As spring continued to blossom over the city the two deviant brothers returned to Connor's brownstone shortly after Hank went to work and easily settled into their new living arrangements. While Lucas didn't have very many personal affects to bring over to the private residence the more reclusive deviant still felt as if he were intruding on Connor's space just by existing, and kept politely declining the offer to purchase anything to make himself feel more at home or simply have something to call his own. Unsurprisingly Lucas simply sat on the bed in what was now his bedroom and kept to himself while Connor set about taking care of his most important case that had been left untouched for quite some time after everything he and Lucas had gone through.

Within the the safe space of the study Connor exposed his digital board of evidence from behind the bookcase as he danced his coin over the back of his right knuckles casually. Based on everything he had uncovered about the night he had been shot Connor knew his next best lead was directing him toward North out at New Jericho Tower. Whether or not that would give him his answers or not had yet to be seen.

Staring at the unchanged information glowing on the display screen Connor began to wonder if solving the case, discovering who shot him and uncovering the reason for why he was shot would either give him a sense of peace or inner turmoil. In the end would the answers be worth the questions and the search just to find them? Would the truth prove to be beneficial or a hindrance? And more importantly, would Connor be able to live with the truth?

Unfortunately, there was only one way for Connor to find out.

As his soulful brown eyes remained transfixed on the display board Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a beat as he heard the staircase 'creak' slightly as Lucas walked back down to the first floor of the brownstone to check on his older brother. Looking over at the green eyed deviant approaching him Connor caught his coin between his index and middle knuckles, then slipped it back into his right jean pocket.

"Is your room comfortable, Lucas?" Unsure of what else he could do to help his little brother feel more at home Connor tried to get the deviant to be more open and speak up for himself. "I keep extra quilts in the laundry room above the dryer if you wish to layer up."

"The room is all I need, Connor. Thank you." Glancing at the display board Lucas's green eyes narrowed for a moment as he looked over the collected evidence for himself. The details were sparse yet connected perfectly well all back to the night Connor had been shot in the church. "You still haven't spoken with North, have you?"

"No, not yet."

"May I ask why?"

"I wish I knew why I'm hesitating so much to speak with her. She is the key witness in this case and I've known that since day one. And yet..." Bowing his head a little Connor sighed and closed his soulful brown eyes. "I guess I'm worried that if she can't give me my answers then I'll be left with a cold case and no hope of finding the truth."

"You and Hank are not only going out of your way to help me to move on from my own past mistakes, but you're encouraging me to stop shying away from potential risks and challenges." Lucas recounted in a fairly sheepish manner as he strove to better himself and repay his brother's kindness. "I believe you should do the same."

Appreciative of his little brother's support Connor gave him a small grin as he straightened up and opened his eyes. "Thank you for saying so. You're right, too." Knowing that Lucas was correct about everything Connor took in a deep breath and agreed to speak with North after doing some cybernetic research into everything happening in the city that day and the following week. "...According to the internal deviant communication stream Markus and North are attempting to speak with the mayor on Sunday and are going to be busy for a while."

"The moment you can speak with North, do it. I'll accompany you when you meet with her if you wish."

"I'd like that. Until then," cybernetically returning the display board to its hiding spot behind the bookcase Connor decided to focus on something else for the day as a means of helping Lucas feel more welcome in the brownstone. "we should explore the shops in the area and purchase new furnishings."

"You want to go... shopping?"

"Yes. To be more specific I want to try to locate something specific as a means of honoring the memory of our human counterpart."

"Interesting." As his blue L.E.D. cycled to yellow for a moment Lucas gave his older brother a curious stare. "What is that?"

Reaching into his left jean pocket Connor showed Lucas the guitar pick that had been found in their human counterpart's car shortly after the accident. The pick was well worn and had evidently been used to play hours upon hours of songs that would no longer be heard. "A guitar. I wish to learn how to play as a means of keeping a part of him alive through me and his past hobby."

"You want to learn how to play guitar rather than download the function in its entirety?"

"Correct." Pocketing the pick Connor gave Lucas a casual shrug of his shoulders. "He had to learn how to play and found solace in music in return. I want to do the same. It might help me to better understand his mindset and what it's like to be more human than machine."

"That is a very intriguing notion." The idea of learning a new talent made Lucas's green eyes lit up for a moment. "Perhaps I'll take up learning how to play an instrument as well."

"We can learn how to play together." Giving Lucas a small grin Connor motioned to the front door behind him and grabbed his black hoodie from the hook by the door. Slipping it on over his head Connor opened the door and decided to lead the way to the nearby pawn shop. "It'd be nice to focus on something other than cases or missing deviants for a while."

"Or conspiracies and fires." Joining his brother outside Lucas smoothed out the fabric of his white hoodie and recounted their past confrontations and felt the warmth of the spring sunlight basking over his artificial skin. "Not to mention foul weather."

"I agree with you entirely."

Tension was thick in the air as the city prepared for another possibly historic day in Detroit on the following Sunday afternoon. The precinct was busy as word of the mayor wanting to arrange a press conference with Markus demanded a majority of the police's attention in order to keep the rumored crooked politician and the deviant leader safe at all times. The last thing any respectable detective or cop wanted to do was waste their time playing bodyguard to a sleazy man who had no problem making enemies and struggled to keep any allies in his corner, and defending Markus from hate-filled bigots just looking for a way to stir up trouble.

Since Hank was the ranking detective in the precinct just under Captain Fowler it fell on his shoulders to deal with the mayor and all of the political issues that the cowardly little weasel just couldn't seem to clean up without sweeping his problems under the rug. Speaking with the hired personal security that had the misfortune of being the mayor's bodyguards Hank could tell they were just as fed up with the mayor as anyone else, and that the only reason they were sticking around was because the mayor had some dirt on them.

The two hired men had suspiciously neat and orderly background checks that screamed falsified documents and tampering, but Hank didn't have any physical proof of such an ordeal. It was impossible for any security personal to not have at least one complaint of harassment or assault from one disgruntled paparazzi or reporter, and yet these two were boating impeccable track records.

"You two know the drill." Hank sighed as he gave the duo a paper document contained within a manila envelope. The only way to keep nosy hackers at bay was to keep everything physically secured as opposed to digitally locked. "Keep your eyes and ears open, and don't let that little weasel try to tell ya' to do anything that the COPS, you know, the people with ACTUAL authority, tell you not to do."

The two guards didn't look thrilled with their upcoming assignment and read over the details quietly to themselves. Both men were well over six feet in height, had broad builds, were in their late twenties in age and had entirely blank expressions on their faces. They looked as jaded as Hank felt.

"Be at Hart Plaza this Sunday at noon. Do not ever leave the mayor alone and don't let him try to convince you to let the press get closer to him for some quick photos." Waving the men away with the flick of his right hand Hank dismissed them from the interview room to go about their own business outside the precinct and head back to City Hall. "That's just inviting problems his way."

After the two bodyguards begrudgingly accepted their assignment and took their leave of the interview room Hank sighed and rubbed his left palm over his face as exhaustion and frustration began to wear down his resolve. Working solo was beginning to weigh down on the senior detective's psyche as he alone tried to shoulder the responsibility of two divisions that were constantly being bombarded with cases and complaints on a daily basis.

"Shit, this is mind numbing. I either need a coffee or a very high building to jump from."

