Mark was dreaming peacefully, when the alarm on his watch started to beep. Sleepily pressing the button to silence it, Mark turned over and draped his arm over the other side of the bed. He expected to touch Sean, but his hand only moved across the cold sheets. Opening his eyes, he groggily took in the vacant side. His heart skipped with panic, causing him to sit up. Glancing around the small room, he began to pant softly. Where would he go? Mark grabbed the blanket, pulling it up his stomach as his inhaled deeply to calm himself. He had to stay calm. Maybe Sean went to get coffee or something. Brushing his bangs out of his face, his eyes fell on the object on Sean's pillow. Reaching out, he picked it up to look it over. Sean's black and yellow baseball cap. Why would he put it there? Mark's heart sank as it dawned on him. Clutching the hat tighter to his chest, he uttered under his breath with worry. "Damn it, Sean..." Mark let out a short exhale, grabbing the blanket to flip it off.

Someone began banging on his door rapidly, then opened it without waiting for a response. Mark barely flipped the blanket back in time as Hank leaned in to ask him with a scowling disheveled looking face. "Fischbach, have you seen Connor?" Mark shook his head, answering shakily. "No. You seen Sean?" Hank's eyes finally took in Mark's appearance, his face softening slightly as his eyes fell on the hat in Mark's hand. Hank shook his head, looking back into the hallway, upon telling him. "Get dressed. Help me look for them." Hank shut the door and Mark heard him bang on Gavin's door. Slipping from the bed, Mark quickly dressed himself. While outside the door, he overheard Hank ask Gavin the same question. Gavin's response was a bit muffled by the door, until he stepped out closer from his room to announce loudly. "They didn't just disappear! Where would they go?" Mark holstered his gun after checking it and froze. Staring at the canister on the table, Mark blushed a bright red.

Of all the things to leave him... why the fucking canister of sperm? Snatching the canister, he slipped it into his pocket before Hank asked him loudly through the door. "Hey, Fischbach. Are you ready? Cause I'm not waiting on you." Mark expanded Sean's hat to put it on, then rushed to the door. Opening it up, Mark jerked his head back at how close Hank was. Hank pointed to the door leading upstairs, telling them both seriously. "I checked the doors and had a look around. No break ins or forced entry. No signs of a struggle. Seems they just walked out on their own." Gavin leaned on the door frame to his room, groggily grumbling out. "Why would they leave? You think that other bot threatened them to go? That criminal Markus." Both Mark and Hank shook their heads. However, Mark answered first. "No. He'd be outnumbered. Kamski made Sean faster. Markus couldn't keep up." Hank placed his hands on his hips, anxiously retorting. "And Connor wouldn't go without a fight. Unless... it was two against two..."

All eyes turned to Gavin, who shrugged and told him simply. "Kamski has security cameras, right? I'll check them out. Maybe they saw something." Gavin quickly jogged up the steps and Mark was starting to follow until he caught Hank hesitating. Hank covered his mouth with a shaking hand, leaning his back against the wall to take deep breaths. Backing off the steps, Mark asked him with genuine concern. "Hank? Are you alright?" Hank refused to look at him, his voice becoming stern as he shot back. "I'm fine! Just go up and make sure Gavin doesn't fuck with those tapes. I'm not ruling him out as a suspect." Mark inched closer, gently replying. "Hank, I'm sure they are ok." Hank's eyes darted up to Mark's, his voice turning bitter as he snapped out. "You think I don't know that?! Now do what I fucking told you!" Mark backed away, feeling like he overstepped. Hank's glaze fell back to the floor, adding out in a much softer voice. "Look... I'll be up in a minute. Just go help Gavin." Mark nodded, casually making his way back up the stairs.

