The news revolving around the bombing in Hart Plaza had finally begun to hush as word of the passing of Carl Manfred became the new hot topic. In need of a distraction and a fresh story to tell, the media rampantly began relaying the life and death of Carl around the clock with intermittent updates on the bombing at Hart Plaza tucked between highlights of Carl's legacy. There was a mentioning of Carl's two sons, Leo Manfred and Markus Manfred, a long winded tribute to Carl's creativity and inspiration as an artist, discussion of the various charities that Carl had supported throughout his life, and finally details revolving around the funeral that was scheduled to take place in two days on every news channel.

Considering Carl's connection to Markus was seen as symbolic proof of the peaceful coexistence of humans and deviants being entirely possible, there was a surge of respect stemming from the deviant community as they too mourned for the loss of a kindhearted man. Giving Markus time and space no one bothered the deviant leader as he retreated back to New Jericho Tower to seek isolation in order to grieve.

Cybernetically tracking the news as he stood in the middle of the study Lucas only opened his green eyes when Connor returned to the brownstone at long last. Turning to look at Connor directly Lucas watched as his older brother hung up his trench coat and his fedora on the hooks beside the front door and could detect the exhaustion radiating from Connor's entire being. The yellow tinted L.E.D. was a clear sign that Connor was feeling stressed.

"Good morning, Connor." Joining his older brother as Connor walked up the staircase to the second floor of the brownstone Lucas watched as Connor changed into a fresh pair of dark jeans, a white dress shirt, gray blazer and black tie in his bedroom before going about his day. "You stated that your previous client was someone of great interest and importance. May I ask who they were?"

Straightening his tie Connor gave his little brother a somber glance and nodded subtly. "It'll be easier to share memories than explain things." Extending his right hand Connor retracted his artificial skin from his palm and took hold of Lucas's right hand in a firm grip. Uploading his memories and encounters with Elizabeth over to Lucas to view for himself Connor felt his little brother's emotional reaction from where he stood. "...She was so sad last night. I took her back to her apartment very early this morning and had to carry her inside after she fell asleep from pure emotional exhaustion."

"...She was- I thought our human counterpart had no living relatives." Taking back his hand Lucas stared at his palm as his L.E.D. cycled in an anxious yellow in his right temple. "You were right. The woman in the background of Evelyn's photograph was indeed a relative."

"Yes. Now that we understand why she had gone into hiding I think we'll finally be able to put our human counterpart's past to rest." Cybernetically Connor contacted Hank and confirmed that he was currently getting ready for their shift at the precinct and would meet him there. Wanting a little more time with his little brother Connor wasn't in any hurry to leave just yet. "Elizabeth knows about you and Hank, but I don't think she should meet either of you just yet. It might be a shock to see that her only son had acquired an identical twin through biomechanical engineering from the deranged mind of Elijah Kamski."

"Agreed. As for our investigation into the bombing..." Offering Connor his hand again Lucas gave his big brother a full update on everything he had uncovered while Connor was taking care of Elizabeth during the previous night. Sharing the information Lucas sensed Connor tense up at the bomb maker's identity. "I've purposely kept this quiet save for informing Hank of our investigation."

"Damn it." Taking back his hand Connor felt a heat creep up his spine that made his previously blue L.E.D. flash to red for a moment. "The mayor making the bomb could be argued as a failed attempted assassination of Markus. Such a damning accusation, whether it's true or false, is going to cause problems."

"What do you want to do about it?"

"I'll continue to work with Hank in the precinct and focus on the case revolving around this investigation. The more evidence we can compile against the mayor, the better."

"I'll remain here and continue the investigation as well. If we have any clients come our way I'll handle them."

"Thank you, brother." Passing by Lucas as he left his bedroom Connor walked back downstairs and cybernetically hailed himself an autonomous cab to take him to the precinct. Taking a moment to rest by sitting down on the black leather sofa nearest the door Connor sighed and glanced at Lucas his little brother sat down beside him. "Have you been monitoring the news?"

"Are you referring to the passing of Carl Manfred late last night?"

"I am. He's the human that Markus had been taking care of." Struggling to speak of Markus without feeling a sense of betrayal in his heart Connor helped Lucas to understand why he was bringing up the grim subject. "As a result the deviant community is going to be edgy, and undoubtedly Hank and I are going to be redirected to focus on guarding the funeral in two days. We're the only two detectives working within the only deviant division in the entire city."

"That seems like an unfortunate waste of your skills as a detective."

"I can protest such an assignment but it'll do little good. Not to mention it's not Mr. Manfred who is at fault for what happened to me."

"Do not push yourself too hard, brother." Lucas could detect that Connor's stress levels were beginning to elevate and that he was already exhausted from spending the night tending to Elizabeth. He needed to rest. "There is no shame in requesting a break."

"I know." The autonomous cab pulled up in front of the brownstone and Connor decided it was time to take his leave. "I'll pace myself and keep you updated on everything happening in the city." As he approached the front door Connor hovered his right hand over the door handle and glanced back at Lucas over his left shoulder warily. "Please take care of yourself today. I can't anticipate any potential attacks against our people and I don't want to see you hurt."

"I'll be fine." Sounding confident and sure of himself Lucas did his best to ease his older brother's worries. "I'll remain in the brownstone and ensure the doors remain locked at all times."

