Chapter Text
The three stood at the end of a long dark corridor. There were no windows, just a few dark brown doors, spaced unevenly on the left side of the wall, and one single door on the right wall. The floor was carpeted in dark blue. There was a plant growing in a pot on a small, golden stool beside the elevator control panel, which only had one button - to go down.
There was no one around.
Reed clicked his tongue. The sound was too loud in the silent corridor.
“Hope he sent us to the right floor,” Hank said, folding his arms.
“We're on the top floor,” Connor said, “the elevator doesn't go any higher.” He reached out a hand and touched the leaves of the plant. The thick, velvet soft leaves were large and almost grey in colour. “I think this is the right place.”
“Is that a real plant?” Reed said, squinting at it.
“Stachys byzantina,” Connor said, at the same time as Hank said “Lamb's ear.”
Connor looked at Hank, surprised. Before he could question Hank's apparent knowledge in botany Hank shrugged.
“It's what my mom called them,” he said.
Connor smiled. “They feel like Sumo's ears,” he said absentmindedly.
“Like what's ears?” Reed spluttered
“My dog, idiot,” Hank said.
“You said no shit talking each other until the car.” Reed retorted. Hank rolled his eyes.
“Detectives,” a voice called.
The three looked up to see a man walking towards them down the corridor - luckily too far away to have heard their conversation. He was a slim man, with dirty blonde hair, pointed nose and dark eyes, shadowed as though he didn't get much sleep. He was shorter than Connor, but taller than Reed. He wore a dark black button up shirt. He wore a large ring on his right hand. As he got closer, Reed noted that the satin shirt looked expensive, and that the man had a tan that was out of season for the Detroit winter. Definitely rich.
“Please follow me,” the man said, opening the single door on the right hand side.
The three of them entered his office - it had a similar look to the rest of the hotel. The windows were tinted so not a lot of sunlight got in. The desk was dark oak, the fabric of the curtains and the carpet dark blue. The back wall behind the desk was mirrored, and the ceiling was also mirrored. There were two dark blue plush armchairs in front.
Other than another potted lamb’s ear plant on the desk, the office was empty.
“I’m Sidney Estonfield,” the man turned and smiled at them, leaning on the front of his desk. His smile didn’t reach his eyes.
Connor had already known the man’s name, but he quickly checked the credentials anyway. Sidney Estonfield, born January 18th, 1993. Forty-five years old. It all checked out - though the images that went alongside Estonfield’s digital identification showed a younger, paler version of the man, with longer, more unkempt hair. It looked like lately Estonfield had spent a lot more money on his appearance.
“I’m Lieutenant Anderson, this is Detective Reed and our consultant, Connor.” Hank said.
Estonfield’s eyes quickly darted to Connor, then back to Hank again. His facial expression changed.
“This is about the body that was found this morning. I don’t know how much help I’ll be since I never met the person but I’ll do my best.”
He got up and walked behind his desk. As soon as he looked away, Reed shot Hank a sharp toothed grin.
One round, he mouthed, holding up a finger.
Hank shook his head, scrunching up his nose. The message was clear: the name’s not that weird.
Reed turned back to Estonfield. “Is that spelt like Sydney, Australia?” he asked.
“No,” Estonfield responded. “It’s with an I instead of a Y .” He stopped behind his desk, and tapped the wooden surface lightly. Three screens projected out of the desk. The holograms were see-through. Coupled with the mirror behind the desk, Connor understood that this was a gesture from Estonfield, showing that he had nothing to hide. Whether or not that was actually the case, he of course couldn't tell yet.
Reed and Hank seemed not to notice, still playing their game.
Reed held up a finger again. Hank rolled his eyes, but still managed a half smile. Connor watched this exchange, finding an uncomfortable feeling twisting inside him. He took a step forward, away from Hank, wanting to just get on with the investigation.
“Mr Estonfield, please can you tell us how many androids you currently have employed here?”
