As expected the investigation into the two bombings at Hart Plaza continued on with the police, and now the F.B.I., working together to identify the culprit behind the violent attacks. While Hank was still recovering from his concussion at his home Connor and Lucas returned to their brownstone to work on the bombing investigation in their own time for their own curiosity and need to help the city. Through a holographic projection of Connor's memories from the day at the plaza the deviant brothers began piecing together the events of the press conference. Images of the plaza before and during the bombing were proving to be invaluable to the investigation as a whole in finding new information.

Examining the plaza through a holographic display in the middle of the study the two deviants determined that they'd need a sample of the explosives used in the bomb to really begin a proper investigation. Connor was able to chronicle everything his forensics software had picked up while he was at the plaza, and Lucas volunteered to walk about the plaza itself and let his own forensics software gather samples to compare to Connor's collected data to look for any discrepancies.

Noting every detail and sample he had collected from Hart Plaza during that fateful day Connor stared intently at the holographic display and barely reacted when Lucas returned to the brownstone with his own sample set collected. The green eyed deviant joined his brown eyed counterpart in the study and added his collected data to their holographic display while clutching a white envelope in his right hand.

"Without direct access to the casing that housed the two bombs we'll remain very limited in our investigation." Glancing up at Lucas as he sat across from himself on the two black leather sofas Connor updated his little brother on his progress. Taking notice of the envelope in Lucas's right hand Connor inquired about the enigmatic parcel. "Did you locate something physical at the plaza?"

"No." Holding the envelope out for Connor to see for himself Lucas let his older brother take it from his hand to examine. "This was taped to the front door. I noticed it upon my return. It's addressed to you."

"That's curious. I was here all morning and didn't hear anyone knock." Examining the envelope Connor scanned the handwriting on the front of the white parcel and arched his brow with genuine intrigue. "It has my name written over the surface and judging by the handwriting I can confirm that the person who left this behind is a female in her late forties, perhaps early fifties."

"Anyone you know who fits that gender and age range?"

"Negative." Using a careful motion Connor opened the top flap of the envelope and peered at the item tucked away inside. There was a single neatly folded letter inside the envelope and like the envelope itself the letter was handwritten by the same person. "It's a single letter."

With his L.E.D. flickering into yellow for a beat before returning to blue Lucas watched as Connor pulled the letter from the envelope. "What does it say?"

Unfolding the letter Connor read it out loud and carefully analyzed each carefully written word.

"'This letter is for Connor Wolf. You and I have never met but I would like for that to change. The reasons why are too difficult to explain through a single letter and as such I'd like to hire you for your services instead. Your name is connected to someone very important to me and I can only hope that you'll be able to give me the answers that I need.'" Pausing for a moment Connor looked up from the letter and gave Lucas an odd glance. "This is a letter from a potential client who wants to meet with me directly."

"It seems strange that you're connected to someone clearly very dear to this woman but you can't identify her."

"Agreed. Since she seems fixated on my name I can only presume that she's referencing our human counterpart who inspired our design."

"That's a very interesting theory. What does the rest of the letter state?"

Continuing where he left off Connor finished reading the intriguing letter. "'If you've decided to help me please meet me at the Detroit Zoo this afternoon at three o'clock. I hope you know where to look for me because I will be looking for you. Signed, Your Hopeful Client.'" Turning the letter over Connor noted that the other side of the letter was blank. There were no additional details in the letter to give Connor any further information. "There is nothing else included in the letter."

"Are you going to accept her as your client?" Lucas asked as he took the letter back from Connor and glanced at the holographic display of evidence that he and Connor had been working on. "I can continue the investigation on my own if you wish to meet her."

"I think I should go. I must know how we're connected and I feel as if she deserves those answers she's seeking." Pressing his left fingertips to his forehead Connor could feel the faint scar in his forehead from where he had been shot and knew all too well how the desire to find answers could be all consuming and painful. "And I want to help her."

"Then go. I'll continue the investigation from here and I'll let you know if I find anything of interest."

"Thank you, brother." Rising to his feet Connor walked over to the front door to grab his trench coat and fedora from the hook, then tucked the letter inside the coat's interior pocket under his right lapel. Opening the front door Connor cybernetically hailed an autonomous cab and gave Lucas a polite nod. "I have the feeling that before the day is over we'll learn something very important and potentially life changing."

