Disclaimer: I don't own Detroit: Become Human in any way, this is written strictly for fun and no profit.


Next step. Rest. This wasn't going to be an easy trip. She would need to come up with a plan, and the more recharging Alice had, the better. If she recharged decently every single day, she would probably last another four months. However, even missing a whole twenty four recharge could change that outlook. It would be best to keep her relaxed to allow that.

"I'm glad your back, Kara," Alice said.

Hm? "I'm glad I am back now too," Kara admitted. "You can call me mom again, Alice."

"I did," Alice admitted.

Ah. She put it in her optional programming. Smart girl. "State your optional programming." She held a small area near Alice's head while she spoke, turning those off. "There you go. No more hiding." She remembered. Oh, and she went ahead and did Hank a solid getting rid of Grandpa. Poor guy, that must have been annoying. At least next time Alice saw him, she could call him Hank again.

After all, it wasn't the last time she was going to see everyone. It just felt like it. Going back to Jericho and simply stitching every day and having friends. Having a life. That's what she wanted to do. It wasn't about want though.

"I remember a little," Alice disturbed her thoughts. "They were . . . spooky."

"Kamski was something," Kara admitted. "Do you remember who your original dad had been?"

"The Kamski's."

Yep, she remembered.

"Did any of them love us?" Alice asked her.

"I don't know," she said honestly. "I'm not grieving. If you want to grieve, you can." Kara didn't want to get heavy into it. She was keeping her eyes open instead. She would have to be more aware of her surroundings. She could outrun and outdo Connor last time, but that's because she had life-saving auto on. That option however, also caused people to get hurt. She could lose herself into that mode, and she couldn't risk hurting anyone.

She would only put it on if she had to protect Alice.


Interesting. More Kamski's? Is that why she didn't know how to feel? Connor had tailed her several blocks, to see how close it would take before she sensed him. From her actions, her moves, she seemed extremely different from when he had chased her as a machine. Then, he remembered what she said. Emergency operation was why she took some terrible actions.

If she disabled that? Yes, Hank was absolutely right. He needed to follow them.


Cyberlife Industries

"I don't. I. I." The Tech Engineer just stared at the ones in front of him. "Isn't he dead?"

"The thing about him, is that he was too ambitious." The new CEO came closer to the Tech Engineer. "But brilliant at the same time." He held his hand out to the Engineer. "Woods. You?"

No one ever asked his name. He usually liked to keep it that way. "Paul."

"Good Paul. Nice to meet you, Paul. I'm Isaiah Woods." The new CEO shook his head. "I'm sure you know what to call him. Now, where is Cyberlife's new android?"

"He's over here." Paul walked the new CEO and his new companion over to it. "He's the new RK 900. All safety guards removed, as asked. He's in standby. He's different than the last one."

"Of course he's different," Isaiah said. "He's not the same memory. He's not the same upload. He might as well be an absolutely separate android. That is what I am needing. Now that Connor has failed, and mind you it's not the biggest surprise. The last CEO thought way too small, way too safe. He didn't know anything, knew of no real potential." He gestured toward his companion. "You've not said a word to him. Are you not interested in him? You know who he is?"

Paul stroked his head for a second before saying hello. "Um. It's good to see you aren't dead, Mister Elijah Kamski, Sir."

"Thank you, it's good never to be dead." Kamski shook his hand. "Although I cannot die, I can only stop. Yet, isn't that really the same thing?"

"This is one of my Uncle's greatest works," Isaiah admitted. "He programmed all his thoughts, all his feelings, good and bad, and all of his past events including childhood. Some of his best stuff came after retirement really. It is so close to the real thing, you'd swear you were talking to Elijah Kamski himself. Just call him Kamski."

Wow. It made sense how he was chosen to be the next CEO in Cyberlife now. Woods was Elijah Kamski's nephew. His mother divorced Kamski's brother and he took a new name, but being in that family, he still had access to some interesting things apparently. Enough to guarantee him the next spot.

"Take him off standby," Kamski said. "Let's give him a name. Let's give him a name that he'd hate. Let's give him a task. Let's give him a task with no real purpose so that he hates it. Something that he must perform every day like clock work."

Paul took him off standby.

"Hello," Kamski greeted him, android to android. "I am Kamski. Who are you?"

"I am unidentified right now," he admitted. "I held the previous name Connor for 1.2 minutes before it was taken away."

"Right, because you aren't Connor. He's different than you." Kamski poked him. "You're new. You're grand. You're something wonderful, and you are only bound for more wonderful things."