Estonfield, who had been tapping on one of the screens, paused. “Employed?” he looked over the screen at Connor. “I owned fourteen androids, if that’s what you mean.” He curled his lip slightly. Before Connor could speak again, Estonfield waved his hand in a careless gesture, “I handed them all over when the android uprising started.” He nodded to his screen, opening a file which contained a list that was presumably of the fourteen androids. “So my androids were probably all destroyed. Which I never received any kind of compensation for, by the way.”
Estonfield gave Hank and Reed a pained grimace of a smile, looking past Connor. Hank’s face didn’t change, Reed merely shrugged.
“You have Madam President to thank for that one.” Reed said. “They’re still working all that out.”
Estonfield’s eyes went back to Connor, who fought to keep his face expressionless.
“I take it that you’re no deviant,” he said, tapping the screens closed and looking closely at Connor, “or else you wouldn’t be here, still following your programming?”
Connor’s LED briefly flashed yellow as he mulled these words over, unsure if this was a genuine question.
“I have woken up,” Connor said, looking steadily at Estonfield, attempting to read his expression and parroting his words back to him: “if that’s what you mean.”
Reed looked at the mirror behind Estonfield, and frowned at the expression on the android’s face. It looked like Connor was trying to keep his composure, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes Reed couldn’t quite catch – fear? Anger? Either way, the silent signal was clearly for Hank, as the Lieutenant had uncrossed his arms, watching Estonfield intently, all traces of the humour from just a few minutes before completely gone.
“Really?” Estonfield seemed fascinated. He looked Connor up and down, walking back around his desk. “So you’re a deviant who chooses to still work for the cops?”
“I just want to help people,” Connor said.
Estonfield smiled. “Your people?”
“People,” Connor replied.
Estonfield started to circle Connor, still eyeing him up. As he made eye contact with Connor, the android’s LED glowed a solid yellow.
“All right, knock it off,” Hank snapped.
“Sorry, no manners,” Estonfield raised his hands in a mocking surrender, shrugging at Hank. “It’s just this is the first deviant I’ve seen up close,” he calmly strolled away from Connor; seemingly unaware how close he was to getting punched by Hank as he settled smugly behind his desk. He looked up at the three of them and smiled a pleasant, customer service smile. “How is it that I can help?”
“We’re gonna need a list of everyone who was working from when Gardner checked in until he was found,” Reed said, walking up to Estonfield’s desk, shooting Hank and Connor a quick look over his shoulder as he did so.
“Shouldn’t take too long, he only checked in last night.” Estonfield said, reopening the screens on his desk.
“We'll need to speak to them,” Reed said. “And we’ve already had our team check out the crime scene itself, but we’ll need to have a look around other areas of the hotel,” Reed continued.
“Is that necessary? I can’t have you disturbing my guests.” Estonfield’s eyes narrowed slightly, without fully frowning.
“You got any CCTV we could take a look at?” Reed asked, folding his arms.
Estonfield sighed. “No. Our guests like their privacy.”
“Of course,” Reed smiled. “No need to worry, we won’t go into anyone’s rooms. We’ll just retrace our victim’s steps, communal spaces only.”
Estonfield let out another, long suffering sigh. “Very well. So you need to speak to just my staff, not the guests?
“The staff’s testimonies can verify how many guests we may need to speak to.”
“I assume you’ll want to interview everyone who was working last night too?”
“Yes please,” Reed said, “if you give us a list, we can contact them directly.”
“I’ll ask my assistant to give their details to you.” Estonfield said.
“Thank you,” Reed said.
“Has anyone else gone into the room where the body was found?” Connor asked.
Reed glared at him, as Estonfield shook his head. “Not yet. It’s on the floor below - if you’d like, I can send you down there?”
“Yes please,” Connor said, “after we get your testimony.”
“I’ll have to ask that you go down there now, housekeeping is on their way there,” Estonfield said.
“I’ll take your testimony,” Hank said, “then I can follow my colleagues down to the crime scene.”
A look flashed across Estonfield’s face - a quick tightening of the skin underneath one eye, but it was gone in an instant.
“Very well,” he said, and that smile was back. “Please make your way to the elevator, and it will take you to the correct floor.”
