Jericho: October 1st, 2038 - 06:23am
The thick silence of the large and decaying vessel had been disturbed only by the strange sound of metal scraping along the filthy and rusted floor of the moored ship with a seemingly eternal echo. Those who had found refuge within the neglected metal walls of the old freighter had become accustomed to the odd groaning sound here and there, and the gentle lapping of the waves pushing against Jericho as it rested within the harbor. However, the sound that had roused Simon, Josh and North from their scheduled rest mode was something unfamiliar but not necessarily threatening since it was a new sound that was being created by their fourth ally and new friend, Connor.
Within the heart of the vessel Connor had busied himself with placing his latest finds in supplies in appropriate places for his fellow deviants to use as they saw fit when the time came. With summer slowly winding down and autumn creeping closer to the city, it would become increasingly difficult to remain warm at night. Being along the water would make such a feat all the more intense, especially for damaged deviants. By placing tall, metal burn barrels in the four corners of the main floor Connor assured that his fellow deviants would be able to make small bonfires to keep warm during the more intensely cold weather.
North had found her own little space within the vessel and often spent her time resting when she wasn't scoping out the harbor to ensure that they were still secure, and that no humans were roaming the area. From where she was laying atop an old, empty storage container against the far wall, North brushed a long lock of her auburn hair from her face and watched Connor intently with her warm cinnamon brown eyes. Since her rescue just over a week prior North had found herself unable to remain still inside Jericho for too long. She needed to get up and do something, anything, to avoid going stir-crazy.
Rising to her feet, warm and comfortable shoes now replacing her awkward and uncomfortable high heels, North approached Connor and watched as he finished rolling the last of the burn barrels into the furthest corner of the wide open floor. "Connor, what're you doing?"
"Preparing for the cold." Connor replied sharply as he looked to North standing beside him. She had recovered from her physical abuse at the club and was now wearing his leather jacket to keep herself covered until more clothing was brought aboard Jericho to be shared. "We can use these barrels to hold bonfires. The garbage all around Jericho and the harbor will fuel the fires when the snow arrives."
"Snow? It's just now October." Without waiting to be asked North reached down and helped Connor to shift the barrel into an upright position where it could hold fuel and eventually a fire if it became necessary. "It's kind of early to be worried about snow, isn't it?"
Connor didn't reply as he proceeded to gather up bits and pieces of flammable fuel to place in the barrels. He couldn't explain to North that he knew for certain that snow was going to hit Detroit in early November that year, or of his traumatic experience with Amanda in the Zen Garden within his own mind. He loathed the cold, he had nothing but negative experiences with snow, ice and cold weather as a whole. The winter that had nearly taken Cole's life after the little boy fell through the ice had created new nightmares for the deviant to endure, and Connor hated reliving that particular memory whenever it was stoked by chance words or notable changes in weather.
It didn't take North long to notice that Connor had retreated into himself and was trying to hide from the world. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." The deviant detective lied as he continued to gather up bits and pieces to store inside the four barrels. "I'm cybernetically keeping track of our supplies and overall available resources."
"You're a terrible liar." Refusing to believe such a simple reply North tried to get Connor to open up to her. She didn't know much about Connor beyond his name and that he was once a detective before running off to Jericho. "Something is bothering you."
"...It's not important."
Simon had overheard the comment and shook his head with mild disappointment as he handed North some fresh clothes to change into after they were brought in by other deviants patrolling the immediate area. "That's not true. Everything is important if it can take over your thoughts in such a notable way."
"Let me clarify." Doing his best to remain civil yet firm Connor stopped gathering trash and gave his two allies a stern gaze. "It's not important to Jericho. I don't wish to discuss it."
"Okay, you don't have to." Respecting Connor's request for privacy Simon backed off and gave the deviant some space. "Last night Martin managed to find some more clothes and Thirium, but he also reports that the CyberLife stores have stopped throwing out their old stock Thirium in the dumpsters. We'll need to find a new source in order to keep our supplies stocked."
"Damn." Even though he knew when in advance that it'd be difficult to keep Thirium supplied among the inhabitants of Jericho, Connor hadn't expected their main supply to be cut off so abruptly. They'd need to remain twice as discreet if they were going to continue to survive in Jericho for another month. "All right. We'll give out the Thirium we still have only to those who are in critical condition until we find a new source. Those are damaged but stable can wait a little longer."
"Josh has already begun creating a triage list." Simon confirmed as he caught a glimpse of Josh from the corner of his eye and watched his friend and ally tending to their most critically damaged. "It's... not ideal, but it is necessary and it does seem to be working. For now, anyway."
"Good." A simple cybernetic scan helped Connor preconstruct how much Thirium he'd need to collect in order to keep Jericho stable long enough for Markus to take the lead and fulfill his role as Jericho's proper leader. "After dark I'll go out and try to find a new source of Thirium and maybe even some spare parts."
Crossing her arms over her chest North stepped forward and gave Connor a confident nod. "And I'll go with you."
"No, it's too dangerous for someone who isn't familiar with the layout of the city to roam the streets at night. It's better that I go alone."
"You don't need to risk your life every night. We can help too."
Before Connor had a chance to rebut the bold claim Simon sided with North and tried to get Connor to let other deviants help him when necessary. "She's right. Ever since you came here you've been willing to risk your own safety to help others by gathering supplies or by recruiting more of our people. You shouldn't be taking on such a heavy responsibility all by yourself."
"I'm not doing this all by myself." Connor refuted stubbornly as he tried to sound less defensive than he actually was. In the few months that he had been residing within Jericho and working alongside the other deviants, Connor had adamantly refused to let anyone take any risks that could jeopardize their own lives. "I'm merely using my skills as a former detective to our collective advantage."
"Let us use our skills too." Looking around the opened floor Simon honed-in on Lucy tending to a 'YK' model of android who had been abandoned by her former family. The small android had been damaged and was in need of immediate technical assistance, and was being aided in that moment. "I know that as a former family caretaker that I can't do much beyond moral support and guidance for the deviant children who come our way, but I'm sure I can still help without needing to stay in Jericho at all times."
