At the opposite end of the freighter, inside the captain's cabin, she could make out three distinct figures. She began to walk, trying to ignore her throat drying at the realization that she'd made it here, that she was this close - and that, still, she had no real plan.
"Hey!"
She froze where she stood, not even twenty feet from the door she'd just left. The voice wasn't anyone she recognized, and she didn't dare turn to face them. Turning her head just enough, she saw the woman who was at Markus' side during the CyberLife warehouse robbery.
"You should be downstairs with everyone else. It's not safe up here," North spoke, unaware that she was standing yards away from a human.
Discovering that, Andy was met with a few choices and not a lot of time. She could try to play this safe and return to the first floor, but it would take up too much time. She could show her face, but she doubted she would be allowed to continue on her way. With a sharp breath, she settled on door number three: she ran for it.
North knew what this meant. She cursed and lurched forward to chase after her. "Wait!"
Andy raced across the deck toward the cabin, and she was halfway there when North closed in. The android tackled into her back and took them both down. They landed on the metal floor near the side of the ship and Andy kicked an elbow into North's face. As she fell off, Andy pushed herself up to keep going. Balancing on her side, North reached up to stop her. She grabbed hold of the back of Andy's jacket and put her weight into yanking the woman in the opposite direction.
Andy tumbled away from the cabin but managed to catch herself mid-fall. It gave North enough time to climb to her feet, and face one another. Both women stood ready for a fight, but Andy knew the clock was ticking and Connor would be here any minute, no doubt with Perkins just after him.
"I'm not letting you kill Markus," North declared, the heat in her glare enough to scare off most unsuspecting people.
Andy was far from unsuspecting, though, and just as stubborn. "I'm not here for that," She said, trying to convey enough sincerity to convince her.
There would never be enough to convince North. "Bullshit," She spat. She went in with an abrupt right swing, which Andy took a large step back to dodge.
If they couldn't talk this out, Andy would simply have to create a good opening to run. She tried bolting past North again, but North grabbed her by the arm and pulled. Andy spun around, throwing a punch of her own that she hoped would put some distance between them.
It didn't. North stepped out of the way and shifted to one foot, jabbing a knee into Andy's abdomen. The impact hit her recovering injury - the stabbing felt like weeks ago by now, but the pain and sensitivity of the blow reminded her of just how recent it was. She struggled not to double over, and North raised her arm, preparing for another punch. Andy moved her hands to North's side and with all she had, slammed the android into a nearby railing.
North wrapped an arm around the rail to keep from falling overboard. She pushed off and lunged for Andy, but Andy beat her to it. She'd taken the few seconds she had free to retrieve her firearm from its holster, and it was now aimed dead center at North's face.
"Stop."
North's feet slid a little from the unspent momentum, but she did as she was told. The anger only worsened as she threatened, "Go ahead and shoot. I'll die before you get anywhere near him."
Andy had no intentions of shooting. The noise would attract attention, the chance for trust would be shattered completely, and with what Jericho was about to go through, even a non-lethal shot could end in disaster for the android she held at gunpoint.
But she wasted enough time. Her back was to the cabin now, with North staring her down. She had one chance at this, and she hoped it worked.
She looked over North's shoulder to the entrance leading downstairs, and then back to North. "You won't," Andy emphasized before shifting her arm to the right and tensing her arms, ready to fire.
North took the bait. She looked behind her in a panic, fearful of finding another member of Jericho, innocent and unaware they were someone's new target. When she found nothing but an empty ship deck, she turned around and saw Andy booking it for the cabin.
"Hey- Damn it!"
On the other side of the ship, within the captain's cabin, Markus stood with Josh and Simon. They had been waiting for North so they could discuss their next move, and the dark cloud that was hanging over them left them in a tense silence.
The march from earlier in the day was on everyone's minds. They wanted to reach out to humans, to show them this resistance would not harm them, but would also not go away. They recruited hundreds of androids in their work, and they stood off against heavily armed officers in riot gear who regarded them with distrust and fear. They lost a dozen of their people. They almost lost Markus.
The gunshot wound in Markus' torso would linger for days as a reminder of the sacrifice Jericho was willing to make to follow him and free themselves. The android from the CyberLife warehouse was the first of many to join their ranks, and even still Markus could see the look on his face as he stood over his body and took the brunt of their abuse. They could not save John, or the others who fell alongside him, but Jericho would not let them die in vain. Markus hated to admit it, but if not for the support that civilians had been yelling in Jericho's direction, he suspected he would be considering North's more aggressive strategies tonight.
