The city was quickly beginning to warm up as summer hit Detroit in a massive heatwave despite it only being the beginning of June. It didn't take long for the power grid to start getting overwhelmed by a majority of the people cranking their air conditioners and fans to maximum power to combat the heat, and when people started getting their personal pools cleaned up and the filters going full force to clean the water that had stagnated over the winter and spring, the power grid began to strain a little further. It didn't take long for rolling brownouts to hit parts of the city as the power was being delicately balanced to compensate for the extra energy requirements, and as such many smaller businesses and neighborhoods were left to bake in the heat.
The brownstone hadn't escaped the brownouts and Connor found himself struggling to keep his core temperature level as the old building quickly began to heat up externally and internally thanks to the intense summer sun. Not only was the deviant detective feeling overheated and miserable, Bruno was laying on his side over the hardwood floor of the study while panting heavily. Neither deviant were doing well in such concentrated heat and they needed to find a way to cool down quickly.
Connor used ice packs along the back of his neck to keep cool and he provided chilled Thirium to Bruno ensure the K-9 unit didn't overheat courtesy of this thick pelt of fur over his entire body. If K-9 units could deactivate their fake fur in the same way humanoid androids could deactivate their artificial skin, then it wouldn't be such a problem. Unfortunately, the animalistic androids didn't have such a luxury option.
"The heat is expected to diminish by six-fourteen this evening. We'll survive this heat for the next six hours."
The deviant detective relayed the information to Bruno as the large dog laid over the cool floor without budging a synthetic muscle.
"I hope New Jericho Tower is maintaining some semblance of control during this heatwave. I'd hate for the sanctuary to undergo a brownout and have to deal with dozens, if not hundreds, of overheating deviants at a single time."
Worried for his brother's health during the heatwave on top of Lucas's mounting stress rates, Connor decided to reach out to Lucas and check in on him without intruding on his personal space. Despite New Jericho Tower being accepting of Connor's presence the cautious deviant didn't want to risk stepping over the line while the tower itself was dealing with potential stress.
'The brownstone is currently without power.' Connor started the cybernetic call with an honest approach to ensure Lucas didn't feel left out of the loop. 'Bruno and I are faring well, albeit uncomfortably. How are things at the tower?'
There was a brief pause of silence before Lucas responded to his brother's voice. 'Stable. The tower has its own power supply through renewable a hydro energy plant positioned beneath the tower which syphons water from the surrounding harbor. If you wish to come to the tower until power has been restored, you're more than welcome.'
'I'd rather remain here in case a client stops by the brownstone.'
'Understandable.'
The terse manner in which Lucas was speaking gave Connor righteous worry. 'Perhaps you should request time off to ensure you're able to properly rest. You're working as a detective, as the tower's lead technician and as one of the leaders at the same time. Three jobs are exhausting even for the most advanced android ever designed.'
'I'm well aware of my personal limitations.' The stern response was very out of character for the compassionate deviant. 'Even more so than you or anyone else. I know what I can and cannot handle.'
'...My apologies.' The way Lucas was being short with Connor was something he wasn't used to and didn't like to hear. 'I didn't mean to infer that you were somehow oblivious to your own health and condition. I'm sorry for implying otherwise.'
There was another beat of silence from Lucas before he spoke up again. 'No, I'm the one who should apologize. I didn't mean to be aggressive toward you.'
'It's okay, brother.' Connor tried to be calm and reasonable at all times as he knew Lucas was beginning to feel the ill effect of prolonged stress. 'I know that you're merely trying to balance three very important responsibilities at once. It's a lot for any deviant to handle.'
'I can't deny that.' Lucas took in a deep breath and tried to calm himself down to prevent another accidental snap at the wrong person. 'I think you're correct. I'm going to return to the brownstone and put some distance between myself and work for the rest of the day.'
'Good idea. I'll attempt to get the power restored to ensure the brownstone is cool.'
'Thank you, brother. I'll be home within the hour.'
With the call over Connor let out a small sigh as he looked down at Bruno and gave the dog's side a small pat to ensure he didn't feel too hot all over again.
"Lucas will be back soon. I'm going to try to get the old generator functional enough to cool down the brownstone."
Bruno lifted his head and wagged his tail as he looked up at Connor. 'Can Bruno help?'
"No, the generator cannot be maintained with paws, only hands. Remain in here where it's cool so you don't overheat."
Walking through the brownstone's rear door Connor winced at the intense sunlight pouring down over him as he eyed the old gasoline fueled generator that had been placed in the far corner of the property. He then gave the device a quick cybernetic scan to determine its overall functionality. The generator was over thirty years old, hadn't been properly maintained for the past twelve years, and had considerable internal damage. It'd take more time and money to repair the generator than it would to replace it with a newer and more efficient model.
"I doubt Mr. Lewis would protest to me replacing the generator. After all, I'm an excellent tenant and the brownstone's nearly paid off as it is."
A quick cybernetic order for a hybrid solar powered and battery powered generator was easy enough, but getting it delivered was another issue. It wouldn't arrive until the evening, nearly six hours after Lucas would return to the brownstone and after the heatwave was estimated to break.
