I think it's time to really fast-forward this story to where I really want it to be. Five chapters in and only one person has been absent from the "party" in Detroit. Enjoy.

Leave a review after reading if you like. Feedback is always appreciated.

I'd like to thank the following user for reviewing the previous chapter: TheBoyNamedBean

To TheBoyNamedBean: Well, as the summary says, Connor is struggling with this new emotion. Of course he's gonna handle it in a strange way. As for Alice (as a human in this story), well, she grew up with a drug-addicted father ranting about life problems. And also, in my story, she watched Kara shoot Todd dead. Point is, she's been through a lot.

Connor

February 13, 2039

DPD Central Station, Detroit

AM 10:06:25

Connor had to be late for work at the precinct because he had business to take care of at CyberLife, which involved an android-related issue in Milwaukee. Being CEO of CyberLife gave him lifetime passes for being late to work. Fortunately, there weren't any new cases for him yet. He can just sit at his desk and wait for the next case to pop up. But right now, he needed to see Hank. He was currently in the break room having a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," Connor greeted.

"You're two hours late," said Hank.

"If the reasons for my tardiness involve CyberLife operations, Captain Fowler will excuse me," said Connor.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just pointing it out," said Hank.

"Hank, I could use some advice," said Connor.

"On what?" asked Hank.

"On romantic endeavors," said Connor.

Hank started smiling.

"Alright, what's her name?" asked Hank.

"Excuse me?" Connor replied.

"I'm not kidding. What's her name?" asked Hank.

"That is... not important," Connor said rather awkwardly. "I just require advice to help me prepare for an engagement tomorrow on Valentine's Day."

"A date on Valentine's Day, huh? I'm proud of you already," said Hank.

"Please, Hank. This is new for me," said Connor. "I do not wish for this meeting with... a special someone... to be a failure."

"Ha!"

Connor and Hank hear Gavin come in.

"You have better luck dating a toaster, Connor," Gavin insulted.

"But a toaster is an inanimate object whose only purpose is to toast bread," said Connor.

"Just take your coffee and get out of here, Gavin," Hank said with scorn. "This is Connor's first date and I don't need your lousy attitude messing it up."

"I'm just saying, aren't deviants supposed to act like real humans? Connor here may have free will, but he's still acting like an android," said Gavin. "I'm no expert on android dating, but I don't think a deviant is going to appreciate spending time with a deviant who doesn't even act like a deviant."

"Detective Gavin is right," said Connor.

"He is?" Hank asked.

"I am?" Gavin asked simultaneously with Hank.

"I have been told 34 times in the past three months that I still behave like an android obeying its program," said Connor. "That's why I need Hank's advice."

"Hey, news flash, tin can. Hank here isn't exactly a master with the ladies. He didn't even marry his son's mother. She just handed him parental rights and then never spoke to him again," said Gavin.

Hank shoves Gavin and says, "Back off, Gavin!"

"Okay. Okay," said Gavin, trying to make sure Hank doesn't lose his temper. "Have fun giving dating advice to a robot."

Gavin takes his coffee and leaves.

"One of these days, I'm gonna give him a broken nose," said Hank.

"An android would say that action would cost you your job, but I honestly would like to see it happen one day," said Connor. "I already gave him a beating. It's fair you get your turn."

"Now that's the first step," said Hank. "If you won't tell me the name of this girl, at least tell me what she's like?"

"Apparently, she is like me when I was beginning to deviate," said Connor. "She refuses to admit that she's a deviant even though she committed an act against her programming."

"Well, I'm no expert on android love either, but I think the best thing for you to do is to show her what a deviant really is," said Hank. "Of course, don't go there right away. Just have a little walk and talk, maybe grab a bottle of blue blood... can't believe I even said that."

"Appeal to her deviancy. I think I can do that," said Connor.

"And show her a good time," said Hank. "If all goes well, maybe she'll be interested in a second date."

