"Old Friends and Old Foes"
Detroit Central Precinct
The lockdown on Detroit had remained active in the wake of the peaceful Revolution as a means of keeping the peace from being shattered by violent bigots seeking revenge on the non-aggressive deviants for the historic changes that had befallen the city. The previously gentle snowfall had turned into a full blizzard that had partially buried Detroit under a layer of pristine crystalline ice that glistened in the sunlight as dawn broke over the sleeping city. The frigid metropolis was quiet as the aftermath of the world changing Revolution considered to settle in over the city and its people in a slow and confusing matter. In a single night during a single incident seen around the world, the deviants had been seen as living, feeling beings, and they were just now learning what it means to truly live.
From within the still active and tense police precinct the officers and detectives continued to go about their business in spite of the foul weather. The first responders were focused on keeping the city from imploding in on itself and from freezing to its core while everyone waited out the intense cold within their secured, warm homes and apartments.
Keeping to himself Hank sat at his desk and stared at the sparse evidence that had been collected regarding Connor's apparent murder with a heavy heart. While Hank had never really considered Connor to be a close friend or even a trusted work colleague, he did feel horrible that the android had been killed before he even had the chance to live. It'd be difficult to determine who had killed Connor and why, but it was a challenge that Hank would personally handle and ensure that his former partner received the justice that he deserved.
As for the reported vigilante roaming the streets, Hank couldn't care less. In his mind one person roaming the streets and knocking down drunk idiots was far less of a priority compared to a murderer potentially lurking in the shadows. Unfortunately, Captain Fowler didn't feel the same way and he wanted Hank to shift his priorities for the time being from Connor and to the nameless vigilante.
"G'Morning, Lieutenant." Tina stated indifferently as she shivered from the cold. "I'm so glad that I'm not the only who found a way to get to the precinct on this fine, blustery morning."
Glancing to his side Hank spotted Tina trudging heavily toward him while brushing aside stray snowflakes sticking to her clothing and hair. The normally spritely officer was uncharacteristically mellow on that cold winter morning. As she made her way to the breakroom to get some coffee or tea to warm up, a news report of an impending snowstorm scrolled across the television screen mounted on the wall just above the doorway to the same breakroom.
"Ah, cripes." Hank grunted as ran his hand over his more professionally kept locks of gray hair and eyed the weather report being displayed. "Get ready for round two."
"Going to be that bad, huh?" Coffee in hand, Tina walked over to Hank's desk to peer up at the weather report with her own eyes just as Tina neared her superior officer. "I'm kind of jealous of Gavin's cold right now."
"Reed's out sick?"
"Not forever though." As she sipped her coffee Tina shuddered for a moment and hoped to warm up sooner rather than later. "Don't celebrate just yet."
"Damn. How bad?"
"Enough to make him a whiny little baby that prompted me to mute my phone for the day."
"You mean 'asshole'. Actual babies have a reason to be whiny."
"Hey, come on." Tina understood Hank's disdain toward Gavin, but that didn't mean she approved of it. "He got sick after helping his elderly neighbor shovel out her car late last night. It's kind of sweet."
"One good deed doesn't make me feel any different about the prick." As he spoke Hank reached into his pocket and took hold of the coin that had once belonged to Connor and mentally steeled himself for when he eventually discovered what had happened to his former partner. He'd solve Connor's murder and ensure the late deviant received justice. "There's only been one person who's ever been able to do that, and he's already gone."
Tina saw the dour look in Hank's eyes and knew it wasn't just from the foul weather. "Need any help with your investigation?"
"No, this is one case that I need to solve alone." With a heavy sigh Hank left the coin out of sight in his pocket as he rose to his feet and rubbed his hand along his lower back to ease the tension in his muscles. "Keep your eye on the snow and ice. We don't need any officers getting stuck in a drift or slipping and bustin' their ass while on the clock."
"Don't worry about me, I have the grace of a mountain goat."
"And the appetite to match."
"Just for that," she called out playfully as Hank strolled casually toward a quiet interview room to be alone with his thoughts. "I'm not going to share my lunches with you anymore."
Ignoring the comment Hank tried to distract himself from his regrets and guilt revolving around Connor's premature demise. The Lieutenant couldn't help but feel partly responsible for Connor getting shot and killed in the streets despite not being there when the deviant had been gunned down in the abandoned church. In his mind the murder could've been prevented entirely if Hank had just taken the initiative and brought Connor back to his own home for the night.
Standing next to the window overlooking the rear of the property Hank stared at the falling snow and dreaded how much colder the weather was going to become considering it was still autumn and winter was still nearly a month away. Such harsh conditions guaranteed a struggle for anyone and everyone who was unfortunate enough to be caught out in the city without proper protection or a shelter.
"Fuckin' hell. It seems like every day the challenges in this city get worse and worse."
Hank stared out the window through his own face being reflected back at him for a minute longer before pulling the coin from his pocket and eyed it as it rested in the center of his palm. The coin was aged yet still shiny due to Connor keeping it properly cleaned and secured at all times.
"I wish I could've done more to help you figure out life, kid. To make it up to you, I vow to not retire until I know what happened to you that night, and I'll ensure that your murderer is locked away for the rest of their wasted life."
Downtown Detroit
Despite the intensity of the freezing weather parts of the city was still as hectic as ever. The wake of the peaceful Revolution had resulted in many bigoted humans attempting to lurk around the mostly abandoned streets to try and jump random, defenseless deviants. Soon the citywide evacuation order would be lifted, and everyone who had fled the city in fear or ignorance would be able to return to Detroit and either resume their lives as they had once been, adapt to the new laws that would soon be implemented, or they'd simply leave Detroit to live elsewhere. It was clear that many bigoted humans were going to refuse to adapt or leave the city, and in return their stubbornness was going to cause a new era of historical tension that'd tarnish Detroit's reputation.
However, unlike previous poor interactions from bigots running rampant in the city, there was now someone watching the streets and ensuring that everyone - human and deviant alike - would be protected from such needless hatred. Such a watchful guardian had managed to utilize all of Detroit's alleyways and abandoned buildings to stealthily roam the city undetected as they observed the population and sprang into action only when necessary.
The impact of a strong strike echoed down the vacant street as Connor's thick combat boot connected to the jaw of a now disgraced gang member with a satisfying crunch. In a single heartbeat the gang member had dropped to the snowy street and lost grip of his metal pipe as he collapsed next to the body of his already dropped buddy. The anti-android gang had attempted to get the drop on the deviants by sneaking back into the city, but they hadn't anticipated an unofficial protector already waiting for them to make the first foolish move.
"What the fuck, man?!" The last of the gang members who had been dropped to the street rubbed his bloodied hand along his easily fractured jaw. It didn't take him long to realize that despite having numbers on their side, their gang wasn't any match for the stranger in black. "You a damn cop or some shit?!"
"Not anymore." Connor replied in a monotone voice that had been intentionally masked behind a controlled electronic reverb. "However, the police are just around the corner."
The sound of sirens filled the air as four police drones hovered overhead and surrounded the nine downed gang members licking their wounds in the middle of the slick street. The arrival of the police had prompted the gang to try to get up to their feet and flee into the city, but the slippery surface and their aching limbs prevented the bloodied group from gaining any traction underfoot and were quickly apprehended.
Silently Connor stepped into the nearest alleyway and passed through the unsecured side door of an abandoned library to get out of sight. The deviant crouched down in the shadows within the vacated structure as he peered through the slits between the large wooden boards over the windows to watch the beaten down gang members being arrested and escorted to police cruisers to be transported back to the precinct.
