The air throughout the entire city was tense as the hunt for the "Binary Killer" had failed to yield any substantial results. While every detective was trying to take breaks in between their lengthy investigations for the elusive killer, there was a new problem manifesting downtown at City Hall against anyone's will. It seemed that not only were people demanding answers regarding the murders and expecting a progressive plan of action from the police, but the entirety of Detroit wanted to know who was in charge of the active fiasco considering the seeming lack of leadership. Without an acting mayor in office to answer any questions or make any definitive decisions, it seemed the city was beginning to fall apart at the seams. The lack of proper guidance and the lack of any answers that were even remotely believable had left the citizens feeling edgy and righteously guarded.
Taking the rare moment of having no active case to work on or a client to speak with, Connor and Lucas set to work creating their own devices of self defense that wouldn't kill anyone, but it'd definitely hurt when push came to shove. The devices were small collapsible batons that could emit an electrical pulse that would be strong enough render someone unconscious, but it wouldn't cause permanent damage or kill someone by mistake.
"This should suffice as an adequate and non-lethal solution to a physical confrontation." Lucas noted as he tested the first baton by extending it from its handle to its full length. The black, plastimetal handle held the actual white colored shaft of the baton when not in use. When extended to its full length the baton was twenty-four inches long and one inch around in diameter. The baton's shaft was also plastimetal with two rectangular plexiglass windows on either side that ran the length of the baton that revealed the inner wiring that produced the controlled electrical shock. "When the small button on the handle is pressed it'll deliver a twenty-thousand volt shock."
"I hope we never have to test these batons in a moment of distress." Holding his own baton Connor checked the structural integrity and held down the button. A small flash of blue colored volts cascaded over the baton without traveling back up the handle to shock its wielder by mistake. "However, it's important that we can defend ourselves while handling cases."
"I prefer being able to subdue someone with a single shock rather than take their life with a bullet or a blade."
"I agree entirely."
"I'll need to return to New Jericho Tower soon." Lucas lamented as he closed his baton and slipped it into his trench coat pocket. "I'll need to assist with matters at the tower regarding the responsibilities that must now be handled by three leaders rather than four."
"I take it North is still unwilling to return to the tower and resume her role as a leader."
"Correct. Last night, after you entered rest mode, I cybernetically spoke with Markus and he confirmed that he had spoken with North yesterday but was unable to speak for very long. She is rightfully angry and mistrustful of those who didn't ask to hear her out or even question the validity of Sydney's evidence."
"Until Sydney is back in the city and able to apologize to North directly, I doubt there'll be any progress between the tower and North herself. Not to mention the fact that Josh needs to face her and apologize for his behavior as well."
Lucas noticed that Connor knew that Josh needed to apologize to North, but he didn't think he deserved the same courtesy. "And to you."
"Huh?" Truly naive to the comment Connor tested his own baton before setting it in on the coffee table next to a wireless charger to keep it fully powered. "What do you mean?"
"Josh tried to murder you in cold blood. The absolute least he can do is apologize to you."
"I'm fine." Connor replied nonchalantly as he scanned over his baton to make sure there weren't any complications. "It's North who deserves the apology."
"Why do you think you're not worthy of an apology?"
"I've recovered and I've been able to move on. North is still struggling and needs support."
Unable to leave the brownstone just yet Lucas joined his brother on the sofa and sat beside him. "You may have physically recovered from being poisoned, but you're still emotionally healing after being betrayed by an ally."
"...It wasn't the first time I've been betrayed. I'm used to it."
"Which is my point." Lucas gave his oldest brother a worried glance as he realized that Connor was still internally at odds with himself and with what had happened to him before, during and after the Revolution. "You deviated on your very first mission, and you were betrayed by CyberLife and Amanda for accepting who you are and refusing to obey their orders. You then had to deal with Lieutenant Anderson being unpredictable and cold while working alongside him, even threatening you with a gun. After that, you felt as if you were somehow at fault for Amanda trying to resume control over your programming and make you assassinate Markus."
"I admit that I have my own faults, and as a result I have no reason to expect those with their own faults to be treated any worse than I had been."
"There's no expectation for you or anyone else to be seen as perfect. We're all flawed in our own ways, yet you seem to think that your personal flaws are the only ones that are worth condemnation. Why do you believe such a notion?"
"...It's complicated." Connor admitted as he tried to understand why he felt as if he needed to be punished for a crime he never committed. Part of the reason he chose to continue his life as a detective was to protect his clients from the same painful fate. "I believe my hesitation to accept that I deserve any form of apology stems from the fact that I discovered my true purpose was to hunt and persecute our own people. I may have deviated and avoided being used as such a tool, but that was still the very reason I even exist."
"Existence is not a crime." Lucas stated in a compassionate manner. "It's not about how we're born or whom we're born to, it's about what we choose to do with our lives that give such an existence any meaning."
"That's very insightful." Impressed with his brother's heartfelt words Connor gave Lucas a stunned look. "How did you come to such a conclusion?"
"Honestly, it stemmed from observing how Lieutenant Anderson took care of you while you were recovering from the shooting."
"...How so?"
"We've both noticed that Lieutenant Anderson has been making changes to his lifestyle and he's been trying to improve himself. And I've noticed that his emotional responses when he associates with you are more... passive than usual. It seems he's been able to see you as a person who deserves respect and a life of your own, and as such he's treating you better even if you cannot trust him. He's chosen to recognize your life for what it is, and he's chosen to improve his own life in turn. He regrets mistreating you as he has been able to see that your life is more than just a passing existence."
"Fascinating."
"And, according to your own programming," Lucas continued in a rather protective manner. "your own existence is based off of something much greater than just being a prototype design. That very programming explains why you're having such a strong reaction to the upgrades, whereas I'm able to function without as many emotional or mental sensitivities."
"I'm aware of that, too." An interesting thought popped into Connor's head as he held the new baton in his hands. The weight of the cool plastimetal in his palms was a stark reminder of how much more he could truly feel post upgrade. "Perhaps the reason Sydney is suffering from emotional difficulties all stem from the same programming. After all, we're both prototypes while you're the completed model of our initial design."
"That may be accurate. However, he avoided such upgrades and has been emotionally stubborn since his initial awakening."
"Then perhaps there is something more to the hidden files contained within my intracranial processor than you initially discovered. We'll need to look further into it at another time when we aren't so preoccupied with other matters."
Bruno grumbled as he trotted down the staircase from the second floor and sat before the sofa to stare at the two brothers. 'Something is happening.'
Connor noted Bruno's red tinted L.E.D. and knew the K-9 unit had picked up on something either through a police broadcast or through a news outlet. "What is it?"
