The warm summer day had taken an unusual turn before it was even noon when an equally unusual case came to the brownstone needing immediate attention. A deviant had been assaulted in the streets by a human with a knife and was left to die after their assailant had run off in front of dozens of witnesses. The assaulted deviant was now fighting for his life at the Zeta Facility just down the block. A good Samaritan had found the victim and managed to get them to the facility before it was too late to save him, and then the same good Samaritan had taken it upon herself to go to the brownstone to report the crime to a deviant detective that she knew would take the case seriously.

Connor hadn't expected to see the blue-haired 'Traci' known as Echo back in the city considering that the last time he had encountered her she was stealing Thirium, but he wasn't going to hold the past against her. He knew she was acting out of desperation, not malice, and that even if she should've remained out in the forest refugee camp, he wasn't going to fault her for taking the risk in aiding the wounded deviant when she found him.

"Did you see the assault as it happened?" Connor asked as he interviewed Echo to put the pieces of the case together. He and Bruno were watching Echo intently as they listened to her story. "Did you see anyone running away from the alleyway where the victim had been found?"

"No, I just heard screams of pain and then calls for help." Echo explained as she nervously kept her arms wrapped around herself. She was wearing a dark blue hoodie and had her long, blue hair secured in a low ponytail that hung over her shoulder and down her chest. "No one would help him but me."

"People are very reluctant to get involved in situations they don't understand, or fear will come back to harm them down the line."

"Sounds cowardly to me."

"It depends on the circumstances. Not to mention that this is the sixth seemingly random assault against a deviant by a human this month alone." By remaining unbiased in his opinions Connor would be able to think clearly and preconstruct theories without needing to worry about potential issues. "We know that there are witnesses who saw the attack and the city has surveillance cameras everywhere. I'll be able to find the attacker before nightfall."

"You sound so certain of that."

"I am." Connor admitted as he smoothed out his gray blazer and offered Echo his hand to take. He lost his trench coat but not his preferred three-piece gray suit. "I have allies with the police who will give me access to the cameras, and I will be able to find the attacker. I suspect that this attacker is the same one who had attacked the other five deviants over the past four weeks and is moving about the city to keep his hunting ground as open as possible."

"That's a relief." Accepting Connor's hand in a timid manner, her hand being concealed by the cuff of her sleeve, Echo rose to her feet and walked alongside Connor to exit the brownstone together. "You'll get the victim his justice?"

"Yes. And I'll make sure the attacker gets their name reported to the media so everyone knows who they are and what they've done."

"Thank you, Detective."

"Please just call me 'Connor'." Remaining humble Connor felt no need for Echo to be so formal with her. "Being a detective is my job, not my identity."

"Right. Uh... Zhorra's mentioned you a couple times." Echo heard the door 'click' shut behind her as she and Connor exited the brownstone together. Watching him suddenly fumble with his key made Echo realize she may have accidentally stumbled on a delicate option. "She... No." Looking away nervously Echo decided it'd be best to hold her silence. "It's not business to say anything."

"If she's in trouble or needs any help I'd like to know." Pocketing his key Connor faced Echo with a confident but blank face. "I may not be especially close to her or even friends with her, but I don't want anyone to struggle with anything if I can help it."

"...She wants to move the refugee camp from the forest and out to Boston." Echo stated hesitantly. She hated gossiping about other deviants, and she absolutely did not want to stir the metaphorical pot and cause any problems. "She'll be gone before the end of December."

"Oh... I see." Connor hadn't expected the refugee camp to move off to a better place so quickly and efficiently. "In that case, if she or the other deviants require any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask me. I'll do what I can."

"Yeah, sure. I'll let Zhorra know." Echo clearly wanted to tell Connor something more but was determined to maintain respect for the fiery leader out at the camp. The 'RK-700' had earned a lot of respect from her peers by taking bold steps to protect the refugees and keep their very existence a secret. "...She was at your funeral, by tht way. Tyrone went with her."

Connor knew of everyone who had gone to his premature funeral to show their respects. Even so he didn't understand why Zhorra would risk a return to the city and being recognized by someone who may still harbor anger toward the 'RK' prototypes who escaped CyberLife. "Lucas told me of their arrival. If it means anything special to her or Tyrone, let them know I appreciate it."

"I can let them know that you're okay. That won't be a problem."

"And I'll contact you once I've identified the attacker."

"What're you going to do now?"

"I'm going to go to the Zeta Facility to talk with the victim and ask for his statement. I'll be able to use the additional evidence to locate the attacker faster."

"Okay. Thanks again."

Connor watched as Echo walked up to an autonomous cab as it pulled along the street and came to a stop. He wanted to make sure she was able to get inside of her taxi and leave the city without anyone causing her any problems before he went on his way to the facility.

With Bruno watching the brownstone and Lucas handling matters at New Jericho Tower, it was up to Connor to help the assaulted deviant find his justice and pull a violent person off the streets. Determined to succeed in his simple case Connor walked down the block to the Zeta Facility and entered the waiting area through the main entrance to request the chance to speak with the victim once he was able to speak to visitors.

