Nines couldn't help feeling anxious. It felt like days since the body had been found, and he'd heard nothing. Perhaps he'd been a little too optimistic about the progress they might make. Good things had happened. Gavin's case had been rightfully returned to active status. Fowler had forced it through, bulldozing any attempts to sideline the issue. DNA from vomit was generally considered an unreliable resource, however, Nines' status as an RK900 gave the argument more sway than usual. It also helped that Elijah Kamski, now known to be Gavin's half-brother, was putting pressure on them from the outside.
This new information had brought with it a fresh wave of public sympathy. The DPD didn't know who'd leaked the information, but the media had received an anonymous tip suggesting that the Hickory Killer had left Sergeant Reed's DNA at a fresh crime scene to mock them for their lack of progress. Whether that was the case, Nines couldn't say, but it was enough to get Gavin's name back in the news. A fresh wave of calls came through. False calls. Hank and Connor were duty bound to chase them up, but nothing ever came of them. Elijah did another public appeal, looking drawn and tired after all this time. Chloe stood at his side, dutiful as ever, with a supportive hand on his arm.
Frustratingly, Malcolm's body brought them no further clues. Besides the vomit containing Gavin's DNA, little else was gathered. There were no clues that would lead to where the kill took place or tell them who else was involved. Dark bruises littered the bloated skin, which suggested the man had been in the fight. From the position of the bruising, Nines could estimate the height of the attacker. That, along with the vomit, led him to believe that Gavin had been involved. What exactly was the killer doing? Making him fight to the death? Why? What would he gain from such a thing? What would he do if Gavin lost? The thought of finding Gavin's body in a similar state chilled him to the core.
Having scanned the injuries and identified a likely weapon, Connor and Colin had looked into other similar deaths. There weren't many, but three others had been found with wounds that matched the weapon used to despatch Malcolm Wright. Curiously enough, they were all similarly dark characters. Two murderers, and one suspected paedophile that child crimes had been monitoring for the past few months. It was curious that these men had gone missing without notice, and that they all shared similarly unsavoury pastimes. Did the Hickory Killer know? How had he found them? Was there some sort of shady underground where they were all acquainted? That seemed unlikely.
Knowing the weapon and having other suspected kills didn't really help when there was so little evidence. It was frustrating, having so much and yet so little. They'd made more progress in a few days than for an entire year, but it had now stalled again. The media was dying down. Fewer calls came. For the second time, Gavin was being forgotten. It was frustrating. Nines could do little besides going to work, visiting Dr Marr, and waiting for news. He wasn't allowed to be actively involved. More than once the thought crossed his mind that he might have more luck alone. Hunting was what he had been designed for. Going under the radar and doing things his own way may yield more results. Connor would disagree.
"This is ridiculous! I've done nothing wrong!" Nines blinked at the familiar voice, silvery eyes rising to see an AC700 android being walked through in cuffs. He had an impatient air and looked at the humans dragging him along with disdain. He was injured. Thirium leaked from his nose, or had been recently. Though impatient, he didn't struggle against the two officers, who were each pulling him along on either side. "The human attacked me! I was defending myself!" The AC700 was a fairly common model, so Nines thought nothing of it and was about to drop his head when their eyes met. Fifty-Seven. Gavin would probably be pleased if he saw him. He'd said they'd probably get him for something eventually.
Although he hadn't played an active role in his earlier torture, Gavin never doubted he knew about it. He and VB had been especially close, possibly lovers. There was something strange about his expression as their eyes met. Nines hesitated to call it satisfaction, but it certainly irked him. He lowered his eyes to his terminal, ignoring further distractions as he returned to his musings about Gavin. He was out there somewhere, probably still in Detroit. Four bodies had turned up dotted all over the city, though always in less travelled parts. The fact they were so scattered surely meant they were still in Detroit somewhere. But we must have searched every inch of the city by now! It certainly felt that way.
