Carrie's apartment.

::Carrie unlocks the door and lets herself in, having told Basil she could find her own way upstairs. The real reason for not wanting him along, of course, is that the android is programmed to avoid human contact that's more than necessary in order to eschew detection. She's not perfect, and her personality has many defects, so it's important that she keeps away as much as she can.

The blonde locks the door behind her and pockets the key, then takes the tool bag over to the far wall. The apartment combines a joint kitchen and living room with a bedroom and a bathroom. Carrie needs none of these whatsoever; all she requires are power outlets. Happily, of those there are several. She walks over to one by the window and unpacks her bag beside it, taking out several complex-looking devices which she begins to set up methodically.::

::There's still something wrong with Carrie's electronics. The android had plugged herself into the wall, but something is malfunctioning and causing sparks and twitchy errors to occur. Suddenly, the android lurches towards the window and hauls it open. Her humanoid counterpart has smoke in the lungs, as if she's been trapped in a fire. The blonde leans out of the window and coughs black smoke out into the air, with a choking, rattling sound. That's human, right? She coughs some more, and more thick, claggy black smoke pours into the atmosphere.::

::Once the smoke has cleared and Carrie has taken care of the fact that some of her internal drive just went on fire, she returns with a disjointed step back to her corner. She sits down against the wall and digs out some precision tools from the bag before taking off the vest and ejecting the damaged drive from underneath one of her breasts. She begins to fix it, though now shows absolutely no resemblance to a human in the way she moves because she's just removed that part of her make-up.::

::Two days later, Carrie is completely fixed. She boots up and information whirs before her eyes, which focus in and out of examination of the furniture and explain to her where she is. Eventually, she accesses the project's online comms and her mission is downloaded once more, as well as a detailed binary report on what has happened to her thus far. The damage to her body and internal system was a pity, but sometimes these things are unavoidable. Unfortunately, it does mean she missed an event. She is instructed to visit the scene of a crime at The Cot and Sod before continuing her sub-mission, so gets up and marches out to the hallway.::

::Quinn enters Carrie's apartment. It's like something out of Star Trek, especially that special wall unit where Carrie is able to plug herself. This is when Quinn really realizes that Carrie is indeed a very different model that he is...

The android sets his 'sister' down. Now Quinn stares at her with a deep curiosity. When he speaks, it is with a certain gentleness in his voice.::

"Is unit Carrie functional?"

"I'll survive."

::Ooh, sarcasm-bot! Carrie turns away from Quinn and walks into him. Still with that walking backwards thing. She turns to face him and walks away, then arrives at a workstation and firstly sets to repairing her eye.::

"Please connect with intranet and inform that Carrie requires skin repair fluid."

::Remember all those bullet holes? Thanks for those!::

::He's sorry! He's really really sorry! Well, not really, but he's as apologetic as an android weirdly learning how to experience emotions can be. Quinn hasn't connected to the intranet since the incident, though, so he's a bit nervous. But - since his personality issue is kinda-mostly fixed...

Quinn connects to the Creator's intranet and relays information about the Carrie situation. He requests a drop at the Black Point Apartment complex.::

::Carrie is still working on that eye of hers. She's actually opened it up, like a sideways hatch. Her hands poke a tiny device into the hole, screwing around with the various wires inside.::

::Um, Quinn connects some more? I'm not quite sure how this intranet thing works. Or maybe he's only pretending to connect, because deep inside he knows he's a renegade android now. Shooting Carrie was very, very wrong.::

::After a while, Carries eye is operating to its full efficiency once more. She then arranges herself to sit down and just about manages, having to cope with some of her wiring being backwards. She sets to repairing everything else.::

"Who is human female in your apartment?"

"Unknown. She is of little consequence."

::Quinn walks over behind Carrie and helps her with some of the rewiring.::

"Surely granting her access to your apartment and spending unwarranted time together invites suspicion."

::Carrie accepts the help: four hands good, two hands bad.::

::There, that should fix the backward-walking problem.::

"There was no alternative. You were incapacitated and she was the only one available to offer assistance."

::Carrie doesn't respond, which means she has no further comment. She doesn't do unnecessary chit-chat. She's way too cool. She just continues with the repairs.::

"Do you have an estimate for repair fluid?"

"Negative. My ability to access the intranet appears to be compromised. Are your repairs sufficient to establish contact?"

"Almost."

::Carrie slams shut her chest panel and then sits down, pulling off her boot to fiddle around with her right foot. A line of green light moves down her eyes.::

"Connection established. Do you require repairs, Quinn?"

::Quinn hesitates. On one hand, he enjoyed this new autonomy. On the other, his personality conflict issue was fixed, and a malfunctioning intranet stood in his way of serving the Creators to the best of his ability. The android reaches his decision.::

"Affirmative."

::Carrie transmits this. A moment later, she looks at Quinn.::

"They are sending specialists. We are to remain here until they arrive."

::Quinn nods. He remains standing still, a very un-human thing to do. But androids obviously have no need to sit.::

"Unit Carrie. Do you wish to upgrade to this unit's dual-personality programming?"

::The suggestion is a ruse. The Quinn android is busy working behind the scenes, re-writing his memory of the happenings at the Cot and Sod. He no longer remembers shooting up Carrie - instead memories of a demon attack where the other android had heroically sacrificed herself for his safety - transplant themselves.::

::Carrie turns and looks at Quinn properly, a ghost of a smile visible on her lips. She's quiet for a few moments, then the smile grows a little.::

"No."

