The sun was setting, and Markus hadn't moved since he joined Carl in the bedroom at the unnervingly early hour that same morning. David had contacted the deviant leader at the tower regarding a sudden decline in Carl's health and insisted that Markus return to the mansion as quickly as possible. The prognosis regarding Carl's overall health and symptoms confirmed that the incredibly kind and talented artist was reaching the end of his life, and upon Carl's request David had contacted both of Carl's sons to be by his side in his final moments on Earth. The humble and final request was one that could be readily and respectfully acquiesced without any conflict from anyone.
Holding the elderly man's hand in a gentle but firm grip Markus began rubbing his thumb over the back of Carl's hand in a comforting manner. The way Carl's breathing was becoming slower and shallow made Markus worry and he asked for David to simply adjust the elderly artist's medication before leaving the mansion so he and Carl could be alone before Leo arrived.
Watching as David gave Carl the last of his medication, watching as the caretaker adjusted the drip of the I.V. now giving Carl fluids and painkillers and watching as David gave Carl one final nod of respect before taking his leave of the bedroom, Markus felt a tremendous weight enter the room the moment the bedroom door closed again.
Closing his mismatched eyes Markus began whispering to Carl as he refused to let the noble man depart the world feeling alone, scared or even doubtful.
"I'm not sure if you can hear me or not, but I want you to know that I'm right here with you. You're not alone and I know that once you're on the other side you'll be reunited with your wife, your old friends and your other family members. I know they've missed you as much as you missed them."
Bowing his head a little, Markus let out a shuddering breath to keep his voice from cracking as he spoke.
"...I'm going to miss you more than you'll ever know. I'm know Leo is going to miss you, too. And I promise I'll do what it takes to keep Leo from relapsing. You worked so hard to mend the rift between you two and I'll make sure nothing happens to him. We both love you! You've done so much for us... Just... All I can say is thank you for being my dad."
The mansion was becoming unnervingly quiet and heavy as the elderly artist's health continued to decline. Before the sun had fully set Leo had arrived at the mansion to speak with his father, and in that moment, Markus finally stepped out of the bedroom along with David so Carl could speak to his eldest son in private for the last time. What felt like an eternity passed while Carl spoke to Leo in seclusion, but Markus didn't dare interrupt the conversation with his presence. Lingering outside the closed bedroom door with David standing beside him Markus could overhear all of the doctors down in the sitting room speaking amongst one another about how Carl was inevitably going to pass on very soon.
Unsure of what he could do with his life without his father to guide him Markus wrapped his arms around his chest and withheld his tears as he tried to brave the future without his only family. He wasn't close with Leo and given their history they'd never become close, and while he admired David for taking care of Carl when he wasn't around, Markus knew that David would just move on and take care of another patient after a week or so. In the end they'd rarely ever see each other again.
The door to the bedroom slid open as Leo stood in the doorway with tears in his dark eyes as he looked to Markus. "He, uh, he wants us both with him." Giving David a small shrug of his shoulders Leo addressed the second deviant respectfully. "You're welcome in here, too. You know, since you're his caretaker."
The two deviants didn't say a word as they followed Leo back into the bedroom and peered at Carl resting in the large bed. The old man looked so weak and frail where he was laying. He was like a porcelain doll. The nasal canula under Carl's nose made it easier to breathe but even so his chest was barely moving. Beside the bed the cardiac monitor was silently recording Carl's fading heart rate and confirming his horribly weak vital signs.
"...Boys." Carl's weak voice was barely audible as he addressed the group in the room. Lifting up his hand Carl managed to wave everyone over to his bedside for what was surely the final time. "...Come over here."
Markus and Leo took hold of Carl's hands while David stood beside the muted cardiac monitor to pay his respects to the elderly artist. It was as if all three just knew what to do and were determined to be by Carl's side until the very end.
"...Don't be scared for me." Closing his glassy blue eyes Carl's strength began to fade quickly. "I've faced death before and I've never blinked."
"We're not afraid." Markus managed to lie as he held his dying father's hand. "We're just upset."
"...Don't be. It's my time and I'm ready to go." Struggling to speak Carl's voice became quieter and quieter with each escaping word. "I'm... proud of my sons. Of my... friends. And of... my life. I have... no regrets. And all I ask... is that you two... let go of your own... regrets. And in time... find peace."
