Hickory

Lunch With the RKs

They didn't learn much. None of the delivery guys had noticed any new trucks or people wandering around where they shouldn't. The most anyone had to report was that a bathroom on the third floor had been out of order all day, but that wasn't unusual. There was always a toilet somewhere getting blocked with paper. Part of the risk of having kids running around the store. Nines contacted Connor to check it out anyway while he and Reed continued checking the storage areas and stairwells for anything out of the ordinary. Everything seemed normal.

"Find anything?" Reed asked a while later as Connor joined him in the street out front. The reporters had finally been packed off, likely realising they wouldn't be getting a story any time soon. Colin and Perkins weren't far behind. They were just exchanging a few final words with the manager. Reed didn't envy her the job of telling the higher-ups what happened and why the store would be closed for at least two or three days. Once the police had collected all the evidence and released the scene, they'd need to have it professionally cleaned. They'd also have to burn any stock that had been contaminated during the incident. Hell, they'll probably toss the entire display!

"Nothing, except...the third floor bathrooms were all fully operational when I checked. There wasn't even a notice on a door." That leaned towards Reed's theory, at least. Grab a victim, take them out, lock yourself in a single use bathroom, put up an out-of-order sign, then take it down whenever you decide to leave. Anyone passing would probably assume that maintenance had already been called and think no more of it. Reed was so distracted by his own thoughts and theories that he didn't even notice that Nines wasn't at his side until Connor asked where he was. He looked around with a small frown, unable to see him in the street. He was right behind me when we came through...

"Ah, there." Reed finally noticed him stepping out beside Colin. The pair were talking wirelessly as Perkins parted with the manager and headed down the steps. It wasn't long before the other two followed. Connor's head tilted, LED flashing yellow as they talked. "Anything you'd like to share with the class?" Reed asked as he raised an eyebrow at Connor. He was increasingly thinking that androids needed to set a code of etiquette. No using the head telephone while humans are present.

"Yes. We should stop for lunch on the way back," Connor decided as he looked at the humans in their group. Nines nodded his agreement while Colin's soft eyes dropped, flicking to Perkins hesitantly and then Connor as his LED circled yellow. Reed wasn't the only one who noticed. Perkins was trying to suppress a surprisingly affectionate look as he checked his watch. They were busy with their current case, but that didn't mean they couldn't stop for a while. They couldn't do any more leg work until the forensics team finished anyway, and it wasn't like Colin made a habit of asking for lunch breaks.

"Can you make your own way back to the office after? I need to head back and catch up on some paperwork." An objection almost rose to Colin's lips on impulse. He didn't want to feel like he was disappointing his superior. He barely ever left Perkins' side on a workday. "Take your lunch break and meet me back there in a couple of hours. I'll finish a report or two while I wait." Perkins left no room to argue as he held out his hand with an air of expectance. This would be the first time he'd driven the car on shift for a couple of months now. Colin had taken to driving them all over the place, it being more efficient with his android focus and reflexes.

"Yes. Thank you, Sir," Colin replied with the smallest hint of excitement as he handed the keys to Perkins, who decided not to bring it up. Colin always called him Sir, even when he gave him other options. He wasn't sure if it was an old part of his programming or whether he just felt more comfortable addressing him as a superior. Either way, he'd pretty much given up on changing it. It was just another one of the quirks he liked. Connor nodded his thanks as Reed called a parting word after him.