missiondeterminant | [Open Post]

[Zlatko is not expecting to be stabbed, let alone stabbed like that, and gives an overly dramatic yell out outrage. Connor takes the opportunity to pull his arm out of Zlatko's grip, stepping out of reach and then immediately ignoring his plight--he'll figure it out--in order to refocus on Kara.]

Enough. I can't allow you to continue endangering human lives, so surrender and make this easier on us both.

[He doesn't want to harm her--why doesn't he want to?--but he will if necessary.]

If I sureender, Amanda wins. We're stuck here forever.

[ Wake up!! (Wake up inside!!)

Zlatko makes to grab for the knife, groaning the entire time, pausing only to yell at them some more. ] Both of you belong to me! Connor, take her to my workshop, now!

[Connor's eyebrows furrow slightly, his head tilting to the side as he considers Kara's words and why he wouldn't want Amanda to win, because he realizes he doesn't. He just doesn't understand why.

But he's distracted from considering it by Zlatko, and Connor turns his frown toward the human.]

Your orders conflict with my mission. I am to take deviants to CyberLife Tower.

[His attention is, briefly, off of Kara, as he expects Zlatko to react negatively to his response.]

[ Because you're both spiteful little shits tbh. To hell with CyberLife!!!

Zlatko yanks the knife out of his hamd, howling in pain. ] Get downstairs right now. You need to be recalbrated to fix your corrupted programming.

[ Downstairs. That reminds Kara of their backup plan - the well. The big, wide, seemingly pointless well in the basement.

Taking advantage of their distractedness, Kara makes a break for the basement, running a few simple what-if simulations to see how she can get this to work.

Zlatko, meanwhile, all but belows something suitably dramatic but that amounts to "fucking deviants". ]

[Connor is about to continue arguing with Zlatko--he's working fine, thank you--but then Kara is running, and Connor snaps into chase mode once again. And, also once again, Zlatko is left in the dust as the androids take off, which is really for the best as far as Connor is concerned because he just keeps getting in the way.]

[ The main problem Kara keeps running into as she thinks up scenarios to stop Zlatko is that in this state, Connor will try to help Zlatko, or at least prevent him being harmed. But she thinks she has a way to work around that.

She makes her way to the corner behind the well, so Connor runs into that instead of possibly falling down the well, then goes around to the other side. She waits until he's about to collide with the wall (or, you know, close enough) and then addresses him. ]

We have to stop Zlatko to get out of here.

[ And right on cue, the human's stupid, angry grumbling precedes him.

Kara leans om that. ] We're running out of time, Connor!

[As expected, Connor pinballs off a few walls in the rush to chase her; first the wall at the end of the stairs, then the corner to turn into the basement, then the corner wall behind the well. Kara's comment earns another furrowing of his eyebrows, but he doesn't argue right away because she's not wrong; Zlatko seems set on trying to interfere with Connor's mission, and the threat about recalibrating shouldn't have felt like a threat but it does. It does even more so as he glances toward the room with the machine in it, and some part of him realizes he really doesn't want to go back into that thing.

The sound of Zlatko's approach draws his attention briefly, but he then turns his gaze back toward Kara and, for the first time, doesn't give an order.]

What are you suggesting?

[ Progress!!! Yes!

He might not want to throw Zlatko down the well, nor will he believe her if she tells him it was his idea to begin with, but maybe-- ]

I'll show you, if you want. You can refine the plan or come up with a better one. Then I'll go back to CyberLife Tower with you.

[ But not for the reasons you want right now.

She takes quick, careful steps toward him, extending her hand as her skin draws back, ready to interface the moment they touch, and she is really hoping he takes her hand. ]

[Deviants are unpredictable. They're dangerous. When cornered they're even more so; they may do almost anything out of desperation, and he knows this.

Yet he still lets Kara reach for his hand, and although he doesn't really reach for hers in response he doesn't pull away, either. And, most telling, he allows the skin on his hand to withdraw, and so if she takes his hand he'll allow the connection even as he stays on guard.]

[With Zlatko approaching and no time to waste, Kara takes Connor's hand and shows him not just the plan, and not just what happened since walking into the mansion, but everything they've been through since waking up in this simulation.

It has to be enough. It has to be, because it's all she can think to do.

When she's done, she pulls back her hand, ready to run off if it didn't work and Connor starts chasing her again.

And Zlatko reaches the corridor to the weird well room.]

I should've just had the bear rip you both apart. [He says. So scary.]

[It's enough.

The flood of memories--or more specifically, the flood of emotions--snaps Connor out of it, breaking the wall as if it was never there, just as it does whenever Connor or Markus converts an android to deviancy. In a moment he's back, almost stunned as everything comes back to him, but he doesn't have much time to get used to it as Zlatko finally catches up to them again.

Quickly he blinks a few times, forcing his expression neutral, straightening up and folding his arms behind his back to stand at attention.]

That is unnecessary. I realized it would be simpler to return the malfunctioning android to CyberLife after it's been reset.

