The end of the day came and Connor watched Anderson power off his terminal and get his coat. Connor was uncomfortable with the idea of going home with him, but another part was intrigued. What was life like outside of work for the Lieutenant? Connor closed Rupert's book and put it in the pocket inside his jacket. It barely fit, but that was alright.
Hank groaned when he got outside and saw Connor behind him. Connor just gave him another apologetic smile. His orders were clear, and despite the small hindrance this would have on the investigation, Connor didn't mind the opportunity to get out of the DPD. Lieutenant Anderson didn't seem as enthusiastic.
As soon as they got to the Lieutenant's house, Sumo ran out to sniff at Connor. Connor knelt down to greet the dog. He liked dogs, and he knew this one was a friend.
"I swear to god if you don't get in here I'm going to lock you outside all night." Hank warned. Connor stood and watched as the dog ran off.
"What about Sumo?"
"Let the dog shit in peace, alright? Come on!"
Connor hadn't thought about a dog's biological needs, but once he did, it made sense. Sumo must be allowed to roam the yard often. His heavy fur would keep him warm even in the lower temperatures, and the dog was above healthy weight which would help keep him warm as well. Connor marked dog ownership on his list of inquiries. He would have to look up common practices later. He was not trained for dogs, but he was curious.
He walked into the house and surveyed the sight in front of him. The house was much more of a mess than it had been during his last visit. There was old takeout containers, clothes, and old bottles strewn on every surface and parts of the floor. Connor could imagine leave had not helped Anderson's mental state at all.
Anderson was grabbing a chair from the kitchen. He set it right next to the door, then looked at Connor.
"Sit. That's your spot, got it?"
Connor obeyed. "Whatever you say, Lieutenant."
Hank muttered something under his breath, then went back to the kitchen for a beer. Connor had hoped for a bit more freedom, but he was technically able to do what he needed from the chair, so he stayed where he was as Anderson drank his beer and waited to let Sumo back in.
Anderson spent most of the evening watching the TV and drinking. Connor wondered if most of the other things in the living room were used often, but the layers of dust and dog hair answered that question. Several times through the night Anderson yelled at the TV despite the futility of the action. It was obvious this was the extent of Hank's home life for the evening.
Connor closed his eyes and opened them in the garden. The spotless stone walkways contrasted Hank's house sharply, and Connor smiled. The contrast between the world and CyberLife was the same. He knew what CyberLife was and what it wasn't. The real world was messy and disorganized. It wasn't nearly as transparent. Still, it had its own curious sort of pleasantries. Connor had been made for the outside world. No matter how uncomfortable it made him, he knew it was the true test of his model. Something CyberLife had tried to recreate, but never could.
"Hello, Connor." Amanda called as he walked towards her. She was sitting on a stone next to the neatly raked sand. Connor sat on a stone near her. "Isn't it lovely here? Quiet and clean. I could stay here forever."
Connor looked out at the garden he had come to love. He didn't come here as often as he once had. The outside world was demanding on his time. He still loved this place, though. It was his escape.
"What news do you have?" Amanda brought his thoughts back to the topic at hand.
"Unfortunately, not much on the case. It seems Lieutenant Anderson was on leave after the previous model was destroyed. Nothing was accomplished since then."
