The sight of the storm damage throughout Detroit being shown on the news had kept the story of the big bust in Chicago at bay for the time being. The city of Detroit was recovering from the severe wind, rain and even lightning damage that had blown in the night before. Hundreds of old tree branches in the forest area surrounding the city and dotting the local parks had been torn loose, weakened powerlines were draped over the vacated city streets causing random blackouts, flooding in the streets and the lowlands made it difficult to navigate anywhere, dozens of large and unprotected windows had been broken, and random lightning strikes burned out several power transformers. To say the city was a mess was a massive understatement.
First responders and emergency personnel were busily working together to clean up the streets and repair the damage as swiftly as possible. The sooner power was restored to the blacked out neighborhoods, the better. The damaged trees would be pruned and the windows would be replaced later on after the more pressing matters had been properly taken care of.
After returning to the brownstone with Skye and Rupert's assistance, Connor laid over the length of the nearest sofa in his study to keep his incredibly sore back from aching at him too profusely. Having his spinal support column damaged, something incredibly difficult to do considering his spine was composed of both titanium and bits of diamond to keep him strong, had proven to be Connor's most painful damage to date.
With his eyes on the news report on the television mounted on the far wall above the fireplace Connor barely heard the front door to the brownstone opening as Lucas returned to check in on him. When Bruno suddenly appeared beside Connor and put his paws down on his chest, the recovering deviant detective realized that Lucas had stopped by Hank's house and already knew exactly what had to him happened in Chicago.
"You look awful." Lucas remarked as he peered down at Connor's bruised, somewhat pale face and performed a scan over his brother's systems. When he noted the numerous fractures to his chest, his broken right arm and the damage to Connor's spine his green eyes went wide with fear and shock. "Your spinal support column has been damaged. How is that possible?"
"It'd... be easier to just show you." Reaching out his shaking hand toward Lucas to take, Connor sensed a third presence in the brownstone and determined that it must've been Hank. It'd make sense for the senior detective to give Lucas and Bruno a ride back to the brownstone due to the severe storm damage making it difficult to navigate the city. "Also understand that everything that happened was entirely necessary."
"Despite your success, I must disagree that getting beaten down by another android with enough strength to break your arm and cause significant damage to your spine was necessary."
Walking around to the front of the sofa Hank looked down at Connor and grimaced at Lucas's words. "Broken bones and back injuries suck. I'm siding with Lucas."
Lucas looked to Hank with relief in his eyes. "Thank you."
Patting the side of his leg Hank revealed Sumo and made sure the massive dog greeted Connor politely. "Hope ya' don't mind. The house had a few busted windows and the neighbor's tree branch damaged the livingroom wall. I didn't want him getting underfoot during the repairs."
"I don't mind at all. After all," rubbing Sumo's ears Connor watched as Sumo and Bruno playfully nipped at each other confirming that the two dogs were becoming good friends. "you've taken care of Bruno for us when we really needed it, and the dogs like each other. We don't mind watching Sumo for a while."
"Cool. I brought some of his chow over already, and it's in your foyer. I gotta' get back to the precinct and help out with the mess. If you need anything, just call."
"Thank you, Hank."
Lucas thanked Hank again and waited for Hank to leave the brownstone before speaking with Connor again. The deviant technician was clearly nervous about something, and he needed to speak with Connor about it in order to understand what was happening. "...Josh was lucky to survive his wounds. He also told me that you were the one to find and rescue him from that RA9 forsaken Hellhole."
"...Yes, that's true." Struggling to readjust his position over the sofa Connor gave Lucas an anxious glance. "He was one of the deviants forced to fight for the humans waging on the bouts. I strongly suspect that he was abducted while trying to gather supplies for the deviants living in shelters and refugee camps around the city."
"I agree. Josh was unconscious when he arrived and remained unconscious after I repaired his damage. Markus and Simon are watching over him as he rests, and Skye wisely removed North from the tower to ensure there is no form of... retribution."
"Do you think North would hurt Josh?"
"No, but I strongly suspect she'd try to guilt trip Josh into self destructing for his past decisions."
"That's an unsettling thought." Rubbing both Sumo and Bruno's chins in turn with his one good hand as the two dogs kept close to him, Connor looked past their fuzzy faces and locked eyes with his brother sitting on the second sofa across from him. "Were you able to access Josh's memories while unconscious?"
"No. And I won't do that to anyone without their consent." Lucas didn't trust Josh either, but he still respected the deviant's rights and didn't dare to infringe on them because of his notorious reputation. "Is there something I need to know about what happened in Chicago?"
