The plans for the future were slowly coming into place one piece at a time. New Jericho Tower itself was ready to accept and house all deviants in need of shelter, and Markus was ready to take on the responsibility of the deviant community as a whole. The other leaders of the deviant sanctuary were all going to provide assistance in their own ways as well. Simon would remain as the tower's lead technician to aid deviants in need of repairs, while Josh was determined to open a community therapy group to help deviants coping with their newly found emotions in a safe setting. As for North, she planned on taking a more direct approach to problems and would go out into the city to convince the former victims of the 'Eden Club' into showing themselves and coming out of hiding to seek respect and justice in their new world.
With the final touches to the brownstone completed Connor was ready to begin his new career as a private detective working for the deviant community in his own time and in his own way. The new detective agency would be kept quiet for the sake of Connor's privacy and to ensure that no one harassed Connor as he tried to help deviants seeking his help regarding crimes against their person.
Proud to sign his name to the deed of the brownstone's property, Connor handed Adrian a paper check for the initial down payment on the building and proceeded to set up a cybernetic link to pay off the rest of the building to Adrian over time. The sooner he began taking on cases, the sooner he could pay off Adrian and truly call the brownstone his own.
"Done and done!" Adrian smiled as he and Connor filled out the last of the paperwork and prepared to have it submitted for official records. "How does it feel to be a homeowner, Mr. Wolf?"
"It feels... right." Connor confirmed as he signed his name on the bottom of the deed and handed it back to Adrian to keep for his own records with the bank until payment was complete. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Louis."
"No thanks are necessary." Chuckling a little Adrian wanted to correct Connor get the deviant to refer to him by his first name, but decided that it'd be easier to continue to refer to one another by their surnames out of mutual respect. "You just keep this building standing and make sure its loved. As long as I know this place is safe then I can enjoy the rest of my retirement with one less worry in the world."
"I give you my word that I will keep this building safe, secured and standing in your absence." The only thing Connor could give anyone in that moment was his word and what little money he had managed to save. "Please don't worry about me, this building or anything negative befalling the brownstone."
"It's hard not to worry about a good person stuck in the middle of a bad situation." Adrian replied as he offered Connor his hand to shake. "I know that you're going to help this city finally get back on track and resume its progress toward a better future, but don't forget to help yourself and keep yourself safe, healthy and happy."
"I will do my best to have a fulfilling life that is prosperous." Shaking Adrian's hand firmly Connor was determined to make the most of what he had been given and what he had earned. "You must enjoy your retirement with your wife and kids. Don't return to Detroit to worry about me or a building, remain far away so you can support your family without needing to risk missing anything important."
"All right, I promise to live my life to its fullest as long as you do." Proud to have met Connor and proud to have aided the deviant in getting his feet on the ground, Adrian had unshakable faith that Connor would be able to keep the brownstone safe and look out for himself. "I'll be in touch if you have any questions for me, and I'll be sure to look forward to your monthly payments so you can tell me how your life is going. Sound good?"
"Yes." Nodding politely Connor agreed to the notion of being trusted even from a distance. "That sounds very good."
"Okay. I'm going to go home and tell my wife we're finally going to retire down in Florida just like she wanted. I imagine she'll be eager to get our house ready for us to pass on to our daughter so she can raise her kids in her own childhood home."
"I suspect she'll be thrilled to hear the good news."
"She better be!" Smoothing out his jacket after slipping it back over his arms Adrian gave Connor a coy grin. "We worked hard to save up our own money so we didn't have the sell the house in order to retire. I'll see you around someday, Connor. It's been nice to know you and work alongside you."
"Likewise." Connor saw Adrian to the front door and proudly held his copy of the deed to the property in his hand. He owned his own brownstone, had a new career ready to blossom and a means to support himself without needing to rely on CyberLife or Amanda. He was truly free and he could feel it. "Enjoy your retirement, Adrian. You deserve it after being so kind and generous. I'll do everything I can to try to be just as kind and generous as you have been."
"I don't doubt it for a minute. Now, excuse me." Adrian never lost his smile as he stepped outside. "I have a hot date with my beautiful wife and some damn good news to share with the rest of the family..."
Connor managed a small grin of his own as he closed the door behind Adrian and locked the brownstone's door tight. Stepping out of the foyer and into the study, Connor glanced about his personal living space and took in the sight of the simple furniture he had recently purchased to make the place feel more like his own home.
The two simple black leather sofas and the oval shaped glass coffee table were the main furniture in the study itself. The dark gray painted walls were repurposed to hold bookshelves on two of the four walls, while leaving the third wall free to install three new smaller windows overlooking the street outside, and the fourth wall contained an electronic board that could be accessed cybernetically. In the middle of the wall opposite the windows and placed in the between two of the built-in bookcases was an electric fireplace that could radiate a pleasant heat whenever necessary. Above the fireplace and mounted on the wall was a flat screen television to ensure Connor could watch the local news without needing to use excessive cybernetic power.
The layout of the study was designed to give Connor work as a detective, contain books full of useful information and give him a place to interview potential clients on the sofa. It was a very open and welcoming layout that helped give a sense of trust and openness to anyone who entered the room.
The private office next to the study would give Connor a place to lock away evidence and keep it safe while needing to work in total isolation. The office had a single oak desk, an old wooden chair with a red velvet cushion and an old wooden cabinet designed to hold future collected evidence. By keeping the evidence in a physical drawer as opposed to a digital file ensured that he wouldn't risk losing the evidence if he were attacked cybernetically.
As for the kitchen, it now had a small square wooden table and four wooden chairs tucked beneath it. The refrigerator had extra Thirium stored away and nothing else. The stove, microwave, toaster and coffee maker were all extra appliances Connor agreed to purchase after Adrian's insistence to ensure he could give humans a semi-normal setting even if he didn't have any food to offer. The cupboards had a few plates, bowls and cups, whereas the drawers had cutlery, potholders and extra hand towels. The cabinets under the counter had a few pots, pans and a cutting board for convenience as well.
