Predecessor (Connor x Reader)

13 - On The Run

"I have appreciation for phone and YouTube?" Tina raises an eyebrow at him.

"Okay. How about I take that phone and let's see how good your screen protector really is?"

"How about I kill myself in front of you and change the trajectory of your life forever?"

"Good. I need something to write in my memoir."

You laugh. "If you go through with it I'm taking your chair. It's too comfy for me to just leave it empty."

"Well, yes, that's obviously why she's sitting on it right now," Chris says sarcastically with a grin, clearly amused. "Anyway, I did want to ask you... what happened yesterday at the hospital? Why did you leave in such a hurry and not come back to work?"

The casual tone of the question makes it feel lighter, but your stomach drops at the mention of the hospital. You're about to reply when you're distracted by Hank, who enters with his usual heavy sigh. You gesture him over, eager to get this all out in the open at once.

Just as Hank begins to lumber over, the door opens again—Connor steps in. His gaze flickers over to you all, his posture rigid as usual. He walks over to join the group, and there's something oddly formal about the way he moves today.

"Hey!" Chris smiles turning to greet them both. "Connor, unusual for you to be so late. You good?"

"Yes," Connor nods, voice steady, but there's a certain clipped tone to it. "I was held up at CyberLife this morning. But I'm here now."

Tina arches her eyebrows. "And Hank!" she says, sarcasm in her tone. "What are you doing here so late? It's so unlike you!"

Hank grunts in response, his voice dry. "Ha ha. Very funny."

You glance back at Connor. "CyberLife?" you ask, curious. "What got you held up?"

He hesitates, just for a moment, but it's enough for you to notice. "Nothing important," he says. He shifts the topic abruptly. "Why didn't you return to work after the hospital yesterday?" His voice is steady, but you can hear the hint of urgency behind it.

"I just asked her that," Chris chimes in, his tone light but with a hint of curiosity, not quite aware of the gravity behind the question.

Everyone's eyes turn toward you. The air feels thick suddenly, and you're reminded that this is no longer just about a missing person or a dead body. You have a choice now. You can either tell them the truth and risk being exposed, or you can lie and allow Cyberlife to silence you. Either way, Cyberlife wins. You've already been hiding the truth about your involvement with Cherry—will they suspect something? Will they press you further?

You know you can't avoid it forever—it's not like this case was just a passing whisper that would vanish the moment no one paid attention to it. You feel a pang of bitterness rise, but you push it down. You've handled tougher situations than this. But it doesn't make it easier.

"Yeah, I was going to come back... but I just needed to go home. Clear my head. It's been a lot to deal with," you say, keeping your tone neutral.

Chris nods knowingly. "Yeah, I get it. It's been a shit show, for sure. A lot's happened in the past few days. But did you find anything at the hospital? You said there was a nurse who seemed off to you."

The words hang there, and you feel Cherry's voice echoing in your mind. A rush of anger, tightly controlled until now, starts to creep up your throat and you take a slow breath, pushing the frustration down before responding. "No... I was wrong." You shake your head and look down, gripping the fabric of your pants. "It was just a suicide, after all."