A rainy spring day fell over Detroit and gave everyone in the city an understandable reason to remain indoors and out of the relatively chilly weather. The strong and nasty rainstorm made it impossible to take Bruno out for a walk as planned, but Connor promised that he'd make up for the missing walk by taking Bruno back to the dog park for an afternoon of just playing and letting the K-9 unit be a normal dog for the day. Until then, the two detectives would spend the day in the study reading, listening to music and watching the news as they waited for the storm to break up and fade away. Meanwhile, Lucas kept on top things out at New Jericho Tower as the newest and fourth leader of the deviants.
The uneventful day, save for the loud thunder and bright lightning flashes outside the brownstone, had proven beneficial for Connor in both body and mind. Being able to just take the day for himself and not worry about other people or cases had given him ample time to relax and truly enjoy his alone time rather than dread it.
As the record played the final note of the last song on the selected album, Connor rose from the sofa to lift the needle from the aged vinyl and returned the record to its sleeve to keep it safe. Having his modest yet emotional collection of music had given Connor genuine solace as he found his emotions matching the music in such a way that he was able to understand himself a little better.
"I'm glad that my interest in music isn't unusual. At least it isn't according to the people who about it."
Connor openly admitted as he put the record back on the shelf where it belonged. It was easier for him to think out loud since hearing his words made him feel as if his own thoughts and feelings were genuine, not just the product of his code or an error in his programming and software.
"Do you like music, Bruno?"
The loyal dog was laying over the second sofa and chewing on his rope as he watched Connor carefully tending to his record and record player. 'I do not like music.'
"Interesting. I wonder if animalistic androids do not hear what humanoid androids hear when it comes to melodies and lyrics."
Bruno's head lifted up from his outstretched paws as he turned to face the front door. With a single bark he confirmed that he did hear something interesting even if Connor could not. 'Visitor'.
"Also interesting."
Two firm knocks on the closed door drew Connor's attention toward the unexpected client seeking his services. After unlocking the front door Connor peered through the peephole but he didn't see anyone outside the door. Curious about whether he had been pranked or not, he opened the door entirely to look around and discovered that he did in fact have a client after all. A very short, scared and soaked to the bone client at that.
"Hello." Connor greeted politely to his unexpected client. "Can I help you?"
A little boy, no older than eight years old, was standing outside the door looking miserable. He had short brown hair, blue eyes, a light complexion and was shivering in his red hoodie that was effectively keeping him cold rather than warm as it remained glued to his skin beneath.
"Do you need some help?" Connor asked another question as he eyed the little boy warily. The boy was shivering and seemingly afraid. "Why are you here?"
"...I can't find my mom." The little boy finally said in a shaking voice. No matter how tightly he wrapped his arms around himself the small child seemed unable to warm up thanks to the relentless rain pouring down on him. Pointing to the name placard beside the opened door the little boy explained why he was at the brownstone and why he had come to Connor for some help. "And you're a cop. My mom said to go to the cops if I need help."
"That's right, but I'm a private detective. I can still help you though."
Reaching into his hoodie pocket the shivering boy pulled out a crumpled five dollar bill toward Connor to take. "This is all I have."
"You... don't have to pay me anything. Come inside." Pushing the money back toward the boy to reclaim Connor couldn't in good conscience take a child's allowance because they needed help finding their parents. Stepping aside Connor insisted that the little boy get out of the rain and enter the warm study. "What is your name?"
Wiping his wet sleeve over his wet face the boy looked around the study and gave Connor a confused look. "Jacob."
"Jacob. My name is Connor, I'm sure you already knew it since you read the placard beside my door." Showing the little boy over to the sofa Connor ran a biometric scan over Jacob's body and noted that he was showing signs of mild hypothermia and could confirm that he hadn't eaten anything in almost four hours. "Can you tell me your last name?"
Staring at Bruno with wide eyes Jacob answered the question while he stood before the large dog. "Szatkowski."
Connor noticed the way Jacob was staring at Bruno and detected a sudden spike of adrenaline in Jacob's vital signs. Recognizing the sign of fear almost instantly the helpful detective cybernetically requested Bruno to leave the study and go upstairs so Jacob couldn't see him.
With a small huff Bruno obeyed the command, grabbed his rope and made his way to the second floor so Jacob could feel better.
"I understand why you'd be afraid of Bruno." Connor sympathized as he motioned for Jacob to sit down for a moment. "He is big, but he's friendly."
"It's not that. I'm allergic to dogs."
"Oh, well, he'll leave you alone all the same." Explaining the lack of pet allergens from android animals to humans would take too long for a third grader who just wanted to find his mom to understand. Instead, Connor focused on helping Jacob reunite with his family. "What is your mother's name?"
"Lisa."
"Lisa Szatkowski." Running the name through the police database and using every potential spelling of the name to ensure accuracy, Connor discovered two people residing in Detroit with that name. Using a facial recognition scan allowed Connor to compare the two faces to Jacob and determine his biological mother. "Jacob," holding up his right palm Connor brought up a holographic image for the little boy to see. "is this your mother?"
Jacob was shocked to see that Connor was an android but quickly looked at the image and nodded his head. "Yeah! That's my mom!"
"All right." Another sweep through the city database gave Connor an address and potential location to take Jacob to if they couldn't find Lisa beforehand. Lowering his palm Connor focused on Jacob's trembling and knew he needed to do something to help the little boy to prevent illness. "Where were you and your mother before you lost track of her?"
"We were at the shopping plaza. Tomorrow's my birthday."
"Happy Birthday." Connor mentally wondered if his comment was appropriate or not, but he was still trying to figure out how to socialize with children since he had very little contact with them in general. "Do you remember which store you were in when you became separated?"
"It was the 'Refresh' store with all the games in it."
While confirming the address of the store in the shopping plaza Connor rose to his feet and proceeded to walk upstairs for a moment. Retrieving a towel from the bathroom Connor carried it back downstairs and handed it over to Jacob to use. "I'll take you there to try to find your mother. Until then, remove your hoodie and dry off as best as you can. I'll put your hoodie in my dryer for a few minutes."
"...'Kay."