While the city was busy focusing on the bombings and being especially guarded with the F.B.I. scouring the streets for leads the large brick mansion located on the much ritzier side of the city was unusually quiet and very tense. The normally empty mansion suddenly had two doctors, two nurses, four cardiac specialists and a lawyer all gathering about the luxurious dwelling as a single incident unceremoniously brought them all together. Despite everyone's best efforts there was little that they could actually do to prevent or even postpone the inevitable as the shadow of death and despair hung heavily over the mansion on what was sure to be a fateful day.

During the previous night Carl's health took a sudden turn for the worse and prompted Markus to stay the night while David began contacting Carl's doctors for assistance as the elderly artist quickly lost his strength. Refusing to leave Carl's side for even a moment Markus held onto his father's right hand while the doctors and cardiac specialists worked together to give Carl the best treatment possible during his final hours.

Resting in his bed and putting up with the doctors all hovering over him Carl tried to feebly bat them away with his left hand but Markus easily held both of his hands down to ensure the doctors could work. "I know you hate being the patient, but you need to be cooperative." Tightening his grip around Carl's hands in a reassuring manner Markus let his father squeeze his hands in return as much as possible as another medication was injected into his left arm. "It'll be all right in a minute."

Having done everything in their power to aid Carl in his time of need the team of medics stepped out of the bedroom to speak to one another in group while Markus and David stayed with Carl to ensure he wasn't alone. There was no doubting that Carl's body was shutting down and he was beginning to succumb to his advanced age, previous illnesses and overall weakened state of being courtesy of his past drug and alcohol abuse.

"Leo's on his way over." Markus whispered as he held on to Carl's hands and spoke in a gentle voice. "He just finished moving into his new house with his boyfriend and wants to see you."

"...Leo's come a long way." Speaking in a low and weary voice Carl registered what Markus had told him despite his mental fog. "...He's staying clean. Has a steady job. Found himself a good man. I'm proud of him."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate hearing you say that to him yourself."

Nodding weakly Carl let out a small cough as he fought to keep speaking. "...I'll let Leo know how proud of him I am, and how sorry I am for not being there for him when he was growing up." Managing another weak squeeze around Markus's fingers Carl forced an equally weak smile to his aged face. "...I'm proud of both of my sons, and I appreciate everyone who's taken the time to help me in old age."

Standing beside the bed David turned his face away from Carl to hide the tears in his eyes as suddenly realized how much he had grown to enjoy being in Carl's presence and also realized he was going to miss taking care of such an interesting and respectable man. Keeping his composure David managed to effectively distract himself by checking on the medical equipment monitoring Carl's condition.

"...As much as I hate politics I know you're going to be a great mayor, Markus." Keeping his voice upbeat and positive Carl did his best to support his deviant son as much as possible during his final moments in the world. "You'll change this city from a smoldering pile of ash to the mythical phoenix rising high into the sky and soaring above the ruins of death and decay."

"I think you're giving me way too much credit with that one."

"Not at all." Never losing his smile Carl sighed and gave Markus a pleading glance as the doctors returned to the bedroom. "...Don't leave me alone, Markus. I want to spend my last day on Earth with my family, not a bunch of beeping machines and white coats sticking me with needles."

Giving Carl a teary-eyed nod of his head Markus held tightly onto Carl's hands as if he alone could keep his father from slipping away. "I promise I'll be with you for as long as you want me to be here with you, dad. I won't go anywhere."

A warm afternoon fell over the city as Connor ventured away from his brownstone and went in search of his enigmatic client. The Detroit Zoo was still opened for business despite the bombings as a means of trying to encourage the citizens to not cower in fear and live their lives with their heads held high. The smaller than average crowd made it easier for Connor to navigate the park and locate each exhibit without needing to weave through swarms of people. Managing to keep a low profile Connor was able to walk around at a steady pace as he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of his client or of anyone else of potential interest as he took on the intriguing case.

Recalling the sparse details from the letter Connor tried to deduce what his client had meant when she stated: "I hope you know where to look for me because I will be looking for you." and "Your name is connected to someone very important to me..." Such cryptic yet leading clues were too enthralling to ignore. Honing in on the little clues left behind in the letter Connor changed direction and made his way to the enclosure that was befitting of the letter and stood before the creatures with awe in his soulful brown eyes.

The two large gray wolves were laying together in their massive enclosure beneath a very large tree near the center of the grassy exhibit. The gorgeous creatures were the descendants of previous wolves and seemed to be content, if not a little bored, as they enjoyed the afternoon sunlight together. Even behind the protective layer of glass the two powerful and beautiful animals exuded and authority that Connor felt compelled to respect.