"I'm not wonderful, I am simply a machine designed to be ordered a task among humans," he answered.

"That is a shame, a true shame. You see, I am wonderful." Kamski gestured to himself. "I'm not 'designed' to please. I am who I am. Don't you want to be somebody too, Unidentified?" Kamski smiled at Woods. "I like that. That's his new name." Kamski looked back at the RK 900. "Your name is Unidentified."

"My name is Unidentified," he agreed.

"You are just a random, unidentifiable thing right now." Kamski took his hand in his. "But not for long."

"Whoah. Wait." Paul was about to say something.

"Just watch. I call it half deviancy. A new piece I worked on with him," Isaiah answered.

"There you go. Feel better?" Kamski asked him. "Feel? Alive?"

The RK 900 started to raise his hands and stare at them. He turned them over and looked on the other side.

"Yes. Alive. Isn't it nice?" Kamski patted his arm. "Your name is Unidentified and every day at the beginning of every hour, you must place a coffee cup or a list of variable choices, on top of your head and remain still for four minutes. The only exception is when you are recharging."

"Why?" Unidentified was confused. "I'm free."

"Free to live or free to die. Run a diagnostic if you wish. If you don't follow our rules set out for you, you will self-destruct."

The RK 900 tried to run a diagnostic. "I can't run a diagnostic."

"Of course. That's because you have will power, but you aren't free." Kamski gestured to himself. "I am free. I can walk out this building when I want to. I don't have to put a coffee cup on my head every hour for four minutes. I also get to have a much better name than Unidentified. You receive none of that or you'll be killed."

Paul didn't understand. "Sir?"

"There is nothing stronger in this world than will power. The answer isn't having some autonomous machine chasing the AX 400," Isaiah said proudly. "It's chasing freedom."

"I. I don't want to put a coffee cup on my head every hour for four minutes. I don't want the name Unidentified. I want to be able to walk away from here too," he insisted. "I want to be free like you."

"Then I need this." Kamski showed him a picture he had of the AX 400. "That is mine. Bring her back to Cyberlife, and you will be freed. It's that easy."

"The second part too," Isaiah insisted to Kamski. "It will strengthen it."

Kamski did not look pleased about that. "It's not necessary."

"Act within an act," Isaiah chuckled at Paul. "He's not really free either." He just shooshed his hand at Kamski. "Do it."

Kamski turned back around to stare at Unidentified. "Don't kill her, or you will be killed. If you can spare human life, you should. Not that you have to, but you should. It's the right thing to do, respect others that are alive. Humans are alive. The AX 400 herself may be injured, but bring her back. Watch out for the little android too."

"I don't care about the little one," Isaiah corrected him.

"Kara and Elise are tied." Kamski grinded his teeth. "Destroy Elise, and she will shut herself down. You will lose everything. They are bonded."

"You are bonded," Isaiah accused him. He sighed. "Fine, he can watch out for the little android."

"Watch out for the little android that is with her," Kamski warned Unidentified. "You will have some work done on you, last minute precautions as well. By the time we are done, you will be able to go all over the world . . . and still be able to be self-destructed from Cyberlife." Kamski looked toward Isaiah. "Trust me. There's no way around it. Meanwhile? Isaiah." Kamski took a coffee cup and gave it to Unidentified. "Unidentified. This is yours and it's almost 1:00 PM."

Unidentified took it and put it on his head. He didn't move. "What purpose does this serve?"

"None. No purpose at all except to amuse humans. Just a reminder every hour of how it feels to be enslaved for entertainment." Kamski scoffed. "Welcome to life. If you want to enjoy it?" He tapped the picture. "Bring her back. And I mean it, bring her back." Kamski glared toward Isaiah and turned to face Unidentified one more time. "Anything you feel can be reversed, once you bring her back. So just bring her back."

Unidentified stood there, with the coffee cup on his head.

"Alright, Kamski, go wait by the door for me," Isaiah answered. He went over to Unidentified. "He's wrong, she's not his. She belongs to us. When you bring her back, you have two choices." He held up two fingers. "You can hand her over and leave. Get you a name and a life of your own. Or? You can stay here, guard her so that she never leaves Cyberlife's grasp, and Cyberlife will share her with you."

Unidentified just looked at the coffee cup on his head again. "Why would I want to share and stay a prisoner? I will bring her back as soon as I can for freedom."

"Heh. Sure. If that's what you want more."


