The determination to uncover more details regarding the explosives and what their purpose may be had motivated Connor into taking the initiative to investigate the bizarre case outside of his brownstone and to search for leads without relying on eye witnesses coming forward first. It was difficult to ask questions regarding the delicate situation since it was crucial to keep the potential crisis as quiet as possible to prevent any undo panic in the streets. The necessary limitations left Connor feeling as if he had set himself up to fail by putting up so many personal barricades for the sake of professionalism, but he was determined to find a way to solve the case and to find the person responsible for the unique explosives being planted throughout the city's abandoned buildings and uncover their motivation for such strange and dangerous behavior.
Using his motorcycle for fast and easy travel Connor navigated the streets as he became lost in thought and headed to the one place where he felt he could find someone to assist him without needing to involve additional police officers or detectives. Despite his faith in Hank and the other detectives at the Central Precinct he couldn't be certain that someone wouldn't accidentally let the media know what was happening through the slip of the tongue and cause more problems that'd need to be solved alongside the main case at hand.
Pulling his modified motorcycle along the somewhat busy street that was adjacent to the courthouse, Connor turned off the engine and slipped off his helmet as he looked at the modern glass and metal office building with a genuine intrigue. It was the first time that he had actually gone to see someone regarding a case that didn't involve the precinct or New Jericho Tower, and as a result he needed to be sure he found the correct address.
The personal law office of defense attorney Skye Ramona was a place that many deviants knew about, yet it was one they all hoped to avoid for obvious reasons.
Pushing his motorcycle up from the street and onto the sidewalk to conceal the attractive vehicle within the alleyway and behind a large dumpster out of sight, Connor replaced his helmet with his fedora and smoothed out his clothing as he approached the front entrance slowly and prepared to enter the office for the first time in his life. Unsure if asking Skye for help would be an advantage or a mistake, Connor took in a deep breath and calmed his racing heart before reaching for the door handle to find out for himself.
The heavy door was pulled open with minor difficulty without making a sound, and Connor set foot inside of a rather impressive waiting are. The space had six chairs, three on both walls parallel to one another and adjacent to the door, a massive gray and white marble receptionist desk in the middle of the room directly across from the entrance, white marble floors, slate gray walls, two large potted plants in the immediate corners nearest the entrance, natural lighting from four skylights overhead, and a large door leading to the private office that Skye used to conduct her business at the far wall behind the receptionist desk. The law office appeared as professional as any other, and it helped solidify the fact that deviants were in fact equal among their human peers.
"Excuse me?" Approaching the receptionist desk Connor greeted the receptionist herself, a female 'ST-300' model named 'Casey', and asked her about potentially meeting with Skye. "Is it possible to speak with Skye? It's important."
"Miss Ramona is currently available." Casey confirmed with a smile as she cybernetically checked in with her employer. It was a simple and efficient means of communication between the two deviants that'd spare the privacy of any clients who might be waiting for a consultation. "She is ready to see you, please go into her office and take as long as you need."
"Thank you."
Walking past the receptionist desk Connor politely removed his fedora and knocked twice on the metal and glass door to the isolated office. Without a word the door slid open with a swift and silent motion as Skye activated the door with a single cybernetic command.
"Hello, Connor." Skye greeted warmly as she sat behind her own desk and looked up from her digital desk top toward her guest. The large digital screen stretched over the desk's surface and had both touch screen and cybernetic responses connected solely to Skye's distinct android signature. "It's been a while since we've last seen each other."
"Considering our chosen careers, I think that's a good thing."
Stepping away from the door as it slid shut and locked behind himself Connor took the vacant seat across from Skye and placed his fedora down on his lap. A quick glance around the office told Connor everything he needed to know about Skye. She had an oil painting of an old violin and bow on the wall behind her desk, a purple glass vase with a bright orange tiger lily growing in it was placed on the nearby windowsill, and there was a massive bookcase on the wall behind Connor that was filled with legal textbooks regarding laws, rights and amendments that'd give Skye all the information necessary to give her clients the best possible defense when necessary.
Skye was someone who was as studious as she was delicate.
"It seems you're doing well for yourself here." Connor noted as he glanced about the private office with a sense of intrigue. "Have you been busy?"
"Fortunately, no. Whenever I do have a client it's more often than not a case of mistaken identity or bigoted humans trying to frame innocent deviants for crimes they never committed. How about you?" Curious about what Connor was up to at his brownstone Skye gave her guest her full attention. "Anything exciting regarding clients or cases? Anything unusual that could be another historic case?"
"Actually, yes. And that's why I'm here."
"Oh, damn. I was hoping to be facetious." Blushing at her own unintentionally insensitive comment Skye cleared her throat and began again. "Why come here?"
"Because you may be able to help me where others cannot."
"That seems unlikely, but I'll see what I can do without breeching the confidential trust of my clients." Turning off her digital display screen Skye sat perfectly upright in her chair and gave Connor a small nod to indicate that she was giving him her full attention. "What's going on?"
"You have clients who come in here for consultations regarding the laws and their rights as individuals, correct?"
"Yes. It's almost daily at this point, but they rarely become full cases that require my attention or resources."
"And are these clients deviants who have a residence to their name or are they deviants who are homeless?"
"Both actually." The odd question made Skye tilt her head slightly as she gave Connor an intrigued glance. "Should I be worried about the residential situation for our people as of the moment?"
"Not exactly." Keeping to his line of questioning Connor danced around the prospect of mentioning the explosive devices with being too cryptic. "Your clients who are homeless, are they actively seeking to find a residence of their own or are they seeking shelter elsewhere?"
"A majority of my clients are looking for temporary shelter while they acquire funds to purchase their own homes at a later date. But... now that you mention it," Skye suddenly picked up on a pattern of behavior that she hadn't considered important until that moment. "I have had a sudden increase in deviants seeking shelters as opposed to continuing to live in the abandoned buildings throughout the city. It seems like a sudden change of heart and it's happening pretty frequently."
"Do you know why they're suddenly seeking alternate accommodations?"
"It seems to vary from deviant to deviant. A few clients have permanent damage that make them far more susceptible to thermal fluctuations and so they need a shelter where they'll be in a temperature controlled environment. Other clients have taken in abandoned 'YK' units and want to try to blend in as a typical suburban family in far safer neighborhoods. And a few have stated that they no longer feel as if they're secure in the buildings that they have known and inhabited for years before the Revolution had even happened."
"No longer secured?" Suspecting that he was on the right track Connor gently pushed for more details on such a proclamation. "Did they express why?"
"What do you mean?"
"Did these clients feel as if they had been threatened in any way? Did someone else attempt to abscond the abandoned property for themselves? Were there people who had no business being in the area staking the out the building in a menacing way?"
"Not... that they told me. Connor, what is going on?" Skye wasn't a detective but she was sharp and attentive all the same. "Has someone issued a threat against the deviant community?"
"It's not that simple."
"I'm beginning to see that. Why do I get the feeling we're dealing with something as dangerous as an illegal fight club all over again?"
"The city may be dealing with a dangerous threat, but at the moment it's difficult to substantiate." With a stern gaze Connor made sure Skye understood what he was saying and why he was being so vague despite going to her for some help. "I'm attempting to gather clues and evidence to support this possibility before acting on anything for any reason. It's important to have everything properly aligned before moving forward."