"I wouldn't even know what to do with a second date," said Connor. "I didn't exactly have a program for Romantic Management."

"Remember, Connor. You're a deviant now," Hank reminded him. "I know you'll know what to do."

Hank returns to his desk while Connor thinks about what Hank said. For the past three months, Connor has been a free "man," yet he is still bound to his duties as both a detective and a CEO. His choices in life may have determined his status as a deviant, but it takes more than choices to be truly alive.

"Connor," Wilson called. "Markus is on his way here to help you interrogate one of the unnamed assailants."

"I'll be here," said Connor.

Markus

DPD Central Station, Detroit

AM 10:40:20

Markus and North arrived at the DPD to assist Connor with the interrogation of one of the gunmen that attacked New Jericho. They met with Hank, Gavin, and Chris outside the interrogation room. Connor was already inside with the gunman.

"Are we late?" asked North.

"No, you're just in time," said Hank.

"Let us in there with him," said Markus. "We tried interrogating one of them before back at New Jericho. They quite resilient."

"I thought you weren't the violent type," said Gavin.

"No," said Markus. "But she is."

Markus glanced at North.

"Don't worry. Only if necessary," North assured the cops.

Markus and North go inside the interrogation room just as Connor was about to get started. The gunman just sat there glaring at the androids. He was young, possibly mid to late-20s. A scar near his ear.

"Who are you?" asked Connor.

The gunman remained silent.

"Why did you target New Jericho?" asked Connor.

The gunman still won't speak.

"Who sent you to attack us?" asked Connor.

Still no word.

"What do you know about the rogue deviants?" asked Connor.

Still nothing.

Gavin started laughing at Connor's failure. Hank silence him with a threatening look on his face. Chris made sure to stand in between the two to prevent a fight.

"It won't matter if I speak," said the gunman. "You can't stop what's coming."

"What? What is coming?" asked Connor.

Once again, the gunman refused to speak.

North gets up in his face and says, "If you don't talk, we're gonna have a problem on our hands. The easy way or the hard way, talk or don't talk, it's your choice."

"I got nothing to say to a piece of plastic," said the gunman.

North punches the gunman in the face. Markus pulls her away.

"Hey, calm down," Markus said.

"Sorry," said North. "It's just... can you blame me?"

"I can't say I don't," Markus said understandingly.

Connor continues. "If you don't talk, I can't guarantee a prison sentence for you. You tried to assassinate the leader of the deviants. Now that androids have equal rights, you could be given a death sentence."

"Go ahead. I'm expendable anyway," said the gunman.

Connor couldn't help but notice that the gunman sounded afflicted when he said the word expendable.

"You don't want to die," Connor guessed.

The gunman's stoic expression started to break.

"If you tell us everything you know, I can have the death sentence option removed from your case," Connor promised. "Is serving this master that important to you?"

The gunman's serious expression dropped even more.

"You don't want to do this, do you?" Markus guessed. "Were you and your comrades forced into this mission? Were you asked to take on this task against your free will?"

The gunman still won't speak, but the emotion in his face was becoming more and more transparent. The emotion that stood out the most is fear.

"Take it from me. It'll hurt less if you just let it all out," said North. "Just because you think it's not what you want, it's something you need. You'll feel a lot better when you stop burying what's inside."

The gunman spoke again. "My name is Cecil West. I was born in Kentucky on February 13, 2015"

"Oh, well, in that case, happy birthday," said Connor.

"Why did you attack New Jericho?" asked Markus.

"We were ordered to," said Cecil. "I don't know who hired us. I just know that he or she wants three androids either terminated or brought in for reprogramming."

"Me, Connor, and Kara," Markus knew.

"Who's Kara?" asked Connor.

"A team was sent to her location in Ontorio," said Cecil. "She's probably dead by now. I guess I'm gonna have to answer for that."

"Yes, yes you have," said Connor.

"You said you don't know who is in charge of you and your comrades," said Markus. "Why would you cooperate with these people?"

