From Your Wires to Your Core

Deserving of Wants

It was delicate work, and it took a little time. Elijah hadn't realised how tricky the tiny component would be to handle, not to mention his planned upgrades. He also wanted to inspect Nines' bodywork and internal workings to see if he could make any tweaks there that would boost his defensive capabilities. Nines had been visibly reluctant when Gavin asked, but he'd agreed to the meeting. It went without saying that Gavin was going to be there. They waited for their next day off. Neither of them noticed that their two-week trial period had ended. They were too busy to think about things like that. Fowler didn't bring it up either. He assumed any complaints would have come to him already, so he quietly listed the partnership as official.

Elijah invited them to stay. They would arrive at the end of their shift, stay the next day for the procedures, and return to work on Friday. That should give Elijah the time he needed to fully assess Nines' condition and work on any upgrades. He may not finish, but it would give him plenty of time to get started, and Nines could likely help. Elijah was lucky that, thanks to his relationship with Markus, he'd been able to gain access to the disused Cyberlife mainframe and download Nines' specs. He was even more of a marvel than he'd originally thought.

"What the hell did you have to agree to for those?" Gavin asked during a call, knowing it was likely a high price. Elijah seemed unconcerned. It wasn't like he was short on money, and as the creator of androids, he had plenty to trade in the form of expertise. Neither request would be a strain. If they wanted money, he had plenty to spare. If they wanted something else, he was more than likely the best person for the job, and he'd do it with great pleasure. He was always looking for new projects to sink his teeth into.

"Nothing I can't afford, I assure you. I'll see you tonight," Elijah replied before hanging up. That was one thing Gavin had realised about him over the past couple of days. He didn't waste time when there was work to be done. He looked at the blank screen a moment longer before returning the phone to his pocket. Nines was still sitting across from him, interfacing with his terminal. Gavin wasn't sure what he was doing, but he was probably checking over the reports he'd just finished.

"Hey, it's almost time to go. You ready?" Silvery eyes shifted from the screen momentarily as Gavin stood and pushed his chair in.

"I will be by the time you clock out." Gavin grabbed his leather jacket, swinging it on as he headed to punch their cards. Connor and Hank had already left for the night, though the bullpen was still bustling with activity. It was only eight o'clock, and the late shift was just starting for a lot of the people there. He nodded to Collins as he grabbed the two cards to punch out. By the time he returned to his desk, Nines was waiting patiently in his usual idling pose.

Once they returned to Gavin's house, they packed for the next couple of days. They only needed two sets of day clothes and something for bed. Elijah's bathroom was fully stocked with everything else they'd need, though Gavin packed his own core toiletries and electric razor. He preferred the taste of his own toothpaste and the smell of his own shampoo. Before they left, he put two sachets of thirium food out for Lynx and crouched down beside him.

"Lynx, we'll be away tomorrow...Keep an eye on things for us," he soothed as he stroked the large android cat behind the ears. Lynx purred and butted Gavin's chest like a real cat, but he processed the order he'd been given. Once they were gone, he would continue his usual patrol and then set himself to low-power mode. He would also consume the thirium food and regulate the energy release over the next day or so. With that said, Gavin followed Nines out to the car, where they tossed their overnight bags on the backseat.

Gavin drove. It was far less tense than last time. He wouldn't exactly say he felt comfortable in the oversized mansion, but he at least felt comfortable enough with the owner of said mansion now. He'd even gotten somewhat used to the three Chloe androids, though he'd really only spent time with one of them. They drove quietly, both thinking about what was going to happen over the next two days. Gavin wasn't looking forward to seeing Nines all opened up on the table, and Nines wasn't looking forward to being on said table. It is for the mission.