John crouched and raised the camera, taking his time to adjust the zoom just right. Blue eyes squinted as he looked through the small sight and twisted the thick lens. He snapped the shot. A bird's nest nestled securely in a rusty, disused aerial standing above an endless sea of disused warehouses, bathed in the red haze of sunset. It was quite a breath-taking view. He got to his feet with a sigh and looked around in silent awe. He'd taken quite a few shots from the old metal rooftops already. It was a wonder the area hadn't been flattened yet. He'd almost fallen through the rusted sheets more than once that day. He took a moment to return the bulky red camera to his backpack before taking off again.

His feet made loud metallic clanks on the sloping surface as he ran, hopping over the edge of the building and dropping to a slightly lower rooftop. He looked around for a safe route down. Maybe he could even get inside one of the dilapidated buildings. The place had been shut down for almost ten years now, and over the last decade even the security had disappeared. No one ever bothered to come here. Occasionally, there may be a few teens looking for somewhere to party, but they didn't stick around. He'd photographed some amazing graffiti that day, but all of it was quite old. Cracked and faded on rusted metal or crumbling concrete. Even students were going off this place as a secret hideout.

The warped metal creaked beneath his feet as he walked across the rooftop, coming upon an old skylight. He leaned down and ran a hand over the filthy glass. This looked like a plausible entry point. The glass itself was still firm, but as he tested the jagged metal frame, he could see the rusted seal giving way. He tugged on his protective gloves and pulled, feeling the rust turn to powder against the thick material as he heaved. There was a resounding crack as the window came loose to be pushed aside.

He was careful as he knelt on the edge and used a small flashlight to peer into the darkness below. There was a metal bar just a few feet down, probably from the old lighting system. Below that, he could see the shadowy outline of an old gangway, though he wouldn't know how stable it was until he reached it. I just hope the lighting rails hold. He took a few steeling breaths as he got to his feet. His best bet was to swing from the rail to the gangway as quickly as possible. He trusted the gangway more than the thin rail. With that in mind, he stepped over the edge.

A small grunt slipped out as he grabbed the rail, gasping as the whole thing twisted to spin him in dizzying circles. He hadn't considered chain supports. One hand slipped as he looked around, trying to figure out where to go. At least the rail hasn't fallen yet. He used his legs to swing on the long bar, getting himself closer to the gangway before letting go. His feet touched down with a loud crash that was almost lost in the jingling groan of the lighting rig as it collapsed on one side to swing back and forth. That was closer than I'd like. Adrenaline buzzed in his veins as he edged his way along the cracked surface.

"Agh!" He yelped in surprise as the metal he was edging along fell through. His fingertips just caught the walkway's edge, feet kicking as he tried to look around and get a better grip. He was still too high to simply drop to the floor below. Oh no! There was only one way. A chain dangling close by. It had probably been used to heft larger loads like some sort of crane or pulley system. After all this time, it may not work, but he had little choice as the walkway groaned. Lord protect me...

Taking a breath, John swung himself, holding one hand outstretched as he dived for the chain. He grabbed it tightly with both hands. A whimper slipped out as the chain above unravelled, sending him hurtling towards the stone floor. God-please! He tucked his legs in and gripped the chain tightly, closing his eyes as he plummeted towards the concrete floor. The unravelling chain screeched in his ears, wind ruffling his fluffed hair and jeans as he fell. There was a loud clang somewhere above and a painful jolt ran through his shoulders as he jerked to a stop. His whole body trembled as he opened his eyes and looked around. He was hanging barely a foot above the dirty cement floor; the chain lazily swinging him back and forth.

"Thank you," John sighed as he released the chain and stumbled into a crouch to catch his breath. Adrenaline and shock coursed through him, making his body quiver as his heart raced. Looking around the cavernous space, he could see it had been emptied of almost everything of value. There were a few old metal containers dotted around and a broken shelving unit or two, but most things had either been removed when the place closed or stolen. John took out his camera and looked around, keeping the flash off for now. He wanted the dim murky atmosphere to come through, and the old skylights let in a certain amount of dusky orange light that would look good in his photos.

He walked around slowly, taking pictures of rusted old containers, hanging chains, the old doors, the windows above, and even the lighting rigs. He paused as he heard something. A light shuffling sound. Rats? That sounded loud for a rat...Caution carried him as he tiptoed towards the sound. It was quiet now, but that didn't faze him. His heart quickened as he drew nearer to the sound. It was right in the middle of the warehouse, near a rusty, old container. With a final breath, he stepped around the corner, blue eyes widening as he found a person. No, not a person. The deep blue gashes on the Asian man's cheek gave it away.