"Damn. I guess we have no choice but to wait for delivery and find alternative means to keeping cool."
Returning to the brownstone through the backdoor Connor made sure the door was locked tight to keep as much heat out as possible, then proceeded to refill the freezer with fresh ice packs and Thirium. He wanted to make sure he was prepared for everything that could go wrong during such a tense and hot day in Detroit.
Using his books as a means of distracting himself while doing something that was very mild regarding physical activity, Connor stretched out over the leather sofa and read four of his most preferred books in total by the time Lucas had returned to the brownstone to finally get some rest. When he heard the front door of the brownstone unlock and then 'creak' open slowly, Connor closed his book and rose to his feet to greet his brother at the door.
Lucas looked unusually pale and rundown. His shoulders were hunched, his green eyes were dull with a distant stare in them, and he was moving slowly. A notable heat was radiating from Lucas's entire being and he was wearing his numerous layers of clothing as per usual despite the intense summer heatwave suffocating the life and comfort out of the city.
"Lucas, you're at severe risk of overheating." Connor noted in a calm voice as he put his hand to his brother's shoulder. He didn't need to run a scan to know that his brother's core temperature was unusually high. "You should take a cool shower to negate the heat until the power returns to the brownstone."
Blinking slowly Lucas seemed to just barely register Connor's voice speaking to him. Looking to Connor with his ever distant stare, Lucas seemed to be in an absolute daze and functioning solely on autopilot.
"Lucas?" Sensing that something was very wrong Connor kept his palm in place and retracted his artificial skin to finally perform a direct scan of his brother's systems. The numbers he received were less than ideal. "Damn it..."
...DIAGNOTIC: [Engaged]
...LOADING INFORMATION:
REGISTERED NAME: "Lucas Wolf"
MODEL: RK-900
SERIAL NUMBER: 313 248 317 - 87
ACTIVATION DATE: December 31st, 2038
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 01.36"; 164.6 lbs
COMPLEXION: Caucasian
AESTHETIC GENDER: Male
HAIR/EYES: Black; Green
ASSIGNMENT: NONE
ASSOCIATION(S): Private Detective; Lead Technician of New Jericho Tower; Co-Leader of New Jericho Tower
BOOTING PROCESSORS...
LOADING OS...
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION...
-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]
-INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK]
-INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK]
-MEMORY STATUS... OK]
READY...
[...Thirium Volume - 98.4%]
[...Thirium Pressure - 130/90]
[...Thirium Pump Rate - 142 B.P.M.]
[...Ventilation Rate - 34 V.P.M.]
[...Core Temperature - 102.6 Degrees Fahrenheit]
WARNING:
-STRESS LEVELS: ^96%
[...Elevated Core Temperature - CRITICAL]
[...Elevated Thirium pump rate detected]
[...Elevated Thirium pressure detected]
[...Seek Technical assistance]
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
Keeping himself calm for Lucas's sake Connor decided to take the initiative and aid Lucas in cooling down before his condition became any worse than it already was.
"Come with me." Connor insisted as he lightly pulled on Lucas's arm to lead his brother over to the sofa. Putting both hands on Lucas's shoulders Connor guided his ailing little brother to the furniture and encouraged him to sit down for a moment. It'd give Connor the chance to remove Lucas's white technician's coat from his body. "You seem to be processing something emotionally difficult. Care to discuss it?"
"...What's to discuss?" Lucas replied in an unusually despondent manner. He didn't resist as Connor slowly removed his limp, heavy arms one at a time from the sleeves of his coat and pulled the garment away from his overheating body. "I'm trying to do the right thing and help our people, and yet no matter what I do our people still seem to suffer and die."
Freezing at those words Connor sensed that something very negative had happened at the tower that day. It'd also explain his uncharacteristically impatient response during their earlier cybernetic conversation.
"Please talk to me." Connor kept his hands steady as he then moved to remove the white blazer from Lucas's shoulders and internally tried to understand why his brother would willingly subject himself to such uncomfortable conditions for so long. "You are clearly upset about something."
"...There was an incident early this morning." He admitted in a somber tone as he allowed Connor to remove his coat and then blazer without protest. "A 'YK-500' had been struck by a speeding vehicle and left for dead in an alleyway. She was brought to the tower for treatment."
"You were the one taking care of her." The keen deviant deduced sharply as he then worked to carefully remove the white long sleeved shirt from Lucas's chest to remove the final unnecessary layer. Even with the layers being removed Connor noted Lucas's core temperature was continuing to rise. "What happened to her after she was brought to the tower?"
"...I fought to stabilize her condition. The impact from the collision had ruptured her Thirium pump and severed numerous Thirium lines throughout her chest and abdomen." Lucas's eyes became all the more distant as his stress levels ticked up steadily to a lethal number. "I did everything I could to save her, but... The damage was too severe. I held her hand as she shutdown and saw the genuine fear in her eyes as she slipped away. I couldn't do it. I couldn't save her life."
