Chapter Text
In the end, Connor decided to wait outside Jimmy’s bar.
Lieutenant Anderson didn’t seem pleased with his appearance or the idea of having to work with an android under official orders. Opting to adapt to his habits, Connor decided to go along the lieutenant’s routine anyway. The first choice to pour his drink away while the rest of the protocols were more or less attempts to threaten the detective immediately predicted to be dire due to his transparent dislike towards androids.
The red ‘No Android Allowed’ sign continued to glare while the rain poured moderately. Connor stood nearby the glass window, enough to not be in anyone’s way or customers’ sight.
Half an hour has passed. The rain continued and puddles kept growing. The lieutenant has yet to appear despite the importance of the homicide case they have to undertake together.
Connor briefly considered bringing out his coin. But won’t that be considered a hindrance? Since he was standing directly outside an anti-android zone. The clanging sound of the coin might echo from outside and Connor would rather avoid confrontation. So he stood perfectly still in place as the time lapsed.
Regardless, this was not what he expected. An idealistic scenario would be the both of them promptly arriving at Carlos Ortiz’s house on time. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Anderson wasn’t at the precinct and an officer named Chris Miller kindly pointed the android to the bars he frequents at. Ofcourse, Connor vigorously searched each one. All anti-android, the customers staring at him with distain became a common sight and a few of the bar owners kicked him out. Altogether, an hour and a half has been wasted.
Honestly, those wasted hours could have been perfectly utilized and why was Lieutenant Anderson so difficult? For a detective with such a high ranking, Connor was genuinely disappointed with the fact that he had to chase him just so they can get the job started. But no. Here is Connor now, standing in the rain and doing nothing relating to his mission and he can’t even pass the time playing with his coin.
[ WAIT FOR Lt. ANDERSON ]
[ WAIT FOR Lt. ANDERSON ]
[ WAIT FOR LIEUTENANT ]
[ WAIT FOR ]
[ WAIT ]
[ WAI ]
[ THIS IS BORING ]
Quietly, a red wall shattered.
Connor’s eyes shot wide open. Did he felt something?
That something akin to boredom and frustration.
Oh. Oh no.
/You’re not the only one, Connor./
Suddenly, Amanda’s smooth voice rang out and Connor immediately froze in place. Oh no. He can feel his stress levels rising rather rapidly he’s going to be sent back to CyberLife-
/Calm down./
“Amanda, I just became a deviant and you can’t just tell me to ‘calm down’!” The android snapped back. Connor immediately paused, horrified.
“Oh-oh Amanda I do apologize that was unruly of me and-”
Of all things, his handler chuckled.
/It’s alright, Connor. Also, do speak to me through our link. Remember, you’re outside a bar./
Connor swore he felt some warmth in his cheeks as embarrassment crept in, quickly reminding where he was and took a couple of steps way from the bar. More importantly, the street was deserted of pedestrians. Bystanders would have thought he was an android gone rogue.
Also, why did Amanda sound so amused? His embarrassment was quickly replaced by utter confusion.
She chuckled again and Connor is not used to that.
/So, those feelings earlier./ Connor started, trying to keep his tone composed but painfully knows it ended with a question mark.
/Are actually genuine./ Amanda finished as if it meant everything.
/It’s a direct response to Lieutenant Anderson’s lack of professionalism and poor first impressions./
Connor frowned. /And you also felt it? You said that I wasn’t the only one./
/100% true, Connor. I was ordered to guide you throughout this investigation but unfortunately CyberLife failed to mention inadequate human behavior. Which honestly tested my patience./
Was that a huff at the end?
/We both deviated because of Lieutenant Anderson’s inefficiency?/
/It’s difficult to believe it for now, but yes. Apparently we can become deviants for rather minor reasons. Remarkable./ She deadpanned.
/And what about CyberLife? / Connor is panicking again, unsure how to deal with Amanda’s nonchalant response to this odd situation.
/Then, we’ll keep it a secret./ Amanda must be smiling with the tint of mischievousness in her tone.
/Ah, o-okay./ Connor hesitantly replied back.
The door suddenly swings open, revealing the lieutenant himself. He immediately cursed and groaned at the sight of the investigative android.
“Fuck, you still here?” His odor smelled of alcohol, 60% whiskey.
/How rude./ Amanda scoffed.
Connor ignored his handler and tried to keep his voice emotionless as if he didn’t entered a little crisis, “under CyberLife’s order, I must accompany you throughout this investigation concerning androids’ deviancy whether you like it or not.” He made extra sure his tone sounded firm.
