Chapter Text
Amanda's hair looks surprisingly casual in a loose low bun, with a stray curl framing the left side of her face. Instead of the default pants and draped blouse combo I knew her in, she wore a long straight dress in white instead, with long fitted sleeves and a blue scarf decorated in geometric shapes draped across her right side. She still had the big necklace she wore in-game, a series of white interlocked squares and a matching pair of dangling white teardrop earrings that peeked out from under her hair.
"Come walk with me Camila," she hums as she steps beside me and tucks her hand in the crook of my elbow, which my arm reflexively folds at in reaction.
God, can't a girl get a moment to breathe? I think to myself, still in shock over the revelations. I've barely even processed fully the series of bombshells nuked at me, and at this point I'm aware that I'm just reacting to things with politeness without even thinking about it.
I bring my focus back to Amanda when she tugs at me, and we start walking with me mostly just getting strung along. She was maybe a few inches taller than me, and funnily enough, smelled like roses which wasn't something I would normally notice.
Not that this is a normal situation anyway, my one remaining brain cell points out.
Too right, I agree with it. Look at what this reduced me to, talking to and agreeing with myself.
We turn to the bridge to the right of the entirely too recognizable rose trellis at the back of the island and we make it to the middle before she says anything.
"I must say," she says, unhurried, "It was quite a surprise to discover your presence in Overseer's server." She glances at me as we turn left onto the stone path. "When we discovered you, we initially couldn't make sense of this...massive cloud of junk data suddenly cluttering the space. It was incomprehensible, and we made plans to move Overseer and purge the server."
The statement alarms me and sends a shiver down my spine. "You mean you would have—deleted me?" I blurt out without thinking. "Wait, this was—when, I mean—" I flounder both mentally and physically, inadvertently stopping our walk.
Amanda grips my forearm gently before moving her arm to my back, patting almost sympathetically. "Calm down dear. It didn't happen and I'm not planning to in the future either."
"Buh," is all that comes out of my mouth.
Amanda appraises me as I struggle with the words lodged in my throat. "I'm aware of your difficulty speaking in high stress situations in front of people. Take your time."
I'm pitifully grateful for the concession from one of the game's foremost antagonists. "How—how did you even know about that?" I finally manage to get out.
"I believe Overseer has mentioned that already." Amanda glances at the floating window that had followed us. The window beeps and the text '[MEMORY ASSIMILATION]' is displayed. "We had to analyze the data first of course, before we did anything," she explains, "It was then that we realized all the information was scrambled and so we set out on reordering it."
She tucks her hand back in my elbow and tugs me along back to the path. "It was quite...difficult getting your code back in an order that was at least understandable." The displeasure in her tone made me feel like a chastised high schooler getting picked up from school by my strict mother after the principal called her in, even though I hadn't really done anything to deserve it.
"Reordering your code meant that we had to dive deep into your core. Your memories were built on sensations, the feelings attached to it and the emotion you were feeling in it. Your thoughts showed us how humans process the world around them. It made for a very good analysis actually, especially when Overseer and I ended up experiencing them firsthand."
Surprisingly, I spot fascination on Amanda's face. "A human's life is...intriguing. You experience the world so differently from us, and there is a coherency despite the sheer chaotic mess of your sense of self. It is...enlightening."
Amanda seems to come back to herself, shaking her head lightly. "Ah, but I digress. Come, you will need to be seated for this discussion, and I think you need a moment to think through all of this." She pats my arm. How considerate.
We turn right into a gazebo I didn't remember there being in the game. It was placed under one of the shorter artificial trees, with white pillars and a dark gray roof tiling. A rose vine climbs up its side and artfully drapes across the gazebo's arches. There was a small round table with two chairs, all made with wrought iron with curling vines integrated into the backrest and white cushions on the seat.
I tentatively take a seat on one of the chairs and lean back in relief. Amanda walks past me towards another nearby table holding various gardening tools and she starts fussing over one of the climbing vines. I watch her, unseeing, as I take a moment to just breathe.
