Secret hideout Robert Corell

[Overseer]

It had been in the afternoon when Isaac arrived at the Apartment of Robert. He opened the door and he found Robert seated in one of the fauteuils that were placed in the living room.

Robert looked up from his datapad as Isaac entered the room. He gave Isaac a broad and warm smile and stood up to give his son a fatherly hug. "I am very happy for you. May you two be happy together until the end of days."
His tone was slightly pompous but he meant well. Clearly there were a lot of emotions on his face as he let go of his son and offered him a chair.
"Would you like a drink to celebrate?" He walked over to a cabinet to the far end of the room and exposed a small amount of high quality whiskys.

[Isaac]

The apartment started to be familiar to him. It surely didn't feel like something he could call his second home, but it had a certain sentiment of fatherly comfort over it. It wasn't strange to him, but he was glad he was again able to have this feeling, after missing it for such a long time.

It was the first time since he saw Robert after his wedding, although he had come to know that it wasn't the other way around. He had found the humor in him spying on them at the party, but it was conflicting to him. He understood how careful his father needed to be with acknowledging his identity to the outer world.

He had thought very carefully himself about introducing Dave to the group in the first place, because he couldn't be sure enough about his motives. But when they had a few moments of understanding with him during their talk on the R.U. Sirius., after what had happened to Ivy, he finally got to the point where he was ready to let him in. In the end, he realised that no matter how careful you were with giving away secrets, it was all about maintaining the bond with the person that the secret was shared with.

Talking about that, he had been proud of Ivy to admit her guilt in front of everyone in the meeting. He knew how contradicting she could be, where on one hand she had the urge to share things with others but on the other, wouldn't trust others with her own secrets. This time, it didn't feel like she had brought out a secret that was hers to bring out - he could very well understand how Alec had felt when she had confessed. He had also been angry, but he had soon realised that she hadn't told Dave and Johnathan because she thought she could make the decision for herself; she needed to tell them, maybe because she felt alone in all of this, feeling the pressure pushing her down. And, of course, Dave is her boyfriend and he had told her his big secret as well. It would only be fair. Whatever reason she might have had at that time, he could only guess and trust that she had no reason whatsoever to unthinkingly betray them.

But there it was, the reason why he decided not to bring Johnathan into the meeting. The man is smart and wants the best for the people who deserve it, just like Ivy, in a way. He understood why she trusts him more than he did at that time. Even though he hadn't seem him working from up close, he also knew the man was just as talented or maybe even more talented with hacking than Ivy. But the way he had managed with everything, like every single moment was almost too much for him to bear, made him convinced that no matter how good his motives would be, he would not be prepared to know whom the Old Kindred were and what their plans would be. He didn't care about how much he knew about Trevor and what he had done, nor his own identity, but this was something different. It was maybe even a way to understand for him what their motives were.

And then, Ivy's powers. That she could apparently see through things and not just one layer, but all the layers that he could only imagine existing. The way she looked when she saw those things was not like her. He was very sure it would chance her. Make her see the world in a different light, not only literally but also figuratively.

His mind wondered back to reality showly when he saw his father standing up from his chair and walked towards him, embracing him. The warmth of the embrace was pleasant and familiar. He gave him a tight and lenghty hug back before he let go and looked his father in the eye.

"I'm a very lucky man," he said in response to Robert's remark, with a grin spread across his face. His gaze had slightly changed from last time. It had grown calmer, more focussed and happier, in a way.
"And it makes me happy that ye were sorta there to experience it with us," he said with a somewhat cheekier grin.

When his father proposed a glass of whisky he lifted one eyebrow at him. "Do ye even need to ask, da?" he spread his hands and pointed at one of the bottles, "haven't had a taste of that beauty in years. Ye always had that one standing on the side table at home back on Athos. For the cold evenings, ye used to say. I never knew what that meant until I drank it a few days after the attack on the Corell Corp. This time, I hope it'll prepare me for the time to come."

He started to frown, but managed to maintain a light-hearted gaze as he sat down on the comfortable couch, removed his leather jacket and leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. Something seemed to be troubling him, someone like Robert would notice in an instant.

"Da," he said, as Robert poured the whisky, "before we go to the happier subjects, I want ye to be honest with me."

He opened his eyes again and looked at his father, his chin slightly lowered. "I've noticed things that have changed, from the moment we met. I'm not ignorant, nor do I want to be. What changed after ye 'died'?"

