Replacement [RK1700] -ENG-

Chapter 1

Today was a day when Connor felt nothing. Just like when he was simply a plain machine with a concrete mission.

He closed the front door after entering Hank's house and looked around the corridor that he knew so well. He glanced at shoes lying shabbily next to the wall. He took off his own and as soon as he's done that, Sumo came, wagging his tail with happiness.

Connor crouched and embraced his neck, stroking his soft fur. He moved away, scratching behind his ear and went to the living room, hearing some voices coming out of there. Hank was sitting on the couch, two bottles of whisky standing on the table in front of him, and Connor recognised news on the TV's screen. He sat down next to the man and analysed how much alcohol he drank up until now.

“No, say nothing,” Anderson warned him, raising his hand to hold the android back from saying what he was going to.

Standard “stop drinking, Hank”.

He knew no requests were working on this human but he was still trying in hope that, maybe, someday he'll listen.

Yes, hope, wasn't it naive? Connor definitely wasn't stupid nor reckless. So where was this hope coming from?

“So what did they say at CyberLife?”

The android looked at his friend surprised, wondering if it wasn't one of these dishonest questions that Hank didn't want to know an answer to.

“They didn't invite you there in a long time, it's something serious, isn't it?” He added.

Connor shook his head.

“No, it's nothing serious. It's just... They're going to test something and send... a better version of my model to the DPD...? RK900.”

“Oh, Jesus, and what next? Like I don't have enough trouble with you.”

Connor rolled his eyes and smiled, knowing well he didn't think this way. He was wondering. Why didn't they, for example, send an e-mail? Why did they tell him to come to CyberLife Tower? It would be understandable if they wanted to tell him himself, that he's probably going to be replaced. After all, he was only a prototype.

The newer model was going to be better in everything - stronger, faster... taller. More intelligent. Newer means better, right? He won't be as defective as RK800.

“I think they want to replace me. When RK900 shows he can do more than me, they'll shut me down and rummage in my biocomponents until they know what failed.”

Hank didn't say anything for a moment. Eventually, he stood up, taking bottles of whisky from the table and leaving, he said:

“Fucking CyberLife. They'll try everything just to have bank accounts full of money.”

The lieutenant disappeared from Connor's view, so he lay down comfortably on the couch and looked at the roof, thinking of all of his options. They didn't say when he had to expect this new model, they could be joking as well, but Amanda threatened him so many times she'll replace him, he couldn't even think about this kind of possibility. CyberLife's employees wouldn't ask him to arrive there himself, if it was only a joke.

Finally, he closed his eyes and turned on something of a sleep mode.

· · ·

“Connor, wake up!”

He heard fingers snapping and that completely brought him back to consciousness.

“It's almost twelve o'clock, Fowler won't be happy if I'm that late.”

The android stood up from the couch quickly and glanced at Hank, who was lazily and with visible reluctance putting on a jacket.

Sumo poked Connor's hand with his nose, demanding attention. Successfully, because just a moment later he was stroking the dog's head, looking at his tail waving with joy.

But when he saw Anderson's impatient glance, he showed him an apologetic smile and went to the corridor to put on his shoes.

“Bye, Sumo,” the lieutenant said, locking the door.

After a few minutes they walked into the DPD. They sat down at their desks and occupied themselves by cases. Connor didn't want to stand out, now, when he was a deviant, people were looking at him differently and he felt uncomfortable with it.

He felt equally uncomfortable when he heard Fowler, who called him to his office. Strange, it wasn't Hank this time. Did he do anything wrong? Did he say something improper? The android couldn't remember any of the sort.

“Yes, captain,” he said unsurely, sitting across him.

“You know, Connor, I don't wanna do it, but CyberLife suggested me to, step by step, start taking away your cases and in the end, fire you. Because of RK900.”

The android lowered his head.

He knew.

He knew and still denied it and tried to falsely tell himself, it won't happen.

He raised his head, not looking into the captain's eyes.

“I see.”

He could say only these two words.

“It's good I don't have to listen to them. You're staying here. Since you started working with Hank, he ha become more productive and it's a plus for me.”

Connor finally looked at Fowler's face and his eyes showed how shocked he was. He has never thought this man would stay by his side.

“RK900 will be here today, they're doing last tests. They're probably in a hurry to shut you down. That's why you come back to your desk and show that you're worth my decision.”

Connor stood up, agreeing determinated, said goodbye to Jeffrey and left his office.

He quickly sat down at his desk and looked at files of the case they got.

“You're glowing,” Hank noticed, looking at the android suspiciously.

Connor told him about his talk with the captain and smiled at his friend who was happy, too. Even if he wouldn't admit it, he surely was lucky that Connor stayed.