An: Wow thank you so much for all the new favorites and follows! I wasn't expecting this story to gain so much traction!

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Eleonore fidgeted with her bag, wincing every other second, and resisted the urge to cover her ears.

Heavy death metal played at maximum volume, filling the old car with the sounds of screams and guitar shreds. The sound system was abused to the point where she could feel each drum beat reverberate in her body and she scrunched up her face. Her eardrums felt like they were going to burst any second.

She peered over at the front passenger seat where Connor was sitting with a slight observant frown on his face, his fingers lightly tapping his thigh in sync with the drum. Was he...enjoying the music? Did he like heavy death metal? Or was he...computing the different sound waves or something? Either way, it was interesting to see him have a reaction to it. She had read that Androids had no preferences, no reactions to show they liked or disliked something.

Connor truly was unique.

Eleonore glanced to the left where Hank was at the wheel, a scowl taking up his tired face. His hands gripped the steering wheel, and he wasn't bothered at all by how loud the music was. It seemed to help him concentrate too, since his eyes were trained toward the rain splattered windshield and his hands were steady. He didn't seem like the kind of person to be into heavy death metal, but then again, given how grouchy he was as a veteran cop, he probably needed something to help him cope.

"So, um," Eleonore decided to speak up, and she was barely able to hear herself over the music. "How far is the Ravendale district?!"

"It is 0.42 miles away!" Connor responded loudly. "We should arrive in approximately 6 minutes and 28 seconds!"

"This case involves an Android, right?!" Eleonore asked curiously. "The officer earlier mentioned it had assaulted someone. Is that a common occurrence?!"

"No!" Connor answered diplomatically. "Androids that go against their programming are called Deviants! They are a rare case, though..." He hesitated. "They have become more common as of late."

"Huh?" She leaned in closer. "What did you say?" She didn't catch that last part. Deviants, eh?

He glanced over at her, and she saw from the reflection of the window that his LED spun yellow. "...Nothing." He responded a moment later. "We have to capture this Deviant and find out what went wrong with its programming."

"Can the both of you quit your yappin'?!" Hank cut in, glancing over at them with a glare. "I'm trying to drive!"

Cowed, Eleonore shrunk back against her seat. "Sorry about that, Lieutenant..."

"We're here." Connor reported, with the car coming to a stop a moment later.

Hank turned off the engine and opened the door, climbing out of the driver's seat. Connor and Eleonore followed suit, with the latter looking around curiously. It was obviously not a wealthy neighborhood, with how rundown some of the store fronts were as well as a fenced off abandoned house sitting next to an overgrown garage way. Up above, a train rail ran through the entire avenue, going from one side of town to the other. There was a 24 hour convenience store, a few small shops, and a motel around, but other than that, the entire neighborhood was underwhelming.

Eleonore tightened her grip on the strip of her bag and stayed close to Hank and Connor, the latter already examining the perimeter. "That convenience store reported that it was robbed late last night at 11:15PM." Connor informed them. "By a young woman with a little girl. Matching the CCTV footage with the report that a female AX400 assaulted its owner and took the daughter, that young woman may indeed be the very Deviant we are chasing."

Sighing, Hank turned to the Android and nodded. "All right, that's a start, but it could've gone anywhere by now."

Eleonore furrowed her brow. "Would she? If she took a little girl with her, chances are they must have stopped. Children don't do well staying up late at night."

Connor nodded in agreement. "Correct. It didn't have much cash to travel far, which was why it resorted to robbing a store. $50 was taken from the register, which was just enough..." He turned his head toward the motel where a sign advertised $40 a night. "To cover one night."

Hank followed his gaze and pursed his lips before nodding. "All right then, let's go ask." He turned toward the ambassador. "Now, I know Jeffrey gave you a free pass to tag along, but if it gets violent, stay behind us or get behind cover, all right?" He spoke nonchalantly, but there was a sternness in his gaze that told her he was serious and professional about doing his job. "I'm not letting a civilian get hurt. Jeffrey'll tan my ass."

Eleonore nodded apprehensively. "Right. I'll make sure to stay out of the way, I promise." She only had basic self-defense training, but there was no way she could go toe-to-toe with an Android. Being a machine, they were infinitely stronger than her and probably stronger than Hank. It seemed like she really was going to count on Connor for protection.

