Amanda.

Amanda Stern was definitely someone Connor considered a parent figure. And while getting into the many details of his past would mean dragging out this chapter, that's saved for later. Connor did provide a brief summary- for context's sake.

Amanda was an old friend of his mother's. When his broken home just got worse, to the point where he was the one working to take care of his brother... Amanda was there to save the day. She offered a place that they would take shelter in when it got insufferable, and nobody seemed to go against that arrangement, so he and his brother were there for most of their childhood. Give this woman a damn cape. Without her, Connor didn't know what would've happened.

She was the reason that he had his job to begin with.

"Perfect weather for a walk, isn't it?"

She was also still a really good friend of his. So much so that when she invited him to have a walk, he gladly accepted.

Even if it looked like it was going to rain.

"I prefer to see the sun... but it's Detroit, so I doubt it's coming anytime soon."

She looked up at him, and Connor looked down at her curiously.

"How's the investigation going?"

"It's going great, as far as I know."

She paused.

"The HK800 told me about yesterday." She confessed, "About how he felt you did something to... jeopardize the investigation?"

Connor was glad that he had enough self-control to not roll his eyes. Hank. Of course he would report something like that.

"I didn't." He fibbed. "I wouldn't. You know me, Amanda."

"Which is why I was surprised. But of course, I trust you. And I trust that you'll tell your side of the story?"

He paused. Then, sighed.

"When we got to the crime scene, we were trying to look and see if the kidnapper and hostages were around. There was a motel- which had a strict ban against androids, mind you- and an abandoned house just over a fence. So... of course, I wanted to check out the house. He wanted to search the motel. We fought and ended up splitting."

"What did you find?"

"Rotting furniture, a nice fireplace. I think there was also a dead bird, but I didn't get close enough to find out."

"No deviant?" She pressed.

"None. I had to tell Hank that he was right, which was... difficult for me to admit, and he thought I was acting that way because I was withholding information."

"Did the android find anything?"

"He said the motel owner saw them pass by, but that's it."

She hummed.

"It's unfortunate that neither of you were able to locate the deviant. The family is still out there, possibly in danger..."

I think they'll be okay.

He nodded, "Maybe someone else will spot them. I doubt that they just disappeared, Amanda."

"They could've, Connor."

"Look, if deviants are such a big problem right now, I doubt that they'd get out as easily."

Connor assured himself that it was just a one-time thing. The only deviants he'd let go were the family, and that's it.

He won't let it happen again.

__________

Everyone at Jericho seemed to think that it was stupid for humans to join or help the revolution. Androids all across the hideout were always concerned- wondering why the same species that put them there had decided to do a complete 180 and help them out instead.

It was clear that Markus had a soft spot for androids. After his parents died when he was younger, he found himself being raised by one by the name of Carl, specifically designed to care for his every need without question. Though he knew that they weren't supposed to have emotions, being an android and all, he found that the android taking care of him had supported throughout his whole career. Thanks to that one android, Markus Manfred grew up to be a very famous painter.

He focused his art around his struggles- most of them showing his feelings on the heart problems he's been dealing with since he was a kid, or how he was slowly adjusting to the android parts embedded into his person to keep him alive. All of his ideas were either printed beautifully onto a canvas or intricately sculpted into clay. Despite what his parents used to tell him, his passion for art landed him in one of the nicest houses he's ever lived in and enough money to be able to keep it.

Of course, all good things are... temporary. Carl was damaged one night when falling down a flight of stairs. He was badly damaged, and malfunctioning every time he tried walking on his own 2 feet. 

He knew that he would have to order another to take care of him.

So he got a new one, Leo, right around the time that androids were deviating. He wasn't exactly sure what did it, but Markus could clearly remember when his new android stumbled in through the doors one rainy night, trying his best to explain everything that was happening. Markus made it his mission to keep him safe. Though the android insisted that he needed to go somewhere else- to truly be free- Markus let Leo know that his home was always open to him. Regardless of the situation.

It didn't take long before Leo visited again.

At first, he just came with a friend that needed repairs. Being close friends with Chloe Kamski made it so he had easy access to supplies, which meant that he could patch up the injured androids, and send them on their merry way. But as Leo brought more in, and some had asked and managed to convince the owner that they needed a safer place to say, Markus could safely say that his house became a new... safe haven.

Not that he was complaining. He loved the company- all the androids visiting or staying for a long period of time were always so nice to hang out with.

Markus was not surprised to see that everyone was afraid of him at first. He knew what they all thought of him when Leo first proposed the idea- thinking that, just because he had android parts built to him, didn't mean that he wouldn't sell them out in an instant.

Of course, there were very few that knew his true intentions. He wanted to help everyone out just as much as the next guy. Especially Carl.

Nowadays, Carl was... an old android, one that he had a difficult time parting with. He didn't have the best luck in life, either. Carl, unlike many lucky androids there, was constantly on the verge of shutting down. His appearance was mangled, with the back of his head open to expose all the wires behind it.

But, despite looking like he should've been dead a long, long time ago, he was still alive.

And still so fun to talk to.

"Hello, Carl."

"I'm sorry, Markus. I didn't hear you come in."

"Still painting, I see?" He asked curiously, stepping closer to the android's canvas to get a better look.

"Somehow. You think that someone that has been painting their whole life would eventually get sick of it."

"I'm glad to see you haven't. Your works never cease to amaze me."

Carl waved at him dismissively.

"You've always been better than I have. I'm always painting... and it always comes out looking like an exact copy of reality. You... your works have so much more emotion in it."

"I'm afraid I won't be painting for a while..."

"Is it because your... busy trying to fix all those androids that keep coming through the doors?"

"No, I just... I have nothing left to say anymore, Carl. Everyone's gotten bored with my venting, and I've decided to take a break. Until I can find something else to paint about, of course."

"To hell with them."

"They're the reason I live in this fancy house in the first place. Without them, I... I don't know where I'd be, if I'm being honest."

"That doesn't mean you need to cater to their every need, Markus."

Markus hummed. When it was obvious that the subject needed to be changed, Carl did so.

"How's... Jericho?"

He pursed his lips.

"I'm afraid they're not doing so well at the moment, but they will persevere. We've been through rough patches like this before, and I know we'll get through it."

"Don't you have... Kamski on your side?"

"She doesn't know. I'm afraid that I can't inform her, either. I'm not sure what side she's on."

"And you're not sure if she's gotten suspicious?"

"Oh, she has, but I don't think that she thinks I'm borrowing all of this Thirium because I'm housing a bunch of deviant androids."

"Why else-"

Markus gave him a look, which made him stop whatever he was going to say next. Carl laughed, and Markus found himself smiling.

"You know, with someone like Kamski on your side, you could seriously win this thing."

"We could, Carl. I'm not the leader of Jericho, nor do I intend to be."

"What, you think Leo's going to do a better job?"

Markus didn't respond. He did want to, he wanted to defend an android that's always acted like a brother to him, but he knew that it wasn't the time for an argument.

Carl sighed, though he was sure that he didn't need to do that.

"Come paint with me, Markus."

"Maybe some other time, Carl. I just came to check on you, there's still others I need to take care of." He smiled, "But it'll be soon. I promise."

Then, he left the room, releasing a breath that he didn't realize that he was holding.