"Same for me." Proving herself to be stubborn in a very beneficial manner North spoke up as well and stood by Simon's statement. "I know how to read people and I know what to say and how to say it to make people happy. I can easily emotionally manipulate some fool into giving us supplies."
"No." Refusing to back down Connor made it clear that it was important for his colleagues to remain inside Jericho to ensure that the future events unfolded properly in this new timeline just as they had in the past alternate timeline. He couldn't risk Simon, North or Josh doing anything that could get themselves captured or destroyed before Markus had the chance to arrive and take charge. "It's not safe for anyone but myself to go out into the city."
"And why's that?" Challenging Connor's resolve North began to show shades of the fiery personality that Connor had known in the alternate timeline. "What makes you so damn special in comparison to the rest of us?"
"My model is entirely unique compared to you, Simon, Josh and the other deviants who are hiding here." The response was as logical as it was honest. Being a one-of-a-kind prototype had more advantages than anyone could've anticipated when it came to keeping a low profile and maintaining stealth. "Every commercial model of android has been reported to the police due to the increasing incidents of androids deviating and disappearing. The police drones will instantly recognize every deviant in the street as an unaccompanied android and alert the police to that particular location. As far as anyone else in Detroit is concerned, I'm just a normal and unremarkable human being."
North sighed through her nose and tilted her head as if impressed with the way Connor found a way to completely justify himself with such little effort. "Then what are we supposed to do?" The small smile gracing her lips emanated unexpected respect toward her ally. "Just hide and hope that someday the humans just decide to stop trying to hunt us down? You're the one who said that we have to fight back."
"No. You need to stay here, hidden from those who'd harm you and the rest of our people, and continue to protect those who cannot or are simply afraid to protect themselves. In time, we'll have the chance to fight back properly." Dropping the trash into the burn barrel Connor placed a reassuring palm on North's shoulder as if trying to ground his colleague and keep her from doing anything drastic by mistake. "You're more than just an android designed to please humans and manipulate their emotions or fight every battle that comes your way. You're a survivor; someone who can teach the rest of our people how to do the same, survive."
"As much as I want to just accept your words at face value and believe you, I know that you're holding something back." North's claim to read people and recognize emotions was proving to be as accurate as she had stated. "What's your real reason for going out and leaving us behind?"
"...It's complicated." The eeriness of how much his words mirrored past conversations with Hank was very eye-opening. He didn't want to keep secrets or lie to the people he was supposed to be aiding, but he had little choice in the matter that the moment. "Just know that unlike you three, and the other deviants who are here and will continue to come here seeking solace, I... am disposable."
"That's not true." Such a grim reply made North's terse tone soften considerably. "You're just as important anyone else here."
"I assure you that I'm not." Retracting his touch Connor stepped back and began busying himself with other tasks. "Excuse me. There's work that needs to be done before I begin my search for Thirium tonight. We can't let anyone go without proper help."
North and Simon remained where they stood as they watched Connor dismiss himself from their rather unusual discussion. Neither of them knew Connor well enough to make any real judgment calls about his behavior or decisions, yet they both seemed to sense that something was weighing on the deviant's mind and his heart in a way that was potentially detrimental to their overall goal as a group.
"He's holding something back." Whispering to Simon as they set about their own tasks North took note of Echo, Ripple and Martin - all deviants who were recruited by Connor himself - and wondered how large their numbers could grow if they continued to progress with their current activities. The rescued trio were all doing their part and assisting the other dozen or so deviants in need of clothing and Thirium. "I don't know what it is, but I get the feeling that he knows what's going to happen to us in the near future."
"Lucy read his heart just as she did to you and the rest of us." Defending Connor's secrecy to some degree Simon did his best to ease the mounting tension and keep North from making an accusation she couldn't take back. It was crucial to appear as collected, calm and organized as possible for the sake of their people. "If he was keeping any important secret from us, then she would've let us know the moment he showed up on Jericho."
"She would've told you and Josh about it, but not me." North pointed out with flawless observation and logic. "There's still a lot about you all and this place that I don't know about yet." Looking down at the clothing she had been given North decided it was time to actually change into more respectable garments and find her own tasks to do that day. "I'm going to get dressed and see what else needs to be done around here."
"Yeah, good idea."
Glancing about the hollow interior of Jericho as if needing to scope out the area Simon couldn't help but agree that there was a lot to be done around Jericho. They had people in need of help both inside Jericho and out in Detroit. Despite all their progress they still had a lot of work to do if they were going to really make an impact on the world around them.
Detroit Central Precinct: October 1st, 2038 - 09:02am
It was a warm morning full of sun and a crisp scent of the changing leaves hanging heavily in the air. What should've been a bright and beautiful day had started out with a minor conflict when Hank dropped Cole off at school and reminded his son that he'd be picked up by his usual babysitter that evening. Cole was growing to really dislike needing to stay with babysitters for a few hours after school whenever Hank had to work. The fourth grader barely saw his dad whenever he was home since Hank had been working longer shifts, going in to work early, staying late, and even giving up his days off to try to get a hold on the infamous android problem that was worsening with each passing day. It was clear that Cole was feeling lonely and ignored, if not neglected, and was starting to verbally rebel and fight over little things more frequently with his dad.
Head down and shoulders slumped, Hank trudged through the bullpen and dropped into his chair heavily. The man's bright blue eyes looked at the frame photograph of Cole sitting on his desk and then let his gaze drift over to framed photo of his late wife Barbara sitting beside it. He missed his wife every day and was truly appreciative of every day that he had with Cole, but he was now wondering if his priorities toward Cole were beginning to fade thanks to work constantly distracting him even while off the clock.
"Got another case for ya', Hank."
Sighing loudly Hank looked up at Ben and extended his hand to accept the tablet screen with the new case information already on display. It had become routine to clock-in, get right to a new case, check on his older open cases, have lunch, file reports and then head home. The routine was surprisingly monotonous since he was making very little progress on the android problem at large, and he was becoming fairly irritated.
