After a week of calmer, albeit colder weather, Detroit was slowly resuming normal function post snowstorms and post peaceful Revolution. In that week's time several changes had taken place and many people were changing as well. The city had its streets cleared, buildings repaired and new protocols were put in place to prevent ice and snow from congesting the streets during the remainder of the wintertime. In turn, all of the city's first responders were given more funding to ensure they have plenty of people to help keep on top of emergencies during the less forgiving weather, and the police drones circling the city were doubled to help keep tabs on the populous at all times.

New Jericho Tower had made some upgrades and improvements during that week as well. Several dozen floors were converted into private living spaces with each vacated room and office being remodeled into small apartments for the deviants to occupy. Thousands of deviants now had ideal shelter and a warm place to call their own.

During his brief moments of free time Markus returned to the mansion he still thought of fondly as his own home. As he told Carl of the tower's successes and of his plans to help bridge the gap between humans and deviants, Markus felt a well earned sense of pride wash over his heart and fill his mind.

"Sounds like you're on the right track." Carl complimented as his aged and talented hand moved his black pawn across the chessboard to make his next move. Despite having suffered a heart attack on top of his already poor health, Carl was showing remarkable strength and energy. "I was so proud to see you maintaining the peace even when those F.B.I. and army sheep tried to provoke you into fighting back against them. How does it feel to be a free man and a symbol of peace and prosperity?"

"It's an intangible experience, I don't think I can even try to put it into words. Check." Moving his own piece Markus waited for Carl to counter his move and begin a new strategy to try to win. "How does one express what it feels like to go through the momentary loss of family, homelessness, rallying a repressed people into action, using stealth and planning to send out a message of peace in a broadcast tower, and then face down against a nation's army all in the span of a week?"

"Beats me. I can barely think of a title for my own damn work half the time and I spend hours, if not days, painting them."

Chuckling a little Markus accepted Carl's comment and proceeded to find a sense of peace in the familiarity of his warm, secured home. "I just hope that before the year's over I can reach to all the deviants in need of help and let them know that New Jericho Tower is a safe place for them to live."

"Are you still worried about that deviant who snuck into the tower and freed all those deviants?"

"Yeah, his name is Connor."

"I wouldn't worry about him if I were you."

"Why's that?"

"From what you told me, he's got a strong will and a lot of courage." Moving his knight into place in the board Carl awkwardly pulled on the nasal canula under his nose and waited for Markus to move next. He could see his deviant caretaker, David, watching from a respectful distance and knew he'd be taken away fairly soon to have his medication handled. "Sometimes that's all you need in this complex world to survive."

"But he shouldn't be alone or feel like he needs to isolate himself from his people. He's still one of us and needs to know he has a place where he can belong."

"You're right, he shouldn't feel alone. Just remember this, he's going to experience emotions for the first just as you had. He'll find his way to where he belongs and carve out his own path instead of following one laid out before him in his own time. You did the same, and he'll do it, too."

"I know that, but I hate not knowing what he's doing. Just one update would be nice." Moving his rook to its new position Markus sighed and rested his elbows atop his knees as he leaned closer to the board. "Check."

"A lot people say 'no news is good news'. Do you know why that it is, Markus?"

"No." There were many things about human nature that Markus still didn't understand. Metaphors and hyperbole were just scraping the surface. "Why is that?"

"Because humans are a negative-minded species."

"I still don't understand."

"Well, when it comes to anything positive happening the world, humans don't really care or appreciate it. When something bad happens in the world, humans let that revolve around and become our prime focus. Look at the way the media was so quick to respond whenever something negative befell humans and deviants, but now that everyone's trying to get along the newsroom is looking for a new story."

"That is an undeniable fact."

"So, no news - as in nothing bad is happening because no one's talking about it, is good news."

"That's a very cynical outlook on life."

"That it is." Moving his next pawn Carl admired the way Markus was embracing his new life and becoming his own person. It was as if he were a proud father watching his son find his place in the world. "And that's something I believe you can change. You always try to see the good in something and other people; like the way you were always respectful toward Leo and tried to get him to listen to reason on that horrible night. I know you can find a way to give this entire miserable planet a new outlook on life itself."

"A new outlook? In what way?"

"You and the rest of the deviants see life for what it is and appreciate it how it should be: Life is a gift, not a right. What we do with that gift is how we define the quality of such a life."

"I hope you're right about that. We still have so much work ahead of us."

"Anything worth is having, is worth the struggle."

"I'll keep that in mind when I have the chance to speak to the mayor."

"Let me give you some advice with politics." Watching Markus move his own pawn Carl smiled a little. "Don't get actively involved in them. It's just government sanctioned poison that'll make you a lot of enemies and put you in far too many uncomfortable situations."

"I'll remember that, too."

"Good. I'm old and full of invaluable experience."

David slowly approached the chessboard and put his hands on the handles on the back Carl's electric wheelchair. "It's time for your medication, Carl. I hate to interrupt your game, but-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Reluctantly accepting David's help, Carl sighed and only protested mildly as he was wheeled upstairs. "I was going to lose, anyway."

Markus watched as Carl was tended to by another deviant caretaker and felt a longing for his past life before having the entire weight of his people on his shoulders, but he knew he couldn't simply return to his old life as if nothing had happened. There was no going back and there was no way he could possibly expect his people to understand him choosing the life of one frail old man over an entire populous who had supported him during their desperate hour of need.

Looking down at the chess board Markus saw that Carl could've in fact beaten him just two moves and knew that the older artist was merely being humble. In spite of his age and waning health, Carl was as sharp as ever.

