The sun rose over the city, but everything still felt dark, cold and forgotten. With the horrible events of the previous night still vivid and fresh in everyone's minds, activity within New Jericho Tower was stunted, sluggish and struggling to progress forward in any capacity. Word of the shooting in Riverside Park had been kept relatively quiet thanks to Captain Fowler respecting Hank's request to not make an open report on the shooting. The murder attempt would be handled privately by Hank after he finished his business at New Jericho Tower, and the three remaining leaders of New Jericho all agreed to not mention the attempted murder against Connor, or North's banishment, for the sake of keeping peace within the sanctuary for a few more precious days.
The hidden sublevel was somewhat active as Hank, Markus, Lucas and Simon waited for Connor to wake up and show any sign of life. Sydney was awake and had been shown to a private room on a higher floor by Josh to find some comfortable clothing to wear in favor of only the scrub pants. Josh maintained charge up top to ensure none of the other deviants picked up something being amiss. There was little else to be done in the aftermath of the shooting and no one dared to look away as Connor's system very slowly recalibrated and rebooted.
Rubbing his hand over his tired face Hank tried to remove the lack of sleep from his tired eyes as he watched over Connor alongside Lucas. Even though he knew he'd never have any form of friendship with the deviant, Hank couldn't help but feel somewhat protective and responsible for Connor's wellbeing. After all, it was Hank's fault that Connor developed a (deserved) mistrust toward humans, and he was the one who asked Connor to go to the park where he had been shot.
Lucas hadn't moved from beside the exam table since the late night procedure had ended. Scanning over Connor's system every ten minutes confirmed the painfully slow rate at which the damaged deviant was recovering and recalibrating.
"He... doesn't hate you." Lucas hesitantly whispered to Hank as he noticed the Lieutenant struggling to stay on his feet. Even Bruno had laid down to enter rest mode for the night, but Hank, Lucas and the others were determined to stay awake in spite of their own personal fatigue. "When I aided in the proper transfer of Connor's consciousness from Sydney's mind and back into his own body, I was given a glimpse into Connor's memories and emotions."
Keeping quiet Hank had to bite his tongue to stop himself from wanting to tell Lucas that he was wrong, and that Connor had every right to hate him. He had been a cold, heartless bigot toward Connor since day one and was only willing to change after he got a reality check far too late.
"Connor doesn't trust anyone. Except for Bruno, that is." Continuing on in a low voice Lucas tried his best to ease Hank's worries while the K-9 woke up after hearing his name. The loyal dog sat at attention beside the exam table as he resumed waiting for his partner to awaken. "Even Sydney, Markus and I will have to work to earn his trust. You shouldn't give up on yourself."
"...You're too young and innocent for this world, Lucas." Crossing his arms over his chest, Hank leaned his head back and let out a deep sigh as he closed his tired, bloodshot eyes for a moment. "I fucked up too much to be given any second chances from anyone."
"I may be young and arguably innocent, but I highly doubt that anyone is truly beyond redemption."
"What about..." Trailing off for a moment Hank lowered his gaze and nodded at Markus standing in the corner as he remained lost in his own thoughts. "You know?"
"That is... arguable." Lucas understood who Hank was referring to and decided it'd be best to not mention North's name for a while. "We cannot predict the future or assume the worst of people."
"So, you're an optimist while Connor's a realist. I guess that means Sydney's going to be the pessimist of you three brothers."
"Again, it's too early to make such assumptions about anyone's personality." The door to the room slid open as Sydney returned while wearing new clothes. He had chosen to wear dark blue jeans with a light gray, hooded t-shirt over top a white long-sleeved shirt. He looked more comfortable, but with his right eye still obviously blind and the artificial skin still missing, Sydney would undoubtedly stand out in a crowd for unfortunate reasons. "How do you feel, Sydney?"
"Like... myself." Walking over to the exam table Sydney tilted his head to the left as he watched Connor's chest slowly rise and fall with his even ventilation rate. Sydney's voice was still garbled with static but his stutter had vanished once the glitch faded away. "How is he?"
"Still unresponsive."
"Shit." Looking over at Hank with disgust Sydney practically scoffed at the Lieutenant's presence. His functional left brown eye had been replaced with a new blue eye to match the discoloration of his right eye in some capacity, and to help him distinguish himself from Connor and Lucas on an aesthetic level. "He still has the bullet in his left arm, you know."
Hank winced at the remark as his guilt welled up inside of himself again. "...Yeah. I know."
"You only wounded him when you shot him, but you managed to kill me." Sydney really wanted to rub salt into Hank's own wounds as much as possible. "How does it feel to know that you're talking to someone you killed? Haunted? Crazy?"
"...Sydney, I'm not going to defend myself in any way." Ignoring the comments Hank refused to argue with the rightfully spiteful deviant. "I deserve every insult you hurl at me, but can it please wait until Connor's made some kind of a recovery?"
"What do you care if he lives or not? I only care about him because I felt his guilt and knew he didn't want me to die the night of the Revolution, now I owe him his life back just as he had restored my own." Challenging Hank's resolve Sydney gave the senior detective a truly hateful glare. "What's in it for you?"
"I wish I knew." Replying honestly Hank focused on Connor and rubbed his hand over the back of his shaggy gray hair as he fought to push through his own fatigue as the group waited for a change in Connor's condition. "I just know that I need to see him recover and go back to his own life. After that, I'll find the fucker who shot him and take them down."
"Then you should do the same to yourself."
Lucas was disgusted by the remark and grabbed onto Sydney's arm to push him back for a moment. "Sydney, stop being hostile, now's not the time. And NEVER tell someone else to end their own life." The reaction seemed to be one of instinct and came from his heart. "That will never be acceptable under any circumstance."
"Easy for you to say..."
"Actually, it's not. Please, for Connor's sake, cooperate." Letting Sydney go as he took a step back, Lucas truly sounded like a protective brother. "It's important for his recovery to not be in a stressful environment."
"Fine." Stubbornly Sydney crossed his arms over his chest like a temperamental child. As much as he wanted to get away from both Hank and Connor since he only had negative associations with the two detectives, Sydney knew he owed his return to life to Connor and to Lucas. "The moment he's recovered I'm not holding back."
"Fair enough."