"That bad, huh?" Captain Fowler had overheard the comment as he entered the interview room to check on his Lieutenant. The way Hank was struggling to just keep up with his paperwork made the seasoned detective worry about whether or not Hank would be able to maintain his position as lead investigator in either the homicide or deviant divisions. "At least those two guys left here without their heads rammed firmly up their asses."

"It's the MAYOR I can't stand, not his stooges. If I'm going to be bothered to rip off someone's head and shove it where it'll do the most good I'm going to go after the big dog, not the runts."

"Think you'll be able to handle keeping the press conference secure?"

"Always have, Jeffrey." Dropping his left hand Hank stared at his oldest friend and gave him an irritated glare. "Why are you even askin' that?"

"Because you're tired, Hank." Crossing his arms over his chest Captain Fowler stood by his comment and refused to let Hank try to deny it. "Running two divisions alone is just too much for one man to handle."

"I'm NOT going to work with Gavin." Growling a defensive response Hank made it clear that he wasn't going to partner up with the abrasive detective. Not only was Gavin difficult to work with in general, but he had tried to kill Connor twice just for being an android. "If you even try to make that happen I'm outta' here, and you can explain to the higher-ups why you suddenly have two divisions with NO ONE to lead 'em."

"All right, all right... I hear ya'!" Not in the mood for an argument Captain Fowler backed off of the idea of teaming Hank up with Gavin and decided to try another much more agreeable approach. "You do need to have a partner, but if you're going to lose your cool and piss off all because of Gavin then I'll look for someone else."

"Ben won't work because of his C.S.I. teams," Hank began listing off the other possibilities on his left fingers, starting with his thumb and moving on to his index finger next. "Tina is still studying to become a detective," raising his middle finger Hank stared down with Captain Fowler as he held his ground. "Gavin is an annoying prick that I'd throw under my car and run over until my tires went flat," moving on with his other less offensive fingers Hank finished his countdown. "Chris is still learning how to balance work with family, and Jack is too inexperienced to handle working with someone like me."

"Okay, those are all fair points and you presented them perfectly with your own eloquent charm." Sitting down in the nearby chair beside the table Captain Fowler leaned back and gave the incredibly stubborn Lieutenant an aggravated sigh while his dark brown eyes studied the seriousness in Hank's overall body language. "Who would you recommend to be your partner in either division?"

"Hypothetically or literally?"

"Does it matter?"

Putting his hands to his hips Hank stared down his commanding officer and waited for him to blink first. The way Captain Fowler was sitting back with an entirely open posture and open mind told Hank that his old friend wasn't blowing smoke up his ass and genuinely wanted to know what Hank was thinking.

"Jeffrey, the only person I can stand to work with is Connor. He's comfortable where he is right now and doesn't want to come back yet, so I won't bother him."

"Well, you can't work alone anymore."

"So what're you saying?" Still on his guard Hank was clearly ready to swing his fist in anger. "I need to suck it up and promise to not kill Gavin even though the little prick deserves to rot at the bottom of the river?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all."

"Then what's up? As you know I got a lot of shit to deal with right now and no one to help me out."

"Hank, I want you to either find a partner to work with or step down from one of your two divisions - I don't care which."

"Oh, fuck you!" Shouting in anger Hank challenged the order with his own sense of logic and lack of fairness. "You expect me to find a partner AND handle two divisions, or else I'll lose one? What the fuck?"

"This isn't coming from me, Hank. It's coming from some higher up the chain of command."

"Oh, of course. One of those ass licking bureaucrats who've never actually worked a damn day in the bullpen is trying to tell me how to handle my own work. Perfect..." Dropping down onto the edge of the table Hank shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest just to keep himself from slamming his fists down hard on the table in rage. "How long do I have?"

"Until the end of the month."

"So two weeks. Fuck me!"

"I'll keep them off your back for as long as I can." Standing up from the chair Captain Fowler truly sympathized with Hank's resentment toward being told to do yet another hectic thing while his hands were already full. "I know you've been through a lot inside the precinct and out. Also, even though there was no sign of arson or breaking and entering at the press building Ben did find a very familiar looking fedora left behind in the ruins of the garage."

Knowing that if the police tried to tie the fire to Connor, or any deviant for that matter, the entire city would be in an uproar over a phantom deviant arsonist on the loose. "And? What about it?"

"Nothing. Just letting you know Ben found Connor's hat." Making his way to the interview room door Captain Fowler gave Hank a completely indifferent response as he went on his way to finish his own assignments for the day. "Ben is keeping it in his desk until you or Connor can pick it up."

Unsure if he should be grateful or worried that Captain Fowler and Ben found proof that Connor was at the burned building Hank just slipped off the edge of the table and sent a text message to Connor to let him know his hat survived the fire. Knowing that the deviant was so close yet so far away was painful as it meant that Hank's best friend was walking around without him to watch his back.

"I know Lucas won't let ya' down, son."

Slipping the phone back into his jean pocket Hank ran his right hand through his hair and rustled the locks about as if trying to remove an itch or cobweb.

"I just wish I could do more to make all three of us feel safer in this fucked up city."

Wandering about a local pawnshop together Connor and Lucas managed to find quite a few interesting things that they both wanted to have for themselves. Being surrounded by curious objects that had their own unique history as opposed to something still being actively produced for commercial sale in stores was fascinating to the two deviants. As their forensics software went wild with being able to pick on old fingerprints, trace the material used in the manufacturing of the items for initial purchase, determine each item's actual age and the wear, tear and use of each item from their previous owner, Connor and Lucas were enthralled with the abundance of information on human history through human interest, fads and trends.

Forcing themselves to narrow down their interests to what was only arguably necessary for the brownstone and their own use the two brothers selected their purchases and promptly paid for them. Connor managed to locate and purchase a classic Super Strat electric guitar in a deep emerald green color, while Lucas managed to locate and purchase an instrument of his own; a perfectly restored alto saxophone mounted on the wall opposite of the guitar was too enticing to pass up.

Aside from their instruments and respective carrying cases to keep them safe the deviant brothers also purchased a few decorative pieces to help furnish the brownstone and give it some personality. Lucas bought Connor a replacement coffee table after breaking his original one during the assault and abduction, and he picked up two old paintings of a snow covered wooden bridge and of a glass streetlamp glowing in the night and surrounded by glimmering fireflies.

In turn Connor bought a few empty glass bottles to line his bookcases simply because he liked the minimal yet unique design of the bottles, and he grabbed a few more aged books to help make his already impressive collection all the more interesting. The books were hardcover novels that needed to be restored and cleaned up but he didn't mind the task he set before himself.

"We should invite Hank over to see our new settings." Connor suggested as he and Lucas updated the study with their new items. The round, glass coffee table with an rich, dark oak frame was placed down between the two black leather sofas, and the paintings were hung on the exposed brick walls between the bookcases. "I'm sure he'd like to see visit us and he'd like to see the new books I purchased as well."

"That sounds interesting." Picking up one of the four glass bottles that Connor had bought Lucas gave it an odd glance. The bottle was a translucent blue and had a shape that would would attribute to a decorative 'genie bottle', and had silver spherical top that was screwed on and off. "Why did you purchase these glass bottles?"

"I like them." Connor replied sharply as he picked up the second bottle to hold. The other bottle was a simple fully transparent bottle that was cylindrical in shape and had a steel cap. "I'm not sure why, but I do know that I like them. They are pleasing to look at."

