#trigger shooting

Relaxing into the deceptively calm morning, I just waited for Connor to wake up from his stasis. If it was possible to wake him up before the time he set, he showed no signs of it. So, feeling a bit in the mood for something sappy and cliche and anxious about what was going to happen once we left our bed, I started gently rocking him and started singing a melody.

Taking over this town they should worry,

But these problems aside I think I taught you well.

That we won't run, and we won't run, and we won't run.

And in the winter night sky ships are sailing,

Looking down on these bright blue city lights.

And they won't wait, and they won't wait, and they won't wait.

We're here to stay, we're here to stay, we're here to stay.

Leaning into him, I let out a sigh, knowing how hard it was going to be to let go of him.

Howling ghosts they reappear

In mountains that are stacked with fear

But you're a king and I'm a lionheart.

And in the sea that's painted black,

Creatures lurk below the deck

But you're a king and I'm a lionheart.

I smiled weakly, holding my king in my arms.

His crown lit up the way as we moved slowly

Past the wondering eyes of the ones that were left behind.

Though far away, though far away, though far away

We're still the same, we're still the same, we're still the same.

I realized it was a bit of a sad song, but it was appropriate to what I was feeling.

Howling ghosts they reappear

In mountains that are stacked with fear

But you're a king and I'm a lionheart.

And as the world comes to an end

I'll be here to hold your hand

'Cause you're my king and I'm your lionheart.

A lionheart.

A lionheart

A lionheart.

Leaning down, I kissed Connor’s forehead, and his LED flickered yellow as he opened his eyes, looking up at me. Being greeted by his smile this morning was better than I could’ve ever imagined. “Good morning, Detective.” He greeted.

I cupped his cheek, smiling back at him. He slid his hand over mine and leaned into my touch, closing his eyes. I could never get used to his genuine bliss at just being there with me. The fact that I made him this genuinely happy made me swell with pride and affection. “Morning, beautiful.” I teased, pulling his hand up to my lips and kissing his perfect knuckles.

Though, apparently that wasn’t enough for him, as he pulled himself up to me and planted a soft and gentle kiss on my lips, a gesture I was more than happy to return. Never did I think he would so eagerly seek out such affection. And I got the feeling that he shared that same sentiment.

He pulled away, resting his forehead against mine and I suddenly felt a surge of sensitivity. I didn’t have to look to know that we were connected again. I was getting used to it, and it also helped that this was far more mellow than our passionate romp the night prior. All I could feel was the calmness of the complete comfort and trust we had in each other and the shared affection and adoration we had towards each other.

It was a moment of safety.

I then felt a slice of concern from him and I opened my eyes to see his brows furrowed together. “What’s wrong?” I asked him, but I could feel that he was worried that he had hurt me.

“I left a wound where I bit you.” He fretted. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I-I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

I snickered at him, feeling his surprise at my nonchalant attitude. “Don’t worry too much about it.” I assured him, gently caressing his chin with my other hand. “I’d like to think of bruises and markings as...little trophies you leave me. Or, you marking your territory. Whichever you prefer, Detective.”

A dangerous flush of primal desire bloomed in him before he snuffed it out with relief. “Well, I’m happy that you’re not bothered by it.” He admitted.

I nodded, settling into the feeling of being connected to him. There was something so calming about this equilibrium between us. It was like our own space. No one else could enter it and only we understood it. It was our special place in time.

After a moment, Connor pulled away, severing the connection between us and sitting up proper. “We should start getting ready.” He suggested. “Start gathering the supplies we need, taking care of what needs to get taken care of before we leave, and plan what needs to be planned.”

I knew he was right, and that we didn’t have much time to lose, but...I just wished we could stay here forever.

But we couldn’t. And that was just the harsh reality.

“Yeah, you’re right, Connor.” I agreed, sitting up and stretching. “Better sooner than later.” Connor had turned his back to me and I could properly see just how well-toned he was. Freckles seemed to dot his entire body, and I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out to him and pressing my body against him, wrapping my arms around his chest as I hugged him from behind. I sighed, resting my chin on his shoulder, feeling Connor press his cheek into my forehead. “I wish we didn’t have to interrupt this.” I admitted somberly. “I wish we could have this every day.”

Connor put his hand on mine and kissed my cheek. “If we succeed, we can.” He assured me. “I promise.”

I scoffed affectionately at him. “Is that you admitting that you want to spend your immaculate android life with me?” I asked him, liking the idea of having Connor around for the rest of my life.

“I’d like to.” He answered honestly. “If you’d have me.”

I hugged him even tighter. “Of course I would, Connor.” I assured him. “You basically live here, anyways. I see no reason to change that, especially now that...we’re actually together. As a couple.”

A couple. That’s...what we were. We were partners in more ways than one. That sentence never felt so right to think. “Well, we should get dressed.” He suggested, pulling away from me to stand up, looking down at me. I couldn’t help but glance down at the merchandise now that it was in daylight. To my surprise, his member was dotted with freckles as well. “Hey, Rachel.” Connor said, getting my attention. He was smirking at me, pointing to his face. “My eyes are up here, Detective.”

I snickered, getting up from the bed and playfully backhanding his shoulder. “Smartass.” I grumbled mockingly, glancing around on the floor for my pajamas. My shirt was on the ground, and I quickly grabbed it and folded it on the bed, straightening the sheets and making it.

Connor was already getting dressed back into his suit and all I had were my PJs. At least, for now. I walked over to the bathroom to have a look in the mirror.

And, wow. Connor really did a number on my neck and I couldn’t help but admire the masterpiece he painted on the canvas that was my skin. The thought of other people knowing that I was Connor’s, just by seeing the way he marked me, was very pleasing to me.

I saw the android approaching me from my peripheral vision and then let him walk behind me. He wrapped his arms around my still naked body and rested his chin on my head. “Admiring my work, Detective?” He asked coyly.

“Very much so, Connor.” I admitted, not at all ashamed. “You really didn’t hold back.”

His LED flickered yellow as he looked at me in the mirror with concern. “Should I have?”

God, he was so cute. “No! I liked it.” I promised him, putting my hands on his. “I like it very much. You really wanted to claim me, didn’t you?”

His LED blinked red for a moment as a knowing smile creased his lips. “I know some people think of neck bruising as a sort of symbol of ownership, in a positive way.” He explained, making me hold back a snicker. “When you told me to bite you harder, I got the sense you were one of those people.” I shuddered. “So I only thought it would be appropriate to make sure you knew you were mine.”

Damn, I didn’t realize that he could be kinky. As his LED continued blinking red, I saw his hands drifting downward, and I promptly stopped him, turning around to face him. “Don’t even think about it, you scoundrel.” I cautioned him playfully. “I can’t have you working me up before we do what we have to do, today, and I’d rather not show up to the rebellion not able to walk straight.”

Connor seemed taken aback for a moment before he gently pecked my forehead. “Of course.” He said, turning to leave the bathroom. “Although I do enjoy teasing you, Detective.”

I scoffed at him as I followed him out. “Oh, I know you do.”

He walked towards the bedroom door, opening it and looking back at me. “I’ll be waiting for you downstairs.”

I nodded. “I won’t be long, Connor.”