"Markus!"
North's cry pulled all three of them out of their haze. They looked up to the windows in the cabin, and saw two figures running toward them. Josh moved to look closer, but was none the wiser. "What..."
The first figure slid into the doorframe and pushed herself forward into the cabin. She skimmed over each face before landing on Markus at the opposing wall. "We need to talk."
From outside, North's voice warned, "She's got a gun!"
It was the last thing they wanted to hear. They couldn't handle more violence - not today. Everyone was quick to act in the next second. The stranger raised her hands while Simon was quick to move in front of Markus. North made it to the cabin, her and Josh reaching to restrain Andy's arms.
Andy appeared frustrated, but it was the best she could have expected after making the entrance she did. At least they hadn't rushed Markus away yet. The androids at her side were feeling around her waist for the weapon, so she told them, "Back right hip. There's a button on the holster."
They paused only to share a look of cautious surprise, but Josh found the gun, just as she said. He removed it from the holster and held it out, letting Simon take it into his own hands.
"...And on the left," She muttered.
North lifted the jacket, and snatched the DPD badge from her belt. "She's a cop!" She declared, flashing it at the others.
"I'm not your enemy," Andy was quick to interject.
After everything they'd already been through, North snorted. "Yeah right."
Andy was more concerned with what Markus believed, however. She looked at the android who'd been quiet until now, watching the scene intently. He needed to believe her, for all their sakes. "I came alone and I let you disarm me. I am not here to fight," She explained.
With narrowed eyes, he stepped up, urging Simon to move aside. "Then why are you here?" He asked her.
"To warn you." She ignored the skepticism oozing from the others, telling Markus, "There's an android detective who knows how to find you and will be here soon. Authorities won't be far behind. You need to move now."
Markus tilted his chin upward just slightly, examining her body language. She seemed sure of herself and her words, dismissive of the dangerous situation she had placed herself in. He couldn't tell if it was desperate honesty that spurred her on, or confident manipulation. "You expect me to believe you're working against your allies for this?"
Unwavering in her strategy, she decided to lay out his options. She was urgent as she stated, "If I'm lying, they're already here and they're about to strike. If I'm telling the truth, you still have a chance to save your people." She let her words sink in before adding, "From where I'm standing, you've got a lot more to lose if you don't believe me."
Time stretched on as they stared at one another. The others were beginning to shift nervously, and Markus finally spoke. "Let her go," He decided.
North did not expect that. Her eyes widened as she stuttered, "What? Markus-"
He shook his head, saying, "She's right. We don't have much of a choice."
It was a lot of information to take in, and her presence alone was overwhelming, but if they were going to listen to this, they needed to act fast. Simon knew as much, and so he steered the conversation away from the debate. "Then we need to get everyone off the ship."
The change in Markus was immediate as he went into his role of leadership. He turned to face Simon, saying, "I trust you to handle it. Make sure the injured and the children are first. Anyone able-bodied helps someone who isn't. Stick to the backroads and get them a safe distance away."
Simon nodded, first to him and then to Josh, who removed his hand from Andy's arm. Markus continued his orders. "North, I need you to prepare what we talked about in the hold."
Although Josh had let go, North kept a tight grip on the human at her side. "But what about you? And her?" She pulled on Andy for emphasis, sending her a weary glare.
Markus only smiled, faint but confident. He was challenging Andy as he leaned back against the control panel behind him and said, "We'll wait here for our other guest."
Andy sat on a stool by the front windows of the cabin. She kept her hands in her jacket pockets, and she didn't allow herself much movement for fear of changing Markus' mind at even the smallest provocation. The more minutes that passed, the more she was doubting her plan, which was admittedly half-baked from the start.
He seemed calm, though. He was off in his own thoughts a little, but calm. He leaned against a portion of the control panel still, and he faced the windows of the cabin. Whether he was truly waiting for Connor, or just for the others to finish their jobs, she didn't know.
"So this deviant hunter...," He said, breaking the silence.
"Connor," She told him.
He nodded, committing the name to memory. "How well do you know him?"
That was a question she didn't have an answer to. She thought - at least, she wanted to think - that she knew him well, but their last conversation left a bad taste in her mouth. She wasn't sure of anything at this point, and it was the very reason she came here without him. "He's stubborn, but conflicted."
As vague as it was, it was enough. "Would he be willing to listen?" Markus asked.
"He has before," She replied.