Lucas cybernetically turned on the television mounted on the far wall and brought up the news channel to figure out what Bruno had picked up on. "It appears the city is finally going to do something about the vacated role of mayor."
The blonde haired anchorwoman, Rosanna Cartland, was reading a breaking news report that had essentially rocked the city to its core as she confirmed that there was finally a candidate ready to run for the role of mayor and fill the void that disgraced former mayor Walter Nero had left behind. As she stared into the camera and read from her teleprompter, Rosanna did her best to try to remain unbiased, stoic and completely straight-faced throughout the entire report.
'As of nine-fifteen this morning, the infamous and reclusive billionaire, bio-engineer and founder of the now defunct CyberLife corporation, Elijah Isaac Kamski, has announced his bid to run for the next of Detroit. The announcement came as an absolute shock to the city considering Mr. Kamski's noted reclusive nature, but those who know Mr. Kamski best are seemingly unphased by such a drastic and arguably chaotic future endeavor.'
"Kamski is running for mayor?" Connor whispered in utter shock as he began preconstructing every potential outcome if such a scenario played out. There were too many scenarios to focus on just one, and yet they all made the deviant detective feel very uncomfortable. "Why would he suddenly become interested in politics?"
'At six o'clock this evening Mr. Kamski will make a public announcement and make his bid for mayoral election this fall official.'
Lucas let out a small sigh as he rubbed Bruno's ears lightly. "This is going to cause significant unrest within the tower."
"You'll need to work with Markus and Simon to keep everyone calm." The urge to protect their people and maintain order overrode any desire Connor had to go out into the city to search for the still faceless 'Binary Killer' alongside his brother. At the moment Lucas was needed at New Jericho Tower, not out in the streets. "You head out to the tower while I'll do what I can from here to locate the 'Binary Killer'."
"Yes, okay." Rising to his feet Lucas double-checked to make sure the baton was still functional and cybernetically hailed an autonomous taxi. "I'll remain in contact with you and keep you apprised of anything that happens out at the tower."
"And I'll let you know if I discover anything new with the search for the 'Binary Killer'."
"Please be careful. We may be armed, but that doesn't mean you won't be in some degree of danger during your investigation."
Connor could only nod as Lucas took his leave of the brownstone to return to New Jericho Tower. It seemed that things were only going to become increasingly complicated before anything simplified in any capacity. Unsure of what to expect or how to react to the potential historic news, Connor put his hand on Bruno's ears and cybernetically turned off the television.
"It'd be beneficial if we could solve at least one problem before another manifests."
News of the mayoral bid wasn't just affecting the deviant community. A majority of the officers at the Central Precinct were just as upset and eager to begin a form of damage control for the inevitable retaliation from those who still hated androids and anyone who supported them. With the panic of the "Binary Killer" causing enough stress through the city, the last thing any of the first responders needed to do was handle internal conflict from political agendas and ideals giving people a reason to protest or elicit violence. It was as if Kamski's announcement had struck a match and now the open flame was being held over the powder keg that was Detroit's lingering fears and anger.
With a heavy glare Hank stared at the large television mounted on the wall above the breakroom. The news announcement guaranteed that the day would be stressful and full of unnecessary drama. The hunt for the "Binary Killer" didn't also need to have enraged citizens protesting in the streets because of one controversial man's decision to get involved in politics to obstruct the police investigation.
"This is just what I need..." Rubbing both palms over his face Hank sighed and let sat heavily at his desk. The feeling of his beard becoming overgrown and unkempt again was enough to really aggravate the already exhausted man. "Drama and politics getting thrown in to a hunt for a serial killer. Fuck me."
"Need a little pick-me-up?" Tina asked in a kind manner as she approached Hank's desk and offered him some of her perfectly peeled and sliced kiwi sitting in a white porcelain bowl. "It's not as satisfying as a cinnamon roll, but it's sweet, refreshing and gives you natural energy."
"Since when did you eat kiwi?"
"Since last night. My new beau got me one of those overpriced fruit bouquets and I finally got around to trying kiwi." Placing one of the slices in her mouth Tina smiled and watched as Hank did the same. "I think I'm addicted."
"Worse things to be addicted to. What's your shift supposed to be today?"
"Patrol, paperwork, more patrol and double paperwork. Got something new for me to do?"
"Maybe." Needing to keep his thoughts together Hank asked for her to be a second set of eyes on his behalf. "With Gavin and Chris being put through the wringer I might need you to stick close by and help me keep an eye on them."
"I get it. I'll make sure Gavin doesn't bite anyone's head off or accidentally stress himself into sickness."
"Thanks. I'll keep an eye on Chris." Taking one more slice of kiwi for good measure Hank let Tina go about her business as he went about his own as he went in search of a new lead. The exhaustion throughout the bullpen was palpable and Hank knew that time was running out for both the detectives working on the 'Binary Killer' case, and the killer themself. "Ben? Got anything new?"
"Just a new kind of headache if you want to share."
"I have enough of those already."
"Then, nope. Sorry."
"Shit."
"What about Connor and uh, Lucas?" Ben trusted the two deviant detectives to do everything by the book. "Did they find anything yet?"
"No, not yet. They're working just as hard as we are, but we haven't made much more progress." Fishing his phone from his pocket Hank considered asking Connor for an update, but he decided against it. As far as he was concerned Connor and Lucas were already out in the field. "With any luck they'll be able to get more answers while we're out babysitting the front of City Hall."
"You seriously think that Fowler's going to assign one of us to keep an eye on Kamski's second announcement this evening?"
"Without a doubt." Glancing at the transparent wall of Captain Fowler's private office, Hank watched his commanding officer talking on his phone while pacing the office and angrily gesturing toward the television screen with the news report still being broadcast. "And I guarantee that some asshole is going to make a huge scene and stir the already boiling pot."
"Lieutenant?" Chris walked over to Hank as he stood beside Ben's desk with wide eyes and stern expression. "Two more bodies were just reported by a witness."
"Two bodies at once?" That wasn't how Hank had expected his morning to go. "In the same spot?"
"Yeah. Double-homicide." Lowering his voice a little Chris gave the two senior detectives more details while avoiding eavesdroppers. "There's a binary message written in the victims' blood, one human and one deviant. We don't know what it says yet."
"Son of a bitch. Address?"
"At the abandoned android junkyard." The infamous location had been shut down after the Revolution and the bodies of the androids and deviants had been extracted for proper repairs or burials. "They were found at the center where the large pit had been cleared out and been readied to be filled in."
"And the victims?"
"They haven't been identified yet."
