"My god, I'm going to beat the shit out of you if you're dead,"
The afternoon sky was bled of its warmth as clouds began to roll in from the distance. Olivia noticed this, but stayed on the bench as she knowingly watched her friend. Disappointment and the faintest trace of frustration pulled Korra's expression into a frown.
She ended the call with a quick swipe and lowered her hand by her side, still firmly holding the phone. Looking to the sky for a moment, Korra watched as patches of gray continuously covered the deep blue sky. "What a perfect day," she thought.
Turning around to face Olivia, Korra slowly approached her friend, preparing to break the bad news.
"Hey," Korra placed her hand on the bench. Standing behind her friend, she looked down and watched as Olivia turned to face her. "It was the precinct... apparently there was a fatality and-"
"Go," Olivia cut her off softly. "They wouldn't be hounding you like this if it wasn't important." Korra could tell that she was disappointed, but Olivia shook it off and smiled reassuringly at her.
"I'm sorry," Korra trailed off, fumbling with her coat pockets. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."
The two smiled at each other in silence for a moment. Olivia knew that Korras hands were tied on a situation like this, especially if it was an order from the Captain.
"It's fine, my dad just likes to make sure nobody down there has time for a social life," Olivia joked. Korra almost forgets that Olivia is even remotely related to Captain Fowler. She's definitely adapted some parts of his personality, but Olivia would sooner roll over and die than ever willingly set foot in a police station.
"Next time we get dinner we'll just have to bill him to make it even," she chuckled and picked her keys out of her pocket. Olivia stood up as she laughed along with her friend, preparing herself for the bus ride back to her apartment. "Do you want me to walk you to your stop?"
"I think I'll manage crossing the street without someone holding my hand," Olivia grinned as she approached Korra and quickly embraced her. "Give Reed my worst."
"You know I always do," Korra breathed as Olivia's scarf pushed up against her face.
Soon enough, they broke apart from each other and said their goodbyes. Korra watched as her best friend continued down the pathway only to turn and head back the way they had come. As soon as Olivia was out of sight, Korra snaked her hand into her purse for a cigarette.
Korra had parked her car in the shopping district, so the walk to the garage was short but chilling. She watched as the clouds that had rolled in grew darker and darker, the smell of wet pavement wafting through the air predicted exactly how the rest of her walk was going to be.
Thoughts of Olivia and work flooded her mind as she absentmindedly flicked the ash from the cigarette in her hand. The bad habit wasn't helping at all, which was exactly what Korra didn't need at the moment. Being the lead forensic scientist at the DPD had its perks, but one of them was certainly not how much time she spent at the precinct.
While months ago all she wanted to do was throw herself into her work, now all Korra wanted was just one damn minute of peace.
Just as she was crossing the street to get to the parking garage, she felt the faintest taps of raindrops in her hair. By the time she made it into the concrete structure, her hair was lightly damp. To get it out of the way, she quickly put her dark locks into a low messy bun and continued on.
She took the elevator up to the third level, where she had parked her truck only a few hours ago. Then, the garage was full of the cars of tourists and commuting workers. But now, the cars were still here, but an eerie silence fell over the structure as no other people were to be seen.
Taking one last puff of her cigarette before dropping it and crushing it under her boot, Korra made her way towards her parking spot.
Once in her truck, Korra quickly started it and blasted the heat. She may have had a thick coat, but the dress she changed into was certainly less protective than the outfit she had originally worn. For a brief moment, she contemplated changing. But as she looked at the display on her dashboard, the time made her aware that she had to get going immediately.
Buckling her seatbelt, she looked around her to make sure no other cars were around, and pulled out of her spot. The sounds of her music softly playing from the speakers worked against her sour mood, but she was still annoyed. Before she went to the scene, she had to go back to the lab to collect her bag. While the gloves she kept in her bag and the camera on her phone would suit her purposes well enough, she needed her actual equipment.
