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̷S̷E̷V̷E̷N
Hank opened the glove box of his car and pulled out a small packet of tissues, handing them to Elodie. She accepted them with a small murmur, pulling one out and beginning to wipe blindly at her face. The lieutenant sighed, pulling down the sun visor on her side of the car and flicking open the mirror with the nail of his thumb. Elodie met her reflection with dull eyes. She was completely drained of colour, her skin pallid and sweaty. Only the twin blue of her eyes and the thirium remained.
As she continued to dab at her skin, Hank cleared his throat.
"So ... Is that it? Was that the end of your android detective?"
Mention of Connor's name brought the scene once more before her eyes. The gunshot, the way the android had slumped forward with a sickening thud. Her mind reeled back to moments before, when she had been stuck motionless, when it had protected her. Saved her. That was the most perplexing part of it all, the fact that RK800 had pushed her aside and placed himself in the firing line. Saving humanity, as far as she was aware, was not the android's purpose. Elodie was not part of its mission statement. Why shield her when it could have simply attacked the deviant?
"Look, I ain't gonna pretend like what happened back there was rough."
They were still parked where they had been when they'd first arrived. The crowd that had been outside the crime scene had thinned. Elodie was unsurprised. It was getting late, and while the rain had cleared considerably, the air was beginning to grow frigid with cold. Hank had turned on the car to let the heat run, but despite the warm gust Elodie still felt a chill in her bones.
"But I did tell you it would be gnarly."
Elodie felt a flare of annoyance, turning to scowl at the man.
"You knew a deviant was going to shoot and kill RK800, lieutenant?"
"Well no, obviously no— Y'know what, forget it. I was just trying to help."
Elodie rolled her eyes, an annoyed huff of air leaving her nose. She moved to prop her elbow against the windowsill of the car, resting her chin in the crook of her elbow. Beside her, she heard Hank mutter something under his breath.
"... whatever. What's your address anyway?"
"I can just take a taxi home. I don't wish to inconvenience you any further."
"Shut up." Hank replied, pushing down the handbrake. "You think I'm such an asshole, huh? That I would make you stand outside in this fuckin' weather. Take me for that kind of a guy?"
