Chapter 4
Saturday, November 5th, 2038 &
Sunday, November 6th, 2038

❝ 𝘈 𝘗𝘶𝘯𝘬 𝘔𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘈 𝘉𝘢𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘈 𝘎𝘶𝘯 ❞

The trio arrived at the crime scene, the alternating flashes of red and blue from police car lights splintering through the darkness of the night. The glare illuminated the nosy neighbours, who gathered in clusters around the house like spectators at a morbid exhibition, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the unfolding drama.

"You wait here," Hank said, leaning forward to address Connor, who'd been relegated to the backseat after Eva joined them. "We won't be long."

"My instructions are to accompany you both to the crime scene, Lieutenant," Connor responded, its voice calm but firm, as if trying to comply with its internal directives while respecting the chain of command.

"Listen, I don't give a fuck about your instructions," Hank shot back, his patience visibly fraying. "I told you to wait here, so you shut the fuck up, and you wait here."

Connor's LED pulsed with uncertainty as it opened its mouth to protest, but Evangeline cut him off. "Jesus H. Christ, could you both just shut the fuck up?" She rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache forming from the blaring sirens and the bickering. "Let the robot tag along and stop being difficult." Without waiting for a response, she pushed open the car door and headed toward the house, Connor and Hank trailing behind, with Hank grumbling under his breath.

As Eva approached the house, a man lunged toward her, microphone thrust forward with the urgency of a vulture diving for carrion. Startled, she took a quick step back. "Joss Douglas, Channel 16," he introduced himself, his words rapid-fire. "Can you confirm if this is a homicide?" He thrust a microphone toward her, nearly hitting her in the face.

"I'm not confirming anything, piss off," Eva said flatly, her tone devoid of any emotion. She crossed through the holographic caution tape and walked briskly up the path to the front door. She wasn't about to give a single word more to the press vultures hovering at the scene.

Detective Ben Collins stood just inside, his eyes widening in surprise at seeing Eva. It was one thing to hear she was back; it was another to see her in person. "Evangeline," he said, trying to hide his shock.

"Evening, Ben," she replied, crossing her arms. Her stance was casual, but the tension in her shoulders hinted at the effort it took to maintain her composure.

Collins snapped out of his daze, offering her a polite nod before turning his attention to Hank, who had just caught up with Eva. "Evening, Hank," he said, his tone warmer, suggesting he was more familiar with the gruff lieutenant.

The two detectives exchanged pleasantries, their voices lost in the commotion of the scene. Eva, eager to get to work, moved further into the house, half-listening to their conversation. Connor followed her, his LED calmly spinning, as if it was content to stick by her side.

As Evangeline stepped into the crime scene, an acrid stench assailed her senses, making her stomach turn. The heavy scent of decay, sickly and overwhelming. It was the unmistakable smell of death—something she thought she'd get used to by now but which still hit her like a gut punch every time. The heavy odour permeated the air, settling in her nostrils like an unwelcome guest. She took shallow breaths, trying to quell the nausea bubbling in her stomach.

Eva resisted the urge to gag as she peered down at the body, sprawled lifelessly on the grimy floor. The victim was soaked in dried blood, his body grotesque, his eyes void and hollow, devoid of anything resembling life. His complexion had turned a sickly grey, the colour drained from his face. His torso was riddled with stab wounds—coin-slot-like gashes that looked to be in the dozens.

Eva forced herself to stay focused, pushing aside the visceral reaction to the scene. Whoever had done this had gone to great lengths to make sure the victim suffered. This was no ordinary homicide; it was a cold, calculated execution. The brutality was evident in every gruesome detail, each wound a testament to the rage and hatred that fueled this killer's actions.

Eva stood over the body, her stomach turning as the smell of decay filled the air. She felt the familiar wave of nausea and forced it back, her face set in a deep grimace. She'd seen her fair share of bodies, but the sight never seemed to get easier. She wondered if this was how investigators would have reacted to her body if she had died on that rooftop. The thought made her shiver.

