"Toby! Hey! God damn it Toby!" Leo doubled over at the top of the slope, watching helplessly as the lumbering bloodhound waddled its way down the mountain of debris, slipping and sliding on plastic shards all the way. Shit! Walking by the old android scrap yard was probably a mistake. Of course, the poor animal would get confused. Toby was training to be a sniffer dog, specialising in drugs, which included red ice. Since red ice was made from thirium, it made sense the smell of the scrap yard would mess with his sense of smell. He hadn't properly learned to separate pure thirium from red ice yet. "Toby!" I never should have agreed to be a dog walker! It seemed a natural progression from his community service role working at the local shelter though.

The shelter was happy to be a reference for him due to his excellent work cleaning, feeding, and walking the resident dogs. Not to mention the work he'd done catching strays, doing vet trips, and general labour around the building. Fixing mesh in the fences, mending broken toys, replacing old doors, and generally doing the heavy lifting. He didn't mind a bit. He was happy to do it. Dogs were his favourite animals. Dogs were loyal. They didn't leave. Not like people. He tried not to think too bitterly of his father, who had only been part of his life in later years. Even then, he'd never been good enough. By the time he found Carl Manfred, he'd already had his very own plastic prodigy. The perfect replacement son.

"Toby, wait!" There was nothing else for it. He'd have to go down there and get him. Toby was already at the bottom, glossy brown ears flapping in the breeze as he snuffled the ground and barked, looking over his shoulder expectantly. "Oh, come on! It's an android cemetery! Of course, there's thirium here!" Toby let out a low woof before padding off towards some of the taller piles of plastic limbs. The recycling plant was fucking creepy. Elijah Kamski really needed to get this place cleaned up now he was back in control. The whole place looked like a landfill of mangled plastic bodies.

The slope he was currently sliding down was mostly broken limbs and crushed plastic, compressed and weathered over time. Other piles were newer, some of them with complete bodies. It was around one such pile that Toby soon disappeared, prompting Leo to quicken his pace. If he lost Toby, he'd be in a world of trouble. Training these dogs was expensive, and his handler wouldn't thank him if Toby got lost or hurt because he didn't keep him on a tight enough leash. He paused with a start as Toby howled, signalling he'd found something. Great, you found a puddle of thirium. Well done. Sighing, Leo trudged on, thankful that it was at least a sunny day so the ground was solid. He wouldn't fancy sliding around down here in the rain.

"Toby, here boy!" Pulling out his lead, Leo hurried over to where Toby was sitting. Even sitting, the dog now reached his thigh. He was getting bigger every day. "Good boy, what did you find, hm?" Leo knelt to attach his lead and scratched his floppy jowls, enjoying the happy pants and wagging tail. He chuckled softly, but it quickly turned into a yelp as he fell on his ass, chocolate eyes wide in surprise. Toby was on his feet in an instant, sniffing and nosing his cheek as he sighed in relief.

What he'd thought was a dead body was nothing more than a busted android. He should have known. Androids looked human. Of course one or two would still have their synthetic skin intact. That must mean the body still had power. Once the power ran out, the skin and hair would disappear, and within a few years, the clothes on its body would rot to nothing. Well, guess I know what drew his attention now...There was a pit in the android's forehead that was still blue. Thirium. Not exactly a surprise in an android scrap yard.

"Who's a good boy? That's right, you are!" Toby panted happily at the praise and accompanying pats along his glossy black flank. He was a bloodhound, but Leo wasn't sure if he was purebred or not. He had the colouring of a German Shepherd, mostly dark brown but with black fur along his back. "If I ever need to find a lost android, I'll know who to call." Sighing, Leo looked down at the body. It was really quite disturbing to look at. If not for the blue hole in its forehead and the shimmering white plastic around the edges, it would look like a sleeping human. Pretty handsome, too. And familiar. Blinking, Leo pulled his phone out. I have seen him before...Where was it?

