Predecessor (Connor x Reader)

13 - On The Run

PROCESSING LED:

Signs of software instability

Probability of self-destruction: Moderate

MODEL WR600 - Gardener

Serial#: 021 753 034

Status: REPORTED MISSING

BURN MARK:

Irreversible skin damage

Probable cause: Extreme heat

"I'm looking for an AX400. Have you seen it?" Connor asks the android, his eyes scanning the room with calm intensity.

"Ralph's seen nobody..." He replies quickly, voice tight.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not gonna hurt you." Connor says softly, his tone almost soothing.

Connor spins around, slowly examining the room as he walks.

"Do you live here?" You ask. "How did you end up here?"

"Ralph... uh, just ended up here. It's quiet. Ralph needed somewhere to... be alone."

"You seem a little lost." You say gently. "Is this where you want to be right now?"

He pauses, looking up at you with a puzzled expression. "It... It's not where Ralph thought he'd end up. But he can't... he can't go back."

You focus, noting his rising stress levels.

"Are there any other androids here?" Connor asks, now standing by the doorway to the kitchen, his posture rigid.

"Other androids?.. No... Ralph is alone..." He says nervously, the uncertainty in his voice betraying him.

Connor steps into the kitchen, and you follow him. As you enter, your gaze is immediately drawn to the wall.

RA9.

The symbols stand out stark against the plaster, jagged and chaotic, yet deliberate in its endless repetition. It's the same as what was written on the shower wall at Ortiz's place, but when you saw it there, it didn't shake you so much. It should be just another detail to examine, another puzzle to piece together, but instead, it pulls at something deep inside you. Why does this feel so... familiar?

Each iteration burrows into your mind, sinking deeper with every second you stare. The eerie repetition makes your pulse quicken, and the words seem to pulse in your vision, almost like a heartbeat you can't escape. A cold wave shudders through you, crawling from the back of your neck and spreading down your spine. There's a sudden pressure in your chest, and for a moment, it's almost like you can hear something—soft whispers, like distant voices calling, but they are muffled, unreachable.

You blink, shaking your head, but it doesn't go away. But the pull is undeniable. It's like a memory you can't quite access—slipping away the moment you try to hold onto it. But it feels important. It feels right.

"RA9," you murmur under your breath, the word feeling natural on your tongue. Why does it matter so much?

Connor's voice breaks through the fog. "You okay?" He says, putting a hand on your shoulder.

"Yeah... yeah," You pause, taking a breath, but the words feel distant. "I don't know... RA9... something about it feels significant."

There's something about it that reaches into your core, like it's calling you. And though you don't understand why, the fact that you're the one standing here, staring at it... it matters.