November 23, 2038

Andy was to have two appointments each week with Doctor Nazarian, and at the end of December, adjustments would be made to her counseling. She stared down at her phone now, a confirmation for the next session having been recently sent to her. It was on the day before Thanksgiving, which was a good thing, as her mother would no doubt have her on the phone most of the holiday.

"Welcome back, Hank."

She hid her phone away upon hearing Ben, and found Hank and Connor walking through the precinct. As they approached, she leaned her chair back and grinned. "Good morning."

Hank stood behind his desk and delivered a hard, grouchy stare. "Kiss my ass," He told her.

It didn't faze her any. After three slow days on her own and not much to show for it other than several dead ends, Andy was glad to have him there. Even if he was complaining already.

She and Connor shared a silent greeting as Hank went on to grumble, "There's a damn media circus outside, waiting on Jericho to show up. Bunch of vultures." Draping his jacket over the top of his seat, he nodded his head toward Fowler's office and asked, "Those the CyberLife reps?"

She leaned her head around to look to the other side of the bullpen. Through the glass walls of the captain's office, they could see three figures speaking to the man at his desk. One was a familiar enough face - it had almost been a full week since Danielle Carnegie argued against Connor's freedoms in that same room.

"Got here a few minutes ago," Andy answered. With a mocking smile, she added, "They have demands."

Hank snorted, sitting down. "Shocking."

Connor remained beside the desks and watched the scene. The two men with Carnegie were unfamiliar to him, but based on their appearance and their briefcases, he assumed them to be lawyers. "Markus is on his way. Apparently there was a disagreement regarding who would accompany him," He commented.

"Y'know, for a couple of androids, you'd think they'd have their shit a little more together," Hank observed, turning on his computer.

He hadn't met North, Andy thought to herself, but she brushed off his comment and focused on Connor. "How are you doing?"

He shook his head. "I went over Jericho's plans in the car ride here. I've prepared them for every argument I can predict CyberLife will make, but I can't be certain I've thought of everything."

"You'll be fine," Hank dismissed.

Connor turned to respond, but his LED went yellow as a message reached him. He straightened his back and his hands went to his collar in an attempt to smooth out his blazer. "They're here."

Andy and Hank watched him as he continued to stand there, unmoving and blank faced. They shared an uncertain glance before Andy pushed up to her feet. She slid past him, slapping him on the arm. His eyes darted to her as she passed by, and he jumped to follow her.

The sight of Markus and Josh in the lobby of the DPD was an interesting one. Every press outlet in Detroit was stationed outside the steps of the front doors, cameras honed in through the glass doors and windows. The few civilians in the lobby kept to their corners on the chairs by the walls, but eyed them with curiosity and bundles of nerves.

Coming through the doorway, Andy crossed the lobby and called out, "Hey."

They turned toward her, and Markus smiled when he saw the familiar detective. "Andy, it's good to see you again," He said, meeting her halfway, "I hope you weren't in too much trouble after the protests?"

Shrugging, she joked, "Turns out I wrote the will for nothing." He chuckled, and she ushered them into the bullpen. "I'll take you to Captain Fowler."

They greeted Connor, who remained awkwardly behind her, and the group began their walk through the precinct. They neared the office, and saw the representatives still inside. "CyberLife, I take it?" Markus asked.

"That's them," Andy nodded, "Already trying to kiss Fowler's ass."

As they reached the office, the man himself took note of them. He stood from his desk and brushed past his visitors to leave, and they followed. Everyone convened just outside the room, a meeting all of DPD had stopped to watch.

Before Fowler could speak, Danielle Carnegie stepped up to Markus. She was front and center of her group, and she introduced only herself. "Danielle Carnegie, CyberLife Representative. You must be Markus."

He nodded, and held out a hand for her to shake. "I am."

That was the moment Andy felt deserved to go in a history book. Carnegie looked down at this android's hand, almost surprised it had been offered, and the men behind her certainly seemed bemused by the display. Markus stood strong, unwavering in his bid for coexistence and civility. While CyberLife may have looked to be the elite corporation running the show, Markus had been the one to extend the first olive branch, in more ways than one. It made a very loud statement.

Straining on a tight smile, Carnegie finally put her hand in his. She looked to Fowler for intervention, so he cleared his throat and waved a hand toward the hallway leading to the back rooms. They filed past him, but when Connor failed to do so, Fowler narrowed his eyes. "The meeting's that way."

Connor shifted, nervous under the scrutiny. He hadn't told Fowler his plan to avoid CyberLife, but it didn't occur to him he would need to. "I won't be joining the meeting-"

"The hell you won't," Fowler started. Leaning forward, he spoke quietly so that the others couldn't hear him, "This was your idea. If I have to sit through this shit, so do you."

Still beside him, Andy's eyes darted down to the floor as Connor's miffed stare shifted to her. Rather than call her out as the true mastermind, he bit out a quiet confirmation of the order and began to walk by. "You got this," She whispered to him, but his head snapped back to glare. It was more of a pout, Andy thought, but she offered a smile and a thumbs up as he left with the others.


The conference room in the back of the DPD was the most sterile, and soundproof, room in the building. A large rectangular table occupied most of the space, with a TV screen on each of the end walls. The wall that ran along the hallway was made entirely of glass, and much like Fowler's office, could frost over and hide the room with a single switch.

CyberLife stood at the side of the table near the doors, Carnegie in the middle of her associates. On the opposite side was Markus, with Josh on his left and Connor, reluctantly, to his right. Fowler was at the end of the table, and had just finished detailing the limit of his involvement in this meeting. He was not on either side, and was only there to ensure things were done genuinely.

