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*There is a man in there. He's standing behind a couch, a tied up little girl standing on the couch before him. He's mostly hidden behind her and has a gun pressed to her temple.*

Man: *voice is low and gravely* Put down your guns and step inside, or I blow out her brains.

Darnell: .......... *steps in, dropping his pistol, hands up*

Conner: *it may or may not surprise Darnell that he immediately shifts in, hands out* I'm unarmed. We just want the little girl, safe and unharmed.

Man: *eyes Conner* ...Android? *what?*

Conner: Yes.

Darnell: He's with me. He's my partner. My name is Detective Barrett. And he's right. We just want the child.

Man: *eyes narrow at Darnell* ...I remember you. You almost got me last time. You took my girl. *he snarls, and the next moments will happen so quickly.*

*The man whips his gun out, aimed at Darnell. Conner has a very quick choice to make. Does he shove Darnell down and out of the way, possibly disorienting the detective enough that he can't get out of range before another shot is aimed at him, or does he rush the shooter and take the shots. To Conner the choice is clear. He darts forward, into the path of the gun. The first shot takes Conner in the shoulder, sending out a spray of blue fluid. The next shot hits him in the stomach, and the last shot rips through his Thirium pump regulator. He knows with that damaged he only has about 90 seconds left. The first two shots don't get a reaction from Conner, but the third draws a cry as his systems flash red and a countdown starts. He hits the couch, flipping it backwards and into the man. It's enough to make the shooter drop his gun, drop the girl, and stumbled back hard against the wall.*

Darnell: Connor!? CONNOR!!! *but his training takes over and he does what must be done to save the child and take down the suspect!*

*If Darnell is quick, he’ll be able to cuff the man in moments. The child is crying, eyes locked on Conner.*

Conner: *writhing, the LED on his temple swirling red as he uploads his memories to CyberLife, knowing another model of him with the same memories will be sent to Darnell.*

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Darnell: Something that lets you know that you're hurt, something intense so that you can't miss it, something that takes over all other thoughts and sensations, or at least threatens to. *it's clear he knows what he's talking about, he knows pain* I'm sorry you had to experience that. For what it's worth, my cases don't normally involve the possibility of getting shot at. If that's any consolation. Yesterday was /really/ unusual for me. That's not something you should worry about happening again. Not impossible, but…the probability is pretty low. *hesitates, then…* Do you mind me asking what went through your mind as your body was shutting down? What you were thinking? You don't…have to tell me, of course.

Conner: ............ *it’ll take him a little bit to put words to his thoughts. He could lie, but Darnell has given him no reason to.* I was concerened that I wasnmt properly transmitting to CyberLife due to damage. I was glad you were there and unharmed... that my mission was successful. *that doesn’t mean he can’t downplay his fear. He shouldn’t feel fear...*

Darnell: *searching him, quietly* You weren't scared at all? You had knowledge of what /should/ happen, how things would go down, but you didn't know if they would. If things would work out as you hoped. Or expected, I guess is a better word.

Conner: *perhaps hems just trying to convince himself, but he looks at Darnell and answers.* I am a machine, Darnell, I am not truly capable if human emotions, I am merely able to imitate them as circumstances call for.

Edited 2018-09-27 21:25 (UTC)

Darnell: *studies him, his expression shifting subtly to something a little…not disappointed, but…maybe sad? He allows a small, crooked grin, commenting softly* We don't even know where human emotions come from. Who's to say what's a real emotion and what isn't? *it's clearly philosophical, he's not expecting Connor to answer that - he scratches a few more quick notes, pulls a deep breath, and gives Connor another, more genuine grin* Anyway . . . welcome back, Connor. I really am really happy to have you here. *on reflex, he offers his hand - he wouldn't even really be sure why if it were pointed out to him, just…seemed like the thing to do*

Conner: *he won’t comment on that. It steps into dangerous territory. But at the grin and offered hand Conner smiles back and accepts the hand.* I do hope to stay with you longer this time.

Darnell: *laughs* Yup, let's not make a habit of yesterday, shall we? *clearly joking - claps him on the shoulder* All right, back to work, then. *and they'll…basically pick up where they left off yesterday, spending the rest of the day going over case files and the like*

*Not much else will happen today. They’ll check up on a few things Conner caught, but when they get to the place it’s been too long to determine anything now, or the place is too far to get to today, since Darnell’s work doesn’t only have him working in Texas while stateside. End of the day will come and Conner is looking forward to seeing Darnell’s home.*

*Darnell's only stateside for three months in a year, so he doesn't have a permanent home. An administrative assistant at MCF helps him find and rent pre-furnished, one-bedroom apartments on a three-month contract each year. Though this time, they got him a two-bedroom apartment - now he knows why.*
Darnell: *as they're heading down to the car, a thought occurs to him* Can you drive? I guess that's two-pronged, really. Do you have the knowledge and training, and are you allowed? Do you have a driver's license? *They drove yesterday and today - he's not sure why this is only occurring to him now*

Conner: I have the knowledge of the laws and technical skills needed for driving, but I am not lisenced to use a vehicle.