Barry quickly checked in on the deviant victim's condition through a terminal behind the receptionist desk and gave Connor a nod of approval. "The patient is stable and recovering in a private room. You'll find him in room 'B-6', I'll buzz you through."

"Thanks, Barry."

Passing through the sliding glass doors of the corridor that separated the waiting area from the rest of the facility, Connor took in a deep breath and did his best to seem as confident as he needed to be in order to make real progress on the investigation. He had been thoroughly rattled by his past emotional experiences and each one was drastically altering his perception of the world around him. Emotional pain and growth seemed to go hand-in-hand, and he hated how he couldn't seem to experience one without the other.

Locating the correct room in the correct corridor Connor paused outside the closed door and read the patient's name on the door beside the electronic panel. The name visible on the digital display was the first time he had even gotten a clue to the victim's identity. After pressing the panel on the door Connor entered the room and found himself looking at a particularly beaten down deviant while Abby hovered protectively nearby. The sight was sickening, and it made Connor want to turn around and run from the horrendous sight so he could try to process the situation privately.

"Excuse me? Matthew?" Connor called out to the victim in a low voice as he didn't want to frighten him by accident. Entering the room just enough for the door to slide shut again behind himself, Connor again addressed the deviant in a calm tone. "My name is Detective Connor Wolf. I'm here to talk to you about what happened today. Are you willing to answer some questions? You are potentially the sixth victim in a string of assaults committed by a single person."

Matthew was an 'AC-700' model with a dark complexion, black hair, dark brown eyes and a nasty cut over his right eye all the way down his cheek toward his chin. The deviant's right arm was secured in a sling and wrapped up in gauze to cover the heavily damaged and slashed open artificial skin all down his shoulder to his wrist. There were just as many bandages over his chest, abdomen and left palm.

Letting out a small groan of pain Matthew nodded and tried to sit more upright in his bed, but the pain to his chest and core made it quite the chore. When Abby made a move to help him Connor quickly interjected and took Matthew's weight for himself to keep Abby from straining her body.

"The deviant who aided you said she heard you calling for help and found you in a nearby alleyway." Connor began casually as he repositioned the head of the bed and used a pillow to support Matthew's upper back on the wounded deviant's stead. "Do you remember the attack?"

"Y-Yeah." Matthew confirmed as he tried to keep himself from moving about too much to keep his body from aching. "I was walking to the gym, the one on LaCrosse Ave. Someone snuck up behind me, shoved me into an alley and start slashing at me with a damn knife. He didn't say a word, he just attacked me, and I had to put up my arms and hands to protect myself as much as possible."

"Did you get a look at your assailant's face?"

"Yeah. Human male." Matthew confirmed as he extended his bandaged hand toward Connor to take and see the assault through his own eyes. "Never saw him before he started cutting and stabbing me."

The man in the attack was in his late twenties, a little short with unkempt shaggy blond hair and hollow gray eyes. Sporting a thick dark brown coat over faded blue jeans and black boots. Running a facial scan Connor identified the man and noted his dangerous criminal record after being arrested and imprisoned in Chicago for six years due to a violent attempted assault.

"His name is Frederick Calvin."

Abby suddenly paled as she accidentally dropped the electronic chart in hands with a notable 'clatter' against the floor. "...What did you just say?"

Sensing something was horrible amiss Connor decided to question Abby about the man as he picked up the dropped chart on her behalf. "I stated the man's name was Frederick Calvin." Holding up his right palm Connor showed Abby the mugshot that had been associated with the man's criminal record as he handed her the reclaimed chart. "Do you know him?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. Fuck me..." Wrapping her arms protectively around her abdomen Abby look sick and terrified at the same time. "He was arrested six years ago for breaking into my apartment and threatening me with a knife after I broke up with him."

"He was released two years ago after serving his sentence." Connor noted with an intrigued manner as he placed the chart on the foot of Matthew's bed. "Were you informed of his release?"

"No... After I moved here from Chicago, I never gave a change of address so I could hide a little easier. Guess that wasn't too bright."

"It's not your fault. Since he was so dangerous it's understandable that you'd avoid any and all contact regarding him." Connor looked back over at Matthew while carefully gauging Abby's reactions and vital signs. "You said he had never seen Frederick before; do you have any connections to Chicago or any prisons?"

"No." Matthew had no idea why he had been targeted and assaulted. "Before the Revolution I was the personal health coach to a high school math teacher, and after the Revolution I get paid to work at the local gym and help people get in shape without any judgement. Never been out of the city before."

"Strange. It's possible that Frederick targeted you simply because you were the first person who entered his line of sight."

"Now what'll happen to him and to me?"

"I'll use my sources to find him, have him rearrested for the assault and attempted murder against you, and I'll see if I can tag on any additional charges since he left Chicago and may still be under probation. Until then, get some rest and I'll inform New Jericho of the incident if you wish to seek temporary asylum at the tower."

