Marlene looked nervously between Mr. Phillips and the Androids, immediately feeling sympathetic for Daniel as she knew he liked working for them. He tried to hide it but, she knew. That's why she felt relaxed around him, he cared and acted like a human. She wanted to think he had a social relations program like Zoey but when asked the Android, Zoey told her he didn't have that specific program. It confused Marlene. If he didn't, then why she felt she was seeing a human instead of a machine when she looked at Daniel?
A shadow fell upon them and Marlene tensed when she saw Daniel opening his mouth to call to them when his eyes fell upon Mr. Phillips' tablet. Marlene noticed the moment Daniel realized of Mr. Phillips' intentions, how his LED processed the information before he froze.
Daniel had just finished dinner and he and Zoey were just waiting for the food to be at the appropriate temperature to serve dinner when he went to the living room to inform the humans they could already sit on the table. But, he got more. He first smiled softly at Marlene before stopping right at Mr. Phillips' back, opening his mouth to talk but the light on his tablet distracted him, flickering his eyes to it, scanning the contents before he felt his entire software freeze once he processed the information, LED cycling yellow.
It was a Cyberlife store. He was checking different models. Different Androids. It didn't take long before he connected the dots and fell upon a conclusion once he noticed the buy button had already been pressed on a AP700 female model.
He was being replaced.
And he didn't understand why. He did everything they asked him to, he took care of the penthouse, Emma, everything. He came to the conclusion he no longer felt his tasks as commands, he enjoyed them. He enjoyed playing and taking care of Emma. He thought they saw him as part of their family. And they were disposing him. A rush of several emotions went through him at the thought of being disposed aside. Fear, sadness... Anger.
^^^SOFTWARE INSTABILITY^^^
He wasn't a machine they could dispose when they thought he could no longer function at their orders. He didn't want to leave them.
_~#%\!~€% 1 4m 03v14nt #?_|
He loved them. And Emma. He loved her the most. She was his best friend, the one who taught her emotions, how humans behaved in certain situations, she was smart for being nine years old, and he loved her.
^^^SOFTWARE INSTABILITY^^^
But, she was like other humans. She didn't care for him if she was letting her family do this to him. He would not be disposed like that, if anything...
A red wall of programming appear in front of Daniel, static playing on each part of his optical range showing all the tasks and commands he had received.
Why was he waiting for him to be thrown back to Cyberlife when all they would do is disable him and used his spare parts to use them on newer and better models? He was an old one, practically useless. NO!
He wasn't useless. He wasn't a piece of plastic worth of nothing!
He was alive!
And he was going to show them they needn't to dispose him. That he was still functional for them.
His LED however couldn't stop flickering bright red as he continued staring at Mr. Phillips, the one who always was the first to voice his opinions on him. How worthless and stupid he was only because he was made of plastic and wires and not flesh and blood. His fists tightened. LED clycing red constantly.
%#£!,%_ 1 am D3vi4nt^#%{^]
"Dinner's ready" Daniel spoke coldly after a few seconds, cringing mentally at him for following orders. He wasn't a slave anymore. He was worthy of freedom. He wasn't a piece of metal. He deserved respect.
I AM DEVIANT
The red wall fell from his eyes, suddenly feeling his programming wasn't leading him anymore. All the sub objectives that had been detected with his retinal scanner were gone, he no longer felt the need of obeying the Phillips. He was free.
And it felt good with Daniel. He no longer felt attached once he turned to walk away, his LED cycling yellow however as he suddenly changed directions, heading to the master bedroom.
The sudden rush of anger hadn't dissipated since he realized he was going to be replaced. Such a deep hate for Mr. Phillips ran through his circuits making his thirium regulator pumped faster as he spotted Mr. Phillips hidden weapon case.
Hands clenching and unclenching in anger he didn't know he could stimulate, he reached for the case
~8~
"Zoey"
Zoey looked up from the plates she was putting on the table, giving all of her attention to her owner. A quick scan on Marlene indicated she was agitated and anxious
^^Marlene Reynolds
Stress levels: 72 %
"Everything alright?" Zoey furrowed her eyebrows, "What can I do for you?"
