November 9th 2038...
"I've been dreaming about this since the first second I saw you!"
Beyond pissed off at the threatening tone as she knew that there was a gun aimed at her and Connor, Leah lost all sense of reasoning and rationality.
"You son of a bitch…" Leah responded.
"Don't do it, Gavin. We know how to stop the deviants." Connor explained as he kept a tight grip on Leah's right hand.
"You two are off the case. And now… it's gonna be definitive!" Gavin responded before he pulled the trigger.
Connor grabbed Leah and they took cover, Connor reaching out and disarming Gavin as he ran at them… and Leah stood up, jumping onto the evidence room stand and lunging at Gavin.
Gavin yelled in pain as he hit his back and right wrist against the ground before Leah pulled him up and threw him at Connor, who held him down and chopped the back of his neck.
Gavin lost consciousness and fell to the ground before Connor straightened his tie and he and Leah left.
When Perkins ran to the evidence room with two cops following him, they saw Gavin unconscious and the statue broken.
"Get the alarm! Now!" Perkins demanded.
At the Anderson house, Leah found some old clothes and shoes that Hank had worn during his college days and Connor changed into them before he made sure that the snow hat that he wore disguised his LED as Leah changed her clothes as well.
Instead of a parka to put on with a long sleeved oversized grey shirt and black skinny jeans, Leah pulled on a wool coat and gloves after tying her black snow boots.
"You're lost in thought…" Connor responded before they kissed.
"Gavin went too far, trying to kill us." Leah replied, Connor knowing that she felt betrayed by Gavin.
And Connor temporarily turned off his connection to the Zen Garden, having made up his mind…
Present time, November 10th 2038...
Connor stayed curled up by Leah as she was asleep after she had eaten the food that had been stolen during the convenience store raid late last night, her body temperature and vitals stable as Connor scanned her.
He lost count of how many times he scanned her over the day that they had been in the church as he lightly brushed her messy red hair away from her face… and he couldn't even begin to describe how guilty he felt.
From the first time they met a few days ago, he knew that she had never seen him as a machine… and he was starting to understand why.
From where she was, North looked at Markus as he walked to her and they kissed.
"They're deeply connected…" North responded quietly.
"They are… but I can't even begin to imagine how worried Hank is and it's too risky to bring him here to her." Markus replied, North turning to him.
She had listened when Markus had told her everything about Leah's life as well as his own life… and knew that Markus needed to go find Carl to talk to him for advice.
"Please be careful." North responded before they kissed.
Markus stood up and walked over to Leah, crouching down and kissing the side of her head before he and Connor nodded at each other and Markus left.
At the Manfred residence, Markus looked at the doors and pressed his right hand against the scanner to deactivate the alarm.
"Alarm deactivated. Welcome home, Markus."
'Is it even home anymore?' Markus thought solemnly as he walked into the house and the doors closed behind him.
He walked to where the piano was, playing a few of the keys before he walked to where the visual voicemail machine was and accessed the one that had been waiting.
"Hi, Dad. I'm getting outta the hospital tomorrow… they told me that you stayed with me while I was asleep. I... um… I'm really sorry about everything that happened. I'm gonna stop all that shit… It messes me up, it turns me into somebody I hate. Hey, I'd like to come by and see you tomorrow. If that's alright with you. I... I just wanna let you know… I'm... I'm proud to be your son."
'I hope that actually works out for you, Leo.' . Markus thought before he walked up the stairs... and saw an android that he hadn't seen before.
"Who are you? How did you get in?" The android questioned out of curiosity.
"I need to see Carl." Markus responded.
"Carl isn't seeing anyone… you need to leave." The android replied.
Converting the android, Markus saw the LED flicker between yellow and red before it settled back to blue.
"Please... I need to see him." Markus explained.
"He's very weak… I'm not sure he'll be able to talk to you." The android explained.
Markus walked into the room, immediately rushing to Carl and sitting down before they hugged carefully.
"Dad..." Markus responded softly before they let go.
"What's wrong, Markus?" Carl asked.
Unsure of how else to explain everything, Markus looked at Carl.
"I'm completely lost... whole world's falling apart around me. I tried to do the right thing. I looked for answers… instead, I just find more doubts and more uncertainty." Markus responded.
"World is ruled by fear, Markus. Fear of others… fear of the future. It's like me… too old… It's time for it to end." Carl explained, Markus brushing tears away.
"I don't want bloodshed... no matter the color. But I can't let them slaughter my people… I have to make a decision that's gonna affect millions of lives. And I'm telling you, I don't know what to do." Markus responded.
"Being alive is making choices… between love and hate, between holding out your hand or closing it as a fist. I don't have any easy answers, Markus… you have to accept the world as it is… or fight to change it." Carl explained as they looked at each other. "You're my son, Markus. Our blood isn't the same color… but I know a part of me is in you. When the world falls into darkness, some men have the courage to lead it out… you're one of those men. Face the abyss… but don't let it consume you."
The two hugged for a few minutes before they let go, Markus standing up and leaving.
At the church, Markus immediately approached Connor who was changing the bandages on Leah's right arm and Markus and Leah carefully hugged each other.
"I woke up looking for you and…" Leah started to explain, Markus lightly rubbing her back.
"It's okay. I just went to go see Carl." Markus whispered before they let go and he and Connor looked at each other.
"It's my fault. The humans managed to locate Jericho. I was stupid… I should've guessed they were using me." Connor responded as he carefully held Leah's left hand in his right one. "I'm sorry, Markus… I can understand if you decide not to trust me."
"You're one of us now, you proved that. Your place is with your people… and with Leah. You two went above and beyond to help us last night." Markus explained before he turned around to go find North.
"There are thousands of androids at the CyberLife assembly plant." Connor spoke up, Markus turning back around. "If we could wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power…"
"You want to infiltrate the CyberLife Tower? Connor, that's suicide." Markus responded.
"They trust me… they'll let me in. If anyone has a chance of infiltrating CyberLife, it's me." Connor replied.
"If you go there, they will kill you!" Markus responded, hoping to talk Connor out of it.
"There's a high probability. But statistically speaking, there's always a chance for unlikely events to take place…" Connor replied.
"I'm going with you." Leah responded, Connor knowing he couldn't talk her out of it and Markus knowing he couldn't talk either of them out of the plan… and Markus placed his left hand on Connor's right shoulder.
"Be careful. Both of you." Markus replied before he and Leah hugged again.
When Leah and Connor left, they reached the Anderson house… and looking up as the door opened, Hank stood up and he and Leah hugged each other.
"My little girl… you had me scared to death, both you and Connor." Hank responded softly.
And Leah knew that telling him about the plan to infiltrate CyberLife wouldn't go well.