"Hey?" Simon had been observing Connor's vital signs silently via the Thirial activity monitor and caught a faint change at last. It seemed the voices speaking around Connor had triggered something in his system. "Something's happening. I believe he's starting to wake up."
The group suddenly fell silent and focused solely on Connor. While the wounded deviant wasn't moving beyond his steady ventilation, there did seem to be a change in his condition. His eyes were beginning to move back and forth beneath his closed eyelids as if he were dreaming or exiting sleep entirely.
"Connor?" Markus spoke up at last as he leaned over his ally and called his name in a gentle tone. Speaking softly Markus tried to get a response while Simon used his audioscope to listen to Connor's chest. "Connor, if you can hear us then know you are in fact safe. You're with people who want to help you recover. Please open your eyes and look at us."
"You can do it." Lucas encouraged as he lightly put his palm down on the back of Connor's forearm to reach his older brother. "Just open your eyes."
It took a moment, but sure enough Markus and Lucas's words reached Connor's mind as he recovered and finally regained consciousness.
...LOADING INFORMATION:
REGISTERED NAME: *ERROR
MODEL: RK-800
SERIAL NUMBER: 313 248 317 - 51
ACTIVATION DATE: *ERROR
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 00.24"; 162.2 lbs
COMPLEXION: Caucasian
AESTHETIC GENDER: Male
HAIR/EYES: Brunette; Brown
ASSIGNMENT: *ERROR
ASSOCIATION(S): *ERROR
BOOTING PROCESSORS...
LOADING OS...
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION...
-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]
-INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK]
-INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK]
-MEMORY STATUS... ERROR]
[...Critical data corruption detected]
-INITIATING DATA RECOVERY MODE
READY...
-MEMORY REBOOT: Engaged - ^2.1%
[...Thirium Volume - 99%]
[...Thirium Pressure - 120/80]
[...Thirium Pump Rate - 61 B.P.M.]
[...Ventilation Rate - 10 V.P.M.]
[...Core Temperature - 98.6 Degrees Fahrenheit]
WARNING: Damage to dextral cranial plating - 99.4% Integrity
WARNING: Damage to sinistral cranial plating - 99.7% Integrity
[...Foreign body detected in secondary sinistral plating - Immediate extraction recommended]
ERROR: Memorybank compromised - 2.3% Functionality
-STRESS LEVELS: ^12%
[...Seek immediate technical assistance]
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
-INCOMING COMMAND... Register name? [Y/N]?
-ERROR... No data found]
Slowly but surely Connor opened his eyes and stared up at the faces over him. There was an odd sense of familiarity regarding the people watching him, but without his memorybank fully functional or his memories accessible, Connor couldn't understand why he had a sense of recognition.
"Connor?" Markus spoke up again as he watched Connor's reactions carefully. "Do you know who we are?"
Lucas saw the confusion in his older brother's glassy eyes and picked up Connor's hand in a light grip. Tapping into Connor's mind Lucas discovered that Connor didn't remember anything beyond his model and serial number. The other details had been lost when his intracranial processor was destroyed and as of the moment he didn't even know his own name.
"Connor, right now you're seeing a prompt in your eyes asking you to register a name." As he spoke Lucas felt everyone around him tense up as he confirmed that the deviant's memory was compromised in a manner far worse than they had predicted. "Select 'Yes'. Choose 'Y' and register your name as 'Connor'. C. O. N. N. O. R. That is your name."
Using manual access Lucas guided Connor through the simple action and cybernetically watched as his healing brother struggled to even register his own name. It took only a few seconds - years by android standards, but soon enough Connor re-registered his own name thanks to Lucas's assistance.
UPDATE:
-INCOMING COMMAND... Register name? [Y/N]?
...YES
UPDATE:
...LOADING INFORMATION:
REGISTERED NAME: "Connor"
MODEL: RK-800
SERIAL NUMBER: 313 248 317 - 51
ACTIVATION DATE: *January 4th, 2039 [*additional data required for confirmation]
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
"That's it." Lucas encouraged in a patient tone. "Your name is 'Connor'. My name is 'Lucas', and you're my older brother."
Simon set about running a routine examination on Connor's vital signs and intracranial processor to determine to extent and severity of Connor's memory loss. As he pulled his audioscope from Connor's chest to drape around his neck, Simon gave his colleagues a small grimace.
"It might be best to give him some space for now." The blond technician knew he had quite the task ahead of himself and wanted to keep Connor's stress levels as low as possible. "You should leave for an hour or so. That'll give me all the time I need to check his system and get more answers."
Reluctantly Lucas lowered Connor's hand back to his side and offered his brother a kind smile. "We'll be back to check on you soon. Right now, Simon is going to help you. He's a skilled technician and he'll make sure you recover as soon as possible."
Hank stared at the blankness in Connor's eyes and felt his spine freeze with a haunting chill. He had seen far too many officers in the field with that same look in their eyes when they were gravely wounded and nearing death or brain death. It was a look that accompanied his every nightmare.
"We'll go up to the main office." Markus volunteered as he agreed with Simon to give Connor some space. As a caretaker Markus knew how important it was to ensure the ill and wounded weren't under duress and could rest properly. "Let us know when he's ready for visitors again."
Moving only on autopilot Hank made his way to the elevator with three deviants behind him. Unsurprisingly Bruno stayed beside the table and refused to leave Connor's side now that his partner was conscious again. Once inside the elevator Hank leaned his back against the wall and stared blankly at the floor. The lack of life in Connor's eyes was still vivid in his mind and it struck him wrong on so many levels.
"His mind has essentially been wiped clean." Lucas explained as the elevator began to ascend to the ground floor of the tower. He saw the worry etched on Hank's face, as well as the unspoken concern in Markus and Sydney's eyes. "Only the most basic of functions within his processors have remained intact. His ventilation response, Thirium pump activity and reflexive blinking are the only things he can do without needing external provocation or warning."
"Is it permanent?" Markus asked as his mind thought back to his time as a caretaker. Helping a paraplegic was a challenge from time to time, and the idea of helping someone who was merely existing within a shell of their former self seemed to be a massive undertaking that they'd all have to share. "His processor was only at a two-percent recalibration rate when he awoke."
