Deviant Behavior (Connor x Reader)

Firewall Proxy

"We are." You heaved a heavy sigh, "We just have to stop all this before it escalates into something we can't defuse."

"Yeah, well, if you write out any of those stupid cloud messages we're gonna have a real problem."

"What's wrong with skywriting?"

"You're...Jesus." He facepalmed, "If you got your head out of your ass, you'd see the point I'm trying to make."

You sucked your teeth, turning your head.

"You don't start fires and make smoke signals when you're trying to lay low, you hear me?  You could be in real danger."

"I'm done running, Hank.  I won't."  Your teeth started to grind together, and you had to pry them apart, "Not this time."

The two of you sat in silence for a moment, taking in the phones that wouldn't stop ringing.  The empty coffee cups that sat on everyone's desk, and the sleepless nights etched on their owners' faces.  The vacant android racks that usually had units on standby.

The war on deviancy was taking a toll on everyone – and you were the one awaiting reactivation.

"I couldn't make changes from the other side of those doors." You pointed to the officer's entrance, "Here, I can help change things...because this isn't just about humans versus androids anymore.  This is about uncovering the truth, and making sure everyone 'hears' it no matter what."

"Hey, sorry to interrupt." Chris gave a friendly wave, "Oh, hey." He nodded at you, "Either one of you seen Connor anywhere?"

You choked down the rest of your defense, and forced a friendly smile on your face.

"No, why?" Hank squinted.

"I was...uh, waiting on him to bring some evidence back up from the Evidence Room.  He, uhm...hasn't come back yet."

Your brows laced, and you gave him a scrutinizing look.  He was acting funny.

Something was up.

"Sounds like that's your cue."

Your neck snapped back to Hank, "To do what, exactly?"

"That's up to you, Lovebird."

"Pffft-" Chris coughed, holding back a laugh, "Ah-ahem-"

"You've gotta be fuckin-" Hank looked at you, then back at your partner, "You know about them, too?"

"Know what?" Gavin snuck up on you from behind, grabbing your chair and scaring the shit out of you.

"Jesus Christ..." You grabbed your bag, and forced him away by sliding on the wheels, "I'm outta here." 

"Oh, Anderson-" Gavin ignored you, stumbling in place, "Did RoboCop get my message?"

"Yeah, I saw your fuckin' note.  You do that shit again and I'll kick your ass."

"HAH!" He slapped his thigh, "I couldn't believe I got it taped to his screen without him noticing-"

"Wait, you taped it?  It was pinned to..."

"Pinned to...?" Chris cocked his head.

"Nothing...Go handle business." Hank brushed your shoulder and nodded over to the doors leading to the Evidence Room, "I need to talk to Tweedledum and Tweedledee over here."

"Hear that, Miller?" Gavin put him in a headlock, and Chris struggled to fight him off, "Our time together earned you a cute nickname."

"God-Detective-" He pulled away, but Gavin just laughed and held him firm, "That was an insult-"

"Yeah, well...Wait," He let him go, "No it wasn't.  You're definitely Tweedledum."

"Coming from the guy who bought an Xbox just to play Call of Duty every year..." Chris growled, pulling his uniform straight, "Jesus, man..."

You marched forward, leaving the two idiots to swarm around Hank's disturbed hive.  You were all just a bunch of worker bees awaiting instruction, after all.

Brothers and sisters under one coat of arms. One motto.

"Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus."

"We hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes."

Those words resonated with you – they always had...because Elijah was right:

You had an irreplicable fire.

You'd faced your past, armed with struck matches and gallons of gasoline; setting every bridge going backwards ablaze to light the way for a brighter future.

Sometimes, there had to be a period of slash and burn in order for something new to grow.

All that was left to do was rise from the ashes, because you weren't a pigeon or a fucking raven.

You were a phoenix that would sing your song of fire and brimstone on burning wings, smoking out the liars that sought to keep the world in the dark.

Because sometimes, you had to fight fire with fire.  A lesson that deviants had learned the hard way while you held the torch.

You'd do your best to guide Connor through the darkness while the flames of war were ignited.

And if you failed?

He was bound to get lost in the fallout.