"I get it." Waving her hand over her desk top again Skye reactivated her digital display and began sorting through some files for Connor to see. "Give me about five minutes and I'll give you access to my clients seeking shelter because they no longer feel safe in their abandoned buildings. I'll need to be certain that I won't accidentally compromise delicate details regarding clients for other cases before I let you see them."
"I understand your caution, and thank you."
There was a quick knock on the office door before Casey peered inside the room. "Hey? I'm going to grab a bottle of Thirium at the kiosk down the block. Would you like one as well?"
"No, I'm good." Giving her receptionist a warm smile Skye acknowledged the helpful deviant's generous offer. "Enjoy your break!"
"I'll try." Casey replied with a playful pout before leaving the office doorway. "This weather isn't exactly pretty these days..."
"Tell me about it. I miss seeing the sun." Skye resumed her search and shook her head a little as she realized how many files that she'd need to sort through and seal before handing them over to Connor to take a look at. "Could you give me maybe ten minutes instead? I have many clients that I need to keep confidential."
"Of course." Standing up from the chair Connor replaced his fedora over his hair and politely excused himself from the office. "I'll return when you're ready."
"Don't go too far!" The studious attorney requested as she continued her meticulous sorting. "I'm really interested in what's happening. I want to help in any way that I can if our people are in danger again."
"I knew I could count on you."
Exiting the private office Connor noted the empty building all around him and caught of a glimpse of Casey walking across the street through the glass of the main entrance door. The quietness of the neighborhood was oddly unsettling, and Connor wasn't sure why the silence suddenly felt like a threat. Stepping outside the office building Connor peered down the neighboring alleyway to ensure that his motorcycle was still safe, then decided to catch up to Casey just down the block. He didn't want her to be alone while he had a strange gut feeling making him feel dread and unease.
Connor remained vigilant as he managed to reach the kiosk where Casey and several other deviants were ordering Thirium for the day, and he did so without drawing any unwanted attention. He didn't see anyone else in the area that he'd deem to be a threat and as such he was able to keep his eyes solely on Casey as she picked up her order.
"Thanks!" With her bottle of Thirium in hand Casey stepped out of the line and caught sight of Connor making his way toward her. "Finish with your meeting already?"
"Not quite."
"Honestly, I'm not surprised." Sipping at the blue tinted drink through a straw Casey sighed and gave Connor a somewhat disappointed look. "Damn. I thought this would taste better. Turns out pumpkin-spice really is all hype and no substance."
Uninterested in the seasonal flavors of Thirium Connor focused on Casey herself. "May I ask you a few questions?"
"Sure." Keeping her disappointing drink for the sake of strictly replenishing her Thirium Casey walked at Connor's side as they slowly strode back to the office building down the block to wait for Skye to finish her file sorting. "What's on your mind, Mister...?"
"Detective actually." Connor introduced himself fairly casually. "Detective Connor Wolf."
"Oh, you're THAT Detective!" Casey gave Connor a playful smile as she continued to sip her Thirium. "Skye told me all about your amazing rescue mission in Chicago. I'm impressed to know that there are deviants who are brave enough to leave the city to rescue others."
"Our people are safe, that's all that matters." Getting back to his current questions and away from his past accomplishments Connor folded his arms behind his back military style as he and Casey continued down the sidewalk side by side. "How long have you been working with Skye?"
"One week before that big case in Chicago. She's a great boss and treats me like a friend."
"Who were you before the Revolution?"
"I worked at the Stratford Broadcast Tower as a receptionist." Casey confirmed as she forced herself to finish off her unsatisfying Thirium. "That changed when Markus himself woke me up and I helped him sneak into the tower."
"And you went into hiding shortly thereafter?"
"Actually, I stayed at the tower and pretended to be a machine until the army showed up and tried to slaughter us where we stood. Then I ran off and hid on Jericho."
"That was a wise decision. Did you choose to work with Skye due to your past experience as a receptionist or because you're interested in the law?"
"A little of both. I like to be in the loop since people in this city are pretty unpredictable." Stopping long enough to throw her now empty bottle into the recycling bin Casey gave Connor a fairly timid glance. "What's going on, Detective?"
"I'm not at liberty to discuss an active investigation."
"Well, I had to at least ask." As she spoke with Connor something unusual caught her eye and drew her attention back to the office building just a few yards away from where she and Connor were standing. The entrance door was wide open as if it had been recently forced open by an unseen force. "That's weird. It looks like the wind caught the door."
Connor's bad feeling suddenly amplified as he knew that such a heavy door wouldn't be able to be caught and held open by the wind unless it had been caught in a nasty windstorm. The air was currently still and by all account there would be nothing that would've blown the door open in such a way.
"Stay here." Connor urged Casey to wait before returning to the office building as he reached into his trench coat pocket and gripped his electrified baton. He hadn't needed to use his weapon for quite some time, but he knew that it was better to be armed than get caught completely unaware. "Remain outside the office until either Skye or myself contact you."
"O-Okay. I'll stay out here."
Entering the office building through the still wide open door Connor carefully assessed the situation and looked for any sign of intrusion or malicious intent beyond the door being forced open. There was a sudden waft of fresh Thirium in the air and Connor knew that something had happened in the short time that he and Casey were outside of the office building. Trusting his gut Connor approached Skye's mostly closed office door, there was a faint gap between the door and the frame with strange gouges in the metal of both the door and frame being entirely fresh and allowing the Thirium to travel through the air. It was clear someone had forced the office door open with a metallic tool.
Worried for his friend's safety Connor tried to reach out to Skye cybernetically to avoid making any noise whatsoever as he investigated the building.
'Skye? Are you still in your office?'
There was no verbal response over the cybernetic link. However, the door to her office began to shudder as it struggled to open through her cybernetic command confirming that she was still in the private office.
Connor stared at the shuddering door and peered inside the private office to continue his investigation. The scent of Thirium was even stronger and there was a faint smell of smoke now accompanying the Thirium scent. Upon a visual sweep of the office Connor noticed that the digital display built into Skye's desk top had been smashed by a powerful force and was now sparking, smoking and giving off the second aroma in the air. A small 'sizzle' sound began echoing in a slow rhythm as the overturned vase on the windowsill dripped water on the damaged and sparking digital board.
When Connor's eyes trailed down to the floor around the back of the desk his heart skipped a beat before racing with worry, and his immediate reaction was to cybernetically contact emergency responders to the location. There was a growing puddle of spilled Thirium behind Skye's desk and a pair of legs sticking out at odd angles from behind the furniture indicating a body.
"Skye?!"
Approaching the desk Connor peered down behind the desk and saw Skye laying on her back, covered in her own Thirium and staring wide eyed in horror and desperation up at Connor. She couldn't speak, she only let out raspy, static filled sounds instead of words. Numerous stab wounds marred her chest, abdomen and surely her back despite Connor being unable to see anything further without moving her body first.