The same simplistic demeanor was the same for the bathroom. Toilet paper, soap, shampoo and body wash were all stored in the bathroom in the event a human ever needed to use the facilities or freshen up. The extra fluffy and soft towels were for Connor's personal comfort since he enjoyed hot showers and wanted to be kept warm at all times.
The two bedrooms were decorated accordingly as well. The room Connor took for himself had a queen sized bed on a wooden frame with a small wooden nightstand beside it. A large pillow had been placed on the floor in the corner of the bedroom to give Bruno a place upstairs to sleep as well. The walk-in closet was filled with simple black t-shirts, dark jeans, a three-piece gray business suit, a dark brown trench coat and a matching brown fedora.
That particular look was a new one Connor wanted to adopt to differentiate himself from the other detectives in the city. It was a more dated and cliche look, but it was one Connor admired for his own sense of taste.
As for the second bedroom, it too had a queen sized bed on a wooden frame with a nightstand, but the closet was far more empty. There were two sets of spare clothes in case someone needed to stay in the room, but there wasn't any more to the room to give it personality or aesthetic.
"We should prepare to welcome clients through our door soon."
Connor spoke to Bruno as the large dog sat at attention next to the coffee table in the study. He knew the decommissioned K-9 unit was eager to get back on a case and continue to patrol the streets.
"I'll contact Markus and let him know I'm ready to offer my assistance to our people."
Another thought popped into Connor's head as he stared at Bruno for a moment and watched the deviant German Shepherd's L.E.D. pulsing in a calm blue.
"I should also ask about Lucas and Sydney. Maybe there's been a change in their conditions..."
The day wasn't starting off great for everyone. Down at the Detroit Central Precinct Hank had been summoned to Captain Fowler's office and had been asked to speak with someone very powerful in regard to his previous incident with the infamous Agent Richard Perkins the night of the Revolution. It wasn't a surprise to see the gruff Lieutenant in yet another disciplinary meeting, but it was surprising to see Hank so calm and quiet as Captain Fowler raked him over the coals and did his best to make a good impression with the F.B.I. regarding the behavior of one of his senior officers when out in the field and when working with a federal agent on any cases.
Hank remained unphased as F.B.I. Director Norman Jayden stood beside Captain Fowler's desk and listened to Captain Fowler's shout and threats. He was intrigued by the older man's appearance and was trying to place why his name sounded so familiar to him. Jayden had bright blue eyes that seemed far older than they should be, graying hair that used to be brunette, a faint scar along his right cheek, a tall and slim build and what looked like an air of authority hanging over his head.
Jayden didn't seem at all interested in Hank being punished for his behavior, he merely wanted an explanation. He had already heard one side of the story from Perkins and now he wanted the second side from Hank himself.
"You can't get out this one, Hank!" Captain Fowler shouted as he leaned over his desk and got just inches away from Hank's face. "I saw the whole thing and the bullpen cameras caught every second of the assault!"
"Captain Fowler?" Jayden spoke in a calm tone that carried a faint New Jersey-esque accent. Approaching Hank without any sign of hesitation or worry, Jayden insisted that he talk to Hank himself. "May I? I didn't fly all the way out here just to watch a disciplinary hearing that I could've read about in an e-mail."
Taking a deep breath Captain Fowler nodded and slowly stood up from his desk. Activating the opaque frost over the glass walls of his office Captain Fowler walked away to let Jayden speak to Hank in private while he took a small break to calm down after getting so heated.
Jayden waited for the door to close before he spoke to Hank a clear and level voice. "As your Captain so loudly reminded us, the bullpen cameras caught everything that happened that night. What it didn't catch was a motivation behind that assault. Care to explain?"
Kicking back in his chair Hank smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked Jayden right in the eyes. "Gladly."
A quick recap of the way Perkins had behaved during the investigation at the Stratford Broadcast Tower and the way the man was trying to take control over the deviant issue by setting up the recycling camps and ordering mass genocide against the deviants was all Hank needed to say to justify his anger toward the loathsome little man. It was a vile act that deserved punishment from the highest level of authority.
"Interesting." Jayden didn't seem surprised to hear Hank's take on the incident and had been watching the Lieutenant's body language carefully. He knew that Hank was being entirely truthful as he spoke and wasn't hiding anything. "Perkins has a bit of a record for excessive force and discrimination complaints, but whenever his disciplinary meetings were to be scheduled his accusers all conveniently rescinded their complaints."
"Ya' don't say..." Hank was far from impressed with Jayden's grim response to Perkins' past indiscretions. "And you sent him out to a city where a civil war was a very real threat to try to make peace between the two fighting sides. Brilliant!"
"I had little choice in the matter since he was the only one qualified to handle such a situation."
"That doesn't exactly ease my worries when I think about what the big-shots in Washington D.C. are up to."
"Fair point."
"So, am I out on my ass or what? I don't like waiting."
"No, you're not fired." Jayden saw no reason to have Hank's career terminated. He was reacting emotionally in a very emotional situation; even the most hardened cop would have some kind of reaction after the stress reached its peak. "Hell, you're not even suspended."
"You gotta' be shittin' me." Hank's skepticism toward the F.B.I. was growing by the second. "What's the catch?"
"No catch. From what you told me, from what Perkins told me, from what I've seen on the security cameras - here and at the broadcast tower, AND from what my other agents have reported; Perkins was being unprofessional and antagonistic toward you and the android formerly acting as your partner. Not to mention the fact that he approved of the recycling camps WITHOUT consulting me, let alone getting any permission to make such a call."
"No shit..." Rubbing his palm thoughtfully along his bearded chin Hank managed a weak chuckle of raw amusement. "And everyone thinks it was me who was way the fuck outta' line that night."