[Overseer]

Robert smiled as he noticed the way his son was acting after being a married man, but his smile faded as Isaac asked that question. After he had poured one drink and put it in front of his son he frowned and sat down in his fauteuils again.
It was as if a sigh left his lips, clearly he had seen this coming but found it a tough moment non the less. "Well..." He started, considering his words carefully.

"Robert Corell died."

He stated and paused for a long while before he continued. "I had worked for years, on my life's work. The Androids. Human-lifelike-robots that would raise the question: When is someone a person." Robert looked out of the window towards the Janus IV skyline.

"Before....Robert Corell died, he had made great progress on the internal hardware and had completed one personality. I am still unsure of Robert felt that his time was near...but he decided to extract his memories and store them. Then he combined those memories with his created personality and a AI." Robert looked at Isaac, his eyes looked sad. It seemed that it took him a great amount of effort to continue but he continued.

"After Robert Corell died, being assassinated by fellow Kindred, the Kindred almost fell apart. His friends, Christopher, Alec and Edward were desperate to contain the chaos. When the belongings of Robert were transported, they decided to secure them. With his possessions was...."
A single tear dripped from the corner of Robert's eye.
".....Me."

[Isaac]

Isaac hadn't raised the glass to his lips, because he knew that he needed to be prepared for his answer. The fact that he was right about the suspicions that had slumbered inside him for so long and were brought to light again by Ivy's remarks during the meeting, made him cringe.

The words, the truth, cut through him like a double edged blade none the less. He felt his breath get stuck in throat and his heart started racing. Pure adrenaline and stress made his way through his body like poison.
He inhaled through his nose, clearly shaking and put the glass down on the side table next to the couch without removing his gaze from the man opposite him. His eyes teared up, but it was like he held it back, still, after everything that had happened.

Opening his mouth, he tried to form a sentence, and with lots of visible effort he uttered: "I k-knew. I knew this was what had happened."

This was, of course, the reason why he wanted to keep his existence a secret. Christana, James and Leila would never understand. And he had always known that Ethan would. Right?

He placed his hand on his chest, his gesture a bit more furious than expected and pointed at himself. With his jaws clenched together and emotions uncovered on his pained face, he said: "I know who Robert Corell is. I've always known-who my father is. I knew from the moment I saw you, you were not him."

All of the sudden, he stood up, his whole body was trembling and his voice slowly started to change in tone, volume and ability to control. "Why didn't you tell me? You kept this a secret for me all those years, which is bad enough, but why didn't you add this bit of information when you met saw me again? Do you realize that you tried to let me live with a lie and you god damn well know that I am the only one who would be able to fathom why this has happened at all?!"

[Overseer]

It was clear that Robert felt very sad because of his reaction, though he didn't back off. He actually took the same position Ethan's father had taken when he needed to talk about a difficult subject and Robert frowned.

"It was your Father's wish....." There was a small sigh that left his lips before he continued, but he looked Isaac straight in the eye the entire time.
"I could not break that wish." He let those words sink in for a moment, Robert's gaze hardening slightly.

"If you....saw through what I am...then that means one of either three things. One: You are special as you have always been able to pinpoint every small anomaly in someone's behavior. Two: The project, as Robert left it behind is not finished. Or Three: The Project has failed all together and the idea behind it has failed." The words were harsh, as if Robert had spoken to a younger Ethan who had done something badly, though Robert's eyes were no longer on Isaac, but were now staring at the skyline through the window.

"For what it is worth....I am sorry...for everything. I didn't want this for you. I have not been there for you for a long time since my death and now you feel like you will lose me again. What you must feel now is betrayal and I can't deny the fact that I have in a way betrayed you by not being honest. I am sorry my boy." There was a single tear sliding down one of Robert's cheeks and he, almost angrily rubbed it away.

After a few moments he looked back at Isaac and stood up. "What will you do now?" He asked calmly and respectful.

[Isaac]

"Who are you to claim what his wishes were?! You've been programmed to do everything according to your software and no matter how intelligent your may be, you cannot understand how I feel right now. Don't even try to!" Isaac exclaimed, his voice slightly raised, but he still tried to hold back.

This android, whomever may have helped built and program it, was definitely not an accurate representation of Robert Corell. He would've understood his anger, his frustration and how unfair it felt to him that all this knowledge had been kept from him.

When he started talking about the android project Isaac's eyes widened, now clearly filled with tears, bewildered about these cold, theoretical remarks. It took him a few seconds to regain his balance, he had almost lost it and leaned on the arm rest of the couch with one of his hands. He didn't even hear the words that were spoken after that.