"It is odd that unit Carrie smiles."

::The android feels that smiling is a very human action. He sees no reason for androids to smile - except to blend in among actual people. So, in this apartment with just the two of them, Carrie's smile is a very curious event to Quinn.::

"To you, perhaps. My human personality is ingrained fully whereas yours is separate. Your human personality is of a superior quality. After us, there will be units that are both fully humanoid and convincing, and perhaps one day mainly units instead of humans all together."

::Quinn is a little unsettled by this conversation. His expressionless face continues to look directly, and unblinkingly, at Carrie.::

"If we fulfill our functions at exterminating dangerous Threats - perhaps there will be no need for future units. Androids live forever, after all."

"Science will always progress, Quinn."

::Carrie stops smiling suddenly. Like, really suddenly.::

"My presence is required at base."

::Carrie's sudden change in expression concerns the Quinn android. Was this another mission?::

"You are still malfunctional. Do you require this unit's assistance?

::Carrie fixes Quinn with a long stare, sparks in her eyes that aren't meant to be there showing she is receiving information she is choosing to withhold.::

"No."

::Quinn's starting to think that dragging his sister android out of the sea might have been a bad idea. The android is getting quite uncomfortable - especially since he is not connected to the intranet like Carrie. It's almost like being blind.::

"Very well."

::The good thing about android monotone is that there's no hidden meanings betrayed by his voice. Quinn simply stares at Carrie, uncertain about her motives, and rather unsettled. He'd leave - but homebase was sending repair specialists...::

"ETA on the repair modules?"

"I will collect them personally."

::Carrie walks to the door then, like the hardcore badass she is... leaves.::

::Quinn has been digging around Carrie's apartment this past little while. He's also made good use of her advanced technology and had a little recharge session. Now, good as new, he exits the apartment. The android closes the door behind him and steps further down the hallway.::

::The android Quinn re-enters Carrie's apartment. Seems like he's making more use of this place than she is. Anyways, Quinn immediately walks towards Carrie's techogadgety thing. He plugs himself in and attempts to initiate contact with the Intranet.::

[Go ahead and send your transmission.]

"Unit XX-002 uploading reconnaissance data on potential Threats within city designation: 7002, San Francisco."

::The android sends all sorts of data into his base's Intranet. Stuff of Wiccan, Wesley, the girl at the coffee shop, Danika... any sort of magical activity Quinn has run across since coming to the city. There is one thing, however. The android makes no mention of Paz. But he does focus especially on Dante and his powerful telekinesis.::

"Engagement of Threat designation 00542 resulted in failed termination attempt. 00542's abilities are beyond this Unit's current capabilities... Requesting upgrade and further instructions."

[Aww, sweet. But Quinn is currently top of the range. Oh, and the shop will be dealt with.]

::Quinn disconnects from the terminal with a smile on his face. It's an odd gesture, seeing as how the android hardly ever uses human gestures - but it just goes to show how satisfied he is. Although he had received no upgrades - well, no further upgrades were possible... as the Intranet had informed him: the scientists had created Quinn to be top of the line.::

(However, logic dictates that any technology is able to be improved. If the Creators cannot provide upgrades, perhaps it is up to Unit to adapt - and upgrade self.)

::After all, who knows better about how Quinn works than Quinn himself? With a new direction on that front, the android is satisfied. As for the Magic Shop issue - the Creators had promised to deal with the situation. Quinn assumed this meant a return of Carrie. Good. It would be agreeable to see his sister. But the android does not simply want to wait around. An idea forms in its cybernetic brain, causing yet another smile. It was time to go shopping! Quinn walks out the apartment, closing the door behind him, and walks down the hallway.::

::Quinn enters the door to Carrie's place. He starts to question why he's coming back to his friend's place, and not his own, especially with all these gro cer eee's...

But as soon as the door swings inwards, Quinn's android personality takes over and all questions are wiped away. The droid shuts the door behind itself, setting down the bags onto the floor. He tosses aside the food, canned or otherwise, and instead takes out all the electronics and fertilizer. But before he gets started, Quinn walks over to Carrie's computer. He hacks into the mall's security feed - using his newfound hacking ability copied from his sister robot - and deletes all traces of his "shopping" activities. Just to cover his ass from any prying eyes.

Then, Quinn gets down and dirty, and starts to make some... surprises... for use on the Magic Shop... cue fade out.::

::Upon fading in, we see a somewhat sweaty/greasy Quinn sitting cross legged on the floor. He has taken off his shirt and is wearing just a white tanktop, stained in several places with grease marks. And sprawled out in front of him are several feet of electronic bits and pieces, circuitry and wires and the like. But standing amongst the mess are four miniature explosive devices - each about the size of a rubix cube

Quinn finally stands up, pleased with its work. But being an android, he shows no such emotion. A compartment in his shoulder opens up, revealing a snug little place for the explosives to rest. The compart shuts back down so that his shoulder looks just as normal as the next human being.::

(Project completed: proceeding to target zone.)

::The android pushes all the left-over electronics into a shoe box and hides them under Carrie's couch. They would come in handy later. Quinn now turns and walks out the door, shutting it behind him as he steps into the hallway.::