"Another murder?" The numerous homicides with android connections were becoming less of a coincidence and more of a pattern. The commonalities among the discovered murder victims revolved around a history of violence, drug use and taking out their frustrations on androids who couldn't defend themselves. "Shit. At least this guy's body was left intact!"
"No less gruesome though."
"Yeah... Shot in the heart, then the head." The details were as macabre as expected. Numerous human murders at the hands of androids had slowly been desensitizing Hank to the violence but he wasn't entirely unphased. The dedicated detective refused to let himself become entirely jaded by his experiences since such indifference would leave him cold and apathetic. "Damn effective way to ensure someone's dead."
"The android was found in the bathroom of the residence with the gun in one hand and its own Thirium pump in the other."
"Thirium pump... That's the android's heart." Hank remembered a few bits and pieces of android anatomy thanks to knowing Connor for so long. He also knew that for an android to lose its heart meant a swift shutdown with little hope of reactivation. "How'd that happen?"
"That's what we need to figure out." Ben was sympathetic to dragging Hank out to the scene of a homicide so early in the morning, however it was important to tackle every case as soon as possible to keep the trail from growing cold. The investigator was just as perplexed as Hank and needed as much help as he could get if they were going to crack the cases. "I'll drive."
"Yeah, sure." With a distraught and heavy sigh Hank accompanied Ben through the bullpen and gave every android standing idle in the precinct a strange side-eye. While he knew it wasn't right to assume that all androids were dangerous - innocent until proven guilty was still important - he had to admit that it was hard to not be suspicious of them considering he had seen what type of violence they were capable of committing. "I still need a few minutes to wake up anyway."
"Rough night?"
"No, it was a rough morning."
"Something wrong with Cole?" Ever attentive Ben was able to pick up on family disputes very quickly. Twirling his car keys in his hand Ben accompanied Hank outside and over to the neighboring parking garage to head out to the scene of the murder in an official squad car. "Don't tell me he's starting to show signs of teenage rebellion already."
"He's not rebelling, he's just pissed off that I'm working so much. He hates spending time with babysitters, and I can't fault him with being annoyed by it."
"When did that happen?" Chuckling a little Ben unlocked the doors to the squad car and quickly turned over the engine to head out to the scene. His C.S.I. team was already documenting the crime scene and the evidence, but nothing could be brought to the precinct for further investigation until after the scene had been cleared by the leading detective on the case. "He never complained about that in past. At least, not that I knew of."
"In the past Cole had Connor to look after him. Now he has to deal with whichever babysitter is available after school."
"All right, now when did you get rid of Connor?"
"I didn't get rid of Connor, it left back in August the night that hostage situation took place."
"Wait, your own android went rogue, and you didn't report it?"
"Connor didn't- Look, it's a long story." The last thing Hank wanted to do was paint the android in a negative light since Cole still cared about it. Things were especially complicated since Hank didn't fully understand Connor's motivations or know how to find it. "Connor took off that night and I haven't seen it since."
"Why did it do that?"
"Cole said it was because Connor didn't want me to..." It was hard to explain without making it seem like Connor was a living being as opposed to the android that everyone saw it as. "Basically, Cole was told by Connor that Connor decided that I'd destroy it because of the hostage situation downtown. It left the house that night and I haven't seen it since."
"Well, you did take off from the scene when you found it was an android holding a little girl hostage with a gun." Ben noted sharply as he recounted that infamous night and remembered how much it had affected Hank. "Seems like that android was pretty spot-on with figuring that you'd try to destroy it."
"Don't tell me that you're actually siding with these damn things. They're machines killing humans!"
"I'm not siding with anyone on anything when it comes to homicide, you know, unless it's in self-defense." The seasoned investigator knew exactly what to say and how to say it to avoid any unwarranted arguments or confrontations while remaining respectful. "But I can't say that Connor was wrong in taking off like that. It's just a shame that Cole lost his best friend."
"Cole's best friend isn't an android."
"Then who is his best friend?"
"He has lots of friends at school!" The response was a poor attempt to cover that Hank wasn't sure about Cole's best friend anymore. "You should've seen how many he had during his birthday party."
"Hate to remind you of this, but some kids are nice to other kids just so they can get some free cake and pizza during a birthday party. That doesn't necessarily mean that they're friends."
"That doesn't mean that Cole doesn't have friends at school. He just got used to having Connor around all the time, that's all."
"I sure hope you're right about that." Ben warned as he gave Hank a knowing look as if he could see something that Hank could not. "I know that if my parents had scared off my best friend when I was kid that I'd be rebelling damn hard in response. It's hard when you're a kid and you lose someone you always thought you'd have in your life."
"Cole will be fine. I'm his dad, I'll make sure that he's fine and I'll figure out a way to help him stop being angry about the whole babysitter thing." Eager to focus on work and put aside his personal family issues for a moment Hank recounted details on the case at hand and swiftly changed the subject. "Our vic was shot once in the heart and then once in the head, and their android was found in the bathroom with a gun in one hand and their own heart in the other. Why do I get the feeling that there's something personal going on with this case?"
"Because you're a top-notch detective who isn't easily fooled."
"Damn right I am." Motioning toward an intersection Hank directly Ben accordingly to the right address. "Take a left up here. We'll be able to get to the address without getting delayed by nosy reporters blocking the road."
"Good move. Reed and Chen are handling another case downtown and Miller's still working patrols. It's just us at this scene for now."
"How I wish I could be in two places at once."
"Miss having a partner in the field? I mean, you know..."
"No, Ben." Snapping at the comment Hank gave his old friend a bitter glare without even moving his gaze from the road. "I don't know what you mean. Why don't ya' spell it for me?"
"I know that you miss Barbara, and you'll never get over what happened to her, but for a while you had Connor accompanying you out in the field and he helped out in a way that us humans never could. Maybe you should do Cole and yourself a favor by finding Connor and-"
"I'm NOT letting an android work on cases where androids are killing humans."
"Why not?"
