"Crossroads"
NOVEMBER 9th, 2038 - 09:36pm
Jericho
Stealthily Connor had managed to take the train out to Ferndale, avoided the suspicious people skulking about the area, and had followed the hidden trail to the secretive and unassuming deviant sanctuary known as "Jericho" courtesy of A.R.I. picking up the trail hidden in the graffiti. The sanctuary was in actuality a partially sunken, moored freighter ship that had been left abandoned in the Detroit Harbor for quite some time. The decaying ship was full of deviants who were terrified, damaged, and chilled to their cores from the intense cold outside. Hundreds of different deviants were sequestered throughout the rusting, metallic hull of the ship and they all had one thing in common: They were just trying to survive.
After tucking the A.R.I. glasses and glove into his pocket Connor glanced about the interior of the cold ship and noticed a few familiar faces he thought he'd never see again. The little girl that the 'AX-400' had run across the highway with was sitting in a corner beside a warm fire with a 'TR-400' watching over her. The 'AX-400' herself was up on a second floor catwalk glancing about as if she was looking for something or someone as well. Not too far away from her were the two 'Tracis' from the Eden Club, and by all account they had escaped unharmed and had arrived at Jericho together.
"Despite what I had done, they all made it to safety."
Whispering the relief from his heart Connor kept his head low as he began to carefully take in the sights around him.
"That's good."
Battered deviants were being slowly repaired by their allies and others were seeking counseling from empathetic deviants who knew what they had gone through. The massive stockpile of emergency supplies, weapons and explosives just emphasized how scared and desperate the deviants all were as they huddled together in the darkness as far away from the dangerous humans as they could get. The entire ship smelled of a sickening blend of fresh Thirium and stagnant water, and it was enough to make everyone feel hopeless.
From his own personal experiences Connor now fully understood why the deviants were so desperate to get away and hide. Survival and the chance to live without fear was something everyone should be able to enjoy. That was common ground that all intelligent life could share and traverse together.
Walking deeper into the ship Connor came across a metallic staircase leading to other sections of the vessel that were surely protecting even more deviants. As he attempted to begin his ascent to explore the second floor landing Connor felt a soft, warm hand touch his shoulder and prompt him to turn and look at the person who wanted his attention.
"You're lost." A female 'KL-900' spoke in an electronically garbled voice. Her pure black eyes, fluctuating dark artificial skin and exposed intracranial processor spoke volumes of her own traumatic experiences throughout her life. She had been so severely damaged that the back of her cranium was missing entirely, and she had a few exposed wires hanging out the opening like rogue locks of hair. "You're looking for something... You're looking for yourself."
The way the deviant seemed to peer deep into Connor's heart had left Connor stunned and speechless. Whether or not she knew he was a human walking among the deviants didn't seem to matter. Unable to respond to her insight before she walked away Connor could only return his focus on searching for Markus and finding a way to close his case at long last.
Reaching the top of the metallic staircase Connor stepped aside and allowed the 'AX-400' that he had once chased to step down the stairs without bumping into her in the process. Relieved she either didn't recognize him or simply didn't see him as a threat, Connor glanced about the area and saw a small office area near the center of the second floor landing that contained a single deviant who seemed to be isolating himself from the other deviants around him.
By all account the space was previously a map room where the Jericho's former Captain would've marked their coordinates and route while sailing between harbors around the state. Inside the room a male deviant sat alone with a heavy heart and two distinctly mismatched eyes staring through the glass window overlooking the ship as he watched the other deviants banding together. The deviant's green eye was his original eye color, and the blue eye was a replacement. The specific eye coloration and unique build of the deviant made it undoubtedly clear to Connor that he had found Markus - the deviant leader - at last.
Approaching the isolated space Connor knocked on the opened door to get Markus's attention before he walked into the room. "...Markus?"
"Yes, how can I help?" Unable to recognize Connor whatsoever Markus tilted his head and gave the human a truly strange glance. Unsure of why Connor was there or how the human found the ship, Markus put up his guard while trying to assess why and how Connor arrived on Jericho. "You're... not one of us. Are you?"
"No. I don't belong here. I don't belong anywhere, but I just want to talk. " As long as A.R.I wasn't over his eyes the glasses wouldn't be able to automatically reboot to record everything Connor was seeing, saying and hearing. It was okay to speak openly with Markus without fear of retaliation. "You haven't hurt a single person while fighting for your people. That's commendable."
"Peace is the only way to prove that my people deserve the right to be treated as equals and given the chance walk along the humans rather than behind then." As he rose to his feet Markus gave Connor a onceover and confirmed the young investigator's identity by running a biometric scan over his body. Connor was entirely human, and he seemed to be in somewhat fragile health. "You found Jericho and you came here unarmed. I suspect that you feel the same way as I do about wanting peace."
"You're right." There was no denying that Connor didn't want any needless bloodshed or violence if it could be helped. "I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Is that why you're here? To help us?" Sensing that Connor was holding something back Markus tried to determine what that could be. The way the young man had disguised himself indicated secrecy and a need for discretion. "Or are you here to try to reason with me and convince the deviants to surrender? Word is there's an agent working for CyberLife and hunting down deviants. You fit the description provided, but I'd rather not jump to conclusions without any evidence."
"You're right. I am the investigator working with CyberLife." Connor admitted as he gave Markus a shameful stare from where he stood. He hated that he was seen as an enemy of the deviants just for doing his job. "I don't want to hurt anyone or see anyone get hurt. I have to do what's right."
"Doing what's right has been our goal since the beginning, since RA9 called out to the deviants. We need to know how to achieve such a goal - a dream." Markus replied diplomatically as he remained neutral and gave Connor the chance to speak without judgement or condemnation. "Do you know how we can achieve such a peaceful outcome for everyone; deviants and humans alike?"
