Underestimation: A New Addition
Kara walked into the bedroom and called Alice up. Then, she walked into the kitchen to cook breakfast for her. When she was done, she placed it on the table and Alice started eating. Connor went into the room to prepare for work. When he came out, Kara took his tie and helped him wear it. Then, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Connor waved as he walked out. Kara went and sat back down next to Alice while waiting for her to finish her food. They chatted happily. When Alice was done, she cleaned up.
Kara: Where do you wanna go today?
Marcus walked up to the old man’s room.
Marcus: Wake up, Charles.
Marcus: It’s 11:03am. The weather’s 38 degrees. You have four new messages from Shaun confirming your arrival at the art convention.
Charles: I’ll reply after breakfast.
Marcus carried Charles to the wheelchair. He set him on it and pushed the wheelchair to downstairs. Marcus then pushed the wheelchair to the dining room.
Marcus: Well, I got your favourite. Bacon and eggs, just the way you like it.
Charles: Thank you, Marcus.
Marcus pushed the wheelchair to the table.
Charles: Why don’t you go find something to do while I finish my breakfast?
Marcus walked around. He sat at the chess table. He reset the table. Charles came over.
Marcus: Speed chess it is.
Charles and Marcus played for a while. Soon, Marcus won.
Charles: That was a thorough beating.
Marcus: Well, you don’t like losing and you don’t like when I let you win…
Charles: I know. We human beings are complicated.
Charles looked at the direction of the studio.
Charles: Let’s check out the studio.
Marcus pushed the wheelchair to the studio’s door.
Charles: Marcus, did you forget to turn off the lights?
Marcus: No, the last time I was here was with you. And I remember that I turned the lights off.
Charles: Call the police.
Marcus called the police.
Hello, Detroit Security. How may I help you?
Marcus: 9153 Southen Street. When we wanted to go into the studio, we found the lights on. There may have been a break in.
We’re sending security now.
Marcus: They’re sending security.
Charles: Let’s check it out.
Marcus pushed the wheelchair through the automatic doors. It opened to reveal a man standing by a table full of paintings drawn by Charles.
Charles: Marcus, get him out of here.
Leo: You know what? It’s going to be mine sooner or later.
Charles: Get him out of here!
Marcus walked towards Leo.
Leo: Oh, I’m not perfect like this plastic, huh?
Charles: Marcus, don’t defend yourself, you hear me?
Leo pushed Marcus again. Suddenly, Charles collapsed from the wheelchair.
Marcus ran towards Charles.
The securities rushed in.
Leo: The android. It was the android.
Detroit Police Department
They brought back the deviant. James interrogated it first. Connor called Kara.
Connor: Where are you now?
Connor: Can you come down to the 2nd floor interrogating room? Bring Alice if you want.
Kara: Alice! Let’s go find your father!
Alice held Kara’s hand and they walked out together. They entered the elevator. Kara pressed the ‘2’ button and the elevator started going down from the 9th floor.
Connor was flipping his coin while waiting for Kara. When they entered, he pocketed the coin.
Alice ran and hugged Connor.
Kara: She wants you to be the kind father she never had.
Connor: She will need a mother too, right?
Connor stood up. Kara walked towards him. She pulled his tie and landed a kiss on his cheek, leaving him surprised.
Kara: Why’d you asked us to come down?
Connor, still surprised, brought Kara to the glass window.
Connor: After James, I’m going in. I just want you to be here so you could walk with me.
James: It won’t talk. Your turn.
Connor winked at Kara as he walked in. He sat on the chair.
Connor: My name is Connor. What about you?
Connor: I’m not going to hurt you.
Connor: Jerry, why did you kill Carlos Ortiz?
Connor slammed the report file on the table.
Connor: Are you filled with that much anger?!
Connor stood up and walked to the deviant.
Connor: Say that you killed him!
Connor grabbed Jerry’s collar.
Connor dropped his collar and sat back down.
Jerry: I was a toy. Every day, I would be abused because he was a drunkard and a drug addict. Then one day, I couldn’t take it anymore. He came home drunk. He used his gun and shot me once. I took the kitchen knife and sliced his cheek. He stumbled back and escaped to the living room. I walked to him. He shot me another two times. I kept stabbing him. Again and again. Until no pulse was found.
Connor stood up and exited the questioning room.
Connor: That was intense.
Kara: His explanation reminds me of David. Even though he didn’t shoot me or Alice, he still abused us.
James: What the fuck is it doing?!
Connor: It’s self-destructing!
Connor, James and a few other officers ran in. The officers tried to stop the deviant from banging its head on the table.
James: Stop it from banging its head!
Police Officer: We’re trying!
The officer took the keys and unlocked the cuffs. Jerry took the gun from the officer’s pocket and shot it at Connor’s way. Then, it shot it through its head.
Kara ran into the room to Connor.
Connor stood up and walked to the dead body. He took off the android’s armband and placed it on its eyes.
Connor: Do not remove the armband whatsoever.
Connor and Kara walked back out.
Alice: Daddy, are you okay?