"Conflict of interest." The response was as sharp as a knife as Hank refused to even humor the idea of working with Connor again. "An android could easily sabotage the evidence in a way that us humans wouldn't notice, and then it'd let a guilty android go free to cause more harm to other people."
Ben's shoulders momentarily tensed as if an important discovery had just been made. "Funny."
"What's funny?"
"You said it'd be a conflict of interest in letting an android handle a case where an android murdered a human." The seasoned investigator explained in a very serious tone. "I wonder if the androids would see it as a conflict of interest in letting a human investigate the same case and scenario if it was a human who destroyed an android."
"Androids aren't alive and can't be killed, so being destroyed isn't something that they even think about. Trust me, I lived with an android long enough to know that even the weirder ones can look conscious and aware, but they aren't." It was easier to pretend that Connor couldn't think or feel despite all of their past experiences together. "They're machines that only look and sound human."
"Even though Connor helped you find that Ralph android-"
"Connor followed the evidence, found the fucked-up fucker and confirmed that the android was too damaged to be ignored and needed to be either repaired or destroyed before it really hurt someone."
"Yeah, and I remember the look in Connor's eyes when it learned that Ralph was destroyed." Ben had been a part of that case and recalled seeing some glimmer of awareness flash over Connor's very being when the case had been closed against Ralph's favor. "I know it sounds crazy, but I swear I saw it restraining tears."
"Androids have their eyes water to remove crud from their vision just like us humans do with our own real tears. It was nothing important and you're only making it seem like it was something significant. They're only machines and they don't matter."
"You seem like you have your mind made up when it comes androids." Ben was used to having deep discussions with Hank about people and their crimes but seeing him so heated was rather rare these days. "Kinda' interesting how you're so adamantly against them even being around while Cole could hang out with them all day."
"He's still an innocent child. He has no idea how dangerous androids can be because he hasn't experienced it for himself."
"Right. Almost like people, humans, can be dangerous and children don't know it until they have that experience later on."
"What're you getting at? Are you trying to make me feel bad for the androids who are killing people?"
"No, I'm just reminding you that that there's always more than one perspective to a single situation. Especially since the androids who are killing humans are only killing humans who were not very nice people when they were alive. It's not like they're taking out random bystanders on the streets for shits and giggles."
"Are you saying that these androids magically became self-aware and decided to fight back against their 'abusers'?"
"Is it really that hard to believe?" Nearing the crime scene at a steady pace Ben made sure to finish their discussion before they went to work to avoid any emotional bias or unfounded opinions affecting their ability to properly investigate the case. "How many times have we responded to calls where an abused spouse or child finally fought back against their abusers after years of a torturous life? The victims all just have that one moment where they seemingly just open their eyes and see what their life truly is, and they finally stand up for themselves."
"Those people just snapped after decades of abuse and were already on the verge of losing their sanity. They defended themselves, sometimes in a way that proved fatal to their abuser, but not always. Every single android case we've dealt with has a confirmed fatality involved. That bastard found mangled behind the bar didn't make it and the android is still missing."
"Well, yeah. You're only involved in these cases because-"
"I know I'm the lead detective in the homicide division and that's why I'm dealing with this shit, that's not the point!" Hank hated it whenever someone questioned his beliefs and overall resolve. "I'm just pointing out that not every case of someone fighting back has to end in death."
"It sounds like Connor had the same idea, and that's why it left your house. Right?"
Quiet for a contemplative moment Hank thought about Ben's words, how strongly Cole had reacted when Connor left, and how everyone had just assumed that Hank would've pulled the trigger on Connor at his first opportunity. "...Do you really think I'd destroy Connor?"
"If you believed that Cole was in danger, absolutely yes." The confirmation came at the same time Ben pulled the squad car up in front of the marked off crime scene and shifted the marked vehicle into park. He knew that it was hard for some people to see their own reflection when someone else held a mirror up in front of them and made them take a good hard look. "That doesn't mean I think you're a trigger-happy android hunter."
"A hunter? I sure as Hell hope not." As he removed his seatbelt Hank sighed at the holographic police tape cordoning off the property of the most recent murder and prepared to give a corpse his full attention for the morning. Duty called whether he wanted to deal with it or not. "I can't imagine trying to shake off a reputation like that."
Jericho Harbor: October 1st, 2038 - 12:12pm
The bright afternoon sunbeams shone down from the clear skies and bathed the rusting, decaying vessel moored in the harbor with a gorgeous ray of natural light. Despite the old freighter being a hollow and nearly forgotten relic of the Detroit's past, many deviants saw it was a beacon for the future of their people. If the old ship, one that had finished serving its purpose to the humans and then abandoned, could continue to serve a purpose and live on despite decades of neglect and being forgotten about, then maybe the androids that were designed to serve humans and endure countless forms of abuse could do the same. As long as the deviants didn't give up hope they'd continue to live on, prosper, and become something greater than just a footnote in the history books.
Sitting atop a long metal beam jutting out of the broken wall of the brick factory overlooking the harbor, Connor sat hunched over himself as he danced his coin over his knuckles and stared into the vast expanse of the sky over the harbor with a sense of loss and sorrow shimmering in his soulful brown eyes. He had been hiding his true self for so long that he was worrying he might have forgotten who he actually was beyond just a name and a role within Jericho. As he searched the horizon for even a glimpse of his former self Connor didn't notice someone walking through the broken factory to join him at the hole in the wall.
North stood silently at the base of the metal beam and watched Connor with a curious stare. Having changed into a beige colored, thigh length sweater dress with black gym shorts and black ankle boots, North no longer needed Connor's leather jacket to hide her humiliating 'Eden Club' uniform or to keep warm. With the jacket neatly folded over her arms North walked to the side of the hole in the wall and let out an audible sigh to catch Connor's ear.
Turning his head Connor peered at North momentarily over his shoulder then resume his staring out at nothing for seemingly nothing. He didn't want to engage in conversation despite knowing that was the very reason North had found her way to him in the old building.