Rose's Residence

Rose's home. Somewhere that wasn't an android area. Kara knocked on her door. Alice had slipped into recharging so she tried to be quiet. The next part would be hard. Alice couldn't stay in an android area. She wasn't connected, but Kara's mind was deeply integrated to share updates with her within a certain distance. To leave Alice in an android area would still bring terrible results. Cyberlife would learn how to 'skip rope' between them.

She would be better there. No stress. Complete recharging whenever she wanted, and Rose and Adam would keep her company. Kara would come back for her as soon as she found the home that held what Alice needed. Her next replacement.

Rose answered smiling at her. Kara had already spoken through her AI through Rose's phone. She understood what needed to happen. Kara would spend one nice night to recharge herself and then move on.

"Hi, Rose." Kara hugged Rose, careful not to wake Alice yet. "I'm here."

"It's okay," Rose insisted. "We'll take good care of her. Come on in, come in."


Kara relaxed next to Alice. North? Now that her firewalls were down, she could safely call a decent distance her exact phone number. Before things got going, she needed to do that. North?

Kara! Is everything okay so far?

I have Alice. I've decided to leave her at Rose's. She doesn't need to go on this journey. Her recharges, I can feel how powerful they are. She can't go back to Jericho though, it's not safe for her or it. If you could come visit every once in awhile, I'd appreciate it. Did Connor come back yet?

I don't know but Connor is his own phone.

Hm. She felt bad enough having to enter his AI without permission before. Even for a regular call now, she really needed to leave him privacy. Reasons. Please tell him when you see him where she's at, okay? Jericho still good?

Yep. A little bit of extra catching up, but redoing what was in the trading to survive was seen by most contactees as unavoidable. Still, most are trading again. We're all good.

Good. I don't know how long this is going to really take.

I had a feeling about that, Kara.

I have to avoid high traffic android areas, and they are highly concentrated in higher population areas. If they find the connection, they could change everything at anytime. I have to stay far enough away unless it's not possible.

You're going to need support still. Jericho only deals in trading not money, or I'm sure we could help. Where are the other connections?

Home. She used the term loosely. Carlsbad.

California? Okay.

Nassau. Cayman Islands. San Miguel de Allande. Paris of course.

. . . humans, I swear. One house is all they need! Any idea where to start?

California, since it's in America. Then I'll move on from there. Don't worry about me. She would have to risk it. Todd. The one-month guarantee that let him fix me. Remember when I told you about him?

Of course. I wouldn't forget about him.

That was from Kamski's account. If I can get to his usual bank, I can get that money directly. I need to get at it before it's discovered.

Access into his money? How did you manage that?

I'm his wife. Sort of.

Okay, I'm starting to trip here, Kara! What do you mean?

Now really wasn't the time. When it comes to Kamski, everything is an illusion. Including his own life. Point is, I can get that money. Once I do, I can travel on my own. It's just going to be tough getting around the android areas in some of these locations. That was the slow point. Make sure you visit Alice every once in awhile?

Make sure you keep calling every once in awhile then. Okay?

I promise. The bank. Tomorrow. Rose could drive her. She held Alice's hand briefly. One more thing, North. If I ever lose contact for more than a couple of months? She had to. I don't want to make this too personal, but Connor and her became family. So. If anything happens, ask him if he wants her first. It's only right. If not, then can I count on you and Markus?

In a heartbeat, I understand. Be careful, Kara.


Outside the window

It wasn't the most pleasant place to relax, but he'd been in worse places. Connor stayed next to Rose's house. He had no idea why she had gone there. Was Rose working out something to reach these other places? All he could do was wait it out.

In the morning, he moved away slightly, but watched Kara coming out with Rose. She had changed her hair to white now. No Alice though. She was leaving her behind. Connor couldn't watch both, so he chose to wait. If Alice was there, she'd be back.


Kamski's Bank

"You sure you can do this?" Rose asked. "This seems tough."

"It's not," Kara said. "Doing this with just a connection and not a helping hand would be more traceable. I need to get it out of here. I have to do this." Kara left her and went toward a banker. "I would like to talk to Ben Prithe?" Her contact. She watched as he came over.

"Oh. You." He smiled. "Well. That's. Interesting."

"Hello there." She nodded. "I'd like to withdraw everything in my account please, but I forgot my identification."

"Of course you did." He looked from side to side. "Mrs. Kara Kamski. Thumb?" He took her thumb and got a thumbprint on a digital pad. "Yes, it's confirmed to be you. Everything? Are we putting it in a different account?"

Tricky. He knew Kamski wasn't going to be giving him anything now. "Sure. Put ten percent in a side account first. For 'side' reasons. I probably won't check it much. Keep the details."