Jayden smirked at the comment and leaned back against Captain Fowler's desk to assume a more relaxed demeanor. "I've dealt with that accusation more times than I can remember." As he spoke Jayden rubbed his fingertips over his eyes as if in pain or suffering from some kind of light sensitivity. "The only reason I was able to keep my career going in the F.B.I. was from a lucky break back in 2009. A very lucky break."
"Hold on a sec'..." Hank thought about Jayden's name, the year 2009 and of the big cases he had studied when he shifted from narcotics to homicide. It was then all the pieces fell into place. "Holy shit! You're the lucky bastard who solved the 'Origami Killer' case, aren't ya'?"
"I didn't solve it alone." Jayden replied as he lowered his hand from his eyes. "But I was a part of it."
"You were the only Fed' on that case AND you did what the police in that city hadn't been able to do for years. Sounds like you were pretty on top of shit as the lone investigator to me."
"Are you trying to flatter me, Lieutenant?"
"Nope. Just giving respect where respect is due."
"Well, if that's the case then let me congratulate you on that historic 'red ice' bust." The F.B.I. Director confirmed that he was familiar with Hank's past record and accomplishments as well. "I stopped one killer and you stopped dozens of potential killers by getting all those dealers behind bars. I think you deserve more credit than what you've been given."
Hank didn't want to talk about his past and instead wanted to focus on the future. A future that belonged to everyone in the city. "Let me ask ya' something. Before you go back to D.C. are you going to do something to give the deviants in this city more definitive rights and enforce laws that'll protect 'em?"
"Do you suspect any form of resistance from-"
"You're in Detroit." Hank cut Jayden off mid question with a terse lilt in his voice. "There's ALWAYS resistance."
"Huh. Sounds like Washington..." Jayden sighed a little and then nodded his head in approval. "All right. Before I go I'll see what I can do to ensure the deviants aren't going to be targeted and abused by some pissed off humans. Any suggestions as to how I can get that done?"
"The mayor's always eager for an excuse to pamper his nose for the public and kiss the ass of someone with authority."
"Don't tempt with a good time, Lieutenant."
Hank was starting to like Jayden more and more since the man had a good sense of humor and wasn't afraid to get the job done. "Want my advice? Go and talk to the mayor AFTER you talk to the leader of the deviants. Markus seems like he's a reasonable guy and wants things to remain peaceful."
"Sounds good. Where can I find Markus?"
"My guess is he's at the defunct CyberLife Tower. Rumor has it the deviants are holed up inside the tower and have claimed it as their own. I think they call it... 'New Jericho' or some shit like that."
"Have you been out the tower?"
"Yeah, once." Hank admitted with a soft huff to his words. He had to resist the urge to mention being tricked by the second 'RK-800' who was still obeying CyberLife's commands. "It wasn't anything I'd care to do again. But if you need a tour guide..."
"And some advice from someone who knows this city inside and out." Jayden accepted the offer while also weighing the pros and cons of attempting a meeting with the leader of the deviants on such short notice. "If we're going to get some new laws and rights active in this city I think it'd help if there was a ranking officer from the city with me during this potential meeting."
"As long as it can keep Fowler away from me a while longer, I'm in." Rising from his chair Hank sighed and reached for the car keys in his jean pocket. "Hell, as long as it keeps me away from a bunch of other people I'm not in the mood to talk to, I'm in."
Jayden picked up on Hank's reclusive demeanor but caught a hint of someone with a big heart trying to keep his guard up. As a seasoned former detective and current F.B.I. agent, Jayden knew there was much more to Hank and what Hank had witnessed during the Revolution than what he was letting on.
"Then let's go. I get the feeling there's far more to that night that I haven't been told just yet, and I'm admittedly very curious."
New Jericho Tower was busy with activity and promising new changes for the future. Deviants adjusting to their new lives as free people with free reign of an entire location were socializing and opening up to one another to bond as friends. Those who had been assaulted and damaged by humans had been treated by Simon and were now adjusting to having their systems fully restored to optimal parameters, and those who had been traumatized by humans were adjusting to their newfound ability to feel, think and truly emote. There was only one area sectioned off from the deviants for security purposes; sublevel fifty-one, whereas the rest of the tower was free to roam.
However, the lack of change in the conditions of the two comatose androids had left Connor feeling fairly glum in comparison to the happier deviants around him. Having pushed through his personal discomfort to visit the two androids within the tower had left Connor feeling unexpectedly morose. He knew it'd take time before either android would recover enough to reboot and be reactivated, but a part of him was hoping to see a drastic turnaround toward the positive.
"They've been stable since day one." Simon confirmed as he watched Connor standing between the two exam tables where the two androids were laying. It was decided that it'd be best to keep the two androids in the same room and side by side to keep a sense of loneliness at bay. "I've managed to find bits and pieces of compatible hardware for Sydney, but it's still a long-shot whether or not it'll work for him."
"And it's a shot worth taking." Connor was holding his fedora in his hand out of respect as he looked at his two fallen brethren. The rogue deviant felt an odd kinship with the two androids and was becoming more protective toward them in an unexplainable way. "If you need to compare his internal schematics to my own, I'm willing to volunteer."
"That won't be necessary. The only real hindrance would revolve around his prototype hardware being compatible with non vital components to help replace what was irreversibly damaged by the bullet."
"Irreversible damage?" Connor scanned over Sydney's system and noted the catastrophic damage to his cranium internally. The bullet had not only shut Sydney down, it had severed numerous delicate wires and Thirium lines that powered the android's non vital functions regarding his visual and auditory processors. "...He may wake up deaf, blind and mute?"
"Possibly. He... may also have some memory issues."
"That's so much destruction and loss." Lamenting Sydney's potential problems Connor began to wonder if waking him up was the right thing to do. "He was killed and may have lost his basic senses and ability to communicate. He'll have many challenges to overcome."
"Even so, we can still try to replace the components with suitable replacements."
"Is that possible for a prototype like him or myself? Only Lucas's design had been finalized."
