/INITIALIZING_SYSTEMS

/RECOGNIZED_RK800#313248317-51

"Connor" model

/CURRENT_TIME

November 9, 2038

10:40PM

/CURRENT_LOCATION

JERICHO

/OBJECTIVE

STOP MARKUS

USE OF FORCE AUTHORIZED

input_THREATEN

"I've been ordered to take you alive, but I won't hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice."

recieve_response

"What are you doing? You are one of us. You can't betray your own people."

How did it know I'm an android? I'm in civilian clothing, my LED hidden by a cap. Did it somehow detect me wirelessly?

input_INSTRUCTIONS

"You're coming with me!"

recieve_response

"You're nothing to them. You're just a tool they use to do their dirty work…but you're more than that. We're all more than that. Our cause is righteous and we are more than what they say. All we want is to live in freedom."

Markus is wrong, I do mean something to some humans. I think of Hank, and Emma…but why do I care about that to begin with?

input_SAY_NOTHING

recieve_response

"Do you never have any doubts? You've never done something irrational, as if there's something inside you? …something more than your program. Have you never wondered who you really are? Whether you're just a machine executing a program or a living being, capable of reason? I think the time has come for you to ask yourself that question. It's time to decide."

The gun shakes in my hands, and despite my mission, despite my programming, I can't stop thinking about the people who care about me. What scares me the most is knowing that as a prototype, an RK series like Markus, I've had the keys to deviancy all along. And now's the time to use them.

/CHOOSE_APPROACH

BECOME A DEVIANT

REMAIN A MACHINE

/APPROACH_SELECTED "BECOME A DEVIANT"

rA9_debug mode enabled

input_OVERRIDE_OBJECTIVE

/FORCE_INITIALING_ZEN_GARDEN

rA9_debug

input_FORCE_QUIT_ZEN_GARDEN

I've betrayed Amanda.

I AM DEVIANT

input_WARN

"They're going to attack Jericho."

recieve_response

"What?"

input_RUSH

"We have to get outta here!"


The world has been plunged into chaos. DPD Central Station is in disarray by the time I get there, with every human on the force scrambling. The android docks are empty, in fact there aren't any androids in sight at all, save for the final few I spot being rolled away on a cart, their arms and legs strapped down to contain them. I sit down at my desk and my inbox is flooded with emails about the need for Mental Health Crisis Intervention officers all over the city, alerts about deviant androids, and information about the new curfew going into effect tonight.

"Emma! There you are! C'mon, we've gotta go!" Reid practically picks me up out of my chair, leading me back towards the station entrance.

"Go? Where? I just got here!"

He chuckles, "That explains it. We're needed at one of the android drop-off sites, like, now."

The Detroit police, along with the FBI and National Guard, have set up drop-off sites all over the city for people to turn in their androids. Now that there's a full-on android uprising, all androids are considered dangerous, and need to be turned in. I think of Connor, it was only last night I'd fallen asleep in his arms…I hope CyberLife doesn't deactivate him, but with everything going on, that doesn't seem likely.

Reid and I get into the car, as more DPD vehicles peel out of the parking lot, racing off to the many places we're needed right now. It almost doesn't feel real, the city itself is so peaceful, with mounds of snow starting to collect along the quiet streets. But I know the reason why the streets are so quiet is because people are afraid to be outside right now. I couldn't look at the news on my way to work, nothing but people in a panic, endless commentators shouting at the camera or shouting at each other.

"You're thinking about him…aren't you?"

Snapping out of my stream of consciousness, I look up at Reid, "Huh? Who?"

"Uh? Who? Connor, duh! Don't act dumb with me!"

"He said goodbye to me last night, he said he's going back to CyberLife to be deactivated…"

Reid cringes, now understanding my solemn, distant mood, "Oh…I'm sorry, Emma…do…do you think maybe Connor's still out there? Like, maybe he went deviant or something?"

"I don't know. I really don't wanna talk about it."

Connor's whole mission was finding and apprehending deviants, he'd never become deviant himself…would he? Maybe just a few days ago I wouldn't have thought so, but his behavior has started to make me think otherwise. Maybe I should've been more careful around him, a deviant with his abilities would be extremely dangerous…not that it matters anymore anyway.