"Yeah, thanks. I'll consider it."

"Abby?" Looking toward the shaken technician Connor gently put his hand to her arm to coax her into leaving the room so they could speak in private. "Since you know this man, I'd like to ask you more questions. You might be able to help us track him down the quickest."

"Yeah, sure." Shaking where she stood Abby tried to keep her voice level as she kept her arms over her belly. "We can talk in the breakroom."

Connor knew Abby was terrified and had every right to be. He didn't want to see a good person and his ally being frightened to just be in the city, and he didn't want Abby to stress herself out while in her condition.

"Do you want me to contact Gavin?" The deviant volunteered as he and Abby walked to the breakroom together. "I'll explain everything on your behalf."

"No, it'll be- Wait..." Picking up on something interesting Abby gave Connor a confused look as they walked into the breakroom side by side. "Why would you think to call Gavin?"

"Because you're now married to Gavin." Connor replied astutely as he nodded to the silver chain around Abby's neck that had her wedding ring on display. It was clear the ring was supposed to remain hidden under the collar of her scrub top but had slipped loose at some point during the day. "Congratulations, by the way."

"Damn." She tucked her ring back into the collar of her scrub top before sitting down at the small table in the middle of the breakroom. "I was hoping to keep it secret a while longer."

"I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks."

"Tell me about Frederick." Connor insisted as checked about the breakroom and located an electric kettle, several little glass jars of labeled tea leaves and found a tea flavor that'd be soothing without leaving an overwhelming aftertaste on the pregnant lady's tongue. "I know you're very unsettled by his presence in the city, but it's important that you tell me everything about him that you can."

"I know. It's just..." Sitting down at the table Abby looked down at her beginnings of a baby bump and pressed her palms over her belly. "This time I'm not just worried about my own safety."

"I won't let anything happen to you or to the..." It was strange to think about Abby and Gavin having their own child to look after, protect and raise. It was also disturbing to think of everything that could do wrong regarding the entire process. "You'll all be okay."

"Keep telling me that." Abby pleaded as she watched Connor fill up the kettle from the community sink to prepare a cup of ginger tea. "So, where do you want me to begin?"

"From when you first met Frederick." Connor insisted as he placed the fresh tea leaves into a metallic infuser to rest inside a clean white mug. "Any details regarding his behavior and his intentions can be beneficial."

"Well, Freddy and I met years ago when I was still working as an E.M.S. in Chicago. He was a struggling architect, and I was a lonely medic, and I guess I felt like I could help him. He asked me out when I went for coffee during a shift, and I decided to give him a shot. Big mistake."

Pouring the hot water from the kettle and into the mug Connor let the tea steep as he slowly dipped the infuser up and down slowly to ensure the tea's flavor was palatable and even. "How did your relationship end?"

"Freddy had some very intense jealousy and control issues. When he pulled a knife on me and threatened to slit my throat, that's when I ended. Almost far too late at that." Eyeing the mug as Connor placed it down in front of her Abby tried to push the negative memory from her mind. "I called the cops, he was confronted, he refused to drop the knife, he got tased... And that's the last time I saw him until the court date."

"Interesting."

Sipping the tea Abby was relieved that the tea was ginger as it eased her building nausea. "Do you know when exactly he got out?"

"It seems Frederick was released from prison last winter." The astute detective confirmed as he used his cybernetic link to check on the man in question's criminal record. "How do you suspect he'd be able to find you?"

"I don't know, I don't think I want to know. I... did get a few odd hang-up phone calls during the winter though." Abby suddenly remembered with a frightening shudder. "At first I thought it was either Gavin being silly and trying to flirt in his odd way, but now... I don't think that can prove anything one way or another."

"All right. Call Gavin and tell him to come here."

"What? Why?"

"Intimidation."

Putting her tea aside Abby gave Connor a worried glance. "You think Freddy's nearby?"

"Yes." The deviant detective admitted as he tried to keep Abby calm. "I guarantee that he's hiding out in the vacant building across the street."

"Okay, if he's stalking me then why is he attacking deviants?"

"I suspect he was able to determine you changed your career to technician while attempting to locate you and knew that you would be working in a facility. By a process of elimination, he figured out which facility you are currently employed by assaulting the other deviants and trailing them to each facility in the city to watch which technicians attend to the wounded when the victims were dropped off at the emergency entrance. I also suspect he is going to make a move soon."

"Oh, shit..." Her right hand went protectively to her stomach again and she felt sick all over. "Horrible timing."

"Don't worry, I give you my word that I'll protect you."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Just tell Gavin to come here and while Freddy's watching the responding squad car pull up to the front of the facility, I'll be able to sneak into the building across the street and catch him by surprise."

"I don't get it. Why is he stalking me where I work?"

"My guess is, since he has jealousy and control issues, he saw you with Gavin and was threatened by his presence. That's why Gavin needs to come here to make Frederick nervous."

"All right, I'll go call him and hide in my office."