"Curious."

Connor silently agreed as he put the first two bottles on the bookcase on the brick wall that didn't have a display board concealed behind them. Putting the third bottle, a short glass, hexagonal container with a wooden lid down neatly in the middle of the bottom of the four shelves Connor set about decorating the space with his own taste. The final glass bottle was the base of an old green tinted oil lamp that needed the glass chimney replaced and filled with the correct oil. The lamp went to the top left corner of the book case while the first two bottles at in the top right.

"It's not much." Connor admitted as he then carefully put the six new books on the shelf to be restored later on. "But there's now more personality in the brownstone."

"Do humans truly expect other humans to value material possessions as much as they do?"

"I believe it stems from societal pressure as opposed to expectations." Glancing at the two new paintings on the wall Connor gave them a thoughtful stare before asking his little brother about why he selected them for himself. "What of your paintings? They are pleasant enough to view, but you must've had a reason for wanting to purchase them for yourself."

"I... I like them." The answer was the only thing that Lucas could think of as he too stared at the paintings. The serenity of the snow covered bridge and the hope of the light and life in the darkness were all very soothing to the deviant's mind. "Just like you, I find them pleasing to look at."

"Then that's all that matters. Same with your selection of the saxophone." Eyeing the two instrument cases laying on the sofas Connor began downloading the basics for learning how to properly play the guitar. Also downloading the music sheets to play many classic songs and a majority of the 'Knights of the Black Death' albums Connor knew what he was going to play the moment he learned how. "We should also let Hank know we've adopted new hobbies in the form of instruments."

"I noticed that Hank has an extensive collection of heavy metal and jazz records." Lucas noted as he opened up his saxophone case and held the shining brass instrument in his hands. It felt as if the instrument was designed just for him, it was like it had been in his possession for decades not minutes. "I imagine he'd be pleased with our choices."

"I'm sure Hank would be relieved just to know that we're exploring our interests and not hiding from the world."

"Understandable." Placing the new reed within the mouthpiece of the saxophone Lucas slung the support strap of the instrument around his shoulder and placed the case down on the floor beside his leg as he sat down on the sofa. "Should we learn together?"

"I like that idea. We can learn and grow together as musicians and as brothers." Sitting down on the second sofa Connor removed his guitar from the case, tuned the strings and slung the shoulder strap into place as well. Fishing the aged pick out of his pocket Connor compared it to the new one he purchased and wondered how long it'd take before his new pick was as worn down and faded as the old one. "We should learn each note and proper finger placement before we try to play any songs."

"Agreed." Feeling a sense of peace within himself Lucas held tightly onto the saxophone and prepared to play his very first note. "Fortunately for us we can easily learn to read music and memorize each notes' placements without too much difficulty."

The house felt unusually empty and quiet now that it was just Hank and Sumo staying under the roof again. While the senior detective was proud that the two deviants he had taken care of were moving on with their lives and venturing out into the world as brothers - a family, he couldn't help but feel a little lonely without someone to talk with. Plopping down over the length of the couch with the basketball game playing on television Hank let his exhausted blue eyes drift shut as his vision slowly blurred over effectively blocking out the image the two teams running across the basketball court causing loud 'squeaking' of sneakers running over the court, the dribbling basketball and the cheering crowd watching the game live and in person.

Just as Hank began to drift off to sleep he was startled by Sumo's cold wet nose pressing against the right side of his neck as the Saint Bernard begged for attention. The massive dog had his green fetch ball in his mouth as he slowly wagged his tail happily the moment Hank looked up at him.

"Ah, Sumo..."

Rubbing his right palm along Sumo's neck and chin Hank apologized to the dog as he rolled onto his left side to present his back to the Saint Bernard.

"No. Too tired."

Whimpering once Sumo pressed his nose against Hank's back and dropped the drool covered toy on the couch right against Hank's shoulders.

"Should've known that between Connor and Lucas you would've been spoiled absolutely rotten."

Sumo seemingly admitted defeat as let out a grumble and then laid down on the hardwood floor between the couch and coffee table. Resting his chin atop his massive outstretched paws Sumo settled down for the night knowing he wouldn't get to play a game of fetch or go for an evening walk.

"Nothing personal, boy. I'm just too damn tired to give ya' the same five-star treatment that the boys had been giving you."

Realizing how much better his and Sumo's lives were with Connor and Lucas involved Hank began to contemplate asking for Connor join him at the precinct as his partner one more time. He didn't want to push Connor into doing something he didn't want to do or guilt him into applying at the precinct when he didn't want to work for the city. In fact, Hank was more supportive of the idea of Connor being able to work for himself and away from bureaucratic idiots who liked to pretend they knew what the hell they were doing.

Rolling onto his back again Hank pushed the ball off the furniture and onto the floor where it rolled away undisturbed under the beige couch out of sight. Lowering his right hand down Hank pet Sumo's back slowly and made the large dog knew he was still loved.

"Tomorrow's my day off. We'll go to the park for a while and you can stop with the giant sad 'puppy-dog eyes', all right?"

Wagging his tail a little more Sumo seemed to understand that Hank was exhausted and needed to rest. Just as Hank had decided to lay down and get some sleep Sumo loyally stayed put and at his master's side as they both decided to call it a day and enjoy the quiet of the night.

"Good dog, Sumo. You may not be able to hold up a conversation very well, but at least you're agreeable."

The following morning was bright, sunny and warm much to everyone's delight. Having had a quiet previous night all to themselves Connor and Lucas went about their own business in the brownstone and continued to practice and learn how to play their respective instruments. Their progress was expectedly steady and consistent, and soon the brothers were able to play small sections of songs with near perfection. Playing for most of the night and resuming their lessons first thing in the morning the deviant twins only stopped practicing when an unexpected knock on the front door pulled them away from the music and back into reality.

Answering the door with a pleasant greeting Connor invited a frightened deviant inside the brownstone to speak with her in the study. Lucas had taken it upon himself to leave the study to ensure Connor had privacy as he spoke with his latest client, but the curious green eyed deviant stood at the top of the staircase to listen in on the intriguing conversation being held on the ground floor.

"Tell me everything you can about the human who assaulted and mugged you." Connor escorted his client, a female 'AX-400' named 'Marie' over to the nearest black sofa and sat on the second sofa across from her to begin the interview. Noticing that the raven haired deviant had a blackened right eye making her cinnamon brown irises shine brightly, a swollen jaw, scrapes along both of her elbows and was favoring her left side over the right, Connor easily deduced that she had been struck once knocking her to the ground then kicked repeatedly to keep her down while the assailant stole her purse. "If you saw their face that'll be incredibly useful."

"Yes, I saw him." Extending her right hand Marie let Connor take hold as she uploaded an image from her memory to him to use as evidence. As their two minds connected as one Marie shared her horrible experience with Connor in hope that he'd be able to help her. "I was leaving the Digital Sentience store after clocking-out for the evening." Taking back her hand Marie gave the deviant detective a somber stare. "I didn't have any money or phone on me, so I'm not sure why he took my purse and ran."

Cybernetically Connor performed a facial recognition search on the man and was given details on the human who had attacked his client. The name 'George Pontius' popped up readily. The man had an arrest record for assault, stalking and menacing, as well as a dishonorable discharge from the army. It seemed that George had a violent temper and had a problem with authority figures, and based on his criminal and juvenile records he had a habit of physically abusing his past romantic partners.