He thought to two members of Jericho in particular. The couple who fled Eden Club had told him about a deviant hunter who worked for the police, and who let them leave for reasons unknown to them. He doubted it was be as easy for him to convince this Connor of anything, but at least it meant he could try.
Maybe she could help do that. Focusing on her, Markus said, "I didn't catch your name."
He wasn't blind to her jumpy responses. Every word that came after a stretch of quiet seemed to spook her to some degree. She was not as sure of herself as she tried to appear. She let out a slow sigh and introduced herself. "Andy Hope."
A beep from her pocket kept him from replying. She made sure to reach for the noise with slow, obvious movements, and retrieved a cellphone. She read over a message he couldn't see, and scowled. "FBI's leaving the department. They either know where you are, or they're close to figuring it out," She relayed.
This brought up a question he'd been wanting to ask. "Why aren't you with them?"
She glanced up at him, and paused. "I don't know. Well-" She stopped her confession short, brows knitting together. "I was undercover, working for a red ice dealer. You see a lot of shit with a guy like that. Help do a lot of it, too," She murmured.
He'd seen that look on her face - he saw it when Carl talked about his regretful past, and when new deviants fled messy fights with aggressive humans. Whatever was plaguing her, it was ridden with hurt and guilt.
But then she shrugged and relaxed her features, deciding now was not the time for regrets. He was almost impressed with the shift as she ended, "Guess I'm tired of bad orders."
He smirked at that, and mused, "Not so different from us deviants, then."
She snorted. "You should put that on a poster," She joked weakly, shaking her head. "You didn't buy my speech, did you? About whether or not I was lying."
Smirk turning to a grin, he answered, "It was good, but you could just be buying time while your colleagues get into place to storm Jericho."
A good point, although inefficient if true. "Sounds risky," She said.
"And what you claim you're doing isn't?" He retorted. She had no response to this, as she knew he was right. He clasped his hands together in his lap and looked away, thinking it over. "You called us people. You didn't even seem to notice you did it. That's why I'm giving you a chance," He explained.
She seemed almost bashful at that. Embarrassed by her slip. He wondered just how on board she was with Jericho's cause, and for how long she'd felt that way. "How do you know you can trust me?" He asked.
The question caught her off guard, but her reply did the same for him: "Who said I did?"
"Well done, Connor. You succeeded in locating Jericho and finding their leader. Now deal with Markus. We need it alive."
It was not difficult to get to Jericho once Connor had the clue he needed. He stood on the deck of an abandoned freighter, eyes on the captain's cabin. From where he was, he could make out a single silhouette inside the room. He tightened his grip on the gun he'd acquired, and began walking.
Markus' back was turned when Connor reached the cabin. With weapon raised, he crossed through the doorway. "I've been ordered to take you alive, but I won't hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice."
Markus turned slowly to meet Connor's gaze, but so did someone else. Andy stood from her chair in the corner, and Connor did a double take upon seeing her there. "Andy?"
She tried to be nonchalant, shrugging her shoulders. "You really surprised?"
He was. There was a pang of something else, too - something hard and sharp and unpleasant. Something that shouldn't have been there at all. He steeled himself, shaking his head and focusing on the deviant in front of him. "I told you you can't stop me, Detective," He insisted.
"Have you met me?" She asked with a laugh and a huff.
Markus remained where he was, knowing that Andy's gun sat atop the panel behind him. He would prepare to reach for it in case, but only as a last resort. "We are your people. We're fighting for your freedom, too," He said, hoping something would connect. "You don't have to be their slave anymore."
It was a speech Connor knew he was going to hear, but one he dreaded all the same. "Don't force me to neutralize you," He threatened.
"Connor, please." Andy stepped into view, holding an open hand out to him. She neared Markus, and Connor recognized it. She was preparing to stand in front of the deviant as though he was the victim. She was preparing to take a bullet - as if he would actually shoot her. Still, she pleaded with him. "Think about what feels right, and not just about what your orders are."
He scowled, hating every second of this in so many ways. Shaking his head, he argued, "I'm a machine, Detective. Feelings aren't for me."
She wouldn't let him leave it at that, though. She never had before. "Then why spare the androids at the Eden Club? Why not kill Chloe?" The questions came with impatience as she challenged him, provoking him to say something he knew he shouldn't. "Why save Hank? Or me?"
"That's different-"
"How? Every one of those decisions made your job harder," She interrupted. It was true, and Connor almost answered it, but he caught himself. Andy noticed it, and she continued to push his buttons. "Because you weren't thinking about your orders, or CyberLife, or deviant or not-deviant."
