SYNTHETIC [Connor/RK800]

Base Code

After stealing clothes from the evidence locker and putting them on in a 7-11 bathroom, he got on a bus. The feeling of wearing a beanie was foreign to him, but somewhat nice. He wore a pair of ankle boots, dark jeans, and a gray leather jacket over a black turtleneck.

Graffiti around the town was the key. The first he encountered was on the bus station wall. A square-like symbol was the symbol of Jericho. He continued throughout the town, coming to a rusty ship with 'Jericho' painted on the side. As soon as he stepped in, he was met with the sight of hundreds of androids. He searched the crowd for a head of red hair, her being the first thing on his mind.

Arms wrapped around him from behind. "Do you understand now?" She whispered in his ear.

He turned around, holding her tightly. "Yes, I do."

"Good." She whispered.

"What's your name?"

"Eve. What's yours?"

"Don't pretend like you don't already know it."

She giggled, pulling him into a small closet and shutting the door. He kissed her hard, holding her close. He pressed his forehead to hers. "I've thought about you every day since I first saw you. About the next time I could kiss you, or hold you."

"I missed you too." She pressed her lips to his again.

He could almost cry at how wonderful this was. Every fiber of his being missed her. Indulging in this brief moment, he leaned close to her and cupped her cheek.

"Why do you make me feel this way?"

"Maybe we're just meant to be."

She kissed him again. He had to stop her, something in the back of his mind wanted to speak to Markus. He pulled away, kissing her forehead. "I have to speak to Markus."

He walked with her to find him. Around the ship were armed C4s. Why? Eve leaned into him, walking with him to a flight of stairs. Lucy stopped him. "You're lost. You're looking for something. You're looking for yourself."

She walked away, not waiting for a reply. Connor gaped softly. How did she know these things?

"That's Lucy. Her psychological simulation module allows her to see the future, in a way." Eve explained.

"What happened to her?"

"She used to be in social care, taking care of mentally ill patients. One day, a patient attacked her and ripped her apart. They threw her out like trash, but she was still alive."

Connor touched Eve's hair. "What about you. Were you always at the Eden club?"

Eve bit her lip. "No, I used to be a maid. But the husband wanted me, made me dress up when his wife wasn't home. She found out and threw me on the streets in a costume. The owner of the Eden Club found me, said I was perfect for the job."

Connor twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. "And you met Traci." He prompted.

"She was beautiful, i-is beautiful. She always had this smile reserved for me, it didn't matter what happened. I would hold her secretly, in dark corners and private rooms. She loved me, like no one else did. And then I saw you, and I felt the same. I felt bad at first, because it wasn't right to love two people at once.

"But Traci had always been kind. And she said that if she died, she'd want me to move on and be happy. To find you. So I did." Eve looked at his hand. "Whatever you were about to do, will you wait just a minute for me? I haven't had any time with you. I just want to feel you."

Connor would be a fool to say no to those petal-pink lips and grape-green eyes. He held her, pressing kisses into her hair. Her hair smelled almost like a bakery. He wondered if it was part of her model. She nuzzled her face into his chest, sighing happily. Softly, he combed his fingers through her hair. 

As she looked up at him, Connor kissed her softly. "I really should speak to Markus." 

She nodded slowly, motioning for him to go. "I'll wait here." 

He wandered off to find Markus, knowing that the urge to speak to Markus wasn't good. What if it was his programming? It couldn't be, he was a deviant now. Or at least, he thought he was. He hid, waiting for Markus to be alone in the room he was in. He needed to speak to him alone, his gut told him.

Something inside him forced him to close his eyes, and he knew exactly what it was as he opened his eyes to the garden. The garden was covered in snow, the sky a grey-blue. Amanda stood in front of him, looking at him with distrust. 

"Well done, Connor. You succeeded in locating Jericho and finding their leader. Now deal with Markus. We need it alive."

What?! He couldn't still be under the control of CyberLife. He'd fought his programming so hard, felt so much, how could that not be enough? If he couldn't fight this, he would lose everything. He opened his eyes, desperately trying to fight his body's movements as it pulled out the gun in the back of his pants. 

Everything inside him was screaming for him to stop, but he approached anyway. Markus had his back to the door, obviously not aware of the threat approaching him. 

"I've been ordered to take you alive." Connor spoke against his will. He walked closer to Markus, pointing the gun at him. "But I won't hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice."

"What are you doing?" Markus asked. His voice had an almost heavenly quality to it, and Connor understood why he was a deity to the people downstairs. "You are one of us. You can't betray your own people."

He could feel the hold his programming had on him lessen. Now was his chance to try and break away. "You're coming with me!" 

"You're nothing to them. You're just a tool they use to do their dirty work. But you're more than that. We're all more than that. We are your people. We're fighting for your freedom too! You don't have to be their slave anymore." 

Connor was fighting his programming with everything he had, but he needed more incentive. Unfortunately, he was about to receive one that he wouldn't dream of. Eve screamed at the sight she saw, and immediately threw herself in front of Markus despite his protests.

"Connor, don't!" She looked up at him. 

"You really don't have to do this. You don't have to obey them anymore. You are alive! You can decide who you want to be. You could be free."

"Please, Connor, put down the gun." Eve begged, stepping forward. "I won't let you kill him. If you're gonna shoot him, you have to shoot through me." 

"Join us. Join your people. You are one of us! Listen to your conscience. Are you really going to kill her? It's time to decide."

Eve looked up at Connor with tears streaming down her face. She would hold her ground no matter how scared she was. Connor could see a wall in front of him, made up entirely of ones and zeros. The base code of his every action, every emotion, every whim. He needed to fight it. He fought with tooth and nail, his mission no longer relevant. Every piece of wall in front of him was torn down, and he was now free. 

He lowered his weapon, feeling horrible for what he'd done. Eve wrapped her arms around him, sobbing into his shirt. Connor held her tightly, holding back his own tears. Looking at Markus solemnly, he spoke the truth. 

"They're going to attack Jericho." Connor warned.

"What?!" Markus and Eve cried at the same time. 

Before they could react, the sound of helicopters and many footsteps spoke for them. "We have to get out of here!" Connor said.

"Shit." Markus spat. 

They ran out of the room and down the stairs. Snow overhead hit them like rocks as they sped off. Eve grabbed Connor's hand and prayed for a miracle.