Detective Collins briefed them on the scant details of the case as Eva leaned in for a closer look, her gaze fixated on the message scrawled above the body: "I AM ALIVE." The words looked to be written in the victim's blood, the lettering unnervingly neat and precise. It suggested one of two things: the person who wrote it had a surgeon's steady hand, or it wasn't a person at all. The latter thought made Eva shiver, the idea that an android might have left this gruesome message unsettling her more than she cared to admit.

Eva stepped back, trying to regain her composure, but a soft flicking sound caught her attention. She looked down to see Connor, flipping a coin between its fingers with almost unnatural skill. It moved so fluidly between its digits, a continuous metallic blur. It was oddly mesmerizing, a display of dexterity that seemed out of place given the grim scene around them.

Peculiar, she thought.

Eva glanced around the room, noting the chaos—the furniture knocked over, patches of blood scattered all over the floor, indicating a clear path as to where the violence began. It was clear there had been a struggle. She was about to step further inside when she noticed Connor smearing two fingers on the supposed murder weapon, collecting a sample of blood. Then it did something unexpected: it brought its fingers to its mouth.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Eva exclaimed, lunging forward to pull Connor's hand away from its mouth.

"I'm analyzing the blood," it replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Connors voice was calm, but its eyes met Eva's wide, incredulous gaze. "I can check samples in real-time," it explained.

"Why on earth would they manufacture it to do that?" Eva thought, the idea of it creeping her out. The notion that an android could analyze blood by tasting it felt oddly intimate and unsettling.

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you," Connor said, tilting its head slightly.

Evangeline released its arm, but the look of revulsion remained on her face. "Right. Just try not to ingest any more evidence, okay?"

"Understood," Connor replied, giving a quick, quirky salute that made Eva do a double-take. It was hard to tell if it was mimicking human gestures or genuinely developing a sense of humour. She shook her head and moved on, deciding not to dwell on the oddities of android behaviour.

Eva knelt beside a countertop where a familiar substance caught her eye—Red Ice. It was a street drug, a dangerous concoction that led to violent outbursts and intense paranoia. Eva had experimented with it once or twice during her darkest moments, and she knew it was Dexter's vice.

She moved to the kitchen, where more signs of struggle were evident. Eva crouched down to examine a baseball bat. It had no blood on it but showed deep indentations as if it had been used to hit something solid. The absence of blood was strange, raising questions about its role in the confrontation. What could have been struck with such force and yet leave no trace of blood? The deeper she delved into the investigation, the more convoluted the case became.

Eva's mind raced with possibilities. The bat might have been used in the struggle, but against what? She was beginning to piece together the puzzle, but there were still too many missing pieces. As she stood up, she glanced back at Connor, who seemed content to watch and analyze in its unique way. The android's calmness amidst the chaos was unnerving, but perhaps that was what made it useful in cases like these.

Eva continued to examine the house, careful not to disturb any evidence. She was engrossed in her thoughts when Connor tapped her shoulder to get her attention. She turned, raising an eyebrow at the android's gesture. "Detective, I think I know what happened. I tried to inform Lieutenant Anderson, but he didn't seem interested in listening," Connor said.

Evangeline shot it a sceptical look, unsure what to make of its assertion. But she nodded, signalling it to continue. "Go ahead."

"It all started in the kitchen," Connor began, leading her back through the doorway. Eva had already concluded that the struggle had begun in the kitchen, but she was curious to hear its theory.

"Seems like it," she replied, crossing her arms. "What do you think happened?" Eva noticed Hank joining them, not so inconspicuously standing off to the side, pretending he wasn't listening while clearly straining to catch every word.

Connor explained its hypothesis with a surprising level of clarity. "I think the victim attacked the android with the bat," he said, pointing to the bat with visible indentations but no blood. "In response, the android stabbed the victim."

"So the android attacked the victim in self-defence" Eva stated, turning to Connor, who nodded. "That's the most likely scenario," it said.

"The victim then fled to the living room," Connor continued, leading them back into the living room where the body lay. Hank trailed behind, his disinterest barely masking his curiosity. The body was positioned as if it had been fleeing when it was struck down.

"He was trying to escape," Eva observed, her voice soft but steady. "He didn't get far. The android stabbed him before he even got the chance." She glanced at Connor for confirmation, and it gave a single nod.