"Thank you." Opening the front door Connor stepped outside and slowly pulled the door shut behind him. "I'll return tonight as soon as I'm able."

Lucas watched the front window as Connor exited the brownstone and slipped into the back of the autonomous cab idling in the street. Checking the lock on the door Lucas waited for the cab to drive down the street then turned his attention away from the outside world and back to the investigation into the mayor and the bombing general. Until new information had been uncovered and collected Lucas wouldn't be able to delve any deeper into the unusual case.

Choosing to preoccupy his mind elsewhere Lucas honed in on his saxophone sitting in its case beside Connor's guitar case in the corner of the study between the bookcases. He pulled the brass instrument from its protective case to play a simple song to pass the time until he needed to work again. Having found a sense of solace in music Lucas carried the saxophone over to the two sofas and sat down to face the front door as he began playing a somber tune to himself.

As music filled the air inside the brownstone emotional turmoil and distress filled the entire city outside the secured residence.

New Jericho Tower was quiet as the deviants residing within gave Markus space and respect during his time of grief. Hiding away from the world Markus laid on his bed with his rich red quilt pulled up and over his head. Unable to sleep but unable to do anything but lay motionless on the bed in a growing puddle of his own tears left Markus feeling entirely helpless. The pain he was feeling in his heart was almost unbearable, and was so strong that the deviant leader felt like his heart was going to be crushed into a small ball before it had the chance to fully break in half. The pain reminded him of the night Carl had his heart attack and he had been shot by the police when he defended himself from Leo, but somehow it was far worse than anything he had ever felt before.

Closing his mismatched eyes in a futile attempt to stop the tears from flowing Markus nearly jumped when he felt a warm and soft hand press against his back over top of the quilt and begin to start rubbing his back in a comforting manner. Already knowing that it was North who come to check in on him Markus forced his voice to steady as he spoke to her.

"...How's the tower?"

"Still standing." Sitting down on the edge of the bed North stayed beside Markus and never took her hand away. "Don't worry about the tower, just focus on yourself."

"I don't want to think about how much it hurts, North. I'd give anything in the world to not feel this horrible pain for a second longer."

"It won't last forever. I know it sucks right now but you'll pull through this in your own time and in your own way."

"The funeral is in two days. Carl had everything arranged already." Pulling back the quilt from over his face Markus locked his tear filled eyes with North's cinnamon brown eyes as he rolled from his stomach and onto his left side. "I don't want to go to the funeral alone."

"You won't be alone, I'll be with you from start to finish."

"Will you stay with me now?"

"Of course." Laying down on her left side as well North cuddled up to Markus's back and wrapped her arms around his chest to hold him close. Rubbing her right hand up and down Markus's right arm North stayed beside him and swore to stand by him for as long as he needed. "I'm right here."

Breaking down and crying again Markus just laid in the bed with North holding him as he felt his shattered heart beating with an agonizing rhythm in his chest. Losing his father, fighting to change the city for the better and knowing the he'd have to face the consequences for his actions at the church was proving to be too much for Markus to bear all at once.

Even though he could feel North's warm body pressing up against his back, even though he could feel her steady breathing and heartbeat emanating from her chest, and feel her arms and hand comforting him in his hour of need, Markus never felt so alone in his entire life.

Falling into his new routine and arriving at the precinct right on time to clock-in for the day Connor checked in with the front desk receptionist, and made his way into the bullpen to meet up with Hank. Instead Connor met Hank in the breakroom as opposed to meeting him at his desk Connor met with his partner in the relatively private space to inform the senior detective of everything he went through the previous night. Connor also mentioned how he and Lucas were certain that the mayor was in fact the culprit behind the bombings and of how he was anticipating being reassigned to act as personal security for the impending funeral for Carl Manfred. It was clear Connor was clearly struggling to juggle so many responsibilities at once.

Accompanying Hank back to their adjoined desks Connor sat down heavily at his old desk and waited for Hank's opinion on everything that he was going through. It was one of the few times that Connor wasn't quite sure what to do since he had so many important tasks to handle without CyberLife interfering and redirecting his priorities on his behalf.

"Try not to stress about it." Letting his experience keep himself composed Hank sat down behind his desk and sipped at his overly sweetened coffee with a sense of satisfaction at the obscene amount of sugar he had added to the drink. "We'll work together on the bombing and if we get reassigned we'll work together on that, too. As for your unexpected encounter with Elizabeth... I really can't give you any advice on that one. I've met way too many grieving mothers in my time, but I still don't have any tips to give ya' on helping her out."

"It's strange to think about how I felt compelled to look after her and want to comfort her." Sitting back in his chair Connor neatly folded his hands atop his lap as his soulful brown eyes stared into the nothingness atop his empty desk as if he were expecting an answer to appear before him. "I'm not sure why."

"That's because you're a good person with a big heart."

"That seems too simple to be believed."

Giving the deviant a sympathetic glance Hank could've sworn he was looking at a thoughtful college graduate and not the disciplined detective he had grown to care about over the past six months. "You know, it's possible that you could be worried about Elizabeth because your human counterpart and her are directly connected to each other."

Lifting his gaze Connor's brow arched as he gave his partner an uncertain glance. "You mean his memories are influencing my judgment?"

"In a way. She lost her son, you know how her son influenced your design, and you now know even more about his life through her. Maybe her presence awoke some sense of bonding toward her."