Jacob did as he was told and pulled his money from the hoodie pocket before handing it over to Connor to take. Using the towel to dry off his hair Jacob remained on the sofa and then wrapped the towel around himself in an attempt to keep warm while he waited for his hoodie to return. As Jacob used the towel to wipe off his cold and runny nose, he felt a warm blanket drape around his shoulders and turned to see Connor standing behind the sofa.
"I dislike being cold as well." Connor sympathized with the little boy's current situation. The way Jacob clutched at the blanket to pull it tighter around himself reminded Connor of the way he had reacted when exposed to the harsh cold in the past. "I'll turn up the heat so you can feel more comfortable."
"Thanks."
Satisfied that Jacob was going to be all right for the time being, Connor decided to tap into the Central Precinct's database and check on any potential missing children's reports. There hadn't been anything filed for Jacob yet, but that didn't mean his mother wasn't in the process of doing it at that very moment.
A loud clap of thunder made Jacob jump and prompted Connor to check the weather report through a cybernetic link. The storm was very strong and showed little sign of slowing down any time soon. An estimation on the current rate of rainfall and the abundance of thunder and lightning confirmed that the storm was going to remain active for the next four hours minimum, and the deviant detective wasn't sure if Jacob would be able to remain in the brownstone for too much longer since he looked entirely nervous and might panic.
"After your hoodie dries, we'll go back to the store and try to locate your mother." Connor had made sure to check through the hoodie's pocket to ensure there wasn't anything that could be ruined in the dryer by mistake. As a result, he knew the little boy didn't have a phone on him and couldn't call his mother. "Do you know your mother's personal cell phone number? I could call her for you."
"No." Jacob admitted sadly as he hunkered down on the sofa and under the blanket. "My mom doesn't want me to have a phone yet."
"That is unfortunate." Additional lightning made Connor wary of cell phone coverage in the city at the moment anyway. It'd be best to take shelter, wait for the lightning to stop and then return to the plaza to search for Lisa. "However, we will be able to locate your mother once the storm weakens. We'll take an autonomous cab and return to the plaza."
"'Kay."
"May I ask how you wandered so far away from the store to begin with?"
"My mom told me to wait outside the store since she couldn't get her credit card to work, and the store was getting full of people."
"The storm can interfere with the functionality credit and debit machines, that's understandable. Why did you leave the plaza?"
"'Cuz Dustin saw me."
"Who is Dustin?"
"A bully. He always beats me up and takes my money every time he sees me."
The concept of a 'bully' was something Connor hadn't dealt with beyond CyberLife manipulation and bigoted humans in the streets. "Doesn't anyone do anything to discipline Dustin when he misbehaves?"
"The school does, but then he beats me up outside of school so he can't get in anymore trouble. His parents let him have anything he wants, and he makes fun of everyone else 'cuz we don't' have what he has."
"I see." It didn't take long for Connor to deduce that Jacob's bully came from a family of privilege and power. "It sounds like Dustin has no appreciation for what he's given and doesn't respect other people."
"My teacher says that respect is important."
"Your teacher is correct."
"Dustin tried to push me down and take my money, so I ran away from him. He didn't stop chasing me when I got out of the plaza, so I kept running until he left me alone, but I didn't know where I was and got lost."
"And you didn't want to risk running into your bully again while trying to return to the plaza, so you kept walking and then you happened to find me."
"Uh-huh." Jacob was no longer trembling, but he did seem to still be a little cold. "Dustin won't try to beat me up if there's a cop around."
The swift dryer stopped and let out a small 'buzz'. Connor made his way back to the laundry room to retrieve the dry and warm garment for Jacob to reclaim. It was fortunate that the dryer had a rapid cycle that made it easier to keep on top of laundry and get chores done within minutes rather than hours.
"I'll hail an autonomous cab." Passing the hoodie over to Jacob to wear Connor explained his plan of action so the little boy wouldn't be frightened. "And we'll return to the plaza to find your mother."
Jacob pulled the hoodie back on over his head and gave Connor a worried stare. "And what if Dustin's still there?"
"We'll handle that if it becomes necessary. For now, it's more important to reunite you with your mother."
The harsh storm began to calm, but the rain refused to let up. A deluge of chilly rain drenched Detroit without stopping, creating numerous puddles and partially flooded streets throughout the entire city. The lightning had ceased, and the thunder had quieted, but the torrential downpour produced a cacophony of constant pounding that rivaled the very thunder that had stopped nearly an hour beforehand. Due to the uncomfortable weather, there were very few people out in the streets or walking the sidewalks in any part of Detroit. It was a little eerie to see the city so empty with pitch black storm clouds hovering overhead like an ominous threat from nature itself.
During the ride out to the shopping plaza Connor observed the way Jacob was peering through the window in search of his mother and keeping an eye out for his bully at the same time. It was fascinating to see the way the little boy was essentially willing to face a great enemy in order to be reunited with someone he loves and cares about.
"This is where I lost Dustin." Jacob pointed to the block where he had stopped running to catch his breath and saw that his bully had stopped chasing him. "I don't remember where I ran from before that."
"All right." Pressing his exposed palm to the cab's G.P.S. display, Connor halted the taxi, paid the fare and stepped out of the vehicle and on to the sidewalk along with Jacob. Pulling the side of his trench coat out as far as it could go, Connor used the garment to help shield Jacob from the rain as they began looking for his mother on foot. "The plaza is in this direction."
Jacob kept close to Connor and made sure his hood was pulled up over his head even though Connor's offered coat was helping him to keep dry. The little boy trusted Connor since the deviant detective had helped him get out of the rain, promised to find his mother, made sure he was warm, and was going out of his way to keep him safe in the storm.
"We'll go back to the plaza and check the store for your mother. She may have informed the plaza security about your disappearance, and they will be checking through the plaza looking for you."
"Am I going to be in trouble?"
"No. You were afraid of your bully and attempted to get away from him, then you found some help. You didn't run away just to cause problems or disobey your mother."
As the duo approached the shopping plaza Connor took note of the increasing rain and then spotted a nearby kiosk selling hats, ponchos and umbrellas. Stopping at the kiosk he purchased a black colored umbrella, popped it open and held it up and over Jacob's head so the little boy didn't have to worry about the rain. Connor had his trench coat and his fedora to help him keep warm and somewhat dry during the rainstorm, so he didn't need to use the umbrella.
