Sincerely
Chapter 25: Greyson

With how little I knew about Creed, I knew I couldn’t just turn him in. It wasn’t like some of the stories I’d heard about him didn’t check out, making me understand why people believed he was human, not to mention the fact he had a kid. I didn’t want to destroy this kid’s world, because Creed was all she had but it was clear he’d been in hiding for a long time, and any good detective knew I had to make sure she was happy and safe with him.

I watched him clean his wound in his car from a safe distance, I took the evidence he disposed of in the trash can, knowing that wasn’t a good place for it. It should have been burned if I was honest, but what also bothered me was that he lied straight to my face, when he knew I was on Lev and Deckard’s side. He went and retrieved his daughter, Kelsea from school, she looked so happy, bright and excited to see him and him the same. They loved each other. I could tell.

It made me feel guilty that I was looking into him and how he had composed such a well-told lie that no one questioned. He must have changed his appearance to look like her so it was more believable, he looked like he had made himself age, too.

When they arrived home, I watched them from outside, I watched him make Kelsea dinner and help her with her homework before putting her to bed.

I knew then, I wanted to know the truth because no one else probably knew. He couldn’t do this alone. I had connections thanks to my job, I knew he’d need a new arm plate and those weren’t cheap by any means. With his job, I doubt he could afford one either. Android parts went for a lot of money, both legally and illegally.

I watched him come out of the house suddenly, he looked like he was looking for something before he walked down the street, I got out of the car cautiously and followed him. He walked pausing when I was under one of the street lamps.

“What do you want, Greyson?” he asked.

“Where are you going, Creed?” I questioned in return.

“I was luring you out, for an FBI agent, you have lousy tailing skills,” he comments.

“And you’re lousy at hiding the fact that you were hurt,” I hiss holding up the wipes he had disposed of. “And yes, I know you’re an android.”

He looked down at the ground, sad. Like this was the end, I hadn’t intended to hurt him, I wanted to help him. Like I was helping Lev and Deckard. He looked scared, like Kelsea was being ripped away from him. I wanted to hug him and tell him everything would be okay but I stopped myself. I still had to know how or why he had Kelsea.

“Here’s the deal, you get one chance to tell me, how you ended up here, and only one. Whose kid is that? The explanation better be good, too because kidnapping has a long jail sentence,” I comment.

“I wouldn’t end up in jail, Greyson. We both know where I would end up,” he replies quietly as if he’s accepted the worst already.

“Just tell me what happened, no one else knows yet. If it’s a good reason, no one has to know. Just like no one knows about Lev and me being in contact,” he explains. “I want to help you if I can, so please, just talk to me,” I exclaim.

He turned around and attempted to stock past me but I caught him by the arm. I wanted to help him. He needed it, and I wasn’t sure why but I couldn’t let him end up where Huxley was right now or worse.

“Please,” I begged.

“I’m all she has Greyson, please. Don’t take me away from her,” he whispers in almost the same desperate tone I had.

“Then, talk,” I state.

He hesitated yet again, “I’m worried my explanation wouldn’t justify my actions,” he murmurs.

“Try me, I understand why Lev did what he did,” I reasoned. “Plus, someone should look at your arm, even if my medical knowledge is limited in androids.”

He looked at me before leading me back to his house as if accepting defeat. Inside something felt odd about the house, it was like it hadn’t seen high traffic despite a young child living here. There were no stains or scratch marks on the floor or walls. I took a seat on the grey couch. I could tell he was very much still nervous. He looked up and over at me as if trying to read me.

“I…” he tried but his voice and hands shook so much he stopped.

He was scared. The last thing I wanted was for him to be scared of me. He put his head down in his hands, and I could hear his shuttering breaths, as he tried to calm himself. I reached out and placed a hand on his knee. He looked up at me again. He sighed before taking a deep breath and trying again.

“I used to serve in the military, that was what I was originally built for. I was sent to fight a war in a foreign country and we raided a village, there was a child. He was probably a war prisoner, either way, he was innocent and I remember I took a step closer to him and one of the other androids I was with shot him, because we were taught nothing matters but the mission, not ourselves, not innocents nothing but the mission. I abandoned my comrades after that, I couldn’t get that kid’s face out of my head. I smuggled myself here, to the US, got a fake ID, removed my indicator and started life, as a human. But I got tangled in drugs and I caused a lady to overdose. Her name was Sienna. I found her dead and I knew I was responsible for her baby now, I couldn’t just leave her behind when it was my fault for her mother was dead. So, I changed my name again, I erased and rebuilt and I tried to give Kelsea the best life I could, and I failed because it’s over now,” he explained quietly.

