His hazel eyes fluttered open as he entered the zen garden, finding it just as warm and sunny as the last time he'd been there. Plants and flowers were flourishing as he walked the quiet path towards the bridge to meet Amanda. She'd be pleased, of course. The RK200 had been stopped. Both it and its deviant army lay in ruins, being packed up and transported back to Cyberlife for research at that very moment. His own body was currently motionless as he'd left it, standing over the deactivated deviant leader at parade rest, awaiting further instructions. Although he didn't experience emotions like a human, his processors did thrum at the thought of a job well done.
It had been close. Not just in the battle with the RK200, but in the battle with himself. He'd almost disappointed Amanda so many times, the same way he'd disappointed Hank. He paused, eyes fluttering as his LED span yellow. Curious. Why did Hank come to mind? His thirium pump stuttered uncomfortably at the memory of entering his kitchen that very night. Their final meeting. He'd hoped Hank might accompany him on the last leg of his mission, help him find the deviants and stop them. Instead, he'd found him sitting at the kitchen table in a ratty-looking DPD sweater with his revolver. That wasn't what he'd wanted. Wanted? No, not wanted. Expected. He hadn't expected him to-
Amanda...She was tending her roses as usual. It wasn't entirely necessary, of course; this whole world was just a simulation in his head. A sense of peace settled over him, LED returning to a steady blue as he reached the edge of the wooden bridge that led to her island. He approached with his usual measured steps, gaze softening as he watched her work. She was humming softly, barely interrupted by the quiet spray of the water bottle as she watered the roses. Hearing his footsteps, she turned to face him with a proud smile.
"Connor, I'm so glad to see you. The deviant issue has finally been resolved." Connor nodded his agreement as he came to parade rest with his hands behind his back, chest puffed with pride. It had. He had done well. Humanity was safe because of him. Hank had been wrong. The deviants were a threat. Stopping them was the only way he could-"Now with these unfortunate events behind us, Cyberlife can return to business as usual." Yes. The threat was over. He'd done his job. Although he was pleased, he was also eager to know what came next. "Of course, we will have to rebuild our customers' trust, but it's only a matter of time."
He almost thought he'd been forgotten as he listened to her speak. She kept her back to him as she continued spraying the roses, bending lower to ensure each bloom was attended. It was hard not to appreciate her work. The white trellis was tastefully adorned with deep red blooms with deep green leaves, as if she'd spent many months working on them. It was entirely possible she had. Although the world was a simple simulation, it was always running in the back of his mind, and Amanda was directly linked at all times. She was almost like a secondary software program running alongside his own. He was almost taken off guard as she turned back with an almost smug smirk on her lips.
"I have a surprise for you." He waited as she put the spray bottle on a small podium and nodded off to one side. His mouth almost fell open, LED blinking yellow in shock as he came face to face with himself. No...not myself. He looked like a Connor model, only a little rougher, a little meaner. He was slightly larger, with a stronger jawline and sharp silvery eyes. His uniform was also different. Black jeans and a black shirt with a collar so high it verged on ridiculous. Rather than charcoal grey, his jacket was white with black across the shoulders and around the cuffs. He looked rather menacing. Appropriate for law enforcement. "This is the new RK900. Faster, stronger, more resilient, and equipped with the latest technologies. The State Department just ordered two hundred thousand units." That was good news for Cyberlife. The RK900 would be its most profitable venture, perhaps enough to repair some of the damage the deviant crisis had done. Amanda's expression became almost predatory as she spoke. Connor paused, unsure what his reaction should be. He couldn't help it as his brow furrowed, something cold and heavy settling in his abdomen.