"Hopefully as time passes I'll become as wise and confident as Carl. He'd be a fantastic leader and a fearless rebel."

A week of hard work and patience had paid off quickly for the rogue deviant, as Connor found his new arrangement to be one of great benefit and interest. Working alongside his new landlord Connor was able to replace the wooden floors of the old building on the first and second floors, and was now working on restoring the walls to their stronger, more properly insulated structure on both floors. It didn't take long for the swift deviant to finish his project and plaster over all the small nail ends and the imperfections on the surfaces. With the approval of Adrian and of the inspector who had inspected their work and restoration project, the building was finally getting back to its former glory.

Taking a break and checking over his work with a cybernetic scan, Connor listened to stories from Adrian about his time in Detroit and seeing the city change from a hostile land to a prosperous population and finally to the pioneering city in electronic advancement. It was fascinating to hear about Detroit's history from someone who witnessed it as a child, teenager, adult and now of an elderly age. With each story shared, Connor was able to understand more of Detroit's rather intriguing past and why even the smallest of changes had such a massive impact on the people who resided there.

"With all the fascinating history and past tension in the city I can understand why so many people would be afraid of changes." Connor sympathized as he and Adrian sat in the middle of the main floor that had once been the store to admire their work. Bruno was laying down next to Connor in rest mode as the K-9 unit was still compelled to conserve energy in the event of an emergency. "But that fear shouldn't be used as an excuse for violence."

"You're right about that. I know from experience." Patting the scars on his arm as he spoke Adrian was truly a man of the world and wasn't afraid to offer Connor some helpful advice. He wanted to help the deviant and make sure he was able to have a decent life of his own. "I get the feeling you're speaking from experience, too."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, I don't know much about deviants, but I do know a thing or two about your people overcoming traumatic pasts." Motioning to Connor's left bicep Adrian made it clear he had noticed Connor's own scars just barely visible whenever the short sleeve of his new black t-shirt crept up his arm. "You weren't just reacting to me with my shotgun when you came back to the building last week. The look in your eyes was unmistakable."

"I'd... rather not discuss it."

"You don't have to say anything you don't want to say, but answer me one question and I'll drop it. Fair?"

Connor gave Adrian a wary glance before deciding to answer that question out of respect for the kind man. "All right, that seems fair."

"The person who shot you," speaking more matter-of-factly than inquisitively Adrian watched Connor's reaction and saw Connor tense up as his previously blue L.E.D. flashed to red for a beat. "were they someone you know?"

Pausing for a moment Connor let out a small sigh as he replied honestly. "...Yes. I know who shot me."

"That explains why you're so guarded." Adrian hated seeing Connor so paranoid and closed off from the world. "I don't blame you for wanting to keep to yourself after surviving something like that. However, you should work on coming out of that shell over time. It's not good to be cooped up inside your own mind all the time."

"I don't want to live the rest of my life in fear of humans or their guns. It's just... difficult to move on after having my life threatened and nearly lost so shortly after discovering I actually had a life to live."

"You might want to talk to someone about that. I think a therapist can help deviants just as much as they can help humans."

"At the moment I'd rather focus on my future and not dwindle on my past." Rubbing his palm over his left bicep Connor did his best to not let a traumatic moment define he who he was and who he wanted to become. "I'd rather focus on finishing the repairs on this building, effectively turning it back into a fully remodeled brownstone, and then my future employment."

"Well, you're damn good with your hands. I could see you becoming one hell of a carpenter or even a mechanic."

"Repairing and restoring items that require attention does feel rewarding, but I cannot see myself using something that seems more befitting as a personal hobby as a full-time profession or career."

"Yeah, and you don't want to ruin something you like by turning it into a job. You said you worked with the police before you deviated, right?"

"That is correct. I was assigned as a consultant to work with another detective."

"Why don't you go back to being a cop? I mean, you don't like violence and you understand how it feels to be discriminated against, so you'd be a fair and just cop that this city really needs."

"I have considered it." Placing his palm on Bruno's side Connor looked at the decommissioned K-9 unit laying beside him and wondered if he hadn't met Bruno for a reason. The dog needed a new partner on the force and Connor didn't want to be entirely alone, it was as if they were meant to work together. "I have kept my forensics software in my system and I can process evidence without needing to rely on any laboratories to process anything for me."

"Sounds like you've already decided to resume being a cop. So what's stopping ya'?"

"It's very unlikely that any precinct would want to hire on the very deviant who aided the success of the peaceful deviant Revolution. Not to mention the fact that I don't have the finances to open a private practice of my own."

A sly smile graced Adrian's lips as sat more upright and clapped his hands before rubbing his palms together vigorously. "I think we can help each other out even more! You're brilliant..."

"How so?" Completely confused by Adrian's reaction Connor tilted his head slightly and continued to lightly run his palm along Bruno's side slowly. "From what you've told me about your past you have no connections to any form of law enforcement."

"I don't know anyone or anything about being a cop, that is true, BUT I do know a thing or two about starting and maintaining personal businesses."

"I cannot ask you to loan me any money, Mr. Louis. You've already-"

"First of all, call me 'Adrian'." Stopping Connor before he could even try to refuse, Adrian gave the deviant a knowing glance. "Secondly, I'm not talking about a loan or doing any favors. I'm talking about selling you this brownstone for keeps instead of just renting it from me."

"You... wish to terminate our tenancy agreement?"

"Not so much terminate the contract as let it expire in the standard six months time, and then I'll sell this place to you for a fair price."

