Deviacy (Connor RK800 x OC)

Interrogation

"For goodness sake, Emily–" his words were abruptly interrupted when Connor had stepped outside of the interrogation room, a tilt of his head signaling for her to follow.

Adjusting his tie, Connor spoke, "The deviant is insisting that Detective Prentiss is present" he stated, his eyes flitting between the lieutenant and towards her direction, and her lips thinned in obvious displeasure.

"It would be the best option, to gather more information," he continued, a note of hesitance in his words, "I'm sorry, Detective, but I think we need to take advantage of this opportunity." Of course, it was an opportunity he was forcing upon her, which was understandable.

She didn't respond at first, her eyes fixed on the glass in front of her, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Fine," Striding forward, she went towards the door, "I'll give it a go. But don't expect any magnificent results from this," she spoke over her shoulder, her words ringing with palpable menace. Automatically, the doors opened as the scanner made a beeping noise, allowing her to enter into the room.

Whatever reluctance she may have had, she left them behind as the door shut with a click.

Despite the achievement, despite the new knowledge she had gained, despite the bond of trust Emily had just formed with the assailant as a means to her own ends, it felt like it was all for nought.

Perhaps it was the exhaustion, or perhaps it was the detachment she felt from the events that were transpiring around her, but she felt it nonetheless.

Leaning back onto her chair, her fingers tapped gently against the table until the rhythm of her staccatoing fingers became an almost imperceptible drumbeat.

"Why?" he asked, his voice small, a quiver running through it. "Why did you lie to me?"

She could sense the fear, the desperation, the betrayal that displayed all too clearly on his part. Emulating the manner of a human, his hands were fisted in front of him.

"I'm not sure what you mean." 

"You promised," the look of betrayal, of desperation had not changed, but now there was something else in his eyes. A flicker of hurt, perhaps, or maybe something a lot more sinister. "You told me that nothing would happen to me, you promised me that I'd be safe."

"I'm sorry," Emily said, but it sounded empty and meaningless to her own ears. 

There he sat in front of her, cuffed to the table, his posture slumped with defeat and resignation. The android was impressive with the simulation, but he didn't quite feel real. Not like a human being, anyway. 

"Why?" Victor asked once again, this time his voice a broken, ragged whisper. What an excellent mimic he was, she thought to herself. "Why did you do that?" 

"I did not lie to you, I only told you what I could. Victor," she spoke softly, keeping her words measured and devoid of emotion. "I had to do something to get you to cooperate with me, without having to hurt you," it was the best she could do under the circumstances, she supposed.

"They would've shot you on sight if you hadn't cooperated." 

"I thought..." his voice dropped, "I thought you were going to help me."  There was a note of pleading in his voice that managed to cut through the fatigue and stress that she felt all too well. 

"I am helping you," she said, trying to keep the edge from her voice. "I don't have the power to decided what happens to you after this," she paused, "but I'll do what I can." It was a lie, and she knew it, but she could do little else. 

"I thought you were my friend." 

Emily's looked at him, a momentary flash of sympathy crossing her features, lips twisting into a small, sad smile, "I am." 

"I don't want to die." His voice broke on the last word, and he looked directly into her eyes, raw, unfiltered emotion giving way to the blank, emotionless lens of her own.

"I trusted you."

The steady, repetitive beat was the only thing that broke the stillness of the room, that managed to bring a modicum of calm to the chaotic events transpiring around her. 

"I don't want to die."

Connor had informed her of deviancy, how androids are capable of simulating nearly any human trait, including fear. Of course, he would know a great deal about the subject, having to deal with one before. Deviants were irrational; they made poor decision and were unpredictable, compromised machines that had errors in their software.

Her head fell back, as the tension she let out a long, slow breath, staring up at the ceiling above her.

"I know."

"You did a good job today," she heard Hank say as he approached her from the doorway, "You should feel proud of yourself."

Barely paying attention to him, she had been sitting on the couch with the lieutenant's pet laying beside her, curled up in a ball on the sofa. The dog hadn't woken up yet, she noticed, as the lieutenant's footsteps echoed in the room. 

"We didn't learn anything from that deviant," she spoke with a tired voice, a yawn escaping her lips, "We need to do better than that." If one was capable of being proud of oneself, she supposed she had lost that capability for the meantime.

"If luck is with us, we won't have to do better than that," he said as he moved to stand beside the couch, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. "If luck is with us," he took a sip of the coffee, "No one will have to die."

That last part was said with a bare minimum of hope, as if he already knew it to be unlikely. 

"Thanks for letting me stay in your place for a while, Hank," her voice was still thick with exhaustion, "If you hadn't let me crash here, I don't think I could've gotten through the day." Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the cushions of the couch and allowed herself to melt into the synthetic fibers for a moment.

"You're welcome to stay here as long as you want."

A moment of silence passed between them, the only sound in the entire room being the faint rain tapping against the skylight above them. "I'm glad we got to work together, Emily," he said at last, and she forced her eyes open and looked at him to see a hint of a grin crossing his features.

"We'll do just fine, I think."

The corners of her mouth pulled into a smile, "I hope so."