"We will." Promising his father to move on with his life and focus on the best Markus wiped away his tears as his mismatched eyes glistened with his raw emotions. "I promise that in the end everything will be all right."
"That's what I... wanted to hear." Using his last ounce of strength to praise his families Carl never showed any sign of fear. "I... I love you both. You're... my sons and my... greatest creations. Never... forget it."
"We won't." Speaking while Leo remained silent Markus feigned confidence for Carl's sake. "We swear to it."
Managing one last weak smile Carl's hands began to grow slack around his sons' hands but they never let go. Slipping into what seemed like a peaceful sleep Carl showed no fear, no pain and no sign of regrets. It was as if Carl had known his time was coming to an end and he already knew what he wanted to say to his family.
Feeling Carl's hand twitch and his fingers curling around his hand in response made Markus's eyes open up quickly.
"...Markus. How did that... song go again?"
"Song? What song?"
"...From the Revol...ution." Struggling to speak as his strength ebbed away Carl let out a soft sigh and curled his fingers a little more around his sons' hands in response. "The words... I forgot the words. They were... so beautiful and... honest."
Finding an inner strength to fall back on Markus steadied his voice as he began to sing to his father. "...Hold on just a little while longer. Hold on just a little while longer." Singing the song of his people Markus felt his heart slowly breaking in two. "Hold on just a little while longer... Everything will be all right." Pressing Carl's hand up against his chest Markus could feel his father's hand growing weaker and colder as the elderly artist's knuckles resting atop the deviant son's beating heart. "Everything will be all right..."
"...That's right. I remember now. ...Beautiful song." Whispering as his strength faded away Carl's smile never faltered even as he grew weaker. "...Never stop singing, son. I'm so proud of you... Love you, son. Always... will. Leo..." Turning his gaze toward his second son Carl never lost his smile. "...Never stop being... a rebel. I'm proud... of your strength and you... determination."
"Sure, dad." Leo finally spoke up as he wiped a tear from his eyes. "You got it."
"Fight on just a little while longer..." Continuing the song Markus watched as Carl's face paled further and his breathing slowed to a nearly undetectable motion as the elderly artist's heart began to slow. "Fight on just a little while longer. Pray on just a little while longer, everything will be all right."
As Carl's hand fell limp in his grip Markus leaned forward and stifled a gasp of emotional pain as he felt his father passing away.
Holding on to Carl's hand, holding on to his only family, Markus slowly lowered his ear to Carl's chest where he heard a deafening silence as the caring man passed through one world and entered the other side. Mourning the loss of his father in the only way he knew how Markus was determined to keep his promise and never lose sight of who he was or where he was going in the ever changing world.
In a single passing whisper Markus fulfilled his promise while swearing to keep another.
"...Everything will be all right."
With both of his sons at his side Carl left the world of the living and passed on without any distress behind his transition.
Bowing his head in grief Markus never let go of Carl's hand as Leo slowly sat down on the edge of the bed with his father's other limp hand still clutched in his grip. The monitor showed no heartbeat and David quietly turned off the monitor before leaving the bedroom to inform the doctors gathered downstairs that Carl had peacefully passed away.
Holding on to Carl's hand Markus bowed his head even further until he was resting against Carl's now still and silent chest. "...I love you and I'll never stop missing you. Goodbye, dad."
Elsewhere in the city life went on without anyone knowing of the painful loss that the entire world had just endured as the sun had set. A single very talented, very kindhearted and very progressive man had breathed his last breath with his two proud sons holding his hands until the bitter end, and his surviving family and subsequently the world wasn't going to be the same without him. While the rest of the city slept comfortably in their beds without a care in the world that night, no one knowing of the tragedy taking place, the warm and welcoming mansion sheltered Carl's two grieving sons who could only sit and wait for the sun to rise again in the morning.
While Connor went about his own morning routine and prepared for any potential clients to come to the brownstone, Lucas went about his own routine to report to New Jericho Tower and set about his roles as the lead technician and one of the four leaders. Little did the two brothers know, Lucas's decision to step down as a detective to focus primarily on the tower would prove to have incredibly beneficial timing for everyone.
As he slipped on his gray vest and smoothed over the front Connor nodded at Bruno as the loyal K-9 unit promptly sought out his new tug-o-war rope to engage in a game with Connor for a few minutes. Being just themselves for a few minutes a day without worrying about work had become a healthy new habit that Connor was determined to continue for as long as realistically possible.