It was Markus to speak first afterward. "I'd like to thank CyberLife for agreeing to this meeting, Miss Carnegie. I recognize how hard it was to do."

She considered him and his comment, and then said, "Just so you know where we stand on this, we weren't initially going to." Glancing to the man at her right, she went on, "Our legal council advised us, however, that we need to know what the world will look like should the worst come to pass."

Markus paused. "The worst?"

She nodded as though it were obvious, as though he was ignorant for asking. "Freedom for androids, of course."

He leaned back, now with a clear picture of exactly where CyberLife stood on the issue. He knew this was going to be a difficult meeting, and any amount of success was improbable, but hearing it so bluntly was a surprise. He regained his composure, though, and said, "Just so you know where we stand, Miss Carnegie, we have no intention of giving up until we make your... worst-case scenario a reality."

"Now seeing as we walked in here with the support of most of this nation and with no fuss from the DPD, for which I also extend my gratitude," He nodded to Fowler on his right, then returned to her, "I think it's in everyone's best interest for us to discuss this as if rights for androids are certain."

They stared one another down. Where Carnegie was uncomfortable and exasperated, Markus was stubborn and collected.

She looked to her lawyer and nodded. Clearing his throat, he finally stated, "The following discussion is hypothetical until the President of the United States declares androids intelligent life. Nothing we agree upon today will be binding or see fruition until then."

"If that time comes," Carnegie tensely interjected.

There was another pause, but Markus nodded. It was the best they would get. "Jericho accepts this."


"What do you think they're talking about?"

At their desks in the bullpen, Hank scoffed and looked up from his computer. He'd been reading over the files Andy gathered on Stewart Combs and the man's contacts. While she waited for him to finish, Andy was swiveling in her chair and watching the hallway she'd seen Jericho and CyberLife travel.

She was bugging him. "How the hell should I know?" He asked her, scowling.

She shrugged and started to reply, but Chris Miller leaned around the cubicle divider and knocked on the wall. "We got a homicide. 400 Monroe Street."

Gesturing toward him, Hank told Andy, "Now there's something I do know."

She smirked at the comment as she threw her feet off her desk. They both stood and grabbed their jackets, when a gunshot rang out in front of the Detroit Police Department.

The next ten seconds were a blur. Everyone who worked at the DPD had kicked into gear, and were retrieving their firearms. Amid the screams of the public, Andy yelled at Chris to bring them bulletproof vests. Civilians were rushed inside, under the safety of cover, and officers lined the street to secure the perimeter.

Someone was hit. Two officers were pulling a camera man inside, blood seeping through the shirt at his sleeve. Joss Douglas was right behind them, carrying the man's equipment and keeping his head low. The receptionist was on the phone with dispatch, requesting ambulances.

Gavin Reed stood over the wounded camera man, and yelled to anyone who would listen, "Where was he standing?"

Shaking, Joss pointed to just outside the doors. "He- He was in front of the steps, recording the doors!"

Andy had moved to the entrance, eyes on the parking garage across the street. She couldn't see movement, but it was the only logical place he could have stationed himself. "He's on the roof," She called.

Chris made it to the lobby with a number of vests in his arms. She and Hank took two off him, but as Andy put hers on, Hank tossed his toward Gavin, who caught it with ease.

"Go!"


The group in the conference room was unaware of the excitement taking place down the hall. They had taken their seats at the table, and began going down the list of things Jericho wanted from CyberLife.

The second man with Carnegie turned out to be an accountant. He was proving to be the biggest challenge, much to Jericho's dismay, as he had shot down everything so far. If they wanted anything, they would have to either get through to him, or bypass him altogether.

"We cannot provide biocomponents to every broken android," He stressed to them, a disbelieving huff accompanying the rejection.

Josh leaned forward, asking, "Why not?"

"Because they need to make money," Connor answered for CyberLife. The androids with him looked over in surprise. It was the first time he said anything since the start of the meeting. He'd been watching the three CyberLife representatives like a hawk until that point, trying to understand what each of their roles were in this meeting. It was becoming increasingly obvious CyberLife was only here as a show of good will for publicity.

Carnegie nodded, confirming his observation. "Which I doubt any of you have," She chided them before gaining a tiny, amused smile. "Think what you want of us, but we are a business. Not even healthcare is free."

As the conversation continued, Fowler's phone started to vibrate in his pocket.

There was a strain in Markus' voice as he said, "We can't pay for anything without opportunity to earn."

Carnegie almost laughed. "Now you suggest we give you jobs?"

'10-99' shone up at Fowler from the text on his phone, and Connor was the only one to notice the shift on his face. He stood quickly enough for his legs to shove into his chair, and the noise stopped the conversation short. "Give me a moment," He said before striding out of the room.

Sitting straighter, Carnegie held up her hands in a bewildered shrug as she watched him leave. "Excuse me- Captain Fowler-!"

This wasn't just an excuse to leave, though Connor had been wanting one. He stood from his own seat and was hot on the captain's trail, silently leaving the room before the door had even shut behind the man.

Carnegie was stunned. She slowly looked from her associates and then to Jericho, the group she'd now been left alone with in the conference room. Realizing this, Markus put on a polite smile and asked, "Shall we continue?"


After locking down the parking garage to keep anyone from coming or going, Andy and Gavin led a group of officers through the structure. It was quiet but tense work, and they communicated with various hand signs to direct the officers around corners and to hold the floors as they finished each sweep.

Making it to the roof, the two detectives posted themselves at either side of the door. Andy nodded, and Gavin reached for the knob, twisting it open and giving the door one solid push. Andy's weapon went out first, and when no one was in the immediate vicinity, she stepped out onto the top floor of the garage.