"Let's begin with the store where you last saw your mother." Connor suggested as he and Jacob walked along the sidewalk side by side. Keeping the umbrella over the little boy's head, Connor visually swept over the area in search of Lisa or a police officer who might be looking for Jacob. "Do you remember what kind of clothing your mother was wearing today?"
"Uh... Jeans and brown coat."
"All right, I can work with that."
Connor had to slow his natural pace to ensure that Jacob could keep up with him easily, but he didn't mind the slower walk. It wasn't often that he had the opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of the city, let alone enjoy the stormy weather for its natural beauty and raw power. The smell of the rain in the air, the chilly breezes blowing through the drenched tree branches and leaves, and the sight of the dark clouds swirling overheard while large drops of rain shone through the darkness above were all truly remarkable experiences for Connor to enjoy for the first time in his life.
The splashing of the puddles under foot and the reflections of the towering buildings in the surface of the street puddles beside their feet was a surreal sight. It was like the duo were impossibly taller than the buildings surrounding them rather than the other way around.
A particularly strong breeze managed to cut through Connor's wet trench coat sleeves and made the deviant shudder slightly as he kept the umbrella over Jacob's head. A small warning appeared in Connor's vision confirming that his core temperature was beginning to drop, but he dismissed it since he wasn't in any danger and since he wanted to take care of Jacob first and foremost.
"This is the way to the store." Jacob pointed to the plaza and hastened his pace so that he and Connor could escape the rain at last and enter the roofed corridor that connected a majority of the stores together in the large shopping center. There were a few people still shopping, but it seemed as if the crowds had thinned out due to the poor weather. "Right there!"
Connor closed the umbrella and followed Jacob to the game store where the little boy last saw his mother. The store was closed for business and there was no one inside. The deviant detective noted the store's hours and confirmed that the store had closed nearly twenty minutes prior, meaning that it was impossible for Lisa to still be inside.
"Mom?" Jacob began calling out for his mother as he glanced about the corridor in a near panic. He had truly expected to see his mother still at the store and didn't know what to do. "Mom! Where are you?"
"We'll find her, Jacob." Remaining calm Connor cybernetically tapped into the Central Precinct database once again and found a missing child report having been recently filed that matched Jacob's name and description. "I believe she's at the local police precinct and looking for you there."
Jacob looked up at Connor with wide and hopeful eyes as he stepped away from the store's locked door. "You're sure?!"
"Yes. Come on." Connor led the way back down the corridor and toward the doorway to resume walking the shopping plaza. "We'll go there now and find out."
Jacob jogged after Connor and grabbed on to the sleeve of his trench coat in fear. Using his sleeve Jacob wiped away his tears and stayed right beside Connor as the deviant detective popped the umbrella back open to hold it over Jacob's head again. Jacob wanted to go home, be with his mom and not run into his bully again.
The rain was becoming colder as the storm began to grow in intensity again. Thunder was echoing far in the distance as round two for the storm was set to begin.
"We'll need to hurry and use another cab to travel." Connor suggested as he and Jacob traversed the shopping plaza together. Another warning popped up in his visual processors regarding his lowering core temperature, but again Connor dismissed it in favor of helping Jacob. "Fortunately, it won't take too long to get to the precinct from where we currently are."
"Are you sure my mom will be there?"
"I've just checked with the database at the-" Stopping quickly Connor reminded himself that he was speaking with a young child who wouldn't understand his more technical jargon and would need things explained in a simpler manner. "As a detective, I can ask for assistance from the local police officers. I've been told that your mother is at the precinct and had told the officers that she's looking for you."
"Is she scared?"
"I believe she's worried, not scared." There was no need to accidentally say anything that might upset Jacob. Learning about a delicate touch when it came to emotions had proven to be invaluable to Connor as a private detective. "Once you're with your mother again she won't worry anymore."
The rain was coming down harder and Connor had to try to encourage Jacob to walk a little faster so they could get back to the street and get inside the hailed autonomous cab together. As he ushered Jacob along Connor saw another man removing his coat entirely to cover his twin girls, no older than five years old, as he waited for his own ride in the nearby parking lot. Soon a minivan pulled up in front of him and his girls, and the man quickly got them inside the back of the vehicle and stood awkwardly in the rain as he made sure that they were secured properly in their booster seats in the back before he got in the front passenger seat to escape from the storm himself.
It was strange that Connor had the instinct to do the same for Jacob before even seeing another person using their coat to shelter their own children. Why he knew to protect Jacon from the cold weather without any concern for his own well being was just another confusing aspect of his deviancy and developing emotions.
The wind was becoming stronger, and Connor repositioned his own body so he could shield Jacob from the wind while they waited for the hailed cab. Harsh gusts forced the chilly rain to soak through Connor's clothing rapidly and began to lower his core temperature quickly. Wearing only his black t-shirt as opposed to his usual layered uniform had unintentionally left the deviant prone to the changes in the external temperature all around him.
"The precinct is only four blocks from here." Connor stated as the hailed cab came to a gentle stop before them along the street. Helping Jacob to climb into the back of the vehicle, Connor awkwardly closed the umbrella and placed it on the floor of the cab before could put in the coordinates for the precinct itself. "You'll be reunited with your mother very soon."
"I hope she won't be mad at me."
"I doubt she'll be mad at you once you tell her why you left the plaza. It was a very understandable reaction."
Putting his hand to his chest Connor managed to restrain a deep cough before it could escape his lips. The smothering cold had caused the smaller lines inside his dual ventilation biocomponents to freeze and crack, and as a result a small leak in his both of his artificial lungs had resulted in an uncomfortable sensation as his system tried to get him to expel the excess Thirium through the coughing.
"Connor, have you ever run away from anyone?" Jacob asked as he sank back in his seat and gave Connor a curious stare. "You're an android. I bet you had to run away from people and bullies before."
"Only a few times, but yes, I did run away from someone when I felt like they were threatening me."
"You get bullied too?"
"Many androids were bullied at one point, but that time is over now."
"Why?" Jacob was too young to understand the historic importance of the peaceful Revolution, but he was a curious and smart boy who'd be able to understand if he were told the truth by a reliable source. "How come androids were bullied? You're adults!"
