~~Detroit Police Department~~

~Connor~

Everyone, literally everyone, android and human alike, was on edge as Connor entered the police building. It was Jericho all over again. The cold and disbelieving stares that had shrouded him in separation were now everywhere he went.

"Hank?" Connor questioned just as a notification from Markus interrupted his thoughts. He ignored it to deal with more pressing issues.

Tina, who had greeted them at the police station doors, found herself on the sidelines as Captain Fowler waved them into his office. Chris also made himself scarce as several officers pulled his attention.

"Give us a sec," Fowler ordered as the door closed. "That…thing…this RK900 waltzed in here and made my officers look like fools."

"We had nothing to do with it," Hank interrupted.

"That's not the point, Hank," Fowler shouted. "It hacked our system. All my officer's personal information was stolen, including case documents, and evidence records. You name it, it got it. The entire police department is on standby."

"Captain, if I may," Fowler gestured for Connor to continue. "May I review the police footage?"

"Have at it," Fowler said, leaning back in his chair.

Connor approached Fowler's computer with his skin retracted; he tapped on the keyboard and downloaded the police station footage. He reviewed the reel. Fowler was distracted, taking his call with Hank outside his office. RK900 seemed to know this and went utterly unnoticed until Tina returned to the station.

The AP700 attacking Reed must have been in on it, a little sideshow meant to distract them. The RK900 spent no more than 10 minutes in the building, and yet that was all it needed to fuck things up. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed as he determined the next course of action.

"Captain, it was all a ruse. This morning's event was nothing but a scare tactic. RK900 is after Markus and me, I think. I will gladly..."

Hank stepped forward. "No! Whatever you're thinking, NO." Hank opposed.

"Hank, if this thing is after either of us, then I need Connor to do whatever it takes to bring it down. I got cops worried about their fucking families and personal safety. That thing is a threat. I need you all to take care of this shit before the FBI steps in again."

Fowler was right; they needed to do everything in their power to stop him. RK900 was not just tailing them, he was playing with them. And now it had the entire police staff's information. Connor would rather face deactivation than put anyone of his coworkers in danger.

"Jeffrey, what the hell!?" Hank rumbled. "There's gotta be another way."

"No, we need to take this fucker down now," Reed added to Hank's frustration.

"Shut the fuck up, Reed!" Hank shouted.

"Hank! Not now, I told you once before, and I'll tell you again. If THIS is going to get in the way of your investigation, then I'll be happy to terminate you both. Do your FUCKING jobs and stop this RK900!" Fowler shouted as an end to their conversation.

Hank stormed out of the office as Connor followed. Reed did not say a word as he swiftly walked off to the breakroom.

They were all in deep shit no matter how they looked at it. If this situation got out of hand, they'd all be paying the price. Long stares only seemed to deepen the trench that they had fallen in.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Hank sat at his desk, stewing before being ordered to the physician's office.

Connor did not follow him this time; instead, he shuffled to the breakroom wanting to avoid the whispers and stares. He stopped short of the archway overhearing Reed, Tina, and Dylan Piers.

"It was a fucking mistake allowing them to work here. Now, look what's happened." Dylan grumbled, slamming his fist on the table.

"Piers, chill out. That thing was not Connor," Tina paused. "But it sure had me fooled for a sec."

"That is the fucking problem. We've never been concerned about duplicate models until now." Dylan chimed, the heat of his voice adding to the tension.

"Shut the fuck up Piers, Connor was with us all day and had nothing to do with this shit!" Reed shouted to everyone's surprise.

Connor rounded the corner prompting Dylan's departure. He shoulder-checked Connor as he left the room. Something Connor had gotten disturbingly used to in time at the DPD. Tina and Reed froze as Connor made eye contact.

"Thank you, Reed," Connor said, realizing it was the first time Reed had ever referred to him by name.

"Shut up," Reed replied, taking the opportunity to excuse himself.

"Don't worry, Connor. Everyone's just on edge." Tina's reassuring touch eased some of Connor's woes, but he still felt like public enemy number one. "You okay?"

Connor shuttered, "I'm fine."