"All right. Let's go out and contain the scene." Turning to look at his colleague behind himself, Hank made sure the investigator was ready to go as well. "Ben?"
"I'm on it." Making a phone call Ben gave Hank a casual wave of his hand. "I'll get my team organized and meet you out there."
"You're with me, Chris." Pulling his car keys from his pocket Hank gave the younger officer a firm nod of his head. "This time you're going to lead the investigation."
Such an order wasn't one Chris had been anticipating and he pointed at himself incredulously. "Me?"
"Yes, you." Certain of his decision Hank gave Chris's shoulder a firm pat as he began walking toward the precinct's front doors. "You're the lead investigator for the deviant division, which means whenever there's a case with a deviant you need to actually lead. You're still learning, I get that, but you still need to take the lead and call the shots on the investigation. Got it?"
"Yeah, I got it. I just didn't expect my first investigation as the lead to revolve around a serial killer."
"I get that. No one should have to take the lead on any serial killer cases, but until all serial killers are caught and locked away, we have to do everything in our power to keep everyone safe and close this case."
"Okay, yeah. I got this." Chris took in a deep breath and steeled his nerves as he mentally prepared to examine at the crime scene in person. "I'll handle this."
It didn't take long for Connor to learn of the two bodies being discovered courtesy of an update from Hank himself. As much as he wanted to inform Lucas and ask for his assistance at the crime scene, he knew that he had to let Lucas take care of New Jericho Tower as a leader. Heading out to the abandoned junkyard site with Bruno at his side, Connor tried to form a pool of suspects that could potentially be the "Binary Killer", but still couldn't narrow down any potential lead to a suspect. The repeated pattern of CyberLife being at the heart of the murders through the victims being connected to the company, and the locations of the bodies being connected to the company, was too broad to be narrowed down to a single person with their sparse evidence.
The autonomous cab neared the entrance to the closed down and closed off junkyard, and Connor put his hand on Bruno's back. He hadn't seen the junkyard since the night he had rescued Bruno from a premature death, and he had hoped to never see it again for the remainder of his time in Detroit.
"We'll examine the bodies, gather the evidence and attempt to track down the killer on foot."
Bruno perked his ears up and gave out a single bark in verbal response before setting up a cybernetic link. 'I am a good tracker.'
"You are a very good tracker." Stepping out of the cab Connor reached his exposed hand back inside to pay the fare and then patted the side of his leg to signal for Bruno to join him outside the vehicle. "You trailed my every movement through the city yesterday, found me at the Manfred residence, and you caught the deviant who had attacked me. You've proven that your ability to track is as accurate as ever."
'I will find the killer.'
"I have a feeling that you will do just that." Attaching the leash to Bruno's collar to ensure the K-9 unit didn't get too far away during the search at the scene, Connor made his way to the center of the junkyard as directed. "We'll examine this scene and analyze the evidence down to the finest of molecules in order to find the lead we've been missing since the beginning."
Barking again Bruno wagged his tail eagerly as Connor led him toward the junkyard where the bodies had been discovered. The massive pit had long since been cleared out and the plans to fill it in with concrete had been delayed due to the murders. A pair of construction workers had found the bodies and quickly called in the double-homicide to the authorities before clocking-out for the rest of the day.
The sound of police drones hovering in the air caught Connor's ear and prompted the deviant to glance upward to mark their current locations. The sight of the holographic police tape outlining the entirety of the large open pit was disconcerting on numerous levels. It didn't help that there were already numerous officers, detectives and members of forensics team gather around and inside the pit where the two bodies had been discovered.
"...Lieutenant Anderson and Detective Miller are both here." Connor observed as he led Bruno over to the pit to begin their own investigation. "I wonder why Detective Reed is absent?"
Bruno snuffled once as he began sniffing the air and turned his attention toward the sectioned off pit. 'I smell fresh blood and fresh Thirium.'
"Yes, the two victims match the pattern of the 'Binary Killer'. One human and one deviant were found with a bloody binary message near their bodies."
'They were killed together. That is different.'
"You're right, it is different. The killer may be escalating their attacks to try to provoke the police into making a mistake." Approaching Hank as he caught the Lieutenant's eye, Connor made sure Bruno didn't cross the police barricade just yet. He wanted to handle everything by the book. "Lieutenant. When were the bodies discovered?"
"Thanks for coming by, Detective." Hank sighed as he put his hands to his hips. The dark bags forming under his blue eyes emphasized how tired he was just from handling the one case. "These two were found about twenty minutes ago, and their time of death was estimated to have been just under an hour ago. They died at nearly the same time."
"I take it the wounds were caused by a machete."
"Yeah. This time the fucker cut off-" Stopping for a moment Hank took in a deep breath as if needing to settle his stomach. "They cut off both of their ears, AND they decapitated both victims."
"Decapitation?" Connor dared to peer into the pit and saw the two bodies on display with their heads laying on the blood drenched dirt just beneath them. Chris was down in the pit taking notes while also keeping a respectable distance from the bodies. "That is the most extreme form of execution thus far."
"Thing is, they also had their hearts cut from their bodies."
Turning back to Hank for a moment Connor realized that the killer was escalating quickly and seemed to be growing increasingly violent with each attack. "Any identification on the victims?"
"Not yet. I, uh, I was about to head into the pit to look for myself. I could use your eyes."
"Right, of course." Letting go of the leash, Connor motioned for Bruno to sit and wait for a new command. "There were two binary messages left behind, correct?"
"Yeah, just like the others." Walking over to the pit Hank found the makeshift ramp leading down into the pit and walked along the wooden planks to reach the bottom of the pit to check over the two victims. Holding his head high Hank motioned to the macabre display that was left behind and made sure Chris knew that he was about to have some company in the pit. "Thing is, the messages don't seem to be exactly the same this time."
"Interesting..." Connor saw the two bodies and felt his artificial stomach knot as his heart skipped a beat. The sight was as gruesome as all the others, but that didn't make it any easier to see. "The killer is either escalating their attacks out of misplaced boldness, or they're becoming more and more unstable with each passing day."
"I think you're right on the money with that one."
The two bodies were suspended three feet into the air courtesy of two large metal hooks from two nearby construction cranes piercing their backs, the bodies were face one another as the cranes remained parked on the East and West banks of the pit itself. The thick, metal cables attaching the hooks to the cranes were pulled taut with the weight of the hooks and the two dead bodies that had been impaled upon them. Both of the victims had their arms and their legs pulled out to their fullest length with strong ropes tied around their wrists and their ankles. Their arms were pulled backward at a painful angle while their legs were being pulled straight downward. Cinderblocks acted as weights at the opposite ends of the ropes to ensure that neither victim could try to pull their limbs back into a more natural alignment.
