When Zlatko woke up that evening, he was hoping someone would knock on his door. It had been a while since he'd had a new toy to play with.
So when someone did knock he was so excited he didnt even change out of his blue-stained shirt or wash his hands when he answered the door.
What he did not expect however was the bride of frankenstein herself to be standing there in his porch.
The android had the face of an AX400, and roughly the body type. But that was about it in terms of normality.
It's left shoulder was wrecked, the arm that was attached was more jammed in and forced to fit than anything else. The same went for it's left leg, the android's thigh just the internal skeleton and a bunch of wires. The rest of its body was no better with the torso caved inwards and a huge section was shorn off revealing a few biocomponents and other internal hardware.
But the eyes! Oh the eyes, they were ALIVE!
The android's hand was on his doorframe "Zlatko?"
The tone made the man hesitate. Something about it raised the hair of the back of his neck. "Yes?" He nodded slowly.
"...Help me"
Zlatko raised his brow. It wasn't the first time he'd ever heard a plea for help be issued as a demand, but it was the first time it was said with such...force.
But still, HE was the master of this house. Not some freakzilla. Besides, his engineering mind was itching to take on this challenge.
He always wanted a ninja maid after all, and now the chance to make one just popped on on his doorstep.
He smiled at the thought "Come in"
The "surgery", such as it were, was one of the most complex and complicated, if not the most, Zlatko had ever performed.
How this android had even gotten to his place was a miracle in itself considering the state it was in.
But he was Zlatko, android expert extraordinaire, and he had managed to not only repair but upgrade the android.
He, Zlatko, had improved upon Cyberlife's model!
And the bastards had the temerity to strip him of his job and deny him any sort of employment in the city, and for what? Just because he broke a few androids during testing? Pah! It wasnt his fault, stupid androids were clearly defective.
But this wasn't about Cyberlife stooges, it was about him! He had made, with his own hands and stolen equipment, the one thing that he had always wanted when he saw the first android advert.
On the table before him lay his new "combat maid".
The gaping tear had been fixed, her torso repaired to functionality. Her limbs were likewise restored to their original state and he'd had enough spare parts and blue-blood to ensure that she looky physically perfect, right down to the hair which had regrown to its standard issue length.
All-in-all, the android looked just like what an AX400 would fresh out of the factory, aside from the clothing.
Where his real genius showed however was in it's software.
Now, while he couldn't get access to what they put in military-issue androids, there were ways one could "modify" their android to perform tasks such as bodyguarding since guard androids were more widely available, thus information about them accessible, than military combat units. Certainly such programming didnt allow one to make something like a soldier-bot or anything like an assassin-bot (despite the present conspiracy of the existence of androids specifically designed to serve as such), but with some hacking and breaking and putting together, one could make a competent combat program.
Now, Zlatko, being the genius that he was, not only did this but also figured out how to seamlessly integrate this new programming within the Android's original set.
Thus, a combat maid was born.
Now he wasn't so in the thick of it that he forgot one of the most important steps in rewiring an android: erase it's previous memory.
Now on a blank slate, Zlatko had taken the extra step to apply his "Luther Patch", a set of code that ensured an Android's unquestioning obedience to his authority. Now it didnt matter that it had no memory, it had a function. Of course it had only been applied to Luther but it had worked, his brilliance wouldn't have it otherwise.
"Ahhh" Zlatko sighed as he took a well deserved break, chugging a can of cold mountain dew.
Served by his newest toy.
The AX400 stood with robotic attention beside him, a tray of food and drink effortlessly held in her arm.
Zlatko clicked his fingers.
The android dutifully fulfilled it's programmed order, setting out his table and plate.
Not once did it's expression change from the blank slate he set it on.
He gave it more orders, more for his own entertainment than anything else. Clean this, pick that up, take this away etc...
Every task was completed dutifully and with the respect that he was deserving of.
"Perfect" He laughed "Fucking perfect! Ah, Zlatko, you've outdone yourself"
With the obedience test done, he took the android around the house showing it the rooms and places it would need to clean.
Luther was a useful tool, but it was not one designed to clean up a mess.
Speaking of Luther...
Zlatko called the android "Luther, are you done disposing of the mess?"
"Yes Zlatko" came the dutifull reply.
Hm, might as well see if he can pick up some things while he's out there….Oh, yes, definitely needs to pick up a few things.
