The door was unlocked. What the phck? His door was never unlocked! Did they forget? Forgotten or not, they could hardly punish him for wandering off when they were the ones who fucked up. This place felt more homely than the basement he'd been in before. The room he'd woken up in was light and airy in comparison, with a window that looked outside. Seeing the modest front garden and quiet road had been a shock. They'd really given him access to a fucking window? It had been welded shut, but people below would surely see him if he made enough noise. That would need someone to actually be there though...He couldn't even see the next house through the thick trees circling the fence.

The room itself was comfortable, and a lot more welcoming than where he'd been before. There was carpet and a vanity, an empty wardrobe and drawers for his things, which were still in the case by his bed. The bathroom was pristine and white, with a textured window that let in real light. It was a grey day, but the light still made him wince a little after all this time. Artificial light was a little warmer than the brightness outside. Before venturing out, Gavin listened. Besides the hum of the heating and water in the pipes, he couldn't hear a thing.

He could tell the house was big. Not as big as Elijah's mansion, but sizable. There were a few other rooms in the same hallway, many of which were open and led to similar bedrooms. Some were smaller, and one was a small bathroom. Only one door was locked. His heart thudded as he pressed his ear against the wood and listened. There were only two reasons they'd lock a door. To keep someone in, or keep him out. Knocking on the door, he murmured Kitty's name, hoping she was the one inside.

"Uncle Gavin! It's me! Get me out-get-me-out!" Gavin hushed her quickly, laying a hand on the wood and looking down the hall in case they'd been heard.

"Okay, it's okay! Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" He was relieved to hear she was fine. It seemed his earlier suspicions were correct. They weren't interested in hurting her. She was just a tool for them to torment him with. So long as he played along, she was well fed and unharmed. Physically, at least...The things she'd seen would fuck her up for life. Guilt pinched his chest at the thought. It was his fault she was in this mess. "Alright, just sit tight. I know where you are now, but I can't let you out yet. I need to look around and get a lay of the land first." It would be pointless to let her out of the room if he couldn't get her out of the house. She seemed to understand his thoughts.

"What are we doing here? Why did they move us?" Gavin couldn't say for sure, but he had a good idea.

"I don't think they had a choice. I'm not sure how close they got, but I think the FBI got a lead." That was good news. That they'd been found once made it more likely they'd be found again. Being in a secondary base should make them more vulnerable. It should, but I don't even know if we're still in Detroit! That sick phck could have safe houses scattered all over! It would make sense. He'd been in hiding for years. Bouncing around would make him harder to find. But Detroit is his stomping ground, so maybe we'll get lucky. "Sit tight. I'm going to look around." Kitty was safe and unharmed. That was one thing he could cross off the list.

Finding the staircase, he hurried down to the ground floor. The house didn't feel like somewhere the Hickory Killer would choose. It was too warm. Too normal. The walls were off white, the carpets were cream, and the light fittings looked like glass flowers. Any furniture he came across was always soft coloured wood, keeping the warm theme of the house. Did he break in here? Does he own it and keep it this way for guests? It was hard to believe a killer like him would live in a place so cosy. Despite how big it was, it felt homely. It's so normal...

There was a large front living room with a cream corner couch and glass coffee table. The massive flatscreen was switched off, but the red light told him it worked. The sideboard had framed photos on it. People wearing stiff smiles, like a bunch of stock photos. The people and groups were often different, which added to the artificial feel of the house. A show home? It was possible. Quite a few places in Detroit had stood vacant for a few years, especially after the revolution. They were too expensive for androids to own, and many of the wealthier humans wanted to move out of the area.

Through an open archway was a second living area, much like the first, only this one was lined with bookcases. There was a mixture of books, like any random novel had been shoved in to fill space. There were odd volumes, and they were out of order. Most people who owned books organised by author, series, and title. The books on the shelves were disorganised, with no type of organisation besides all of them being around the same height in each row. On the way out was a large mirror, which almost gave him a heart attack as he caught sight of his own pale face staring back at him. Do I really look like that? He'd never seen his own skin so pale. His stubble, which was longer than usual, looked almost black in comparison. His eyes were a little sunken, with dark circles beneath because of stress or lack of appetite. He could even pick out the dark veins beneath his skin. Following one of them, he traced it all the way to his temples, where some of his hair was now flecked with silver. It wasn't something he'd noticed before.