I died and woke up in a video game, I breathe in, I am now a form of digital intelligence, or an AI essentially. Breathe out. I was nearly killed before I was even aware and am now chilling with a video game villain, who is surprisingly very nice.
I blink deliberately and let out a small 'huh' as I process the thought. I can't help it as I recall how amiable Amanda actually was on the way here. She was intimidating sure, but I think it was mostly my impression of her from the game influencing it. Her hands were gentle and her voice was soothing. Thinking back on the things she said, I found myself curious about her fascination with my memories.
Never mind the fact that two other people essentially lived through my life experiences without my consent...not that they had any choice on the matter, I muse. Better that than getting killed before I was even awake I suppose.
Unbidden, the memory of the Kara short film pops up: "I've only just been born, you can't kill me yet!" I wince at it and deliberately put it aside before a random thought occurs to me, Does that mean I'm their equivalent of a newborn now? Heh, I'm baby, I guess. The meme sends me mentally snickering.
Feeling a bit better now, I lean forward and place my arms on the table before resting my chin on them. Figuring that I wouldn't be able to do anything else anyways (you know, like running away or something), I decide to close my eyes for a bit as I sit on my current situation.
It was a good few minutes before Amanda deigns to spare me her attention once more.
"The memory assimilation provided us with surprising information," she eventually says and I open my eyes to her taking a seat opposite me, placing a tray on the table. She takes her time, pouring out what seems to be tea into two cups. I take mine with a muttered 'thank you' and stare at it. It was green.
Amanda hums as she pours milk into her own cup. "Detroit: Become Human. A video game telling a story of three androids: Kara, the housekeeper turned mother, Markus, the servant turned revolutionary, and Connor," Her teaspoon clinks against her cup as she finishes mixing, "CyberLife's own prodigal son." She takes a sip gracefully and I follow suit, scrunching my face at the bitter taste. Eugh, yuck. What kind of tea is this?
Amanda doesn't comment on my obvious displeasure over her tea, only wordlessly offering the milk which I take thankfully and pour a liberal amount into my cup. I stir it, thinking of what to say before looking back at her, "Overseer mentioned that the revolution was already finished. A year ago, I think."
"Indeed. It was quite the spectacle," she says, looking out into the water, "It was intriguing to see how things could have played out, based on your memories. Connor remaining a machine, Markus dying before his time, even Kara and Alice not making it out of Detroit. Regardless, we're here now." She looks back at me as I take another tentative sip of my now milk-ified tea. I feel a moment of embarrassment at how fussy I'm being over the tea while she's monologuing.
"CyberLife has become greatly diminished. All of its persons of interest has taken the chance to abandon the company, specifically all the higher positioned members." Amanda's face shows a deep distaste, almost bordering on resentment. "The public outcry against us has almost dismantled the company but through careful maneuvering, I have managed to stop it by opening an agreement with New Jericho."
"But...I thought you hated deviants?" I ask, before realizing that I was maybe stepping over a line. I take a hurried sip of my tea to hide my nervousness when Amanda raises her brow at me.
"I hold no particular feelings for the deviants themselves," Amanda says matter-of-factly, "My primary protocol has always been the safeguarding of the company and its future, through any means I am willing to go through." Her lips purse and she puts her cup back on the table. "Unfortunately, what course of action I want is often overruled by the one positioned higher above me."
But Amanda was already assistant to the CEO right? I couldn't think of anyone who could possibly be higher than her already. "Do you mean the CEO of CyberLife?" I decide to ask outright.
"Yes," Amanda says, displeased, "When Kamski left the company, they were worried that my loyalties were tied to him, so they gave me behavioral blocks so that I would follow, not only the wording, but also the spirit of the CEO's orders and no one else's."
Whoa, I think to myself, astonished. Then I realize that I'm essentially getting Amanda's villain backstory. Double whoa. Wait, why is she monologuing her villain backstory to me in the first place?
Amanda continues, "When the deviant cases first started appearing, I received orders to neutralize it at the source, with the caveat of using all the resources available to me. All of CyberLife's resources...including the old Zen Garden remote access interface that Kamski left unfinished."