With a heavy heart Connor told Lucas of witnessing Josh killing his "opponent" but confirmed that the deviant had begged for Josh to end his misery. From the distance during the fight Connor could hear everything Josh and said to Miles, and he could provide his memory as evidence regarding the incident at hand. Josh may have tried to kill Connor out of fear of what the deviant detective might be capable of doing to their people before Josh had known him a little better, but that was an act of fear and not maliciousness for which Connor had managed to forgive him for. Killing Miles, a deviant who was already dying and begging for death, wasn't a malicious act either. It was an act of mercy on Josh's part.
Lucas was quiet for a moment as he contemplated everything Connor had said and everything he had uncovered. "How many deviants were captive at the arena?"
"Unknown. Officer Evelyn Blythe and Captain Dinah Warren in Chicago will continue the investigation and keep me apprised of what's going on." Taking in a slow breath Connor felt a surge of pain along his spine as the motion made the small fractures in his support column shift slightly. While Connor could still move about on his own his motions were very restricted, and his strength had been notable diminished thanks to his damaged spine. "...D-Did you learn anything from Alec?"
"Only that he was attempting to help out his friend Robert when Robert was previously ill, and Alec ended up getting abducted while running his errands just two days ago. Robert wanted to file a missing person's report, but the storm kept him in his house. Alec will give his statement to the police when it's time to do so."
"Understandable. He's been through a lot and deserves a moment to rest."
"So do you." Gently Lucas pushed the two dogs aside so he could put his palm down on Connor's chest. He felt Connor tense up under his touch and knew that his brother was still in quite a lot of pain after everything he survived the night before. "Your support column is fairly compromised. You should allow me to repair the fracture in your spine."
"It'll heal on its own."
"I'm aware, but you'll heal faster with technical intervention."
"With everything happening right now in both the city and the tower, I'd rather not distract you from your priorities."
"As my brother, you are my sole priority. Never think otherwise."
The touching comment gave Connor a twinge of guilt for making it seem like he didn't think Lucas cared about him. "I know. I'm sorry." Using only his left arm Connor slowly and carefully pushed himself upright from where he was laying and allowed Lucas to help him move so he could sit with perfect posture. "If you can assist me with my recovery, I trust you to do so."
Grateful for the bode of confidence Lucas helped Connor to remove his dirty vest and white dress shirt to reveal his bruised and battered back. The sight of the dark blue bruising directly over where Connor's spinal support column had been fractured was enough to make Lucas wince sympathetically. Using a light touch Lucas deactivated the artificial skin over the damaged section and eyed the fractured plastimetal with his own eyes.
"I can't do much for such an injury beyond providing external physical support in the form of additional gauze bandages and a plastimetal brace. I'll have to return to the tower to gather such supplies."
"I assure you that I can wait and that I will not be going anywhere."
"Very well. Lay on your stomach to keep the pressure off your spine." Guiding Connor back down over the sofa on his side, Lucas watched as Connor carefully rolled over onto his stomach as requested. There was no point in helping Connor redress in his shirt or vest at the moment, so Lucas let him be. "Try to get some rest. I'll bring back the supplies along with extra Thirium to help your self healing program."
"Thank you, brother."
"You're welcome. I'll have to walk since the roads are still littered with debris and the autonomous taxis are currently offline."
"I understand." Tucking his left arm under his head Connor glanced up at Lucas and nodded in response. "Once you're back I'll go into greater detail on the situation in Chicago and ask for an update from Evelyn."
The casual mentioning of a person he had never met left Lucas somewhat puzzled. "Evelyn?"
"Officer Blythe insisted that I call her by her first name."
"Oh, of course." Letting the matter drop Lucas set about on his errands to aid his brother. "I'll return as soon as I can."
When Lucas left the brownstone both Bruno and Sumo resumed hovering around Connor. The two dogs could sense that he was injured and refrained from jumping on him or the sofa in general to ensure they didn't accidentally aggravate his injuries.
'Connor is hurt.' Bruno stated in a cybernetic link to his guardian. 'Who hurt Connor?'
"Another android in Chicago." Replying honestly Connor watched as Bruno tilted his head to the side curiously. "It's over now, and the case has been closed."
'Can Bruno help?'
"No, boy. Just keep Sumo company and show him your new chew rope. Today's a day off for all of us."
Bruno wagged his tail happily as he made a grumbling noise at Sumo and led the Saint Bernard to his pillow. Showing Sumo the toy as suggested, Bruno was able to engage in a friendly game of tug-o-war with his canine companion. The two dogs proceeded to play together in the middle of the study while Connor watched their game taking place while monitoring the news as he rested and tried to recover from his painful injuries.
The deviant detective was in pain, too weak to move around, and officially benched until his spine healed. Being stuck on the injures reserved list wasn't fun, and it was an entirely new experience for Connor to accept and deal with.
"Hank's right. Broken limbs and back injuries do in fact suck."