"Come on, boy." Connor took a firm grip on the opposite end of the blue rope and encouraged Bruno to start pulling as he draped his blazer over the back of the nearby sofa. "Give me all you got!"
'Okay!'
It didn't take long for Bruno to give the rope a good yank and actually knock Connor off balance. The K-9 unit was able to slowly adapt to having only three legs and was getting stronger with each day he was under Connor's care.
"Come on! Keep going!"
Wagging his tail happily Bruno pulled as hard as he could while Connor pulled in the opposite direction. With one last yank with all his might Bruno applied enough strength to make Connor fall back and land on the floor in a less than flattering manner as the dog pulled the rope right out of Connor's grip.
"Good dog." Dusting off his hands Connor let Bruno have the rope and watched the dog prance about the study proudly. "You're getting much stronger."
'Bruno can adapt to three legs.'
"I know you can."
An incoming cybernetic call from Lucas stole Connor's attention and prompted the deviant to stand up and dust off the back of his jeans in an attempt to regain some composure after losing the game to Bruno. "Hello, Lucas."
'Brother,' Lucas's voice sounded unusually somber and lethargic as she spoke to Connor. 'something terrible has happened.'
Freezing suddenly Connor gave his brother his full attention. "What's going on?"
Lucas explained everything to Connor regarding Markus and Carl's passing late in the night. As one of the four leaders Lucas was going to step up and handle additional responsibilities alongside Simon and North, and in return he asked for Connor to check in on Markus at the mansion until Simon could get out there to be with Markus himself.
"Of course. I'll leave right away."
'Thank you.' Sounding relieved Lucas seemed to gain comfort in know his brother would be by Markus's side soon. 'I'm not sure what to expect, but I do know that Markus is going to need a lot of support.'
"And he'll have it. You take care of the tower and I'll take care of Markus at the mansion." Pulling his blazer from the back of the sofa Connor made himself fully presentable and mentally prepared for what he was about to endure. "I'll keep in touch."
Arriving at the large mansion via autonomous taxi was bizarrely quiet as Connor contemplated the news he had been told. Being mindful of his friend's still developing emotions and somewhat limited understanding of emotions himself, Connor didn't try to engage in cybernetic conversation or ask what Markus was feeling. It wasn't too long before the autonomous vehicle was pulling into the driveway of the large house that Connor had found himself within after Markus came to his rescue on that very unpleasant day. Meeting Carl and learning of the kind man's support for his deviant son had aided Connor in his own attempts at mending his rift with Hank, and learning to give other humans the benefit of the doubt when it came to trust issues.
The usually warm, gorgeous brick mansion that also housed the studio of the exceptionally talented late artist seemed somehow dreary as Connor exited the taxi and approached the front door of the home. There was a single dim light glowing out from the bedroom window on the top floor, but the rest of the house was dark and quiet. Knocking twice on the front door the respectful detective waited for an answer and he didn't have to wait for long.
David pulled open the door quickly and stepped aside to let Connor enter the home. "Thanks for coming."
"Where's Markus?" Connor asked in a low voice as he stepped inside the front foyer and looked around curiously. "I want to help him."
"He's upstairs with Carl." Pausing for a moment as he closed the door, David gave Connor a truly sad look. "Just so you know, Leo is up there, too."
Connor knew of Leo and knew that it'd be best to keep some distance between the man and himself for the time being. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Help take care of Markus right here." Was all David could think to say. "I know that Lucas and the others are going to help take care of things at New Jericho until Markus returns to the tower."
"I promise that I'll do everything I can."
"Good." David showed Connor upstairs and to the closed door to Carl's bedroom where everyone remained gathered together "If you're ready, go inside and see Markus. I'll stay downstairs until... I guess until I'm needed again."
Taking a deep breath Connor nodded at David as he stepped through the door leading into the master bedroom. The sight that awaited him caused Connor to freeze where he stood in the opened doorway as he watched the heart wrenching moment unfold before him.
Markus was sitting on the edge of Carl's bed, sitting at his father's side with his hand resting over Carl's hand. Tears were streaming down Markus's face as he stared at the peaceful expression on Carl's face as Carl laid perfectly still on the bed. Standing at the head of the bed was another man that Connor deduced to be Leo, Carl's biological son. Just like Markus sitting beside him, Leo was also crying and still had his own hand wrapped around Carl's other hand.