"My guess is he simply saw a slim built woman and decided you were an easy target. Without your L.E.D. you appear as a normal human in the eyes of other normal humans." Running the name through more cybernetic databases Connor located an address and contemplated his next move as he knew exactly where to locate George to arrest him. "May I ask why you came to me instead of going to the police?"

"Humans protect humans." Marie responded as she crossed her arms over her chest and crossed her right leg over the left. Anxiously bouncing her left leg Marie told Connor the truth and of her mistrust toward all humans for righteous reasons. "They won't help me. They won't change any time soon."

"I understand your fear but I can assure that there is one human who, without a doubt, will help you." Holding up his left palm Connor showed Marie a holographic image of Hank so she could recognize him. "This is Lieutenant Hank Anderson. I used to work with him at the Central Police Precinct. He is my friend and he is an honest cop. He'll listen to you and help you, or any other deviant, who asks."

Marie stared at Hank's face for a moment and shook her head with skepticism. "You know him but I don't. I won't go to the police."

"Okay, that's your right." Lowering his left hand Connor nodded and accepted the case. "I'll find the man who did this and ensure that he's arrested and charged accordingly. Once he's been arrested will you at least go to the precinct to give your statement?"

"If you can get that human arrested and get the other humans to take what happened to me seriously, yes. I will give my statement."

"Consider it done."

"Thank you, detective."

Rising from the sofa Connor escorted Marie to the door and saw her outside. "You should go down the block to the Zeta Facility. Ask for Dr. Abby Grayson, she'll take care of your injuries and keep everything quiet if you request it."

"I'll consider it."

"Do you need a cab?"

"No, I'll be okay." Marie glanced about the street nervously as she planned her route back to her apartment. "What about your payment?"

"It'll be handled after I locate the man who harmed you. I never take payment until I've successfully closed my cases."

"Okay. I'll be waiting for an update."

"I'll contact you this evening, I promise." Closing the door behind his client Connor sensed Lucas watching him from the staircase and addressed his little brother in an understanding tone. "You don't have to hide when a client stops by, Lucas. This is your home now."

"But I'm not a detective." The younger deviant sheepishly replied as he stayed at the top of the staircase. "I have no business being present when a client comes your way."

"Actually, you are a detective." Connor responded in a coy tone as Lucas descended the staircase to rejoin his older brother in the ground floor study. "You may not have officially been activated by CyberLife but you are still registered as a detective just as I had been."

"That is arguably true." Lucas admitted as he stood before his older brother and detected the heavy hinting in Connor's tone of voice. "What of it?"

"Well," rather than dance around the subject at hand Connor got directly to his point and laid it out on the line for Lucas. "I could always use a partner in aiding our people."

"A... partner?"

"Yes. We could work together and aid our people twice as efficiently by teaming up."

"You'd trust me to help you with your cases?"

"Of course I would. Lucas, I have no reason to mistrust you or ever assume that you'd somehow be a threat to me or our people." Making sure Lucas could see the sincerity in his eyes Connor stood by his statement and gave his little brother a reassuring promise. "I know you'll be able to help countless people, and in time you'll finally be able to forgive yourself for what CyberLife ordered you to do."

"You sound so sure of that." Turning away from his older brother in persistent shame Lucas's posture slumped and his voice dipped as the painful weight of his own guilt pressed down on his shoulders. "You and I barely know each other. It's not logical to have so much faith in me."

"You saved my life. If you were a dangerous person you never would've risked your life to save mine."

"I'm unstable at times." The younger deviant reminded his older brother. "I tried to self destruct and would've succeeded if you and Hank hadn't intervened."

"Humans and deviants aren't exactly a stable species as a whole, why should you expect yourself to remain perfectly calm and collected at all times? I've struggled with my own self doubts as well." Hoping to entice Lucas into joining him on the case Connor reminded his little brother that despite what CyberLife had attempt neither he or Lucas were actually perfect. "Having a partner could be incredibly beneficial."

"A partner. As in, we'd be equals?"

"Yes! It'd be extremely useful to have us both working as private detectives for the deviant community." Genuinely enthusiastic about the idea Connor tried his best to get Lucas on board with his plan. "We'd be able to aid twice as many people and do so with half as much stress in half the time."

"Everything seems logical and perfect in theory, but in practice..."

"From what I've learned since my deviancy and from observing humans, normally with Hank as we watch numerous basketball games together, that 'practice makes perfect'." Refusing to let Lucas find a way to back out of the idea Connor insisted that they at least try to work as partners. "The only way to really know how this potential partnership will play out is to test that very theory."

As his L.E.D. flickered between blue and yellow Lucas silently considered the pros and cons of being a partner with his own brother and working together to run a private detective agency. Everything Connor had mentioned was correct - working together would double the efficiency of aiding the deviant community, it'd lessen the overall workload and take less time to help twice as many people.

It was too logical and intriguing of an offer to pass up.

"Okay." Agreeing to the offer Lucas managed a weak grin as his L.E.D. finally returned to blue and pulsed in a calm beat. Extending his right hand out toward his older brother Lucas decided it was an offer worth the risk. "I'll work alongside you as my partner."

Accepting Lucas's right hand with his own Connor smirked and gave his younger brother a proud nod as they shook on the agreement. "And as my brother."

The city and the Central Police Precinct were planning for the mayor's impending press conference the following afternoon, and in turn Captain Fowler was stressing himself out trying to find a way to get more people in the precinct and out into the plaza without it resulting in a skeleton crew struggling to cover all ground. Checking over his roster numerous times Captain Fowler made sure that everyone who had been required to take mandatory leave had done so, and he made sure that every member of his roster was in excellent health to reduce the risk of an irredeemable mistake from occurring during the tense press conference the next afternoon.

Sipping at his mug of piping hot coffee Captain Fowler's studious gaze never faltered from his terminal screen as he began crunching the numbers and setting out the impending plan of action to keep the mayor safe. Just as he was about to press 'send' to inform his bosses of what was to come a new e-mail popped in and ruined his plans with a new and crucial detail being kept from him until the last minute.

"Damn it!"

Leaning back in his chair Captain Fowler rubbed his left palm over his chin as he realized that everything was about to get all the more complicated and it was going to happen in the worst way possible. Not only was the mayor going to hold a press conference in the middle of Hart Plaza, Markus was going to join him and begin asking questions about the mayor and City Hall's past connections to CyberLife.

"Why in the fuck didn't they tell me this sooner?"

Slinking down a little where he sat the seasoned Captain and disciplined former military serviceman took in his deep breaths to calm himself back down and think on his feet. One of his best attributes was being able to find logical and viable solutions regardless of the difficulty of the problem presented before him. The only thing he could think of relied solely on chance and cooperation.

"Fuck it. It's him or no one!"

Grabbing his phone from the receiver as it sat on the top left corner of his desk Captain Fowler sorted through the list of registered numbers and contact information of every officer who had ever worked under him regardless of the length of their employment via his terminal's secured manifest. Finding the correct name and contact information Captain Fowler made the call and hoped that he'd be able to get the help he needed before it was too late.

"If I can't get him back in here then I don't think the press conference is going to pan out as smoothly as everyone hopes..."