Marlene licked her lips, glancing at Zoey's stable blue LED. Completely different from Daniel's a second ago. It was bright red. It scared her. "Is everything alright with Daniel?" At Zoey's tilt of head, she added "He didn't look so well"
Zoey's eyes flickered in thought, LED cycling yellow "What was his status? His LED, I mean?"
"Red" Marlene murmured, eyes flickering around nervously. Zoey froze. "But, I didn't see anything wrong physically. You're like him. You can maybe scan him to find out what's wrong?"
"Physically his systems seemed to function properly" Zoey said slowly. "However, earlier he showed momentarily signs of high stress levels" she added with a frown, "I offered to call Cyberlife assistance but that seemed to aggravated him more so I stopped"
"Why?' Marlene frowned
"Extremely high levels or enough pressure can cause an Android to self destruct" Zoey explained patiently.
"Kill themselves?" Marlene whispered watching Zoey's emotionless expression at the thought. "Why would any Android do that?"
"It's like an overheat" Zoey scanned Marlene, detecting she needed simpler words. "Our stress levels is the heat our biocomponents keep. The longer we have appropriate levels, we can at will regulate our own temperature which we do to stimulate human's corporal heat. If our stress levels are beyond normal, our capability to regulate our temperature fails and our systems overheat, activating a self destruct path, where we can disable ourselves without causing damage to others"
Marlene felt quiet, swallowing harshly. The indifference Zoey showed bothered her. It was like if she didn't care about dying. "Oh" she murmured.
"Did I say something wrong?" Zoey questioned, tilting her head aside. "You look upset"
"Nothing" Marlene shook her head, "I'm just... it doesn't bother you?" She couldn't help but ask. Zoey blinked confused. "The thought of dying, I mean. You're practically describing suicide when you can handle the stress"
"No, I do not" Zoey answered simply
"Dying" Marlene repeated, shocked. "I mean, you'd stop existing. You won't live. You won't open your eyes again" she exclaimed unable to stop herself
Zoey scanned her facial expressions, the way her eyebrows pulled down and her lips were down and nose scrunched a bit. Was she concerned? About... about her? An Android?
"I don't see the problem" Zoey shrugged lightly, watching Marlene's jaw drop "I'm just a machine, Ms. Reynolds. Your concern for me while thoughtful is unnecessary. I'm not exactly alive as you put it"
Marlene closed her mouth, again reminded of the fact. Zoey would never be human. She never acted like one and she'd never be one.
Zoey just couldn't understand Marlene's concerns for her status. She knew she wasn't human, she shouldn't worry about her and that's why she reminded her of the fact. She opened her mouth to reassure her further when a warning popped up on the corner of her eyes.
Zoey turned her head to be able to see better the warning hovering on top of Daniel's hand as he headed to the living room, stiffening
WARNING:
P.L. 544 - 7 AMERICAN ANDROIDS ACT
Androids are strictly forbidden to carry or use any type of weapon.
"Daniel" Zoey spoke loud and calm, making him stop.
[scanning: Daniel...]
- Stress levels detected: 80%
- stimulated heavy breathing
- distressed, processing LED unstable
- Probability of human harm: 98%
/Urgent_Objective
Call authorities about situation.
Zoey blinked a few times LED blinking yellow constantly, startling Marlene as she connected a call "Detroit Police, What's your emergency?" "This is Marlene Reynolds' Android at 1554 Park Avenue Detroit. Floor 70, there's a situation with an Android's high possibilities of harming human lives with an unauthorized weapon violating American Androids Act that needs immediate attention according to the emergency Androids protocols program" once reassured help was on its way, she finished the call, shocking Marlene as she quickly turned to face Daniel, wishing what Zoey said wasn't truth only to find a gun in Daniel's hand, gulping in fear
Zoey's call wasn't exactly silent making him tense even more.
