The cold and snowy night was tense as Hank remained vigilant at the overheating deviant's side to ensure Connor didn't suffer from any permanent damage. Joel had stayed as long as he possibly could, but when Captain Fowler demanded his return to the precinct to assist with power issues the technician had no choice but to go. Alone with only the two dogs and his less than stellar tech skills to guide him, Hank patiently placed and then replaced ice packs over Connor's forehead and chest as he waited for any sign of recovery from the unconscious deviant. The feverish hallucinations seemed to have subsided allowing Connor to rest more fully, but the intense heat radiating from his person was still worrisome.

Exhausted and eager to get some rest as well, Hank trudged slowly through the livingroom to make sure the door was still shut tight and that none of the windows were letting in a nasty draft. As he made his way pass the coffee table Hank's blue eyes caught sight of the dropped coin laying head's side up beneath the table and felt guilt gnaw at him all over again.

"Man, is this really all the kid has in this fucked up world? Just twenty-five cents?"

Picking the coin up from the floor Hank sighed and placed it down on the table where Connor would be able to see it once he rebooted and opened his eyes.

"The way your clothes look make me think you pulled them out of a dumpster or some shit."

The sight of the rather dirty looking hoodie, beanie and boots told Hank that the deviant didn't have the time or the money to buy anything decent to wear. The only clothing on Connor's person that did look okay were the white dress shirt and dark blue jeans that had been a part of his previous CyberLife uniform.

Checking his phone for any unnoticed phone calls or texts while he was in the shower resulted in a blank screen and a hefty sigh of relief from the senior detective. Hank didn't want to be disturbed for the rest of the short night as early morning was just around the corner. He needed to rest just as much as Connor did.

"How's your fever?"

Lightly Hank placed his palm over Connor's forehead and felt a far cooler degree under his touch. The ice was working and now that Connor could breathe on his own again Hank was certain that the wounded deviant would be waking up very soon.

"It's getting better, but still not great."

Hank noticed Bruno still watching his every move and decided it'd be best to make friends with the protective dog just in case Connor had a negative reaction to waking up in Hank's house with no memory of how he had arrived there. Walking over to where the two dogs were laying on the pillow in the corner of the livingroom, Hank knelt down and offered Bruno his hand to sniff to show he wasn't a threat by any means.

"Seems like you and Connor both had a rough few days, huh, Bruno?"

Bruno raised his head as he sniffed at Hank's opened palm and then licked once. While Bruno already knew that Hank was a police Lieutenant and an active first responder, he didn't know anything about Hank's personality or potential motivations. The way Hank was watching over Connor indicated someone showing a kind and compassionate nature, but the expressions on Hank's face conveyed sorrow, regret and even a little bit of fear.

"Wish I could offer you a treat since you saved Connor's life tonight. But I don't think you could have a dog biscuit like Sumo could."

Hearing his name made Sumo's tail wag as he put his paw on Hank's arm to seek some ears rubs.

"Yeah, you're a good dog, too."

After addressing the two dogs laying on the pillow Hank returned his attention to Connor behind him and did another fever-check. The deviant was stable, breathing easier and his temperature was slowly returning to normal.

"Keep sleeping like that, kid." Hank encouraged in a kind tone. "You'll feel much better when this damn blizzard clears up and the cold finally breaks. After that, maybe you and me can have a little sit-down and talk things out. I know I have a lot to answer for and you deserve every chance in the world to prove that you're a far better person than I ever could be. We just need to sit and talk."

Watching the snow fall over the harbor gave Markus a strange sense of peace as he tried to process everything that had happened to the deviant community and to himself in just the past three days. The snow blowing about the wind created a layer of white over the black harbor that was easily washed away from the shore with each small tide; even in nature darkness and light were fighting for dominance. It was strange to think that just a week prior Markus had been living with Carl Manfred in the warm, secured mansion in the nicest neighborhood in the entire city. And now he was standing in a private office on the ground floor of the defunct CyberLife Tower with the responsibility and well being of every freed deviant resting on his shoulders.

It was all so much to take in and Markus knew his struggles as the deviant leader were just beginning. Having his allies at odds with him and his decisions already wasn't helping him find any form of confidence. Wanting to do right by everyone, including Connor and the nameless 'RK-900', was going to be a real challenge regardless of how much support Markus may or may not have directly behind him.

With his arm wrapped around his sore chest Markus leaned forward to rest his forehead against the cool glass of the window and sighed. The icy sensation against his forehead made the deviant leader feel slightly calmer in the tense aftermath of the hectic confrontation in the hidden sublevel. The fact that he survived a physical encounter with an android of immense strength and endurance was one he took as a fluke win and not a true victory.

The door to the office slid open with a soft 'hiss' as Simon entered the private area and addressed Markus in a low voice. "Markus? Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Looking at Simon's reflection on the window Markus locked eyes with the blond technician before he even turned around to face him. "How's the 'RK-900' at the moment?"

"Stable and unconscious." Entering the space Simon noticed that Markus was supporting his chest frames and knew he was still in pain. Running a scan from where he stood Simon saw the small fractures littering Markus's chest and inwardly grimaced sympathetically. "I don't have him restrained as you asked, and I have the floor sealed with a lock that only you or I can open."

"Good. The fewer people who can find him, the better."

"Any word from Connor?"

"No. I haven't tried to contact him since he left."

"Really?" Peering past Markus to look through the window Simon failed to hide his wince as a particularly strong gust of icy wind rocked the tower. "I thought for sure you'd be trying to communicate with him and make sure he's safe."