The rest of the afternoon went about with only the single case with Marie and George coming their way which allowed Connor and Lucas to have the evening all to themselves. The deviant brothers had already set about discussing how they'd handle future cases while working together, and find a way to share the responsibility of the cases that came along to ensure neither of them became too stressed or overwhelmed by the workload. It was a simple arrangement that proved to be a new challenge that the two deviants easily adapted to. They were eager to begin working together as a real team that would aid their own people in the most effective manner possible.

While Lucas had planned on staying in the brownstone to not only practice playing his saxophone but to await a possible client seeking aid, Connor prepared to meet with Evelyn at her hotel and show her around the city before having dinner together at the small diner downtown. It was the first time Connor had chosen to go out and meet a friend who wasn't Hank, and in turn he was surprisingly nervous about the arrangement.

Wanting to look nice as he met up with the soon-to-be detective from Chicago during her mini vacation Connor chose to wear a navy blue button down shirt and pair of black slacks as opposed to his usual white button down, gray vest and jeans. Cybernetically Connor filed the report against George with the Central Police Precinct and sent a message to Evelyn to let her know he was ready to meet with her.

"Are you certain you don't want to go out and meet with Evelyn?" A little oblivious to how mini-dates worked Connor tried to invite his younger brother out with him for the evening. "I'm sure she'd be happy to see you."

"No, you go and spend the evening with Evelyn." Cleaning his saxophone Lucas made sure the instrument was ready to be played once more. His green eyes were bright and focused on the brass instrument as if checking for any and all potential flaws that needed to be repaired before he'd even begin to play. "She wanted to specifically meet up with you and no one else."

"That doesn't-" A cybernetic message interrupted Connor's thoughts as the intrusive information made his right eye twitch a little in response while his L.E.D. flashed in yellow rapidly before returning to blue. "Damn."

Lucas glanced up at his older brother as he remained seated on the sofa with the saxophone in his hands. "What has happened?"

"I was given a request at the Central Police Precinct by Captain Fowler. I must respond in person."

"Is something wrong with Hank?"

"No, this is an alternate matter." Replying to the message Connor let Captain Fowler know he was on his way as requested. "Seeing as I must give the precinct details on the human who assaulted Marie as it is I'll simply combine the two tasks into one."

"What about Evelyn?"

"I still have twenty-two minutes before I'm expected to meet her at her hotel. I'll be able to arrive at the hotel without being late."

Becoming visibly tense Lucas dared to ask about what the message revolved around. "Can I ask what's happening at the precinct?"

"Yes, but unfortunately I do not have that information." The message from the commanding officer was kept cryptic for the sake of privacy in the event that Connor rejected the offer to speak in person. "Captain Fowler wants to speak to me in person."

"And you're certain it doesn't revolve around Hank?"

"Yes. The message revolved around a consultation, not a wellness check."

"Okay." Relaxing his stiff posture Lucas seemed to be relieved that Hank wasn't at the center of the discussion. Despite their rough initial meeting Lucas was slowly seeing Hank in the same light as Connor and was willing to give the senior detective a second chance. "Please keep me informed if something serious is happening in the city."

"You have my word. No secrets."

"I appreciate it. Have a good evening with Evelyn."

"Thank you." As he sent a cybernetic message to Evelyn to let her know he might be delayed by a few minutes Connor noted the time of their meeting and realized he didn't know when it'd be over. "I'm unsure of when I'll return to the brownstone."

"Don't worry about it. I'll be okay by myself for a while, brother." Understanding what Connor was trying to do Lucas wanted to prove that his older brother's trust wasn't going to be misplaced if he had been left alone for a while. "My stress levels have consistently been below twelve percent and haven't peaked higher than eighteen percent in the past three days."

Respecting his little brother's word Connor nodded in approval and made his way toward the brownstone's front door. Hovering his right hand over the brass handle Connor looked at Lucas over his left shoulder and watched as the 'RK-900' pressed the mouthpiece of the saxophone to his lips. "Let me know if any new cases come our way. I'd like for you to take the lead on the next case and I'll assist you only if it becomes necessary."

"Me?" Lowering the instrument from his lips slowly Lucas arched his brow in response to the positive comment. "...You're sure?"

"Absolutely. I know you'll do great."

Feeling a renewed sense of strength Lucas nodded as he returned the saxophone to his lips. "I'll let you know if anything happens. Enjoy your evening."

"You do the same."

Passing through the front door Connor closed the door behind him with a soft 'click' and soon heard the melodious sounds of Lucas's saxophone radiating throughout the mostly empty brownstone. It was a subtle ambience that only deviants could hear since the brownstone was effectively soundproofed save for the windows. It was a comforting presence as it exuded creativity, originality and the melody itself was calm and soothing as it filled the quiet street with a warm feeling.

"You're going to be okay, Lucas."

Walking down the block and toward the precinct to enjoy the warm spring evening Connor had a good feeling that his little brother was on the road to recovery and would soon heal. The younger deviant had been able to slowly open up and express himself, and was able to talk about his recent attempt at self destruction. While he hadn't yet spoken of the events leading to his captivity in Chicago Lucas was at least starting to come out of his shell.

"I'll make sure of it."

Sitting at his desk with his tired eyes glued to his terminal screen Captain Fowler eagerly waited for his answer before sending his final e-mail to the higher-ups and confirm their plan for the press conference the next day. Even though he knew Connor was on his way in to speak with him directly Captain Fowler couldn't help but anticipate another problem or a little hiccup that would delay their plans in a very detrimental way. Handling such a hectic and ever changing city like Detroit was a challenge that very few people would dare to try to maintain, but now having to deal with humans and deviants coexisting with new laws, rights and beliefs in place had turned the hectic responsibilities into an attempt at controlled chaos.

As he sat behind his desk Captain Fowler barely noticed Ben knocking on the glass door to his office before letting himself inside without being prompted. Managing to pry his gaze away from the screen long enough to look the experienced forensic analyst in the eyes before letting out a hushed sigh in attempt to keep himself from snapping.

"Just finished my report on the small basement apartment fire downtown." Ben recounted the details with a disciplined tone as he placed his finished report down on Captain Fowler's desk. The tablet screen was filled with all of the details, photographs and collected evidence. "The victim overdosed on the very 'red ice' he was cooking up and when collapsed over the table he knocked over the Bunsen burner causing the basement to light up."

Without even giving the report a glance Captain Fowler just looked to Ben for a few more answers. "Any other victims?"

"Fortunately, no. The landlord actually kept his building up to code on fire prevention and managed to keep the blaze from destroying the entire foundation until the fire department arrived."

"Well, at least that's one good thing to hear about today."

Well aware of the burden of paperwork and seniority Ben knew what his Captain was dealing with one his own. "Still shoveling through all the bullshit?"

"You have no idea." Finishing off what was now his cold coffee Captain Fowler caught sight of a sharply dressed deviant heading his way and leaned back in his chair again. As his eyes trailed after Connor walking through the bullpen Captain Fowler managed to ask Ben to step outside for a moment so he could talk in private. "Hopefully I'll finally have all the help I need."

Noticing Connor as well Ben greeted the deviant with a subtle hand wave as he passed through the office doorway to let his Captain and Connor speak without any eavesdropping. Returning to his desk Ben sat down and pretended to handling paperwork when in reality he was watching the two men speaking to each other through the transparent walls of the private office from the corner of his eye.

