Don't Get Attached

Chapter Seventeen

"Marcus!" You, Marcus and Connor had run below deck to warn his followers when you bumped into one of the other deviants. You didn't know her name, but you'd seen her on TV before and knew she was one of the leaders. "They're coming from all sides! Our people are trapped in the hold, they'll be slaughtered." Marcus brought a finger to his left temple. You assumed he was sending a message to the other androids to evacuate.

"They're coming from the upper deck now too. We saw helicopters on our way down here, we'll be caught in the crossfire." Marcus said aloud.

"We have to run, Marcus. There's nothing we can do!" The female android explained.

"We have to blow up Jericho." Marcus announced. "If the ship goes down they'll evacuate and our people can escape."

"You'll never make it!" She argued back. "The explosives are all the way down in the hold! There are soldiers everywhere."

"She's right." Connor agreed. You noticed he laced his fingers through you own, allowing him to get a tighter grip on your hand. "They know who you are. They'll do anything to get you."

"Go and help the others." Marcus ordered his friend. "I'll join you later."

Marcus!" She begged him.

"I won't be long." He told her firmly before running off. Shots could be heard nearby. Connor tugged at your hand and you took off running again.

"Connor!" You huffed, the only one out of breath. "I can't run...as fast...as you!"

"SHES HUMAN?" The female android remarked. "Are you crazy, bringing a human in here?"

"Go on without us!" Connor told her. "We'll find our own way out." Connor stopped running so that you could catch your breath. "I would carry you, [Y/N], but I don't think that we could both fit through the bulkhead doorways at the same time."

"It's fine." You panted. "Lets just keep going. Okay?"

"Alright." He seemed hesitant to continue with you in this state, but neither of you had much of a choice. "But we'll walk until you can catch your breath." Connor took your handy again and led you down the next corridor. It wasn't long before you heard the softest whirl of a weapon warming up behind you.

"Don't move!" An unfamiliar voice ordered. You and Connor both froze midstride. You didn't dare look up at him. You weren't even brave enough to squeeze his hand in fear.

So much for catching my breath. You thought as you seemed to stop breathing altogether. In a matter of seconds, you thought of what it must look like. You in Connor's jacket, trying to blend in and Connor is his human street clothes. There would be no talking your way out of this.

"Don't shoot." Connor told the voice. He didn't turn around or flinch a robotic muscle. "I'm on your side."

"With us?" The person asked. "Are you a human?"

"I work with Agent Perkins." Connor explained, now turning around. He nodded at you indicating that you should do the same. You guessed that Agent Perkins must be the FBI agent that Connor and your dad had lost the deviant cases to. You turned around slowly to see a man in full tactical gear with US ARMY written across his chest.

"This is [Y/N]." Connor continued. "She was taken hostage by these androids. I'm just trying to rescue her and bring her home safely."

"I'm gonna have to check..." The soldier reached for his radio.

"Please." You begged, trying not to lay it on too thick and give away the lie. Maybe it was the stress of the whole night or that you were just honestly scared in the moment, but you even managed a few tears. "I was brought here against my will by those...things. I just want to go home and see my dad. Can't we just go?"

"She should lose the jacket." The officer suggested, lowering his weapon. "And you should get her out of here. Go back up on deck and let us do our job."

"We will." Connor promised. "Come on [Y/N]." You and Connor walked away, waiting until you were out of the soldier's eyesight and earshot before picking up running again.

Thanks to your ruse, and the fact that both the FBI and Army had concentrated their efforts on raiding Jericho, the top deck of the ship was practically empty. There were a few gunmen, but many of them were training their weapons downwards at the androids trying to flee from the lower decks. Somehow through all the chaos the two of you managed to escape unharmed.

"This way." Connor waved you to the very same opening you'd found Jericho through. From there it was only a series of dangerous parkour moves from Connor before you were staring up at the same ten-foot wall you'd jumped off of hours ago.

"I could make that climb." Connor said, " But..." His eyes drifted over to you, communicating what you were both thinking. There's no way you could climb ten feet straight up a flush brick wall and it was only a matter of time before the army or the FBI found out about the secret entrance to Jericho. You looked around the lot you were standing in. There must be something there that you could use.

"There!" Your eyes settled on a large rusted section of pipe. "If we wedge it on an angle, I might be able to shimmy up the pile, at least far enough until you can grab me and pull me the rest of the way. Connor seemed uncertain, but as his own eyes scanned the lot, he didn't seem to find a better option.

Connor did as you suggested and wedge the pipe between the top of the wall and the base of the lot you stood in. You were glad you'd worn sneakers out of the house that night as you sized up the pile. You watched Connor effortlessly leap his way to the top of the wall. He then stood at the top and waited for you with his arms outstretched.

The angle of the pipe was such that you wouldn't be able to walk it like a bridge. It had to be climbed. You straddled the pipe, squeezing your legs tightly. You had to, to make sure that you didn't slide down the pipe once you gained some actual height. The entire experience was giving you flashbacks to middle school gym class.

"Careful, [Y/N]!" Connor warned.

"It's fine, Conn...shit!" As you were just about to tell him that what you were doing was perfectly fine, you heard the tearing of fabric and felt a deep slice on your inner thigh. You'd cut yourself on the rusty pipe. You didn't chance inspecting the injury then incase you lost your balance and fell off. You were about halfway anyway, you could make it to the top. Gritting your teeth, you kept your legs wrapped around the pipe and continued climbing. As soon as he could reach you, Connor grabbed your arms and pulled you up on top of the wall.

"You're bleeding." He observed worriedly.

"I'm sure it's nothing..." You waved him off. But even you didn't miss how blood soaked your pant leg already was. "Well there's nothing we can do about it here." You reminded him, limping forward. "We've got to get back over that." You pointed to the large chasm you'd swung across on the way to Jericho.