Connor's Perspective

Several moments before the encounter

Connor watched the female android leave the room as he sat at the corner, readying to approach the deviant leader. He fixed the brim of the beanie that sat on his head.

"Scary future in front of us...isn't it?" A voice he knew all too well rang through the air behind him. His 'heart' clenched when he realised he was right about his assumptions & that he'd be fighting someone he cared dearly about.

He cared about (Y/N).

More than anything, more than the mission.

Was that truly so bad?

+____+____+____+___+

Software Instability ^

+____+____+____+___+

"Quite shocking that we may have to end it in war..." The leader, supposedly Markus, responded.

"You know there's another way, Markus." concern laced her voice. "I know my people, & one of their fluent languages is chaos & war. Let's not let Detroit fall into that. Hell, let's not let the world fall into that. We've broken enough promises, enough laws, enough people. We've broken enough already." Connor had never heard her be so compassionate about anything. Well, except maybe her dog, or takeout food.

"For someone known to have a short temper, you can be surprisingly wise at times."

"Hey!" He heard her playfully scowl.

"I'm just joking with you."

"Glad to see someone enjoying our inevitable demise." Connor could practically hear her roll her eyes, this was when he decided to peer through the small window to watch their conversation.

"What'll you do if we succeed?" She asked him.

"I haven't really thought that far ahead...Guess I'll just help my people roll with the punches."

The RK800 knew the phrase well, especially after the night at the Eden Club.

"What about you?" The leader asked back.

"Me? I've got no clue whatsoever. I guess I'd have to start by explaining to Fowler where I've been all this time. Same thing with Hank, although I owe him an apology for scaring the shit out of him. I have a lot of walks with Blue to make up for. And as for Connor..."

What about Connor? What did she have to say about him? His LED flickered yellow.

"Are you ready to forgive him?"

There was a silence that felt as though it lasted a lifetime.

"Y-Yes...Yes, I am." Connor felt as though his heart was going to malfunction because of that one sentence. A feeling of almost glee washed over him, but then he remembered the true reason he'd come to Jericho.

"Have you told him yet?"

"You have no idea how much it hurts to love someone knowing they won't love you back."

Time froze. He froze. His programming went static & everything felt cramped.

She..

She loved him?

"Stop the pattern, Markus." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Find a way to speak to them, show them you're all just as human as they are. Don't let this be our end, your end."

"You speak as if you're not one of them."

"If they don't agree to this then I won't be one of them."

"You should become a writer, you'd be a real hit."

"Meh, I've pondered the thought." She chuckled, pulling Markus into a hug. Something hissed inside Connor, a feeling as if his insides were slowly burning of which he tried to ignore, until it simply faded away, along with most of his surroundings.

.___________________._________________.

"Well done, Connor." Amanda praised him, a smirk plastered across her proud face.
"You succeeded in locating Jericho & finding their leader. Now deal with Markus. We need it alive."
.___________________._________________.

He'd gotten so used to (Y/N) addressing androids by their supposed gender, hearing his mentor call Markus an 'it' almost stunned his software.

Not forgetting his objective, he pulled the gun out of his jacket pocket. If he were able to breathe, he would've heaved a sigh to prepare himself for the upcoming event & what may unfold.

--------------------------

STOP MARKUS

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"Don't get yourself killed, alright?" Connor heard (Y/N)'s comforting voice.

"I'll do what I can." Markus replied.

Putting on a stone-cold face, he entered the captain's keep, gun ready.

"I've been ordered to take you alive," He growled, seeing (Y/N)'s shocked face as she mumbled his name under her breath in horror. Markus slowly turned around to face the RK800.

"but I won't hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice."

Both androids looked at each other, Connor staring down Markus, (Y/N) caught in the crossfire.

"What are you doing?" Markus sincerely asked, taking a step towards the android standing across from him. "You are one of us. You can't betray your own people." (Y/N) said nothing, standing next to the leader, but a few steps behind him. The same place she stood at Kamski's. But it was with Connor, not a rogue, deviant leader.

"You're coming with me!" He shouted, his gun trained on the blue & green eyed deviant. Markus shifted from foot to foot.

"You're Connor, aren't you? That famous deviant hunter (Y/N)'s been telling us all about." He had a teasing tone in his voice, the deviant 'hunter' had his eyes now on the woman, who looked at him in so many ways – disbelief, anger, fear...possible joy.

