Blue Blood

                                    

                                          
I almost screamed as the deviant drew the gun, rushing for the door in hopes of saving my uncle. Two shots resonated through the chamber, and when I got in there, the deviant's hull fell to the ground.
                          
"What the. . . Where's—"
                          
I froze as something blue entered my peripheral vision. I looked down and backed away, my lip trembling before I fell to my knees, trying my best to suck it up as I looked at Connor.
                          
"Is he dead?" I asked in the evenest voice I could muster. I gently reached forward, pressing my hand to his chest. Where there should be a synthetic rhythm of the pumps, there was nothing.
                          
"It's not a he, L/N. It's an it. A machine. It can't die," Gavin said as he rolled his eyes. They most certainly can, in human standards, I thought as I looked at Connor. The blue blood leaking from his forehead. The gaping hole that the deviant had blown in it.
                          
My breath caught as I drew away from him, holding my hand to my chest as though I had hurt it. "Somebody get him out of here. I'll contact CyberLife," I said, quickly exiting the room. My cybernetically enhanced heart hammered in my ribcage, and I could hear its strange pump-click, pump-click, pump-click in my ears.
                          
It was a machine.
                          
It was nothing.
                          
And yet I was afraid for it.
                          
Even if the RK-800 model was replaceable, I still felt as though he were one of a kind. Almost like he was his own person. I shook my head as I tapped on my watch, pulling up CyberLife's emergency number.
                          
As I spoke to the Android on the other end, my mind couldn't escape Connor. Me and my stupid, trusting self. It would be easy to ignore him now that he was broken. He wouldn't be coming back any time soon. Or at all.
                          
I hung up and turned around just as a few of the officers dragged out Connor's limp body. They laid it down in the lobby and I grunted a goodnight to them as I exited the department. It was far past midnight.
                          
I shot Hank a text that said I'd be at his place as I hopped in my car and started it. A good, useless hour of sleep before I had to get up and drag myself back up to the station.
                          
Hank would probably wander home totally wasted.
                          
∆
                          
9:56 AM, Nov.6.
                          
I was half asleep at my desk. Uncle Hank still hadn't shown up. He hadn't even come home last night, so Sumo and I had curled up on the couch and fallen asleep after I ate a bowl of microwave noodles.
                          
My cheek pressed against the cool surface of the desk, I was ready to sleep again. I half didn't hear the footsteps approaching me until a figure appeared in my limited vision. I cracked my open a smidge more.
                          
"Good morning, Detective."
                          
I blinked before sitting up, rubbing my eyes. I looked over to the person. . . No, not a person.
                          
"Connor?" I choked, remembering last night. The bullet hole in his forehead was gone, patched to perfection.
                          
"Yes. Unfortunately, my predecessor was too damaged to be repaired. I'm the new Connor," he explained, standing still as I took a step toward him.
                          
"New Connor?" I asked, looking over his model number once more. It was the same. "Are you a totally new. . . Android?"
                          
"Yes," he replied simply. "CyberLife transferred its memory and sent me to replace it."
                          
I nodded slowly, my mouth dry as I eased myself back into my seat. "I don't know when Hank is going to get here, but—" 
                          
A flicker of motion caught my eye and I turned, spotting hank as he trudged into the office. Connor turned at the change of my attention, standing patiently as Hank made his way to us. 
                          
"Hello, Lieutenant. My name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife."
                          
My uncle's head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock. He was obviously disturbed. "God, I saw you get shot in the head last night. . ." he breathed, looking up and down the model. He was just as weirded out as I was, then. 
                          
"My predecessor was unfortunately destroyed, but CyberLife transferred its memory and sent me to replace it," he said, and then looked between the both of us. "This incident should not affect the investigation."
                          
"Oh, Jesus," Hank groaned, shaking his head. A moment after, Captain Fowler had popped out of his office. "Hank! In my office!"
                          
Hank groaned before making his way over. Connor looked after him for a moment before looking back at me, his LED flickering for a moment.
                          
"I understand the destruction of my predecessor may have been unpleasant for you, Detective. I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't happen again."
                          
He nodded to me before turning on his heel and trailing after Hank.
                          
I huffed. "No shit, Sherlock. Never seen someone get shot in the head and come back to work the next day," I muttered with a shiver. I looked up, and Connor had stopped yet again, turning back to me.
                          
"In any case, I'd like you to know I'm very happy to be working with you and Lieutenant Anderson. I'm sure we'll make a great team."
                          
He smiled and then departed.