The drive to the precinct was uneventful, the rain made the usual city ride crawl by; even the self-driving vehicles were more of a nuisance as their detection of the rain automatically made them drive slower.
As if it was all one fluid moment, Korra eventually found herself parking her car and rushing into the precinct to avoid the rain.
Ignoring the usual crowd of citizens as they filed reports and such, Korra made it past the front desk, ignoring the friendly stare of the Android receptionist who had summoned her. Passing through the gates with no problem, she couldn't take a few steps into the office without being asked about lab results and case details.
"Yeah, I know," she dismissed as she made her way past a detective and an andriod officer by their side. "The toxicology should be out in a few hours. Jesus christ people, I just walked in the door. Give me a damn minute."
Clearly the two picked up on her foul mood because with just a glance to each other, they turned and rushed away.
After placing her badge on the ID scanner, Korra opened the glass door to the lab and approached her desk. Despite its messy state, she placed her purse down and wrapped her palms around the edge of the cold surface. Leaning on the desk, she took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. She realized that she needed to take it down a notch and not lash out at her coworkers, but it was hard to recover from a ruined afternoon.
"I just need to get to the scene and my day will be over before I know it," she attempted to convince herself.
Turning around to the lab, she took a good look at the room where she had spent the last few years of her life. The lab sat directly across from the sea of cubicles in the precinct. With the break room directly to the right next door, it was a convenient location. The entry way was completely made out of glass so that people could see both in and out. But when sensitive materials or bodies were brought in, the glass had a function that would make it almost murky and impossible to see through with just a push of a button.
The layout of the room was fairly simple and rectangular in size; the front of the room contained a few desks, including her own. Towards the back, the floor lowered by a few steps which was where the observation table and all of the lab equipment was kept. It was simple, but it worked.
Stepping down to observation table, Korra collected her camera equipment in a large black embroidered "DPD" duffel bag. Besides that, she threw protective gear, sample baggies, and a few other devices in the bag and zipped it up.
Just as she was about to turn around, she heard the light beeping of the ID scanner and the lab door opening. Sighing and expecting to be bombarded with more work from an officer, Korra turned around. It was then she saw a face she hadn't expected to see for a few days.
"Connor," she greeted. "Did you need something?" Walking back up to stand behind her desk, she watched him as he slowly inched away from the door.
Although, despite everything that happened a few days prior, Korra was glad to see that he was alright. Even for any normal human being, watching something die and then appear as good as new the next day was an unusual experience to say the least.
"I wanted to apologize for causing you any distress when the Lieutenant and I came to your apartment the other day. I understand how hard it may have been to witness my predecessors destruction. But I assure you I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't happen again," he apologized as he stood awkwardly in front of her desk.
Korra wasn't sure what to expect when she saw him come in, but she did not expect an apology. Sure, he scared the living hell out of her, but she didn't think that Connor realized what he did for her.
"Thank you, Connor. But I think I should be the one apologizing to you, thanking you for saving me, really..." Korra trailed off as she began to think back to that day. "If you hadn't come after me, I would have gotten my ass killed and we might have been able to catch that deviant." Sighing again, she placed the duffel bag down on the floor and walked around to the front of her desk. Folding her arms and leaning on the glass, she looked up to Connor.
"Can I ask you a personal question, Connor?" She asked, smirking lightly as she sarcastically copied his line.
"I'm not sure it's possible to ask an Android a personal question," Connor replied, looking warmly at the woman standing just a few feet from him.
"Why did you save me?... I mean, you had the opportunity to grab the deviant and accomplish your mission. So why did you pick me over the case?" Korra pressed her lips into a line as she awaited his answer. It puzzled her. Sure androids weren't allowed to hurt humans, that was in their programming, but were they allowed to let them die? It seemed morally right, but do androids even consider the morality of situations? She watched as the LED on the side of his head flashed yellow, and she could have sworn she saw the faintest bit of red.