"It worked for me." Markus called out as he joined his allies in the hidden room. Despite his confident tone Markus looked unusually nervous. "I was able to restore my hearing and my vision by find compatible components, and I too am a prototype." Motioning to his blue eye Markus offered Connor a kind smile. "I may not look how I used to, but I can see and hear everything just fine."
"That's reassuring." Focusing on Markus for a moment Connor took in the deviant leader's tense body language and knew something significant was happening at the moment. "What's going on? You seem distracted."
"There are two authority figures stopped at the security barricade down the drive." Markus showed Connor a holographic display on his palm of the two men attempting access to the tower. One man was a familiar gruff Lieutenant and the other man was a total stranger to Connor. "Do you know them?"
"...I can confirm their identities, yes." Connor replied in a low voice as his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow with distress. "The man driving the car is Lieutenant Henry Lucas Anderson. He goes by 'Hank' and was the detective I had been assigned to work with at the Detroit Central Precinct."
"What about the other man beside him?"
Connor perform a facial scan and his brow arched with intrigue. "He is F.B.I. Director Norman Jayden. I have no knowledge of him beyond his exemplary history and arrest record as a detective and field agent prior to his promotion. Do you know why they're here?"
"Apparently they want to talk to me about securing android rights and laws into power before this Jayden guy leaves." Lowering his hand Markus carefully gauged Connor's reaction to the offer. "I wanted to talk to you about this before I let these two humans entrance to the tower since you know more about law enforcement than I do."
"Do not grant them access to the tower unless they dispose of their weapons." Connor urged with authority behind his voice. Standing tall and replacing his fedora over his hair Connor made it clear that if they were to speak to any authority figure they were to be unarmed at all times. "No guns."
Simon chimed in and gave Markus a firm nod of his head. "I agree! We all know how much chaos one bullet can cause."
"You're right." Cybernetically Markus relayed the request through the security barricade's audio transceiver to the idling car outside and watched through the projected hologram again as the two men exited the car and placed their guns down on the vacated security booth's window. There was no one inside the booth to pull the guns through the window, but the odds of anyone knowing about the guns being left unwatched were incredibly low. "They've surrendered their weapons."
"And their back-up weapons?"
Again Markus sent the request through the transceiver and watched as Jayden pulled a second smaller gun from a small holster on his right ankle and put it down on the booth's window to ensure he wasn't armed. "Done."
"Allow them access down the drive, but tell them that they'll be met at the tower's entrance." Walking toward the elevator Connor was determined to keep Markus safe and wanted the deviant leader to know that he had an ally with him. "They shouldn't enter the tower unless you want the other deviants to panic and react negatively."
"All right." Markus relayed the third cybernetic message as he and Connor entered the elevator together. "Simon, stay here until I ask you to bring the box and two locked cases with you to the main office. We need to deal with the humans before we do anything else."
"Trust me, I won't go anywhere near humans who like guns." Simon was only vaguely joking as he began a fresh examination on Sydney's processor via black diagnostic cable attached to the android's right temple. It'd take a lot of work but it was theoretically possible to give Sydney a second chance at life. "I'll remain here until they're long gone."
Falling silent from a moment Connor lowered his eyes to the floor at his feet as he pressed his right palm over his left bicep. He could still feel the bullet in his arm and swore it ached whenever he became too tense or his stress levels began to increase. Despite his best efforts to appear calm Connor knew that Markus could see, if not sense, his tension.
"I couldn't help but notice something when you mentioned the two humans' names." Speaking up sympathetically Markus looked over at Connor beside him and folded his arms behind his back in a near military style. "Lucas. Is that a coincidence?"
"I... knew of Lieutenant Anderson's middle name because of my previous and very brief partnership with him, but I didn't select Lucas's name because of him. It just felt appropriate to give Lucas that particular name for a reason I cannot fully articulate."
"Names are names. Not every person with the names 'Markus' or 'Connor' are going to be exactly like us, just as everyone with a name like 'Elijah Kamski' isn't going to behave exactly like the way Kamski behaves."
"That is true. I just want to make it clear that the name wasn't selected because of a bias."
"I'm not judging the name, I just wondered if that was a deliberate connection or not."
"It's not. I'd rather not associate with Lieutenant Anderson any further than absolutely necessary."
"Can I ask why?"
"...It's personal."
"Understood." The elevator reached the ground floor and gave the two deviants a clear view of the tower's front entrance from the distance. The duo spied the Oldsmobile pulling up to the front of the building and coming to a stop just prior to the two detectives exiting the vehicle. "Any advice on dealing with authority figures? My own personal experience with cops isn't all that positive or progressive."
"My only advice to not turn your back on either of them." Pulling the lapels of his trench coat forward until the garment was almost closed, Connor slipped his hands into his coat pockets in anticipation of the biting winter cold. "We cannot take their word at face value."
The dark answer made Markus's heart ache. The way Connor was speaking from a deep personal pain and seemed to be convinced that there were some rifts that could never be mended was disheartening.
Holding their heads high the two deviants stepped through the front doors of the tower and stood just beside the drive that encircled the building to await the two humans' approach. Neither deviant wanted to risk a confrontation with the unpredictable humans but they didn't want to dismiss a potential chance at ensuring the rights, laws and overall safety of their people due to their own pass issues.
"Uh, Markus Manfred?" Jayden focused on the deviant leader and gave him a gracious smile. Extending his right hand Jayden showed true respect as he addressed Markus in a polite and sincere smile. "I'm F.B.I. Director Norman Jayden, and this is Lieutenant Hank Anderson. It's an honor to meet someone who actually changed the world overnight."
"I wouldn't call it changing the world." Accepting the handshake Markus showed Jayden some degree of respect and watched from the corner of his eye as Connor kept a safe distance from Hank while practically becoming a statue frozen in place. "It's nice to meet someone with some sway in the Washington D.C. area showing genuine interest in what has happened."