"No, stay in here and lock the door. I'm going to go out and keep an eye on things."

"Okay. Just tell Barry to show patients to the back to make things look normal. I don't want Freddy getting jumpy."

"Right. Stay here." Stepping out of the room Connor didn't move from the door until he heard Abby lock it behind him. Taking every precaution possible while currently unarmed, Connor walked down the quiet corridor and caught Barry's attention as the ever happy deviant walked out of the treatment room with an electronic clipboard in his hands. "Barry, go back to the receptionist area and ask anyone coming in for an appointment to go to the back and wait for Abby."

"Okay, Connor. I can do that." He never lost his smile as he looked at the young detective with his energetic eyes. "Can I ask why?"

"I'll explain things later. Just act normal and trust Abby."

"I will. I'll handle this."

Connor glanced at the front doors of the facility and sure enough spotted a figure skulking about in the shadows of the vacant building, an old barbershop, across the street. Unable to see a face from the distance Connor decided to chance it and walked out of the front door and walked down the block to cross the street at the end without the figure noticing his presence. Diving into the alley between the abandoned building and an occupied diner Connor found a broken window to climb through and crouched inside the dark building behind an empty shelving unit to wait for Freddy to retreat and hide like the coward he is.

After two tense minutes Connor heard the sirens of the responding squad car, undoubtedly courtesy of Gavin, and prepared to make his move. Sure enough a figure bolted through the broken front doors of the old department store where Connor was hiding and rushed inside out of sight after fleeing from their hideout of the barbershop. Staying low Connor moved around the neglected department store behind the forgotten shelves and caught a glimpse of the figure's face.

It was indeed Frederick and Connor could see that he was wielding a knife. A quick preconstruction was all he needed to find the best way to confront, disarm and apprehend the man until the police arrived at the scene.

"Don't move!" Connor loudly announced his presence as he approached the dangerous and armed man/ Connor kept the authority in his voice and waited for the man to turn around to face him all the while wishing he had his electrified baton with him. "Hands up!"

Frederick's hollow eyes were wild, and his hand stayed gripped around the hilt of his large hunting knife as he tried and failed to stare down Connor over his shoulder.

"Frederick Calvin, you're under arrest for stalking, assault, theft, intimidating and breaking and entering." The deviant detective confirmed. "Drop the knife and put your hands on top of your head, NOW."

Dropping the knife as he stared blankly at Connor's face Frederick just stood his ground as if confused by the interactions. "...You don't understand."

"Put your hands behind your head." Connor repeated as took a step forward and kicked the knife aside and away from Frederick's reach. "Now."

"I'm just-"

"NOW." Grabbing onto Frederick's left wrist Connor pulled on his left arm until Frederick turned around and had his back to Connor. As Connor tightened his grip, he made a grab for Frederick's right wrist next. "Do not move."

Moving with an unexpected speed, Frederick snatched his right arm away as he spun around and pulled a second knife from a pocket concealed under his thick coat. Armed once again Frederick swung the sharp blade at Connor and managed to cut into Connor's stomach like a hot knife passing through butter.

Reacting in anger Connor grabbed onto Frederick's right wrist and twisted the joint until it snapped, and the knife fell away from the suddenly weakened and incapacitated grip.

Protesting in pain Frederick shouted out and gave away his position. "FUCK!"

"I said, 'DON'T MOVE'." Connor repeated as he pulled Frederick's arms back around his back once more. Putting his right boot against the back of Frederick's knee Connor applied pressure forcing Frederick to fall into a kneeling position on the ground. "You're also being charged with assault against a private detective."

The loud shouting had caught Tina's ears and she rushed across the street with her own gun already drawn. Peering through the broken doors Tina saw Connor restraining a suspect and responded by radioing the arrest. "Suspect in custody."

"If you have any modicum of sanity, you'll STOP resisting." Connor threatened as he tightened his grip around Frederick's restrained wrists. "Don't make things worse for yourself."

"Car's out front." Tina announced as she holstered her own gun and took hold of Frederick's arm to hoist him up to his feet. Walking with Connor to escort the dangerous man to the back of the car parked along the street, Tina proceeded to give Frederick's his rights. "And we strongly emphasize you exercising your right to remain silent."

Connor watched as Tina locked Frederick in the back of the squad car before he returned to the facility to check on Abby. Walking down the corridor with his hand clamped down over his wounded abdomen to stem the bleeding, Connor knocked on the locked breakroom door to check in on Abby without startling her.

Gavin slowly opened the door and already had his gun drawn as he stayed between the door and his new wife. Realizing it was Connor he gave him a relieved nod of recognition. "You got him?"

"He's been arrested." Connor confirmed in a level voice as he fought against the burning pain in his core. "He'll be charged and won't be released for a long time."

Abby was sitting in a chair near the back of the room and looked both sick and relieved at the same time. "Thank you." She held her palm to her belly and took in calming breaths. "I'm so glad you were here."

"You're welcome, Abby."