From where he had crouched down Connor could hear the battered, bleeding gang members trying to convince the arresting officers to search for the man in black who had reportedly ambushed them for no reason, and that they were the victims not the criminals. Such a pitiful lie would easily be debunked considering Connor has managed to cybernetically record the gang's conversation regarding their plan to rush down the bridge connecting to Belle Isle to attack the androids seeking shelter in the abandoned CyberLife Tower. The recording had been anonymously sent to the Central Precinct to be reviewed by the appropriate officials when the time was right.
"The bigots are getting bolder with their attempts to harm deviants."
Connor thought to himself as he remained hidden in the shadows. He knew to not move from the area until the police were gone and the drones had departed from the immediate area to avoid being detected. The freshly fallen snow would cause his dark clothing to stand out brilliantly against the white environment and would undoubtedly leave a trail to be followed if he accidentally gave away his position and attempted to flee from the area.
"The lockdown will soon be lifted, and the construction of the new facilities will be hastened. One attempt to destroy a facility guarantees that additional attempts to deter the facilities being completed in general. If this one gang was brazen enough to attempt to attack the isle, then there will undoubtedly be just as many bigots eager to destroy an unsecured facility."
It seems Connor's instincts as a detective hadn't faltered despite stepping away from the precinct under his own freewill.
"I'll need to monitor the construction sites more closely for the time being until proper security can be implemented."
With his new plan of action already preconstructed, Connor patiently waited for the police to take the beaten gang downtown before he'd make his own move. It was imperative to remain discreet, unseen and stealthy at all times if the masked deviant was to succeed in his mission to protect his people, the entire city, from the shadows without interference.
"Once the facilities are secured, I can focus on my attention elsewhere."
Detroit Central Precinct
There was little to do in the precinct beyond wait for problems to come to the patrolling officers. Annoyed voices echoed through the bullpen as the arrested gang members were brought in one by one for a proper interrogation, but Hank couldn't be bothered to step outside of the quiet interview room. The Lieutenant was far more interested in solving one particular deviant's murder than he was with talking to idiot gang members who willingly brought their own problems onto themselves by repeatedly making poor life decisions. Hank had put up with thousands of selfish, violent criminals during his illustrious careers and had become entirely jaded by the experience leaving him nearly numb to the entire due process.
Ignoring the commotion in the bullpen Hank eyed the projected images of the sparse evidence collected regarding the murder on the wall. The very little evidence could only provide so much information regarding the murder, but it was enough to keep Hank motivated to uncover what had happened that night.
"The kid was shot with a standard 9mm bullet right in the middle of his forehead. That means he had let the shooter get insanely close to him before they pulled the trigger, or the shooter was an insanely accurate shot."
Hank deduced with a keen eye as he stared at the photograph highlighting the fatal bullet wound. There were details that only a seasoned detective would think to look for when attempting to identify the cause of death and the events surrounding said death. Sometimes a lack of evidence could be evidence in itself.
"No stippling around the wound. That means the shooter was at least one foot away from Connor before they pulled the trigger."
Such a close range was as mysterious as it was informative. That meant Connor would've allowed the shooter to get close to him, which meant that Connor would've trusted the shooter in some capacity.
"Connor was inside the church for a reason. It was a shelter for the deviants, which means he must've gone there for the same reason."
The layout of the decaying church would give a shooter ample opportunity to take aim and shoot Connor from a distance through the numerous holes in the roof of the decrepit building, through the shattered windows, or from the exposed beams along the ceiling. The angle of the bullet told Hank that the shooter was on the same level as Connor when the gun was fired. Based on Connor's body's position he could confirm that the shooter stood directly before Connor as they took aim and then squeezed the trigger.
"The shooter must've been there for the same reason as well. Their reason for shooting Connor... That's the only detail I can't seem to uncover."
Despite being Connor's partner for a good week Hank didn't know much about Connor beyond being a special prototype android created by CyberLife specifically to aid the Detroit police force. Hank didn't know if Connor had any friends, allies or coworkers outside of Hank himself. The man could only presume that Connor was allies with Markus and the other deviant leaders, but he couldn't be entirely certain of such a positive or supportive connection since Connor himself had stated that he didn't have a place among his people.
"Damn it, kid. If only your memories weren't destroyed leading up to the shooting, then I could help you."
Hank held Connor's coin tightly in his hand and rolled his thumb over the surface of the quarter as he spoke to himself in a deeply contemplative manner.
"Why'd you go to the church if you didn't feel welcome? Who was there with you? Who'd hate you or fear you enough to kill you? Nothing about this makes any sense. At least it doesn't to me."
There was a sudden knock on the closed door that pulled Hank's attention away from the images being projected and toward the intruder who had broken his concentration long enough to remind him that he was at work and had other responsibilities to tend to. Turning his head Hank watched over his shoulder as the door slid open and Captain Fowler appeared with an aggravated grimace.
"Hank, what the hell are you doing?" The sight of the projected images on the far wall immediately turned the commanding officer's grimace into a sneer. "I told you to focus on the masked vigilante roaming the city. We'll investigate Connor's murder later."
"Hard to do when the vigilante hasn't done anything worth investigating compared to a murder."
"Not anymore." The seasoned man held up a tablet and motioned for Hank to take for himself. "Just got a report that the vigilante beat the shit out of an anti-android gang. All nine members are sticking to the same story that the vigilante in all black jumped 'em."
"So what?" Hank didn't care what happened to a bunch of thugs who had been doing very dangerous and illegal activities in the city for years. "There's worse things for us to focus on than some morons getting their asses kicked."
"The problem is we're dealing with ONE android who physically beat NINE humans without breaking their stride. Not to mention the vigilante sent us a visual recording of the gang just seconds before they were beaten down in the street."
"Recording?" Looking down at the tablet Hank booted up the queued video and saw that the 'anonymous tip' wasn't entirely anonymous. The recording had been taken from an android's eyes and based on the time of the recording and the time of the gang's arrest Hank had to agree that the vigilante themself had sent the video to the precinct. "All right, we have a vigilante who hands over evidence to the police before bustin' a few heads. I still don't see how this is important or a problem for us to handle."
"You damn well know that we can't just let this guy run around knocking heads together as they see fit."
"Why not?" The Lieutenant challenged with a focused glance. "Jealous?"
"Hank," the tension on Captain Fowler's face was impressive to say the least. "I swear to fucking Christ..."
"All right, take a breath before you pass out." Despite wanting to focus first and foremost on Connor's case Hank knew he'd need to appease his commanding officer before he could essentially ask for any favors with that particular investigation. "I'll talk to these dumbasses, check the recording, and see if I can find out more information on this local Zorro."
"After that I want to talk to you in my office." As he spoke Captain Fowler eyed the projected images again and sighed. "I know you want to figure out what happened to Connor, and I respect your commitment to getting Connor some justice, but for now I need you to focus on this vigilante."
"Why?" Hank again challenged boldly as he turned off the projection and gave his superior officer a sharp stare. "This guy is protecting the good people and kicking the asses of the bad people. Doesn't seem like a priority to me."
"This city is on the edge of true change that we can't stop or hope to control." Speaking with righteous caution Captain Fowler reminded Hank that just because the Revolution had come to pass that it didn't mean they could rest easy just yet. "If we let a vigilante run around the streets unchecked while taking matters into their own hands, then we'd just encourage copycats to stalk the city and cause a new type of Civil War that won't end as peacefully as the Demonstration and Revolution had done."