"But... That's illogical." Shaking his head slightly Connor tried to deny such a feeling as he leaned toward Hank and rested his forearms atop his own desk as he thought about the very notion. "I may look and sound like her son, but I'm not him. I can never be him."

"Didn't say you could or would of be another person. I'm just sayin' you forming a bond with Elizabeth, no matter how small it may be, could be rooted back to the very man who influenced your design."

"I wish I could say for certain if you're right about that."

"Try to not worry about her. If Elizabeth could survive all that bullshit she went through alone then she'll be able to survive the rest of the bullshit this fucked up world has to offer." Finishing off his coffee Hank brought up the investigation into the bombing on his terminal screen. Reading through the files and details Hank gave Connor a subtle nod to let him know it was time to add the details about the fingerprints Lucas had discovered to the file. "Go ahead, kid. Upload what you and Lucas found so the other guys can catch up."

Pressing his right palm to his own terminal screen Connor closed his eyes as his L.E.D. flickered in yellow. The data was swiftly added to the case file and was primed for other investigators to connect the bits of the fingerprints together and identify the mayor as the prime suspect just as Lucas had done. "...Upload complete."

"Cool." Motioning to the private glass office behind him with his right thumb pointed back over his shoulder Hank made sure to keep his partner in the loop at all times. "I'm gonna' go talk with Fowler and get an update on all the shit we missed while we were sidelined."

"What should I do?"

"What you do best." Rising from his desk Hank gave the deviant a coy smirk before he strode across the bullpen to enter Captain Fowler's private office. "Find your mission and complete it."

Giving Hank an appreciative smirk Connor's L.E.D. cycled back from a distressed yellow and into a much calmer blue. Continuing to sit at his desk and read through the case on his terminal screen Connor caught sight of the news on the large television mounted on the far wall detailing the life and legacy of Carl Manfred. He actually flinched when he saw an image of Markus brought up to confirm the deviant leader as Carl's adopted son.

There was something about the idea of a human taking on a deviant as their own family that had an unexpectedly grounding effect on Connor's mind as he continued to watch the report from where he sat. It seemed surreal if not impossible, and yet it had happened. It wasn't a secret that the kind human had considered Markus his son, either.

With that Connor began to wonder how many other deviants had been taken in as family over time.

As he stared at the television screen Connor didn't notice Gavin wadding up a piece of paper and tossing it in his direction until it bounced off his left shoulder and the paper ball came to rest on his desk before him. "Hey, 'Tinman'!" The abrasive detective shouted in an annoying manner. "Did ya' freeze or something? Get to work and stop watching T.V. you lazy jackass!"

"I am capable of running numerous functions at once without moving from my seat." Turning to look at Gavin just a few feet away Connor eyed the human detective's cluttered desk, overflowing trashcan beneath his desk and blank terminal screen. Knowing he needed to stand up for himself and not take any abuse of bullying Connor gave Gavin a snide mark in return. "What about you? It doesn't look like you're even pretending to work."

"What did you-"

"Gavin. No." Tina stopped her partner before he even had the chance to try to start something with Connor. She knew Gavin too well for his own good and knew how to get under his skin with a single tone of voice. "Don't even start, we have to keep track of the plaza and I'm not going to listen to you bitching about deviants all afternoon."

Letting out an annoyed scoff Gavin begrudgingly stopped messing with Connor and leaned toward Tina as he lowered his voice to a degree he hoped Connor wouldn't be able to hear him. "You know I'm working through that shit. It's not easy but I am getting better about it."

"All because that technician lady thinks you're cute."

"But I'm being serious about it!" Blushing a bright red Gavin tried to get Tina to back off a little for his own personal sake. "She's the first person that I've been drawn to since Patricia cheated on me. Compared to my past relationships I feel like this one is really the healthiest."

"Are you sure you're really drawn to her for her and not because she's the polar opposite of... you-know-who?"

"Hey, I've come a long way since George- You already know what he did to me." As his blush faded a sense of lingering hatred flashed over Gavin's gray-hazel eyes. "And I know I dated a lot of women in the past just because they were hot women and not exactly stable, but I do really like this woman. She's different."

"And you're sure you're not denying your sexuality because of fear?"

"I'm sure. Don't get me wrong, if I see a guy with a sculpted ass I'm still going to check him out, but I'm not going to touch." Ready to stare Tina down with a sense of indignation Gavin reminded her that he was more aware of his past relationships than she was. "Being in a gay relationship can be just as complicated as handling a straight one, and that's the real curse of being bi. You're drawn to everyone and that includes the psychos who manipulate you in the worst possible ways."

"Look, I'm not doubting that you know what you're doing and I know you have much better judgment now than when you were in high school, it's just that I don't want to see you hurt ever again."

"Yeah, I get that."

"And it just seems kinda' weird that one person could be enough to make you finally let go of your hatred of androids. I'm not saying I want you to stay an anti-android loudmouth, but I don't want to see someone changing you against your will."

"You know why I hate androids, Ti'. You also know I have every right to be pissed off at them for everything that happened, but I'm not going to be the type of asshole who throws a blanket statement over the entire species anymore." Reflecting on his past prejudices Gavin was determined to be a better person. "I remember what it feels like to be picked on for being who I am, and now I can see how much of a hypocrite I was being with androids. Besides, I don't think Kimmy would want to see me walking around with such a dark cloud hanging over my head."

