Timeskip
Your POV
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I watch as Connor does his cool coin tricks while the three of us are going up an elevator. We're in the Stratford Tower, and my mind races with the thought of my friends.

My family.

Hank snags the coin away from Connor, bringing me back into reality. "You're starting to piss me off with that coin, Connor."

"Sorry, Lieutenant."

I stare at the numbers above the elevator until it reaches the floor we're going to.

The ninety-seventh floor.

We walk out once the doors slide open, the S.W.A.T. team, FBI, and other investigators are surrounding the hall and are in the actual room where Markus' message took place.

Chris heads over, "Hi, Hank. YN."

"Hey," I greet, as if breathless while I study our surroundings.

"Shit, what's going on here? There was a party and nobody told me about it?" Hank asks.

"Yeah, it's all over the news, so everybody's butting their nose in. Even the FBI wants a piece of the action," Chris replies.

"That's just what we need," I state sarcastically, "the Feds on our backs during our investigation."

"Ah, Christ," Hank mutters. "I knew this was gonna be a shitty day... So what do we got?"

"A group of four androids. They knew the building, and they were very well organized. I'm still trying to figure out how they got this far without being noticed," Chris explains.

I really dodged a bullet by not tagging along.

They were spotted in the cameras, but I doubt that that was even unavoidable.

Two cops are speaking somewhere nearby, and Chris continues, "They attacked two guards in the hallway. They probably thought the androids were coming to do maintenance. They got taken down before they could react."

"Are they hurt or anything?" I inquire, a bit concerned.

If it was up to North, she'd probably have them killed or something.

"No, they're fine," he tells me.

"That's good," I reply quietly, nodding.

Must've been Markus making the decision.

"One of the station employees managed to get away. He's in shock, not sure when we'll be able to talk to him."

"How many people were working here?" Hank questions.

"Just two employees and three androids. The deviants took the humans hostage and broadcast their message live. They made their getaway from the roof."

"The roof?"

"Yeah, they jumped with parachutes. We're still trying to figure out where they landed, but the weather's not helping. If you want to take a look at the video broadcast by the deviants, it's on that screen over there."

Some dude strolls up to us and Chris adds, "Oh Lieutenant, Sergeant, this is Special Agent Perkins from the FBI. Lieutenant Anderson and Sergeant Cross are in charge of investigating for Detroit police."

"What's that?" Perkins asks, pointing at Connor with obvious distaste.

"My name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife."

"Androids investigating androids, huh? You sure you want an android hanging around..? After everything that happened... Whatever, the FBI will take over the investigation, you'll soon be off the case."

I glare at him, resisting the urge to punch him.

"Pleasure meeting you. Have a nice day," Hank responds, not meaning anything he's just said.

"And you watch your step. Don't fuck up my crime scene," Perkins warns, venom dripping from his words.

"What a fuckin' prick!" Hank proclaims to us.

"I'll be nearby. If you need anything, just ask," Chris mentions before walking off, not wanting any part of what just happened.

"Uh, let's have a look around. Let me know if you two find anything," Hank says, turning to Connor and me.

"Ok, Lieutenant."

"You got it."

I stroll up the the big screen, rewatching the message even though I don't need to. Connor joins me, asking Chris, "They didn't break in?"

"No, no sign of forced entry."

"There are cameras in the hallway. The staff would have seen what was happening. Why did they let them in?"

"Maybe they didn't check the cameras..?" I suggest, glancing at the pair.

"We stored the station androids in the kitchen. There's no evidence that they were involved but we didn't know what else to do with them," Chris tells us.

"That's rA9?" Hank inquires, standing beside me.

"Deviants say rA9 will set them free. This android seems to have that objective," Connor replies.

"D'you see something?"

"I identified its model and serial number..." Connor says, staring at the screen.

"Anything else I should know?"

He hesitates, "No. Nothing."

I arch an eyebrow, knowing that that was a lie instantly. He noticed something else, but is holding the information back.

I don't need to know what he saw, as I already know who Markus is, but it's intriguing that Connor would do that, nonetheless.

"I'm gonna go check out the roof," I inform them before heading towards the door.

I go up there alone, bringing my gun out in case of any trouble.

I search around, not finding anything.

Heading back to the door, I pause, turning to look to my right. I hadn't checked over there.

Moving cautiously, I look around until a hand covers my mouth and pulls me backwards. I struggle to get free, but stop when a familiar sounding voice whispers, "YN! It's me!"

He lets me go and I twist around, shocked. "Simon?"

He nods, "Yeah, it's me. Keep your voice down."

"What the hell are you still doing here..?" I ask quietly, glancing around to be sure nobody comes up here.

"I got shot in the leg," he explains, showing me the wound, "and they thought I wouldn't make the parachute jump, so they gave me this gun and left me here."

"Shit, man," I comment. "You still got your parachute?"

Simon nods.

"Alright, here's what I'm gonna do. I'm going to wrap up your leg and you're gonna hide until nighttime. When everyone's gone, you're going to either use your parachute to escape, or sneak out through the tower," I instruct him, already wrapping his leg up with my jacket.

"Okay," he agrees. "What about you? Won't your partners notice the lack of your jacket? And aren't you cold?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll think of something," I dismiss, standing up once I'm finished. "And I'm fine; it's not too bad out here."

Taking one final scan of the place, making sure we aren't being watched or any cameras around. There aren't.

I face Simon again, muttering to him, "Stay out of sight and be safe. Good luck, Simon. I've gotta go, before anyone gets suspicious."

He hugs me briefly, "I will be, and thank you. Good luck as well."

"Thanks," I reply as we pull apart. "See ya around."

"Bye."

I head back into the message room, hearing some commotion going on in the kitchen.

I enter and one of the androids shoves past me.

My eyes widen as I see Connor's hand stuck to the counter by a knife, the biocomponent for keeping him alive (basically like his heart) having been ripped out.

"YN... I need help..."

I move to action immediately, spotting the biocomponent on the ground and picking it up as Connor removes the knife from his hand.

Hurriedly crouching beside him, knowing we don't have much time, I put the component back into the hole where it belongs. He's back to normal moments later and I assist him in standing, us sprinting after the android that ran out not too long after.

"Stop!" a cop shouts at the android as it runs by.

"It's a deviant! Stop it!" Connor shouts, us bursting into the hallway.

We pause abruptly, the deviant at the end of the hall with a gun in hand.

It's about to shoot at everyone present.

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S T R A T F O R D S H O W D O W N
{ Chapter Seventeen }

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-CastrarWolf