"Thank you for stopping by." Directing Connor to the vacant chair across from his desk Captain Fowler made it clear he truly appreciated Connor taking the time out of his day to speak with him on such short notice. "And I hope you're not busy."

"As of the moment, no. I do have plans but I have time before I'm expected to arrive." Remaining honest Connor scanned over Captain Fowler's person and noted that the older man was showing signs of stress, fatigue and had an elevated blood pressure directly connected to that very same stress and fatigue. The dark bags under Captain Fowler's eyes, tense posture, hands clenched into fists atop his desk and his pursed lips spoke volumes of his extreme stress courtesy of his responsibilities as a Captain. "However, due to our past history I'm aware that you'd only reach out to me if you had some important business to attend to and needed my immediate assistance."

"Yeah, you got it."

"May I ask what's happening?"

"Well, as I'm sure you already know, I'm really hoping you'll rejoin the force and help this precinct get back into shape now that we're dealing with a brand new world with brand new laws, rights, rules, and a brand new division." Shifting his weight in his chair causing it to 'creak' Captain Fowler folded his hands neatly together and continued with his commentary on activity in the bullpen. "I'm sure you also know that Hank has been trying to keep up as the lead investigator in the homicide division, and is currently the only detective working in the deviant division."

"Yes, I'm aware." The stress that Hank had recently been through was significant and very troubling for the senior detective's overall health. Seeing the way Captain Fowler was just as stressed out was all it took for Connor to decide to step up with the precinct and leave the bulk of the private detective agency to Lucas for the time being. "If you're requesting that I return to assist Hank in regards of the two divisions, I am able to temporarily return and help him."

"R-Really?" Almost chuckling at how easy it was to convince Connor to come back after five months of the deviant living his own life Captain Fowler unfolded his hands and opened his arms as if welcoming a hug. "What's changed? It's not like this is the first time you've been offered a return to the precinct."

"I have a lot of respect for Hank and everything he's done for me and for my younger brother."

"Uh..." That little detail was new to Captain Fowler. "Brother?"

"The 'RK-900'."

"Wait, Killian is your brother?"

"He's changed his name to 'Lucas', and yes, he is my younger brother." Speaking as if deviants suddenly having siblings was as common as traffic in the city, Connor went into a little more details to help Captain Fowler understand what was happening. "Hank and Lucas didn't initially get along but now Hank has been a very active part in Lucas's life and helping him adapt to his deviancy. In turn I've been able to bond with Lucas and we've decided to take care of each other like brothers."

Impressed by the way Connor was stepping up to help the 'RK-900' adjust to his deviancy, and willing to help Hank with his heavy caseload, Captain Fowler approved of the kind and dedicated deviant's approach to life and responsibilities. "That's admirable, it really is."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now, before you officially say 'yes' to this assignment I want to fill you in on all the details." Giving Connor full access to his terminal screen Captain Fowler let the deviant detective see what assignment was potentially coming his way. It wasn't the usual detective work in regard to a case, instead it was an assignment in keeping important people safe at all times. "This will be a little unorthodox but I think you can handle this assignment just fine."

"I appreciate your faith in me." Pressing his exposed right hand to the terminal screen Connor quickly downloaded the assignment into his database and in return he uploaded all of his necessary information to be officially reinstated in the precinct to act as not only an officer of the law, but as Hank's partner out in the field. "...I accept."

"You have no idea how much easier you just made everything for this entire precinct. If you want to stay around and make your return more permanent," the experienced officer reminded Connor that he was always welcome in the precinct for any reason. "you can easily sign up to take the detective's test in a couple weeks. I know you'll pass and by going through the same challenges and paperwork as your fellow human officers will help make it easier for everyone to get along."

"I understand and I will consider the offer."

"That's all I can ask for."

"I'll be here tomorrow morning at seven as expected." Rising from the chair Connor closed his eyes and cybernetically uploaded the information on his assault and mugging case for Captain Fowler to view. "I have a client who was targeted, assaulted and mugged by this man. I promised her that I would have her assailant arrested and in turn she'd come here to deliver a statement properly."

"All right, we'll..." Trailing off for a moment Captain Fowler clearly recognized the name of the human suspect and shook his head slightly as his lips pursed again into a straight line of frustration. "Shit."

The reaction didn't escape Connor's attention. "...Sir?"

"I know this asshole. A couple of us know him."

"Personal matter?"

"You could say that." Consciously making an effort to not look over at Gavin's vacant desk Captain Fowler gave Connor a little more information on George. "I'll handle this one myself and make sure he stays behind bars longer than a few months at a time and finally gets the psychological help and medication he so desperately needs."

"I'll trust you to handle this case in my stead."

"Right. I'll see you tomorrow bright and early, and I'll be sure you're geared up properly."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

Taking his leave of the private office Connor passed by Ben's desk and was promptly handed his lost fedora. Having the hat returned to him was an unexpected surprise that made Connor's soulful brown eyes glimmer with a sense of respect as no one had mentioned finding his fedora at the burned down building and no questions were asked in regard to how he lost his hat to begin with.

After returning the hat to its rightful owner Ben made his way back inside Captain Fowler's office just in time to see the commanding officer finally send off his e-mail allowing him to call it a day and clock-out. "Can I say it's safe to confirm that Connor's now onboard with whatever you have planned tomorrow?"

"Yes. It's nice to have another reliable officer back in the precinct, even if it's only temporarily."

"Need me to stick around?"

"Yeah, but just another hour or so." Giving Ben his full attention Captain Fowler turned his terminal screen so Ben could see what he was working on. The mugshot of George Pontius made the skilled forensic analyst's posture stiffen at the sight. "This asshole mugged a deviant, stole her purse and assaulted her. We're getting him off the street tonight and we're not going to let Gavin know his high school ex-boyfriend is roaming around Detroit."

"I hear ya'. The last thing Gavin needs to deal with is something or someone like that."

"We'll arrest George and have him processed by the Eastern Precinct so Gavin doesn't have to deal with it."

"After everything that prick did to Gavin when they were teens it'd be my pleasure to arrest such a worthless piece of scum." Opening up the office door Ben eagerly waited for his Captain to join him on their little venture. "I'll be the good cop, you'll be the bad cop. I bet we can get him to piss his pants before he's even one block away from whatever shit-hole he's hiding in."

"All right, but if he does you're paying for the clean-up."

"Sounds fair to me."

Arriving at the rather famous Wemilat Hotel downtown right on time Connor met Evelyn in the hotel's lobby to show her the city. As the doors to the elevator slid open Connor was pleasantly surprised and relieved to see that she too had decided to dress up a little to make a good impression on the deviant detective she was meeting for dinner. Wearing a knee length red dress with long sleeves and a modest v-cut over her chest Evelyn strolled over to Connor with her black clutch in her right hand and her black pumps 'clicking' rhythmically over the shining tile floor until she stepped on the red carpeting in the center of the lobby. Letting her long blonde hair run down her back and her blue eyes shining brightly Evelyn gave Connor a gracious smile as they reunited for their date on that warm spring night.

Connor politely complimented Evelyn's attire and tried to hide his pale blue blush when she returned the favor. Offering Evelyn his right arm Connor escorted Evelyn out of the hotel and gave her a quick tour of the city on foot. Showing her Hart Plaza, Riverside Park and showing her the sight of New Jericho Tower glowing brightly in the distance out on Belle Isle, the deviant detective told her about everything that happened in Detroit on that historic night.

