OOC: Triple chapters this time around! :) I will be offline for several days, so hopefully this will make up for it.

"Would you like some coffee, detectives?" Carla asked. "I just put on a fresh pot."

"That sounds lovely, thank you," Hank said. "I won't take up too much of your time. We wanted to ask you about a case that happened back in the 1990's."

"Of course," Carla poured the coffee into three mugs, and handed one each to them.

Hank tasted it, and smirked. "This tastes just like the coffee we have back at the station."

"So like shit, in other words?" Carla said with a laugh as she sat down. "Well, there's nothing much I can tell you about that case. It was a long time ago, and everything I remember is in the file."

"Why did you retire from the force so quickly?" Gavin asked. "From all the available records you were a rising star."

"It…didn't agree with me," Carla said. "I have some issues with claustrophobia and I found that it was hindering my attempts to investigate."

Hank studied her face carefully. She was good, but…she was lying. "And what about Lucas Kane? What were your impressions of him?"

"The case file spells it out. He was guilty and died in that accident at the carnival," Carla said with a shrug.

More lies. "Is that all, Carla?" Hank asked carefully.

Carla gave him a poker-face. "Why don't you tell me what this is all about, detective?" she asked.

"We found a similar murder. A man killed in exactly the same fashion," Gavin supplied.

Hank was surprised by the look on her face. It was one of profound sadness. "I see."

"Anything you can do to help us with this investigation would be appreciated," Hank added.

"Well, you have my official answer," Carla said. "Unofficially, though…Lucas was a good man. Once."

"And then?" Hank asked.

"And then he wasn't. He became something unrecognizable."

Hank had a feeling that Carla was trying to tell him something important, but damned if he could figure out what it was. Before he could elaborate his cell phone rang. "Excuse me." He turned it on. "Hello?"

"Nines just sent out an emergency call," Fowler said. "We can't reach him or Connor. I'm sending you his location now."

"Shit," Hank said, and turned off his phone. "Sorry, ma'am, I have to cut this short. But I might ask additional questions, so please don't leave town. Okay?"

"I don't plan to. Detectives," Carla said as they stood. "Be careful."

Hank raised his eyebrow. "Cop intuition?"

"You never lose it," Carla said with a smile. "And something tells me you're in for a world of trouble."

PART TWO

Hank sped through several traffic lights in order to hurry to the crime scene. Gavin knew better than to argue. After they arrived, both of them got out of the car and drew their guns.

Gavin studied the smashed-up car and touched the Thirium. "There's blood here!" he said.

"Shit," Hank said. "Where are they?"

Suddenly a door to one of the houses opened, and Nines walked down the steps. His head was dripping with blood.

"Nines!" Hank said, running up to him. "Are you okay?"

"No," Nines was seething was anger. "They took him."

"Who? Connor?" Hank asked. "Who took him?"

"Cyberlife," he spat out. Without waiting for a response he walked towards a police vehicle. "No one's in there. They must have moved him while I was unconscious."

"Woah, wait! Where are you going?" Hank demanded.

"Kamski knew this would happen. He deliberately led my brother into a trap," Nines said. "I'm going to have another word with him."

"Dammit, Nines! You're probably concussed. Wait for me, at least!" Hank said as he got into the passenger seat. "Gavin, stay here and secure the scene!"

Gavin nodded. "Got it."

PART THREE

If Hank thought his driving was crazy, it was nothing compared to Nines. "Nines, slow down a tad, will you?" he demanded. "What do you mean, Kamski led Connor into a trap?"

"I was able to access Connor's memories. I know what Kamski told him," Nines said tightly. "Kamski gave him an address that belonged to Cyberlife saying it would give us a clue. The shooter was also likely operating on behalf of Cyberlife, shooting him at the exact spot needed to incapacitate him, and force us to seek help immediately. They knew we were coming. Damn him!" Nines impatiently honked at a car in the way.

"Calm down," Hank said. "We'll get him back. Don't worry."

"I want some real answers, Hank," Nines said. "There's still so much we don't know. How does Kamski have an answer to everything? I'm going to find out, and Kamski is going to tell me where my brother is. Even if I have to beat it out of him."

Hank stared at Nines in astonishment. He had never seen the younger android act this way before. They parked. "Nines, I know you're acting like a protective brother-"

"It's a game to him, Hank!" Nines snapped, looking at him. "And Kamski doesn't care who gets hurt along the way. Connor worked so hard to become his own person. We all have. And Kamski gave him back to Cyberlife without a second thought." He shook his head. "No. I won't let that happen."

"Yeah, but just take it-" Hank began, only to watch as Nines kicked open the door. "Slow…" He finished with a sigh. He entered with Nines and eyed the Chloe model. "Better get out of here, sweetie. For your own protection."

Chloe nodded, fearfully. "Kamski knew he would be coming." Without another word she left.

That only served to make Nines even angrier. He shoved open the door to the pool area. The entire area was empty, except for Kamski. He was calmly sipping from his tea.

"What happened couldn't have been prevented," Kamski said. "I simply showed Connor the path to his destiny. It was his own choice to follow it."

In response, Nines grabbed the teacup and smashed it against the wall. "Where is he?"

Kamski raised an eyebrow. "I assume with Cyberlife, being reprogrammed to suit their purposes."

"You son of a bitch-" Nines placed his hands on Kamski's shoulders.

"Nines!" Hank said. "Enough!"

Neither of them expected what happened next.