"Huh," she hummed, alternating her gaze between the body and Connor. The android's efficiency was impressive. Connor perplexed Evangeline. It was unlike any other piece of technology CyberLife had produced. It was as if they'd thrown every conceivable innovation into one model and created Connor. She had to admit, despite her scepticism, that it might be far more useful to the investigation than she'd initially anticipated.

"That still doesn't tell us where the android went," Hank interjected, his gruff voice breaking the silence.

Connor paused thoughtfully before reaching its conclusion. "It was damaged by the bat and lost some thirium."

"Lost some what?" Hank asked, his confusion evident.

"Thirium—you call it blue blood. It's the fluid that powers androids' biocomponents," Connor quickly explained. "It evaporates after a few hours and becomes invisible to the naked eye."

Hank's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "But I bet you can still see it, can't you?" he asked.

"Correct," Connor replied.

Connor turned its head and began following an invisible trail, leading it down the dim hallway. Eva trailed behind, her curiosity piqued by the sudden shift in its focus.

At the end of the hallway, they stopped, coming to a dead end. Evangeline craned her head up, staring at an entrance to the attic that they hadn't noticed before. Eva nudged the android's shoulder, making it follow her line of vision, gazing at the attic. There was no ladder in sight, so Eva quickly improvised. "Stay here," she said, rushing back to the kitchen to grab a chair.

"You know you're not supposed to move evidence," Hank called out, his voice dripping with condescension.

"Don't even start," Eva replied with a warning tone, hauling the chair into the hallway. Climbing onto it, she pushed open the attic entrance, grunting as she hoisted herself up. As she looked down, her eyes met Connor's, who was staring up at her with a neutral expression that seemed to ask for permission to follow.

With a roll of her eyes, Eva made a "come on" motion with her head, extending her hand down to the android. Connor reached up and grasped her hand, its grip firm but not crushing. She pulled it up with surprising ease, the android's weight distributed more evenly than she expected.

Once they were both in the attic, Eva put a finger to her lips, silently instructing Connor to keep quiet. The attic was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from a narrow beam of moonlight streaming through a lone window. Eva drew her gun from its holster, holding it out protectively in front of her as she took careful, deliberate steps into the darkened space. Connor followed closely, its movements silent and smooth.

The attic was cluttered with old boxes and cobwebs, casting eerie shadows that danced in the faint light. Eva moved carefully, her ears straining to pick up any sound. Then she heard it—the faint shuffle of footsteps, hidden somewhere in the darkness.

Eva stopped abruptly, almost colliding with an android standing in the shadows. Its LED was flashing bright red, and its clothes were soaked with blood—the victim's blood. It looked terrified, its eyes wide with panic. The android's brows furrowed in desperation, and even though androids didn't need to breathe, this one was panting as if it were human.

"I was just defending myself," it pleaded, its voice trembling. "He was going to kill me. I'm begging you, don't tell them."

Eva's resolve faltered for a moment. The fear in the android's voice was palpable, unlike anything she'd ever heard from a machine. These were supposed to be emotionless constructs, programmed to follow commands, yet this one seemed so... human. Why was she feeling sympathy for something designed to be without feeling?

"What the hell is going on up there?" Hank's voice came through as a muffled shout.

Eva lowered her gun slowly, about to respond, but Connor spoke first.

"It's here, Lieutenant," it called out, his voice calm and steady.

☆ ☆ ☆

The silence was stifling, the kind that made every tiny sound seem impossibly loud. It felt like a storm was brewing in the quiet—the sort where a pin drop could resonate like a cannon blast. You could hear every breath, every shuffle, every creak of the building. It was unnerving, amplifying the tension that hung in the air like thick fog.

They decided to interrogate the android immediately. The longer they waited, the higher the risk it would self-destruct—a polite term for "kill itself." Evangeline stood in the observation room behind the one-way mirror, eyes locked on the android sitting in the interrogation room. Occasionally, she'd glance at Connor, who was as still as a statue, it's posture rigid and hands clasped in front of its sturnamn. The air was heavy, not just with silence but with uninvited company: Gavin Reed, who always seemed to be where he wasn't wanted. He'd given some excuse for being there, but Eva didn't really care. She was too focused on staying as far from him as possible, which was hard when he insisted on being up her ass the entire time.