Too focused on Skye to glance about the rest of the office Connor neared his friend and suddenly felt a presence behind him approaching fast. Turning quickly on his heels Connor pulled the baton from his pocket, extended it to its full length and unleashed a powerful electrical charge as he swung the baton and struck the person who had tried to sneak up on him from behind.
As the baton made contact with the side of the masked assailant's neck Connor felt a burning pain enter the center of his stomach as the assailant used the same knife that they had used moments ago on Skye and the door to wound the deviant detective. The electrical surge from the baton traveled through the assailant's body, into the knife in the assailant's grip and into Connor's body through the piercing blade.
The baton was designed to only send a controlled electrical shock for three seconds, but those three seconds felt like an eternity as the charge surged through Connor's core and quickly overwhelmed his thermal regulator, sent his Thirium pump regulator into a dangerous arrhythmia and caused his Thirium pressure to plummet to a dangerously low level. The attempt to defend himself had quickly backfired.
Collapsing backward onto the floor Connor took in panicked breaths as he fought to see through all the red warnings popping up in his vision as his and Skye's attacker fell back against the wall in literal shock after having his second assault thwarted. The assailant had been stunned, but with a majority of the electrical charge being redirected into Connor's body the stunning effect wore off quicker than expected.
Unable to move, unable to call out for help, all Connor could do was watch helplessly as the assailant stumbled out of the office and proceeded to make their escape at a painfully slow pace. Fighting to retain any and all details on the masked assailant was causing Connor's systems to steadily overheat and cause the stab wound to his stomach to bleed faster. The person who had attacked Skye had been laying in wait and had effectively attacked Connor.
As the searing pain tore through his abdomen Connor's vision faltered and he was bombarded with red warnings regarding the severe damage to his frame, his biocomponents and the severe Thirium loss due to the critically damaged lines running through his torso. Too weak, stunned and in too much pain to even call out for help, Connor instinctively rolled onto his side as he reached his Thirium covered hand out toward Skye, his vision clearing just enough to see the dying defense attorney laying inches from himself as she too weakly reached her own blood covered hand out toward him. Their bloodied fingertips just barely caressed one another as their strength ebbed away as Skye lost consciousness while laying in blossoming puddles of their own blue blood.
"S-Sk...ye?"
Weakly Connor looked up at Skye laying helpless on the floor and tried to tighten his grip around her hand to reassure her in that dire moment. His hand was shaking, and her hands were cold despite clutching at the raw, warm wounds to her abdomen in a shocked reaction to what had just happened to her.
"H-Help... is... c-coming."
Losing consciousness quickly Connor's eyes slipped shut as he just barely registered the shocked gasp of someone else who had found the scene in the office and fell to their knees beside Connor to grab his shoulder. Just as quickly as the assault began the assault ended, and Connor was unable to do anything further.
It was seemingly business as usual at the Central Precinct after the responding officers and detectives finished rounding up the latest batch of drug dealers who were trying and failing to bring a new flood of "red ice" onto the streets. A few dealers were shot dead by the competition the night before and earlier that morning, which of course meant that Hank and Gavin needed to take the lead as both homicide detectives and since Hank had the most experience with handling "red ice" dealers of anyone in any precinct throughout all of Detroit. It was an absolute mess that had been getting cleaned up all morning long and well into the afternoon as bodies were bagged and illegal chemistry equipment was confiscated as evidence.
After finishing up his sixth consecutive interrogation for the day Hank trudged toward his desk and dropped down heavily in his chair to get a moment to himself. He was mentally exhausted as needing to keep up with a criminal's mental gymnastics in trying to elude the law or the consequences of their actions drained the senior detective of his personal and professional resolve.
It seemed as if every time Hank and the other officers took down one "red ice" lab, two more appeared overnight. For every drug dealer pulled off the streets, a new gang tried to take over a neighborhood. Whenever a drug kingpin was dethroned, a bloodbath followed as the smaller drug dealers fought to claim the shameful crown for themselves.
A never ending cycle of destruction and clean up.
"What a complete waste of everyone's time and energy."
The disgusting report that revolved around the sectioned off crime scenes and discovered bodies, drugs and illegal weapons, was eerily identical to the past reports that Hank had typed up in the past. If anything, the reports proved that the old adage "The more things change, the more they stay the same" was based entirely on truth and facts.
Just as Hank finished his report and sent it to Captain Fowler for his approval, he felt a rush of motion pass him by as Chris and his new partner, a recently deviated 'AX-700' named Jack, responded to an emergency call. It wasn't often that Hank could see Chris looking worried and the senior detective knew that something serious had taken place somewhere in the city.
"Chris? What's going on?" Joining the younger detective at his desk Hank tried to figure out what was happening. "You never get this flustered by anything unless it's something really big."
"We got a report of two deviants being attacked and damaged downtown." The confident detective explained as he checked his weapon and his phone to ensure he didn't head out to the field with any missing equipment. "The E.F.T.'s showed up and were then told that the two victims had been assaulted by a witness at the scene."
"All right, that sucks." Assaults against deviants weren't all that rare despite the peaceful Revolution. "Why are you so edgy?"
Giving Hank a sympathetic glance Chris continued securing his weapon to the holster on his hip and made sure Jack had done the same. "One of the victims had been confirmed to be Connor."
"...What?" Hearing about the deviant detective being assaulted made Hank's eyes widen while his complexion paled slightly. "The brownstone was attacked?"
"No, a law office that belongs to another deviant was attacked. According to the witness who was at the scene when the E.F.T.'s arrived, the deviant who owns the office had been attacked while the witness and Connor were outside the building. Connor was assaulted after he went inside to check on the first victim."
"Fuckin' Hell." Taking in a deep breath Hank did his best to not lose his cool and keep calm for the sake of professionalism. "Where are the victims being taken?"
"Since both deviants have high standing in the deviant community they're being taken to New Jericho." With everything confirmed and the address of the law office uploaded in Jack's internal G.P.S., Chris eagerly began walking toward the door. "I'm going to interview them after I check out the crime scene."
Hank hated having to stay back and work on drug dealers and thugs who were already taking themselves out through greed and violence. Refusing to stand back and do nothing the senior detective sigh and volunteered to get the witness statements on Chris's behalf.
"I'm going to go to the tower and talk to Connor and the other victim." Hank made up his mind and he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. "You just focus on containing the crime scene."
"You're sure about that, Lieutenant?"
"Yeah, I got this. Don't overlook a single detail and make sure your partner here understands that this precinct's deviant division takes every single case seriously."
"You got it. Let's go, Jack." Taking the initiative Chris led the way to the precinct's front doors with the blond haired, blue eyed deviant keeping pace right beside him as they went on their first field assignment together. "You drive while I get the other details chronicled en route to the scene."
In spite of his calm outward appearance Hank was shaking inside. For whatever reason learning that Connor and another deviant had been attacked downtown and were in serious enough condition to require assistance from Emergency Field Technicians made his stomach turn. Any assault against any innocent person was upsetting enough, but whenever that innocent person was a friend or family member the upset intensified to genuine fear.
Keeping his emotions in check Hank grabbed his coat and sent an e-mail to Captain Fowler to inform him of where he was going and why.