"Ah, you're awake." He'd found the kitchen, and Jack. His heart about leapt in his throat when he spoke. He'd been so quiet, creeping along the hall. I should have figured he'd hear me coming. Unsure what to do, Gavin waited for him to speak again, hovering in the doorway like a scolded child. Jack paid him no mind as he continued arranging sliced fruit on a plate. "Are you going to sit down? It's nearly lunchtime." Gavin's heart pounded as he stiffly walked across to sit on a stool at that breakfast bar in front of Jack's counter. He hadn't said anything. Did that mean he was allowed to be there? Jack smiled as he looked up and handed the plate across. "Don't look so nervous, Gav. You're not in trouble." That was a relief.

"Th-the door was unlocked." He hated that his first instinct was to justify his presence.

"Of course it was. I left it open for you." That was unexpected. Wasn't he worried I'd try to escape? Perhaps he was confident enough in his ability to catch him that it wasn't an issue. But I was always kept locked up before. Had something changed? "You've been so good lately, and good behaviour should be rewarded." Something heavy roiled in his stomach at the words. I play ball and I get perks? That was how things had been for a while, but not like this. Letting him roam freely was huge, and full of risk on their part. How confident are they that I can't get out of here?

"So I can go anywhere?" Jack huffed in amusement as he folded his arms and leaned on the counter.

"Within reason." That didn't exactly fill him with confidence. "You can use the rear gardens and enter any unlocked room." They were giving him outdoor access? Really? Weren't they worried he'd make a run for it? I'd have to find a safe exit first though, and bust Kitty out. Was it possible with the Jack android watching him? "Having such freedom is a privilege, Gavin...You wouldn't do anything to jeopardise that, would you?" His skin prickled at the level stare Jack was giving him. Though his smile remained firmly in place, Gavin could read the threat beneath. There were punishments that went with that loss of privilege.

"N-no..." Not even Gavin could believe the stammer that slipped out. He swallowed and clenched his teeth as a crooked finger lifted his chin until he met Jack's level stare. He held him there, both of them silent as they reached a mutual understanding. Jack was in charge. He had all the power. There were ways he could deal with disobedience, some of which Gavin had already experienced. His skin prickled, dread filling his chest as he waited.

"Good boy...Now eat, you must be hungry." Gavin was far from hungry as he lifted the fork, but it wouldn't do to starve himself. He crunched a slice of crisp apple and shuddered as gentle fingers laced in his hair and gentle lips brushed his temple. "Good boy, now wait here." Gavin did as he was told, eating his way through the plate as Jack left and headed upstairs with a second plate. He could only guess it was for Kitty, which was good. It confirmed they were feeding her well, at least. His heart thudded as he glanced at the back door. Maybe if he went now, if he ran as fast as he could and jumped the fence. It was a stupid idea. Jack would hear it the moment his feet touched the floor. If I took the chance and bolted, what would happen to Kitty? They had no use for her without him. If he got out, he'd have to take her with him. If he took her, she'd slow him down, making it even easier for Jack to bring them back.

Jack kissed him again as he returned and removed the empty plate. It was sickeningly domestic, sitting at the breakfast bar and watching him clean up. He even made him coffee. Rich, hot, and bitter. A sigh fled his lips as he sipped the hot liquid. It was something familiar in this waking nightmare. Jack joined him after a while, sitting on the stool beside him and caressing his lower back as they looked outside. The surrounding trees were evergreens, but many of the smaller bushes had lost their leaves, telling him it was winter. The sky was cloudy, but the light, fluffy coverage suggested it wouldn't rain. Sunlight might even break through in places. Phck, how long has it been since I saw the sun? Too long.

