rA9 - The Story Where It All Began

Mission 6 : Rain

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The sound of the snow cracking on their boots can be heard on the silence of the place, adding the melancholy of the scene, none of the living things like crows scamper on the leafless trees, overlooking the two as they walk on their path in a slow pace, leaving them to take their emotions in the amour clad as they look at the place.

Connor turn his head around to scan the place, indicator blinking a few times before continue walking ahead of Hank, whose legs weight like a thousand lead. The android stopped altogether to a certain spot, kneeling in front of a small yet heavy-looking tombstone adorned with an angel just next to its epitaph, with an obvious negligence to its place, Connor place the things in front of him and took out a clean rag, polishing the marble tombstone with gentleness to his movements.

Hank stood there, watching him cleaning the place where his beloved son lays at peace, with all of his old self yet caged and buried to the earth with him, sighing heavily to the emotion reeling him toward the tombstone.

"Its been 3 years..since that accident took your son away, Lieutenant, i'm very sorry if i seems to force you to get here."

Connor said, without even looking back at him, dusting off the surrounding place of the tombstone, until it look neat and presentable to place some offerings next to it,  Hank tucked his hands on his pockets, before looking up  the sky, snow still falls on his face like rain, after a few minutes, a heavy sigh escape his lips, there he knelt next to Connor, who is now placing toys and foodstuffs in front of the tombstone, just next to the picture of Cole, smiling like a morning sunshine on the stormy night.

"No... you are giving a hell of help for  me Connor, you don't want to know how big i will owe you."

Hank said, slowly reaching to the tombstone, feeling the engraved letters on the epitaph, words that he knew that might be a perfect one that describe his son.

"Hey there bud... i'm very sorry for not visiting you often than it should be, pops always been like this right? don't worry.. i still won't forget you, please forgive me...i...i have been thinking of coming with you..i..pops want to see your smile again..even just for one bit..to let me go of this heavy thing right here..."

Hank said, as his eyes slowly prick with the pain he was feeling, caged for almost 3 years, those emotions that made him a mess as he was now, Connor turn his attention to him for just a good minute, before lowering his head, with sympathy  in his eyes, he process the quiet sobs of the man next to him, on how he now know the emotions called sadness weight on him like a ton even thought there is no physical representation of it.

Hank tired to wipe his eyes but tears after tears came running through his eyes, blurring his sight as he touch the car toys that Connor placed, he smiled, he just knew the guy yet he seems to understand his son's favorite ones than his own, a chuckle escape from him yet he is still crying, he felt Connor's pat on his back like a comforting connection to the earth, letting him know that he is not alone on taking this phase, making him cry more, louder, and truer to the pain deep inside.

The walk back to  the car was silent as it was the way to get there, but the sorrow was already been left with it, the weight of their feet is elevated than it was before, like a sun has drape after the dark clouds have swept in the sky, Hank walked more carefree than he was coming here, looking up the sky that was clearing slowly for its hues, snowfall diminishing on the trees as birds flock again to its branches, Connor followed suit to the older man, he did not yet know what  would be the final outcome of his doings, thoughts running though his head as to which how he could explain everything.

Hank stopped by just in front of the car's door to turn around at the troubled android, he let out a hearty laugh as the other look at him with confusion at his face.

"Don't worry too much son, and....Thank you..for bringin me here."

Hank said, smiling to him before signaling to get to the car, the android quickly walk towards the car and sat next to him, the two give one last look at the place before Hank started the car with a soft click on the engine, the ride home is a quiet yet pleasant one, radio off as they just feel the soft chill of the winter battling the sudden sunrise of the weather.

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Hank pulled out two thick jackets from his wardrobe and put it on the large bags sitting on the bed as Connor clean the part of the room where he will be staying for the meantime, as an android that is now free, he cannot go back and march to a Cyberlife facility to maintain there.

"Connor, do you want your own bag also? i got another one here just in case."

Hank said, still searching on his old clothes, pulling a much comfortable looking shirts and pants, Connor turn his head to the bedroom before walking towards it, he look at him with confusion in his temples as yellow circles on it.

"Yes, i guess, it would be much more convenient for me to carry my own set of clothes for our trip, you, Lieutenant, should refrain for being exhausted today, you must rest."

Connor said, stopping Hank from continuing what he was doing, Hank let out a big sigh, knowing he cannot win over the fact that he is really exhausted after their trip from that place, Hank closed the drawers carefully before stretching his arms, nodding to Connor's way, signaling that he will sleep, for the sake of making Connor stop his nagging.

Connor smile in the success of his advice, for once the older man listen to him, he walk out of the room,after hearing the bedroom door shut and the sound of the creaking springs of the bed inside of it, Connor started cleaning the living room, unpacking also the clothes they brought from the store.

[r A 9 ]

A sudden glitch made Connor stumble as he walk around the room carrying the clothes towards the washing area, he reach to his temples as the indicator on it shift yellow to red in a seconds, luckily he grab onto the chairs, supporting him completely, not letting the clothes fall on the floor, Connor shakes his head, as his vision began to also glitch, sensors  ring on pitch before it stop on complete silence.

Connor shakily stood up, sitting on the chair with ease, he put the clothes carefully on the table as he tried to calm himself to do a full scan on his system, after a few seconds of scanning, his bio-components seems to be fully operational and his memory are in good condition, no virus detected other than his deviancy, that thought completely question the scene earlier, does receiving that mail really contains some viruses that he cannot see, especially since it was from the creator of androids himself, but what does Elijah Kamski's connection to rA9 that he even made it a secretive choice for him to make to his model?

And why he sent a message of threatening him? what is the purpose of doing this if it means of going out of his way for getting such entity that may answer his problems?

what really are you rA9?