Don't Get Attached

Chapter Eleven

"What I want is not important." Connor explained.

"I'm sure you're all familiar with the Turning test. Mere formality." Kamski said now addressing all three of you. "Simple question of algorithms and computing capacity. What interests me is whether machines are capable of empathy. I call it the 'Kamski test' it's very simple you'll see..." He was now looking at you. Studying your face. Surveying you as if you were a prized antique up for auction. His attention made you uncomfortable. Connor made a subtle side step so that he was partially shielding you.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Kamski continued, still looking right at you. "Perfect and beautiful forever. A flower that will never wither. But what is it really?" He looked away from you to ask your father. "A Piece of plastic imitating a human? Or a living being with a soul?"

Kamski turned his back to everyone to reach for something. He opened a drawer and removed an object. When he was facing you again, you realized the object was a gun. You stiffened at the sight of firearm. You weren't afraid of guns necessarily. Your dad had been a cop your whole life after all, but there was something about Kamski's demeaner that made him seem unpredictable. Connor took a very calculated half step in front of you for protection. Again, you and your father shared a concerned sideways glance.

"It's up to you to answer that fascinating question, Connor." Kamski handed Connor the gun. Connor looked down at the weapon, perplexed. "Destroy this machine and I'll tell you everything I know." Kamski stepped forward and pivoted Connor's body. He raised the android's arm so that the gun was pointed directly at you.

"[Y/N]!" Your father called out for you, but Kamski was standing directly in his way, his hand still over Connor's with the gun. If he moved, Kamski might shoot him instead.

"It is alright, Lieutenant." You said in your best impression of an android. It was a shaky impression, but enough to do the trick. There was no doubt in your mind that Connor wouldn't shoot you. You trusted him implicitly. However, there was still that illogical part of you somewhere panicking because a gun was pointed right at your head.

. "Or spare it, if you think it's alive but you'll leave here without having learnt anything from me." Kamski told Connor. The billionaire released his hold on the gun and took a step back.

"Okay, we're done here." Your father interrupted. He'd had enough if this entire situation. "Put the gun down, Connor."

"No interference from the peanut gallery!" Kamski snarled at you. "For the test to be conclusive, Connor has to make the choice on his own. Decide who you are. An obedient machine, or a living being endowed with free will. What's more important to you Connor? Your investigation or the life of his android?"

"This is ridiculous. She's not an android! That's my daughter!" Your father snapped. "[Y/N], I told you to take that fucking coat off."

"Even better." Kamski seemed unfazed. "If she's human, that makes for an even more thrilling test of empathy. A true machine will accomplish it's mission at all cost, Connor. Regardless of your relationship with your human partner or his daughter. But a living being? Well how could you look into her eyes and decide that learning more about deviants is more valuable than [Y/N] Anderson's life?"

"Connor, you put that fucking gun down now!" Hank ordered. His hand hovered slightly over his own gun, but he knew better than to draw it too early. He'd been in enough stand offs to know that introducing more weapons to the situation on decreased you, the hostage's, chance of survival.

Connor hadn't spoke since Kamski had handed him the gun and neither had you. He kept his arm pointed at you exactly how Kamski had angled it, but still you knew that you had nothing to fear. For a brief second the thought did cross your mind that maybe Connor might actually do it. That he could pull the trigger and you'd be gone, but you knew Connor better than that.

Connor had been displaying signs of empathy for several days now. Whether android were supposed to or not, Connor actually cared about you and your father both. You guessed that he was just waiting for the right moment to lower the gun. Kamski was obviously an unstable individual and even if Connor didn't shoot you, it was reasonable to assume that Kamski might himself if he felt cheated out of his "Kamski Test."

"Pull the trigger." The billionaire bated.

"Connor don't you dare." Hank took a step forward, obviously not in on the secret revelation between you and Connor.

"From ancient grudge break to new mutiny. Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean." Connor recited just in case you hadn't already figured out that he had no intention on shooting you. He lowered the gun without hesitation.

"What the fuck does that mean?" Your father asked. He jumped between the two of you immediately, just in case Connor changed his mind.

"Romeo and Juliet, Lieutenant." Kamski answered taking back his gun. He shook his head. "Cyberlife's last chance to save humanity is itself a deviant."

"I'm..." Connor opened his mouth to argue but his processor must have been overloaded. It took him several seconds to manage; "I'm not a deviant."

"You preferred to spare [Y/N]'s life rather than accomplish your mission." Kamski disagreed. "You saw her fear and you showed her empathy. A war is coming you'll have to choose your side. Will you betray your own people or stand up against your creators?" Connor did not respond. "What could be worse than having to choose between two evils?"

"Connor, C'mon." You slipped your hand inside of his, lacing your fingers together just like you would on one of your walks with Sumo. Now holding hands the android let you tug him away. You walked towards the door while your father gladly brought up the rear. Hank had a protective hand on each of you so that neither of you could turn around or more likely in your case, head back into the room once the shock wore off and go off on Kamski for what he'd just done.

"By the way," Kamski called out, unmoving from his position. "I always leave and emergency exit in my programs. You never know."

"Just keep walkn'." Your father mumbled in warning. "We're getting the fuck out of here."