"He wants to be left alone and I will respect that simple request. I trust that he'll find a way to survive despite the odds stacked against him."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Simon thought of how he found Connor hiding in Jericho and how much the deviant just wanted to be left alone. He couldn't begin to fathom what Connor endured pre-deviancy and he didn't want to even hazard a guess. "Have we made any progress on finding the assassin who tried to take Connor down? I mean, I know we've all been busy but that's a pretty important problem we need to solve."

"Not yet." A small scoff escaped Markus's lips as he stepped away from the window while keeping his arm braced around his sore chest. "It's ironic. The most qualified deviant to investigate this crime is the victim of said crime. I don't think Connor would want to investigate this particular case though."

"No one would blame him from turning the investigation down."

"The big questions are; who here in the tower would have a motive to try to kill Connor AND have access to that bottle of Thirium that was left for him to drink when he was ready? Who knew he might've come back and that he left the Thirium designated for himself behind?"

"Well, a lot of deviants were in and out of the repair bay after we took over." Approaching Markus warily Simon gently put his hand to the deviant leader's side to check Markus's fractures while he spoke. He didn't want to take any chances and discover that Markus was hiding any serious damage the hard way. "You, me, Josh and North have all been spending a lot of time on that floor in general."

"Anyone hovering around the repair bay for any unusual amount of time?"

"No." Lowering his hand Simon gave Markus a lost stare as he tried to help his friend figure out their most unsettling problem as efficiently as possible. "I've been spending a majority of my time in there to get the bay ready for our people. Josh stops in for about twenty minutes at a time every two or three hours to lend a hand and North stops by once every hour to ensure I don't need any new supplies. You show up almost as often as they do and none of the deviant patients were ever aware of Connor's presence."

"Damn. We really should implement an internal security system." Walking over to the white leather sofa resting against the far wall Markus sat down slowly and waited for Simon to join him. "At least at the front and rear entrances, and directly over the doorway leading to the repair bay."

"Our people may not respond well to being monitored inside of a sanctuary."

"I agree, but we'll need to take steps to keep this place secured and safe for all deviants who come our way." Markus knew that their people were going to be hesitant to accept Connor based on the way they reacted so negatively to his presence back at Jericho. Having 'two Connors' with the 'RK-900' now being discovered would surely cause even more strife. "That includes Connor and the 'RK-900'."

"When the 'RK-900' reboots, whether that's in a few days, weeks or even months, what do we do with him?" Simon hated the idea of having a nameless android being seen as a criminal just for being activated. "I mean, we don't even know if he'll be able to deviate since his model is so unique."

"We won't assume that he'll end being beyond our help." Markus stated in a reassuring and confident tone. "Connor was able to deviate at some point and I don't doubt that this new android will be able to do the same if given enough time and patience."

"And if he can't deviate?"

"Then... I guess he'll be ostracized." The idea was heartbreaking and morose. "If he harms another deviant we'll handle it in a legal manner and have the authorities take care of him."

"Sounds like a lose-lose situation." Leaning forward against his elbows atop his knees Simon pressed his interlaced knuckles to his chin in deep thought. "If he does deviate then he'll be seen as a criminal in the eyes of his own people. If doesn't deviate and is seen as an actual threat, then he'll be confirmed as a criminal in the eyes of his own people."

"We have to find a way to help the 'RK-900' and Connor. No one deserves to be turned away just because they were designed as tools by CyberLife."

"And how do we do that?"

"For starters, we find Connor." Markus decided as he made sure he could cybernetically link with the deviant once the blizzard died down enough to make contact again. All lines of communication were down due to the severity of the storm. "And we tell him about the 'RK-900'. He deserves to know."

"And..." Simon closed his blue eyes as he begrudgingly thought about their other discovery in the tower. "What about the shutdown Connor we found on sublevel forty-nine? He was shot and left behind even after CyberLife fled the tower."

"We'll inform Connor of all of our discoveries. No secrets, no lies."

Nodding where he sat Simon approved of Markus's honest demeanor and the blond technician agreed entirely. "That's good. When you're ready to reach out to Connor let me know." Offering the leader a kind smirk Simon let Markus know he had at least one person supporting him. "I want to help him, too."

Even as dawn encroached over the city very little natural light managed to pierce through the thick snow clouds hovering over Detroit. It was as if someone had dropped a dark veil over the shaken population in an attempt to hide the shame of the near war and peaceful Revolution as the rest of the country, if not the world, looked on in uncertain horror and curiosity as Detroit picked itself up and tried to limp forward after such an ugly situation. With any luck the pristine white snow would help cleanse the stricken streets of the needlessly shed blood from both sides as the two clashing sides were now working on mending rifts and beginning a peaceful coexistence.

As the morning finally greeted the city Connor's eyelids began to flutter as his system slowly rebooted. Details regarding his current status and condition were rather odd as Connor couldn't fathom how his core temperature was reading as nominal and he wasn't registering any icy cold sensation directly against his person. Gaining his bearings Connor realized he was laying on a couch, covered by a thick blanket and staring at a white ceiling overhead.

"What..." Coughing a little Connor lifted his head and glanced about the area and instantly recognized Hank's livingroom. The sight of the television, the coffee table, bookshelf, recliner and fireplace with odd knickknacks on the mantle were somehow more chilling than the blizzard outside. "What am I... doing here?"

"You were stranded in a snowstorm and needed a shelter."