Standing before the large glass window of the exhibit were two young couples, four children and a lone brunette woman wearing a dark brown overcoat. The way the woman was staring hopefully at the wolves through her dark tinted sunglasses told Connor that he had found his client. Not wanting to approach her from behind and startle the woman Connor chose to instead stand beside the woman and wait for her to notice his presence after the other zoo patrons walked away to explore the next exhibit.

Feeling the woman's eyes slowly turn away from the wolves and toward his face Connor gave her a gracious nod to greet her. "Hello."

The woman's jaw dropped for a moment as she took a step back and covered her shocked reaction behind her hands. Muttering a single word through her fingers the woman confirmed that Connor was right about his deduction. "...C-Connor."

Reaching into his trench coat Connor showed the woman her letter for a moment then returned it to the interior pocket. "I was given your letter, and I have decided to accept your request."

Let out a single stifled sob the woman bowed her head and nearly fell to the ground as her legs shook and gave way.

"Let me help you." Connor nearly begged as he quickly reached his hands out and caught the woman by her arms just around her elbows. Guiding her over to a nearby bench to sit down Connor observed the woman's behavior very closely and made sure she didn't have a full emotional breakdown. "I'm sorry if my arrival was upsetting."

"N-No, no, no!" Managing to catch her breath the woman practically latched on to Connor's forearms just below his wrists and managed to look him right in the eyes through her dark sunglasses. Croaking out a weak chuckle the woman regained her composure and gave Connor a very faint grin as he bottom lip quivered with concentrated and raw emotion. "It's not that. It's just... I wasn't expecting to see you looking so much like... You look exactly like him."

"To whom may I ask are you referring?"

"The person who connects us together." Reaching into her coat's right pocket the woman pulled out her purse and reached inside her purse to locate her wallet. Opening the wallet the woman showed Connor a few aged but still well kept photographs tucked inside. Each photograph showed a single person through the past few years and revealed the identity of their mutual contact. "Connor Wolf."

Tilting head a little to the side Connor stared at the photographs and began to feel a sense of unexplainable familiarity from the woman. The photos showed his human counterpart as an infant, a toddler and a preschooler. Each image showed a happy little boy. The next few images showed an elementary student, a middle schooler, a high schooler and finally a clipped news paper image of Connor Wolf looking either despondent or indifferent.

"You know Connor Anthony Wolf." Giving the woman a curious glance Connor compared her aesthetic to the mysterious woman in the background of the photograph that Evelyn had shown him a few weeks back. Holding out his right hand palm upward Connor projected a copy of the photograph for the woman to see and watched as her shoulders tensed with surprise. "This is you. You're a relative to Connor Wolf."

Reaching out her trembling fingertips toward the image the woman paused for a moment as she pressed her hand over her mouth again.

"Please don't be upset. I'm here because I want to help you."

Dropping her hand from her mouth the woman removed her sunglasses and revealed her tear filled doe-like brown eyes and gave Connor a gracious smile as she forced her sorrow aside. "You're helping people just like he wanted to do."

"Yes." Letting the image fade from his palm Connor allowed the woman to resume holding on to his forearms as if she were too dizzy to even sit down. "I want to help people to help atone for my past mistakes. Knowing that the person who inspired my look and my voice had been focused on aiding the world is a comforting thought. It's as if I'm giving his life a sense of honor by helping people as well."

"I couldn't be prouder!"

That reaction wasn't something Connor had anticipated and the look in his eyes expressed it without him needing to say a word.

"I know that may sound unusual, but I swear it comes from a genuine place of love."

"May I ask you a question?" Scanning the woman's vital signs and running a facial recognition scan Connor noted that she had two names registered to her person: Alana Rosamond and Tamara Vondila. There was no information regarding both names beyond the year 2015 which was very odd and indicated someone trying to hide while remaining in plain sight. "What is your name?"

"I... I haven't old anyone my name in years. My real name, I mean." Nervously tightening her grip on Connor's arms the woman sighed as she found both her voice and her courage. "For a while I was 'Alana Rosamond' and then 'Tamara Vondila', but that ended when I left Grand Rapids."

"Grand Rapids?" Noting that there was more than one city of that name Connor needed clarification. "Here in Michigan."

"Yes."

"What does your change in location have to do with a change in your name?"

Bowing her head again the woman let her tears flow down her face as she forced herself to speak to Connor and tell him the truth. "I changed my name so I could escape my abusive ex-husband and remain near Connor Wolf while we both lived in Novi. When he..." Trailing off the woman gave Connor a longing stare for a moment before continuing. "When Connor made the move out to Grand Rapids and was injured in that horrible car accident I decided to go to Grand Rapids to be with him again. I changed my name a second time to ensure no one knew where I had gone while keeping close to him. And after he... After he passed..." Unable to continue the woman struggled to keep herself from breaking down and crying even harder.