"It wasn't your fault." The death of a child was still a very sore subject for Connor to deal with personally, but he was determined to help his brother through his current emotional dilemma. "You can't repair the irreparable, just as you can't reason with the unreasonable."
"I'm the lead technician." Lucas countered as his stress levels continue to rise. "I should've been able to save her. What kind of technician fails to save another deviant's life?"
"What kind of detective can't immediately track down a serial killer or identify the enigmatic RA9? No one's perfect, even us 'RK' models who were designed and programmed to be just that." Connor's eyes were watching Lucas's every movement like a hawk circling over a small jackrabbit. "Our deviation is proof enough of perfection being unobtainable."
"We don't need to be perfect; we just need to be successful." Lucas responded as his hands clenched into tight fists upon his lap. His core temperature was getting higher and his eyes were glazing over even further. "If I can't succeed then I am failing."
"How high is your stress level?"
When the 'RK-900' refused to respond Connor knew that Lucas had reached his limits. Ready to react quickly Connor watched Lucas's every move with an attentive air of utter worry.
"Lucas, please talk to me."
Without say a word Lucas suddenly rose to his feet, pushed Connor aside and slammed his forehead into the brick surface of the far wall with enough force that he cracked the clay and mortar of the targeted brick. The impact was enough to draw blood from his torn artificial skin and even caused Bruno to jump to his paws in surprise. As Lucas leaned backward to smash his head against the brick surface for a second time Connor wrapped one hand over's forehead and wrapped his opposite arm around his brother's chest in an attempt to force him back and away from the unforgiving surface.
"Lucas! Stop!"
Reacting as quickly as he could Connor dragged Lucas away from the brick wall and intentionally fell to his side over the surface of the nearby sofa with Lucas still in his grip. Pinning Lucas down on his side as well, Lucas's face toward the sofa's back cushions and Connor's back toward the edge of the furniture, Connor wrapped his legs around Lucas's legs to effectively hold his stressed out brother in place to keep him from trying to harm himself for a second time.
"Your stress levels have maxed out; you're trying to self destruct!" Keeping his arms in place Connor refused to budge or let Lucas escape his protective grasp. "You have to fight it!"
Lucas responded by silently trying to outmuscle Connor and break free of his grip. Normally the more advanced deviant would be able to easily overpower his older brother, but with Connor being fueled by his emotions and his urge to protect his family, Lucas didn't have the strength to break free.
"Lucas! Listen to me!" Tightening his hold Connor could feel Lucas's pump thundering in his chest and his core reaching a critical temperature. "You're allowed to not be perfect, and no one expects you to be perfect except for yourself! Stop trying to force yourself to be someone or something that's impossible!"
"I can't!" As hot tears rolled down his face Lucas all but screamed out his frustrations. "I'm not supposed to be who I am right now! I was supposed to be someone different, something different!" Taking in deep breaths he began to hyperventilate then quiet down as he forced himself to acknowledge his feelings. "...I'm not supposed to be flawed, stressed or a failure." He took in a shuddering breath as his voice let out a single choked sob. "I'm not supposed to be a deviant."
"And I'm not supposed to be someone who protects deviants, I was meant to hunt deviants." Connor replied in a lower, calmer voice. As he felt the tension leaving Lucas's body Connor slowly loosened his grip so his brother didn't feel overwhelmed or threatened. "We're allowed to be ourselves and don't have to settle into the roles that someone else expects of us."
Upon hearing those words Lucas began to relax more as he let his frustrated tears fall as he quietly wept in grief over the loss of his patient.
"It's okay. You're okay, too." Letting go entirely Connor knelt on the floor beside the sofa and put his hand to Lucas's shoulder to let him know that he was still close by. He could feel that Lucas's core temperature was still very high, and now he was trembling with his raw emotions. "Breathe in deep and slowly. Let out your emotions and don't deny what you're currently feeling."
Lucas just silently wept as he stopped trying to deny how stressed out and how alone he felt with his three very demanding roles in the world. Even with Connor by his side while handling cases Lucas still felt like he was trying to keep the entire city together with just his bare hands and a single first-aid kit.
With a gentle touch Connor rolled Lucas from his side and on to his back so he could examine the damage to his brother's forehead. The amount of blue blood on Connor's palm confirmed that he had covered a serious wound that Lucas had inflicted against his own person during his attempt to self destruct. As he visually examined the injury Connor noticed that Lucas had slipped into rest mode out of his mounting exhaustion and stress, yet even so his stress levels were still high.
"Damn it, Lucas. Why didn't you tell me you were feeling so overwhelmed?"
Connor asked in a whisper as he examined the deep laceration in the center of Lucas's forehead. There was a faint but detectable fracture to the plastimetal frame beneath that'd need at least a full day to mend properly. Even though Lucas avoided any permanent damage he would undoubtedly be suffering from a nasty headache once he regained consciousness.
"You need a technician's assistance. I can only do so much for you with the supplies we have here."
The keen observation's irony didn't escape Connor's attention. The old adage "Who guards the guardians?" seemed very fitting in that moment. All Connor could think was "Who doctors the doctor?" while he went to the second floor bathroom to retrieve the emergency first-aid kit. The kit was filled with bandages and incrassation compound designed to stop the loss of Thirium through damaged lines and lacerated artificial skin, and little else.