Glancing at the cardiac monitor that had Carl's vitals on display Connor saw that everything had ceased and that the monitor was quiet. It was too late to say or do anything to save Carl's life. The brilliant and kindhearted artist was truly gone.
Carl had evidently passed peacefully in his sleep with his two sons at his side. It was a peaceful yet somber sight that made the empathetic deviant's heart ache.
Connor called to his friend in a gentle whisper as to not disturb him. "Markus?"
Barely able to speak Markus shook his head sadly and never looked away from Carl's face. "He's gone."
"I'm so sorry." As he lamented the painful loss Connor bowed his head slightly and his soulful eyes shut as he showed his respect to the deceased man. "I know how important he- How can I help you?"
"Please just... Give me some time. I'm not ready to leave him." Tightening his grip on Carl's hand Markus refused to leave his father's bedside. "Not yet."
"Of course. I'll let you be. Take as much time as you need." Glancing briefly at Leo, who was standing statuesque with his back to the doorway, Connor acknowledged the grieving human as well. "Both of you."
Connor stepped back through the bedroom door and used his sleeve to wipe away a rogue tear that hard formed in his eye. Walking past David who was still standing loyally outside the door Connor descended the staircase to wait in the foyer. Using a cybernetic link he contacted Hank and requested that the senior detective handle the situation since Hank would show respect and discretion to Carl's memory and Markus's pain.
"Hank," the low tone of Connor's voice was all the senior detective needed to hear to know that something terrible had happened. "this morning Carl Manfred, Markus's father, passed away. Could you call the coroner and inform them of Carl's passing?"
'Ah, shit. Yeah, I'll take care of it.' Hank confirmed with an equally low voice over the link. 'I'll make sure they know the family is still present and to keep the reporting vultures at bay out of respect.'
"Thank you. I'll remain here with Markus."
Ending the call Connor stood at the bottom of the staircase with heavy emotion in his soulful brown eyes. David studied him curiously as if he couldn't comprehend how Connor could feel anything toward the now late Carl Manfred as he wasn't close to the man in the same way that Markus had been.
Not wanting to be disrespectful or cold, David kept his silence and didn't bother to inquire about Connor or Markus's very human reactions to the death.
The whole house fell into respectful grief as the news of Carl's passing settled in like a lead weight in the hearts of those who cared the most for the elderly artist.
Despite the attempts to keep things quiet, it didn't take long for word of the famous artist's passing to circulate throughout the entire city. A large crowd of nosy reporters and ghoulish gossips had gathered on the front lawn of the private property while the authorities properly dealt with the situation professionally and respectfully on behalf of the family and friends to the Manfred family. Hank did his best to keep the photographers at bay outside the house while Leo accompanied his father's body to the mortuary. David stayed behind at the house, mainly because he had nowhere else to go and considered taking a place at New Jericho if he decided he no longer wished to fulfill the role that the humans had placed upon him.
Connor on the other hand had dared to ascend the staircase one more time to visit with Markus who had refused to leave Carl's bedroom. Entering the room quietly for his ally's sake Connor saw Markus was still sitting on the edge of the bed. This time his back was turned toward the door and he was watching with a broken stare through the window as the ambulance escorted Carl's body from the property.
Approaching his ally slowly Connor placed his hand on Markus's shoulder lightly to let him know he was there.
"...I don't know what I'm going to do." Markus huffed as tears continued to fall down his face. An unfinished painting that Carl had created prior to his heart attack the previous November was clutched between Markus's hands in a tight yet careful grip. "Carl... He wasn't just my friend. He was my father! He really was."
Connor sat own on the bed next to Markus while keeping his hand in place and said nothing. It was time to just listen.
"Even when I was first on my own, I always knew that I could rely on Carl if I ever needed help, but now he's gone. I have no one to call on when I need advice, I have no one to speak to when I feel lost, I don't have anyone to call my... My dad."
Absolutely clueless as to what he could possibly say to lessen the pain in Markus's heart all Connor could do was lift his hand and wrap his arm around the mourning deviant leader's shoulders to pull him close for a supportive hug. Markus bowed his head forward as he continued to sob, his tears falling onto the dried paint and canvas of the painting still clutched in his hands.
