Research Assistant 9 || DBH Connor x Reader ||

The harsh fluorescent lights and the noisy bustle of the precinct —the weight of it all faded into silence as Connor stood within the Zen Garden.

A virtual stillness hung in the air, disrupted only by the distant trickle of water and the soft crunch of gravel underfoot as he moved. He paused at the center bridge, hands folded behind his back, and stared at the towering red tree, its blossoms unmoved by the nonexistent breeze.

Amanda was waiting. As always.

"Hello, Amanda," Connor smiled.

"Connor. I've been expecting you," she said, her voice calm but laced with curiosity. "Would you mind a little walk?"

Connor fell in stride beside her.

"That deviant seemed to be an intriguing case. Pity you didn't manage to capture it," she said coldly. "Did you at least learn anything?"

"Yes. Like the other deviants, it seemed obsessed with rA9. The walls of the apartment were covered with the phrase. It also said it, right before it jumped. Almost like a prayer."

Amanda's eyes narrowed slightly. "You came very close to capturing that deviant."

Connor bowed his head in shame, expecting to be reprimanded, but instead Amanda changed the subject.

"How is your relationship with the lieutenant developing?"

"Fairly well I think. He seemed grateful that I saved his life. He was hanging from the side of the building and would have fallen without immediate assistance."

Amanda watched him carefully, her eyes seeming to search for something buried deep within his code.

"And did the lieutenant express his gratitude?"

Connor blinked. "Yes. He seemed... surprised. But there was a shift in his behavior after the incident. He's been more receptive. Less combative."

Amanda turned from him and began walking toward the tree. "And what of this new detective? She caught the deviant. Why did you track her down Connor?"

"She intercepted him, but we were unable to bring him in alive. Still, her introduction into the investigation has proven useful. She demonstrates remarkable field instinct. Her ability to predict deviant movement is... unique."

"She should not be underestimated," Amanda said flatly. "But neither should you be distracted. Your mission is to hunt down deviant androids and uncover the cause of their divergence. Nothing more."

Connor's LED flickered yellow, then blue again. He didn't respond immediately.

"Of course," he said.

Amanda suddenly stopped. He turned to face her.

"You don't have much time. Deviancy continues to spread, it's only a matter of time before the media find's out about it. You need to stop this. Whatever it takes." She looked away for a second before continuing, "A new case just came in. Go find me something worthwhile."

"Of course," he said.

The garden began to dissolve around him, replaced by cold glass and dim fluorescent light. Connor's eyes refocused on the precinct ceiling, the quiet hum of computers and conversations drawing him back to reality.

He sat up, systems rebooted.

The deviant was gone. But rA9 remained.

And so did the questions.

Connor rose to his feet, gaze distant as his mind churned with the weight of data, of instinct, of something else... something he couldn't quantify.

Not yet.

But he would.

He had to.