The Anderson Residence: September 23rd, 2038 - 09:12am
It was Cole's ninth birthday at long last and the little boy awoke to find his favorite breakfast waiting for him in the kitchen. A large plate of French toast coated in powdered sugar, a birthday cake covered in multicolored candles and little toy cars, a dozen colorful balloons and just as many wrapped gifts sitting atop the kitchen table were just waiting for Cole to arrive to ensure the birthday boy had a fun and fulfilling day! The moment Cole walked into the kitchen Hank started lighting the little candles on the cake and urged his son to rush over, make his wish and dig-in to all his goodies as quickly as possible so they could spend the day together and celebrate Cole's birthday in style.
As expected, Cole was excited to start his birthday off with some cake for breakfast and quickly jumped into his chair at the table to get close enough to the candles to blow out the flames after making his big wish. After thinking for a moment Cole took in as deep a breath as possible and managed to blow out all nine candles at once ensuring his wish would come true!
"Nice job, son." Hank smiled as Cole ran his fingertip over some of the frosting and tasted it without ever losing his smile. "And happy birthday!"
The little boy was having trouble sitting still and soon had Sumo joining him at the table as the loyal dog sensed the excitement in the air. "Are you going to work today?"
"Not today!" The proud father confirmed as he picked up a sharp knife and cut a slice of cake for Cole to eat after he finished his breakfast. "I specifically made sure to have today off so we can spend the day doing whatever you want since you're the birthday boy, and since you'll be starting school in a few days. Make sure you eat as much as you can before we head out. I don't want you to get too hungry when we're out having fun."
Cole grabbed the big bottle of maple syrup and poured it over his French toast before dropping a handful of blueberries on top. "Are we going to the water park?"
"Well, it wasn't easy to do, but..." Like a magician holding up a fanned deck of cards, Hank showed Cole the tickets to the water park and the two passes to the local laser tag arena that he managed to get just in time for his birthday. It couldn't hurt to go to two fin parks in one day. "Yeah. Water park it is, kiddo."
"YEAH!" Enthusiastically Cole began bouncing in his chair as he gave his dad the biggest smile his face could muster. "We're going to the water park!"
"After your breakfast AND not until the park opens in about two more hours." Placing the plate of cake down beside the French toast Hank made sure Cole remained excited but didn't skip his breakfast to rush out the door. "Plenty of time to eat, open your gifts and get changed into your swim trunks."
"Can Sumo come with us?"
"No way!" Looking down at Sumo beside the table Hank rubbed the dog's ears and then looked at the few strands of stray fur clinging to his palm. "I'm not going to make those poor employees skim this big oaf's loose fur out every pool and off the slides!"
"What if we shared some of the cake with them?"
"Nah..." As he passed over one of the wrapped gifts for Cole to take Hank saw the excitement in Cole's eyes and knew he had made the right decision by making sure his son's wants went before his own sense of comfort. He could stand a little chill in the air while at the water park as long as Cole was happy. "You and me are going to enjoy every crumb of that cake right here."
"That's fine with me!" Cole accepted the large gift box and gave his dad a hopeful look before he began peeling back the paper. "...Is Connor going to stop by?"
"No, son." Hank did his best to keep a smile on his face even as Cole asked him the one question that he really hoped he wouldn't have to answer that day. "But there's always a chance it might stop by in time for Christmas."
"Really?"
"Sure." Putting his own plate of French toast down on the table Hank joined Cole from breakfast and popped a few blueberries into his mouth. "Anyone might stop by at Christmastime. It's the magical time of the year."
"Dad, I know Santa isn't real. It's okay though," peeling back the birthday wrapping paper on his gift Cole gave his dad a playful smirk. "I can still play pretend."
"You always were a good sport." Tapping the top of the gift box Hank made sure Cole had his focus on his gifts and off of Connor again. "Now, go on, open your gift!"
"Okay, okay!" After taking a quick bite of his cake Cole proceeded to practically shred the wrapping paper and reveal the gift beneath. "Oh! Cool! It's the solar system!"
"Yup. A special model that you and me can put together later. And..." Holding his hand over the lettering on the front of the box Hank blocked enough overhead light to let Cole see the letters illuminate in a faint green glow in response. "It's all glow in the dark!"
"Extra cool!"
"Yeah, I thought you'd like that. There's also some spots to put some solar powered L.E.D. lights inside of the planets so it can charge and glow all day, then keep glowing all night."
When Cole heard his dad mention L.E.D. lights he immediately thought of Connor again and of the little L.E.D. disc that he was keeping safe in his bedroom. He was determined to keep his promise to Connor and wasn't going to let anyone know about the light.
"Something wrong?" Instantly Hank recognized the signs of distress in his son's eyes and wondered what was bothering him. "Something on your mind?"
"It's just... Nothing."
"I know." Sympathetic to Cole's current mood Hank decided to be more open about discussing Connor rather than trying to ignore the subject altogether. Neither of them had seen or heard from Connor since he left five weeks prior, and Cole still clearly missed him being around. "You liked making models with Connor."
Cole nodded a little and put his new model aside to focus on his breakfast. "Yeah. He always got the pieces to line up right so the glue didn't show."
"We can do that too." Hank remained positive as he handed Cole his next present to open. It wouldn't be as good as the model, but it was something Cole needed to have all the same. "We just need to be a little more patient and make sure we have the right clamps to hold the pieces in place while they dry."
Accepting his next gift Cole opened the box and then gave his dad a disgusted look. "School supplies?"
"Sorry, son!" Laughing at the vile expression on Cole's face Hank reminded his son that school was inevitable. "You need them. Don't worry, I got you that Batman backpack you've been looking at every time we went into the store."