Tensions within New Jericho Tower were high and getting higher as Markus and Simon tried to determine the best course of action regarding Josh's unceremonious return to the tower earlier that morning. The exiled deviant had been abducted, assaulted and held captive for well over a week before anyone even knew he was missing. The guilt of being unable to keep track of their people, regardless of their reputation, was enough to make Markus feel sick. Even with both Simon and North emphasizing that Markus was in no way responsible for what had happened to Josh and the other deviants, Markus couldn't shake the feeling that he had messed up in an unforgivable manner.
It had taken Simon some time to get Markus to listen to reason and recognize that he couldn't be responsible for the entire city at any given time. The compassionate technician hated seeing his beloved so worked up and had to be both an emotional buffer for Markus and a rock for him to lean on as they tried to find a solution to their very unusual problem at hand.
"How could we let this happen?" Markus asked to no one in particular as he stared at Josh's slack face through the observation window of the isolated recovery room. The exiled deviant had been kept isolated for the sake of keeping his punishment active, but even so Josh had been given a very luxurious room to call his own during his recovery. "Countless deviants had vanished from the city and no one did anything about it."
"Those who were abducted were mostly loners who sought privacy in their lives." Simon replied in a soft voice. Wrapping his hand around Markus's hand he gave his beloved a reassuring squeeze. "I'm not blaming the victims. I'm merely pointing out the tragic pattern of behavior that disgusting predators took advantage of."
Peering at Simon's faint reflection on the window beside him, Markus locked eyes with Simon in an urgent manner. "Do we know how many were taken?"
"There hasn't been an official number yet, but according to Rupert he saw at least twenty-two different deviants in the arena."
"And only two survived."
"The Chicago police are working with the deviant community to solve this case and get our people justice. This was a tragic incident, but it'll have a promising end."
"I hope you're right." Returning the squeeze to Simon's hand Markus watched as Josh rested from his lengthy repair session and contemplated how Josh's return to the tower could affect the new routine and flow within the sanctuary's walls. "Do you think North will resign again as a leader?"
"No way. Besides, Josh isn't here as a leader, he's here as a patient."
"True enough. I'm glad Skye was able to get North to leave the tower for a while and cool off."
"Yeah, Skye really knows how to keep North calm." Simon smiled at the thought of Skye and North being together and having their alone time to decompress and discuss the odd situation in private. "Glad they have each other."
"So am I." Tightening his hand a little more Markus gave Simon a warm smile. "Everyone deserves to have someone that makes them feel loved."
"And I am glad we feel the same about each other and about them."
"We'll still need to do some form of damage control after this mess. We can't keep this from our people for too much longer, but we also can't give them only partial answers when we know they'll have thousands of questions that all need to be addressed."
"You'll think of something. You always do."
"Let's just hope I think of it before it's too late to do anything beneficial." The pitiful sight of Josh all alone while in the recovery room and covered in bandages was enough to make Markus reflect on how vulnerable their people were outside the walls of the tower. "We really need to step up in our efforts to protect our people and to offer them sanctuary regardless of who they are or what they've done. Even people who are viewed as criminals still need to be protected from other criminals."
It didn't take long for Lucas to secure the plastimetal brace around Connor's compromised spinal support column and use thick gauze bandages to keep his fractured chest frames entirely stabilized. However, trying to get Connor to actually lay down and continue to rest was proving to be a time consuming endeavor. Not only was the deviant detective too angsty to lay down and do nothing for any prolonged period of time, but he was obsessively monitoring the news in both Detroit and Chicago in search of any details regarding the bust at the illegal fighting ring. He hadn't heard anything further from Skye after she returned to her office, didn't hear anything from Rupert after he returned to the refugee camp and hadn't received an update from Evelyn or Captain Warren.
Lucas continuously tried to coax Connor into laying over the sofa, but he could only trail after his stubborn brother as Connor paced about the study with his coin dancing over his knuckles. He could detect Connor's elevated stress levels and he didn't like the way his brother was fully aware of his physical damage but wasn't taking any steps to properly heal.
The disaster outside the brownstone was enough to keep the deviant feeling restless and useless. Emergency sirens and flashing lights sped by the building at regular intervals due to the first responders cleaning up the storm damage. Such frequent occurrences made Connor feel like he wasn't doing his share of protecting the city by staying inside the brownstone despite know of his physical limitations for the time being.
"Lay down." Lucas had watched Connor pace the study for the literal fifty-second time and finally had enough of it. "You're damaged, you're exhausted and you're still healing. Lay down, PLEASE."
Freezing mid stride Connor looked back at Lucas standing beside the fireplace and watching him with concerned eyes. Putting his hand to his bandaged chest Connor acknowledged his still healing damage. The spinal support brace wrapped around his chest with a circular frame in the front and had a tail of sorts in the back. The "tail" was composed of smooth plastimetal stretching down the length of Connor's spinal support column and was being used to keep his spine perfectly straight without needing to strain his synthetic muscles or compromised frames in the process.