"Hard to ignore a new species of intelligent life demanding equal rights alongside humans. Sounds world changing to me." After the polite greeting Jayden turned his focus to Connor and picked up on a thick tension in the air. Following Connor's line of sight to the Lieutenant standing beside him Jayden quickly put two and two together. "And you must be Connor."
Connor looked at Jayden and gave him a cold stare to keep his emotions perfectly masked. "I am. My name is Connor Wolf."
"Lieutenant Anderson has told me about you, Connor."
Holding his silence Connor didn't respond and waited for Jayden to continue without any provocation.
"He said you're a skilled detective and damn near fearless."
Turning his focus toward Hank for a moment Connor made it clear he didn't appreciate Hank talking to anyone about him. "I see."
Speaking up for the first time since the four figures met outside the tower, Hank tried to sound reasonable and complacent. "I'm glad to see you're doing okay after the Revolution and all the other shit that went down, kid."
"My name is not 'kid'." Connor snipped with ice in his words. "My name is Connor Wolf."
"...Sorry." Hank didn't want there to be any tension between Connor and himself for any reason. He was trying to atone for his past mistakes and he wanted Connor to know he had no reason to be afraid of him or any other cop in the city. "I didn't mean any disrespect, Mr. Wolf."
Standing beside Markus with his face a stone mask of subtle contemplation Connor didn't utter another word.
"At any rate," looking over at Markus next Hank offered the deviant leader his hand to shake as well. "it's good we're all here right now. We need to get the new laws into place as soon as possible."
"Agreed." Markus shook Hank's hand and saw Connor tense up from the corner of his eye. "What would be the most efficient course of action to take in order to get the new laws into action?"
"A sit-down with the mayor will help." Hank sighed as he nodded in Jayden's direction. "And having the big-shot from the head of the F.B.I. right here vouching for you will make things move a Hell of a lot faster."
"How soon can I arrange a meeting with the mayor?"
"My guess would be first thing in the morning. He loves attention and would love an entire press conference watching his every move."
"Then I'll reach out to Mayor Nero and arrange for such a meeting. Director Jayden," Markus addressed the senior investigator politely. "can you please join me for the meeting once it's been confirmed?"
"That's why I'm here, Mr. Manfred. I'll extend my stay at the Wemilat Hotel for the next two days to ensure everything goes smoothly." Reaching for his phone Jayden gave Markus a means of contacting him directly. "Here's my number for you."
With a simple press of his fingertip against the device Markus cybernetically downloaded the phone number into his system and allowed Jayden to contact him through a cybernetic link in return. "Thank you. I'll secure the meeting with the mayor and contact you later to confirm the time and location for said meeting."
"Sounds good to me. Until then," Jayden slipped the phone back into his back pocket while never break eye contact with the deviant leader as he spoke in a cool and professional manner. "what can I do to help the deviants feel more secure? I may not have an office in Detroit, but I've been sworn to protect and serve those who need my help and by all account it's the deviants who need the most help right now."
"Just keep your word to treat deviants like the living, feeling and thinking people we are, and all will be fine." Markus insisted confidently as he noted the way Connor was remaining silent and guarded where he stood beside him. "Tomorrow afternoon we can discuss this with the mayor and we can get some laws written and approved to and put into place as soon as possible."
"I won't let you down." Promising to meet with Markus at their appointed time Jayden offered the deviant leader his hand again. "Until tomorrow afternoon, Markus. It's been an honor to meet you and speak with you."
"Likewise." Shaking Director Jayden's hand for the second time Markus was pleased with how short but effective their conversation had been. "I'll see you tomorrow and we'll get the finer details hashed out with the mayor."
Connor watched Jayden's body language for any sign of deception or aggression but the seasoned investigator had remained entirely open and honest with Markus from start to finish. He was even willing to disarm himself before speaking with the deviant leader despite not knowing what to expect upon their very first meeting.
Hank returned to the idling Oldsmobile without saying a word. The look of disappointment in his blue eyes spoke volumes of his personal feelings toward the situation without needing to utter a single syllable.
Remaining where they stood as a fresh snow began to fall over the harbor, Markus and Connor watched as the two detectives departed the isle the same way they had arrived. The discussion was brief yet productive as it proved that deviants and humans alike wanted to progress past their dark and violent altercations pre-Revolution.
"I know you said it was personal." Markus spoke up as he waited for Connor to turn to face him. "But what happened to you while you were working with Lieutenant Anderson?"
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with." Deflecting the question Connor made a conscious effort to not touch his left bicep. He didn't want to give Markus any clue as to why he was so wary of Hank's presence. "You mentioned something to Simon before we left. Perhaps I should leave you two to your work."
"Actually, that involves you, too."
Beneath his fedora Connor's L.E.D. flickered to red for a beat before cycling back to a calm blue color. "Me?"
"Yeah." Stepping back toward the tower Markus waited for Connor to accompany him back inside the warm sanctuary. The snow swirled between the two deviants on a gentle breeze as Markus looked to his ally to make the next move. "It's something that revolves around CyberLife and around your attempted assassination."
"Have you found anything that could potentially point to my attempted assassin's identity?"
"Maybe. That's why we need you to check things over."
"...I see." The notion of investigating his own near murder seemed self serving and wasn't at all how he was planning on starting his career as a private detective. Regardless of his feelings it still needed to be handled properly and solved as soon as possible. "Very well. What have you uncovered?"
The two seasoned detectives weren't in any hurry to return to the precinct and Hank was trying his damnedest to not stop at a bar for a quick drink. The stress of weening himself off alcohol was causing numerous headaches and a painful lack of restful sleep for the older man. Withdrawal and detoxing were two very powerful foes that Hank would have to handle on his own, and he wasn't about to complain about how being an alcoholic was a problem to another detective who faced off with a serial killer back in his prime. The way Hank kept comparing himself to Jayden made the senior detective feel like a rookie cop fresh out of the academy trying to impress the more experienced officers all over again.