Drug dealers, murderers and thugs were an unfortunate daily occurrence that could be handled by anyone in the precinct. The assault of a friend was something that only Hank himself could deal with, and he wasn't about to let Connor down by looking the other way.
The single drive connecting Belle Isle to the rest of the city had been fully opened to ensure that the speeding ambulance had full clearance to access New Jericho Tower as the two wounded deviants were transported to the sanctuary to receive emergency technical attention. Word of the gruesome situation had been relayed first to North because of her personal connection and relationship with Skye, and in turn North informed Markus and Simon of the assault. As a means of keeping personal feelings from interfering with the necessary treatment for their wounded allies, Lucas was asked to resume his duties as a technician one last time to aid Connor - his own brother - while Simon would treat Skye's damage himself. Lucas would be able to concentrate first and foremost on his brother if he was under his care, and North wouldn't be worried about potential and paranoid thoughts of revenge if Skye was being treated by Lucas because of what had happened to Connor in the past.
Both deviants had their wounds concealed under pressure bandages and had their vital signs being monitored by mobile Thirial activity monitors. The weak vital signs and persistent lack of reaction to the world around them were all very negative signs. Connor's complexion was sickly pale due to his upgraded system reflecting his internal condition on an external level, whereas Skye was missing patches of her artificial skin all around her wounds due to her low Thirium volume and low power level. Their clothing had been cut away around the wounds to ensure proper assessment and treatment by all responding technicians.
It didn't take long for the android unique ambulance to reach the tower doors, or for Markus, Lucas, Simon and North to all assist in wheeling the two gurneys inside the building. The two damaged deviants had been stabilized during transport, but even so they were both very weak and in need of immediate technical treatment if they were to survive.
"Take Connor into repair bay two." Simon instructed as the group gathered in the elevator together to aid their downed allies. While he lifted the pressure bandages to check on Skye's wounds in her chest Lucas did the same for Connor on the neighboring gurney. "They'll both need immediate Thirium transfusions and external support to reduce the stress on their systems while their biocomponents are being repaired."
Lucas was more focused on Connor's condition and trusted his gut to lead him to the best possible treatment for his brother. Using his audioscope Lucas listened to Connor's chest and ignored the stab wound to his stomach for the time being. He couldn't do anything for the wound until they were in the repair bay.
"Damn, he's nearing insipid shock and unresponsive." Lucas noted as he moved his audioscope back and forth to listen to Connor's bloody chest. "Rapid Thirium pump beat and rapid ventilation rate." Moving the bell of the audioscope away from Connor's chest and toward Connor's abdomen Lucas visibly winced as he could actually hear the bleeding and the damaged biocomponents struggling to repair and reactivate themselves. "Mild internal hemorrhaging, significant increase in core temperature."
The doors to the elevator parted as the lift reached the designated floor and gave the group clearance to the emergency repair bay. Markus helped Lucas roll Connor's gurney into the secondary repair bay while Simon and North took Skye to the primary repair bay. With Skye's damage far more serious than Connor's damage it made sense to treat Skye as the priority case.
Lucas removed the artificial skin from his palm and pressed it down against Connor's bare chest to establish a firm connection with his brother's system as he and Markus moved Connor from his gurney and over the treatment table. Connor's body was entirely limp, and he never reacted to being lifted up and moved around.
"...I can connect to his processor, but he isn't responding."
"Don't worry about waking him up yet." Markus encouraged as he set about removing Connor's trench coat and blazer before working on the vest and white dress shirt underneath. Full access to the damage sites was crucial to appropriate treatment. "He'll need to have an external air intake line set up to provide cool air to aid his ventilation system while his thermal regulator is offline."
"Correct." Lucas eyed the wound under the bandage and ran a preconstructive scan over the damage. "Use the cooling mechanism in the treatment table to aid his system without causing thermal shock. Set it to sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit to ensure he's cool but not cold. Then set up an external Thirium line in his arm to restore what he's lost."
"Right." After removing the rest of Connor's clothing Markus draped a blue sterile sheet over his lower body to spare his modesty before focusing on setting up the I.V. line. There was no other sign of damage to Connor's body beyond the singular stab wound. "There's electrical charring around the damaged plastimetal. What did he get stabbed with?"
"Unknown at this time." Lucas then pulled out a penlight from the nearby tray of instruments and lifted up Connor's eyelids to check his pupils one at a time. "Both ocular relay units are-"
...SELF DIAGNOSTIC: [ENGAGED]
...LOADING INFORMATION:
REGISTERED NAME: "Connor Wolf"
MODEL: RK-800
SERIAL NUMBER: 313 248 317 - 51
ACTIVATION DATE: August 15th, 2038
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 00.24"; 162.2 lbs
COMPLEXION: Caucasian
AESTHETIC GENDER: Male
HAIR/EYES: Brunette; Brown
ASSIGNMENT: Identify engineer of explosive devices; Speak with Skye Ramona
ASSOCIATION(S): Private Detective; Consultant with New Jericho Tower; Consultant with Henry "Hank" Anderson of Detroit Central Precinct
BOOTING PROCESSORS...
LOADING OS...
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION...
-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]
-INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK]
-INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK]
-MEMORY STATUS... OK]
READY...
[...Thirium Volume - 74%]
[...Thirium Pressure - 100/50]
[...Thirium Pump Rate - 119 B.P.M.]
[...Ventilation Rate - 21 V.P.M.]
[...Core Temperature - 102.7 Degrees Fahrenheit]
WARNING:
[...Damage to thermal regulator - 67.3% Functionality]
[...Electrical damage detected - Central lower quadrant]
-STRESS LEVELS: ^65%
[...Seek Technical Assistance]
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
Suddenly Connor's head jerk away from the light and from Lucas's hands as his system was forced back online and he took in deep shuddering breaths as his wide eyes darted about the repair bay in a panicked motion. Struggling to regain his bearings and access his most recent recorded memory before being suddenly forced into emergency stasis mode, Connor's eyes went wide and his chest actively rose and fell rapidly with panicked breaths.
"Connor?" Lucas leaned over his brother as he tried to get Connor's full attention. "Look at me. I need you to respond to my voice."
Letting out a pained breath Connor was instantly aware of the intense burning pain in his abdomen and tried to lift his shaking hands to press down again his bleeding stomach. Connor's heart rate began to pick up even further as his breathing hastened alongside it as he realized what had happened. "...M-My stomach. I was... s-stabbed."
"We know." Markus sympathized as he watched the way Lucas was trying to get Connor to relax and take it easy. "You and-"
A loud yell of absolute pain echoed out of the room as Connor's enhanced software and the upgrades made the pain that he was suffering nearly unbearable. Tears filled his wide soulful brown eyes as he let out the scream and tried to curl around himself on his side. Lucas's hands kept Connor from moving and continued to hold the bandages to his wound.
"Shh, shh, shh..." Trying to soothe his brother's panic Lucas put both hands on Connor's shoulders to hold him down and did his best to keep his brother calm until they were able to get him prepped for the emergency repairs. "You're going to be okay. Lay still."
"Sk-Skye was trying to t-tell me something."
"Don't worry about that right now." Slipping a plastic oxygen mask over Connor's nose and mouth Lucas ensured that his wounded brother could breathe in cool air and keep his core temperature from getting too high. "Just rest."