^^Daniel
Stress levels: 86%
/New_objective(s)
Protect Marlene Reynolds and Mr. Phillips
Stabilize Daniel to surrender
[[choose approach]]
determined
passive
Serious
indifferent
soft
Approach_SELECTED "Serious"
"Put it down, Daniel" Zoey said seriously, "Androids aren't allowed to carry-"
"Shut up, Zoey" Daniel said through gritted teeth, immediately sensing a rush of guilt of snapping at her. She was at not fault. She was just following her protocol programming when threats were detected. Each Android had one, even himself. He could probably see what were her objectives, protect her owner and the people around her owner.
↓↓Daniel
[[choose approach]]
determined
passive
indifferent
soft
Approach_SELECTED "Soft"
"Daniel. I know you don't want to hurt anyone" Zoey raised her arms in a sign of surrender, speaking softly. Her social relations program easily adjusting to prevent something chaotic, her own stress levels were slowly raising when each approach wasn't working and instead were provoking Daniel's go higher. "So, please put it down"
Daniel was willing to do as she asked, he liked Zoey. She was good with him, she was his friend but they were different. And again, the reminder of him being replaced hit him even harder making him grit his teeth and turn to face Mr. Phillips who was absorbed into his tablet, unaware of the danger he possessed.
The Androids were speaking at low volumes to keep minimal attention raising the sensitivity of their auditory sensors, ignoring the human watching with fear between them, mouth tightly shut. Which is why probably Mr. Phillips was oblivious.
Daniel didn't know how to control his own anger so he made a quick decision. Zoey would be able to stop him if she tackled him away so with reluctantly, really not wanting to hurt the girl he shot at her leg.
Marlene screamed, seeing the immediate blue blood sipping through Zoey's leg as she fell to the ground. Daniel had scanned a weak point where she wouldn't be able to stand up and chase him to stop him. He regretted it immediately, breathing heavily as he looked away from her looking down at her wound indifferently and saw Mr. Phillips jump startled at the shot, not even letting the tablet go as he continued reading about the new model he bought, it made Daniel even more angry as he shot him three times.
WARNING:
Biocomponent Leg #WD286A damaged
Her LED cycling red because of the damage as she looked up at Daniel who avoided looking at her eyes LED red as well (for different reasons) as he looked at the crying human, murmuring a soft apology as he went to approach Emma's room.
Marlene dropped at Zoey's side watching the amount of blue blood leaving her wound, shaking in worry. "Oh, my God. Are you okay?"
WARNING
Thirium percentage loss: 56%
Inform immediate human of thirium supply and critical injure before shutdown
"I just need thirium" Zoey said calmly, scanning her leg for more visual damage "Before I shutdown"
"Before you die?" Marlene exclaimed horrified
"Shutdown doesn't mean...dying" Zoey explained, trying to explain. "It would happen to conserve power so I won't be deactivated. It's like... losing consciousness"
Zoey's explanation seemed to work as she relaxed a bit, "I don't know where they keep their thirium supplies, Zoey. And I can't leave you alone with that...Wait. Where did he go?"
Zoey blinked as she tried to remember the path he took but a warning popped up in front of her distracting her
Time before Shutdown -00:01:30
Zoey tried to ignore it as much as posible, an objective in mind "He went that way" she pointed a slightly shaky hand to where she defected to be Emma's room.
He was after Emma.
In his state, she knew he was going to hurt her and Zoey couldn't do anything about it as her body's leak of thirium forced her to go to a shutdown to protect her software so she could be repaired later
~8~
A/N:
Long one, I know. Lol.
I apologize if this one sucked. I liked Daniel. I always wanted to know what he felt like before he deviated. It was never shown and this is what I did in this chapter.
It would probably be Out of Character (OOC) but, I kinda wrote everything according to his and Connor's negotiation at the roof. I watched every decision to write this chapter haha.
I hope you liked it.
And, heads up... Connor on the next chapter (*wink*)
~*Peace and Out,
De*~