Flinching as he sat upright on the couch, Connor turned around quickly and spotted Hank watching him from the kitchen doorway with a glass of whiskey in his hand. The moment he locked eyes with the senior detective Connor felt his Thirium pump stutter and knew his L.E.D. was glaring in a nasty red.

"Your friend there," motioning to Bruno with the same hand holding his glass, Hank let Connor know he wasn't alone. "found me and brought me to you."

Connor never looked away from Hank as he cybernetically confirmed everything with Bruno on the unspoken line of communication. The K-9 unit verified that Hank was speaking the truth and allowed Connor to see his recorded memories of the way Hank followed after Bruno to the park, rescued the deviant and brought him back to the house to heal. Bruno also confirmed that a technician had aided Connor while he was unconscious and in need of repairs.

"It took a while, but you got fixed up and warmed up." Hank continued in an even tone. "Glad to see you're okay, kid."

Being called 'kid' made Connor feel suddenly small in Hank's eyes. In a way it was as if Hank was trying to remind the deviant that he was a lesser being in comparison to humans.

Taking a sip of his whiskey Hank sighed and then stepped closer to the couch to speak with the deviant. "How do you feel?"

Holding his silence Connor just readjusted his position on the couch to sit forward with his feet on the floor. As he moved he saw his coin and made a slow reach for it to reclaim it for himself, then froze before returning his hand to his side.

"That's yours, take it." Hank insisted as he stepped even closer to the couch and watched Connor tense up. Standing in place Hank recognized the signs of trauma and wisely gave Connor some space. "I found it after it fell out of my coat pocket. I'm sorry for taking it from you."

Slowly Connor reached for the coin and resisted the urge to dance the coin over his knuckles to channel his now nervous energy through the simple tic. Slipping the coin into his jean pocket out of sight Connor kept quiet. He had nothing to say to Hank and didn't want to be anywhere near the man.

"I, uh, I was hoping I could find you after you freed those androids from the tower, but... I had no idea where to look." Finishing his drink Hank walked back into the kitchen and put the glass with its partially melted ice cubes down in the sink to be cleaned later. Returning to the livingroom Hank kept his distance as he watched Connor's tense body language carefully. "It's none of my business, I know, but it's hard to not worry about you when I don't know where you are."

Doubtful of such a claim Connor remained silent as he sat entirely still on the couch. He didn't want to reply or say something that'd upset the senior detective by accident. The memories of being insulted, having a gun pointed at him and actually being shot by Hank were enough to keep Connor on his guard at all times.

"So, where'd you find your friend?" Needing to engage in polite and civil conversation Hank asked about the decommissioned K-9 unit as the dog rose to his three paws and sat down at attention at Connor's feet. "Bruno, right?"

Unsure of how to respond Connor stubbornly held his silence as if afraid of setting Hank off and receiving a second wound to compliment the first. As he sat on the couch tense and uneasy Connor wrapped his palm around his left bicep and hoped that Hank would grow tired of trying to talk.

Hank saw the way Connor protected his arm and felt his stomach flip. "Yeah, I guess you've been through a lot these past few days and aren't up for talking." In a desperate bid to end the tension building in the air Hank walked over to the livingroom window and peered out to the blizzard still blowing away. "As soon as the storm has cleared up I bet you and Bruno can find a safe place to hide so you don't get caught up in this shitty weather again. Or, if you wanted to, you could stay here until you get a plan of action so you can live your life as a free man."

The idea of returning to the icy streets or to the abandoned building somehow seemed more ideal than being under the same roof as Hank. There was something deep down inside of Connor's coding, or perhaps his heart, telling him to do whatever it took to keep himself and even Bruno safe from someone who had hurt him in the past.

An instinct, maybe?

Running a self diagnostic Connor noted his Thirium at a low level again and internally swore at the repeated problem. Having given Bruno the very Thirium he had braved the storm to locate meant Connor needed to find more Thirium yet again. It was a necessity to his survival just as humans needed water to live.

"You can have the couch as long as you might need it." Hank insisted in an impressively gentle tone of voice. "I know you don't want to have anything to do with me or even other humans for that matter, but I don't want you out on the cold streets without a decent roof over your head. I don't blame you for not trusting me." Turning to face Connor as he put his back to the snow covered window, Hank reached for a small pouch of Thirium sitting on the desk beside the window and showed it to Connor. "Joel, the precinct technician who helped ya' while you were asleep, left this for you."

Eyeing the blue blood as if it were a priceless artifact Connor sighed through his nose and remained where he sat.

"Right." Returning the pouch to the desk Hank walked around the back of the couch and felt Connor's eyes watching his every move like the deviant was paranoid about being attacked. Hank didn't blame Connor for his behavior for one moment. "I'm going to get some sleep in case the precinct calls me in to help clean up the mess outside. You can go wherever you want in the house, I don't have anything to hide from you. Oh!"

Connor jumped a little when he heard Hank's exclamation and knew his L.E.D. flashing rapidly in red before settling on yellow gave away his surprise.

"Detective Reed is going to be okay." Hank continued and watched the way Connor's eyes nervously darted away for a moment. "Tina said an android without its skin activated, who was wearing the same clothes you're wearing, gave him C.P.R. and saved his life after he was electrocuted. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to, but I thought you'd like to know you saved his life."

Turning away from Hank's face Connor closed his eyes as his shoulders slumped. It was as if he was actually disappointed to know that he helped to keep a bigoted human alive instead of letting him die because of his own incompetence. The guilt that came from that sense of committing a mistake ached painfully against Connor's newly developed heart. It was wrong to hope someone died and he knew it, but he couldn't help but feel that way in that moment.