They walked over to the motel where a patrol car rolled up into the driveway, revealing more officers on standby. The three of them entered the small motel office where Hank pulled out his badge to the manager. "Lieutenant Anderson, Detroit Police. We're looking for a female Android, might've robbed a store down the road last night. You see anything?"

The manager scrunched up his face in disgust. "An Android? No...I don't take Androids here."

Eleonore furrowed her brow, mentally taking notes. So motels like this wouldn't let an Android stay the night? What if they were with their owners? It doesn't make sense to turn away business like this.

Connor held up his hand and produced a holo-photo of the Android model, showing a fair skinned female with brown hair in the signature AX uniform. "Have you seen anyone that looks like this?"

The manager reeled back. "Fuck...I knew there was something weird about her. She came in last night- she was dressed normal, you know...There was no way I could tell-"

"Is it still here?" Hank interrupted, one hand going to finger the gun holstered in his belt.

The manager nodded quickly. "Yeah, probably." He pointed to the left and toward the windows. "Room 28."

Nodding, Hank quickly left out of the office with a quick "thank you" and pulled out his phone. "...Ben? Yeah, it's still at the motel. Send some uniforms and cordon off the area. I'm heading to its room now." Putting his phone away, he turned to Connor and Eleonore. "You both wait in the car."

Connor took a step forward. "I disagree. Eleonore should stay back, but I'm coming with you."

Sensing the rising tension, Eleonore slowly took a step back. Was this another argument...? Already?

Incensed, Hank stepped close enough to the Android that he could detect the ethanol on his breath. "Listen, I'm tired of you talkin' back to me." He growled. "You're a machine, so shut the fuck up and do as I say!"

"All I want is to accomplish my mission." Connor disputed coolly. "I'm sorry if that upsets you."

"Wanna see the end of your mission?" Hank narrowed his eyes. "Stop busting my fucking balls..." He ended in disgust before stomping toward the motel room.

Connor blinked, furrowing his brow. "How does one "bust balls"?" He murmured, and someone choked behind him. Turning around, he blinked and watched inquisitively as Eleonore coughed, covering her red face with her bag. "Are you all right, Eleonore? Do you require assistance?"

Clearing her throat, Eleonore shook her head, making sure to look away from him. "I-I'm fine! I'll...I'll wait outside the premises." She stuttered, wanting to get away as soon as possible. Why was it so cute that he didn't know what busting balls meant? It was slang so of course it wouldn't be programmed into his database, just like how her phone didn't register her words when she would break into Korean unless she changed the settings, but still.

Letting them get to work, she decided to walk around the block, looking around curiously. It hadn't stopped raining, but it was light enough that she decided to forgo an umbrella. A bus passed by, completely unmanned and automatic, and picked up the few human passengers while the Android passengers stood in the back in a segregated section.

She watched as some Androids stood in temporary parking areas, and some following their owners, carrying their luggage. Detroit, from what little she had seen, was a city that benefited greatly from Android labor. Perhaps too much.

Everything seemed to be done by an Android or an automated system. Construction, heavy lifting, transportation, store managing, food prepping, anything and everything a human could do, an Android could do better and for cheaper.

As of now, Eleonore really doubted she would support letting Android production within Canadian borders, especially with how strong the work Unions were. No one would agree to letting Androids take their jobs. Maybe if there was heavy regulations on what jobs, like say: skyscraper construction where it was especially dangerous for humans.

Then again, she could see how beneficial Androids could be. How great would it be if every orphanage or adoption agency had Androids that would never get impatient with the children, showing them that they're important? Or taking care of the elderly who were embarrassed about being old and handicapped? Or helping handicapped people in general where general machinery and human kindness couldn't?

She was conflicted, and it didn't help that the one Android she's had the most exposure to seemed to contradict everything he's supposed to represent. She liked Connor; he was friendly and dedicated to his work, as was in his programming probably, but he exhibited something like free will, and fidgets so much.

He would tap his thigh, he would glance around, he would shift in his seat. In fact, she could've sworn she saw a quarter in his hands earlier, the silver reflecting the light. He was as human as they came, but the words out of his mouth were very much robotic. He didn't understand idioms, couldn't feel pain, and used his vast knowledge to help the case.

Stopping near a coffee shop, Eleonore closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Aigo...