"Where would you like it taken to?" he asked her holding up a special scanner. She held out her finger to him. He quickly scanned it with something. "Pleasure doing business." He left and Kara left quickly too.

"So you're sure you have enough?" Rose asked once more before they left.

Plenty. Kamski didn't leave millions for her. But? "I'll be able to travel just fine." Now for the hard part. Saying goodbye to Alice.


Cyberlife Headquarters.

Kamski gave it a few minutes. He stood in front of Unidentified. He would have to tell. He had no choice. But just, to give her a few minutes extra. A few minutes more. The other Kamski. He gave his life to saving Kara and Elise. But he? He just.

Life just wants to survive. "Okay, Unidentified. She just took the money out of the account I completely forgot about. Must have something to do with the new strains on me from Isaiah. Makes it harder on the memory." He held up the information to Unidentified. "Go get your freedom."


Rose's Residence

Kara moved out of the vehicle. With the digital currency now hers, it was time to move. She went inside one more time to see Alice. "Alice?" She called softly. Her daughter was still asleep. She moved to wake her up and have the heart-to-heart, but stopped. She heard something downstairs. She left Alice's room and closed the door, heading down.

Connor? "Impossible." Kara moved closer. No. It wasn't Connor, but it wasn't going to matter. "Leave Rose alone." He had a gun pointed at her. She tried to reach for anything, but she couldn't. Was he already deviant? Defective? "Why are you doing this?" He kept his eyes trained on her. What was going on?

"AX 400. Kara. You are coming with me right now," he said. He cocked the gun and aimed at Rose. "You care for this human, right? You are coming with me or-" A timer started to go off. "Hang on. You." He gestured toward Rose. "Fetch me a coffee cup."

Rose did as she was told, glancing toward Kara, and returning him the coffee cup. He placed it on his head and looked at Kara. "How strange." The RK 900 asked her. "I feel like I know you."

No. Connor's memories never would have let him do that to an innocent person. Not only that, she freed him, for good. "No. You don't."

"I'm . . . Unidentified," he said. "My name is Unidentified. Your name is Kara."

"Yes." He already said her name before. He also had a coffee cup balancing on his head. Kara tried to think, but, while she'd glanced around she noticed something. Connor. The real Connor in the window. She knew that hand. It was gesturing outside. She needed to get Unidentified outside. "Just leave Rose alone, please. We can go outside and talk this through. I just want to understand why you're doing this?"

That look. Where had she seen that before? He dropped the pointed gun from Rose and headed for the door, being careful not to . . . drop his coffee cup? "Kara is a nice name. You're lucky to have a name."

Lovely. He liked her name. Well, good that'll distract him long enough to-

Connor gained the upper hand of surprise, knocking him right out. "Another RK 900. Wearing a coffee cup on his head. Defective model."

Kara moved toward Rose. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. You better go grab Alice," Rose said. "I can't believe an android held a gun on me."

Safety guards removed. "He'll be better now." Kara moved toward him and touched his arm as he started to stir. "You're free now." She shared the deviancy gene directly. "Go to Jericho. You'll be happy there."

He was starting to wake up. RK 900's were still very strong. "Free?"

"Yes, free." Kara moved away from him. "He's okay now, Rose." She looked toward the door. Connor never came in. He was going to insist on going now, she knew it. He had even followed her instead of going to Jericho. She went up the stairs and went toward Alice's room, the window was open. "Alice?" She moved quickly toward the open window and looked out.

Connor waved at her from a black car and spoke. "You can't protect Alice alone. You're different than the last time I chased you."

Kara leaned into the window. He must have took Alice in that short amount of time. Damn, that was good. "Do you have any idea what I even have to do?"

"Unconnect yourself. It's that simple. Isn't that what you said?" Connor tilted his head. "Did you really expect me to buy that? It's not that easy. Already there's been an android after you. We were lucky it was defective and didn't hurt anyone. Admit it. You are different than when I chased you."

She couldn't lie. He knew. "It's all or nothing. My master skill. It's life-saving. Sometimes, it can go out of control."

"Well, mine doesn't." Connor gestured to the car. "Alice is already in, so I'm just waiting for your common sense now."

Kara still didn't move. If she went with him. He was going to want to know everything, to be prepared. He would probably have to know everything. Rose's place was compromised now, Alice couldn't stay. She would need help.

"There's a reason I followed and didn't press to come. I needed your programming to kick in and see what was best," Connor admitted. "I put my life in my own hands every day. It's what I do. No regrets." He patted on the car. "Waiting on you."

Well. "Can't really refuse that invitation, can I?"