"Well, I couldn't have just let you die. Not only would that have caused a deep rift between the Lieutenant and I, but it would have been a loss for the case," Connor said. Korra was shocked my that. Was she supposed to be flattered that he had analyzed the odds and probabilities of her getting killed? Or that he considered dying to be a loss to the case? But she held her thoughts as he continued speaking.
"What I mean is... I consider your input in the investigation to be very important," he rephrased rather awkwardly. "We may have let this one go but the odds of encountering another deviant are high."
Korra smiled at his words. Despite how analytical and cold his response may have seemed, she understood that he really meant it. For a moment, her mood improved as she processed what he was saying.
"Well," Korra looked down at her feet and shifted her weight. "Unfortunately I won't be able to give any input until the week is over. Hanks orders." Connor looked disappointed for a moment, remembering the things the Lieutenant had said to her before they left that day.
"But thank you, Connor. It means a lot to hear you say that." The two exchanged quick smiles as silence fell over the room. The only sounds to be heard being the rustling of people in the office and the calm announcements over the precinct intercom.
"I have to get going, there's a scene I need to get to downtown," Korra spoke up as she took the strap of her bag and slung it over her shoulder.
Following her to the door, Connor quickly changed his attitude as he realized he was acting rather... sentimental.
"Yes, I received the report on that one. The Lieutenant and I were supposed to head to the scene since it involves an andriod, but he appears to have disappeared." Connor frowned at that, thinking about how he wouldn't be able to gather more information due to Hanks constant absence.
But that's not what Korra focused on, instead of thinking on Hanks unpredictability, she wondered why she was being summoned to a scene that involved the deviant case.
"But if that's your case, then why did Fowler specifically instruct me to go there? This doesn't make sense," Korra pondered out loud.
"Perhaps it was a mistake," Connor suggested as they stopped before the door. "The Lieutenant was specific in his order to keep you away from the case."
"Yeah... or something really bad happened at the scene. The other forensic officers could take care of smaller scenes like the one at Ortiz's home. This must be serious then," she concluded as she pushed the door open and rushed to leave.
"I'll give you a ride since Hank isn't around. Come on, let's get a move on!" Waving her hand for him to follow, Korra picked up her pace as she made her way through the gates and into the lobby.
Connor stared at her for a moment, confusion still lingering in his mind, but followed after her anyways.
"I really think that we should wait for the Lieutenant," Connor spoke up as he tried to catch up with Korra. They were outside now and the rain was falling heavier by the minute. But Korra didn't stop to listen as she got closer to her vehicle, pulling the collar of her coat up to shield herself from the cold.
"If we waited for Hank we'd be here all day. He'll forgive me for getting his partner to the crime scene you both are supposed to be investigating." The air was still warm in the car, which allowed a sigh of relief to briefly escape Korras lips. After shutting her door, she settled into the drivers seat and turned on the vehicle, watching Connor carefully as he approached the passenger side and got in.
Korra looked down at her phone so that she could pull up directions to the crime scene, but as her eyes scanned the address, her heart stopped.
"No fucking way," she breathed as she placed it down in one of the cup holders and put the car in drive. Just as Connor was fastening his seatbelt, she slammed her foot down on the gas pedal and rushed out of the parking lot, nearly causing Connor to slip out of his seat.
"What are you doing?" He asked, slightly raising his voice as he grasped onto whatever he could steady himself with. Korra didn't respond to him, her focus on speeding down the rainy streets. "I don't think it's a good idea to be going this fast in these condition-" Cut off from Korra taking a sharp left, Connor looked over to her and went to open his mouth to speak. But he decided against it as he carefully observed her worried expression.
Connor recalled the address from the report, researching the area they would be going to. The location appeared to be an apartment building. From the shock that Korra clearly experienced, Connor assumed that the address was one she had been to before. Perhaps she knew the person who lived there.
For that reason, Connor thought it best to remain silent until they arrived at the scene. In states like these, Connor noticed that people are more susceptible to becoming angry or having their emotions intensified; and he didn't want to add on to her distress.
