Going Numb

-{14}-

3rd Person POV

Markus walks over to Simon after talking to Josh and Kara. The blond looks up from the black haired android with her head in his lap as he sees his friend.

"They killed North right in front of me," Markus says. Simon frowns. "And I couldn't save her." He sighs. "What's the situation?"

"They're taking all our people to camps to be exterminated," Simon says. "In a few hours, we'll be the only ones left." Markus sighs and nods.

"How many people survived the attack?" Simon looks around.

"A few hundred," he says. Maybe more." He looks up at Markus. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't blown up Jericho." Markus shakes his head.

"They've already built five camps in the Detroit area alone."

"They're building camps all over the country. They're organizing our destruction. They're preparing for a genocide." Markus sighs and looks at the android who helped save them.

"Is she alright?" Markus asks. Simon looks back down at Arna and nods.

"She will be," he says.

"What happened? She was actually...hurt." Simon sighs.

"Her model...CT600...was really advanced," he says. "She was supposed to simulate both a caretaker and a child. Be a servant and a friend." He frowns. "They made her too...human." He looks up at Markus. "After she deviated, they never made another CT600. She's the only one." Markus nods.

"So she can feel pain?" Simon nods, looking back down at Arna.

"And get tired. Not as easily as humans, but after a week or so she has to sleep." Markus nods and leaves them alone, walking over to Connor.

"It's my fault the humans managed to locate Jericho," Connor says when he sees Markus. "I was stupid. I should've guessed they were using me." He looks up at him. "I'm sorry, Markus. I can understand if you decide not to trust me." Markus sighs.

"You're one of us, now. Your place is with your people." Connor nods before pushing himself off the wall.

"There are thousands of androids at the CyberLife assembly plant," he says. "If we could wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power." Markus frowns.

"You wanna infiltrate the CyberLife Tower?" he asks. "Connor, that's suicide." Connor sighs.

"They trust me, they'll let me in. If anyone has a chance of infiltrating CyberLife, it's me." Markus shakes his head.

"If you go there, they will kill you."

"There's a high probability...but statistically speaking, there's always a chance for unlikely events to take place." Markus sighs.

"Will you take Arna with you?" he asks. "She doesn't seem like the kind of person to let you do this alone." Connor sighs and shakes his head.

"No," he says. "She's in bad enough shape as it is. She has to stay here." Markus nods.

"Try talking to Simon," he says. "He might be able to help you with that." Connor nods. "And Connor? Be careful." Connor nods at him, and he walks up onto the stage. The androids in the church go silent.

"Humans have decided to exterminate us," Markus says. "Our people are packed in camps right now, being destroyed." He sighs. "The time has come to make a choice, one that very well may determine the future of our people." He pauses as he considers his options, but it doesn't take long. "I know...I know you're all angry. And I know you wanna fight back...but I assure you violence is not the answer here." Simon smiles from across the room. "We are gonna tell them peacefully that we want justice. If there's any humanity in them, they will listen. And if not, others will take our place and continue this fight. Are you ready to follow me?" The androids cheer around him, and he sighs. As Markus finishes speaking, Connor makes his way over to Simon. The blond looks up at the former deviant hunter.

"You're Connor, aren't you?" Simon asks. Connor nods, and Simon smiles, extending a hand. "I'm Simon." Connor shakes his hand. "She's gonna be okay.

"Is she...asleep?" Connor asks. Simon nods.

"She should be waking up soon. She'll be weaker, she's running low on thirium, but she's survived worse."

"How did she-"

"Feel it?" Connor nods. "I think you should ask her. Anything you ask-" He smiles. "-I have a feeling she'll answer."

"You guys talk really loud." Arna opens her eyes and pushes herself into a sitting position beside Simon, swinging her legs around to face Connor. "What are we talking about?" Simon shakes his head.

"Nothing," he says. Arna narrows her eyes at him, making him chuckle quietly, and Connor speaks up.

"I'm going to CyberLife," he says. They look up at him. "I'm going to try to wake up the androids they have in the warehouses." Arna shakes her head.

"Connor," she says, "they will kill you." He shrugs.

"They might not." Simon shakes his head.

"No, she's right," he says. "It's a suicide mission. If Markus knew-"

"Markus does know." He sighs. "I have to try." Arna stands up.

"I'm coming with you," she says. He looks down at her sadly.

"No," he says. "Not this time."

"Connor, without me, you might not even be here."

X - Let Her Come

O - Leave Her With Simon

X - Let Her Come

He sighs.

"It's dangerous." She sighs.

"Do you think I would come if it wasn't?" He arches an eyebrow. "Okay, so maybe I would, but that's not the point." She takes his hand in hers, looking up at him. "I'm with you." She smiles. "I always have been." He sighs and takes her other hand.

"I don't want to lose you." She cups his cheek and forces him to look at her.

"What do you think would happen to me if I lost you?" She sighs. "We're in this together, okay?" He sighs but nods.

"Okay."

O - Leave Her With Simon

"Exactly." He takes her hand. "Without you, I wouldn't be here." He shakes his head. "I can't let anything bad happen to you." He looks at Simon. "Can I trust you to keep her safe?" Simon stands up and nods.

"I won't let anything happen to her," he says. Connor nods to him, but Arna shakes her head, tears threatening to spill. Simon sighs and walks away, thinking they need a moment.

"Connor," Arna says, "I-I'm not letting you go alone. The-there's so much that could go wrong!" He cups her cheek.

"Hey," he says. "I've made it this far, haven't I?" She nods. "I just realized what I was feeling." He smiles. "I can't leave now." He wraps his arms around her, and she buries her face in his chest. He kisses the top of her head. "I will come back to you."