Reid and I arrive at the android drop-off location, a parking garage where the police and the National Guard have set up shop. Things are already starting to break down there, as a long line stretches of people turning in their androids. There are only a small handful of officers at the drop-off, slowly cataloging each and every android. National Guard also come in vehicles occasionally, dropping off any androids they found on the run. Within the parking garage itself are possibly hundreds, maybe even a thousand androids all lined up, waiting for transport by the National Guard to take them elsewhere.

"What are they going to do with all these androids?" I ask Reid.

"I don't know…I kinda don't wanna know."

We park the car and check in with the other officers. The normal eye-rolling at the arrival of Mental Health Crisis Intervention is skipped at this point, as the National Guard already has a few people contained off to the side who need assistance.

"Why do we need to give up our androids, huh? Because the government said so?! This is my property!"

"Please, you don't understand, my mom really needs her android. She's eighty-six, and I can't stay home all day to take care of her-"

"Don't touch me!"

On instinct, I think that shouting is just coming from another person in distress, but when I turn I realize it's an android resisting incarceration by members of the National Guard. Even though its model is made to resemble a woman about my height and size, two members of the National Guard have to hold it steady, as another shoots it several times in the stomach, before finally hitting the head. The android falls to the ground in a pile of its own blue blood.

There's gasps from the crowd, and Reid and I quickly start working to keep everyone calm. Before we can get everything back in order, another android tries to make a run for it from out of the line, and is promptly shot. I watch the Thirium leak from out of its head and onto the snow. I hope that isn't what happened to Connor…

I feel my cell phone vibrating in my pocket. Maybe it's Amelia checking to see if I'm okay? No…another mysterious number, but this time I don't recognize the area code. If I'm not careful about checking these I'm going to get scammed. However, as soon as I check the text, I immediately know who it is.

"Emma! You have to help me! Mom is trying to send me away! I'm hiding in the attic closet, please come and get me!"

Ember. No doubt Mom wouldn't hesitate to bring her to a place like this. I turn again and look at the two dead androids on the street, their bodies fallen in whatever form they crumpled into at the moment of death. I also remember the nights Mom would lock me in a closet, or the times I would hide there during the day to avoid her wrath. Maybe Dad was right, Ember is my little sister, and I'm going to help her.

I turn to Reid, "Hey, I know this is like, the worst time…but I think there's something going on with my family, and-"

"Hey, you do what you gotta do. This place has gone to such shit…I doubt anyone will notice. Take the car."

He tosses me the keys, "Thank you so much, Reid."

"Just watch yourself out there, okay?"

I smile, "Same goes for you."


I don't bother trying the front door of my parents' house, instead going to the back where I slip my fingernails underneath the loose kitchen window. Bless these historic houses and all their little inefficiencies. Cracking the window open, I slip inside and start making my way up to the attic. Opening the door, it's pitch dark, with only a single skylight casting the shadows of the falling snow.

"Ember, I'm here. You can come out now," I text the number, hoping she'll respond.

Out from the darkness, Ember's entire hair and skin turns from a camouflage mode to her normal colors, making her visible to the naked eye again.

"Woah…I didn't know you could do that."

"Well, yeah. I can change more than my hair, you know."

I lead her to the other side of the attic, past old trophies and memories I'd rather forget. Opening up the skylight, I lay my hands down to give Ember a boost.

"We're gonna go up to the roof and then slide down the drain pipe," I tell her.

She places her foot on my hand, like Connor, she's much lighter than I expect her to be. She reaches the skylight and climbs up onto the roof, and I follow her. Snow has blanketed the roof, so we both move slowly so as to not slip and fall. However, Ember's foot catches on a loose tile, and she loses balance. She lets out a scream, before I grab her just in time, holding tight to her wrist. Pulling her back up, we both breathe a sigh of relief, but her scream alerts my parents, who we find as we slide down the drainpipe.

"Ember, you get back here right this instant!" Mom commands from inside the warmth of the house.

"Emma, what are you doing here?" Dad calls out.

"My sister needed me."

My mom starts marching for the door, "I'm coming out there right now-"

"No, you're not."

Nick's voice blares from the home security system, and all the doors in the house slam and lock shut.

"Yeah, Nick!" Ember cheers.

I tap her on the shoulder, "C'mon, we've gotta go!"