Connor took in a deep breath and acknowledged his brother's simple request with a huff as he turned to lay down on the sofa on his left side. His broken right arm was secured in a sling to his chest and made laying on his right side incredibly uncomfortable.
"I understand your frustration." Lucas sympathized as he watched Connor's distressed demeanor. Stress was something that the two brothers could relate to far more often than they'd care to admit. "But rest. I'm remaining here and away from the tower for the day so I can help you with your recovery."
Lifting up his head from the leather cushion Connor gave Lucas a rather intrigued glance. "Are you remaining here because of me, or because of Josh?"
"...Both."
"I've forgiven him for what he tried to do to me." Laying his head back down with a gentle motion Connor continued to speak to his brother as Lucas claimed the second sofa for himself. "You should do the same."
"It's not that easy. Josh may have targeted you rather than me or anyone else, but I'm still angry for his malicious and very sneaky behavior."
"As am I, but I understand that he was trying to do what he thought was necessary to protect our people. It was an act of desperation."
"How is it that you're able to forgive him for trying to intentionally poison you, but you've struggled with forgiving the Lieutenant over his past mistakes?"
Connor closed his eyes and tried to not think about the way Hank's shouting voice filled his heart with a strange dread or of the previous nightmares of being beaten down by someone much bigger and much stronger than he was. Such memories only seemed to add fuel to his anxiety fire, and he had just managed to get the flames under control.
"It's complicated." Answering with indifference Connor tried to not focus on his past issues as he wanted to keep focusing on the future. "I haven't heard anything regarding the investigation in Chicago." As he spoke Connor suddenly felt Evelyn's soft kiss on his lips and realized how natural it felt to be kissed even when it wasn't expected or wasn't necessary beyond their undercover operation. Pressing his fingertips to his lips Connor did his best to remain focused on the case of utmost interest. "Was Alec able to tell Markus anything pertaining to the arena?"
"Not yet. He returned to his home and is hiding away with his best friend, Robert." Lucas confirmed as he had been given an update after he returned to the tower long enough to pick up the support brace and extra bandages for Connor. "I suspect he's going to need to speak to someone regarding his abduction."
"He will in time. For now, worry more about your own recovery and get some rest." Cybernetically Lucas turned on the television to view the news and help keep Connor distracted so he wouldn't pace about the study again. "I'm going to let Sumo out back for a few minutes and make sure he doesn't accidentally step on any debris that may have blown over the property during the storm."
Turning his attention to the television screen Connor gave both Sumo and Bruno gentle pats as the dogs followed Lucas across the study to get to the backyard. He didn't like that his mind would obsess over certain things or run wild with speculation, but there was no way to preoccupy his thoughts without a case to focus on or a client to work with.
Focusing on the news reports instead Connor slowly found himself drifting off to a gentle rest mode. His body began to relax and the tension along his damaged frames began to lessen considerably until the pain that had distracted him for hours on end finally began to fade away.
New Jericho Tower was doing their own part to clean up after the storm and had opened their doors to all deviants in need. With a majority of the tower's inhabitants distracted by the newest refugees needing help walking through the doors, Markus and Simon were able to focus entirely on Josh and aid him in his recovery. Once Josh regained consciousness the two leaders went to his private room to speak with him directly and get his story regarding the abduction and his time spent captive in Chicago. The details that Josh was able to remember were as unsettling as they had initially feared. The two leaders patiently waited for Josh to tell his story and explain how he ended up trapped in the arena and where he had been when he was jumped and taken captive.
As a form of atonement for his previous behavior Josh had been working with refugees and delivering supplies to the makeshift refugee camps. It was when he was in the middle of delivering a batch of Thirium from a facility and out to the forest refugee camp that he was jumped from behind by two men. Josh barely saw the faces of the humans who attacked him, rendered him unconscious and threw him in the back of a cargo train heading out to Chicago.
"That all happened seven- no, eight days ago." Josh explained as he looked down at his shaking hands and swore that he could still see the blue blood from all the deviants he had fought staining his palms. "I was thrown into an ice cold room of concrete along with many other deviants I had never seen until then. We... They made us, the people who abducted us I mean, made us fight each other in waged bouts. I... I didn't want to do it, none of us did, but I had to. If I didn't then they... they would've..."
"It's all right." Markus spoke up in a soothing manner as he handed Josh a tissue to dry his forming tears. He knew what happened after speaking with Connor, Rupert and Skye when they first arrived at the tower that morning. "You're safe again. The police in Chicago are handling everything and making sure those who are responsible are held accountable for their actions."
