November 7, 2038
AM 08:58:29
"DAD," LILLITH started as she walked into Hank's room, "you need to get up now. Fowler heard that you brought me with yesterday."
Hank stirred at her, but didn't quite get up at that before processing what she said. "He what?!"
"It may have been the officer outside the club yesterday, Ben, Gavin, or Connor."
Hank looked at the brunette, "Not Chris?"
"No. He seemed to enjoy when I talked back to Gavin. So, he wouldn't tell," Lillith explained before leaning on Hank's doorframe. She let her eyes scan the room before closing them, "Also, there are no new cases at the moment. Although, one of Cyberlife's warehouses were stolen from, but they don't know who could have done it."
"Again?" He asked, referring to her hacking into networks -- she only smiled at him. "Anyway, it was probably androids."
Lillith shook her head before looking at Fowler's request, "He also wants you to bring me so he can question me about the case."
"Phck that!"
"Couldn't agree more. I'm going to the store to get Sumo more food."
"He still has half his bag," Hank told her.
"Just want to be prepared for when he's out. Do you know how many times I've had to get food right when he ran out?"
"Probably a lot. I forget sometimes, and then there's always a new bag right next to the almost finished one."
"Yeah, cause I always get it. If you need me, call. I'll pick up... and if not? Call again." Lillith sassed before walking to Cole's room.
In his room, she changed into something that she could easily blend into a crowd with before leaving. She did need to buy Sumo more food (that dog ate a lot), but she was going somewhere else first: Ferndale.
She didn't estimate how long it would take for her to get there and back, but Jericho kept calling her name and she couldn't ignore it. Jericho just kept repeating. It was more frequent than when she first become a deviant with ra9 running rapid through every biocomponent in her body. When she finally got on the train to Ferndale, she shut her eyes and passed the time.
November 7, 2038
AM 10:52:16
Lillith opened her eyes as the android over the microphone announced the arrival to Ferndale station. This was the farthest she had been from her home, but she knew in her biocomponents that she needed to go to Jericho -- maybe they could help her and all androids. She sucked in an unneeded large breath before taking a quick glance at her left palm, a painting of a silhouette came up with a symbol at the heart of the silhouette. She moved her hands to her pocket as she liked around the train station.
She looked to her left and quickly found the beautiful art before scanning the symbol; the next symbol was sent to her. So, it was a scavenger hunt? She loved these as a "kid" with Cole. They would always play together whenever Hank had free time to hide things. To say that she won a lot of those would be a lie, but to say that her and Cole didn't help each other out would be an even bigger one.
As she subconsciously walked around Ferndale, her mind played an old memory.
Lillith stood next to the shorter Cole in a puffy yellow sundress. She had a card that told her the objects she had to look for before she switched her card with Cole, taking in his items. "You got Sumo's collar?"
Cole shrugged before smiling as he read an item off her list, "Daddy's left slipper? Ewwwww!"
Lillith laughed at his reaction before shaking her head at their father, who, at the moment, was watching a crime show rerun on their old television. She leaned a little closer to Cole and whispered, "He's weird."
"Yeah," he responded before laughing.
"Okay." This caught Cole's attention, bringing it back to Lillith, "I believe we can do this. I'm going to let you win this time." Cole air fisted at those words. "1, 2, 3. Go!"
By that, they ran separate ways with each other's lists in hand, laughter in their hearts, and smiles on their faces.
By the time she found the last piece of art, she was inside an old and broken building. The piece was painted over the wall and a pillar, only being seen from one angle. As she scanned the symbol, a new clue came to her; it was a picture of a hole in a wall with wood beams leaning on a different wall.
She looked up from her hands and glanced at the holes in each wall of the room before landing on the one directly to her right. The clue sent to her must have been taken from the other side because the beams are leaning against the opposite wall. She walked into the hole and saw a wood pallet leaned against the same wall as the beams as she walked past it, making her way to squeeze under the beams. After she made it through, she made a right turn, heading straight for the stairs next to her. The gray walls around her were filled with graffiti, many of which she couldn't decipher.
As she made it to the top of the set of stairs, her artificial skin was met by the warm, morning sun. She squinted her eyes to allow her sensors to get used to the new light before looking out to a huge cargo ship named Jericho. It caught her a little off guard for two reasons: she thought Jericho was a person (or android) and ships were usually girls. She, none-the-less, took in the beauty of the ship. For an old and abandoned cargo ship, it was still put together and in good use; maybe not in the eyes of the law (or humans for that matter).
Without fully thinking, her body moved on its own; taking her to a long bridge high above the boat and right above an opening in the vessel. She had never done anything like this in her short lifespan before, but there was always room for new experiences; and this sure was one hell of a new experience.
She slowed to a stop at the very edge of the bridge before looking down; she could see water on her scanner. She knew she would be safe if she dives safely, and she knew how to do that -- after a quick web search. With one more inhale, she allowed herself to plummet. The fall seemed to happen in slow motion as she took in her surroundings before she plunged into the freezing water below.
When she got out of the water, she reflected over her actions. What would Hank do if he knew where she actually was? He would have a coronary and forbid her from leaving his side again. Her mind then traveled to the android hunter and partner of her father, Connor; he wouldn't hesitate in bringing her into Cyberlife to be disassembled and her memories probed. She stared at the water's surface before clearing everything that plagued her before grabbing the ladder that led to dry land.
She couldn't turn back now. Her mind was set, and she couldn't change it now. Androids needed their freedom from humans. She had seen what happened to androids in the wrong hands; just look at the Tracis -- two were in love and wanted to leave, but they couldn't because they were just objects in the eyes of humans. Because of that, one Traci was murdered by a greedy man who couldn't get it on with a real woman, and if he did have a woman at home, then he was just a cheater!
