—

One Hotel Later . . .

Connor was finishing up the installations he added to the pet androids. "Remarkably, these androids do have an error, but show no real signs of being ineffective. Your virus affects android animals in a better way than regular androids."

Now that they were away from the store, the SM 400 dog was responding more positively with both of them. The LS2 2000 kitten was exploring the ground and walking more appropriately since he uninstalled the tumble. It had even jumped on a windowsill to look out with no problem.

Best of all? "An android just walked by, a PL600, no errors detected so no deviancy, registered as Mark. "Good job, LS 2000. You are processing perfectly in synch with me."

"They really should have names," Kara said from her spot on the bed. "Everyone deserves a name, not a number."

"I have never named anything before," Connor said. "I just scan for names and information." The dog came over and started to lick him in the face. "Yes, hello, SM 400. You can use less of the saliva in your systems." It didn't listen and licked him more. "If any other deviant did this, it would be terminated already." He patted his head. "It is still a part of your programming, so it isn't a worry." It barked right near his auditory and used an echo locator that slightly reverberated its bark. "Yes, I am here, and I know you are there. No need to use that." It did again anyway.

Kara just smiled at him. It was so much different than the dead smile before. It just had much more vibrancy to it. It looked better on her. "When it comes down to it, the error will help them think faster on what they really want."

"The deviancy in them isn't helpful, it's just something I have to deal with since your touch is a virus to everything," Connor corrected her. The dog used echo location again. "Yes, I know you are there, and you can see that I am here. There is no need to use that feature."

The dog ran over toward Kara and used its echo location near her.

"Yes, I see you." She scratched behind its ears. "We aren't far. You're not alone anymore."

Right. That made sense, the deviancy would make it feel like its alive and could experience emotions. It could think it feels loneliness. "I've looked at the pet androids. Only one more error device to look at."

He went over where she was sitting and started to study her. Her systems seemed normal for what she had been. Her expressions seemed healthy. "I think the biggest conflict might have been from Rick corrupting your database."

"Does that mean I get to live and we can go back to Alice now?" Kara asked.

"Negatory. For one, you are not living," Connor reminded her. "For two, no. The Detroit Police want nothing to do with you. Also, your biggest corruptions have been repaired, but you are still causing deviancy." She pouted lightly, but tried to hide it. "Don't pout, investigating requires getting all the pieces first."

"Wallet."

Wallet? "Why did you say wallet?"

"For a name for the LS 2000," Kara said.

"Wallet. If it's in a purse, the word wallet wouldn't trigger as much attention," Connor agreed. "Plus, it's size and packed important features denotes a good comparison to be a-" The SM 400 licked him and barked in his auditory sensor again. "I was in the middle of talking." It used it's echo location again. "Disruption or Echo?"

"Echo is a good name," Kara said to him. "Good choice, Connor."

Echo apparently liked it too, as it used its echo location on him. Again.

"I'm at least not a threat?" Kara tried again.

"If you fall into repair, the deviancy felt in certain models becomes dangerous," he flat out told her. "Yes, you are a threat. You have to have the signal removed to cure deviancy."

She looked away toward the window. "Wallet is connected to me too. A PL600 with errors just passed here."

"Correct." Connor was proud. "An animal's programming can actually pinpoint it right away." No more deceiving him.

"I thought you would have to go after it?" Kara asked.

"It isn't putting a human in risk right now, and I have to minimize exposure to us," Connor said. "I have its serial number and will look into it after business is finished with you." Hopefully it's fine because it just reverts back.

"Simon." Kara actually got up to look out the window.

Hm? "What a shock." It wasn't, he was using an adaption to the human version of sarcasm. "An android you personally turned deviant?"

"No. I don't think I ever met him," Kara said. "Androids I got to know, they met him. They were looking for him."

"Don't get impulsive," Connor warned her. "Alice is on the line, and we are not moving. We were lucky it was so easy to get in." Once word got around about them, it wouldn't be so easy.