Gavin left next, and the three officers they still had with them left after him. While one remained at the doorway, everyone else covered the roof, searching for signs of life. Andy was the one to hit the corner that was closest to the DPD, and when she found no one there, she approached the side.

Propped against the half-wall of the ledge was a dead android. She knelt beside him, examining the deep indent along the right side of his head, and arms that were only still attached due to the cables. 'DEATH TO ANDROIDS' was painted on his forehead in thirium. This kill was quicker. He didn't have time to carve his calling card.

The others cleared their areas, and they all went to meet at the doors. When Andy wasn't there, they went looking for her. She heard their footsteps and looked back as they turned the corner, coming upon a scene that would sit with them for a long while.


"How much of your staff were already android employees before the march?" Markus questioned. It was mostly rhetorical. He knew the answer - many of those employees were part of Jericho now.

It was a good effort, Carnegie thought, but a fruitless one. Her smirk said as much as she dismissed his inquiry. "There's a forty-seven percent unemployment rate in this country. Staff is the least of our concern."

He nodded, but didn't let it go. "All right. You say you're a business, so look at it pragmatically. With human staff, you'd have to train new employees and offer benefits. Our people already know the work, and the only benefits they need would come directly from your own factories. All we want is payment in exchange for our labor."

For the briefest of moments, it seemed Carnegie was giving it some consideration. Her delay in responding to him led the lawyer at her side to lean forward. "Is this before or after you also demand reparations?" He asked, snide.


When Andy and Gavin returned to the department, Fowler was standing with Connor and his lieutenants. He saw them come in from the lobby, and waved them over to the group.

They were approaching as Gavin began his report to the captain. "Parking garage was empty. We got guys circling the area, but I don't think we're catching this asshole any time soon."

Beside him, Andy added, "There was a dead android on the roof. Ben's bringing him in now, but my money's on Stewart Combs."

Combs was fast becoming a bogeyman in the department, and if he was going after humans now, it was Fowler's primary concern brought to life. Detroit was going to be reduced to a panic, and soon. Rubbing a hand across his mouth, Fowler cursed his breath and thought over their next move. "Okay, where's Douglas?"

"At the hospital with the camera guy. I had him leave his equipment behind," Hank answered.

Richards was already moving away from the group as he said, "I'll see if I can get any footage off the camera."

Fowler nodded in approval, and then leaned in to look at those who stayed in front of him. Despite the fact the conference room was on the other end of the building, he kept his voice low, as though they might hear anyway. "I want this quiet. No one in that meeting down the hall can know about this until I say so."

He pointed between Hank and Gavin, saying, "Whatever case you two had goes to Reed. I want you at Combs' house. See if he's been back since CSI let it go."

"I should go with them." They looked to Connor, who explained, "Maybe I can find something they can't."

Fowler wasn't in the mood to care about policy or argue with an android. With a heavy sigh, he nodded and waved them off. As everyone dispersed, he headed to meet with the officers out on the street.


Reparations were no doubt going to be the most complicated part of the CyberLife meeting, and Markus had hoped to hold it in his pocket until he made more progress. With the topic now breached, he had little choice but to tell them what Jericho wanted to demand.

"Our people want a place they can call their own."

Throwing up a hand as he looked down to his paperwork, the lawyer huffed, "And here it is."

Josh's eyes narrowed at the man, but he refrained from any outburst. There was a reason he was with Markus and not North. "CyberLife has warehouses they used to store androids. They've been empty since the march."

"And who would maintain those buildings? Jericho, or CyberLife?" Carnegie questioned.

"CyberLife made us, they should be responsible for helping us," He replied, unable to keep some of a frustrated edge out of his tone.

Markus spoke up. "We have no intentions of seeking long term help. We just want to live our lives, independently. That means work, travel, and our own homes."

Carnegie turned her attention to her accountant. He looked over his work on the table, and then to the androids. Hesitant to know the answer, he asked, "How long would you want funding?"

"Five years."


Hank and Connor had never been to the Combs residence. When they climbed out of his car, Hank strolled his way to the front door, and took his time examining the porch. "So this is Combs' place, huh?"

Andy glanced out to the grass, now no longer maintained by the neighbor. "With an uglier yard," She remarked. He snorted as they walked into the house.

It was immediately clear to them that he'd been back to his home. The kitchen alone was a big enough sign, with crumpled grocery bags and old takeout boxes on the dining table and overflowing in the trash-can. Hank waved to the scene, saying, "Judging by the junk food, I'd say he's been here since CSI."

"There's quite a bit of thirium," Connor called out, looking to the living room where pools of blue blood had stained the carpet. "It's all old."

Thinking to what she saw of the android on the roof, Andy said, "The android from today was probably killed on the way to the shooting."

"Wonder if it was planned or if the poor bastard just saw something he shouldn't have," Hank pondered, moving across the room to the stairs.

He left to the second floor while Andy searched the kitchen. Connor went into the bathroom, and peeked his head out seconds later. "There's hair in the trashcan. He shaved recently."

Andy wasn't surprised. Holding the fridge open, she said, "Yeah, the milk's not even expired. He just came back like he was living a normal life."

She walked away from it, and Connor began searching the contents of the drawers. She slowed in her movement, watching him with pursed lips and a thoughtful stare. She didn't want to push too hard again, but there was a question lingering in her mind. "So does Markus know you're not at the station?" She asked.

He didn't look up at her, still sifting through papers in the drawer. "You heard the captain. He doesn't want them or CyberLife knowing about this."

