Accident Prone - Becoming Human

Painful Memories

Hot on the trail of a dangerous and desperate suspect Connor ran in a full sprint down the alleyway in pursuit of the fleeing deviant while Hank tried his best to keep up with the two much faster androids. Ultimately Hank trailed behind and struggled to keep up with the foot chase. Easily able to leap over dropped bits of garbage and overturned garbage cans that littered the ground, Connor managed to trap the suspect at the brick wall that closed off the end of the alleyway preventing their possible escape. The enraged, desperate and potentially crazed deviant was cornered and had nowhere else to go and nowhere to hide as the two detectives encroached on him.

Connor preconstructed any and all possible escape routes that the deviant could take and effectively prepared to cut them off at every possible turn. Unwilling to risk letting the dangerous deviant escape and return to the public streets, Connor boldly held his ground as he confronted the suspect at the end of the dark alleyway.

"STOP." Connor commanded as the deviant turned around and brandished his shining knife at the deviant detective. "Detroit Police. You're under-" Connor stopped short as he recognized the deviant suspect's scarred face and lowered his voice accordingly. This was a unique case that needed to be handled delicately. "...Ralph."

"DO NOT TOUCH RALPH." With his red tinted L.E.D. flickering wildly Ralph pressed his back up against the brick wall while holding the knife out with both hands as if brandishing a sword. "RALPH DOES NOT WANT TO HURT YOU."

"And I don't want to hurt you." Connor replied honestly in a calm tone. "I know what happened at the hotel was an accident. I know you didn't mean to hurt me then and I know that you won't hurt me now. You see," speaking softly and kindly Connor kept Ralph from freaking out anymore than he already was. "I remember you. My name is Connor and I work with the Detroit Police Department. My job is to protect everyone from being hurt by anyone else. That includes you, Ralph."

Ralph slowly lowered the knife but his L.E.D. remained red in color. "RALPH DOES NOT WANT TO HURT ANYONE, BUT EVERYONE WANTS TO HURT RALPH."

"Not true. No one wants to hurt you." Allowing his training and programming as a hostage negotiator to come into play Connor insisted that Ralph was safe as calmly and sincerely as possible. "Let me help you, okay? I know a place where you can be safe and no one would ever hurt you."

"...CONNOR IS LYING TO RALPH."

"No, I'm not."

"YES, YOU ARE." Ralph raised his knife again as Hank caught up to them at the end of the alley and stood behind Connor. The sight of the fatigued human made Ralph even edgier. "ALL HUMANS WANT TO DO IS HURT RALPH. HE IS HUMAN. HE WILL HURT RALPH. HE IS A HUMAN AND THEREFORE RALPH'S ENEMY."

"And he's my friend." Instinctively Connor planted himself between Hank and Ralph in a protective manner as he tried to ease the tense situation before it escalated any further. "Hank would never hurt you or any other deviant, I swear it."

"WHY DOES CONNOR TRUST HANK?"

"Because... Hank took me in. Gave me a home and helps keep me safe." Connor glanced at Hank over his shoulder and silently told the senior detective to follow his lead with a simple glance. "That night at the hotel when you and I fell from the balcony and your knife stabbed me... I was saved because Hank helped me. If he didn't care then he never would've helped me on that night and I wouldn't be here right now. Right?"

Ralph lowered his knife a little again but he kept his one good eye fixed on Hank's every movement. "Ralph admits you are... being honest."

"Good. Now, listen to me. I know you didn't hurt those people in the condemned house where you used to hide." Connor raised a hand to discreetly ask for Hank to keep quiet. "Those were accidents, too. You were afraid and you responded by showing the humans that you were armed, right?"