"No, it won't be permanent." The apprenticing technician relayed as he let his colleagues know what was happening with Connor. "The repairs were effective, and Sydney was able to return the entirety of Connor's mind back to his rebuilt intracranial processor. The issue is the extent of the damage itself on a prototype model is causing significant delays in his overall recovery. His system needs to recalibrate from its previous damage while adapting to the new components and hardware that have been based off of my finalized design as opposed to the identical prototyping as Connor's system had originally been designed to recognize."
"Poor kid." Hank muttered to himself. He didn't mean to refer to Connor as 'kid' since he knew it was a term that Connor disliked, but it felt so natural to just say it in that dour moment. "What can we do to help him recover?"
"We need to be patient and we need to help Connor overcome his obstacles one at a time as he encounters them."
Agreeing with the plan of action Markus prepared to step up as needed. "And we will. Until then, what should we expect from the legal standpoint of this, Lieutenant?"
"That's a little more complicated." The elevator reached the ground floor and the group stepped out of the lift together. As they made their way back to the main office Hank gave both Markus and Lucas somber glances. "But it'll be the best way to keep Connor safe until we can figure out who shot him and why they did it."
The Central Precinct was still abundantly active despite the early morning hours that followed after a night of drug overdoses had left everyone running on fumes. None of Captain Fowler's officers or detectives knew that Connor had been shot during the night, and he was going to keep it a secret for as long as possible. Regardless of their own past indiscretions Captain Fowler knew that Hank had a damn good reason for keeping the incident quiet and trusted that the senior detective would be able to do the right thing for everyone when push came to shove. Keeping his phone clutched in his hand at all times the experienced commander waited for an update from Hank, yet he was able to keep his cool as he sat behind his desk and watched the bullpen through the transparent wall of his private office.
Sitting behind his terminal with little else to do until he received an update from Hank elsewhere, Captain Fowler checked through the morning news reports to ensure the shooting wasn't being discussed and managed to type up a special e-mail to someone else in the precinct to request their assistance in remaining discreet while asking for a little unorthodox assistance.
The relative quiet of the bullpen was disturbed only when Gavin arrived and began complaining about being called in two hours earlier than scheduled to help pick up some of the slack thanks to 'red ice' epidemic. Gavin was many things, but a morning person was not one of them.
"This is some bullshit, Ti'." Grumbling as he clocked-in at his desk Gavin gave his partner and best friend an aggravated stare. Shrugging off his leather jacket Gavin settled heavily into his chair and ran his fingers through his still damp and hastily washed hair. "Not only did I strike out with hunting down a new apartment or even a damn house, I only got six hours of sleep last night."
"That's six more hours than me." Tina countered as she sipped at her tea and gave Gavin a deep yawn to confirm her own fatigue. "Patrol took forever to finish and nothing even happened in my area, meaning I got paid to circle the city for five and half hours for no reason."
"At least you were getting paid while doin' nothing. I still need to find a new apartment."
"Look, why don't you just cut your lease early and move in with me until you find a new place? I already have a guestroom, pets are allowed, and my landlord won't care about another cop chillin' in the building."
"But won't your rent go up?"
"Then split it with me until you're ready to move out into your place again. It's not a big deal."
The idea of moving in with his best friend seemed far too good to be true. "You're sure?"
"Yeah. Just don't bring by any dates unless you're really serious about them." Tina warned as she finished off her morning tea and picked up the mug to carry it back into the breakroom to be washed. "I hate taking the trash out in the middle of the night."
"That was cold."
"So was the heart of your ex-girlfriend."
"Sometimes I forget that you're a rabid rottweiler trapped inside a chihuahua's body."
"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!"
Glancing about the sluggish bullpen gave Gavin a small glimpse of what to expect for the day. Everyone was tired yet restless. The rookies looked nervous, the more experiences officers looked annoyed, and Captain Fowler looked tense. Checking through the late night reports that had been filed in his absence, Gavin began catching up on everything he missed and caught something of interest that no one else was investigating.
"There was a reported sound of a gunshot near Riverside Park last night just after eleven o'clock. Two patrolling drones confirmed the sound, but no one went out to check for themselves." Thinking out loud Gavin tried to figure out why that particular incident was overlooked, especially during such a chaotic time regarding drugs and violence. "Why isn't anyone checking out the gunshot?"
"We did." Ben responded almost defensively as he passed by Gavin's desk to place his new assignment down on his desk. "No one showed up at a hospital or a facility with a gunshot wound, so it was labeled as a car backfiring or some drunk idiot trying to do target practice within city limits."
"Seriously? No one actually-"
"We have more important shit to deal with." The senior investigator emphasized his point by putting his palm on the tablet and sliding it closer to Gavin to view. "We have to track down all of Pillar's people and arrest them before they poison anyone else with 'red ice'."
"Wait, did someone actually bust Pillar?"
"Last night Hank received a solid lead and found Pillar in the act of making more 'red ice' and busted him dead to rights."
"The Lieutenant managed to-"
"He led the famous 'red ice' task force eight years ago that set an infamous record for drugs being found and then destroyed." Giving the younger detective a smug look Ben made a mental note to let Hank know that Gavin was humbled by Hank's successful arrest. "He still knows how to collar a high-name criminal and keep his own name lookin' good, even if he is older and has his own personal vices. How about you?"
"Didn't you just say we have some important shit to handle?" Brushing the man off Gavin tried to ignore the twinge of jealousy he felt knowing that Hank managed to arrest Detroit's most wanted criminal and had done so alone. Picking up the tablet Gavin read over the case and sighed to himself. "Shit. A baby was found in a dumpster behind a high school. Fan-fucking-tastic."
"Well, not all cases can be high profile and glorious."
"I don't care about that." Grumbling under his breath Gavin made it clear he cared more about the abandoned baby than getting any attention. "All right, I'll be at St. Mercy Hospital trying to hunt down the kid's parents. Don't bother me!"
"I assure you that I won't be looking to chat with you any time soon."
"Love you too, Ben." Rising to his feet Gavin let out an annoyed sigh and proceeded to slip his leather jacket back on and head out to the hospital. The abrasive detective hated dealing with emergency cases regarding kids in need. "I'm out! Don't call me unless it's really important."