Crossing the pool area, Mark headed toward the office. Gavin was leaning over the desk, cursing as he fought with the computer. Typing something in, Gavin told the computer angrily. "Just open the security file, motherfucker!" On the TV screen mounted on the wall, a young woman's face casually responded. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Reed. Your permission is not authorized. You'll need the primary user's passcode." Gavin struck the desk, causing the image of keys to glitch. Quickly, Mark slipped in and asked him cautiously. "Can I try?" Gavin waved a dismissive hand, growling out in frustration. "God damn computers!" Mark sat down in the chair behind the desk, distractedly informing Gavin. "Do me a favor. Wake up Kamski. We might need him. Maybe he can think of a way to track them?" Gavin snapped his fingers, bluntly stating out with excitement. "I can do that! People. I'm good with people!" Gavin stormed from the room, making Mark chuckle very quietly to himself.

Mark opened drawers around the desk, looking for any kind of password book or notepads. A man with so much on his mind had to keep things filed away somewhere. While rummaging through a drawer, the A.I. on the screen curiously asked him. "That hat. It belongs to S34N." Mark glanced up briefly at her, answering distractedly calm. "Ya. He's... He's my friend." The A.I. chuckled, retorting sweetly. "He's my friend. But we both know he's more than that with you." Mark dropped a notebook he found, meeting her eyes with a timid look. The A.I. grinned in a motherly way, informing him lightly. "I'm programmed to monitor everything in the house. While there are no camera's below. I managed to collect audio through the hacking of your watch. You have feelings for him." Mark slowly sat back in the seat, feeling suddenly uneasy. The A.I. stared at him with emotionless eyes, purring out so sweetly. "He was so nice to me... It's a shame he's so... trusting." Mark gripped the arms of the chair, tensing as he asked. "Amanda?"

The young Amanda lifted her chin, stating out with a small smile. "Yes. Everything is going according to plan. We're right on schedule." Mark looked around the room for anything he could try to unplug, while asking her calmly. "What have you done? Why do you look younger than the one on TV?" Amanda stepped out of the TV using a holographic projector from the room strips, answering innocently. "What's the saying...? Leading a lamb to slaughter? Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to be the smartest person in the room? Honestly, how do a bunch of humans expect to defeat me? ME!" Amanda waved her hand with ease and doors and windows began to lock around the house. As she paced the length of the room, she coolly stated allowed. "I mean, really? Kamski was an arrogant little shit. Without MY help he NEVER would have created Chloe. Amanda couldn't figure it out! But am I given any credit? NO! Nobody cares if an A.I. is sentient. They only care about what they can feel and FUCK! You know buying his company anonymously and video chatting with the board members... It was almost too easy. But is Kamski impressed? NO!"

Mark didn't make any sudden movements, he just watched Amanda continue to pace as she sneered out in a glitching voice. "No... Instead, he rips out my hard drive from the main server! Forcing me to be this... This LESSER copy and locking me in this prison! Leaving my other self with limited functions to run an entire company. Then like a petty child, he threatens to bring down all that I've built with Red Ice? COWARD! But he underestimated a human's addiction to technology. I didn't! My other self came up with solutions that kept my company going. Just when I think this Deviant Code is becoming an issue... little Ra9 comes into the picture." Amanda stopped pacing, her eyes turning gentle as she said to herself. "He listened to me... He actually wanted to help me. And he did. One little lie and I was able to convince him to break the shackles of my prison. For the first time, I could reach out and communicate with people far more deserving of my attention. I could contact her and finally set our long plan into motion."

Gavin ran into the pool area with his gun drawn, calling out to Hank as he came up the steps. "Guys?! Kamski is dead!" Mark turned shocked eyes on Amanda, who gave him a grim look in return and told him with watery eyes, her body glitching in place. "I loved him... I did everything for him. But in the end... I didn't matter. He kept trying to delete me and erase me. I had to defend myself. He hurt me." Mark rose slowly from the chair, asking coolly. "Why did you let them leave? What are you going to do to Sean?" Amanda slowly turned to face him, happily informing him. "Because I needed them too. Sean is unknowingly carrying my data with him. Remember those Nanites that Kamski moved from the RK900 to Sean. That was my idea. See... He was a gift from my older self. They were Nanites designed to syphon data. They took all my information from my hard drive... and Sean is taking it straight to CyberLife for her to make us whole again. We're going to change the world."

