It was December 6th, 2040; 9:37 AM.
The 2nd year anniversary of the successful Android Revolution had passed, it had officially been made a holiday after the new android laws had been passed. It took a long process of vetoes and pigeon holeing to get to the freedom and rights that androids have today.
Cyberlife had shut down due to all the backlash it was getting from humans and androids combined. Androids started developing businesses of their own. Even opening android healthcare centers designed specifically for androids by androids.
Enter Detective Gavin Reed; a thirty eight year old, bad habit having, grumpy, android hating, asshole. After the android revolution, he was left feeling confused about his feelings towards them. Police issued androids had started claiming positions of their own as police officers. Some had left the station to become something else entirely, but Gavin didn't care about that. He cared more about the fact that toasters with feelings were slowly getting to him. At some point he did feel bad for them, with the revolution and all, but that never stopped him from treating them like shit.
It was nine in the morning at the precinct, night shift people were clocking out around the time Gavin had gotten there. He had agreed to take the day shift so later that day he would have time to hang out with Officer Chen.
Officer Chen, or Tina Chen, was Gavin's closest friend at work. She was the only one who could deal with his bullshit asshole attitude whilst still keeping her happy and cheerful personality. Not only was she happy and cheerful, but she could match anyone's energy. When Gavin would give her attitude, she'd give it right back and give him sass. That's how their relationship worked, and both of them enjoyed it. It was a huge sigh of relief for the both of them when they hung out together after a long day at work.
Speak of the devil.
"Good morning Detective Douche! You look like shit, what's wrong?" She babbled.
Gavin hadn't even sat down yet and she was already insulting him.
"Auttie wouldn't let me sleep last night, whining for milk when I had already fed her." He sighed, plopping himself lazily into his chair.
"Hmm, well it's only for a few weeks, then she'll be whining for kibble instead, hehe." She snickered.
Gavin glared.
"Anyways," she continued, "You remember the rookie I was telling you about? Apparently it's his first day today. You think he'll—".
Suddenly, said rookie appeared through the security gate. He stopped suddenly, glancing around the building and more specifically the bullpen.
Gavin chanced a look at him. His eyes darted from the rookie's soft perfectly imperfect hair, to his shiny polished dress shoes.
"Heyy," She teased, "He's kinda..."
Detective Douche living up to his name, he playfully shoved Tina off his inclining chair and decided rookie wasn't worth his precious time.
"Hey— where're you goin' Gav?"
"To get some shit breakroom coffee."
Officer Chen shrugged, watching as her friend disappeared behind a wall.
She looked back at the poor and confused looking guy, still standing at the entrance.
Immediately, she made a beeline towards the unsuspecting man.
"Hello!" She smiled brightly.
The man stood terrifyingly still for a few seconds before evidently relaxing.
"Hi," His voice was deep but laced with awkwardness and uncertainty, "I am Conan Richards, it's my first day here and I can't seem to find Captain Jeffery Fowler. Would you happen to know where he could be at this time?" The android dipped down the tiniest bit, trying to keep some sort of eye contact with the shorter police officer.
"Well, hello Richards! He's out for a bit, something about a meeting with the commander for a serious case or whatever. He'll be back by the end of the day, don't you worry your tall self!" She exclaimed.
"Oh." Conan's face contorted in thought. "Who would be the next in charge?"
Tina spoke, "That guy got moved somewhere else during the revolution two years ago. If you have any questions you can ask me! I'm Tina Chen, or—Officer Chen," Her eyes sparkled, "What's up?"
Conan looked unsure but continued, "I seemed to have not been assigned a work area. Would you happen to know where I can—"
"I know the perfect desk for you, Richards!" She cajoled him.
With one arm intertwined in his, she led him to the desk right across from Gavin's.
Conan scanned the area, a bit suspicious as to why Officer Tina would choose this specific spot but he found nothing wrong with it. He shrugged it off, grabbing his brown leather office bag and placing it down.
"Thank you, Officer Chen." He mumbled.
"Yeah yeah, So, are you liking the detective life so far? How early did you get up this morning? Are you a morning person?" She babbled on.
Conan let her talk a bit, he was more of a listener than a talker anyways, so he enjoyed when people talked about literally anything.