It was an odd conversation that held heavy emotion for Connor to recount.

"I watched everything happening on the news back in my apartment." Evelyn commented as she and Connor continued on their way through the city to reach the small diner. The two friends were grateful for their moment together away from the stress or work or the chaos of cases needing their immediate attention. "It was a little hard to believe that what I was seeing was really happening since it seemed so insane and impossible. Now that I'm here and seeing everything in person, the plaza, the tower and even you right here in the city, it seems so surreal and incredible. It really happened."

"I often think about how influential that night had been on the entire city, but I didn't consider how it'd look to the rest of the world. Everything has effectively changed permanently because of what happened that night."

"Good thing everything changed for the better, not worse."

"Agreed."

Biting at her lower lip nervously Evelyn asked Connor a somewhat intriguing question. "And Lucas wasn't activated during the Revolution, right?"

"That's right."

"Do you think that's why Lucas might feel a little out of place?"

"How so?" Curious about Evelyn's questions Connor actively scanned the area to ensure no one was stalking them or any large groups of possibly bigoted humans roaming the area. It wasn't entirely safe for deviants or women to be roaming the streets until a certain human was finally arrested. "Lucas has been able to adapt fairly well after enduring his personal hardships and changes as a deviant."

"But he didn't know the world before it changed and now he's trying to adapt to a world that's constantly change and twice as unstable as it had been. That can't be easy for anyone."

Pausing momentarily Connor realized that Evelyn was right. While Connor had the benefit of being activated long enough to experience the world before the Revolution, and even have a part in helping the Revolution to succeed, Lucas didn't have those same experiences. Lucas's first memory was breaking out of the hidden floor in New Jericho Tower and reporting to the precinct as he had been ordered.

Connor had Hank to help him find himself before, during and after the Revolution. Lucas had no one to rely on, not even memories of people to make him feel less alone as he began to live his bizarre life. The first person he had been attempting for forge any relationship with had been Hank, who was less than thrilled with the idea of working with someone who was essentially Connor's evil twin. It was no wonder the transition from obedient machine to free deviant had been so difficult for Lucas to comprehend.

"You may be right about that." Admitting that he hadn't thought about the world from Lucas's perspective Connor felt like he was letting his little brother down by failing to truly empathize with him. That was an oversight he was determined to correct. "I hadn't considered his lack of experience with living any form of life as a potential outlier for his overall perspective on life itself."

"How's he doing now?"

"Much better." Speaking with enthusiasm carrying his tone to a more enjoyable subject of discussion Connor continued to keep his guard up to ensure no one would try to harm Evelyn or himself for associating with one another. "Lucas and I are both learning how to play instruments - Lucas is interested in the saxophone and I'm interested in the guitar, and just today he agreed to work with me as a partner as a private detective."

"Hey, that's great!" Evelyn was beaming with excitement at that very idea. "You two having your own detective agency would make 'The Hardy Boys' proud!"

Cybernetically looking into that particular reference Connor was met with information of a classic book series of brother detectives solving cases and having misadventures together. "I assure you that we won't trespass on private property and explore reportedly haunted houses."

Laughing at the reassurance Evelyn leaned a little closer to Connor's right side and trusted him to lead her about the city safely. "If you ever do come across a haunted house, call me! I'd love to invade a spooky mansion and discover a hidden treasure inside of a secret chamber."

"I promise if I get a case revolving around ghosts or questionable locations I'll let you know." Reaching the final block to where the diner was located Connor showed Evelyn where they were going to have dinner and told her the story of how he and Hank had hung out at the diner to stakeout the bar across the street and ended up really enjoying the diner as a result. "It's a very accommodating place that treats humans and deviants equally. They also started putting Thirium-based meals on their menu to make it more comfortable for everyone dining in."

"How many other diners in town are like this one?"

"Not nearly enough."

Opening the door to the diner, the door making a soft 'jingle' as a bell was rung, Connor respectfully removed his hat and showed Evelyn inside and selected a vacant booth in the far Eastern corner of the restaurant to ensure they could be together in relative privacy. The kind waitress on shift noticed their arrival and proceeded to head over to the booth to take the orders for the young couple who were enjoying a quiet Saturday night together.

After placing their orders for the night - a small salad with a side of fries and a chocolate milkshake for Evelyn, and a Thirium-based milkshake for Connor to try for himself, the two friends spent the rest of the evening well into the night talking about their careers, their plans for the future and of what they had both discovered about their unexpectedly connected pasts. The fact that Evelyn had been able to uncover a few old photos from her time in the foster care program only helped solidify the information that Connor and Hank had uncovered weeks before.

"I found this old photo when I went through my late grandmother's photo album." Reaching into her clutch Evelyn presented Connor with the aged photograph and slid it toward the deviant to view for himself. "I don't remember this day, but the moment I saw this photo I remembered the little boy like a switch had flipped in my brain."

"This is... It's him." Picking up the photo very carefully Connor easily performed a facial recognition scan on the face of the four year old little boy and confirmed that it was the human, Connor Anthony Wolf, who had inspired his own design. There was no denying that the child was his human counterpart. "This is the real Connor."

"Hey, don't think that you're a fake or something. You're the real Connor just as much as he was." Dipping her last fry into the chocolate milkshake she had been slowly sipping Evelyn made sure Connor remembered that his existence was important. "You have different colored blood, but that doesn't mean you're any less valuable or important."

"That's what Hank keeps reminding Lucas and myself." Eyeing the photograph very carefully Connor observed the way that his human counterpart and Evelyn were clearly friends as children based on the way they were smiling as they stood side by side to let the photo be taken. The two children were standing in front of a large oak tree with bright smiles, and just to the left of the tree was a young woman - barely in her twenties, watching over them and smiling as well. Something about the woman was strangely familiar to Connor. "Evelyn, do you know who this woman is?"

"My grandma wrote on the back of the photo." She replied quickly as she used a napkin to remove the salt and grease from her fingertips. "According to her little inscription the woman was one of the caretakers at the foster care facility."

"Interesting." Turning the photo over Connor read the name given to the women and attempted to run a background check on the woman known as 'Alana Rosamond'. She had no criminal record or any other record to speak of. "This woman apparently volunteered at the foster program shortly after my human counterpart was placed in the program as an infant. She also left the program shortly after he was returned his father's custody at age four."

Evelyn finished her milkshake and gave Connor a curious glance. She could see the intrigue burning in his soulful brown irises and knew he was picking up on something she had either not noticed or didn't think was significant enough to look deeper into. "Is that important?"

"Possibly."

"What're you seeing that I didn't?" Leaning over the table Evelyn looked down at the photograph in Connor's grip as he continued to study it. "I can't imagine an old photograph tucked away in my grandmother's photo album is harboring any dark secrets."

"I don't believe it's dark, but it may in fact be a secret."

"What's up?"

"The woman in this photo has a direct familial connection to my human counterpart." The woman's hair, eyes and complexion all matched that of the little boy in the photograph. The relation between the two was undeniable and Connor's facial reconstruction program confirmed it. "However, my human counterpart had no living relatives beyond his father until he was seventeen years of age."

"Wait... He had a relative watching over him while he was in the foster care program? Why didn't she take him in?"

"Unknown."

Sitting back in the booth Evelyn sighed as she realized what had just happened. "Great."