"Yeah, anyway..." Continuing down the hallway Hank gave Connor the space the now conscious deviant wanted. "Stay as long as you like. I won't mind."

Waiting for the telltale 'click' of Hank's bedroom door closing before making a move Connor opened his eyes and looked down at Bruno for a moment before looking at the window showing the blizzard in its full might just beyond the pane of glass. The urge to flee from the house was strong but the desire to remain alive, warm and away from any further snowstorms was stronger.

The sight of the blizzard reminded Connor of his near failure to escape from his own Mind Palace when Amanda attempted to freeze him to death within the icy tundra that had swept over the once peaceful, warm and isolated Zen Garden.

"I need to leave..."

Whispering to avoid Hank's attention Connor pressed his hand over his chest to stifle a nasty cough as his healing vents still needed to clear out the lingering drops of congealed Thirium. If he still sounded sick Connor was sure that Hank would come back and wouldn't give him a chance to be alone anymore.

"As soon as the storm clears I'm going to go."

Bruno grumbled as he pressed his paw down on Connor's knee and then tilted his head at the deviant's behavior.

"I will not remain in the presence of Lieutenant Anderson." Connor stated in a low voice as he cybernetically checked the weather and noted a window of escape opening in four hours, sixteen minutes and twenty-three seconds. "He's the one who shot me."

Bruno's L.E.D. flickered from blue to red as a he let out a small growl and awoke Sumo from his sleep. The decommissioned K-9 unit was determined to protect the peace and his instincts told him to alert the authorities to arrest Hank for assaulting Connor with a deadly weapon.

"Arresting him won't do any good." Without even needing to establish the cybernetic link Connor knew what Bruno was so upset about. "He's a police Lieutenant who's already reputed for his ill temper, alcoholism, unprofessional behavior and foul temper. If he hadn't been fire before I even arrived then he's essentially immune to punishment thanks to his friendship with Captain Fowler."

A small whimper escaped Bruno as he pressed his chin down on Connor's knee sympathetically while his ears lowered. The behavior was far more dog-like than the obedient machine Bruno had been programmed to be. He undoubtedly deviated as well.

"Besides, I'm a deviant android. Not a human being." Preconstructing his odds of successfully receiving justice after being shot made Connor's shoulders slump even further. The number wasn't quite zero but close enough to be considered zero. "There'd be no point in even trying to turn Lieutenant Anderson in."

Bruno understood Connor's words perfectly and stayed beside the deviant's side. Since Connor had been registered as his new partner Bruno was determined to stay with the first person who cared about him since his original partner was killed in action.

"When I leave-" Pausing for a moment Connor put his hand over his mouth to help muffle his cough before speaking again. "Wh-When I leave you should leave, too. Go to Cyber- No, go to New Jericho Tower." Connor instructed as he put his palm on Bruno's head. He was ready to see the tower as anything but the intimidating structure that once housed the most powerful and corrupt company in North American history. "You'll find shelter and be surrounded by other deviants who'd feel safe in your presence."

Not wanting to let Connor be alone Bruno refused and cybernetically let Connor know he wasn't going to go anywhere until he knew that the lost deviant was safe. It wasn't something he was programmed to do, it was something he wanted to do.

"...All right. We'll leave together." Running his hand down Bruno's back Connor continued to monitor the weather and wait for his break in the storm so he could leave and find his own shelter. "I guess no one should be alone right now. Even a couple of lost strays like us."

The halls of St. Mercy Hospital were surprisingly quiet as the staff went about their morning routines and checked in on the patients under their case. The nasty storm had made it very difficult for staff members to arrive at the hospital to work on schedule, but thanks to a strong dedication to helping people in need and numerous deviants being willing to resume their work as caretakers and medics due to the emergency situation, everything was under control and all critically injured or sick patients had been properly treated. As a result most of the private recovery rooms were full and the occupants were all resting easy as the storm began to quiet down at long last.

Aggravated with having to wait to go home for another day Gavin stared at his bandaged right hand and flexed his fingers slowly. The first and second degree burns were mostly contained to his palm and along his fingers, but a few burns extended down his wrist. The pain had been numbed thanks to his potent painkillers and some careful bandaging to keep his burns covered.

"Fuckin' hate this..."

Gavin grumbled as he waited for something new to happen. His voice was stronger and he could speak clearly again, but due to the severity of his wounds he couldn't leave the hospital for at least one more day.

As he mumbled to himself a deviant nurse entered his room and checked his vitals via the cardiac monitor silently recording his heartbeat beside the bed. Not looking at the deviant as the very efficient and professional nurse lightly lifted up his right hand to check the bandaging, Gavin patiently waited for the nurse to finish his rounds and exit the room.

The moment he had his hand back Gavin clutched the wounded appendage to his chest as if disgusted by the deviant's touch. "Fuckin' hate hospitals."

"You hate pretty much everything." Tina quipped as she entered the room and presented Gavin with a styrofoam cup of a peach smoothie she snuck in as a special treat for Gavin. Popping the straw into the lid of the cup Tina placed it down on the nearby table for Gavin to have when he was ready. "That's ironically what I like about you."

"That I'm a hateful, spiteful prick?"

"That you're honest, even if it does come off as blunt and aggressive at times."

Scoffing a little Gavin picked up the cup and began sipping at the sweet drink and relished with how it soothed the lingering ache in his throat. "How's the city?"

"Cold, bitter and waiting for something warm to enter their lives." A mischievous smirk appeared on Tina's face. "Sort of like you!"

"Ha, ha... Funny, Ti'."

