The Creed of Detroit

Chapter 1- A Helping Hand

November 2038—Detroit

The sky threatened snow as it glared upon Detroit, Michigan. People hurried along the streets, pulling their coats tight around them as the wind whipped through their hair. Androids followed behind most of them, barely any falling into step alongside the humans. The city seemed to be painted with blue, for all the android adverts were this colour and androids were being sold everywhere now. But things were slowly changing here in Detroit. Things that would spread quickly across the globe like a virus...

**

November 6th 10:25am

Vera glanced at her reflection in each of her knives before placing them in her belt. She sat at the desk in the Eastern Motel, scowling at the notes before her.

"You're going to get bald spots if you pull more of your hair out," Ruby, her Assassin partner, said as she wandered out of the bathroom.

Vera didn't look up. "It always grows back," she muttered. Vera stood, gathering up the notes into one pile. "Besides, I think I'm almost there."

"You've made more progress on the Piece of Eden?"

"It's difficult to say exactly, but I think I know who to ask. We'd better find Caleb before I continue."

"Are you sure this is the right place to be talking about this?"

"Caleb has been doing the rounds this morning. We should be in the clear, but just to be sure..." Vera began to place silver discs along the walls connecting their room to the one on their right. Silver shimmers glinted in the lamplight as they were activated. She handed one to Ruby to place on the door when she came back with Caleb.

Ten minutes later, the door opened, and the sun followed Caleb and Ruby as they entered, illuminating her amber hair. He pushed down the hood of his jacket carefully as they stood in a small circle at the foot of the bed.

"Find anything?" Vera asked, searching his face.

Caleb shook his head. "Nothing. But we should still move on today. There's something in the air that I don't like."

Ruby sniffed but said nothing. She nodded to Vera to begin.

"I think I have a lead on the Piece of Eden. It's pretty vague, sources-wise but the only name it goes by is RA9. Not completely sure about that, I think it may just be a made-up name for it. This Piece is supposed to grant freewill to the one who possesses it. It also says here that they can pass it on to anyone they choose. But that also means it can likely take it away."

"Do we know what this object looks like?" Caleb asked, brow furrowed.

Vera frowned, glancing at her notes. "It's something metallic but I only have leads on how we can find it."

"What's that?" Ruby crossed her arms. She didn't believe any of this.

"I hacked into the Police Department records. Several androids who attacked their owners in recent months had written RA9 on the walls. Including the android that was found last night. Victim was a Carlos Ortiz." Vera sighed through her nose. "They found a few things in evidence to this. Apparently a detective android found him and was able to retract a confession out of him early hours this morning."

"You found all this in the records?"

Vera shrugged, smirking. "I have my ways."

"Well, let's gather our things and get out of here then. I'm starved." Caleb strode over to the metal discs on the walls and began to deactivate them.

"I'll go and let the cranky guy at the desk know we're leaving," Ruby said as she zipped up her jacket and stepped outside.

Only to collide with a dark-haired woman who had come out of the room next door.