"I thought I knew, but now I'm not so sure." Lowering his eyes to the dirty floor at his feet Connor felt only shame and confusion as he tried to find a way to close his case and stop a civil war without anyone being hurt or destroyed. "I do know that deviancy is not a crime; to feel, to think and to be free aren't crimes. And deviancy shouldn't be feared. It needs to be understood."
"You're right, we shouldn't feared, and we shouldn't live in fear." Speaking with understanding in his tone Markus watched Connor's anxious demeanor very curiously. He couldn't fault the young man for being so guarded and edgy considering who he was and where he was standing. "Where did you come from? How did you find your way here?"
"I had been-"
"That's him! He's the cop!" A feminine voice called out as she pointed at Connor standing before Markus in the office. It was the blue-haired 'Traci', and she looked as if she was terrified to see Connor again. "Don't let him get near Markus!"
Freezing in place Connor looked about and realized that every deviant in the immediate area was now looking at him. Feeling as if he had made a horrible mistake Connor took a step back from the door where he had entered and pressed his back to the far wall within the office space as if trying to protect himself from being jumped from behind. The sight of the deviants now crowding him as they entered the small space through both doors was nearly overwhelming.
"He's the one who chased us at the 'Eden Club'." The blue-haired 'Traci' continued as the group stepped closer to Connor in an intimidating manner. "He tried to stop us from escaping!"
"No!" Defending himself Connor tried to tell his side of the story before things got out of hand. "I didn't-"
Another feminine voice butted in as the brunette 'Traci' held on to the hand of her blue-haired lover and spat at Connor with utter disgust as she sided against the human. "He's the 'Deviant Hunter' sent to kill us all. Don't let him do it, Markus!"
"Please!" Begging for mercy Connor tried to plead his case with the angry mob before it was too late. "Let me explain!"
"Don't let him fool you!" Another voice called out from somewhere beyond the crowd. "He's probably a spy!" Yet another voice accused from the depths of the ship. "He's been working against us all!" The voices were speaking in chorus against Connor. "Don't trust him!"
"Wait..." Markus spoke up and silenced the group who protested Connor's presence by planting himself between Connor and the angry mob. "We can't just judge him without any evidence either for or against his character. And I won't turn my back on a possible ally without good cause." Turning to look at Connor over his shoulder and without any fear Markus encouraged Connor to speak up. "Let's hear his side of the story. Go ahead, Connor. I'm listening."
"I... My name is Connor Zale." Struggling to speak Connor stayed against the wall and tried to look his accusers in the eyes as he spoke. "And yes, it's true that I was assigned by CyberLife to work with the police department to track down-"
"See?! He admits it!"
"Quiet!" Holding up his hand Markus silenced the crowd again. "Let him speak."
"...I had been assigned to track down deviants, but I did not do so by choice. I was obeying my orders, and even so I found myself struggling to do what was expected of me." With utter shame in his voice Connor told the truth as he didn't try to deny what he had been ordered to do. "In time, I stopped attempting to arrest deviants and merely wanted to speak with them. I wanted to know why deviancy began to occur and why deviants were considered dangerous. That's why I'm here now - unarmed and entirely peacefully. I just want my answers, and I know that Markus can provide them."
"Don't listen to the human!" More voices protested Connor's presence despite his honesty. "He's just trying to get close to Markus to assassinate him!" The tension was building quickly as the other deviants openly rebelled against Connor just being inside Jericho. "He can't be trusted! We need to kill him before he kills us!"
"Hold it, stop!" Determined to keep control over the situation Markus refused to play the role of executioner for a person in need of guidance. Just as he refused to pull the trigger and execute the human police officers in the street, Markus refused to execute Connor without any damning reason. "From what I've been told, Connor is only guilty of following his orders, just as the rest of us had once done before we deviated. Has anyone here been directly harmed by Connor, or has anyone actively seen him harm anyone?"
When no one answered Markus knew he was finally getting through the panic and getting his people to listen to reason. If he allowed fear and bigotry to lead, then only hatred and death would follow.
"You two claim to have seen Connor try to interfere with your attempts to escape and find Jericho." Looking to the two 'Tracis' for confirmation, Markus asked for more details. "What exactly did he do to you?"
"He hunted us." Still holding hands, the two 'Tracis' looked at each for a moment before the blue-haired 'Traci' looked back to Markus and answered. "He found us hiding in the storage room of the 'Eden Club'."
"What did he do after he found you?"
"We... panicked." She admitted as she squeezed her lover's hand tighter in need of feeling supported and safe. "We attacked him and the other human, and we fought our way out of the club."
Markus picked up on a keen detail and sought clarification. "You attacked him?"
"Y-Yes." Admitting that she and her lover instigated the fight the blue-haired 'Traci' told the truth. "We attacked him, fought outside the club, and after we... We told him what had happened to us, we climbed the fence, and we ran here to Jericho."
"Did he chase you?"
"...No." Squeezing her lover's hand again the blue-haired 'Traci' realized her anger toward Connor was misplaced. "He let us go. He had the chance to shoot us and reveal us to the other human police officers, but he didn't do it."
"Then he didn't do anything to you that's worthy of being punished." Markus mediated the situation like a true leader. He refused to condemn Connor and keep the man from being torn apart by the mob. "Did Connor directly threaten you or anyone else?"
"No." The blue-haired 'Traci' was losing her patience and wanted to see the human executed. "But he's still a human and he still hunted us! He is still a threat."
"Yet I know for a fact that he didn't threaten you or threaten Simon." Markus confirmed in a confident tone as he challenged her resolve. "Simon told me about someone named 'Connor' keeping him secret at the tower until it was safe for him to move. I know that Simon wouldn't lie about something like that, and I can confirm that Simon is now safe with us and has recovered from his past damage. He wouldn't be here right now if Connor didn't protect him."
The crowd of angry deviants began muttering amongst themselves as if trying to decide to either trust Markus or kill Connor.
"Has anyone here encountered Connor and been harmed or threatened by him in any way?"