Connor ignored a small wave from Estonfield, turning to leave. Reed walked stiffly behind him.
“I knew you two idiots were gonna cause problems,” Reed snarled once the door was closed.
“What do you mean?” Connor said.
“Hank getting all macho big man and having a go at probably the main person of interest in my case because what. He was looking at you?”
“Staring…” Connor muttered. Reed made a noise of disgust.
“Sorry. Staring at you.” They reached the elevator, and waited at the closed doors. “You can’t call Hank to fight your battles anytime anyone looks at you funny.”
“I didn’t ask him…” Connor began, fighting a flare of irritation, but he stopped himself.
“Uh, that shit right there,” Reed pointed at Connor’s reflection in the elevator doors. Connor’s LED had flashed yellow. “Announcing to the whole world how you feel .” Reed sneered the word feel, “I don’t know why you don’t cut that shit off like other androids do.”
Connor looked down. The elevator doors opened, and Reed marched in.
“Thank fuck you ditched that stupid neon sign of a jacket Cyberlife had you wearing before,” he said, turning around.
Connor looked down at the black jacket he was wearing. It was the one he had borrowed from Hank back in November, to infiltrate Jericho whilst he was still a machine.
Reed didn’t look at Connor, just folded his arms and studied the interior of the elevator, still hunting for traces of a camera.
“I didn’t want to hide anything,” Connor said quietly. Reed didn’t respond, but in the reflection of the elevator’s interior, Connor saw Reed give him a sideways look. Connor continued, “I’m here trying to make the world a little safer for everyone, anyway I can. If I’m upfront about being an android, humans can voice whether or not they want to speak to me, or want my help. It signals to other androids that I’m safe to talk to. I’m trying to be both a civil servant, and an android,” Connor exhaled. “I’m safer than most androids. I can afford to leave my LED in place. I have a human on my side, somewhere to live. A job,” Connor winced, “kind of.”
Reed found himself giving a single nod.
“So… that’s why.” Connor said. “Sorry. That was a bit personal.”
“Yeah,” Reed said awkwardly, “fucking hell. Best hope there aren’t any cameras in here.”
“There’s not, I would’ve found it,” Connor said.
Reed ignored the irritation that clawed at him. Stuck up, superiority complex motherfucker. Instead he said: “Did you pick up on anything that my dull human mind missed?”
Connor sighed. “You admit that Estonfield’s behaviour was odd. Wasn’t happy that Hank volunteered to stay behind whilst we went on ahead. Made us wait outside the elevator for a moment. He knew we were coming, there was no need to make us wait.”
“Yup. Guy was a complete control freak,” Reed said, as the elevator slowed. “Did you see how antsy he got when we didn’t sit down?”
Connor looked at him fully . “What do you mean?”
Reed shot Connor a quick glance, checking if this was a genuine question. “None of us sat down in his office. He wasn’t used to it. Those two chairs were real low.”
The elevator stopped and Reed faced Connor. “He’s used to being above whoever enters his office. Both literally and like. As a metaphor.”
The doors opened, and Reed continued as he stepped outside: “He was pacing around his desk so much because he didn’t know what to do with himself.”
Reed smirked, looking Connor up and down as the android left the elevator. “Plastic detective couldn’t figure that shit out?”
Connor frowned, thinking. “I’ve never been invited to sit down before,” he said finally, “so I didn’t notice anything was different.”
Reed was unsure how to respond, so he kept walking, considering everything the android had said.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The crime scene was as cut and dry as the initial report had suggested. Gardner’s body had already been taken away by the medical examiners, but the rest of the room provided very little else in the way of evidence, except from the bottle and syringe which Connor confirmed were the opioids that were suspected to have killed Gardner. Reed did react a bit to Connor sampling the evidence, which he had been expecting.
“Oh fucking… I thought they were exaggerating.”
Connor didn’t bother to ask who “they” were, assuming that word of how he sampled evidence had spread quickly amongst the cops, and simply carried on with the investigation.
Reed was clearly disappointed that there weren't any of Gardner’s personal belongings in the room.