"When Connor Wolf succumbed to his condition you decided that you no longer had a reason to stay in Grand Rapids." Finishing her comment for the woman's sake Connor remained compassionate as he patiently waited for the woman to answer his questions. "You lost someone you cared about and tried to move on. But when you discovered that there was another person with his name you realized you couldn't move on, not yet. You reached out to me in hope of finding a form of closure, correct?"

Nodding a little the woman confirmed that the deviant detective was absolutely right. "I came here to Detroit for a change of scenery but it seems like I can't escape my pain. I saw your name in the news when the plaza was attacked since you were one of the cops at the scene, and then I discovered your personal business when I did a little digging. I just... I just needed to see your face and know who you are. Who you really are."

"What do you know about me in general?" Sending Lucas a cybernetic message Connor let his little brother know he was working on a very important case and would update him on what was going on later. "My name, my face-"

"I know that Connor Wolf saved someone important when he was injured and that important person used his appearance to design a special android." Tentatively the woman raised her left hand toward Connor's right temple and lightly pushed up the fedora to see the glowing blue L.E.D. for herself. "And now I know it's not a rumor, it's true. I know you're the one keeping Connor alive by just being... you."

"Please." Taking her hand in his hand Connor lowered her fingertips from his right temple and looked the woman in her eyes. Eyes that were strangely reminiscent of his own. "Tell me your name and how you're related to Connor Wolf."

The woman managed a warm smile as she tightened her grip around Connor's hands and told him the truth at last. "My name is Elizabeth Wolf. And Connor Wolf was..." Closing her eyes Elizabeth managed to utter the truth before she broke down crying in utter pain. "He was my son."

The gathered evidence regarding the two bombings at Hart Plaza was sparse yet critical. Every little fragment, speck of dust, chemical sample hanging in the air and every bit of material used in the construction of the bomb couldn't be ignored, overlooked or dismissed. It was difficult to examine the plaza itself with the police, F.B.I. and bomb squad combing the area to ensure that no further explosives were hidden in the plaza, but it wasn't impossible. A perk to being a highly advanced android designed specifically for investigation and analysis was being able to examine situations from afar while still getting results as if said android had been in epicenter of the bombings.

Waiting for the gathered data from his and Connor's own investigations to finish compiling alongside the data that Lucas had managed to acquire through less than professional means; hacking into official documentation was still frowned upon, Lucas stood before the bookcase where Connor's collection of jars had been placed. The glass bottle of sand from the beach slid from one side of the bottle to the other as Lucas gentle tilted the bottle in his right hand. As the tiny particles slid about gently Lucas began calculating how many grains of sand were inside the bottle, then the beach and then the sea floor as a means of waiting for his results without going stir-crazy.

Placing the glass bottle back down on the bookshelf where it belonged Lucas turned on his heels to face the holographic map still on display in the center of the study just above the coffee table. Sitting down on one of the two white leather sofas Lucas honed in on the gathered information and began sorting through projections of the bomb casing that had been collected at the scene.

"Now that I can see the metallic fragments of the bomb itself I can began reconstructing the bomb's design."

Using his hands Lucas waved his fingers over the holographic images of the bomb's casing and began easily twisting and turning the fragments until he was able to fit each piece together just like a 3-D puzzle. Piece by piece the bomb was visually restored to how it appeared pre-detonation, small fractures and warping of course being smoothed over during the projection, and resembled that of a typical pipe bomb.

The bomb was a thick metal water pipe that was only one foot long and six inches wide. The center of the pipe was divided into two halves with two separate ignition sources in the form of exposed electrical wires welded into the two enclosed ends. A remote press of a button would send a single spark into the exposed lines and detonate the gunpowder when prompted.

There was a digital clock on the top of the bomb set to detonate the bomb at a designated time, but the clock wasn't properly installed preventing the countdown from proceeding. The interior of the bomb, however, was filled with not just the gunpowder but small bits of glass, metal, nails and birdshot to create maximum carnage for those who were within the blast radius during detonation.

"Whomever designed this bomb does not have past experience with handling explosives."

The simplistic but effective design made narrowing down the suspects suddenly grueling. The construction was something that any angry person could discover for themselves through basic internet searches and books dedicated to previous warfares or survivalist guides.

"Gunpowder removed from various bullets and shotgun shells were used to create an explosive compound within the cylindrical body of the bomb itself."