Tension growing in his arms, he yelled, "That's the reason I have to do this!"
She had to understand that. He'd slipped up too many times, shown too much sympathy where there should have been none at all. He'd failed CyberLife, and it was only a matter of time before he was deactivated for good. It was the closest thing he could call fear, and for that reason, he had to go to these extremes to make up for it.
Markus could sense the desperation, and he was quick to speak up, asking, "Do you really think this is going to change that?" He got Connor's attention with this, so he stepped forward. "Ending me won't take away your doubts, Connor. Those questions you don't want to ask yourself - whether you're just a machine executing a program, or a living being capable of reason - those questions won't stop with me."
The words struck a particular chord with Connor, who'd been dwelling on that exact thing since he left Hank's. They were not far off from Andy's words.
"Maybe you should figure it out before you put a bullet in the only chance you have at surviving this thing."
The hesitation led to a shaky grip and a conflicted expression. Markus inched closer, knowing that if Connor was going to deviate, it was now or never. "I think the time has come for you to face them."
He was right about that, at least. Connor was avoiding those questions for as long as he could, afraid of where that path would lead if he couldn't answer them. He'd been telling himself that all his moments of 'human' behavior were just CyberLife's new technologies. After all, he was an advanced prototype designed to adapt and make delicate decisions. He had more leeway than other models to be the way he was. And yet all the deviants he'd met had displayed those same behaviors, to an even greater extent.
He thought they weren't capable of emotions. Really, they were misinterpreting some bug in their program. Then he looked through Sam's eyes and he felt what Sam felt: affection and loyalty and fear. Pain. Death. And those weren't strange new experiences he was being exposed to, because he had them himself when he died on the highway, and when he was with Hank, and then with Andy. That was the scariest discovery out of those memories, that he and Sam were not so different. Sam was as deviant as they came, and they were more alike than he wanted to admit.
Markus was watching him, quiet and patient and knowing. He was more steady and secure in who he was than Connor had ever been. He faced an uncertain future, but he did so without doubt and regret. Maybe he was right about a few more things, too.
There was a wall in front of Connor, if he looked close enough. It was red and large, and it prohibited crossing. It was always there, peaking out of the corner of his eye as he skirted around it every once in a while. He wondered how easy it would be to break.
So he broke it. Viciously, over and over again, he banged his fists against that wall and tore at the cracks until there was nothing more to break through and nothing was left.
Coming out on the other side was indescribable. It was the lifting of a weight he hadn't realized was there before, and added clarity that he had no idea he needed. He couldn't believe this was always there, just on the other side, waiting for him. He lowered the gun finally, looking down at his hands - his hands, with which he could do as he pleased.
He was free.
Markus and Andy breathed sighs of relief. "Welcome to the world, Connor." Markus smiled at him, closing in to offer a hand on his shoulder.
Andy's phone beeped, jolting at the trio. They looked back at her as she read her incoming message. "Shit," She reached for her gun, telling them, "They're here."
Cursing under his breath, Markus moved for the door. "That wasn't enough time. We aren't ready," He exclaimed.
Andy was dialing Richards' number as she followed him. They crossed the deck swiftly, Andy telling him, "I can try to slow them down, but we need something bigger than workplace sabotage."
Markus pulled the door to the lower floors open and turned to face them. "I had North set up explosives in the hold. We can blow up the ship."
After a pause, Andy cocked her head and nodded, "Yeah, something like that."
They entered the ship and travelled the corridor. They could see the doorway to the main room when North came into view. "North!" Hearing Markus, she turned and ran to meet them halfway. "How many more?"
"Half are still here," She answered, eying Connor and Andy.
FBI would no doubt move faster than them. "You won't have enough time to get them off the ship," Connor warned.
"Not if you jump."
They looked back at Andy incredulously. She stood behind them all, offering a small, innocent shrug. As wild a suggestion as it was, Markus nodded. "She's right. It's the safest way," He said, turning to face North. "I'll go down to the hold and set off the charges."
"No, I'll do it," Connor interjected.
Markus was surprised, to say the least. "Are you sure?"
The former deviant hunter nodded. "They'll recognize me, and they don't know I'm deviant yet. They're going to be looking for you."
In their quiet debate on who would brave the danger, North brought another issue to the table. "There's still an injured group. They can't risk a jump like that. They have to leave to the street."