"Well, androids can appear as adults and as children, but to answer your question..." Pausing just long enough to clear his throat Connor restrained another cough so he could speak clearly and without interruption. "Androids were bullied by humans who didn't like us or believed that we were less important than they are. Regardless of age and even species, bullies seem to be everywhere but that doesn't mean you have to be afraid of them."
"Did you have a bully pick on you and hurt you?"
"Yes, actually." The memories of Amanda, CyberLife, Gavin and even Hank - the senior detective may have changed, he would insult, threaten and shove Connor around - all came to mind. Deciding to focus on overcoming his bullies instead Connor gave Jacob a more optimistic outlook on life. "However, I no longer have to worry about them. I was able to get away from my bullies, and I had found a way to be on friendlier terms with them. They no longer bother me."
"How'd can you be friends with a bully?"
"We're not exactly 'friends' but we do get along better than we had previously. It started when I... helped one of the bullies when they were hurt." The memory of Gavin accidentally getting himself electrocuted was still a painful memory for Connor to think about. "He was very grateful. In return, he stopped being a bully toward me and all other androids."
"Why'd you help someone who was so mean to you?"
"Because he needed to be helped, and I was the only one who could do it. Bullying a bully just perpetuates the problem."
"Oh."
"Try not to worry." The rainy weather prompted the autonomous cab to slow its pace for safety reasons and resulted in a slight delay in their arrival to the precinct." I'm sure that your bully will stop targeting you if you refuse to stoop to his level. Do not let his bad behavior affect your own."
"I know." Crossing his arms over his chest Jacob slumped even lower and looked anxious. "My mom says the same thing."
"Once you're reunited with your mother, you'll be able to go home without worrying about your bully, and you'll have a happy birthday tomorrow."
"Yeah, and maybe Dustin will finally get in trouble for all the time's he's picked on me!"
Such a desire left Connor confused. Why anyone would want anyone else to get in trouble seemed counterproductive and very negative. "I suppose anything is possible. Although, it'd be better if you were to find a way to stop Dustin's bullying without any harsh treatment. Even if his parents are encouraging his unacceptable behavior, it doesn't mean you truly know why he's being a bully in the first place."
The stormy weather had given the Central Precinct an unexpected reprieve. With the city being relatively calm thanks to the storm keeping people indoors and off the streets, the officers and detectives were all able to catch up on their paperwork, files and reports for the first time since the infamous "Binary Killer" made his macabre presence known. As the day went about with a smooth rhythm, sudden word of a missing child at the local shopping plaza stopped everything in its tracks. It didn't take long for everyone who was available to help with the missing child report and keep the child's mother as calm as possible, even so it always felt like no one could do enough to help whenever a child went missing.
Hank stood in the corridor that overlooked the interview rooms and watched as Tina spoke to a frightened woman with dark brown hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion regarding her missing child. There were two large shopping bags tucked under the table at her feet, and Hank could see a few party streamers sticking over the edge of the bags giving away what was hidden inside. That little detail made the situation all the more heartbreaking.
The way any cases with children still got under the senior detective's skin felt like an absolute hindrance rather than a tangible reminder that he still had a heart even after having it broken by tragic loss. Knowing that innocent kids were still victims of the world's cruelty gave Hank the urge to keep fighting to improve the world one day at a time.
"Hey, man!" Chris's voice called out cheerily while Hank remained by the window with his back to the bullpen. The enthusiastic detective had spotted a familiar face walking into the bullpen and went to greet them politely. "Good to see you, Connor."
"Connor?" Hank turned to look over his shoulder and spotted Connor standing beside Chris's desk with a little boy in a bright red hoodie at his side. Peering at the little boy's face Hank felt a wash of utter relief as he realized why Connor was there and who the little boy was. "Damn, that kid has amazing timing."
"I'm aware of the missing children's report being filed here." Connor explained casually as he removed his dripping wet fedora from his hair and stifled another urge to cough. It was getting more difficult with each passing second. "May I ask where-"
"Interview room 'B'." Motioning to the correct location Chris let Connor go about his way unescorted. "Go ahead and show our guest the way."
With a polite nod Connor put his free hand on Jacob's shoulder and coaxed him into moving forward and toward the correct room. Seeing Hank standing beside a window connected to the room told Connor that Hank was interested in the missing child's case as well.
Connor didn't acknowledge Hank as had his mind preoccupied only on Jacob and his mother. "Jacob, peer through the window and let me know if you see anyone you recognize on the other side of the glass."
Jacob did as he was told and the moment that he peeked through the window his eyes lit up and he gave Connor a bright smile. "That's my mom!"
Hank smirked at the enthusiastic response and proceeded to open the door to the interview room for the little boy. "Well, go on in and see her!"
Excitedly Jacob ran into the room and practically leapt into his mother's arms as she turned to face the opened door and saw her son come barreling through. "Mom!"
"Jacob!" Lisa blurted as she happily embraced her son and held him close. She had been crying tears of fear but those were quickly replaced with tears of joy. "Oh, my sweetie! I was so worried..."
Tina took the opportunity to leave the room and give the reunited family the room to themselves. As she passed through the door Tina noticed Connor and saw that he was soaked from head to toe. "Wow. Did you shower in your clothes?"
"I had been caught in the rain." Connor reassured Tina as he failed to keep his next cough restrained. Using his arm Connor covered his mouth out of politeness and he proceeded to brush off the remark as nothing important. "The rain is very... persistent."
"I'll say. Don't get sick!"
"Androids don't-" Another cough stopped Connor mid denial and prompted Tina to grimace sympathetically. "...I'll be fine."
"You don't sound fine." Giving Connor's arm a small pat Tina went on her way to report to Captain Fowler about the successful reunion of mother and son. "Feel better soon!"
Before Connor could even try to protest again another cough held up his words and made his head start to hurt from the abrupt and heavy coughs squeezing his chest and knocking the breath out of his artificial lungs. There was no denying that the cold rain had affected his systems in a way he couldn't avoid or just brush off.
"Man," Hank heard the coughs and didn't like the way they sounded one bit. "you really don't sound fine."
"I'm okay, Lieutenant." Lowering his arm Connor looked through the window and saw Jacob and his mom talking things out for a moment before Lisa gave her son his birthday gift early. It was appropriately a brand new phone to ensure he didn't have to worry about getting lost in public or being unable to call for help. "Once I dry off and warm up, the coughing will cease."