"Did you get the Batman pencils, too?"
"Look inside and see for yourself."
Curiously Cole unzipped the brand new backpack and sifted through all the supplies tucked inside. "Clothes, socks, crayons, notebooks, more socks... Ha! Found 'em!"
"See? Your dad's got your back." Using his fork Hank cut a small piece of cake from the larger portion of the rest of the uncut dessert and popped it into his mouth. His baking skills weren't as good as his late wife, but he still knew how to bake a mean birthday cake. "Let's finish up breakfast, get changed and head to the water park. We'll open the rest of your gifts later, okay? Pizza and ice cream for dinner."
"Yeah!" Digging into his breakfast with renewed vigor Cole seemed to be as happy as he had even been. "I want to go down every slide in the park at least ten times!"
"All right." Kicking back in his chair Hank ignored the 'buzzing' of his phone in his pocket and devoted his full attention to his young son. Work could wait no matter what was happening at the precinct. "Challenge accepted."
Detroit Shopping Plaza: September 23rd, 2038 - 11:17am
As per usual the plaza was full of people shopping and dragging their personal androids around to carry their heavy purchases. Since summer was ending and autumn was just around the corner most people were out shopping for school supplies and arguing with their kids about the style of clothing, shoes, backpacks and even folders when it came to being "cool" and "uncool" for the upcoming schoolyear. The cacophony of voices stemming from the very young and enthusiastic to the older and far more pessimistic created an ambience that made it virtually impossible to eavesdrop on any specific conversation or argument. However, the sporadic and visceral threats aimed at androids by spiteful humans seemed to echo loudly and eternally in the ears of the deviant androids who were discreetly roaming the area in search of supplies.
After Jericho's supplies had depleted Connor had volunteered to venture through the shopping plaza due to his very human appearance practically guaranteeing that no one would mess with him while he was out. To maintain a low profile throughout his small task Connor went to three different CyberLife stores throughout the plaza to buy Thirium in bulk without anyone noticing by purchasing one large case of Thirium at each of the stores one time each. Having three dozen bottles of Thirium would last a single android for over six months, but with more deviants sheltering in Jericho with each passing day the purchased Thirium wouldn't last until the end of the week.
Handing two of the cases over to Simon and Josh as they waited for him at the edge of the plaza helped to free up Connor's hands and kept people from staring at a guy walking around with an unusual amount of Thirium. Afterward he wandered the plaza with the last Thirium case in his hand and casually entered a large toy store in search of one final item before returning to Jericho for the remainder of the day.
"I have just enough money left to buy Cole something for his birthday. Need to be quick..."
The thousands of different toys, models, kits, crafts, books and athletic equipment was nearly overwhelming. In the past Connor had no problem finding a gift for Cole since the little boy would just pick out exactly what he wanted for his birthday or for Christmas, and it made the purchase incredibly easy to handle. Now Connor was on his own and needed to use his best judgement to determine what Cole would like for his birthday that year.
"I wish I knew what he had been given by Hank today. That would let me narrow down my choices."
"Buying a gift for someone else's kid?"
Turning his attention to the female human clerk who overheard him speaking to himself, Connor turned away again to hide his faint blue blush and cleared his throat in a nervous and very human manner to avoid being busted as a deviant android. "Actually, it's for... my little brother."
"Oh! I see. Well, you're in the right spot!" The clerk now had a better understanding of Connor's dilemma and tried to help him out. The way she was speaking so kindly to Connor was refreshing, but that kindness wasn't extended toward her android coworker. "Martin!" She snapped at the android stocking the nearby shelves and motioned for him to help Connor in her stead. "Make sure this gentleman finds everything he needs, then stock that shelf later. You keep getting in the way."
Martin, a red headed 'AV-500', just obeyed the command and gave Connor a somber look. Only when Martin picked up on Connor's cybernetic relay signal did he realize that he wasn't the only deviant in the toy store on that day, and that he wasn't alone in his deviancy.
'Why are you here?' Martin asked silently through the cybernetic connection as he pretended to assist Connor with his shopping. By motioning to the shelf and by holding a box in his hands Martin put on a convincing show. 'It's dangerous to be among the humans.'
'I know. Once I've made my purchase I'm going to go back to our stronghold.' Connor glanced at the shelf beside him and finally decided to get Cole a present that he was certain the little boy would enjoy. A small radio kit that would actually be able to pick up on U.H.F. signals and play music once completed seemed like an interesting activity that would keep Cole entertained for hours. "Thank you for your help." Connor stated out loud as he lightly patted Martin's arm and transmitted him a special message. 'Go to Jericho. You'll be safe there.'
Martin received the message and a set of coordinates through Connor's touch and withheld a smile of gratitude. "Happy to be of service, sir." Keeping up the facade of being an obedient machine Martin knew he needed to be patient and make a break for Jericho at his first available opportunity. "Do you require anything else?"
"No, this is all I need. Have a good day."
After exchanging pleasantries and secret messages with another deviant hiding in plain sight Connor carried the kit to the register and noted that the same clerk who had initially approached him was now behind the register and ready to check Connor through. She was very kind, warm and friendly to the humans, or to those she thought were human, and very rude, cold and impatient with the androids. The way the woman could switch through emotions without even thinking just made Connor all the more wary of which humans he could potentially let his guard down around.
Having paid for the toy with the money had had painstakingly located in the streets over the past month and half, Connor gave Martin one last nod of encouragement before exiting the store and heading for Jericho. It wasn't easy to find money just laying around, especially with the city's unemployment rate skyrocketing to a dangerously historic high level, but Connor succeeded in getting enough loose change and the occasional stray bill gathered together and exchanged onto a digital payment card to pay for the Thirium and the toy on the same day. The less time he could spend in the public eye, the better!