"Y-Yeah, I know." Glancing about the private room Josh knew he was in a safe and secured place. "I... remember a deviant named Rupert had been sneaking around the arena and the holding cells to try and find a way to free us. I hadn't seen him after a few days, and I thought he... I know he's alive, but I still thought he had been killed trying to help us. When I was forced into my last fight, the deviant I was forced to hurt, Miles, begged for me to end his misery. And I... I didn't want to do it, but he begged for mercy and I..." Taking in a deep breath Josh tried to steady himself before continuing. "Because Rupert was gone for so long, I-I thought we were... I j-just thought we w-were all going to d-die!"
Markus saw Josh struggling to speak as his immense guilt began to gnaw away at him. The deviant's stress levels were elevating quickly, and he knew that it was important for Josh to calm down. "Take a breath and gather your thoughts. Just take your time, we're here to listen and help you."
Feeling his heart racing in his chest Josh realized how close he came to actually dying with no means of escape or help, and he truly felt fear for his life, not just his existence or freedom, for the first time since the Revolution. He had fled from the university to escape the physical abuse of ignorant students, hid in Jericho with other deviants to avoid violence and prejudice, and marched alongside his allies in a peaceful protest to gain their rights and freedom at last. All that time he never expected to actually have a sense of a life and true freedom until it was given to him after the Revolution. Only when he was threatened with death, actual death and not just damage, did Josh understand what a gift he had been given and how cruel his past actions had been when he targeted Connor and tried to poison him.
"Connor is the one who s-saved me!" Nearing sobbing in utter fear, regret, remorse and pain, Josh laid his heart on the line as he wept essentially at the feet of his allies and friends. "Of all the deviants to show me mercy and give me a second chance... Why?! Why did he do that?!"
"Because he's forgiven you and has moved on with his life." Replying honestly and without hesitation Markus let Josh know that the only person still punishing him for his past crime was Josh himself. North wanted to keep her distance but didn't want to see Josh necessarily killed for what he had done to her by framing her, and was kept away for that very reason. "Connor knows you acted out of fear and that everything you did in the arena was strictly for survival. He told us everything and Skye has it all on the record."
"S-Skye?" Hearing that North's girlfriend was also involved made Josh feel even worse. "Sh-She's working on the case?"
"She's the one who Rupert contacted after he had been discovered in the arena and then arrested for being in Chicago without any pass or clearance. She also told Connor about the incident after Rupert contacted her, and they went to Chicago together to help Rupert. It was then they learned of the arena, but they didn't know that you were one of the deviants being held captive until Connor found his way inside the building."
"Why didn't Rupert tell them about me?"
"I don't know. Maybe Rupert didn't think it was necessary to have to say who was in trouble and needed help, he just wanted to find help."
"I didn't deserve it. I still don't!" The memory of Miles begging for mercy and asking for Josh to end his suffering made him feel absolutely sick to his stomach. "I took another deviant's life! I killed them with my bare hands... Connor survived, but Miles didn't. I-I finally killed someone! I took Miles's life and there's nothing I can do to bring them back! Miles is gone forever... I'm a monster."
Markus took in a deep breath as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside Josh and bowed his head in shame. "You didn't kill them; you ended their misery. I... I know what it feels like to have another deviant beg for death and thank me as I pulled their still beating heart from their chest."
Both Josh and Simon gave Markus a stunned look as they had never heard such a story before.
"After I had been shot by the police and thrown into the android junkyard, I had to replace the damaged parts of my body by taking what I could from other shutdown deviants all around me. During my escape I had encountered a deviant who was only functioning by what seemed to be a miracle, and he... he wanted to shut down. He didn't have the strength to end his own existence, so I did it for him. I too am guilty of ending a deviant's life."
"You... killed a deviant?"
"I released them from their misery and torment after they asked me to do it. A mercy killing is not as horrendous as murder, it's not even in the same league. We didn't take lives; we helped deviants who were ready to shut down. We granted their final wishes and freed them of pain." Worried that his words sounded indifferent or even as if he was speaking like an angel of death, Markus continued talking in a comforting tone. "You freed Miles from his misery as he had asked. That's not monstrous, that's compassionate."
Josh finally reached his emotional breaking point and began to openly weep as he confessed to his crimes and was met with understanding rather than condemnation.
Unable to withhold his sympathetic tears Simon approached Josh and put his hand to the distraught deviant's shoulder. "You've been through a lot. Try to get some rest and let us know when you're ready to talk again. You're going to be okay."
Taking the hint Markus rose from the edge of the bed and accompanied Simon outside of the private room while Josh laid back over the bed and silently wept through his pain. They didn't want to see Josh so broken down both physically and emotionally since it just hurt to see. After giving the deviant some privacy to help spare his dignity Markus and Simon found themselves stunned into shocked silence about what their ally and former colleague had gone through.
