Her Mind [Under Construction]

Chapter 8

TW: Un-aliving ideation

Looks like I spoke too soon.

Connor helped settle me back into my apartment after we left.

Before we left though, uncle Hank took us to the park. That park. Over looking the heart of the city. Snow was still falling, as it is now, he took a case of beer bottles out and sat on ledge of the bench, the car was silent, no heavy metal to keep my injury from getting worse but it made me restless. Soon me and Connor joined him, I sat down and leaned my head on him, he patted my head and brushed my flyaways from me.

"Nice view huh? We use to come here a lot before.."

He slowly turned to look at us, "can I ask you a personal question Lieutenant?"

Hank kept his gaze reserved, but open.

"Do all androids ask so many personal questions or is it just you?"

"Why are you so determined to kill yourself?"

"Some things I just can't forget. Whatever I do, they're always there... Eating away at me... I don't have the guts to pull the trigger... So, I just kill myself a little everyday. That's probably hard for you to understand, huh, Connor? Nothing very rational about it." He took a swig of his drink.

"We all have our ways of... Dying slowly," I spoke up, my voice empty like street before us.

He looked at me then back out to the city lights.

"Before what?"

"Hm?" Hank spoke.

"You said, we use to come here a lot before, before what?"

"Before... Before nothin." He patted my cheek softly.

Connor moved in front of us.

"I saw pictures on your kitchen table, when I came there to get you to go to the scene, it was a photo of a child, and another of a little girl and a woman. She looked like you Selene."

We looked away and Hank lowered his head.

"His name was Cole. He was my son." Hank spoke in a low tone.

"My mom... Cecelia."

Connor nodded, a hint of regret could be seen in his eyes. He turned and faced the bridge.

"We're not making any progress on this investigation, the deviants have nothing in common. They're all different models, produced at different times, in different places..."

"Well there must be some link," Hank half shrugged.

"There's the rA9 references. All of the deviants we've encounted have writtened that name right?" I looked at Connor.

"Yes. It's almost like some kind of.. myth. Something they invented that wasn't part of their original program."

"Androids believing in God. Fuck, what's this world coming to?" He took another drink.

"You seem preoccupied Lieutenant. Is it something that happened back at the Eden Club?" He turned and watched him.

"Those two girls, they just wanted to be together... They really seemed... In love."

Connor's voice turned ironic, but sincere.

"You seem troubled Lieutenant, I didn't think machines could have such an effect on you."