"I'm sure Kimmy's very proud of you for being a better person than either of your parents could ever hope to become. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"Only after I can finally let go of stupid bullshit from the past." Giving his partner and best friend a knowing look Gavin made it clear that he was indeed trying to improve his behavior toward deviants as a whole, not just because of a relationship. "I don't want to be afraid to go out with people anymore. I know not everyone is going to abuse or cheat on me, and I really want to make this work. I want to better myself so it can work. If that means letting go of my grudge for the sake of her career then I'm willing to do it."

Tina knew when Gavin was putting on a show or talking a big game, but in this instance he was entirely sincere. "Okay, then if that's the case why are you bothering the only deviant detective in the entire bullpen right now?"

"I'm bored." Sitting back as if his answer was the most logical one in the entire world Gavin nearly scoffed at the question. "I'd pick on the rookies but they're not here right now and he was the first person I saw."

Narrowing her eyes at Gavin's suspicious comment Tina began twirling a blue ink pen in her right hand and rhythmically clicking it as if she were literally trying to press his buttons. "Uh-huh..."

"Come on!" Extending his arms outward Gavin tried to get Tina to drop the sleuth bit and just believe him. "Don't read too much into this shit, you haven't taken your detective's exam yet."

"Just three more weeks and I'll be a detective and your equal. What do you think of that?"

"I think I'm going to push all the paperwork on you for the next six months so you know why I have no many damn headaches before I clock-out at night."

"I bet I can handle it and finish it twice as fast."

Seeing an opportunity to mess with his partner Gavin kicked his feet up on his desk and flashed her his Devilish grin. "Wanna' actually bet on that?"

"You're on!"

"The usual?"

Writing down the stipulation of their bet on a piece of notebook paper Tina tore the paper from the pad, neatly folded it three times and then tucked it into a white envelope before locking in it in her top right desk drawer. "What else would it be?"

"All right. This is going to be a fun bet to win."

"Don't you mean 'lose'?"

"Watch yourself, Ti'. This time you're in WAY over your head."

Despite Gavin's hopes Connor had over heard everything. Fortunately he was unsure of exactly what Gavin and Tina were talking about but didn't pry into the matter. He had enough problems to deal with and didn't want to get involved with the private lives of his colleagues. Glancing up at Captain Fowler's office just Connor was in time to see Hank exiting the glass door and returning to their desks with an annoyed grimace on his face.

"Hank?" Studying Hank's demeanor closely Connor knew that what Hank had been told by Captain Fowler was less than ideal. The pursed lips and focused blue eyes spoke volumes of his current level of annoyance. "What's going on?"

"We got damn patrol right now." Fishing his car keys from his right coat pocket Hank gave Connor a somewhat hesitant look. "We're supposed to be hovering around New Jericho Tower and making sure idiots don't try to do anything to the tower while Markus is in mourning."

The answer made Connor's yellow L.E.D. cycle to red for a moment before settling on yellow again. "...I see."

"I don't like it, either, kid." Pausing for a moment Hank whispered to the deviant and tried to help him deal with the new assignment. "Do you want to tell Fowler you don't want the assignment for personal reasons?"

"...No." Standing up from his chair Connor slowly began walking toward the front doors of the precinct with Hank right beside him. Waiting until they were out of the bullpen Connor gave the Lieutenant a professional response. "My personal grievance shouldn't be a factor in handling my assignments."

"You're right, but you're going to feel whatever it is you're supposed to feel. Don't suppress or deny your emotions just for the sake of lookin' good for the higher-ups or anyone else sitting on their ass while we do all the work." Reminding Connor that he's allowed to have his limitations Hank walked with his partner through the front doors of the precinct and over to the neighboring parking garage to get to the Oldsmobile. "If you need to decline this assignment tell me and tell Fowler, got it?"

Staring at the sidewalk at his feet as he and Hank set about their new assignment Connor noted how similar Hank's advice had been to Lucas's advice, and decided to trust his friend and brother's judgment over his own since he currently felt so overwhelmed at the moment. "Okay, Hank."

"Good. Let's go circle the damn block and get some lunch in a couple of hours." Unlocking the car doors Hank watched as Connor sat down in the passenger seat without another word. The fatigue in Connor's soulful brown eyes was undeniable and made Hank truly sympathetic to the deviant's current mindset. "Or I can drive you can nap. You're exhausted and I don't want to see you collapse."

As if by miraculous intervention the forensics team had discovered the same fingerprints that Lucas had discovered and were able to recreate them in a similar fashion. Once the clear and completed prints were run through the criminal database a familiar mayor's name popped up at the top of the list and made everyone involved in the investigation jump to attention. The moment the name appeared before his aged eyes Ben told his team to keep it quiet and that he'd handle updating Captain Fowler on the situation himself. Printing off a physical copy of the report Ben tucked the document into a manila envelope and marched over to the private office like a man on a mission.

Knocking on the glass door twice Ben announced his presence but didn't wait for a response before entering. Pulling open the door by its handle Ben held up the folder for Captain Fowler to see and placed it down on the desk to be viewed in person.

"I take it you got a lead." The seasoned Captain wasn't at all fazed by Ben's behavior as he placed his left palm down over the envelope to pull it closer to himself. Flipping the folder open Captain Fowler's chocolate brown eyes scanned over the document before widening with shock. Raising his gaze up to Ben as the equally experienced detective stood on the other side of his desk awaiting a response Captain Fowler needed to know for certain that what he was reading couldn't possibly be an error. "...You're sure about this?"