Gavin suddenly saw the fresh blue blood on Connor's abdomen and asked about it in a low voice as he holstered his gun. "Did he get you?"

Offended at the question Connor glared at Gavin as he answered honestly. "...Obviously."

"How in the fuck did he managed to stab you?"

"I was unaware he had a second knife." Connor admitted as he looked at the blood saturating through his gray blazer while staining his palm blue. "I will take care of this at the brownstone."

"Not on your life!" Gavin blurted as he put his hands on Connor's shoulders to keep him from trying to leave the facility. "Which room do I take him to, babe?"

"Take a left and help him into treatment room 'A-2'." Abby instructed as she took a deep breath to calm herself down before going back to business. She didn't want to stress herself out by mistake while in her condition. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Gavin kept his hands on Connor's shoulders as he carefully turned the deviant around so he could direct Connor down the corridor and help him walk into the correct room for proper technical treatment. Connor had to keep his palm pressed over his abdomen to ensure he didn't leave a trail of Thirium down the corridor by mistake as he was guided to the correct room.

"Almost there, 'Tinman'."

That particular nickname was one Connor hadn't heard in quite some time. The first few times he heard it he had been offended since it wasn't his name and in some android circles it might be misconstrued as a hateful slur, but now Connor didn't mind. One of the books he had read in his spare time was 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', and he now understood the reference to the iconic character made of tin seeking his heart and of the parallels between his own growth and such a character's very existence.

"You in any pain?" Gavin asked as he gently pushed Connor through the door and led him over to the exam table to lay down. "I mean, I don't know much about android first aid, but-"

"I'm okay." Letting out a small breath as he laid flat over his back Connor ignored the warning in his vision regarding the damage to his thermal regulator, cracked plastimetal frame and minor Thirium loss. He could feel his core temperature beginning rise due to the damage and lingering high stress level courtesy of the recent physical confrontation. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do." Glancing about the room Gavin proceeded to rummage through one of the metal storage cabinets against the far wall and found some clean gauze. Using the bandages Gavin managed to apply pressure to Connor's wound without causing any further pain to the deviant. "You protected my wife and unborn baby, and even took a knife to the gut in the process. This is literally the least I can do for you."

"Abby was never in any immediate danger." Connor responded in a casual tone as he didn't flinch away from the added pressure to his abdomen. "Frederick wasn't even in her line of sight when I confronted him."

"Still, thanks for doing what you did. I appreciate it, and I know she does too."

The door to the exam room slid open as Abby appeared. She had managed to quickly recompose herself and was determined to aid her star patient after the massive risk he had just taken in the building across the street.

"How do you feel?" Abby asked as she gingerly lifted up Gavin's hands so she could unbutton the vest and dress shirt over Connor's abdomen. The exposed artificial skin had been sliced open directly around the stab wound that had pierced clean through Connor's plastimetal frame and damaged the thermal regular beneath that particular section of frame. "I have some Thiricetomal if you're willing to try it."

"I'm not in any significant pain." Connor admitted as he noted Abby's pale complexion, tense shoulders and slightly elevated vital signs. She was still on edge and needed to relax for her own health's sake. "How about you? How do you feel?"

"Like I'm coming down from one Hell of an adrenaline rush." The admission was met with Gavin putting a comforting hand to her back and rubbing gentle circles in an attempt to help her feel safer and calmer. His other palm rested gently against her bump in additional reassurance. "Glad I'm not far enough along to feel any kicks just yet. That would've sucked for my bladder."

As expected, it didn't take long for the precinct to react to the arrest of Frederick Calvin and show immediate support to those who had been affected by his hostile actions toward someone they considered one of their own. Tina had made sure to let Captain Fowler know that the arrested man was connected to Abby and that she had been attacked by him in the past while she was still living in Chicago after she had broken up with the man. Such details regarding a pattern of violent behavior and stalking would guarantee that Frederick would remain behind prison bars for forty years minimum or locked inside of a mental health facility until he was deemed sane by the state. The six charges of assault with a deadly weapon wouldn't be dismissed and Frederick would no longer threaten anyone else by walking the streets of any city.

An hour after the incident had taken place Gavin returned to the precinct to deliver his report on the situation and confirmed that it was Connor who had been the one to apprehend the suspect while keeping Abby safe. He also had the misfortune of telling Hank that the deviant had been wounded in the process and would be giving his own report on the incident once he had recovered enough to move.

Taking it upon himself to check on the bold deviant detective, Hank arrived at the Zeta Facility and was shown to the recovery room where Connor was resting. The sight of Connor laying over the table with his abdomen wrapped up in white bandages with his blazer, shirt, vest and tie removed, and a cool washcloth over his forehead was a stark reminder of how vulnerable and fragile androids truly were.

"Hey, son." Hank announced his presence as he walked into the room to check in on Connor for himself. The deviant's brow furrowed for a moment beneath the damp washcloth then smoothed back out to confirm that he had heard Hank's voice. "Heard what happened today, good work at taking that sick fucker down."