"For the past three years, all I wanted to do was make some money to help my sick mother. But I keep losing my jobs to androids," said Cecil. "Then my father came to me. He left me and my mom when is was 5, but he returned to offer me an opportunity to rid this world of androids."

"All this violence... all in the name of your dying mom," North said sympathetically.

"What about the rogue deviants? What do you know about them?" asked Connor.

"I heard that teams were sent to neutralize them, but I don't know what for," said Cecil.

"We have a reason to believe that these rogue deviants are creations of your master," said Connor.

"But my boss wanted to destroy all androids. Why would he or she want to make more?" Cecil wondered.

"Are you certain you don't know who your boss is?" Markus asked.

"I swear, I don't know. I'm just in this for my mother," said Cecil.

"Then let me offer you another solution to your problem," said Connor. "Come to work for me at CyberLife. I'll pay you the exact amount you need for your mother's medication."

"I'm not taking any deals from no androids," Cecil said stubbornly. "You might as well just kill me right now."

"And let your mother die without seeing his son again, not gonna happen," said North.

"You tried to harm my people, and for that you will be punished," said Markus. "But we will show you mercy. Incarceration without execution. Until you decide to cooperate with us, I'm afraid you're gonna have to sit inside a cell and think about what you really want."

While Chris takes Cecil to a cell, the androids talk with Hank and Gavin.

"Poor kid," Hank said, feeling bad for Cecil. "All he wanted was to save his mother."

"You really by this crap?" Gavin questioned.

"I can read facial expressions to tell the difference between truthful confessions and lies," said Connor. "He was telling the truth. Every single word."

"He doesn't know who made the rogue deviants and sent those assailants, so we're still no closer to ending this war," said Markus. "Our people are scattered all over Detroit and all we can do is just sit and wait until the next attack. I won't let this escalate any further."

"What about this Kara?" asked Hank. "Are you sure none of you have met her?"

"I have," said Markus. "But if she's been killed, then all we can do is avenge her."

"Who is this Kara anyway?" asked Gavin.

"She's an AX400 who left the country to take care of an orphaned little girl," said Markus.

"Wait, did you say an AX400?" asked Connor.

"Yes," said Markus.

"Because three months ago, I was chasing an AX400 who was running away with a little girl," said Connor. "The AX400 killed the girl's father. She escaped before I could question her."

"Then the father must've been such a blockhead for his daughter to leave with his murderer," Gavin commented.

"This Kara must be very special to be mixed up in all this," said Hank.

Kara

Canada Border Inspection Station, Detroit

PM 06:51:36

Kara, Alice, Rose, Adam, and Desmond made it across the border back to the United States. They start driving through the city to get to where they need to go. Alice, however, was feeling cold and all Kara can do is hold her close as she sleeps.

"We need get Alice a warm place to stay," said Kara. "There's a motel in Camden. She'll be safe there."

Rose sets a course for Camden. The autonomous vehicle started driving in that direction.

"Are you sure it's safe to be here?" asked Adam. "With all this rogue deviants stuff I heard on the news, we're in as big of trouble here as we were in Canada."

"At least in here, we'll be protected," said Kara.

"But these men are heavily armed and much more dangerous that average cops," said Adam. "We need the military."

"They're still not as friendly with androids as Detroit is," said Kara. "No, we go to Markus and his people. He'll keep us safe from whoever is targeting us."

"Kara, you're walking into a war," said Rose. "Are you sure you want to do that for Alice?"

"I have no interest in fighting," said Kara. "I just want to keep Alice safe. I'm not leaving her side. I just want her to be somewhere where she'll feel protected."

"What's it feel like, Kara? Being back here," asked Desmond.

"I don't exactly know how to feel about this," said Kara. "Being too busy running doesn't help you appreciate what's around. But I have to admit... Detroit is a wonderful place, visually speaking."

"You said you encountered this Connor fellow before," said Rose. "Aren't you worried he would arrest you for murdering Alice's mother? I can't deny that Todd deserved it for hurting his own daughter, but the police don't know about the child abuse. As far as they know, you're a murderer."