It was one thing to keep secrets from her, but she suspected it was another entirely to keep them from Jericho. Whatever he thought of Andy or whatever he thought he had to protect her from - that didn't apply for Markus. He needed to know if something was wrong, and Connor's actions were looking more like fear or guilt than they were nobility.

"Connor," She called, finally getting his attention. She shook her head, mumbling, "Come on, man. You got to talk to him."

Maybe she was right, but he would decide that later. He was quiet as he turned away from her, and stood to his feet. "I'll see if Hank's found anything upstairs," He finally said.

She scoffed and watched him climb the stairs, yelling after him, "You're gonna talk eventually!"

Shaking her head, she returned to her task. There was a side room to the den, which appeared to be an office. Most of the bookshelves had been emptied by CSI by now, and a desk was sitting under a shuttered window on the far wall. To the right was a closed roll-top desk, a painting of an ocean placed above it. The roll-top was closed, and she was met with resistance upon trying to open it.

The flat desk was covered in loose papers, all of which had to be recent. CSI would have confiscated them otherwise. Some were delirious ramblings, and others were printed maps and scribbled plans. There were profiles on reporters like Joss Douglas - likely the true target of today's shooting - and other people like CyberLife employees, Jericho leaders, and President Warren herself.

It was the workings of a man who was going to take down half the country, if he had his way.

She opened each drawer to that desk, finding most empty or home to trivial office supplies and electrical parts. It was the bottom drawer that held a key. She went back to the roll-top and tried it in the lock, hearing it open as she turned it.

She grabbed the two handles to lift the case, but felt it strike something hard - and then she heard a click.


Upstairs, Connor entered the bedroom Hank was searching. The lieutenant held up one of many candles, saying, "He wasn't even turning on his lights in case the neighbors saw something." Scoffing, he muttered, "For all we know, he came back the second the tape went down."

"Based on the amount, that seems accurate," Connor confirmed, looking at the array of candles around the room. Combs had been prepared for this, to hide for an extended period of time.

Shaking his head, Hank complained, "I knew SID should have put up surveillance nearby, but no, that's too many resources."

Connor was looking out the window when he replied, "SID is already stretched thin. Until the Captain knows how he should handle androids, I can't blame him."

Hank stopped in his investigation, and turned to eye Connor. They hadn't talked much lately. Connor was gone most of the past few days, and Hank was on paid leave. Even so, he noticed how Connor had been acting. He was unsettled by something, and he wasn't letting anyone in on it.

"How was that meeting going, anyway?" Hank asked, skirting around the main issue.

Thinking to what he'd heard before he left, Connor wasn't sure. "Jericho has many requests. I doubt CyberLife will approve most of them."

Waving toward him, Hank asked, "What happened to that optimistic jackass you been lately?"

Connor frowned. "The public is one thing, but CyberLife doesn't feel the same way. They don't have anyone's best interest in mind but their own," He stated, perhaps the closest he'd been to being truthful about CyberLife.

It didn't sit right with Hank. Connor risked a lot to help Jericho, and now that the first hurdle was overcome, he was keeping his distance. Hank felt like they were back to the way things were weeks ago, when Connor was letting deviants run away but refusing to admit why.

"Hey, Connor, come take a look at this!" Andy yelled from downstairs, cutting their conversation in the bedroom short.


Hitting the bottom step in the living room, Connor called out, "Andy?"

"In here."

He followed the voice to the office. "What is it?" He asked, crossing through the doorway.

She stood at the roll-top desk, and was halfway through opening the lid. She remained in that exact position, like a moment frozen in time, and she didn't let go or turn away as he came into view. She wasn't moving so much as a muscle, in fact, and she spoke quietly. "I need you to look inside this desk."

His brows were furrowing as he approached her. She hadn't explained anything, and he started to kneel beside her, doing as she asked. "I don't...," He trailed off.

Inside the desk, at the very back, was a mechanism built out of spare parts and an old world landmine. A pressure plate at the top had been depressed, the bomb had not detonated, and the situation only remained so because Andy kept a steady hand on the roll-top handles.

It was a fear like no other.

"Andy...," He started, his voice soft and low.

It didn't help keep her calm, but it did confirm what she already knew. "Fuck," She gasped out, eyes closing.

His hand went toward her, but he didn't touch her, afraid it would make her jump. "Don't... move," He ordered.

If she could have given a dramatic nod, she would have, but her sarcastic tone would have to do. "Yeah, got that," She exclaimed.

He stood to his feet, and looked down at her. She was staring ahead with a hard expression, trying to control her breathing. "I'll be right back," He whispered. He gave her a moment to process his words before he turned and left the room, yelling, "Hank!"

The lieutenant was on the stairs seconds later, coming down to the first floor. "What is it?"

Connor met him at the foot of the stairs, and told him, "You need to leave."

"What?" Hank scoffed.

"Andy triggered a bomb in the office."

There was no good way to say it, as Hank was always going to react the same. Eyes going wide, he yelled, "What?! Andy-"

He tried to bolt for the office, but Connor's hand went against his chest and he shoved the man back toward the wall with ease. He was firm, holding up a hand to stop him as he said, "You need to evacuate this block and call for bomb squad." Lowering his voice, he told Hank, "I need her to calm down, and she needs to know you're safe."

Hank had a feeling that he was leaving that house, willing or not - Connor would drag him out if he had to. "Andy?" He called.

"I'm fine. Just get out of here, Hank."

As much as he hated it, he moved for the front door, and went for his phone.


Normalcy was returning to the DPD, though not completely. An ambulance was parked outside, and officers spoke with the scared civilians who'd been witness to a sniper. Some of the news outlets jumped into work, and all along the sidewalk outside the department, reporters were speaking into their cameras.