He was dressed in a black and white service uniform of some sort. It wasn't one John recognised, though it was a similar style to the maintenance androids he'd seen in the park taking care of the grounds. The uniform was torn and stained in places, with both thirium and dirt. If the thirium is still blue, then he's still leaking...He approached with caution and crouched right beside the android. There was something tragically beautiful about him. Long lashes brushed his pale cheeks, one of them marred with deep, ugly wounds. John snapped a few pictures, getting a closeup shot of the damage on the right side of his face. Long ebony bangs swept down to cover most of it. The android looked strangely peaceful despite the painful-looking damage. How did he get down here? John lowered his camera as he remembered the noise he'd heard. But I don't think he's active...

"H-hello? Can you hear me?" The android remained resting peacefully with his eyes closed despite his hesitant words. John's heart tugged a little as he took in the damage. What happened to you? Did you fall? He felt almost spellbound as he swept the long bangs away from his face and traced the deep gauges in the synthetic skin. His fingers were stained blue as he touched the cracked white shell beneath. This wasn't caused by a fall...Did someone do this to you? John bit his lip, pity swelling in his chest. He couldn't tell how bad the damage was, but the android seemed inactive.

Am I too late? Has he completely shut down? Does he have any power reserves? Maybe he's in stasis to save power...It wasn't a model John recognised, which seemed almost impossible. He'd seen almost every type on the market, whether in person or in books. So maybe he wasn't on the market...In that case, how did he get here? And why? There was really only one way to answer his questions.

John set his camera aside and hesitantly reached for the jacket's zip, sliding it down to reveal a simple white top beneath, though it had been badly stained. Thirium usually disappeared after a few hours, so the damage was fresh or the leak was slow. John lifted the blue-stained material, surprised to find the torso more or less undamaged besides the lack of synthetic skin. He could see the main power chamber. A fist sized circle right at the top of the android's diaphragm. If I pop out the core, I should be able to see how much power it has left. He took a steeling breath. He'd done this many times, but it never disturbed him any less. It was like literally holding someone's heart in your hand. If he did something wrong, he could irreparably damage the already fragile body. He let his breath out slowly as he pressed his fingers against the small circle and prepared to twist. Here we go...

He'd barely pressed down when there was a flurry of movement. The body beneath his hand jerked, one wide chocolate eye snapping open to meet his surprised gaze in pure terror. The LED on the android's temple was a dull blinking ring of red as a white plastic hand grabbed his throat and squeezed with a shaking grip. John's eyes widened in surprise. The bone crushing squeeze silenced his yelp of shock, trapping it in his throat. He choked an objection, using his free hand to grab the cool fingers on his neck.

"D-d-don't deactivate me!" The android's deep voice was buzzing, interrupted by static. Have-to-get-free! John twisted the power core and heard it click out of place. The android gave him a look of horror and the hand on his throat instantly released. The android trembled against the rusted container, lips quivering in fear. John gasped for breath, hand still resting on the power core. "Please..." The android's voice was so small as they sat there, blue now staining John's pale fingers. John touched his sore throat and twisted the core back into place before falling back on his ass and wheezing as he scooted out of reach.

He wasn't sure what to say as he sat there gasping, staring at the broken android. He was faking? Then there must be a problem with his software...He attacked a human, and he looks...scared...The android seemed just as speechless as John slowly crossed his legs. The android was still holding his hand out defensively, warding him off. The other arm was hanging limp at his side, which suggested an issue in the shoulder, or maybe the whole limb was useless. He also didn't move to get up, so the legs were likely damaged, too.

"I-I don't want to shut down...Please, don't hurt me," the android pleaded in that same static buzzing voice. John felt his heart soften a little as he reached out. The android's hand immediately gripped his wrist in a painful grasp to stop him. John bit his lip, wincing a little as he raised his free hand to rest on top in a show of comfort. The android was unsure how to respond to the gentle touch, and with only one good hand, there wasn't much he could do in defence.

"It's alright...I won't hurt you. Can you run a self-diagnostic? Do you know what's wrong? What parts are broken?" The android's head drooped as if in defeat. His LED was still flashing red as John stroked the smooth white plastic casing of his hand, tracing the intricate segments and joints. The grip on his wrist slowly loosened, though John made no move to break free. Now that the android was active, he could actually hear whirring, buzzing, and crackling from various joints and internal components. There was broken circuitry, exposed wires, and damaged plates. That could be the least of the damage...He had no idea what had happened internally.

"My diagnostic processor is broken...All I know is I'm badly damaged." John could certainly agree with that. If he's a newer model, then his diagnostic processor will be part of his auditory component...That means he should be able to remove it.