“Fucking worthless,” Reed said, after checking the room’s ensuite bathroom. Connor considered responding, but couldn’t think of a scenario where he could offer anything to say without Reed swearing at him.
Hank came in about twenty minutes later, having taken Estonfield’s statement.
“Bit of a prick,” Hank said in a low voice, clearly to avoid any potential hidden microphones, “lost all his gusto after you two left,”
Reed barked a laugh. “Probably scared you’d kick his ass for looking at your android for too long,”
“It might be good to lean into the good cop, bad cop dynamic,” Connor said, “as it’s your case Detective. If he feels you’re the more trustworthy one.”
Reed made a “tsh” noise, but had to admit that Connor was probably right.
“What was he doing that was bothering you?” Hank asked, gently. Connor looked away for a moment, then looked back.
“It’s not a big deal,” Connor said.
“Uh huh,” Hank said, folding his arms.
“His pupils dilated when he was talking to me,” Connor said, then immediately raised his hands when Hank’s face changed into a look of fury. “Hank, it’s fine,” Connor tried, at the same time as Reed let out a peal of laughter.
Hank’s murderous stare turned to Reed.
“Ok, it’s not funny,” Reed said, “but of course the guy who runs yet another android sex hotel looks at every android like it’s a piece of meat.” Reed gestured with both hands towards Connor, “even an android detective.”
“That mother-fucker,” Hank snarled.
“Hank,” Connor said patiently, “I’m used to the weird looks. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let it get to me-”
“Connor. Don’t apologise,” Hank said in disbelief, “if he had been getting up in any other cop’s face like that we could’ve put them in cuffs.”
Before Connor could reply, Reed let out a sound of disapproval. “Oh come on Hank, get over yourself.”
Hank stared at him. “You’ve never had to step up when out on the job with Officer Miller or Officer Chen?”
“That’s fucking different, and you know it,” Reed said, coldly.
“Right,” Hank said, “it’s different, but guys like us still know what we have to do to watch out for those we’re on the job with.”
Reed breathed in heavily through his nose. He looked at Connor, who couldn't meet his eyes. “Fine,” he said evenly, after a brief pause. “I’ll be good cop, you be bad cop and Connor ,” he raised his voice as he said Connor’s name, so the android looked up, “steers clear of the guy trying to catch the world's first android sexual harassment charge.”
Hank rolled his eyes. “So. What have we got here?”
Connor sighed. “Nothing,” he said, disappointment evident on his face. Hank tutted.
“Well, sometimes police work doesn't always yield immediate results,” he said. “This'll be different from those other android-focused investigations we were on.”
Connor stiffened. “Although, this room is covered with thirium stains,” he said.
Reed frantically dropped the pillow he had picked up with latex-gloved hands. “What?” He snapped, “Like android blood? Why have you been letting me touch everything?”
“The stains are old,” Connor said, “at least four or five months. Thirium disappears after a few hours but I can still see the traces.”
“And that shit doesn't bother you? That there's blue blood splattered everywhere?”
“Like you said,” Connor said quietly, “yet another android sex hotel. Of course the androids weren't exactly treated with care.”
“You think people were just beating them up?” Hank asked.
Connor's eyes tracked something up the wall - an arc of invisible blue blood. “Evidently,” he said.
“I always thought that shit was odd,” Reed said, “like how serial killers always got started with animals. You create something that looks and sounds human, and people are literally allowed to pay to fuck with them. Of course it brings out the crazies.”
“You're saying everyone who hits an android is a short step away from attacking a human?” Connor said.
Reed sneered at the smug smile on Connor's face, now checking behind the picture frames on the walls. “Yeah well I didn't fucking like you, so.”
“What happened?” Hank said, his voice back to that low growl.”
“Oh as if you acted like Mother Teresa when you first met him,” Reed said.
“Enough,” Connor said. “There’s nothing here, we need to get on with the rest of the investigation.”
“Fine. Let’s go interview some staff.” Hank said.
“Fine,” Reed said, with a sarcastic smile.