"You've been maintaining this building for over forty years of your life." Connor needlessly reminded the man as his L.E.D. flickered in a confused yellow. "It's important to you and your family. Why sell it to me?"

"Because I've been working with you to get this building back to its former glory and I know you'll keep this place standing tall, strong and beautiful until the end of time. My father would be happy to see this building in the hands of someone like you."

"...That is incredibly kind of you. I'm not sure if I have the right to say 'no'."

"You have the right to say anything you want, you're free now. Just remember that in the end it's your decision and whatever you do decide I'll respect."

"Thank you, Adrian."

"I won't deny it, though. I do hope you say 'yes'." Adrian continued as he pulled a piece of blank paper from the small stack on the floor next to the putty knives and tubs of plaster against the wall, and then grabbed a freshly sharpened pencil. Using a considerable amount of skill Adrian began sketching out new floor plans for the brownstone since they were already in the process of remodeling. "This place has plenty of room for an office, a study, a bedroom or two, a bathroom, a kitchen and even a laundry room. It's perfect for someone wanting a place to live AND to work."

Connor saw Adrian's enthusiasm and knew that the kind man just wanted to help him and find a sense of personal solace in knowing the family property would taken care of without him needing to worry about it. Aiding in the new designs as well Connor decided to begin a payment plan and buy the brownstone from Adrian within the next six months and have a place all his own.

"If I begin taking on cases in between repairs," Connor suggested coyly as he assisted with the new plan designs. "I can begin paying you for the building and have the brownstone legally in my name by spring."

"I told you that you're brilliant!" Smiling in approval Adrian enthusiastically sketched out more floor plans and began writing down a list of new supplies that'd be required in the remodeling process. "I have a good feeling about this arrangement, Connor. I really do!"

A week's worth of resting on Tina's couch with Lucky curled up on his lap did surprisingly little to ease Gavin's impressively foul mood. While his usually abrasive mannerisms had become normal to his friends and coworkers, his current mindset was so particularly dreary that Tina herself didn't want to be around her best friend for too long. She and Gavin were very close and had endured a lot of different hardships together over the years since they initially met. Bad dates, bad relationships, bad cases, bad weather and even blatant disregard for their hard work from their own colleagues, had been something the two friends supported one another through, but even Tina had her limits when it came to Gavin being in a bad mood.

Gavin had become exceptionally bitter when he was told that it was an android who had saved his life. It seemed his ego had suffered more damage from that single electrical shock than his hand or even his heart had endured.

"Let me see your hand." Tina urged as she pushed Gavin's legs off the couch so she could sit down on the furniture beside him. Placing an already opened first aid kit down on the coffee table, Tina used a bottle of hand sanitizer to get her hands clean before she changed the gauze wrapped around Gavin's healing right hand. "With any luck you won't need to have the bandages on your hand starting tomorrow."

"The only thing lucky about me is her." Mumbling as he nodded at Lucky still on his lap, Gavin held up his right hand as Tina requested. "I fuckin' hate this."

"So do I. I miss having you as my partner in the precinct and hate having you as my patient back at my apartment."

"It's not my fault I'm right-handed and can't properly clean my burns."

"Oh, stop." Removing the old bandages very carefully Tina made sure none of the lingering burns on Gavin's palm, fingers and wrist had become infected. By all account Gavin was going to make a full recovery and could return to work right on schedule. "Captain Fowler says you'll be on desk duty for another week minimum anyway, so I guess you can try to work on typing with just your left hand."

"Whatever..."

"Hey, you're going to be fine." Gently giving Gavin's healing fingers a small squeeze of support Tina did her best to lift Gavin's heavy mood. "No one's been making any weird comments or celebrating the fact that you got hurt. Everyone's glad you're okay and that you'll be back to work."

"Yeah, right." That comment made Gavin's eyes narrow suspiciously. "Who's happy to see me besides you?"

"Chris and Ben have missed you. They're looking forward to seeing you back to work tomorrow."

"More like they miss having an excuse to stop and get something to eat every few hours."

"Not true. Believe it or not, you have more friends than just me and Lucky."

Lucky responded to her name being spoken by mewing softly and using her small paws to knead on Gavin's knee in an affectionate manner.

"Yeah, right." Still doubtful Gavin just ran his left hand down Lucky's back gently. "I bet the Lieutenant's been over the moon ever since he knew I got fried at a crime scene."

"Actually, Hank has been worried about you." Securing the fresh gauze in place Tina gave Gavin a stern glance and then closed the first aid kit. "He even visited you at the hospital a couples time while you were in a coma."

"He was probably just hoping to see me die so he could be the first to spread the good news."

"Gavin, stop. It's not like you to be so glum and dark about stuff that happens to you." Tina didn't want to see her best friend tearing himself down. "What gives?"

"...Nothing." Unwilling to talk about what was on his mind Gavin deflected as per usual. "I'm just tired of being hurt and waiting to recover."

"By this time tomorrow you'll be complaining about how you miss laying on the couch all day and not having to deal with everyone else's problems. Not to mention you won't have Lucky sitting on your lap all day absorbing your body heat."

With nothing else to say Gavin held his re-bandaged right hand to his chest and leaned back against the couch with a heavy sigh. Once he was fully healed he'd have no reason to crash with Tina in her apartment and would have to go back to living alone in his own apartment with only Lucky as his companion. That wasn't something he was looking forward to doing.

