Going Numb

-{4}-

When we arrive in Ravendale, it's raining. While Hank talks to officers, Connor simply stands by the car. I, on the other hand, lean against the glass wall of a gas station to keep out of the rain. I look up when Hank walks back over.

"It took the first bus that came along," Connor says, "and stayed at the end of the line. Its decision wasn't planned, it was driven by fear." Hank scoffs.

"Androids don't feel fear," he says. I roll my eyes.

"Deviants do," I say. Connor nods.

"They get overwhelmed by their emotions and make irrational decisions." Hank sighs.

"Ah well, that still doesn't tell us where it went." Connor nods.

"It didn't have a plan, and it had nowhere to go," he says. I look up at him, then to Hank.

"Maybe it didn't go far..." Hank looks between the two of us.

"Maybe..." We look around the area, and I notice a section of fence by an abandoned house that's been cut loose.

"Connor!" I yell. He runs over, and I point to the broken fence. "Look." He bends down to examine the fence, and I kneel beside him. "Anything?" He nods, standing up.

"Blue blood," he says. My eyes widen, and I bend down, pushing the fence back. "Anybody home?" I grunt as I crawl through the fence, Connor following behind me. "There's blue blood on the fence. I know another android was here." I walk up to the creepy house and slowly push the door open. Inside is an android in a green suit with a torn green cloak.

"We're looking for an AX400," Connor says. "Have you seen it?" The android shakes his head.

"Ralph's seen nobody," he responds. He's shaking. I step toward him slowly. I smile.

"Don't be afraid," I tell him. "We're not gonna hurt you." He looks up at me, looking slightly relieved. Slightly. "Are there any other androids here?" Ralph looks back down.

"Other androids?" he asks. "No...Ralph is alone..." I frown. He's lying.

"There's blue blood on the fence," Connor says suddenly. "I know another android was here." I sigh. Guess we're going good-cop-bad-cop. Ralph looks at me, then back at Connor.

"Ralph scratched himself coming through," he says. "That's Ralph's blood." I nod and look back at Connor. He nods, and I walk into the kitchen. The markings 'rA9' are covering the walls, just like in the shower at the house last night. I frown. What is rA9?

"Is anyone upstairs?" I hear Connor call.

"No," Ralph says. "Nobody." I continue looking around the kitchen for a while but eventually go back to the living room.

"Find anything?" Connor asks. I sigh and shake my head.

"No," I tell him. "Nothing." Connor looks around the living room, and I chuckle. "Might want to take a look upstairs though. Just in case. You wanna handle that?" He looks at me, and I swear he rolls his eyes.

"No problem," he says. I chuckle and continue looking around the living room. I notice a box sitting in front of the space under the stairs and walk over to it. Peeking around it, I manage to catch a glimpse of white hair before I'm grabbed from behind.

"Run!" Ralph yells. "Quick! Kara!" A woman with short white hair, the deviant, I'm guessing, and a young girl run out from the space as Ralph holds me back. I hear Connor running upstairs. As the two runout of the room, Ralph throws me to the floor, backing away from me as he shakes his head. The door opens.

"Connor, Arna, what's going on?" Hank asks. Connor runs down the stairs and over to me, helping me off the floor.

"It's here!" he yells. "Call it in!" He runs after the deviant, and I quickly follow after him. We run outside, and Connor goes up to an officer. "Which way did it go?"

"That way!" the officer responds. "They're headed for the train station!" Connor runs off, and I nod to the officer before following him. I catch up to him as we look around.

"They're over there!" we hear. I look to the side to see the deviant helping the younger girl over a fence that leads to the highway. I don't wait for Connor as I run after them and start climbing the fence. They land on the ground as I start up.

"Arna!" I hear Connor yell. I look back to see him running up with an officer behind him. He looks back at the officer as I reach the top of the fence. "Don't shoot! We need it alive!" He looks up at me. "You're going to get yourself killed!" I shake my head and jump off the fence, sliding down the muddy hill.

Software Instability^

3rd Person POV

Connor watches as Arna follows the deviant. Hank runs up behind him, breathing heavily.

"Oh fuck," he says. "That's insane." Connor sighs and begins to climb the fence. "Hey! Where you goin'?" Connor looks down at him.

"I can't let them get away," he says.

"They won't!" Hank assures him. "They'll never make it to the other side. Arna'll get 'em." Connor shakes his head.

"I can't take that chance," he says before climbing again. Hank pulls him down.

"Hey, you will get yourself killed!" he exclaims.

"So will she!" Connor yells.

"That was her choice! Do NOT go after 'em, Connor, that's an order!" Connor sighs and looks at Arna, now reaching the track.

          Obey Hank

Follow Arna

Aaaaaaand THIS is the reason I started posting this story in the first place. I was originally just gonna write it all out but then I found that I didn't want to bring myself to make some of these more important choices, sooooooooo..........

I'M gonna leave that up to you guys! SO-

Comment here if you want Connor to listen to Hank and stay put and-

Comment here if you want Connor to follow Arna onto the highway!

UPDATE: polls have come in from other resources, so the next part should be up soon!