Now in one of the closed interrogation rooms, Connor handcuffs Kevin to the table. The android then sits down on the opposite side, hands folded together, back unnaturally straight. The perfect image of roboticism.

"I understand that our first impression was...somewhat hostile. But I assure you, I was designed to assist humans in investigating cases of android deviancy. I am not the enemy here," Connor insists, maintaining a quietness I'd never seen in it before.

Kevin, slumped over on the metal table, is unresponsive, staring at what must be a very interesting section of the wall.

From the other side of the room, Reid and I watch the questioning from a one-way pane of soundproof glass. In front of us is a large control panel that records everything happening in the interrogation room, while it projects holographic images detailing different information onto the sides of the glass.

Reid wipes his brow, "It's not even our first break yet, but I need a beer."

I'm sitting down in one of the plastic swivel chairs near the window, watching Connor's interrogation, "We could grab a beer after work. Maybe we'll even run into Hank while we're there."

Reid chuckles, while I keep my eyes on the interrogation. Kevin has sat up from his slumped position, swaying back and forth and grimacing at Connor.

"And why the fuck should I tell you anything? You arrest me on bullshit charges and expect me to cooperate? Pff...if you're here to help humans, you're doing a shitty job of it."

Standing behind me, Reid watches on, "You know, as awkward as it might be around humans, you gotta admit, that thing can be a badass when it wants to. It ran right in the middle of oncoming traffic, then leaped over the hood of a car. That's like, stuff you see in movies."

I smile, "Yeah, and stepping between another person and a gun is something most humans wouldn't even do, I'll give it that."

"But you know, you've gotta stop butting heads with Detective Reed, cause it really is going to get you shot one day. That man is psycho," he insists, his voice pitching up with hushed concern.

"I'm not going to let some schoolyard bully push me around. If he's spewing shit, I'm not going to lie down and take it."

"Yeah, that's great, but do you really think it's really worth getting killed? Everyone on the force knows Reed is unstable-"

"And who on the force has he not pulled his gun on at some point?" I counter, "He's an asshole, but he's not stupid. He knows they'll put him away if he shoots a human. He's just trying to overcompensate, that's probably the whole reason he became a cop to begin with."

I turn my attention back to the interrogation. Connor is getting nowhere with Kevin, as it turns to try a different approach.

"Look, if you don't tell me what happened, I could have you arrested for a lot more than just unpaid parking tickets. I have access to archive footage from DPD security drones. And I have programmed in me every state, local, and federal law to have ever been signed, which I can access within seconds. I'm certain there's enough there to put you away for a very long time."

I groan, putting my head in my hands. I'm so tempted to go in there and do something, it's going about this all wrong.

"Wilson! McMaghnuis! What the hell is going on here?" Reid and I turn around to find Lieutenant Hank Anderson, waltzing in with his scruffy, gray hair and a heavy brown jacket.

"Your new partner insisted on interrogating a man we were suppose to bring in for assistance counseling," I explain.

Hank grimaces, "That thing is not my partner, I'm pulling the plug on this."

He opens the door to the interrogation room, startling both Connor and Kevin.

"Alright you piece of plastic, that's enough-"

"Please, Lieutenant, if you'd only just give me a minute-"

"You butted in on another officer's duty! We're supposed to be investigating the damn androids, not the poor suckers who run into them! Now leave the man alone! Let's go!"

Hank grabs Connor by its crisp lapels and practically drags it out of the interrogation room.

"Sorry if it was any trouble...eh, let's face it, the damn thing probably was," Hank admits, both to us and to himself.

I chuckle a little bit, "Well, weren't all of our first days on the force at least a little rough?"

Connor wrestles itself free from Hank's iron grip, and starts marching to the exit, nearly slamming its hand onto the fingerprint scanner, its other hand clenched in a fist.

I tilt my body out a bit, to see it more clearly, "Oh, Connor?"

Connor stops in its tracks, its left hand slipping off of the scanner. With its back turned to the rest of us, it straightens its posture, even going so far as to adjust its tie, before turning around.

"I just wanted to say, thank you for earlier. When Reed tried to pull his gun on me, I mean, he probably wasn't going to fire, but, that was still pretty brave of you."

Hank looks at Connor, hands on his waist, "What the hell did you do? Don't tell me you pissed off Gavin?"

"I pissed off Detective Reed," I confess, "and Connor shielded me when he drew his gun and took aim."

Hank's bushy eyebrows raise, a hint of a smile creeping across his lips, "Well, what do you know?"

Connor glances at Hank with confusion, its shoulders arched back slightly. He just gives a low chuckle, before patting Connor on the back and walking out.

Connor takes one final look at Reid and I, its body unnaturally still, its eyes dark and unflinching. I can't help but think this thing is looking at me, but the logical part of me knows it's just doing one last automated, analytical scan of the room. Without saying a word, it leaves.