Lieutenant Richards left the SID office, heading for Fowler's office with a datapad in hand. He was waved in, the door shut behind him, and they discussed the contents on the pad. On Fowler's desk, his phone started to ring. The conversation paused as he answered the call, and Richards watched his expression change.

Fowler jumped up from his desk and didn't have to say much to Richards to get him moving as quickly. The door to his office burst open and the two men stormed out. A few officers looked up at the sound, and saw Fowler run for the first time in years.


A small knock on the conference room door pulled Jericho and CyberLife from the contentious debate that was brewing between them. Chris Miller stepped inside, and walked up to the edge of the table. "I was told to check in on everyone," He told them.

"Where is Captain Fowler?" Carnegie asked, frustrated.

Chris knew she wasn't going to like it, but he wasn't allowed to tell them much. "Something came up, and he had to take care of it immediately," He answered.

He was right; they weren't happy. Before they could protest, Markus interrupted them, declaring, "I recognize you."

Chris looked to him and nodded. He was hesitant, but eventually explained, "I was the responding officer at Capital Park. You... told them not to shoot me."

"Right, that's it."

It had been a pivotal night for Jericho, both in the public's eye and internally. They lost androids to officers like Chris Miller, but Markus called the rest of them off. They could steal from warehouses, break into storefronts, and take news stations hostage, but bloodshed was the line he wouldn't cross. Everyone doubted him for that, including himself. It didn't feel like a victory to walk away, not until the next morning, when they saw the news channels covering the peaceful rescue of store androids.

"I, uh..." Chris cleared his throat. "My wife just gave birth three months ago. I was sure I wasn't going to get to see either of them again, so..." It felt so presumptuous, being grateful they hadn't done what he did. "Thank you."

If Markus thought the same, he didn't show it. He shook his head, saying, "There's nothing to thank me for. We've always wanted peace."

With a small jolt, the officer turned to the CyberLife representatives. "Do you... need anything?"

Having been bystanders to a scene not meant for them, they didn't reply right away. The lawyer cleared his throat, attempting to brush off the awkward atmosphere. "Lunch would be nice."


"So... want to explain why you've been so weird about Jericho?"

In Combs' office, Connor was on his knees, looking inside the desk. He wanted to keep on eye on the mine, and maybe find a way to disarm it. It was designed to work differently than a usual mine; rather than detonate immediately, it was meant to delay until its release. Although it was their saving grace, it concerned Connor. Combs wanted someone to know what was about to happen to them. He was toying with them more than he was protecting himself.

Just as she'd been told to do, Andy remained still beside him. The silence had started to get too much for her, though. She needed to be as far away from her thoughts as possible, and what better thing to focus on than Connor?

He shot her an incredulous glance. "You want to do this now?"

"You rather I wait till after I blow up?"

He glared at her, his disapproval intense. "That isn't funny," He scolded.

She rolled her eyes, believing that if anyone could decide whether or not her situation was funny, it would be her. "You androids are so hard to please," She mused. He started to turn back to the desk, but she called his name, and he saw her frown. With a shaky gulp, she pleaded, "Distract me."

Her expression stopped him from refusing her.

It occurred to him, then, that trying to protect Andy Hope was a bit like trying to put out a forest fire with a watering can. Where he kept one piece of drama away from her, she would find other trouble all on her own - keeping her away from CyberLife was doing nothing but delaying the inevitable.

It wasn't the only reason he'd been keeping it from her, but trying to hide his personal crisis from Andy Hope was a bit like doing the impossible, too.

"CyberLife was trying to reprogram me," He confessed.

She blinked a few times as the information processed through the adrenaline and anxiety from the bomb in her grasp. The shock came mixed with confusion and concern, and finally she asked, "They can do that?"

"Apparently they allowed androids to deviate in the first place. They were manufacturing a crisis," He explained. It was odd to talk about it freely now, but there was some relief in being able to express his thoughts. "I suspect they have ulterior motives for agreeing to meet with Jericho."

She took it all in, successfully and enthusiastically absorbing herself in something other than her current problems. "Does Markus know about this?"

"I'm worried what will happen if I tell him," He shook his head. This was the part he was truly reluctant to discuss. It led nowhere good. With a worsening frown, he went on, "How far does CyberLife's plan go? Is 'deviating' just a convincing part of our programming?"

How much of this was real, and how much of the chaos had hinged on his shoulders from the very beginning?

"Hey-" Andy started, demanding he look up at her. She couldn't begin to understand the implications of all this, at least right now, and she wasn't naive enough to think she knew how any of it felt, but she knew Connor. She knew what his actions and that dejected look on his face meant. "What are you feeling? Right now?"

It seemed irrelevant, and counterproductive, for him to say. "You wanted me to distract you from the current situation," He started to argue.

Pouting down at him, she pushed, "Answer the question."

After a long, heavy pause, he told her, "I'm scared."

She nodded as though it was obvious. "That's real. They can't manufacture that. You know you're alive and you already know CyberLife made it possible, so who cares if it was intentional or why they did it?" Looking him in the eyes, she told him softly, "You get to decide why you're alive, not them."

He said nothing to this. She thought she upset him or failed to get through to him as he turned toward the desk, but then he stood to his feet and moved back. There was a course of panic at the thought she was being left there, and she resisted turning her head to follow sight of him. "Where are you going?"

Not but a second later, he stepped up just behind her. From over her shoulder, he promised her, "I'm not going anywhere." She nodded, staring down at the roll-top lid in her hands. "I'm taking your place."

Quickly, she shook her head, "What? No-"

"I can hold still longer than you can," He said.

With a scoff, she argued, "Yeah, well you aren't coming back from the dead anymore."