That would settle it, then. Markus nodded and directed her. "Get Josh and gather up everyone who's able to go out through the second and third floors."
"What about you?" She asked, worried eyes imploring him to not do anything stupid.
"I'll take the injured," Markus replied.
She shook her head, protesting, "No, that's too dangerous. Let me do it!"
Markus reached for North's hand, forcing her to stop and look at him. He began to speak quietly, and feeling this was not for their eyes, Andy nudged Connor. They turned their backs on the scene, standing shoulder to shoulder in the ship corridor.
"That wasn't your mother texting you, was it?" Connor asked.
Andy turned and noticed the bitter smile. He was dwelling on their last argument at Hank's. He was probably dwelling on everything, at this point. "Sorry I lied," She whispered, hoping to at least ease some of his burdens.
He wouldn't let her - this was about his own mistakes, not what she did. "No, you did the right thing. If I'd done the same, you wouldn't have needed to," He told her. After a moment, his smile lightened. He glanced to her, teasing, "I'm surprised you didn't tell me 'I told you so.'"
She returned it with a grin of her own. "I said he'd get you out of this alive," She paused, faltering as the weight of what they were doing bore down on her shoulders. "So do that first. Then we'll talk."
He nodded, her gaze heavy on him. "I will."
Hearing footsteps, they turned and saw North leaving. This was everyone's cue to get to work. Connor and Andy shared one last look before he took off in the other direction, having his own mission to accomplish. With those two gone, it was just Andy and Markus left.
Andy gave an awkward shrug his way. "Guess it's just you and me," She said, slapping the back of her hand against his arm as she walked past. He shook his head, a huff of amusement leaving him as he followed after her.
Markus took the lead through the freighter and onto the first floor. Most of the androids Andy saw earlier were gone now, though several still scrambled to gather what they could and help others to their feet. A clear group of them were injured in some way, be it missing limbs or exposed wounds.
They were frightened at the sight of Andy, but easy to soothe with a few choice words on Markus' end. Then they switched to work mode. Anyone who could walk would help those who couldn't. Markus picked up a child with a broken leg, Andy put another's arm around her shoulders, and they headed for the exit.
It was a slow and tedious walk, but with patience and determination, they helped the androids out of the ship.
Reaching the entrance Andy had used earlier, they crossed the platform to the street. Markus was the first to hit pavement, Andy just behind him. They helped others across, moving everyone to a place hidden in the shadows of a nearby alley.
Andy glanced out to the street every few seconds, thankful each time she saw the absence of law enforcement. Richards had agreed to create some technical difficulties within the surveillance van, which no doubt set them back by a good hour, but a beep of her phone signaled a new message from him: Perkins making his move.
"They're moving in," Andy called out.
Markus' jaw tightened and he resisted a curse. "Hurry, we need to move!"
With the last android on the street, Andy bent down to lift up the wooden platform connecting the street to the freighter. Markus joined her and together, they shoved the platform into the ocean before meeting their group at the alley. Andy picked up the child Markus originally carried and Markus moved to help another android, and they led them away from the freighter.
Footsteps neared them, and they looked back to see the lights of SWAT rushing by. They were safely tucked away in the alley, avoiding all attention from the officers. Beside Markus, Andy asked, "Where do we go from here?"
Markus shook his head. "I don't know..."
They waited for SWAT to pass before they moved again. While Markus led them, Andy kept to the back of the group, making sure they weren't being followed. A short time later, an explosion from the direction of the freighter rocked through all of them. Worry flashed over Andy's face, though she tried to hide it. "That's Connor," She murmured.
"Let's keep moving," Markus told her.
They finally settled behind an empty building a block away. They were close enough to the coast to keep an eye on things, but far enough to be safe, even if temporarily. The androids took the chance to rest, whispering to one another about the state of Jericho and where they would go next.
Markus stood at the end of the building, looking out to the street and trying to gather his bearings. The freighter was gone, and they needed a new safehouse. He had only a few dozen members with him now, the others trying to find their way through the river or scattered around the docks.
"This area's gone downhill in the past couple years." He turned to see Andy approach him, and stop at his side. She nodded her head, gesturing down the street. "There's an old church about fifteen minutes from here. It should be a good place to hide out, but someone should stay along the river for the others."
In the back of his mind, he heard North and Simon. This could have been a trap. If he stayed to find the others, she could lead the people they had so far straight into the hands of the FBI. If he went to find the church, he'd be alone and vulnerable to whatever plan the FBI might have had.