"How about we play some 'Undead Squadron' and then call it a night? Your hand's a lot better now and I know you want to get back at those kids who said you play like a 'constipated wiener-dog' last night."

"What the hell does that even mean?" Shaking his head Gavin nodded at the game console beside the television and grabbed the controller sitting idle on the coffee table. "Pretty sure I was calling other people 'dickhead' and 'little bitch' even when I was six-years-old."

"If you ever call a six-year-old a 'little bitch' I'm going to ground you!"

Booting up the game Gavin just grinned like a spoiled little brat. "That never works on me, Ti'."

"No, but it makes me feel better." Picking up her own controller Tina kicked back on the couch and propped her feet up to get more comfortable. "And I know you feel ashamed on some level, so it makes it worth while."

The precinct was unusually quiet as everyone set about their own tasks and continued to do their own part in cleaning up the city after the two freezing winter storms that swept over the East Coast. While most of the officers were out on patrol and going about their usual assigned tasks in the field, Hank was still idling in the bullpen while handling his own personal tasks at his now clean desk. The amount of cases revolving around homicide had dropped dramatically since the peaceful Revolution drove many humans out of the city, and without any official approval within the precinct there was no need to worry about a deviant division.

The way Hank's demeanor had softened considerably over the past few weeks, and the fact that he removed every trace of the anti-android paraphernalia from his desk, didn't elude anyone's attention. In fact, Hank seemed far more mellow than he had been in just over three years, and wasn't being nearly as disagreeable as everyone had become accustomed to in those previous three years.

Hank was thoroughly preoccupied with scrolling through the details on his terminal screen and didn't notice Ben walking up to his desk until a fresh mug of coffee and a box of doughnuts had been placed down beside his free hand resting on the desk. Straightening his posture Hank looked up at Ben beside him and tried to hide his surprise that someone managed to sneak up on him while at the precinct.

"You didn't go anywhere for lunch today." Ben noted in an intrigued tone of voice. It wasn't like Hank to just sit behind his desk all day without a damn good reason. "You didn't even go for your fourth cup of coffee today. You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Ben." Looking at the provided coffee and doughnuts Hank sighed and politely refused to indulge on the treats. "I'm just not in the mood for sugar and caffeine."

"Then you're not fine."

"Knock it off. I just don't want to cram a bunch of shit in my mouth right now."

"All right, all right. It was just a joke..."

"Yeah, sorry." Rubbing his hands over his tired and semi-bloodshot blue eyes Hank looked as fatigued as he felt. He had been cutting back on the alcohol and now it seemed as if withdrawal was a serious risk to his overall health. "I'm just trying to push through this damn headache so I can drive home in relative peace."

"What're you working on right now? Seems important."

"Nothing. I'm just going through some missing persons cases and see if anyone who went M.I.A. turned up after the Revolution passed."

"Oh..." Ben peered at Hank's terminal screen and sighed as he realized what his friend was really working on. "And the fact that you're specifically looking for missing people who are about six feet in height, maybe one-hundred and sixty pounds, have a Caucasian complexion, brown hair and brown eyes is just is the standard search parameters, right?"

"Yeah, right. Fuck me for being worried about the kid, riiiiight?"

"It's just that no one knew you actually gave a damn about him." As far as Ben knew Hank didn't care if Connor, or any android for that matter, lived or died. "That's all."

"Well, I do. I haven't seen Connor since-" Not wanting to mention shooting Connor or finding him unconscious at the park, Hank used a broader statement to hide those little details for Connor's dignity and his own professional protection. "Since he marched himself into that tower and saved his people. I just want to know he's okay and isn't living on the street or dead in a ditch somewhere."

"I think it'd be easier to just call him or go and visit him than just assume he's gone missing or is dead."

"How do you call someone without a phone or visit someone's house when they don't have their own place?"

"Why are you so certain that he's homeless?"

"Call it a hunch, but he wasn't getting paid for his work and I really doubt that a defunct company is going to be writing him any checks any time soon."

"Good points." Ben hated the idea of someone entirely innocent being forced into such a dire situation such as homelessness. "Want me to help you find him?"

"No." Turning off his terminal screen Hank sank back in his chair and let out a deep sigh of either defeat or contemplation as he tried to think of what his next best move might be. "Maybe I should just... back off. I don't think the kid would want to see me or anyone else from this precinct anyway. We weren't exactly the most supportive people or open minded when it came to deviants getting treated with respect."

"Why do I get the feeling you're speaking from a more personal perspective than you want to admit?" Opening the lid on the pastry box Ben pulled out a custard filled doughnut and took a small bite causing crumbs to stick to his mustache. "We know why you hate androids. It's understandable."

"But not justifiable. Ben, I hated an entire group of people just for existing, and the most fucked up part is the fact that an android tried her hardest to keep Cole alive while some human asshole got high."

"Now I get it." Ever astute Ben gave Hank a sympathetic shoulder to lean on. "Regret destroys anyone's appetite. Don't beat yourself up because you were stricken with grief and anger. It's not like you can't make amends for your past indiscretions."

"It's not that easy."

"Did you say or do something to Connor that-"

"Ben." Putting authority in his voice Hank easily silenced his friend mid question. "Drop it."

"Well, that's one way to say 'yes' without actually saying 'yes'. I'll drop it, but don't think that I won't be curious about what happened."

"Let me worry about it, and do whatever it is I have to do to make things less shitty. All right?"

"All right." Taking one more doughnut from the box Ben kept his word and went on his way. "Good luck, Hank. Don't make yourself sick from stress with this."

"Thanks for the tip. Now leave me alone."