Deep slashes and gouges marred the bodies at their shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. The gouges were so deep that the bone could be seen through the damaged flesh and muscle. Additional slashes over their chests, abdomens, forearms and legs were created just to make the victims suffer in pain for a while longer. All ten fingers on both victims' hands had been broken at the joints and were left a mangled lump of jagged bones that pointed in physically impossible directions.
Laying in the bloodied dirt beneath the bodies were the heads of the respective victims. Screams of horror and pain kept their slack jaws opened to their fullest, while their unseeing eyes were left open and dilated with terror as they watched their killer slashing at their bodies with a machete. The bloody wounds that marked where the two victims' ears had once been were covered in the same dirt under their heads.
The centers of the two victims' chests were torn open and their hearts had been cut from their bodies. The amount of blood lost during the extraction of the vital organ and the amount of blood gathered under the decapitated heads was enough to make even the most hardened of detective shudder with intimidation.
The first body was a human male in his mid forties. The man's complexion used to be dark, but the massive blood loss left him an unnaturally bluish gray color. With pale brown eyes, black hair that was rapidly graying and a modest pot belly, the man was clearly someone who had lived a sedentary lifestyle that was full of stress. A quick scan over the man's face gave Connor an I.D. that made his stomach sink.
"...Philip Seymour." Connor confirmed with a sour taste now on his tongue. "He was the former Director of Futurology for CyberLife."
"This is NOT a coincidence." Hank determined with a disgusted tone. He looked over at Chris as the younger detective quickly made notes on the victim's name and affiliation with the defunct company. "Without a doubt, this killer is targeting CyberLife."
"Agreed." Turning his attention to the deviant victim Connor sighed and ran a scan over her system next. The android was a redhead with bright green eyes and a fair complexion with aesthetically added freckles. "She was Paige, model 'MC-200'. She was one of the first medical androids released to the public."
"How was she associated with CyberLife?"
"She..." Connor paused for a moment as he struggled to place the android and where she fell in line with the serial killer's pattern of behavior. The records for Paige had been curiously sealed behind a tight lock by CyberLife itself. "One moment, please."
Hank found it strange that Connor was struggling to uncover Paige's past, but he didn't push the deviant too hard. Instead, Hank focused on Chris to ask about the rest of the crime scene. "Find anything down here beyond these two poor souls?"
"There are some shoe prints that match the ones that Connor had tracked from the golf course a few days back." Pointing to the prints in the soft dirt all around the two bodies, Chris helped Hank get an idea of how the killer moved as they slaughtered their latest victims. "The shoe prints lead South and indicates that the killer climbed out of the pit without using a ladder, lift or a ramp."
"Looks like they were confident no one would catch them in the act." Approaching the South side of the pit Hank eyed the disturbed dirt indicating where the killer dug into the dirt side to create hand and foot holds during their climb. Leaving an isolated place covered in blood, dirt and carrying a weapon would've been noticed immediately by anyone with a functioning brain. "What about security cameras?"
"Just like at The Posh Recuperation. All of the cameras were disabled in turn and not a single thing was caught."
"This killer is definitely a deviant. No human would be able to be this slick and untraceable."
"Lieutenant?" Connor had finished breaking the lock on the file and discovered Paige's connection to CyberLife, and seemed to actually pale with fear. "This deviant was the previous caretaker to the late Amanda Stern. And Amanda Stern was the mentor to Elijah Kamski."
Hank froze where he stood as he gave Connor an understanding look as he realized why the young deviant was suddenly shaken. "And Kamski just announced his bid to run for mayor. There's no way all of this is a coincidence."
"Agreed. It will be difficult, but I believe we need to gain a warrant to search Kamski's residence."
"You really think Kamski would be bold enough to have some deviant take out anyone who could know any of his dirty secrets to give him a better shot at winning the mayoral election?"
"Considering the fact that your first thought regarding any potential motivation went in that immediate direction, yes. I believe that the 'Binary Killer' and Kamski are connected in some way."
"What if..." Trailing off for a moment Hank raised his hand as if to shush the world around him as he gathered his thoughts. "I know it sounds crazy, but, what if the 'Binary Killer' is one of the deviants who live with Kamski?"
"You're referring to Chloe and her sisters." Crossing his arms over his chest Connor shook his head as he looked over at the two binary messages written in the victims' blood over two wooden planks propped in the dirt just behind the bodies. The two messages were both written in binary, but the messages weren't perfectly identical to one another. "The messages being left behind could indicate that there is a seriously disturbed deviant trying to please Kamski."
"What do the messages say?" As Hank asked the question he felt Chris walk up beside him with his notepad at the ready. "Anything damning?"
"The first message that was written in Mr. Seymour's blood states: 'The truth will be unveiled'." Connor confirmed as he read the threat and turned his attention to the second message waiting to be deciphered. "And the message written in Paige's blood states: 'The world will find balance'."
"What truth? What balance?" The messages were as cryptic and strange as ever. "Is this killer trying to uncover CyberLife secrets?"
"It's entirely possible that the killer sees those who once worked for CyberLife as a threat to what they perceive to be a valuable truth." Curling his index finger and thumb Connor placed them between his and Connor let out a high pitched whistle and summoned Bruno down into the pit. "Regardless of their motive, the killer must be found."
"Hard to do when the killer is seemingly a ghost!"
"Ghosts don't leave shoe prints."
"Uh-huh, but they can vanish without leaving behind any evidence."
"Doubtful that they managed to hide every trace of their existence." Bruno rushed into the pit by using the makeshift ramp and promptly sat down at Connor's feet ready to receive his order. "Bruno, just as you traced my scent through the city yesterday, you must find a trace of the killer and locate them. Any scent that belongs to an android that shouldn't be in this area is the key to finding the killer."
Bruno barked as he began sniffing the area. The K-9 unit's L.E.D. cycled in all three primary colors before settling on red and pulsing at a rapid beat. Whimpering once with a sense of failure Bruno looked over at Connor with his ears low and his tail tucked between his legs. 'Too many scents. Too many androids.'
"Shit. The killer must've..." A moment of discovery flashed over Connor's soulful brown eyes as he finally realized the real reason the locations in which the bodies had been discovered were chosen. The bodies were all taken to areas that would mask the killer's identity. "That's it."
"What's it?" Hank couldn't hear Bruno talking on a cybernetic link or even hazard a guess as to what Connor was thinking. "Have an idea of where this fucker is?"