"What're you doing up here?" North asked once she knew she had caught Connor's attention. She could feel a somber presence radiating from his very being even from a notable distance as the reclusive deviant danced his coin about. "It's a beautiful sight, but it's so quiet."
"That's the point." Connor responded softly as he pocketed his quarter and folded his hands neatly over his lap. He was feeling tense and wanted to channel his tic before his anxiety ate through his very soul, but the coin was just a distraction tactic. "I needed space to think. How're the others holding up?"
"They're stable for now." Keeping her distance North responded to Connor with a kind and understanding tone. She had been drawn to Connor out of a strange sense of kinship that she couldn't express let alone explain. "Lucy said that everyone is going to make it through the night."
"But by morning they'll need more Thirium, or more deviants seeking help will find their way to us before dawn and they'll require Thirium. I'll bring back as much as I can before dawn."
"We know you will. Here," extending her hand North showed Connor the jacket that she had been borrowing for quite some time. "you should wear this tonight. You seem to be worried about the cold. This definitely helps."
"...Keep it." Connor couldn't bear the thought of even discussing the cold, while the fear of experiencing it left him momentarily paralyzed where he sat. By rejecting his jacket and the desire to keep warm Connor believed that he'd be able to defy his fear of the cold and endure it easier once winter came. "Someone else might need it more than I do."
With an amused scoff North lowered the jacket and resumed holding it in her arms and pressed it up against her chest. "Why do you do that?"
"Do what?" The deviant detective asked as he listened to the way North's footing shuffled on the dirty ground behind him. He could sense her every move and knew that she was getting tense. "It's just a jacket."
"You keep acting like you having anything or doing anything for yourself is somehow a crime. Why can't you just let us help you the same way that you've been helping us?"
"Because I don't need any help."
"That's bullshit and we both know it."
"You don't know anything about me, North."
"That's right, I don't. And that's because you won't tell me about yourself. Why?" Determined to get her answers North refused to budge or back down now that Connor had effectively cornered himself in his attempt to find solace. "What are you so afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid of anything. I'm just aware of how insignificant I am in comparison to everyone harboring within Jericho."
North was quiet for a moment as she hadn't expected Connor to be self-deprecating or sound so broken. It genuinely pained her to see someone who appeared so strong and sure of himself suddenly morose and withdrawn. "Who hurt you?"
In spite of his best efforts to remain unemotional and reserved Connor knew he couldn't hide the physical flinch when North's words hit him. How could he tell her about how she was one of the people who had hurt him in an alternate timeline, or explain the complex relationship that he had developed with Hank and with Cole after traversing time itself? It was impossible for him to explain and implausible for anyone else to believe.
"Remember how you told me, Echo and Ripple that we don't have to worry about being hurt anymore?" North's attempts to reach out to Connor were met with more silence as the reclusive deviant detective rose to his feet and walked along the beam to return to the interior of the rundown factory. "The same applies to you. No one can hurt you here. Not when you're with friends."
Friends.
That was something Connor felt like he never had beyond his connection with Hank. It didn't matter which timeline he was experiencing, Connor always believed that he was meant to never have any friends due to his past as the 'Deviant Hunter'. A past that would only exist in one timeline and not the other.
"Please." Reaching out her hand North made an attempt to touch Connor's hand only to have him retract his hands defensively and brush past her to walk deeper into the factory and further from the open wall giving a spectacular view of Jerich and the harbor. "I just want to help you."
"...I know." As he paused for a heartbeat Connor felt guilty for pushing North away for reasons that no longer applied to their current situation. It was difficult to let go of a painful and traumatic past, even when that past was being erased from existence with each passing second. "I just need to be able to help myself for reasons that are personal. Stay in the harbor and watch over our people. I'm going to find supplies and return as soon as I can."
As strange as it felt to stand idle while someone else put their life on the line, North did as she was requested and remained in the old factory and watched as Connor trekked through the old building and back to the street on the opposite side of the harbor. While North would never be as emotionally insightful as Lucy was or sense someone's heart through a single touch, she did know that Connor was harboring a deep, dark pain that he was trying to pretend didn't ache with every beat of his increasingly deviant heart.
Looking down at the leather jacket in her arms North traced her fingertips over the soft and warm fabric as she tried to imagine what kind of life Connor had survived that made him so aloof and reluctant to accept help from others.
"What are you hiding, and why are you hiding it?"
Detroit Central Precinct: October 1st, 2038 - 06:07pm
The murder case that had been brought to Hank's attention that morning had ended just as he had expected. The android had shot and killed its former owner before tearing out its own Thirium pump to shut itself down. The bathroom where the android had been found was covered in strange scrawlings, some in binary code and others in a smaller code that Hank couldn't deduce. To make things all the more disconcerting, the strange words written all over the walls, the ceiling and the floor of the bathroom had been written in the android's own Thirium. It was tragically not uncommon to find messages written in the blood of a recently deceased, or in this case shutdown, victim of violence, but knowing that androids would use their own blue blood for the same purposes as abused and desperate humans made the act all the more unsettling.
There had been no progress in what the android's messages were meant to convey, but Ben's team and the coroner's report confirmed what had happened at the house in the late hours of the previous night. The human had returned home drunk and high on "red ice", and he began to threaten the female android in his house. The man had been confirmed by his neighbors of having a temper and beating on the android and even sexually abusing it. By all account, the android had killed the human in self-defense before shutting itself down for a reason still unknown.
"What the fuck is this world coming to?"
Hank asked himself as he filed his report and clocked-out for the evening. The way the violence and odd behavior shown by androids toward humans was escalating gave him every reason to avoid interacting with any and all androids until a definitive cause was given. Hell, no one even knew what to call the bizarre phenomenon of androids acting out beyond just a glitch or a bug, and the man knew that such benign terms weren't going to properly cover the city's current issues.
Right on schedule Gavin and Tina returned to the bullpen looking absolutely exhausted after handling their own case downtown. The younger detective had been fairly quiet and even depressed after learning his old friend had been killed during that infamous hostage situation two months ago. Despite his attempts to work and push through his grief Gavin was unable to get the senseless death out of his mind.
