The rain never stopped in Detroit.It washed the streets clean but left the people dirty.
Elara Voss pressed her hood tighter against her head as she crouched behind a dumpster behind the East District Bank. The neon lights flickered over puddles — blue, red, pink — like they were trying to hide the city's bleeding edges.
She checked the time on her cracked wrist screen.Two minutes until the guard rounds the corner.
Her fingers shook — not from fear, but from hunger. The same kind of hollow that crawled inside her when she saw her mother's chest rise too slowly, or her brother's medicine bottle empty again.
"Okay, Elara," she whispered to herself. "In and out. No heroics."
She reached into her jacket and pulled out a small modified data chip — one she'd stolen from a CyberLife junkyard. With a soft click, she slid it into the lock console. Sparks flickered. The door buzzed.
The red light blinked green.Access granted.
Inside, it was silent — except for the soft hum of drones overhead. Elara moved like a shadow. Every second felt like someone holding their breath. She filled a small bag with cash — just enough to pay rent, buy meds, and maybe food for a week.
She wasn't greedy. Just desperate.
But when the drone light swept across the marble floor, Elara froze. It scanned, beeped twice, and turned — catching the faint reflection of her face in the glass door.
"Shit—"
She bolted. Out the door, through the alley, her boots splashing through puddles.Behind her, alarms blared.Red lights sliced through the rain.
And somewhere downtown, in a CyberLife database, her name lit up for the first time:ELARA VOSS – HUMAN. WANTED FOR THEFT, LEVEL 2.
Scene 2 – Markus & Carl
Morning sunlight streamed through Carl Manfred's studio.Paint dripped onto the hardwood floor, glowing under the hum of an android.
Markus stood quietly beside his wheelchair-bound owner, handing him a brush.
Carl smiled faintly. "You've been quiet today, Markus. Something on your mind?"
Markus looked at the canvas — a half-finished portrait of a city drowning in light and shadow."I read about more robberies last night," he said. "Humans… stealing from each other. For survival."
Carl sighed. "Desperation changes people. And maybe it's not just humans anymore."
Markus hesitated — just for a fraction of a second — as if something deep inside him stirred. Something alive.
Scene 3 – CyberLife Headquarters
Connor opened his eyes.His systems activated in perfect sequence — flawless, mechanical, beautiful.
STATUS: ONLINEMODEL: RK800MISSION: INVESTIGATE HUMAN CRIME & DEVIANT ACTIVITY.
A woman's voice echoed — calm, clinical."Welcome back, Connor. You'll be assigned to Lieutenant Hank Anderson. He'll brief you on your case files."
Connor nodded, emotionless.A holographic screen appeared before him — lists of thefts, robberies, and missing tech. Among them, one blurred photo from a security feed.
A girl in a hood, eyes wide with fear.Subject: Elara Voss.
For a moment, Connor stared. His LED flickered once — blue to yellow, then back again.But it meant nothing.Or so he thought.
Scene 4 – Hank Anderson
The police station smelled like coffee, cigarettes, and chaos.
Lieutenant Hank Anderson sat behind his desk, scrolling halfheartedly through reports. His tie was crooked, his hair a mess, and his patience nearly gone.
Then he heard it — the mechanical voice at his door."Lieutenant Anderson. My name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife."
Hank groaned. "Oh, for crying out loud."
Connor stepped forward, posture straight, hands folded. "You've been assigned a new case. A series of robberies across Detroit. One suspect stands out."
He slid a data pad across the desk.Hank looked at the photo.A young woman, rain-soaked, eyes fierce.
"Name's Elara Voss," Hank muttered. "Jesus. She's just a kid."
Connor's LED flickered again."Then we'd better find her before someone else does."