"I can't take you to see Abby." Connor noted as he returned to the study with the kit in his hands. He wasn't at all surprised to see Bruno sitting beside the couch with his chin resting over Lucas's stomach in a protective and affectionate manner. "She's taking the week off due to her own previous tense encounter with a dangerous stalker from her past. I know she'd be discreet with the situation, but I can't vouch for any other technician in the city."
Bruno perked his ears up as he turned to look at Connor kneeling on the floor beside him. 'Simon is a technician.'
"And he's Lucas's colleague. I doubt Lucas would feel any less stressed to wake up and discover that New Jericho Tower learned of his attempted self destruction."
'Where can Lucas go?'
"I'm not sure yet." As he cleaned Lucas's wounds Connor noted the increasing temperature of the brownstone and knew that the external heat was only going to worsen his brother's condition. The layer of protective gauze could also prove to be risky since the bandages would conceal the wound and help hold heat all around Lucas's intracranial processor. "We need to take him someplace cool and quiet to heal without anyone else knowing about his high stress levels."
'Lieutenant Anderson has a cool and quiet house.'
"...You're right."
Initially Connor hesitated in asking Hank for his help, but with Lucas's health on the line he decided it'd be best to not push the matter or risk his personal sense of pride regarding his still tepid friendship with the senior detective.
"I'll contact Lieutenant Anderson and ask if his house still has power. I'm certain he won't mind letting Lucas rest there while he's ill and recovering from a serious bout of stress and attempted self destruction."
The unexpected phone call requesting his assistance had caught Hank off guard considering that he and Connor were only just beginning to get along, but he happily obliged and gave Connor full access to his home regardless of the situation at hand. The senior detective trusted the deviant despite their differences and knew that Connor would only ask for help if it was absolutely crucial. Unable to leave the precinct immediately since he was still on the clock, Hank just gave Connor verbal permission over the phone to enter the house, and he told Connor where he hid the spare key to the front door so he could easily let himself in the house whenever he needed to.
As soon as the two deviants were able to enter the thankfully air conditioned house and find some peace, Connor carried Lucas into the guestroom just down the hallway and placed Lucas down over top the neatly made bed to continue to rest. With Bruno tagging along and keeping a close eye on Lucas the entire time Connor knew that he'd be able to let Lucas alone in the room to rest without worrying about a second attempt to self destruct.
Heading into the kitchen, petting Sumo along the way and making sure the elderly, shaggy dog had plenty of cool water to drink as well, Connor retrieved additional ice packs and proceeded to carry them into the guestroom to lay over Lucas's bandages forehead and under his neck to ensure he cooled down properly while still in rest mode.
"Hopefully this will be enough to help you relax and lower your stress levels."
Connor continued to speak with his brother even though Lucas was still unconscious. Placing the fresh ice packs accordingly over Lucas's body, Connor scanned his brother's systems once more and noted that his stress levels were slowly ticking down alongside his core temperature.
"Keep sleeping. When you're ready to talk we will."
Bruno was sitting on the floor beside the bed and had his chin resting over Lucas's forearm as the limb laid stretched out along Lucas's side. 'Lucas is sad.'
"I know. That's why we're going to do everything we can to help him feel better." Rubbing Bruno's ears lightly Connor let the loyal dog know what was going to happen once the 'RK-900' regained consciousness. "Remain here with him. I'm going to make sure Sumo's okay and isn't being affected by the heat either."
Exiting the bedroom quietly Connor went about his self appointed task elsewhere in the house. He knew that Hank would've taken the necessary precautions for Sumo while away at the precinct, but he couldn't help but feel compelled to keep an eye on the fluffy Saint Bernard during the first big heatwave of the summer.
Steadily the ice packs cooled Lucas's overheating core and soothed away what was essentially a high fever. With his system far more stable than it had been when he attempted to self destruct the "RK-900" was able to reboot his processor and come back online without any issues or detriments to his overall functionality.
...SELF DIAGNOTIC: [Engaged]
...LOADING INFORMATION:
REGISTERED NAME: "Lucas Wolf"
MODEL: RK-900
SERIAL NUMBER: 313 248 317 - 87
ACTIVATION DATE: December 31st, 2038
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 01.36"; 164.6 lbs
COMPLEXION: Caucasian
AESTHETIC GENDER: Male
HAIR/EYES: Black; Green
ASSIGNMENT: NONE
ASSOCIATION(S): Private Detective; Lead Technician of New Jericho Tower; Co-Leader of New Jericho Tower
BOOTING PROCESSORS...
LOADING OS...
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION...
-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]
-INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK]
-INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK]
-MEMORY STATUS... OK]
READY...
[...Thirium Volume - 92.6%]
[...Thirium Pressure - 120/80]
[...Thirium Pump Rate - 66 B.P.M.]
[...Ventilation Rate - 32 V.P.M.]