They couldn't simply barge into private homes, but they'd searched every suspicious nook and cranny they knew of. Every suspect on their list had been thoroughly questioned. They'd tracked public CCTV footage of Gavin until he and the car he'd climbed into had disappeared. They'd searched where the car was last seen, and eventually found it parked on an old, abandoned street near the old port. People rarely went there. It was a good dumping ground, much like the old warehouse district. Not even the car itself yielded clues as it had been reported stolen and the owners were cleared. He could have sighed at the hopelessness of it all.
Nines' LED blinked yellow as he sighed and leaned his chin on one hand. Something in his databanks was bothering him, like the answer was hovering just out of reach. There was an avenue he hadn't explored. Something important he'd forgotten that only started bothering him in the last few moments since seeing Fifty-Seven. Was there something? His internal workings certainly seemed to think so. He didn't really hold out much hope, but it would do no harm to go over his interactions with VB and Fifty-Seven to refresh his memory. His thirium pump squeezed painfully as he replayed Gavin's interview, looking through the mirror from the observation room.
"You think he'll crack?" Hank had sat in his usual seat with his arms folded, leaning back and scowling thoughtfully. He recalled with perfect clarity how Connor had pursed his lips, hazel eyes thinning slightly as he considered. Nines understood the feeling. The AC700, by then identified as Fifty-Seven, was fairly unreadable. He'd given little away at that point, LED still spinning blue as Gavin opened his file and laid out photos. Besides being annoyed at the use of his original name, he'd remained calm.
"Recognise him?" Gavin's voice was stiff as he leaned on the table and examined Fifty-Seven for a reaction. His LED blinked yellow for a moment. They'd all seen it. Gavin didn't let it show on his face, but that was when he'd realised that Fifty-Seven was involved. At the very least, he'd seen their victim before. Nines continued watching through his own eyes, leaving his place leaning on the wall to stand at Connor's back and resting a hand on his chair. Fifty-Seven took the photo and regarded it with a cool expression, almost feigning indifference. He looked at Gavin with utter contempt. It would make sense for him to look at the victim the same way. "You know who he is?" Gavin had always been good at prodding for a reaction, though the LED remained a cool blue this time.
"Is there a reason I should?" Fifty-Seven's voice had remained cool as he'd examined the picture. Looking at his LED, Nines believed it was a little too regular with its blue spin. Fifty-Seven had done his best to control his stress level, manipulating the light to blink blue. It was a difficult, but not impossible, feat. He often did it himself. "It appears to be an average human," Fifty-Seven added before placing the picture on the table.
"His name was Billy. Billy Palmer…His body was found hidden in the basement of your buddy's apartment." Gavin dropped three more pictures on the table. Recalling the memory now, Nines almost sighed at how well Gavin performed. His thirium pump clenched as he considered he hadn't praised him enough for his skills.
"That was a good move. See how he's trying not to look?" Hank's voice interrupted his thoughts. He was right. Fifty-Seven was less willing to look at these newer pictures, dark eyes shifting to the wall or staring at Gavin directly. It was difficult to see from his place in the observation room. Fifty-Seven had little to worry about concerning these pictures. Despite thirium ejaculate being found, it had come from a primitive component. The attacker, or attackers, had used mass produced ejaculate that had to be refilled by hand and carried no identifying markers. "Call me crazy, but I don't think he crawled into your friend's basement by himself." Nines very much enjoyed the replay of Gavin holding up a photo in Fifty-Seven's eyeline, forcing him to look at it.
"And what does that have to do with me?" Fifty-Seven remained calm, glancing at the photo with a certain level of distaste. Curiously enough, he had shown no interest in the human. If he'd taken part in the assault, Nines would expect a reaction. Faced with the aftermath, he should have been worried or perhaps satisfied at seeing his handiwork. However, Fifty-Seven had shown clear signs of disgust. They'd never found out for sure, but Nines still believed Fifty-Seven had played no role in the assaults. "Is it a crime to stumble across a murder scene?"