"Well, I'm about to go on break, and you solved a missing case kid for us, so let me drive ya' home. It's a win-win."
"Not necessary." Declining the offer Connor casually returned his fedora to his hair and turned to make his way back through the front doors. "I'll take a cab."
Hank watched as the deviant detective walked away from him only to stop short at the edge of the bullpen as another coughing fit suddenly struck. The way the coughing sounded painful and deep made Hank worry for the deviant's health.
"Come on." Insistent on taking Connor back to the brownstone, Hank put his hand on Connor's back between his shoulder blades and suddenly became aware of a distinct heat radiating from Connor's body even though the deviant had been soaked in a cold rain. "Shit, you are sick. You have a fever."
"D-Don't get fevers." Straightening back up Connor gave Hank a pathetic stare since the recent coughing fit caused his eyes to water. "Androids overheat."
"And that's what you're doing right now." Lowering his hand Hank gave Connor a studious onceover. Connor's complexion had paled courtesy of his updates and his eyes were becoming glassy from the coughing fits causing ocular units to release more artificial saline than necessary. "Cooperate with me and let me either drive you back to your brownstone or let me call Lucas to come and get you instead."
"Why can't I take a cab?" Refusing the assistance Connor tried to win over Hank with logic and reason. "I've done so numerous times before without any complications, and I can do so again."
"Because you're sick." Hank countered quickly as he tried to get Connor to accept his offer. "If you pass out or-"
"I won't."
"Connor, please." Putting some authority into his voice Hank attempted to put his foot down on the matter at hand. "Let me help you."
Just as Connor was about to argue again he caught sight of Jacob and his mother exiting the interview room looking so relieved and happy that he had become quickly distracted. It was such a drastic change in emotion and it had all been for the better.
"Thanks for helping me, Connor!" Jacob blurted as he approached the deviant with his mom beside him. His brand new phone was clutched in his hand while his mom had the other shopping bags in her own hands. "And you were right! Since Dustin was being mean to me, he got in big trouble!"
"Oh? How so?"
"The security cameras at the store caught him trying to hurt me and take my money, and his parents are going to make him apologize for everything he's done to me. He won't bully me anymore and I won't have to worry about him ever again!"
"I hope you're right about that."
Lisa spoke up as she gave Connor a truly appreciative smile. "He is. Dustin is going to come to Jacob's birthday party tomorrow and he's going to learn to be nice to other people. Dustin's own parents and I discussed this after the security guards spoke to us at the store."
"Seems like an... unusual discussion to have considering the situation."
"We wanted to remain optimistic and keep our plans to celebrate Jacob's birthday right on time, so we made plans and we're going to move the party to the local arcade so everyone can go. Dustin's parents are going to pay for everything as an apology to Jacob for their son's behavior, AND so they can finally see the way their own son has been treating his classmates."
"That's very good to hear." Trying to sound confident Connor gave the little boy a small smile as he knew that Jacob and Lisa just wanted to go home. "Have a happy birthday."
"I will!" The little boy beamed as his nervousness had been replaced entirely by enthusiasm. "Bye!"
The way Jacob was more excited about not having to deal with a bully than his new phone was a great example of showing appreciation for the good things in life. It was also a positive sign that maybe Jacob was going to try to befriend his bully rather than try to take revenge on him or want him to be miserable.
"Sounds like you helped Jacob in more ways than just helping him find his mom today." Hank noticed with genuine pride in his voice. Any case that ended with a happy family reunion was a good day in Hank's mind, regardless of who helped whom. "Good work."
"It's not-" Pressing his palm to his chest Connor stopped suddenly and cleared his throat as he watched Jacob and Lisa leave the precinct together. He didn't want to cough again or draw any further unwanted attention toward his current physical plight. "...I was merely doing the right thing."
"Which is what I want to do." Hank pulled his car keys from his pocket and held them up for Connor to see. "Let me drop ya' off and we'll call it a day."
That was smooth and Connor had to admit it. Unwilling to get into an argument or make things unnecessarily difficult, Connor relented and agreed to let Hank drive him back to his brownstone to avoid being caught in the rain again. "...Very well."
"Cool."
Curling his fingers around the keys Hank walked over to his desk and pulled his coat from the back of his chair to shield himself from the cold rain as well. Walking alongside Connor to the front doors of the precinct Hank was relieved that the stubborn deviant was at least being cooperative enough for a ride back to the brownstone. It was a small step into mending the rift between the two detectives as Hank wanted nothing more than to find a way to atone for his past behavior and at least become a reliable ally to the deviant, not just a painful memory of past experiences.
The warnings that Connor had repeatedly dismissed were returning and were reminding the deviant that he was enduring an internal problem that needed to be handled rather than ignored. Silent until the Oldsmobile stopped in front of his brownstone, Connor quickly thanked Hank for the ride, stepped out of the parked car and proceeded to enter his private residence without turning back to look at Hank over his shoulder. The urge to get inside his warm and dry home was so great that the deviant couldn't even be bothered to display basic manners to the man who had volunteered to go out of his way to help Connor before going on his lunchbreak and then finishing off the rest of his shift during the stormy day.
Depositing his soaked trench coat and fedora inside the laundry room to dry out by being laid out over the smooth surface of the dryer itself, Connor coughed again and ran a self diagnostic over his internal systems. The Thirium leak in his artificial lungs had stopped, but the amount that had leaked had left an irritating layer over the interior lining of both of his ventilation biocomponents.
As he trudged his way upstairs to take a warm shower - an attempt to gradually raise his internal temperature enough to prompt the leaked Thirium to evaporate faster - Connor noticed Bruno laying over the foot of his bed with the chew rope draped over his outstretched front paws. The loyal dog had remained upstairs as Connor had commanded and hadn't budged an inch even after Connor left with Jacob.
"Good dog."
Hearing the praise caused Bruno's tail to wag as he jumped down from the bed and followed Connor into the bathroom. A quick cybernetic scan of his own told Bruno that his guardian wasn't faring well due to the harsh weather outside and needed technical assistance. 'Connor is hyperthermic.'