"Well, brace yourself. Here comes the Captain," Tina warned before slipping away.

"Connor!" Fowler shouted.

"Yes, Captain."

"I want you and Hank off duty for the rest of the day," Fowler informed, pressing the ache in his neck.

"But Captain," Connor interrupted, irritated at the thought.

"No fucking buts, Connor," he sighed heavily, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You both fired off your weapons today. Rules are rules. Reed and Collins will take over for today."

"Captain, please hear me out. This android is dangerous…" Fowler cut him short.

"No. Get Hank and take the day off. That's an order." Fowler scuffed as he prepared a cup of coffee. "You'll be back up in 24 hours, got that, Connor?" Fowler murmured.

Connor nodded unwillingly, but he had no choice. He only hoped Hank would take it the same way. A 24-hour hold was nothing. It was a small price to pay for discharging their weapons. Making his way to the physician's office, Connor replayed the footage in his mind. What would he gain by resetting Connor and Markus? Connor had nothing of value. Nothing worth this sort of attention.

RK900 wanted something else, but Connor could figure out what that something else was. Perhaps a code error, a malfunction in processes, a back door of some sort that Kamski had planted. Who knew? He'd had to ask Kamski later.

Reverting Connor or Markus would be of no use. So, many androids had achieved deviancy, and the majority of the was facing similar issues if not worse. 'tHis purpose was to hunt deviants, but deviancy was everywhere. Even Connor questioned his usefulness these days.

Connor heard Hank and Gavin before he spotted them on the other side of the glass window. They were loud enough to tune out the chatter, so Connor was grateful in that sense. Outside the door, Connor stood silently and read Markus's message.

"Connor, an AP700 named Ivan, went missing two days ago. Simon assumed he left with a few others, who wanted to cross the border to Mexico. They contacted us this morning and stated that Ivan had not gone with them."

"Shit." Connor cursed under his breath.

It was just another phone call that he did not want to make. The thin sheet of ice that he stood on was only getting more tenuous.

"Plastic!?" Gavin shouted as Connor turned in response. "Where the hell were you just now?"

"Sorry, I was checking my messages," Connor replied. "Hank, we've been placed on leave for the day."

"Yeah, I fucking heard," he confirmed, shaking his head in disappointment. "Fowler needs to fucking retire."

Gavin laughed, "look who's fucking talking."

"Wipe that stupid grin off your face," Hank retorted, grabbing Connor by the forearm and dragging him down the hall. "Go find Collins. He'll be babysitting you for the rest of the day."

"Yeah, fuck that," Gavin shouted. "Why the hell am I stuck with all the fucking senior citizens?"

"We don't enjoy babysitting you either," Hank added before exiting into the parking lot.

"You seem oddly relaxed by all this," Connor noted as Hank tossed him the keys to the car.

"Nah, Connor, I'm fucking pissed off. That thing couldn't have gotten far." Hank assessed as Connor nodded in agreement.

Connor twitched, something he hoped had gone unnoticed.

"You alright?" Hank's said, raising an eyebrow.

"I've been better," Connor started the car and swiftly peeled out of the parking lot.

"I need a fucking drink."

"It's barely even noon," Connor commented, nearly running a red light.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Hank asked again.

"I'm fine." He replied. "Markus contacted me earlier. That AP700 model's name was Ivan." He paused, trying to choose his words carefully. "How'd he know about the lab?"

"Right? If he was activated after the revolution, how'd he know where to go?" Hank questioned.

"Exactly, someone from Jericho had to have known his location. But who? And how?" Connor asked, driving past the turn to Jimmy's Bar.

"What the hell, Connor?"

"There's beer at home." Connor reminded him.

Hank groaned as Connor sped towards the house, his mind cycling through the residents of Jericho.

"Cool it. You're going to ram your foot through the floor." Hank ruffled his grey locks, hoping to keep his thoughts away from last night's events temporarily. "So, what are you thinking?"

"I'm not sure, but without a doubt, someone from there knew and had access." Pulling into the driveway, Connor and Hank noticed a note on the front door.