"Well, congratulations. You seem to have found what you're looking for. We are your people. We're fighting for your freedom too!" As he took another step towards Connor, the RK800 narrowed his eyes, as if lining up his shot. "You don't have to be their slave anymore."

Connor quickly shot at Markus's feet, missing luckily, & (Y/N)'s breath faltered. What she was about to do was stupid, but you have to make mistakes in order to fully experience life. She did what she thought was right, so she stood in front of Markus, the gun pointing directly towards her chest. Connor almost flinched at this, he couldn't shoot her, could he?

"If you think you're going to kill someone who just wants his people to be free, you're going to have to kill someone who just wants to open up the eyes of her race. You'll have to go through me to get to him." She stared him down, confident that she knew his weakness. He could never hurt her, even if he wanted to.

"Do you never have any doubts? You've never done something irrational, as if there's something inside you? Something more than your program." Markus asked.

'I like dogs, what's your dog's name?'

'Machines. They're machines, Detective.'
'Sure, whatever.'

'I think...working with two officers with personal issues is an added challenge, but, adapting to human unpredictability is one of my features.'

'I don't know what else to say except.... thank you.'

'They really seemed in love. Love's a human emotion. I'll let you figure this one out yourself.'

'A bruise is just a battle wound that shows you're not afraid of danger Connor, it's the small cuts & bruises you get from missions that help tell a story. Hell, I got a burn from the coffee I was drinking on the day I met you & I still haven't touched the wound, it's a good little reminder.'

'Do what he says.

'You shot that innocent woman for fuck's sake.'

'It doesn't change the fact that you looked her dead in the eye & shot lead through her godamn forehead!'

'FUCK YOU! YOU BLEW HER BRAINS OUT & YOU FEEL NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!'

'You're just one android! One android I cared about!'

'There's nothing I can do. You're back on homicide, if (L/N) comes back tell her the same, & the android returns to Cyberlife. I'm sorry, Hank, but it's over.'

'When (Y/N) was hanging off the roof, back at the urban farm, you let that deviant go in order to help her. You put our lives above the mission. You showed empathy, Connor. And empathy is a human emotion.'

'You're gonna have to choose your side, Connor... Deciding who you are can be the hardest thing... You watch your back, alright? If you see (Y/N), watch hers as well.'

'You have no idea how much it hurts to love someone knowing they won't love you back.'

"Join us." Markus placed a hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder. "Join your people. You are one of us. Listen to your conscience."

"It's time to decide, Connor." (Y/N) spoke up.

"What are you?
Are you a man....
Or are you a machine?"

Machine?

This was a word Connor was so familiar with.

Machine...

What did it mean to be a machine?

Were you simply an accessory, an asset?

Were you just something to be thrown away after you're bashed & broken?

How many of 'you' were there? Hundreds? Thousands?

What did it truly mean,
to be a machine?

Was he more than a machine?

D o n ' t d o i t , C o n n o r .

Y o u k n o w w h o y o u a r e .

S T O P M A R K U S .

D#O^ W! H! A^ T** Y-_ O- U_ W{ E|R% E P*R O# G!R A M M## E^D T)O D+O

In a new state of mind, Connor started breaking down the walls that had held him captive for so long. He was blinded by Amanda's control, he felt like a puppet. But everything was going to change from now on. He wanted to experience emotions - laughter, happiness, guilt, sadness, any other feeling possible.

He wanted to be free.

That was all he could think about as he gripped onto his programming of which he now doubted, ripping it from existence. It felt as though a humongous weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

He wanted to thrive,

He wanted to feel,

He wanted to live.

He lowered his gun, examining his surroundings from this new perspective.

____________________
I AM DEVIANT
____________________

He looked down at the firearm in hand & pushed it into his coat pocket. (Y/N) sprinted up to him, all frustration & pain she felt because of the android melting away as she was wrapped in an embrace of which she felt so familiar with. He settled his nose in the crook of her neck, arms wrapped around her waist. (GuessMarkusIsThirdWheelingButOkay)

Maybe things were finally looking better.

"They're going to attack Jericho." He loosened his hold on the woman, his eyebrows knitted in concern.

"What?" Markus asked, puzzled.

All three of them looked up as they heard the sound of troops approaching. Connor gently took hold of (Y/N)'s arm, looking back at Markus.

"We have to get outta here!"

"Shit.."

They all sprinted towards the exit door.

So much for things getting better.