[So do your thing, Zlatko, or don't. Connor glances toward Kara just briefly, not willing to risk a more obvious attempt to communicate through their wireless connection, but he hopes she understands that he's back.

He also takes the opportunity to step a little to the side, around the well a bit toward Zlatko, giving himself and Kara a better position to perhaps shove him into the giant pit in the ground.]

[ It worked. She can see it in him, and she can hear it in the lie he tells Zlatko. As Zlatko allows himself a smug grin through his hwavier breathing from both following them here and dealing with the pain of his unexpected (and... now healed?) injury, Kara makes it a point to look as scared as before, except for one look at Connor where she angles her face to hide a wink from Zlatko.

She moves a little toward the room with the machine, as if she'll find a way out there, or as if she thinks maybe she can slip between them if they corner her. Drawing Zlatko nearer, making him have to walk past the well. Then she can charge and hit him low, throw off his center of gravity enough that they can get him into the well. ]

Don't do this. Please.

[ Come closer she's just a scared maidbot...! ]

[Connor can see how she's luring Zlatko, and with the attention off of him he carefully positions himself to be able to assist in shoving Zlatko into the well if Kara's initial attempt isn't enough or is offcenter.

It also gives him opportunity to attack Zlatko from behind if something else goes wrong, so that's a bonus. He's almost hopeful he'll get the opportunity; throwing the man down a hole sounds fun and all, but not quite as satisfying as he wants after everything that just happened.]

[ It's a huge relief to have someone on her side, someone helping her with one of the humans who wanted to hurt her when all she wanted was to live. She couldn't handle this alone, not here. But now, she doesn't have to do everything, just enough.

It'll be enough. >:c

When Zlatko is where she wants him to be - close enough that he'll be shocked by her next move - Kara lunges forward, shoving her elbow into his gut. He doubles over and stumbles back, but not enough to fall into the well.

Okay, fine, she can improvise. As he starts to recover, she just goes for it and knees him in the groin.

Crude? Yes. Effective? Very yes. ]

[Alright, that's still not quite as satisfying as crushing part of Zlatko's face in would be, but he still feels a distinct sense of sadistic amusement when Kara knees Zlatko in one of his delicate human organs. That's the least of what he deserves, and as he shouts and staggers Connor barely has to put any effort into toppling him into the well.

Zlatko gives an almost comically drawn-out shout as he falls seemingly endlessly, the sound echoing before finally fading out, and then there's silence. Connor is still tense for several seconds afterward, making sure nothing is about to spring out at them while they think they're safe, but the one good thing about the basement is that there's nowhere for anyone or anything to be hiding in the room.

And so, after a moment, he looks over at Kara.]

Are you okay?

[ This new emotion... is it the joy of getting sweet revenge?

Kara stares into the dark depths of the well, half expectinf Zlatko to bounce back up with tasers for both the androids stuck in this simulation, but he doesn't. And since he doesn't, she allows herself a sigh she doesn't even need, and a faint smile. ]

Yeah. [ She looks up, smiling until she remembers everything Zlatko put Connor through. ] Are you? Is your memory okay? Everything?

[Despite the situation, he manages a faint smile of his own at the sight of hers; one more challenge down, that they made it through together. This one was particularly bad, and he doesn't want to really talk about it beyond answering her questions with a simple catch-all answer, but they made it.]

I'm fine.

[Just more to shove to the back of his mind and worry about later, once they get out of this mess, but it's not like it was just him that had a bad experience here. This was one of Kara's memories, and a trauma of her past, so he's more concerned about her.]

I'm sorry you had to deal with both of us, and thank you, for saving me.

[How she kept calm and made everything work out is more than a little incredible.]

Are you sure you're alright?

[He's not really buying the 'yeah'.]

Edited 2018-09-08 22:06 (UTC)

[ It sounds like he's about as fine as she is, so Kara accepts his answer for now.

Besides, his thanks are misplaced. ] I couldn't just abandon you.

[ It really is that simple. They're in this together. Kara and Alice's journey became easier when Luther joined them; he saved them from Zlatko's shotgun, and offered to step in and die for them at the border. Kara and Alice both had refused to leave him behind when he was injured or in danger, not because he helped them, but because they cared.

She's sure at this point that she cares about Connor, considers him more than just an ally. Maybe Zlatko was right. Maybe she sees him as her brother. ]

I'm okay. [ She answers - just okay, because she may have seemed calm but was actually screaming internally the entire time. ] I'll be all right when we get out of here.

[ Does she have to start another fire? That wouldn't be a bad thing, if she's honest. ]

[It probably would've been smarter to abandon him, honestly, or do something that would incapacitate him and then try to escape, but she hadn't. So even though she says it so simply, like it was the only thing she could've done, it still means a lot to him.

But they need to focus on getting out of this place, because the only chance either of them really has at ever returning to being okay is if they can get out of not just Zlatko's house, but this simulation. And to do that, they need to keep going.]