Looking through some old news articles, he soon found it. The android revolution four months ago. His father's favourite son, leader of the revolution, stood on a shipping container with his four closest cohorts. A meek looking blonde male that he knew to be a PL600, the red-headed female Traci model, a dark-skinned male model he didn't recognise, and the deactivated android. Shit...If he was that important, he had no choice but to call it in. It looked like he was the victim of a crime. Hold on...If this is him, then shouldn't there be something about it in the news?

Flicking through the news feeds, he found nothing. They were all about Elijah Kamski finally returning to Cyberlife, and how Markus and Elijah planned to run the company together. They were changing it to be a positive place where androids could go for help and upgrades. There were more articles about new laws being blocked or pushed through, many calling it the fall of humanity. Anti-Android League incidents were on the rise, which had led to a separate android crime task force headed by Lieutenant Hank Anderson and his android son and partner, Detective Connor Anderson. So it can't be him...That article was dated yesterday.

"So, who the fuck are you?" He was unsurprised as the android gave no response. Well...It's not my business. Turning away, he tugged Toby's lead to make him walk. They needed to find a way back up the slope. Hopefully, one that wouldn't shred Toby's paws. Despite thinking that, something made him look back. The android had been shot in the head. Shot in the head and dumped in the trash. Where had he seen that before? That was different! Was it? It's not like I shot him! He hadn't stopped it though. Guilt pulled at his insides. This is totally different! He had nothing to do with this. And yet, as he looked at the unmoving figure, he couldn't help wondering if it had a chance. Markus had survived a headshot. It was possible. That bullet went through his eye though. This one was a clean shot through the forehead and out the back.

Chewing his lip, Leo pulled out his phone and turned it this way and that. It wouldn't hurt to ask. Who knows? Maybe someone was missing this android. Maybe he'd be giving someone closure. Or wasting my time. A waste of time didn't hurt anyone. Pulling up his contacts, he scrolled through the numbers. Would Elijah even remember him? They hadn't seen each other much over the years, and even when they had, they only saw each other in passing at the Manfred house. Elijah was another of his father's favourites. Another excuse not to acknowledge his only real son. He wasn't sure why he even had this number. For emergencies...Emergencies probably meant his father's health, but this was right in Elijah Kamski's ballpark, and if anyone could help, it was him.

"Hello?" He sounded a lot more normal than Leo expected.

"Hi...It's Leo, Leo Manfred." He probably knew that much from the caller ID. "Um, listen, I'm out in...one of the Cyberlife recycling plants." There were a lot of them, so he had no idea which one. "I found something. An android. I know, an android in a Cyberlife recycling plant. Who'd have thought? But the thing is, this one...It looks fixable. Pretty new, too." Leo was surprised that Elijah hadn't hung up yet. It wasn't like they were friends or that they'd ever even had a friendly conversation. He only had his number at all because he was friends with his father. Elijah probably looked down on him like everyone else.

"It's not unusual for people to discard their old androids like that once they've bought a replacement. What's the damage?" That was promising. He seemed at least a little curious.

"A bullet in the forehead. Aside from that, it looks fine." Elijah hummed thoughtfully. Is that promising? Leo knew nothing about the internal workings of androids. For a human, a bullet in the head would be fatal, but for an android? Who knows! Markus had survived it. He tried not to think about that too much. The mixture of guilt, relief, and resentment would give him a headache. "Do you think it can be fixed?"

"It's possible, but it depends which pathways were damaged on the way through. There's a lot of sensitive circuitry in the cranium. Some of it can be replaced, but it might also mean the original personality, the being that inhabited the body before, would be lost." So it would be a whole new android. Like a human with amnesia? Probably worse, since the original memories would never come back. "It might be worth a try...Can you tell me anything else about the model?"

"Uh..." Looking at the clothes, he tried to find something helpful. "It's wearing a grey suit. Looks like that Connor android from the TV."

"Stay where you are. I'll send some people over."

"Hey! Wait a minute, you don't even know where I-" He was already gone. Sighing, Leo looked at his phone and waited for him to call back. Surely he'd soon remember that he hadn't asked for an address. "Well...Since I'm here. Hey, my name's Leo. What's your story?" he asked as he sat in the dirt and crossed his legs, patting Toby's flank as he lumbered over and settled beside him. It was no surprise that the android didn't talk back. He was pretty dressed up. A snappy grey suit, complete with a tie. Leaning closer, he read the model number. RK800.