Connor didn't verbally respond to the comment. His hand twitched slightly as his head lolled slightly against the pillow beneath his head.

As Hank crossed the room to stand beside the bed the door slid back open as Abby returned to check in on her resting patient. "He's a little feverish right now."

Hank turned to look at Abby as he spoke in a soft voice. "Anything serious?"

"Fortunately, no." She confirmed as she joined Hank beside the bed and lifted up the bandage from Connor's abdomen to check the damage. "The knife didn't go deep enough to cause serious damage to his thermal regulator, it just cracked the surface and destabilized it. Once he's had the chance to let it recalibrate his system will be as good as new."

"Good to hear. And how about you?" Hank knew that the moment had been nerve wracking and he was worried that Abby might've had her own confidence shaken after the strange incident. "I know you've probably been asked a thousand times already, but how're you doing?"

"I'm okay. WE are okay." She emphasized as she replaced the bandage and pressed the back of her hand to Connor's cheek. He was still running warm, but his temperature was remaining consistent which was a good sign that the thermal regulator was still functioning. "I'm going to take the rest of the week off to relax and make sure nothing else goes wrong, but I swear that I'm okay."

"Even better."

Slowly Connor's eyes cracked open as he regained enough strength to exit rest mode and respond to the people around him. Noticing Hank first Connor found himself fairly relieved to see the senior detective watching over him. The older man was a protective figure over himself and Lucas, and Connor was finally able to accept that the man had made many changes for the better.

As he slowly pushed himself somewhat upright with his elbows Connor noticed Abby and immediately froze. Knowing that his friend had been threatened and that she was pregnant made Connor somehow feel as if he needed to walk on eggshells for a while. He didn't want to accidentally say or do anything that'd cause undue stress on her body or her mind.

"...I presume that the arrest was successful." Connor stated in a level tone as he tried to discuss the situation with very delicate words. "And I'll deliver my statement on the incident as soon as I can get to the precinct."

"Don't worry about that." Hank responded casually as he watched the deviant trying to put on a brave face for everyone's sake. "You took a knife to the gut and still managed to get the asshole down on the ground until Tina arrived to haul his ass away. You deserve a few hours to rest."

"It's difficult to rest. There were five other deviants assaulted all over the city, and I know that if we compare Frederick's knife to their previous wounds then we'll be able to connect him to every single reported deviant assault that's happened in the past month. The sixth victim was admitted here mere hours before I confronted Frederick myself."

"Since the asshole's sitting in a holding cell and is being analyzed by the precinct shrink, he isn't going to go anywhere. You chill for a least another hour and then you can come down to the precinct to give your statement and help us create the file against him."

Unwilling to be uncooperative or stubborn for Abby's sake, Connor nodded slightly and slowly laid back down over the bed to continue to rest. Even the simple motion was enough to make him wince in pain as his core continued to mend itself via self healing program.

"Did you call Lucas and let him know what happened?"

"Not yet." Connor admitted in a somewhat embarrassed tone. "I don't want him to become distracted while working at the tower."

"Don't hide your injuries from your brother, that'll cause problems."

"I won't. I'll let him know after I've had more time to recover and have returned to the brownstone."

"Cool. You said another one of the victims is here in the facility." Looking over at Abby for a moment Hank sought her approval to go and interview the final victim of the Frederick's reign of selfish terror. "Are they up for talking?"

"Yeah, he should be awake and still be willing to talk." Abby confirmed as she made notes in Connor's electronic chart and gave Hank permission to speak to her other patient. "He's in room 'B-6', and his name is Matthew."

"Right. I'll go talk with Matthew and give ya' a lift to the precinct in an hour or so." Hank promised as he made his way back toward the door. "Take it easy, son."

Doing his best to remain still Connor ran a self diagnostic over his system and confirmed that his core temperature would return to normal in less than twenty minutes. His biocomponent had fully healed and recalibrated, which meant he'd be able to leave without needing any further technical observation.

"You seem tense." Abby noted as she watched Connor laying perfectly still while remaining perfectly silent. "Are you hiding something from me and trying to be brave so I feel safe?"

"I assure you that I'm not attempting to hide any additional points of damage, glitches or errors."

"But you are trying to keep something from me." Too sharp to be fooled Abby knew that there was something on the deviant's mind. "What is it? Are you worried about my pregnancy?"

"I..." The odd and sudden discomfort of being around children or even thinking about how fragile they were was definitely an issue he needed to find a way to overcome before the situation became phobic. "I don't like thinking about how easy it is for another person to harm a child."

"I was scared, I'll admit it, but I haven't had any weird cramps or anything that'd indicate a problem from being stressed the fuck out for all of ten minutes." Even with the lighthearted comment Abby knew that Connor was still emotionally compromised by more than just the recent incident. She knew of another reason why Connor would be so upset and wanted to try to comfort him. "Gavin told me about a case you were involved with a couple months back. The missing baby."

Wincing slightly Connor closed his eyes and turned his head away from Abby as if he could somehow make the subject of discussion just stop.