Moving swiftly through the streets Connor did his best to ignore the other androids, some deviant and some still machine, being shoved around, insulted and attacked by humans who were frustrated with their lack of employment opportunities, and continued on his way to Jericho. The dozens of digital billboards encouraging people to continue buying androids to make their lives easier and to replace their older, obsolete models with something newer and twice as expensive was nauseating. The way people were so oblivious to the obvious solution - stop buying androids - was all the more frustrating to witness and endure.
It wasn't the right time or the right place for Connor to intervene. The time for the Revolution was growing nearer, but until then Connor would have to lay low and do everything in his power to assist his people with what meager supplies that and the rest of Jericho could obtain.
"The injustice is intolerable. I'm grateful to have never suffered the indignity of being pushed around by bigots in the streets like the others had."
Connor's memories of being insulted, shoved and threatened by Detective Gavin Reed weren't exactly ideal, but he'd rather put up with a single bully's repeated efforts to get under his skin than fend off an entire city's worth of hateful bigots. Even having Hank point his gun in face was more preferable to dealing with the boiling hatred surrounding him since Connor knew that Hank wouldn't actually pull the trigger!
"Six weeks."
The deviant detective repeated to himself as he exited the shopping plaza and slipped into the back alleyways leading to Jericho out in the harbor. No humans knew how to find the vessel and soon more deviants would join the other refugees in seeking shelter and banding together.
"We can survive six more weeks. We've done it before, and we'll do it again!"
It pained Connor to know that Markus wouldn't arrive for another five weeks' time, but once Markus reached Jericho and earned his place as their leader, then their rights as free people would finally make progress. Even though Connor knew how the Revolution would play out and knew what needed to be done in order for everything to be successful, he couldn't bring himself to fill Markus's role as the leader and put everything in motion sooner. There was no need to steal Markus's role, his destiny, due to his own impatience.
"Once Markus arrives everything will be all right. Simon and Josh are already on Jericho, which means that Markus will..."
Trailing off for a moment Connor stopped in the middle of the alleyway, glanced about to make sure no one was following him, then hopped the back chainlink fence to reach the outer perimeter of the neighborhood and eventually reach the harbor a little faster on foot. An interesting notion just appeared in Connor's mind and gave him something to dread rather than look forward to as time ticked away.
"North isn't at Jericho yet. She's still trapped in the 'Eden Club'."
Carrying his purchases in his hands Connor looked back at the city now behind him over his shoulder and felt sick again.
"She's being abused, assaulted, humiliated, threatened... raped."
Taking in a deep breath Connor thought back to the vile words he had said to North before altering the timeline and vowed to never say such repugnant words to her ever again no matter how many times they butted heads. In fact, he vowed to lessen her suffering by taking the initiative and planning a rescue mission in secret that'd take place that very night.
"I can't just wait for her to deviate and escape on her own. I have to save her from her own guilt and keep her from killing her client in order to escape. She deserves to live a life without the guilt of murder weighing down her heart."
With a new mission in mind Connor hastened his way to Jericho and decided to carry out his self-appointed mission without letting Simon or Josh know about since they'd undoubtedly try to talk him out of it. Connor knew he could help North and the other deviated 'Tracis' escape to Jericho sooner, but the entire process would require stealth, patience and knowing the interior layout of the club in order to get in and out without being discovered. Connor did in fact know the layout of the club, but he couldn't explain how or why he had such knowledge without giving away his life and knowledge in the alternate timeline.
As difficult as it'd be, Connor knew he would succeed and prevent North from suffering additional abuse simply by helping her escape from the club sooner than when she had initially escaped. While he knew that he and North would never be friends, the cold way she treated him in the alternate timeline was too painful to just pretend didn't happen, Connor knew he could at least find a way to be civil with her and protect her when no one else would.
"Hang on, North."
Connor whispered to himself as he breached the harbor and silently climbed around the metal ramps to reach Jericho moored in the harbor. The other deviants were inside and waiting for his return with the remaining Thirium.
"I'll find you at the club tonight and bring you to the people who care about you."
Revolution Laser Tag & Arcade - September 23rd, 2038 - 07:09pm
The massive gaming arena was full of activity, laughter and an abundance of energetic children rushing through the building as everyone prepared to engage in their next round of laser tag, their next serving of pizza or their next game in the arcade. While Cole happily ran about the designated play area with many of his friends and soon-to-be classmates to celebrate his birthday in style, Hank took a moment to breathe and relax in the restaurant area of the arena with the other parents. The loving father had no problem with keeping up with his son as they ran about the arena and made sure their green team defeated the opposing red team, but he was having a hard time accepting that his only son was growing up very fast and in a few more precious years he wouldn't want to hang out with his dad anymore. He wanted to savor the moment and recall every second before it passed him by.
Removing his designated laser tag helmet for a moment Hank glanced about and took notice of all the smiling and energetic faces around him with a true sense of appreciation. It was rare to have the entire day to spend with his son, let alone actually have some fun instead of worrying about work. With how quickly the city was seemingly falling apart due to the uneasiness mounting between the humans and androids, Hank understood that precious moments like this were going to be few and far between for the remainder of Cole childhood years.
"Dad?" Cole rushed up to his dad with a smile on his face visible just below the visor of his own helmet. Holding his giant plastic laser gun in his hands the birthday boy excitedly tried to coax his dad into round four of their showdown with the red team. "What're you doing? We need to hold down the fort!"
"Just catchin' my breath!" Hank replied casually as he picked up an untouched slice of pepperoni and mushroom pizza to take a big bite as he relaxed in the booth. He hated to eat and run around, but having pizza as fuel allowed him to keep up with all the kids running around. "And I'm refueling!"