The knowledge that other deviants had been abducted, held captive and beaten to death was enough to make the duo feel nauseated. They had no idea anyone had gone missing, let alone taken captive, trafficked out of the city, and then tortured by sadistic humans being entertained by a cruel blood sport.
"We can't possibly expect Josh to leave the tower again. Not after he survived something like that." Markus's mind was already made up. As the ranking leader he had the final say in what happened in the tower, but he still respected the opinions of his allies and wanted their input. "I'll make sure he's kept in an isolated part of the tower during the remainder of his recovery, then we'll move him to a new area as a type of probationary period."
Simon just gave Markus a small grin as he heard his leader and beloved's confident decision.
"Well?" Searching Simon's face for any tells about what he was thinking, Markus waited for Simon's response. "What do you think?"
"I think that's the best way to help Josh really heal after everything he's done and gone through."
"You're not at all worried about letting Josh back in here despite still being exiled and going against the punishment as deemed fit by both North and Connor?"
"I'm worried that Josh will feel like an outcast forever and will never be able to find a sense of peace. You're helping him and seeing him as the survivor that he is, not just the deviant who made a horrible mistake and has already been punished for it. That is a very noble act. I approve you have my full support."
Smiling in return Markus's shoulders slumped with incredible relief at hearing those words. "Thanks, Simon."
Rubbing his hand somewhat anxiously over the back of his short blond hair Simon gave Markus an uneasy follow-up to consider. "What're you going to tell North?"
"Everything that's happened. And then... I'm going to ask Josh to return as a part time leader to help cover the tower's needs and help us find the best way to aid our people outside the tower. He has experience outside the tower and nearly lost his life trying to deliver Thirium to those who really needed it."
"You know, rotating leaders could really help keep the tower ahead of problems before they even begin." Simon sharply noted as he discussed the matter. "I know it helped me out immensely when Lucas stepped in as a technician then became the lead technician so I could spend more time with our other patients. Doing that for everyone here might be the final big step necessary to making all the changes we want in order to really support our people."
"Let's just hope everything falls into place as smoothly as we plan." Reaching out for Simon's hand Markus took hold and pulled him in close to give him a quick kiss as Simon wrapped his arms around his shoulders for a reassuring hug. "It'd be a nice change of pace to have everything just work without needing to put up a fight."
As expected, the evening news confirmed that the storm damage to Detroit could be contributed to harsh summer weather and tornadic activity, but there were fortunately no causalities as a result of the nasty summer storm. Once the excitement of the storm began to die down and fade away the news reports shifted to a far more interesting story regarding the big bust out in Chicago. The details regarding the missing, abducted and illegally trafficked deviants was now the hot topic and seemed to be getting discussed on every news channel in both Detroit and Chicago. When the big story broke it seemed the media couldn't get enough details and were eager to keep the story going for as long as it got them top ratings.
Connor was resting well enough on the sofa as he laid on his back while propped up against three super fluffy pillows. Having Bruno and Sumo watching over him while Lucas happily sat on the floor and groomed Sumo's pelt to help him shed his summer fur a little quicker did wonders for his overall recovery and pain relief.
An incoming call prompted Connor to close his eyes for a minute as he finally had the update he was waiting for.
...Incoming Call: Officer Evelyn Blythe]
...Accept Call?: [Y/N]
'Hello, Off- Evelyn.' Correcting himself quickly Connor addressed his new ally with a somewhat chipper tone. 'How's the investigation?'
'It's actually going way smoother than I had thought.' Evelyn sounded as enthusiastic as Connor as she told him the good news. 'Not only is Dustin "Chance" Gould going to go to prison for life for deviant trafficking, illegal gambling, illegal operation of a business without a permit, selling alcohol without a license, promoting prostitution, drug possession, blackmail, assault, murder, unlawful disposal of numerous bodies AND tax evasion for good measure, but every single one of his employees are going to testify against him for their own lighter sentences. So to put things more simply, he's toast!'
Such a positive outcome made Connor grin as he heard nothing but good news. 'That's far more justice than I could've expected considering the lack of deviant rights and laws in Illinois.'
'Captain Warren lit a fire under the governor's ass, so we're going to be catching up to Michigan pretty quickly with those laws. I also imagine having the F.B.I. Director himself flying in to personally oversee Chance's case helped things, too. Apparently, he found a connection between the deviants being trafficked in Chicago and a bunch of deviants who had been trafficked out in D.C. not too long ago.'
That particular connection didn't surprise Connor in the least. 'Director Norman Jayden is an ally to deviants.'
'Have you met him before?'
'A few times, yes. You can trust him to get the job done properly.'
'That's reassuring.' Quiet for a minute Evelyn decided to turn the conversation in a new direction. 'How are you feeling?'