As the door closes behind us, I jump up out of my seat and unlock the door to the interrogation room, "Kevin, I'm so sorry this had to happen to you-"

"You promised."

I recoil slightly as I find Kevin glaring back at me, "That thing knew everything about me! It had access to my records, surveillance footage, that thing would have done anything to put me away for good!"

I have to win him back, but he does have a point. I'm gonna need to outright lie this time.

"It was bluffing. Every detective has bluffed at least once in their life to get a confession. How could an android that only arrived at the police station earlier today possibly have clearance for all that? "

His eyes widen, he's genuinely surprised, "That android only just arrived today? Well, you'd better send it right damn back, something's seriously wrong with its system."

Kevin starts laughing and I force myself to laugh along, imitating his sudden burst of humor.

I reach for the handcuffs, "Do you want me to undo those?" I need an ingratiating gesture, plus I know Reid's just outside, and Kevin's shown to not have a tendency towards violence, he didn't even try to attack Connor when it arrested him.

"Yeah, yeah, that'd be great," he mumbles, as I release his wrists.

Kevin flexes his fingers, twisting his wrists back-and-forth, "You know, maybe I felt a little bad for doing what I did to that android, but now? Ha, they can burn for all I care."

I glance up at the near-invisible camera in the corner of the room. Maybe there's another way I could thank Connor.

"What exactly did you do to the android?" I asked.

Kevin's tone relaxes, almost becoming conversational, "Oh, you know, initially we were going to just steal the shovel it was using, but the minute my buddy took it he just smacked it right in the head with it! It fell to the ground and wasn't moving, so I thought it would be funny to try and scratch my initials into it."

"And where'd you put your initials? On its body?"

"No," he scoffs, "I tried with a switchblade to engrave it right on its face," he gestures to his left cheek, "but the knife wasn't making any marks, those androids are made of some sturdy plastic. So luckily another one of my friends had a lighter, so I tried burning it in. Didn't do a good job though, the plastic melts everywhere except right where you want it."

I suppress my reaction. Sure, it was just an android, but the thought of something that looks so human, literally having its face melted off. It doesn't sit right in my stomach. I try not to think about it.

Kevin's tone suddenly becomes more somber, more serious, "But see, the thing is, I couldn't even finish the job. As I was burning off the plastic, the android, it started to scream. The loudest sound I'd ever heard come from an android. And that's when it lunged and attacked us."

Following him along, I ask, "He...I mean, it screamed? I thought androids didn't feel pain?"

"Exactly my thought too! I thought it would be hilarious to burn my initials into its cheek, and then see it gardening the next day with that mark on its face, like nothing had happened!"

Kevin chuckles to himself, but at this point I'd stopped smiling. My hands are frozen on the table, and I stare back at him, eyes wides, lips partially opened.

"...what?" he asks.

I stand, "Thank you for that, Mr. Newman. Officer Wilson and I are going to get you help now," I can't help but have a shakiness in my voice, my eyes beginning to dart back-and-forth.

I make my way out of the room, trying to remain as calm as I can as Kevin follows me.

I turn to Reid, "Officer Wilson, would you bring Mr. Newman to assistance counseling, please?"

Reid immediately notices my sudden change of tone and replies with an understanding nod, "Got it."

He leads Kevin out of the room, and I'm left on my own. I feel tears starting to brim on my lower lids, but I sniffle them back as I sit down at the recording console. I send the recording of the interrogation to the android listed as RK800, as well as Hank's desk. After that, I slump down against the back of my chair, pursing my lip as I allow a single tear to fall down my cheek. At least I still have a cheek.

I nearly jump as Connor walks back in through the security door, "I was hoping you'd still be here, Officer McMaghnuis. I just did a full analysis of the footage you sent me."

I rapidly wipe my tears away as I attempt to compose myself. Hopefully it doesn't notice, or better yet, won't care, "Oh, yeah, that's great Connor-"

"Were you crying just now, officer?"

Oh great, so it did notice. Wonderful. Just terrific.

I turn to Connor, my eyes no doubt puffy, red, and utterly awful to look at, "Yes, I was crying, Connor. I mean, if you did an analysis of the footage...you know what that man did to that android?"

"I do, and you were right in your own analysis: androids don't feel pain. But deviants do, and Kevin Newman's description matches a missing WR600 model that went missing a couple of weeks ago," Connor explains, missing the point entirely.

I shake my head, "It's just, I mean, I know the android is the perp in this situation. It attacked a human, but...how could someone even think of something so horrible?"

"You're confusing an android for a living being. That android is not alive, and the most Mr. Newman can be charged for is damage of city property, considering the android is property of the city of Detroit," Connor's tone is almost reassuring, but I don't have the energy to pretend to feel reassured.

"He melted its face off!" I explode, leaping up from my seat, "Doesn't that freak you out at least a little? What if that happened to you, Connor?"