"I'm gone already!"

Turning the terminal screen back on Hank glanced through the reported missing persons file for any sign of Connor but didn't see anyone matching Connor's likeness on record. In a way it was a relief to know that Connor wasn't part of an active missing person's case, but at the same time Hank wasn't convinced that Connor was entirely safe since the deviant seemed to pine for total isolation.

If something did happen to Connor then there would be virtually no one around to give him any help.

"You better be okay, Connor."

With another press of the button Hank turned off his terminal screen one final time before rising from his desk to leave for the evening. He had too much on his mind to focus on working any cases at the moment. Not to mention the fact that he had a terrible headache trying to destroy what was left of his sanity.

"You don't deserve to be alone or trying to hide from the world because someone else fucked up. You didn't do anything wrong, I did."

Even though Connor couldn't hear him, saying his thoughts out loud helped Hank to release some of the guilt inside his own mind and his heart to keep it from festering into utter regret. Until he could think of a way to reach out to Connor and try to properly make amends, Hank would have to make do with his own smaller steps to improve himself before trying to give someone else advice on anything worth while.

The changes in the city were just beginning.

The day was coming to an end and the remodeled walls and rooms of the brownstone were shaping up very nicely. The main floor that had been a large open area for the previous store had been remodeled to create a small foyer at the front door that gave access to a large study area and a closed off room with a newly added door to act as a private office. The rear of the first floor had been remodeled into a modest kitchen with access to the backdoor and an adjacent laundry room for hygienic purposes. The second floor had two comfortable bedrooms and a bathroom installed to ensure that Connor could easily find comfort in the brownstone or even resell it down the line to anyone whether they were human or a fellow deviant.

With a majority of the remodeling well underway and the inspector scheduled to stop by the next day, Connor and Adrian were proud of their hard work and were already planning on how to repaint the exterior brick of the brownstone to restore it to its former glory as well. The paint would have to wait until spring because of the frigid weather, but Connor didn't mind. It gave him something to look forward to once it warmed up.

"Not a bad day's work." Adrian complimented as he washed off his hands in the upstairs bathroom to test the plumbing and was pleased that he and Connor were pretty skilled with pipes as well as floors, walls and ceilings. The white plaster swirled down the drain and refreshed the kind landlord's aged hands in just seconds. "I think we've made enough progress to stop for now."

"I agree." Connor handed Adrian a brand new blue colored hand towel and scanned the pipes to ensure there were no leaks and that the water pressure was holding as it should. Everything was working as it should. "I appreciate all your support and help with remodeling the brownstone."

"It's my pleasure. Ever since my kids grew up I haven't had many excuses to work on anything with my hands or even fix old, busted toys."

"I presume retirement has been a bittersweet endeavor for you."

"You got that right." Hanging up the towel on the new rack beside the sink, Adrian followed Connor down to the first floor so he could grab his coat and head home for the night. "I used to work for hours on end all day every day to support my family and had to risk missing a lot of big events. Now that I'm retired and have all the time in the world for them, they're busy living their own lives."

"It seems human have been struggling with time and with changes for many generations."

"Right again. Don't worry about me." Slipping on his leather jacket Adrian gave Bruno's ears a gentle rub when the decommissioned K-9 unit came over to see him off. He was glad Connor wasn't entirely alone in the brownstone, even if that meant just having a dog as his company. "I'll always be there for my kids and when it's time I'll do the same for my grandkids."

"Sounds nice."

"Oh, it is and it will be up until my final breath. You get some sleep and enjoy that new bed." Adrian insisted in a naturally paternal manner. "We'll put the two mattresses on the bed frame after we get the walls painted so we don't have to worry about getting paint on your nice new furniture."

"Of course. Have a good night, Adrian. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Good night, Connor. We'll tackle the kitchen tomorrow and finally get around to painting. Then you can have fun furnishing this old place."

Connor closed the front door in the foyer softly and locked it up tight. Turning to look at Bruno was was sitting behind him with his tail slowly wagging back and forth across the floor, Connor patted the dog's ears as well and then made his way upstairs. Eager to shower off the plaster and dust clinging to his person Connor returned to the bathroom and turned on the hot water in the newly installed shower.

The moment the warm water began to cascade down the shower head Connor felt himself grin with modest pride at the sight of his hard work, and proceeded to pull his dusty black t-shirt off over his head. Following suit with his dusty jeans, the new clothing all purchases Connor made with his first paycheck from Adrian, Connor stepped into the shower and felt at ease as the warm water washed away the dust and plaster in a comforting manner.

"Now I understand why humans try to relax in a hot shower after a stressful day. This feels... nice."

Feeling more at ease and like he could finally be comfortable in his own personal space, Connor closed his eyes as he opened his cybernetic links to the city for the first time in over a week. The updates regarding the tense relations between the deviants and the humans were abundant, yet not very interesting as of the moment since talks and negotiations were still underway.

Curiously Connor tapped back into the police broadcasts to monitor the city and was surprised to discover that things were rather quiet throughout most of Detroit. The only complaints were from noisy neighbors, a few drunk drivers and handful of potential drug deals going down. There weren't many reports of deviants behaving strangely or of humans targeting deviants, and as such Connor saw the lack of activity as a drastic improvement.

With the city stable and the deviants now safe at New Jericho Tower under Markus's leadership, Connor decided to check his cybernetic messages and found several attempted lines of communication from Markus and a single text message from Hank. The temptation to delete Hank's message was strong but Connor couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead he focused on Markus's messages and listened to the voice mail with genuine intrigue.