"He also told me what happened, and we both shed some tears about it. He also told me that it was you who- I know you were the one who had to be faced with the horrible truth before anyone else."

"...I don't wish to discuss it."

"I don't blame you, but you're still being affected by it." With a ginger touch Abby put her palm to Connor's cheek again and could feel that his temperature was finally returning to normal. She didn't want to see her friend in such emotional pain and hoped that she could be of some comfort. "You didn't do anything wrong and there wasn't anything you could've done differently that would've given anyone involved a better final outcome."

"And horrible people like that will still be walking free in this world until their crimes are discovered far too late."

"Not every horrible person is going to be able to harm an innocent child." Lightly Abby picked up Connor's hand and lightly pressed his palm over her bump. "I know that Gavin and I are already going to be the parents who'd take a bullet for our child, and I know that people like you, Tina and even Hank, would all be willing to do the same."

Connor wanted to pull his hand back, but he couldn't do it. His system had already detected the biometric signature of the thirteen-week-old fetus and he was able to confirm that both mother and fetus were perfectly healthy despite their recent shocking encounter. In spite of his own hesitation to do anything that revolved around children due to his lingering trauma, Connor had to admit that Abby's kind gesture did help him feel better.

"...I guarantee you that I'd never do anything to harm a child." Pulling his hand back slowly Connor sat upright on the bed again and pressed his hands over his own abdomen to check for any pain or physical instability. "And I know that you and Gavin will be excellent parents."

"Damn right we will." Grinning with her normal confidence Abby seemed more like her usual self. It was nice to have the confidence of her friend supporting her and Gavin before their child was even born. "Why don't you take Hank up on his offer and go to the precinct to give your report so you can back to your brownstone and get some rest? I know you're feeling better, but you should drink some Thirium and lay down to get some sleep."

"That's a good idea." Carefully Connor slid off the exam table and spotted his removed clothing neatly folded on the nearby supply table. After reclaiming his shirt, vest and blazer, Connor felt more comfortable and more like himself. As he neatly folded the tie and slipped it into his pocket Connor managed to give Abby a somewhat warm grin as he slowly walked toward the door. "Perhaps you should do the same since the day was very hectic."

"Yeah, I'm clocking-out the minute you're out of here and Matthew's done talking with Hank." Admitting she was tired as well Abby rubbed her palm over the back of her tense neck and acknowledged that Connor was entirely right. She was tired and needed to take it easy as well. "I need to soak my feet and sweet-talk Gavin into giving me one of his incredible back massages so I can relax properly."

The strange day came to an end with Connor returning to the brownstone feeling lethargic but pain-free as he closed his latest case. The arrest of Frederick Calvin was satisfying even if it did come at the price of Connor sustaining a stab wound to his abdomen. No one else had been hurt, justice would be served, and Connor felt like he did something productive despite being damaged and needing a little assistance from his allies. The notable problem that stemmed from being alone - working without either Lucas or Bruno at his side - had reminded Connor that it was dangerous to work on cases alone while unarmed, and decided it was time to carry his electrified baton with him on every case from that day onward.

Lucas had promptly returned to the brownstone to check in on his brother after being told of the incident and found Connor sitting on a sofa in the study with a book in his hands and loyal dog sprawled out over his legs. Seeing Connor fully conscious and alert made Lucas immediately calm down as he had been expecting the worst when Connor told him about being stabbed.

After checking Connor's healing wound and running a system diagnostic for himself, Lucas gave his brother some Thirium and decided to go upstairs and get some rest for himself. Working as one of the deviant leaders of New Jericho Tower was thoroughly exhausting and even the highly advanced deviant was struggling to find the right work-life balance to compensate.

The brownstone was calm, quiet and everything seemed to be under control.

"Why don't you go stay the night with Lucas tonight?" Connor suggested as he finished his book and rubbed Bruno's ears gently. "I'm okay, but Lucas is dealing with a lot of stress right now. He could use your companionship."

Bruno lifted his head and wagged his tail happily. 'Bruno will watch over Lucas.'

"Good boy. I'll enter rest mode within the hour, I just want to read one more book."

'Goodnight, Connor.'

"Goodnight, Bruno."

It didn't take long for the large dog to jump off the sofa and make his way upstairs to check on Lucas. Neither deviant fully closed their bedroom doors, so it was easy for Bruno to enter either bedroom and check on the deviants at nighttime.

As he crossed the study to return his book to the shelf to select another, 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' seemingly the ideal choice, an incoming cybernetic call caught his attention and made Connor freeze with his hand over the chosen book.

...Incoming Call: Zhorra - "RK-700"]

...Accept Call? [Y/N]

Pausing for a moment Connor took in a deep breath and accepted the cybernetic call while remaining entirely unsure of what to expect. He hadn't seen Zhorra in over four months and he didn't know why she'd suddenly be reaching out to him. The only thing he could even theorize as the cause of the call stemmed from Echo passing along his message to the 'RK-700' after she returned to the forest refugee camp.