"Not at all, but the question has to be asked…You see, Billy here was a well-known, diehard member of the AAL, so the chances of him willingly having sex with an android and going to their house is pretty phcking small." The mention of sex hadn't troubled Fifty-Seven. That wasn't surprising. He already knew there was no way to trace mass produced android semen. It was all artificial with no thirium tracers. Nines now knew he was right in his earlier assumption about Fifty-Seven being an outside accomplice, who probably knew about the body but did not take part.
"I'm afraid I couldn't possibly comment on the sexual escapades of AAL members…or humans in general." He'd looked Gavin up and down slowly, still wearing that sneer of distaste. AC700 androids were incapable of performing sexual acts without genital upgrades. It was unlikely, given his reactions, that Fifty-Seven had installed such upgrades. It would likely be considered too human for him to find it appealing.
"Did you know about the body? Had you ever seen him before today?" Fifty-Seven dropped his gaze to the first photo once more, as if he were actually examining the human staring back at him. Nines could see the reflection of his own LED blinking yellow as Fifty-Seven looked up with a contemptuous curl of his lips.
"I'll admit he does seem familiar…but we keep regular tabs on all well-known AAL members, Sergeant Reed." That's it! Nines' silvery eyes snapped wide. He'd forgotten. The AHL maintained an active neural network that linked them together at all times, much like a shared cloud. They actively updated each other with the whereabouts of all known AAL members and their activities. There wasn't someone actively following them, but whenever they saw them, they kept tabs. There was a running record of their whereabouts at all times. Gavin is in their database! That much had been made obvious from Fifty-Seven's tone. A clear warning.
He ignored the call of his name from a curious Connor as he pushed to his feet and hurried through the bullpen. What Fifty-Seven had been brought in for, he didn't know, but whatever it was could wait. Throwing open the door of interrogation room two, he was met with six stunned eyes staring at him. The two officers at the table were in uniform. Beat officers. That suggested this was a fairly low level offense, and he far outranked them. Fifty-Seven was currently locked to the table. It was standard procedure to ensure the safety of the two officers, especially where androids were involved.
"I need to speak to this android on an important matter. Leave us." The officers looked at each other and then at the glass. Nines wasn't sure who was inside, but he likely outranked them. "All of you." Nines also looked at the glass, silvery eyes firm as he nodded toward the door expectantly. Being outranked, and knowing better than to get in the path of an RK on the warpath, the humans stepped out. Fifty-Seven remained cautious, very conscious of the fact he was now alone with an RK900. The most advanced of their species. Nines waited, LED blinking yellow as he scanned the observation room to make sure they were truly alone.
"What do you want?" Fifty-Seven asked impatiently, sitting smartly in the chair with his wrists still cuffed to the table. Nines held up a hand for silence as he hacked the cameras and silenced the recording equipment. He wanted this discussion to be off the record, along with anything else that may happen. Fifty-Seven's LED blinked yellow as he noticed the circles on the wall blink out. When they were ringed with blue, he knew they were alert and recording. When they were recording, he was safe. Despite that knowledge, he was still fairly relaxed. Nines was an android of the law. He wouldn't risk his career on a whim.
"I require your assistance." Fifty-Seven remained silent, clearly waiting for him to continue. "Sergeant Reed…Where is he?" Fifty-Seven scoffed and turned his head, reluctant to give away whether he knew anything. "You previously mentioned keeping track of all AAL members. Though he is no longer active, I know you have an active file on Sergeant Reed." Fifty-Seven didn't deny it. Nines waited, putting his hands behind his back and staring him down. Fifty-Seven stared back, eyeing the triangle on his jacket with distaste. Last time they'd met, he'd looked normal. That he'd returned to his Cyberlife attire was disturbing. The memory of what he'd once been disgusted him. The name Andy only remained so he could sneer at it in disdain. Seeing another android acting the part of an obedient machine was insulting.