If he remembered correctly, that was a new model, the last prototype released before the revolution. A law enforcement model meant to replace human detectives. Leo scoffed at the thought. They really wanted to put humans out of a job. Android teachers, android living assistants, doctors, firefighters, musicians, police officers, and even sex workers! It was probably a good thing the revolution happened when it did. If they'd had a foothold in law enforcement, humanity wouldn't have stood a chance. At least it was Markus who'd taken charge. He wouldn't hurt a fly. No thanks to me. It was a good thing so much of his father had rubbed off on him.

"Hey, what's this?" There was a longer number beneath in small text. 313 248 317 – 60. That was probably his individual model number. The one unique to him. "There were sixty of you?" He'd only ever seen that one Connor guy in the news. Then again, would I even know if it was a different one each time? It looked like they all wore the same grey suit. "I guess I'll call you Sixty." It was as good a name as any, since Connor was already taken. "Looks like you had a hard time...What happened?" Again, he didn't expect an answer, but he couldn't help wondering. Had he been cornered on a random street and shot by a stray AAL member? Was he killed in the line of duty? A victim of the revolution? An underground smuggling ring? A drug bust gone wrong?

Silence fell as he waited. Elijah still hadn't called back. Was he fucking with me? Did he plan to just leave him there until he got bored? He didn't know him too well, but that didn't sound like something Elijah Kamski would do. He just seemed too serious. Hearing the android looked like Connor had also piqued his interest. Guess that means he knows what model it is. Leo took to scrolling through his socials while he waited, though he had to give up and put his hands in his pockets more than once. It might be the beginning of April, but it was still pretty cold.

It felt like hours before the sound of crunching plastic reached his ears. Toby noticed first, lifting his head and turning to look towards the distant slope. Though he couldn't see anyone yet, it didn't take long for them to circle the pile of mangled bodies. There were three of them. Two androids and one human, all wearing white plastic overalls and blue gloves. The human approached first, probably so they didn't scare him. She looked pretty young, likely fresh out of college. Crouching beside him, she set down a sleek tool kit and leaned over to examine the RK800.

"This is the android, I take it?"

"Yeah. I just...found it like this. It doesn't look too bad, but I'm not a mechanic." The woman nodded along, humming softly as she turned the android's head. Leo let out a small hiss of sympathy at the sight of the exit wound. Maybe I spoke too soon...The technician's troubled hum didn't reassure him, either. "What do you think?" He wasn't even sure why it mattered. It was just a busted android he'd found. What did it matter if it could be fixed or not?

"I'm not sure yet...Gabe? What does your scan say?" Gabe, a dark-skinned android, stepped forward. He had pale blue eyes, which threw Leo off. They seemed almost unnatural as he stared at the RK800 with a somewhat vacant expression. His companion went to the other side of the body and crouched, taking out what looked like a handheld scanner and running it over the torso. Finally, Gabe blinked and turned his attention to the human woman. Leo more or less tuned out as Gabe started listing all the irreparable damage to various circuits and pathways, and then some of the lesser damage that could be fixed. Judging by the woman's expression, it wasn't good.

"I can confirm that the body itself is in perfect working order," the second android announced as he put away his scanner. That the body was salvageable was something, but from what Leo could understand, the head was fucked.

"The possibility of a successful revival with the current hardware is approximately sixteen point five percent." Those were shitty odds. "If we attach an entire cranial replacement, that increases to ninety-nine point eight recurring." But that would mean a whole new android. Whoever this android had been before would be lost. If it's a body from the revolution, was there even a personality to begin with? If he started thinking about that, he was going to give himself a headache.

"We'll take him back to Professor Kamski. You know he loves a challenge." Gabe seemed to agree as he and his companion readied the body for transport. "It was a good thing you did, calling it in. It may be unlikely, but you gave him a chance." That sort of made all the waiting around worthwhile. The group gradually made their way up the treacherous slope and parted ways with the promise that they would let him know how things went.