"How was your case, Chen?" Hank asked professionally as he turned off his terminal and rose to his feet. The way Tina practically melted into her chair when she dropped down confirmed that she was ready for a change in her usual cases. "Anything interesting?"
"A junkie killed his landlady because she dared to ask him about his late rent, and even suggested working out a prolonged payment plan until he could find a new job and get back on his feet." As she spoke Tina rubbed fatigue from her eyes and gave Hank an exaggerated shoulder shrug. "Apparently he took it as a personal insult, and he believed that his landlady was mocking him over getting fired for being high while at work and decided to teach her some respect."
"Ah, fuck. That's messed up."
"Yup." Lowering her voice Tina made sure that Gavin couldn't hear her speaking while he was in the community breakroom trying to scrounge up something to snack on before his own shift ended. "Gav's still not admitting that Antony's death is really getting in his head. I think having an android kill a cop after he tried to stop hating androids has really gotten under his skin."
A strange memory popped into Hank's mind and made it hard for him to continue demonizing all androids. "Hard to say that all androids are dangerous when he was personally helped out by one a couple times in the past."
"I want to remind him of that, but I don't want to bring up such a delicate subject either."
"Don't do it." The idea of Gavin's pride being wounded by a memory of Connor helping him out on top of his already severe emotional pain just gave Hank a deep sense of dread. He knew Gavin had a tough childhood marred with poor experiences with androids, and he didn't want to open an old wound on top of his new wounds thanks to the odd android cases happening around him. "Let him process his emotions on his own terms, and only talk about it if he brings it up first."
"Good idea. Gavin's still pissed about trying to help that android last spring, and losing Officer Deckart to an android going berserk isn't helping things."
"Hasn't Abby been able to help him through this shit?"
"A little." Keeping her voice a whisper Tina brought Hank into the loop on what was happening with her best friend. "Abby's been trying to remind him that not all androids are defective - like the one that failed as a lifeguard when he was a kid - and that they're not all dangerous, but after he was attacked for trying to help an android and then losing his friend to an android seems to have revived some pretty bad habits."
"Think his relationship with Abby is on the rocks?"
"No way. Abby is too good for him and she's not the type to back down when Gavin goes into 'butthead mode'."
"If Gavin needs to see the precinct shrink then you-"
"I'll be the first to speak up, I promise. So," Tina could see Gavin walking back toward their shared desks from the corner of her eyes and quickly changed the subject. "you done for the day?"
"Yeah. I finished my report, clocked-out and now I'm about to head for home."
"Can I go with you?"
"Sorry, Tina." Hank made a show of pulling his car keys from his pocket and holding it out to the young officer to see as Gavin returned to his desk with a cup of very weak coffee and a bagel in his hands. "Someone's gotta' stay here and make sure Lewis doesn't do anything foolish when he's so close to transferring out."
"As soon as he's back from patrol with Chris I'll make sure he files his reports like the big boy he is."
"I don't doubt it for a second." He didn't want his younger colleagues stressing over small things while working on the bigger tasks at the same time. "Oh, me and Ben finished our case this morning, so don't worry about having to deal with any extra paperwork tonight."
"You're a good man, Lieutenant. May the pizza gods smile upon you when you order your next delivery."
"Yeah, that'd be nice... All the more reasons to eat grease and oil."
Giving Gavin's shoulder a small pat as he walked past the desks Hank made sure that the younger detective knew that he had support even if it wasn't being spoken or actively discussed. As he made his way to the front doors of the precinct Hank stared at the android receptionists warily while he gave his two colleagues behind him a casual wave of his hand.
"See ya' in the morning. With any luck we'll all get some decent sleep tonight."
Hart Plaza: October 1st, 2038 - 06:23pm
It was getting late in the day and soon the sun would be setting over the city. In that time, it'd be all the more difficult for any human to get a good look at Connor's face and notice that he was an android, but even so the cautious deviant detective wasn't going to take any chances. Connor alone knew that the peaceful deviant Revolution was just over a month away, and he was bound and determined to ensure that events that had led to such an ideal conclusion were allowed to unfold without any interference or alterations. That of course meant that Connor himself and the three deviant leaders of Jericho remained free, uncaptured and active until Markus arrived to lead their way to absolute freedom.
Connor already knew he was testing fate by rescuing North from the 'Eden Club' rather than waiting for her to escape by herself, but he couldn't undo his impulsive decision to help her out and keep her from killing a man to ensure her own safety. Why he rescued her and didn't just let her make her own escape was something that the deviant couldn't explain. Whether it was from guilt from accusing her of atrocious acts in the alternate timeline or because he knew that could he save her with little difficulty without her being traumatized, Connor couldn't say for sure.
In fact, it seemed Connor wasn't very sure of anything happening in his life anymore.
Wandering about the CyberLife store as casually as possible Connor eyed the Thirium for sale and tried to contemplate how much he should purchase without drawing too much attention toward himself. He made sure to never go to the same store twice in a row to avoid being recognized as a "regular" at the store, but even so Connor knew that he was risking himself by frequently CyberLife property even if it was to help his people in need.
The money that Connor had managed to scrounge up was nearly gone and he could only afford to buy Thirium one last time before needing to find an alternate source of the precious blue blood elsewhere. Without any of the five CyberLife stores in the city tossing their nearly expired Thirium into their dumpsters at night any longer, being able to find intact containers of Thirium would becoming increasingly difficult.
Knowing that it'd be the last time he'd ever enter the store before the Revolution changed the world Connor cybernetically detected the security cameras inside the store and disabled all of them to ensure that no one caught his face on video. The moment the cameras were offline Connor grabbed the two bottles of Thirium that he could afford to pay for and then stuffed six smaller pouches of Thirium inside his hoodie pockets without any noticing. Being swift and smooth with his motions allowed Connor to be as discreet and inconspicuous as he so desired.
As Connor approached the front counter to pay he took notice of the store's loss prevention android being sent from the back to walk the floors until the cameras were reenabled. No one seemed to notice Connor's thefts and didn't bat an eye as he approached the counter to pay for the two bottles of Thirium.