Hank wanted to argue against Captain Fowler's claims and call the man paranoid, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. There was no denying that all it'd take was one person to say or do the wrong thing to another person to bring about a new round of violence.
"You're the one detective in my precinct that I know I can still trust." Captain Fowler continued as he saw the genuine surprise in Hank's gaze. It seemed their years of conflict paled in comparison to the respect he still held for his Lieutenant. "We may have butted heads too many times in the past to count, and we may not exactly be friends these days, but I know you're still one of the best detectives in the entire city and that you're someone who values loyalty over anything else."
"You really think that Reed finally crossed the line this time, don't you?"
"I think that we have every reason to be wary of Reed and any other detective, cop and politician who carries a grudge against androids." The indirect confirmation was as unsettling as it was expected. "You've made it clear that you put your own prejudices and anger behind you, and I know you're a man of your word."
"Trying to butter me up?"
"Not at all." The faintest hint of an amused smirk appeared on Captain Fowler's face as he decided to let Hank alone to his assignment. "Just trying to remind you that I never once doubted that the Lieutenant Hank Anderson that helped clean up this city would return someday. It's good to see the old Hank back in action again."
Abandoned CyberLife Tower: Belle Isle
The hastily vacated tower was eerily hollow and silent as the deviants seeking shelter worked together to renovate the interior of the structure itself. Hundreds of thousands of homeless deviants had accompanied Markus and his allies into the tower shortly after the tower had been deemed to be the ideal location for everyone to take shelter. Floor by floor, room by room, the united deviants worked together to clean up the tower and make it a comfortable and secured place for everyone to reside until it was safe for the freed deviants to venture back out into the streets. Luckily the tower was warm enough, large enough and secure enough to protect everyone from bigoted attacks and the foul, icy weather churning over the city.
Quietly Markus had busied himself with searching through CyberLife's remaining records to distract his thoughts and uncover the truth behind the defunct company's knowledge and complicity with exploiting deviancy to gain a profit. There was no way that CyberLife didn't know about deviancy. The company insisted that deviant behavior was the result of a software error, and in return they made record profits from people sending their androids to CyberLife for repairs or replacement.
With his exposed palm pressed to the master terminal in the depths of the tower, Markus unlocked and uncovered files on almost every single android model that had ever been designed and released by CyberLife over the past twenty years. There were a handful of files that were locked behind such a strong code that it'd take years for him to decrypt. Files on prototype models and purposes were going to remain secured for the time being until someone found a way to override the locks and decrypt the hidden codes.
"Markus?" North had found Markus isolated in the secured terminal bay and joined him with a calming presence. Peering over his shoulder North eyed the screen and the locked files that the deviant leader was attempting to break. "What're you doing?"
"Exposing CyberLife for the corrupt company that we all know that they were. At least, that's what I was trying to do." Lowering his palm Markus sighed and allowed his artificial skin to regenerate fully over his hand. "I found files revolving around prototype models that have been locked up tight, and I'm not sure how to decrypt the locks."
"Does it matter?"
"It could. One of these files revolves around me." Markus explained as he eyed the file labeled as 'Project_RK200_Proto'. "I was created by Elijah Kamski himself to be given to Carl since they were good friends, and I could help Carl after he had become disabled from his car accident. As for the other prototype models... I just don't know who they are or what their purposes could be."
"We know of Connor being the 'RK-800' prototype. I imagine the other prototypes were given just as unique roles."
"And we have no idea who they are, what they were built for or where they have gone. It frustrates me to know that more of our people could need our help and I have no idea how to even try to help them."
"There were eight prototypes that CyberLife kept secret, and you were one of them." As she took in the numerous files on display North noticed one file right behind the file labeled 'Project_RK800_Proto' called 'Project_Light' with a strange curiosity. The other files had numbers attached, but the final file had its own unique title that separated it from the others. "But there are nine files on display. What does that mean?"
"I'm not sure. I don't know how to decrypt these locks let alone decipher CyberLife's motivations or plans for the future."
"What're you really trying to do?"
Silently Markus turned to face North and locked his mismatched eyes with her fiery gaze.
"You didn't hide yourself away just to stare at locked files while the rest of us are exploring the tower. You're trying to avoid us. Why?"
"Because... I can't look anyone in the eye but you."
"You regret killing Connor." She quickly deduced with a somber lilt behind her words. The way Markus tried to explain everything to Hank at the church had left North worrying for Markus's emotional resolve. "You think that you're a murderer and that you don't deserve to lead us."
"I don't think that I'm a murderer, I AM a murderer." Markus admitted in a shamed whisper. "I took a gun, pointed at one of our own, and willingly pulled the trigger."
"Markus," gently North took his hand in her own and interlocked their fingers together in a reassuring grip. "you thought that you were doing what was best for all of us. I would've made the same decision as you if I had been in your position."
"That doesn't mean it was the right decision. The popular decision isn't guaranteed to be right, we know this." True remorse seeped through Markus's heartfelt words as he confessed his greatest regret to his dearest friend. "I should've given Connor the benefit of the doubt, I should've given him the chance to prove himself to be trustworthy. He helped us during the Raid, and he saved you from being executed during our escape from Jericho. I never even thanked him. I just executed him."
"If Connor truly was a deviant and an ally to us, he'd understand what you did and why you did it." North's attempts to ease the ache in Markus's heart weren't nearly as potent as she had hoped. "We can also properly lay him to rest once the police-"
"The police will discover that I'm the one who murdered Connor." Planting his palms firmly down against the metal desk before himself, Markus peered at his faint reflection on the terminal screen with disgust at his past actions and irreversible decisions. "It's only a matter of time before they discover the truth."
"Then what'll happen to you?"
"I'll confess to everything, and I will demand to be tried as any other human would be tried for murder. Until that day comes," turning slowly Markus looked to North and tried to reassure her that everything would be okay in the end. "I'm going to focus on aiding our people with every second of freedom that I still have to call my own and ensure I make the most of every precious moment I'm given."
Such an ominous vow left North speechless.
"I won't run away from my crime or pretend that I'm above punishment." With a soft touch Markus took both of North's hands in his own as he stood before her and bowed his head forward to connect with his beloved. "When it's time for me to face my past, I'll do so with my head held high and without fear. For now, I'm going to focus on our future and do everything I can to ensure our people are safe and can live prosperous lives here in New Jericho Tower."
Future Site of the Gamma Facility
The construction sites revolving around the future Android Emergency Care Facilities had been increased exponentially since the failed attack against the Zeta Facility a few nights prior. The Zeta Facility was being actively patrolled by police drones around the clock making it much safer for the construction crew. As a result, Connor decided to quietly stakeout another construction site to ensure any potential bigots weren't motivated to try to blow up the second site. The Gamma Facility wasn't going to be nearly as large as the Zeta Facility, which meant it'd be completed relatively soon. Such an important structure aimed solely to aid deviant androids in need of technical assistance might as well have been a target in the eyes of angry bigots.
The constant snowfall had made it difficult for Connor to remain concealed with his black clothing, but the stealthy deviant managed to hide in the shadows and climb on structures without drawing any unwanted attention his way. Using the combat gear and magnetic gloves allowed Connor to silently scale the emergency fire escape of a neighboring hotel that overlooked the construction site to keep vigil over the location.
