Detroit?

Living With An Android (Pt. 1)

2nd Day

"Wake up, Mrs. Manfred."

The monotone voice was the very first thing I heard on my very first morning in the manor. At Markus' voice my eyes shot open, my body jolting upright in a shock. It seems I wasn't the only one shocked, as Markus had frozen and looked directly at me. Probably not too used of someone reacting to him this way.

"WHAT THE HELL! Why the hell are you in my room get out I'm not dressed I'm going to kill you GET OUT!" The words come out in a rush as I sputter around the room. First I slip out of my blue - covered bed rather ungracefully, my feet slamming heavily against the hardwood floor and sending a small pain up my leg. After a few unsteady steps I reach for the jacket I had thrown to the side while looking for pajamas last night. The oversized thing was thrown over my shoulders and wrapped around my unprotected chest. I hated sleeping in bras. Markus was then, finally, met with the angry eyes of a women who had just been scared half to death before her morning coffee.

Markus seemed to be stuck in one position. His eyes seemed to be wider than normal, his little LED flashing between red and yellow as if it didn't know which to choose. One of the Android's feet was raised off of the floor. I had could him mid-stride, struck a cord in him he didn't seem to know how to handle. For a second I even though I saw an amused look flash in his eyes. Soon, however, the android had lowered his foot and faced me. Like a gentleman he was then bowing.

"Mrs. Manfred, my deepest apologies. I did n-"

"Spare me the apology and make some coffee! And never come into my room unannounced!" I manage to huff, my anger still flared up after the encounter. There was no need for a long winded apology. I had never been a fan of those.

"...Yes, Mrs. Manfred." Markus seems to mutter helplessly, straightening up. The caretaker doesn't even offer me a glance before turning and heading out of the room. As he left the door close automatically. I was left to my privacy, left to hold my heart and calm the fear that had spiked in it.

~
Breakfast seemed rather nice when I finally managed to walk down. My eyes shift all around the dining room as I step inside, eyes taking in everything I still had yet to commit to memory. Everything was the same as last night. Well, everything except the lack of my father's seat at the table. His spot was empty, almost alarmingly so. Without the chair there it seemed almost like a void on the other side of the table.

Markus was the only person in the room. He stood proud and tall behind the table, his eyes staring at a wall until I walked in. His programming them had him serve me. My Tea was poured before I even got there, my seat pulled back like I was on a date, and my food on a silver platter he opened up. I almost snorted at the bowl of lucky charms underneath.

"My dad really does think I am still a child, hm? He was the one who told you to serve me lucky charms I would Assume." I smirk and pick up a fork, twirling it in my hand once or twice before sinking it in the bowl of cereal and pulling out a spoonful of my breakfast. One bite was all it took for me to remember the taste. Leo and I had always eaten Lucky charms. No other cereal type was welcomed in this house and we had been perfectly okay with that arrangement. However I don't think I've been tried any other cereal.

"Mr. Manfred told me you would enjoy them." His LED was turning yellow again, his eyes meeting mine as I give him a look. For a moment we stare at each other before I look at the cereal. Markus was very attractive... for an Android. "Is this information not correct? I could make you anything you like, all you must do is ask."

I wave Markus' worrying away, taking a few more bites of the cereal. It was a wonder it wasn't already soggy. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the cereal had been engineered to never get soggy by this point. My spoon sinks into the cereal once more before stirring it around softly. I still chew at the food as I examine it, seeing if anything has changed. Nothing seems to. Lucky charms were still lucky charms. "This will be fine Markus, thank you."

Markus offers a nod, stepping back. He looks straight, as he did before I got here, and stays still. The LED flashes blue as he does. Apparently he wasn't processing information anymore... I had read up on androids last night. For a good two hours I had read through programming files from cyber life, thing so probably shouldn't have. The weird thing? When I looked for Markus' model number I couldn't find a match. To add to that, when I look at all of Markus' clothing not one model number shows up. Perhaps he had changed his appearance drastically, but androids weren't made to do that. They could only manage small subtle changes in their appearance. They were only designed to differ from regular intend so much. Markus? He was a new type of android. The question was, why was my father keeping him.

"Your father is in his office, if you were wondering." Markus suddenly spoke, his head turning to look at me. I tilt my head at the movement. Markus was fidgeting almost nervously. His hands were twitching by his side and one of his feet was rubbing against the other. One thing was for sure, Markus was the most human robot ever created.

~
1st week

"You know I can't paint worth a dime, father." A smile spreads across my face as I admire the canvas in front of me. It spoke to me, with blue eyes staring at me like they had a secret to tell. Orange seeped from the top of the canvas. It made me think, and wonder how much my father had fallen in recent years. Nevertheless it was impressive.

I reach out to touch the artwork, my hand running over to bulges and intentions in the paint. I had always liked to admire my father's work. Even when I was a child I would sneak into my father's office and look at every painting he ever made. Each of them seemed to hold similarities I would point out, sometimes even telling my father about them when he would walk in on me. Each one just seemed to fit into another painting. Almost like he zoomed in on an old painting and threw it on a canvas.

This painting, however, was not my father's doing. The eyes were too realistic and clear, the colors too differing and catastrophic together. No, this was not my father's doing at all. Someone else had painted this, question is who. I run my hand down the painting and glance to the right side. No signature. Amateur artist. Perhaps a student of my father's?

"Who painted this? It's magnificent, really." I say, turning to my father. He was sitting behind me with Markus holding onto the handles. He was ready to move at a seconds notice and I knew Markus would push him wherever he needed to go. At my words my father seemed to smile, pointing back at Markus. The android was staring at me in confusion, perhaps shock, as I spoke about the painting behind me.

"Markus made that?" I look back at the painting before snorting, shaking my head at the idea. The colors and the eyes of the painting pack it full of color. Whoever truly painted this was feeling cramped and confined in the life he was living. Androids were meant to feel no emotion. Markus, no matter how special he seemed, was still an Android. "That's impossible, Android's have no creativity. He must have copied it at the most."

I watch as my father offers me a smile before shaking his head. With a pat on Markus' hand the android pushes him forwards. When my father gents close I bend down to my knees, wanting to hear what he had to say. My father's presence was still as strong as it had been. A wheelchair changed nothing, however, Markus' existence in this household seemed to add weight to entire ordeal. As I ready myself to speak to my father I could practically feel him listening in.

"Markus is different, as I'm sure you've looked into." My father offers his bright smile, hiding the morbid concepts he knew I would understand. My father knew me enough to know I was smart. Smart enough to at least know about the deviants that had been whispered about. The news had been blasting out stories of them from around the country. Cyberlife androids that turn on humans and attack their owners. My eyes shift to watch Markus wearily. Oddly enough his eyes were on me too. When he sees me looking he offers a small smile, making my eyes widen and me look away. My father was suddenly against my ear, whispering so only I could hear. "He will free them."