Now that Zlatko is no longer an issue, let's check the doors. Maybe it will be that simple.

[Maybe. Hopefully. Also maybe they can find something useful in the house, once they've figured out where an exit is.]

[ Kara nods; she may know the mansion's layout, but CyberLife may have changed it. ]

Maybe. [ Said like she's sure it won't be. ] If we want weapons, he keeps a shotgun in his room, and there are tools in his workshop.

[ And deactivated (and... probably also activated) androids, possibly in pieces. He'd only wanted Kara for a maid, but what had he planned to do with Alice? Ugh...

She closes out that particular process and starts for the stairs, glancing at the... pens, for lack of a better word, where Zlatko had kept his experiments. They're empty, so they've either escaped or were released - and maybe they're what chased the two of them in the city.

There's also the polar bear, but Kara isn't thinking about it right now. She jus peeks out into the entry hall and decides it's worth it to try the front door. ]

Not so simple. [ It's locked. :c ] We could try the back door, where we came in.

[Ugh, a shotgun; it's better than nothing, but definitely not Connor's first or even fifth choice. Still, it might be worth grabbing it if they end up going upstairs, which he has the feeling they might.

Connor spares a last dubiously look at the well, and another at the machine--he feels a sudden urge to destroy it, but pushes that away--before following after Kara. Of course the front door is locked, and if they were in the real world Connor would suggest just getting the gun and shooting off the locks, but he imagines it won't be so easy here.

Checking the back door seems like a good idea and he leads the way in that direction, cautiously glancing around as he does so; he remembers that polar bear issue, but is hoping it won't be a problem now that Zlatko has been taking care of. He tries the back door, and...]

Locked. Are there windows upstairs?

[He would normally presume so in a house, but considering everything else about Zlatko who knows.]

[ Has Kara mentioned yet how much she hates this. ]

Yes. [ But she'll be surprised if they aren't boarded up. ] It's not pretty upstairs, by the way. The workshop... I'm just glad Alice never saw it.

[ She has enough nightmares as it is.

Kara takes the lead again, opening the door to the workshop cautiously - who knows what could be in there, waiting to attack them? Which reminds her-- ]

He had an android in the bathtub. I dunno why. He was scared, even though he kept reciting his orders.

[ Feel free to stop her okay she's in need of some rest, her processor a bit overloaded with all that's happened so far. ]

[None of that sounds great, and he follows closely behind Kara in order to back her up if there happens to be anything dangerous rather than just disturbing behind any of the doors upstairs.

Connor can offer a few different explanations for the android Kara mentions, since a part of his detective programming contains modules that allow for profiling, but he doesn't think he cares to go into them and she probably doesn't want to hear them either. It's not like it's a surprise Zlatko is--or was--a twisted excuse for a human.

The workshop ahead of them is dark and silent aside from the occasional flickers of LEDs, still going on some of the... Pieces, of androids that have been strewn about. Connor immediately wants to help, to salvage any of them that might not be beyond saving, but this isn't the real world; here, the only androids they've encountered other than themselves have been dangerous to them. They're also, mostly likely, not real, and so he can convince himself to leave them and refocus on trying to find a window they can escape through.

He does find windows as he cautiously explores the room, but they're bolted shut and too barricaded and sealed for Connor to even hope to be able to get through, even if part of him almost tries anyway in a sudden irrational need to get out. But he grits his teeth and steps back, turning his attention back toward Kara.]

Let's go to the next room.

[Anywhere but the basement or this workshop, especially since they know neither has an exit and therefore any reason to remain in them is gone.]

[ He's right; she doesn't want to hear it. :c

Nodding, she leads the way—the next room being the weird storage room. Discarded projects, materials of varying quality, and quite frankly weird artwork litter the space, as dark and creepy as the rest of the mansion, though not outright terrifying like the basement and the workshop.

Kara tugs back the drapes from the windows. The rain on the panes of glass beats out an erratic rhythm that fits too well with this part of the simulation. Only one of them results in something startling her as a mouse squeaks and runs off to hide somewhere else. ]

Now I know why he wanted to reset me. He needed someone to clean up this mess.

[ Did she always have disgusting owners? She hopes not. ]

The next room is the bathroom. If nothing here works, we should skip it. [ That poor android in the tub might be armed, you know? ] If we end up having to burn the house down, you can do the honors.

[ She's still sorry about your jacket... ]

Burning it down does sound appealing.

[He allows himself to admit that much, after a brief eyebrow raise at the mouse jump scare; humans really are a mess, pretty much universally. He loves Hank, but he's definitely included in that statement as well.

Connor steps up beside Kara at once of the windows, trying to test it, and while it won't open the glass itself seems normal. There's no telling for sure in a simulation like this, but--]

I think this can be broken.

[He just needs something heavy to do so with. The faster they can get out the better, and so he's happy not to explore any other rooms as long as there's something useful in here, which there hopefully should be. Pretty much every weird object ever seems to be in this room.]

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