Connor remains for the most part expressionless, but I sense a slight shift, eyebrows tilting upwards, its eyes widening ever so slightly.

"I am not a deviant, and therefore feel no pain. If the damage was irreversible I would most likely be deactivated and replaced by another RK800 model," it explains, with a curt downward tilt of the head.

I cross my arms, "Fair enough. Hey, I mean, I appreciate your company and all, but where's Hank? Shouldn't you two be off solving deviant mysteries together?"

"We were about to head out to investigate a possible homicide by an android, when Lieutenant Anderson claimed he needed to 'use the bathroom'. Little did he know, I spotted the flask tucked into his coat pocket," Connor's tone contains just a hint of pride, or is it snark?

"So…" it suddenly breaks its still posture, its clunky walk leading it to the other chair beside the console. It then proceeds to sit, a slow, calculated, and awkward bend of the knees followed by bent arms settling on the equally plastic arms of the chair, "...I've got time."

I raise an eyebrow, and I can't help but elicit a low chuckle. Most of the patrol androids we've had on the force are much more mechanical, almost never speaking unless they're giving out tickets or stopping jaywalkers. When I see them in the station, it's almost like watching ghosts, drifting back-and-forth on tasks unknown. Connor however, is much different. While its movements and speech are still far from perfect, it's much more autonomous. I've never had an android sit down with me wanting to have a conversation before.

"I would like to thank you as well, Officer McMaghnuis," Connor explains, "thanks to the footage you sent me of you interrogating Mr. Newman, I was able to incorporate your interrogation techniques into my own program, improving my software."

It can do that? My heart sinks into my stomach as I sit back down. So this thing can copy my mannerisms, just by watching me? I'd grown up believing that one of the few jobs that would always be safe from androids were jobs that require human interaction, a "human touch" so to speak. But if androids like Connor can truly copy what I can do…

"Oh, really? And what did you learn?" I ask, my voice slow and tentative.

It leans forward, folding its hands together in its lap, "My calculations were correct that extracting information was possible under the witness's current circumstances. However, the level of stress required to induce a confession was off by about twenty percent, and my overall predictive rate of success may have been affected."

...what? Okay, so maybe my job is safe after all.

I start to shake my head, "That's not how psychology works-"

"Yes, of course, Officer McMaghnuis. I understand you have a degree in psychology from Wayne State University," I open my mouth but Connor continues before I have a chance to speak, "however, androids comprehend the unpredictable nature of human beings through statistics, and evidence-based data in order to make predictions. In truth we can never fully predict what a human will do, we can only form statistical likelihoods."

"How'd you know I went to Wayne State?" I finally get a word in edgewise, and Connor doesn't seem to register the concern in my voice.

"It says so on your police profile. Also, on the Wayne State University website, your name is on the Dean's Lists from 2028 through to 2032."

My back presses up against my chair, "You read my profile? Why? I'm not part of an investigation of yours, am I, detective?"

Connor suddenly looks downward, straightening its back as it puts its hands back on each arm of the chair. Its eyes start darting back-and-forth, as if it's realizing this for itself as well, "No, no, you're not…"

Hank enters the room, a casual bounce in his step, his speech slurring just a bit, "Connor? What the hell are you doing here?"

Connor glances up, spotting Hank, "Coming, Lieutenant," its tone is distant, distracted. It makes a slow ascent from its chair, keeping its eyes on me as it rises. Once it's finally stood up though, its posture shifts forward, into a sort of neutral stance, before walking out the door.

Hank's eyes follow Connor with a raised eyebrow, before looking back at me. To my surprise, he cracks a smile.

"Huh…" is all he says before giving me a short wave, and leaving the room.


Author's Notes:

fishy7073: Awe, thanks! It's gonna be a roller coaster with Emma as she tries to decide how she feels about Connor

Edges05: Reed just has one of those faces you wanna punch, doesn't he? And Connor proves very early on that he's capable of performing actions outside of his primary objective. Like for example, and this question goes out to anyone: did you save the fish in The Hostage?

ShadowOfSans: Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Connor's characterization is very difficult because it's very flexible based on what different people chose to have him do in their versions of the game. I'm not the best at QTEs so my Connor was stumbling through some of his missions. But I definitely want this version of Connor is have his badass moments, and they will be coming. Also, that comment by Reid was not meant to be a jab at you, I pre-write these and it was already in there when you reviewed. Funny coincidence though

Coffee Aunt: Thanks, hope you read/enjoyed this one!

HeroSeekerFrost: Ha, thanks! Having watched fanfic trends come and go over my six-year long "career", I understand why oneshots or imagines have gained their current prominence. They're generally faster to produce, and allow the author to explore a larger number of vignettes in a shorter amount of time. Writing oneshots would certainly boost my numbers, especially on sites like Wattpad, but I'm like Hank, I'm stuck in my old, grumpy ways

OnceUponAReset: *shows gratitude for your follow/favorite, and hopes you continue to enjoy the story*