"Yeah. I ran the test myself two more times to make certain." Ben was speaking in a low tone as if he and Captain Fowler were in a large group of people trying to have a private conversation. "It's him, and there's no way his prints would be on the INSIDE of the bomb unless he's the sick-fuck who made it."

"Son of a bitch." Shifting his weight backward against his old wooden chair Captain Fowler rubbed his hand over furrowed brow and eyed his phone sitting idle on the top left corner of his desk. "I need to bring in the feds' and let them know what's been found."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Keep quiet, make back-ups of everything you found and make sure only your most trusted analysts are working on this investigation." Slipping the envelope in to the center drawer of his desk Captain Fowler locked the damning evidence away from any prying eyes or sticky fingers. "We're also going to keep patrol on the mayor's residence until the feds' make a move."

"Right." Turning to leave Ben volunteered to help in any way he could. "I'll tell Chris and Jack to get comfy and keep their eyes peeled."

Letting out a deep sigh Captain Fowler picked up the phone from the receiver and waited for Ben to leave the office before he began dialing the number to the F.B.I. Director leading the investigation to get him up to speed on the case's progress. The phone rang twice before it was answered by a tired voice that had a thick Bostonian accent behind it. 'Captain Fowler. How can I help you?'

"Sorry for the intrusion Director Jayden," Captain Fowler apologized in an equally weary tone. "but we have an update on the situation at the plaza."

The entire city seemed to be in a state of grieving as the aftermath of the bombings and the passing of a local celebrity destroyed the city's overall morale. A palpable heaviness seemed to radiate throughout the entire city and made it difficult for anyone to go about their business without thinking about how much turmoil Detroit had endured in just a few months. The Revolution changing the world and making history had just been the beginning of the odd influx in the shifting dynamic between humans and androids, and now that domestic terrorism and personal loss had hit the city it felt like everything in Detroit was beginning to spiral out of control.

Idling in the Oldsmobile just down the street from the bridge connecting the rest of the city to Belle Isle in the distance, Hank sipped at his soda while Connor sat silently in the passenger seat beside him. While the senior detective didn't mind watching nothing while listening to music and having his lunch, he knew that Connor hated doing nothing and was surprised that Connor wasn't trying to do something to fill the void being created by their current assignment.

Glancing over at Connor as he finished his drink Hank noticed that the young deviant had his arms crossed over his chest defensively and his glassy tired eyes were transfixed on the tower through his side window. The guarded posture and fatigued stare made Hank worry that his partner might be in a potentially compromised state of mind.

"What're you thinking about, kid?" Putting his now empty cup down in the cup holder to his right Hank leaned back in his seat and turned down the radio so he and Connor could talk without any distraction. "You look like you're really concentrating on something."

Responding in a level tone Connor tried to dismiss the worry he heard in his best friend's voice. "I'm merely thinking."

"About Markus?"

"...In a way."

"What about him is pissing ya' off?"

With his yellow L.E.D. flashing to red for a moment Connor gave Hank a side-eyed glance without turning his head. "What makes you think I'm angry?"

"Kid, I can tell. I've known you for too long now to not pick up on when something, or someone, has upset you." Resting his left elbow against his side door Hank pressed his left knuckles against his left temple as he leaned against his arm and stared through the windshield and out to New Jericho Tower in the distance. "Talk to me. I know you have every right to be pissed off at Markus for what he did to you, so I'm not going to hold it against you for resenting this stupid assignment. Just tell me what's on your mind."

Letting out a deep sigh Connor was suddenly aware that he had been holding his breath and as a result his heated exhalation was warm enough to cause the windshield to fog up before his eyes for a few seconds before fading away. "...I'm conflicted."

"All right, then talk me through what you're thinking and I'll see if I can help you figure shit out."

Quiet for only a moment the right corner of Connor's mouth ticked as he tried to put his thoughts into words. "Markus is clearly in grief and mourning the loss of Carl Manfred. Such an emotional response comes from a sense of love and trust toward Carl, who had taken Markus in as a son. I can understand why his grief is so strong toward someone he admires and loved."

"Okay, I hear ya'. I can also her a 'but' somewhere in those thoughts of yours, kid."

Pausing momentarily Connor had to make a conscious effort to keep breathing and not tense up so much. "...But I can't help but wonder if his grief is limited only toward Carl and is incapable of expressing grief toward other people."

"Ah. I get it."

"You do?" Turning to face Hank directly Connor gave him a truly surprised glance. "Because I don't."

"Son, you're wondering if Markus felt any guilt or remorse for shooting you. If he can mourn for one death then he should be able to mourn all deaths, right?"

"I... I think that's right." A twinge of his own guilt filled his heart and made his L.E.D. flicker to red for another beat before returning to his distressed yellow. "Is it selfish to wonder if Markus felt guilty for my death just hours after his own father passed away?"

"No, you're just curious by nature and very empathetic." Having years of experience with helping survivors deal with their guilt was coming in handy in the least expected way. "You're wondering how he feels because you know how you'd feel right now."

"Maybe."

"But that's not all, is it?" Sensing more hesitation in the air Hank pushed Connor keep speaking. "What else is bothering you?"