As soon as Connor put the car in park, Hank bolted. He checked to make sure it was locked. Thankfully it was, but his sweaty palms revealed he was prepared for the worst.

"What's it say?" Connor asked, rushing up behind him.

Hank peeled the note from the door. "Having fun?" Balling the piece of paper up, he chunked it into the road. "FUCK!"

"He's toying with us." Connor took in the area as Hank opened the front door.

"Yeah, no shit." He replied as Sumo barked voraciously from the other side. "Calm down, boy. We're here."

Connor followed behind Hank, ignoring Sumo's pleas for attention for a moment. He assessed that nothing was out of place and that nothing had been tampered with. Connor checked and rechecked every room, except for Cole's room.

"It's all clear," Connor stated, kneeling to ease Sumo's tension finally.

"I figured as much," Hank replied, removing his shoes and jacket. Carelessly he tossed them aside as he plopped on the couch.

Connor immediately went to retrieve them as if he had been programmed to do so for his entire existence.

"Leave 'em," Hank muttered, gesturing for Connor to join him.

"Why?" Connor asked, loosening his tie and questioning Hank's sudden change in mood.

"Relax, there's nothing we can do about any of this today. I'm not going to spend my fucking time chasing my tail around this fucking city." Hank replied, flipping on the television.

"How can you be so calm?" Connor asked, tossing his tie aside. "He's taunting us. And just a moment ago, you were…pissed." Connor's LED flickered red as he internalized his frustration.

"Don't mistake my lack of immediate action for calmness. I am fucking pissed. But it is not going to change anything." Hank ran his hand over his face as he urged Connor to join him. "Sit."

"Hank," Connor moaned, pacing by the front door with his LED still red.

"Sit, god damn it," Hank ordered.

Hank watched as Connor ignored Hank's command. It was almost as if he had not yet registered it. Connor exhaled and plopped down next to him. He could see that Hank was watching him, but he was preoccupied and lost in his thoughts to face him now. As Hank, shifted towards him, Connor met Hank's gaze with turmoil.

"This frustration you're feeling is normal," Hank stated. "We'll stop him, Connor. Don't worry." Hank's voice was oddly calming.

But Connor was still flustered. "I don't want anyone getting hurt." Connor paused. "Especially you, Hank."

Hank did not respond, instead, he stood and grabbed his switchblade from under the couch cushion, Hank pulled Connor's head into his lap.

"What are you doing?" Connor asked as he tried to read Hank's face.

"Hold still," Hank ordered.

Connor complied as he listened to Hank's blood flow and the beating of his heart. With the tip of the blade, Hank forcibly removed Connor's LED. The sound it made as it hit the wooden floor caused him to freeze up. It was the last bit of CyberLife that kept him from genuinely amercing himself in this new life. Hank had asked him why he had not removed it before; he did not have an answer then. And he did not have one now.

"Hank?" Connor whispered, sitting upright to meet his gaze once again.

"Connor, I'm not good at this shit anymore. So just hear me out. When I look at you…I don't see an android. You're just YOU." He paused, reaching for Connor's hand as he sat up. "I know I've said some things in the past that I never apologized for and some things I've never thanked you for either."

Connor could see that Hank was struggling, not just emotionally, but physically to keep tears at bay.

"Thank you for saving my life. And I'm fucking sorry about those things I said about androids back at the Eden Club. Before you came along, I was half-assing my way through day-to-day life. I just wanted to an out." Hank scratched his beard. "That day you found me at Jimmy's bar changed the course of my life. So, thank you, Connor. Truly, thank you."

Connor had waited so long to hear those words, he would have waited an eternity to hear them. Everything he had felt last night was coming back tenfold as Hank squeezed his hand. Connor could not control himself, his skin retracted under Hank's touch. He could almost taste Hank on his lips again. It was yet another intoxicating that Connor did not need another reason to hesitate. He leaned forward as Hank met him halfway, their fingers interlocking as Connor placed his free hand on Hank's neck. Slowly he watched as Hank tilted his head ever-so-slightly and pulled him into a kiss. Hank's lips were soft and inviting as their kiss continued past the point of no return.