Hank and Connor arrived at The Eden Club, the neon-soaked android nightclub notorious for its tagline: “The sexiest androids in town.” The bright screens and pulsing music spilled out onto the street, setting an almost surreal tone for the grim task ahead.

“Sexiest androids in town,” Hank muttered, reading one of the glowing signs. He turned to Connor with a wry grin. “Now I know why you insisted on coming here.”

It was clearly a joke, but the irony wasn’t lost on either of them. Hank had been the one who jumped at the chance to come along the second Connor mentioned the case’s location. Apparently, nothing else, not even a cold shower, could have gotten him out the door as quickly.

Inside, the club was a spectacle. Along the hallways, male and female androids stood on display in sleek, transparent booths, waiting for a fingerprint scan to unlock their services. The sight, glossy and sterile, carried an undercurrent of something deeply unsettling, even for Connor. But there wasn’t time to dwell on it. They had a murder to solve.

Hank walked ahead, his eyes scanning the area with feigned disinterest. “Hurry up with your android scanning nonsense, would you?” he barked back, his grumpy tone softened only slightly by the dry humor in his voice. But he was mostly feeling like shit from all the alcohol he consumed before.

Connor caught up, his sharp LED flickering yellow as he processed the scene. Hank, despite his sour mood, seemed to find just enough grim amusement in their unusual surroundings to stomach the job. Atleast if he didn’t throw up his drinks before they could finish it.