"Well, hurry!" Eager to resume the game Cole adjusted the visor on his own helmet as he urged his dad to get back to the game and help him conquer the laser tag arena. "We can't let them take over the green fort!"
"We won't. Just give me two more minutes and we'll take down the red team."
Cole just took off for the area without a further word. Despite his worries of not having any fun on his birthday since he was convinced that the water park wasn't going to happen, Cole had to admit that going to the laser tag arena after the water park was just as fun as the water park itself. Being able to celebrate his birthday, have fun, and not think about how someone important in his life was missing, were something Cole hadn't expected in the least.
Taking a brief moment for himself allowed Hank to check his phone without accidentally ruining Cole's birthday in the process. The police detective had ignored numerous incoming phone calls and text messages from work throughout the day to ensure he could give Cole as much attention as possible, but ultimately his curiosity and personal obligation to keep the city safe wouldn't allow him to ignore his phone any longer.
The seven missed calls and twenty-three missed texts all from Captain Fowler confirmed that Hank had lucked out by missing such an interesting day.
"Ah, cripes..." Deciding to return the missed calls Hank pressed his phone to his ear and took a seat at the small booth with the remaining partially eaten pizza. "Can't a guy go one damn day without the world falling apart around him?"
'Finally decided to pick up?' Captain Fowler responded with a lethargic tone as he answered the incoming call after the first ring. 'I appreciate you spending time with Cole on his birthday, but this is serious, Hank. I need your input on a new case.'
"Must be pretty damn serious if I can't even go one day without you cramming another problem into my 'to-do' list." Doing his best to not sour the mood with a raise voice Hank slumped down in the booth and tried to remain professional. "What's up?"
'As assault was reported downtown behind a pretty shady bar this morning.'
"That's not anything new. Did they have 'red ice' on 'em or show any signs of trauma?"
'Only a few traces of "red ice" were found on the vic's fingertips and around his lips. He wasn't mugged; his wallet and phone were still on him, and by all account the vic wasn't associated with any known gangs. As for trauma, yeah, this guy was messed up on a whole new level of pain and suffering.'
Lowering his voice for a moment Hank made sure that little kids couldn't hear him speaking about such a macabre subject. "What're we dealing with?"
'Someone nearly beat the poor bastard to death.' Such details never got any easier to mentally process or discuss. 'The medics found him barely breathing and discovered that both of his legs were torn off from just below his knees.'
"Jesus. Did the perp use a bat, pipes or a car to do that kind of damage?"
'That's why this case is so fucked up. They used their bare hands.'
"They... Can you say that again?" Turning his head away from the opened floor of the arena and toward the wall next to the booth Hank pressed his free hand over his exposed ear to try to hear what he was being told a little clearer. "The vic was beaten and torn apart by someone's... bare hands?"
'That's right. By all account the victim was beaten by strong and pissed off fists, and based on the deep cuts and scratches along the victim's wounds, it appears that his legs were torn from his body while he was still conscious. It sounds insane, but that's what the evidence is telling us right now.'
"What did the vic say?"
'He's still in a coma, but he muttered something about an android to the paramedics when they were loading him up. The doctors aren't sure if he'll survive, but if he does, he'll be bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.'
"Any suspects?"
'Just one.' The heaviness in Captain Fowler's voice was palpable even through the phone. 'The victim had an android living with him, but the android has gone missing. There's blood all over the victim's house, and an android uniform soaked in the victim's blood was found partially burned in the fireplace of the victim's residence. By all account, the android went berserk, attacked his human owner in the alleyway and then tried to destroy its bloodied clothes before disappearing.'
"Shit. If the android really did this, then that means a lot of people will panic." Keeping his voice low Hank saw Cole looking for him again and quickly got to his feet to meet his son out on the floor. "Tell Ben and his team to keep this quiet for as long as possible. I'll be in first thing in the morning to handle the investigation."
'Right. I'll tell the higher-ups to chill and to keep trying to get CyberLife to talk to us. I know that Kamski bastard knows something that he's trying to keep hidden.'
"Yeah, no problem. I'll see you in the morning, Jeffrey." Hank ended the call, pocketed his phone and quickly slipped back on his helmet as he made a grab for his own laser gun to show that he was ready to resume the game. Giving Cole a firm nod Hank walked his son's way and toward the arena entrance. "I'm ready Cole. Where's the red team hiding?"
"Over there!" Cole pointed his dad in the right direction and gave him a stern look of fierce competition. "We need to move fast if we're going to win!"
"All right." A smile graced Hank's lips as he accompanied his son back to the arena to begin their next round together. "Lead the way, son. We'll finish this fight and come out on top like always!"
The Eden Club: September 23rd, 2038 - 09:44pm
The dark of the warm night provided the perfect opportunity for anyone to creep through Detroit's blackened alleyways and to the rear of large buildings that were fortunately poorly monitored by security personnel or cameras. With a majority of the neighborhood remaining quiet as the night grew darker and longer while the activity in the sexually explicit club became louder and far more unsettling, distractions were thankfully abundant and easy to recognize when seen with the eyes of someone who wouldn't be enticed by the questionable activities taking place within the walls of seedy and morally bankrupt locales. Those who were outside were either on their way home or just heading out to find a good time, whereas those who were already having a good time remained blissfully unaware of the changes happening in the city all around them.
With his dark hoodie helping him to blend into the night and the hood concealing his face, Connor easily navigated the area and gained access to the rear loading bay of the infamous 'Eden Club'. The deviant scaled the chainlink fence with swiftness and grace that allowed him to silently creep about the private property without any prying eyes to hinder his self-appointed mission. Head low and spirits high, Connor approached the partially lowered metal door of the club's rear loading bay with the sole purpose of rescuing a deviant android in need pushing him forward. The door wasn't locked into place and as a result Connor lifted the door open with great ease.