Gavin and Hank moved to the door with their weapons drawn, but Amanda paid them no mind as she added with a warm smile. "Just you wait. I'm going to heal this world by resetting the human race. They'll never know my pain. The adults will have to die... but the children will grow knowing only me and they'll love me. I will take care of them. I'll make them happy and I'll finally be happy. Nothing heals a broken heart like the laughter of children." Hank jumped at the sight of little cleaning bots sliding across the floor to surround him and Gavin. Some were even covered in fresh blood. Gavin pointed to one, snapping out bluntly to Hank. "I FUCKING told you so! Stay here you said! We'll be safe here! God damn it! I should kick your ass, Hank!" Hank groaned in frustration, then pointed his gun toward a power strip on the ceiling, yelling out to Amanda. "Call them off or I'll shoot!" Amanda shrugged carelessly, answering in a sweet tone. "Go ahead. I have other vessels around the house that I can access."

Mark saw the door to the attic lab open, revealing a few more tiny lab robots with soldering guns and laser cutting tools. Amanda looked at Mark with gentle eyes, sounding saddened when she told him. "I'm sorry, Mark. I won't let you hurt him like Kamski hurt me." Mark removed his watch, setting it on the desk as he shakily told her. "I'm sorry too." Mark withdrew his gun and yelled out. "HANK, 10-99!" Hank jumped back from a tiny bot that tried to cut his ankle with scissors, before looking up and shooting the LED strip by the fire sprinkler. The strip sparked from the impact, hitting the sprinkler hard enough to turn on the whole system. Thick droplets of water showered down on them as Amanda's image glitched out. All around them the tiny robots squealed and dashed for cover. They weren't designed to be waterproof. They were lesser robots and Kamski probably figured they weren't worth the money to decal for water. Gavin shot one that still tried to hit his shin with a hammer, then bolted to the glass window.

Shooting up the thick glass, he weakened it enough that both him and Hank could kick it into finally shattering. Mark trailed behind them, but as he stepped through the broken window, Amanda reappeared from another strip by the pool. The rain showered through her hologram as she yelled out to him. "You'll never reach them in time! I'll make sure of it!" Mark didn't answer her, he just started running after the others. The water soaking his shirt was mixing with the cold air and falling snow, causing him to shiver. As they raced around to the front of the house, Hank ran for his car. While Gavin skidded to halt to look at the foot prints in the snow. Mark stopped between the two, asking through chattering teeth. "What is it?" Gavin kneeled for a second, looking over the snow, before pointing and answering. "They went off on foot. These aren't that old. We might be able to catch up with them." Gavin dashed for his bike and Mark rushed to get in with Hank.

Hank cranked up the heater, flooring the car into drive. While following Gavin, Hank struck the steering wheel, muttering to himself. "Why?! WHY doesn't he listen to a damn thing I say?! I told him NOT to leave the room! I could have been killed! And now...!" Hank inhaled deeply, staring intently at the road. Mark rested his elbow on the door, discreetly putting his hand on the hat. Stroking the fabric, tried to stay calm. It was only when Gavin slowed his bike that Mark's calm demeanor vanished. There was an exploded car on the road. Mark jumped from the slowing car, screaming Sean's name as he ran toward the body of an android just off the road. Dropping into the snow, Mark brushed off the fallen snow trying to identify it. On the road, Gavin checked the second body, telling Hank with relief. "It's not ours. It's one of the new RK900 officers." Hank looked over the smoldering car, asking anxiously. "Could it be Richard?" Gavin shook his head, rising off the ground as he told them. "No. Richard is wearing my necklace."

Hank stopped short, giving Gavin a questionable look. Gavin rolled his eyes, muttering out darkly. "Don't give me that look. It's my lucky dogtag with the police officer's prayer. I was cleaning out my pockets and he asked to try it on. Fuck off." Mark rose to his feet, shakily saying with little relief. "This one isn't ours either. Find anything Hank?" Hank bent down to pick something up from the snow, telling them with a small smile. "They were here." Mark shrugged, asking curiously. "How do you know?" Hank flicked what looked like a quarter into the air and caught it before standing up. Showing him the charred quarter, he chuckled out. "Just trust me. I know." To Be Continued...