"Sorry." Standing beside her best friend Tina put her hand on Gavin's shoulder and offered him a kind smile instead. "Tomorrow you can go home. Want to go back to your apartment or-"

"No." Being alone in his tiny apartment with only his kitten as company made Gavin grimace. "I hate that shit-hole place. Better than staying with my cheating ex, though."

"Why not move in to that new apartment complex that was just built? It's in a nicer area with nicer-"

"I just put down my deposit for at least six months and I'd need a roommate to help pay the rent in a place like that."

"Oh, sorry."

"It's not your fault." Gavin lamented as he accidentally took out his frustration on his best friend. "Don't apologize, I was being a dick."

"No more than usual."

Smirking a little Gavin leaned back against his pillow and continued to sip his smoothie. "Do you mind if I crash with you for a few days?"

"Nah. You can even bring Lucky with you."

"Sure, just don't spoil her."

"No promises."

"When are you going to get your own pets?"

"After I find the lucky man who's going to spend the rest of his life with me. Then I'll go to the shelter and adopt every animal that needs a good home."

"You always were humble..."

"It's my best quality." Sitting down on the edge of Gavin's bed Tina lightly took his bandaged right hand in her own and watched as he tensed up in anticipation of a pain that never came. "How's your hand?"

"It's... strange." Gavin lightly flexed his bandages fingers but the motion was too subtle to be noticed. "It's kind of numb but I can move it and I can feel the bandages, but not much else."

"And no sign of complications from being shocked? No muscle cramps or heart arrhythmia?"

"Just a headache that won't go away and my ribs are sore as fuck."

"Well, I guess that's about as good as it can get considering you were... gone."

"But I'm back." Hating the idea of being brought back from the dead made Gavin's eyes narrow for a moment. "I'm okay."

"Yeah, and if it wasn't for that android you would be six-feet-under right now."

"Well, if that fucker hadn't busted into the store to begin with then I never would've been electrocuted!"

"The person who called in the break-in confirmed that the store was already in ruins long before that android even showed up."

"It was still stealing shit."

"What did they steal?"

Gavin gave Tina a questioning glance as he lowered his drink to the table beside him. "What're you talking about?"

"I didn't see the android with anything in his hands when we showed up. He sure as Hell didn't have a gun, or any weapon for that matter, and you still pointed your gun at him. If you're lucky, Captain Fowler will overlook that little detail after he finishes reviewing the store's security footage."

"And the footage will prove that the android was stealing!"

"Actually, it proved he went into the store, looked around behind the counter and ran when he saw us show up. If he did take anything then it wasn't on camera or wasn't valuable enough to be noticed. Therefore we can't do anything to him anyway."

"You're going to look the other way because that android gave me C.P.R. for a seconds?"

"No, I'm not looking away." Tina gave Gavin a disappointed shake of her head as she stood up and prepared to take her leave of the hospital and begin her shift. "I'm using the evidence at my disposal to let the android off with a warning for trespassing, AND if I see him I'm going to thank him for saving your life."

"The paramedics-"

"Wouldn't have been able to save you if the android hadn't reacted so quickly and gave you emergency first aid. Jeez, Gavin." She knew how stubborn Gavin could be, but seeing him trying to twist evidence to fit his theory instead of twisting his theory to fit the evidence aggravated her to a new level. "Are you so Hellbent on hating androids that you're going to go out of your way to try to alter facts and make it seem like the android who saved your life didn't do anything?"

Unable to answer Gavin just bit his tongue and leaned back against his pillow as he turned his head away from Tina.

"That's what I thought. Uh, look." Not wanting to leave Gavin by himself after their small disagreement Tina quickly changed the subject. "I'll stop by again during my lunchbreak and sneak you in a slice of pizza from your favorite place if you cooperate with your doctors and nurses. Then tomorrow morning I'll take you and Lucky back to my apartment so you can recover in style on my new beanbag chairs."

Without saying a word Gavin rested his aching right hand over his abdomen and waited for Tina to leave him alone. Too tired, too sore and too annoyed to try to argue his point any further, the recovering detective laid still in the bed and watched through the window as the snowfall began to steadily lessen while the blistering wind began to calm.

Even though the storm was beginning to lose strength and fade away Gavin still felt uneasy and on edge. It was as if there was something else brewing in the city and the abrasive detective was going to remain on his guard.

What felt like days had passed when Hank finally opened his heavy blue eyes and awoke from the deep sleep that stole his mind the moment his head hit his pillow. The sound of the howling wind had faded and the snow had stopped falling just long enough for the city to see how deep the snow had become post snowstorm. Ignoring his quiet phone as he rose from his bed and walked down the hallway, Hank was hoping to see Connor still on the couch or roaming the house, but instead he was greeted to the sight of an empty livingroom save for Sumo now sprawled over the soft cushions and the warm blankets that had been left behind.

Sighing with a sense of discontent Hank walked over to the front window and looked out to see a fresh trail of shoot prints and awkward three-legged pawprints leading away from the house. Connor was gone and Bruno had gone with him.

"Damn it."

Running his hand over the back of his hair Hank realized how much he screwed things up between Connor and himself. The deviant was just recovering from severe hypothermia and still had minor ventilation effusion, but he would rather risk his health and safety out in an unforgiving city during an unforgiving storm just to get away from Hank.

"If anything happens to..."

Lowering his hand from his hair as his eyes noticed something next to his laptop Hank trailed off and felt a lead weight settle in his core.

"He didn't even take the damn Thirium with him."