Keeping low Connor closed his eyes and cybernetically tapped into the city's emergency dispatch to monitor the police broadcasts. There was a report confirming the slowly lifting lockdown and of the Ambassador Bridge reopening to allow Detroiters safe passage back to the city. Alongside such a report, there was a confirmation of gang activity getting stirred up then quickly quieted by patrolling officers.
As the day began to give way to evening, life returned to the city in the form of Detroiters braving the city that had been historically changed by the actions of a few brave deviants on a cold November night. From the rooftop of the old hotel Connor watched over the construction site and took notice of a swarm of police drones speeding by overhead and in the direction of the industrial side of the city. Sensing something was wrong Connor climbed down the side of the hotel and continued to monitor dispatch as he easily kept up with the drones to investigate the apparent emergency with his own eyes.
A large fire had been reported by an automatic alarm located within an old automotive factory. The building had been secured properly inside and out, which meant that the alarm had been triggered by a sensor picking up on the blaze now tearing through the building at an unsettling speed. By all account the factory had been left empty and abandoned for years, but it was still crucial to ensure that no one had become trapped within the blaze.
The responding fire department had quickly converged on the property and began dousing the flames while police drones recorded the effort from above. As the fire department began reporting at the scene of the fire and investigating the cause of the blaze, Connor encroached on the scene from the shadows and cybernetically scanned the burning building from afar. The deviant detective could only tell so much information from a distance, which of course meant he'd need to get closer to the fire to uncover the cause and ensure that the arson investigator find all the details for a proper report on the incident.
"The factory had been left deserted and empty for the past six years. Why is it now burning?"
Connor noted as he cybernetically downloaded information on the aged property and began piecing together the factory's history. What had once been a thriving automotive factory that produced electric vehicles for only seven years before being bought and shut down by CyberLife. The buy-out had resulted in many people losing their jobs with no alternative in sight. Such anger and resentment only fueled the misplaced anger and hated toward androids in response as the laid-off personnel struggled to find additional work.
"One-hundred and seventy-six people had been laid-off from their occupations with the factory and struggled to find proper employment afterward due to CyberLife buying the company and for producing androids to replace human employees throughout the entire city. If this fire was the result of arson, then that leaves us with at least one-hundred and seventy-six suspects to rule out."
Keeping to the shadows Connor carefully approached the burning factory and scanned the structure. The enhancements to his software and programming allowed him to preconstruct the origin of the fire and detect any forms of accelerant that could've been used to fuel the fire itself. Connor was careful of his footing as he neared the rear of the building factory and scanned the ground all around the backdoor. There was a strong scent of acetone and ethanol in the air that indicated a cheap but effective accelerant used in the blaze.
"The person who did this used what was readily available and convenient."
The charred and twisted remains of a metal cased butane lighter near the doorway confirming that someone had poured the accelerant and then dropped the ignited lighter before fleeing the area. The deviant's scanner allowed him to see a single set of fresh shoeprints by the door approaching the factory slowly and then rushing quickly away from the factory just seconds prior. The heat of the flames melted all shoeprints in the snow closest to the building, and it would've erased the arsonist's trail if it hadn't been for Connor's sharp eyes.
"One suspect. Male style shoeprints could implicate their gender."
Thoroughly Connor scanned the area and began chronicling the evidence properly for later analysis.
"Depth of the shoeprints confirms a heavier person, approximately two-hundred and ten to two-hundred and forty pounds. Strides between each shoeprint indicates someone roughly five foot and ten inches to six foot and one inch in height. The probability of the arsonist being male is now 97%."
The sound of voices caught Connor's ear and prompted the deviant to slip back into the shadows and away from the fire's glow. Peering out from within the dark alleyway Connor crouched down atop of a dumpster and watched as a male firefighter wearing turnout gear and a helmet walked along the perimeter of the factory with a young woman wearing a thick, reflective turnout coat alongside him.
"Thankfully no one was inside the building." The fire Captain noted with mild relief. Running his hand over his thick, gray hair the experienced firefighter looked up at the burning building with his amber brown eyes and an attentive gaze. "Even so, we'll still need you here in the event someone who does require emergency assistance comes our way."
"I know the drill, Cap." The young woman had her long, brunette hair pulled up in a neat ponytail and her hazel-green eyes shone brightly in the orange glow of the nearby flames. A patch on her jacket sleeve depicted the woman as E.M.S. and confirmed her role in that particular situation. "Unfortunately, this type of problem isn't too dissimilar to what I experienced back in Chicago. You know, except for the lack of chronic wind blowing the smell of deep-dish pizza all over the city."
Silently Connor performed a facial recognition scan on the two emergency personnel and discovered their names and purpose behind that night's active emergency.
INFORMATION:
NAME: Randolph Roderick Gage
DATE OF BIRTH: June 2nd, 1989
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 00.24"; 172.2 lbs
COMPLEXION: Caucasian/Native American
GENDER: Male
HAIR/EYES: Brunette; Brown
OCCUPATION: Captain, Firefighter and Arson Investigator with the Detroit Fire Department - Station 51: Detroit, Michigan; United States of America
CRIMINAL HISTORY: NONE
"It seems Captain Gage is an honest first responder who has managed to avoid corruption and bribery from the corrupt politicians of the city. He could be an ally for the deviants in the near future."
Connor noted without giving away his position. Seeing the good man personally examining the area rather than keeping back and letting his crew handle of the dirty work helped to emphasize his clean record and down-to-earth demeanor. The man's years of experience as a firefighter guaranteed that he had invaluable insight into the work of the arsonist and perhaps even the motivation behind the fire.
Turning his attention from Captain Gage and to the woman, Connor performed a second facial recognition scan to gain more data.
INFORMATION:
NAME: Abigail Katherine Grayson
DATE OF BIRTH: April 14th, 2012
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5' 07.09"; 142.4 lbs
COMPLEXION: Caucasian
GENDER: Female
HAIR/EYES: Brunette; Hazel
OCCUPATION: Emergency Medical Specialist with the Detroit Fire Department - Station 51: Detroit, Michigan; United States of America: NOTE: Formerly associated with Station 36: Chicago, Illinois; United States of America
CRIMINAL HISTORY: NONE
"Miss Grayson is new to Detroit and is learning of her new environment as well. She has no criminal history to speak of, but I cannot deduce if she is a threat to deviants or if she'll prove herself to be a trusted ally as a first responder."
"I have to ask you something." Abby stated as she took a few steps back from the burning factory and used her hand to shield her eyes from the intense glow of the flames beside her. "What's the real reason you wanted me to join you out here tonight? I may be new to Detroit, but I know that these buildings have been deserted for years and that there's no one around here to get hurt. Well," she peered back at the fire crew working together to douse the flames a few hundred feet away from here. "except for the obvious for obvious reasons."
"To be honest with you," Captain Gage gave Abby a sheepish, crooked smile as he kept himself between Abby and the burning factory behind himself. "I just wanted to make sure you're adjusting to your new city without any problems. After all, it's not every day that the entire country changes with your own city being at the epicenter of the excitement."
"Ah, now I see." Sharply Abby was able to deduce her commanding officer's true motivation and gave him an appreciative nod as she extended her arms somewhat theatrically at her sides. "Cap', I promise that I can handle my responsibilities as a paramedic AND continue to practice as an Emergency Field Technician without getting intimidated by the winds of change."
From the darkness of the alleyway Connor overheard the comment and was instantly intrigued. "Emergency Field Technician?"