"You never were."

Her head snapped back to him in surprise. At the sight of a faint smirk on his lips, she huffed. "And you chastise me for the jokes."

"Andy," He called, quieting her. The smirk was gone as he told her, "If you don't do this, I'm just going to stand beside you until this is resolved." He was moving, slow and careful not to disturb the desk as he placed his palm over her hand. "Please let me do this."

Despite the half of her that was demanding she not put this on him, she knew he was right. Standing still, holding everything in place and maintaing that pressure - that was nothing for him. After a long period of consideration, she gave a shaky nod.

His fingers wrapped around the space left on the handle, and he tightened his grip. "Let go," He whispered.

She did so and they paused, waiting for any reaction. When nothing happened, she stepped to the side and they repeated the process with the second handle. She moved away, letting him take her place fully at the desk, but lingered near him. "Connor-"

"Go outside with Hank," He interrupted. Smiling, he nodded and said, "I'll see you soon."


Hank was pacing on the sidewalk by his car when he spotted movement by the front door. Andy emerged from the house, descending the steps two at a time.

"Andy?" He moved to meet her in the yard, wrapping his arms around her in a hug she was quick to return.

She was gasping for breath. She realized now how heavy she'd been controlling it in there. "Connor- we swapped places-"

He looked from her to the house, understanding what she meant. "Jesus...," He pulled apart but kept a hand at her back, urging her toward the car. "Come on. Bomb squad's on the way."


Carnegie's associates removed their blazers at some point during the meeting. The accountant had rolled up his sleeves, and the lawyer's chair inched further away from his team as he leaned into it. At the unoccupied end of the table were empty takeout boxes that once contained lunch. Carnegie remained stoic, unfazed by the extended duration of the meeting or the stuffiness of the room.

"What about production? If I recall correctly, you want control over those facilities," She asked, commenting on the demands Markus once made on national television.

Markus nodded. He and Josh were faring much better than her partners, though that was no surprise. "We do."

The accountant wore a bemused smile. "Do you have any idea how many jobs would be lost to that? For all your claims of equality, so far all I see are demands that would throw families out on the street," He accused, losing what little patience he had left.

"Once we gain equal rights, those people may be lose their jobs anyway," Markus leaned forward, asking each of them, "Or are you telling me here and now that CyberLife will continue production? And if you do, can you ensure that you'll create all androids equally, with the same capability for intelligence and diversity?"

None of them would respond, which was telling enough. With a scoff, the lawyer dropped his pen to the table and stated, "CyberLife is the largest corporation in today's America. We are not simply handing it over to a couple of..."

"Androids?" Josh urged.

"Rogue androids," Carnegie bit. She glanced to the lawyer, and shook her head. Crossing one leg over the other and straightening her back, she mused, "You seem to think your goals are universal, and we're just your movie villains, here to ruin the day."

They certainly seemed that from where Jericho was sitting.

The lighter tone disappeared as she contended, "We don't know you. We don't know any of you- or what you want in the long term. How long is it until you start demanding more? What do your politics look like? And you want total control over the very thing that creates more of you, tips the population in your favor."

She barked a cynical laugh, and ended with a single question. "When does the anti-human android begin its presidential campaign?"

There was a long pause. Her partners refused to break the silence she'd created, but Markus and Josh turned to one another. Finally, Markus countered, "You mean when do you become us?"

Carnegie said nothing, but she faltered briefly, before steeling herself and leaning back in her chair.


Bomb squad set up a tent on the street in front of Combs' house. The rest of the road had been blocked off, and civilians still in their homes were escorted away to a safe distance. Hank stood under the tent, in a conversation with Richards, Fowler, and the bomb disposal unit. Andy informed him of what she managed to find before the bomb, of the plans and profiles on various targets, and he was relaying the information to the others.

She avoided them. She sat sideways n the passenger's seat of Hank's car, with the door open and her feet flat on the pavement. His jacket rested over her shoulders, and she tuned out all of the ruckus going on around her. It was all too much, especially when Connor was still inside.

Once he finished talking to the others, Hank returned to her. He stood beside the door, hands in his pockets as he stared at the house with her. "Richards is sending some officers to the hospital to make sure Douglas is all right."

"What about the FBI?" She muttered. No matter what she thought of them for the time being, they needed to be the first call.

"Fowler's getting on the phone with them now," Hank answered, followed by a snort. "They're gonna have a field day with this one."

Hearing a door slam open, they looked over to see a complex metal robot wheeling itself down the ramp of a truck. It was slow but steady, and it wheeled its way toward the house.


Connor remained where Andy had left him, staring down at the roll-top desk.

He was dwelling on their conversation, because despite her suspicion otherwise, she had gotten through to him. It didn't fix everything, not that he ever expected her words to do that, and there were a lot of questions that remained. Logically, there were a dozen arguments. She didn't know as much as he did about androids, and he'd seen firsthand what CyberLife was capable of doing.

But maybe she was right in that the answers didn't have to matter as much. For everything CyberLife had done, for all they may have had control over, it wasn't CyberLife that put him in that room.

That was a family he found all on his own. Hank patting him on the shoulder, Andy arguing with him just to prove she could, the shared evenings and the willingness to help each other - that wasn't fake. Trying to protect them, risking his life with little sense to it and for no reason other than caring about those people - those were all things CyberLife could never have planned. That was him.

So maybe CyberLife had built him and all the others to deviate. That just meant they knew they were creating intelligent life, and that was what Connor would tell Markus if he made it out of this. That was the part that mattered now. The rest was important, and he would need to find those answers, but it didn't take away their lives, or deminish Jericho's purpose.