The pouch of blue blood had been left unopened and untouched since Hank had showed it to Connor a few hours ago. It seemed that Connor mistrusted Hank to the point of refusing the vital Thirium if it came from the senior detectives hands. Unfortunately, Connor had a good reason to be suspicious of Thirium being given to him even if Hank didn't know what that reason was.

"I really fucked up this time. Not only was I a huge prick to the poor guy, I shot him. I fuckin' shot him and now I'm acting like me doing the right thing and being civil toward him is somehow going to undo all the fucked up shit I did."

As he thought aloud to himself Hank awoke Sumo from his sleep and Hank was rewarded with a small grumble from the Saint Bernard. Seeing Sumo watching him as he peered over his shoulder, Hank walked over to the couch and rubbed the loyal dog's ears lightly.

"I have a lot to make up for, huh, boy?"

Hank thought back to the previous three years and of how he had been openly mistreating the people in his life. He was pissed at the world for taking away his only son in such a cruel, heartless and needless manner, and he had every right to be pissed off, but he didn't have the right to take out his frustrations on other people who hadn't done anything to elicit such behavior.

"Why is it we can only see our flaws when another person holds a mirror up to us? Why couldn't I see how far I had fallen when I looked into the mirror by myself?"

Sumo just thumped his tail as he leaned into Hank's hand to ensure the ear rubs never ended.

"Maybe this is a sign." Hank contemplated thoughtfully as he saw the snowstorm cleaning the city in the aftermath of the city's peaceful Revolution. "The city is changing as I speak, Sumo. Everyone in the city is going to change, too, whether they want to or not."

The massive dog sat more upright on the couch and let Hank move his hand over to rub Sumo's chin next.

"I can't undo my past mistakes or pretend that my hatred toward androids was ever justified, but I can take steps to make amends for my mistakes and find a way to help the deviants I tried to repress. It won't be easy, but I have to at least try to do the right thing."

While the city recovered from the storm and began to slowly clean up and adjust to the new world now that deviants were seen as sentient and intelligent beings of equal rights, the people living in Detroit needed to adjust in their own way. The best way to begin a new change for the better was to begin with oneself.

The damage to the tower had been minimal but that didn't mean the already edgy occupants weren't shaken. New Jericho Tower was sheathed under a layer of crystalline ice that made the building sparkle in the waning sunlight, like a beacon of hopeful light piercing through a doubtful darkness. The building had retained power during the storm but the few fractured window panes were allowing windy drafts into the tower and making it chilly inside the shelter. It didn't take long for the inhabitants to band together to repair the damage, secure their supplies and ensure that everyone who was residing inside the sanctuary were well taken care of and comfortable.

Working together in cybernetic unison, the four leaders directed the repair process and prioritized their responsibilities accordingly. They didn't want to deal with any issues regarding the structural integrity of the tower, and they wanted to set a prime example for their people regarding teamwork and camaraderie by working just as hard as everyone else.

"That's the last window." Markus confirmed as he scanned over the pane and noted that all of the cracks in the glass were secured under a fresh layer of protective resin to keep the drafts at bay. The windows would be replaced in their entirety in the warmer spring. "How about the doors?"

Josh nodded as he received cybernetic confirmation that every entrance to the tower had been secured. "All sealed and locked. We also have two emergency generators primed for use in the event of an emergency."

"Good. We're keeping on top of problems before they begin." Noticing Simon approaching them with two metal cases in his hands Markus motioned to the blond technician and visually scanned over the surfaces of the metal cases. They were both CyberLife biocomponent transport cases that were specifically designed to carry and protect delicate equipment. "What did you find, Simon?"

"Not sure. These cases are electronically locked and they're marked as 'Prototype-Genesis'." He relayed the details as he carried the cases over to the private office with Markus and Josh right beside him. It'd be best to study the contents in private. "Their existence was hidden in an archived file in the repair ward terminals, and then secured down on sublevel fifty-one. It took me a while to find them."

"That's strange. How do we unlock the cases?"

"I'm not sure about that, either." Placing the cases down on the desk in the middle of the office Simon motioned to the biometric lock on the two cases. "We need a specific thumb print to open the cases the traditional way, otherwise we'll have to break the lock."

"We don't know what's in there. Try to figure that out before we do anything too physical." Markus wisely suggested as he and Josh stood in front of the cases while Simon continued to analyze the lock. "If whatever's inside is fragile I don't want to risk us breaking it by accident."

"Agreed. Until then, I'll keep the cases secured in the repair ward out of sight." Crossing his arms over his chest Simon saw the fatigue in Markus's mismatched eyes and gave him a sympathetic sigh. "Any luck with contacting Connor?"

"I've been trying, but I can't get a response or a signal."

"Do you think he's... damaged?"

"I suspect he's merely turned off communications for the time being." Not too worried about Connor's self imposed isolation Markus remained entirely confident where he stood. "He's asked to be left alone and I encourage us all the respect that. I sent him a message informing him that we're his allies and even if he doesn't entirely trust us we'll still help him if he asks for it, but that I won't pester him for an answer. We're all struggling to adjust to our new world, why should we expect anyone to just fit right in and find their place without some difficulty along the way?"

"Fair point."

Josh agreed as well despite not fully trusting Connor or anyone else with a prior association with CyberLife. "In time I'll hold group therapy sessions to aid our people and extend the invitation to those who aren't residing in the tower. Everyone should be able to talk about their experiences without any harsh judgment or indifference, regardless of who they are, who they used to be and where they come from."