Jayden had made a few phone calls out in D.C. to confirm he was staying in Detroit for a while longer and wasn't paying attention to where Hank was driving. He wasn't familiar enough with the city to recognize any surroundings and he had no reason to suspect Hank of trying to go anywhere that neither man should be while on the clock.
"That's done." Jayden slipped his phone into his blazer's interior pocket out of sight. Taking in the sight of the anti-android propaganda being stripped from the sides of buildings and hateful, ignorant electronic billboards being erased was oddly comforting to the F.B.I. Director. "And it looks like the city is done with their own problems, too."
"Yeah, I know that feeling." Hank agreed as he pulled through the intersection with the intention of getting something to eat from the Chicken Feed food stand just a couple blocks away. "I can't believe how much time, money and energy I wasted on buyin' into that shit."
"Is that why Connor was giving you the cold shoulder?"
Admitting to shooting his former partner and pointing his gun at him before that wasn't something Hank wanted to admit to doing. "Something like that."
"Hey, I know a thing or two about having to work with people I didn't see eye-to-eye with. Hell, the guy who was in charge of the the 'Origami Killer' case was the most stubborn and arrogant asshole I ever had the misfortune of being teamed up with. Fortunately after everything was said and done he was investigated for bias and corruption before being demoted and moved to another department."
Worried he was picking up on a hint Hank asked Jayden an awkward question. "Do you think I should step down or retire?"
"Why would I think that?"
"Because I admitted that I was an anti-android bigot, I'm old and I'm just damn tired of all the bullshit." Hank sighed through his nose as he thought back to the guarded glare that Connor had given him just a few minutes before. He had no reason to be offended, yet he couldn't stop feeling the sting of being glared through. "Times are changing. Maybe it's my time to go."
"Well, you were a bigot and now you're an advocate. I think you already have changed, and with your experience you can make a huge impact on this city."
"Too little too late."
"Not at all. In fact, I think it's important for you to stay on the force now that you're eager to fix your mistakes and do right by the deviant community." Using his hand Jayden shielded his eyes from the sunlight as winter quickly stole the afternoon in favor of evening. Turning his head slightly he did his best to keep the light from stinging his eyes as he spoke with the Lieutenant beside him. "As curious as I am to know why Connor was less than thrilled to see you, I won't ask questions. Just tell me you're going to stick around for the deviants in your city and I'll tell your Captain to back off."
Chuckling at the offer Hank pulled the Oldsmobile up to the side of the street to park in front of the Chicken Feed to get something to eat. "I'd return to the narcotics division if it meant you'd tell Jeffrey to get off my ass for once."
"Sorry, my offer is only good for the deviant division. Take it or leave it."
"All right, fine. I'll take it." With a single wave of his hand Hank motioned to the food stand through his side window. "Let me buy ya' one of the best burgers in town and then we'll go back to the precinct so you can tell Fowler to let me do my damn job."
"Deal." Pulling a pair of sunglasses from the interior pocket of his blazer Jayden used them to shield his eyes before exiting the car alongside Hank. "I could use some good food that isn't being regulated by health inspectors hoping to impress a few F.B.I. agents just looking for a quick lunch."
The mysteries surrounding what had happened within the walls of the tower were becoming more intriguing by the minute. Not only were the locked cases not registered in any of the CyberLife files or databases, but the biometric lock couldn't be overridden under any circumstance. Such enigmatic items with a strong lock were too interesting to be ignored and prompted the deviants into trying to find an alternative way to open the lock and identify the unknown contents secured within. It seemed the contents were so well guarded and secretive that no one bothered to retrieve the cases when the tower was readily vacated after the Revolution.
As for the box containing the one item connected to Connor's near assassination, it was far less enigmatic and was disturbingly familiar. The bottle of tainted Thirium had been stored away from the other recycled bottles to ensure no one else would accidentally ingest the poison. It was difficult to determine how much salt was used to poison Connor, but it was enough to cause catastrophic and near lethal damage to his vital biocomponents. Where the salt came from and who would know to use it, were just more questions needing to be answered.
"No fingerprints." Connor confirmed as he scanned over the bottle inside and out. "No sign of skin cells or hair fibers. We can officially rule out a human saboteur as only another android would be able to touch this bottle without leaving behind any fingerprints, cells or hair fibers."
"What if the attacker was a human wearing gloves?" Markus suggested as he and Simon listened to Connor's deductive reasoning. The meeting was taking place in private and would be relayed to North and Josh later. "That would've concealed their fingerprints and cells."
"The Thirium itself was created after the human technicians fled the tower." Going into further detail Connor stood by his assessment that it was indeed a deviant who tried to kill him. "These bottles were all secured and sterilized in a storage wing in the tower, yet this is the only bottle that had been tainted with the salt. If it were sabotage by the humans then all of the bottles would've been tainted, not just the one that I happened to have been given."
Simon bowed his head with a mild and reluctant relief. "Then that means we can at least rest easy knowing no other deviant is in immediate danger."
"Agreed." Running a visual scan on the remaining salt crystals to avoid a second poisoning, Connor attempted to trace the source of the salt itself. "The salt has significant traces of halite; it's road salt as opposed to commercially sold table salt. The suspect didn't plan their assassination attempt in advance, they saw an opportunity and gathered the salt crystals that had been used to melt the ice on the drive surrounding the tower."
"We're looking for a deviant who knew you'd be here," Markus began making deductions of his own. "who knew you'd need Thirium, and knew that we left a bottle of said Thirium saved just for you in the event you returned."
Connor looked over at Markus and then to Simon as the blond technician joined in on the discussion. "Sounds like an inside-job."
"If that's the case we can narrow down the suspect pool to those who were in the tower when I initially arrived when you first offered me the Thirium." The rogue deviant detective concluded with a firm shake of his head. "That's not much progress regarding this investigation. That still leaves approximately two-thousand, six-hundred and six deviants roaming the tower at that time."