"I'll be fine." He stated in a relatively reassuring manner. "I'm only slightly overheating due to the-"
Another coughing spell caught Connor's words in his throat as he awkwardly shut the bathroom door and then pulled off his dark and damp t-shirt before working to remove his jeans, socks, shoes and boxers. Turning on the shower Connor adjusted the temperature to ensure it was warm but not too hot for his body to handle. After stepping inside the warm shower Connor coughed again and let himself continue to cough until the aggravating sensation in his chest began to lessen.
Feeling slightly better Connor turned off the shower and stood still for a moment. A faint tickle ran down his chin and as he wiped the sensation away Connor realized that the feeling wasn't from the residual water from the shower, but from a fresh Thirium trail passing over his lower lip.
"Shit... I'm still losing Thirium."
The additional internal bleeding had prompted the ailing deviant to enter rest mode early and allow his self healing program to activate at full capacity. Drying off quickly Connor exited the bathroom, patted Bruno's head as the loyal dog sat beside the bathroom door waiting for Connor to return, and then entered his bedroom across the hallway to change into fresh clothing he had pulled right out of his closet.
The dry black t-shirt and soft gray sweatpants were comforting to the ailing deviant detective. Laying over his bed Connor burrowed under his quilt and coughed into the soft material under his chin. Just as Bruno hopped up on to the foot of the bed Connor had drifted off to rest mode and was left to his misery as the rain pounded against the window in a natural rhythm as the second wave of the storm swept over the city.
Time became lost as Connor's core temperature steadily rose and his coughing intensified. The physical reaction to his internal affliction had left Connor feeling tired, and when the Thirium loss was added to his current condition he was left feeling absolutely exhausted even while in rest mode. A warm and calloused hand pressing against his forehead was enough to alert Connor to someone entering the brownstone and he then realized that in his haste to escape the storm that he had accidentally forgotten to lock the door behind himself.
Opening his eyes in a start Connor found himself looking up at Hank's face as the senior detective pressed his palm over the sick deviant's forehead for a very human fever-check. "Lieutenant?"
"Hey, son." Pulling his hand back Hank reached for something sitting on the nightstand beside Connor's bed. A cool washcloth that had been dampened in the bathroom sink and left to rest on an ice pack that had also been prepared by the senior detective as a means of quelling Connor's fever with external measures. "It's about time you woke up."
Glancing around his bedroom Connor noted that it was far darker than it had been when he went to sleep. His internal chronometer confirmed that it was now twenty minutes passed seven o'clock in the evening, and he had arrived back at the brownstone just after two o'clock.
"Sleeping for five hours and eighteen minutes is hardly a lengthy period of time."
"Yeah, but me calling your name and shaking your shoulder for almost twenty minutes is!"
"...I didn't hear you calling my name." Looking upward as Hank draped the washcloth over his forehead Connor admitted that he didn't know anyone had entered the brownstone until he felt Hank's hand on his forehead. "Why are you here anyway?"
"I wanted to check on you after I clocked-out, but you never answer my calls or texts. You didn't answer, so I decided to stop by and check on you in person."
"But why?"
"Seriously? You're sick." Sounding truly disappointed by the question Hank looked over at Bruno and gave the dog a confused glance. "He's sick, right?"
Bruno wagged his tail and gave Hank a low confirmation bark.
"See? Even your dog knows you're sick."
"I'm fine."
"Uh-huh." Using his thumb Hank lowered Connor's bottom lip and grimaced at the blue stains over his teeth after noticing the odd coloration. "Did you drink Thirium or did you cough it up?"
Pressing his palm over his mouth Connor brushed Hank's hand back and let out a small sigh. "It was only a small amount of Thirium loss."
"So, you did cough some up. You should go see a technician."
"Not necessary."
"That fever says otherwise."
"Considering I'm more aware of my own body than anyone else, I say otherwise. I do not need to see a technician."
"All right, fine. No technician." Checking the washcloth over Connor's forehead as it readily warmed up Hank knew he'd need to stay on top of keeping the compresses cold in order to get Connor's fever under control. The storm outside threatening to knock out the power wasn't going to help matters either. "But I am going to stick around until you're out of the woods."
"I don't need your assistance." Laying heavily against his pillow Connor draped his arm over his mouth as he coughed again. The fresh taste of Thirium on his tongue confirmed he was still coughing up some blue blood that had collected in his ventilation biocomponents. "...I can recover on my own."
"But that doesn't mean you have to do it on your own. Lucas isn't here and Bruno can only do so much, so I'm going to help you instead."
"I don't need your help or anyone else's help."
"Yeah, you don't NEED help but when you're sick and you're a good person you deserve some help."
"I don't want it." Connor nearly shouted as he gave Hank a surprisingly venomous stare. "Why can't you respect that?"
That particular question caught Hank off guard and made him back off for a moment. Respect? Did Connor actually think that Hank didn't respect him?
"I do respect your choices, son." Despite his own offense Hank didn't let it show in his tone. "I just want to help you."
"You're more focused on what you want than what I want. That doesn't sound like respect to me."
"I want to make sure you're okay. I get that you don't believe me and that you don't trust me, but I'm trying my damnedest to make amends for all the times I've fucked up in the past! Just give me a fuckin' break here!"
The passion in Hank's voice made Connor fall silent while Bruno let out a cautionary grumble telling Hank to back off and not make things worse.
"Look..." Taking in a deep breath Hank calmed himself down and held up both palms before himself as if he could somehow force everything stop for a minute. "I'll leave you alone and go back to my house just like you want, after you answer just one question for me. Why won't you let anyone help you?"
That particular question left Connor without any kind of answer to give. Refusing to go to a technician, not telling Lucas that he was experiencing an error and pushing Hank away were all very unusual reactions to have. He wasn't sure why he was so resistant to receive help or ask for it.
"Right." Knowing that Connor's stubbornness was going to win out yet again, Hank admitted defeat and decided to leave. "Well, whatever."
Backing toward the bedroom door Hank decided it was time to go and to let Connor be alone as he had asked. There was nothing more he could do if Connor wouldn't let him.
"I'll leave." Rubbing his hand over the back of his shorter hair Hank made it clear that he wasn't going to stick around and piss Connor off anymore. "Feel better soon."
Sitting upright in his bed, the compress falling on to his lap in the process, Connor pressed his hand to his chest as he let out a small sigh of defeat. "...I don't know."
The comment made Hank pause and turn to face Connor again as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't know what?"