Accepting the call Connor closed his eyes and took in a deep breath as he casually slid his book back onto the shelf to pick up later. 'Hello, Zhorra.'

'Hey, stranger.' The reclusive deviant sounded unusually chipper as soon as she heard Connor's voice on the other end of the share lined. 'I heard rumors that you had performed a miracle and come back from the dead, but I couldn't be certain. At least not until a little blue bird told me she saw you in person today.'

'You could've come back to the city at any time to see for yourself, you know?' Connor countered as he walked back to the sofa to sit down again. He didn't want to strain his core while he was still healing. 'Or you could've cybernetically contacted me at any time and I would've responded.'

'I've been busy out here. There's a lot of innocent people who need my attention, my help and my resources.'

'True, I understand how having a hectic schedule can get in the way. I take it Echo also informed you of my willingness to volunteer to assist you.'

'She did. I appreciate it, but I don't you to do anything for me that I can't already do for myself.'

'That's encouraging.' Knowing that the other "RK" models weren't struggling was reassuring, as neither Connor or Lucas wanted to go back out to the forest unless it was absolutely crucial. 'Just so you know, I do wish we had parted on somewhat more personal terms.'

'Us having sex wasn't personal enough?'

'I don't mean on a physical scale,' Connor could hear him blushing at the comment as he thought about that very eye opening night that he had spent with Zhorra. 'I mean on an emotional scale. I don't want to think of you as someone that I shared an intimate night with and that's it. I'd like to think of you as an ally if not an actual friend.'

'You're far too kind and optimistic for this world.' Zhorra replied with a huff as if she found the very idea of friendship to be only a fantasy. 'We're just too different to be friends. I'm looking to take every free deviant who wants a change with me out to Boston, while you're going to stay in Detroit to try to keep fighting for changes that may never even happen.'

'Even so, we both have our own plans where the end goals are seemingly the same; freedom and equality. Doesn't sound that different to me.'

'Same goals with different approaches and motivations.' The sharp "RK-700" responded casually over the link. 'That's different enough for me.'

'I see.'

'Don't get me wrong, if we were more alike than unalike then it'd be entirely possible for us to be close friends. But the way things are and the way I had treated you in the past... It's just not meant to be.'

'I suppose you're right.'

'You sound disappointed.'

'I'm merely trying to understand emotions and how they can be so cruelly one-sided at times. It's strange how I can have strong feelings toward one person...'

'But the other person doesn't feel the same.' Zhorra knew where Connor was going, and she sympathized with him entirely. 'I've been there too many times to count. Just know that you're always going to be seen as a trusted ally to all of our people regardless of any feelings, mutual or otherwise, between any deviants. You're a good guy and I know you'll find an equally good person to truly fall in love with some day.'

'Thanks for the bode of optimism.'

'Well, it's the least I can do for the deviant I abducted and physically altered against his will. Sorry about that, by the way.'

A small chuckle escaped Connor's lips as he traced his fingertip over the back of his opposite hand. The extra sensitivity to his external senses was still fascinating to test by touch from time to time. 'It's okay. It took some time to adapt to the changes but I'm glad they happened. It would've been better had the changes happened by choice; however, I don't hold any grudges against you.'

'That's a relief!'

'It's getting late, and I had a very interesting day. We should talk again later.'

'Oh, we will.' Zhorra seemed very enthusiastic about the impending meeting. 'I'll be sure to visit you at least one more time before I leave this winter.'

'I'm looking forward to it. Goodnight, Zhorra.'

'Goodnight, Connor. Take care of yourself!'

'I will, I promise.'

Ending the cybernetic call Connor sighed and decided he didn't want to read another book after all. He just wanted to go to bed, get some rest and try not to think about his ever changing and increasingly bizarre views of the world around him.

Those he once considered allies were momentarily vilified by misunderstandings and lies. Now those he once considered enemies were allies and even friends after watching them change for the better. It was an ideal visual representation of how people and the world itself was in a constant flux of change, and that one shouldn't assume that the world and the people they know will be the same forever.

As he made his way to his bedroom Connor looked in on Lucas for a moment and noted that even though he was in rest mode, Lucas's stress levels were unusually high. He was clearly overworked and overstressed from working as both a leader and the lead technician out at New Jericho Tower. It seemed Bruno sensed it as well since the alert K-9 unit was watching Lucas's chest rising and falling with a keen interest.

"Rest well, brother."

Connor whispered as he walked into his own bedroom to change into his night clothes. He didn't want to disturb Lucas's sleep by mistake and knew he'd need to do something to aid Lucas in the near future.

"We've both been through a lot these past few months, and even so you're the one who's always been looking out for me."

Laying down in his bed Connor pulled his quilt up and over himself and set an internal alarm and prepared to enter rest mode. The day had come to an end, he was going to make a full recovery, and he had successfully closed an open case. He now had plenty of time to assist his brother in whatever struggles may come the kindhearted deviant's way.

"Now, it's my turn to help you."

-next chapter-