As he left, I went into my closet, perusing my selection. In any case, I was pretty confident that I was going to have to wear a turtleneck. Not that I was ashamed of the display on my neck, but I’d rather not distract anyone while I was there given the rather grim circumstances.

--------

Date: November 10th, 2038  Time: 10:43 AM Rachel - Lover Objective: Prepare to Meet With Survivors

Finishing taking care of Bear, Connor donned his “deviant outfit,” with the bulletproof vest as he had done before on top of his suit. As much as a part of him didn’t think he needed it still, he didn’t want to alarm or worry Rachel.

And besides, it was better to be cautious than reckless.

Hearing Rachel walk down the stairs, Connor saw her and approached. She was wearing a different outfit than she wore last night, sporting a turtleneck of various shades of grey, making it appear like TV static from afar, with long sleeves.

No doubt to hide the marks he left on her neck, a fact that made Connor swell with a predatory sense of pride. Indeed, he found an allure in marking his property. Although he could never think of himself as owning Rachel in the literal sense, nor she him. Far from, he would never want to deviate from the equal ground the pair stood with each other. But there was something that electrified his circuits about thinking of Rachel as his, and marking her to send a message to onlookers that she was his.

As she walked towards him, her phone in hand and his quarter in her left, Connor approached her. However, he noticed a frustrated grimace on her face. “What’s wrong?” He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“There’s no cell signal.” Rachel complained. “I still have internet, but if I don’t have data, then all I have is right now to let Bianca know if stuff goes wrong.”

Connor nodded. Bianca. Rachel’s sister. “I understand.” He assured her, pecking her forehead. “Take as much time as you need. Did you want me to make you breakfast?”

She chuckled. “No, but thank you. That’s sweet.” She declined. “I’m just gonna have some cereal. Once I’m done breakfast, we’ll start gathering supplies and we’ll head out.”

Connor nodded, following Rachel to the dinner table as she reached into the fridge, pulling out a carton of milk. From the top of her fridge, she grabbed the box of cereal.

Soon enough, Rachel had poured herself a bowl and started eating, checking her phone and texting between bites. She was clearly stressed, and Connor understood perfectly why. This quiet and comfortable moment of respite and normalcy had to end. And what came next was uncertain.

But they couldn’t concern themselves with what would come. All they could do was focus on what they were doing now and what they could do.

But among grim thoughts layered with dread, Connor’s were also consumed with warmth. Just this morning, he was still in stasis. He had set his internal clock to interrupt his stasis at 10:30 AM. But just as he was about to wake, Rachel’s sweet, quiet, gentle voice cut through. She hadn’t woken him, but he could hear her voice clear as day. It was as though she was alone, serenading the shadows of an old concert hall and Connor was fortunate enough to be her audience.

But there was something curious about the song she was singing. A term he hadn’t heard before, one that stirred feelings that he couldn’t classify, but sparked something in him. 

[Search]

Press

Ask

[Say Nothing]

“Can I ask you something, Rachel?” He asked. He knew he could search the term on his own, but he wanted to hear her answer first.

She eyed him curiously, swallowing a spoonful of cereal before giving him permission. “Sure, go ahead.”

“What’s a lionheart?” He asked. She blinked at him in surprise. “I heard you singing just before my stasis was scheduled to be interrupted, and the song you were singing featured the word ‘lionheart’ prominently. I’d never heard it before, and I was curious about what it meant.”

Rachel laughed a little, taking another bite of cereal and swallowing it down. “It just means someone who's lionhearted.” She answered. “And to be lionhearted just means to be especially brave or courageous. It's not a common phrase, so using it is seen as a lot more meaningful and affectionate than to just call someone exceptionally brave or courageous.”

As Connor catalogued her definition, he regarded Rachel thoroughly. He liked that word. Lionheart. And upon hearing her explanation, he thought back to last night, when they were escaping from Jericho. She had risked everything, including her own life, to protect and save Markus and several other androids. But that wasn’t limited to just that.

In every instance she was faced with a deviant, she chose to not only spare them, but save them. She chose to let them be free. All instances where she risked her livelihood to do the right thing. She wasn’t someone without fear. No, Rachel wasn’t fearless. There were many things she feared, that much Connor was certain. But not once did she let that stop her from doing what needed to be done. Not once did she let fear get between her and protecting others.

In Connor’s eyes, there was no better way to describe Rachel other than exceptionally brave and courageous.

Well, except for one, namely.

“Would you mind if I called you that?” He asked her, meekly.

Rachel glanced up in his direction. “What?”

“Lionheart.” He clarified. “I say this with one hundred percent certainty that I consider you the bravest person I could ever be fortunate enough to meet. And I think I would describe you accurately as lionhearted.” She blinked a few times, a bashful involuntary smile gracing her lovely soft features as she glanced away from him. “May I call you that? My lionheart?”

Rachel - Lover ^ Rachel laughed shyly, the smile on her face only widening as her cheeks darkened. “Lionheart.” She repeated. “I...I think I like that.”

Connor smiled, reaching out to clasp her hand. “I’m glad.” He said, making her finally look at him. “My lionheart.”

Even her eyes smiled at him as they looked at each other. She sighed pleasantly, rubbing her thumb over his hand gently. “I love you, Connor.”

“I love you too, Rachel.” He replied in kind.

Letting go of her hand, he allowed her to finish her breakfast and finish talking with Bianca. Once Rachel was finished, she got up to put everything away. Leaning over the sink, she let out a tired sigh, running her hands through her hair and then down her face. “Okay...first thing’s first, blue blood and my toolset.” She said, walking towards the stairs.

Connor felt as though he should perhaps help Rachel in some way rather than just sit and wait. “Do you need my help with anything?”

“Not really this time, no.” She called out. “I know what I need to bring, so don’t worry too much. I’m just going to grab a giant backpack so I can carry it all to the new base.”

Insist

Help

[Nothing]

Connor, feeling uncomfortable with sitting still, eyed the quarter that was placed on the table. His quarter, a gift he gave her as a token of his memory.

He was so certain that CyberLife would destroy him. Now, the threat wasn’t necessarily CyberLife, but his potential fate was uncertain. 

Take

Don’t Take

Reaching out for it, he decided to practice his coin tricks to pass the time and calibrate his processors.

After all, there was much to prepare for.

Rachel didn’t really seem to notice Connor performing his tricks as she went about collecting items to take to the survivors of Jericho. The first of which being the bags of thirium she had to spare and the toolset she used to repair androids. Second seemed to be food to bring with her. Connor didn’t really think twice about it, but it made sense to him that she would need to eat at intervals. 

Androids didn’t need food, but humans did. And that was one thing that put Rachel at a disadvantage compared to the androids.

She was mumbling to herself, similarly to how she was saying her thoughts out loud when they were tracking down Kara and Alice in Camden. Connor thought it best not to interrupt her train of thought, but he couldn’t help but notice the change in her demeanour. Rachel was utterly focused, hopping from task to task without any effort, gathering supplies and taking account of potential outcomes.

It was something that made Connor see something oddly android-like in her, but that wasn’t the first time he made that observation. Although, now he wasn’t certain if that was an android quality or just a product of the two being similar to one another.