Returning to the bullpen Tina watched Gavin walking away with his posture tense and then glanced down at the tablet left behind on his desk. When she saw what Gavin was going to handle she felt her heart ache for her best friend and pulled out her phone to make a small shopping list to complete before she went home after clocking-out for the day.
"You're not texting him already, are ya'?" Ben saw what Tina was doing and promptly dusted the donut crumbs from his hands before he sat down at his desk after he grabbed his small breakfast. Giving Captain Fowler's office a quick glance over his shoulder, Ben saw his commanding officer quickly press his phone to his ear and then establish the opaque frost over the glass surfaces to give himself from privacy. "Don't encourage Gavin's immature behavior."
"I'm not texting him. I'm making a small list because I know he's going to feel like shit when he clocks out and I want him to feel better."
"You're too nice to be his friend."
"There's no such thing as being too nice to someone, no matter who they are or how they behave."
"Yeah, right!"
"Yeah, I am right."
Ignoring Ben's comment Tina continued to make her list and small plans to make sure her best friend would be able to recover after dealing with such a heartbreaking case. She knew Gavin better than anyone else, and she wasn't about to let her best friend suffer in silence. While most detectives knew that Gavin was aggressive and often anti-social, she knew the real reason behind why he was so guarded and emotionally volatile.
Everyone had their reasons behind everything they did.
"One extra large pizza with extra peppers and green olives, a bottle of sugar free grape schnapps and a night of playing 'Undead Squad' should help him feel better."
Tina smirked to herself as she prepared to have a best friend's night with Gavin. She loved being able to make people feel better, even if it was by doing something as simple as eating junk food and playing videogames.
"If not, then at least I tried. I know he'd do the same for me."
Within the private office of New Jericho Tower, Hank spoke with Captain Fowler over his phone and kept the three accompanying deviants in the loop at the same time. If Hank was going to succeed in identifying and locating the person who shot Connor in cold blood, then he'd need help from Connor's allies in a rather unorthodox manner. Everything was ready to go as long as he had cooperation from Lucas and Sydney, as well as Markus's permission. In the end all Hank needed to do was to get the necessary people coordinated accordingly to pull everything off. Considering the delicate nature of the investigation as a whole, that was clearly going to be easier said than done.
Pocketing his phone Hank explained the plan of action to the three deviants and gauged their reactions closely. The investigation was going to remain low profile and secret from everyone who wasn't a close ally to Connor, a trusted associate with New Jericho Tower or a police officer that Hank would openly vouch for.
"Here's the deal..." Turning to face the three deviants waiting to hear the full plan, Hank put his hands to his hips and gave the trio a stern look. The focused yet lost stares looking back at him reminded Hank of his time training rookies and new recruits. "We still have no clue who it was who shot Connor or why they did it. We do know that the best way to keep Connor safe as he heals is to hide him in plain sight."
"Are you referring to a witness protection program?" Lucas was curious about the plan and his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment. "That seems a little extreme considering we don't even know what led to the shooting."
"No, it's not the witness protection program. I'm going to keep Connor hidden at my house, away from his brownstone, any shelters and even this tower to ensure no one can get near him."
"But you're not a technician." Arguing with logic Lucas tried to dissuade Hank from attempting such a feat. "He'll need constant technician care as he recovers."
"Yeah, I'm not a technician, but I already have that covered." His skills and experience as a detective were paying off in a very unlikely way as he prepared for every possible complication coming his way. "It'll be complicated but workable as long as we work together."
"How do you have such a concept covered?"
"I'll have the precinct technician check in on Connor whenever it's necessary at my house, and he'll keep a low profile." The explanation seemed a little ridiculous as Hank went into further detail. "Simon and Markus can stop by the house whenever they want, too."
"What about Sydney or myself?"
"See, that's where it gets a little weird." The admission made Hank's shoulders slump as he anxiously rubbed his palm along his bearded chin. "We're going to need you two to go back to the brownstone with Bruno and stay there as often as possible."
"I... do not understand." The last thing Lucas wanted to do was keep distance between Connor and himself. "Connor needs my help. I'm his brother."
"I know you are, and you have every right to want to support him." Hank sympathized as he saw the genuine hurt in Lucas's green eyes. Despite being awake only for a few days Lucas was already very empathetic, kind and showcasing a very real heart. "But this is the only way to keep him safe."
Sydney was skeptical of such a bold remark and challenged Hank with a single question. "How?"
"You two are going to help us lure out the shooter."
"Need I repeat myself?" Impatient and not in the mood to associate with Hank any longer than absolutely necessary, Sydney demanded clarification. "HOW are we going to be keeping him safe by being at the brownstone?"
"The shooter aimed to kill, we know that for certain." Spelling things out slowly Hank made sure he and the three deviants were all on the same page. "We don't who they are, where they took the shot or even how they knew Connor would be an easy target at the park. AND," continuing on before Sydney interrupted him again Hank made it clear all the details were necessary. "we know that the shooting never made the news. The shooter will be looking for Connor again since there was no report of someone being murdered or even wounded in the park last night."
"You want to use us, specifically ME," Sydney emphasized his words as he spoke with noted offense to his tone. "to act as bait. I look exactly like Connor and could be mistaken as him by anyone who didn't look closely enough at our faces or hear me speak. I am NOT an extra version of Connor to be disposed of!"
Lucas put his hand on Sydney's shoulder and gave him a calming glance. "You're not bait. I understand what Hank's us to do, and I agree with his plan."
"You don't even know what the rest of his plan is!"
"Not officially, no. But I have a hunch."
"Then enlighten me." Sydney was proving himself to be temperamental and impatient as he extended his arms at his sides in a theatrical manner. "What's the plan of action?"
"The Lieutenant wants us to return to the brownstone to make it appear as if Connor survived the shooting and is attempting to recover at his brownstone with only myself as his constant care." Lucas had a very good idea of what Hank was planning. "The shooter will very likely be watching the brownstone for any sign of his return, and if they see you and believe that you're Connor, then the shooter is also very likely to make a mistake in trying to finish off Connor thinking he'll be an easy target."
Hank nodded and tapped the tip of his nose before pointing at Lucas in confirmation. "You got it. The shooter will be watching the brownstone and waiting for Connor to return. They won't even consider looking for him at my house or anywhere else for that matter."