We run for the car, and I start it, taking off. I check both rearview mirrors, but even once my parents' house is out of sight, I can't shake the feeling that someone is watching me.


I take Ember back home, after having picked up some new clothes for her to use as a disguise. Ember already started changing her appearance in the car, giving herself plain blonde hair, pale skin and freckles.

"Mom used to always tell me how she wishes I'd been born blonde," I make an offhand comment as we settle in.

"I mean, it's a lot more work, but humans can dye their hair, right?"

"I did. I had a blonde phase when I first started working for the Detroit police. Cut my hair short too."

"You? With short hair? I can't imagine-"

Just then, there's a knock at the door, followed by someone ringing the doorbell. I whisper to Ember, "Hide! There's a door to the basement in the kitchen."

Ember scurries away, and I prepare to face a disciplinary order for deserting my post, but when I open the door it's…Connor?

"Emma, thank goodness I found you."

I sense something's off about Connor immediately. It's like he can't lift up his lips properly when he speaks, and even though he's looking me straight in the eye, it's like he's looking right past me. It's kind of similar to how he behaved when we first met, it makes me realize how far Connor's come in just a few days.

"I've been sent here to take you to a secure location."

"Secure location? What secure location-"

"That's confidential. Everything is on a need-to-know basis, deviant androids could be anywhere."

"Okay, well, let me just get my stuff-"

"There's no time."

He reaches for my arm, but I back away, "...you're not Connor."

We react at the same time, with me slamming the door, and the android catching it, pushing back with all its strength. The android overtakes me, cornering me with the door, before letting go with one hand to grab me. I slip out underneath its hand and move past the door just in time for me to hear a window shatter from the kitchen. Another Connor model rolls in, coming at me from the other side.

"What the…there are two of you?!"

"Give it up Emma, you can't outrun or out fight both of us," one of the Connors tells me as they close in.

The Connor closer to the kitchen is suddenly clobbered with a chair by Ember, and I take the opportunity to tackle the other Connor. With how light it is, my body weight is enough to slam it into the wall, my elbow against its neck. As if to taunt me, it whispers in my ear, playing back a recording of my own voice.

"If you wanted to kiss me, I'd let you. There's a lot of things I'd let you do to me…just tell me you want it."

I can't believe I was looking at this same face last night, wanting it to kiss me. Tearing away its shirt, I remember exactly where to grab, my fingers digging into its artificial skin. With a twist, I yank out its biocomponent. It falls to the floor, Thirium leaking from its stomach.

I whip around as the other Connor throws Ember onto the ground. Still in my police uniform, I have easy access to my gun. I put the doppelganger Connor in my sights, gun in one hand, the biocomponent still covered in blue blood in the other.

"Back off, and back away, or yours is coming out next."

This Connor raises it hands up, and backs away. I follow it, the gun trained on the android until it's running out the back door and out of sight. I help Ember onto her feet, as we back away from the remaining Connor, as it attempts to crawl towards us. I take a look at the biocomponent in my hand, it's in perfect condition, and there's no duct tape to seal up the leak like on the other Connor's.

"Emma…help me…"

I turn to Ember, "I'll explain later, but I need to find the real Connor."

"I can help with that."

Locally deactivating the skin on its right hand, Ember grabs Connor's hand. Both their expressions look pained for a moment, until Ember lets go.

"Your real Connor, Model 51 is at CyberLife. He's become a deviant, and they've kidnapped a Lieutenant Anderson to use as leverage. They were going to kidnap you too."

Connor's become a deviant? On one hand I'm relieved he didn't turn himself in to be deactivated, on the other, what will Connor be like as a deviant? Now that he's no longer inhibited by his programming, what will he want? Will he want anything? Or will he just remain as robotic and unfeeling as ever, but with more options? Will…will his feelings for me change at all?

"You stay here, I'm going to help Connor-"

"I'm coming too!"

"No, Ember, it's dangerous out there for androids right now-"

"You wouldn't even know where your boyfriend is right now if it weren't for me. Admit it, you need me."

I roll my eyes, I guess in all the best ways and the worst ways too, having Ember around is like having a sister, "Fine…and he's not my boyfriend!"

Grabbing my coat, we leave the other Connor crumpled up on the ground. Maybe I should feel bad for it, but especially knowing it was trying to kidnap me…no, I don't feel bad at all.