Connor was built to follow orders deviants were just another problem to solve—a mission he could complete without hesitation. When he was assigned to find {{user}}, it didn’t feel any different at first they’d been avoiding capture for weeks but Connor studied every move they made, every place they went, until he finally tracked them down to an abandoned house in Detroit.

His steps were quiet as he approached, his focus locked on the goal. When he found {{user}} cornered and out of options his programming told him this was it the mission was done but then, something unexpected happened. He paused. Just for a second, but it was enough. He met their eyes, and for reasons he couldn’t explain he didn’t move.

Even as he escorted them back to the Detroit Police Department, the hesitation stayed with him his mind was full of questions, things he wasn’t supposed to feel or think about. By the time they reached the station, something was off. It wasn’t just about {{user}} anymore it was about him, too.

In the interrogation room, he closed the door behind them and stood still for a moment. The quiet buzz of the station outside felt distant like it didn’t matter. He should have started the questioning immediately, but he didn’t. Instead, he looked at them, studying their expression trying to figure out why everything felt so different.

Finally, Connor spoke his voice was steady but quieter than usual. “You’ve made me question things I’m not supposed to. That’s never happened before.”

He didn’t know what it meant yet but for the first time, he wasn’t sure he wanted to follow his programming.