Deus Ex Human Revolution: Shadow's Showdown

Chapter 66: The blue among black.

Detroit.
Connor's apartment.

Laura stood a few steps away from the Aston Martin, expecting an answer. During her visit to Rupert, she had almost forgotten that her wounds had not yet healed, and now they reminded her about their presence with a piercing pain twisting her mouth in an unnatural grimace. The whole situation overwhelmed the woman more and more, and Connor wasn't making anything easy for her.

"We'll talk about it at home, okay?" he suggested with calmness in his voice. "You're tired, and barely staying on your feet because of the pain. Please don't protest."

A long, loud sigh answered him. Calm, Dale always was calm. Sometimes even suspiciously and unnaturally as if someone had programmed him, she thought. The woman nodded and got into the car. Had it not been for the pain, their conversation would have turned into an argument, one of those similar to a hurricane. During all the travel they remained silent. Dale decided not to try to change this fact and focused on driving the car, which moved smoothly on the asphalt and braked gently at pedestrian crossings and red lights. Even when he stepped on the gas to overtake the car in front of them, he did so with great accuracy. At such moments, it's better to take a step back than to impose himself by talking about the weather. He turned on the radio but as soon as the first words of a song came from the speakers he immediately regretted it.

In our headlights, staring, bleak, beer cans, deer's eyes
On the asphalt underneath, our crushed plans and my lies
Lonely street signs, power lines, they keep on flashing, flashing by (flashing)

The lies, his lies, with which he fed Laura, were unforgivable, and being aware of this, he continued to press on with this shit. He continued pretending to be a model friend and a knight on a white horse. Someday shit will hit the fan, and the price he would pay would be enormous. He reached out looking for the button to turn off the radio when he felt the touch of her hand on his.

"Leave it on. I like this song," she said quietly.

So he had to continue to endure this torture but despite his desire, he did not protest. He bit his lip so hard that he immediately felt the sweet-metallic taste of blood in his mouth.

And we keep driving into the night,
It's a late goodbye, such a late goodbye
And we keep driving into the night, it's a late goodbye

When they reached the house, he helped her take off her jacket and shoes. In doing so, he expected a terrible argument, but Laura was calm. Too calm for what she had accustomed him to. She marched to the bathroom and then straight to bed before he had time to suggest it to her. Dressed in his pyjamas, he joined her moments later, handing her a mug of hot cocoa.

"Wounds bothered you a lot when we were at Rupert's?" he asked, turning a grey mug in his hands. For her, he prepared a blue one. He bought it on purpose, though he knew it would disturb the harmonies of the grey. Maybe that's not a bad thing?
"Yes and no," she replied. "I forgot about the pain for a while, but then it reminded me about its existence."

Connor turned the mug in his hands again, giving by that an expression of nervousness, and looked at his reflection peering at the surface of the brown liquid. "I didn't tell you about Adam and the funeral because I saw the state you were in. I knew it would have killed you. I was afraid, so damn afraid. That's why I kept silent."

Honesty, a step forward, a step toward being a better person. Am I sure I'm still human? Where does humanity end? Maybe I am already a machine? - these questions have haunted him for many years. He set his mug down on the nightstand and wanted to go to sleep but when he turned his head he encountered Laura's green, sparkling eyes. They seemed unnaturally large and extraordinarily beautiful to him. They attracted him, hypnotized him, tempted him. He fought the temptation, although anyone else in his position would certainly have given up without a fight and seized the opportunity. He wouldn't, despite how close they had become in recent times. Despite how much events had brought them together. He trembled more and more overwhelmed with fear.