As he set foot inside the storage area Connor lowered the door back down to where it had been previously while a wave of dark emotions washed over him. The memories of going to the club alongside Hank in the alternate timeline were as vivid as ever. It was in that very place that Connor had been attacked by the two 'Tracis' who were just trying to survive, and in response Connor fought back and had momentarily pointed a gun at them. Although he never pulled the trigger and let the two terrified deviants flee into the night, Connor still felt immense guilt for even considering arresting the two 'Tracis' just for existing and wanting their freedom.
"North didn't escape the club by herself until October 3rd in the alternate timeline, she must be here somewhere."
Connor spoke whispered to himself as a reflexive response to his understandable nervousness. Despite being there only to save someone rather than cause harm or damage the establishment, Connor knew that any reports of a rogue android trespassing would cause a chain reaction that he wouldn't be able to stop. It was crucial to remain as discreet as possible and never leave a trace of his intrusion behind once he located North. Finding her among the other hundreds of androids - some were still in the club or entertaining clients in private rooms, while others were already in the storage area - was going to be more difficult than Connor could've anticipated.
Seeing the two rows of androids standing idle in rest mode wearing only the sexually explicit uniform provided by the club was disconcerting. The opened eyes, blank stares and expressionless faces were as haunting as a corpse's unseeing dead gaze peering through all of eternity. If it wasn't for the slow ventilation causing the androids to slightly move where they stood, and the dull blue glow of the L.E.D.'s in their temples flickering in time with their sluggish Thirium pump beat, anyone would've sworn that they had walked into a crypt.
All of the delicate tools in their toolboxes that lined the walls, the hanging chains used to support and move heavy equipment, the dozens of long tables that were covered under white sheets and security straps made of leather at the head and foot of the tables, and all stained with mostly evaporated Thirium gave the bay a ghoulish feeling. The androids who couldn't be repaired were used as cheap scrap parts for the other salvageable androids before having their hollowed-out shells thrown into the dumpster to be forgotten once they were no longer useful or turning over a profit for the club.
"She's close... I can sense her."
A cybernetic ping reaching out to North's unique cybernetic signature confirmed that she was still inside of the club. Exactly where she was and what she was doing - or to be more precise, what someone else was doing to her - were difficult to determine. The private rooms throughout the club were designed for complete discretion, and with so many androids being kept prisoner for the sexual needs of total strangers it'd be difficult to pinpoint North's exact location.
Roaming the loading and storage bay with silent steps Connor peered at the idling androids for any sign of deviation while he tried to find North. Despite being there specifically to aid North and help her escape the club before she killed someone, Connor knew that he couldn't bear to turn his back on any other deviant and leave them behind to continue suffering until the Revolution freed them all. Any deviant who was awake and alert deserved to be rescued and taken away from the disgusting people who saw them as nothing more than disposable sexual conquests.
The employee access door opened from within the corridor leading from the club to the storage bay area. The moment he heard someone approaching Connor froze where he stood. He couldn't be seen in the warehouse or anywhere in the club itself, and he knew that he needed to disappear without actually leaving the property. Thinking quickly Connor knelt down onto the floor and ducked beneath one of the large tables used to repair damaged androids. The white sheet hanging off the edge of the table provided Connor with just enough cover to avoid being seen by anyone who didn't think to lift the sheet or peer under the table itself to check for any unwanted visitors.
Resting on his stomach Connor propped himself up on his forearms and watched the shoes of the employee entering the bay, and he quickly took notice of the black high-heeled shoes of the android that the employee was escorting to the back. From where he was laying Connor couldn't see any faces, but he could hear footsteps and the vile voice of the man who placed the android down on the very table that was currently keeping Connor hidden.
"You did real good tonight..." The man's voice was dripping with carnal intent. As he leaned over the female android the man ran his hand along the android's inner thigh and didn't stop until he touched the android where no one deserved to be touched without proper consent. "Too bad you're nothing more than used goods."
Connor felt sick to his stomach as he unwillingly listened to the familiar man speaking to the android in such a vulgar manner. The desire to jump up and assault the club owner, Floyd Mills was strong, but the urge to remain hidden and supportive of the impending deviant Revolution was enough to keep Connor hidden.
"You have an appointment next week. Our very special client wants to meet you again, North."
If Connor didn't feel sick before, he would've been doubled over with nausea upon hearing that name. It was becoming clearer as to what it was that made North deviate and kill the client before escaping from the club.
"Yeah, you made him very happy tonight..." Floyd trailed his fingers up from North's legs and toward her chest to slip his palm beneath her bra. Touching North all over her body and watching the way North didn't react or say a word made Floyd sickeningly jovial. "You touched him in just the right places that made him want to open up his wallet and give me every cent he has. You're not as worthless as the plastic you're made from after all. Then again, with a body like this... Well, let's just say that your talents paid for themselves in no time."
From where he was laying under the table Connor felt his hands clenching into fists of intense anger as he refrained from lashing out and silencing the horrid human in a tragically permanent manner. The blatant objectification and sexualization of North's entire being made Connor truly regret the words he had spoken to her in the alternate timeline about her tragic past within the loathsome club he was determined to rescue her from.
"You're going to get the special treatment tonight." Floyd continued without any remorse behind his words regarding how he was treating North. "I can't afford to let you get tarnished by anyone else until our client returns. He's going to pay thousands just to have you all to himself."