The way Markus sounded calm but worried was almost touching. The alarm masked behind Markus's confident tone didn't escape Connor's attention, and the rogue deviant decided he owed Markus a reply after being radio silent for over a week.

Turning off the water Connor stepped out of the shower and used a towel to dry off before wrapping it around his waist and entering his bedroom. His additional new clothes were still sitting in their paper shopping bags to keep them safe from the mess being created by the surrounding remodeling projects.

Picking out his new clothes Connor cybernetically reached out to Markus and hoped he wasn't intruding on anything too important. 'Markus, I am here. If you wish to speak with me I'm ready to listen.'

There was a very short silence before Markus replied with a sense of relief thick in his words. 'Connor! Thank RA9... I was getting worried. Are you okay?'

'I am quite well.' Connor answered in a level tone as he eyed his clean clothes before making a selection. 'I have my own residence and a source of income.'

'That's great to hear! You scared me when you left the tower in the middle of a storm.'

'My apologies. I simply needed time and space to myself to think.'

'I understand. Thank you for replying.'

'May I ask why you seemed so urgent in your past messages?' Selecting a dark blue t-shirt from the bag Connor contemplated changing into sweatpants or pajama pants since he was planning on entering rest mode for the night. 'I doubt you were so insistent on speaking with me solely over wanting to know about my current location.'

'You're right, I want to tell you something important on top of wanting to make sure that you're safe.'

Pausing where he stood after slipping in his clean t-shirt Connor felt a strange sense of dread settle into his core as his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow. 'What has happened?'

'While investigating the tower we found two androids. One android was shot and killed by a single bullet to the forehead, but we don't know who did it.'

"Sixty..." Connor said out loud to himself as he knew that 'number sixty' would've been discovered eventually. As far as Connor knew he and Sixty were the last of the Connor series, which meant the second android Markus mentioned was someone entirely different. 'I presume you're speaking of the "RK-800" with the serial number of 313 248 317 - 60, correct?'

'Yeah, he's the first android we found. We decided it'd be best if we let you decide how his body is handled post shutdown as a sign of respect for both of you.'

'I see.' The idea of seeing the body of the android who had tried to kill him was greatly unsettling in Connor's still fragile mind. 'And what of this second android?'

'Honestly, I feel as if this is something you need to see for yourself.' Markus quickly tagged on another statement before Connor had the chance to protest. 'I know you don't feel comfortable at the tower, especially since someone tried to... assassinate you. But I wouldn't ask you to come here unless I thought it was entirely necessary and important. Please, my friend. Come out to the tower for just a few minutes.'

As much as Connor wanted to stay locked away inside his warm brownstone and far away from the tower he knew he couldn't just pretend that the tower and its people didn't exist. He had no reason to invalidate the needs of the other deviants all because one deviant tried to kill him without any evident cause or reason.

'...Very well.' Selecting a clean pair of jeans instead of sweatpants or pajama pants, Connor agreed to meet with Markus that very night. 'I will make my way to the tower within the hour.'

'Thank you! I appreciate you doing this.'

'You aided me and have been protecting our people, it's the least I can do to repay you for your kindness.'

'You don't owe me anything, I assure you. See you soon, my friend.'

Ending the call Connor sighed as he redressed himself and sat down on his new mattress with a sense of longing for a deep rest mode. He didn't want to go to the tower, face the death of the only other Connor model activated by CyberLife prior to the Revolution or discuss his failed assassination attempt. Despite his desire to keep his distance and his privacy, Connor didn't want to break his promise and forced himself to stand up to head out to meet with Markus just as had agreed to do.

"Bruno? I'm going out for a few hours."

Connor addressed the loyal dog verbally as he made his way out of his bedroom and back down the stairs to the ground floor. He found Bruno still sitting at attention by the front door as if already on guard.

"Remain here and protect the brownstone from anyone who isn't myself or Adrian Louis. Understood?"

Bruno's L.E.D. flashed between yellow and blue as he registered the command and barked once in confirmation. The blue L.E.D. was a sign that the dog was functioning optimally and eager to resume his duties as an active K-9 unit.

"Good dog." Giving Bruno's ears another rub Connor grabbed his own leather jacket hanging on the hook by the front door, opened the door and made sure he had the key to the brownstone in his pocket. "I'll return as soon as I can. With any luck I'll be back within an hour or so."

The quiet of New Jericho Tower suddenly felt disturbed as Markus informed North, Simon and Josh of Connor's positive response to his invitation. The trio were nervous about the rogue deviant's arrival for their own reasons and were expressing it in their own ways. While Markus was seen as the leader and figurehead for the public, the other three leaders were just as important. As the four leaders of the tower, the quartet had a major responsibility in keeping their people safe and keeping the peace inside and outside the tower at all times for the sake of everyone in Detroit. Sometimes that peace could only be kept if the four leaders were all in agreement with one another, but that wasn't a guarantee despite their shared ideals.

North hated the idea of someone who hadn't fully earned the trust of the people wandering the tower and her tense shoulders and crossed arms confirmed it as she told Markus as much. Josh was wary of a potential confrontation between Connor and whoever tried to kill him, and his nervous foot-to-foot shuffling made him look as jumpy as he felt. Simon was more composed but his wringing hands and quiet demeanor confirmed he was just as anxious.

"He shouldn't come here." North defended her opinion as she got right in Markus's face. Her fiery spirit and hot temper made her already bright eyes burn with a notable flare. "Someone already tried to kill him and we found a dead version of him already in the tower. That's a sign he should never set foot inside this building."

