Deviants Fallen: A DBH Story

Chapter 12: Escape

He was reminded of another rooftop so long ago, when he and Lieutenant Anderson had chased a deviant across the rooftop gardens. The lieutenant had gotten pushed off the edge of the roof and was hanging on tight but slipping. Connor had hesitated, deciding in that split second whether to save the lieutenant or catch the deviant. In that moment, the mission took priority, and Connor trusted that his partner would be okay. But Hank too had felt betrayed, not seeing the greater mission at hand. 

"You bastard! You saw I was gonna fall, and you'd rather let me die than fail your f***ing mission." Connor and the lieutenant had argued. Connor had tried to explain the bigger purpose, but Hank couldn't see it. "What am I to you?" he had asked. "A statistic? A 'zero' a 'one' in your f***ing program? Is that how you see humans, you bastard?"  Hank had been so angry. 

Why couldn't they understand that there was more at stake than just their lives? Connor couldn't put them first, not if it risked failing his mission. He couldn't afford to fail another mission. 

These thoughts stirred up another memory. Chloe. Connor had spared her--it. He had risked failing his mission. All because he had felt a flicker of...something. The ghost of an emotion? No. That's not why. Kamski was just toying with him. He hadn't really known anything. Killing that android would have gained them nothing. He had found another way. He had felt nothing. Anything otherwise would mean he was deviant. That thought sent a shock of fear through Connor. He pressed it down. I'm not a deviant. I'm a machine. 

Connor pushed the memories away. There was nothing to gain from dwelling on the past. I'm a machine. I'm a machine. I'm not a deviant. I'm a machine. Connor held onto these thoughts like a lifeline. He couldn't fail this mission. He wouldn't. 

He was still dwelling on these thoughts when Eli found him. The big man stalked down the hallway, toward him, wearing a menacing frown. Once he was within range, he drew his fist back, punching the android across his jaw. 

"What did you do to my cousin, you bastard?" Eli hissed. He grabbed Connor's collar, slamming him against the wall. "I thought you were supposed to protect her."

The android made no move to defend himself, knowing it would only exacerbate the situation. "I was simply following my orders," he said. "Dr. Hayes was in no danger."

"That's bull!" Eli raised his voice. "You don't know that. They could have hurt her, and you would have just stood there and watched! Do you enjoy watching the people around you suffer for your mission? Does it give you some sadistic pleasure, knowing you could help them but choosing not to, or are you just so afraid of failure that you lose track of everything else? Don't you feel even the slightest twinge of guilt knowing that you risk their lives, these living, breathing people, every time you choose your mission over them? Don't you feel anything?"

"You're trying to humanize me, Eli, trying to project emotions on to me. But there's no point." Connor's voice was flat. "I'm a machine. Designed for a purpose. I feel that's nothing."

"You and I both know that's a lie, Connor. Deny it all you want." Eli closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened them again, glaring darkly. "She's tried so hard to work with you. She's given you so many chances. Despite everything she's been through, she still believes the best in people, including you. But you betrayed that. You betrayed her. And I hope someday the guilt of that eats you alive." He took another deep breath, collecting himself. "If you let anything like that happen again, if you ever let anyone hurt her again, I'll kill you myself." Abruptly, he released Connor, giving him one final shove, then stormed away. 

"You can't kill me," Connor whispered to the mans retreating form. "I'm not alive." 

After a few moments, the android straightened his tie and jacket then turned back to the doctor's door. He closed his eyes and connected with her wrist device, intending to check her vitals and see if she'd calmed down yet, but he felt...nothing. Dr. Hayes had no vital signs. Everything was flatlined. Connor felt his adrenaline spike in alarm. He rushed to the door, but hesitated. He had conflicting orders. Stay out of her private spaces, or protect her. He selected the priority, then pushed the door open. 

Entering the room, he looked around. Dr. Hayes' bed was in the middle of the large room, head pressed against a wall. A bathroom lay off to one side, and a dresser and vanity on another, beside the closet. Bookshelves and pictures lined the space, giving it a cozy, cluttered feel. 

Connor walked around the room, searching for the doctor. The room was empty, as was the bathroom. Dr. Hayes was nowhere to be seen. He scanned the room, finally noticing the open window. He then saw the wrist device, along with her phone, hidden in the folds of the pillows and blankets piled on the bed. She had taken it off and run. Connor rushed to the window, peering out, but he saw nothing other than the dark woods. She could be anywhere by now. 

He rushed back over to the bed, grabbing the device, then left the room in search of Eli. He found him in the living room. Connor stalked close, turning the big man to face him. "Where is she?" he asked, voice dark and dangerous. 

"Oh, so now you care," Eli scoffed. He said nothing more, jerking his arm out of Connor's grip. "She needed space. I suggest leaving her alone."

"I can't do that." The android stepped up to Eli, grabbing him by the front of his shirt to pull him closer. "Now, tell me where she is," he ordered. 

"No." The man stared back defiantly, showing no hint of fear. "She'll be back when she feels like it. You'll just have to wait." 

After a moment, Connor released him, sensing that he would get no more information. Eli brushed the wrinkles out of his shirt calmly then leaned against the edge of the couch. "I suggest you use this time to rethink your priorities. There's always a choice, Connor. Don't forget that."

Connor dismissed the man's words, turning away to leave the room. He walked determinedly down the hallway, pulling open the front door. 

He heard footsteps behind him. "You're not going to find her out there," Eli said. "She knows this property better than anyone. There are a million places she could be right now."

Connor turned back briefly, meeting the man's eyes, then closed the door behind him, stepping out into the cold night air. He circled the house, analyzing every inch, but aside from fingerprints down the trellis beneath the doctor's window, he could find no indication that she'd even come out here, let alone a clue to which direction she'd gone. He swore softly to himself, then made his way back to the front door. He went back inside, forced to wait for her instead. This mission was not going well. 

He lost track of how long he stood there in the entryway, but eventually, the door opened. It was nearly midnight when the doctor returned.