"I can't... It suddenly seems so strange to think of the way humans and androids interact with one another, and can form a friendship, or even a sense of family."

"Because of the way Markus and the other deviants have so much respect toward Carl, right?"

"I think so. The way the city is still divided on such a notion of peaceful coexistence despite it being repeatedly confirmed by the media is confusing."

"Tell me about it. Let me help ya' with that one." Straightening up his posture Hank crossed his arms over his chest and continued to peer out the windshield toward the tower on the private isle. "Humans have a saying; 'blood is thicker than water', which implies that family is the most important relationship in the entire world. BUT..." Holding up his right hand as if needing to 'shush' Connor for a moment Hank continued on with his explanation. "The original, TRUE saying was; 'The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb', which means the bonds you form throughout your life experiences - both good and bad, are much stronger than the familial bonds someone happens to be born into."

"I understand those two sayings but I don't understand what you're trying to tell me."

"What I'm trying to tell ya' is some people are going to form stronger, tighter bonds with one person over another because of how much they've experienced together. And those people are the ones you're going to grow closer to and view as family regardless of your other familial relationships you might have. And that applies for deviants, too."

"You're saying that Markus may have grieved for shooting me but wasn't as affected by his grief because we had only known each other for approximately one hour as opposed to several years. And as such I shouldn't compare his emotions for one person to the emotions he expresses for another."

"That's right, you got it. You and Lucas are already pretty damn close because of what you two experienced together." Hank helped put the deviant's mind at ease. "And I know you and I are pretty close for the same reasons, but me and Lucas still have a way to go before we'll forge any time of close bond. Doesn't mean it won't happen, we just need more time for us to get to know each other better."

"And the odd sense of kinship I feel toward Elizabeth can be attributed from our experiences with my human counterpart."

"Uh..." That was something Hank couldn't be entirely sure about. "Maybe, yeah."

"Markus viewed Carl as a father, but I don't view Elizabeth as a mother. It doesn't make any sense to me."

"Well, you don't know Elizabeth that well. Hell, you didn't even know she existed until yesterday."

"And yet she seemed so familiar to me. Like I had been reunited with a long lost friend, like Evelyn."

"Try not to put too much thought on something like that. You're both dealing with something really emotionally traumatizing so don't feel like your emotions and her emotions or interpretations of one another are going to line up one-hundred percent."

"So, it's not unusual for me to view Lucas as my little brother in the same way that it's not unusual for Carl and Markus to have viewed each other as father and son?"

"Yeah, you got it. You're just feeling a little weird because you've been through a lot of tough emotional experiences recently. You're just fine and you're allowed to be bitter about Markus. After all," casually motioning to the tower with his right hand Hank sank down into his seat a little. "the guy did try to kill you."

"Thank you for listening and understanding. I feel... I think I feel better now."

"Good. Now, why don't ya' get some sleep?" Facing Connor for a moment Hank saw the dull glaze over Connor's eyes and knew he was fighting back against his exhaustion without complaint. "You're tired, the tower ain't going anywhere and if something happens I'll wake ya' up."

The temptation of rest was too much to resist to the weary deviant. Even with having a superior power supply and power cells designed to last well over a century even with constant use Connor wasn't immune to exhaustion. "Okay, Hank. I'll set an internal alarm to wake me after an hour."

"Sounds good." Turning up the radio a little more, just enough to hear the music without it being distracting, Hank let out his own sigh as he continued to stare at the tower in the distance. "I'll be here when you wake up, son."

As he closed his eyes Connor found himself suddenly fixated at the term 'son' and couldn't think of anything else as he initiated his rest mode. The idea of being anyone's son seemed impossible to the still learning deviant, and with that sense of impossibility Connor suddenly heard Lucy's words echoing in his mind all over again. She too had referenced Connor's being connected to the concept of 'son' and it just left the deviant with far more questions than answers.

Had Lucy found the memories of his human counterpart in his mind? Was she referring to Connor taking on the role of a son? Was she seeing something much further down the line that Connor couldn't even begin to fathom?

Only time would tell.

Over the next two days the investigation revolving around the bombing built strength as more and more evidence was collected. The identity of the lone suspect, Mayor Walter Nero, was being kept quiet while patrol outside the mayor's residence doubled up as a precaution to ensure the mayor didn't grow wise to the suspicion around him name and try to flee the city. The Central Police Precinct rotated patrol every six hours to ensure sharp eyes and well rested officers were always watching the manor and keeping track of the mayor's every movement. Beyond the sleazy man's wife and children leaving to run errands there was no activity within the residence.

While the police and F.B.I. were handling the Hart Plaza bombings Hank and Connor were keep a watchful eye over the deviant community to ensure no one interfered with the funeral of Carl Manfred. The funeral took place The high profile funeral was at hand and the church was filled to the brim with respectful mourners. Despite the desperation of the reporters to take photographs of the dearly departed and the grieving family the police and private security managed to keep the vultures at bay.

Struggling to keep his emotions in check Markus held tightly onto North's hand as they sat together in the front of the church alongside Leo and his boyfriend Aaron, the bold deviant leader managed to get up long enough to give eulogy for Carl that was sure to bring everyone to tears, without breaking down himself.