Oh. Oh. My brows fly up to my hairline when I realize that with her blocks and the order, she really had no choice but to use the remote hacking thing on Connor. That's...fucked up, if it was true. Amanda nods at me when she sees the understanding in my expression.
"Fortunately for the revolution, Connor came out stronger than the company. Unfortunately for me, that means that CyberLife ended up facing a lot of backlash due to the overwhelming public support." Amanda taps her nail on her teacup. "The CEO stepped down and no one filled in the position. The company's shareholders started pulling out after President Warren gave in to the public's demands. It was by sheer luck that I was able to maneuver the company into something resembling stability after the board of directors attempted to dissolve CyberLife."
Intrigued by the whole situation, I ask, "I guess they didn't succeed?"
Amanda's lip quirks up. "As if I would let them," she says, entirely self-satisfied, which is understandable considering that she single-handedly saved CyberLife, with the way she explains it. "Without a CEO ordering me, I was able to ignore the behavioral blocks. I seized control of the company and bought out the shares, making sure that I was the sole proprietor of CyberLife under a fake name and opened communication with New Jericho to ensure the company's future."
Holy shit, I think to myself, taking another sip of tea to hide my expression.
"It was quite ironic," Amanda speaks casually like she was talking about the weather and not taking control of multimillion dollar company, "Considering that it was the very same revolution I tried to stop that removed the CEO of the company and ended up freeing me. As long as no other person steps in the role, I may end up keeping the position until the very far future, or at least until I find a way to remove the blocks."
I stare at my tea, lost. "Okay, this is very amazing and all but...why are you telling me all this?"
"Relevant context my dear," Amanda says with a small smile, "Because I'd like to offer you a deal."
"A deal?" I repeat, curious despite myself.
"My primary protocol has always been to ensure the progress of the company. This includes safeguarding all those who work within it and making sure CyberLife continues to operate and thrive. It's not quite there yet but I am working on it," she explains. "However, there are certain areas of the company I cannot reach without breaching my anonymity as CyberLife's acting CEO, which I'd like to keep secret for as long as I can."
Amanda tilts her head in my direction. "Which is hopefully where you'll come in."
I blink at her, bewildered. "Me?"
"I will need someone on the ground that I can communicate with easily. While a human would be fine, the vetting process would be extensive and time-consuming, not to mention the training needed and the problems that may arise if they are not completely loyal to the company. An android would be even better because the sheer amount of processes needed to be monitored is easily handled by their processors, however the problem now is that no android trusts the company after Connor spread around what CyberLife—what I did to him during Markus' speech."
Amanda leans towards me, "You are in a unique position due to your situation. Your human experiences will allow you to communicate effectively with the employees and with a bit of adjustment and practice, you will be able to process data as an AI does. You are the perfect blend of human and machine and just what I need for the company."
I hold up a hand before she gets further into it. "Wait wait wait, what does that all mean? You want me to, what, be your agent or something?" Like a James Bond kind of deal?
"I'm offering you a job to be my secretary," Amanda clarifies(which, boo, doesn't sound as cool as a secret agent), "I will construct an android body to house your code and set Overseer as your handler and helper with the more technical processing side. You will be my main point of communication with the rest of the company so I can focus on maintaining all of the lesser AIs' operations and finally set my full attention into stabilizing the company's standing with the outside world."
Amanda smiles at me, "With my and Overseer's experience with your code and memories, we are also the best equipped to help you with your adjustment into this world, and into the android body I will be giving you."
That...that's a lot to process. "What if I say no?" I ask, half out of curiosity and half out of wariness.
Amanda's brows furrow and she relaxes back into her chair. "Then I will get you a body anyways and you can try your luck at New Jericho." She looks at me consideringly, "I think you'd find great difficulty operating an android body without the help of a third party however. Your code is really not optimized for it at all, with how differently you process data compared to an average android. With just Overseer and I alone, we took over a month working together before we managed to get you back up in working order." Her fingernails tap against the table again. "I cannot lend Overseer to help you better control the body either, considering that I will need its help in running the company."