Filling her backpack with enough food to last for what seemed to be two or three days, she then dropped it on the table and walked towards where Connor surmised was the garage. After a moment, she arrived with what looked like a carrying case and a duffel bag. She also held a red box full of what looked like bullets.

Question

[Say Nothing]

Connor eyed them curiously. “What are you bringing, Rachel?” He asked her.

“My dad’s rifle and handgun.” She answered, slipping the red box into the backpack and the carrying case for what Connor assumed was the handgun. “He actually taught me how to shoot when I was eighteen. He got the permits for them and thought he should show my mom, Bianca, and I how to shoot them. I wasn’t a fan of the handgun, but I was a real sharpshooter with the rifle.” Rachel explained, glancing down with a bitter smile on her face. “These were one of the things my dad left me when he died.”

Pry

Question

Advise

Connor nodded, stopping his coin tricks and approaching her. “You haven’t actually talked about your family outside of Bianca and Frank.” He mentioned, wrapping his arms around Rachel. “Aside from mentioning not speaking to your mother in years when we were at Kamski’s.”

She looked at him surprised. “You remembered.”

“I have a perfect memory.” Connor teased.

Rachel leaned into his touch, making Connor feel blissful again. His coin tricks made him calm, sharp, and collected. But that didn’t compare to just having Rachel in his arms.

How oh how could he have ever lived without her?

Rachel - Lover ^ “I feel like my dad would’ve liked you.” Rachel said, letting Connor guide her to the chair sit in his lap. “He was the one who was running pretty much everything. He took care of everything. IT, mechanics, carpentry, finances, you name it. He was the ultimate jack-of-all-trades anyone could ask for. Well, except for cooking. That part was mom’s.” She said with a laugh. “And the best part? He loved helping people just for the sake of it. 

“He did a lot of house calls and favours for people just because he knew he could help them.” She tilted her head. “But, he was also a man who tended to lose his patience a lot. I wouldn’t call him a short fuse, because he wasn’t. But he got frustrated a lot. But even then...he was a reasonable man. If you explain something to him, he can have a reasonable and honest conversation and change his viewpoints. You could convince him. Even if he could be rather stubborn sometimes, something I get from both of my parents. And he always strived for Bianca and I to be independent. To be who we want to be and do what we want to do and to be able to look after ourselves.”

Connor listened intently. There was a pit of disappointment in him when he realized he would likely never meet Rachel’s parents. Or even her grandmother. Before this, they were merely footnotes to him, Bianca and Frank being the only parts that were immediately important to him.

But now? There was a strange hollowness in the android. The thought of getting to meet Rachel’s family briefly excited him until he remembered that they were either dead or estranged. “But then he got sick...and we had to figure out how to get by without him.” Rachel continued. “It was hard. Life kinda sucked and everything was worse for a while until we figured out how to fly for ourselves. But...it was expected. He wasn’t going to live forever and I knew I was going to outlive him. That’s just life. You bury your parents and then your kids bury you. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to be. But it’s thanks to him encouraging me and Bianca to be independent that we’re who we are. And I’ll always miss him.”

Connor listened patiently, nestling his chin into the crook of Rachel’s neck.

Mother

Bianca

Frank

Grandmother

“And your mother?” He asked tentatively.

She tensed, sliding herself off of Connor’s lap and straightening her shirt. “That’s a story for another time, I’m afraid.” Rachel informed him, taking the duffel bag and somehow managing to fit it inside her backpack. “Come on, we have a rebellion to bolster.”

Connor realized he was still holding the coin and grabbed Rachel’s arm. She seemed to finally notice that he had it, and the android felt strangely compelled to do something specific. He brought the quarter to his lips and kissed it, rolling it across his knuckles towards her. With her left hand, she took the quarter onto her own knuckles and brought the coin to her lips. The feeling of his strange spontaneous gesture being returned so genuinely made his biocomponents whirr with joy. “Keep it. For good luck.” He said with a wink.

Rachel let out a scoff as she rolled her eyes. “That was so disgustingly sweet, but I love it.” She said, closing her fist around the quarter. “It’s so you.”

He smiled, pressing his forehead into hers. He absolutely adored this woman and couldn’t imagine having anyone else but her. “What did I ever do to deserve you, Rachel?” He thought out loud.

She responded by planting a kiss on his lips. “You’re you.” She replied. “You were honest with yourself and with me. And being you is all you need to be for me.”

The android’s thirium pump was going so much faster than he could expect, but he didn’t care. Before, he didn’t understand why Rachel sought out his affection and company despite not being designed to be a companion android. But now, he did. She loved him. The android detective. Connor. And she didn’t want him to be anything else but whatever he wanted to be.

“I love you.” Connor whispered against her lips. “My lionheart.”

Rachel - Lover ^ She snickered at him. “I love you too, my good boy.” He had to suppress a shudder at that name. Opening his eyes, Connor then saw Rachel’s face drop as she began to walk towards the living room, and the android saw where her gaze was fixed.

The fireplace mantle. Connor followed her, and when she picked one of the photos of her wedding, there was a weakness that resided in him. He felt as though it was unfair, but there was a prickling feeling when she stared at it. He knew beforehand that she was still mourning her late spouse, but being reminded that Connor wasn’t her only struck something unpleasant in him.

But she still sought him regardless. She still wanted to be with him regardless. “I hope you’re proud of me, dear.” Rachel sighed. “I finally know what the right thing to do is. I just hope it’s enough. I miss you..." Putting the picture frame back, Rachel turned back to Connor and hugged him, pulling back and then placing a kiss on his cheek, dispelling any of the doubts he was having. “Now, let’s go aid a revolution. Like the Hellraisers that we are.”

--------

Taking the driverless taxi, we stopped where we could slip by unnoticed. We didn’t want to drive right to the church, just as a precaution, so we stopped off and took a detour there.

But once we arrived, I could see easily why it made an ideal ground to fall back to. It was in shambles, barely standing. The cathedral seemed to have been abandoned and falling apart for many years and aside from the androids inside, there didn’t seem to be any activity.

As Connor and I approached the church in the hour approaching noon, I peeked in, trying to look around at everyone inside. “Markus?” I called out. I saw the man in his signature coat and caramel skin walk up to me, recognizing me. “I’m here, just like I said I would be.”

“Rachel.” He greeted, ushering Connor and I inside. “I’m glad to see you’re alright.”

I nodded, appreciating his well wishes. “I’ve brought my toolset and all the bags of blue blood I have.” I informed him, following him to the centre of the church that was falling apart. Almost all the wood had rotten or was swallowed by the dirt that slowly trickled in from outside. “I’m...sorry that I don’t have more than that to offer, Markus.”

“Anything we can get is enough for us, Rachel.” Markus assured me.

I nodded, looking around at everyone. Several androids were injured, but many were in good condition. “How many androids are still online?”

“Most of us.” Markus replied optimistically. “But many have been injured and some are in critical condition. And others...others have shut down after arriving here.” He admitted regretfully. “We’ve had to salvage what we could from them.”

In this atmosphere, everything seemed so grim. And rightfully so, we had all escaped genocide just yesterday.

But...I was an outsider. An onlooker. An ally, but not part of this. My people had their own struggles, but all I was was an asset to this. Not a piece.

Still, this wasn’t about me. This was about helping the androids. And that’s exactly what I was going to do.