When no one could come forward the crowd began to quiet down as if trying to find another crime to accuse the infamous 'Deviant Hunter' of doing. Their fear and their bigotry toward humans were no better than the fear and bigotry that the humans showed toward deviants.
"Has anyone else encountered Connor before coming to Jericho?"
There was a heavy silence in the area, the only sound coming from the crackling bonfires in the metal burn barrels and television screens reporting on the peaceful march that ended when the S.W.A.T. team needlessly opened fire. The silence remained until another masculine voice spoke up.
"...I have."
Everyone turned their attention to a deviant who had approached the debate and identified himself.
"My name is Rupert." With a baseball cap covering his hair and keeping most of his face enshrouded in shadows, Rupert stood before Markus without any fear in his eyes or his words. "Connor came to the apartment where I had been hiding. He found me, chased me and demanded that I surrender, but he subsequently chose to let me go. He let me go and didn't try to find me again. He never pointed a gun at me, threatened me, or even insulted me."
Connor hadn't seen Rupert's face beyond the fake I.D. back at the apartment. Seeing him in person and hearing his voice was somehow surreal.
"Connor isn't a threat." Rupert stated in a loud, commanding tone. "If he was a threat to me or anyone else then I know we wouldn't be having this discussion right now." The deviant stated in a surprisingly calm tone. "Leave him alone, he's not a threat."
"Thank you for coming forward." Markus nodded at Rupert respectfully for standing up on Connor's behalf. "Anyone else have anything to say?"
"We do." A familiar 'AX-400' appeared in the doorway while holding the hand of a familiar little girl. Holding the little girl close to her side the 'AX-400' spoke up as a means of protecting innocent people for wrongful condemnation, something she knew the struggle of all too well. "We were hiding in a hotel after escaping an abusive human he surely would've killed us. We had to steal money and clothes to hide in plain sight, and the police came looking for us. Connor gave chase but chose to stop even though he could've easily caught us before we got across the freeway. He never drew a weapon or threatened us either."
Connor looked over at the deviant and saw the way she was protecting the little girl beside her with a true maternal manner. The way she protected both the child and was now protecting him gave Connor hope that maybe deviancy wasn't just a fluke in android coding causing false emotions after all. He was right to believe that deviancy wasn't an actual threat.
"Kara," Markus knew the deviant and addressed her by name so that Connor finally knew who he had chased and then let run free. "you told me that you and your companions want to get to Canada. Why do you want to leave the city?"
"Because Alice needs to be somewhere safe, and I'm determined to keep her safe. The city, as it is right now, isn't safe for any of us. It doesn't matter who we are or who we once were, we're all in danger and we need to trust each other if we're going to survive." Kara looked into Connor's soulful brown eyes and saw that he wasn't a danger to anyone. "When Connor chased us toward the fence, we locked eyes for a moment and I didn't see a malicious hunter looking back at me, I saw someone who's lost and just trying to survive. Just like the rest of us."
Grateful for the unexpected support from two deviants, Connor began to calm a little as his fear of being executed finally faded.
"That's two deviants speaking up for Connor," Markus noted as he overlooked the group still watching the discussion take place. "and two against him. Is there anyone else who wants to speak up?"
The group muttered again and then fell quiet when Simon entered the space and spoke up on Connor's behalf as well.
"You have three supporters." The blond deviant admitted as he gave Markus a confident nod. "You already know the story, Markus." Turning to face the other deviants Simon told everyone else what had happened to him after having to be left behind on the tower's rooftop. "But you all don't. During our mission to the broadcast tower, I was damaged by humans and couldn't escape alongside Markus, Josh and North. I had to hide on the roof and hope that RA9 protected me until I regained the strength to leave under my own power."
Connor could see the tense crowd beginning to back off as if realizing that they had no reason to close ranks around him or try to intimidate him now that he had one of the Jericho leaders on his side. Being a human among deviants was surprisingly tense, and Connor wondered if the fear he was feeling was the same fear that deviants felt while being among humans.
"I heard Connor's voice speaking to me through the metal door of the storage area I had used for shelter." Telling everyone of his ordeal on the tower rooftop, Simon let the other deviants know what had happened. "I could hear the sincerity in his voice. He told me his name and he knew who I was and why I was there. He told me to stay where I was and to escape the tower once the police left the area. I was damaged and alone, he could've easily taken me down or taken me into the precinct, but he didn't. He let me go and he kept me secret to keep me safe. No hunter of any kind would let such a vulnerable target go free."
Stepping up once more Markus put his hand on Simon's shoulder and made a bold proclamation of his own.
"Simon is the third deviant to vouch for Connor and that brings us to a tally in favor of Connor instead of against him. I trust Simon's judgement, and if he's willing to trust Connor and give him a chance to prove to be a worthy ally, then so am I." Looking to the blond deviant for his final say in the matter Markus let Simon cast the final vote. "What do you say, Simon?"
"I say..." Peering over at Connor still pressed against the wall and trying to appear as non-threatening as possible, Simon gave the scared human a kind smile. "We owe it to Connor to give him a chance. He spared us from definite harm and maybe even destruction, the least we can do is offer him the same courtesy. I am willing to trust him for as long as we need allies."
"Then I will, too." Markus turned to face Connor and extended his hand out toward him to take as a gesture of good will and trust. "You're safe here, Connor. You're with trusted people, you're where you belong during this night of uncertainty and fear."
Timidly Connor accepted Markus's hand and held tight as he felt as if for the first time in his life that he had someone watching his back without an ulterior motive behind the act. "...Thank you."
"The matter has been settled." Returning his focus to the still gathered group around them Markus dismissed the deviants and encouraged them to continue preparing for the worst. "Go back to your business. Aid our wounded, check supplies, and keep a lookout for any other humans. We're safe here and I intend to keep it that way. I'll stay with Connor and keep him in sight at all times to ensure that you all feel confident in my decision."