That took longer than he expected. So long, in fact, that he completely forgot about the android. His life continued much as it had before. He now lived in his father's house, which looked much as it had before. It wasn't like he had a tonne of stuff to move in, and he hadn't gotten around to changing much. He went in the art studio from time to time, where he stood before the unfinished canvas his father had been working on before turning his attention to some of the smaller works. He hadn't imagined himself to be much of a painter before, but he was slowly learning. Touching up a line here, adding a stroke there. His hope was that, one day, he might finish his father's final work. It was more than halfway done.

It was on one such day that he was interrupted. Not by the front door, but by the creak of the studio door. Nerves gripped his chest as he turned his head, half expecting to see Markus standing there. He didn't come often, but it wasn't unheard of. There were things he wanted, some of which couldn't be removed yet. As far as he knew, Markus had yet to take up a permanent residence of his own. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or worried that it wasn't Markus standing in the doorway, but an android he'd never met before. At least, not properly. After the first few seconds of staring in mute shock, he realised he had seen him before, though he'd had a change of wardrobe.

Instead of the slick-looking Cyberlife suit he was wearing in the scrap yard, he was wearing a set of blue jeans and a warm looking beige rollneck that clung to his torso and complimented his soft hazel eyes. They were much darker than the woollen fabric of his top, but it really brought out the amber flecks nestled in there with the hazel and chocolate. He wouldn't have noticed, only the android hadn't stayed by the door. He'd marched in to stand in front of him, looking annoyed.

"H-how did you..." Leo was pretty sure the front door was locked. It was automatic every time it closed. The only way to open it was with a key or electronic passcode, like the one Markus had in his palm. The android scoffed and waved over his shoulder with his free hand.

"It's an electronic door lock, genius. By the way, you need to increase your security." Apparently so, if it was so easy to circumvent. Leo blinked, looking incredulous, but before he could open his mouth to give the android a piece of his mind, he'd held up the paper bag he was carrying. Judging by the way the android had thrust it out, he was supposed to take it. Leo blinked as he took the bag, looking cluelessly at the android. "Listen up, you useless sack of meat, because I'm only going to say this once. Thanks for getting me out of the scrap yard."

"O-oh, um...No problem?" Bewildered, Leo had to concede that this truly was the most surreal thank you he'd ever received. "Thanks for the..." Leo glanced in the bag to find a takeaway coffee and boxed food item from the local Starbucks. He rarely went there, but it was a thoughtful gesture. Just in case it was expected, Leo took out the drink and set it on the workbench along with the snack box. "It was thoughtful." The android nodded awkwardly, looking almost as uneasy as Leo felt. Considerate as it was, the android had just broken into his house.

"Did you paint this?" the android asked, having caught sight of the uncovered canvas at the back of the room. It was huge, taking up the entire back wall. Leo turned with him and huffed fondly at the towering canvas, a myriad of greens and greys staring back. An artistic side profile of a man.

"No."

"Good, it's terrible!" The android walked closer to the canvas, passing back and forth and examining the untidy strokes. Leo looked aghast at the declaration. He might not be well versed in the artistic world, but he knew his father's work was extremely popular. Having a Carl Manfred on your wall was something to brag about at parties! His paintings fetched a high price at every auction. He would know.

"My father painted that!"

"Well, tell him not to quit his day job!" Indignation swelled in Leo's chest as the android snickered to himself, squinting at the unnamed figure. Leo wasn't sure, but he thought it might be a self-portrait. It wasn't his father's usual choice. Most of his human subjects were unnamed females. Whatever the case, it was an unfinished masterpiece. How could this unnamed android say otherwise?

"This was his day job!" The android seemed to know he'd hit a nerve as he smirked over his shoulder. What's with this guy? He'd never met anyone like him. Maybe they couldn't fix some of his circuits..."His work is famous!" Joining the android, Leo couldn't help wondering, what did this android see? Or, more importantly, what didn't he see?

"Humans have weird taste in décor." Leo chuckled softly at that. Looking at his father's house, he couldn't refute it. People did keep some weird shit around. Giant stuffed giraffes, android birds, paintings of nude subjects.