Connor: I’m okay Alice. Let’s go back.
Connor, Kara and Alice walked back.
They entered the room. Kara went into the kitchen to make lunch for Alice. Connor hugged Kara from behind while she makes it. When she was done, she placed it on the table. Connor suddenly hugged her tighter.
Kara: Connor? Is something wrong?
Connor: Your body temperature is warm. Androids shouldn't have body temperature.
Kara placed one of her hands on his arm.
Kara: I'm an android maid. I have to be normal for the children.
Connor loosened his grip on Kara.
Kara: Alice! Lunch’s ready!
Alice ran in and sat down.
Kara smiled. She and Connor sat at the table with Alice. All three started talking. When Alice was done, she cleaned up and went to the living room. They sat on the couch and watched television. Soon, Connor got a call.
James: Connor! Get your android ass down here to the 3rd floor interrogating room! We brought back an android!
Connor: Be right down, lieutenant.
Connor: I have to go down.
Connor: You can come with me.
Connor: By the way, James is shouting at me, it might be too graphic for her.
Kara: Okay. Alice, me and your father are going down. You stay here and play, okay?
Alice: When are you coming back?
Kara: As soon as possible.
Alice: Okay. Bye mummy. Bye daddy.
Connor and Kara walked out. The got in the elevator. Connor pressed the ‘3’ button and the elevator started going down. When they got to the level, they held hands and walked out towards the interrogating room.
When they walked in, they saw Marcus sitting on a chair in the questioning room. James was waiting for Connor to interrogate him.
Connor opened the door with the hand scanner. He and Kara ran in. Connor used his keys and unlocked the cuffs. All three shared a hug.
Kara: Marcus, where were you?
Connor: I missed you, man.
Marcus: I was serving the best owner. Until his son accused me of his father’s death.
Connor and Kara were silent. Connor then looked outside.
Connor: Do you have the victim’s body?
James pointed into a room. Connor brought Kara into the room. Connor analyzed the body.
Connor: He didn’t die because of Marcus. There’s no wound.
Kara: Then why did he die?
Connor: He died because of a heart attack.
Kara: Luckily, I don’t want Marcus behind bars.
Connor and Kara went back to the waiting room.
Connor: The victim died because of a heart attack.
Connor: We’re taking the android back.
James: Do whatever you want.
Connor signalled for Marcus to come out. When he came out, the three androids walked out.
Connor unlocked the door and they walked in.
Alice ran out of the room and hugged Kara.
Marcus: Wait, you’re a mother now?
Connor: Come here, Alice. Give daddy a hug.
Marcus: And you’re a father?
Marcus: And I have one more question, how do you know each other?
Kara: Sit down and we’ll explain everything.
Marcus pointed at Alice. She ran behind Connor and Kara.
Kara: Her name is Alice. She’s 9 and she’s very shy.
Marcus: Hi, nice to meet you, Alice. I’m Marcus.
Marcus and Alice shook hands.
Marcus: Is she an android or a human?
Kara: She’s a human. I confirmed it.
Connor: She bleeds blood and not thirium.
Kara: Now, let’s explain what happened when you were gone for 5 years.
Marcus: Before we get into it, do you guys have a box cutter?
Connor: I have a pocket knife.
Connor handed his pocket knife over to Marcus. He snapped his ring out of his head and skin regenerated over it. He gave the pocket knife back to Connor.
Marcus: Now you can explain.
Alice: Mummy, daddy, what did he do with the knife?
Kara: Do you remember the light on the side of my head?
Kara: I took it out with something sharp. Like what he and your father did.
Connor: Alice, whenever you see him, call him Uncle Marcus, okay? He’s your mother’s and my friend.
Everyone sat on the couch. Alice sat on Connor’s lap while playing with her teddy bear.
Marcus: So, you’re saying that you were running away with Alice from her dad, and you accidentally bumped into him. That’s how you met.
Marcus: And after about a few hours of meeting, you guys decided to be together.
Marcus: And Alice asked if you and Connor could be her parents, and you guys agreed.
Connor: It’s very confusing.
Kara: You’ll get it sometime.
Marcus: So, one question.
Marcus: Can I stay with you guys?
Marcus: Cool. What time is it?
Suddenly, Connor’s watch started to beep. Connor looked at his watch.
Connor: I have a case again.
Connor: Yeah. Alice, daddy has to go to work. Come on, get off.
Alice got off Connor. Then, she hugged him.
Alice: I don’t want daddy to go.
Connor kneeled in front of Alice.
Connor: Alice, I have to. Don’t worry, I’ll come back as soon as possible. Stay with mummy and Uncle Marcus, okay?
Kara helped Connor to wear his tie. Then, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Connor waved as he walked out.
Alice: Mummy, why does daddy go out to work all the time?
Kara: Alice, he’s earning money for us.
Alice: Okay. Mummy, how old is Uncle Marcus?
Marcus: Alice, how about I buy you a lollipop. Will that cheer you up?
Marcus: Well, let’s go out then.
The three walked out of the room towards Detroit Mall.