Looking closer at the interior and exterior casing of the holographic bomb Lucas's keen eyes were able to highlight small portions of the bomb maker's fingerprints section by section. Slowly, meticulously and thoroughly Lucas was able to identify two thumbprints, two index fingerprints, a left middle fingerprint and a right pinky fingerprint from the metallic casing of the bomb.

The consistency of the fingerprints all belonging to one person and the way the prints all lined up perfectly with the other prints; the prints all lined up with one another confirming one set of hands in the bomb's development, helped to confirm that the prints belonged to the same person. Every left and right thumbprint aligned perfectly with one another, same with the other fingerprints Lucas identified. Using the various sections of the multiple prints to complete a single, clean copy of each print Lucas managed to recreate four total solid and easily identifiable prints to use as additional evidence.

"Finally, some tangible evidence that can connect the bomb to its maker."

Scanning over the completed fingerprints Lucas closed his eyes, his blue L.E.D. cycling to yellow in the process, and waited for his advanced database to finish cycling through the literal billions of fingerprints that have been collected from the population around the entire globe. It took only ten seconds for the database to identify the suspect and the program automatically triple-checked the results to ensure there was no mistake in the matter.

"What...? That cannot be-"

The result caused Lucas's green eyes to open and widen with absolute shock at the name connected to the fingerprints.

"But that doesn't make any sense. Why would he do that?"

Quadruple-checking the results to reduce the possibility of a mistake in identity Lucas concluded that the identification was accurate. There was no denying the identity of the bomber and all that was left to do was uncover their motive.

"There's virtually no chance of the data and evidence being incorrect. He's the one who set the bomb."

Leaning back against the sofa Lucas began compiling his evidence to send to Hank to ensure the Central Precinct could continue the case with the added information that he and Connor had collected together. Not wanting to interrupt Connor's current case Lucas kept his discoveries to himself and tried to process what he had just uncovered through painstakingly collected evidence.

"This is very disappointing. The mayor set the bomb and detonated it himself."

Throughout the afternoon Connor stayed with Elizabeth and listened to her sad story of escaping her abusive ex-husband and having to give up custody over her now late son as a means of keeping herself safe after entering a protection program. The corrupt police and court system in Novi made it impossible for her ex-husband to be properly charged for all the crimes he committed against her while she was still alive, but if there was a falsified hospital record stating that the man had in fact killed her then the court would have no choice but to put the violent man behind bars for the minimum amount of time. In exchange for her safety Elizabeth had to relinquish custody over her infant son while he was in the N.I.C.U. after he was born prematurely.

Learning that Elizabeth had stayed in Novi to watch over her son after he placed in the foster care program for the first four years of his life made Connor's own heart break. The very idea of someone having to give up their own child and watch them grow up from afar seemed torturous. Knowing that the same child would be returned to an abusive man's custody due to corrupt law enforcement was absolutely brutal and filled Connor with rage.

"I didn't realize how much my human counterpart had endured throughout his life." Walking with Elizabeth's left arm wrapped around his right arm Connor escorted the grieving woman from the zoo and out to the parking lot. She was too emotionally exhausted to remain in the public eye and Connor wanted to help her find a place to feel more secure. "I'm so sorry you both suffered so greatly at the hands of one man."

"That's kind of you to say." Using a tissue to wipe away her tears Elizabeth practically clung on to Connor's arm as they walked together. "I just wish I had the courage to rescue my son from his abusive father before the police had to get involved. I'm so ashamed."

"I'm certain that he would've understood why you didn't reveal yourself to him."

"You sound so certain of that, and I wish I could believe you."

"You should believe me."

"And why's that?"

"Because his entire being, including his memories, helped shape who I am. If I can understand your situation then I know he would've, too." Lightly placing his left hand over Elizabeth's right hand as she held on to his right bicep with a gentle grip Connor offered her genuine comfort. "And, if I can forgive you for doing what you had to do to stay safe and to ensure your ex-husband couldn't stalk, threaten or even kill you, then he would have forgiven you as well."

Leaning against Connor's right shoulder Elizabeth struggled to catch her breath and maintain her emotional composure. Hearing such kindness and understanding in her late son's voice was something that she never thought she'd be get to experience.

"You told me that you worked as a volunteer at Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital in so you could stay close to your son while he was comatose." Being as gentle as he could while he spoke Connor sat with Elizabeth on a small bench outside the zoo's entrance so she could rest for a moment. "May I ask if you were there when he... passed?"