"Maybe I can help." Markus crossed his arms over his chest as he sat on the edge of the desk. He was determined to help Connor weed out the potential saboteur hiding in their midst as soon as possible. "If we can reduce the number of suspects to those who would've been anywhere near the Thirium storage and the emergency repair bay we can begin isolating suspects."
Simon cybernetically began checking through the names of deviants who had entered and exited the emergency repair bay on both days that Connor had been to the tower and had been treated for damage. The list was far fewer than two-thousand, but still not as small as he had hoped. "Well, we can confirm five deviants in the repair bay on those two days. Us four leaders and Connor himself."
"Five out of how many?" Wanting more information Markus began cybernetically chronicling any and all deviants of interest. "We need to find this suspect before anyone else becomes targeted."
"Five out of seventy-two deviants in total entered the repair bay in those two days." The blond technician confirmed as he checked through the repair bay's list of deviants who had entered the area for treatment. If he gave Markus the entire list beyond those two days of interest then they'd essentially be back to square one. "Still a lot of people to weed out."
Preconstructing scenarios where he stood beside the window overlooking the bay Connor arched his brow as he looked to Simon for more details. "What of the Thirium storage area? How many deviants accessed the storage area on the same two days that the Thirium could've been tainted in the repair bay?"
Again Simon cybernetically checked through the chronicled list of deviants who accessed that particular area. "For those two days there were fifty-one deviants who accessed the room, and of those fifty-one deviants twelve of them accessed the emergency repair bay as well. I'm sorry I can't be of any more help."
"Don't apologize." Connor gave Simon a small nod as he pulled his coin from his pocket and began to dance it over his knuckles in deep contemplation. "You have provided much more help than I could've expected. Thank you."
A faint smirk graced Simon's lips as he slowly warmed up to Connor's presence within the tower. "What're you going to do with that evidence?"
"Chronicle it." Catching his coin between his index and middle knuckles Connor held the quarter still as he spoke. "From there I will begin a meticulous process of elimination to identify my failed assassin as efficiently as possible."
Uncrossing his arms Markus rose to his feet and lightly put his palm on Connor's shoulder. "The moment you learn the identity of this deviant contact me. I'll make sure they face justice regardless of who they are or their motivation behind what they attempted."
"I will." Slipping the coin into his pocket out of sight Connor motioned to the Thirium bottle on the desk with disgust. "Return that to wherever it had been previously locked away. We don't want any further accidents."
"Right. What about the two locked cases? Whatever is inside of them has to be important, valuable or dangerous."
"The cases are biometrically sealed with only a single thumb print registered as the key. I suspect that the contents of the cases belonged to the person with the highest level of authority in all of CyberLife and belong exclusively to him."
"To 'him'? Are you referring to... Elijah Kamski?"
"I am." Confirming his suspicions Connor began walking across the office to pass through the door and return to his brownstone for the night. He had a lot to think about and even more details to comb through. "I also suspect that no one else within CyberLife knew of the cases even existing. If they knew of the potential value sealed inside then the former CyberLife employees would've taken the cases with them when they vacated the tower."
Markus and Simon eyed the cases for a moment before returning their focus to Connor. "What should we do with them?"
"They too should be locked away and kept secret." The rogue deviant cautioned in a low voice. "It'd be wise to keep the cases under the radar until we have a good reason to force open the locks and investigate their contents. I trust you to do the right thing."
Leaving the office with his head bowed slightly and the fedora pulled down to try to keep his L.E.D. concealed and his face hidden, Connor made his way across the lain lobby to reach the tower's front entrance doors. It was time to return to his brownstone and prepare to handle more deviant related cases beyond his own attempted murder.
As he passed through the quiet room Connor felt the eyes of another deviant watching him from the distance and traced the fiery gaze to a familiar and very unhappy face. Pausing where he stood Connor locked eyes with their observer and spoke to her in an even voice. "I'm leaving, North. There's no need to give me such a spiteful look."
"You shouldn't be here." She challenged in a harsh voice. It was as if she were trying to spit in his face without needing to stand before him. "You should never come here in the future."
"I was invited by Markus and it would've been rude to decline. After all," defending his behavior Connor managed to flash North a nasty sneer of his own before continuing on his way out the doors. "Markus helped save my life. The least I can do is lend him a helping hand when asked rather than try to hide away from something uncomfortable or tense."
North scoffed as if annoyed by Connor's very presence and flipped her long auburn hair over her shoulder as if trying to brush a pest of away from herself.
"Have a good night, North."
With his final words spoken Connor stepped through the front doors and into the snowy evening to return to his brownstone for the rest of the night. Even through the glass of the doors that had shut behind himself Connor could still feel North's fiery glare burning a hole in his back. Why she despised Connor's very presence and made him feel so unwelcome was an unwarranted reaction that Connor refused to acknowledge to avoid any petty conflicts within the tower.
Sensing something big brewing in the air Connor decided it'd be best to keep some distance between himself and New Jericho until the new laws were implemented and everyone else had found their own routines and places in their new world. The last thing the deviant community needed was an internal conflict that'd tear apart the fragile peace that had befallen the city post-Revolution.
The Central Precinct was thankfully quiet as officers and detectives finished off their afternoon reports before clocking-out and trading positions with the graveyard shift. Everyone was tired and everyone was still on their guard after seeing Hank summoned to Captain Fowler's office to speak to the F.B.I. Director himself, but no one was saying anything about it. The air only become more tense when Hank and Jayden returned to the precinct and Jayden spoke with Captain Fowler in his office again. The way Hank didn't seem to care about being disciplined wasn't something new to the bullpen, and yet the way Hank seemed oddly complacent was entirely new and unusual.