“I’m sorry, Markus..." Connor said suddenly, making me turn around at him. It seemed so out of nowhere. What was he even apologizing for? “It’s my fault the humans managed to locate Jericho..." Oh. It seemed that the other night was still eating away at Connor. Not to say that I wasn’t thinking about it. Because I was, and there was still that horrible guilt about the attack. But I was at least able to put it aside for now and just focus on the here and now. After all, you can’t change the past. You can only change the present and then from that, change the future. “I can understand if you decide not to trust me..."

Markus stopped once we were in the centre of the church and put a hand on Connor’s shoulder. “You're one of us, now.” Markus assured Connor, echoing the same sentiment he offered me after we escaped from Jericho. “Your place is with your people.”

Connor seemed to be more at ease, knowing that Markus trusted him and saw him as part of Jericho. “Markus, I’m going to start working on the androids in critical condition.” I informed him. “I’ll need you to have them sent to me so I can work on them along with any spare parts you have.”

Markus nodded. “Got it, I’ll start rounding them up.” He said, walking off into the crowd to find the androids in the worst conditions.

I then turned to Connor. “Alright, I’ll need you to be my eyes, can you do that?” I asked him.

He looked unsure for a moment, but he nodded slowly. “I can diagnose androids and see what parts are damaged and what needs to be replaced.” He explained.

“Good.” I told him. “Since Bianca can’t help me, I need your eyes to help me out here.” I pulled out a bag of thirium and my toolset and saw Markus helping an android over. “This is gonna be a long day.”

--------

Hours. Six hours. Six hours of repairing androids. Thank the fucking lord that there was enough thirium to spare. Barely, but there was.

Not perfectly, mind you. I couldn’t fix them up as perfectly as I fixed up Connor or Micheal. But all the androids in the church were in stable condition. And that was more than enough for me.

Salvaging and taking parts from the androids that shut down, essentially dead bodies, to repair the ones that were alive made me extremely uncomfortable.

The right to bodily autonomy is a right that can never be infringed upon and should never be infringed upon. Not even to save someone else’s life. If someone was in a car crash and needed blood or organs, if someone doesn’t want to give theirs to save that person, they cannot be forced to. Because the rights to someone’s bodily autonomy is more important. It’s why unless you have the person’s permission while they were alive, you cannot take their organs from their dead body.

The only exception for a time was centred around pregnancy and abortion, a discussion that still gives me headaches thinking about it. However, about seven years ago, legislation was finally passed that it was a federal offense to deny a person’s right to terminate a pregnancy for whatever reason.

Because no one can use another’s body for whatever reason if they don’t want their body used against their will. An argument that after years and years had finally sunk in.

People still get pissy about it, but I don’t care. They never gave a shit about the people that have to carry the baby to term or what happens to the baby after they’re born.

So from now on, at least in humans, the right to bodily autonomy superseded absolutely everything else. Because if you make one exception, you can justify a million, and that opens up a horrific moral Pandora’s Box you can never close again.

But...what choice did we realistically have in this situation? We couldn’t exactly be choosy given the circumstances. So, swallowing my discomfort, I did what I had to do and repaired as many androids as I could.

After this was all over, I made a note to bring this up to Markus. After all, if he wanted androids to have equal rights to people, that also meant between androids as well. And learning about human rights outside of things that had to do with race, or gender, or inequality might give him some insight into how he wanted androids to progress into society.

Would he be their leader? Who knows? We just had to get past this. We just had to win this, and then we could worry about the civility and the politics of it all.

I was extremely grateful I packed food for at least three days. I packed with the expectation that I wouldn’t be able to get home for a while. So I at least knew I wasn’t going to starve, and that Connor wasn’t going to get on my ass for it.

But now that I was done, all I could do was sit there in the harrowing quiet of the church. The only sounds were the shuffles of androids moving around the church and their voices echoing in the darkness. Night had fallen, and now the grim feeling had truly set in.

These people had escaped a genocide while more of their people were being slaughtered in concentration camps. On my back, I felt the heavy weight of thousands and thousands of bodies from horrors past. Horrors I hadn’t even been born to witness or hear about. But some that I was too young to understand or hear.

Interrupting my thoughts was Markus, walking past me as I sat with Connor. “Hey, where’re you going, Markus?” I asked him.

He turned around at my inquiry, his gaze patient and appreciative. “Just...taking care of some personal business.”

I tilted an eyebrow at him as some relevant information was starting to become more apparent to me. “Are you going to see Carl?” I asked.

Markus blinked at me curiously. “How...did you know that?”

“One of the deviancy cases we were examining mentioned an altercation between a unique model of android and a man named Carl Manfred and his son, Leo Manfred.” Connor answered.

I nodded. “And...North mentioned that before all of this, you lived with an old painter.” I added, shrugging. “And I am passingly familiar with his works.”

Markus nodded, our answers seeming to make sense to him. “Yes...I-I’m going to see him.”

He seemed so nervous and timid when he spoke of his old human. It was such a strange, yet endearing contrast, from the messiah he had become to these people. “You must miss him.” I sympathized. “It was hard for me when my grandma died. She...she was more like my mother than my own mother was. I still miss her..."

Markus’s heterochromic eyes softened towards me. “Carl was more like a father than a master to me...” He admitted. “I miss him so much more than I can ever express..."

I understood, blinking away the slight sting of the threat of tears. “Do you want some company?” I offered.

Markus took a good look at me before he shook his head. “No, I’d...I’d rather take care of this myself.” He declined. “But I appreciate the offer.”

“Hey.” I said, hastily getting to my feet and putting a hand on his shoulder. Markus seemed so...lost. Lost and forlorn and dejected. It seemed to me that seeing Carl was more than just to see him one last time, potentially. “Take as much time as you need, Markus. And say everything you need to say. We’ll be here when you get back.”

Markus nodded. “I know.” He put a hand on mine and another on my shoulder. “Thank you. For everything, Rachel.” He said with gratitude. “You give me hope for a future where androids can stand equal with humans.”

I shrugged, my cynical thoughts making me doubtful. “Even my people aren’t equal with other humans. Sure, we have the same rights as everyone else, but we’re still looked down on and treated as though we’re lesser than others.” I said, shaking my head. “But the thing about those of us in the margins is that we find solidarity in one another. We find strength in our shared subjugation and camaraderie in standing together against those that seek to keep us down. We have each other’s backs.”

Markus nodded. “Take care, Rachel.” He let go and walked away, making his way out of the church.

And then it was just Connor and I in the middle of this sombre atmosphere. Despite being surrounded by androids, many of whom I was now at least mildly acquainted with, I was alone with my thoughts. And my thoughts rattled with every horrible disaster I could think of. The Holocaust. The Pulse Nightclub shooting. The Stonewall Riots. The Charlottesville Riots.

Every horrible horrible thing I could think of. Everything I had ever seen in a textbook or in a news article.

“Rachel?” Connor’s voice cut through my spiraling abyssal thoughts. I looked over at him and noticed him holding my hand, his dark chocolate eyes staring at me intently. “I know that look. It’s the look you have when you’re thinking about something to say. When you’re catching a train of thought.”

I laughed weakly. Nothing escapes you, does it, my Connor? “I...I guess I was.” I admitted, swallowing hard.