"No one will be turned away." Markus tagged on with genuine sincerity. "We should also take steps to salvage what remains of the original Jericho to use as a secondary safehouse for deviants too afraid to socialize in the tower. We'll keep the ship afloat as a second sanctuary."

"That might be a difficult task since we'll have to go through official means with the city, but I know we can succeed."

"And from there we'll continue to make this city a friendlier place for deviantkind." Sounding as if he already had a plan in mind Markus saw the optimistic gleam in the eyes of his two allies and offered them a kind smile. "We need to bridge gaps, not build walls."

Trudging back to the abandoned store in the ankle-deep snow with Bruno right behind him, Connor kept his head down and his arms wrapped around his chest to keep warm. Every so often he'd cough and his artificial lungs would ache, but the rogue deviant refused to stop walking and remain out in the cold air. With his head hung low and his mind focused solely on getting to his makeshift shelter before the storm had a chance to resume, Connor reached the back of the old store and located the same window he had used once before to enter and exit the same building. The storm hadn't damaged the building or the windows and Connor was able to easily slide the glass open again.

With the window open Connor coughed again and looked over at Bruno beside him. Since Bruno was now missing his rear right leg he wouldn't be able to jump very high, so Connor scooped up the dog and encouraged him to slip through the window and into the building. The moment Bruno was inside the building Connor pulled himself up and through the window as well to get inside and out of the cold.

Securing the window behind himself Connor proceeded to return to the main room where he had slept before, but the moment Bruno growled and planted himself between Connor and the large open space Connor froze and looked at what had caught Bruno's attention. They weren't alone.

"Hold it!" An older man was eyeing Connor suspiciously as he held a twin-barrel shotgun in his hands. The gun wasn't pointed at Connor or Bruno, merely the wall to the far left as the man held the gun with both hands, but having the gun in general was enough to warrant him as a threat. "What're you doing here?"

"I... I'm sorry." Slowly raising his hands in a submissive manner Connor did his best to keep the situation from escalating. The sudden shock at seeing a gun made it difficult for Connor speak clearly as a coughing fit began to brew in his chest. "I was t-trying to get out of the cold. I will leave without any h-hesitation."

"Are you homeless?" The questioning man was in his late sixties, had aged and dark skin marked with a few frown lines and crows feet, very short and neatly trimmed black hair marred with gray streaks, and was sporting a perfect poker face. Having a small frame but fearless demeanor that made his amber brown eyes burn with a magnificent light, the man was clearly someone who shouldn't be taken lightly. "You look homeless."

"I am in f-fact homeless, yes." Connor confirmed as he kept his hands in the air and cybernetically commanded Bruno to back off. In response Bruno sat at attention with his L.E.D. flashing slowly in red. "Which is wh-why I was seeking shelter h-here. I had initially believed this building to b-be abandoned."

"Not abandoned, just old. This is MY building."

"S-So I've noticed." Coughing a little Connor resisted the urge to cover his mouth with his hands while the man with the gun was still in front of him. "I'll... I'll leave now."

The man heard the way Connor's voice was raspy and could hear the small coughs escaping the deviant's lips. "You sick, too?"

"...I will recover in t-time."

"Uh-huh. What's your story, kid?" The man challenged as he tilted his head and gave Connor a curious stare. The way his eyes were searching over Connor gave the deviant the impression that the man was either a cop or an artist. "You're too clean shaven to have been on the streets for very long. Run away from home or get kicked out by your spouse?"

"...No." Slowly moving his hand to his beanie Connor revealed his red L.E.D. to the man in a desperate bid to keep the man from suspecting him of being a thief or a vandal. Exposing himself as a deviant made Connor feel unexpectedly vulnerable as he tried to do the right thing in the tense situation. "I've never h-had a home and I don't h-have a family."

"Deviant, huh?" Chuckling a little the man's shoulders slumped as he shook his head and walked over to the nearby empty shelf. Placing the gun down and out of reach the man actually smiled as he returned his full focus to Connor. "Well, welcome to humanity, son. My name is Adrian Louis. My father owned this store up until the day his heart made it too difficult for him to keep working. This was once the proud music and bookstore known as 'Smooth Reads'."

"You're the c-current owner." Lowering his hands Connor felt more at ease and now realized that Adrian was just protecting his property, not looking to harm anyone. The weapon was for defense and not offense. "I'm sorry for-" Coughing again Connor waited for the fit to pass before speaking. "...I apologize for intruding."

"Don't worry about it. My nosy-ass neighbors called me to warn about the 'deviant menace' and make no one was going to burn down this empty building." Laughing a little Adrian relaxed his posture and stepped away from the shotgun to assure Connor that he wasn't going to get violent. "The only problems this place ever had in the past came from humans stealing from the store, holding the cashiers at gunpoint and spray painting hateful slurs on the sides, door and windows. Androids have never been a problem, even before they went deviant."

"Yet y-you brought a w-weapon." Using his eyes Connor motioned to the gun sitting on the shelf as he challenged Adrian's claim about not seeing androids or deviants as a threat. "F-Forgive my skepticism."

"Oh, that..." Putting his hand to his hips Adrian nodded as he waved off the gun as if it were nothing more than a toy as he shrugged off his coat. "It's not loaded." Rolling up the right sleeve of his shirt Adrian showed Connor a deep scar in his right shoulder and half a dozen smaller scars dotting his bicep. "I know how much damage a gun can do and swore I'd never fire one at another living creature. I just use it for intimidation purposes."

"...Very effective." Wrapping his right palm around his left bicep Connor felt his own wounds under his touch. "I empathize with your decision."

