Awoken ◇ Detroit: Become Human

AX400 | Freedom

"Elka?"

"Yes, Lieutenant."

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I am working. I am assisting here to make sure the deviant situation doesn't affect the public."

Hank nodded slowly, huffing. Elka smiled fondly. Connor gave her a side glance but said nothing. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

The three stopped outside an abandoned house. Elka looked at Hank for confirmation. He nodded to her while Connor examined the chain link fence. As he advanced towards the house, Hank turned to her.

"Stay here, we'll call you if anything happens."

Elka tilted her head slightly, staring at him in confusion. Her eyes flicked over his features, but he was serious. Hank looked away first, following Connor. Elka's LED was yellow, spinning idly. She reached up to touch it, resisting the urge to rip it free once again. 

-

Elka responded quickly to the infuriated shouts from inside the squat. An android ran past her, model AX400. She was holding tightly to a young child. Elka raced after them, ahead of Connor and Hank. The little girl looked back at her, with frightened eyes. Elka did a double take but continued running after the deviant.

When she turned the corner, the deviant was helping the girl over a chain link fence, before sliding down the slope on the other side.

"Stop! You'll get yourselves killed!"

They didn't stop or even slow as they approached the highway. Cars sped past at insanely high speeds. Elka huffed, climbing the fence herself. Dropping down to the other side, she heard Connor call out to her.

"Elka! Elka, stop!"

She turned to meet his eyes, but only briefly. With a sad shake of her head, Elka continued her pursuit. 

"Hey! Where you going?"

Hank pulled Connor away from the fence.

"I have to protect Elka!" Connor told him fiercely.

Hank recoiled from the android, before regaining his confidence.

"She'll be fine, let her handle it!"

"I can't take that chance,"

"Hey!" Hank grabbed onto Connor as he tried again to follow the androids. "You will get yourself killed! Do not go after them, that is an order!"

Connor hesitantly lets go of the wire, backing away from the highway. Hank sighed, continuing to watch Elka and the deviant.

-

"Stop! I won't hurt you!"

Elka threw herself into the divide, momentarily safe. The deviant sent the child to the other side of the highway, just as she was clipped at her hip by a car. Elka rushed forward tackling the woman to the edge. She pulled herself over the barrier, extending a hand for the deviant. After a moment of consideration, she took it.

All three safe from the machines speeding past, Elka spared a glance to where Hank and Connor waited.

"Are you both alright?" She asked quietly.

After a nod, Elka sighed in relief and a small smile came upon her.

"You have a gun," The deviant concluded. "But you haven't used it."

Elka pulled it out, the weapon she had become so familiar with.

"No, I'm one of you," She tilted her head to show the flashing red light. "My name is Elka."

"Kara. This is Alice. Thank you, for helping us."

Elka looked down at the little girl, Alice. She bit her lip.

"Yeah, about that. I can't stay here, otherwise, they'll suspect something is up."

Elka held the gun out to Kara. The woman took it, warily. She gestured to her shoulder.

"Shoot me."

"What?"

"I won't die, but I can't just let you leave. Shoot me or they'll take us both apart."

Kara looked across the highway, to the police officers and the prototype full of fear.

"They'll take Alice away, Kara."

Kara turned the gun towards Elka, who nodded encouragingly. Alice made a small noise of fear. Elka smiled down at her.

"Don't be afraid, little one."

Bold words from an android suffering the very emotion.

-

Elka stumbled forward, warning signs flashing in her head. Her belt was light, her eyelids unnaturally heavy. She felt too vulnerable and too human. She gripped her shoulder tightly, hands stained with blue blood. Her fingers twitched and her programming threatened to flicker back into existence. But she pushed forward.

"Connor," The android was at her side in an instant, analyzing her wound. "Go back to Hank."

"I can take you to Cyberlife, they can fix you."

"No. They'll find out I'm deviant." She sighed. "Don't worry about me."

Connors LED turned yellow, grabbing her arm.

"Where will you go?" He asked, determined.

Elka smiled lightly, blue blood dripping from the tips of her fingers.

"Home."

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