Comfort Zone (Connor x Reader)

Fifty-Eight

By the time Seán was finished, the RK800 no longer looked like a detective. It wasn't as extreme as becoming a biker, but it felt unusual to be wearing a gray vest instead of his jacket. Rolling up his sleeves, the brunet male walked around the android slowly. "Man, good thing you can still be an android. That biker bar was scary shit, Con." Stopping in front of him, Seán gazed at his phone; more specifically the photo he had of the employee uniform. "... they have name tags. What are you gonna do?"

Your Roomba didn't seem worried. "When I arrive, I will ask for assistance. Simple as that. Androids communicate internally; I will ask to fill in for a short time, or coerce them if I must. I will not get physical, it would attract attention, which is the opposite of what I need."

There was no mistaking the grin on the human's face; he was so fucking proud. "That's my boy," he exclaimed, clapping the android on the shoulder. "Get in, get what you need, get out." He held up a familiar jar. "What are we doin' with the hair?"

Connor smiled in his crooked manner. "Please fix this nerd's hair, Seán."

The loud, cackling laughter emanated from the restroom, making the ground floor of the precinct look over for a moment.

■□■□■

In the backseat, your Roomba was surprised he wasn't as nervous as he thought. Actually, he wasn't nervous at all. He refused to give in and waste his energy being afraid, not when he couldn't afford wasting anything.

The auditory pieces were given to both Hank and Gavin, who was anxiously bouncing his leg in the passenger seat. The android didn't need one, of course. "Gavin, are you certain about this?"

Twisting in the seat, hazel eyes locked onto dark ones. "Yes. I ain't letting you go in there alone. If we end up isolating one of 'em, it'll be easier with both of us. Besides," he added, facing forward again, "I'm not letting you take a bullet for me and walk away like it's nothing. No, you're fuckin' stuck with me. I've got your back, Connor."

[How strange things become with time. You've gone from bully to bodyguard.]

Parking in the casino lot, Hank still made sure to make distance. "All right, kid, I'll be here. Just let me know when you're ready to get the fuck out, or shit goes downhill." When there was no reply, both humans turned to gaze at the RK800, whose LED stayed yellow for awhile. "... Connor? You good?"

"Forgive me. I am hacking into the casino surveillance system. If I am able to lock the one near us so it is frozen without their notice, it will make things easier." Only when the android got out of the car did Gavin follow. He'd hardly taken a step before Connor was beside him. "Did you change to blend in, as well?"

There was a genuinely bashful grin on his scruffy face. "Yeah, well... can't really do these things wearing what I always do, right?" He had a point, but under a leather jacket was a muted, dark green dress shirt and black tie. "Just in case you're at a high roller table. Smaller casinos don't matter, but a big one like this means you gotta look classy or some shit."

There was a pause. "It suits you."

"Is that a fucking pun?"

"No, Gavin. Regular kind of pun." Your Roomba smiled when Reed sputtered and laughed, shoving the android a little. Stopping near one of the back entrances, they turned to each other. "When I'm able to enter undetected, I'll send you a message." Then another pause. "... be careful, please."

"Me?" The shorter detective scoffed. "I, uh... yeah. You be careful, too."

As Reed started to leave, Connor stopped him one more time. "Buona fortuna, amico mio," he said, winking at the human.

Gavin stared blankly. "Man, don't be fucking cheesy. I hate that kind of shit, and also buona fortuna, dickhead." Returning the wink, he walked away, middle fingers in the air. But... affectionately?

■□■□■

Getting inside was the easy part, he thought. It was trying to find an android employee willing to actually help that was the problem. All of the back entrances were for facilities, restaurant usage, maintenance, storage... nothing that dealt with employees on the casino floor.

He needed a map or floorplan of the building, but he had one better. [Cloud?]

[I'm here. Are you having issues getting in? You haven't moved from your position in eight minutes and fourteen seconds.]

[I need an entrance that will bring the least suspicion. Do you have some sort of map for the building?]

[Employees that deal with money in some way are given high security clearance. I've connected to the surveillance systems; it seems their name tags give them access. If you enter through one of those outside doors, you'll stand out too much. One moment... ah. Four doors to your left is an entrance for employees specifically. You may be able to work your way in there. Find an android willing or compliant enough to assist.]

Connor made his way along the building, finding the employee entrance and frowning; even here he'd need access. It would be simple to hack in, but there would be traces. [I don't know if--]

"Lose your badge again, Bryan?" The voice cut though his thought process, and the android looked up to find another employee gazing up at him, a good dose of humor in her eyes. "This is like the third time this month. It's the 4th," she added, chuckling.

[This might work.]

With a shrug and a bit of a sheepish smile, the android replied, "I know, I know... I just..." It only took a moment to analyze this employee, hoping it might help. "... I have no excuses."

Luckily she laughed, scanning her own name tag to unlock the door. "Come on. I have no idea how an android loses his name tag so much, but miracles happen." Holding the door open for him, your Roomba gratefully followed, murmuring a thank-you. "Check your locker. You probably left it in there again."

She walked away, which left him to locate the locker belonging to whoever Bryan was. Another couple of scans had gotten him the right locker and it's combination; sure enough there was a name tag inside. It was attached before the RK800 hurried out of the back area; he had to get this done before he was somehow caught.