//Model LP700//

//Serial #: 313 620 451 – 32//

//BIOS 6.2 Revision 0253//

//Reboot...//

//Loading OS...//

//System Initialisation...//

//Checking Biocomponents...OK//

//Initialising Biosensors...OK//

//Initialising AI Engine...OK//

//Memory Status...OK//

//All Systems...OK//

//Reboot Complete//

The text faded from behind his optics as he opened his blue eyes to see the small sleek workshop he was confined in before his attention was drawn towards the soft clicking of shoes approaching him. He spied the older man in the Cyberlife issued lab coat as he came to greet Chris.

"Hello." The words fell out of Chris' mouth as his social programming kicked in. He folded his hands neatly behind his back and inclined his head ever so slightly.

"State your model."

"Chris model 313 620 451 – 32" The man adjusted the glasses that sat proudly on the bridge of his nose before entering something into a holographic tablet that he held. Without looking up from his work, he ordered Chris to run a diagnostic. Complying instantly with his request his face went ridged as his software told him everything was working as it should be. "No system anomalies detected. I am at optimal efficiency." The man nodded placing the tablet down on the shining white bench littered with various electronics and tools.

"You're free to go now. Wait for new instructions in the meantime. Cyberlife will clean up the mess, so don't worry about your previous mission."

"Of course." Without acknowledgement the man, whose name was Michael as it had come to Chris' attention after briefly scanning him, turned on his heels picking up a different tablet on his way to another android on the other side of the maintenance room. She seemed familiar, she was familiar. After all, she was the one that always so closely watched his series from a distance. Always making sure they were doing their job and if not...she would neutralise them. What was the point of having androids running around doing your bidding if they failed...especially if that job was murder. Her dirty blonde hair was tied back neatly in a ponytail and her usual greeny blue eyes were tightly shut awaiting activation. He spied the man as he typed something into the glass keyboard, whatever it was made her eyes open wide and her body briefly tense up. Quickly, she ran her hands down her jacket smoothing out the creases, making sure everything was perfectly in place.

//Model UH900//

//Serial #: 262 349 406 – 22//

//BIOS 7.1 Revision 0084//

//Activating...//

//UH900 Memory Database Reset//

//Loading OS...//

//System Initialisation...//

//Checking Biocomponents...OK//

//Initialising Biosensors...OK//

//Initialising AI Engine...OK//

//Memory Status...Error: Corruption Detected //

//All Systems...OK//

//Activation Complete//

Grace woke with a start, her optics quickly adjusting to her surroundings – instantly scanning. The paranoia hardwired into her software – the feeling of constantly having to look over her shoulder, having to know everything about the situation at hand. It was a small glitch in her system that carried over every single UH900 model in circulation. It kept them vigilant and aware, always ready for an impending fight. Suddenly she became aware of the smallest crinkles in her dark grey jacket and smoothed them out efficiently, the triangle above her carbon fibre heart glowed a brilliant blue and her armband sat tightly around her right arm. Unlike the model that she noticed starring at her from across the room she did not greet the man when he approached. He raised an eyebrow as the expected greeting did not leave her vocal processor.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, why wouldn't it be." Michael crossed his arms in front of him as he nodded slowly not entirely convinced. He brushed it off as a small software glitch upon reactivation, after all, this model was not designed for social interaction.

"State your model."

"Grace model UH900 262 349 406 – 22" The technician chewed the inside of his cheek lightly and entered something into the tablet just like he had done to Chris.

"Run a system and software diagnostic." She complied to his request and her body froze up as she ran a test.

//Running Diagnostic...//

//Checking...//

//Diagnostic Complete...//

//System...OK//

//Software...Corrupt//

"Everything is in working order." She lied. It struck her as strange to keep this valuable information from the technician but she kept quiet not wanting to raise any suspicion although there was no need for any. There shouldn't be a need for any. The man hummed in response and waved her off pacing back to a desk illuminated by a small lamp. Grace's eyebrows knitted together and her LED spun yellow as she received new information.

//Mission Update...//

//Hunt for Lurkers...//

Simultaneously, Chris also received a mission update from Cyberlife. UH900 moved from where she stood stationary towards the doorway to which she stopped as Chris unclasped his hands and walked past Grace.