"Sorry about the scare, son. I just didn't know who or what to expect."

"Understandable."

"So, you're a deviant without a home and you came here to get out of the storm." Adrian noted keenly as he watched Connor's demeanor slowly relax. "Tell me more about yourself."

"My name is Connor." Connor introduced himself politely as slowly calmed down and his red L.E.D. cycled back to yellow and then blue. "I had once worked as... a consultant for the Detroit Central Precinct." It wasn't a total lie - he had been a consultant but 'worked' implied payment which never happened. "After the Revolution I decided to leave the precinct behind and attempt to forge a life for myself."

"Well, my father would be proud to know that someone who's just been granted equal rights and freedom came here to seek shelter."

Such a curious comment held Connor's attention without fail. "...May I ask how so?"

"My dad was a proud advocate for equal rights for all men and women regardless of race, religion or political viewpoints. He had the honor of marching with Martin Luther King Jr. himself back in the sixties, and helped make this world a better place for my mom, me, my sister and our children and their children."

"Your father sounds like he was a very commendable and respectable person."

"Damn right. I'm always happy to talk about him." Thoroughly intrigued by Connor's presence Adrian remained cheerful and very friendly. "You're looking to forge your own life and do things your way, I like that. How do you plan on starting?"

"For now, I'm s-seeking shelter and supplies." Connor replied honestly as he didn't want to accidentally say or do anything that could cause strife. Doing his best to clear his throat Connor staved off another coughing fit to the best of his ability. "After that, I suppose I will attempt to seek employment and begin saving funds."

"You got one hell of a challenge ahead of you. How much money do you have right now?"

Silent for a moment Connor reached into his jean pocket and showed Adrian his lone quarter. It was the only currency he had to his name.

"Shit, that's it? Twenty-five cents."

"Only for the time being."

"You know something, I think we can help each other out."

The comment made Connor's head tilt a little with genuine intrigue. "How so?"

"I'm too old to keep up the repairs on this old place, but I can't bring myself to sell it to some unimaginative, soulless land developer who'd just tear this place down or remodel it into a lame-ass, overly expensive coffee shop. You need a place to call your own AND you need some employment to get started. I think I can offer you both!"

"Are you... offering me legal occupation of this building in exchange for repairs?"

"In a way. You're familiar with tenant and landlord contracts, right?"

"I am familiar with such an agreement on legal terms, yes."

"Perfect! Then this is what we'll do..." A sly smirk appeared on Adrian's face and showcased a truly sincere smile as he walked over to the bookshelf and reached for a drawer tucked away inside the wall. Inside the drawer was a stack of printer paper and a few pens that had been tucked away years ago. "We'll draw up a little contract where I give you my express permission to live here on the condition you help me with the repairs. I'll pay ya' for your work, don't worry about that, and you pay me some rent while keeping this place safe and intact. In turn we'll be able to mutually help one another out."

"You're offering me employment and a renters agreement in exchange for me aiding you in repairs to this building?"

"That's right. You keep this place from falling apart and you can live here and get some actual pay under your belt. How does that sound?"

"If you are paying me for my work and I'm paying you rent to live in the same building in which I am working, then I believe we'd be at a form of stalemate."

Chuckling again Adrian quickly wrote up the contract and signed the bottom. "I'll be paying ya' a livable wage so you can pay rent while saving up some money to get yourself some nice clothes, some supplies and anything else you might need. I'll even let ya' keep your pet!"

Connor looked down at Bruno as Bruno wagged his tail a little where he sat beside Connor's leg. The decommissioned K-9 unit had understood every word spoken between Connor and Adrian perfectly well, and knew that Connor had been given a fantastic opportunity to begin living his life on his terms.

"This is... very generous of you." The deviant knew he had been given a rare opportunity and wasn't sure if he could risk turning it down. "I'm not sure if I could ever properly repay you for your kindness and aid."

"Don't worry about that, son. Like I said," presenting Connor with the simple contract Adrian offered the deviant the pen and the chance to read it over before signing it. "my dad would be proud to know that this old building - a store meant to unite everyone through a love of music and thirst for literature, was giving shelter to someone who needed a fair chance at a fair life."

Preconstructing his odds of living on the streets, of trying to forge a relationship with New Jericho and going back to the precinct, all gave Connor less than favorable numbers in terms of his survival. The odds greatly improved when he added a shelter, payment and supplies to the equation. It was an easy decision to make despite Connor himself feeling uneasy about trusting a human in any capacity.

Accepting the pen for himself Connor read over the contract - everything was fair, honest and easily understood by anyone who read it, Connor signed his name beside Adrian's name and paused when he realized he hadn't provided a surname yet. Needing to fill in the blank and give himself a true identity Connor provided a last name befitting his rogue status and complimented his first name in a way that seemed natural.

It just felt right to sign his new last name. It was as if it had been a natural part of his name from the beginning and was finally being seen.

"This makes us officially landlord and tenant." Adrian beamed as he read over Connor's signature and admired the deviant's elegant penmanship. "First thing we're going to do is get this place inspected properly so we can repairs underway, then we'll go and get supplies we need to get this building back in shape. Ready to earn your first paycheck, Mr. Wolf?"

Being referred to with such a respectful manner and title, being recognized as an actual person, made Connor feel like he was truly making progress at long last. "I am ready, Mr. Louis. I want to make this building a home." Connor decided as he put his hand on Bruno's head to rub his ears lightly that the building was going to be his first residence that no one could take away from him. "This place will be my home."

-next chapter-