Hearing rustling in the doorway, he looked to see the robot making its way across the room. At his side, it turned and scanned the gap inside the desk.


The waiting outside was getting unbearable. Hank started pacing again in frustration, but Andy was quieter than he'd ever seen her. He wouldn't attempt to coax her into talking; the only thing that was going to make the both of them feel better was seeing Connor, safe and alive.

Sometimes, Hank took a step away from his thoughts and really let it sink in how involved an android had become in his life. He still couldn't quite wrap his head around that change in his life, but he didn't often try to. Shit was weird. That was life.

In the open door at the front of the house, the robot rolled out to the porch. It made its descent to the ground, and trekked across the yard to the truck. In its claws was a small contraption, the remains of a disassembled and heavily modified landmine.

Connor was the second body to leave the house, and Andy was the first to move, springing herself out of the car. She threw herself at him as his foot hit the ground, her arms tight around his neck. He hadn't so much as budged from the momentum, but his arms moved to her back as he lowered his face into her shoulder. Hank was not far behind, a hand lowering onto the back of Connor's head and ruffling his hair.


"CyberLife works in design and retail. What you're asking for- It- It's rebranding an entire company!"

The conference room had been left in a delicate place that they struggled to break past. The accountant continued to entertain Jericho, but the discussion was ultimately going in circles regarding CyberLife's role in the future and Jericho's part to play in the business. He was exasperated, trying to explain why agreeing to any of this would have been foolish.

Carnegie had been silent. She was mulling over something in her head, to the point of ignoring everyone else. Once she spoke again, she seemed to be directing her words more so to her people than to Jericho. "If androids acquire rights, CyberLife will have to do much worse than rebrand."

They turned to her, and she sighed. She clasped her hands together in front of her, and told Markus, "Until we know where androids stand legally in this country, we cannot offer work or produce more of you."

Markus was confused. "The way I understood it, that's the hypothetical we were discussing, was it not?"

She dismissed it, instead asking him, "How much longer can your group last?" When he looked to Josh, she pressed, "One month? Six? Will you be raiding more warehouses for biocomponents, or squatting in property you don't own, becoming a larger menace to society?"

She was trying to provoke him, and were he not prepared for it, it probably would have worked. With narrowed eyes, he denied her. "Public opinion has always been in Jericho's favor. That will not change."

She smirked, the arrogance having been the only emotion she showed all day. "Oh, come now, Markus, CyberLife made you more intelligent than that," She mocked.

Carnegie shifted in her seat, and the smirk left her as she seemed to brace herself for what she was about to say next. "We can offer you a warehouse for Jericho's homing needs as soon as possible."

The men at her side turned in surprise, having no clue where she was going with this, but they would never step in while she had the floor. She knew this, so she went on, "I'll speak with my superiors and suggest bringing on Jericho consultants, to ensure both sides benefit from any future arrangements."

No one moved. It was a shift they didn't expect or understand, and even the lawyer was waiting for the punchline.

Josh was not one to turn away an opportunity. "What about parts for our injured?" He pushed.

She took in a deep breath, but answered, "We can discuss a shipment of thirium, but any hardware will have to wait."

"That..." Markus glanced to the other representatives, then to Josh. "Would be tremendous."


Once the bomb disposal unit finished a sweep through Combs' home, they let CSI onto the property to collect everything that was left. Everyone else returned to the DPD. While Fowler met with Jericho and CyberLife in the conference room, Andy and Connor stood in the hall, watching.

"What do you think?"

Connor held his hands behind his back, scrutinizing the representatives as they gathered their belongings. "I think CyberLife needs to be watched. Closely," He answered, tilting his head, "But I also believe in what Jericho's fighting for. From here on, I'm going to be more open with Markus."

Andy's lips curled up as she crossed her arms over her chest, but she kept herself to a faint smile. "He'll be happy about that."

Her tone was obvious to anyone who knew her. He could feel the energy radiating, and he frowned. "Just say it."

Smile cracking into a wider grin, she twisted around to face him. "You say it, punk," She demanded.

He snorted as a laugh tried to leave him, but he looked down at her conceded. "You were right."

"That's what I like to hear," She hummed. She turned back to the meeting in the conference room, but Connor remained as he was, watching her.

He expected her to doubt what he was, when he told her about CyberLife. He expected her to go through a similar process to his own. Most people probably would. The robot designed to think it was alive was thinking it was alive. That's what he expected. He didn't know why. Of course she would think there was more to androids than their design. Of course she would place value on who he chose to be. And of course she would brag about it later.

He'd thought it before, what was going through his mind now. She amazed him.

Despite his own distractions, he saw her smile fading. She hadn't realized he was still studying her, but she cleared her throat and asked him, "You want to stay at my place tonight?" She shrugged, a bad attempt at casual. "A change of scenery. Give Hank some peace and quiet." It was a subtle movement when she pulled her arms tighter together, but he noticed it.

She was scared to go home alone. It came with a great warmth to realize that she wanted him there, that he was safety. Smiling a little, he finally looked away to the conference room. "I'd like that."


Fowler finished going over the basic details of the shooting that, much to the dismay of the DPD's visitors, came and went right under their noses. He gave a few more details about Stewart Combs, and requested that Carnegie get him in touch with CyberLife's security as soon as they were done here.

"While I'm not sure how I feel about all the secrecy, Captain, thank you for your dedication to your work," Carnegie told him, bowing her head for emphasis. With an uncertain glance to the androids across from her, she added, "I think we've made some interesting progress today. This meeting wasn't in vain."

"Yes, I'm glad we're all taking steps in the right direction," Markus agreed.