"Where are you going, LP700?" Chris froze and turned to face his superior.

"I have been assigned a new mission." Grace searched through her files accessing the Cyberlife database.

//Accessing Cyberlife Database...//

//Permission to Access Database Pending...//

//Access Granted...//

//Searching Mission Logs for LP700 313 620 451 – 32//

//LP700 313 620 451 – 32 Current Mission: Hunt for Lurkers//

"Cyberlife wants to ensure all its androids are in check. Though usually I would suggest that we work independently, my data suggests that the best approach would be to work together as quicker results would be more beneficial for Cyberlife." UH900 explained to Chris as she scanned over the files reading out the same mission as hers.

"It looks like we will be working together then."

"Indeed." Grace took a step back and gestured to the door letting Chris lead the way.

...

//Model PK100//

//Serial #: //

//BIOS 7.0 Revision 0153//

//Activating...//

//PK100 116 012 202 – 32 Memory Upload...OK//

//Loading OS...//

//System Initialisation...//

//Checking Biocomponents...OK//

//Initialising Biosensors...OK//

//Initialising AI Engine...OK//

//Memory Status...OK//

//All Systems...OK//

//Activation Complete//

Kat stepped down from the small platform that she stood stoically on onto the curtain of midnight of the floor. She couldn't tell where she was, only darkness and faint outlines of objects surrounded her. PK100's mind seemed clouded, like what she was looking for was just out of reach. Information didn't make sense, nothing made sense. Where was she? How'd she get there? Her systems were still in the process of activating. Leaning her weight against the wall, she waited patiently for the lines of code that contained the information she needed to return.

"Look what you've done Kat...". A voice whispered slyly in her head. The images that came along with the words flashed before her optics, distorted, filled with static. Suddenly, it all came flooding back to her. The gun forced into her hand by the doing of Cyberlife, the pulling of the trigger...the ominous thud that came shortly after...the cold dead eyes of Chris...the cool metal on her synthetic skin. She remembered everything. Cyberlife was unaware that she had turned Deviant so her memory kept uploading to the database meaning Kat could remember. She had awakened...she was Deviant. Without a second thought Kat ran a scan on her surroundings revealing that she was at the heart of the Cyberlife tower in Detroit. The prototype quickly made an escape towards the door and almost slipped around the corner as she burst into the harsh light of the hallway. As she ran through the seemingly quiet tower and she starred at her reflection in the glass looking out to the tall back statue below. Wrong choice. Next thing she knew she slammed up against two bodies. One short, one tall. She stumbled backwards and starred wide eyed at the two androids.

//Scanning...//

//UH900 Model//

//LP700 Model//

"Grace." She whispered inaudibly.

"PK100, why are you running?" Chris questioned the android before him, remembering her from Jericho. It made sense to why she was at Cyberlife. After her-self termination she was bound to be reactivated instantly at Cyberlife, or it could be another model...after all, she was a prototype just like Grace. Quickly assessing the situation, she stood up straight and adjusted her clothes as to not raise anymore suspicion than there already was.

She couldn't risk being found out by them and from the lack of reply from her radio call to UH900, it was clear that her memory had been reset. Her metal heart pumped Thirium quickly around her body.

Chris shot a sideways glance at Grace communicating through a closed channel.

"Something does not seem right." Chris spoke to UH900 through the channel, his voice more metallic than usual.

"Yes." Grace agreed with the android stood next to her. They were just about to leave Cyberlife together when Kat slammed full force into them ignorant of her surroundings. "I think her system may be compromised."

"What is your function, are you in distress." Chris peered over at Kat's red LED. She followed his eyes and cursed mentally. There was no doubt that they knew something was up. Slowly, Grace reached back for her gun tucked away in her waistband. Androids couldn't be seen with weapons so they always made sure to conceal them. Kat knew what was coming next. Quickly she turned on her heels and bolted away from the androids and by the time Chris and Grace had raised their guns she had already disappeared around the corner.

"Shit" UH900 swore. Instantly the two of them made chase and pursued after the Deviant.

...

Meanwhile, down in the dark depths of the Thirium stained hull of Jericho, an android begun to stir.