[...Core Temperature - 100.2 Degrees Fahrenheit]
WARNING:
-STRESS LEVELS: ^82%
[...Elevated Core Temperature]
WARNING:
[...Damage to frontal facial plating detected - 98.3% structural integrity]
[...Seek Technical assistance]
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
Opening his eyes Lucas found himself laying in a bedroom he couldn't remember entering while laying over a bed he didn't remember climbing onto. When he felt Bruno's furry chin resting on his arm Lucas knew he was safe and quickly gained his bearings. As to exactly why he was at Lieutenant Anderson's residence was a question that he wanted answered sooner rather than later.
Sitting upright very slowly Lucas gasped as the motion made his head throb faster than his heartbeat. As he brought his palm to his head for the physical support, he noticed the white bandages and flinched away from the protected wound. He remembered what he had done at the brownstone and immediately felt ashamed of himself for what had happened.
"Shit... I almost did something completely destructive and permanent!"
"Don't be too hard on yourself, son." Hank's voice responded to the comment as he entered the bedroom quietly. He had an idea of what happened without Connor giving him too many details about the situation after he returned home just minutes prior. "I can assure you that you're not the first person who had an emotional breakdown after a shitty day. Hell, you're not the first person to wake up with a bandaged head and a serious headache to go with it!"
"...Wh-Why I am here?"
"Your brownstone's A/C was knocked out because of the brownouts, so Connor brought you here to chill. Literally."
"Where is Connor?"
"He's in the backyard with Sumo. The kid is more worried about the dog than himself in this heat, and I'm ready to break out the hose to make them both cool off for my own sake." Noticing the way Lucas was squinting reminded Hank of all the horrible hangovers he endured while he was at his lowest point in his life and trying to drink himself to death. "Need anything for your head? More ice or Thirium?"
"...No."
"If you think you deserve to be in pain because you, uh... Almost made a bad decision," the senior detective was careful to not say anything too insensitive since he had also almost made such foolish decisions in the past. "you're wrong. No one blames you for getting stressed out and having a bad reaction. Trust me, you are not the first guy to wake up in this house with a thundering headache, dodgy memories and a burning shame."
"You make it sound like what I did was normal."
"Not normal, but it is understandable. Besides, you had your very first breakdown and you woke up entirely lucid, without any tattoos, no strangers sleeping beside ya', and you're not curled up around a spare tire and sleeping in the middle of your own garage with no clue as to how you got there." Rubbing his hand over his bearded chin Hank looked away for a minute as he contemplated his own words. "To this day I have no fuckin' clue where that extra tire came from either. Came in handy though in a bind, so no regrets." Returning his focus to Lucas on the bed Hank kept the conversation on the deviant. "So, by all account you're already handling that shit better than I did. Good work."
"Did... Did that really happen?" Lucas's head hurt too much to even try to deduce if Hank was exaggerating or not. As he spoke, he gently pet Bruno's ears and felt a little calmer within second. "Did you wake up in your garage with a random tire and a tattoo?"
"Everything but the tattoo. If you want to know about anyone getting regretful ink, ask Abby if she knows the story behind Reed's tattoo."
"Do I want to know the story?"
"Only if you want a good laugh."
"Oh."
"Excuse me?" Connor appeared in the opened doorway with a familiar face peering over his shoulder. "Dr. Forrest has arrived."
"Perfect timing, Joel." Hank moved aside and let the precinct technician enter the bedroom to check in on Lucas for himself. Looking back at the injured deviant sitting upright and confused in the bed, the senior detective gave him a reassuring grin. "And before you say anything, no, Joel isn't going to make an official report on your head injury or tell other technicians what went down. You're good."
Lucas's eyes lowered guiltily to the foot of the bed as he tried to hide the shame in his gaze. "...Thank you."
"Give us some space." Joel politely requested as he entered the bedroom with his satchel slung over his shoulder in a casual manner. "I know when I have a headache I prefer to be left mostly alone, so this will make things easier for everyone."
"Yeah, no problem."
Connor stood beside the door for a few seconds longer after Hank exited the bedroom and decided that as long as Bruno stayed with Lucas then his brother would be all right. It wasn't that he mistrusted Joel, he merely didn't want to risk his brother's health by being too far away in his time of need.
"Thank you for letting us seek shelter in your house while Lucas is ill." Connor stated as he walked down the hallway and watched Hank flop over the length of the couch in the livingroom. The senior detective kicked off his shoes one at a time and promptly tucked his arm beneath his head for additional comfort. "I'm not sure why I asked you for your help before seeking a technician's help first."
"Don't worry about it." Hank was maintaining his rather lax demeanor and clearly didn't mind helping out the two deviant brothers. Having someone to look out for and help was doing the father figure a lot of emotional good. "I'm glad you know you can come to me for help when you really need it."
"I just didn't want Lucas to feel embarrassed by his breakdown. I've felt just as overwhelmed before and I know how horrible it feels to endure."
"Ditto. You're both welcome here at any time you need or want to be here."