Pressing a button on the side of her phone, Korra sternly spoke into the device. "Call Adrian," she nearly shouted as she put the phone on speaker and listened to the dial tone with nervous anticipation.
It rang a few times before it went to voicemail. She hung up and tried again, but she got the same result once again.
"My god, I'm going to beat the shit out of you if you're dead," she mumbled to herself as she threw her phone back down and continued driving.
Time went by in slow motion for Korra, it seemed like it took hours to get to the scene. But soon, she pulled up to the building, parked her truck right outside the police tape, and bolted with her bag and phone in hand.
Connor barely had enough time to react, as soon as he was going to unbuckle his seatbelt, Korra had already taken her bag and exited the car.
She didn't bother to wait for Connor, she knew that he would catch up with her eventually. As she pulled the police tape over her head so she could walk by, a few investigators tried to approach her to give her the details but she rushed right past them.
The lobby was full of police trying to handle nosy tenants, but she couldn't care less about them. She needed to make sure he was okay, and most importantly, still alive. She scanned the open area for his face, and when she didn't see him, she rushed to the elevator and waited impatiently as it lifted her to the seventh level.
As soon as the doors opened wide enough to fit her body through, she squeezed past them and followed the trail of police officers and evidence markers.
When she turned the corner to the hallway, she found more officers right outside his apartment door talking to a figure that she couldn't see.
"Adrian!" She shouted, causing the officers to turn their heads and reveal the figure. It was him.
Adrian Clark was one of Lena's oldest friends from her time at UMich. They both studied journalism and after graduating, they paired up as an investigative team for Channel 16 after interning there. Despite being coworkers with Lena, Korra considered Adrian to be like family. Although they couldn't connect on a professional level, Korra fondly remembered nights of clinking wine glasses and conversations that lasted for hours on end.
But after Lena, Korra didn't see him as much as she used to, and they wouldn't talk for weeks at a time. Adrian knew how much Korra was hurting after Lena passed, so outside of his attempts to make sure she was okay, he wanted to make sure he gave her space.
"Oh my god. Korra?" He breathed as he moved past the officers and rushed down the hall towards his friend.
Dropping the duffel bag, Korra quickly took a few steps forward and wrapped her arms around her friend.
"Jesus! I thought you were dead," she sighed in relief as she softly patted his back. "I-I saw your address on the report and I saw that there was a fatality... and I called on my way here, but you didn't answer...I just... are you alright?"
Stepping back, Korra kept her hands firmly on his shoulders as she looked over his face.
There was a large gash that ran down the right side of his face, blood caked in his eyebrow. She noticed newly forming bruises along the side of his face, a nasty one enflaming the flesh on his chin.
"I'm okay, I'm fine I promise," he assured her. "It all happened so fast, it killed him and it tried to get me."
"What? What happened?"
"I was doing some work with a coworker, we ordered take out and the delivery andriod killed him. It just started beating him and after I tried to stop it, it knocked me out..." Adrian trailed off, his eyes falling to the ground.
"Hey," Korra tried to reassure him, bringing him into another embrace. "Everything's alright, it's over now and you're safe."
"No, it's not over," he spoke up as he gently pushed away from Korra and looked into her eyes. "It took them. The andriod took the hard drive, it's all gone."
"What hard drive?"
"The hard drive that Lena was working on before she died, the one about the CyberLife story she never finished," he stated calmly, as if Korra was supposed to know what he was talking about. But as soon as Lena's name fell from his lips, it felt like her heart had been squeezed inside her chest.
"Adrian, what the fuck are you talking about?"
But just as Adrian opened his mouth, his eyes widened as they drifted to something behind her and he promptly sealed his lips
Turing to face whatever he was looking at, Korra looked to see Connor standing at the end of the hallway. She had no idea how long he had been there, but after what she had just heard from Adrian, she hoped it wasn't for long.
Introducing New Character:
Adrian Clark
A/N: Sorry for the late update, midterms kicked my ass. There is so much more to come and you're going to need to hold onto your seats for it :)