'I am physically exhausted, but I'm recovering well. As are the other deviants.'
'And what are Skye, Josh, Rupert and Alec doing right now?'
'Rupert returned to the refugee camp where he first noticed the missing deviants and helping the remaining deviants learn how to better protect themselves. No one else will be taken and forced into such a disgusting situation. Alec has taken sanctuary with his best friend and will give an interview when he's ready. As for Josh, he's at New Jericho Tower recovering among allies, and Skye's in her office keeping tabs on the investigation in real time. Everyone's going to be okay.'
'That's an absolute relief. I was worried that you were going to have a rough time after getting back to Detroit.'
'I have my brother to support me during my recovery. I'll be okay in two more days.'
'A brother? Man, I keep learning more and more about deviants every day.'
'It's nice to know we have allies in Chicago. It's proof that the world is truly becoming a better place for everyone to live in.'
'I know what you mean. And knowing that deviants can be detectives and lawyers makes me feel confident that there will be honest people working in honest careers, and that corruption will be a thing of the past. True equality all across the board, you know?'
'I think I do, yes.' It was Connor's turn to be quiet for a moment before he asked Evelyn a question of his own. 'May I ask you something about a particular experience we shared in Chicago?'
'I don't see why not.'
'When we were in the arena while undercover, you kissed me to keep up our cover when other people started watching us. What made you think to do that?'
'O-Oh, I... It just seemed like the right thing to do since we were supposed to be a couple.' Evelyn was clearly embarrassed by the question but was doing her best to keep her cool. 'I hope I didn't cross the line and offend you.'
'No, no. I wasn't offended, just caught off guard.'
'That's good. I'd hate to think I was behaving unprofessionally while trying to remain professional.'
'You were very professional. And, if it's not unprofessional for me to admit, it was nice. Being kissed is a rare thing for me to experience.'
'I find that hard to believe. You're such a kind and smart guy!'
Feeling himself blush a pale blue Connor discreetly rubbed his palm over his cheek to hide the reaction from Lucas as best as he could. 'I appreciate that. And interesting enough, I could say the same about you. Except for you being a woman and not a "guy".'
'You're definitely a smooth talker, Detective Wolf. I'm impressed.'
'I'm glad other people approve of my methods. Take care of yourself, Evelyn. And if you ever need a character reference for a future promotion, just ask.'
'And if you're ever in Chicago for any reason, look me up. I'd like to show you the city as a friend. There's plenty of great places you missed out on.'
'Deal. Thank you for the update.'
'No problem. Have a goodnight!'
'Goodnight, take care.' Ending the call Connor opened his eyes and noticed that Bruno was watching him with a tilted head of utter curiosity. "Good boy."
Wagging his tail happily Bruno pawed at Connor's leg and saw that his guardian was in good mood. 'Connor is happy!'
"I am happy." He confirmed as he rubbed his left hand under Bruno's chin. "For the first time since March, there are good things happening regarding deviantkind."
Without looking up Lucas cleaned out the brush full of Sumo's fur as he addressed his older brother. "I take it your recent call revolved around the case in Chicago."
"Correct. Officer Blythe confirmed that Director Jayden is ensuring every charge against Chance is going to stick. He'll remain imprisoned for the remainder of his life." Slowly lifting his right arm to test his motion and pain threshold Connor heard the brownstone door open and saw Sumo turn to face the door and wag his tail even harder when he saw who stepped through the door. "Hello, Hank."
"Hey, son." Walking over to the two sofas Hank looked at exhausted as Connor felt. Dropping down on the second sofa next to Lucas he glanced at Connor and was actually surprised that he was resting properly for once. "Guess you saw the news, huh?"
"I have. Good news for everyone."
"Yeah, it's about damn time, too." Looking down at Sumo absorbing every ounce of attention that Lucas was showing him Hank shook his head and sigh. "Furry mooch. Go figure you'd get a free grooming session while I spent all day fixing up the house and picking up the slack on patrol."
Lucas looked up at Hank as he finished cleaning out the brush and patted Sumo's hip. "Need to vent?"
"Nah, I'll save it for when I'm back on my old schedule just to piss off Jeffrey." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank observed the two deviants and was impressed at how calm and content they seemed to be. "You two seem to be doing all right after all the bullshit you've been through. Do you two need to vent anyway?"
"No." Replying quickly Lucas seemed to be completely content at the moment. "I'm all right."
"As am I." Connor tagged on as he slowly rotated his right shoulder and flexed his right hand. The break in his forearm had healed enough to permit him to use his hand's dexterity. "Things are finally improving. And it's a relief."
Hank glanced about the study and noticed how quiet and cozy the brownstone had become after Connor and Lucas made it their home. It made him pine for the long lost years of family time and a little jealous of the way the two deviant brothers were able to handle change, struggle and challenges in stride.