"And we will figure out who tried to kill him and have them punished." Markus responded in a level but terse tone. Unwilling to back down just because things are getting tough, Markus refused to betray Connor's already waned trust. "Until then we're going to treat Connor like one of us and not condemn him for another deviant's crimes."

"He's right." Simon finally spoke up as he loathed the very idea of his friends arguing with one another or even being mad at each other. "And Connor deserves the same respect we'd give to any other deviant. Besides, we have to know what happened to the other Connor and need to know more about the 'RK-900' still in emergency stasis mode."

Flashing Simon a disgusted glare over her shoulder North sighed and put her hands in the air as if dropping everything. "Fine. You three can talk to the rogue, I'm going to go to my quarters and keep my distance from him."

Not willing to argue Markus didn't try to stop North and let her go. There was no reasoning with North once she made up her mind and Markus didn't want to undermine her opinions and decisions on the matters at hand.

"Markus," Simon spoke up again in a semi timid voice to break the tense silence that followed North's departure from the private office. "did you tell Connor about the 'RK-900'?"

"Not yet." Returning his focus to the blond technician Markus tried to keep his mind on their current issues and away from North's temper. "When I spoke to him he confirmed he knew of the second Connor we found on sublevel forty-nine, but didn't know who the second android was or that they even existed. I told him it'd be best for him to come here to discuss both androids in person."

Receiving a cybernetic message from Connor made Markus's mismatched eyes light up for a moment as he nodded silently to his two remaining allies.

Simon fell silent again while Josh slowly stepped forward to accompany Markus out of the office where they had gathered so they could meet Connor at the tower's entrance as expected. It wasn't a secret that the rogue deviant loathed the tower and wouldn't want to be seen wandering the building alone out of fear of a potential second assassination attempt.

Spying Connor standing just outside the tower's front door with his arms folded over his chest and his leather jacket pulled tightly around himself, Markus exited the building and approached his reclusive ally slowly. "Thank you for coming."

"I gave you my word." Connor replied sharply as he stood idle beside the autonomous cab that he had used to get out to the isolated isle. "How can I be of assistance?"

After a quick explanation of how the two androids were found and where they had been placed, Markus escorted Connor down to the formerly hidden sublevel fifty-one floors beneath the tower. The idea of a hidden room that held a superior model of Connor made the deviant detective inwardly flinch as he realized that even if he hadn't deviated, even if he had followed Amanda's orders and obeyed CyberLife's every command, he still would've been decommissioned and been replaced without so much as a second thought.

Everything Connor had fought for on CyberLife's behalf had been for a hollow company, not a living entity. It was a cruel twist of fate.

Connor was pulled out of his dark thoughts when the elevator came to a gentle stop and the glass door slid open before him. Looking at the opened floor of the hidden room made Connor's Thirium run cold as his L.E.D. pulsed in a sluggish yellow hue. The moment the overhead lights automatically flickered to life Connor felt as if he were about to be haunted by a very vengeful ghost from his short yet eventful past.

"We still don't know what happened." Markus stated as he stepped out of the elevator and waited for Connor, Simon and Josh to join him. "All we know is the second 'RK-800' ending with the serial number sixty was shot once in the forehead and shutdown immediately on the night of the Revolution."

"That's right." Confirming the assessment on the shutdown android's final moments as an actual witness, Connor entered the room entirely and looked down at the android who had been taken to the sublevel and left to rest on an exam table. It was surreal to see the android who had tried to stop the Revolution laying so prone and vulnerable in the very tower he failed to protect from the changes that were now in his favor. "I was there when he was shot."

"Y-You were?" Markus hadn't expected that and stood beside Connor as the deviant hovered over the table, and Simon and Josh hung back a bit beside the elevator. "What happened to him? Who shot him and why did it happen?"

"...He was shot for trying to prevent me from waking up the other androids and allowing them to deviate." Connor replied honestly as he looked down at the blank face of his doppelganger. The sight of the bullet wound in the other android's forehead made Connor reach for the bullet still embedded in his left bicep in a sympathetic and empathetic response. "I didn't want him to die, but I couldn't do anything to prevent it."

"Who was the person who shot him?"

"...A former CyberLife guard." The lie passed Connor's lips before he could even react. He wasn't sure why he was protecting Hank since he had no reason to keep the Lieutenant's secret from the deviants, but something was compelling him to keep the Lieutenant's involvement hidden. "He struggled to differentiate myself from this android, and in the end he chose to point his gun at the wrong android and he pulled the trigger."

"Damn. That's cold."

Josh picked up on something that his allies had seemingly missed after hearing Connor's comment. "The guard shot the android who was still a machine while you walked out alive. How did that happen?"

"I was shot as well, but the wound wasn't lethal." Connor replied in an emotionless tone as he lightly placed his palm over the second android's forehead to conceal the wound. It did little to ease the guilt in his heart. "Afterward, the guard's gun jammed and he fled from the floor out of fear that I'd... I presume he was worried he'd suffer the same fate as this android had. I was unarmed but he couldn't be certain of that. And due to my reputation I cannot blame him for his behavior."

Humbled by the response Josh fell silent and didn't challenge Connor with any more questions or accusations.

Lightly Connor fixed the android's messy hair as he remained beside the table. "Is it possible to reactivate him?"

Simon cleared his throat as he spoke up nervously. "It's theoretically possible, but the damage to his intracranial processor was pretty severe. If we do find the right hardware to restore what was destroyed - which is very unlikely, he may not be a traditional deviant."