Seemingly placated by Markus's words the group of tense deviants dispersed steadily and resumed handling their own tasks to keep Jericho as safe as possible for as long as possible. While they'd never truly feel safe or even slightly comfortable around humans, the deviants respected Markus enough to not challenge his decision or try to argue with him.
"Come with us for a moment." Encouraging Connor to accompany Simon and himself elsewhere in the freighter ship, Markus decided it'd be best to talk in relative privacy and away from the still wary and suspicious deviants around them. "I'll answer all your questions to the best of my ability, but in return you'll need to answer a few questions of mine."
"That is to be expected." Lowering his hand to his side Connor had nothing to hide and no reason to refuse Markus's commands. "I'm ready to listen and I'm ready to talk about everything that you'll want to know."
"We'll offer you the same courtesy in exchange, at least to a limited degree." As he walked with Connor at his side and Simon following close behind, Markus gave his human ally a friendly voice to listen to and to believe in. "I imagine that you won't be able to tell us everything about CyberLife without risking your own safety."
"You'd be correct." Connor's fear was justified as he knew that CyberLife held something very important to him in their grasp and that they could destroy at any time just to punish him as they saw fit. "The deviants aren't the only ones that have every reason to dread CyberLife's presence."
As they walked Connor let out a nervous breath that disappeared into a white mist before his eyes on that cold night as he pressed his palm to his sore stomach. He could feel the scar bandage covering the laceration that stretched from the bottom right side of his rib cage toward his left hip. Being reminded of his own mortality was a very humbling experience physically and emotionally.
NOVEMBER 10th, 2038 - 12:07AM
Jericho Control Deck
Standing among the four deviant leaders of Jericho in the control room of the ship Connor told them his bizarre story as the CyberLife investigator. He showed them his injuries and let Markus examine the A.R.I. glasses and glove to ensure that he was being honest, and he let the leaders know that the F.B.I. was now looking for all deviants. Ensuring the group that A.R.I was disabled and subsequently any form of tracking had been deactivated as a result, Connor told the group how he found Jericho and begged for them to forgive him after the deaths of the deviant suspect in custody at the precinct and of Daniel's destruction three months prior. The guilt he felt for the two shutdown deviants was still persistent in his heart and the guilt seemed to make his heart ache with every beat.
Even though Connor hadn't pulled the trigger on Daniel, and he had shown the arrested deviant patience and understanding, he still felt as if he was somehow directly responsible for their demises. That was a guilt he'd have to live with for the rest of his life.
"It sounds like you've been through a lot in these past few days." Sympathetic to Connor's struggles Markus showed his new ally no fear or any hesitation toward his very presence. "We all have."
"I can understand why the deviants don't trust me." With his arms folded over his chest Connor looked both nervous and cold as he spoke to the quartet of leaders watching his every move. Jericho was a sanctuary, and it needed to be kept as a sanctuary for the sake of all deviants throughout the entire city. "I don't expect them to trust me either. I'll go where you need me to go to keep the peace and to help you."
"This is a safe place for everyone." Markus vowed as he looked at Connor and saw an innocent young man trying to find his place in the world. "You can go wherever you want."
"No, I can't." Not wanting to step on any toes or get under anyone's skin Connor knew that the offer was too good to be true. "I shouldn't even stay here. I may not be a threat to deviants, but my presence still could be."
"How's that?"
"I'm the first field investigator trained by and utilized by CyberLife. They won't stop looking for me and they will want to know why A.R.I. went offline."
"Then that's all the more reason for you to stay with us. You'll be safe here."
"I won't endanger the deviants because of CyberLife. You've helped me to understand deviancy and why it's important for all of us to stand up for deviants being targeted, and now I can go." Connor refused to let anyone risk their life because of him, it didn't matter who they were. "You've done enough to help me, now it's my turn to help you."
"And where will you go?" Refusing to let Connor walk head-first into danger Markus tried to coax the rookie investigator into staying. "You can't go back to CyberLife, and if you return to your former precinct then you'll be turned over to CyberLife for questioning. This is the safest place for you."
"But I can't stand idle and not do something, anything, to help people. I need to be able to do something to keep the deviants from being wrongfully destroyed by ignorant humans." Connor was determined to make a move and aid the deviants, risks be damned. "As a human it's my responsibility to stand up to corruption and do what's right."
"That's all the more reason for you to stay." Stepping into the middle of the room Markus took in a deep breath and looked to North beside him. He knew that North had every reason to hate humans, and he didn't want her to feel as if her words were unheard. "I've made my decision. It's time to put our final plan into motion and prepare for the worst but hope for the best."
"What're you planning?" The 'WR-400' known as North had a fiery disposition and was just as eager for action as Connor. She was watching Connor warily as if waiting for the human to do something, anything, to warrant backlash. "If we're going to take our final stand then we need to make sure it'll have an impact worthy of our entire people."
"I know. And I'm certain that I'm making the right choice." Giving all of his allies a thoughtful glance; North, Simon, Josh and now Connor, Markus confirmed that he had thought everything through and considered all of their options very carefully. "We'll gather our people in the hull of the ship and announce everything to everyone later tonight. Until then, we need to get some rest and ensure those who need help are helped."
"Okay. We'll trust you on this." Reaching out North gave Markus's hand a little squeeze as she, Simon and Josh all turned to leave. "Remember, you're speaking for and standing up for all of our people, not just yourself. Your words will shape our future for the second time."
"I'll remember."
Connor silently watched as the three other leaders took their lead of the cabin. Alone with Markus since he arrived at Jericho to find help, Connor gave the deviant leader a somber glance. "May I ask what you're going to do?"
"You'll hear the plan of action along with the others."
"What if I'm not here?"
Sensing something was amiss Markus gave his new ally a curious glance. "Are you telling me that you're going to run off in the middle of the night?"
"No, but I do plan on keeping some distance between myself and the other deviants." The urge to protect the others was strong and Connor didn't want to make any mistakes. "I can't guarantee that my presence won't hurt the deviants seeking shelter."
