[ Human ]

Right Between The Eyes (15)

Timeskip
Your POV
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I lean against the railing as Hank sits on a bench behind me. We're near the Ambassador Bridge, positioned at a playground.

I stare out at the water and can hear Hank speak up, "Nice view, huh..? I used to come here a lot before..."

Twisting around, I lean my back against the railing and see that he's talking to Connor.

"Can I ask you a personal question, Lieutenant?"

"Do all androids ask so many personal questions or is it just you?"

A little grin tugs at my lips from this joke, but I don't say or do anything except for listen.

Connor stands beside him, angling himself to partially face him as well as me.

"I saw a photo of a child...on your kitchen table. It was your son, right?"

"Yeah... His name was Cole."

Things grow a bit awkward, so Connor says, "We're not making any progress on this investigation. The deviants have nothing in common. They're all different models, produced at different times, in different places..."

"Well, there must be some link."

"Yeah," I pitch in, "like rA9. They have that in common."

Connor is stood in the middle of Hank and I now, but is slightly off to the side so I still have a clear shot of Hank.

"That's true. They have this obsession with rA9," Connor agrees. "It's almost like some kind of...myth. Something they invented that wasn't part of their original program."

"Androids believing in God... Fuck, what's this world coming to?" Hank comments.

"You seem preoccupied, Lieutenant. Is it something to do with what happened back at the Eden Club?"

"Those two girls... They just wanted to be together. They really seemed in love..."

"It's like they're...alive," I point out, subtly getting the truth across to them without giving myself away.

"They can simulate human emotions, but they're machines. And machines don't feel anything," Connor shakes his head.

"But what if they do?" I blurt out, unable to stop myself. Since I'm already here, I continue, "What if they aren't simulating human emotions, but are actually feeling them?

"And don't give me that bullshit about their programming or whatever. Think past the machine part of them for a moment. What if they really are human, but people are just too blind to see it?"

They seem surprised by my slight outburst, but ponder it for a minute. They're incapable of giving me a response, not knowing how to.

"Then we've been treating them wrong this whole time," Hank finally replies. "What about you, Connor..? You look human, you sound human, but what are you really?"

"I'm whatever you want me to be, Lieutenant. Your partner... Your buddy to drink with... Or just a machine. Designed to accomplish a task," he answers.

"Why didn't you shoot those two girls, Connor?" I pry, but not harshly.

"Yeah, why didn't you shoot, Connor? Hm? Some scruples suddenly enter into your program?" Hank adds.

"No... I just decided not to shoot, that's all."

Hank stands and pulls his gun out, aiming it between Connor's eyes, "But are you afraid to die, Connor?"

I stiffen up, not leaning against the railing anymore. I warn, "Hank..."

"I would certainly find it regrettable to be...interrupted...before I can finish this investigation," Connor replies, struggling to find the right words.

Almost as if he's...nervous.

"What will happen if I pull this trigger? Hm? Nothing? Oblivion? Android heaven?"

"Nothing...There would be nothing..."

Hank glances at me after a second, then looks back to Connor, who's LED is flickering yellow.

He lowers his gun and puts it away, Connor and I relaxing, "You're lucky that I'm not gonna shoot you. YN would kill me if I did that."

I blush a little, crossing my arms knowingly, "That's not the only reason why you didn't shoot, Hank."

"Maybe so," he responds before walking back to his car. "Come on you two, let's go."

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R I G H T  B E T W E E N  T H E  E Y E S
{ Chapter Fifteen }

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-CastrarWolf