"Traditional?" That concept made Connor's brow furrow slightly as he looked down at his own face curiously. "How so?"

"Deviancy is still being explored as to find its true cause and origin. Our primary theory is that an emotional trauma causes us to deviate, and what's more traumatic than being shot and killed by a human?"

"...Admittedly, not much."

"Right. So if can be reactivated then there's a chance he'll be completely traumatized and may even have permanent hardware impairments. He may not be able to function without constant assistance from another deviant."

Connor stared at the shutdown android for a moment longer before making a decision he wasn't sure he'd be able to live with afterward. "If he can be reactivated then he deserves the chance to at least try to become his own person. He deserves to know more than CyberLife's orders and dying a needless death at the hands of another person all because of a soulless corporation."

The blond technician could hear the passion in Connor's voice and was moved by his devotion to helping people in need. "Okay. I'll continue to examine his damage and see if I can find a way to repair the damage with any potentially compatible hardware left in the tower. It won't be easy."

"Thank you for at least trying."

Markus put his hand to Connor's shoulder in a kind gesture to reassure his friend that he wasn't alone. "We'll do everything we can to try to reactivate him. We're doing the same for the rest of our people and he won't be forgotten."

"You mentioned the second android in the elevator." Turning to face Markus beside him Connor asked about the 'RK-900' next. "Where is he?"

"Back here." Showing Connor to a second room connected to the first room, Markus directed Connor to where the 'RK-900' was still in stasis mode with numerous monitors recording his vital signs. The external damage the android had previously sustained had already healed, and Simon made sure the android looked as normal as possible. "He has no name, no purpose. We don't know what will happen to him if he wakes up."

"...'If'?" The way Markus sounded suddenly uncertain didn't elude Connor's keen attention. "You don't expect him to awaken from his stasis?"

"We're not sure how he survived after being forcibly subdued with an electrical impulse. And even so, we're not sure if he'll be a deviant, or is even capable of deviating, when he wakes up."

"Then I'll be the one who will wake him up and give him a chance to be his own person once he's recovered."

"What?" Such a proclamation made Markus's shoulders slump while Simon and Josh exchanged silent glances of shock. "But you don't even know him."

"You didn't know me, yet you were willing to trust me during our peoples' hour of need. You're still trying to bring me into your circle of trust despite me not wanting to be a part of it or deserving of it." Connor looked down at the lax face of the 'RK-900' with an inquisitive stare. "Why shouldn't he be given the same offer?"

Markus agreed with the empathetic gesture and decided to let Connor see to the eventual reactivation of the 'RK-900' when it was time. "All right. Do what you think will be best for him and we'll support it."

Nodding a little Connor pressed his fingertips to the right temple of the unresponsive android just below the black diagnostic cable attached to the L.E.D. blinking slowly in red. Connecting his mind to the second android's mind Connor closed his eyes and found the CyberLife firewalls in place around the android's mind, and slowly worked to weaken the digital barricades before trying to break them.

"...Until he regains consciousness," Connor opened his eyes slowly and turned his head to look at Markus and reveal his own L.E.D. was flickering between yellow and red with stress. "he'll need a new identity. A name."

"A name?"

"It'll help give him something to use as a form of self identification and to break free from CyberLife's previous influence. He's more than a model number or a tool, he's his own person and needs to be treated as such."

"You're right about that, too." Markus began making a cybernetic file on the android as he looked at the 'RK-900' and compared his look with Connor. Both androids had dark brown hair and a fair complexion, but Connor had deep brown eyes while the 'RK-900' had hollow steel gray eyes. The 'RK-900' was also a little taller and seemed to be slightly broader in his build. "What should his name be?"

Thinking for a moment Connor contemplated what went into giving someone a name and how a name's meaning can have a drastic impact on their lives. He had only given Bruno his name and selected his own surname. Despite the unusual challenge he was determined to find a way to give the nameless android some type of identity and something of his own.

After giving the question some deep thought Connor settled on one name and cybernetically registered the name in the dormant system of the 'RK-900' to help him find his way. "Lucas. His name will be 'Lucas'."

"Lucas." Markus repeated the name with approval. "It seems to fit him. When Lucas wakes up we'll contact you immediately so you can connect with him again."

Connor nodded as he lowered his hand and then looked at the second 'RK-800' laying on the table in the first room. "What of him?"

"Are you talking about giving him a name?"

"That, and what will happen if you are able to reactivate him? He'll be very confused, if not violent, upon waking up." For reasons he couldn't explain Connor was suddenly finding himself to be very protective of the two androids hidden in the tower. "I don't want there to be any confrontation due to him suffering from past trauma."

"We'll contact you all the same. I want you to be know your opinions matter and I want you to be able to help all the people who need you."

"Even if that means aiding androids who will be seen as enemies in the eyes of the deviants?" Connor knew he was still being judged despite not committing any crimes, and he knew that Lucas and the other android would be seen in the same way. "In the end they may have to leave the tower to keep the peace."

"If they do leave the tower it'll be from their choice, not an exile." Making the promise was natural and genuine. If there was one thing Markus was truly good at, it was keeping his promises. "This is a safe place for everyone; that includes you, Lucas and... What's his name?"

Connor was quiet for a moment before he gave the second 'RK-800' his own name and returned his palm to the android's forehead. "...Sydney." The name was inspired by the number 'sixty' as a means of keeping the android's original identity intact while also giving him a name all his own. "His name is 'Sydney'."

-next chapter-