"Did you find everything you required tonight, sir?" The android clerk, a female 'AV-500', asked as she scanned Connor's purchases. As she spoke she seemed to pick up on Connor being an android and extended her hand to accept a cybernetic payment directly from his palm. "Your total is $32.58."
"I have cash." Connor stated quickly as he placed the three ten-dollar bills and the single five-dollar bill down on the countertop. He refused to part with his quarter and always kept it separate from the other sources of money he allocated during his walks through the city. "And no, I do not have a membership card to be scanned."
"Very well." The android continued to blankly smile as she accepted the bills, confirmed that they were not counterfeit, and then proceeded to hand Connor his change without any sign of awareness or life behind her eyes or motions. "Payment accepted. Thank you for shopping with CyberLife, have a pleasant evening."
Taking his paper receipt Connor picked up his purchases and accepted his change before he backed away from the counter casually. "...Thanks."
With the two bottles in his hands Connor walked out of the store with every intention of disappearing into the night. Even with all the Thirium he had gathered on his person and no one aware of his questionable behavior Connor knew he could get more Thirium and do better. The deviants would need additional blue blood to continue to survive within Jericho before Markus arrived. It wouldn't be easy, but Connor knew he'd find everything necessary as long as he remained diligent and focused on his self-appointed mission.
Acting as nonchalant as he could Connor wandered through the shopping plaza and heard a small vocal commotion taking place only a few yards away. Pausing mid stride Connor looked over and saw a man standing on a bench attempting to rile up a group of gathered people to side with him as he protested the abundance of androids now working the jobs that once belonged to humans while the humans were struggling just to pay the bills and keep a roof over their heads.
"We need to stop the android menace before they destroy what is left our city and ruin the very civilization that we have strived to create!" The man was wearing a nice suit, a pair of glasses, had a small United States of America flag pinned to his lapel, and he was somewhat heavyset. Being middle-aged a well spoken man had brought a lot of attention his way. "Technology has perverted our lifestyle and will corrupt the world until we've been engulfed in the flames of a Hell we brought upon this city!"
Connor quickly performed a facial recognition scan on the man and was given the details he sought. The man was Gordon Penwick, a local preacher and very vocal anti-android activist. He had become rather noted for giving a sermon every Sunday warning his people of the supposedly demonic influence of androids being integrated into society as a whole. As the unemployment rate in Detroit increased, so did the members of his congregation.
"Mark my words! The androids are a menace and will bring about the downfall of mankind if we fail to act and to act NOW!"
All Connor could do was ignore the man's comments and the numerous people gathering around him as his audience steadily grew. Connor remembered Markus talking about encountering that very man the same morning before he deviated, and recounted how Penwick got right in his face and accused him of being the one who'd change the city and remove power from the humans. It was interesting how right the man was, but not in the way that he had believed his proclamation would become.
Head down and hands in his hoodie pockets, Connor walked along the sidewalk of the plaza to return to Jericho in the harbor. As per usual he'd take a long, winding route to ensure no one could trail him back to the freighter or even learn of the freighter's existence. It was important to maintain a low profile and to not draw any unwanted attention toward himself or the other deviants just trying to live a peaceful existence away from violent altercations.
The deviant stepped out of the shopping plaza and onto the neighboring block without incident. However, he quickly noticed that a car was creeping up along the street just behind him and his instincts, something that developed inside of him after all of his past experiences, told him that he needed to keep moving and not look back. It was unfortunate that the deviant's thriving curiosity got the better of him and he turned to look at the vehicle crawling along the street just a few feet behind him despite his gut telling him to not look.
The sight of the Oldsmobile and Hank behind the wheel made Connor freeze. It was a strange mixture of fear, recognition and hesitation that caused the deviant to momentarily panic when he saw that Hank, the very man that Connor had once admired and then grown to be cautious of, had found him. Swallowing in a nervous reflex Connor stood in place and watched as Hank parked the car and then exited the vehicle to approach him in a somewhat menacing manner. Connor didn't need to run any scans to confirm that the man was tense and potentially looking for a confrontation. Hank's fixed gaze, subdued scowl and tense shoulders all indicated physical stress and withdrawn anger.
"So..." Hank began rather aggressively as he approached Connor and visually sized the android up for a possible confrontation. "You're still in the city after all."
"Yes. I don't have many options of where I can go." Without even blinking Connor preconstructed his numerous escape options in the event that Hank became violent and attacked him or tried to arrest him for whatever reason the Lieutenant could justify. "The fact that you were uncertain of my location confirms that I haven't done anything worth your time or energy."
"Actually, that means I haven't been made aware of anything that you're doing that'd be worth my time." Looking for a reason to engage with the deviant Hank gave Connor a suspicious and studious onceover. It didn't take Hank long to notice that there were a few items tucked into Connor's hoodie pockets since the odd shapes of the Thirium bottles and pouches stood out against the fabric of the thick layer. "Been shopping?"
"Yes." Connor showed Hank one of the Thirium bottles and the appropriate receipt to confirm his purchase. "I need Thirium to survive. You know this."
Hank snatched the receipt and read over the details and handed it back to Connor to take. "Paid in cash, huh? Where'd that come from? Last time I checked androids didn't get paid for their labor, let alone anyone getting paid in cash these days."
"The streets. It's not uncommon to find loose change in the gutters or outside of business establishments."
"Enough to get over thirty bucks? Especially in this city and its unemployment crisis..." The seasoned detective had every reason to be suspicious of Connor's behavior and wanted to know how he was surviving. "Come on, don't try to bullshit me."
"It's true. My vision allows me to see what humans can often overlook, and I can tune my sensors to specifically locate coins and bills that have been buried under leaves or garbage." That was a truth that Connor had no issue in sharing. It was how he found his money and how he managed to save so much with so little. "It takes weeks, even months, at a time to save up enough money to exchange for larger bills at the bank."