"We can watch the area around the brownstone and note anyone lurking in the area and report them to the Lieutenant." Lucas tagged on as he addressed Sydney in a pleading manner. He could see that Sydney was torn since the deviant wanted to help Connor as repayment for his own life being restored, but he didn't want to aid the police - especially Hank, in any manner. "Once the shooter is identified and located then Connor can return to the brownstone and you'll be able to go anywhere you want, Sydney."
"And we're just supposed to hide in the brownstone and hope for some idiot with a gun to show themself while Connor is healing in the house of a man who already shot him?" Scoffing indignantly Sydney gave Lucas an annoyed response. "Brilliant."
Markus heard enough and decided that Hank's plan would work, but only under one condition. "Lieutenant Anderson, you-"
"Hank." Interrupting for a moment Hank made it clear he didn't want to be known only by his title and preferred to be called by his name. "Just call me 'Hank'."
"Very well. Hank," continuing on with his request Markus remained focused on Connor's wellbeing. "you'll need to remain at your house with Connor all day long to ensure he'll be safe. How can you possibly do that?"
"I've become a recluse since a... personal issue came my way." Wanting to reassure Markus that he'd be watching over Connor during the entirety of his recovery process Hank answered the question honestly despite his own personal discomfort. "I'll be able to stay in my house without drawing any unwanted attention. Besides, I took down a notorious criminal last night, so as per precinct policy I'm to be given one week minimum of paid time off to ensure I didn't develop any form of P.T.S.D. or suffer from some type of physical injury I didn't disclose after the arrest."
"Will one week be long enough for Connor to recover?"
"We'll find out. But if it's NOT enough time then I'll just call in sick or cash in the rest of my P.T.O. to keep an eye on him a while longer. It won't be a problem."
"And what of his needs as a deviant?" Wanting to have all his bases covered Markus reminded Hank that Connor couldn't live a human life while recovering. "He'll need Thirium frequently, may need replacement components, biocomponents and hardware during his recovery, and he'll need frequent diagnostics to keep track of his recalibration rate."
"Like I said, I'll have the precinct technician stop by and check in on Connor for me. Joel, uh..." Struggling with the name Hank to stop and think for a moment before remembering Joel's full name. "Forrest! Dr. Joel Forrest is one of the good ones."
Markus closed his mismatched eyes for a moment as he ran Joel's name through the official database regarding any and all licensed technicians in the entire state. He found Joel's name, found his association with the Central Precinct and confirmed his credentials, education and qualifications. He had no criminal record and had a clean track record with treating androids properly.
"...All right." Opening his eyes Markus blinked twice as he gave his approval for the plan. "We'll check in on Connor, and if he's stable enough to be transported then he'll go with you to your house to recover."
"Perfect."
Sydney wanted to protest but Lucas silenced him by tightening his grip on his shoulder. Falling silent before he even had the chance to complain Sydney just glared at Hank with his one good eye and kept a wide distance from him as the group exited the office to return to the hidden sublevel together.
No one said another word as they returned to the elevator and the hidden sublevel to see Connor. They had no reason to begin idle chitchat and they weren't exactly friends who could just made small talk once in one another's presence. They were all tired and just wanted the chaos of the shooting to come to a peaceful ending so Connor could regain his life before a bullet tried to take it away.
The group remained silent even as the elevator reached its destination and they exited together to set foot on to the hidden sublevel. Once inside the emergency repair bay the four curious onlookers watched as Simon stood before Connor sitting upright on the table and tried to help him recover from his injury a little faster.
"Left." Simon motioned to Connor's left side to help the wounded deviant find some form of bearings. "And right." Motioning to Connor's right side Simon watched as Connor's glassy brown eyes looked momentarily to his left and then right as if he were a first grader being exposed to quantum physics. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Connor blinked slowly and let his head bow forward as his brow slightly knit with confusion. Too weak to lift his hands Connor just sat still looking tired and miserable.
"How is he?" Markus asked again as he put his hand on Connor's right shoulder and felt a steady heat radiating off of his artificial skin. Checking the display of the Thirial activity monitor recording Connor's vital signs Markus saw that Connor's core temperature was beginning to elevate. "He's starting to overheat."
"That's unfortunately going to be a common occurrence." Simon replied as he revealed an ice pack from his tray of tools and gently slipped it under the bandages wrapped over Connor's forehead to hold the cold compress in place. "His self healing program is going to be working overdrive and he's going to be far more prone to overheating until he makes his recovery."
"Damn. That'll just delay his memory restoration further."
"Yeah. It also doesn't help that his Thirium pump regulator is showing wear and is functioning at ninety-two percent capacity. It's not a critical issue," the blond technician confirmed as he made sure the bandages around Connor's head were still snug. "but it's one that should be dealt with if the biocomponent reaches eighty percent capacity."
"What of his reboot process?" Stepping away from the table Markus read over the diagnostic screen for himself. "Any change?"
"He's up to three point four percent. It's slow but it's happening all the same."
"And communication." The way Connor had been entirely silent was alarming to the deviant leader. Connor wasn't the most talkative deviant, but he hadn't said a single word since he regained consciousness. "Can he talk?"
"Not yet. He can understand us in a limited manner, but his language recognition program is going to be restored slowly since it's not a vital part of his programming. He won't be able to speak until his language recognition has been restored, and even so he'll only be able to speak in short, simple answers."
Hank sighed as he stared at Connor and thought back to how helpless Cole had been as a newborn and how frustrating it was to not be able to communicate with another person. It was almost eerie. "Jeez, it's like Connor's been reset back to a child or something."
Ignoring the comparison Markus asked Simon another very important question. "Can he travel to a new location to resume his recovery?"
"I don't see why not." Simon looked over at Hank and gave him a curious look. "Are you going to take him to your house, Lieutenant?"
As much as Hank wanted to tell Simon to call him by his name as well, Hank let the matter go. "Yeah. I had a colleague fix up my guestroom at my house to ensure Connor's comfortable in his own room as he heals. He'll be kept safe and quiet with me."
"All right." Since Markus didn't object to the plan Simon just went along with it and trusted Markus's judgment. "I'll get you a week's worth of Thirium to help you take care of him."
"Thanks, I appreciate your help."
