| CORRUPT |

Chapter 8

𝙰𝙿𝚁𝙸𝙻 𝟷𝟹𝚝𝚑 𝟸𝟶𝟺𝟷
𝟺:𝟶𝟶𝚊𝚖

𝐽𝑂𝑆𝐻：

After wrapping up an incredibly late meeting with Markus, he expressed his determination to expand our 'Android neighborhood' for the sake of granting more androids a life of freedom and peace.

However, the absence of North posed a significant challenge, leading Markus to grow increasingly concerned. Despite my attempts to reassure him that she likely departed by choice, he insisted on organizing a search party.

Leaving his office, I headed toward my designated room, but my attention was caught by a shadow slipping into the library from the corner of my eye. Intrigued, I frowned and hesitantly pursued the mysterious figure.

Intrigued, I discreetly tail the elusive shadow, skillfully navigating behind the rows of bookshelves. My attention is so fixated that I inadvertently collide with a shelf, prompting an ominous creak.

My muscles tense as I discern the yellow LED flickering in response-a silent indicator of another android's presence. Undeterred, I shadow the figure until it reaches the rear of the library, extending its hand toward what seems to be an ottoman.

In that moment, a vivid flash of bright blue catches my eye, serving as my cue to confidently emerge from the shadows.

With a swift and unexpected movement, the android pivoted on the spot, sending a surge of anxiety through me, causing my heart to momentarily slow its beats. Stammering, I uttered in disbelief, "N-North?" as the name escaped its lips in a whisper, hanging in the tense air between us.

It was Connor?

The uncertainty in his voice mirroring the perplexity etched across his synthetic features. The figure before Connor mirrored North in an unsettling resemblance, but the scars of damage from their last encounter lingered prominently.

"I'm not North, Connor. Look at what you have done!" I cry pierced the air, I pointed towards North's dead body in the ottoman. Which represented the undeniable truth. I wasn't North? It was me, Josh.

A flicker of disbelief danced in Connor's artificial eyes as he grappled with the unsettling revelation.

Could it be a glitch in Connor's system, a distortion of perception? The figure's ominous declaration disrupted his internal processing. "You won't get away with this," I had warned, a chilling undertone resonating through the words, and the other android found himself entangled in a web of confusion, questioning the boundaries of his own perception and the consequences of actions that seemed to defy the programmed parameters of his existence.

A sense of urgency gripped Connor as he attempted to retreat from the approaching me, but an inexorable force seemed to propel myself relentlessly forward. Panic etched across his features, his keen synthetic eyes scanning the vicinity for a means of defense.

A flicker of relief illuminated his gaze when he spotted a lamp a few feet away. Seizing the opportunity, he subtly turned back to me, his actions disguised in a façade of nonchalance. His eyes widened, mirroring a calculated surprise, as if he hadn't spotted the potential weapon. Yet, the lamp became a strategic focal point in his mind.

My accusatory words hung heavy in the air, echoing with a resonance that reverberated through the library.

"I will tell everyone what monster lurks inside you. I can't believe you would do this! We're on the same side, Connor," i declared, my voice a blend of betrayal and incredulity. Connor grappled with the escalating tension, acutely aware that the looming confrontation held the potential to unravel the delicate balance between his programmed directives and the turbulent currents of a reality that seemed to defy the constraints of his artificial consciousness.

I found myself locked in a helpless gaze, my eyes fixed on Connor, unable to tear away. My fingers trembled with a delicate intensity as he appeared to be meticulously calculating his next move. At first, he averted his gaze, leading me to believe he was merely startled by being caught.

However, when he turned back to meet my eyes, a sinister gleam had replaced the familiar expression of the Connor everyone had grown to accept and admire. It was a malevolent look, suggesting a deviation from the persona we had known.

In a seamless motion, Connor lashed out, sending the nearby table flying. The lamp perched on it defied gravity, seemingly drawn into his hand as if by magic. Our eyes met, and the spectrum of emotions on my face shifted from concern and anger to a bewildered mix of confusion and horror.

Before I could even react, Connor lunged at me with the agility of a predator. Attempting to retreat proved futile, for in the blink of an eye, he descended upon me. As I gazed up at him, a sorrowful glint in my eye, my world succumbed to an abyss of blackness.

As life ebbed away from my synthetic existence, the whispers of betrayal lingered like an unrelenting shadow. North's warning about Connor being a traitor echoed in my fading consciousness, a bitter truth I had dismissed. In those final moments, I clung to the hope that North, wherever she was, would forgive my naivety.

The transition from life to whatever awaited beyond held an unexpected serenity. Contrary to the ominous tales of death, it wasn't a plunge into darkness but a surreal ascent into blinding brightness. The very freedom I had fought for seemed to manifest in the ethereal glow enveloping me, making the sacrifice for a cause a mere footnote in the cosmic tapestry of existence.