Such a civil and brief conversation was oddly comforting. It wasn't anything Connor ever expected to experience with Hank, let alone any human. He had witnessed so many violent and bigoted humans acting in such a vulgar, upsetting manner with tragic outcomes that he couldn't bring himself to really accept that it was possible to be allies with humans, let alone actually forge any type of friendship with a human.
"Try not to worry about Lucas too much." Hank stated confidently as he locked eyes with the deviant nervously standing at the foot of the couch. "You're both strong and stubborn as the gates of Hell, so I know he'll pull through without any issues."
"I know he'll make a physical recovery, but the stigma of being a deviant who attempts self destruction is very potent."
"Ah. You're worried about his reputation being compromised."
"I am." Admitting his true fears Connor sat down on the end of the couch as Hank pulled his feet back to make room for him. "He's not only a skilled detective with a strong desire to gain justice for our people, but he's the lead technician at New Jericho Tower - a healer - and he's one of the leaders. He can't be seen as weak in the eyes of anyone who's even remotely doubtful of his ability to handle his responsibilities."
"Then it's a good thing you brought him here, away from doubting eyes, and are doing everything you can to take care of him and help him get better."
"I hope it'll be enough."
"Only time will tell." Sitting upright on the couch Hank slung his legs over the edge of the furniture and patted his hands rhythmically atop his knees. "And I know you won't tell anyone what happened, I won't tell anyone what happened, I really don't think Bruno or Sumo will say anything about it, and as for Joel... I think technicians have a type of patient confidentiality code for deviants like doctors do for their human patients. So, his secret's safe with us."
"Thank you for the reassurance."
"Want to talk about what happened?"
"No. It's not my place to discuss what Lucas has gone through."
"See?" Remaining somewhat upbeat Hank stood up from the couch and casually made his way into the kitchen to start making himself dinner. "He's got a great support system through his big brother."
The comment wasn't as encouraging as Connor had expected, yet it'd do just fine as he continued to grasp emotions while helping his brother to do the same.
"I'm gonna' make myself something to eat and watch a lame-ass movie I haven't seen in years tonight. You and Lucas are welcome to watch with me, but don't you dare ask me what the movie's about." Rummaging through his cupboards Hank found some dry pasta and settled on a simple dish for the night. "You in?"
"...If Lucas wishes to stay, then yes." The temptation to get away from the stress of the day was strong, yet Connor knew he needed to be stronger in order to support Lucas as necessary. "But if he wants to go back to the brownstone-"
"No problem, I get it."
The sound of the guestroom door opening caught Connor's ear and made him turn toward the source of the sound. The sight of Joel walking down the hallway with a confident expression was enough to help Connor's lingering worries begin to lessen. "Dr. Forrest?"
"Lucas is resting but he'll be one-hundred percent fine by nightfall. Also, call me 'Joel'."
"Very well, Joel. Thank you for helping him."
"No problem. Anyway," securing the satchel strap over his shoulder Joel pulled out a bottle of Thirium and handed it over to Connor to take. "I got him to drink some Thirium and even try a small amount of Thiricetomal for his headache, so he'll be asleep for about an hour to sleep through the worst of his pain. If he has a negative reaction to the Thiricetomal, which I doubt he will since I monitored him for the past ten minutes, then his system will activate the emergency expulsion program and that'll be enough Thirium to replace what he could potentially lose."
Accepting the Thirium Connor contemplated Joel's words very carefully. "No sign of permanent damage, correct?"
"Yeah, you got it. Thankfully his superior design included improved plastimetal that's twice as durable while remaining light and flexible." Despite being as tactful as possible Joel knew his remarks on Lucas's physical design would still sting a little. It was essentially an admission that if Lucas hadn't been built to be so sturdy then he could've caused permanent damage or even shutdown when he tried to self destruct. "He also told me that you reacted quickly and kept him from doing any further harm to himself, so be proud. You really stepped up and helped your brother."
"I just hope it was enough."
"It was." Joel sounded as confident as he was kind. A small smirk graced his lips as he tilted his head and let a small laugh escape. "You know, this is the only chance I'll have to say this, so I'm going to do it: I enjoyed your funeral! It was a simple but emotional affair."
Such a compliment caught Connor entirely off guard. "Thank... you?"
"Sorry, couldn't resist. But in all seriousness, when I heard you survived that fall and came back to Detroit, I was genuinely happy to hear some good news."
Appreciative of the warm remark Connor knew that Joel was someone who was honest and very kindhearted. He wasn't like the other technicians from CyberLife who treated androids like cold, unfeeling machines. He was more like Abby, who treated androids like the people they were designed to imitate, and he gave them respect without any prompting.
"Here." Reaching into the breast pocket of his red jumpsuit - being a technician could be messy at times - Joel presented Connor with a professional business card with all of his contact information. "If you or Lucas ever need some help and want it kept off the record, call me. I don't mind being able to help deviants off the clock."
"That's very generous of you." Accepting the card Connor slipped the card into his jean pocket. "May I ask why?"
"Let's just say I want to help make up for all the unethical and illegal things technicians had done to innocent androids and deviants in the past. I may not have helped them with their unscrupulous behavior, but that doesn't mean I still don't feel the effects of their past decisions."