Two hours later, they still had very little to work with. Every member of staff’s testimony corroborated Estonfield’s story: Gardner checked into the Blue Leola under a different name, went up to his room early in the evening and wasn't found until the following morning. The identification didn't match any real person, but was one of Gardner’s known aliases. No one else appeared to enter the room, and his method of suicide seemed self-inflicted.
Reed rubbed both hands over his face when the three grouped together in an empty corridor on the second floor. “I hate this place,” Reed said, “it's micromanaged to shit. No one can travel up and down the elevators unless the front desk or Estonfield says so, and yet no one saw anything.”
“No chance that Gardner actually took his own life?” Hank asked, his voice light.
Reed lowered his hands and looked up at Hank incredulously.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” Hank said. “Listen, I think we got all that we can out of this place today. We gotta leave, go through what we got and trace Gardner’s steps further back. Try and come back another time when we have fresh eyes.”
Connor was surprised at how compassionate Hank sounded. He had long assumed that Hank was prickly with everyone, but hearing him speak to Reed like this had him rethinking that assessment.
Reed let out a sigh that sounded closer to a snarl. “But what if we missed something?”
“No matter how long we try here now, we're not going to find anything new,” Hank said, “not with the access we have.”
Reed rubbed his face again. “Okay fine. I'm gonna go talk to the boss again,” he said. “After that we'll get out of here and get something to fucking eat.”
“Just you?” Hank asked.
“I mean you can eat if you want, I don't imagine Tincan wants anything,” Reed said.
“I meant are you talking to Gardner alone, smartass?”
Reed gave a smirk, but he was too tired to actually put any mockery into it. “Yeah. Figure you pissed him off enough. I'll go talk to him, then we can get out of here and poke around a little more some other time. You two wait here, I’ll go up.”
Reed knocked on the “Staff only” door beside them, and opened it. “Can I go back up to the top floor?” He asked. Presumably he got a yes, as he headed for the elevator.
“Catch ya in a second,” Reed said without turning around.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The door opened before Reed reached it. “Detective,” Estonfield said, fake warmth in his voice as he stepped aside so that Reed could walk in.
“Just a couple more questions then we’ll be leaving,” Reed said.
“Hope you got all that you needed?” Estonfield said.
“Yes and no,” Reed said. “I think we’ve found all that we could, there just wasn’t a lot to find.”
Reed sighed, and sat in one of the blue armchairs in front of the desk. Instantly, Estonfield’s demeanour changed.
“I’m sorry to hear that we couldn’t be more helpful to your investigation,” Estonfield said. He moved to the front of his desk, leaning back against it. He looked down at Reed, who fought to not raise his eyebrows. “Of course,” Estonfield went on, a slight smile playing at his lips, “if you need anything else, you can call and come by again.”
“Will do,” Reed let his genuine tiredness show through a smile.
“I do have a question for you though,” Estonfield asked. “The android you came with, Connor?”
Oh here we fucking go. Reed thought. “Mm?”
“His model, is it rare? Do you know of any others who maybe would be interested in working here? Or are they all cops?”
“Honestly I think he's the only one of his kind,” Reed said, “he's like a prototype, I think… the first android detective. Not that he ever did what he was told even before he deviated,” he added.
Estonfield let out a genuine chuckle. “Well. Sorry to hear that.”
“And uh… listen,” Reed found himself saying, “don’t say anything about this in front of him, or Lieutenant Anderson. He’s… uh. Protective of him.”
“Protective?” Estonfield smiled, his eyebrow quirked.
“Yeah, you know. Connor’s like his…” Reed tailed off, not sure how to continue. Family seemed a bit too heavy a label. “Kind of like... I guess...?”
“Got you,” Estonfield said, nodding once and giving Reed a wink. Oh he definitely had the wrong idea. Reed smiled weakly. He hated playing good cop with suspects.
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Estonfield said immediately.
To Reed’s surprise, the door opened and Connor came in.
“Connor,” Estonfield smiled.
“What are you doing up here?” Reed asked, standing up. The irritation that the android had decided to ignore him now flared up. They were almost out of here, couldn’t Connor resist fucking taking charge just for one second?