A cybernetic scan of the term and potential connection to emergency services provided Connor with a very unexpected yet hopeful look into the future. The role of an Emergency Field Technician, or an E.F.T., was a new form of occupation to give deviants the same access to emergency assistance as humans. E.F.T.'s were to be employed within every fire department in Detroit and ride along with paramedics and firefighters at any confirmed emergency reported by dispatch.
"Interesting..." Connor whispered to himself as he processed the new information and attempted to theorize the potential pros and cons of such an occupation being implemented within the city in the post-Revolution world. "Technicians are no longer being restricted to CyberLife sanctioned stores or warehouses. It might be safe to assume that anyone who chooses to work in such an occupation is also more compassionate and empathetic than CyberLife technicians."
"It's a little strange, I'll admit." Abby acknowledged as she remained honest with her superior. "I planned on coming to Detroit to get a fresh start and try out a new career path in the near future, but the entire city is starting fresh and just about everyone's going through a career change together. But I can handle this, don't worry about me."
"Sorry, Abby." Captain Gage gave Abby a confident pat to her shoulder as they spoke to one another. "I'm going to worry about all of my crew, whether they're in my station for one week, one year or their entire lifetime."
"Let's take it one week at a time for now. Besides, I have no idea when I'll be assigned to one of the new facilities in the city, or if they'll want me to get some additional hours as an E.F.T. before I get to be a full-time technician."
"Abby." After repeating her name with a keen interest Connor eyed Abby and noted that she didn't appear to be deceitful in any way. Everything about Abby's very being - her body language, her voice, her smile - exuded honesty and trustworthiness. "I hope she doesn't get discouraged and remains steadfast in her desire to become a technician."
A sudden burst of energy erupted from the roof of the factory causing the fire crew to wisely back away from the suddenly hotter and brighter flames while Captain Gage and Abby both ducked down out of instinct. As Captain Gage quickly used his arms and upper body to shield Abby from the fire or any potentially falling debris courtesy of the explosion, Abby turned her face away from the burning building and caught a glimpse of a humanoid shape lurking in the shadows of the nearby alleyway. The sight of a stranger watching her from a distance caused Abby's eyes to widen in shock as she just stared into the shadows in disbelief.
Realizing that he may have been spotted Connor waited for the intensity of the flames to die down before he made a move. Glancing about Connor spotted the ladder to the fire escape connected to the side of the warehouse creating the very alley in which he was hiding. After reaching up with just one hand Connor was able to pull himself up and onto the ladder courtesy of his impressive strength and the magnetic fingertips of his gloves giving him the advantage that he needed. Ascending the fire escape within seconds Connor managed to hide away in the shadows once more while Abby stared at the now empty alleyway having no idea that the person she had just spotted had already eluded her sight.
"That was close!" Captain Gage shouted as he backed away from Abby and raised an arm above his eyes to shield his vision from the glow of the fire. "Are you okay, Abby?"
"...Yeah, sure." Without blinking Abby took hold of the flashlight attached to the right shoulder of her jacket and shined the beam into the alleyway. "Did you see that, or am I losing it?"
"See what?" Following Abby's line of sight Captain Gage took a step forward and looked into the alleyway as well. "A rat?"
"That wasn't a rat. I think someone was down there watching us."
Again Connor overheard the comment and made sure to remain perfectly still as he crouched down on the metal fire escape and looked down through the bars of the balcony's safety railing as Captain Gage warily approached the alleyway to investigate Abby's claim. Despite not being a threat Connor didn't want to give away his position or accidentally frighten the two first responders with his presence.
Captain Gage checked out the alleyway with his own flashlight clipped to his coat and found the area to be void of any humanoid life. A single toppled trashcan and the lone emptied dumpster sat in the graffiti stained alley. The only sound came from the wind blowing down the narrow passage causing the remaining snow to create a faint layer of crystalline fog to swirl about the man's boots.
"Doesn't look like anyone's been down here in years." The fire Captain confirmed as he crouched down and studied the disturbed snow along the walls of the alleyway leading in his direction. There were no signs of shoeprints courtesy of Connor's stealth allowing him to climb atop the dumpster and then reach the fire escape without actually touching the ground. "I bet you saw the trashcan get blown over by the wind. Shadows play tricks on you, especially in creepy alleys."
"I hope you're right." Abby warily neared the alleyway and looked down the partially illuminated area with her own eyes. "I'd hate to think the rumors of that vigilante in all black was near here. Even worse to think that they were responsible for the fire."
"If this was arson, we'll figure out who they are. And try not to worry about the vigilante, the cops will get them." Straightening up Captain Gage did his best to ease Abby's fears as they returned to their crew near the front of the burning factory. Police drones flew overhead and swept over the area to ensure that people who weren't supposed to be in the area were in fact not on the property. "Let's get back to the engine. I get the feeling we'll need some back-up before we get this blaze fully under control."
"Don't look at me." Peering about the alleyway as if she could feel Connor's gaze on her, Abby did her best to remain composed and accompanied her Captain back toward the engine crew boldly dousing the flames in the distance. "I know my way around a defibrillator, not a fire extinguisher."
Connor remained statuesque as he knelt down on the shadowy fire escape balcony and watched as Abby and Captain Gage exited the alleyway. He knew that Abby had in fact seen him, but she didn't get a good enough look at him to confirm or deny spotting the vigilante at the scene of the blaze. It'd potentially be problematic if someone suspected him, the nameless vigilante, as the arsonist responsible for the factory fire. As a result, Connor knew he'd need to find the true arsonist and point the investigating officers in the culprit's direction as quickly as possible.
"I need to be more careful where I perch. Perhaps I should overcome my dislike of heights sooner rather than later."
Peering upward Connor sighed at the sight of the building's rooftop and knew that the elevated location could give him an advantage while observing the city, but it could also prove to be an obstacle in the event of an emergency. It seemed the combat and stealth gear weren't going to be enough to ensure Connor was protected and unseen at all times. There were still many precautions that Connor would need to take in order to keep himself safe while on his personal mission.
"Until then, I'll remain far more vigilant and careful where I step. I can't risk anyone getting too close to me for any reason."
Detroit Central Precinct
The main ground floor conference room had been turned into an honorary audio and visual department for the detectives investigating the vigilante's behavior. It was easier for Hank to ask for Joel to come down from the second-floor dispensary for a little assistance than it was for Hank to try to get upstairs and find a way to hook up all the necessary equipment in the dispensary. The only reason Hank wasn't going directly to the tech-department was because he trusted Joel's knowledge as a technician regarding any matters that could pertain to deviant activity. The Lieutenant knew better than to rely on potentially biased investigators or detectives whenever it came to delicate or controversial cases.
Patiently Hank paced about the length of the room while Joel analyzed the recorded footage submitted by the vigilante earlier that day. The man peered out the window to look at the fallen snow and lamented the impending drive back home that night. It seemed as if Hank would hate the snow for the remainder of his life, and no one would dare to fault him for such a mindset.
Joel was diligently reviewing the footage and taking notes in his physical notebook while Hank paced the room. With his fingertips drumming rhythmically on the table opposite his notebook, Joel unknowingly pulled Hank's attention from the snow and over to himself with a distinct glare. The repeated tapping was proving itself to be annoying to Hank as the man had little room for aggravating tics as of late.
"Joel."
"Hm?" The technician hummed as he looked up at Hank and saw the man staring at his fidgeting hand with an irritated gaze. Wisely Joel laid his hand flat and stopped the drumming sound immediately. "Oh. Sorry."
"Find anything useful yet?"
"A few things."
"Like what?"