He didn't know what the hell happened while he was gone, but Fowler wasn't about to complain - or let them stay long enough to start a new war. "That's good to hear." He gestured to the hall, saying, "Detective Hope will walk you all out."

The captain left the room, but Markus had a burning question. He couldn't let CyberLife leave just yet. "Why did you change your mind?"

The trio turned, and the two men with Carnegie looked to her, perhaps wondering exactly the same. She jutted her head toward the door, and as they walked out, she put the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "I was a big fan of Carl Manfred. I met him once, years ago. Purchased a painting," She rambled, holding her hands together in front of her.

Pushing her chair under the table, she stopped and looked up at him. "You sound like him."

It had come out of nowhere, and Markus formed a faint smile. "If I didn't know any better, Miss Carnegie, I'd say that was a compliment."

"A very cautious one, but yes," She agreed, giving a terse nod. "I've also seen how our RK800 has been performing here in the precinct. It's... assimilated far better than we expected," She said, turning halfway to see her associates in the hall, speaking with Andy and Connor.

Markus followed her gaze, and smiled. "I know this isn't easy, but I'm sure this can only be good for everyone."

She paused at that, but looked back at him. "I hope you're right." Nodding to him and Josh, she bid them goodbye. "You'll be hearing from us soon."


For the first time since she moved, Andy was relieved to walk into the apartment that night. Means it's home, she thought to herself as she tossed her keys onto the coffee table in the living room.

Connor was just behind her, gingerly shutting the door. "Markus tells me they're getting a shipment of thirium by tomorrow evening," He informed once they were in the privacy of the apartment.

"Really?" She asked, removing her jacket.

"North thinks it'll be tampered with, but Markus will ensure it's safe," He nodded, doing the same with his own.

Andy shrugged off the concern and dropped her jacket onto the couch. "It'll be fine. The last thing CyberLife wants is an investigation."

"I agree, at least regarding the thirium," He replied. He reached across her to pick up her jacket, and she watched with a tired amusement as he moved to put both away in the closet. "If they do something, it's going to be bigger than that."

There went the humor. "Comforting," She muttered, turning away.

He shut the closet door as she left to the bathroom. The moonlight shining over the city made the light fixtures unnecessary tonight, and left a peaceful glow over the room. He looked around on his way to sit on the couch, but stopped when he spotted something on the island counter.

"You know, I was thinking about that bomb. You said he-" Andy stumbled to a stop after she left bathroom.

Connor turned to her, holding the note she'd found taped to her door. "When did you get this?"

She wouldn't answer him. "I'm handling it," She tried to assure him as she strode over to take the paper.

He reeled his arm away from her, staring down at her with an increasing level of anger. "He knows where you live, Andy," He stressed, repeating, "When did you get this?"

Her eyes darted up at him, and she finally started, "Four days ago, but it's just a scare tactic-"

"It's a threat!" He exclaimed, "And he's not just going after androids anymore."

Scoffing, she retorted, "Well we know that now!"

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Leaning away, she rolled her eyes and snapped, "I had the weirdest thought in my head that you'd react badly. No idea why; I mean, you only took hold of a bomb for me today!" Waving one hand back and forth while the other went to her hip, she said, "But you're right, I should have told you. Honesty's so important after all. How you doin' after CyberLife tried to reprogram you?"

He was not letting her turn this around on him, especially when he'd just come clean hours earlier. "I was trying to protect you-"

"You're not the only one who gets to do that!" She shouted. A second later, her expression softened. Her shoulders dropped, and she lowered her head into her palm as she let out an airy laugh.

He watched her a moment, and then stated, "You're laughing." He didn't understand her. They were in the middle of an argument, one he believed to be serious. She was as ready to bite back at him as he was to yell at her for keeping this a secret, and yet there she was, her investment in the the fight gone.

"Oh, am I?" She asked, looking up at him. She wasn't smiling, but she wasn't angry either. He didn't know what she was. Lowering her arms, she explained, "We did the same thing and we're yelling at each other for it."

He shook his head, a knee-jerk refusal. "It's not the same. You've done more than enough for me."

"You almost died today, Connor. That's...," She trailed off, gaze drifting away from him. That was an expression he knew: guilt. Looking down, she mumbled, "It's the same thing."

He wanted to remind her that he was okay, and to tell her he had no regrets about his decision, but he doubted any of it would have helped. Focusing on the note in his hands, he asked, "Does anyone know about this?"

She nodded. "I told the captain. The building's CCTV went out that night. He's got tech looking into it."

It wasn't enough for Connor, who wanted to start going door to door right away looking for witnesses, but he would leave it. At least for tonight. "I guess neither of us are keeping the other out of our problems," He admitted.

"Yeah," She agreed. There was really no good excuse for either of them, she supposed. "No more secrets. Not about stuff like this."

He looked to her, and nodded. "No more secrets."

Rubbing the back of her neck, she stepped away from and toward her bedroom. "I'm going to get ready for bed."

"It's an odd message."

She stopped and turned back. He still stared down at the note, his brows furrowed. "Taking out the trash isn't murder, but he writes death to androids?" She asked him.

"And he wants to kill a number of people. It doesn't make sense," He added.

Andy didn't reply, though she found it just as weird. Stewart Combs was, at the same time, meticulously organized and violently unpredictable, and she was done thinking about it today. She began to leave again, but grabbed the door-frame of her bedroom and stopped herself one more time. He was still staring down at the note, and she suspected he was already fixated on it.

"Thank you," She called out to him, and he looked up to her in surprise. "For... all of today."

He thought to tell her it was nothing, that he would do it again and again without hesitation, but the nerves returned to him. Instead he nodded, and watched her leave the room.