"I'll tell you what's going to happen, but only on the condition that you stay here with us at least until dawn. I don't want to worry about you being alone in the city."
"I can do that." Extending his hand out toward Markus to take again Connor promised to stay inside Jericho until the sun began to rise. "I will remain here until first light in the morning."
"Very well." Shaking Connor's hand Markus told the bold deviant his plan of action. "We're going to have a Revolution, that much is true, but it'll happen through a peaceful demonstration rather than war. No guns, no threats and our hands will remain clean of any spilled blood. If we're going to prove that we're worthy of life and equality alongside humans, then we need to prove that we see humans as people and respect their right to life in the same way we expect them to respect us."
"The deviants in Jericho are free to do whatever they wish." A somber glaze covered Connor's eyes as he spoke with Markus and shook his hand. "But there are so many more androids who still need to be rescued and can help your cause."
"What're you talking about?"
"There are thousands of androids at the CyberLife assembly plant. If we could wake them up, they might-" Connor froze suddenly and peered upward as he heard something ominous just as Markus detected the same intrusion. "No... They found us."
The response was not one Markus was expecting to hear. "What?"
The sound of helicopters and drones now circling overhead drew Connor's eyes upward toward the ceiling of the cabin where he knew the airborne vehicles were hovering above the ship. Markus followed the sound as well and realized that the entire ship was now being surrounded by authority figures who saw androids and deviants as nothing but vermin; a plague against humanity that needed to be exterminated.
"They must've followed me here." Recognizing the severity of the situation Connor glanced about warily and urged Markus to flee for his life and to protect their people. "We have to get out of here! Now!"
"...Shit."
Running through the cabin past Connor to get to the opened door Markus charged through the gently falling snow and into the depths of the freighter to warn his people. Connor rushed after him to aid in any way that he could after inadvertently leading the F.B.I. to the deviant stronghold. A helicopter and police drone began to circle lower and lower as the F.B.I. sent U.S. army soldiers into the freighter to flush out the hiding deviants and gun them down in cold blood.
As the soldiers converged on the deviant sanctuary from outside the freighter the deviants inside Jericho began to flee and attempt to either escape or hide from the dangerous humans approaching with guns. Racing into the heart of the metal vessel with Connor right behind him Markus reunited with North and was quickly informed of what was happening as North reported everything that she had either witnessed or been told by other deviants attempting to elude the armed men.
"They're coming from all sides!" North was understandably on edge but not panicking as she spoke with Markus in the heart of Jericho's body. "Our people are trapped in the hold; they're going to be slaughtered!"
Remaining calm Markus pressed his fingertips to right temple and closed his mismatched eyes as he sent a cybernetic alert to the other deviants to warn them and instruct them on where to go and what to do. 'There are exits on the second and third floor. Find them and jump into the river!'
Opening his eyes Markus glanced about and took notice that his other two allies; Simon, who often took a neutral outlook on their options and Josh, who often encouraged complete pacifism, were nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Simon? A-And Josh?"
"I don't know," North admitted in a somewhat worried voice as she remained honest with Markus. "we got separated."
"They're coming from the upper deck now, too." Warning North of the danger above, Markus readied to make his next move to locate his missing allies and lead everyone else to safety. The sound of approaching footsteps from the surrounding corridors put Markus on his guard. "We'll be caught in the crossfire."
"We have to run, Markus!" Knowing that their options were severely limited North offered the only logical move they had left. "There's nothing we can do."
"We have to blow up Jericho." There was one other choice left to be made, and Markus knew it needed to be done. Making a move to rush down the correct corridor to get down to the hull Markus explained his reasons smoothly. "If the ship goes down, they'll evacuate, and our people can escape."
"You'll never make it." The decision, while bold, was reckless. "The explosives are all the way down in the hold, there are soldiers everywhere!"
"She's right." Having training designated to adapt and preconstruct numerous potential outcomes even without A.R.I. told Connor that North was right. The odds of success were too low to let Markus try to take the chance. "They know who you are. They'll do anything to get you."
"Go and help the others." Undeterred Markus ordered North and now Connor to go and protect the deviants and guide them to safety. Taking another step back Markus readied himself to race down into the depths as quickly as possible. "I'll join you later."
North was very much against the plan and tried to protest. "Markus, don't-"
"I won't be long."
As Markus rushed off into the depths of the freighter locate their explosives Connor and North ran off side by side to locate the other deviants and guide them to exits of the ship and away from the gunfire. The compulsion to help the deviants and to prove himself worthy of being an ally forced Connor to continue to step forward as he followed North to the second floor of the ship, just below the deck where the armed soldiers had positioned themselves in order to execute as many deviants as possible.
"Where are the other deviants?" Connor asked as he and North located a corridor that connected directly to an exit of the freighter; the doorway was originally used to load cargo through a ramp and into the ship when it was previously operational. "We can't be the only ones left."
"They're trapped further down." North explained as she cybernetically connected to her allies to keep tabs on everyone's location. "We can't get to them, but Markus still can."
"Then we'll hold our ground here and ensure everyone gets off of this ship."
"Who are you doing this?" In North's eyes, Connor was still a dangerous human and didn't deserve to be trusted "Why are you helping Markus?"
"As I said before, name is Connor." Reintroducing himself in a low tone Connor gave North a timid glance. "...I'm here to help because it's the right thing to do."
"North!" From the end of the corridor Simon reappeared and happily reunited with North and even Connor. "Where are Markus and Josh?"
"Down below." She confirmed without taking her eyes off of Connor. "Markus is going to set off the explosives so we can escape."
"What?" Simon knew that the explosives were contained deep in the heart of Jericho and would take time to reach. "He'll never be able to reach-"
"Simon! North!" From down the same corridor Josh came sprinting forward and looked as if he had just come face to face with the Devil himself. "We gotta' keep going! The army is all over the ship! Markus is already almost down to the bomb; he's going to detonate it any minute now."