"Sh-She wanted to sh-show me something."
"It can wait, please try to rest as much as possible."
Markus diligently documented the wounds in Connor's abdomen to do his part in bringing justice to the two assaulted deviants once they were strong enough to talk to the police. The bleeding hadn't slowed despite the pressure being actively applied to the stab wound and Connor's Thirium pressure was steadily dropping while his system struggled to compensate for the extreme Thirium loss.
Blinking slowly as his soulful brown eyes glazed over Connor was beginning to slip into emergency stasis mode for a second time.
"Connor, keep your eyes open." Lucas saw the distant look in his brother's eyes and spoke to him in a firm tone to keep him awake. Shaking Connor's shoulder to keep the deviant awake for as long as possible Lucas tried to think of a way to keep Connor alert for as long as possible. "You're going to undergo repairs soon, but we need you to stay awake and let us know if you're suffering from any other complications."
"Pressure's dropping and his stress level rising." Markus reported as he added a second pouch of Thirium to the I.V. line to keep up Connor's Thirium pressure for as long as possible. "He'll need Thirium and incrassation compound to stem the bleeding."
"Correct." Lucas responded by opening a large bottle of the orange tinted liquid and lifted up the bandages from Connor's wound just enough to get a good look at them. Slowly pouring the contents of the incrassation compound into the blue bloody wounds to try to get the bleeding to stop Lucas then replaced the bandages to resume applying pressure. "I'm sorry for this, brother."
Connor let out a hiss of pain and began to fidget as the stinging cold from the compound brought him out of his fog.
"I know it hurts but stay awake for us." Lucas leaned down so Connor could see his face. Watching the interior of the plastic oxygen mask fog up and clear with Connor's steady breaths. "We're almost done prepping you for the repairs, just hold on a little while longer."
"Th-Thank you for being here." Lifting up his shaking hand toward Lucas as if needing to make sure his brother was really there, Connor gave him a frightened stare from where he was laying. "...I d-don't want to be alone."
"You're not alone." Grabbing on to his brother's hand with both of his own hands Lucas gave him a forced yet confident smile. "When you wake up your pain will be gone, your damage will be repaired, and you'll be able to speak with Skye again."
"I h-hope you're right."
Seeing and hearing the fear in his older brother's voice as again Connor's breathing hastened gave Lucas the determination to keep him as calm as possible until he was in the recovery wing of the tower. "I am right, brother. You will be okay, I promise."
Not responding to the comments Connor seemed less like a patient and more like a cadaver as he stared blankly at the ceiling overhead.
"Hey?" Lucas could see that Connor was staring off into space and knew that he was preconstructing his odds of survival. "I'm going to do everything in my power to save you."
Silently Markus hung another pouch of Thirium to the I.V. stand beside the table and promptly connected it to the external line running into Connor's right arm. The pouch of sapphire liquid swung gently and caused the two additional now empty Thirium pouches behind it to jostle about in an almost taunting manner in Connor's eyes.
Blinking slowly Connor commented on his heavy Thirium loss as he looked down at the bled through pressure bandages still covering his singular deep abdominal wound. "Th-That's the third Thirium pouch I've been given."
Lucas put his palm atop Connor's hair in a comforting manner as he spoke to his brother. "You know as much as I do that a small amount of blood can look like a lot with very little effort."
"Th-Three pints aren't little."
"You were bleeding pretty heavily before you got here. We have it mostly under control right now."
"...Mostly?"
"Your thermal regulator and many surrounding Thirium lines have been damaged. You're going to bleed no matter how many bandages we give you or how much pressure we apply."
"Th-That amount of bleeding could be c-caused by damage to my thoracic Thirial lines."
"Or it could be a loosened line feeding into one of the surrounding biocomponents, a combination of a bunch of smaller lines being severed, or even a small nick in your artificial stomach causing any Thirium that your system didn't have time to absorb to leak into your abdomen. Neither of us can say for sure until I get in there and see the damage for myself."
"It h-has to be severe."
"Don't worry about that. You need to just lay there and trust me to do all the work. I'm going to find all of the damage, mend it, and then do a thorough exploratory of your entire abdomen to make sure nothing is overlooked. I won't miss anything, I swear it."
Connor managed a weak smile as he saw the devotion in Lucas's green eyes. "...I'm glad you're the one who's going t-to help me."
"Always." Looking to Markus as the deviant leader finished gathering the supplies and modems, Lucas directed him accordingly. "Put him into stasis mode." Keeping his hand in place Abby locked eyes with Connor and didn't look away. "You'll be in emergency stasis mode, and you'll have an external air intake line inserted down your throat and connected to an external ventilator to ensure you ventilate proper while unconscious. You won't feel anything during the procedure."
Connor's eyes glazed over quickly as Markus attached the long black diagnostic cable to his right temple and enabled stasis mode. Steadily his eyelids fluttered shut as his head lolled to the side toward Lucas as he fell into a deep sleep.
"Connor?" Checking on his state of consciousness Lucas called his brother's name and made sure he was completely under before walking away. "You're going to pull through this horrendous moment and make a full recovery."
Markus confirmed that Connor was in emergency stasis mode and gave Lucas an update on his vitals. "He'll stay in emergency stasis mode until an override command is delivered." Noting the vitals on the nearby monitor Markus winced as he sterilized his hands with disinfectant then slipped on a pair of purple latex gloves to assist Lucas. "Thirium pump rate is one-hundred and twenty-six, ventilation rate is twenty-six, Thirium pressure is one-ten over seventy, Thirium volume is seventy-one percent, his core temperature is down to one-hundred point three degrees Fahrenheit, and his stress level has dropped to forty-eight percent."
"Very good. Insert the external air intake line, set the ventilator to eighteen, and set the temperature control of the table to sixty degrees." Stepping back Lucas prepared to disinfect and then glove his hands as well, and located a set of scrubs to keep any excess Thirium off his clothing. "This procedure may take anywhere between two and four hours. Are you ready to do this?"
"I may not be a technician, but I am going to try my hardest to help you save his life." Approaching the table again Markus looked down at his friend's pale and blank face with utter worry fixated in his mismatched irises. "I'm ready."
Within the primary repair bay Simon worked alongside North to stabilize Skye's condition and handle the emergency repair procedure to undo the horrific damage to her internal hardware. The knife had pierced through Skye's left ventilation biocomponent, caused significant bleeding in her Thirium filter, damaged her coolant lines and had damaged to the upgraded biocomponents she had installed in her system for elective endeavors down the line. Due to the numerous biocomponents being physically compromised by such a sharp and piercing weapon Skye had bled profusely during the attack and continued to bleed out while she laid on the floor alongside Connor waiting for help to arrive.
It didn't take long for Simon to isolate all the points of damage to Skye's chest, abdomen and back, but stemming the internal bleeding and getting her Thirium pressure back up to a stable number had proved to be a real challenge. There was a total of seven stab wounds to Skye's body; four in her back, two to her abdomen and one to her chest. The knife had gone in deep, but the accuracy of the blade wasn't enough to cause irreparable damage to the affected biocomponents.