Connor felt tears of his own beginning to fall again as he, for reasons couldn't understand, seemed to feel the same horrific pain as Markus.
Empathy he supposed.
Unable to speak or move beyond his pain Markus continued to weep and process the horrible pain in his very real heart as Connor sat beside him.
New Jericho Tower fell into a sense of mourning as they learned of Markus's personal, painful loss.
The three leaders at the tower were attempting as much damage control as possible for Markus's personal comfort. Simon was taking on as much responsibility as he could for his lover's sake, while Lucas picked up the slack and worked alongside North - the part time leader - to keep everything running smoothly after everything had taken place out at the Manfred mansion. The trio of remaining active leaders were banding together and working alongside each other without any personal conflicts or emotional upheavals despite their unusual past interactions. It seemed the personal loss breaking Markus's heart was enough to cause the three leaders to put aside their differences and work together without needing Markus to mediate their assignments.
Within the emergency repair bay Lucas chronicled the newest refugees and their respective treatments while also taking an inventory of the remaining supplies. Inside the private office on the ground floor North chronicled all of the activity within the tower to ensure any and all potentially dangerous behavior was being monitored closely. Simon had taken it upon himself to remain in the tower's main lobby to speak directly to the tower's other inhabitants who had questions about Markus's sudden absence.
"Feeling better?" Lucas asked as he checked in on his last patient before departing the emergency repair bay for a small break. The deviant patient in question had been recently attacked by a drunken human and endured a severe beating all over his body. "Your system is showing no sign of errors or rejection to your replacement biocomponents and limbs, so by all account you'll make a full recovery by this time tomorrow."
"I feel whole again." The deviant admitted as he slowly rotated his left arm and didn't feel any pain or resistance to the motion. "Thank you for helping me. I... I had my doubts about New Jericho, but now I know that you're really here to help us all."
"We understand hesitation with coming out to the tower. We do seem very isolated and a little intimidating, but we're only here to help."
"Yeah, I can see that now."
With a kind smile Lucas gave his patient a nod of his head and made some notes on his recovery. "Continue to rest and I'll be back to check on you in two hours."
Leaving the electronic chart on the foot of the bed Lucas quietly left the emergency repair bay and wandered slowly along the corridor until he found a quiet and isolated spot to be by himself for a few minutes. Lucas knew he couldn't risk stressing himself out again, and so he made a conscious effort to take more breaks and to seek silence whenever he was feeling emotionally or mentally overwhelmed by anything.
Taking in a deep breath Lucas stood in the quiet and unoccupied end of the corridor to look out at the harbor through the window while making cybernetic contact with his brother elsewhere in the city. Lucas didn't know what to expect or how to behave considering he had no experience in handling such a situation at the tower, and he didn't want to make any mistakes.
'Can you speak, Connor?' The cybernetic link was being kept entirely private for Lucas's own emotional benefit. 'I don't wish to accidentally intrude on anything you may be doing at the moment.'
'I'm available.' Connor confirmed as he responded to the link in a dour tone. 'I'm staying at the mansion with Markus and Leo for a while longer. Hank has been handling the media and keeping things as low profile and quiet as possible, but it seems Mr. Manfred's celebrity status has made his passing a very interesting story to tell without any regard to his family's wishes.'
'It's a shame. I know that Simon is going to head out to the mansion within the hour, perhaps he'll be able to assist you in supporting Markus.'
'That'll help. Once Simon arrives and Markus doesn't need me to watch over him, I'll return to the brownstone to give the family proper space and time to grieve.'
'What of the funeral itself?'
'According to David, Mr. Manfred had all of his final arrangements taken care of shortly after his heartache. Everything has been paid for and Carl will be laid to rest in a local cemetery tomorrow afternoon.'
'So quickly?'
'Yes. It appears Mr. Manfred had a lot of sway and had managed to get his final arrangements labeled as a priority allowing him to be properly taken care of laid to rest as quickly as possible for his sons' sakes.'
'I'll be sure to let North know since I'm certain Markus will tell Simon everything in person.'
That particular comment caught Connor off guard for a few tense seconds. '...How is North faring at the moment?'
Lucas sensed Connor's worry for North's mindset and knew his brother didn't hold any grudges against her for what Josh had done. 'She's keeping mostly to herself, but she is also stepping up and helping us immensely during Markus's absence.'