"You want to go outside? It's a nice garden." Jack almost sounded hopeful. In a way, he was. The sunlight, weak as it was, would improve Gavin's sickly complexion and give him a real dose of vitamin D. Seeing no reason to refuse, Gavin nodded. It would be nice to stretch his legs properly and feel the breeze on his skin. It would also give him the chance to figure out just how hopeless his situation was. After pulling on his tan boots and leather jacket, Jack unlocked the door and stepped out. Gavin followed, something like fear fluttering in his chest as the sound of the outside world assaulted his ears.

There was the distant rumble of cars on a nearby highway, the rustling of trees, the wind in his ears, and even the light chirp of birds. Looking up, he could see the sky. A rolling blanket of grey drifting above his head. He almost choked up, feeling his heart flutter as the grass crunched beneath his boots. How long had it been? How long had it been since he'd last felt it? It was such a small thing, but the experience was bringing tears to his eyes as he stood lost in the back garden. Water? There was running water. Looking around, he found a small pond with a fountain. Jack followed as he hurried over to stand at the edge to see a bundle of red and gold koi rolling beneath the surface. There's phcking fish!

"Hey, it's okay, Gav..." Jack's LED span yellow as he watched Gavin openly sob, lips trembling as he sniffled and watched the glittering scales. "If I knew you liked them so much, I would have gotten you a goldfish." The joke helped, forcing a dry chuckle from Gavin's throat. Closing his eyes, Gavin shivered, enjoying the first true cold he'd felt in months. The last time he'd felt cold was-Green eyes snapped wide as the memory of cold tiles trickled across his skin. He pushed it down, sniffing and wiping his eyes. "There's a birdbath, too." Jack nodded further along the grass to where a cement bowl stood on a matching pedestal, with water spilling from a small fountain in the middle. There were no birds using it. They'd probably flown off when they stepped outside.

"That's nice." He wasn't sure what else to say, but it seemed he should say something. Jack smiled and took his hand, warming his stiff fingers in the winter chill. Gavin shoved his free hand in his pocket to keep it warm, determined to stay out for as long as possible. Jack could change his mind tomorrow. He might not be allowed out again. Lacing their fingers, Jack led the way along the grass, circling within the thick treeline. Trees ringed the entire house, which looked big enough to have between eight and ten bedrooms from the outside. It almost felt too big to call a hiding place.

With Jack walking beside him, he tried to be subtle with his wandering eyes. If he looked around too much, Jack might notice and make him go inside. Taking glances where he could, Gavin tried to see through the trees and figure out what was on the other side. There were thick metal railings, but he couldn't tell how high they were, or what was on top. They could be spike-tipped and dangerous, with anti-climb paint that made them slick and impossible to get over. The evergreens were too thick to climb, with thin, weak branches. They were neatly trimmed, standing around seven feet tall. The right height to give them privacy without making neighbours complain. If there even are neighbours. He still couldn't see another house or hear any people.

By the time Jack managed to gently coax him back inside, his toes were numb and his teeth were chattering. Pleased as he was that Gavin had finally had some air and natural light, Jack didn't want him to do too much and get a fever. He'd humoured him the first few times, giving in to those large green eyes as he'd asked for a few more minutes. Bringing him in was the right decision as he shivered and stamped his feet. Jack chuckled fondly as he took his coat and swiftly replaced it with a thick fleece blanket. Gavin accepted it greedily, trying to stop his teeth chattering as he was ushered into the reading room and guided to the large sofa.

A sense of wrongness flooded his chest as Jack guided him down to lie beside him. It wasn't the first time they'd lain together, but being bundled on the sofa like this felt wrong. Gavin turned over, letting Jack press up behind and rub his arm to warm him. It was familiar but foreign. The right place, but the wrong body. Shuffling lower, he blocked it out. This was what he had. Jack was taking care of him. Jack always took care of him. He tried not to think too hard about the part where he didn't have a choice. Neither of them had a choice.