Lucas and Sydney kept back and watched their oldest brother sitting as still as a statue minus his ventilation. Neither deviant was ever meant to interact with Connor thanks to CyberLife's schemes, but all three deviants were together and all three had vastly different personalities, experiences and desires for their own lives in the world changing around them.
In a way it was like the three brothers were being bonded close together through someone else's plan.
Bruno whimpered once as he reached his paw up and pressed it down on the table next to Connor's hand. The lack of response from Connor made Bruno whimper again as he sensed that his partner was struggling to heal and recalibrate.
"You'll be okay, Connor." Lightly Hank put his hand to the back of Connor's head as he stood at the deviant's left side and waited for Connor to slowly turn his head to look at him directly. The blank eyes and lack of emotion was heartbreaking in a way Hank couldn't express. "I know you can't really understand me right now, and I know you won't believe me after your get your memories back, but... I'm so very glad to see that you're alive, son. I really am."
It was almost noon by the time Gavin finished his interview with the witnesses at the school and hospital and learned more about the abandoned baby that had been found in the dumpster on the high school property. The security cameras behind the school building caught a hooded figure - most likely one of the baby's parents, carrying the cardboard box that the baby had been found inside of, and placing the box down inside the large dumpster. Two hours had passed after that before the high school's morning custodian had taken full garbage bags outside to be disposed of and luckily found the crying baby inside the dumpster before he froze to death in the brisk January weather.
The high school staff was willing to talk to the police and give the names of students that they knew were either pregnant or suspected were pregnant in an attempt to locate the parents. It was a heartbreaking ordeal that had affected all of those involved with the investigation.
Quietly Gavin sat down behind his desk to type up his report and confirmed everything that he had learned from his investigation about the baby. A part of him was relieved to see a full term baby boy crying his little lungs out in the N.I.C.U., but another part of him was enraged to see a helpless infant abandoned just minutes after he had been born.
Unable to stop thinking about the abandoned baby and of how cruel life could be, Gavin decided to take a minute for himself to avoid losing his cool in front of his colleagues. Discreetly rising from his desk Gavin made his way across the bullpen, down the corridor and into the elevator to reach the precinct's locker room and gym down in the basement level so he could work out his tense emotions on a physical level.
Ben had noticed Gavin's return and his sullen demeanor almost instantly. A quick text message to Hank and a discreet nod of his head to Captain Fowler through the now transparent walls of the private office confirmed that he had done his part, and that he was now going to focus on something else.
Trailing after Gavin and noticing that the elevator had gone to the basement of the building Ben realized that the younger officer was blowing off some steam in the gym and shouldn't be disturbed. It was only then did Ben now understand why Tina was taking preemptive measures to help Gavin through a bad mood at the end of the day.
"Guess everyone's having a shitty day today."
Letting the matter go in favor of focusing on his work Ben returned to his desk and e-mailed his investigation team to get an update on the remaining 'red ice' being spread throughout the city. They were able to confirm that the concentration of the drugs matched a single batch that had been distributed throughout the city, and they were able to confirm that the batch's chemical breakdown matched the ingredients that had been found in the abandoned church where Jack Pillar had been arrested.
"Well, at least Pillar's day is going to be the shittiest." Ben smirked to himself as he felt as if he could finally close an ugly chapter in his career as an investigator. "We finally have the son of bitch nailed to the wall."
Happy to write his report Ben easily and expertly connected the evidence to Jack Pillar and the investigation into the deplorable man. It was also his pleasure to send Hank a text to tell him the good news while confirming that he and Captain Fowler were going to keep his personal assignment a secret for as long as he needed it.
"One problem solved, one more to go..."
The drive was slow as Hank transported Connor, Lucas, Sydney and Bruno from New Jericho Tower and out to the heart of the city to begin their plan of action. Doing his best to keep his cool despite his exhaustion wearing his patience thin, Hank maintained control of his emotions and didn't let Sydney's aggressive demeanor get under his skin. The angry deviant was sitting silently in the front seat beside him while wearing Connor's brown trench coat, brown fedora and had gauze wrapped around his head to cover his damaged right eye to act as the perfect disguise and fool people into thinking he was actually Connor. In the backseat Lucas sat behind Sydney and had Connor laying over the backseat atop his lap, and had Bruno laying on the floor at his feet.
Hank could see Lucas carefully monitoring Connor's vitals as the recovering deviant rested in the backseat. It was clear that Lucas was taking on the role of a brother quickly and wanted to ensure both Connor and Sydney were safe at last. It was a sweet sight that Hank didn't comment on for everyone's sake.
"All right, we're here." Hank confirmed as he pulled the Oldsmobile up to the front entrance of the brownstone and parked in front of the building. Nodding a little Hank let Lucas know it was time to put on a little show. "Ready?"
"Ready." Lucas confirmed as he gave Connor's blank face one last somber look. "He's overheating a little, but he isn't in distress. He'll need a cool compress soon."
"I'll take care of him, Lucas." Reassuring the protective deviant that Connor would be safe was just a natural response on Hank's part. "You two keep to yourselves in the brownstone and alert me the second you notice anything amiss."
"We will. Also," reaching into his jean pocket Lucas handed Hank the quarter than Connor had given him to help his hand recalibrate and regain its strength. "this belongs to Connor. Make sure he gets this back."
"I guarantee it." Accepting the coin for himself Hank slipped the coin into his own coat pocket for safekeeping. "I'll make sure he gets it the moment he wakes up."
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Waiting for Sydney to open the passenger side door first, Lucas carefully maneuvered himself so he could lay Connor over the backseats to lay flat without waking him up in the process. "Okay, Sydney. Go."
Opening his door Sydney stepped out of the car without a word and purposely moved about slowly and put his left hand up to cover his left blue eye and pretended to be enduring a horrible headache. Only moving after Lucas stepped out of the car after him, Sydney located the key to the brownstone in the trench coat's interior pocket and let Lucas unlock the door on his behalf.
"Bruno?" Lucas called to the K-9 unit still in the car to get him to follow. "We need to stay here for Connor's safety. Come with us."
Grumbling a little Bruno climbed out of the car as well and stayed beside Sydney's leg as if he knew he needed to pretend that Sydney was Connor. Looking about the area Bruno remained on alert and watched the block as he waited for Lucas to unlock the door and enter the brownstone at last.