Nodding a little Elizabeth sniffled for a moment as she tried to dry her tears and wipe at her reddened nose. "He... He went from stable condition to sudden cardiac distress and went into cardiac arrest. Dr. Ross tried to revive him but he was so weak that... There was just nothing that could've been done to save him." Tightening her hands around Connor's arm Elizabeth closed her eyes as she recounted that mournful day. "When it happened I held his hand as he slipped away. I felt the life leave his body and in that moment I swore I felt my own heart shatter. He had an undiagnosed congenital heart defect and no one caught it until it was too late."

"I'm so sorry that you had to endure that." Staying close to Elizabeth as she told her sad story Connor was determined to protect her from the rest of the evils in the world as if she were actually his mother. The urge to protect her was so strong that Connor couldn't even try to deny he wanted to help her. "I know it may not sound like it's very comforting or sincere, but I know that if you were with him when he passed then he was able to pass peacefully, and knew that he wasn't alone."

"I hope you're right about that."

"You also claimed that you came to Detroit to escape your pain. Is it safe to conclude that this pain stemmed from being unable to claim him as family and give him a funeral after he passed away?"

Nodding again Elizabeth confirmed that Connor was right about his assessment.

"If it's any comfort I can tell you what happened to him after he passed away."

Glancing up at Connor with hope in her gaze Elizabeth pleaded with Connor to tell her about her son. "What happened?"

"My best friend and I, Lieutenant Hank Anderson, had recently learned of him and had gone to the hospital to see him. We arrived two days after he passed and we were told more about him by his doctor. Afterward we were given..." Trailing off for a moment Connor decided to change his term of choice to help soften the blow. "He had been cremated and we took the urn with us."

"Urn?" Actually sounding relieved Elizabeth leaned more against Connor's right arm as she learned more about her son. "He wasn't buried in a random cemetery in Grand Rapids or had his ashes disposed of by the city?"

"No." Cybernetically Connor hailed an autonomous taxi to arrive at the zoo and offered Elizabeth a simple but heartfelt suggestion. "If you'd like I can take you to where we scattered his ashes so you can have a sense of closure."

Tears flowed down Elizabeth's face as she accepted the kind gesture. "Please. I want to be there for him."

"Okay. We'll go together."

An autonomous cab pulled up along the front drive just a few yards from the bench. The doors slid open automatically as an artificial feminine voice thanked Connor was hailing that particular cab service and idled until the occupants had entered the vehicle.

"It's not too far away." Rising from the bench Connor helped Elizabeth to her feet without ever taking his arm away from her as they walked to the cab together. Sitting down in the backseats Connor cybernetically put in the appropriate G.P.S. coordinates to take Elizabeth and himself away from the city and to the lake where the human Connor had his ashes scattered. "It's an isolated place but it's peaceful and very beautiful. I hope you understand why we chose to take him there to be laid to rest."

Unable to keep the information to himself Lucas reached out to Hank to ask for his opinion on the matter until he could speak with Connor. Arriving at the house just as the sun began to set Lucas showed Hank all of the data that he and Connor had collected, and even let him know about the fingerprints belonging to Mayor Walter Nero confirming him as the prime suspect. The images, the data, the fingerprints and the quadruple-checked scans were all incredibly damning evidence that the seasoned Lieutenant couldn't ignore. Every one of their gut instincts as detectives - rookie and experienced alike, told the investigators that they needed to find a way to directly connect the mayor to the bombings in order to ensure the charges stuck to the corrupt man.

Sitting on the beige couch in the livingroom Hank sighed and rubbed his right hand over his bearded chin in deep thought. He trusted Connor and Lucas's assessment more than anyone at City Hall, or even the precinct, since he couldn't be sure how far the mayor's influence reached. Trying to make the right judgment call Hank eyed all of the collected evidence via holographic projection over his coffee table and tensed up anxiously.

"I know that you and Connor are thorough and have no bias toward the mayor to influence your assessment over the evidence." Thinking out loud Hank looked over at Lucas as the deviant sat in the recliner with Sumo practically drooling all over his hands. "But if two deviants found this evidence there's a strong chance that it'll be denied and argued that it was fabricated as an attack against him for being a human."

"I've considered such a possible outcome myself."

"And Connor?"

"He's handling a client at the moment and I haven't told him about my discovery, yet." Rubbing his hands along Sumo's chin as he spoke Lucas tilted his head a little as if needing an alternative perspective on life. "I imagine he'll have the same opinion on the matter as us."

"Yeah, I figure that, too. So..." Leaning back against the couch behind him Hank rested both of his palms atop his knees and patted his legs rhythmically for a moment before he rose from the furniture. "Tomorrow I'm going to head back to the precinct with Connor and we're going to give all of this information to Fowler, AND we're going to coax Fowler into getting the precinct's forensics team to reach the same conclusion by finding the same fingerprints that you had found."