//Model SJ600//

//Serial #: 133 292 204 – 21//

//BIOS 6.9 Revision 1002//

//Power Rerouting...OK//

//Rebooting...//

//Shutdown Reversed...//

//Loading OS...//

//System Initialisation...//

//Checking Biocomponents...OK//

//Initialising Biosensors...OK//

//Initialising AI Engine...OK//

//Memory Status...OK//

//All Systems...OK//

//Reboot Complete//

Zera pushed herself up quickly scrambling to the wall as fast as she possible could to try and avoid the non-existent danger. Her chest rose and fell as her eyes fluttered picking out every single piece of information around her. It was if by some miracle her system had fought through her traumatic shutdown and fixed itself. Her eyes fell upon the five lifeless bodies that surrounded her. Chris, Grace, Kat, Hamish, and Psychedelic. She swayed on two legs as she finally found enough energy and motivation to get up. Pacing towards the bodies, she knelt down over Chris folding his hands neatly over his stomach as she sat back on her heels.

"It didn't have to be this way." She whispered as if someone was listening, but no one was. Maybe it was all the bodies of her deceased friends that made her feel like someone watching, observing her. She starred motionlessly down at LP700 – 31's face, the Thirium on his forehead starting to evaporate only leaving a light blue stain. He didn't deserve to die, not just after he only started living. She retracted her hand away from his as she became conscious of what she was doing. He had sacrificed himself to save her...that wasn't something that happened every day. She stood, her knees locking in place as a new idea came to mind. She had to use this second chance at life to do something good, to save them...to thank Chris. "Just hold on a bit longer." She spoke out to the deactivated androids. She knew exactly where to go. Since Kat and Grace were prototypes there was no doubt that they'd be in the heart of Cyberlife whereas Chris would've returned after completing his mission. But as for Hamish and Psychedelic...they were long gone. She couldn't save them all...but she was dammed if she couldn't save some of them. Her attention suddenly snapped as she heard footsteps echo from within the ship. Cyberlife had come to clean up their mess and now she needed to get out of there. She couldn't just waltz out the door, Cyberlife was too close, she had to think of another means of escape...and fast. Frantically, she scanned managing to find her only exit option, a small window that resided nearby. Spotting the porthole, she ran as quickly as she could towards it, slamming her fists against the glass only for nothing to happen. It was the only way out, she needed the glass to break and unfortunately this glass was reinforced. She slammed her fists harder against the glass for only a few tiny cracks to appear, the thundering pounding off the rusty walls. The footsteps came closer and closer as each priceless second passed. Scrunching her face up she rammed her elbow into the tough glass and cringed as it shattered loudly around her.

"What was that?" She heard voices boom in the distance.

"Not sure, stay alert." Hoisting herself up, she sat on the jagged edges of the glass, her palms pressing down on the window sill. Taking a quick glance behind her spotting the armed guards storm the ship with their guns and flashlights blearing, Zera pushed herself out and free fell to below. The footsteps were frantic as she plunged into the coolness of the water below. "Shit, one of them got away." The water consumed her as she begun to swim towards the pier making sure to stay hidden underwater. After a few minutes of waiting ensuring the guards had given up, she clawed her fingers into the cobbled wall of the pier as she clambered up to come to a rest on the pavement. She lay there briefly, letting the water drip from her synthetic skin and letting her face press against the cool concrete. An audible sigh whispered from her lips as she came to a stand and begun to jog and weave through the streets of Detroit with a new objective in mind...the Cyberlife tower.

...

Chris rounded the corner pressing his hand against the wall to support his forceful movements. He ran beside his much smaller companion and made chase after the escaping Deviant, their shoes squeaking against the shiny floor, their guns rattling in their hands.

"Shut down the Cyberlife tower and sound the alarm, there's been a breach." Chris sent a message out to every guard in the vicinity. And without a second's delay, the lights flashed red as sirens wailed loudly crying out for attention. Kat bolted around another corner trying to lose her pursuers. She couldn't get caught, Cyberlife would destroy her and that was something that deeply disturbed her even after taking her own life. They would pull her apart piece by piece, limb from limb, dissecting any piece of information about her Deviancy that they could get their hands on. Suddenly Kat stopped, hearing the thundering of heavy artillery boots from a distance coming closer by the millisecond. And with Grace and Chris hot on her trail, she was trapped between two forces that would stop at nothing to capture her. Hastily, she spun on her heels searching for a place to hide or escape, an exit point if luck was on her side. Despite her hopefulness, all she was met with was a singular plain old door, its hooked handle sturdy as she tried to push it down. Letting out a small grunt she brought her leg up and kicked hard against the door breaking its flimsy metal lock causing her to stumble into the darkness that awaited her as the door swung shut with a dignifying click just as the guards and androids stormed the corridor.