'That's good. She must've been able to move on and not let the past incident hold her back.' Connor paused for a moment as he dared to ask about other details regarding the situation at the tower. 'Is there anything I can do to assist New Jericho?'
'No, we have everything under control from here. You just focus on Markus and keep an eye on the brownstone.'
'Very well. How are you holding up?'
'...Me?'
'Aside from your previously high stress levels, I'm worried that this emotional moment might be affecting you and I just want to help if you need it.'
'I see.' Lucas ran a quick self diagnostic and received only positive numbers in return. "I'm doing well and my stress levels haven't risen above thirty percent all day long.'
'That's good to hear.' Quiet for a moment longer Connor finally asked about a rather delicate subject that he had been avoiding due to the potential discomfort it might cause. 'Do you think our presences at Mr. Manfred's funeral would be acceptable?'
'I don't see why we'd be unwelcome. Do you not want to go?'
'No, I wish to attend the funeral and pay my respects to Mr. Manfred and be supportive of Markus. I just don't wish to accidentally cross any personal boundaries and cause problems.'
'That won't happen. We'll go to the funeral together to support Markus and pay our respects, then we'll return to the brownstone together.'
'What of the tower?'
'It'll be okay without four leaders for one day. I suspect that North would love the chance to be the sole leader for a while and restore her wrongfully tarnished reputation.'
'Fair point. Keep in touch with me and I'll keep you up to date on Markus's mindset.'
'Will do. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, brother.'
Ending the call Lucas peered through the window and noted that rainclouds were building on the horizon and knew that there would be a nasty rainstorm the next day. It seemed even nature was grieving the loss of the one man, and it made Lucas wonder if anyone would be as worked up over the death of a deviant. It was then the horrid memory of attending Connor's premature funeral came to mind, and all of the potent emotions and massive amount of respect being shown toward his brother's memory.
"Saying 'goodbye' doesn't have to be a permanent sentiment, but sometimes that's all it'll ever be."
Not wanting to attend another funeral so quickly Lucas took in a deep breath and reminded himself that doing the right thing often meant doing something that he didn't want to do. That included helping friends through difficult situations and supporting family after tragedies.
The following murky, dreary and rainy morning Connor was rudely awoken by a rumble of thunder shaking the entire brownstone as the anticipated rainstorm hit the city. As soon as Connor's systems fully rebooted a sense of dread hit him as he realized that the gloomy day was going to remain gloomy from start to finish. The amount of emotional activity in the air was palpable even through the brick walls of the old building as the city mourned the loss of a great man. Humans and deviants alike had respected Carl since he was a symbol of human creativity and an advocate for deviant rights, which of course meant there would be hundreds of mourners gathering at the funeral on that day.
It didn't take long for Connor to dress appropriately for the funeral - an entirely black suit in favor of his usual gray and white suit - and meet with Lucas down in the study. Lucas was already dressed in an identical fashion and seemed to be okay despite his undoubtedly high emotional stress. After taking care of Bruno and requesting that the K-9 unit watch over the brownstone in their stead, the two brothers used an autonomous cab to arrive at the correct church to assist with the final arrangements per Markus's request.
The funeral itself was a surprisingly beautiful affair with dozens of family members and friends to the artist in attendance. Hundreds of other mourners; fans of Carl's work, respectfully waited outside the cemetery for the family to depart the premises before entering to pay their respects to the fallen artist.
The sky overhead was briefly bright blue with dark gray clouds that perfectly reflected the dark melancholy being shown toward a beautifully bright person. The break in the rain was greatly appreciated as it gave the mourners the chance that they needed to visit the cemetery without being bombarded in humid raindrops that would make the already glum group of people feel even worse.
Quietly Connor and Lucas sat behind Markus, Leo and Simon who were seated in the front row during the service at the cemetery. As the pastor spoke in a soothing voice Connor and Lucas found his words of comfort regarding the love of a family to be unexpectedly moving. The two deviants couldn't stop themselves from thinking about what their lives would be like if they hadn't found each other and taken to one another as brothers.
In a way, Connor and Lucas were orphans who found a family through each other.
'How're you feeling?' Connor asked his little brother in a cybernetic link. 'If you need to step away for a moment, I'll go with you.'
'I'm okay. I admit that I'm feeling very tense due to the high amount of emotions and the recent memory of going through this exact event for you, but I can handle it. If my stress levels reach fifty percent I'll take a moment to calm down.'