"Hank?" Lucas addressed the senior detective almost timidly as he proceeded to dispose of Sumo's fur in a nearby trash bin. "May I ask you something?"
"Sure, go ahead." Sensing something strange was in the other Hank acknowledged the younger of the two deviants with a kind tone. "What's on your mind?"
"Is that why you continue to be helpful and supportive of us despite the numerous errors we've both made toward one another?"
"Well, it's because I decided to stop being such a prick and I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself, which means I'm focusing on why I became a cop to begin with. I want to help people who need it, and that includes you two." The seasoned detective admitted in a small huff. "Occasionally, anyway."
"Interesting."
"Do I make you nervous?"
"Nervous, no. I'm just curious about why humans knowingly subject themselves to uncomfortable situations time and time again."
"Because humans are imperfect beings who learn lessons the hard way." Smirking a little Hank leaned forward and gave the two deviants a knowing look. "That's something I truly envy about you deviants. You're all able to learn and adapt through your own personal experiences and after actually listening to your friends who've gone through their own experiences. Empathy is your strongest emotion and why you guys seem to have an unbreakable strength."
The poetic remark left Connor feeling somewhat flattered. It was as if his own actions were having a positive impact on everyone, even those who were initially very negative toward him and his very existence. "...Deviants were designed by humans to emulate humans inside and out. It's a strength we all share."
"Keep reminding me of that." Hank was clearly exhausted and struggling to not give up on himself yet again out of sheer frustration. All of his years as a detective didn't seem to be doing much to keep the peace and make positive changes, and with that lack of personal progress Hank felt the urge to crack open a cheap bottle of whiskey to drown his shortcomings. "Anyway, you two seem to be okay. The roads are clear, most of the power's been restored to the city and my place is back in one piece. Guess it's time to call it a night."
Connor watched as Hank rose to his feet and reached down to rub Sumo's ears. He knew Hank was on his way back home but for whatever reason Connor didn't want the senior detective to leave. Not just yet. "Uh, Hank?"
Casually stretching out his tense shoulders Hank replied to the question with a yawn behind his words. "Yeah?"
"...Would you like to stay for a while? We could watch a movie or play a boardgame."
Freezing mid stretch he turned and gave Connor a strange glance. "Uh, you want me to stick around?"
"You've been very busy as of late, and Lucas and I know that you appreciate evenings where you can just socialize without needing to make huge efforts. I mean, you don't like going out to busy or crowded places."
"I know what you mean, and you're right. I don't."
"We haven't watched a movie in a while, and after everything that's happened as of late..."
"You know something? That sounds like a good idea."
Connor's soulful brown eyes lit up as he heard the positive remark. "Would you like to find a movie?"
"How about we find a movie to play in the background," he eyed the news report and grimaced at the apathetic anchorwoman feigning empathy as she told the story of the deviant bust. "and find a game to play. What do you boys have?"
"To be honest, not much."
Lucas seemed to have a moment of victory as he went to the hallway closet for a moment and then came back with four boardgames in their still sealed boxes and two large jigsaw puzzles that hadn't ever been touched. "I decided to start a small collection. I was recently inspired to try a new hobby and began checking through department stores on occasion to find anything that seems appealing."
Connor eyed the boxes as they were placed on the coffee table and immediately knew that Lucas was referring to Ethan. One of the puzzles featured a monarch butterfly resting at the center of a massive sunflower bloom confirming Connor's suspicions.
"Hey, great!" Hank eyed the offered games and checked over what they had to choose from. "Let's see... 'Trivial Pursuit', a good game but I'm not going to play with two people with internet access in their heads. 'Monopoly - Star Trek Edition', we might have a winner here. A 'Light Brite', also good but not much of a multiplayer game. And 'Settlers of Catan'. Also a good game, but the last time I played it took me six weeks to find all the pieces after the sore loser knocks the board off the table and sent everything flying."
"Who did that?" Lucas asked as he pushed aside the puzzles and decided to set up the 'Monopoly' board. "Detective Reed?"
"Actually, it was Ben." Hank admitted and laughed. "He was so fuckin' embarrassed, so we agreed to avoid that game while in the company of other officers."
"Interesting."
"Yeah, uh, anyway... Since 'Monopoly' can go on for a while I'm going to place an order for takeout. You need anything delivered?"
Connor shifted his weight so he could swing his legs over the edge of the sofa and see the game board more clearly. "And as long as no one throws the board or its pieces across the study. We're good."
"Smartass." Chuckling again Hank decided to place an order for a small pizza and ordered a small Thirium-based pizza to be nice to his hosts, all while Bruno and Sumo cuddled with the deviants. "Just let me be the banker and I won't complain about anything, and I'll just enjoy the rest of the night."
-next chapter-