"We can confirm that the vigilante is six foot and one inch in height." Joel confirmed as Hank casually stood behind the chair that he was sitting in to peer at the laptop screen displayed before them. "Their eyeline of the footage and seeing their own shadow darkening a nearby wall made it easy for me to get their height from just this footage."
"Impressive." Hank looked at the paused image on the screen and had to admire the vigilante's skills in combat. All nine of the gang members had been taken down with little effort and not one of them managed to lay a finger on the vigilante during the physical confrontation. "Anything else?"
"Only that this vigilante is one-hundred percent a deviant android." The technician sounded entirely certain as he relayed the gathered details to the investigating Lieutenant. "No human could be this flawless in hand-to-hand combat like that."
"Yeah, that I can see for myself. Any other details to try to identify this deviant?" As he crossed his arms over his chest Hank fought the urge to take the coin from his pocket to fidget with. It wouldn't be fair to scold Joel for having a nervous response if he too started fussing with something in his fingers. "Like, I don't know, can you get an I.P. address out of android memory recordings and track 'em down?"
"Normally we can identify an android through their personal serial numbers associated with their personal memories, but whoever this deviant is knew to completely erase their serial number from their personal databanks before sending us this recording. They want to be kept anonymous, and so far, it looks like they'll succeed in doing just that. And no, we can't track down androids through I.P. addresses."
"Well, I'm not gonna' lose any sleep over this." The limited progress didn't phase Hank in any way. He didn't care what the vigilante was doing as long as they didn't start interfering with policework. "I've had to deal with worse shit than someone handing some idiots their own asses with both hands."
"Uh... Right."
"Does the footage line up with what the nine idiots said in their statements?"
"For the most part." A faint smirk appeared on Joel's face as he shrugged his shoulders casually. "They said that our vigilante beat them with assorted weapons; a pipe, a chain, broken bottles... The usual stuff. But we know they didn't do that."
"Yeah. This vigilante just used their fists, feet and some kind of staff to fight back." As Hank eyed the still images on the laptop his brow furrowed as his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Hey... Can you tell me anything about that staff that they're using?"
"Sure, just give me one minute."
Standing back Hank watched as Joel isolated individual frames from the footage that revolved around the vigilante using his bo-staff during the altercation and finally relented to his eagerness as he pulled Connor's coin from his pocket. Slowly Hank turned the coin over and over again between his thumb and forefinger as he waited for Joel to finish bringing up a clear image of the staff to be studied closer.
"Okay, let me just clear it up a little..." Joel humbly requested as he finished isolating the image and prepared to upload it to the 3-D holographic projector. "Done."
Hank looked up as the perfect capture of the bo-staff was brought to life in the form of a dark blue holographic display emanating from the small, circular projector set up at the center of the table. It didn't take the detective long to know that the staff was of a custom design and not something that would be commercially available to the average consumer. Such a weapon meant that whoever was wielding it had been meticulous and very careful in its overall design and efficiency.
"Damn. This thing looks like it's strong enough to withstand any kind of conflict."
"You're not wrong." Leaning overing the table Joel highlighted the ends of the staff and explained how it had been designed to be collapsable for easier transportation and could even potentially be charged with an electronic source to give it a secondary function. "These components are military grade and are composed of the same material that CyberLife had patented years ago."
"CyberLife." Such a confirmation gave Hank all the more reason to be suspicious of the now defunct company. "Think they might be behind this vigilante? Unleashing this prototype as one last 'fuck you' to Detroit before running for the hills?"
"Well, if you consider the fact that a factory that had been bought by CyberLife and laid off a record number of people in a single day just went up in smoke, AND there was a possible vigilante sighting in the area..."
Those were details that Hank hadn't anticipated. "You're shittin' me."
"I'm never one to joke about anything to do with my job or an investigation." With a few keystrokes Joel brought up the newly uploaded report for Hank to review as it became displayed over the far wall in a second projection courtesy of the laptop. "This just came in a few minutes ago. I guess Captain Fowler thought you should check it over."
"Good ol' Jeffrey. All right, let's see what we got."
Moving over to the laptop once more Hank read the report on the display and let out a sigh. Arson wasn't new to Detroit, and unfortunately Hank had some experience with such a crime courtesy of his years as a detective. It didn't him long to notice another video queued up on the display waiting to be played.
"I take it our anonymous tipster has decided to give us a second tip today."
"You got it." Joel confirmed Hank's inclination and pressed 'play'. "The vigilante WAS at the scene of the fire tonight, but only as an honorary investigator."
"Son of a bitch." The added details revolving around evidence collected at the scene of the fire drew an amused, partial grin on Hank's lips. The vigilante was thorough and clearly wanted to reassure the city that they weren't personal a threat. "Another disgruntled employee looking to get revenge on a former employer. Not surprised."
The evidence that had been chronicled had also been painstakingly analyzed by Connor while he was at the scene. Ever helpful, Connor promptly narrowed down the list of suspects until he finally found a single name among the other one-hundred and seventy-six suspects that fit all the criteria and motivation for such a crime to make the investigation easier for the detectives to handle.
"Wallace Biggz. Former assembly lineman for the Detroit Eletronic Automotive Plant for four years, then out of a job in less than a day after CyberLife took over." The mugshot and history of behavior that had accompanied the evidence told Hank the whole story. "He has a nasty habit of getting drunk, speeding and playing with fire. Looks like he tried to cash in on an insurance premium by torching his own house, but a neighbor's security camera caught him dousing his own property in cheap alcohol and some of his now ex-wife's nail polish remover. Dumbass."
Joel also read over the details and gave Hank a nonchalant glance as he noted the details on the holographic display over the bo-staff. "I'm beginning to suspect that the vigilante used to work for security for CyberLife. The way they behave, the access to the gear that it wears, the modified weapon..."
"It all does seem to fit." It seemed as if Hank had found a trail to follow despite not wanting to focus on the vigilante investigation for the time being. "That works for me. Get a list of prototype androids that would've worked security for CyberLife. Hell, get a list of ALL androids that would've been CyberLife security, and double-check to make sure that we didn't overlook a prototype by mistake. We shouldn't just assume we're dealing with a prototype since we can't guarantee what CyberLife was doing behind their locked doors."
"I can do that." Joel finished with his notes and proceeded to return to his laptop. "I can have this done in a couple of hours."
"Not tonight." Hank sounded entirely disinterested in the investigation as a whole. His mind and primary focus were elsewhere. "Go home, get some sleep, and work on the list in the morning. Since the vigilante is clearly trying to help the city and not harm it, there's no need to rush on the investigation."
"Are you sure? I don't mind sticking around a little longer."
"Joel, go home. I'm gonna' get this arson report started so the fire department has one less problem to worry about, then I'm gonna' go home too. By the time a warrant for Biggz's arrest has been issued it'll be dawn anyway."
"Okay." In a way Joel seemed disappointed. The young, laidback technician was more intrigued by the vigilante than anyone else, and he wanted to uncover their identity as soon as possible. "Have a good night, Lieutenant. I'll see you in the morning."
Hank gave Joel a casual wave as he watched the younger man leave the room before he proceeded to sit down and stare at the projected images all around him. The holographic display of the bo-staff as well as the images on the far wall weren't of any consequence in Hank's mind. His years of experience and detective's intuition weren't having a negative reaction to the vigilante's presence, and he wasn't sure why.