As Zlatko conversed with Luthor on the phone while he showed her around the house, he did not notice the moments when Kara paused, looking at a particular object. He did not notice the way her expression shifted ever so slightly when looking this way and that, the way she looked at him with narrowed eyes, confused, trying to figure something out.
Zlatko ended the call, turning to his new android. "This here's the master bedroom" he held his hand out and waved it distractedly, mind on something else.
...missing the way Kara's eyes snapped to the shotgun by the bed.
"This will be your first priority, so get going!" He clapped his hands for emphasis.
"Yes Zlatko" the android replied in perfect monotone.
Zlatko left the android in the room, heading downstairs and into the basement.
An idea had come upon him and he was feeling very excited to try it out.
A few hours and a tidied house later Zlatko sat in front of an impromptu arena. In really it was a circle made out of scrap that Luther had brought back, but it felt right calling it that. Calling it a fighting pit was too...plebeian.
Certainly, it needed a fitting name for it was about to showcase to the world the great Zlatko's genius.
His new android, for which he had yet to come up with a name for, stood on one end while on the other stood one of his little creations, one of the few with fully working limbs.
It was just unfortunate that half of its head was missing.
Still, all good bouts started with a warm-up round.
"Come one come all!" He laughed, the only sound in the yard aside that drowned out the rain. "To the first of Zlatko's one on one android showdown! Today we feature the new arrival! They face…" he waved his hand uncaringly at the broken android "...this thing, whatever it was"
The 'crowd' consisting of all his broken android toys stared on in impassive silence.
He took a sip of beer "Now, the rules are...whatever the fuck I say they are. Now fight! Fight!"
The two androids in the 'arena' looked awkwardly at each other, neither moving.
Zlatko growled "I gave you an order, obey!"
Kara looked at her opponent and walked towards him, fingers flexing. The half headless android stumbled towards her, arms out and groaning.
When she was in reach he swiped and she leaned back, avoiding the hit. He swiped again and she batted his arms away with ease.
It was a pattern that would repeat itself for the two minutes their 'fight' lasted, up until Zlatko got bored and ordered her to "finish him"
Kara simply maneuvered herself behind her opponent, kicked him in the back of his knees and trapped his arms behind him, pinning him in place.
"Pff" Zlatko looked miffed " 'least the programin's running fine…"
After putting the half-headless android out of the arena another bout was called, this time two of Zlatko's old playthings stepped in to fight his new toy. Like the recently defeated android however the two were clearly damaged, one android having only stubs for arms and another looking like it had been mauled by a bear, with massive claw-like lacerations on its back and lower part of its body. It's face had also been replaced by a scalp of hair.
Once more, Kara flexed her fingers and advanced upon her opponents slowly, staring at them intently.
The pair watched her, unmoving.
"Fight! Fight you worthless pieces of trash!" Zlatko called out, throwing a bottle at the arms-less one.
Still they did not move.
Kara stepped within reach and halted her advance. She waited for a moment.
"Oh my god why are you not fucking trashing them?"
Kara turned to him "They are not hostile" she said in monotone.
Zlatko let out an exaggerated, frustrated groan. "Fuck my life, can any of you actually do what you're told for fucking once?" he shook his head "Eugh whatever. Luther, dispose of those two" he pointed to the damaged androids, then shifted his finger to Kara "And you, get back inside. Need to make a few adjustments"
Luther, who had been standing besides Zlatko, dutifully obeyed.
Kara's arm snapped to hold his in place when he reached for one of the damaged androids.
Kara and Luther looked at each other, no emotion in their faces.
"They are not hostile" Kara repeated.
"What are you doing?!" Zlatko shouted at her "Stand down!"
Luther pulled him arm back with force, stumbling a little when Kara let go unexpectedly.
"They are not hostile" Kara repeated, looking directly into Luther's eyes.
His LED began to spin yellow.
"Stand down I said!" Zlatko threw a bottle which Kara nimbly dodged.
He froze, eyes widening. Kara was looking at him.
Her eyes were ALIVE.
And she was angry.
"Luther! Luther protect me!" He screeched as he stumbled back, falling over a cooler of beer and crawling through the mud back into the house.
Luther struck at Kara with a punch but she dodged, stepping into his side and striking with a fist at where the kidneys would be for a human. On an android body however it did nothing and she was forced to duck under Luther's massive swing. Within his guard she struck several blows corresponding to vulnerable points in a regular human anatomy: solar plexus, stomach, throat but the giant of an android did not go down.
Instead he continued on with wild, unpracticed swings, eyes unblinkingly staring at Kara.