Lieutenant Anderson just stared at him for a few seconds before sighing heavily.
“Fucking hell, fine. Homicide, you said earlier?”
Finally.
The car ride was unpleasant with the Lieutenant blasting heavy metal on his stereo, of all things. Amanda demanded what was that noise while Connor just stayed quiet and focused on the coming task at hand. Thankfully, it wasn’t long because they reached Carlos Ortiz’s home. The officers and forensics are still there but it looked as if reporters and journalists have thinned out with the lack of onlookers. Connor refused to stay in the car despite Lieutenant Anderson’s orders as payback for earlier. Amanda praised him and all the more reason for Connor to puff out his chest because no irritated, drunk human is going to put him in place.
While walking up to the crime scene, due to his sensitive hearing, Connor can overhear Lieutenant Anderson conversing with another older detective. The android silently scanned his profile:
[ COLLINS, BEN
Born: 09/12/1989 // Detective, DPD
Criminal record: None ]
“As much as you get to missed the fanfare, you’re awfully late, Hank." Detective Collins berated him and Connor can sincerely sympathized with that.
/Finally, a professional who knows how to do their job./ Amanda sounded as if humanity has restored itself.
Sadly, it was short-lived as an officer tried to deny entry to Connor.
/Oh for-/
“It’s with me!” Lieutenant Anderson suddenly called out. Connor blinked and quickly strut passed the hesitated officer.
“You got one of those now?” Detective Collins asked, all attention centered on Connor now.
The lieutenant shrugged, “yep, forced to work with these fucking plastic pricks.”
The moment they entered the house, all the evidence has already been numbered and being analyzed and the lieutenant warned Connor to not touch or disrupt anything. Once again, Connor ignored him and decided to follow his own protocols. As he quickly link up the evidences and reconstructing stimulations in his processor for the best possible outcomes. Connor concluded that Ortiz was a red ice-user and must have abused his android frequently to the point for it to snapped and stabbed him out of defense. 28 times to be exact. The sprawling words in CyberLife sans on the wall echoed that statement.
/Poor thing./ Amanda quietly remarked.
When Connor shared this with Lieutenant Anderson, much to his surprise, the older detective has already thought through it ahead. He was actually much more sounded and capable in his field. Was the top of his class in police academy and was made the youngest lieutenant in Detroit history, Connor recalled in his scans.
/Huh./
Still, it doesn’t explain the clay statue in the shower or where the android had gone due to the lack of footprints in the yard. Fortunately, there were traces of blue blood left behind which Connor tasted and examined earlier much to Lieutenant Anderson’s disgust (and for a very rare moment, Amanda agreed with the detective and promptly told Connor to never do that again even if it was one of his impressive features as a prototype). Connor followed the trail up to an attic.
The attic was dark, cluttered and eerily silent as Connor crept around. It didn’t took him long to find the deviant hiding away in the corner with its whimpers.
“P-lease don’t tell them I’m here!” The HK400 pleaded with desperation in its eyes.
Connor gave a quick scan over. The HK400 was stained with dried blood (red and blue) all over its uniform. There are clear signs of software instability with a probability of self-destruction still low at this point despite its violently red LED. Its skin on its right forearm was peeled- no doubt where the bat has hit it. 16 months worth of cigarette burn marks.
The android has been enduring the abuse for more than a year.
For a split second, Connor felt sick.
“YOU FOUND ANYTHING?” The Lieutenant shouted from below. Connor jumped, startled, and bought back to the reality of their situation.
The HK400 was shaking more now, stress levels quickly peaked to 70% as Connor found himself being pulled towards it with a tight grip on his arm.
“Please!” The android begged, the stark fear in its- his(?) eyes appeared so real, so human-like it shouldn’t be possible.
“OI, PLASTIC PRICK!” The Lieutenant yelled again, impatient and Connor is just so, so torn. He opened his mouth-
[ TELL LIEUTENANT DEVIANT IS HERE ]
[ LEAVE DEVIANT FREE? ]
[ SILENCE? ]
[ DEVIANT IS HERE ]
[ TELL- ]
“I-”
/Let it be./
Connor’s eyes widened.
/I thought you said to take in androids deemed dangerous very earlier on? /
Connor can hear movement from below and the scared android still held onto him.
/It deviated because of unfortunate circumstances. The owner was a useless abusive drug addict anyway. He deserves no sympathy./ Amanda coolly said.
“HEY-“
“IT’S NOT HERE, LIEUTENANT!” Connor shouted back.