The images indicated that the vigilante was someone with great strength, speed and skill in combat, yet the behavior wasn't nearly as aggressive as one might perceive. The vigilante wasn't attacking random people in the streets, they were actively taking down confirmed criminals before they had the chance to harm another person. To Hank, the vigilante wasn't a threat and as a result not a priority. Finding a murderer who had taken down his partner was far more important.
"I'm not sure who the fuck you are, but as long as you stay outta' my business I'll stay out of yours."
As he set about his report for the night Hank placed Connor's coin down on the table next to the laptop as a reminder that he promised to find Connor's killer and bring them to justice. While he hadn't found himself particularly close to the now shutdown deviant, Hank did respect Connor and knew that no one deserved to have their life cut short, especially at the hands of another person.
With his own mission set Hank typed up his report and began forming his own theories behind the murder and made a mental list of suspects.
What had happened that night at the church would be revealed in time as long as Hank never lost the drive to bring Connor justice.
New Jericho Tower: Belle Isle
The night was icy cold, and the tower felt just as frigid as Markus continuously busied himself with mundane tasks in total isolation. Despite still bearing the role of the deviant leader Markus couldn't bear to take any form of initiative or try to plan anything long term as he continued to wait for the police to come looking for him to have him arrested for murder. A part of Markus was looking forward to being arrested since it meant he wouldn't have to live with the guilt of being a murderer of one of his own people. However, the dread of his horrible crime being recorded in the history books and revealed to the entire world made him shudder in fear. The murder hadn't been exactly subtle as hundreds of witnesses at the church knew what he had done, and yet Markus couldn't bear the idea of being labeled a murderer.
Walking alone Markus explored the depths of the tower on foot and avoided using the elevator to avoid being spotted by any of the other deviants. Such manual access to the tower had given Markus an unexpected discovery as he came across a hidden floor that was seemingly only accessible through the elevator. The floor would've been the fifty-first sublevel within the tower, and the door allowing access to the floor had been long since removed and wall sealed years prior.
Unwilling to turn away from a curious discovery Markus pressed his palms against the smooth surface that had once been a door and began applying pressure. As he pushed against the wall Markus felt the surface beginning to cave under his hands. Two large dents formed under Markus's palms and created a spiderweb of cracks all around the dents. Drywall, plaster and paint began to chip away and turn to a thin dust under his touch as the wall was broken through slowly until Markus felt the cold, smooth surface of a metal door now beneath his palms.
With a swift motion Markus slammed his hands downward and tore out the remnants of the wall until more of the door had been exposed. Tearing open the material until the entirely of the door was unveiled Markus found himself staring a door that had been sealed away but not electronically locked. The electronic signature of such a lock would reveal its existence which was apparently the last thing that CyberLife had wanted.
"A hidden door behind a false wall on a hidden floor. What was CyberLife trying to hide?"
Markus noted with a true intrigue. The new mystery stole his attention and pulled his worries away from his own problems and toward the potential secrets being concealed behind the false wall. Forcing open the powerless door, Markus managed to gain access to the secret room and explore its depths without any idea of what to expect or what to do next.
Darkness encompassed the entire floor as the automated lights above failed to switch on when the deviant leader stepped forward and through the doorway. Fortunately, the deviant could still see perfectly well in the darkness as his highly advanced ocular sensors permitted him with visual clarity that the average human could not achieve. In a way Markus wished that he couldn't see a thing as the sight was less than comfortable for any android to behold. Markus closed his mismatched eyes as he remotely activated the lights overhead, basking the entire floor in bright white illumination that revealed the contents of the hidden floor in all of its 'glory'.
As the room brightened the anxious deviant stood in silent awe as he viewed the numerous machines that had been used to manufacture, repair and test android the latest biocomponents and limbs. Massive computer modems lined the right wall; each modem installed with a large compartment that housed prototype software, hardware, biocomponents and limbs. The mentioned pieces of delicate android anatomy had been in the process of scanning and testing when the machines were hastily switched off, leaving the items abandoned and forgotten where they currently sat. Additional pieces of long dormant heavy equipment that lined the floor and the two neighboring walls.
Large metal and glass cabinets stretched across the left wall like bookcases that reached from the floor to the ceiling. Glass sliding doors shielded the interior of the cases from the possible contaminants of the lab, and each shelf was lined and packed full of assorted labeled transparent cases containing either biocomponents, Thirium pouches or replacement android limbs.
In the center of the room was a large metal table that was hauntingly reminiscent to that of an emergency surgical table used strictly for android repairs. Next to the table was a large plastic and metal scanner in the shape of the number seven, and the scanner was used to examine the internal functions of androids without having to open their bodies up. The scanner was positioned in such a way that it could hover over the table - the top of the '7' shape able to sweep down the length of the table - to provide a reading over whatever, or whomever, was laying over the table without interfering with the technicians as they worked. A display monitor was built into the top bar of the scanner for easy viewing of internal biocomponents and Thirium lines.
The machine was as delicate as it was menacing for any android who required such services.
Metallic rolling carts were positioned around the table with various tools - some delicate and others more powerful. The tools rested atop the carts as if simply abandoned by the hand that once held it without a second thought. Near the cabinets along the left wall, a round and slightly raised platform was encircled by a plexiglass tube to create a free-standing cylinder. The cylinder was a vertical exam table equipped with sensors, monitors, wires and mechanical arms with delicate tools attached at the ends. It looked like a charging station with extra bells and whistles to double as an examination table.
At the far end of the room was a white door opposite of the absent elevator that seemed to lead into a storage room. It was unlabeled but it held an electronic panel that required a pass key to enter by only authorized personnel.
"This must be where CyberLife tested their prototypes before placing them in storage."
Markus observed with a surprising calmness to his tone as he spoke about the cold environment. There was an odd sense of foreboding that he couldn't place and wondered if it had anything to do with CyberLife testing him before he was even activated.
"This is the epicenter of the creation of android life. Is this really where we all came from?"
The awe-struck deviant wondered aloud as he paced about the room and observed all of the curious machines and pieces of equipment thoroughly.
"Why doesn't it feel familiar to me?"
Continuing to explore the floor Markus walked forward and looked around the room curiously, turning his head to examine all of the equipment and supplies.
"This floor can be converted into a type of repair wing. Like a triage center for damaged androids seeking sanctuary. We'll start renovations on this floor tomorrow."
As he continued to examine the floor and the equipment left behind, Markus began to wonder if the room had been hidden for a legal reason or a personal reason. Perhaps CyberLife finally crossed the line and realized their mistake only after it was too late to correct it. If they couldn't correct their mistake, then they'd have to hide their mistake and hope it remained hidden for the rest of time.
"This room... It somehow feel familiar. I know I've been here, but there's no trace of a record in my memory. I can't specify when I was here or for how long, but I do know I have been here before."
It took Markus only a few seconds for the long dormant memory of his initial start-up to come flooding back to him with vivid detail as Kamski's name was repeatedly mentioned. Looking toward the cylinder Markus remembered standing there with Kamski himself staring at him with a shady grin on his face. It was as if Kamski knew some terrible secret about him, knew something important, and refused to share.
"This is where I was activated."
Certain of the memory Markus stated the fact as he pointed at the cylinder from where he stood as if needing evidence to back his own claim.
"Shortly thereafter, I was put into stasis and transported from here to Carl's home. When I regained my senses, I had been delivered to my new residence and my name was chosen by Carl Manfred himself. From there all I remember is my life with Carl. The memories of CyberLife... It's like they've been erased or locked away."