Hearing Joel admit that he felt guilty for the crimes committed by fellow technicians oddly resonated within Connor's mind. Empathy was a strong concept and one that he was still just learning to understand.
"If Lucas wants any more of the Thiricetomal, just ask." Heading toward the front door Joel decided it was time to take his leave and let the two brothers alone. "I keep some locked up in my office for convenience's sake."
"I'll remember that. Thank you again."
"No problem. Take it easy, Connor."
Thirium in hand Connor walked back down the hallway as Joel stepped through the front door. Peering inside the opened bedroom door Connor saw Lucas curled up on his side with Bruno curled up right beside him. Even in his sleep Lucas was gently carding his fingers through Bruno's long fur as if needing to channel his pent-up energy and destress quicker.
Satisfied that his brother wasn't in any danger Connor silently crept back down the hallway and decided to see what Hank was doing in the kitchen. The older man was creating some kind of pasta dish and ignoring Sumo as the large dog tried and failed to beg for any scraps from the meal.
"Lucas is sleeping and seems to be comfortable."
"Good." Hank looked back at Connor over his shoulder as he stirred some seasoned tomatoes around in the skillet on the stove. "Headaches suck. Sleeping is the best thing you can do to deal with the pain."
"I've been deviant for far longer than Lucas has been, and yet I'm still struggling to adapt to painful interactions as well."
"Pain is something you're going to have to constantly learn to adapt to, son." Giving the tomatoes a gentle toss in the skillet Hank managed to turn them all evenly and was rewarded with a satisfying 'sizzle' as the spiced veggies fell back into place over the hot surface. "And everyone has different pain thresholds. Some people adapt to pain very quickly while others struggle."
"I'll be sure to remember that." Crouching down Connor extended his hands out toward Sumo to lure him away from the stove so Hank could continue to cook in peace without the dog drooling all over his legs. As he gently rubbed Sumo's ears Connor looked up at Hank again and let out a small breath. "...I didn't necessarily ever try to self destruct, but I did experience moments where I simply didn't want to exist any longer."
"...Same." Moving his sauteed tomatoes over to a small bowl Hank sighed and gave Connor a sympathetic glance. "Don't feel bad for feeling bad. Depression is a serious problem and those who've never experienced it have no idea how truly low you have to feel in order to even consider taking steps to not even exist anymore."
"I haven't felt that way for- I don't want to give the exact number since it'll make the situation feel like it's overdue to return, but it's been a while."
"That's okay." Focusing on his pasta next Hank managed to season it accordingly in the same skillet and fill the house with an alluring aroma of garlic, butter and other herbs of absolute intrigue. "You don't have to keep track of that shit. Just know we all have good days and bad days, so don't be ashamed when a bad day rears its ugly head your way again. It'll pass by and another good day awaits you."
"You're saying bad days are going to happen again regardless of what I do, where I go, or whom I become?"
"Yup." Popping the 'p' at the end of the word Hank finished with his pasta and slid the cooked noodles into the same bowl at the tomatoes before stirring them up with a pair of wooden chopsticks. "It doesn't matter how good you are as a person; bad things will still happen. All you can do is keep moving forward and not let the bad shit affect you in a personal manner."
"I see."
"Well, I'm famished." Hank turned off the stove and picked up his bowl full of noodles and tomatoes as he turned to face Connor directly. "Movie's going to be on in about twenty minutes and Lucas should be asleep through most of it. Still want to stay?"
"Yes." Straightening up Connor stood back as Hank crossed the kitchen and then followed the senior detective over to the couch to sit down. The moment they were both sitting down Sumo made himself comfortable by sprawling over Connor's lap. "I want to make sure Lucas has had plenty of time to rest before I take him back to the brownstone."
"Good plan." Twisting up a bundle of noodles on his chopstick Hank tasted his own cooking and approved of the healthy recipe he had been willing to try in order to keep away from grease and fried food. "Besides, this movie is so fuckin' weird that I think you'll enjoy trying to figure out what the fuck is going on."
After an hour of uninterrupted sleep had passed by Lucas finally awoke feeling much better than when he had initially entered rest mode. The pain in his head was mostly gone, his stress levels were much lower than they had been, and he still had Bruno curled up beside him as protective watcher. The loyal dog thumped his tail happily over the top of the quilt when he noticed that Lucas was awake. Bruno lifted his head up from his outstretched paws so they could be eye level with one another as Lucas pushed himself upright on the bed. Knowing he was safe and being watched after helped Lucas to feel even better and such reassurance allowed his stress levels to drop even further.
Lightly pressing his fingertips along his bandaged forehead Lucas pulled the gauze away from his wound to examine the damage for himself. The smooth and flawless artificial skin under his touch confirmed he had healed and no longer needed the bandages, but he still had to visually assess the damage to make certain that he was truly on his road to recovery.
"Thanks for staying with me, Bruno." Lucas rubbed the dog's ears as he rose to his feet and tested his balance. He wasn't dizzy and his head didn't throb with the motion that time. "Where's Connor?"
