𝓓𝓔𝓣𝓡𝓞𝓘𝓣: 𝓑𝓔𝓒𝓞𝓜𝓔 𝓗𝓤𝓜𝓐𝓝

Chapter 3

You have decided to stay with Connor and assist in gathering evidence. Although the RK800 is specially designed by Cyberlife for such tasks, you never know what could unfold. Let us see.

"I guess I'll have to talk to Mrs. Carter then." Hank stops in front of me, whispering, "now just observe Connor, alright? It may be fucking creepy but it knows what it's doing."

"On the contrary," Connor said, making the poor detective and I jump six feet into the air. "Cyberlife designed me to work with humans harmoniously." The RK800 adjusted his tie. "Both my appearance and voice were specifically designed to facilitate my integration."

Hank eyes him up and down, then says, "well, they fucked up."

Geez ...

Hank leaves the house, not looking back. A weight lifts from my shoulders, and I can't help but smile at Connor. "Manners much?"

His LED flashes orange. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by 'manners much.' Would you be able to enlighten me?"

Oh dear. Apparently, colloquial language wasn't Cyberlife's priority.

"Well." I begin, trying for the most diplomatic response. "When Lieutenant Anderson called you creepy, and called me greenhorn he was being rude. I was being sarcastic."

His eyes twitched, staring into space. "Humans like to say things without clear intention, don't they?"

I think about that for a minute. "I guess so."

"Why?"

I pull out my tablet and pull the recent ticket out. "I guess it's easier to hide behind levity." Scratching the back of my neck, I chuckle. "Or maybe that's just me."

The robot won't stop looking at me, so I walk up to the pool of blood and carefully follow the drips that lead down a narrow corridor. "Let's get focused."

I stop, inspecting the broken photo frame. Its pieces are scattered all over the scratchy carpet, bits of thin glass sticking up jagged, covered in blue goo. The chunky, aluminium frame is practically bent in half. Used as a weapon, maybe?

Looking down the corridor, I notice that the red trail has finished and a blue one is in its stead. "Maybe the android had to defend itself," I muttered.

"That seems to be a common link in the deviant cases I've investigated," Connor answers my non-question. "Androids that have been subject to immense stress are more likely to turn deviant."

I looked Connor up and down. "Do I need to be worried about you, Connor? This is a stressful job."

"Not possible, I self-test regularly. I'm sorry that if I made you feel uncomfortable." He follows a few feet behind me, and I don't dare look back. "There's thirium on the door frame."

I stop, and he overtakes me. "What's thirium?"

"Thirium is also called blue blood. Its the fluid that powers android's bio components." Connor holds his hand in front of me. "I hear movement in here."

I draw my pistol and nod to him. As the door opens we find a little girl rolled in a ball, crying.

How can she not be in the report? Surely she would be the first priority.

"Hello, sweetie," I coo, slowly approaching the poor, scared child. "My name is Inara, and I'm here to help you." I place my pistol in the holster.

"Don't hurt me." She pulls her legs in tighter and sniffles.

What has this android done to this girl?

"I'm not going to hurt you." I lower my voice, holding my hands open. "What's your name?"

"Audrey."

"Inara?" Connor edges toward me. "She's not—"

"Not now, Connor! The girl's scared enough as it is."

Audrey finally lifts her head up, and I know what Connor was trying to tell me.

Audrey is not a human.

The YK500's dainty face has a dented cheek, her LED glowing red. Blue blood oozes from her little nose.

"I want my Mom," Audrey cries.

I swallow the ball in my throat and slowly hold my hand out. "Mommy is on her way to hospital. I can take you to her."

The little android recoils from me. "Not her." Her sobs wrack her petite frame.

"Audrey!" A voice calls from the door. "Are you alright?"

"Mom!" Audrey runs to the AX400 and clings to her blood-smeared apron. The robots pale skin is also speckled with blood. How did she get back here?

Connor stands from his spot behind me. "Detroit Police. Freeze! You are under arrest for assaulting Mrs. Lucy Carter."

"Please don't do this," the AX400 pleads, looking at me. "We just want to be free."

Free?

"I'm sorry." I go for my handcuffs. "But I have to take you to the station for questioning."

"My name is Elena. And I was only protecting my daughter." Tears well up in its brown eyes. "If you take me there, they're going to kill me."

Connor looks at me, completely sardonic. "These aren't real emotions, they're just errors in her software. Don't let her fool you."

"Connor," I chide. "Just let me think for a second."

So? What do you think should happen? A or B? You've got until Thursday, November 29th to choose so think fast ;)