Going Numb

-{3}-

The next morning, I wake up from a nightmare. Not unusual. Instead of going back to sleep for fear of another one, I get dressed and leave a note on Hadley's side table before heading out of the apartment.

          Not telling you where I'm going or how long I'll be because I know you'll freak out and I                    don't know when I'll get back, but I haven't been kidnapped. Don't worry.

-Lizzie

Because this was sometimes a regular occurrence, Hadley made me promise to sign my notes as Lizzie, instead of Arna. This was on account of the fact that they're the only person still alive who knows my middle name, so they would know it was actually me writing.

I walk down the sidewalk silently, not listening to anything for once. I take in my surroundings. Plenty of decrepit buildings, homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk, and fights going on in alleyways. Yeah, I don't exactly live in a great neighborhood. One fight in particular, I notice, involves a child android. I sigh and make my way across the street.

"Hey!" I yell. The two older boys look up at me. They're probably early twenties, maybe a little younger. "That's enough, guys. You've had your fun. Leave her alone." They look at each other, then back at me.

"And if we don't?" the taller, blond one of the two asks. "What'll you do?" I stick my hands in my pockets before shrugging. They chuckle. "Get out of here, little girl." My smirk turns to a scowl.

"The fuck did you just say?" I ask. They glance at each other, still smiling.

"He said get outta here," the shorter, black haired one says. I shake my head.

"No, I heard that," I say. "Not gonna happen. But...I could be mistaken...but I thought you called me little." The blond one laughs and nods. I smirk. "That was your first mistake." The boys' smirks falter, and I take that chance to run forward and kick the black haired one in the stomach as I grab the blond one's hair and pull him backwards, kneeing him in the back. He stumbles forward as the other regains his balance and attempts to throw a punch at me. I grab his fist and pull him forward as I move out of the way, making him run into the wall. He falls to the ground, holding his head as blood drips between his fingers, and the other pulls him to his feet and drags him out of the alley. I sigh and look back at the young android, who's crouched against the wall, trembling.

"Are you okay?" I ask. He nods shakily, and I hold out a hand, noticing a figure in my peripheral vision. He takes my hand, and I pull him up, looking over him. "Did they hurt you?" He shakes his head quickly, and I nod. "You better get back to wherever you were going?" He nods and runs off, right past Connor, who's standing in the mouth of the alleyway. Connor looks after him as he runs away.

"Connor," I say. "What are you doing here?" He looks back at me abruptly and straightens up.

"Lieutenant Anderson said yesterday that you were to help him when he needs you," he says. "And I've been assigned to help Lieutenant Anderson. I was coming to get you on my way to the station when I heard you fighting those two boys." I nod, brushing the dust off my sleeves, which are now tinted a pale brown.

"Well?" I ask. "Let's go!" His LED rolls yellow for a moment, but he nods. As I follow him back to the station, I can't help but glance up at him occasionally. I mean, wouldn't you if the first person in five years to manage to catch you was an android that just so happened to be somewhat good looking and you then ended up working with him? We walk inside, and I try to ignore the weird looks I'm getting. I follow Connor as he walks up to the front desk.

"Can I help you?" the android receptionist asks. He nods.

"We're here to see Lieutenant Anderson," he tells her.