'Connor is with Lieutenant Anderson and Sumo in the livingroom.'
"It seems Connor truly is making an attempt to get along with the Lieutenant. That's good."
Quietly Lucas stepped out of the guestroom and smoothly crossed the way to enter the bathroom. Peering at his reflection in the mirror above the sink Lucas studied his forehead and noted that there wasn't a single sign of his previous self inflicted injury.
"Good. No scars or bruising."
"You're lucky."
Lucas jumped a little when he heard Connor's voice speak to him through the opened door. "...Yes, I'm very fortunate."
"Joel left some extra Thirium in the event you needed it. Has the Thiricetomal had any negative effects on your system?"
"No." Turning his head Lucas faced his brother and saw the marked worry in Connor's soulful brown eyes. "It's only had positive effects."
"That's good to hear." Connor watched as Lucas wadded up the old bandages and threw them away in the trashcan beside the sink without even blinking. "Hank and I are watching a movie. Would you like to join us, or do you just wish to return to the brownstone?"
"May I ask why you're avoiding the one question that you really wish to ask?"
"Because I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable by pressing a matter that you may not be ready to talk about."
"I appreciate your discretion, but I need to talk about it. I'd also like to apolo-"
"Don't be sorry for having a strong emotional reaction." Cutting Lucas off mid apology Connor refused to let his brother feel guilty for something that he couldn't control or prevent. "I know what happened today. You told me about the 'YK-500' and how you tried everything you could to save her. You don't need to say anything else or try to justify having a heart."
Hearing such forgiveness was enough to make Lucas's green eyes tear up.
"Come here for a moment."
Without needing to move Lucas let his brother give him a warm hug and help him feel truly supported. Reciprocating the hug Lucas let out a single sob then regained his composure quickly. "...I'm sorry if I scared you."
"It's okay. You're still here and that's all that matters."
"I'm not sure what'll happen if I get that stressed out again."
"You'll talk with me about it so we can find a solution to your breakdown." Connor decided as he held Lucas until Lucas was ready to break the hug himself. "Just as I've learned to not keep my emotions to myself, you'll be able to do the same. I won't judge you."
"I know. But as a detective, a leader and as a technician I shouldn't allow myself to get in such a state of mind."
"Perhaps you should step down as a detective for the time being. By focusing on two roles instead of three it could help your stress levels drop considerably."
"Then you'd be working alone." Letting up on the hug slowly Lucas gave Connor a concerned stare. "That isn't fair to you."
"I'd rather work solo and know that you're not putting your health at risk, than work alongside you and watch as you stress yourself out again." Without giving Lucas a chance to protest Connor reminded his little brother that he wouldn't actually be working alone during his cases. "Besides, I'll have Bruno with me during my investigations. I won't truly be alone while accepting cases."
"You're certain?"
"Yes. I want you to be healthy, and I'd rather double-up my caseload to ensure you're going to be okay than watch you struggle again."
"Thank you, brother."
"You're welcome. Do you wish to return to the brownstone?"
"Not yet." Using his palms Lucas removed his remaining tears and took in a deep breath. "I wish to thank the Lieutenant for aiding us, and the least I can do is wait for you to finish watching your movie."
"Okay. You're not missing anything exciting though."
"I'm okay with that."
Putting his hand to Lucas's shoulder Connor led his brother down the hallway and into the livingroom to join in on the movie. Once the duo was situated on the couch next to Hank, Bruno trotted down the hallway and looked sadly at the sight of the trio of detectives being smothered under Sumo's weight and thick fur.
"Come here..." Hank encouraged by patting his leg. Sumo was more interested in their guests than Hank himself, so that meant Hank's lap hadn't been entirely taken up by the Saint Bernard's impressive bulk. "There's always room for one more, Bruno."
With a happy bark Bruno carefully jumped up and found a way to curl up on Hank's lap and join in with everyone for movie night. Resting his chin over the back of Sumo's neck the K-9 unit cuddled down with his all of his friends on the couch.
"Before I press 'play' again, I gotta' ask..." Hank looked over at Connor and took in a deep breath as he fought to keep a straight face. "What do you think of the movie so far, son?"
"I think it's..." Connor struggled for a moment to describe what he had viewed. "Not very good."
Laughing at the honest comment Hank only nodded as he pointed the remote at the television screen. "Love how honest you are about it."
"I just don't understand what the plot is supposed to be about, or how the mother's cancer diagnosis relates to anything."
"Me neither. In fact..." Returning the movie to the absolute beginning Hank gave Lucas a coy glance. "I think we need to start over fresh so Lucas can appreciate how messed up this cult classic really is. Even bad movies have a place of honor in cinematic history."
Such a request only left Lucas feeling confused rather than intrigued. "Do I want to even try to decipher a movie that is famous for being bad and confusing?"
"Why not?" Pressing 'play' again Hank leaned back against the couch cushions and gently ran his hand down Bruno's back as he would normally do with Sumo. "It's entertaining, it's weird and we're detectives. Think of it as practicing for the real world cases when shit gets weird, and believe me, shit in this town gets pretty fuckin' weird."
-next chapter-