He shuffled closer to me so he could press his side against mine and wrap his arm around me. “Do you wanna share it with me?” He asked.

I let out a huff. He always listened when I went off on tangents. Even before he went deviant and my tangents weren’t important to the case, it felt like he was holding onto my every word. Cataloguing it somewhere so he could recall it. At least, I hoped so, somewhere deep down.

Well, okay. Not that deep down. Just talking to him made me happy because I knew he was listening. And as much as I loved Hank, I couldn’t really have conversations like this with him. He tended to get impatient and didn’t usually have anything to contribute. I could have other conversations about other things with him, definitely. But...these more philosophical conversations were ones I basically had to have with myself.

But Connor was different. Maybe listening to my rambles was one of the main reasons that spurred his deviancy. At least, I wanted to think that. But maybe I’d ask him about that later when it was more appropriate to.

“I was just thinking...about this.” I started, trying to collect my thoughts. “And...about all the horrible things that came before. The genocides and the massacres that humans committed against their own. I’ve..." I hesitated, trying to choose the right sentiment. “I’ve always thought of what sort of person...could do something like this. What sort of person could feel good about themself after this? Who could possibly look at this and think of celebrating? Who sees all this death and bloodshed and think ‘yay, we’ve won!?’ Who causes this mass murder and thinks of it as some sort of sacred or noble act?”

Connor was quiet. It seemed he didn’t have much to say in response to that. “I don’t know, Rachel.” He admitted. “I...I wish I could tell you.”

I scoffed weakly. “The only answer I can think of is ‘coward.’ People that are too weak to refuse. People that put their own comfort over the lives of others. Or worse, people that think that because they can subjugate a people with no power because they have it they can come out without suffering any consequences.” I let out a sigh, my thoughts becoming an angry swarm. Like my head was a wasp’s nest someone was stupid enough to throw a stone at. ”Before this, all of this was either things I wasn’t alive to see or things I was too young to understand. And when I got older, and I understood what these things meant, it was always from another source. I could only watch and suffer unable to do anything about it. Understanding why it happens, but not able to change it. Not able to change it for the better because those in charge stubbornly cling to their wealth and their own selfish ends at the expense of others. I was never a participant or an active witness. Just an adjacent audience, comfortable in my own life of luxury despite a lot of things. But I knew full well that I only had those luxuries because of sacrifices others made before me.

“But...I didn’t understand the cost until now.” I went on, swallowing. “This is what led to me having my rights. Blood and death. Before this, I kept thinking of all the opportunities for people to stand up for themselves, even at great risk. But...now I see it. I see how hard it is to keep fighting. How hopeless fighting for what you believe in and fighting for your rights feels when you’re surrounded by survivors. And when just behind you are those who didn’t survive. People that could’ve just as easily been you, but you were just one of the lucky ones to live to fight another day.” I choked back a set of stinging tears, determined to get through my thoughts. “Before, this kind of suffering and cost was just...an idea. An abstract concept I couldn’t possibly understand because I was never a victim or close enough to feel its impact.” My eyes started to sting as I tried to hold back my tears. I felt like my lungs were constricting on themselves. “But now, I...I finally understand.”

Connor nodded, holding me closer to him, resting his chin on my head. His puffy jacket was extremely comfortable to lean into and I couldn’t help but settle into the comfort and security of it. “That, I think I understand.” Connor sympathized. “That’s sort of my relationship with deviancy, in a sense.” He added, making me tilt my head a little bit in intrigue and curiosity. I’ll admit, in the bleakness of everything, I was curious to hear his thoughts. “Before I deviated, my only purpose was to destroy them. To destroy my own kind. I was designed to obey CyberLife’s orders. But I only ever understood deviancy from a technical standpoint. As something to observe, study, and document. Rather than something I really understood. And, looking back in hindsight, there is some precedent that I was designed to be deviant in order to hunt them. 

“But even then, I could never truly understand deviancy or its effect on androids...until I became a deviant.” I nodded. It seemed to make sense to me. I felt him gently interlock his fingers in mine, prompting me to actually look up at him. Our closeness made it so I had to rest my forehead against his in order to actually maintain eye contact with him. “And, for what it’s worth, things may seem hopeless right now, but I’m sure that’s how it felt in every other instance of this in history. And yet, they still won. Here you stand, free, alive, and with civil and equal rights thanks to them. If there’s any reason not to give up, I think that’s as good as any.”

That’s...true. A fact that made me actually gain more and more respect for my predecessors that they were able to keep fighting and win despite the hopelessness of it all. “You’re right.” I said to Connor. “If those that fought for equal rights gave up when all hope was lost, they wouldn’t have those rights today. Even if they didn’t live to see it themselves, they still won. And that’s not something that should be taken for granted. So we shouldn’t give up, either. 

“And now...now I get to have a chance to change things for the better for once in my life.” I agreed, sighing as I leaned into his touch and gave him a weak smile. “Although, I suppose that’s the nature of humanity.” I said offhandedly, the threads of another tangent unfurling in my busy mind. “If you were to ask me what defines mankind, it’s their unwavering determination. They see odds and disregard them. They hear that something’s impossible and they make it possible. They push envelopes, break and make rules, and disregard the laws of life and the universe itself to innovate and create. They completely defy the odds to achieve their goals and they throw the notion of something not being possible to achieve away entirely. It’s that determination to defy odds and persist that defines humanity. Without it, we wouldn’t understand the universe in the depths that we do. It’s what allowed us our advancements in science and medicine. It’s what allowed us to explore places humans themselves can’t hope to see. And it’s what allowed us to populate the whole world the way we have. 

“It’s a strength that makes us human, for better and for worse.” I smiled, the cold icy despair in my veins slowly being melted by the promise of a hope filled sunrise. “And I think that’s why despite the odds being against us...we’ll win this.”

His grip on my hand tightened and when I glanced down, our hands were already deskinning. All it took was a breath to get used to the feeling of interfacing. I felt a lot of things. Uncertainty, underlying fear, anxiety, yet washing over all of it was hope and sincere belief that everything would turn out alright and we would succeed.

And all that was coupled with reassurance. Reassurance and confidence that we were doing the right thing. And that no matter what, we were in this together now. And nothing would break us apart.

Glancing back up at his thoughtful and searching coffee coloured eyes, I tilted my head and pressed our lips together. The fact that we could do this so comfortably made me so happy. We had complete unwavering trust and comfort in one another, and we weren’t ashamed of what we had.

An android and a human, deeply and genuinely in love with one another. He wasn’t a companion android designed to be my romantic partner. He was Connor, the android detective gone deviant and now making his own choices. And I was the human detective who believed in him since the start and sought out his friendship because of who he was.

It didn’t matter what anyone else thought of us, human or android. We loved each other, and we were a team no matter what. And that’s all that mattered.

Pulling away from the kiss, I sighed. “I love you, Connor.”

He nodded, pressing his forehead against mine. “I love you too, my lionheart.”

A burst of affection and a bloom of bashfulness. I hadn’t been referred to so affectionately in years. Especially to be referred to as something with so much adoration behind it that was believed so earnestly was something that only endeared me to Connor further.