"Whoever did this to her was looking to cause maximum damage." Simon lamented as he worked diligently to repair each Thirium line before focusing on the repairs to the damaged biocomponents. The fourth pint of Thirium had already been used as Skye continued to bleed internally. "She's lucky that the attack was interrupted by Connor returning to her office."
North was quiet as she gently combed her fingers through Skye's long auburn hair and looked down at her beloved's expressionless face. The excess blue blood had been wiped from Skye's lips but there were faint blue stains that lingered on her fair artificial skin.
"She'll make it." Speaking with raw confidence Simon looked over at North as he finished securing the final Thirium line to its corresponding biocomponent coupling where it belonged. "She's been perfectly stable once we got her Thirium pressure up, and now that the bleeding's under control her self healing program will focus entirely on her biocomponents."
"...Who did this to her?" Worried for her beloved's life North tried to understand how someone could do something so cruel and violent against Skye. "Was this someone seeking revenge because she helped Rupert and the other deviants in Chicago? Did she make an enemy in court? Was it-"
"Don't speculate about those kinds of things, they'll drive you crazy."
"It shouldn't be like this." Keeping one hand on Skye's hair North used her free hand to help Simon clean the excess Thirium around the still opened wounds in Skye's chest and abdomen. "She's the one who has a plan and destiny for the future, not me."
"Hey, we're going to save her AND you." Simon's words were as strong as they were reassuring. "I won't let either of you down."
"If it'll save Skye, then use any of my own compatible and functional biocomponents to replace hers."
"Not going to happen." Glancing up at the Thirial activity monitor recording Skye's vitals Simon tried to estimate how much longer it'd take to finish the emergency repair procedure. "She's holding her own, but I doubt she'll be able to endure another two hours of repairs."
"She's strong. She can take it."
"That's right, she can."
The air was tense as Simon worked hard to keep his patient on the table functional and his secret patient assisting him from breaking down. Taking care of a sick deviant who didn't appear sick was a new struggle he hadn't expected when he had resumed his role as the tower's lead technician. Helping a fellow leader in secret was a challenge he never thought he'd have to endure alone.
"Okay... Her left vent has been repaired, so now we'll work on her coolant lines." The blond technician directly in a calm and controlled manner. "She'll be able to maintain thermal control on her own and she won't need any external support during her recovery."
"When I find out who did this-"
"Do not focus on revenge. Not right now." Simon's naturally neutral outlook had kept him alive and kept him from forming any enemies. He wanted to continue to exist on neutral and even ground with everyone around all him. "Focus on helping Skye recover. Just be here for her right now and let her hear your voice so she knows you're staying by her side."
"I'm not going anywhere." Wincing slightly North dismissed an error message in her visual processors without saying a word as she resumed helping Simon to repair the coolant lines in Skye's lower abdomen. The upgraded biocomponent had been entirely destroyed and would need to be replaced. "And when she's ready to get another upgrade, I'll support her throughout that procedure all over again too."
It only took minutes for Connor to be prepped for the emergency repairs, but it was taking hours to undo all the damage he had suffered. Lucas was able to open up his abdominal cavity and begin counting the severed lines causing the severe internal hemorrhaging without any difficulty. The compromised biocomponent within his abdomen was leaking and struggling to function in any viable capacity. What should've been glowing a bright and healthy blue color was now a dull purple. The numerous damaged Thirium lines, compromised thermal regulator and lost Thirium collecting in Connor's abdominal cavity was bad enough, but the electrical charring on his torso was alarming. Any electrical interference could prove detrimental depending on how strong the voltage had been.
The removal of Connor's artificial skin surrounding the wound only lessened the catastrophic appearance by the slightest of margins. The way the knife tore through his skin caused a painful laceration and internal bleeding. The blade had also compromised the frame beneath and was sure to cause a noticeable physical scarring to the deviant's body.
A rhythmic and rapid beeping of the Thirial activity monitor echoed off the walls of the sterilized room, while the soft hiss of the external ventilator pulsed at a slower rate. The only other sound came from the delicate stainless steel tools clamping off the leaking lines and stabilizing the metallic biocomponents.
"Almost finished." Lucas announced as he and Markus worked together to save Connor from permanent damage. "Once Thirium flow's been returned we can-" A sharp screech caught Lucas's attention as the Thirial activity monitor showed a sudden shift in Connor's Thirium pressure. "What now?"
Markus was quick to notice a sudden gush of blue blood flooding Connor's torso and noted that the gush had originated in his chest. "A line must've ruptured."
"Shit, you're right. The left ascending thoracic line has been compromised." Isolating the line Lucas began mending it while Markus suctioned out the lost Thirium to make the repairs much easier to see. "It can be repaired, but it's going to take at least forty-eight hours to fully heal and strengthen." Glancing up at his friend assisting him Lucas sought Markus's aid as he acted as a second pair of hands during the procedure. "We'll need more Thirium to keep him stable."
"I'm on it." Hanging up a fourth and fifth pint of Thirium on the I.V. stand Markus worked to keep Connor from bleeding to death. With the line secured Markus stepped back and eyed the screeching monitor while Lucas fought to keep his brother from shutting down. "The thermal regulator is now functioning at ninety-two percent capacity."
"He's responding positively to the repairs, that's good." Keeping his hands in Connor's torso and chest Lucas fought to keep the Thirium loss under control. "What're his vitals?"
"Pump rate is one-hundred and twenty-two. Thirium pressure is one-hundred and ten over eighty. Ventilation rate holding at eighteen. Core temperature down to ninety-nine point six degrees. Stress levels are down to thirty percent."
Noting that Connor's heart rate was still rapid despite being in forced stasis mode Lucas made a calculated decision as she focused on the compromised Thirial line to keep his brother from shutting down. "We'll use manual pump correction if his Thirium pump rate doesn't slow on its own. I doubt his system will be able handle an external shock after suffering such a severe electrical shock during the assault."
Through the large window connecting the emergency repair bay to the observation room Hank silently watched the lifesaving procedure with wide eyes and bated breath as he saw Lucas and Markus working together to save Connor, and Simon and North working together to save a deviant he didn't recognize. Hank had arrived shortly after Connor was forced into emergency stasis mode and was unable to speak to him before he fell unconscious. As he stared through the window and watched Lucas's gloved hands becoming increasingly stained blue with Connor's blood Hank felt his stomach knotting violently while threatening to physically rebel at any second.
Chris and Jack had arrived at the tower after investigating the office and taking stock of the scene of the assault. They had spoken with Casey and collected the sparse evidence for further analysis later on, but until they could speak with Connor and Skye they couldn't proceed with their investigation into the violent case.
Quietly Chris joined Hank at the window and winced at the intense sight taking place on the other side of the window. "How bad are they hurt?" Asking the question in a hushed whisper Chris stared at the unconscious deviants laying on the repair tables with their bodies in various states of damage and repair. "I've never seen android repairs like this in person before."
"For Connor, the knife got his thermal regulator and weakened some lines in his chest." Hank answered in a dour manner as he continued to watch the dual lifesaving procedures with an unblinking focus. He knew what happened simply through watching and listening where he stood. "The second victim, Skye Ramona, had her Thirium filter, left ventilation biocomponent, coolant lines and some other new biocomponent all damaged by the same knife."