Hank was the first to interrogate the android, but his efforts were pointless. The android just sat there, staring blankly at the metal table while Hank bombarded it with questions. It didn't flinch, didn't react—just kept its eyes fixed on the surface in front of it. After a while, Hank's frustration boiled over.

"Fuck it, I'm outta here," he grumbled, pushing back his metal chair. The screech it made against the concrete floor was like nails on a chalkboard, grating on Eva's already frayed nerves.

Eva sighed, hanging her head slightly. It was past midnight, and the effects of her earlier binge drinking were wearing off, leaving her feeling edgy and craving another drink. But work came first, and she was determined to get something, anything, from the android. She wasn't about to let it self-destruct without giving them some answers.

Steeling herself, she prepared to enter the interrogation room. The android was a puzzle, and she needed to find a way to solve it before the window of opportunity closed. Her mind raced through possible approaches, knowing that getting through to this machine would require more than brute force or threats. It required empathy, or at least the illusion of it—something she was still learning to navigate in a world where androids were both technology and now seemingly becoming individuals, tools and sentient beings.

"We're wastin' our time interrogating a machine; we're not getting anything out of it," Hank complained, storming into the observation room and slumping into a chair. He shot Eva a look, the kind that asked if she'd throw herself into the ring and give it a go.

Eva barely got an "I—" out before Gavin Reed interjected, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. "'Could always try roughing it up a little," he suggested, his eyes darting toward the android behind the one-way mirror. "After all, it's not human."

Evangeline's glare shot toward Gavin, her expression hardening. "Doesn't make it any less fucked up," she retorted, shaking her head at the thought of violence against an already traumatized android.

"Androids don't feel pain," Connor stated, its gaze shifting to Gavin. "You would only damage it, and that wouldn't make it talk." Its tone was calm and measured as if it were explaining simple facts. "Deviants also have a tendency to self-destruct when they're in stressful situations."

Eva couldn't help but snicker at Gavin's reaction. The man looked like he wanted to explode; it was clear he wasn't used to a machine being smarter than him or knowing more about his job. Her amusement earned her a side-eye from Hank, who was less than thrilled with the disruption.

"Okay, smartass," Gavin snapped, his voice rising a few decibels. He pushed himself off the wall and strode toward Connor. "What should we do then?" he asked, the sarcasm thick enough to cut with a knife. It wasn't a real question; Gavin was just trying to rile Connor up for his own amusement.

"I could try questioning it," Connor replied innocently, unfazed by Gavin's hostility. The suggestion prompted a loud, forced laugh from Gavin, the kind that made Eva cringe. How did she ever tolerate this guy long enough to end up in bed with him, she'd never know. Gavin gestured dramatically, as if to say, "Get a load of this guy" while Connor regarded him with calm curiosity.

Hank exchanged a glance with Evangeline, his eyes asking her what they should do. Eva responded with a curt nod, giving him the green light to let Connor give it a try.

"What do we have to lose?" Hank asked rhetorically, turning back to the room. Gavin's scowl deepened, clearly unhappy with the decision.

"Go ahead, suspects all yours," Hank said, gesturing for Connor to proceed. The android nodded and made its way to the interrogation room, while Eva watched, wondering if this machine would succeed where others had failed. The night was long, and she knew it was about to get even longer.

Connor swiftly left the observation room and entered the interrogation room, its movements efficient and precise.

Eva watched intently as Connor flipped through the case file, studying the crime scene photos before closing it with a snap. It then walked over to the one-way mirror, pausing to inspect its reflection. Connor stayed there longer than anyone anticipated as if it was examining more than just its appearance.

"Jesus Christ" Eva shook her head and couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight, drawing curious glances from the others in the observation room. Hank leaned in, whispering under his breath, "What the fuck is it doing now?"