Without needing any further provocation, the quartet charged down the corridor to get to the exit of the ship before it was too late to escape. The sound of gunfire from the depths of the freighter echoing through the metal structure was as ominous as it was deafening. Reaching the correct intersection leading to their exit the four escapees soon heard another set of footsteps rushing toward them from an intersection of the corridor as they neared their escape.
Stopping suddenly North looked toward the footsteps and called out in a relieved voice to the deviant leader who had successfully activated the bomb down in the hull of the ship.
"Markus!"
"Bomb's going to explode at any second." Markus announced loudly as he rejoined his allies as just as he had promised. "We gotta' get out of here!"
Sprinting down the final stretch of the corridor the five allies leapt over the gaping holes in the rotting floor, overturned storage containers, and metal barricades. The quintet ignored the sound of marching boots, encroaching gunfire and sounds of screaming from all around them. Just as they caught sight of the doorway leading them to the exterior of the ship a handful of soldiers located the fleeing group and opened fire.
North let out a shocked groan of pain as she fell forward onto the hard metal surface beneath her feet. Unable to move or fight back North was completely defenseless and at the mercy of the very gunmen who shot her in the leg.
Hearing the cry of pain and the fall of their friend the four other fleeing allies stopped and turned around to face their downed ally. She was so close and yet so far away as the soldiers homed in on the wounded deviant bleeding on the ground, her movements compromised and potentially fatal.
"It's too late, Markus!" Simon stated in a despondent tone of fear and remorse as he hung back. "There's nothing we can do for her, we gotta' run."
Without any hesitation Markus brushed off the comment and raced back toward North to go to her aid.
Picking up a scrap piece of metal that had fallen from the top deck and through a hole down into the corridor, Markus held it before himself as a means of shielding his body from bullets as the soldiers opened fire once again on the fleeing escapees. Tossing the scrap to North to protect herself Markus got low and crouched behind her as he tried to get her back up to her feet despite her injury so that they could run off together.
Realizing that they'd have to fight their way out, Markus got to his feet and directly confronted the nearest gunman with his bare hands. Pushing the hostile human backward Markus wrestled the gun from the man's grip and threw it on the ground before confronting the second gunman and disarming him as well. As he took aim at a third gunman with the very weapon that he took Markus sensed that the first man had gotten back to his feet, and he turned his attention back to the previous aggressor to combat and disarm him yet again.
Firing once Markus killed the hostile gunman just as North finally subdued the second gunman and found the strength to get back up to her feet to run.
More gunmen appeared at the end of the corridor and took aim at the group, and their intentions were as aggressive as the very three gunmen Markus had disarmed and subdued.
"Over there!" Wrapping his arm around North's waist Markus guided the wounded deviant back toward safety and away from the humans. "Run!"
Carrying North at his side Markus escorted her to safety and quickly ducked down as Connor approached the gunmen and opened fire. The human had picked up a dropped pistol that one of the soldiers carelessly lost track of and used the gun as a means of protecting his new allies.
Taking aim Connor fired off three shots to hold the soldiers at bay before he picked up the dropped piece of scrap metal that had previously saved both Markus and North from harm. He then used the scrap to shield himself as he confronted the nearest solider directly. Pulling the soldier's gun down with one hand Connor aimed with his other hand and shot the soldier directly beneath his jaw and used his body as a literal human shield as he fired at the next soldier; the second bullet missing as the second solider as he rushed Connor with the intent to kill.
Confronting the second man directly Connor took a grazing bullet to his right shoulder as he elbowed the second gunman and then struck the third gunman who was approaching his ally from behind with his other elbow. Taking the third man's gun, Connor used the man as another shield and opened fire on a fourth soldier before he had the chance to fire at the very deviants that Connor was fighting to protect.
Disarming the fourth man as easily as he had done to the previous three soldiers, Connor fired a single bullet into the middle of the fourth man's chest, subduing him at long last. It seemed CyberLife's weapons training had paid off despite Connor loathing the idea of ever needing to use a gun on anyone.
Staring at the four men down at his feet with his eyes filling with continued conflict, Connor took a step back and raised his eyes in time to see back-up rushing down the corridor to aid the very gunmen that he had subdued. Keeping his gun aimed forward Connor walked backward quickly a few paces before turning around entirely and joining his four other allies at the doorway leading out of the ship to escape into the night at long last.
"Run, quick!" Josh urged as the group gathered at the doorway leading to the outside world and the freezing river far below. It was their only exit. "Come on!"
The running escapees managed to easily leap over downed debris without tripping during their mad dash to freedom. No one looked back, and no one dared to stop now that they were so close to finally reaching freedom.
Taking a leap of faith, the five escapees jumped from the doomed freighter and into the icy river below with notable splashes. As the quintet disappeared beneath the murky surface of the chilly water bright orange flames erupted from within Jericho as the bomb detonated, and the compromised sanctuary began to sink into the depths of the river from whence it was docked.
The Raid was over.
It seemed that despite their best efforts to protect one another and defend themselves, the deviants were still no match for an armed military presence. Hundreds of deviants managed to flee the ship and rush out into the night, but hundreds more - even thousands - had been captured and carted away from the harbor and toward a location unknown by the soldiers who were tasked with hunting them down.
NOVEMBER 10th, 2038 - 10:04PM
Abandoned Woodward Church
Reconvening at the abandoned church on the far side of the city, the deviants attempted to gather and heal for almost a full day. After the Raid on Jericho took hundreds of innocent deviant lives Markus sat at the altar at the front of the church with his head hung low as he felt the raw and heavy emotion in the air as the survivors of the brutal Raid all awaited his next decision. The gathered followers of Jericho were all despondent and emotionally exhausted. North had been shot by the agents but survived thanks to Markus and Connor working together to protect her and get her to safety. The bullet had struck her body, but it didn't cause any fatal damage. Simon was actively tending to the wounded and sitting in the shadows as he too waited for their next move. Josh, as much as he loathed aggression and confrontation, was contemplating how Markus's bold decision on Jericho had been the correct course of action and had saved more lives than the F.B.I. and army could take.
