Useless (Gavin Reed x [Android] Reader)

Sixteen

Kamski's home was incredibly modern, almost to the point of being obnoxious. But in the summer twilight it was gently illuminated by solar lights, though the eerie beauty couldn't yet be appreciated so early into your deviation.

Parking in his driveway, Elijah glanced at you before emerging from his car, beating you to the passenger side door and helping you out. "First things first. I can smell alcohol on you. What happened?"

Led inside the house, the interior was equally obnoxiously modern. Not that you could use the strangely red pool, of course. "I prepared a bourbon on the rocks... it went untouched until it was thrown at the wall beside my head."

Shaking his head, the tall human opened a seemingly random door for you, arm out for you to enter. Inside was a large and elegant bathroom, black tiling along the walls and floor, odd geometric sinks, and jet-black toilets. In the back stood a shower, the type that acted like rainfall. "Please. At least so you are not plagued with discomfort from dried liquor. Chloé will see to your clothing."

Before you could question anything, another android appeared at his side. She had a sweet, gentle face and maternal demeanor. For the sake of privacy- or perhaps respect- Eli stepped back from the door. "I'll let you have some time to yourself, Nove. But before you retire for the night, please come see me. I'd like Chloé to probe your memory so I can see what happened."

Ushered inside the bathroom, the blonde android shut the door behind her. A hand laid on your arm to stall you for the moment. "May I ask, have you just deviated?" You nodded, her smile as gentle as before. "It gets easier. It's quite strange at first. Is there anything I can get for you while you shower?"

Everything was happening at once. Your venture into the wintery mind palace only did so much, and there was a good deal of guilt lingering from understanding who your mentor was. That combined with everything else...

Delicate hands reached and wiped the tears pouring down your cheeks again. "Are you overwhelmed?" You nodded expectantly. "... crying is a release, Miss Nove."

◇___#$&!___◇

At his computer, Eli turned partially when Chloé finally came back, an oddly concerned expression lining her perfect face. "Chloé...? That took you longer than I thought. Something the matter?"

She smiled, but it was faint and short-lived. "I probed her memory as you requested."

"... worse than I thought? Lieutenant Anderson didn't say much, just that I had to take her in sooner."

"Her self-destruct sequence is locked by a voice command, and she had repeatedly asked for it to be unlocked."

There was a loud thump as Kamski let his forehead hit the desk. "Oh my God I'm gonna kick him in the balls so hard..."

Taking a few steps closer, the blonde laid a hand on his shoulder. "Even in deviance she wants to return. Her primary directive should no longer be dictating her functions, just as you designed us, but... I am unsure as to why your brother is still her first priority."

Lifting his head, Elijah rubbed his face. "That's... a good point. She knows about the emergency exit, and she hasn't used it. But based on what she revealed about her mind palace, it wasn't a situation that demanded she locate it." When the RK800 needed his exit, the serene garden was caught in a blinding snowstorm. Your already winter-frozen lake was calm.

LED flashing yellow, Chloé glanced at the door to his study for a moment. "Perhaps asking the detective who designed her would help. You said that he had a hand in every detail."

"Maybe. But could he have made a prototype whose mission would stay, even after deviating? That's..." Shaking his head, the male sighed heavily. "I don't think this is about her algorithms." Turning to his computer again, he held up a thick black plug. "Here, love. Better check her memory, that might help."