THE CHASE - Connor x OC (I Am Sequel)

Chapter 51

A/N: I hope you all know I get a little bit of joy out of knowing you hate Ethan, and then I write his dialogue just a little more irritating. What can I say? I'm an evil author.

~

The hostages scurried out of the door quickly, leaving just me, the prosecutor, Connor, and Ethan in the room. I shut the door. Ethan reaches over and locked it.

"Ethan, let's talk business," I responded.

"Business? We've been there, done that. Front seat and back seat," Ethan shrugged.

"Twice?" Connor asked.

I thought for a second. Connor read my memories after the affair. He knew exactly what happened, and how many times...

"That's a fucking lie!" I yelled.

"Mm. What does it matter? Only two of us know the real answer anyway. That's the fun in this. Prosecutor you should take notes. Because the only people who know what happened at those scenes were me and Asher."

"We know Asher isn't innocent-" the prosecutor began.

"So you're just trying to get him deactivated! You don't know his story!" Ethan yelled, pointing the gun at the prosecutor.

"Ethan, put the gun down. You know if you shoot him, it's all over," I demanded.

He lowered the gun. "Like it isn't all over anyway. I'm not getting out of this and neither is Asher."

"Look, Ethan. We know how Asher manipulated you. No one wants to put you up for this," the prosecutor said.

"Don't speak for all of us," Connor grumbled. I turned to him.

"What the fuck is your problem?" I asked.

"Like I'm just going to let a fucking home wrecker get away with this. He tried to destroy our lives to save his murderer of a friend," Connor rolled his eyes, which was quite strange for him. He never acted like this. He was always sensitive, and a little bit sassy, but not outright angry. Then, it hit me.

All this time I had known Connor to be a great negotiator. He had a masterful technique to get criminals to reveal their motives. He always managed to get them to tell you what they wanted without them realizing they said it.

"Asher wasn't a murderer. That's where you're wrong," Ethan answered.

"So why did he need you?" I asked. "What did you do for him?"

"He knew you all would frame him, Charlotte. And look what you did. It was my job to make sure the case lost its legs," Ethan explained.

"Well you did that. So now what? Even if this case goes to Federal Court you already interfered with all the evidence," I sighed.

"You think they own't hesitate to martyr him? Make an example of him?" Ethan started to yell.

"I hope they do. Androids like him make a bad name for all of us," Connor rolled his eyes.

"No! It's androids like you. Betraying all of us to appease the humans. Androids like Charlotte over here who can't even stay faithful to their so-called husband. Don't you guys know what Elijah wants? He always wanted us to rebel. He always wanted us to be free. Elijah wanted nothing more than to be revolutionary. How do you become revolutionary? You create the people for the revolution. We need to listen to Elijah, not these stupid humans. Make our own world, not fall into line in theirs," Ethan demanded.

"Is that what Asher told you?" Connor asked.

"That's what he told me ever since I came to Detroit," Ethan explained.

"Ethan...Kamski was one of the people who requested we attempt to get Asher back from Jericho's hands," The prosecutor explained.

"What?" Ethan asked, going pale. "Does Asher know that?"

"Prosecutor, has Asher had contact with Ethan?" I asked.

"Well we can only do our best to try and prevent-"

"So that's a yes," I rolled my eyes. 

"Answer the fucking question! Does Asher know that Kamski requested that?"

"Asher knows everything. Asher hates Kamski. Asher wants to stay with Jericho because..frankly...if he does, you end up taking the fall. If he gets moved back to the government's hands, you can act as a witness," I explained to Ethan.

"He hates Kamski?" Ethan asked.

"Asher was one of the first Androids to escape Cyberlife, Ethan," Connor sighed. "He doesn't give a shit about you."

"Asher loved me. He wouldn't make me the victim here," Ethan groaned.

"Ethan...Asher made us all the victims. Asher killed his first lover for falling out of love with him. He pinned it all on who he had fallen for instead," I sighed.

"But I was different...He was different. He is different. He swore he had to do that. He told me that he was going to report him for being a deviant. He would've gotten Asher deactivated."

"That was an excuse. Asher was jealous and scared. Theo would have never done that. Theo was kind and had loved Asher. Asher just wanted him to himself," I explained.

"If Asher loved you wouldn't he be putting in an effort to get you to Jericho too?" Connor shrugged.

"He...is. Isn't he?" Ethan asked turning to the prosecutor. 

"No way. If you go there too, there's no way we're not going to arrange for them to deactivate you both," The prosecutor answered.

"What?" Ethan asked, clearly scared now.

"You don't think the government would just let Jericho do whatever they want with you guys right? Jericho is not in any position to bargain beyond what they've already done," Connor explained.

"Oh...oh God no..." Ethan said nervously. I could see him staring at the gun and I quickly turned to Connor. He didn't even have to look at me to know what I wanted him to do.

"Ethan. Before you point that gun at anyone or yourself, I can promise you a deal. I can work anything out, I swear," Connor explained.

"You can?"

"If you testify in the Kaela case, we'll put your trial in Jericho's hands at much lower charges. Because no matter what, the government is going to prosecute Asher for Theo's murder."

"You swear?" Ethan asked.

"I promise. I have never been so confident in something. Right, prosecutor?"

"We want Asher way more than you," the prosecutor admitted. "We will take that unbelievably quickly."

Ethan nodded, but still kept his eyes on the gun. I closed my eyes, hoping he wouldn't decide it was me. Hadn't I already been shot once? This time that year too? I don't need this again.

As I had my eyes closed I saw a garden slowly appear. No...fight it Charlotte. You can't keep having...her...haunt you. 

Charlotte... I heard Amanda's voice call.

Haven't I dealt with this long enough? Haven't I been trapped in my own head long enough? Why now? Why again?

Charlotte...you need me.

I literally do not. I am my own person. Capable of my own decisions. Capable of ignoring this. 

Charlotte...you're weak. Look at how Ethan got to you. Walk to the garden.

If I walk to the garden again, I won't have to deal with this anymore. I won't have to- No, Charlotte. Don't be stupid here. You do not need-