"True, but...why don't you like it?" Maybe the android was being unfair, judging it so early in its conception. It was unfinished, after all. The android sighed as he looked back at the canvas and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"It's crude and pedestrian." Leo's eyebrows shot up. How could he say such a thing about a Carl Manfred painting? "The strokes are careless. The lines are sloppy. It's smudged to hell in some places!" Much as he hated to say it, Leo could see what he meant. But his father was a genius, and he didn't doubt it would have improved as it came together. The messy strokes and lines didn't mean much. His father had a very free style when it came to painting. That's what drew so many to his work. He was carelessly careful.

"It's unfinished." The android scoffed, clearly doubtful that finishing would have improved it. "Hey, if you think you can do better than Detroit's most celebrated artist, then..." Leo waved idly at the smaller canvases and paints dotted around. Some canvases stood empty, others were incomplete, and one or two were finished and drying. The android outright cackled at the invitation, a sound that sent icy shivers down Leo's spine. It was an almost unnatural sound.

"Me? Paint? Do I look like Picasso?" Apparently, something had caught his eye despite his chagrin. "Now, this one...This one is good." Leo joined him curiously in front of one of the smaller canvases and cringed. Guess I know the guy has no taste now.

"That? That's just a hobby piece." It was actually just a spare canvas he'd slapped some paint on, practicing his brush strokes and blending colours. It was mostly just a messy blend of red, orange, yellow, brown, and black. To say it was nothing special was an understatement. The android, however, had yet to take his eyes off it. Weird...

"It's...a masterpiece."

"Huh?" The android turned his head, apparently completely serious.

"Who painted it?" The android knew it could not be the same human who had minced the mural. The strokes were completely different. This painting oozed passion in a way that lacklustre monstrosity at the back of the room did not. It resonated with something raw in his circuitry. Leo was taken aback by the look on the android's face. It seemed he really did like it.

"I did, but as I said, it's just a hobby piece." The android's hazel eyes widened before returning to the canvas. Seeing his hand hesitate, Leo waved him on. "Go ahead, it's dry." Now given permission, the android reached out and ran his fingers over the thick, glossy paint. He enjoyed the rough texture on his fingertips and how the swirls blended into each other. It was chaos. Pure, unadulterated chaos.

"I don't have money yet...or a place to stay, but when I do, I'd like to buy this from you." Leo snorted at the notion. The android almost glared at him as he took the canvas and turned it this way and that.

"Once you find a place, you can have it! I won't charge money for that!" It was just a few strokes on a canvas! Technically, that was true of all paintings, but there was nothing in this one. There wasn't some great secret or meaning behind it, there was no inspiring message. It was just a little stroke practice!

"I can really just take this?"

"Sure. Consider it a get well present." It seemed the android wasn't going to argue with that.

"Will you sign it, too?" Shrugging, Leo looked around for a small brush. He didn't exactly have much practice at this, since he wasn't a painter, but if the android wanted his signature, he'd add his signature. The android watched like a hawk as Leo dipped the brush in some thick white paint and dabbed the excess before leaning over the canvas, which the android held steady. L Manfred was soon brushed neatly in the bottom right corner. The android seemed almost reverent as he held it up to eye level. "Don't forget. No back overs." Leo snorted as he took the canvas and tucked it behind one of the smaller benches.

"The phrase is no backsies, and I already said it's fine. I'll put it here, and you can come pick it up whenever you find somewhere." He'd mainly put it there, so he didn't forget and toss it in the trash. Out of sight, out of mind. The chances of him looking behind the small bench within the next few weeks was slim. "What should I call you, anyway?" Last time he saw him, he was inactive, so he didn't have the chance to ask.

"Sixty." What? No way! "Before deactivation, my name was Connor, but no way am I using that, so...Sixty it is." It made sense he wouldn't want to be called Connor, considering it was his model name and every other RK800 would have had it, but Sixty?

"But why a number?" Sixty shrugged as he made his way to the studio door.

"I don't know...You know, it's funny, but I could have sworn I've heard it before." And with that, Sixty was gone, leaving Leo feeling as bewildered as when he'd entered.