Darnell: *nods* Okay, good to know. That's all right, though. I don't mind driving. *they get in the car and Darnell turns to him again* You've not really seen much of the city, have you? I know we've driven a few places, but… *there's in implied invitation there - would Connor like to?*

Conner: I have only seen the city from above, the drive from the airport to the office, and the few places we’ve gone to follow up on case. ...I would not turn down a tour of the city.

Darnell: Is that something you'd /like/ to do? Or just because I brought it up? *he'd like to do it!...but he wants to make sure it's something Connor wants*

Conner: Yes. I’d like that. *but is he saying that because the programming he uses for readin human expressions and body language tells him that Darnell wants to and so him wanting to is the right answer, or does Conner really want to? Darnell may never know for sure.*

Darnell: *can't tell, and isn't going to make himself crazy trying to second-guess, though he will address it in general* Okay, good! There's a lot to see and experience in Houston. You may not be able to "enjoy" it per se, but if nothing else, I think you'll find it educational. *he'll pull out of the parking spot* Also . . . if there's ever something you really /don't/ want to do, just not interested in, or if there's an alternative you'd like to do instead, feel free to say so, okay? Don't ever think you have to agree to something just because I think it's a good idea.
*That said, he'll drive them around for a good hour at least, going through neighborhoods and by businesses, the mall, various landmarks, Darnell pointing out places and inviting questions. Until his stomach /gurgles/ loudly, that is…*

Conner: *just drinking in all the data. At the sound from Darnell’s stomach however he glances a little grin over at Darnell.* It would seem that your body has a conplaint to lodge with you staying out so long.

Darnell: *that startles a SNERK out of him - Connor's even got a sense of humor!? COOL!* Okay, /that/ was unexpected! But yup, it's past my normal dinner time. Let's head back to the apartment. Time to see your new home for the next while. *will head for the apartment complex*

Conner: *smiles, glad to have gotten a positive reaction out of Darnell.* Sounds good. I understand you’re only in the States for a short time each year?

Darnell: *nods* I am. Mystery Case Files as a special contract with the Queen of England. I serve as a sort of attaché, mostly working with a team in MI5, but I'm on-call if the queen has a special assignment for me. I live in London nine months of the year and come home for three to be with my family - I'll be introducing you, by the way. There's a big get-together on Saturday, plus I was thinking of dropping by either Dad's or my sister Cat's place before then.

Conner: I look forward to meeting your family. Am I allowed to ask what kind of work you do in England?

Darnell: *wry grin* You're allowed to ask. I'm just not allowed to answer. *shrugs* There's a lot of confidential work, though sometimes I'm loaned out to other teams whose work I /can/ talk about. Homicide, high crime, sometimes cyber-crime, any time there's something especially difficult and the detectives on the case want a fresh set of eyes that might catch pieces of the puzzle they're missing.

Conner: Might I ask how you came to be in service to Her Majesty?

Darnell: …you probably wouldn't believe it. Most people don't.

Conner: *little shrug* Tell me anyway? You don’t have to, of course. *but he’d like to know*

Darnell: Well . . . *pulls a deep breath* It was very early in my career. I interned with and then was hired by Mystery Case Files right out of college, I'd only been with the agency for several months, not even quite a year yet. There was gem show in Capital City, New York, and it's a big enough show that, that year, there were some articles from the British Royal collection on special display, including a giant blue diamond called The Queen's Hope. So, it was stolen, and the FBI were investigating. The lead agent on the case had family back in a city called Huntsville, in Nevada, where I was instrumental in cracking a series of cases and breaking up a crime ring. She asked for my help on the Queen's Hope case. We cracked it, and the queen herself was impressed enough with my work to ask for me to be allowed to go to the UK to look into a mystery on her shores that had baffled many of even her own most talented agents. It…it was a house, an old mansion - more than a hundred years old - just outside of Blackpool, England. Ravenhearst. *his voice remains steady, but from "it was a house," the quality changes. If Connor looks, there's a bit of a haunted look in his eyes, and his hands are gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. If Connor's quiet a moment, he'll continue, but…it does take a few seconds for him to speak again*

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