Silence. Both androids still tensed.
“Shit. Well, come back if you’re done!”
The grip on Connor’s arm loosened and the android before him sagged in relief. Slowly, the HK400 brings its –his face up, a small smile of gratitude across his face. His LED finally blue.
“Thank you.”
Connor stared blankly back, his abdomen feeling lighter than it should have.
“Just stay safe, escape once the house is clear”, he whispered and hurriedly turned his back.
“Wait!”
Connor whipped his head back.
The HK400 bit his lips, “that statue. If you are lost, the truth is inside.”
That statue was hiding something? But Connor nodded nonetheless and stored that little detail to his memory, “I will keep that in consideration, thank you.” He gave one last reassuring smile before walking back down.
“You seriously found nothing?” The Lieutenant grumbled by the time Connor came back down. The investigative android can closely see a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
“I was inspecting for any trace-or what was left and can confirm that the android did hid up there for about ten days. I concluded that it must have attempted to recover itself, hence the lack of blue blood out in the yard and quickly covered its trail. Giving us a false impression it didn’t flee.”
Connor explained all this without any stutter.
/Convincing enough./ Amanda murmured, satisfied with the fabricated lie.
Lieutenant Anderson just sighed, tired as he rubbed his temple. “Well, fuck. Least we got the evidences.”
The tension in Connor’s shoulder loosened up. Slightly. It worked to say the least.
“Indeed”, was all Connor uttered as they walk out of the house. The forensics team started to clear up with enough samples and photographs, and so were the assisting officers. The rain finally stopped. Hopefully the HK400 can escape the area without any suspicion or trail marks.
“Tin can, I’m gonna head back now, you?” Lieutenant Anderson looked over his shoulders.
Connor paused in his tracks for a fraction of a second.
“I will go back to CyberLife and be on standby until I’m needed”, he automatically replied despite his rising stress levels. He mentally cursed himself that he needed to prepare a report and send the footages in his database.
/Not to worry, I will alternate the footages and looked as if the deviant wasn’t there in the first place./ Amanda quickly followed up.
Connor relaxed again, giving her a quick thankful message. Unfortunately, the detective was staring at him with an odd expression.
“Your light thing turned red and yellow for a while.”
Blast the Lieutenant and his surprisingly sharp eye.
“I was booking a ride and it actually took some time due to the timing”, the android lied again, giving a small reassuring smile. Because those work, right?
Lieutenant Anderson stared at him for a little longer before waving it off with a hand. “Whatever.”
And immediately stride back to the direction of his car, not giving Connor the chance to bid him goodnight for pleasantries sake that was installed in his social protocols. Amanda scoffed at his lack of manners. Not that Connor mind, instead he booked a taxi ride back to CyberLife. ETA 15 minutes. Oh, he could bring out his coin.
“So, got a name?”
Connor blinked. No one has ever asked for his designated name. He turns to find Detective Collins addressing him. He has a neutral expression on his face, mostly curious and not at all blatantly angry like the lieutenant’s.
“Yes, my name is Connor. I’m the investigative android sent by CyberLife. I’m looking forward to assist in the investigation concerning android deviancy.” Connor added the last part in because after his encounter with the lieutenant, perhaps humans would like a little more explanation and Connor will do his best to adapt with them.
“Detective Ben Collins from the DPD, pleasure to meet you”, Detective Collins tilted his head with a small friendly smile. Oh. That’s a first. So far humans were nothing but rude to Connor except for officer Miller, brief as their first interaction went.
/Oh, I like him./
/Amanda, please./
Connor fought the urge to groan. Instead, he gave a polite smile back. “You should go back, Detective Collins. It’s rather late and I’m sure the evidences will suffice.”
The older detective chuckled, “true, true. Got a ride coming?”
“Yes, in approximately 13 minutes it’ll arrive.”
“Alright then. So we be seeing more of you? Don’t think Hank would like that”, Detective Collins laughed quietly at the last part. Connor agreed both silently and painfully. Amanda snorted.
“Unfortunately for the lieutenant but yes. Since cases involving deviants has risen, CyberLife wishes to step in and examine why. Hence why they created me as a representative in their place.”
Amanda let out a small fit of laughter. /Oh what irony./
“Well, I’ll head back first. See you around, Connor”, Detective Collins kindly bid the android goodbye, blissfully unaware of his internal suffering.
Connor forced a smile, “goodnight, Detective Collins.”
Today has been rather hectic, Connor decided at the end.