The memory of the blue blood soaked floors back at the office was enough to make Chris internally grimace. "Is that where all the blood came from? All those vital pieces being stabbed and damaged?"
"Yeah. They're both in rough shape, but have some of the best technicians in the world helping them." Rubbing his palm along his bearded chin Hank sighed and wondered if things would've been different had they been taken to the Zeta Facility to be put under Abby's care. "Get the crime scene documented? How's the investigation going?"
"According to the witness at the scene, the receptionist who works at the office named Casey, she and Connor left the office for only eight minutes while Skye was working to bring up some files for Connor to use. Connor then saw that the main entrance door to the building had been pulled open and left open by someone of notable strength since the door's so heavy and hard to open at times. He went back to the building to check on Skye and..."
"That's when he was attacked." Folding his arms over his chest Hank looked over at Chris and Jack as the two detectives stood before the window beside him. "First, someone went after Skye, Connor investigated what went down and the same someone attacked him in response."
"That's how it looks so far. According to Casey, she saw someone wearing an all black coat with black pants and a black ski mask stumble out of the office after Connor went back inside to check on Skye. When Connor didn't contact her to let her know what was happening Casey went inside to see things for herself and found them on the floor. That's when she called for the E.F.T.'s and police."
Jack spoke up in an emotionless tone to add his own details to the investigation. "There was a 911 call placed to dispatch by an android who matches Connor's serial number, and it was recorded two minutes and fourteen seconds before Casey called for assistance at the same address. By all account Connor had been in the middle of reporting the attack to 911 dispatch when the second assault happened."
"Connor walked in on the attack in process and nearly died as a result. Son of a bitch..."
"Also, the weapon was found abandoned in an alleyway leading toward a densely populated area." Chris continued on as he brought Hank up to speed on the investigation. "Jack found the knife and Thirium testing back at the precinct has confirmed that it was used to stab Connor, and additional testing should find Skye's Thirium too."
"Casey said there was some important files that Skye wanted to show Connor." Hank recalled as he tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together inside his own mind despite not being officially on the case. "Did you find those supposed files?"
"No. By all account Skye kept her files digitally secured in a large terminal installed in her desk. That desk was destroyed during the assault and at this time we have no way of accessing anything that she had stored on that same terminal."
"Damn it."
Chris knew that Hank cared about Connor as a friend and could tell by his tense body language that he was ready for a fight. "What do you suggest that we do for now, Lieutenant?"
"For now, go back to the precinct and let Fowler know that there's some dangerous asshole who's willing to try and kill two deviants in broad daylight on the loose."
"Manhunt or put out an A.P.B. on this person?"
"Since we don't know who we're looking for beyond someone wearing all black, just let Fowler know what's happened. After we speak with Connor and Skye, we should have a better idea of what to do."
"Right. No problem." Motioning for Jack to follow him Chris gave Hank's arm a subtle pat of reassurance. "I'll be in the bullpen if you need me again."
With a discreet nod Hank acknowledged the comment and watched through the window as Lucas and Markus finished the repairs to Connor's thermal regulator and proceeded to close up his abdomen. The amount of damage that could be inflicted by a single knife wound was staggering the consider, then seeing the numerous stab wounds that Skye had suffered was absolutely revolting.
"Hang in there, son. I know you wouldn't have been attacked unless you had stumbled across something damn important, and I'll make sure you get to tell the whole world exactly what that was."
The recovery wing of New Jericho Tower was as quiet as a library during finals week. As Connor rested in a private room in that very recovery wing Hank and Lucas waited for the healing deviant to wake up at long last. Much like Skye in the neighboring recovery room, Connor had a Thirial activity monitor recording his vitals, a Thirium pressure cuff wrapped around his left bicep, a nasal canula under his nose to keep cool air flowing into his core, and heavy bandages around his abdomen. Rather than an I.V. in the back of his hand or the bend of his arm, Connor now had an external line snaking down his throat and into his artificial stomach to restore his low Thirium reserve.
Sitting beside the bed Hank readjusted the blue blanket over Connor's person to make sure he was comfortable and watched as Lucas pressed his exposed palm to the center of Connor's chest to track his processor's reboot progress. Mentally drained, emotionally exhausted and physically fatigued to the brink of collapse, Hank just sipped at the coffee provided by Markus before he took his leave of the repair bay to handle other matters inside the tower.
"Skye is showing signs of regaining consciousness." Lucas confirmed as he received a cybernetic update from Simon. "She's drowsy but wants to talk to Connor once he's also awake."
"That's a good sign." Despite the positive outcomes Hank still seemed rather glum and despondent. "Guess that's progress."
"Connor will make a full recovery as well." Noticing the way Hank's blue eyes were transfixed on Connor's face and that his shoulders were slumped with worry, Lucas was determined to keep both his brother and their honorary guardian as comfortable as possible. "Please try not to worry. Connor will awaken in less than one minute."
"He's waking up already?"
"Yes." Pulling back his palm Lucas let the artificial skin regenerate and gave Hank a confident nod. "His system is stable, and his processors have fully rebooted."
"Good. He had me worried for a minute."
"Connor will need to remain here overnight to ensure there are no further complications to his Thirium lines or biocomponents."
"He's not gonna' like that..."
"No, I imagine he will not. But he will listen to reason when I remind him that I'm his acting technician."
A sudden twitch of Connor's hand caught Hank's attention and made him straighten his posture. "Son?"
Feeling Hank's hand now resting on his forearm Connor's brown eyes fluttered open as his self diagnostic reported all damage he received had been mended and that his Thirium volume up to ninety-four percent. Attempting to speak Connor realized there was line in his mouth and down his throat and made a move to remove the line from his body himself.
"Whoa, don't do that." Hank warned as Lucas pulled Connor's hand down and away from the line. "You might hurt yourself."
Lucas cybernetically informed Simon that Connor was awake as well and requested that Markus come back to the recovery room. "Remain still, the line will be removed soon."
'...Brother.' Speaking to Lucas on a cybernetic level to avoid injuring his vocal processor, Connor blinked slowly as his memorybank slowly brought the final recorded memories before he was forced into emergency stasis mode to the surface. 'I am repaired?'
"That's right." Answering verbally so Hank had some idea of what was happening Lucas gave Connor a small grin. "You were on the repair table for three hours, forty-two minutes and thirty-three seconds. None of your biocomponents required replacement and all of your Thirium lines were mended."
'How is Skye?'
"Skye is resting well and has regained consciousness. She wishes to speak to you as soon as possible."
'I will do so once I have the strength to move.'
Markus rushed into the room and gave Connor a relieved smile. "Welcome back, my friend. We have much to discuss."
'I agree.'
With his brother's condition improved Lucas decided it was safe to remove the tube and began giving Connor a quick examination. "One moment, please. Allow me to remove the tube to permit easier communication."
Markus trusted Lucas implicitly and knew he'd never do anything reckless with his brother's health. "Do whatever you have to do. I can wait."
"Okay, brother. Your Thirium volume is much better and you're fully responsive." Using a penlight to study Connor's ocular relay units for a moment Lucas was confident that he was entirely stable. "All right, the tube can be extracted."