Since her eyes were closed, Eleonore didn't see a woman and a little girl rush by her, and she yelped when they bumped shoulders. The contact was hard and strangely solid in a plastic way that it sent her tumbling to the ground, and she braced her hands against the hard pavement.

The woman stopped and looked as if she wanted to help her up, but decided against it and hurriedly walked away, pulling the little girl after her. Eleonore furrowed her brow, getting up from the ground. Why were they in such a rush?

Wait...

A woman on the run with a little girl with her...Her shoulder was hard and she was strong enough to have sent her to the ground...

Her eyes widened and she turned her head toward the motel. "Connor!" She shouted out, startling the nearby pedestrians. "Lieutenant!"

She saw them run out of the motel driveway at her call a few moments later, and she desperately pointed toward the woman and little girl who were breaking out into a full out run. "She's there! She's heading to the train station!"

Eyes sharpening with a clear objective, Connor broke out into a sprint, running past her within seconds. Her hair fluttered from his speed, and she made to follow him, wincing as she had to run in heels. Hank quickly caught up to her and pushed her back. "Eleonore, get back to the car! You're not a cop!"

"I have every right to be here..!" She argued. "If Androids are dangerous, I have to see this!"

The older man looked like he wanted to argue but the chase was more important and he sped up, leaving her in the dust. An officer directed them to the alley and they turned into it to see Connor slamming himself against a wire fence, the deviant and little girl on the other side. Hank ran up and pulled his gun, taking off the safety, but Connor held his hand out. "No! Don't shoot, we need it alive!"

Coming to a stop, Eleonore panted and watched with wide eyes as the woman took the little girl and slid them down the slope toward a speeding freeway, cars going to and from at high speeds without signs of stopping. They crossed over the barrier and began dodging the oncoming vehicles, and she winced and closed her eyes when it seemed like they were going to be hit. Why? Why were they so desperate to escape? It was almost...

Human.

Metal clinked and she opened her eyes to see Connor begin to climb the fence, ready to go after them. Hank immediately reached out to pull at his jacket. "Hey! Where you goin'?!"

"I can't let them get away." Connor responded determinedly, slotting his shoe into a foothold.

"They won't..." Hank reasoned, turning back to watch with grim eyes. "They'll never make it to the other side."

"I can't take that chance!" Connor voiced urgently, the mission being his top priority.

"Um," Eleonore walked closer. "Can you call a patrol car to block the other side?" She suggested uncertainly. "It'll be way less risky. I don't want you to get hurt, Connor." It would be...horrifying if he failed, and the risks were higher than the rewards right now. She knew he couldn't feel pain, but just thinking about him being smashed to pieces by a car made her tremble in terror.

Hank quickly nodded and pulled out his phone. "Yeah...Good idea. Listen to her, ya dumb machine!" He yanked the Android off the fence. "You're just gonna get yourself killed!"

Connor scrunched up his face, conflicted between the words of his colleagues and his objective, but after a few tense moments, reluctantly nodded and stood back. He grimaced as he watched the deviant cross over to the other side successfully, hugging the little girl in relief before slowly climbing up the hill that led out of the freeway.

Hank slowly walked out of the alley, on the phone requesting another patrol car, and Connor and Eleonore slowly walked after him, the former still silent. Eleonore glanced up at him and reached out to pull his sleeve. "Connor?" She called out worriedly.

He glanced over at her, face wiped of all expressions. "...Yes?" He answered quietly.

"...I'm glad you didn't go after them."

"Androids don't feel pain, Eleonore." He reminded her gently. "If I was destroyed in the process, my memories would only be transferred to a new RK800 model and I would shortly resume my mission."

Eleonore stared at him with wide eyes. "...Isn't that scary?" She whispered. "You're willing to kill yourself, even without knowing if the mission will be successful. What if CyberLife stops making you? How do you know for certain that you'll come back?"

"That's unlikely to happen." He said calmly as they turned the corner out of the alley and onto the main street. "My objective isn't complete, therefore I will be assigned to it until I do."

"But..." She stopped herself before it turned into an argument.

But what if you stopped existing? Wasn't it scary? That your life could be pulled at any moment to be replaced or decommissioned? That even though you were such a unique person, with so many quirks that didn't make sense, you weren't free? It was...

Tragic.