"...Why I won't let anyone help me." Closing his eyes Connor felt ashamed of himself for being so stubborn to accepting help even when he knew he needed it. "My best theory is that I'm used to asking for help and being ignored, and as a result I learned to stop wasting my breath on deafened ears."
"Whoa. Now THAT was an insightful answer." Returning to the room Hank saw Bruno watching him closely and knew that he needed to be very careful with his next words unless he wanted to piss off both deviants and potentially get bit on his ass. "I think we're getting somewhere."
Looking over at Hank again, his eyes still glassy and tired, Connor tried to understand what Hank had noticed. "What do you mean?"
"You just said that you're used to asking for help and no one helping you, and having your words fall on deaf ears. That tells me that you're speaking from a past experience or two."
The way Hank was speaking with such confidence made Connor worry. Not only was he having odd dreams that showed him memories of what seemed to be a different lifetime entirely, but his own behavior was indicative of that very unusual possibility. The fact that Hank didn't know about the odd dreams also made the acute observation feel all the more unsettling.
"I'm not a psychiatrist and I know fuck-all about androids, but I am a detective and I am a father, so I do know when I'm talking to someone who's suffered through a pretty shitty experience."
Even with Hank having invaluable insight Connor bring himself to talk about what he was going through. "...I'd rather not discuss it."
"All right, you don't have to talk about anything you don't feel comfortable talking about." Lightly Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and made sure he didn't flinch away before gently pushing the deviant to lay back in the bed. "All I ask is that you start asking for help when you need it. There's no shame in that, and it's something I wish I had remembered that for myself before I shaved years off my life with all that damn drinking."
Laying back again Connor gave the senior detective a worried glance as he thought about the potential consequences of denying personal issues. "Do you regret your past decisions?"
"Fuck yeah I do. But not all of 'em."
"Like what?"
"Well, I don't regret being patient and waiting for true love instead of jumping at the first woman who paid any attention to me. That led me to Barb, the love of my life. And I don't regret waiting to find the right woman to love to start a family with since that led me to Cole." Returning the compress to Connor's forehead Hank made sure the deviant was comfortable and stable while under his watch. "But the drinking, the shitty diet, being an absolute asshole to everyone who got near me and wasting years of my life hating a group of people for just existing and then hurting you... Yeah. Those are all things that I wish I could undo."
"You regret everything that's negative." Such a basic response made Connor doubt Hank's sincerity. "That's to be expected."
"To be more specific," sitting on the edge of the bed Hank gave Connor a somber look as he admitted his own faults and issues. "I regret all of the negative shit I did to myself and to the people around me. No one likes being singled out, picked on and made to feel worthless."
"Self destruction does seem very regrettable whether you're a human or a deviant."
"Yup, that's for damn sure." Seeing Connor struggling with his emotions reminded Hank of his own past struggled with depression and enlightenment. "How about you?"
"I... can't think of anything at the moment. I'm sure I have done some things that I regret, but I don't know what those are yet."
"Consider yourself lucky. It's not impossible for someone to go their entire life without any regrets, but it is rare and something that needs to be celebrated." Making a move to pick up Connor's wrist to count his pulse, Hank froze and decided it'd be best to back off a little and let Connor be for a while. "Need anything Thirium?"
"No, but Bruno does." Coughing a little Connor managed to contain most of it and not cough up any additional blue blood. He was in fact recovering. "Do you mind?"
"Nah, I can do that. That is," looking at the loyal dog eyeing him warily from the foot of the bed, Hank seriously doubted that Bruno would follow him and leave Connor alone. "if Bruno will let me do that."
Looking over to Connor with a curious glance, Bruno lowered one ear while the other remained entirely perked up as if silently asking if Connor wanted him to go downstairs or not.
"Bruno, I'll be okay by myself."
Whimpering once Bruno laid down over Connor's legs and licked his nose nervously. 'I don't want to go.'
Hank seemed to know what was happening and offered a compromise. "Hold on, I got an idea..."
While Hank left the room Connor reached his hand down and gently rubbed Bruno's chin. "I'll be fine alone for a few minutes. The Lieutenant won't harm me or you."
'When Lieutenant Anderson raised his voice, I detected an increase in Connor's Thirium pump rate.' The loyal dog confirmed as he remained with his guardian. 'Connor felt threatened.'
"Did I?" Thinking back on the moment Connor didn't recall any increase in his pump rate but he hadn't been paying attention to his pump at the moment. There was no reason for Bruno to tell him something that was false. "Interesting. I may simply not like sudden loud sounds."
'No. Thunder didn't have the same reaction on Connor.'
"...Very interesting indeed. It appears the entire day has been interesting."
With the dog bowl in one hand and a bottle of Thirium in the other, Hank returned to the bedroom and placed the bowl on the floor before pouring the Thirium inside for Bruno to drink. "Simple solution. Here you go, Bruno."
The large dog eyed the bowl eagerly and slowly rose to his paws and jumped down to the floor to start drinking the offered Thirium. He was still able to keep close to Connor and watch over his guardian without leaving the bedroom.
"There. Problem solved." Tossing the empty bottle into the trashcan in the bathroom across the hallway Hank took care of the problem with minimal problems. Hank spotted Connor's clothes neatly laid over the sink and saw that even after five hours they were still pretty damp, which meant Connor had been soaked to the skin for several hours that day. "I sure as shit hope you don't catch a cold or something from getting caught in the rain."
"I won't." A rumble of thunder caught Connor's ear, but his pump rate didn't suddenly spike. Bruno was right, Connor only had a strong reaction at hearing Hank's loud voice. "I'm stable and only need to rest to ensure that the current affliction with my ventilation biocomponents remedies."
"So... you need to sleep get that crud out of your lungs?"
"Correct."
"Okay. I'm surprised I understood what you said." Wanting to keep to his word Hank pressed his palm to Connor's forehead one last time then replaced the compress to ensure Connor remained cool as he slept. "If you feel like shit or just want someone to talk to, you know, if Lucas is busy or something, you can call me. I'll come back over."
Connor couldn't help but feel as if Hank's behavior had some ulterior motive, but nothing malicious. "May I ask you something?"
"Sure." Reaching out to pet Bruno as the large dog jumped back up on the foot of the bed Hank gave Connor his full attention. "What's on your mind?"