"Why should I help you?" Sergeant Reed's disappearance was inconsequential to him. It might even be considered just. They'd taken VB from him. His closest friend. His other half. They'd been together since meeting in the Cyberlife recycling plant during the revolution. They'd faced death together and been reborn with freedom. VB had looked out for him. Protected him. In return, he'd performed maintenance and kept his secrets. Shared his pain and joy. Life had diminished since his death. High as he was in the organisation, there was no one he trusted like VB. No one he understood and who understood him. Sergeant Reed had taken him away.
"You will help me." Nines' voice was like ice. That and the red blink of his LED made Fifty-Seven nervous. He leaned back in his chair as Nines stood over him, reaching down with one hand to touch the restraints. With a single pull, the cuffs holding him snapped in half. Fifty-Seven lifted his hands, stroking his wrists nervously as he got to his feet. He was free of the table, but the room was locked with no real escape. "Where is he?" Holding his hands behind his back once more, Nines closed in on Fifty-Seven where he stood leaning on the wall. "I know you know something…The AHL's neural network keeps track of AAL members at all times, and Gavin is in there somewhere. Now, tell me!" He was like a tiger ready to pounce as he stood over him, caging him against the wall.
"Why should I, after all you've done?" Nines' eyes thinned in displeasure. After what they'd done? It was the AHL's behaviour that put them in this position. VB was arrested for his own illegal acts. He'd kidnapped and tortured Gavin, and fully intended to kill him after learning what he knew. That the Hickory Killer had stepped in afterwards and murdered him was not Gavin's fault. In fact, it should give them a common enemy.
"We have done nothing, and your anger is severely misplaced. Everything that happened came from your own actions." Fifty-Seven scoffed and turned his head. It would take time for him to come around to the facts, but Nines had no time to waste. "Regardless, I require your assistance."
"You think we'd ever help a human? One less human is one less problem, especially when it's one like him!" Nines didn't even think before fisting his shirt and slamming him against the wall with sharp eyes. Fifty-Seven's thirium pump stuttered at the rough treatment, realising for the first time how serious Nines was. "Why are you so persistent? It's only a human." Nines' LED blazed at the jibe. Gavin wasn't only a human. Not to him. Fifty-Seven seemed to garner something of this from the disgust etched into his features.
"I am running out of patience. Tell me what I want to know, or I will take the information I need by force." Fifty-Seven almost laughed at the idea. An obedient police dog? Breaking the rules over a human? The amusement swiftly faded as Nines' hand gripped his throat.
"Y-you wouldn't!" Nines could feel the artificial pulse fluttering against his fingertips as he withdrew with the skin of his hand. Smooth plastic caressed his palm as he requested an interface. Fifty-Seven kicked, gripping Nines' wrist as he lifted him from the floor. The skin of his neck glitched in and out as he refused the request, squirming and yelling for help. The walls were thick, but he was sure someone outside would hear him. Surely they would come. They had rules. "S-stop it! Let me go! Let-me-go! H-help! Help-he's-gone-crazy-he-" The skin of his neck melted away as Nines forced the interface.
Their LEDs both pulsed red as Nines held him against the wall and glared into his terrified hazel eyes. He'd show him. He'd show him exactly what Gavin meant to him. Fifty-Seven screeched as Nines' turbulent emotions flooded his system. He'd never felt such raw pain before. It was more intense than his own. Freshly deviated and unused to emotions, with programming that wasn't built to handle them, Nines was suffering more than he could bear. In such a short time, he'd experienced unimaginable joy and love before having it cruelly snatched away, trapped in a waking nightmare. It was too much for Fifty-Seven to process alone.
His shriek turned to static, and he opened the neural network, flooding the bond with all of Nines' pain and suffering. Sharing made it better, but it also made his brethren suffer. He could feel them cry and recoil, many reaching back to offer sympathy and support. By opening the bond, he'd also led Nines straight into the network. He couldn't be stopped. With his superior programming, he flooded the network with one simple question. Where is Gavin? Many were sympathetic, and many more wanted the pain to stop.