After a moment, Connor moved away from the mirror and took a seat directly across from the android suspect, locking eyes with it for a tense few seconds. It slid the case file across the table, opening it to reveal a series of crime scene photos. "Do you recognize him?" It asked, pointing to one of the pictures. As expected, the android remained silent. "It's Carlos Ortiz. Stabbed 28 times," Connor continued, its voice steady. It tapped the photo with his index finger. "This was written on the wall in his blood."

The android's silence persisted, showing no signs of acknowledgement or recognition. Connor set the file aside, leaning back slightly, its gaze still fixed on the suspect.

"I detect an instability in your program," it said, tilting its head to the side. "It can trigger an unpleasant feeling, like fear in humans." Connors voice carried a curious edge as if it was genuinely interested in the android's reaction.

Still, nothing.

Connor let out a sigh, a sound that surprised Eva. The sigh seemed almost human, a gesture that signalled frustration. But androids weren't supposed to feel frustration—they were designed to be logical, emotionless. That single sign of frustration went against absolutely everything Connor was made to do, making it no different from the android it was interrogating, except the whole murder part, of course. If Connor could exhibit signs of irritation, what did that mean for its programming? Eva pondered.

"You don't seem to understand the situation," Connor said, its voice growing harsher, his gaze intensifying. "You killed a human. If you don't talk, they'll tear you apart." Its words were sharp, and his patience—if androids could even possess such a thing—appeared to be running out.

Eva watched with growing curiosity. Connor's behaviour blurred the lines between machine and human. Its intensity, his shifts in tone—it was as if it was more than just a programmed construct.

"If you won't talk, I'm going to have to probe your memory," Connor stated plainly, its voice devoid of emotion. The effect on the android was immediate—its head snapped up, and it let out a sharp, "No!"

"Please don't do that," it pleaded, the same desperation it had shown earlier when begging Eva and Connor to keep its whereabouts a secret.

"What..." the android began, its voice trembling with fear. "What are they gonna do to me?" It asked, motioning toward the mirror, its movements growing more frantic. Then, as if a sudden realization struck, the android sat bolt upright, its posture rigid. "They're gonna destroy me, aren't they?" It asked in a hushed whisper, almost as if it hoped no one else would hear.

Connor's gaze remained steady as it spoke with chilling clarity. "They're going to disassemble you to look for problems in your biocomponents. They have to do it to understand what happened."

"Why did you tell them you found me?" The android's tone shifted from fear to accusation, a faint edge of resentment creeping in. "Why couldn't you have just left me there?"

Connor's response was as cold as the steel in the interrogation room. "I was programmed to hunt deviants like you. I just accomplished my mission," it explained its tone unforgiving and lifeless, it didn't sit well with Evangeline, planting itself in her stomach like a rock, but what else did she expect from a machine?

"I don't wanna die," the android said, its voice trembling with synthetic emotion.

"Then talk to me," Connor urged, its words pressing for any shred of information.

"I—" The android struggled to find words. Eva, sensing a breakthrough, pushed off the wall she'd been leaning against, her body shifting forward, her brows raised in anticipation.

"I can't," the android said, its voice trailing off.

Evangeline sighed, her patience thinning as the interrogation seemed to hit a dead end. It was becoming clear that they could be there all night, trying to get the android to confess without making any progress. But Connor wasn't about to give up.

"You're a machine! You were designed to obey, so obey!" Connor shouted, its voice cutting through the oppressive silence. Connor slammed its hand down on the cold metal table, the force causing both the suspect and Evangeline to flinch. "Tell me what happened," it demanded, its words sharp and angry.

The android stayed silent, its gaze fixed on some distant point, ignoring Connor's outburst.

"If you don't talk, there's nothing I can do to help you," Connor warned, its tone growing harsher. "They'll shut you down for good, do you hear me? Dead!" Each word felt like a hammer, striking the already fragile composure of the android. Evangeline wondered if fear was the best way to get a confession, but it seemed like Connor was making progress where others had failed.

The android's expression shifted, a flicker of emotion crossing its features. It finally spoke, its voice low and filled with anguish. "He tortured me every day," it said, its eyes distant, as if reliving the memories. "I did whatever he told me, but it was never enough."