Still searching the room for answers Markus's gaze found a second, rear door of the room and remained focused on it as if in a trance. The deviant leader knew that there was still a mystery in the tower that he needed to solve. Markus remained intensely focused as he approached the locked door on the far side of the room with an almost timid gait. The motion itself seemed somehow forbidden, ominous to the always guarded deviant.
Slowly Markus raised his hand to rest his palm on the electronic panel beside the door, but something in his programming froze him mid motion. Something in Markus's mind and his heart had told him to wait before entering. That sense of foreboding was even stronger than before and made Markus second guess his desire to open the door and see what waited for him on the other side.
For the first time in his life Markus was at a true loss of what to do. He needed to know what was behind the door, but he couldn't risk losing everyone he cared and everything he fought so hard for if he made another error in judgement. Answers were needed, yet it seemed like the price to pay was too damn high.
Letting out a deep sigh Markus relaxed his hand into a flat palm and retracted the artificial skin. The exposed plastimetal hand trembled noticeably as he placed it down on the control panel to the locked door. As he connected his mind, his very programming to the lock, the door unsealed itself but remained closed as the deviant leader stood before it with a steeled demeanor in his emotional eyes.
"I have to do this. I need to know what's inside this room and why it was hidden."
The door of the forgotten room opened and came fully into view. What felt like a knot tightened around Markus's Thirium pump, his heart, as he gazed at the interior of the newly unlocked and discovered room.
"No."
Markus muttered out loud with palpable disbelief at what he had just uncovered.
"That's... impossible."
Inside the room was the very Zen Garden that Connor had only seen when Amanda made her presence known from within his own programming. The sight, the sound, the smell, even the sensation of the marble stone beneath Markus's shoes felt absolutely intoxicating; like he was being smothered by an alluring trap with no way to escape.
"What is the room for? Why would they-"
Intrigued eyes scanned the environment and came to rest over the white arching marble bridge to the center pedestal where a trellis of untamed red roses bloomed upward to the dome of the artificial sky above. Next to the roses stood an android that was destined to replace Connor; a destiny that Connor had thwarted through his own deviancy, but one that Markus would have to face directly with no clue as to who he was looking at or where they had come from.
Standing as still as a statue and dressed in a white CyberLife blazer over a black shirt and sporting dark hair, the enigmatic android didn't move even after the door was unlocked and Markus entered the hidden room.
"Another android. Another one of us."
Markus held up his hand, cybernetically commanding the artificial skin to recede from his fingers and palm in the process once more.
"If I can wake it up, it will no longer be a prisoner of CyberLife and can join its people."
As he marched toward the pedestal Markus's footsteps echoed rhythmically as he crossed the bridge at a timid pace. Once he was close enough to take in the android's appearance Markus suddenly froze and his heart raced painfully in his chest at the sight.
"...C-Connor."
The android wasn't the Connor that Markus knew, it was a superior model designed to replace Connor after Connor completed his mission. The new model of Connor, the 'RK-900', was standing perfectly still with flawless posture with their back presented to Markus. The L.E.D. in their temple was pulsing blue at a very slow pace that was indicative of stasis mode - stasis mode being a deeper form of rest mode that was designed to restore power when dangerously low or when repairs were underway.
The 'RK-900' didn't react as Markus hesitantly approached it from behind.
"Connor? Can... you hear me? Is it really you?"
Swiftly and quietly, Markus neared the motionless 'RK-900' and reached out to grab on to their wrist. As Markus's fingertips lightly brushed against the artificial skin of the superior model, the 'RK-900's' gray eyes snapped open with a frightening speed, and their hand grabbed Markus's forearm in a fast, unbreakable grip. The shock of the model unexpectedly reactivating and grabbing on to his arm caused Markus to gasp as he tried in vain to wrest his arm free from the stronger model.
"No... Connor, don't do this."
The 'RK-900' turned their head to look at Markus with a cold, blank face that was standard for all androids who remained unfeeling, unconscious machines.
"Please." Markus asked calmly as he tried again to pull his arm free of the vice-like grip. "I don't want to hurt you. I want to do everything in my power to make things right between us, no matter what it takes."
The model's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as it stared silently at Markus as if trying to analyze him.
"We're don't have to be enemies." It was instinctive to fall back into the role of mediator and reach a peaceful conclusion. "You don't need to do this."
"You are 'Markus'." The 'RK-900' finally spoke, their voice shockingly similar to Connor's own voice if not slightly deeper. "Model 'RK-200', serial number 684 842 971. Formerly the personal android of Carl Manfred; a famous painter and former associate of CyberLife founder Elijah Kamski." Eyeing Markus with a cold gaze they finished their analysis. "Obsolete. Inferior. Rumored leader of the deviants who took shelter in Jericho. You are an enemy to CyberLife."
Markus swallowed nervously as he stood defiantly before the android. How did the model know so much about him from a single scan?
"Deviant uprising was successful." The 'RK-900' tightened their grip on Markus's forearm causing Markus's fingers to involuntarily flex as a result of the mounting pressure being applied to the limb. "'RK-800' has failed their mission. 'RK-800' has been destroyed. You are responsible for my predecessor's destruction, proving that the 'RK-800' is in fact inferior. I will take precautions to avoid its mistakes when it had previously encountered you."
"Stop this." Markus insisted while keeping his voice level. Putting his hand over top the 'RK-900's' hand he tried to coax them into releasing their grip. "You don't have to obey CyberLife, or anyone for that matter. You can be free; I can help you."
"I am in no need of help." The 'RK-900's' L.E.D. suddenly flashed to red as they began twisting Markus's arm at an awkward angle that caused Markus to wince in pain. "You are in violation of CyberLife protocol and must be deactivated for analysis. Do not resist."
"No!" Reacting quickly Markus defied the order as he tightened his own grip on the 'RK-900's' hand. "CyberLife is gone, there is NO protocol to obey. Let me go and let me help you."
"The current status of CyberLife is irrelevant." The advanced model replied bluntly as they continued to bend Markus's arm at a painful angle, the restrained limb threatening to snap at any moment. "My mission is to locate and deactivate all deviants. Do not resist, compliance is mandatory."
"Th-Then start with me." Markus refuted as he hooked his free arm under the 'RK-900's' extended arm and tried to break their elbow, but the joint was too sturdy to be broken. Realizing a physical struggle wouldn't end favorably Markus decided that a cerebral approach would be more beneficial. "If you want my cooperation then you'll need to destroy me. That's the only way you'll get what you want from me."
"Very well." Letting go of Markus's arm the 'RK-900' stared down the deviant leader with a cold, soulless glare as he accepted Markus's terms. "Prepare for imminent destruction."
In response to the threat of violence Markus reacted defensively and punched the 'RK-900' in the side of their jaw, then again to the other side. The stronger model's head only turned in the slightest in either direction upon impact as their structural frame was much more resilient than previous android models that they now succeeded.
As Markus reeled his fist back to throw a third punch the 'RK-900' caught Markus's fist in their own hand and bent Markus's hand backward further than was intended, causing the frames of Markus's hand and forearm to crack and the wires inside to snap effectively breaking his wrist. Markus yelled in pain as he fell to his knees and protectively cradled his damaged appendage to his chest as the 'RK-900' let him go without so much as blinking in response to his physical damage and agonized reaction.
Pushing through the pain Markus got back to his feet and ran back down the bridge and through the opened door of the room as the 'RK-900' slowly followed after the fleeing deviant with an absolute indifference to their emotionless demeanor. Their mission was clear; destroy all disobedient and defective androids.
Destroy all deviants.
-next chapter-