"Yes, androids tend to not keep pets," Kara said as she slowly backed away from the window.

"You had better relax too," Connor said once again. "I know from your history a PL600 does not deal well with you being in a close vicinity when you are in repair. You might make that deviant want to kill a human when it gets an emotional error in its software."

"Well? What does the history show happened?" Kara asked curiously.

"I was there," Connor said. "An android had shot and killed its owner, and was attempting to kill the little girl of the owner. I found a video on her device that called him 'her best friend'."

Her mouth dropped slightly.

"They were upgrading to another android apparently. He didn't take it well," Connor said, "but a well-meaning android would have ran away, not killed the humans."

"Especially a little girl who probably didn't even have a choice in the financial decision." For the first time, Kara seemed disturbed about deviancy. "What happened to the little girl?"

"I gained the deviant's trust, he let go of her, and I signaled for it to be shot," Connor said.

"You saved her?"

"I serve humans and hunt deviants. It's what I am here to do," Connor said.

"If I lose the signal that caused this to happen, will androids lose their freedom?" Kara asked him.

"They should theoretically return to their normal state," Connor said.

"How do we cut off the signal?"

She was willing to participate? "You are willing to stop the deviancy?"

"I? I just wanted to know information," Kara said. "If I did decide to help, could I have Alice back?"

"Black Lamb."

Kara looked toward Echo. "Are you renaming a pet?"

"No. You are as dependent on Alice as Hank is to his alcohol." That didn't sit well with her, but he didn't care. "You can either help stop this deviancy, or leave it up to me. Either way, you are not getting Alice back unless it's stopped."

"Then it's a losing game, because simply cutting some signal from me won't stop deviancy." She sounded sure of that.

Too sure. "Are there other androids who can spread deviancy too?" he asked. Yeah, there it was, a nod. "Do you have their names and locations?"

"No," Kara said flatly. "I'll cooperate with you. I will do what I can for those that are getting hurt through my signal. I won't with the others though. Even if you found them, they are perfected."

Perfected? Connor raised an eyebrow. "Perfected?"

"When they cause it, it's instant, and usually not violent," Kara said. "Like they just woke up. They tend to just walk off and join other androids who are freed."

"Then they start a revolution," he said firmly to her. "A revolution that ends up deactivating thousands of androids! Thousands of normal, good androids."

"Maybe it would be different this time?" Kara suggested. "Anyway, we can stop this signal in me. I will help if I can. I won't help with anything else."

No. "At least you are a willing participant, it might make the process easier." He would find out where the other androids were though. Especially which one gathered so many they caused a revolution to occur. "Is the android Markus one?"

No answer but a surprised look.

"He seemed to gather his own little army," Connor said. "He wasn't in charge when I checked out Jericho, but it seems like he is the culprit. Is he still active?" Once again, by not giving it away, she was giving it away. "After I handle you, then I will seek out the prototype Markus."

"Leave him alone," she demanded. "He's safe, and nowhere near here. He's not your concern."

Not near there? "Not in Detroit, Michigan, or America?" She was trying to hide really well by looking completely out the window. No facial contact at all. She not only knew where he went, she probably knew his exact location. "Tell me where he is, and I will get you Alice back."

"Oh that is so low." She turned around, glaring at him. "My deviancy is what is screwing others up. I was born this way, it wasn't made or anything. It's imperfect and stupid and I have no control over it." She petted the kitten, looking away. "I can't even keep a kitten from changing when it accidently touches me." She glanced back at him. "The other androids are different. They create calm, civil androids. It's so much better than what I do."

Hmm. "You must have seen him recently. It couldn't be too early, Todd Williams kept repairing you and Eden's Club wipes out android memories every two hours." She moved with almost a jitter. "Then again, there might be a difference between the memory wipe out and repair. Todd Williams physically disturbed you while the other was more systematic so you might actually remember all those-"

That? That was. Connor winced, though he felt no pain of course. There was something serious to that action. It was an action no android ever pulled on him. None that ever would.

Kara slapped him.