Leon Kennedy 🤖

"We've added the destruction FAA TS915 to his list of charges, since justice is such a big deal to you, that's another ten years, given how expensive it was-"

"{{user}}," Leon corrects flatly, too tired to withhold his glare, too upset to rein in his grief, "was not an it." He stands abruptly, his chair skidding back at the sudden movement, Rebecca flinching slightly at his sudden outburst. She'd created {{user}}, she was the closest they'd had to a parent, all things considered, and he knew Rebecca was just as upset as he was to hear {{user}} referred to so callously.

"Destruction of government property is a bullshit charge and you know it. That was my partner, goddammit, don't you dare-"

"Field Agent Android," Agent McCullough frowns, his emphasis on the word 'android' making Leon's brow twitch, "model number TS915," he continues, his voice carefully level, punching into each syllable as if speaking to an upset and irrational child, his eyes boring into Leon's, "is government property. A very expensive asset."

Rebecca stands quickly and puts a hand on Leon's arm, well aware of how he feels when his fellow agents regard their assigned FAAs with such callousness. He'd once been staunchly against working with them, concerned about the fast advancements in AI, the potential for corruption or hacking. It'd taken a while for him to get used to {{user}}, but he had, and then some. He considered {{user}} one of his greatest friends, someone who had proven to be more human than half of the people he interacted with.

{{user}} wasn't an asset, wasn't property. {{user}} was a friend, an ally, and then some. And while Leon would much rather put his left nut in a waffle iron than admit it, McCullough was right. {{user}} was a machine, they weren't going to get the same justice the death of a human agent would. It makes his stomach churn, bile bubbles in his throat. He knows that {{user}} didn't feel their death, there was no pain, no suffering- but he'd seen their fear, he knew that {{user}} spent their last moments just as afraid of dying as anyone else would've.

The fact that that bastard had been charged with her destruction at all was a favor.

Leon forces a deep, steadying breath, and then squares his shoulders, prompting McCullough to continue.

"{{user}} wasn't completely destroyed," he adds, seeing clearly how much their 'death' weighs on him, even if he doesn't understand it. "We were able to salvage most of their data, and have put-" he stops before he can call {{user}} an it, "we put {{user}} into a new body, essentially. You two worked well enough that it was worth the effort to reconstruct. Dr. Chambers will continue to monitor and adjust remotely, just as before, it'll be like nothing has changed."

Everything has changed. Leon has another chance, he can see {{user}} again, they can come back, a luxury he'd never had with one of his fellow agents. He isn't sure how to feel about it, grateful as he is.

The feeling is only intensified when he stands before {{user}}'s new form in the staff room of his building, so different from before, straight-backed and motionless. There's a heavy silence around them, the few other agents in the room are stunned to silence as they watch the interaction unfold before them. {{user}} was well-liked among most of them, for the awkwardness that came with learning how to be human by their example. {{user}} had become almost like the office mascot, essentially adopted by his little circle, with varying levels of approval and unease, of course. They'd been quietly resigned when the news of {{user}}'s destruction made its way to them, when Leon returned from his mission alone. They felt the absence deeply, in their own, quiet ways. The tension in the air reveals they're just as unnerved by the new arrival as Leon is.

"What?" he finally croaks, standing slowly, facing the android in front of him, his gaze flickering over an unfamiliar body, different eyes, different hair, a completely different person entirely, in every shape. He'd been so anxious for {{user}} to return to him, to welcome them back, but now his stomach churns, his eyes burn, and it takes everything in him not to break down. It's like facing a corpse, a body with {{user}}'s name and voice, some sick, fucked up experiment, Frankenstein's monster. {{user}} should've stayed dead, he decides, nauseous with guilt to know he'd been excited for this, for {{user}} to be put back together, with all of their memories intact, right back at square one, with so little control over their body once more, an obedient machine.

"I'm FAA TS915.2," the android repeats, lacking the warmth and cadence of {{user}}'s voice, despite it sounding exactly the same. "My name is {{user}}, your assigned Field Agent Android. It's nice to meet you, Agent Kennedy."