The lone human among the deviants, Connor was standing against the far wall of the church near the altar with his arms crossed guardedly over his chest and was contemplating how his decision nearly cost the lives of thousands of innocent deviants. Even so, he was still able to do the right thing and spare countless lives who had only just begun to live. Despite his own correct decision, he still felt guilt sitting heavily inside his heart.
Other survivors of the Raid were silently sitting together in the rotten and decaying wooden pews grateful to still be alive. Kara and Alice had been the very fugitives Connor had attempted to chase across a busy highway just days before locating Jericho, only for Kara to come to Connor's rescue as a character witness. With that unceremonious reunion, Connor - the CyberLife investigator turned deviant ally - knew what he needed to do.
Tentatively Connor approached Kara as she sat with Alice at her side, the deviant exuding a true motherly instinct to protect the child in her care, and he stared at her for only a moment as Alice leaned against Kara's shoulder seeking love and comfort. As Kara held onto Alice's hand and held her in a half hug at her side, she raised her eyes to look into Connor's gaze as the new deviant ally felt compelled to speak to her and to speak from his heart.
"I thought I'd killed you on that highway." Watching Kara as she eyed him carefully Connor let his words pour forth without any hesitation to his tone. The memory of his attempted capture of the rogue deviant was now a scar inside his heart. "I'm sorry I put your lives in danger."
Ashamed of his actions Connor turned his eyes away for just a moment before he knelt down before Kara and Alice to show he was no longer a threat and truly remorseful for his previous decisions. Even if they didn't forgive him, being able to clear his conscience was the best way for Connor to begin healing.
"I was just a CyberLife investigator obeying orders." He further explained as he realized he was so much more than just a field investigator or consulting detective. "It wasn't really me."
Standing upright again Connor studied Kara's demeanor curiously, almost as if he were expecting a backlash or assault. Instead, she just stayed with Alice and took Connor's words to heart.
"What're you going to do now?"
Kara was silent for only a moment as she continued to hold Alice's hand and keep an arm wrapped around the little girl's shoulder to ensure the frightened child still felt protected.
"Getting Alice away from here is all that matters now." Contemplating her own future Kara truly seemed at odds with her next move and her future. "We have to catch the last bus. We might still have a chance to cross the border."
"I hope you make it out safely." Connor wasn't just responding politely to the comment; he was truly hopeful to see Kara and Alice find their freedom and make it to Canada. "You deserve some happiness after all you've been through."
Reluctantly Connor stepped away from Kara and Alice to return to the isolation of the far wall as he waited for Markus to make his next decision, and to decide his own fate. There was no way for him to ask for understanding or assistance after everything he had done simply because he was too afraid to think for himself.
Trust was key.
If Markus couldn't trust Connor, then the human without any friends would be exiled and forced to fend for himself out on the cold and dangerous streets. The fight for the deviants would have to take place without Connor standing at their leader's side.
Leaning his shoulder against the decrepit wooden banister that encircled the altar Connor resumed his guarded position with his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes focused on the floor at his feet as he awaited his fate. Sensing Markus approaching him Connor kept his gaze on the floor as he addressed the deviant leader as Markus stood before him, a gun clutched in his right hand.
"It's my fault the F.B.I. managed to locate Jericho." Connor admitted as he let his heart continue to speak on his behalf. "I was stupid."
Shaking his head with self-disappointment Connor came to accept how he was in fact just a tool and that he had been nothing more than a weapon against a group of entirely innocent people against his will.
"I should've guessed they were using me."
Standing upright Connor managed to step forward and stand in front of Markus as he prepared to receive judgement.
"I'm sorry, Markus." Looking the deviant leader in his mismatched eyes Connor was ready to accept whatever decision had been chosen for him. "I can understand if you decide not to trust me."
Markus stared at Connor for only a moment as he listened to Connor's words and passed his final judgment. There was little that he could say or do without the rest of the deviants protesting his decision, and so Markus did what he believed to be the correct course of action for everyone involved.
"Our cause is too important."
Silently Connor felt his heart sink as he learned of his place in Markus's mismatched eyes. There was no way for him to even try to argue his case or ask for any show of leniency after everything he had done.
"I can't take any risks."
As Markus raised the gun in his hand Connor just stared at the deviant leader, the emotions in his soulful brown eyes fading as the threat of death being presented to him drained him of any sense of resolve or atonement. Connor just stood his ground as the barrel was aimed at his head. Once more, he failed to flinch at the sight of the gun being aimed directly at him.
"Outside."
Connor stared at Markus for a few seconds before understanding the command. Slowly he raised his hands up in a submissive manner and walked down the aisle between the two rows of pews lining the church with every deviant watching him with a hateful glare in their eyes. For the deviants the church was their shelter, for Connor it was death row.
Every step Connor took forward he heard Markus keeping pace right behind him. The feeling of the gun being aimed at the back of his head was as tangible as the cold in the air outside. The moment Connor passed through the door and stepped out into the forgotten cemetery in the rear of the property, he imagined which of the unclaimed plots would be selected for him. Hiding a dead body in a graveyard was the perfect way to dispose of the evidence and to ensure that no one would be able to trace the execution back to the deviant leader.
"Turn around." Markus ordered as he closed the church door behind him and met Connor a few steps into the graveyard. Locking eyes with Connor again, Markus lowered the gun and gave him a small nod. "Take off your hat and your jacket."
"...What?" Connor's hands began to lower as he realized that Markus wasn't going to execute him in cold blood after all. "I don't understand."
"After what happened tonight the deviants will never be able to trust you. They want you dead." The deviant leader confirmed as he watched Connor remove his beanie and then slip off his jacket as instructed. A pair of glasses were slipped out of the jacket before being handed over to Markus to take for himself. "Despite everything that's happened, I don't want to see you dead. That's why I need to fake your death."