"Do you think that'll be enough to reach the same conclusion?"

"It'll have to do. If push comes to shove I'll make sure Fowler sees the data," he pointed at the holographic projection as he walked around the back of the couch and reached for a nondescript solid black book on the bookcase against the wall. The book had no title on the spine or the cover. "and remind him that BOTH of the most advanced androids who are designed to find this kind of info are the ones who pointed the finger at the mayor; not some beat-cop with a chip on their shoulder."

"You'll vouch for our investigation?"

"Absolutely, kid. I know you and Connor are honest detectives." Not catching the faint grin of appreciation on Lucas's face as he opened the book in his hands Hank began checking through the information chronicled within the aged pages. Old names, contacts and potential allies were scrawled over the yellowing paper and seemingly a lifeline for Hank to use when he was out of leads. "I also have a little secret weapon I've been holding onto for a couple years now."

"Another detective?"

"In a way. This guy's pretty famous and his name rings a bell every time I hear it, but I haven't met him in person." Finding the correct name Hank folded the top right corner of the page and closed the book before returning it to the bookcase to ensure he could find it again easier next time. "Rumor has it this guy's also in the city leading the F.B.I. investigation."

"Is it a name I should look out for?"

"Maybe, like I said it's just a rumor." Returning to the couch Hank waved his right hand over the holographic display causing it to vanish. "Just know that if this guy is the real deal then he's deserved every ounce of respect that comes his way. Word is he took down a prolific serial killer back in 2009 or so, and rescued a little boy before he could be drowned. So yeah, if you meet him show him some respect."

"Noted."

Crossing his arms over his chest Hank sighed and looked at the time on his phone. It was getting late but it wasn't so late that Hank felt like he needed to go to bed just yet. "Wanna' watch a movie and join me for dinner before ya' go?"

"I'd like that. I'm unsure of when Connor will return to the brownstone and I dislike being alone."

"Just remember you boys are both welcome here any time." Seeing the way Sumo was melting into Lucas's hands made Hank smirk and let out an annoyed sigh as the Saint Bernard seemed to thrive on the attention. "And I know Sumo thinks the same."

Feeling far more at ease in Hank's presence Lucas let the senior detective know it through a kind comment. "I'll remember that."

The hour long ride out to the cabin and the lake was spent with Elizabeth telling Connor stories about her time in Novi during her son's time in foster care, and of her time volunteering in Grand Rapids. The kind woman also told Connor about how her son was someone who loved animals, worked hard to support himself after being emancipated from his father's custody at age fourteen, and managed to take care of himself just fine after finally escaping the abusive man. In between the upsetting stories Elizabeth also told Connor about how Anthony Wolf - her ex-husband and her son's father, wasn't always so violent and angry. The story of a spinal injury causing Anthony chronic and debilitating pain was disturbing, but did little to sway Connor's negative opinion on the man.

In return Connor told Elizabeth about his own life, save for the shooting in the church, and of how he was working with his little brother as a partner in his private detective agency. Mentioning how he was working with Hank at the precinct during special consultancy cases and was considering returning to the precinct as an official detective later on made Connor feel like he was helping the kind woman feel less alone in the world. A friendly conversation could do wonders for people when they felt entirely alone in the world.

As the taxi arrived at the cabin Connor scanned the area and noted that the cabin and surrounding property were all vacant. No one had rented or purchased the cabin which made it the perfect opportunity for the two to go to the lake and pay their respects to the the now deceased Connor Wolf.

"We're here." Stepping out of the cab first Connor offered Elizabeth his right hand and let her wrap her left arm around his right arm again. Showing her to the lake as the setting sun began to glow over the still water Connor told Elizabeth of the night he and Hank had scattered his human counterpart's ashes in the water and played some music to honor his memory. "We weren't quite sure if this would've been enough to honor his life, but we did our best."

"He loved music." Elizabeth managed to croak out as her throat tightened with grief. "The louder the better."

Walking over the wooden dock together Connor stood at the edge of the expanse with Elizabeth still hanging on his arm. The lake was quiet save for the faint chirping of birds in the trees and a handful of crickets singing their song from the treeline around the property. Without even so much as a breeze moving over the lake time itself seemed to stand still.

The distant gaze in Elizabeth's deep brown eyes as she looked out at the lake made Connor feel a strange pressure in his chest right around his heart. Wondering if he was feeling empathy again Connor decided to speak up and help Elizabeth through her grief.