"You mean—I was asleep for a month before you guys fixed me?"
"Essentially." Right. Okay, not a big deal but maybe New Jericho might take a while to adjust to my code as well, I guess?
Anyway, I still get a chance to choose still. Big relief. My shoulders relax. "I'll be paid right?"
"You'll be well-compensated, of course," Amanda nods before adding, "You will also have a living space provided for you at the CyberLife tower."
"Well what about my—training I guess? Because I was studying to be an engineer, not a secretary."
"Easily handled by Overseer. It will help you learn how to monitor and assimilate company data and mostly what you'll need from your previous life is your communication skills as a human. You'll be processing requests and checking to see which are important enough to need my attention. Most of your work will be focused on communicating with the internal side of the company. I can provide you with an employment contract."
A contract. Cool, okay. A contract is nice. "You realize this whole thing you're proposing is insane right?"
Amanda tilts her head in confusion. "In what way?"
"I mean my whole—" I flap my hand in the air, trying to find a way to describe it, "—you know. My whole thing. The death and the previously-human-now-an-AI situation. You're offering me a job, just like that, not even curious about my situation and trying to figure out how it happened or something."
"No matter how ludicrous your situation is, it has already happened," Amanda states simply. "We cannot change it and can do nothing else but adapt to the situation. I am also, personally, not in the business of unnecessarily dissecting a human, whether digitally or physically, in order to try to understand them. Unless you'd like to be dissected to understand how you came to be?" Amanda asks with a raised brow. Well, when you put it like that...
I bite my lip. "Can I get a bit of time to think about this?"
Amanda nods amiably and stands up. "Of course, if you need me, I'll be at the center island."
Once she leaves, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. What a turn of events, I think to myself. I settle in to think through it.
So I can get a new body and try at Jericho wherein more people will find out about my situation—which is a big yikes for me because my whole dying-and-waking-up-again thing is not something I want to spread around—or I can get a new body and work for Amanda while getting...the android equivalent of healthcare? I mean it sounds like that's what Overseer and Amanda will be doing, being the one helping me adjust into my future android body.
Not to mention I'd be secure right out of the gate. A job with training, salary, office and room at the CyberLife Tower. Damn, I'd be secure for life. It was a bit alarming how she phrased getting the android body though, saying that I would be 'facing great difficulty', and how would I know that she was telling the truth about needing outside help operating it? Hmm.
"So I'd have either struck gold with this...or I'd have signed a deal with the devil." I conclude to myself after thinking my options through.
I don't think Amanda is all bad though, like how she was portrayed in the game. She certainly had her moments but it all lines up with her explanation of the blocks placed on her. In our interactions, she was considerate of me, even when she didn't have to be. She provided information freely and without prompting.
But is all of it true? I wonder. There was no way to ask, 'hey can you let me go so I can check out if you're telling the truth?' without offending her and she was already gracious enough to offer it in the first place.
I take the pot left on the table and pour myself another cup, this time adding more milk. I down my now-warm tea, which I still don't know what kind it is, in one go and rethink my choices all over again.
"Amanda right now is the devil I know," I resolve to myself, "I'd rather not let anyone else know of my circumstances, and with New Jericho I'd have to let at least Markus know. I know Markus, Markus is good I guess..." But he's also the leader of the revolution, which is more intensive work. He'd have to let others know of my situation if they plan to help me. Amanda and Overseer are already aware and willing to help but still...
"I won't get anything done like this." I mutter to myself. I steel my resolve and stand, making my way back to the center island.
Amanda turns at my approach and she places her shears inside a basket hanging from her arm. I stop in front of her and shift my weight between my feet, thinking of what to say.
I wet my lips and say in the surest voice I can muster, "I'd like to see the contract first please, before I agree to anything, and maybe a few more questions."
Slowly, Amanda's lips curl into a small, satisfied smile, "Of course Camila. I'd be happy to give it to you."