"Not their current location, but I believe I've deduced why they selected the particular places where the bodies have been discovered." Motioning to the pit all around them Connor looked over at Bruno and saw that the K-9 unit was still thoroughly confused. "They're attempting to disguise their scent by leaving the bodies where countless deviants could've traversed in the past. It'd be arguably impossible to isolate one deviant from the others when there are no witnesses or physical pieces of evidence to analyze."
"Wait? ALL the crime scenes were selected for that one reason?"
"Yes. The abandoned house where Jason Graff had been found was purchased by a real estate agency to have the house restored and then put back on to the market. When a dwelling has suffered massive neglect and decay, what is the legal protocol for safely cleaning the property before anyone can inhabit said property?"
Hank nodded as he figured out what Connor was referencing and knew Chris would catch on just as easily. "They call in a team of androids who are specifically programmed to disinfect and identify all bacteria and possible molds in the residence. If there was a trace of a deviant left behind inside the house it would've trailed us to one of the androids who were apart of the hired cleaning crew."
"That's right. And the alleyway where Rebecca had been found was in a predominantly deviant neighborhood, and numerous deviants still act as garbage disposal units who'd venture down the alley more often than any humans."
"Son of a bitch." Hank rubbed his hand over his bearded chin as he looked over at Chris. He saw the recognition flash in Chris's eyes confirming that he knew exactly what Hank and Connor had discovered. "That ritzy golf course would have deviant groundskeepers walking all over the place, and the old CyberLife store is pretty self explanatory."
Chris agreed as he gave his two colleagues a somber glance. "And now we're standing in a pit that held thousands of different androids for years before they were removed. Any deviant traces would be impossible to isolate from one another due to prolonged and preexisting contamination."
"That's what the killer had anticipated." Connor confirmed as he reached out his hand and patted Bruno's ears. "However, android K-9 units are capable of remembering and storing scent trails for the remainder of their existence, whereas organic K-9 units can only track one scent at a time. Bruno had managed to track my scent from the previous four crime scenes and to other locations in the city without any difficulty. He can isolate the deviant scent that's consistent at all four crimes scenes AND in this pit."
Hank's blue eyes lit up for a moment as a coy grin appeared on his face. "I'll be damned. If you're right, then that means Bruno can trace this sick son of bitch and lead us right to them."
"I'll accompany Bruno as we hunt for the killer on foot."
"Right. Detective Miller and I will contain this scene, keep the media from hearing about your plan of action, and chronicle all of the evidence for proper documentation."
Connor agreed and crouched down in front of Bruno to give the dog his new assignment. "Bruno, I need you to isolate the scents you recorded yesterday while you were tracking me down. Search for a scent that was found at all four crime scenes that do not belong to myself, Lieutenant Anderson or Detective Miller. Isolate a deviant who had been present at all of the previous crime scenes and this one, who is not a member of law enforcement."
'Working...' Bruno replied cybernetically as he panted anxiously and began using his software accordingly. After sifting through two-thousand, four-hundred and twenty-seven deviant scents, Bruno was able to isolate just one scent that matched the criteria and barked loudly. 'Scent found.'
"Good boy." Unclipping the leash from Bruno's collar Connor made sure the dog could run wherever he needed without risking the leash getting caught on anything that could harm him. "Seek!"
Bruno let out another bark as he caught the scent trail in the air and traced it to the shoe prints in the soft dirt all around the pit. Racing up to the Southern end of the pit, the determined dog let out a low howl and then returned to the ramp to exit the pit in the same way he entered to follow the shoe prints walking away from the pit and back toward the city.
As Connor jogged after the dog Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and gave Captain Fowler an update on what was happening at the pit. The senior detective wanted to stay on top of everything happening to ensure that he wasn't caught off guard while they finally had a lead in tracking down the "Binary Killer".
"This day is just getting started." Chris whispered as he made his notes and checked over the evidence with a timid motion. He didn't want to touch anything that might cause an accidental contamination to the crime scene itself. "I am not looking forward to seeing how it ends."
All of New Jericho Tower was still on lockdown and the denizens living inside of the tower were cautiously keeping to themselves. No one had any idea of who the "Binary Killer" could be, and no one knew what to expect now that their creator, Elijah Kamski, was seeking to run for mayor of Detroit. Due to the sensitivity of the two conflicting situations at hand, the three deviant leaders worked together to remain on top of damage control and keep rumors to an absolute minimum. As long as there was still a sense of control within the tower then there was a good chance that the leaders would be able to give their people a sense of confidence and security even while they were uncertain of what their future might hold.
Anxious and eager for his own updates from his brother, Lucas wandered the tower with a confident demeanor as he watched over his people carefully. While he was on the ground floor and walking the perimeter of the lobby, Markus and Simon were several floors up and speaking with Josh as the former leader stayed in his old private quarters courtesy of his temporarily suspended exile.
"You're sure you're okay?" Simon asked as he and Markus stood beside the door and eyed Josh carefully as the still shaken deviant sat on the edge of his old bed. "If you need someone to talk to, we'll listen."
"I'm okay." Josh responded in a weary voice full of regret and remorse. "I mean, I'm not okay as in finding a mutilated body didn't affect me, but I am okay in knowing that I'm safe here." Leaning forward Josh rested his elbows atop his knees and breathed through his fingers as he pressed his palms to his face. "How are the people doing right now?"
"They're fine." Markus confirmed in a soft voice as he crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't want to be bitter toward Josh but it was hard to not resent the deviant's presence after everything he had done. "Where are you going to stay after the lockdown ends?"
"I'll go back to the shelter on Eight Avenue. There's a lot of good people there that I can help while staying off the streets."
"That's good to hear."
"How's... How are Connor and North doing?"
Simon didn't respond as he knew that it was something that Markus would want to answer on his own. Choosing to instead remain quiet Simon leaned back against the wall behind himself and let Markus speak for himself.
"Connor's doing just fine, according to Lucas. As for North, she's moved on and is ready to find her place in the city away from us."
"She's... not here?" Josh was genuinely surprised that North had chosen to remain away from the tower even after being proven innocent. "I guess I can't say that I blame her. She must've felt so betrayed-"
"She WAS betrayed." Markus replied venomously as he listened to the disgraced leader's words. "There's no mistaking what she went through and how she feels right now. I just don't understand why you wouldn't stand up for her and prove she wasn't guilty. You could've proven that she wasn't the one who poisoned the Thirium without confessing, and she would've been spared the heartache of losing her friends all because of a horrible misunderstanding."
Josh's head bowed with shame as he acknowledged how horrible and selfish his actions had been. "You're right. I should apologize to her."
"Yes you should. And you need to apologize to Connor."
"I... I can't do that."
"And why not?"
"...I can't bring myself to face him."
"You know something?" Shaking his head in disappointment Markus sighed and made a move to leave the room. "I can't face you right now."