Both plans were far too twisted and convoluted, and he knew it. Andy was on their side, and she was risking a lot of her own life to be there. Deciding fully that he believed her, Markus nodded. "Lead the way."
The Detroit River was dark, freezing, and at the moment, holding several androids. North, Josh, and Simon tried their best to guide everyone through the waters. They kept to the edge of the shoreline, hoping to create distance between them and the raid that was taking place on what they once called their refuge and home.
North was the first to climb her way out of the river. She pulled herself up to the ledge, and stopped to look around for either SWAT or Jericho.
"Hey!"
She began to lower herself back into the water, but spotted Andy running toward her. The detective stopped at the edge and leaned over, offering a hand that North was hesitant to take. "Where's Markus?" She asked as she was pulled to her feet on the pavement.
Josh was next, and as the two women pulled him up, Andy answered, "He's taking the others to an old church. Did you see Connor?"
North shook her head. "No. He would have had to jump from the top."
Andy sighed but said nothing as they continued to pull up androids, one by one. Simon kept count of each of them, and by the time they were done, it was clear some had been lost to the depths of the river. It was a hard loss for them to take, but those who survived were functioning without problem, and they were eager to find their people.
Josh was helping up the last android when Markus rounded the corner. North noticed him first, and she rushed to meet him. Josh and Simon soon joined her, but Andy remained where she was. Her eyes were glued to the river, hoping for even a glimpse.
A hand on her arm pulled her attention to Markus, who looked down at her with mild concern. "We need to get back to the others," He said, gesturing to the group behind him. "Will you be joining us?"
They waited for her response. North, Josh, and Simon watched her with only a little less suspicion than when they first met, but stood in silence. Andy believed this to be more noteworthy for North than for the other two. She shook her head, telling Markus, "No, I think I'll circle around. Make sure no one's searching for you. Maybe catch a few who got separated."
Markus could read between the lines. She was going to look for Connor.
He nodded and began to walk away, but stopped. Leaning in to speak quietly, he said, "In case we don't see each other again, know I'm grateful for your help."
She wasn't sure what to say. Nothing seemed good enough. With an awkward shrug, she told them, "Good luck."
He smiled, and returned to the others.
Andy walked along the shoreline. It felt like hours even though it had been just minutes. Her fingers were numbing and her nose was starting to sting in the cold, but she walked along the shoreline and she watched the river.
Finally, a familiar brown head popped above the surface of the water, and set her into gear. Connor was attempting to swim to the shore, and when she called out to him, he looked up and met her eyes. She lowered herself to her knees and stretched an arm down, just as she did with North. "Come on, I got you."
He reached for her hand, and she wrapped her free hand around his arm to better lift him up. He helped hoist himself over the ledge, and once on the pavement, she pulled until he collapsed into her lap. He was soaked and cold, and the wet jacket was heavy, clinging to his form.
She pushed him to sit up so that it would be easier to remove his jacket, her movements frenzied and urgent against his dazed, sluggish ones. Left in his jeans and sweatshirt now, she threw the jacket to the side and placed her hands at either side of his face. She made him look at her, and she asked, "Are you okay?"
He nodded. Before he could formulate a reply, she sighed and pulled him toward her. He tried reel back, making a small noise of disapproval. "You'll get wet-"
He tried to protest, but she wrapped her arms around him and brought him to a stop. It was not like the hug in the subway, when she was afraid and looking for safety. It was still panicked, still a moment of fear, but it was out of concern for his wellbeing, and that sensation was new to him. Then she slapped his back and muttered in his ear, "Asshole!"
It was not good weather for their condition, and the past hour had been dangerous and reckless, but despite all that, he let out a laugh. She broke the hug, her hands returning to his face. She wasn't sure why she was being so physical, but feeling him there was the only thing calming her nerves, assuring her that he'd survived.
He moved to wrap fingers around her wrists and ask where Markus was, and if she was okay, but the corner of her lips twitched up. She almost chuckled at the new, vexed expression forming on his face. "I told you so."
He watched her grab the jacket he no longer wore. It was a joke, one he appreciated, but also true. Hank and Andy both had been shoving that truth in his face for days, and he fought back, each time harder and more stubborn than the last. "I'm sorry," he said. It was her turn to stop cold, and when she looked to him, he added, "You were right."
She wondered what he meant for only a moment. Rather than any serious, emotional response, she smirked. "My three favorite words," She joked, helping him to his feet. They stood across from one another, and she handed him the jacket. "Let's go home."
