THE CHASE - Connor x OC (I Am Sequel)

Chapter 22

I tried to relax, but being in the car with Ethan was a little...distracting. Ethan is...confusing. He constantly contradicts himself. What stands out the most, is how he mocks me and thinks of me as a terrible detective, but then will act like he places the investigation in my trusting hands. I'm both an idiot for thinking that there's something else in the case and an absolute genius for considering it. Maybe he's just playing his cards so that if I'm right, he can say he thought so all along. Maybe that's all he's doing.

"This question is going to seem a bit odd. Did you have to pass any physical tests for your position at DPD?" Ethan asked, shrugging.

"Uh. No. I was unboxed there, and then after the revolution...we all just kind of got to keep our jobs. I had a stint as head security at Jericho, but that was it."

"You were head of security at Jericho? That place is huge!" Ethan announced.

"Well, it wasn't at the time. It was just another borough of Detroit."

"And why did you quit? That's like a police commissioner job."

"I missed working with Nick, and...not to mention it was really creepy that one of the detectives was an advanced version of my then-boyfriend. Who had been designed to kill him. And at the same time...I had an advanced version of me who was designed to kill me somewhere out there. The whole situation was weird,"

"Oh. You have an ex?"

"No, no. I just mean before Connor and I were married."

"Ah. You didn't seem like the type."

"What type?" I asked.

"The type to have an ex," Ethan shrugged.

"The question still stands: What type?" I emphasized. Is there a type of woman to have an ex? I feel like that's a fairly universal experience, and I'm the weirdo for not having an ex.

"Like...the non-monogamous type."

"Is having an ex and being monogamous mutually exclusive?"

"No...but I got the sense that you're quite the monogamist. One and done."

"I got lucky," I sighed.

"I don't mean to be 'that guy' but did you get lucky or did you get algorithmic?"

"God. What are you going on about?" I asked. Ethan absolutely irritates me with this nonsense.

"Well...there's Asher Kam's family. They are...Connor and you. I'm sorry to be that way, but that's sort of reality. Isn't it almost algorithmic that you two would end up together?"

"I...don't care," I sighed. I couldn't lie very well. I felt my chest get tight at the idea that it was a sham. "I mean, Connor and I aren't absolutely perfect. We act like we are...people don't think we argue. But we do. We have problems."

"So...you're simultaneously a perfect couple and a belligerent one?" Ethan asked. "Isn't that a contradiction?"

He has some nerve.

"Ethan. Why do you have to discuss my relationship all the time?" I begged to know. At this point, it's a theme.

"Fine. You're right. You don't know much about me. What would you like to know?" Ethan asked.

"Did I indicate at all that I want to know anything about you?" I bit back.

"Ouch," Ethan sighed.

"Fine. Fine. You're from the UK, right? Who owned you before the revolution?"

"I was a barista for a small cafe on the East end."

"You're kidding me. Right?"

"No. I am literally not kidding you. I have all of this executive function and these extra design capabilities...and Cyberlife made me a barista. After the revolution...I actually wasn't awakened for a week or two. As soon as I was though, I knew I wanted to work in law enforcement. The FBI was hiring, because they sort of lost a ton of workforce after the revolution. Here I am," He shrugged.

"So...do you have friends or family?"

"My supervisor, back at the FBI. We're pretty close. Other than that, nope," Ethan shrugged. I started to feel a little bad for the guy. Maybe he's just this way because he doesn't have people around him. "But hey! Nothing to worry about. I work too much anyway."

"Why don't you make some friends while you're here in Detroit?"

"Yeah, Charlotte. That's what I've been trying to do."

Oh, well. Now I feel stupid.

"Well...you've done a great job!" I cheered.

"Really? You, Nick, and Connor all seem to hate me. I think only Hank is even neutral towards me."

"Well, I like you. I mean, I have to trust you. I don't just do this kind of work with anyone," I explained. "But as for Nick, Nick's on paternity leave anyway. And Connor doesn't matter. Connor is sensitive right now."

"Sensitive? Is that what you call that? I call that jealousy in my line of work."

"I mean, wouldn't you be a little jealous of a sexy British man showed up and your wife had to work with him?"

"Oh, I'm sexy now?"

"To Connor," I joked.

"That sounded like you talking," Ethan smirked.

"It wasn't," I sighed. I'm just feeding his ego at this point.

"You know it's not infidelity to just admit that you find other people attractive. Not to toot my own horn but I am a sexy British man. That's just the reality."

"Yeah. Great job not tooting your own horn," I sighed. "It doesn't have to be infidelity for it to make me uncomfortable."

"So you're admitting that you're attracted to me, and that it makes you uncomfortable?"

"Ethan, no," I answered.

"No, what? No you're not attracted to me or no it doesn't make you uncomfortable."

"No, everything. Just shut up and drop me off," I sighed. "Aren't you supposed to be a fucking psychoanalyst or some shit? Learn to psychoanalyze then. I don't want to fuck you or whatever the hell you think is going on here."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm just messing with you."

"It's not fucking funny."

"Fine. I'm sorry. I really am. You'll have to excuse me but sometimes I just...I don't pick up on things. That's a terrible thing for a Behavioral Analyst, but here we are," Ethan shrugged.

I had the fleeting feeling that Ethan knew exactly what he was saying and doing, but I shrugged it off and away.

~
Hi guys!

It's Andrea! A short update hiatus will be coming after this. I've had terrible writers block. I've only been able to get out about 2 chapters, and my stock of chapters is too short to keep it going for right now. The hiatus will only be a week - so a new chapter will be published: July 14th, 2019.

I'll let you guys know right now too! I also start college back in August and have a very busy week around then. There will almost definitely be a two week hiatus in August (maybe just a one chapter per week situation rather than a full hiatus then).

Thanks guys,

Andrea