Some time had passed since the Android revolution and just as humans were in the midst of adjusting to life among intelligent machines that felt and acted just as they did, androids were also still getting the hang of integrating themselves properly into society in beneficial ways that wouldn't only prove their worth but also prove that they deserved the same rights as any human. The entire country of America was recovering from coming so close to another world war and overall, it was working out quite well. Businesses weren't running people out of jobs but instead were finding solutions for ways in which could help progress how automatons and humans worked together towards the same goal; a goal that involved an effective and united society coming together in ways that could make the world more advanced and an overall better place to inhabit for all living beings.
Of course, with all good things came the bad as well. Androids were still discriminated against on a number of levels that still needed a bit of tweaking - educating the ignorant on how they were just as much alive as any human and that hate wouldn't solve anything. There were just some humans that would never learn and refused the change what could possibly benefit them more so than harm them due to stigma and the paranoia that androids were associated with.
Despite all of this, it seemed society as a whole was progressing nonetheless and returning to normal, albeit a more peaceful type of normal as opposed to a divided one.
Thanks to this, despite accepting his deviancy, Connor chose to maintain his job at the station as a permanent detective who'd work to make a living just like humans did. Other androids, as well, were scrambling to cling to different occupations and opportunities they had yet to experience in order to get their lives together and become functional members of society who all had a choice rather than a set purpose from the get go.
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Friday, 8:54 am.
"Lieutenant," Connor turns to face the man sitting at the desk across from him. "There have been two cases of reported homicides just this morning and I have reason to believe they may be connected. Shall we visit the scene of the crime to investigate?" He asks, eyeing Hank expectantly as he sips at his coffee.
Hank glances up at him before setting his mug down and giving a nod as he stands up. "Might as well get a kick start if you've already got an idea of what's goin' on. Give me the run down on the way there." He tells his partner and they prepare to depart.
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"Both bodies dismembered, unrecognizable upon first glance but DNA testing reveals—"
"Connor, do you really have to narrate the obvious?"
"Lieutenant, please. It's important to give a run down of what events have taken place to set an effective atmosphere."
The detective rolls his eyes and waves a dismissive hand before turning and making his way to the other side of the room in search of further evidence. "What else then?"
"The victims were 40 year old John Taylor and 42 year old Tom Adkins. Taylor was a lawyer who lived alone with no current living relatives. An avid smoker who'd indulge himself in drinking on the weekends. Adkins, too, seemed to have an affinity for alcohol as well as an unhealthy lifestyle that involved lack of a proper diet and self care for a number of years. One could assume that he was experiencing depression — perhaps due to a previous divorce. He also doesn't appear to have any living relatives." Connor informs Hank after combing both bodies throughly for evidence. He stands and glances back at the older man.
"Ya think maybe they were premeditated?"
"No doubt. From my indications, neither men even knew each other and yet they share the same killer. However, something they have in common could shed some light on why exactly they were targeted."
"Maybe it has somethin' to do with how they were livin? I mean, they must've been easy targets if they had no relatives or family members around to miss 'em if a murder happened."
"Yes, but what exactly could the murderer gain from their deaths?" Connor asks mostly to himself, tapping at his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps we should—" His sentence is cut off when he's notified of a completely different case, his LED blinking rapidly for a few seconds. The information catches him somewhat off guard.
"What is it, Connor?"
"I was just notified of another crime. It involves an Android."
"Well, shit. Do they want us to solve this crap or not? We're not the only damn detectives in our unit — there's only so much we can do."
Connor shrugs his shoulders at the lieutenants words, not sure what other choice they had than to investigate given the fact that it was clearly assigned to them. "Perhaps we could negotiate with Fowler to have someone else take on our current case." He suggests.
Giving a sigh, Hank shakes his head. "I guess... it's a shame considering the fact that we were actually getting down to business so quickly."
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When they arrive back to the office, they confront Fowler about their current case and he decides to assign detective Reed to it instead with the information Connor and Hank had already gathered.
"Couldn't solve a human homicide, huh, tin can?" Gavin asks with a smirk as Connor and Hank exit Fowler's office. He looks all too smug leaning against the glass of the office with his arms crossed, clearly looking to irk the two. "Could it have something to do with the fact that your incapable of empathy? Because you're an Android? Huh?" He continues. "Can't put yourself in the mind of a human, can you?"
Connors gaze flickers over to Reed. He considers not even entertaining the detectives annoying accusations but concedes after a moment, feeling the need to defend himself. Accepting himself as a deviant and still adjusting to a life where he lived outside of his programming with actual emotions taking a toll on him were enough. He really didn't need someone trying to invalidate him, especially now. "Detective Reed—" He starts.
"Fuck off, Reed." Hank interrupts. "You're just jealous that you're gettin' assigned the same ol' cases over and over again where as we get something new the second it's reported." It's Hanks turn to look smug now as Gavin's smirk drops into an annoyed frown. His brows furrow.
"Yeah, right. Like I'd want to be investigating androids." He scoffs. "It's better this way, anyhow. Keep that robot from taking the more serious jobs." He shrugs casually. "Sounds to me like Fowler doesn't think your detective skills are fit for human homicides anymore, Hank. Maybe it has something to do with your age, and," he clears his throat purposely to make his snarky attitude apparent if it wasn't already. "Your partners...limitations."
"What limitations, asshole?" The Lieutenant asks, annoyance written on his expression. Instead of responding, Gavin just gives a smug grin as he walks away.
"You know, while I appreciate the fact that you're willing to defend me, I'm fully capable of doing so myself, Lieutenant." Connor says, staring in the direction Gavin had walked off in.
"Yeah, Yeah... that guy just always gets under my skin. He doesn't know shit, alright? So don't let what he says bother you." Hank responds, trying to assure Connor. He's all too aware of the fact that his android companion is still adjusting to feeling emotions and that he could easily be discouraged by shitty things that certain shitty people say. Hell, he himself was 53 and human and yet he still had trouble processing his emotions even though he played it off as if nothing bothered him more often than not. Connor doesn't respond so instead, Hank decides to change the subject. "So, uh, this new case is about an Android, huh?"
"Yes, it seems as though the suspect raided the Detroit Institute Of Arts museum and stole some major pieces. Apparently the crime happened last night but it wasn't discovered until just this morning."
"How do we know it's an Android?"
"Surveillance Footage suggests no human could easily cart around the pieces stolen so easily — not to mention the lack of fingerprint evidence."
Hank sighs. "Great. This can't be a good look for androids especially after the whole revolution thing. People're still gettin' used to them. This'll only fuel the shit storm of racists still out there."
Connor hadn't considered what effect this small crime could have the entirety of Android-kind. Now that he thought about it, if they didn't stop whoever the suspect was, society could possibly regress once more and he could even lose his privileges and in turn, his job.
"You're right, Lieutenant. We have no time to waste." Connors expression displayed one of determination. He hadn't lost his initial purpose and gained one again only for there to be a possibility of him losing it again. He was exactly where he wanted to be in life at this moment. Their actions could determine the difference between whether androids remained free to live as their own or not. Or atleast Connor felt as though this case was that important. Humans committed crime all the time and yet their entire race wasn't generalized and watered down to nothing but a bunch of hostile killers. He couldn't help but note the irony of public perception.