The rain smelled like iron and gasoline. Detroit's nights always did.
Elara crept through the narrow stairwell of her apartment complex, clutching a damp duffel to her chest. Her shoes left muddy prints on the faded carpet. The lights flickered above — sometimes white, sometimes nothing at all.
She opened the door to her unit, heart pounding.
Inside, her little brother Liam lay curled up on a mattress near the heater, coughing softly. Their mother, Sarah, slept in the next room, thin and motionless beneath a pile of worn blankets.
Elara dropped the duffel, knelt beside Liam, and brushed his hair back."Hey, soldier," she whispered. "Guess what? We've got food tonight."
His eyes blinked open, a faint smile forming."You were out again, weren't you?"
She froze. Then forced a grin. "Just… looking for work."
Liam frowned, but she reached into the bag and pulled out a pack of medicine, a few sandwiches, and a roll of bills she'd hide later. The boy's eyes widened."Where did you—"
Elara pressed a finger to her lips."Don't worry about that. You just focus on getting better, okay?"
He nodded slowly, the innocence in his eyes enough to break her heart in half.
When she stepped into the other room, Sarah's voice rasped from the bed."Elara… I heard the sirens last night."Her daughter froze mid-step."I thought I told you—""I had to, Mom. We can't keep living like this."
Sarah's tired eyes filled with tears. "You'll get yourself killed."
Elara's voice cracked. "Then at least you and Liam will live."
Scene 2 – The Investigation
Across the city, the Detroit Police Department buzzed with static and coffee.
Connor stood beside Hank Anderson at a crime board covered in photos, timestamps, and printed reports.He pointed at the screen with cold precision. "Same pattern. Minimal violence. Targeted cash reserves. No digital trail."
Hank grunted. "Smart girl."
"She's reckless," Connor corrected. "Humans often are when emotional distress overrides rational behavior."
Hank shot him a side-eye. "That some kind of fancy way to say she's desperate?"
Connor paused. "Yes… that would be an accurate translation."
He zoomed in on Elara's blurred face from the bank footage."There."The software sharpened the image. Blue hoodie. Wet hair. Brown eyes filled with fear.
Connor tilted his head slightly — analyzing, not understanding why his attention lingered."Her next move will be within three kilometers of her residence," he said flatly."Then let's move before she makes it," Hank replied, grabbing his coat.
Scene 3 – The Pursuit
Rain again.Always rain.
Elara sprinted through the alley behind a closed grocery store, a plastic bag clutched tight — medicine and food. The sirens started just as she stepped out onto the street.
"Freeze!" a voice shouted from behind.Blue and red lights reflected off puddles.
She ran.
Hank's car skidded to a stop, and Connor was out before the tires even stilled. His movements were flawless — every step calculated, every turn anticipated.
Elara darted between cars, jumped a fence. Connor followed — no hesitation.Her breath came in gasps; his didn't falter once.
"Why can't you just leave me alone?!" she cried, her voice breaking under the thunder.
Connor didn't answer. He just ran.
When she slipped on a slick metal grate, she barely caught the railing before the drop below — a rushing canal glowing blue with neon light.
Connor's hand shot out, catching her wrist.Cold metal met trembling flesh.
Their eyes locked.Rain poured between them.
"Go ahead," she gasped. "Arrest me."
"You could've escaped through the west alley," he said quietly. "But you didn't."
"Maybe I'm tired of running."
For a fraction of a second, his LED flickered — blue to yellow, then steady again.He didn't know why he noticed the warmth of her skin, or the way her pulse thudded against his synthetic fingers.
Hank's voice broke through the rain:"Connor! Cuff her, dammit!"
He hesitated — just one second too long.
Then, emotionless again, Connor clicked the cuffs onto her wrists."Suspect in custody," he said, his tone perfectly neutral.
But as they walked toward the car, Elara's voice drifted through the storm:
"You don't even care why I did it, do you?"
He stopped, LED blinking once.
"My function is to find the truth."
She gave a bitter laugh.
"Then start by finding yours."
The rain fell harder.Connor didn't move. He just watched her — as if, for the first time, he wasn't sure what that truth really was.