It took every waning ounce of his strength to stand before the packed church as he spoke of his late father's incredible legacy, but Markus succeeded and managed to deliver the eulogy with flawless eloquence. Strong in his beliefs and sincere with his gratitude Markus's words reached the heart of every single person sitting in the church as they expressed their grief.

"Carl Manfred was a man who bore the heart of an artist, the soul of a poet and the mind of an explorer." Taking in a deep breath Markus stabilized his voice and tried to not think of how he was standing before his father's coffin. Dressed in a sharp black suit and tie Markus was as respectable as possible as he honored his late father. "Through his creativity and forward thinking Carl managed to make this world a little brighter, more colorful and far more beautiful than it would have been without him."

From beside Leo on the front pew North stayed strong for Markus and just nodded a little as a way of silently giving him confidence to keep speaking.

"When he and I first met I was meant to be nothing more than a 'gift' to make his life easier after his accident. But that's not what happened. Instead of being put to work and becoming a silent right hand for Carl when he went about his daily routine, I became his friend and not long after that, his son."

The wonderful memories of bonding with Carl during their initial few months together always filled Markus's heart with joy.

"He took me into his home, his world, his life and his family. Through Carl I learned how to think, how to feel, how to empathize and how to express myself as a person rather than remaining a dormant, quiet fixture in this ever changing city."

Folding his hands together before himself Markus bowed his head a little as his tears escaped at long last and rolled down his face to disappear into small little drops on the floor at his feet.

"Through Carl's kindness, love, patience and creativity this entire world is going to be better than it had been before. Through Carl's devotion to broadening his horizons his art constantly evolved to reflect our world as it changed, and that reflection helped open the eyes of so many people so they could see themselves and the people around them in a new light. I saw myself for the first time through Carl's eyes, and I saw myself as someone deserving of life. Without Carl I wouldn't be here and the city would still be in turmoil."

Taking in a deep breath Markus steadied his voice and continued to speak from his heart.

"As a man of peace and understanding Carl's positive influence shaped everything around him in a positive manner. He was a father to all of those who needed guidance and understanding just as he was a father to Leo and myself. Our father... Our dad may have left this world, but his influence will continue to help reshape it as long as we keep his memories alive in our hearts."

Turning around Markus lightly pressed his right palm over the surface of the closed ivory white coffin and sighed to keep himself as stable as possible.

"We'll all miss him. Carl was loved by everyone and he loved everyone in return. I can only hope that in time I can show everyone the same love he had shown me, and do his legacy proud."

With his fingers curling over the surface of the coffin Markus's voice shook as his heart began to beat with a thunderous ache.

"I love you, dad..." Whispering as his tears fell and heart ached Markus spoke his final words to his departed father. "I always will. Thank you for everything."

A spring rain drenched the city under a heavy deluge as the funeral continued at the cemetery. The mourners all gathered together at the cemetery in a single line procession to see Carl being laid to rest on that rainy spring day. The massive train of various vehicles circling around the block and down the drive leading to the cemetery all parked in a neat line as the mourners exited their vehicles with black umbrellas popping open to shield them from the relentless rain above. The six pallbearers, two of whom were Markus and Leo, placed Carl's coffin in its rightful place and the mourners took their seats in the chairs that were covered by the small black canopies that had been set up to protect the seats from the weather.

As the mourners fell silent and waited for the finale of the funeral to take place Leo himself stood before the coffin to deliver a second eulogy to honor his father and to atone for his past mistakes where he had needlessly been selfish and cruel. Seeing the cleaned up young man admitting his faults and making amends to those he had hurt gave the mourners a sense of pride knowing that Carl's only biological son truly did respect his now late father.

From the street where they had parked Connor and Hank could just barely see the funeral taking place near the center of the cemetery as they continued to monitor the area to keep the media away. Sinking back in their seats the two detectives watched as the mourners wiped away their tears as they stood in the rain or under umbrellas while listening in on the final eulogy before paying their final respects.

"Rain at a funeral." Hank lamented in a hushed tone as he leaned forward a little to watch the event through Connor's side window. "It's as symbolic as it is annoying."

"...Yes. It's a very somber occasion. I'd much rather be focusing on the investigation into the mayor."

"You and me both, kid." Focusing on Leo for a minute Hank's brow furrowed slightly at he couldn't place who the young man was. "Who's that guy talking right now?"

"Leonard Manfred." Connor confirmed with a simple facial recognition scan. "Carl's only biological child."

"Oh, I just thought that was a rumor." Squinting a little to get a better look at the younger man's face from the distance Hank could see that Leo was currently talking. "I wonder what he's saying?"

"Would you like to know verbatim or just a summary?"

"You can hear him from here?"

"Not very well due to the rain, but I can still read his lips perfectly."

"Oh. Give me the short version."

"He's stating that he never appreciated his father and feels guilty for being angry toward Carl for not knowing about his existence until he was a young teenager. He now understands it wasn't Carl's fault and that he regrets turning his anger inward and into drug abuse. Leo is also expressing remorse for being so bitter, so closed off and for being so cold to Markus."

"So... He's turning the funeral into a speech to make himself look good?"

"No. Now he's talking about how he's going to make Carl proud by continuing to run Carl's numerous charities, support rehabilitation programs and deviant charities all while going back to school to study art. He wants to be a son 'worthy of Carl's name'."

"You'd think Carl was some type of god walking among men with the way those two are talking about him."