Josh didn't say anything as Markus left the room while Simon stayed behind. Even without Markus in the room the air felt heavy, tense and like there was a storm brewing overhead.
"I don't want to take sides in this." Simon managed to whisper as he finally addressed Josh after everything that had happened. "But I do want to stand alongside Markus. He may not be able to face you, but I can."
A small tear rolled down Josh's cheek as he heard the sympathy in Simon's voice. "Ironic."
"Uh, how's that?"
"...Because you want to stand beside Markus instead of me, but you're willing to hear me out."
"What're you- Oh..." It didn't take Simon long to deduce what Josh was talking about. It wasn't until that moment that Simon realized Josh had been harboring deep and unspoken emotions toward him. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"I wanted to, I really did, but when I finally worked up the nerve to tell you it was too late. You had worked up the nerve to confess your feelings toward Markus."
"I honestly had no idea you felt that way about me. Is that... When you didn't want me to agree to a memory probe when Connor revealed North's innocence, were you hoping that I'd side with you and look the other way regarding what you had done? Did you think that we wouldn't have noticed that you were the only one left as a possible suspect with or without the probes?"
"No, that wasn't it."
"Then why did you fight so hard to keep your secret, even though you knew it meant an innocent deviant was thrown out and into the streets?"
"Because... I'm afraid. I'm afraid of being alone, afraid of being forgotten and afraid of what I'm truly capable of as a free deviant."
The guilt was so palpable that Simon couldn't stay mad at Josh any longer. "Fear had driven you to do something foolish. I understand that, but you still should've known that deception, violence and secrets never would've ended well for anyone involved."
"Like I said, I was afraid. I didn't... want Connor to reveal how much of a coward I am through a memory probe."
"You're not a coward, Josh. Emotions are complicated for everyone, and as the tower's resident therapist you should've known better than anyone that it's better to open up and talk to someone when feeling so overwhelmed."
Unable to respond Josh remained where he sat although he sank down a little lower to confirm how ashamed he felt. "You're right. I do know better, but I didn't do it. I'm such a hypocrite. I don't deserve any pity."
"This isn't pity, it's understanding. None of us are perfect and we're all just as vulnerable as anyone else. But lies, deception and secrecy isn't going to keep us safe from ourselves."
"...How can I make amends for my actions?"
"That's something only you can do and know the answer to. But if you want some advice, try apologizing to those you've wronged and do what you can to mend fences."
Nodding in acknowledgment Josh sighed again and turned to lay on his side over his bed to rest for a while. Even though his quarters were no longer fully furnished or showed any sign of his unique personality, it still felt entirely safe to be there.
"I'm going to rejoin Markus and Lucas." Needing to get some space for a moment, Simon paused at the doorway before leaving. "Uh, I do have to lock your door."
Josh only sighed as he rolled from his side and on to his back. "I know. I won't take it personally."
"Right. See you in a couple of hours."
Once outside of the room Simon pressed his palm over the door's control panel and locked it up. The door being locked was meant to be seen as a vivid reminder that Josh was no longer a leader or permitted to roam the tower freely, and by all account was a prisoner of his own making.
"We're going to need to handle this sooner rather than later." Markus called out as he saw Simon exit the private quarters and seal the door. "We can't just act like both North and Josh no longer residing inside the tower isn't something worth discussing."
Simon turned to face Markus and nodded in agreement. "You're right. We have no right to speak up on their behalves, but we also can't tell them to explain very personal experiences to our people out in the open."
"We'll have to say something if our people start asking questions instead of dismissing them. I guess we'll have to simply answer with that: It's a personal matter."
"That works for me." Taking Markus's hand in his own Simon gave the deviant leader's fingers a gentle squeeze as he smiled warmly. "Now what do we do about the search for the 'Binary Killer'?"
"I think that's something we should speak with Lucas about. After all, he and Connor have been out in the city investigating in person."
"Is Lucas still down in the lobby?"
"Yeah. He's keeping an eye on the entrance and the drive to ensure no one tries to do something foolish." Leading the way to the elevator Markus decided it was time to do their part and find a way to handle the enigmatic killer and ensure that they weren't accidentally harboring a violent criminal within the tower. "With any luck he'll be able to tell us something about what's going on."
The fifth crime scene had been sectioned off and was being monitored by Ben's team while Chris assessed the situation in person. With the double-homicide being investigated and with Connor on the search for the "Binary Killer" on foot, Hank had little else to do beyond return to the precinct to resume damage control regarding the recent murders and the mayoral bid announcement. Eager to hear any form of update from anyone out in the field - Chris, Ben, Connor or Lucas - Hank found himself pacing about the bullpen with his hands pressed to his hips and his eyes glued to the floor. It didn't feel right to be the ranking officer while staying in the precinct, rather than actively investigate the murders. He needed something to do to feel like he was still contributing to the investigation.
Rubbing his hand over his bearded chin Hank looked up at the television screen as the news continued to repeat the story of Kamski's mayoral announcement, only to have it suddenly announce the fifth and sixth victims of the "Binary Killer" being discovered. Watching as the story shifted from one story to the next, Hank began to mentally place his previous steps and tried to find a way to assist the other detectives without leaving his post at the precinct.
It was then Hank recalled a curious piece of evidence that he hadn't really thought about since he brought it back to the precinct and had it locked away in the evidence room secured in the precinct's basement. The notion of the secretive evidence being hidden away and waiting a proper analysis was too tempting for Hank to put off any longer. He didn't have Connor or Lucas's deviant eyes or knowledge of CyberLife, but Hank did have years of experience as a detective and a strong gut instinct to help guide him in the right direction.
"Fuck it. I'm not doing anything in the bullpen anyway."
"Uh, Lieutenant?" Tina caught Hank talking to himself and heading toward the evidence room with his cardkey in hand. With Gavin currently sleeping in the bunkroom and not stressing himself out, Tina was free to tag along and help other officers and detectives. "Something happening?"
"Maybe. If Fowler wants me let him know he can get out of his cushy office and find me down here." Swiping his card through the electronic reader Hank pulled open the door and gave Tina a new order. "And don't tell anyone else where I am. I need to think in private and being hounded with other shit won't help."
"You got it!"
Closing the door behind himself Hank walked down the staircase, passed through the sliding glass doors and entered the opened area that housed the terminal panel that controlled the automated filing system. Accessing the terminal with his credentials and typing in the active case number, Hank watched as the central panel of the far wall slid open and revealed the black binder that had been found at Danielle Carnegie's home.
"All right, let's see what's in this binder that was worth hiding and potentially dying over."