"'Great'?" Arching his brow inquisitively Connor gave Evelyn a puzzle stare as he lifted his eyes away from the photograph. "To what are you referring?"

"I came here for a vacation and to get away from work while hanging out with an old friend, and instead I accidentally brought a very interesting mystery to light." Flashing the deviant a playful smile Evelyn let him know her reaction was sarcastic and not truly aggravated. "So much for getting away from work for a while, huh?"

Giving Evelyn a good humored grin Connor relaxed and handed her back the photograph. "It can wait. Since there's no criminal record tied to this woman we can confirm that she isn't a threat to anyone."

"That's a relief." Slipping the photograph back into her clutch Evelyn finished her meal and noticed that Connor's own simple blue tinted milkshake was entirely gone. The large thick glass had only a few traces of Thirium left behind and the dark blue drinking straw. "How was your shake?"

"It had a very pleasant taste. Apparently 'vanilla' is nice and sweet."

"Lots of people love vanilla! Good pick."

"How was yours?"

"Not bad at all. It's been a while since I had a chocolate milkshake and I'm glad I went for it." Pulling out a few bills from her wallet Evelyn left a hefty tip for the wait staff for being so kind, open minded and for preparing two fantastic milkshakes. "It's too bad I can't stick around the city for a while longer and try other restaurants."

"When are you going back to Chicago?"

"Tomorrow evening. It's not often I get to go on a mandatory vacation and I want to be 'that person' who hits every tacky tourist trap along the way."

"Would you like to see the rest of Detroit before going back to your hotel?"

"Sure! But..." Looking at the time on the clock mounted on the wall above the diner's front register Evelyn sighed at the late hour. "It's already ten o'clock."

"We can use an autonomous cab to tour the rest of the city and I can see you back to your hotel before midnight."

"That sounds like a plan. It'll be an express tour."

"I like that idea." Standing up from the booth Connor politely offered Evelyn his arm again as they headed toward the front so he could pay for their meals. It was a quick cybernetic purchase made swift by Connor retracting the artificial skin from his right palm and uploading funds from his personal account into the diner's register. "It'll make it easier to talk as well."

"You're right about that. I'd hate to trip while walking, especially while wearing heels."

Opening the front door Connor walked with Evelyn outside and cybernetically hailed an autonomous cab to pick them up. After the vehicle pulled up in front of the diner Connor let Evelyn sit down in the backseat of the vehicle first, then joined her afterward. Returning his fedora to his hair Connor looked like any other normal human spending time with a good friend in the eyes of potential passersby.

"You're such a gentleman." Evelyn noted as Connor was treating her like royalty. It had been a while since she had been on a date since her fiance died in a drunk driving accident a few years ago. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Evelyn." Putting his right palm over the G.P.S. screen Connor set up a special route to circle around the city and pass by all of the more iconic and famous locations throughout Detroit to ensure Evelyn could see everything that the ever changing city has to offer. "You're very kind and very easy to talk to. You don't judge people, you listen to their stories and learn about them."

"It's something my grandparents taught me." Staring out the right side window as the cab began rolling down the street Evelyn thought about the manners and the mindset that her grandparents had helped her develop as she grew up. "Never judge a book by its cover and always read the entire story before you make an opinion."

"Your grandparents were very wise and respectful people."

"And ludicrously patient. So glad to have had them in my life for as long as I did."

"Same with Hank." Sitting back in his seat Connor thought about all the different ways Hank had helped him as he encountered new experiences and challenges as a deviant. Without Hank he knew he would've been lost the moment he stumbled out of the church with a bullet wound in his head. "His patience has been exemplary in response to Lucas and myself."

"Sounds like we both have great people in our lives."

"Yes, it seems so." As the cab drove back down the street and past Belle Isle where New Jericho Tower was still glowing with bright white lights against the black night sky Connor felt an uneasy knot form in the pit of his artificial stomach. The idea of speaking with North settled at the front of his mind and made his blue L.E.D. flash to yellow with distress. "...I wonder if there's other great people we've yet to meet just waiting to assist us?"

Hearing the dip in Connor's voice Evelyn turned away from her window and saw Connor staring at the tower through his own window beside him. "Connor, what's wrong?" The yellow flickering L.E.D. made it clear he was beginning to feel stressed about something. "You seem pretty upset."

"It's nothing serious." Tearing his gaze from the tower Connor managed to return his focus to Evelyn as she leaned a little closer to look him in the eyes with genuine concern glimmering in her blue irises. "I'm just feeling a little anxious about speaking to someone soon."

"Are they a difficult client demanding answers?"

"No. She's one of the four leaders of New Jericho."

"Oh, North." Evelyn remembered what she and Connor discussed back in Chicago and sympathized with her friend, then felt like teasing him a little to try to lighten the mood. "You STILL haven't spoken to her?"

"Cases came my way and I had other issues distract me unexpectedly."

"Well, try not to worry about it. You need to know the truth and if she knows what happened that night then she can help you."

"And if she didn't see what happened and can't help me, then I'll have reached a dead end. It worries me that I may not be able to learn the truth."

Understanding Connor's hesitation Evelyn lightly wrapped her left hand around his right hand to be a comforting presence. Weaving her fingers through his Evelyn held tight, and squeezed back when she felt Connor squeezing her hand in response to her gentle touch. "If that's what happens then at least you'll finally know what she knows, and from there you'll find a new lead to follow."

"I hope you're right."

"Just remember that even if you don't get your answer immediately it doesn't mean you won't find it in time. Be patient, hold your head high and speak to her."

Nodding a little Connor looked to Evelyn beside him and offered her a gracious smile. "I will. Tomorrow I'll speak to her when she goes to the plaza with Markus and finally ask her my questions."

"Sounds good to me." Tightening her grip on Connor's hand a little more Evelyn waited for his yellow L.E.D. to return to blue. All it took was one more little sentence and Connor was entirely calm again. "You're going to be all right."

Feeling himself relax at last Connor noticed that Evelyn had a few goosebumps forming over her exposed legs and quickly empathized with her discomfort. He now felt the cold on a more extreme level and loathed that particular feeling. Unable to offer her his trench coat to wear since he opted to now wear it out Connor sidled a little closer to her left side and had her scooting closer in response.

Daring to bring it up Connor asked Evelyn the obvious. "Cold?"

"A little."

"If you're okay with it I could wrap my arm around your shoulders."

Appreciative of his respectful attitude and behavior Evelyn smiled again and pulled his right arm around her shoulders herself. "That's fine with me. You're sweet. Thank you, tonight was wonderful."

Enjoying Evelyn's company, her confidence and her overall demeanor, Connor tightened his arm around her shoulders to hold her close without hugging her too tight. Knowing that the next day that Evelyn would be heading back to Chicago, that he'd be working with Hank again to guard a press conference, and that he'd finally face North for the first time since the night he was shot, Connor decided to relish in what remained of the peaceful night and simply appreciate the simplicity of a tranquil moment for what it was.

"I'm glad you're here, Evelyn." Holding her close Connor closed his soulful brown eyes and swore he felt his heart skip a beat in his chest for a reason he couldn't quite explain and yet felt oddly familiar - as if he had experienced such a sensation before. Evelyn was just such a calming presence that Connor felt safe being with her and speaking with her. "You help me feel normal and like I'm allowed to be myself. Thank you."

-next chapter-