It happens at least once a month

"Are... you okay... Noa?"

Milli draws away from the counter with worried eyes.

"Ah! Confusion! You're expressing confusion. That one I can tell. What in the world were you trying to do with the first one?"

"...I was smiling?"

"You're kidding! You looked like you wanted to commit murder and/or defecate!"

"....."

"Ah! You're sad! Upset? Both!"

"I think the software you gave me was defective."

"Well it can't be helped! Custom software is usually done on-site to adjust for each android's unique deviations."

"Why didn't we do that then?"

"The girl who gave me that drive gave it to me for free... from the place she worked at."

"You gave me an illegal copy."

Milli flashes me another peace sign. I hang my head in defeat.

"First a second-hand face now this..."

"Second-hand?"

"It's nothing."

"Wait, your face is-"

"It's nothing."

I hastily pour Milli a glass of K44 and slide it towards her. The bubby light pink liquid sloshes around, nearly spilling. She drinks it without complaint. A moment later Milli starts swaying her head from side to side rhythmically.

"Try not to start another concert here."

"Aww, why not? You could totally charge people for it, I don't mind."

"Nobody comes here to listen to a drunk android's screeching, Milli. Please don't disturb the other customers."

"What other customers?"

At that moment the front doors burst open and a man stumbles in. With panicked breaths he nearly falls onto the floors. His head rapidly moves around as he searches the place, causing his messy top knot to swing wildly. The man has a thin, patchy goatee and a faded horizontal scar right above his left eyebrow. His face is sweaty and desperate.

"Please. I need to hide."

"Under the counter. Now."

He wastes no time and obediently rushes to my side. I open the cabinet next to where the android drinks are stored and gesture for him to enter. He crawls in and curls up, barely fitting. Not even a second passes before the doors slams open again, this time five other people march in.

The man heading the group has blood red hair styled in a short faux hawk and tattoos covering half his face. They're all wearing similar street clothes with subdued colors. One of them has a bulky cybernetic arm and an imposing yellow eye implant.

"The fuck is this? Some kind of synth bar?"

"Hey! You two!"

The man, presumably the leader, addresses us with a severe expression.

"Where's the-"

"Human, weird top knot, all sweaty and gross?"

Milli cuts him off and I follow up.

"Has a scar, right over here?"

I tap right above my left brow.

"Y-Yeah, that's him."

Milli and I both point at the kitchen doors.

"Shit. Cag, Yuzu, chase after him! Roy, Dina, we'll go around and cut him off!"

Three exit and two bust into the kitchen. Hopefully Gin and Reggie will understand the situation. We pass the next minute in nervous silence.

Connecting to Device ZCHU385336...

There is no sound. I can see four of the five people. They're in an alley nearby. The man with the red faux hawk kicks the garbage dumpster, seemingly out of frustration. The person with the yellow eye pulls up a digital map of the local area and his implant overlays it to the alley. He's saying something and the other four are looking at him. After a brief discussion they start walking off, away from the bar.

Disconnecting from Device ZCHU385336...

"It's safe to come out now."

I open the cabinet and the man with the scar spills out.

"Oh... Oh god I'm alive... Thank you, both of you thank you..."

"Well you're very welcome mister sweaty topknot man."

"Buy a drink and we'll call it even."

"Right, yeah, of course. Got any Red Gin?"

"Coming right up."

The man moves around the counter and takes the seat next to Milli.

"I'm Caliber by the way."

"Nice to meet you Caliber, I'm Milli! One half of aiMeter, and this is Noa, the other half!"

"I am not."

"Thank you again, Milli, Noa. I gotta say, you handled that real well."

"It happens at least once a month."

"Yeah! That's how I found this place actually, I got chased by some creepy stalkers. Ugh."

Milli takes another swig of K44 and the rhythmic swaying returns. Meanwhile I serve Caliber his Red Gin.

"So! Caliber, first of all, love your name. Real cool sounding. And second, were those your creepy stalkers too or...?"

"Thanks, I used to run a gun enthusiast shop back in the old world. And no, they're uhhh... gangsters."

"Ooh, sounds bad. Maybe you should call the police, at least get some protective custody."

"No I... I'd rather not. If I don't go to work I'll lose the place I'm staying at and probably everything in it. Not to mention snitching is what got me into this mess in the first place."

"Wait so you already reported them?"

"I didn't! See, I'm a mechanic and they're customers of mine. I knew they were gangsters but business is business right? One of them had me fix up their car last night then out of nowhere the cops appear and arrest her, and they think I set her up!"

I freeze up, hoping my 'malfunctioning face' doesn't express realization... or guilt.