Hank couldn't deny that Connor had a logical response with no reason to question it. That didn't mean he wasn't going to try to ask more questions and focused on the other items stuffed into the deviant's pockets. "What about that other stuff? Pay for that too?"
"Yes." Connor quickly lied as he returned his items to his pockets and gave Hank an irritated glare. "Since when did you interrogate people simply walking on the sidewalk?"
"Got proof for those other things you bought?"
"I don't have the receipt for items I purchased one week prior." Nodding at the Oldsmobile Connor tried to turn the discussion around on the man. "Do you still have the receipt for your vehicle?"
"First of all, I'M the one asking the questions tonight, not you. Second," taking a step forward Hank made it clear he wasn't going to be deterred in asking Connor about his activities. "you're the one surviving on the streets by seemingly some miracle, not me. Third, you're a terrible liar; you can't fool me. Where are you staying?"
"Am I under arrest or even a person of interest in regard to any confirmed committed crimes?"
Huffing once Hank crossed his arms over his chest and continued to eye Connor carefully. "No. But you are acting strange. A few months back an android attacked Detective Reed when he tried to help it. Do I need to worry about the way you're behaving right now?"
"I'm sorry that Detective Reed was assaulted, but I have nothing to do with that and I don't know who is responsible."
"Yeah? According to Reed, he saw an android staggering around the Ravendale District and when he approached the android, it attacked him. It shoved him against a brick wall and threatened to kill him and all the other humans if they came near it, and then accused Gavin of trying to destroy it before running off. That makes it hard for cops and detectives to help out when we're met with violence."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Well, I just thought you'd like to know that Gavin's pretty anti-android. Again." Hank stared at Connor as if expecting him to make a move or even retaliate in a physical manner as well. "Too bad you couldn't change his mind permanently, huh?"
"I'm not responsible for anyone else's happiness, beliefs or behaviors." Connor countered as he refused to take the metaphorical bait. "However, I'd like to ask how you would personally react if you were minding your own business and a cop began harassing you?"
That comment drew an amused smirk across Hank's face as he rubbed his palm quizzically along his bearded chin. "You think this is harassment?"
"Considering I have done anything to warrant such questions and suspicions, yes. It also doesn't help that I'm an android."
At that Hank couldn't help but laugh. "Wait, are you complaining of discrimination right now?"
"It seems to be an accurate description of what's happening. You don't have any reason to stop me or question me beyond the fact that I am an android and there is currently an increase in reports of androids behaving erratically. It makes sense that you'd profile me and assume the worst."
"You've always been erratic. Never once acting like a mindless machine..." The senior detective continued as he watched Connor closely for any sign of the android choosing to respond with violence or attempting to flee the scene. "Makes me wonder if you're not a risk to yourself or to others."
"Now you're attempting to provoke me into acting in a way that'd give you the chance to arrest me or even have me destroyed." Connor refused to take the bait and shook his head as he turned his back on Hank and began walking away. "Goodnight, Lieutenant. I hope Cole liked his birthday gift."
"...He loved it." Hank confirmed as he watched Connor strolling away without breaking stride. "We managed to get the radios to work, and he listens to music every night now. Turns out he likes metal too. He's been messing with that guitar you forgot to take with you when you ran off. He's getting pretty good at it too. I imagine that if you were still around he would've asked you to give him some lessons."
Connor didn't reply as he refused to engage with Hank any further. He didn't want to give the man any excuses to continue to speak to him or keep him from returning to Jericho with his Thirium still in his possession. His people needed him more than Hank wanted a confrontation.
"Cole still misses you, by the way." Hank called out as if desperate to keep Connor from disappearing again. "He really missed you on his birthday."
At that Connor stopped for a beat and finally responded to the Lieutenant watching his every move. "...I miss him too. But we both know that I won't be going back to your house for any reason."
"And why's that?" Hank took a step toward Connor then stopped. He didn't want to crowd the android or give it a reason to suddenly bolt. "Got something to hide?"
"No." Turning his head slowly Connor looked at Hank over his shoulder and hoped that the emotions in his eyes didn't make him appear as vulnerable as he felt. "I just know that I'm not welcome there. I never really was welcome in your house, and I never will be."
Hank's aggression suddenly calmed and his defensive arms lowered from his chest. Hearing Connor speak in such a way wasn't something he had really paid attention to in the past, and now he couldn't deny that Connor sounded as sincere as Cole did whenever his own son made such heartbreaking statements. Such a comment really made Connor sound and seem... alive.
"Please let Cole know that I'm all right and that I miss him." Returning his focus to his own task Connor fully turned his back on Hank and began walking forward with every intention of disappearing once more. "I'm also sorry if I upset him with leaving so quickly. It was important, otherwise I wouldn't have done it."
"What's so damn important anyway?"
"It isn't any of your concern, Lieutenant." Connor couldn't tell Hank what was really happening. In fact, he wasn't sure he could ever tell Hank the truth after everything that had already happened between them over the past few years. "Please respect that. That's all I ask."
Unable to get Connor to divulge any further details Hank just watched as the stubborn android walked away and turned into a nearby alleyway seemingly to vanish into thin air. Taking a few steps forward Hank peered down the same alley out of curiosity but found it to be suddenly empty. The space was entirely void of any life and just left the detective feeling all the more perplexed.
By all account the android has just vanished into thin air and had no interest in returning any time soon. In open frustration Hank put his hands to his hips and stared at the empty alleyway, unaware of Connor hiding just on the other side of the chainlink fence with his back pressed against the brick wall, listening intently to everything he was currently doing and saying, and asked the only question that seemed logical in that odd moment.
"Now how in the fuck did he manage to do that? Damn thing is too fuckin' fast."
Ignoring the question Connor waited for Hank to walk away before he pulled up his hood and ducked his head down as he trudged slowly back toward the harbor to drop off his gathered Thirium before returning to the streets to uncover more supplies. As much as Connor wanted the entire stressful ordeal to end and for the peaceful deviant Revolution to come to pass, he knew that he had to hold on a little while longer and trust in Markus that everything would still turn out all right.
-next chapter-