"Could you remove the part? If you can remove it, I may be able to find a replacement." The android remained guarded despite John's soothing tone. He looked troubled and confused as he raised his hand to his ear and waited hesitantly. The singular chestnut eye looked at him warily before dropping to the ground. The android was nervous, LED still whirring in a circle of endless red. It wasn't like it had anything to lose in this situation, but trust was difficult.

"Why would you do that? I'm just a broken android...I'm not even yours." Something bitter crept into his grumbled tone. He was clearly distrustful. John bit his lip as he thought up a response. The android had clearly been abused by humans. It made sense that he would be cautious about accepting help from one. He also seemed unique in some ways. He wasn't as robotic as the others he'd worked on and seemed to have genuine feelings, something John didn't know how to explain. The mechanic in him was intrigued, but his empathy just wanted to reassure him.

"I don't really have an answer for you. I just...want to help." That was why he'd opened his repair business. He knew many people treasured their androids and wouldn't want to send them all the way to a Cyberlife repair facility. He also fixed up older models and sold them on, giving them a new lease of life rather than having them crushed and recycled. "Androids are more than just machines." John's sad eyes snapped up as he heard a small clicking sound.

He held his hand out in surprise as the android handed him the small component. It was barely the size of a USB stick and looked a bit like a thick bolt. The casing was black and slightly warped, a clear sign it had been overloaded. I guess the damage on the right side of his face cut off some of the energy flow and diverted it through to the left...John wasn't sure he'd be able to fix everything if that were the case. It would also depend on what parts this model needed. He recognised the part in his hand as a piece of the privately produced prototype RK series, which was mostly interchangeable with both the AP and RG series. I know we have this part in store...

"Wait here, I'll be back!" John vibrated with fresh energy as he got to his feet and tucked the component away in his jacket pocket. He looked around the large space, wondering how to get out. There was no way he was going back the way he came, and the large front doors were bolted shut. He jogged to the main doors and followed the wall around, looking for either a window or some sort of worn section he could break through. There must be a way; that android certainly hasn't been here for a decade...

He found it, right in the corner of the building. A hole, just big enough to crawl through. Judging by the oily smudges on the jagged metal edges, he guessed this was how the android had managed to get inside. John crawled through the gap and looked around in the growing dimness for some way to find his way back. Damn, I didn't bring my camera...His phone was the next best thing, so he snapped a few shots to guide him back later, marking the warehouse across the yard that had a faded number 4 on the main doors. He set off at a light run, jumping the old barrels and crates that had been left littering the disused yard until he reached the chain-link fence.

Hopping the fence and following the main road, it took him almost half an hour to run back into the city. Luckily, his repair shop was fairly close to the outskirts of the main shopping district. His android clerk and his assistant, David, looked up as the door opened and he stumbled inside, clearly out of breath. David watched from his place behind the counter, raising an eyebrow. John barely noticed as he hurried over to the shelves and started frantically looking through the racks.

"What happened to you? You get in a fight?" David asked as he took in his dishevelled appearance. He knew he'd been planning to take photos somewhere, and considering all the free running he did, he wasn't surprised about the dirt on his clothes, but the bruising on his neck was a little concerning. John was clearly distracted by his search, barely sparing a breath as he searched the racks above his head.

"A what? No-no!" he replied distractedly, smiling as the blonde GT300 android approached and looked at the warped component in his hand. He could see the cogs turning in the old android's head as he processed the damaged part and put it together with John's frantic search. It took the green-eyed android less than a few seconds to reach out and pluck the required component from the shelf.

"Is this what you require, Sir?" John smiled warmly as he accepted the part and rested a hand on the android's shoulder. The GT300 tilted his head and smiled his usual pre-programmed smile. He had no comprehension of gratitude, of course, but John's contact wasn't out of the ordinary. He was very affectionate, even to androids.

"It is, thanks GT!" John hurried to the counter, where David was still watching in bewilderment. He pushed John's jacket aside and inspected the bruising around his slender neck, alarmed by the clear finger indents dotting the milky skin. Someone had certainly shaken him up. John kept his sheepishness to a bare minimum as David gave him a somewhat judgmental look and shook his fluffy brunette hair out of his eyes for a better look.

"Not a fight, my ass! Who did that to you?" He frowned in disbelief as John shrugged it off and put the piece on the counter. "Find yourself a new project?" David asked curiously as he picked up the item to ring it through. John looked hesitant and then a little sheepish as he nodded his agreement. "Did someone threaten you for this part? You should call the police!" John smiled and handed over his business card to make the transaction.

"It's nothing like that, really!" he insisted as he took the part and hurried for the door. "I'll be back later. Close up for me if I'm not back in time, okay?" David sighed and waved his helpless agreement before looking over at the GT300, who was also watching John leave. If he didn't know better, he'd say the old GT unit was curious as he watched John run back up the street towards the warehouse district.