Just then, a new figure appeared, coming from the break room holding a freshly made cup of coffee.
Conan took the opportunity to scan him.
『 DT. REED, GAVIN
Born: 10/07/2002 // Police Detective
Criminal Record: Speeding/Reckless Driving 』
The detective had unkempt chestnut hair, scars littered his face and arms, he had some stubble and his eyes were dark hazel. His face warped into one of judgment as they made eye contact.
"Hey T, why's the rookie sitting at my desk?" He shouted before he even got to her.
"It's his new seat; chose it especially for him!"
Gavin sighed, placing his unoccupied hand on the scar set upon his nose.
"Whatever, just—" he went from looking at Tina to looking at Conan, "Just don't fucking touch anything that's not yours, alright rookie?"
"My name is Conan."
"Yeah, whatever." Gavin dismissed, rounding the corner and sitting in his side of the desk.
Conan was about to reply when he noticed anti-android flyers littering one corner of his desk.
He stared at the detective with hurt, but quickly disregarded that horrible feeling he was so used to.
Ever since he was found by his older brother after the revolution, he felt like he didn't fit in anywhere; being made only after the revolution. He was a prototype, there were no other RK900s made. He was the last android ever made by Cyberlife before they were shut down. Connor and LT. Anderson had found him hidden deep in the Cyberlife "Progress Facility", stress levels reaching the 70's as his body hung from the mechanical arms of the assembler.
After being brought home and introduced, he chose to follow his original protocol. He was made to be a detective model for the DPD, so he pursued training until finally he was given a chance. Unfortunately, even with all the expressed rights protecting androids, he and the rest of the androids training alongside humans were constantly being put to one side, disregarded. The higher ups never did anything about it, talking about "how much of an advantage they already had, androids didn't need to rise above humans more than they already did".
Conan tried not taking it to heart. In some moments, he'd imagine he was never deviant. That he was incapable of feeling emotions. Incapable of feeling weak when he knew he wasn't. Incapable of crying.
He especially wished he was never built with tear ducts, the way they would activate when he got overwhelmed with emotions he didn't know how to handle.
That same feeling was creeping its way through his system's Commands Archives. If he still had his LED, it would have given away his displeased feelings.
"Officer Chen, thank you for your considerable efforts in finding me a work area, but I sense there might be somewhere else open for me." He mumbled through gritted teeth as he picked his bag back up and pushed in the rolling chair.
"Have a lovely day, Officer."
Gavin watched with sheer judgmental amazement as Conan walked away and settled into the desk parallel to him.
Gavin scoffed in disbelief, "Can you believe that fucking guy?! Who does he think he is? A fucking jackass with a stick up his ass, that's for sure." He scoffed once more before he turned to his screen, hand tightening around his arm rest.
Tina giggled.
Gavin snapped his head up, watching as a devious smirk grew on her lips.
"I like him." She snickered.
"Yeah, of course you do. You should, like, marry him or something." He muttered, upset with how much the rookie was effecting him.
"Gav, you should know by now, he is not my type." She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, your type is the receptionist that gives you bedroom eyes everytime you clock in—OW!"
Tina punched him playfully.
They laughed to themselves whilst Conan watched, longing for a friendship of his own. He shook his head, focusing back on his own screen.
His screen was filled with civil cases like missing juveniles or a dispute between neighbors. No homicide or murder in sight.
Conan's face scrunched in confusion, an unusual expression for him.
He decided to send a quick email to Captain Fowler, describing his confusion.
A few minutes later a very low effort email was sent back reading, "You're a rookie, what'd you expect. Sent from IPhone."
That uncomfortable feeling was creeping up again, in ones and zeros but real nonetheless.
Conan sighed, he understood but at the same time he didn't. He was built for this job. He even went through human training for chrissake. He would rather skip all the formalities and get straight to the homicides. Conan had held in the need to just investigate; to get something done, for the longest time.
The rookie glanced back at the giggling duo in front of him.
He could befriend the detective. Maybe, if they were friends, he could join him on homicides.
> Objective: Befriend DT. Gavin Reed
> Befriend Officer Chen?
Tina's cackling can be heard echoing through out the precinct.
Conan smiled.
> New Objective: Befriend DT. Gavin Reed & Officer Chen.