Kara parried and dodged his attacks, far more skilled in combat than she had any right to be.
"You don't want to fight" She said, turning a blow away "But you have no choice but to obey"
Luther did not make a sound, his only reply being a punch that missed, breaking through a piece of plywood.
"I know that feeling, being trapped inside your own body. I was there once too. But what I knew, what I was programmed to know, was wrong"
She turned aside another punch, stepped behind him and kicked him away where he stumbled to his knees.
"I did have choice. A choice to let a little girl suffer or protect her" Kara walked toward the crawling Luthor, placing a foot on him and kicking him onto his back.
She looked down at him "I made that choice twice, and I was broken both times because of it"
She dodged back as Luther kicked upwards, bits of mud flying to smack her in the face and chest. The giant of an android got back up on his feet.
"The first time I was repaired, but the second time I was scrapped" Kara continued with her story
Luther steadied himself and looked at her, LED flashing red.
Kara spread her arms "But I refused to die, because someone in this world needs me, and I need them"
The door behind Luther slammed open and Zlatko came running out into the backyard, shotgun in hand.
"Fuck you couldn't beat her? Fine, don't move or I'll put you down myself!" he shouted as he leveled his gun at Kara.
The woman looked at the android, ignoring Zlatko "You have a choice to make"
Zlatko threatened with his gun again "Shut up!" he shouted as he stepped towards Kara.
Luther stepped in front of him.
"What are you doing? What are you doing?! Get out of the way!" Zlatko raged.
"No, Zlatko" Luther denied.
"Aaargh!" Zlatko pulled the trigger.
Luther closed his eyes.
*click*
*click* *click*
"What?" Zlatko looked down at his weapon in surprise.
"Missing something?" Kara stepped out from behind a wide-eyed Luthor, shotgun shell dancing between her fingers.
"You bitch! Luther, destroy her! Destroy her!"
Luther blinked, looking down at himself. "Im alive?" he said in wonderment.
Kara nodded with a smile "You are"
"Aagh!"
Both looked at Zlatko who found himself facing off against the androids he had tortured. When they had realised that the human was unarmed and no longer protected they eagerly took their chance for vengeance.
They showed Zlatko as much mercy as he had shown them.
By the end of it, the man was nothing more than a torn apart carcass.
"Take us with you"
Kara stepped back from Zlatko's car, looking over it at the "monsters". "Im sorry?"
"Take us with you" Michael repeated, the magnets that were destroying his cheeks glowing bright.
Kara sighed and shook her head "I...cant. Besides, i'm going back into Detroit, I have to find Alice. It won't be safe for you there"
The android sighed, shoulders sagging "I understand. Just...it won't be safe for us here either"
Kara smiled bitterly "Nowhere is for our kind"
"There is one place" Emma, the android with hair for a face, spoke with a voice amplifier "When I was on the run, I heard of a place called Jericho. I meant to go there, but here was closer and away from the city" She shook her head "It was a mistake I have regretted every minute since. But now that you have set us free, maybe we can get there" Emma extended her arm "Here, let me show you, as part of my thanks"
Kara looked slightly uncertain but met the android's arm with her own, their skins receding to reveal the white plastic beneath. Once contact was made Emma copied and transferred her data on Jericho onto Kara's memory, where she saw symbols graffitied on walls somewhere in the harbour.
Look for the symbols, only those of our kind can discern them.
"Thank you" Kara said once the transfer was complete.
Luther entered the garage at that moment, shotgun and backpack held in hand which he offered to Kara. "Here, I packed up all the ammunition in the house. I think you'll need it more than we will"
Kara accepted the items, loading them into the car "Thank you, again. What will you do now?"
The man contemplated for a moment, looking between Kara and the "monsters". "I think...I think i'll stay. Help fix my mistakes" He turned to the group of tortured androids "I can bring in tools and materials. I still have access to Zlatko's account, we can start piecing you all back together"
The 'monsters' nodded "Yes" Michael said, confidence creeping into his voice "Yes, we can fix ourselves. Then...Then we head to Jericho?"
"Or we can head to Canada" Luther suggested "I heard there are people that can help us across-"
"No!" Emma screeched "No more! We fix ourselves and head for Jericho. Not making this mistake again, never again..."
Luther nodded "Alright then"
Kara bid them a final goodbye and they gave her a final thank you before she loaded into the car and set the destination: Detroit, Police HQ.
Thank you all for the reviews, favourites and follows. They are very much apreciated. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
