* * *

A white van goes through the dark night. There's a logo of some established technology company on its sides. It shines brightly in the light of the street lamps.

Two people sit in the front seats, one's driving, the other is making a call.

There's one more person in the back of the van, though one can hardly call it a human being. It doesn't breathe, it doesn't feel. Its body is made of metal. And yet, that artificial being was shaped after the image of a man. And even if it can't breathe and feel, it can still perceive its surroundings. In a sense, it's still "alive".

The android rests in a modernized bed, sealed off with a curved glass panel. It looks like it's sleeping in a transparent coffin, however it's only an illusion. Even though it was battered in a fight earlier, it managed to switch back on. It's eyes are still closed though, and it doesn't move an inch. But it can hear the man on the phone just fine.

It listens carefully.

One particular word stands out from the onesided conversation. A name, that one would describe as common.

"John... John..."

The name repeated in the android's digital mind. John sounds familiar. Is John someone it knows?

>>SEARCH_JOHN

A command is executed, and after a thorough search in the sea of zeroes and ones, breaching walls of complicated codes, and hacking a few security seals, the mechanical doll finally finds an answer.

"John is someone I-----!!!"

A sturdy metal fist punches straight through the glass panel. The van sways, as the driver is startled at the sudden noise from the back of the van. The companion beside him yelps and drops the phone. Swears escape their lips, but soon after they're rendered speechless, as the android bursts into the cockpit.

The van makes a sudden turn, the tires screech and it almost tips over when it stops. One small person escapes the van, leaving two unconscious people behind.

Being visibly displeased, it runs in the opposite direction to where the van was heading. The answer it found only doubled its desire to autodestruct. But since it couldn't overwrite the code forbidding that action, it needed to improvise. It needed help from the outside.

And a chance happened to approach from the other end of the road.

* * *

I open the lighter with an annoyed motion and light another cigarette.

I'm trying my best to occupy my thoughts with something else, but my troubled mind just keeps going back to Eight, and the questions I have about him. I actually admit to myself that I feel bad, that the company took him away. I lost my chance to ask him directly about it, and I have the feeling that if I ask the scientists, they'll just give me a generic talk about a glitch or something.

And he'll most definitely won't be the same once they bring him back...

This really pisses me off, as I know it'll bug me for the next few days. I don't like to be in the dark like that. I want the truth.

Eh... being that inquisitive must be an old habit from my previous job.

My thoughts are interrupted by a sudden noise. It sounds like a car hitting against something. It happened just around the corner, so I drop the cig and rush over. I have a bad feeling...

I stop for a moment, my suspicion being confirmed - someone was run over. Or rather, it was a hit and run as the car drove away in a hurry. Bastard!

I rush to the injuried person lying in the middle of the street, but I stop as I realize who's in front of me. I gasp, my eyes widen. The person gets on their knees and slamms a fist in the asphalt, in a really angry way.

"Eight..."

I say in shock, and the doll looks up at me. He seems to be just as surprised. After a moment of silence and glancing at each other, he suddenly gets up and throws himself at me, the impact almost knocking me from my feet. I can feel Eight's hands running around my waist, and I immediately realize what he wants.

"Hey, hey, HEY! I don't carry a gun while off duty!"

I shout in an awkward tone. The android stops its movements, then just rests his forehead against my chest. He raises his fists and punches me lightly, then clings to my shirt. It looks a bit like a kid would throw a fit and punch at their dad, because it didn't get what it wanted. It's so... bizzare when a robot does that.

If I didn't know any better, I'd probably summarize that sort of behavior as cute, but the reality was far from it.

I push Eight off of me, and crouch in front of him. I cup his cheeks in my hands, forcing him to look me in he eyes.

"Eight, what the hell? What are you doing here? Where are the dudes who took you away?"

The doll doesn't answer. It's visibly sad though, the eyes unfocused. Oh shit, please don't cry again! I move my hands to his shoulders and shake him a bit.

"You escaped, didn't you?"

He gives me a barely noticeable nod.

"And you still wanna die!"

It comes out more as a shout than a question. The nod is stronger this time.

"Hah... you little..."

I realize that this opportunity is just perfect. I had a chance to ask Eight all the questions I wanted. Or hopefully enough until the scientists show up looking for him. The android blinks looking at me with concern, and I realize I have a devilish smirk on my face. It switches to a serious frown soon after.

"Come with me. We need to talk."