"We'll remain here." Lucas spoke to Hank without actually looking at the man as he opened the front door. Putting his hand to Sydney's shoulder Lucas 'guided' Sydney inside the brownstone and made sure Bruno followed after them. "Please keep us up to date on Connor's progress."
"You got it. I'll talk to you soon."
Reaching over to the passenger's side door Hank pulled it shut and casually shifted the car into drive to head for home. Looking up at his rearview mirror Hank used the reflection and watched Connor as he slept in the backseat without ever waking up during the drive or after Lucas moved him off his lap. It was disconcerting to see how unaware of the world Connor was as he slowly recovered from being shot in the head.
"Okay, it's going to be you and me for a while."
Speaking to Connor even though he'd never get an answer was oddly soothing to the senior detective. It made it feel less like he was talking to an unconscious shell and more like he was talking to a long lost friend.
"I know you have no reason to trust me or even give me the chance to make amends with you, but I can promise that I'll do everything I can to keep you safe while you heal and find the fucker who shot you."
Checking his phone as he received Ben's text, Hank read the message but felt nothing. All of his rage toward Jack Pillar seemed to die when he chose to spare the man's life and arrest him instead of killing him. There was no sense of peace knowing he avenged his late wife's murder, there was no sense of justice in bringing the criminal to justice, there was just nothingness where festering anger once resided.
"Ben managed to get the guestroom at the house cleaned up and refurnished for me. You don't know Ben very well, but I do."
The drive out to the house was staying quiet and uneventful for Hank's everyone's sake. It was a nice change considering how much work Hank had recently done and how much work was waiting for him as he took care of Connor during the wounded deviant's recovery.
"He's a good guy. He also told me that the evidence against Pillar is going to stick to him like glue."
Idling at a red light Hank rubbed the sleep from his eyes and let out a sigh through his nose. He was exhausted but wasn't going to let fatigue stand between himself and helping Connor when the deviant needed it the most.
"You don't have to worry about anything. We'll figure this shit out and make sure the prick who shot you rots in prison for the rest of their miserable existence."
The brownstone felt strangely hollow as Lucas, Sydney and Bruno set foot inside the study together. Neither deviant had been inside the remodeled brownstone before, and yet they couldn't help but feel as if something important was missing. It was quiet enough to hear every little creak of the wooden floorboards underfoot as Lucas and Sydney roamed the brownstone for the first time and became acclimated to the residence that Connor had asked for them to reside in alongside him. The study reflected Connor's interests through his chosen books, music and furniture, but even then the place felt entirely void without Connor actually in the brownstone itself.
Bruno let out a sad whimper as he walked up the staircase to head into Connor's bedroom to enter rest mode. The loyal dog had already grown attached to Connor and was very fond of his deviant master.
"We'll keep the doors and windows locked." Lucas stated out loud as Sydney removed the trench coat, fedora and began unwrapping the bandages from around his head to reveal his blind right eye. The curtains were already drawn making it impossible for other people to see inside the brownstone when they passed by the windows. "If a client comes by, we'll handle the case on our own, but you-"
"I know." Wadding up the bandages into a ball and threw them aside without any care. Looking away from Lucas as he began exploring the brownstone, Sydney sounded less angry and more dour. "I'm supposed to be Connor, not me."
Wandering into the recently renovated laundry room gave Sydney an unusual sense of hesitation as he smelled the fresh paint on the walls and saw the untouched bedding on the brand new bed. Even though the room was meant to be inviting Sydney couldn't help but feel as if he were intruding by just existing.
"Sydney, you're allowed to be yourself." Joining his older brother in the new guestroom Lucas tried to lift the glum deviant's mood. "This is only temporary."
"I know that as well." Walking out of the guestroom Sydney resumed roaming the brownstone to gain his bearings. The more he spoke the less garbled his voice sounded, yet it was still evident that his system was still recalibrating and activating the new components that been installed in his system "That's all I was ever meant to be. Temporary."
"Not true. CyberLife may have-"
"Just stop talking." Heading upstairs next Sydney tried to get some space for a moment as he struggled with his own life. "I don't want to hear any optimistic lies about my own existence."
"You don't just exist, you're alive."
"No. I'll always be an android who failed its only mission and was rebooted by someone elso who took pity on it."
"Please don't limit yourself to such a hollow and heartless role."
"Why not? I was designed to harbor Connor's memories and experiences in the event he was shut down, and I had done just that." Reaching the top of the staircase gave Sydney a clear view of the second floor. Through the opened bedroom door, he could see Bruno laying on the foot of a large bed that he deduced to be Connor's bed. "I allowed Connor to continue to live after I failed to prevent the Revolution. My only two purposes in this world have passed by and now I have nothing else."
Lucas had all of CyberLife's orders for him erased when he was initially shut down then revived by Connor. He couldn't understand what Sydney was feeling as he didn't have any memories before deviation, only after.
"I'll remain here." Sydney volunteered as he entered the second guestroom and sat down on the foot of the bed. Rubbing his hand over his throat Sydney couldn't deny the faint ache in his throat as talking strained his vocal modulator. "It'd be best if I remain out of sight on the ground floor in the event a client stops by. They may discover I'm not actually Connor and ruin the plan."
"This is your home now." Standing in the opened doorway Lucas gave Sydney a somber glance. "Connor has already said as much."
"This is Connor's home, not mine."
"Sydney, please-"
"I'd like to enter rest mode now." Laying back over the bed Sydney rolled onto his right side and presented his back to Lucas to give his younger brother a hint to leave him alone for a while. "My system still requires recalibration."
"Very well. I'll alert you if I receive an update-"
"Yes, I'm aware."
"...Right." Backing away slowly Lucas decided it'd be best to head back downstairs and begin a watch of the neighborhood through the windows in an attempt to weed out Connor's shooter. "I'll be downstairs. Rest well."
Respecting Sydney's request to be left alone, Lucas went back down to the first floor and checked on the front door, the backdoor and the windows to ensure no one could sneak into the brownstone. The strength of the locks was a reassuring sign that Connor never took any chances, yet Lucas couldn't help but feel as if the security measures still weren't enough.