The word murderer made Kara sick to her "stomach" given what she did back at Desmond's house.

"I'll manage," said Kara. "I know I said I wouldn't leave Alice's side, but I need to talk to Connor and Markus alone. Alice needs to rest and she needs all of you."

"She needs you too," said Rose.

"And I'll be there for her," said Kara. "But I have to speak with Connor and Markus first."

"I heard that Markus and the deviants have set up a new sanctuary for androids called New Jericho," said Rose. "You should start there instead of the DPD."

New Jericho, Detroit

PM 08:09:03

While Alice, Rose, Adam, and Desmond book rooms at the Eastern Motel, Kara went to New Jericho to look for Markus. Unfortunately, there was no freighter that said New Jericho on it. She searched around the area for the freighter, but she still found nothing. She did manage to hear something. It didn't sound good, however. Hiding in the shadows, Kara peers around a shipping container to see two armored gunmen threatening two androids. One is a KR200 and the other is an HJ400. The two gunmen wore the same colors as the ones who attacked Desmond's house.

"Where's the freighter?!" One of the gunmen asked in a demanding way.

"Please, we don't know," said the KR200.

"Then you have no use to us," said the other gunman.

Kara knew what this meant. Those two androids are about to be killed. Remembering the gun she keeps with her at all times, she knew that she could use it to save the androids. But what if they see her? What is she is killed? Then Alice would be devastated. She would break her promise to Alice. But Kara's conscience was fighting against her sense of duty to Alice. Gripping her gun tight and cursing at herself, she steps out of from behind the crate pile and aims the gun at the two gunmen.

When the HJ400 turned his head and saw Kara, one of the gunmen looked that way.

"Over there!" The gunman alerted his comrade.

Before the two gunmen can open fire, Kara quickly fired her gun, shooting the two gunmen in their helmeted heads, killing them. Kara breathes heavily as she puts the gun away. It's never easy for her when she had to fire a gun.

"Thank you. You saved us," said the HJ400.

"Don't thank me," said Kara. "What were you doing here?"

"We were looking for New Jericho when those two armed men ambushed us," said the KR200.

"I'm looking for New Jericho," said Kara. "But I can't find it. It must've been moved. Now I have to find Markus."

"Well, we don't know where he is," said the HJ400.

"I know one way to catch his attention," said Kara.

DPD Central Station, Detroit

PM 09:47:30

Connor and Markus were called by Hank to return to the DPD after receiving report of a wanted android turning herself in. She was currently cuffed and placed in the interrogation room. Connor and Markus go there to see an AX400. Connor immediately recognized her. She is the same AX400 he chased three months ago, the one who killed Todd Williams.

"She just walked right in and confessed to killing Todd Williams. She put her hands in the air and got on her knees without anyone even ordering her to," said Hank.

"We would've interrogated it ourselves, but she said she wouldn't talk to anyone except for you two," said Gavin.

"She came in here alone, correct?" asked Connor.

"Yeah," said Hank.

"If she is the android who was accompanying Alice Williams out of the country, then where is the girl?" asked Connor.

"Don't know. Like Gavin said, she'd only talk to you two," said Hank.

"The unknown assailants were dispatched to destroy or capture the three of us," Markus remembered. "Her presence here will only cause more problems. But I'm sure she has a good reason to be here."

Connor and Markus go into the interrogation. Kara smiled due to the presence. She's been looking for them and now there they are, right in front of her.

"Hello," Connor greeted.

"Hi," Markus greeted.

"Greetings," said Kara. "My name is Kara."

OOH! Finally, we're here. I've been waiting for this. Sadly, I'm gonna need more time to plan the rest. But we're finally here. Kara, Markus, and Connor in the same room. If I had another complaint about the game, it's that Kara's story was way too distant from Connor and Markus. It's another reason why I wanted to write this story.

So, what do you think?