"Why did you go out of your way to assist me today?" The rain began to pour down harder and created a rhythmic ambience all around the brownstone. "I could've taken a cab back to the brownstone, and I'm going to recover from my current affliction without the need of outside technical intervention."
"Because I wanted to do it. I know we aren't friends, and I know that I'm not really the person who has the right to complain about it since I'm the one who fucked shit up to begin with, but I do care about you, Lucas and even Sydney."
"But... why?"
Crossing his arms over his chest Hank sighed and gave Connor a stern look. "Once a father, always a father."
The idea of someone taking care of someone else just because they were a parent was illogical in Connor's mind. He took care of Jacob that very day despite not having any parental experience or connection to the young boy, and he did the same for Devon when Devon needed someone to look after him. "I'm not sure that I understand what that means."
"It means that just because I lost Cole it doesn't mean I lost my paternal instincts and urge to care about people. Hell, ever since I got a nasty wake-up call about my attitude and outlook on life based on the way I was treating the people around me, including you, I realized that by being a prick I wasn't helping anyone. Over time I've slowly begun to realize how much my presence influences those around me, and I wanted to be a good role model again."
"Role model. In what way?"
"Well, for one, even though I know that Chris can handle the deviant division on his own, I want him to know that he can come to me for advice. And I know Tina's got a great head on her shoulders and can handle herself in the field, but even so she isn't immune to the fucked up parts of the job and I want her to know that she can talk to me about any shit she's dealing with. As for Reed, well, that's still a work in progress."
Connor tilted his head a little as Hank rubbed his palm over the back of his hair curiously.
"Anyway, I still see the younger people around me as kids needing a parents' guidance, so I want to help out when I can. Same goes for you, Lucas and Sydney."
"Because we're less than a year old I can understand your ability to see us as children."
"I hate to break it to ya', but if you were somehow older than me but still look the way that you do right now, I'd STILL see you as a kid! You and your brothers have what's called a 'baby face'. Which means," answering before Connor even had the chance to ask Hank kept control over the situation. "you look far younger than you're supposed to look."
"We were designed to appear as if we're twenty-six years of age."
"And you all look twenty-four, but even so, you'll always look young no matter what happens."
"Another interesting concept to consider." Thunder and lightning shook the brownstone and made Bruno whimper sadly as his sensitive hearing didn't approve of the chaotic sounds. It was as if he was having the same reaction that Connor had when Hank yelled earlier. "Storm's going to get worse before it finally dissipates entirely."
"It's a good thing you took in Jacob before it was too late."
"Do you know what happened?"
"Yup. Read the full report after my break." Hank approved of Connor's behavior and gave him a kind smile. "You did great work today."
"I was just doing the right thing."
"That doesn't mean you don't deserve recognition for your accomplishments. I also know that's why you got sick."
Such a comment drew in Connor's intrigue almost immediately. "Huh?"
"You used an umbrella and your own coat to keep Jacob out of the rain while you got caught in the storm, and your clothes in the bathroom are still wet. Not a lot of people would go that extra mile to help someone, especially a stranger. You got drenched in a cold rain and got sick as a result."
"It was-"
"The right thing to do, I know." As another lightning flash lit up the brownstone Hank sighed and patted Connor's shoulder after finishing the deviant's sentence on Connor's behalf. "I'm going to go back home and make sure Sumo didn't eat the sofa. Call if you need anything else."
"...Okay, I will."
"Feel better, son."
"I will be just fine." As Hank stepped out of his bedroom Connor tagged on one last thing before the senior detective was too far away. "Thank you for helping me."
Hank paused just outside the doorway and gave Connor a kind smile. "You're welcome."
The sound of the rain accompanied the sound of Hank's footsteps walking across the hardwood floors, down the stairs and outside the front door. Save for the storm outside, everything was now quiet.
"I'm going to lock the door and then get some more rest." Patting Bruno's side Connor swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up slowly. He wasn't trembling and didn't feel cold anymore, but he did want to go back to sleep as soon as he could. "Please monitor the weather while I sleep in the event that we need to take shelter tonight."
Bruno barked once and proceeded to sprawl over the warm bed to get comfortable as he waited for Connor to return.
Slowly walking down the staircase Connor glanced about the empty brownstone and let out a small sigh, then stifled an equally small cough. The open space with a distinct lack of people was less than comfortable to acknowledge. Even though Lucas lived there most of the time, his absence was sorely noticed whenever he was out at the tower.
With the front door locked Connor made his way back to his bedroom and laid back over his bed to get some rest. As he laid back against his pillow Connor reached for the cold compress that Hank had provided for him and returned it to his forehead since the cool sensation did feel good against his still overheated body.
"It's quiet when it's just you and I in the brownstone."
'Connor misses Lucas.'
"That, and in general this is a very large building for just two people and one dog to reside within."
'Is Connor going to get another dog?'
"Only if I discover another dog in need of a good home. Or any animal to be honest. However," speaking to himself and to Bruno helped Connor to think more clearly and put his thoughts in order. "I'm beginning to think that the prospect of having a family of my own will need to expand beyond that of just my brothers in order for me to feel... complete."
'Does Connor want a sister?'
That question left Connor quiet for a moment. It seemed very unusual for the K-9 unit to ask such a thing. "I'm... not sure if a sister is a viable option."
'Connor has good brothers.'
"I do. And I have a good dog." Rubbing Bruno's chin affectionately Connor heard Bruno wagging his tail happily at the foot of the bed. "But there's still something- No, someone, missing. But I'm not sure who that could possibly be."
'Lieutenant Anderson is a father. Does Connor want a father?'
"I don't- I'm not sure." Yet another odd question that Connor had no idea how to answer left him puzzled. "I'm not a child and I do not need any guidance. Well, a guardian at least. I'm not sure what I'm missing, but I'm certain I'll find it soon enough. Everything will be all right."
'Connor will succeed.'
Falling back into rest mode Connor kept his hand on Bruno's head as they listened to the sound of the storm outside and just tried to sleep through the rest of the day. Everything was over regarding the lost little boy and his worried mother, now it was time for Connor to get some well earned sleep. Whatever was waiting for him the next day was sure to be as interesting as the stormy day had already been.
-next chapter-