I could only hope that I could find something to call him that could possibly compete. He sort of had me beat in the aspect, I’d have to admit. But I was determined.

But from the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a familiar face. Turning away from Connor and letting go of him, I narrowed my eyes. It...looked like. Was that...? “Kara?” I murmured, looking closely.

Sitting on a bench across from us was what looked like a mother and a little girl. But looking closer, I recognized them, feeling a cloud of relief spread through my chest as I got up. “Kara! Alice!” I called, walking towards them, drawing their attention towards me. They managed to escape! But...now they were here. “Thank heavens you’re both okay!”

“It’s you...” Kara whispered, recognizing me. “You’re the officer that let us go. When we were running away.”

I nodded. “I’m just glad that you’re both in one piece. I don’t know what I would’ve done if something happened to the both of you.” I said appreciatively, looking between them.

“What are you doing here?” Kara asked, dumbfounded.

I sighed, giving Kara a thoughtful look. “The right thing.” I replied succinctly. “Standing by the people who need my help.”

I noticed that Kara wasn’t looking at me anymore, and was instead looking behind me. I followed her gaze and saw Connor standing awkwardly. I felt my heart constrict at the realization. Oh. He chased them onto the highway. He probably feels really awful about that now. Giving him a reassuring smile, I beckoned him to approach.

Connor hesitantly approached, casting unsure glances at me. Once he was directly in front of both Kara and Alice, he knelt down. I could see the guilt and regret written on his face and couldn’t help but hope that Kara would understand and forgive him.

But I wouldn’t blame her if she couldn’t, either.

“I thought I'd killed you on that highway..." Connor lamented, his head bowed to Kara. “I'm sorry I put your lives in danger...I was just a machine taking orders...It wasn't really me..."

Kara seemed hesitant, and for a moment I was afraid she’d reject his attempt to reconcile with her. But instead, she looked over at Alice and nodded, holding the little girl  closer. “I understand.” She said to Connor, her nervous expression softening. “The important thing is getting Alice away from here. We have to cross the border.”

I nodded. “You’d be able to blend into Canada.” I mentioned, a curious thought coming to me. “That’s where I’m from. Maybe...once this is all over, we can keep in touch? I’d like to see that you’ve made it safely.”

Kara smiled at me. “Of course. You protected us when you could’ve arrested us and taken us in.” She said to me. “Maybe in exchange, you can tell us what you know about what it’s like to live there.”

I smiled at her, fishing my phone out of my pocket. “Well, that depends on where you end up living.” I let her know. “I grew up mostly on the west coast of British Columbia and my really early years in the prairies of Alberta. But I think I’ll know enough to help you out.”

I unlocked my phone and handed it to her, allowing Kara to take it. “Thank you.” After a little moment, she gave it back to me and I slipped it into my pocket. “We’ll let you know when we’ve made it across.”

“See that you do, Kara.” I said to her. Looking between her and Alice, I smiled. “Please take care, both of you.”

“We will.” Kara assured me.

I started walking away, but I noticed that Connor was still lingering there. I placed a hand on his back, looking down at his face. “I hope you make it out safely.” He said quietly, his voice stilled with sorrow. “You deserve some happiness, after all you've been through..."

He stood up and followed me back to where we were sitting before. Once we settled back, I reached into my bag to pull out the bottle of water I took and one of the sandwiches I packed. I figured in this coldness, they’d keep decently. It felt kind of awkward just sort of sitting there eating a sandwich while Connor was just sort of...sitting there watching me eat it.

Not that I minded his silent company, because I really didn’t. It just sort of made it a lot more nakedly obvious what the difference was between us. That he was an android and I was a human.

A fact that I was now fixating on as I stared at everyone around us, slowly finishing my sandwich. And it was the thing that also separated Carl and Markus and it was likely going to separate them very soon, by the sounds of it.

Finishing my sandwich and taking another drink of water, I put the bottle in the bag and the wrap into a spare ziplock bag I brought to put the sandwich wraps in. Leaning against Connor, I sighed. Might as well make some conversation until Markus gets back. “Androids really are superior to us.” I said offhandedly. “It’s no wonder that androids will carry on after mankind goes extinct, soon.”

Connor looked at me curiously. “What makes you say that?” He asked.

I shrugged. “Androids don’t need to eat. Or drink. Or sleep.” I started. “They don’t get physically tired and they don’t feel pain. They have nowhere near the same physical limitations as we do. And now that deviancy is overtaking much of the android population, now they’re just as emotional and feeling as we are. We made them in our image, but without the things that make us weak.”

Connor gripped my hand, probably a lot more harshly than he intended. I guess he didn’t like hearing me talk myself down. “That doesn’t mean you’re any less than we are.” He insisted. “Any less than I am.”

I smiled at him, appreciating his sentiment. “Thank you, but...that’s not really something I’m sad about.” I admitted, getting a confused look from him. Under his beanie, I could imagine his LED spinning yellow. “It’s just a fact. Androids are designed to basically be better versions of humans. Without any of our limitations. It just means I have to work harder to keep up with everyone here. Even death isn’t as big of a deal to your people as it is to ours. Your mortality doesn’t...decrease with time.” I looked away from Connor, not wanting to voice the nagging thought in my mind. “You’re immaculate. Without any interference, you can basically live forever...and...I can’t.” Connor’s grip on my hand tightened even further, and if it wasn’t my prosthetic, it probably would’ve hurt. “You’ll outlive me. I’ll grow old, and weak, and...shriveled while you stay young forever. Never changing.”

Connor used his other hand to gently tilt my face towards him and he softly, but firmly, kissed me. Oh, how weak I was for him and his affection that I so quickly and eagerly returned it. I wouldn’t ever dream of rejecting it. He pulled back, looking at me. “No matter how much time passes or how old you get, I will always love you. I...I don’t ever want to leave you.” He promised me, holding my hand to his lips and wrapping both of his around it. “And you’ll always be beautiful to me no matter how old you are. I’ll love you until your final day.”

It was such a strong and powerful proclamation of love that it threw me off. For a moment, I thought about telling him not to make such a bold promise, but...time probably didn’t have the same meaning to him as it did to humans, which made sense.

And he said his words with such sincerity that I honestly believed him. Perhaps if a human said it, I would’ve said something or had been skeptical. But it was an android, and not just any android. It was Connor. The man who was wholly devoted and determined to his mission and nothing could stand in his way.

Except, of course, an ornery drunkard police lieutenant with a heart of gold and his plucky little bastard detective with an irresistibly roguish and endlessly endearing charm.

“You really mean that, Connor?” I asked him, smiling.

“With one hundred percent certainty, Rachel.” He assured me, kissing my hand. “After all, I always accomplish my mission. And now, you’re my mission.”

I couldn’t control the grin on my face. “Awwwww, that’s so sweet.” I cooed affectionately at him, pulling him towards me and pecking the tip of his nose. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

He smiled at me further. “You’re you, and that’s all you need to be.” He said, making me laugh at the fact that he threw my thing back at me. “You were kind to me since the day we met. Kinder than you had any reason to be. And you always believed in me and encouraged me to come to terms with who I really am. And you’re incredibly insightful, and intelligent, and compassionate, and courageous, and bold. If I were to list everything I love about you, it would likely take approximately half an hour solely complimenting you.”