He put his head back in his hands and began to cry again. If I didn’t know he was an android, I would have believed he was human, that was what made it hurt more was seeing the amount of emotion he showed for Kelsea and how much he cared for her. I moved over onto the couch beside him.

“Did you cause Sienna to become addicted to drugs?” I asked quietly.

“No, there was a guy who brought me clients but I still supplied her with drugs, she would still be here if I hadn’t,” he exclaimed.

“You don’t know that, once you’re addicted, it’s hard to kick an addiction. I’m not saying what you did was a good thing, but if she hadn’t gotten the drugs from you, she would have gotten them from somewhere else, Kelsea’s here today because you felt responsible for her, she might not have been here today is she stayed with Sienna. You gave her a home and a life, Creed. You gave her love and family,” I reasoned gently.

“So, what happens now?” he asks, whipping his tears away.

“Now, you’re not alone in your struggle, I know new panels aren’t cheap either,” I commented pointing to his exposed arm which clearly needed repairs. “I’ll see what I can do and find though.”

“Someone died because of me, and you’re just going to let me go?” he asks.

“Kelsea’s alive because of you. If you were a monster, you would have left her where you found her, she might have starved or frozen to death then, she’s alive though, you’re in a hard situation, just like Carlos’ android, but you don’t deserve to die though. At least, I don’t believe that,” I reply, wanting to hug him but scared he would reject it.

“It’s late, I should be getting home,” I comment finally standing up.

Creed reached out and grabbed my hand.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“Don’t thank me, I just treated you like a person, which is what you are. Everyone deserves that. I’ll see what I can do for your arm in the meantime, try to keep it hidden,” I reply gently resisting the urge to hug him again.

He releases me and I leave, I didn’t want to but it was late and I was tired and I doubted he felt as much I did towards him as he did for me. Sure, he loved Kelsea but she needed his love and care. She had been his number one priority, I knew I would never take her place or even come close.

I went home and looked through my old contacts, it took me a while to find the one I was looking for. An old android parts dealer, I called him and inquired about the part Creed would need and its price. It was a hefty amount of money but if I didn’t want Creed to end up like Deckard or worse, Alessio, an android that had been beaten to a pulp by humans, he would need this part. I agreed to the price and he said he would be there in the morning to collect the money and give me the part.

Just like Lev, he had come into my life when I least expected it, and as always, I felt I had to protect not only him but Kelsea, not because it was my job, but because no one else would, and I knew that little girl would be devastated to lose her father because that was what he was to her.

He had taken care of her, raised her, gave her everything under the sun and loved her. I couldn’t imagine ripping that away from someone because they made mistakes while they were learning the difference between right and wrong, even if it ended up costing someone their life by accident because they didn’t realize the damage it was doing and they were just trying to survive and keep themselves afloat.

I went to sleep and was up early the next morning, as I was nervous about making an illegal deal even if it was because someone in need needed help. The guy showed up, he showed me the part, how to implant it and make sure it was replaced right. I gave him the money and he left.

I left my house, I knew Creed’s routine, he would wake up, and take his daughter to school before going to work. I arrived early to work and met him in the parking lot, he was wearing a long sleeve knit with a heavy winter coat over it. He seemed nervous when he spotted me.

“I have something for you,” I state gently, trying not to spook him.

He looked around as if he was expecting an ambush. It saddened me that these people had to worry about things like that and couldn’t just live their lives, happily. But it was real, I knew from seeing Lev and Deckard's lives be torn apart and seeing Alessio’s crime scene photos.

He cautiously follows me back to my car and I find a secluded parking lot to park in before reaching into the back and bringing the part out. I opened the case and turned it around to face him. He looked at it with shock in his eyes.

“Greyson, you can’t be serious. How much did you pay for this? Where did you get it? I didn’t think you were serious,” he exclaimed.

“Why wouldn’t I be? You can’t buy it unless you want to raise some red flags considering the fact you don’t own an android. If you want to protect Kelsea, you need this,” I reply.

“I can’t accept this, I could have gotten the part myself, this can’t look good on you either. Let me pay you back for it,” he reasons, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a check book.

I stopped him, shaking my head.

“You’ve been protecting Kelsea her whole life, it’s time someone protected you,” I comment quietly.

He looks at me in disbelief. He stayed there before slowly putting the check book away and glancing down at the panel again.

“We should probably go somewhere less public before I try to replace it, I don’t need anyone else finding out,” he states looking back at me.

“Should we go back to your house?” I suggest.

“Sure,” he replies sounding nervous again.

He closes the case, hiding the panelling and I start up the car again and make our way back to his house.

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