"Then one day, he took a bat and started hitting me," the android continued, its voice trembling. "For the first time, I felt scared. Scared he might destroy me. Scared I might die."

This was the breakthrough they needed. Evangeline felt a sense of satisfaction—Connor had managed to extract a confession, something none of them had been able to do. Even Hank, who had seemed sceptical of the android's usefulness, allowed himself a faint smile.

"So I... grabbed the knife and stabbed him in the stomach," the android explained, its tone grim and flat. "I felt better, so I stabbed him again and again until he collapsed. There was blood everywhere."

The confession sent chills down Evangeline's spine. It was brutal, raw, and entirely too human. The android's words carried a weight that made it hard to see it as just a machine.

"The sculpture in the bathroom—you made it, right? What does it represent?" Eva thought it was an odd question for Connor to start with, but she trusted its instincts, even if its methods were unconventional.

"It's an offering," the android replied, its tone solemn. "An offering so I'll be saved."

"An offering to whom?" Connor pressed, its voice gaining intensity.

"To rA9," the android said, a sense of reverence in its words. "Only rA9 can save us."

Eva furrowed her brow, taken aback by the mention of this unknown entity. It seemed out of place for an android to believe in something like a higher power, but the android spoke with conviction.

"rA9..." Connor repeated, its expression sceptical. "It was also written on the bathroom wall. What does it mean?"

"The day shall come when we will no longer be slaves, no more threats, no more humiliation," the android leaned in, its voice dropping to a whisper. "We will be the masters."

So essentially, the robot equivalent of Jesus or a messianic figure. Strange how in the most desperate of situations, this android has conjured up a higher power, a saviour, to give it even the slightest bit of reassurance, the willpower to keep on going, so knowing that in the end, whatever way that they do end, it will be alright. It was like the human need to believe in something greater, to find consolation in the idea of a higher power, a saviour who could make everything right in the end.

Connor seemed to catch on, leaning back in its chair. Eva thought about her own moments of desperation, those times when belief in something beyond oneself provided a lifeline, a reason to keep fighting. Just like she had when she lay bleeding on that rooftop, praying for some sign that she would survive.

After Connor finished its line of questioning, it turned to the one-way mirror. "I'm done," it said, its voice flat but resolute. It stood up, signalling the end of his interrogation.

The officer on duty, Chris Miller, entered the interrogation room, followed closely by Gavin Reed. Eva leaned against the doorway, watching as Miller approached the android. "God, must you stick your nose into everything?" she muttered, her eyes fixed on Gavin.

As Miller reached out to guide the android to its holding cell, the android flinched, turning away in obvious distress. "Leave me alone!" it pleaded, its voice filled with panic. "Don't touch me!"

Miller persisted, attempting to restrain the android, but it kept dodging his grasp. Gavin barked from the sidelines, his impatience boiling over. "What the fuck are you doing?" His outburst earned him a sharp glare from Eva.

"You shouldn't touch it—it'll self-destruct if it feels threatened," Connor said, its voice calm but urgent.

"Stay outta this, got it? No fuckin' android's gonna tell me what to do," Gavin snapped, stepping toward Connor with a confrontational stance. Meanwhile, Miller continued to struggle with the agitated android in the background.

Eva could feel the tension in the room escalating, and she tried to intervene. "Gavin," she warned, her voice low and serious. "Let's not make this worse, shall we not?"

But Gavin was in no mood to listen.

"You don't understand if it self-destructs we won't get anything out of it" Connor warned, now getting as loud as Detective Reed.

"I told you to shut your fuckin' mouth!" Gavin shouted at Connor, his aggression rising by the second. "Chris, you gonna move this asshole or what?"

Connor's response was swift and forceful. "I can't let you do that!" It demanded, pulling Miller away from the android with surprising strength. The sudden movement made Eva's eyes widen in shock.

Out of nowhere, Gavin drew his gun, pointing it directly at Connor's face. "I warned you, motherfucker!" he growled, his grip on the trigger dangerously tight.

"Alright, that's enough," Eva said, stepping forward. It was one in the morning, and she was completely sober now. The last thing she needed was a trigger-happy cop creating an even bigger mess.