The binder looked completely unassuming and by all account it didn't seem like something that any CyberLife official would use to house secretive documents. Why Danielle had such documents and why they were hidden in plain sight could lead to a means of finally identifying and locating the "Binary Killer" before they struck again.
"Let's see here..."
With a casual motion Hank opened the binder and began checking through each of the carefully laminated pages. Scanning over each word and each name that seemed important was a time consuming endeavor that kept Hank's mind preoccupied for quite some time. Leaning against the wall where the binder had been revealed from its secured storage compartment, Hank noted a few key details that were interesting in a way he hadn't anticipated.
"What the fuck is all this? Other prototype 'RK' models, 'Zhorra' Project', 'Project Eden', 'Genesis Project' and 'soul chips', something called 'Project Light', missing technicians, a damn car accident in Grand Rapids back in 2036... This reads more like a massive conspiracy theory than official company documents."
The files and corresponding photographs were all detailed in such an analytical and mathematical manner that Hank could barely understand what he was reading. There was no doubt that it'd be best for a deviant or someone from CyberLife to translate the files on Hank's behalf.
"I wonder if Joel could figure this shit out for me? I'm sure Connor and Lucas are too busy with their search for the killer to be bothered with coming in to the precinct just to break things down for me like a damn rookie."
Closing the binder Hank checked out the piece of evidence, gave it the proper time and date stamp, his signature, and then resealed the entire evidence locker to prevent any potential rumors of bias or evidence tampering. Carrying the binder under his arm the seasoned Lieutenant left the basement and pulled his phone from his pocket as he fought the temptation to ask for Connor or Lucas's help with the binder itself.
"Then again... The boys probably have the entire thing memorized in their fancy 'robo-brains' and don't need to see the original copy for themselves anymore."
Pocketing his phone Hank exited the basement and made sure the door sealed properly behind himself. Without saying a word the curious detective made his way across the bullpen with the binder and entered the elevator to make his ascent to the second floor dispensary. Unsure if he was following a substantial lead or a red herring, Hank knew that he just needed to keep his mind preoccupied to keep himself from going stir-crazy from stress and mental exertion before he returned to the field or was reassigned to watch over the impending evening announcement at City Hall.
"If we could just get through the day without another body being discovered that'd be fan-fuckin'-tastic."
Rushing through the streets at a steady pace, Connor created a map with his internal G.P.S. to trace the killer's route as he and Bruno left the abandoned junkyard and attempted to help the K-9 unit narrow down any potential hideouts that the infamous and dreaded "Binary Killer" could be using to elude the authorities. The way Bruno had quickly isolated the android scent and traced it all over the city - including the previous crime scenes and various deviant shelters - had been a promising start. It took the loyal dog nearly two hours to race about Detroit and narrow down the search pool, but soon Bruno had been led further away from the heart of the city and toward a relatively remote neighborhood with only a few occupied houses on the streets. Bruno panted as he led Connor to a chained, black iron gate that encircled a property that secured the charred ruins of a burned down mansion.
The burned down mansion was nothing more than a shell of bricks and scorched timber courtesy of the mysterious fire from last November. The entire property had been left abandoned, fenced off and slated for demolition after being condemned by the city. No one had set foot inside the mansion since the cold night the fire department doused the blaze and carted off Andronikov Zlatko's charred body to the city morgue. There had been no sign of the mutilated deviants the man had experimented on during that horrific night, and it seemed like those who had escaped Zlatko's experiments had disappeared into the neighboring forest just outside the city.
By all account not a single living presence was on the property and hadn't been on the property after the fire department extinguished the blaze. It also appeared that it was impossible for anyone or anything to have survived the fire, let alone remain intact while being neglected for five months.
'Trail ends here.' Bruno confirmed cybernetically as he continued to pant and intermittently sniff the air. 'Scent is faint.'
"Faint?" Giving the property a cybernetic scan Connor noted an equally faint cybernetic signal coming from the basement of the condemned structure. "Interesting. The amalgamation of the burned timber, decaying drywall, moldy bricks and the exposure to the elements must be concealing the suspect's presence."
'Yes.' The loyal dog agreed as stood up again only to sit back down. He was exhausted after running all over the city on only three legs, and now he needed to rest to prevent recalibration problems. 'Suspect is here.'
"I'll go and check through the ruins. You remain out here and guard the gate while you rest."
Sitting back down Bruno sat at attention and began scanning the perimeter to monitor the property. 'Okay.'
"Good boy."
Slipping the thick chain from around the bars of the gates Connor pushed the creaking, neglected gates open just enough to slip through and set foot on the forgotten and overgrown property. Instinctively Connor ran another cybernetic scan over the building and noted the structural instability with a slightly disconcerting stare.
Silently Connor made his way into the mansion and carefully opened the blackened and unstable front door. The door itself had been warped by the extensive damage to the door's frame and had rendered the aged door lock entirely useless. Loud eerie 'creaks' filled the charred black foyer of the mansion, and the smell of old ash filled the air as soon as the door audibly groaned open.
Cautiously Connor set foot inside the foyer and ran yet another scan to get a schematic of the building as a whole. Numerous rooms, each one filled with long evaporated Thirium and destroyed biocomponents, as well as the burnt remains of the dozens of androids that Zlatko had experimented on, filled almost every single space of the mansion. It was like a mass pauper grave for lost and forgotten androids who had been cruelly cremated while still somewhat alive.
Cybernetically Connor informed Lucas of what Bruno had found and where he was currently investigating. 'We may have found where the "Binary Killer" has been hiding.'
'You have?' Lucas's voice was as shocked as one would expect considering the dangerous matter at hand. 'How so?'
'Bruno picked up on the scent of a deviant who had been at every crime scene and trailed them here.' Connor sent the exact address and coordinates for Lucas to keep track of. 'I'm going to examine the structure for any sign of the killer still in the area.'
'Be very careful, brother. Don't forget that our upgrades-'
'I won't forget.' Being reminded of his new sensitivities and susceptibilities wasn't something Connor particularly enjoyed. 'I'll take every precaution possible and update you soon.'
Walking slowly Connor approached the stairwell leading to the basement where he detected the cybernetic signature and pushed aside the fallen black timber that obstructed access to the room. Wisely the deviant detective then tested his own weight on the steps to ensure they wouldn't give way from pressure underfoot before trekking down the staircase.
Descending the stairs with an anxious focus Connor noted the makeshift cells that lined the corridor leading into the basement and managed to detect trace amounts of old Thirium that had saturated into the wooden beams that had created the cells in general. For an android to lack the strength to escape from confines constructed from wood and cheap aluminum pipes spoke volumes to how much Zlatko had torn apart the androids he had experimented on. Zlatko had effectively robbed them of their strength and their dignity.