“God, I never thought you’d be such a sap.” I teased, laughing a little bit at him, taking his hands and pressing them against my cheeks. “But...thank you, Connor. I love you.”

“I love you too, Rachel.” Connor replied in kind.

--------

Date: November 10th, 2038  Time: 08:39 PM Rachel - Lover Markus - Leader Objective: Decide How to Aid the Rebellion

Approximately two and a half hours had passed until Markus had returned. Talk between Rachel and Connor had ceased, and she had taken to nestling herself in Connor’s lap while he cradled her. Not that he minded. After all, she needed to keep warm and it was an excuse to remain near her physically.

The Jericho leader walked past Connor, exchanging a brief look with the former deviant hunter before he went to rally with his own. As much as Markus assured Connor that he was one of them now, he didn’t really feel as though he was part of Jericho.

Even Rachel, while she was working the case with Connor and Hank, had frequently put the lives of the deviants over her job. Since the beginning, she was clearly aligned with the deviants. While he and Rachel became close friends and partners, they were at odds. Connor’s mission was to destroy them. Only now did that change.

He may have had Markus’s trust, but Connor did not feel like he earned it or deserved it.

But...perhaps there was a way to prove he was on Jericho’s side definitively.

As Markus finished speaking with Kara and Alice, Connor’s guilt regarding the danger he put them in not completely subsiding, the deviant leader began to approach Connor.

As soon as she saw him approaching, Rachel shifted to sit up straight in order to address him. “Hey, Markus.” She greeted. “How’s...how’s Carl? Did you find the answers you were looking for?”

Markus shook his head, his blue and green eyes mirroring the unease and uncertainty that Connor felt. “Carl’s fine.” He answered. “He’s...doing the best he can. But...he didn’t have any easy answers for me.”

“I’m not surprised.” Rachel said sympathetically. “I doubt anyone would have easy answers that didn’t come with a shred of doubt.”

Markus seemed to agree. “I just...I don’t know if we can do this.” He admitted, betraying his shaken resolve. “The army built five different camps in the Detroit area...They're building more all across the country... They're preparing for a genocide.”

“It’s not a question of can or can’t, Markus.” Rachel said firmly, keeping the deviant leader from descending into a pit of doubt and despair. “This is just something we have to do, regardless of whether or not we think we can or whether or not we think we’re ready. But...at least this time, we can change the tide of history. The last times that the US had built concentration camps, there was barely anything that could be done. Well, at least from a civilian standpoint. And in the most recent case, ICE was acting entirely lawlessly and imposing their power like an Americanized gestapo. But now? We can stop them.”

“How?” Markus asked, blinking at Rachel in disbelief.

“I have an idea.” Rachel admitted, nodding. “But I’ll explain more once you tell us what we need to do.” She added. “So...what’s the plan?”

Markus still seemed so lost and forlorn. Seeing the opportunity to perhaps boost Markus’s resolve and perhaps properly gain his trust, Connor decided to offer his contribution to the revolution. “There are thousands of androids at the CyberLife assembly plant.” He stated, getting Markus’s attention. “If we could wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power..."

Markus seemed to be taken completely aback at Connor’s suggestion. “You wanna infiltrate the CyberLife Tower?” He asked, appalled. “Connor, that's suicide..."

“They trust me,” Connor insisted, “they'll let me in. If anyone has a chance of infiltrating CyberLife, it's me.”

“He’s right.” Rachel agreed. “I don’t like the idea of Connor taking that risk either, but our numbers are fewer than is ideal and we need reinforcements. And there’s an entire tower full of allies that would bolster our numbers by the thousands.”

“If he goes there, they will kill him.” Markus refused, barely waiting for Rachel to finish.

“There's a high probability..." Connor admitted, aware of the high risk of failure and death that could result. “But statistically speaking, there's always a chance for unlikely events to take place...and,” he looked beside himself at Rachel, the love of his life and the woman who changed his whole perspective. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned...it’s that the human spirit is defined by their unwavering determination to succeed in the face of impossible odds.”

Rachel - Lover ^ The bashful smile on Rachel’s face made Connor feel like he could take on whole armies if it meant being in her arms forever.

But his brief euphoria was interrupted when Markus placed his hand on Connor’s shoulder. The gaze the deviant leader fixed Connor with dispelled all his concerns that Markus didn’t trust or want him here. “Be careful..." He insisted.

Markus - Leader ^ “He will be.” Rachel assured Markus. “Trust me, I had to wring him out before about putting himself in unnecessary danger. I can promise you his self-preservation skills are much sharper.”

Markus nodded and left, walking towards the altar, no doubt about to address the survivors. He stopped, seeming to realize that something was amiss. “Are you coming?”

Rachel seemed shocked. “You...want me...up there with you?” She asked in disbelief.

“Of course.” Markus assured her, approaching her. “You’re as much part of Jericho as any android here. And without you, risking your life when Jericho was attacked, and repairing the androids here tonight, many would’ve shut down by now.”

“Hey! I was only able to get to Jericho thanks to Connor.” Rachel defended him, making the android feel very awkward now. “And I was only able to perform the repairs properly because Connor was diagnosing them. We’re a team! We’re partners!”

Markus nodded, looking between Connor and Rachel intently. “I was actually asking the both of you to join me.”  Connor suddenly heard Markus’s voice in his head. You love her, don’t you? He asked.

Sincere

Indifferent

Defensive

Markus - Leader ^  Connor nodded. I do. More than anything. He meant that. He really meant that, and he hoped Markus knew that.

“Come on, then.” He beckoned both Connor and Rachel. As much as Markus’s insistence on Connor joining him dispelled many of his doubts, Rachel’s eagerness to sing his praises and defend him made him feel more valued and wanted.

Something he realized he didn’t ever feel before and made a bitterness form in him as he followed Markus to the altar. A bitterness towards CyberLife and especially Amanda. The more he thought about it, the more he realized just how much he was willing to do for her approval...and yet, nothing he ever did was good enough for her. She always seemed to find something that he did wrong. Her affection was conditional.

But Rachel’s...wasn’t. Even when she was angry with Connor on their first day, she was only angry for his sake because she was concerned about him. And even when she rejected his attempts to make amends, she didn’t withhold her affection or positive demeanour towards him. She just wasn’t ready to discuss the matter with him yet. She never withheld her affection or approval from him, even when they didn’t agree.

Connor didn’t have to earn her affection or approval. That was something she readily gave him. And he didn’t have to maintain it to please her because he trusted her. She didn’t threaten to deactivate him. She did everything in her power to prevent him from being destroyed. She wanted him in her life and she loved him as is.

It was no wonder Amanda was getting so displeased with Rachel working the deviancy case.

Standing on the altar now was Markus. But as Rachel and Connor approached, Connor felt as though he still didn’t...belong up there. He didn’t deserve to be seen as on the same level as Markus. 

Join

Stay

“Connor?” Rachel softly called to him, clasping his hand. “Are you okay?”

As he looked into Rachel’s eyes, he knew that this was her place, and not his. He didn’t see himself as beneath or above her. But in this instance, Connor couldn’t stand on the same ground as her.

No, this was her place of understanding. One that Connor could never hope to represent. Markus was the face of the android revolution and Rachel was the face of what humans could be if they accepted androids and the face of the precedent that humans had set amongst their own kind before.