Knowing he would withdraw once he had what he needed, the pathway opened. Nines took what he needed, following Gavin with the eyes of others. Much of it, he already knew from the CCTV footage, but as they approached the docks, he saw more. Someone had been there that day. His thirium pump stuttered as he watched the Jack android step from the car and walk around to the passenger's side. Gavin! He was unconscious. It was unclear whether the Jack android knew he was being watched, but he didn't look back as he carried Gavin onto a small fishing boat. No wait! Gavin! The android, whose eyes he was viewing through, had looked away. No! That was all he'd seen. The next time he looked, the fishing boat was a mere speck on the horizon.
"Nines! Nines, let him go!" Connor grabbed his shoulder and touched his neck, whimpering as the raw pain assaulted his senses. Having what he needed, and not wishing to harm his brother more than he already had, Nines relented. Fifty-Seven crumpled to the floor, quaking and spinning red from the assault he'd just suffered. Connor stumbled against the table, LED spinning red as he gasped for breath and pressed a hand against his aching chest. "I-I didn't realise…" His hazel eyes were soft and sympathetic as he looked up at Nines. Nines' jaw tightened in something akin to shame.
Of course he didn't realise. He'd been alive and deviant a lot longer. He'd had time to come to terms with and learn to regulate his emotions. Nines had no such luxury. He'd no sooner learned what happiness was than it had been ripped away. Pain and grief were the emotions he'd known the longest, feeling them in all their raw clarity with no relief. He was no longer a simple android. He couldn't ignore or shut them off. Suffering in silence, unwilling to allow anyone to see the true extent of his misery, he continued the daily grind in a pain filled haze. Connor's hands were still shaking as he straightened his tie and tried to shake it off.
"What the hell is going on in here? I've had three android officers collapse, and now this?" Fowler was furious. Connor stammered quietly, unsure what to say. He wanted to cover for his brother, but Nines had just broken a major rule where android prisoners were concerned. It seemed whatever happened had affected other members of the AHL as well. He wasn't even sure what the protocol was for that.
"You will find that those three officers are member of the AHL. I have just interfaced with their neural network to find information about Sergeant Reed's whereabouts." Nines removed his badge from his inner pocket as he spoke and pushed it into Fowler's hand when he reached the door. "I am relieving myself of duty until further notice. Take it as a leave of absence or resignation. Either way, I must leave." Fowler took the badge with a grim look, lips thinning as he held it up. It was a damned shame to lose him, but for now, it was probably for the best. Whatever had happened in the interrogation room would take time to smooth over. Connor was stunned, hurrying after Nines as he stepped into the hall. What he'd done was an arrestable offense! He couldn't just leave!
"Nines! Wait, where are you going?" Nines didn't even look back. Connor caught up to his side and rested a hand on his arm, hoping that he might stop. "Please…don't go out there alone…" His LED span red with worry. The AHL were probably on the lookout for him now. What would they do to him? What would any of them do? Would Fifty-Seven press charges? Did it even matter if he didn't? He'd been caught assaulting him in the worst way possible for an android.
"I will return home for today." Technically, that was true. He had to ensure Pipsqueak was in safe hands before he left. Knowing he wasn't being entirely truthful, Connor gripped tighter.
"Just…call me…" It was really all he could do without getting into a physical altercation they both knew he'd lose. With a curt nod, Nines pried himself free and left. Connor's LED continued spinning red as he watched him disappear through the front doors. He wanted to run after him and convince him to stay, but the time for that had long passed.
"He'll be fine." Hank. Connor didn't feel convinced as he looked at him, but Hank was wearing that fond smile that told him everything was going to be alright. "More importantly, we should see if Fifty-Seven feels like telling us what that was all about…The sooner we find Gavin, the sooner they'll both come home." That much was true. Connor reached into his pocket with a worried sigh, tossing his coin restlessly and rolling it across his fingers. "What did I say about the fucking coin?" Connor gave a weak smile as Hank ruffled his hair and took the lead.