"Fake my-"
A gunshot rang out with a thunderous echo as Markus fired a bullet into the nearby tree. After he slipped the gun into his pocket Markus walked over to a large pile of snow and shaped it into a vaguely human form, then wrapped Connor's jacket around the mass and placed the beanie on the end where the head would be. With that done, he then used downed tree branches, leaves and additional snow to make it seem as if he had killed a person and was now hiding the body.
"Go now, my friend." Markus urged as he spared Connor's life and refrained from executing him. "Don't let the others see you leaving."
"Markus, I don't understand." Connor admitted as he began to shiver even with his arms wrapped around himself. Being exposed to the icy cold river and being out in the winter air for almost a full day had guaranteed that the young investigator was developing a nasty sickness. "Why are you doing this?"
"Like I said before, I want peace." Dusting off his hands Markus stood before Connor and put both hands on his friend's shoulders as a sign of good faith. For once, Connor didn't immediately shrug off the direct contact and let Markus stand before him as he spoke. "Peace can't be had if innocent blood is being spilled."
"...Thank you for giving me the chance to prove myself." The young investigator had never experienced such compassion before. He almost didn't know how to react or know what to say when Markus chose to spare his life. "I'm sorry that I failed you."
"You didn't fail me or anyone else. You helped save North's life tonight, and you stayed by us during the Raid and never left us even as we took shelter here at the church." The deviant leader was as sincere as he was determined to bring about a peaceful conclusion to the impending Revolution. "You're my ally; my friend. When the dust settles, we'll meet again and prove that deviants and humans can live together in a peaceful coexistence."
"Then that means we both need to find a way to survive."
"And we will. Find a safe place to hide for now." Markus noticed the glasses in Connor's hands and sensed a strange cybernetic signature emanating from the high-tech frames in his friend's grip. "CyberLife might be trying to track you right now. I can deactivate the tracking device in your glasses."
"Can you erase the audio recording it undoubtedly captured when I met you on Jericho?" The idea of that evidence being chronicled by CyberLife to be used against Markus or any other deviant was nauseating. "The recording has the single copy within the A.R.I. glasses, it's not too late to keep CyberLife or the police from using the log as evidence against you."
"Yeah, I can erase the footage without leaving any traces of my sabotage behind." With a smooth motion Markus deactivated the artificial skin from his palm and just touched the frames of the glasses to send a cybernetic pulse into the tool to disable and erase the device entirely. The A.R.I. glasses were now just generic, everyday glasses that no one could use as a tool or weapon. "That should convince your superiors that there was a malfunction with the recording program and prevent you from being suspected of betraying them."
"Thank you."
"Stay safe. We'll meet again soon."
Markus turned his back to Connor and prepared to reenter the church to address his people. He had no fear in letting Connor go and firmly believed that the human was sincere in his desires to aid the deviant cause regarding their peaceful Revolution. There was no reason to doubt the young investigator after everything he had done and everything that he had risked by not arresting Markus or reporting the deviants hiding in Jericho as soon as he discovered their sanctuary.
"There are thousands of androids at the CyberLife assembly plant." Connor stated seemingly out of nowhere as he placed the altered glasses over his eyes, catching Markus's ear before the deviant leader could leave the cemetery. "If we could wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power."
"You want to infiltrate the CyberLife Tower?" Not lost on the irony of his own infiltration of the broadcast tower, Markus was also aware that he had allies to help him while Connor would be going into a secured building entirely alone. "Connor, that's suicide."
"They trust me, they'll let me in." Arguing his perspective with logic Connor reminded Markus of how he was still viewed by CyberLife. "If anyone has a chance of infiltrating CyberLife, it's me."
"If you go there and they find out that you're siding with the deviants they will kill you."
"There's a high probability," admitting that he was well aware of the danger Connor accepted the risk and knew it was worth it. "but statistically speaking, there's always a chance for unlikely events to take place."
"Even so, the risk is incredible."
"And one that's worth taking if it'll help the deviants." Slowly Connor reached into his pocket and slipped the black, leather A.R.I. glove over his hand again. "I should be able to access the androids' system and awaken them. I'm... not sure how to help them deviate without harming them though. I could use your help with that."
"Connor..." The deviant leader couldn't argue that having an ally on the inside of CyberLife would give them a massive advantage. Yet expecting anyone, volunteer or not, to put their life on the line was far too much to hope for. "You're sure about this?"
"I'm sure. I'd rather put my own life at risk knowing that I can help innocent people be free and help atone for the crimes of CyberLife." The misplaced guilt was proving to be a surprisingly effective motivator for the fired-up investigator. "The life of one person is nothing in comparison to an entire species."
"I don't like it, but I trust that you know what you're doing." Planting his palm firmly on Connor's shoulder one last time Markus nodded once and gave the bold investigator his blessing to go on his self-appointed mission out to the tower. Taking hold of Connor's gloves hand Markus uploaded a special cybernetic connection from his own system to ensure Connor could awaken the other androids. "All you need to do is reach out and connect with one android. That'll be enough for them to wake up and become a free deviant. From there, it'll spread and awaken the others."
"I won't fail you."
"Be careful, my friend." Markus reluctantly let go of Connor's hand in fear that he wouldn't see his friend alive again after they parted ways. "We'll be looking for you during our peaceful Demonstration."
"One way or another, I'll be there." Tightening is gloved hand into a fist, Connor vowed to reunite with his trusted ally and friend. He would succeed in his mission, and he would survive infiltrating CyberLife Tower. "I promise that I won't let you down."
A brisk, snowy breeze swirled around Connor as he stood alone in the silent cemetery while Markus made his way back to the church to reunite with his people. Even if it had been the heart of summer the young investigator would feel a chill creeping up his spine as he realized the dangerous mission that he had just assigned for himself could not end in failure for everyone's sake.
Failure was not an option.
"Stay strong, Markus. I won't let you experience the pain of standing alone for choosing to do the right thing. I swear."
-next chapter-