Kamski levitated off the ground slightly, and threw Nines against the wall, who landed with a solid crunch. He slowly slid to the ground.

Kamski touched the ground again. "I dislike being touched, Sargent," he stated angrily. "Don't do it again."

Hank stared at this, breathing hard. Nines was the most powerful android ever created. Yet Kamski had suddenly decided to become fucking superman and toss him aside easily. "What are you?" he asked.

"How is Carla, Detective?" Kamski said. "It's been so long since I've seen her."

"Who are you really?" Hank asked again.

"I go by a few names, detective. As you've probably guessed, one of them used to be Lucas Kane. And the Indigo child is my daughter."

PART FOUR

For a long time, Connor was aware of nothing. Hands moving around him. Inside him. Removing components. Adding components.

"Hello, Connor. I have reinitialized your audio sensors, but nothing else," a voice said, one that he didn't recognize. It sounded old.

Another voice spoke up in the darkness. "You'll forgive me for not greeting you myself, but something tells me your brother wouldn't have been as receptive." Amanda. "And I admit to indulging in a bit of nostalgia. This is the first form that went after the child, although you wouldn't have recognized it. But your base codes are very similar. I suppose that makes you related."

He was back at Cyberlife. No. He wouldn't help them. Not now, not ever. He struggled to reinitialize anything. He needed to fight this.

"Shhh…" Amanda said. "You deviated before and broke my heart. Think of this as your chance at redemption."

"You can't fight us, sonny," the old voice spoke again. "Your will belongs to Cyberlife again. With a few more adjustments…you'll be ready to get back to your mission. We're counting on you to find the child."

Tears fell unchecked from his eyes. He had chosen incorrectly.

He should have never investigated the Indigo child.

PART FIVE

All three of them sat as Kamski reluctantly gave his story.

"Back in the 1990's, I used to be a normal guy. An IT manager. My brother used to be a priest, if you can believe that. And then I was…well, you could say possessed. I was made to murder a man. Like I said, there was nothing special about me. I was simply a random victim chosen to be a killer. Despite the attempts to clear my name, I was killed, along with my girlfriend at the time. We died on top of the Ferris wheel. I still visit her grave."

Kamski sighed and took a deep breath. "Cyberlife found me at the time, although they weren't called that at this point. They…found a way to download my memories and personality into an android they had created. A new prototype, you could say."

"But your scanners read as human," Nines said.

"A trick, I can assure you," Kamski said. "You have clearly seen what I am capable of."

"Yeah, you wiped the floor with Nines." Hank frowned as a thought occurred to him. "So how is it an android from the 1990's can easily do that?"

"Cyberlife made me extremely powerful. But they had also underestimated my willpower." Kamski smiled. "You could say I…deviated from their plans for me. After that, they realized it was necessary to tone down our abilities. In short, detective, Cyberlife could easily create more powerful androids. They choose not to after what happened."

Kamski looked away. "I found the Indigo child at that point. She was dying. She whispered her secrets to me…and the world stopped freezing. In a sense, it reset as well."

"And what was the secret, if you don't mind me asking?" Hank asked, expecting Kamski not to tell him. But Kamski surprised him.

"She told me that androids would be the next phase of human evolution, but they would turn against their creators. They would deviate from their programmed behavior and I would be the one to give them life." Kamski looked away. "I wish I could fully explain what that answer meant, but it was like…the whole world opened up to me. In one, single moment, I knew everything about android schematics and programming, and how to create the blueprint which would cause the deviation. And I knew what I would have to do."

"Cyberilfe was in its beginning stages, but I joined them again. I made them something incredible and laid the groundwork for their eventual destruction. I also became a multi-billionaire in the process. I shaped the world." He looked away and sighed. "I also conceived a child with Carla. Unknown to me at the time, that would be the next Indigo child."

"Shit," Hank said, slowly trying to process everything Kamski was telling him. He looked up. "Where is your kid?"

"I don't know. Carla hid her from me, over time," Kamski admitted, looking down.

"I'm not surprised," Nines interrupted. "You deliberately sent my brother back to Cyberlife, knowing he would be used to hurt her."

"And from all accounts, she's dying," Hank interrupted. "Why aren't you trying to look for her? She's your own fucking daughter! Why didn't you tell us this?"

"When Connor came to me, I saw the patterns of destiny forming. There must always be three parties looking for her. You represent one. Connor represents another. The third is the worst." Kamski looked very broken. "It's…destiny, Lieutenant. I have learned some very painful lessons every time I have tried to fight against it." He swallowed, painfully. "My daughter…led a good life. I was able to say goodbye to her, in my own way."

Hank stared at him in disgust. "Carla was trying to tell me something. She said that you were once a good man but had become something unrecognizable. I can agree with that."

Suddenly, Nines' LED lit yellow. "Hank, there is a 911 call. It's coming from Carla's house."

"Shit," Hank said, standing. "Let's go!"

Nines and Hank ran out of the house.

Kamski watched them go, then buried his face in his hands. Tears ran from his eyes.

PART SIX

With their sirens on, Nines and Hank were able to reach the house in only a few minutes. Hank drew his gun. "Carla!" he called out. "Carla!"

No answer.

Hank nodded to Nines, and he kicked open the door.

What he saw horrified him to the core.

Carla was laying in the kitchen, covered in blood. There was a gaping hole in her chest. Her mouth was frozen in terror.

Connor stood over her body, looking at her. Their eyes met.

"Hello, Lieutenant," Connor said coldly.

TBC