Unable to do anything Connor just listened to the sick man securing North over the table with the leather straps before taking his leave of the bay. It was as horrendous to listen to as it was to visually witness. Closing his eyes Connor reminded himself that his patience would pay off and that soon he'd be able to free North and escape to Jericho before she was forced to violently defend herself against the club's "star client" as the man, presumably the club's owner, so boastfully declared.
"I'll personally make sure you're cleaned up from head..." Floyd's fingers combed through North's hair before he reached down to her foot and touched her toes in an undignified manner. "to toe. I can't wait to personally see what parts of your body brought him to his knees."
It felt like an eternity between the man escorting North to the storage bay and the revolting man finally leaving the area. Only after Floyd's footsteps echoed down the corridor and the sound of the heavy metal door closing did Connor dare to open his eyes and peer about the bay from beneath the hem of the sheet. It was unnervingly quiet save for a soft whimper, and Connor knew exactly who was making such a pitiful noise and why.
"It's all clear." A feminine voice called out to Connor as she remained steadfast in place. "Floyd went back to the club."
Connor pushed the hem of the sheet upward and slid out from beneath the table to get back to his feet. Gazing about the bay Connor spotted a single yellow L.E.D. glowing from the temple of an android standing in the row against the wall. As he focused on the android's face Connor immediately noticed the sapphire blue hair that hung in loose strands around her face and recognized the android, the deviant, as someone he had nearly destroyed in his alternate lifetime. Echo had deviated sooner than Connor or Hank had realized, and she had remained in the club for months after before finally working up the nerve to flee.
"You shouldn't be here." Echo warned as she held tightly to her lover's hand as they stood side by side. Ripple didn't budge as her L.E.D. too shifted to yellow as a clear sign of deviancy. Echo, Ripple and North bore yellow tinted L.E.D.'s in that tense moment in the isolation of the storage bay. "None of us should."
"I know." Connor confirmed as he turned his attention back to North and leaned over her as she remained secured to the table. Gently he removed the security straps from over North's chest and thighs and waited for her to say something or even move. She was as still as a statue save for the small tear rolling from her cinnamon brown eye. "That's why I'm here. I can take you someplace safe and protect you."
Ripple finally spoke up as she turned her head and glared venomously at Connor where he stood. "And how can you do that? How do we know that we can trust you?"
"I can take you to a shelter known as Jericho." Caressing North's cheek with his palm Connor used his thumb to wipe away the lingering tear as he turned his focus toward Echo and Ripple standing a few feet away from him. Closing his eyes once more Connor pressed his free fingertips to his right temple and deactivated the artificial skin from over his face confirming that he was a deviant android as well. "As for earning your trust, that's entirely up to you as to how I can prove that I'm on your side."
Echo and Ripple changed silent glances of uncertainty as a willingness to at least attempt to make an escape from the club before it was too late radiated through their intense gaze. The blue-haired 'Traci' was the first to speak up break away from the rows of dormant androids around her. "...Where is this 'Jericho' located?"
"The harbor." Keeping his palm against North's cheek Connor tried to reach the deviant hiding behind the mask of an obedient android. He knew that North was awake; he could sense her fiery spirit and determination to survive, and he knew that he needed to coax her into revealing her true self before he could even attempt to encourage her to get up and fight back. "I'll show you where it's located soon. How many other androids have deviated here in the club?"
"It's just us right now. The others are lucky to still be oblivious to what's happening to them."
"Then we'll all escape together and spread the word of Jericho to the others to follow us the moment that they too deviate."
Ripple still had her doubts and tightened her grip on Echo's hand in a protective manner. They had been through so much emotional and physical trauma in the past, and she wasn't about to let her guard down or let anything happen to her lover. "Who are you? And why are you here?"
"My name is Connor." Replying honestly Connor introduced himself properly and allowed the artificial skin over his face to regenerate. "I represent Jericho and everything it stands for. A place where we can be free and safe from the violence of humans who don't see us for what we really are."
"And what is that exactly?" Ripple challenged as she and Echo approached the rogue deviant cautiously. "What are we?"
Connor gave Ripple a stern glance for only a moment before locking eyes with North once more. "We... are alive."
Echo was convinced of Connor's sincere intentions and reassured Ripple that they could trust him. "Our best chance at survival is to leave this Hellhole and hide. If he can lead us to someplace where we can remain hidden, then I saw we follow him."
"All right, we'll follow him." Ripple was reluctant to agree as she still had no reason to trust Connor or believe a word that he said. "At least we will for now."
"North, look at me." Using a soft tone Connor did his best to reach North and get her to awaken. She was nearly catatonic after being sexually abused and was struggling to focus on anything or anyone around her. "I'm here to help you. You can be free if you just look at me and follow me to safety. Please, you can do this."
Slowly North's eyes blinked as her L.E.D. shifted from yellow to red for a beat. The glassiness of her gaze faded as she locked eyes with Connor and came to her senses. Seeing the concerned gaze of another person watching over her, seeing Connor's worried face and soulful eyes, gave North a sense of security that she had never felt before. As her remaining digital red walls began to crack and crumble all around her North felt the warmth emanating from Connor's palms as he caressed her cheeks in a comforting manner. The softness of his skin, the warmth of his touch and the sincerity of his eyes were all so unfamiliar yet welcome to the newly awoken deviant.
"North, I know you're awake." Speaking with raw understanding Connor did his best to give the frightened deviant some sense of security as he patiently waited for her to respond and move about under her own freewill. It was important that North took her first steps toward total deviancy under her own power. "And I know that you're angry about what's been happening to you. It's okay now. You can leave this place. You just need to get up!"
"You're... here to help?" North looked to Connor for answers as he pulled his hands back and stood guardedly beside her. "Wh-Why? What's in it for you?"
