Compatibility

30

"We're not going to have to do anything.. dangerous, right?" Simon asked sheepishly as they both walked through the garden walkway, side by side. It had become apart of their routine whenever they would go somewhere together, it did take longer to get to wherever they needed to be, but neither were complaining. "No, he's just going to update us on where he is with the case." Markus looked over at Simon who seemed tense. "Hey." He bumped his shoulder lightly. "It's gonna be fine." He smiled reassuringly.

-

"Markus, Simon! I'm glad you're here." Connor beamed. He rushed to both of them as soon as they entered. "Come with me." He grabbed both of their wrists and looked over at Hank. Hank nodded and Connor began leading them to the evidence room. He stopped before he opened the the door to go downstairs. "Whatever happens down here, stays down here. Got it?" His tone was so harsh and strict that Markus and Simon shared a look, but both eventually nodded. Connor let go of their wrists and opened the door. "Listen, I think I've got something." Connor said as he lead the way. When they all got to the bottom, they were presented with a transparent door. Connor swung it open with no hesitation. He stepped in and Markus and Simon did the same. Markus thought this room seemed too empty to be an evidence room. "Before I actually looked into your case, I was busy with other cases. Hank and I were looking through some files and I noticed one in particular." He laid his hand on the monitor in the middle of the room and the skin around it dissolved.

All of a sudden, the walls that were once black and stale, arose to reveal files, monitors and.. a dead android... Markus's mouth hung slightly open. Connor walked to the box filled with case files and began scavenging through it. He eventually stopped and pulled one out. "This one." He walked over to Simon and Markus and laid the file on the monitor in front of them. "After you demonstrated for your people, androids who didn't even participate in the march became deviant. They either saw you from the news, or something in their program malfunctioned." He flipped the file open and pointed to a picture. "This is an LM100 model, also known as Jayden Sunny. A week after the revolution, he ran into the precinct in a panic. He was screaming how something was wrong with him, and it was on the inside. I didn't know what he meant at first, but now I think I understand. The police escorted him out, so he never got a chance to explain. I forgot about it for the next few days. Focused on more important cases, that was until you came."

Connor walked back to the box and slipped out another file. He laid it flat on the monitor, just as he did the first. "I recorded it, I tried to make it an official case. But Captain Fowler concluded that it was just another crazy android.. like Jayden Sunny." Connor sighed deeply. He was frustrated and Markus could sense it. "But I knew you weren't crazy, so I investigated anyway. I looked through other files to see it there were other cases with the same description as yours. Turns out, there are. A good handful. Humans, especially cops, are still very suspicious about the idea of having androids with free will, so it doesn't surprise me why we didn't look further into this." He separated both of the files and closed them, slipping them back into the box.

Connor walked toward the hanging android on the wall. "This is an ST300 model, her name is Mina Tiffiny. While I was investigating, I was able to get in touch with her. She claims she felt someone messing with her in standby?.. I wanted to believe her but I needed proof. She had none, but she said afterwards she started glitching out and losing herself. Again, I didn't know what that meant at the time. Yesterday, I wanted to discuss with her again to make sure I wasn't missing anything. She agreed to meet, but before that could happen, word started spreading that there had been a disassembled android found in a dump. Our men checked it out and, just like the news had said, she was very badly damaged. They brought her back here and I was able to fix her as best as I could.." Markus didn't want to look at her. He felt a great sense of guilt, as if it was his fault.

"When I did, she activated for a couple seconds. I knew she wouldn't be able to tell me anything.. so I.. probed her memory..It wasn't much considering she wasn't conscious, but I was able to get a face. My face analysis protocol was able to identify a human, a man." Connor gave Simon and Markus a sharp look. "His name is Zlatko Andronikov. I'm sure you guys wouldn't recognize that name. He is the descendant of an aristocratic Russian family that fled to Russia at the time of the 1917 revolution and he was paying jail time for theft and fraud for a few years. There's not much information about him that I could find." Connor stated timidly. Markus looked over to the android hanging on the wall. He hated seeing it, and he wanted to help her.

"What's the plan?" Connor walked over to the computer that was installed on the wall and typed away. "Well since I had a face and a name, I was able to find an address. There's only one problem. Since this isn't exactly an.. open case, I'm not really supposed to have any other policemen come with me. We can't raid the house if there isn't enough people, it would be too dangerous." Connor stops for a second, then continues. "But Hank agreed to help me, he also convinced Gavin and Nines to come along. That makes four people." Markus stared intently at the floor.

"Five.. make that five people."

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Honestly, I love writing Connor. I feel like I can be more myself when I'm speaking for him. Its cause I have a feeling that Connor talks A LOT and I hate spreading dialogue out. It makes it longer to finish a chapter, but with Connor I feel since he analytical and very refined, he'll want to get straight to the point. And fast.

Also small self promo, you all should DEFINITELY follow my Instagram it's @/dechart.mp4 🤧 I make edits or whatever.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!