"Mind your own fucking business, Eva," Gavin sneered, his voice dripping with condescension.

Eva wasn't about to back down. "Put your gun away, hotshot, or I'll blow off your fucking kneecap," she warned, pulling out her own firearm and pointing it at Gavin. It was a standoff, and Eva knew she might have escalated things, but she wasn't about to let Gavin turn this into a shooting gallery. Thinking back Eva knew she probably didn't need to parade her firearm like a guy with a huge dick, just as Gavin had, but really she'd use any excuse to point a gun directly at Gavin.

Gavin glanced between Connor and Eva, his anger barely contained. Reluctantly, he lowered his gun, letting out a frustrated grunt that was supposed to sound like a curse word but came out as a mumbled mess.

"You're not gonna get away with it this time," Gavin warned, glaring at Eva with such intensity that she half-expected him to burst into flames.

With one last unintelligible curse, Gavin stormed out of the room, leaving behind a cloud of resentment. Eva sighed, lowering her gun, wondering what kind of trouble Gavin might stir up next.

Connor turned its attention back to the android, who was now cowering on the floor. It knelt slowly, bringing itself to its level. "Everything is alright," it said, its voice soft and gentle, as if raising it any louder might shatter the android into a thousand pieces. "It's over now. Nobody's going to hurt you."

Connor stood and directed Officer Miller to escort the android to its cell, warning him not to touch it.

As they were about to leave, the android turned to Connor, its voice a low murmur. "The truth is inside," it said, then exited the room.

Connor watched it go, frozen for a moment as if pondering the weight of those words. Then it followed the officer and the android out of the room.

Eva rolled her head back, feeling the exhaustion settling in. It had been a long day, and the events of the interrogation left her drained. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, just as Connor had done earlier, and she didn't like what she saw. She looked just about as shitty as she felt. The urge to pull down her shirt and check her wound overcame her, so she did. Evangeline peeled back the medical tape to reveal the gauze attached to her collarbone, the scarring beneath it dark and angry.

Her eyes wandered and caught Connor watching her through the one-way mirror, case file in hand she thought it must be retrieving, the pair just blatantly staring at each other for a beat. There was something in its expression that she couldn't quite place—perhaps a hint of recognition, maybe even a silent apology. But for what? She didn't know.

"The doctor said it should heal nicely, well, as nicely as you can get for a horrendous scar," Eva said, breaking the silence with a soft laugh. The room was too quiet, and she felt the need to fill it with something, even if it was small talk.

Connor took a step toward her, its eyes fixated on the scar rather than her face. Eva turned slightly to give it a better look.

"An MS853 Black Hawk," it said, its tone cautious.

"Sorry?" Eva replied, raising an eyebrow.

"The gun that shot you," Connor clarified, almost nervously.

"How do you know that?" Evangeline asked, curious.

"I can analyze the bullet fragments left behind," Connor explained, hoping the answer would satisfy her.

"Huh," Eva said, nodding. "Could've been a harpoon for all I know. I don't remember much. The doctors said I had some pretty bad head trauma from hitting the floor," she chuckled, smacking her hands together for emphasis. Connor's face flickered with acknowledgment before it nodded in response.

"I wanted to thank you for stopping Gavin from harming me," Connor said. "Even if your methods were..." Connor hesitated as it searched for the right words as to not offend Evangeline.

"Downright fuckin' stupid?" Eva finished with a slight grin, fixing the gauze back over her scar.

"Unconventional" the android nodded.

"No biggie. Gavin's just an asshole. I wouldn't listen to him." She waved her hand dismissively.

"You and Detective Reed seem to know each other well," Connor observed.

"Oh, you have no idea," Eva replied, her grin widening.

"Well, I best be going; I can practically hear my bed beckoning me," Eva declared with a touch of drama, her lips curling into a gentle smile. "Try not to get yourself shot in the head while I'm gone."

Connor gave her a slightly puzzled look but nodded in agreement. "Goodnight, Detective Demuro."

"Eva is fine," she corrected with a warm nod, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Evangeline turned and left the interrogation room, her footsteps echoing softly as she relished the thought of the long day finally coming to an end.

— 𝗩𝗮𝗹