“I…” Connor looked at Reed, bewildered, “didn’t you ask me to-?”
“I just wanted to talk to you before you left,” Estonfield said, and Reed shut his eyes. Fuck. Estonfield must have sent someone to go ask Connor to join them as soon as he had gotten into the elevator.
“Right,” Connor said. He stepped inside, and walked towards the chairs. “How can I help you, sir?”
Sir?! Reed stared at Connor incredulously. What the fuck was Connor doing?
Estonfield smiled a genuine smile. “I just wanted to check that you had my details,” he reached out his arm and put it around Connor, leading him towards the chairs. As he reached them, Connor sat down in one, shooting Reed a glance. Unsure what the play here was, Reed also sat back down in his chair. At least Estonfield had let go of Connor.
“I have the hotel’s details,” Connor said. “If there’s anything else you can think of, you can contact Det-”
“But what if I want to talk to you?” Estonfield said.
Connor looked at Reed. Reed gave a gesture with his hands that meant what?
Estonfield suddenly reached forward, reaching a hand over Connor’s shoulder and grabbing the back of his neck, as though grabbing an unruly kitten. Reed froze, until Connor let out a startled gasp. Reed stood up.
“If I think of anything else, I can call you, right?” Estonfield said. “You know my name, don’t you? Register it for me, Sid-”
“Detective Gavin Reed.” Reed interrupted, holding out his card. “If you have any further questions, you contact me. All right?” He stepped into Estonfield’s space, forcing Estonfield to let go of Connor and take the card.
Estonfield looked at the card, then back at Reed. His eyes gleamed with an emotion that looked like anger, then that customer service face was back.
“Very well.”
“Okay, we’re off,” Reed said. He turned and looked at Connor. “Come on, let’s go Tincan.”
Immediately Connor stood up and turned to leave.
“Connor, stay for a second,” Estonfield said.
Connor didn’t say a word, and kept going.
“We’ll be in touch,” Reed said, opening the door to the office, letting Connor step through first. Once through, he shut the door behind him. “Okay so fuck that.”
“Yes,” Connor said, in a hollow voice.
“So let’s not tell Hank that that creep was so touchy-feely,” Reed said. “I can’t have him getting us banned from this place when we’re definitely gonna need to come back.”
“Defending my honour?” Connor said, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly. Reed looked at him for a second, before realising the android was making a joke.
“Sure,” he said, as the door to the elevator opened, “just don’t tell Hank.”
In the elevator, Connor stared at his reflection.
Reed stared at him. “Are you like…” Reed made an awkward gesture towards Connor with his hands, “ok?”
Connor nodded, not looking at Reed.
“Right,” Reed said, as the elevator stopped.
“We'll be in touch,” Hank was saying to the person at the front desk. He stepped away when he saw Reed and Connor exiting the elevator. He met them as they walked across the lobby, back to the elevator that led to the parking lot.
“We all good here?” Hank asked.
“As good as we’re gonna be,” Reed said, pushing the button for the elevator.
“What did you call Connor for?”
“He didn’t,” Connor said.
“What do you mean?” Hank asked. The elevator door opened.
“Estonfield just wanted to make sure Connor had his number, and would be the one to call back,” Reed said, stepping inside.
Hank groaned. “Right,” he said and looked at Connor. "Did anything else happen?"
"No." Connor said, immediately.
Reed frowned, surprised that the android was willing to listen to him. He hid his shock when Hank looked his way.
“Don’t worry, I have no intention of bringing Connor back here if I can avoid it,” Reed said, “railroading my case. I’m coming back here alone next time.”
“Yeah right,” Hank snorted. “Did you still want to get some food?”
“I’m gonna be honest, I want a drink,” Reed said, “I don’t think I’ve ever left a crime scene with less to work with.”
Hank paused for a second, “all right.”
“It’s… early.” Connor said. His voice sounded like a question. Hank and Reed exchanged an amused look, making that uneasy feeling rise in Connor again.
“It’s almost six,” Hank said. “We only have an hour left on shift.”
“We can debrief,” Reed said.
