✓ Skin Deep ↠ Connor | D:BH

Chapter Fifteen: Okay

Markus carefully hugs me, mindful of my rib. It's given me more trouble than I thought it would, as I thought the fight at the Eden Club hurt way more at first.

Connor is quick to split the deviant leader and I up, immediately assessing my injuring as if that basic action would cause me to die. He's basically my service dog the last few days.

"I'm okay, Con," I reassure him. Though he doesn't quite believe me, he let's me go back to talking to Markus.

"How's it been these last few days?"

Markus shrugs. "Humans fleeing left and right. Machines have taken over the city and they're scared. The ones sympathetic to our cause seem to be helpful, though, and the news have been here frequently too. Speaking of which, they want an interview with the only human to protest with us." He grins at me, and return it. I'd rather not talk to them, and with Connor's over-protectiveness, I won't have to worry.

"But there is the matter, though, of if you'll help me."

"With?"

"Rebuilding Jericho."

Rebuilding it? "Markus, Jericho is over. We need to focus on integration, not splitting us apart. Separate but equal has never worked, ever."

He shakes his head in disagreement. "Aurora, more than ever, our people need to be united. We are the minority. They killed so many of us off. We don't have the numbers, and the rest of the country and eventually world will be killing their androids to avoid a mass uprising. We may end up being the last androids alive, then they'll come for us."

"No," I reply bluntly. "You are preparing for the worst and being paranoid. The president called off the last of you dying, before Connor even came with the horde. This will lead to violence, something you've tried hard to avoid during all of this, Markus. This isn't what Jericho was."

"Like you'd even know. I made Jericho. Your mother created it, but I elevated it. You didn't even have the courage to save us, or protect us. You came too late, Aurora. I kept giving you the benefit of the doubt, with Lily's part in all of it, but if you won't support me on this, I won't include you further."

I decide to pull a card I don't even know I actually have. More of a bluff than anything. "You aren't rA9. I am, by default. Kamski is my godfather. If you don't have me on board, you have nothing." He goes to walk away but I grab his hand, making him stop to look at me. "Markus, stop. My mother is dead. Lucy is dead. We won, but if we try to take steps back to reclaim what we lost, we will never progress."

"I'll see you around, Aurora. I have to lead my people." With that, he leaves me alone in stunned silence. What has gotten into him? He lost people, but we still triumphed. We can't turn our back on the people that sided with us by turning against them.

Connor places his arm around me. "Are you okay?"

I shake my head. "Not really. Can you take me to Kamski's, please?"

We arrive shortly later, and I hope he's actually home. I knock on the door, and Chloe greets me.

"Hello, Aurora." She looks at my partner, smiling and nodding. "Connor."

"Is Elijah home?" I ask, wanting to cut the unspoken looks between the two androids. I still am a bit bitter about him calling her pretty.

"Yes, come in." We follow her into the room with the red tiled pool, and a sense of deja vu hits me. It was only a week or so ago when we stood in this very room and I discovered he was my godfather.

"Ah, Aurora. Congrats on freeing your mother's people." He's out of the pool but still in the same grey robe from last time. I doubt he even gets dressed.