Taking hold of the external line Lucas removed the plastic clip attaching it to a Thirium pouch hanging from the I.V. stand beside the bed, and then removed the single elastic strap holding the end of the line in place near Connor's teeth. The strap function by stretching around the back of his head like an oxygen mask would do.
"I'm going to pull slowly on the line and you need to cough to help it move easier. On three... One, two, three!"
The line was easily pulled from Connor's throat, and the deviant coughed even more as the line left his throat feeling raw and irritated as indicated by the way his hand instinctively went to his throat to support the sore section of his body. "...Th-Thank you."
"You're welcome." Taking the time to listen to Connor's chest with his audioscope Lucas smiled again and gave him the clear. "You're going to be fine. After a twenty-four hour stay here in the tower, you'll be free to go home and rest for another seventy-two hours before going back into the field."
"Th-Three days?"
Hank spoke up and agreed with Lucas's assessment. "It's either you stay home and do nothing, or I set up a patrol to babysit you at the brownstone. One or the other, son."
Accepting his fate Connor nodded a little and agreed. "...Very well. I'll remain at the brownstone and rest."
"Good answer." Hank knew that Connor would want to get back to the investigation as soon as possible and decided to ask him a few questions. "So, can you tell us what happened today at the office?"
With a small sigh Connor explained everything leading up to the attack and provided the few details regarding his assailant's appearance before losing consciousness. The thick and dark clothing had made it virtually impossible to identify anything beyond their eye color being brown. The mask concealed every feature of their face and left only their eyes visible.
"I managed to fend them off with my electrified baton being pressed against their neck." Connor held up his palm and projected a holographic image of his memory of the assailant's concealed facade. "But I couldn't see their face. I know that they are six foot even in height, approximately one-hundred and sixty pounds based on their build if they're a human and one-hundred and twenty pounds if they're a deviant."
Hank's brow arched at the forty pound difference in estimated weight. "Uh, why would a deviant weigh less than a human?"
"Plastimetal is designed to be sturdy but lightweight for ease of access and portability."
"Oh, cool. Do you think that the assailant was a human or a deviant?"
"The... attack took place in a narrow window of time." Pressing his palm over his abdomen overtop his healing damage Connor looked to his allies as he shared his story about the assault. "The heavy entrance door was pulled open fully wide by the person who entered the office, and that tells me the assailant was a deviant who was waiting and watching for an opportunity for Skye to be alone."
Markus crossed his arms over his chest and gave Connor a worried glance. "Why would anyone want to hurt Skye?"
"As if this moment, I cannot be certain."
Hank sighed as he contemplated potential motivations and gave the gathered group an uneasy gaze. "If Skye's a defense attorney, and a deviant one at that, then she might just be a walking target for resentful bigots. Lawyers in general make a lot of enemies just for upholding the law and getting people locked away, so I can't imagine how big that target can get on women, minorities or deviants."
"She may also have been targeted due to her assistance with the incident in Chicago." Connor tagged on as he winced and tried to ignore the chronic ache in his abdomen. Even with the damage repaired the injury site was still very painful. "However, due to the digital display and terminal being destroyed during the assault I'm beginning to suspect that she has a file on someone who doesn't want said file being shared."
"Any idea which file that may be?"
"No. Skye was in the process of sorting through files for me for my own investigation when she was attacked, and I'm unsure which of those files were relevant to my own investigation prior to her being attacked."
"Shit." Rubbing his hand thoughtfully along his chin Hank realized that the investigation had reached a dead end due to the lack of abundant information. "Until we know exactly why the files were destroyed by the attacker, then we won't know the motivation behind the attack itself."
Taking in a deep breath Connor winced at the harsh pain from the motion pulling on his abdomen as he breathed out slowly. "A-Agreed."
"Get some rest." Hank knew when it was time to let a victim rest after a few questions. Rising to his feet Hank patted Connor's shoulder and knew that the deviant was in good hands with his brother and the deviant leader himself watching over him. "When you're ready to continue the investigation, you'll know where to find me, or you can contact Chris. He's handling this case on an official level, I'm just being nosy. Need me to do anything for ya'?"
"Could... you get my motorcycle from the alleyway beside the office building?" Connor motioned to his trench coat draped over the nearby table. "I'd rather not let it sit out in the elements and unguarded."
"Yeah, sure." Fishing through the pockets Hank first found the powerless baton and then the key to the motorcycle. "I can get it taken to my place and locked up in your garage overnight so you don't have to worry about it. I'll make sure Bruno is okay, too."
"Thank you."
"Feel better, son. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Connor nodded a little as Hank took his leave of the recovery room so that he could get some sleep and continue to heal.
Markus decided it was time to take his leave as well and check in with Skye next door. "I'm going to visit with Skye and let her know that you're ready to talk once you've both had some time to regain some energy after resting. I'm glad you're going to be okay, my friend."
"As am I. Thank you for helping us today."
"Any time." Markus was just relieved to know he could still do some good with his actual hands and not just through his beautifully spoken words. "You may not reside within this tower, but you're welcome here whenever you need a place to give you a sense of home and friendship."
With only Lucas left in the recovery room Connor gave his little brother his attention and expressed his gratitude as well. "I appreciate you resuming your role as a technician one last time to aid me today, brother."
"Regardless of our relationship, if you need help I'd like to think that I'd do everything in my ability to assist you." Sitting down in the chair beside the bed Lucas decided he'd keep his older brother company for the rest of the night. Lucas knew that Bruno would be okay alone for the night and he'd send the loyal K-9 unit a cybernetic message to let him know what was happening. "I'm not sure what you were investigating today, but whatever it was, I want to assist."
"I think that'd be a good idea." Connor admitted that reality as he considered how easily he was overpowered by his own weapon and how dangerous it was to go anywhere without immediate back-up. "I was armed today, yet I was still assaulted and nearly killed. Skye could've died as well, and she doesn't carry any weapons at all."
"We'll figure out what's going on and we'll find the person who assaulted you two." Lucas promised as he stayed at his brother's side. "Whatever file that Skye has in her possession must contain something damning to warrant such a reckless attack."
"If the assailant wanted the file destroyed, then it'll take time to locate the exact one that they wanted gone. And that's if the file was the real target and not a red herring for the attempted murder of Skye."
"True. I dislike needing to weed out false leads from substantial evidence, but it's crucial for a proper investigation." Running a scan over his brother's system Lucas checked the bandages covering Connor's repaired abdomen and was satisfied that the damage was going to mend properly without the need for additional technical assistance. "Rest and allow your self healing program to function at full capacity. We'll discuss this further in the morning after you've had more time to recover."
Too tired to offer a counterpoint or continue his investigation, Connor relented to his fatigue and laid back against his pillow to rest. Before he even had his eyes closed Connor felt the blue blanket being pulled up higher over his chest to keep him warm and covered as he rested in the recovery wing.
The double assault downtown was as unnerving as it was unexpected. Whatever was happening in the city regarding the explosives was now considered a lesser priority as an attempted murderer was still running loose in the streets, and no one knew who they were or why they had tried to kill two deviants in one fell swoop.
-next chapter-