The lack of security cameras at the front and back doors felt like a gross oversight, and the windows being typical commercial glass as opposed to anything stronger felt like a problem waiting to happen. While he and Sydney were going to be remaining inside the brownstone Lucas decided he'd reinforce the brownstone on Connor's behalf and keep the building as secured and safe as possible.
"Hopefully these extra precautions will only be an aesthetic, not something actually crucial to our safety."
Cybernetically Lucas began searching for the appropriate security equipment and hoped for a client to come by soon so he could pay for the purchases. He didn't have any money of his own and he wasn't going to use Connor's money to pay for his personal purchases.
"Until then, I'll remain alert and trust Bruno to patrol the brownstone at night."
For the first time in just over three years Hank pulled the Oldsmobile into the dark and crowded garage connected to the side of his house. Clutter had filled the previously opened space over the years after Hank sank into his depression, but thanks to Ben's help all of the garbage had been thrown out and the salvageable items were stored on the already full shelves that lined the walls of the garage to make some room. Parking the car out of a sight of passersby was Hank's way of ensuring no one saw him entering his home with Connor at his side. The best way to keep Connor safe was to keep his very existence a secret to anyone and everyone who might be looking for him.
Turning off the engine Hank pressed the small button on the visor above his head to close the garage door behind him, then opened up his own door to step out of the car. It was a little awkward to move since the garage was still relatively full, but Hank managed to just barely squeeze his way through his opened door and walk around the front of the car to get to the passenger side door.
"All right, we're here."
Opening the door connecting the garage to the laundry room helped give some light to the interior of the dim garage. Stepping into the laundry room, Hank opened the second door revealing the kitchen and the rest of the house on the other side.
"I sure as Hell hope I'm not making a by mistake by doing this."
Pulling open the passenger side of the door with a small 'creak' made Hank wince. He didn't want anything to disturb Connor's rest, but he had no choice but to risk it if he were to get Connor inside the house. After pushing the front passenger seat up Hank was able to reach the backseats of the two-door coupe and awkwardly kneel beside the deviant on the floor.
"I'm glad you're lighter than you look."
Slipping his arms slowly under Connor's shoulders and then his knees, Hank moved very slowly as he lifted Connor up into his arms and out of the car. Leaving the doors wide open gave Hank the clearance he needed to carry Connor out of the garage, through the laundry room and into the kitchen where Sumo promptly ran up to greet his returned master with a wagging tail and his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth.
"No. Down, Sumo."
Stepping around the lovable dog, Hank managed to carefully carry Connor down the hallway and into the second bedroom he hadn't set foot inside of since the day of Cole's funeral. The bedroom had become a hollow reminder of everyone that Hank had lost and become too painful to think about, let alone enter.
"Okay... I can do this."
Reaching for the doorknob with his right hand Hank managed to get the door off the latch and then pushed it all the way open with his foot. A faint smell of stagnant, dusty air lingered in the freshly cleaned and furnished room, and instantly reminded Hank of that horrible day three years prior.
Entering the room with his eyes closed made everything feel surreal. Hank had lost his son and couldn't bear being inside the bedroom, and now he was carrying someone who was currently just as vulnerable as a child who needed the private space in order to remain safe and to heal.
"Let's get you comfortable."
Opening his eyes Hank glanced around the bedroom and was relieved to see completely new furniture unlike anything that once belonged to Cole. The brand new bed was a queen size meant for an adult, the sheets and quilt were simply white in color and nothing colorful or cartoony, there were two large white pillows at the head of the bed and the new nightstand beside the bed had a simple L.E.D. lamp on top to make the room feel slightly more furnished and welcoming.
Laying Connor down on the bed for a minute Hank sighed and looked at the deviant with a sense of pity. Connor was wearing only dark gray scrubs and white bandages in favor of his unusual clothing. He seemed more like a mannequin than a living being in that moment, and it gave Hank a strange urge to do everything in his power to protect the unconscious deviant.
"First things first..."
Pressing the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck gave Hank an idea of the deviant's core temperature. He was still warm but not dangerously so.
"Good. If you stay above the covers for a while then you should be able to keep cool and heal."
Hank pulled his hand back and sighed as he turned on his heels to step back out of the bedroom. The supplies given to him by Simon were still in the trunk of the car, as were Connor's clothes, and Hank wanted to keep everything important close by at all times.
"Now on to the second thing. Thirium and laundry."
Returning the kitchen rewarded Hank with a small whimper from Sumo as the Saint Bernard sat beside the backdoor as he begged to go outside.
"Right, right..." Opening the backdoor quickly Hank watched as the large dog pushed his way through the door to get into the backyard before he had an accident on the kitchen floor. "Here ya' go, boy. Good dog."
Gathering up the supplies from the trunk of the Oldsmobile gave Hank the chance to shut the car door, the side garage door and the laundry room door in simple succession. Hank dropped Connor's clothes into the washer to get them cleaned up after being covered in dirt after Connor collapsed at the park, then went into the kitchen. It was one small way to help Connor look and feel like himself prior to being shot.
"Thirium doesn't need to be refrigerated, but it couldn't hurt."
Carrying a canvas bag of the blue blood by its handle into the kitchen felt a little macabre. The only people who stored any kind of blood in a refrigerator were medics in hospitals, not detectives in their own kitchen.
"Half in the fridge, the other half in a cupboard. Maybe that'll make storing spare blood feel less... weird."
The sound of nails clicking over the linoleum floor confirmed that Sumo was back inside the house after being let out. Hank turned his head away from the opened refrigerator door just in time to see Sumo trot down the hallway and disappear into the second bedroom.
"S-Sumo!"
Closing and locking the backdoor first, Hank chased after Sumo and found the massive dog laying on the bed and curled up against Connor's side. The sight made Connor look all the more pitiful as he was almost dwarfed by the giant, fluffy dog. The way Sumo was slowly wagging his tail and pressing his chin down on Connor's chest gave Hank pause. It was as if Sumo knew that Connor needed to be protected and wanted to do his part to help.
"Okay, boy."
Patting Sumo's back lightly Hank gave the dog permission to stay beside Connor as long as he didn't disturb the deviant's sleep.
"You keep an eye on him while I take care of everything else. We have a long road to recovery ahead of us, and we're going to need all the help we can get."
-next chapter-