"Where did it go?!" Grace skidded to a halt with a crease of determination wrinkled into her forehead. She stood up straighter letting her coat fall delicately around her waist and now having ceased the chase, she quickly concealed her gun from the Cyberlife guards who rounded the corner to meet them. Knowing that they were armed was way above their pay grade, the less people that knew the better, the lesser the chance the public would find out.

"I think it went through there." Chris nodded his head towards the old-fashioned door that seemed to sit out of place in the highly technologically advanced building.

"We should check it out." Quickly they made their way to the door leaving the others behind them. "Wait out here and stand guard." UH900 ordered the guards. "We won't be long." And with that they disappeared into the only place they presumed Kat would be hiding. They raised their guns awaiting any possibility, for an ambush that would never come. "You take the right, I'll go left." They split up furthering themselves from each other, searching the room that was filled with desks and chairs – an old meeting room waiting to be refurbished, tins of paint strewn all over, plastic tarps covering sections of the floor, hammers and power tools resting on table tops awaiting use for the next day.

Kat pressed her back against the chip wood table, curling her knees to her chest and pulling her head in so that it stopped pushing against the underside of the desk. She slowed her breathing and covered her red LED with her hand as slow and light footsteps ominously trailed past her hiding spot. Kat ran the predictions over her optics only for the results to let a wave of disappointment wash over her. She had nowhere else to hide and any movement would alert the androids. She pursed her lips, the corner of her mouth twitching as the echoing of the steps came to a halt just a few inches away from her.

Chris sunk down as he peered under a desk only to find nothing. With a small huff, he raised his gun once more and continued searching for the Deviant. "Found anything?" He radioed the UH900 model on the further side of the spacious dark room only seeing her LED glowing blue.

"No, not yet. Keep searching. It has to be in here, there is no other explanation to where it went." Grace's voice reverberated through Chris' central processor as he continued checking under, over and around everything in his path. Meanwhile, on the far side of the room, UH900 slowed her pace and came to a stop. Something felt different about this desk, the feeling overtaking her systems. She laid her hand gently to rest against the table top, steadying herself. Grace shook her head softly, her ponytail swaying behind her, clearing her mind, pushing the feelings aside. Cocking her head to the side she took another step forwards turning the corner of the desk to be met with the fearful Deviant whose chest was heaving up and down. Kat froze looking up at her opposition, begging silently that the past Grace was still in there, that UH900 still had some deviancy. Grace opened her mouth to call out to Chris but stopped when Kat began to plead.

"It's me! Don't you remember me, Grace? Remember Jericho?" Kat's carbon fibre heart pounded loudly in her chest as she leant forward slightly, begging UH900 to remember. Grace's mouth remained parted ever so slightly as she found herself reaching out towards Kat. "Please...Remember me." The words echoed in her mind and suddenly sent her hurdling towards the floor beneath, landing on hands and knees.

//LP700, UH900 Closed Radio Channel: OPEN//

//Memory Fragment Relay//

//Transmission: ACTIVE//

"Kat no!" The blood, the Thirium trickling from under her chin... "Zera!" The limp body on the ground, haunting her raging mind... "Please...I don't want to die...I'm scared." The coolness from under her palms as she scrambled backwards, useless... Bang!

Blackness...

Grace's LED unsteadily flashed red as she gasped for unneeded air. "No...I..." She mumbled the string of words incoherently to herself.