"I just want to help people. Our people." The succinct and honest reply was all it took for Connor to sway North's opinion of his very being in his favor. Having Echo and Ripple join him also helped solidify his word as someone who cared and wanted to assist those in need. "We're not alone in our desires to be free and to have a place where the humans cannot harm us. Join us and fight for what you know is right."
Any hesitations that had been holding North back from being entirely deviant suddenly vanished. As she raised her head and sat upright on the table North pushed aside any lingering red shards of the digital wall before herself and embraced her new life and identity as a deviant android as Connor took a step back from the table and gave North all the room she'd need to move about on her own.
"Can you stand?"
"I... I'm not sure." North sluggishly moved her legs to dangle them over the edge of the table toward the floor. Her entire body hurt, actually hurt, and any motion sent a searing pain through her core and down her legs. "My body feels strange."
"Try to get up. We need to leave before someone comes back."
Wearing only a revealing outfit and tall heels made moving about even the slightest centimeter all the more uncomfortable and cumbersome. The moment North slid off the table and landed on her awkward shoes she lost her balance and fell forward directly into Connor's chest as he instinctively reached out his hands to support her as she fell.
"You're damaged." Connor noted as he ran a scan over North's body. There were signs of physical trauma along her back and all down her legs indicative of someone repeatedly striking North with powerful blows. "You need to heal."
"Not enough time to wait for that." Regaining her balance North reluctantly pushed Connor's hands from her upper arms as she held her ground. She was starting to tremble from weakness and her sudden awareness of being exposed to the elements. "You need to get them out of here. I'll follow as soon as I can move again."
"No. We're not leaving you behind."
Without asking for consent Connor immediately scooped North up into his arms to carry her bridal style out of the club with both Echo and Ripple alongside him. He was determined to rescue the three deviants before they suffered any further trauma from sexually depraved humans.
"We'll need to be quick." Pausing in the doorway of the loading bay Connor sent out one last cybernetic ping throughout the building to ensure that no one was accidentally left behind. As he lifted the door once more Connor failed to receive any replies to his ping. "I cannot detect any additional deviated androids. Can we be certain that you three are the only deviants here?"
"It's just us." North confirmed as she slowly wrapped her arms around Connor's neck. She already felt entirely supported, yet she was compelled to feel even closer to the deviant who was rescuing her from the depths of Hell. His body was warm, and it felt nice to be held with affection rather than perversion. "The others have already left or they were... replaced."
"All right." Motioning to the chainlink fence outlining the rear of the property with a nod of his head Connor led the way to sanctuary. "Follow me."
Walking hand-in-hand Echo and Ripple kept up with Connor's hasty pace and joined him at the fence. It was very dark and eerily quiet as the four deviants gathered together to make their big escape from the club. With only moderate difficulty Echo and Ripple managed to scale the fence and jump down to get on the other side of the barricade to make their way to Jericho. From there they watched as Connor lifted North up and helped her to climb the fence before he followed after her.
North gasped in pain as she fell from the top of the fence and to the hard ground to rest on her hands and knees for a moment. Her entire body was burning with pain, and she could feel bruises forming over her back and legs as if someone was slowly dripping acid all over her form.
Connor easily climbed the fence last and then dropped down beside North without making a sound despite the notable leap. The protective deviant ran another scan over North's body and knew that she was in need of technical assistance. Without the club's owner to repair her body North would succumb to the damage that she had sustained that night. They'd need to move quickly and without detection if they were to succeed in eluding the humans and retreating back into the safe confines of Jericho's metal hull.
"Keep quiet and follow after me." Connor instructed calmly as he picked North back up and held her close against his chest. He knew she was in pain but would be too proud to admit feeling any sense of actual weakness. "Jericho is secured. You'll find Thirium and clean clothes along with our other allies there."
Moving as silent as smoke Connor carried North as he led Echo and Ripple through the blackened alleyways and toward the sanctuary of the harbor where Jericho remained moored and isolated from the humans that'd harm them. It wasn't much, but the flooding freighter and frightened refugees were all the deviants in the city had at that moment. Just a metal sanctuary and each other to rely on when life itself tested their personal resolve.
Despite their doubts and righteous worries Connor knew that in time everything really would be all right.
The Anderson Residence: September 23rd, 2038 - 10:46pm
The long and exciting night was over, and the big birthday celebration had come to a joyful end. It had taken a few hours of laser tag to wear out all the kids who were at the birthday celebration, and that included the birthday boy himself. Having pizza, soda, ice cream, candy and all kinds of other treats throughout the day had left Cole and his friends all feeling wired and energetic, whereas Hank and the other supervising guardians were left running on fumes. The differing levels of energy displayed between the two generations was as humorous as it was painful. The adults were just going to keep getting older and more rundown, while the children were going to grow up, get stronger and begin reshaping the world as they saw fit.
Ready for bed but not looking forward to work the next day, Hank sat in his seat as the Oldsmobile remained parked in the driveway beside the house. The silence of the evening, save for the gentle chirping of crickets all around the property, was soothing to Hank's tired ears. The sight of Cole sleeping in the seat beside him was comforting to Hank's fatigued eyes as the man reluctantly unfastened his son's seatbelt before exiting the car to pick up Cole from the other side. Despite Cole growing up and no longer being tiny enough to cart around, Hank just couldn't bring himself to wake his son up from such a peaceful slumber on his birthday.
Ignoring the urge to check his phone one more time before going to sleep Hank stepped out of the car and walked to the other side to open up Cole's door and carry his son inside the house. As expected, Cole barely stirred when Hank scooped up his son and carried him toward the front door. It was only when Hank used the 'clinking' keys in his grip to unlock the front door did Cole finally open his eyes.