They both nodded, and Connor pushed down a wave of annoyance. It was a human thing , he decided.
They headed back to the car, with Reed and Hank talking about where they should go that wasn’t too close to the station to avoid Fowler finding out that they’d shirked the last hour of their shift.
“Here?” Reed asked, holding up his phone, “Shaw’s?”
“All right,” Hank said, “never been. Looks like a wonderful establishment.” He glanced over at Connor, who quickly nodded his agreement.
“Let’s go,” Connor said.
“You all right?” Hank asked, as the three got into the car. Reed looked back at Connor, waiting for him to spill what had happened.
“Yeah,” Connor said, rubbing the back of his neck, “just going over everything in my mind.”
“I can’t believe they couldn’t give us any security footage. What kind of place has nothing?” Reed said. “I don’t even have pictures of the interior outside of the crime scene.”
“I have footage of the Blue Leola,” Connor said, “everything I saw, I have.” He tapped his temple with one finger.
“Can you upload that to the file?” Reed asked.
“Yes,” Connor replied.
“Ok do that then,” Reed said, as Hank started the car.
“Would it kill you to say please?” Hank snapped.
“Sorry,” Reed said sarcastically. He turned in his seat, “Connor would you ple-” Reed stopped, and stared at Connor. The android was wincing, blinking rapidly, his hand on his temple. “What’s-?”
Hank turned. “Connor?”
Connor kept blinking, then suddenly straightened up. “I have uploaded the footage from my memory into the file.”
Reed let out a laugh. “The wonders of technology. We now have an interior map of the Blue fucking Leola. Nice work, Tincan.”
“Thank you, Connor,” Hank said pointedly.
“Uh huh, what he said,” Reed said.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaw’s had seen better days, but Hank was just relieved that it was a bar he hadn’t frequented. The lights were dim and didn’t work very well, the neon red “Open” sign in the window being the brightest light in there. Stained and scratched countertops, the bar stools coated in cracked vinyl and the floor tiles were worn smooth in a pathway from the entrance to the bar. There was a man sat by the door on his phone - a lax security guard.
“Club soda, please,” Hank said, as he reached the bar. The bartender, a woman in her early twenties with thick dark eyebrows and multiple nose piercings, shot Hank a quizzical look. Well, shit . Looks like he had been in this bar before.
“And two beers,” Reed said. “On me.”
“No point, I won’t be drinking,” Hank said.
“Wow. Okay,” Reed said. He looked at the bartender. “Got anything an android can drink?”
She nodded. “Apparently there’s this cocktail that works.”
“Insanely expensive?” Reed asked.
“I’ve never made it before, so it’s on the house,” the bartender said, putting the club soda in front of Hank.
“Perfect!” Reed said, clapping Connor on the shoulder. “Our lucky day. A beer and an android mystery cocktail.”
“I don't…” Connor grimaced. “I don't really care to drink anything. My sensors-” he started to gesture towards his mouth.
“Come on, try it,” Reed said.
Connor's hand dropped down and he stopped making that facial expression.
“Okay,” he said.
The bartender came back with the beer and a drink served in a shabby-looking half pint glass. The drink wasn't mixed, with the top half of the glass filled with what looked like beer, with a large head of foam that spilled over the rim, and the rest of the glass being filled with Thirium.
The bartender winced. “Like I said, never made it before. I think you gotta stir it.”
Reed took the glass and gave it a small shake. More of the foam spilled, but the Thirium and beer began to mix into a grim, greyish colour.
“You do not have to drink that,” Hank began, but Connor had already taken the glass from Reed and took a sip, with the three humans watching him in horrified fascination.
Connor suddenly scrunched up his face, “Oh,” he managed to say before coughing heavily.
Reed laughed loudly, as the bartender apologised again. “His first drink. How is it?”
“I think I understand what you mean when you say that drinks keep you warm,” Connor said, still cringing at the taste.
“I'm so sorry,” the bartender tried again, but Reed waved a hand.
“Nah. Everyone reacts like that the first drink they try. Drink up, Barbie.”
Obediently, Connor raised the glass again.