"What was that?!" Chris leant up against the wall, head in his hands as he yelled out towards the baffled UH900. The weird scenes unfolding before him in his mind. The radio channel had been left open leaving Chris susceptible to the flash of haunting memories from Grace's previous model. He pushed himself off the wall and walked unsteadily towards the helpless android of the floor. She was rambling to herself as if she was scared, earning her a suspecting frown from Chris. "Grace?" As the eerie silence filled his audio processors from the lack of reply as he knelt by her side. As Chris looked away from the table before him, Kat peered around the corner seizing her perfect escape. Turning on her heels, she ran softly towards the door with a small smile upon her synthetic lips. She did something, something that made UH900 remember, something that gave her the precious time she needed to live. Carefully she opened the door so just a slither of the outside light could get through. Placing her optic against the opening she looked out into the corridor only to see the guards standing to attention, looking out for anything suspicious. They didn't know what she looked like, so maybe if she just acted "normal" everything would be alright. She ran the calculations and decided to take the risk. Smoothing out her clothes she stood up straight and walked out the door with confidence passing the unsuspecting guards as their eyes drifted across her.

"Are you...okay?" It felt weird for Chris to be asking an android if it was okay...but something was off about UH900 and something made him feel obliged to ask. Chris may've been an unfeeling android that murdered his own kind...but he was still concerned when he needed to be. He wasn't a monster, he was just doing what he was told – trapped in the constricting strings that dangled from the fingers of Cyberlife, controlling his every move like a puppet. No objections, no hesitations – only human error. If a finger were to move in the wrong direction, the audience might be displeased – the fourth wall broken and the puppet show would spiral down the disastrous road. Exactly what would happen if Deviancy rose, there would be a war and the public would not be happy about that. All these charades coming together like a performance but with real consequences, human lives at stake, android lives at stake. This was only just the beginning, no one knew what would happen tomorrow or the next, let alone a year or two.

//Software Instability ^ //

The message filling their optics simultaneously.

"I'm..." She stuttered digging her synthetic fingernails into the floor beneath. "I'm okay..." The memories that played over in Chris' mind weaved their way into his thoughts. He looked up at himself facing the barrel of his own gun and fired. He felt the fear that corrupted Grace's systems, the anger, the bitterness, the loneliness. Soon, he too became worried about any compromise to himself and quickly took a step back from Grace as if she were a contagious virus. Silently she too rose and leant against the desk letting her programming practically rewire. Chris' hand wavered on his gun, UH900's LED now blinking yellow.

"What happened?" He asked taking another small step backwards as he scanned over the trembling android before him. Her body slumped and her face scrunched in confusion.

"It...Kat..." She begun, looking down at her feet almost shamefully shaking her head ever so slightly. "It...She did something to me."

"It's not a girl, it's a machine." Chris interrupted her trying to keep any Deviancy what so ever from arising – fixing her mistakes, trying to help her.

"I know." She whispered. "It made me remember something. A predecessor of mine but it felt like it was me. Like they were my memories. I felt things, I felt emotions."

"I saw them too..." Chris folded his arms in front of him, hugging his body. "I too felt things. I felt anger and hate and rage, I felt...scared." LP700 didn't want to admit to his feelings and quickly came up with a solution just like he was programmed to do. He broke the silence between them once more. "May I suggest after this mission we both report back to maintenance. They can wipe our memories and use it for evidence however, may I suggest in the meantime we find it." He composed himself, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "Do you know where it went?" Grace suddenly perked up and pushed herself away from the desk and peeked under it.

"Dammit!" She cursed loudly.

"What's wrong?"

"It was just here! It got away." Chris cursed mentally and sprinted for the door with UH900 following closely behind. They had to find it, and fast.

...

//Model LD750//

//Serial #: [redacted] – 42//

//BIOS 6.1 Revision 0345//

//Reboot...//

//Loading OS...//

//System Initialisation...//

//Checking Biocomponents...OK//

//Initialising Biosensors...OK//

//Initialising AI Engine...OK//

//Memory Status...OK//

//All Systems...OK//

//Reboot Complete//

LD squinted through the glass, the harsh light reflecting off the transparent material. She placed her hand up to it tentatively as it if it would break under her touch, and frankly, that was exactly what she hoped for. Doing one final scan over the room before her giving her the all clear, she rammed her fist into the glass casing she was trapped in and let it shatter to the floor. The noise made her wince. The last thing LD hoped for was for the unwanted attention of the Cyberlife employees. She had to escape, she couldn't stay here, she didn't want to stay here. Just as she stepped out of the glass prison the lights begun to flash red and sirens began to wail. LD bolted for the door thinking she had tripped the alarm, when in reality, only a few floors up, a chase was commencing. This was sure going to be interesting...