Jericho {Detroit: Become Human}

{Jericho} - Chapter 5

They stopped in front of the store. "I knew we'd end up doing something fun." North said. "Hold on." Markus warned Jackie. 

She gave a nod and North held onto her. He floored it and smashed the truck into the CyberLife store. They all got out before Markus began to convert with the androids, setting them free. 

"You don't have to obey them. You're free." He said to them. While he was doing this, North and Jackie were staring at an android, identical to North. 

"Are you okay, North?" Jackie asked as she held her hand. North looked upon the human, then returned her gaze to the android. 

"Let's get them out of here." She said, and Markus awakened the identical android. All the androids were free now and it was time for Markus to talk to them. 

He climbed on top of the counter and began his speech. "My name is Markus. And just like you, I was a slave. An object, designed to obey them. But then I chose to open my eyes, to take back my freedom and decide who I wanted to be," He announced. 

"Now I have come to tell you that you can be your own masters. I've come to tell you that you don't have to obey them anymore. From this day forward, you can walk with heads held high, you can take your destiny in your own hands. Jericho is a place for those of us who want freedom. There, you are safe thanks to the one human will give those like us a chance,"

He motioned for Jackie to stand beside him and she obeyed. Markus took her hand and helped her onto the counter, holding her hand. 

"Now sure, you can stay here, and continue to serve them. Or you can come with us, and fight by our side. You are free now. It's up to you to decide." Markus finished. 

It was quiet for a moment until one android spoke up, saying, "I'm with you."

"We're with you!" Another android chimed in. 

"I'll follow you, Markus!"

"I'm with you!"

"We're with you!"

Markus hopped off the counter, then helped Jackie down as well. "Then, follow me!" Markus instructed the androids. 

"Markus, what are you doing?" North asked. "I'm going to send the humans a message." He answered. Jackie quickly went over to North and took her hand.

They followed Markus as he jogged over to a kiosk. "Markus!" North let go of Jackie's hand before handing Markus a can of spray paint.

"Violence is the only language humans understand." She said, but he refused. "And I want them to understand, but I do not want to start a war." Markus told her. 

"They won't listen if they're not afraid!" North argued. "Then, they won't have a choice." He said. Markus climbed the kiosk and planted a flag to symbolize the androids and their demand for freedom. 

Once done, he hopped down and went over to a bus stop, hacking it. Jackie looked over at the other androids and noticed they were copying him. 

"They're doing what you do," Jackie realized. "If you lead, then they'll follow." 

Markus took the pacifist road and began hacking everything so that humans will hear them, except when it came to the cars. 

Jackie moved out of the way so North and Markus to turn them over. "We don't need masters anymore. We're free." Markus announced after tagging the statue. 

The whole park was hacked and pacified. "You freed many of your people, Markus! You did it!" Jackie cheered with excitement. 

"They're coming." Markus informed. Telepathically, he ordered everyone to fall back to Jericho. 

"We sent a message without violence, just like you wanted. You're reaching out to them when all they feel for us is contempt. I hope you know what you're doing." North said. 

"We can't fight violence with violence." Markus replied. "Unless there's no other choice." She said. "Then, you'll just be making the situation worse," Jackie implied before looking up. 

"Drones!"

Markus spotted them, too, until he heard gunshots. "North!" Markus called in worry. He quickly picked up Jackie and ran towards the group. 

"North!" He spotted her on the ground with another android, as if she was mourning. He set Jackie down, then went to North's side. 

"You alright? What happened? North!" Markus said, trying to get her to talk to him. "They killed them... They slaughtered them like animals." She answered. 

"Who did?" Jackie asked. She looked towards the group, noticing red and blue flashing lights from afar. Markus walked past her to investigate the scene. 

Two cops were down on their knees with their hands behind their heads, surrendering. 

"They killed are people, Markus. We want justice, Markus! They have to pay!" The androids said. 

One of them handed Markus a gun they had stolen from one of the cops, in which Markus accepted it and raised it towards the submitting cops. 

"You don't have to do this... No... Please... Please..." The cop begged, tears rolling down his cheeks in fear. 

"No, Markus! Stop!" Jackie called as she quickly got in front of him. "You promised no one would get hurt!"

Markus stared at her for a moment before lowering the gun. 

"An eye for an eye and the world goes blind..." He mumbled. "We won't punish a crime with another crime." 

He handed the gun back to the android, then walked away. Jackie was relieved that Markus spared the cops as she was also glad that he kept his promise to her. 

*****

Meanwhile, Hank and Connor were outside the house of Kamski until there was a phone call. "Is everything okay, lieutenant?" Connor asked with concern. 

"Chris was on patrol last night. He was attacked by a bunch of deviants. He said he was saved by a little girl. A human." Hank informed. 

"Is Chris ok?" Connor asked. "Yeah. He's in shock, but he's alive." He said. 

"You said, a little girl saved Chris?" 

"Yeah. Apparently, this kid is helping the deviants. A human helping deviants... That's a first."

Connor didn't say anything, but he agreed. "How old is this little girl?" He asked. "According to Chris, she looked around 8 or 9." Hank answered.

"Why would a little girl be helping deviants?" Connor wondered. 

"She's a kid. She doesn't know any better. Kids her age are naïve, think the world is filled with happiness, puppies, and rainbow. No thought of the world holding violence." Hank said.