Lowering his eyes for a moment Connor rested his hands atop his lap as if in job interview as he asked a sincerely curious question. "Isn't that the normal reaction children have toward their parents?"

"When they're little. Then again, I don't know Markus and Leo's pasts. Who am I to judge how they view their father?"

Needing to change the subject for a moment Connor looked to Hank and stopped paying attention to the funeral. "How long should we remain here?"

"We'll wait until everyone leaves and then wait about ten minutes longer." Sitting back Hank crossed his arms over his chest and stared through the windshield to watch the raindrops splashing in the numerous puddles collecting on the street before the vehicle. "I don't think anything would happen if a reporter showed up, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Reporters are called vultures for a reason, kid. After that, we'll report back to the precinct and ask about the Hart Plaza bombings."

Unaware of Connor and Hank watching the funeral from the street Markus showed only grief and sorrow toward his departed father. Placing a white lily atop the coffin Markus stayed beside the grave and watched as more and more flowers were added to the coffin as each passing mourner paid their final respects. Standing under an umbrella as North stood beside him and refused to let him be alone during his time of grief Markus remembered all the rainy days he spent with Carl inside the artist's studio working on a new piece to pass the foul weather by. Sometimes Markus would sit and watch the elderly artist at work, other times he'd simply play the piano and fill the mansion with music that accompanied the natural rhythm of the raindrops pattering against the windows of the gallery.

All those good memories would last forever in Markus's heart but the warmth of Carl's company would continue to fade as time went on. The mansion itself would remain in Markus's care as the new owner. During his final days Carl had updated his will to ensure that the mansion and his works stayed in Markus's name while his other funds would go to Leo for as long as he stayed clean and sober.

The idea of returning to the empty mansion was enough to freeze Markus where he stood. Leaving his father behind in the cold cemetery on the rainy miserable day seemed so cruel and impersonal. Even having Leo around would've been preferable, but Leo was determined to go back to his apartment with Aaron and keep himself from falling into old bad habits.

"Markus?" Wrapping her arms around his left arm North whispered his name and tried to get him to move. "It's time. Carl's at peace, there's nothing more for you to do. You need to get some rest."

"...It feels so wrong to just walk away like this."

"I know." Sympathetic to her friend's pain North continued to speak sweetly to him as Leo took his own leave of the funeral ensuring that Carl's sons were the last to leave his side. "But Carl wouldn't want you to stop living your life because his is over."

"Without him to guide me I'm not sure I can live."

"If you're worried about being alone, don't. I may not be in the city every day anymore, but I'll be here for you whenever you do need me."

Closing his mismatched eyes Markus nodded subtly as he allowed North to lead him away from the grave and over to the black car that had been hired to escort them about the city during the day. Moving slow and heavily it looked as though Markus's heart was so weighted by grief and made it was keeping his body from moving whatsoever. The pain of loss and the tears of mourning were easily the worst feelings that the deviant leader had ever experienced.

Glancing over his right shoulder and through the pouring rain Markus gave the coffin covered under the white lilies once final gaze before he closed his tear filled eyes in utter grief.

"...Goodbye, dad." Speaking from his heart Markus forced himself to walk away at long last. "I'll never forget you."

Patiently the two detectives waited for all of the mourners to depart from the cemetery before returning to the precinct. Being in an unmarked vehicle with a heavy rain obstructing the view of anyone and everyone who passed them by made it easier for Hank and Connor to maintain a low profile, and prevent any unwanted attention coming their way. Watching as Markus and North walked toward the black car to leave the rain soaked cemetery behind Connor sunk down in his seat and pressed his right palm over his glowing yellow L.E.D. to ensure the amber light didn't catch the eye of Markus, North or anyone else who might take notice of the steady blinking.

Peering through the rain soaked windshield as Markus and North entered the back of the black rental car Connor sighed and wondered what it'd be like to attend an actual funeral as opposed to scattering the ashes of someone who was essentially just his reflection of himself. Not wanting to experience the emotional pain of a funeral Connor did his best to push the thought from his mind as effectively as possible.

The very idea of saying goodbye to someone he cared about; Hank, Lucas or even Sumo, was too depressing to focus on.

"Once they're out of sight we'll head back to the precinct." Hovering his right hand over the key sitting in the ignition Hank waited for the black car to drive down the dirt path and out toward the rain drenched street. "Nothing happened and that means we can focus on the bombings again."

Nodding a little Connor agreed with the idea of heading back to the precinct to handle a case of genuine interest and importance, not keep reporters and bigots away from a group of mourners. "Okay, Hank. I'm ready to resume the investigation."

"Did ya' get any sleep last night?" Unwilling to risk Connor's health over an investigation Hank wanted to know for certain that his partner was ready to handle such a heavy responsibility as high profile and potentially historic case. "Any detective who's running on fumes is going to be pulled off the case until they get some proper rest."

"I'm okay." Straightening back up as the black car disappeared down the street and into the rain Connor lowered his right hand from his temple and looked to Hank beside him. "I slept last night for six hours, twenty-seven minutes and fourteen seconds."

"All right." Turning the key in the ignition Hank turned on the windshield wipers, shifted the Oldsmobile out of park into drive, and began heading down the street in the opposite direction of the black car. "Then let's go nail that corrupt bastard to the damn wall and see how much he squirms before he snitches on all of his corrupt little buddies to try to get a lighter sentence."

-next chapter-