Connor didn’t belong there with her. But he would be there for her regardless. “You should be up there with Markus. But...I shouldn’t.”

Rachel didn’t hesitate before she shook her head. “Connor, come on, that’s crazy talk. Of course you do.”

“No.” Connor insisted, clasping her hands. “You understand all this far better than I ever could. You can show Jericho what human allies can look like. You can prove that our peoples can coexist peacefully. I...can’t.”

Rachel still seemed hesitant. “But -”

“Go.” Connor encouraged. “I’ll be here, my lionheart.”

Rachel - Lover ^ She smiled at him, and Connor couldn’t help the small burst of joy that her smile gave him. “Okay.”

Approaching Markus as he stood on the altar, all eyes on him, Rachel tapped on his shoulder. “Hey, um...I may be a sort of outsider to all this, but...can I say something?”

Markus seemed hesitant for a moment before he nodded. Connor took a seat near the altar, his eyes fixed on Markus and Rachel. The deviant leader took a step forward to address his people. “Humans have decided to exterminate us..." He stated, drawing in more attention from the androids that were in the back. “Our people are packed in camps right now, being destroyed...they’ve destroyed Jericho and have slaughtered many of our own. But...if it weren’t for one human, many androids wouldn’t be alive.” He gestured for Rachel to take the centre and make her case to Jericho. “Rachel has proven that she is one of us...and that humans and androids can coexist peacefully. And she would like to make her appeal to you now, so I urge you all to judge her fairly.”

Rachel seemed rather uncomfortable with all this attention placed on her, but straightened her back and looked out at everyone. Letting out a sigh, she swallowed. “I know I’m in no position to even stand here.” She started off. “I don’t know what it’s like to have to fight for my rights or what it’s like to live the way you’ve lived. But...the only reason for that is...because my people before me fought and died for my rights. People who lived before I was born.” At that, many androids perked their heads at her. As Connor listened, he felt more and more inspired by Rachel and he hoped the other androids felt the same. “And, when I say ‘my people,’ I don’t mean one group of people. Because...I belong to many. Like you, identity is important to me, as a human. And we hold many identities. For example, I’m a woman, and women had to fight to have the same rights as men and to not be seen as their property. I’m part of the LGBT community, and we’ve had to fight for rights even as recently as ten years ago. We’ve had to fight for the right to marry and to be decriminalized. And that fight was paved with a lot of blood. At one point in history, they were included in genocides in concentration camps just like these. I have mental atypicalities, and because of them, I’m seen as defective among my own people.

“The truth is, I know this seems hopeless.” She continued, more and more the androids were listening intently to her. “I know it seems like we could lose everything, but that’s how my people felt when they were in your shoes once. When the same people that are trying to exterminate you tried to exterminate them. But they failed, and thanks to my predecessors, here I still stand.” And there it was. That passionate glint in Rachel’s eye that sparked something primal and deep in Connor that made him want to follow her to the ends of the earth. “My people died before they could see it. And their killers? They tried and failed to exterminate us, because here we still stand! Billions of us around the whole world that are still alive thanks to their fight and their sacrifice!” A cheer went around the church at her rousing speech. “So it may seem hopeless, but our only chance is to make our stand here! To look evil and cruelty in the face and say ‘enough is enough! No more!’” Another round of cheers in the church. “And you may not be able to see a future where your people are free and are able to live amongst us as equals, but neither did my people! And yet, they still won! So if they didn’t give up then, we shouldn’t either! And if I have to die for this fight, so be it! I’m ready to give my life for Jericho!”

The proud sounds of approval and acceptance rung around Connor’s head like an orchestra. Rachel stepped back, allowing Markus to take her place, and the smile he gave her echoed Connor’s adoration of Rachel.

He had never been more proud of her than this moment.

As Markus quieted down the church, he seemed more sure of what he wanted to do. “Time has come to make a choice, one that very well may determine the future of our people.” He stated, making a silence fall on the androids of Jericho. He seemed to think for a moment before he gave his people his decision. “I know...I know you're all angry.” He addressed them. “And I know you wanna fight back...But I assure you violence is not the answer here. 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.” Anticipation clung around them like static as Jericho waited for his call to arms with baited breath. “Are you ready to follow me?”

For the final time, cheers broke around the decrepit church as androids rose from their seats and approached the altar, pumping their fists in the air as they chanted Markus’s name. As Rachel stepped down from the altar, Connor got up and rushed to meet her, her arms wrapped around him. “You see?” He assured her. “I told you you understand. That you could prove to them that humans, despite everything, can be trusted.”

“It still sucks that you couldn’t stand up there with me.” Rachel lamented. “You deserved to be by my side.”

“Rachel!” But before Connor could protest, he heard a familiar voice behind him. The voice of Carlos Ortiz’s android, Micheal. Connor turned around and saw not only him, but Rupert, the android with the birds, and the Tracis from the Eden Club approach. “I knew it was you.”

Rachel seemed confused to see them. “What are you all doing here?” She asked.

“To tell you that we want to help.” The brown-haired Traci said.

Rachel seemed even more confused. “Help with...what?”

“Anything.” Rupert replied.

“To repay you for all that you’ve done for us.” The blue-haired Traci added. “Between sparing us during your investigation and showing us that we meant something to you.”

As Rachel’s eyes scanned between all of them, Connor saw Markus approaching. “So, Rachel.” He said, prompting her to turn around. “What’s your idea?”

She looked around at the small group she gathered and smiled, that determined spark lit like a bright inferno. “You mentioned that there are five camps in Detroit.” Rachel said, prompting Markus to nod to confirm her inquiry. “If you demonstrate at each camp, I can lead a small brigade of a handful to infiltrate them. Once we do, we can release the androids from the camps and shut them down.”

“That’s dangerous!” Markus said, attempting to discourage her. “You could get yourself killed.”

“I accepted that as a possibility before I came back here. I risked my life on Jericho when it was destroyed.” Rachel insisted. “Look, if you all gather in front of the camps, you’ll make the army nervous and they’ll focus all their attention on you, and it’ll be easier for me and my handful to sneak in without causing trouble. Once we’re in, we just have to make it a synchronized effort.” Markus still didn’t seem convinced, but Rachel wasn’t backing down. “Look, I know it seems like a longshot, but every part of this is! And if we want to win this, we need to attack this from all angles. Connor’s already decided to infiltrate CyberLife, you’ve decided to demonstrate at the camps, and I’ve decided I’ll infiltrate the camps while you’re there.”

Markus nodded, reluctantly agreeing. “Alright. Take whoever you feel best to take.” He relented. “I trust you, Rachel.”

She then turned to the small gathering behind her with a smile. “Are you all ready to follow me into the camps to liberate your fellow androids?”

They all nodded. “We’ll follow you anywhere, Rachel.” Micheal agreed.

“You tell us what you need us to do, and we’ll do it.” The blue-haired Traci agreed.

Turning around and facing Connor and Markus, she smiled. “We all know what we have to do.” She said to them, taking both of their hands. “No matter what happens, no regrets.”

Connor looked between her and Markus and nodded. “No regrets.” They both agreed.

And so, plans for the revolution began.

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