The pained expression on his face made perfectly clear how much effort he had not to go into a blind rage. "SHUT THE FUCK UP! For all I care this fucking android project would've never existed! If Robert had known what would happen, where his wife, his sons and daughter were right now, he wouldn't have gotten involved with the damned Kindred in the first place! If I could've traded all that for my father to be alive, I would have!"

Tears were now freely streaming down his cheeks and he looked into the man's eyes furiously. He realised he had asked him a question, but all he could do was hold himself up. He wanted to remain standing, his body language to be strong and determined, but all that was visible in his eyes was something that made him look like a scared, angry and lost boy.

[Overseer]

It was as if something in Robert snapped and he too looked at Isaac angrily, exactly as he had done when he had been in an argument with James once.
"I do know how you feel."The words were cold but after a short sigh he slowly walked over towards Isaac and calmly spoke. " I knew the risks and it only cost me my life. I died, by building a better world for the three of you. I have lead the Kindred for over 30 years. 30. My only regret is the pain I have caused all of you." He stopped in front of Isaac and it was clear that he had trouble with his own emotions as well but kept them incheck.
There was a much softer expression in Roberts eyes now, as that of a father that is afraid of his son leaving him to never return, but letting him go if he wanted to.

"I wanted to give you hope. Hope in the impossible. Yes, it was a lie but it was not the fault of this Android. I just....wanted to make up for lost time." It was clear that Robert wanted to hug Isaac, but held back as if he was unsure of Isaac would let him.

[Isaac]

There were no words left that he would be able to pronounce. No words that would be fitting to say in this situation. No words that would be able to express what he felt.
He listened to him, his face turned away, to the floor, as if he tried to remain his focus that way. His legs were shaking and tears were dripping to the ground. A couple of shaking breaths were the only thing that made him look aware of his surroundings and the words that were spoken to him.

As the words died out, hanging heavily in the air, it seemed like Isaac was conflicted by something. His eyes switched from the floor to the couch, his face a grimace of emotions that didn't all have a name.
He looked back up to the man opposite him again and when their gaze locked, almost every emotion disappeared, apart from the loss and sadness.

Even though it was almost non-existant, he managed to find his voice again: "All I wanted when I was eighteen and we b-buried my father, was for him to come back alive again. I needed a father that would guide me in the hard choices I would be m-making. And even now I'm a grown up and married man..." He inhaled shakingly and sobbed silently for a couple of seconds before he continued: "I- s-still need him."

[Overseer]

"I know son." Was all Robert said and he embraced Isaac in his arms in a comforting way.
"I am so proud of who you've become...." The warmth of Robert's body was comforting as they stood there for moments.

After Isaac had taken the time to release his emotions, Robert slowly let him go and held him at arms length. There was a smile on his lips, although he clearly had also been crying silently as he held Isaac close. "I know you feel like you still need me....but you have been doing fine without me. I know you did." He squeezed his shoulders in the way he had always done with Ethan, it was this one thing that Robert had always done to his sons to show his affection to them.

"You are much stronger than you give your self credit for." The words were carefully chosen and spoken with a sincerity that made it apparent that Robert truly believed this.

[Isaac]

Even though he knew he was right, something inside him screamed that he wasn't. He knew that it was the young man, barely an adult, that had just lost his father to what he bad thought was an accident, but his older self now knew had been an assassination. Even worse, his father had been betrayed by his fellow Kindred, his friends. It made him angry most of all that some people apparently must have had enough guts to betray a friend. And for what? This world is such a sick one.

In the storm of emotions raging through is body, laying waste to the fort he had built for his own protection, he realised why he had never trusted one person in his life until he did open up his heart to very few, and not even all the way. It was an instinct, one that his father might have unknowingly passed on to him and ultimately did not seem to have protected him in the end.
It made him doubt of his own safety alltogether. Was there any reason that the people that he called friends would betray him in the same way? Be it under pressure?

Eventually, he gave in to the feeling of sadness and let the android - what could he even call him now? - embrace him, doing his best to give him the fatherly support that had been so familiar to him. It was pleasant but all so confusing at the same time. But did it really matter? Did it chance anything? His father's dead, that wouldn't change. Would he call a very intelligent, self functioning AI Robert Corell? Or even his father? Would he call the android he was building himself Trevor Liosis? No. But this was different. Robert had taken the development just that step further that he didn't dare take with his own creation; making it human-like. The thought was fascinating and scary at the same time.

After what seemed hours, he let go of him and took a deep, trembling breath and sat down on the couch. He sipped some of the whisky, his hand clinging to the glass as if it would save his life.

"Who finished your programming after Robert had died?" he asked, with a defeated look on his face.