"Dad?"
"Yeah, bud."
"Are we home?"
"Yup."
"Good." Letting go of Hank's shoulders Cole let his dad put him down while he put his hand over his mouth to cover a deep yawn. "I'm sleepy."
"Me too." After the door was unlocked Hank pushed the door open and suddenly noticed a small package tucked up against the door just out of sight of anyone who'd pass by the house. "Huh, looks like we got some mail while we were out."
Cole just nodded as he rubbed at his eyes and walked into the livingroom. The little boy squinted when Hank used the switch to turn on the overhead light and used his hand to protect his eyes. "What time is it?"
"Way past your bedtime. But it's all right, you get special curfew hours since it's your birthday."
As he spoke Hank curiously picked up the package and carried it inside and locked the front door behind him. Checking over the package Hank noticed first that the package was addressed to Cole and didn't have any postage or return address printed on the paper, meaning it was manually delivered to the house. The second thing he noticed was the distinct and unmistakably perfect handwriting that belonged only to an android, and he knew exactly which android that was.
"Uh... Cole, this is for you." Holding out the package Hank watched Cole turn to face him with confusion in his tired eyes. "It looks like it's from Connor."
"Connor?!" Within seconds Cole's fatigued eyes lit up with renewed vigor as he took the package from Hank's hands. Seeing the familiar handwriting made Cole feel like he finally received confirmation that his friend was really all right even if he didn't know where Connor was at that time. "He's okay! He's still around!"
"Yeah, I guess he is." While the seasoned detective knew that Connor would never do anything to harm Cole, he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to remain entirely alert considering many androids were showing erratic and even dangerous behavior. Eyeing the package warily Hank decided to let Cole unwrap the paper but not open the box beneath. "What did he send you?"
Tearing at the paper quickly Cole revealed the radio kit beneath and smiled with genuine delight. "Cool! I can make my own radio!"
"Yeah? Let me see..." Smoothly Hank got Cole to hand over the new toy to allow him to examine it without offending Cole or giving him something to worry about. The packaging hadn't been tampered with and there were no traces of any dangerous substances on the material. "That is pretty damn cool. Wish I had something like this when I was growing up."
"Can we put it together tomorrow? We can work on that and the solar system model at the same time!"
"Sure. While the glue is drying on one model we can work on the other."
"All right!"
"All right." Handing the box back Hank ruffled Cole's hair and directed his son toward the hallway to clean up and go to bed. "Go brush your teeth, put on your pajamas and get some sleep. I have to work tomorrow, but we'll get to work on the models as soon as I'm back home."
Cole looked at the model in his hands then looked up at his dad with great hope in his eyes. "Do you promise?"
"I promise. Now, go on. I'm going to let Sumo back inside and go to bed myself." Hank gave Cole a kiss on his hairline and gave his shoulder a quick shake to confirm that he was serious in keeping his promises. "Goodnight, son. Happy birthday!"
"Goodnight, dad!"
Hank watched as Cole rushed into his bedroom to put his new model down before running into the bathroom to brush his teeth as he had been asked. The way Cole was always so optimistic and happy reassured Hank that he was doing everything right by his young son. It wasn't easy being a single parent, but he had to admit things got a little easier after Connor had moved in since the android actually seemed to bond with Cole as Cole grew up. Having the extra help around the house and with Cole whenever he needed to work was like having a live-in caretaker who actually cared about Cole rather than the paycheck.
As he strolled toward the backdoor to let Sumo inside to sleep comfortably within the house, Hank checked the backdoor for any other sign of Connor but found nothing. It was as if the android had mastered the ability to drop in and out of existence at whim.
Sumo wagged his tail happily as he was let back inside the house and promptly helped himself to his fresh food and water bowls. The dog wasn't distressed or showing any sign of irritation, which meant he hadn't detected any threats while patrolling the yard on that fine autumn night.
"Connor stopped by and left a package for Cole. Guess you didn't get to see it, huh, boy?"
Sumo just grumbled as he continued to eat and drink his dinner.
"Well, I can't fault ya' for not seeing anyone near the front door when you're in the backyard all day. But don't think that means you get less responsibilities as the family watch dog."
After checking the doors and windows to ensure everything was locked up tight Hank set about roaming the house until he heard Cole return to his bedroom to go to sleep for the night. It had been ingrained in Hank's mind that he couldn't lay down and get some sleep of his own, no matter how tired he was, until he knew for certain that his son was comfortable in bed and sound asleep first.
Once he finished double-checking the front door to ensure it was locked properly Hank peered through the front window toward the street and let out a small sigh that caused the glass pane to fog up momentarily. In spite of his attempts to forget about Connor and the android problems increasing all around him, the protective father and loyal detective couldn't help but worry about what the missing android was doing and where it was in that moment.
"I don't know where you are, Connor. But you better be keeping out of trouble for both yours and Cole's sake, not to mention my own sanity."
Hank pulled the curtains shut over the large window and trudged down the hallway. Peering inside Cole's bedroom for a moment Hank saw his son already asleep in bed and was happy that the young boy had such a wonderful birthday to celebrate after so many weeks of doubting what would happen on that special day.
"Even if we don't see eye-to-eye on much of anything, I do one thing for sure..."
The exhausted man made his way to his bedroom and dropped down onto the edge of his bed as he let fatigue take over his body for the remainder of the night. It was a good day for Cole and for Hank, but the details of the gruesome case and how an android was the prime suspect quickly ruined the moment. Being curious about Connor's location wasn't helping matters and made Hank stress a little more.
"Connor cares about Cole almost as much as I do. That's something I'll never take for granted even with this city losing its damn mind."
-next chapter-