vague vendetta - d:bh connor

eight

NOV 8TH, 2038

PM 03:49

"WE INTERRUPT OUR scheduled programming to bring you these images, which have been broadcast on Detroit's city-wide news channel just now. What looks to be an android without its skin listed a series of requests and demanded equal rights for androids. The operation was covert and resulted in no casualties. These events took place just a few feet from this studio, but nobody was alerted to the danger. If this message is verified and the authors are androids, that would have serious repercussions for national security-"

I turned off the TV with a sigh. It was only a matter of time before highly intelligent creations listed their demands for rights publically. I glanced at Hank's desk to see if he had caught the news report. Hank looked mildly disturbed. He stood up, gesturing for me to come with him.

Soon enough, all three of us, Hank, Connor, and I were stuck in an elevator going up to the 79th floor of Stratford Tower, where the hijacking took place. Connor absentmindedly played with a quarter, spinning it on his fingers and flicking it back and forth between his hands. Hank reached over and took the quarter, glaring at Connor. He spoke gruffly,

"You're starting to piss me off with that coin, Connor."

"Sorry, Lieutenant."

The elevator doors opened, revealing a black and yellow hallway; Chris was waiting just outside the elevator doors. He looked up from his report and greeted Hank. Hank glanced around the hall, noting the FBI, CSI, and SWAT teams lingering around.

"Shit, what's going on here? There was a party, and nobody told me about it?"

Chris huffed in amusement, "Yeah, it's all over the news, so everybody's butting their nose in. Even the FBI wants a piece of the action."

My eyes lit up briefly at the notion. Dad could be in the same case. Hank continued looking around the room, unsurprised but still annoyed, "Ah Christ, now we have the Feds on our back. I knew this was going to be a shitty day. So, what do we have?"

Hank and Chris started walking through the hall. Connor and I were trailing behind them. Chris began explaining, "A group of four androids. They knew the building, and they were very well-organized. I'm still trying to figure out how they got this far without being noticed."

Other officers chatted idly about the case, asking about the roof and forensics, and even some were thankful that the FBI was on the case. Chris walked a little ahead of Hank, not bothering to look back as he spoke.

"They attacked two guards in the hallway, probably thought the androids were coming to do maintenance. They got taken down before they could react."

We stopped at the desk where the guards were incapacitated by the androids. Hank set his hands down on the desk, glancing around at the surroundings. A cop stood behind the desk, seeming to write something down on her tablet. She looked up at us briefly before returning to her work. We walked through another doorway, and Chris turned to glimpse at us.

"One of the station employees managed to get away. He's in shock, and I'm not sure when we'll be able to talk to him."

Hank stared down at a crime scene marker on the ground. Connor stood in the doorway, and I decided to listen and ask questions later. Hank was still looking at the floor and asked, "How many people were working here?"

Hank looked back up, his eyes locking on Connor for a split second. Chris answered, "Just two employees and three androids. The deviants took the humans hostage and broadcast their message live. They made their getaway from the roof."