The macabre, illegal lab had been trashed during the fire. The computers had been burned out by the electrical short and suffered from extensive heat damage courtesy of the blaze that had ravaged the mansion. While the machinery itself had been destroyed, the internal components of the computer could still potentially be salvaged if handled in the proper manner.
Connor knelt down and ran a scan over the machinery curiously. The details he uncovered were less than comfortable.
"All of this equipment had come from CyberLife Tower. It wasn't stolen, it was provided."
The deviant detective noted the details with an inquisitive lilt to his words as he examined the modems.
"I doubt Zlatko was working alone. I must use his records to track down his provider, possibly his partner, who had given him this equipment."
Connor retracted the artificial skin from over his palm and placed his exposed hand down on the large modem against the wall. Cybernetically he turned on the modem by feeding it power from his own system and downloaded the encrypted files inside with surprising ease. There were almost four-hundred terabytes of data to decipher, but fortunately Connor's advanced programming allowed him to easily decrypt the data by the gigabyte in a matter of seconds.
"It seems this place wasn't Zlatko's only workshop. He had been using one of the abandoned CyberLife warehouses on the far side of the city."
Burnt and barely legible blueprints on the workbench showed a crude design for the 'URS-12' model that was meant to return polar bears to the Detroit Zoo. The fact that such an abomination was released into the city from the scorched remains of the mansion finally gave Connor the information he needed in regard to where the cannibalistic monster had come from.
"And this is where that abomination of a bear had originated. Disgusting."
As he explored the basement a curious and grotesque sight awaited him. In the furthest corner of the basement was a large, dark green tarp hanging from two hooks mounted to the ceiling. The dark was completely void of any burns or ash, which meant the tarp had been hung up long after the blaze destroyed the mansion. What was all the more interesting was the fact that the tarp seemed to be draped in such a way to hide something from prying eyes.
The shoe prints that Connor had once tracked from the golf course and to the house of their third murder victim were visible in the traces of ash lingering on the floor. The prints were all over the place and all around the tarp meaning that the suspect that Bruno had tracked down was the same suspect that Connor himself had tried to find earlier.
In front of the tarp was a pile of old men's clothing and worn-out shoes that matched the shoe prints that had been all over the previous crime scenes. The clothing was a mixture of old workpants that looked like it was covered in dirt and grease, torn up shirts that were lined with lead to protect the wearer from contamination and a filthy black hoodie that appeared to have been pulled from a dumpster. By all account the "Binary Killer" had been living on the streets and used everything they could get ahold of to clothe themself.
"This is where the 'Binary Killer' has been hiding. We finally found them."
Wary of the tarp and what it might conceal, Connor took in a deep breath and carefully took hold of the side of the tarp and pulled it back. What was waiting to be discovered behind the tarp was enough to make Connor jump back and make his Thirium pump thunder painfully in his chest.
"Dear RA9... This is..."
At a rare loss for words Connor could only stare at the sight in abject and momentarily silent horror.
"I don't know how to properly describe this atrocity."
Mounted on two separate android repair arms were two lifeless android bodies that had been put on a sickening display. The two bodies had been experimented on in a cruel and heartless manner by Zlatko, and then recently modified by the "Binary Killer" themself.
One body, a male that had all of his limbs removed, now had improperly fitting arms and legs hanging from his shoulder and hip sockets by exposed electrical wires and loose Thirium lines. The second body, a female, had her entire upper body twisted in such a way that her internal spinal column had been forced to face in the opposite direction, but was then forcibly returned to its proper position. The warping of her plastimetal frame made the previous damage obvious even to an untrained eye.
As unsettling as the two bodies already were, there were other details that made the situation absolutely revolting. The body parts that had been removed from the previous murder victims had been placed accordingly on and inside the two bodies.
The missing eye of Jason Graff was inserted into the male deviant's left eye socket, and the small organ had clouded over and begun to shrivel. Rebecca's stolen eye had been placed inside the female deviant's right eye socket but was hanging loose by an improperly attached line. Both deviants had the stolen ears crudely attached to the sides of their heads with metal bindings, and the organic tissue was still bleeding. The tongues of the previous victims had been crammed into the two mouths of the deviant bodies and were decaying as one would expect.
The most disturbing sight were the two stolen hearts dripping blood from the centers of the two android bodies' chests. The male deviant had the human heart, and the female deviant had the Thirium pump. The fresh blood still dripping on the floor confirmed that the "Binary Killer" had been by the mansion very recently and was either out on the hunt or forming their next plan.
Scanning the macabre sight Connor sent both Lucas and Hank an update on what he had discovered. Taking in the crime scene even as his artificial stomach knotted and threatened to rebel, the deviant detective made sure no detail was accidentally overlooked during the investigation.
'What in the world?' Lucas replied first and sounded as stunned as Connor felt. The cybernetic images were striking enough to elicit an emotional reaction from the deviant despite not being there in person. 'Who are these deviants, and why were they posed in such a cruel manner?'
"Unknown." Continuing his scan Connor noted that the deviants had their physical serial numbers removed from their frames and they had their system erased over and over again resulting in a total loss of identity. They also had so many parts of their bodies removed, replaced and altered that there was no way to tell which bits of their bodies were truly their own and which parts were used to create their chimeric forms. "They'll need a full apportionment to uncover their names and models."
'They will be taken care of.' The deviant technician and leader was determined to make sure everyone who needed help was given the attention they needed and shown the respect that they deserved. 'Are you safe?'
"Yes. There is no sign of the killer anywhere inside the mansion, and Bruno is keeping watch outside." As his scan concluded Connor noted the final messages that were left behind by the 'Binary Killer', and he been painted in the blood of the victims and left on display over the wall behind the two deviant bodies. "Shit... I need you to head downtown and watch over City Hall as soon as possible."
'I'll head there right now.' Lucas confirmed without any hesitation in either his words or his actions. 'What did you find?'
"The killer's next target and their final message."
As he cybernetically hailed an autonomous cab Lucas continued to communicate with his brother. 'What does the message say? I cannot see it in full just from the images you have sent me.'
Standing back Connor looked at the binary message written in red human blood painted over the eerie portrait painted in Thirium. Deciphering the coded message first, Connor kept his little brother in the loop while actively uploading his discovery to the precinct. "The message says: 'Know thy enemy and reveal the face of the false God'."
'That is very ominous. And who is this false God that the killer speaks of?'
The portrait painted in mostly evaporated Thirium glowed brightly only in Connor's enhanced vision and made his heart sink to the floor. "It's Elijah Kamski."
-next chapter-