It was injustice to androids!
Yeah, her mind was set. It was set on freedom for all, no matter the android or their occupation.
She nodded her head before venturing into the depths of Jericho, trying to find another android. She searched for a while before walking into a dimly lit area that was filled with barrels that held fire in them. Along the walls were androids varying in shape and color. Her eyes widened in awe as she took it all in before focusing on a dark toned android as he approached her.
"Who are you?" He asked her. She studied him, quickly noting that he held two separate eye colors.
"My name is Lillith Anderson. I came to see Jericho after I had encountered two Tracis," she had told him before he held his hand out to her, the skin slowly retreating. She had done the same to her artificial skin before she grasped his forearm, him following along. She didn't see much of his memories, but she allowed him into most of hers (she only hid most of her memories of Cole from the new android); she didn't have much to hide.
They pulled apart after he was done, "You're the daughter of Hank Anderson, yet you're very open and allowed me to look into your memories. Why?"
"Androids need freedom. Nobody wants to believe it, but what they're doing to androids is going to cause another civil war. This one won't last years, and androids are smart enough to not let it last that long. We need a leader and one who will do right for their people. What people are doing is injustice to androids," she ranted before looking at the taller android. "We need to rise up. No violence though, they'll retaliate; an eye for an eye makes the world blind."
"I agree with you. Androids do need freedom, but not at the price of violence or hiding. We don't have to hide, like you. You could join us here." He raised an offering hand towards her but she shook her head.
"I may want freedom, but Hank is still my father. I stick with him. I'll join you from the sidelines, help you from the outside; I can bring you information," she offered. He nodded, agreeing to her offer before allowing her to look around.
"Try not to cause much trouble. We don't have much to support us," he warned before getting a small salute from her.
She took this chance to walk farther into the large, open area. She took everything in before her eyes immediately locked onto a small boy dressed in blue. Her biocomponents seemed to twist at the sight before she slowly walked over to him. Right next to him was another dark toned man.
"Who is he?" She asked before she could process the words inside her. The android looked up at her before focusing back on the boy.
"Dylan. His family threw him out when they didn't want him anymore. He lived on the streets before we brought him here..."
Lillith tightened her hands into fists as she listened to the story. "That's phcked up," she spoke before the android snapped his head towards her at her choice of words. "I'm sorry for my words, but it is. You can't tell me it isn't. I was lucky enough for my father to keep me, but that was because my brother wanted a younger sister. Even after my brother's death, my father kept me because I became part of the family." She stopped to gesture at the boy with her whole hand, "But that "family"? Phck them! He's still a boy. That's how he's programmed. Dylan didn't deserve them."
"I didn't catch your name."
"Lillith Anderson. You?"
"Josh," he told her before his LED flickered yellow. "You're the daughter of Hank Anderson? But how are you an android?"
"He had fake adoption sheets made after Cole died." The female android looked towards the boy. "I hope Dylan gets better soon."
"We hope so. Markus proposed a plan yesterday to get spare parts from a Cyberlife warehouse and we got them. Now is just a matter of time before his system accepts the blue blood," he told her before looking at Dylan as well.
"My father told me about that this morning. He had a feeling it was androids. Anyway, I hope the blood works. I'll see you later, Josh."
"See you."
With that, she headed to an area covered in plastic tarp. She slowly peeled some away before entering, being greeted by a new dark toned android whose skin seemed to shift; kind of like vitiligo. The android was missing the back of her head, but it was replaced with thick, white wires. She beckoned the newer android into the new area with a small smile. The thing that fully pulled Lillith in was the android's eyes; they were pitch black.
"Sit down, Lillith Anderson," she commanded, moving her head to a wooden crate next to her. The young android obeyed, sitting on the worn down crate before watching the android in front of her offer an arm out; Lillith did the same and joined arms, allowing the android into her head. She felt the older android prod around her memories before moving her hand down, grabbing the younger one's hand. "You've experienced great loss, but yet you live on in his memory. You live for him and others, instead of for yourself. It'll hurt you, but it'll help you. You will find someone to lean on and confide in with."
Lillith looked up at the android before slowly retreating her hand, "What do you mean? Live for myself? I already do that." She did a quick time check:
Pm 12:08:45
"I have to go. Hank will be worried!" She spoke fast before looking away, "I'm sorry, but I have to leave." She got up from the crate and left.
November 7, 2038
Pm 01:59:32
By the time Lillith got home, she had been the only one there -- Hank might still be at work. She couldn't let him know where she was and what she found out. Markus was even nice enough to allow her onto their own "wavelength" to communicate on; if she ever decided to take shelter there. Which she doesn't plan on, but things can always happen that are out of her control.
She sat on the living room couch, Sumo snuggled into her side, and watched old reruns of Criminal Minds. She found the show interesting. Many things are different now then when the show aired.
She loved these old crime shows.
As she watched the show, a voice entered her circuits. They were from Markus over the Jericho wavelength. He was telling her about a plan that he had for tomorrow. She was a bit confused on why he was telling her this immediately after she had joined them. And despite that, she promised to tell no one about it. Who would she tell anyway. After hearing his whole plan -- and giving some advice -- she went back to watching her show, like she knew nothing about what would happen tomorrow.
And by the time it hit seven Hank made it home, with a certain android following him. Lillith watched, an amused twinkle in her eye as she compared Connor to a lost puppy to her father. He wasn't happy with that comparison. And it confused Connor.
She smiled as she looked between them. She could already tell that Connor was slowly squeezing himself into their family without even trying.