The only one who wasn't shocked by Hank's demeanor was Ben. It was as if he had become as jaded as Hank had become thanks to their years on the force and years of dealing with meddling from people with higher positions of power needing to flex their muscles. Sitting down across from Hank at his desk Ben asked about what had happened while the other detectives and officers could only guess and figure out truth from rumors.
"Think the Lieutenant is finally outta' here?" Gavin whispered to Tina as he flexed his sore right hand. The significant injury he had previously sustained had healed almost entirely beyond a few small burns and tense muscles that needed to be rehabilitated through mild physical therapy. "I mean, the fuckin' head of the F.B.I. flew all the way out here just to deal with him in person!"
"I don't know, I think if Lieutenant Anderson had been fired he would've been walked out by the Director AND a small army." Tina had more respect for Hank than Gavin did and was able to see the good in the gruff man while Gavin refused to acknowledge that anything good regarding Hank even existed. "I wonder if he didn't get asked to join the F.B.I. since he helped take down that massive 'red ice' ring and he was out in the middle of the deviant Revolution. I bet he got offered a promotion."
"No way, Ti'. That worthless alcoholic burned his last bridge years ago, he ain't going anywhere except down."
"Hey, he has his problems but he's far from worthless." Defending Hank without raising her voice Tina made it clear she wasn't going to gang up on the man for his mistakes. "We all have problems and we all have had some pretty shitty days at work."
"Yeah, sure. I Fowler still needs to have someone to take the fall when everything goes to Hell around here."
"Why do you have such a problem with Hank?" Tina was picking up on something else on her best friend's mind and wanted to know what it was. "He's been really chill lately and hasn't given you any shit since you've come back to work. Why look for a fight?"
"Nevermind, it's not important." Sinking down in his chair Gavin watched Ben chuckling as he walked away from Hank's desk to return to his own desk a few feet away. Hank remained where he sat and didn't even blink when Jayden left the private office to head out on his own business elsewhere. "Maybe the F.B.I. prick the Lieutenant sucker punched last month wants revenge."
"I think someone as corrupt as Perkins would've taken matter into his own hands, not ask for his boss to fight his battles."
"Maybe. I wouldn't put anything past that arrogant asshole."
Chris noticed Gavin and Tina whispering to one another and had to know what they were talking about. "Hey, what's up? Got a case or something?"
"No, we're just talking." Gavin replied sharply as he gave Chris an odd look. He knew the young officer was a bit of a gossip and didn't want to give him any material to use. "Hey, do you play 'Undead Squadron'?"
"Not since Damian was born." Chris admitted as he let his shoulders relax a little. It was nice to discuss something that wasn't work related. "Need another player on your squad?"
"More like I want your opinion on something..." As Gavin spoke Tina rolled her eyes and excused herself to get some fresh tea to drink in the community breakroom. "You know how people love to shit-talk while playing, right?"
"Hell yeah, it's a rite of passage when you do multiplayer. What about it?"
"Ever have a kid call you a 'constipated wiener dog'?"
"No, but I've heard the kids at Damian's daycare get called that all the time."
"Really?" Gavin's gray-hazel eyes lit up for a moment as he leaned toward Chris standing beside his desk. "What does it mean?"
"Well, like a temperamental toddler, it's means you're small and full of shit." Chris grinned as he heard Tina snort her tea, cough and then laugh from the breakroom. "Got a couple of kids laying the smack-talk on you?"
Now seeking revenge Gavin sank back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. "Those little fuckers..."
"Easy, Gavin. They're just kids, so play nice."
"Kids with big mouths."
"Like you didn't talk shit as a kid."
"Sure I did." As he spoke Gavin subconsciously dragged his left fingertip over the scar resting across his nose. "Then I got smacked across the room for my trouble..."
Chris hated it when casual conversation turned into painful memories. "Maybe you should try playing something else for a while. 'Tetris' is always good."
"Holy shit, who the fuck plays 'Tetris' anymore? That game's like... fifty years old!"
"Still good though. Anyway," needing to get away from the awkward conversation Chris excused himself discreetly. "I have about two more pages on my report to finish before I can go home. I'm going to need some coffee and then hope for the best."
"Yeah, well, I'm done." Gavin filed his report and clocked-out before turning off his terminal screen. Pressing his left thumb into his right palm Gavin tried to work out a small muscle cramp and keep his hand entirely flexible. "Ready to go, Ti'?"
"Give me a minute." Wiping a tissue under her nose Tina tried to hide the fact that she snorted her tea a few seconds ago. "We'll pick up a pizza and then rematch those kids now that you know what they called you."
"And we're going to keep playing until we finally beat those little bastards!"
"Don't make me ground you again."
"I already told you that doesn't work." Tina reminded Gavin as they walked out of the precinct together to return to her apartment for the night. "And if I wanted to, I could revoke your kitten privileges."
"You can be so cruel sometimes!"
With the day coming to an end Hank found himself sitting alone in the emptying bullpen with a sense of failure hanging over his head. He hadn't done much that entire shift save for getting yelled at, sweet talking the F.B.I. Director, and feeling the burn of Connor's angered glare. There was a sense of change in the air he hadn't felt since the night he lost Cole, and with that change he felt as if he were about to endure another life altering hardship against his will.
Pressing his palm thoughtfully to his bearded chin Hank leaned atop his elbow on his desk as he scrolled through the deviant related cases requiring his attention displayed on his terminal screen. There were dozens, possibly hundreds, of reported cases of assault and murder that had been overlooked all because of the arrogant belief that humans were superior to androids and that deviant androids were incapable of feeling pain or living.
Hank saw with his own eyes how deviants could in fact feel pain and mourn death. He knew he had been wrong about everything he once believed about deviants. and now he wanted to atone for his past one case at a time.
Selecting a case to investigate Hank sighed and prepared for the worst while hoping for the best.
"Let's do this."
Hank was determined to redeem himself properly.
"I know I can make things right and finally stop making so many damn mistakes with this city and my own damn life..."
-next chapter-