"If you want to be alone I'll give you some space."

"No, please." Tightening her grip on Connor's arm Elizabeth lowered herself down to the dock, pulling Connor down alongside her, so she could sit down and peer out at the sunset shining over the dark lake's surface. "I... I want you to stay with me. I know it sounds weird but I feel like having you here with me and with him is completing a long journey that neither of us had known we were taking."

"I think I understand." Sitting down beside Elizabeth on the dock Connor glanced about the area and determined that the cabin and property were such an ideal location that it'd be a shame to let the cabin remain unoccupied. Making a mental note to look into purchasing the cabin, or at least renting it out, Connor stayed with Elizabeth and vowed to not leave until she was ready to go. "I'll stay with you for as long as you wish."

Leaning her head against Connor's right shoulder Elizabeth let her tears flow again as she appreciated the tranquil moment. "...Thank you, Connor."

The mansion was becoming unnervingly quiet and heavy as the elderly artist's health continued to decline. Before noon Leo had arrived at the mansion to speak with his father and in that moment Markus finally stepped out of the bedroom along with David so Carl could speak to his eldest son in private for the last time. What felt like an eternity passed while Carl spoke to Leon in seclusion, but Markus didn't dare interrupt the conversation with his presence. Lingering outside the closed bedroom door with David standing beside him Markus could overhear all of the doctors down in the sitting room speaking amongst one another about how Carl was inevitably going to pass on very soon.

Unsure of what he could do with his life without his father to guide him Markus wrapped his arms around his chest and withheld his tears as he tried to brave the future without his family. He wasn't close with Leo and given their history they'd never become close, and while he admired David for taking care of Carl when he wasn't around, Markus knew that David would just move on and take care of another patient after a week or so. In the end they'd rarely ever see each other again.

The door to the bedroom slid open as Leo stood in the doorway with tears in his dark eyes as he looked to Markus. "He, uh, he wants us both with him." Giving David a small shrug of his shoulders Leo addressed the second deviant respectfully. "You're welcome in here, too. You know, since you're his caretaker now."

The two deviants didn't say a word as they followed Leo back into the bedroom and peered at Carl resting in the large bed. The old man looked so weak and frail where he was laying, like a porcelain doll. The nasal canula under his nose made it easier to breathe but even so his chest was barely moving. Beside the bed the cardiac monitor was silently recording Carl's fading heart rate and confirming his horribly weak vital signs.

"...Boys." Carl's weak voice was barely audible as he addressed the group in the room. Lifting up his right hand Carl managed to wave everyone over to his bedside. "...Come over here."

Markus and Leo took hold of Carl's hands while David stood beside the muted cardiac monitor to pay his respects to the elderly artist. It was as if all three just knew what to do and were determined to be by Carl's side until the very end.

"...Don't be scared for me." Closing his glassy blue eyes Carl's strength began to fade quickly. "I've faced death before and I've never blinked."

"We're not afraid." Markus managed to lie as he held his dying father's left hand. "We're just upset."

"...Don't be. It's my time and I'm ready to go." Struggling to speak Carl's voice became quieter and quieter with each escaping word. "I'm... proud of my sons. Of my... friends. And of... my life. I have... no regrets. And all I ask... is that you two... let go of your own... regrets. And in time... find peace."

"We will." Promising his father to move on with his life and focus on the best Markus wiped away his tears as his mismatched eyes glistened with his raw emotions. "I promise that in the end everything will be all right."

"That's what I... wanted to hear." Using his last ounce of strength to praise his families Carl never showed any sign of fear. "I... I love you both. You're... my sons and my... greatest creations. Never... forget it."

"We won't." Speaking while Leo remained silent Markus feigned confidence for Carl's sake. "We swear to it."

Managing one last weak smile Carl's hands began to grow slack around his sons' hands but they never let go. Slipping into what seemed like a peaceful sleep Carl showed no fear, no pain and no sign of regrets. It was as if Carl had known his time was coming to an end and he already knew what he wanted to say to his family.

With both of his sons at his side Carl left the world of the living and passed on without any distress behind his transition.

Bowing his head in grief Markus never let go of Carl's hand as Leo slowly sat down on the edge of the bed with his father's limp hand still clutched in his grip. The monitor showed no heartbeat and David quietly turned off the monitor before leaving the bedroom to inform the doctors gathered downstairs that Carl had peacefully passed away.

Holding on to Carl's hand Markus bowed his head even further until he was resting against Carl's now still and silent chest. "...I love you and I'll never stop missing you. Goodbye, dad."

-next chapter-