'Okay. Once the funeral is over, we should return to the brownstone and take the rest of the day off.'
'Agreed. We need to put our health above our chosen careers, otherwise we won't be able to help anyone.'
Rising from his seat Markus approached the front of the crowd and stood before the coffin where Carl had been peacefully placed before he was to be finally laid to rest within the Earth itself. Fighting to keep the tears from his mismatched eyes Markus held his head high and looked out at the crowd of gathered mourners who had stopped by the cemetery to pay their final respects to the kindhearted and influential artist.
"Thank you for coming here to show Carl the respect he so rightfully earned." Markus spoke in a level voice as he had to force himself to keep his emotions in check in order to be understood during the final eulogy. "Carl was a man who always did appreciate an attentive audience."
The comment elicited a handful of warm chuckles as those who knew Carl best were very aware of how the man preferred being surrounded by people who were truly invested in his art and less interested in getting any of his fortune.
"As you many of you know, Carl had struggled with his own personal problems in the past but never let that prevent him from facing the future. Whenever he couldn't quite bring himself to speak about his personal issues or his emotions, he would be able to paint his feelings, his ideas and even his inner conflict in a way that the whole world could appreciate and understand. That ability to express himself beyond just words and actions had a positive influence on who am I now and who I wish to become."
Such beautiful words resonated with the crowd and prompted small sniffles from emotional tears.
"The world knew Carl Manfred as a groundbreaking and unique artist, but for Leo and myself, we knew him as someone different. Someone far more important and someone that the world wouldn't get to see." Clasping his hands together before himself Markus tightened his hands into fists as he fought against his emotions trying to break through the surface. "He was our father. A man who loved us, protected us and guided us through our lives as we struggled to understand who we are and what we want to give back to the world."
The notion of a father was something that Connor was still trying to understand for himself and something he could only ponder as he continued to live his own life alongside his little brother.
"Our father may be gone," Markus continued in a grim tone. "but his legacy will live on through his work and through us. In time I know that as Carl's sons Leo and I will make him proud and live up to the Manfred legacy. He will be forever missed but never forgotten."
It was a beautiful and somber affair that ended with a sun shining brightly overhead. The remainder of the funeral at the actual cemetery went off without any issues or setbacks, or any returning unpleasant memories for Lucas. One by one the gathered mourners passed by the ebony black coffin and placed down white lilies out of respect for Carl and his memory.
The group thinned and dispersed until only Markus, Leo, Simon, Connor and Lucas remained as the final mourners paying their respects to the deceased artist and father. Markus held Simon's hand as they and Leo stood beside the coffin and placed their lilies down out of respect for Carl. Their feeling of loss and pain was mutual, and it was clear they'd all need time to adapt to a new world that didn't have Carl a part of it.
"Markus?" Connor slowly approached his friend and offered him his sincerest condolences as he masked his personal discomfort perfectly. "I'm truly sorry. If you need anything from me, just call. I'll be there to watch your back or listen if you need to talk."
"Thanks." Markus nodded appreciatively as his hand tightened around Simon's hand in emotional grief. "I'm... I'm glad you both came. It's nice to have friends here."
"Of course, that's what friends do." Forcing a smile to his face Connor tried to feign a positive demeanor but it was a futile endeavor. "Do you need us to do anything?"
"No. We're going to stay here a little while longer then head back to the house. There's a few things we need to take care of regarding the estate."
Nodding slowly Connor stepped back and walked toward Lucas, who was waiting beside the idling taxi parked along the drive circling the cemetery. The technician, detective and leader was still struggling with his heightened emotional stress, but he was able to hold it together for his friend's sake on that somber day. With a teary farewell the mourners slowly dispersed from the cemetery, and everyone went about their way as best as they could in the wake of the bleak affair that was Carl's funeral.
"We should take tomorrow off as well." Connor urged as he and Lucas sat beside each other in the back of the taxi as it drove them back to the brownstone. The feeling of leaving their grieving friend behind was enough to create a pit in the middle of his artificial stomach. "I know as a leader of New Jericho that you don't have a lot of leeway regarding time off and stepping away for any long period of time, but it's important that you take care of yourself in the same manner you'd expect your patients to take care of themselves."
"I'm aware. I just wish I could still help out without needing to worry about my own emotional resolve." Folding his hands neatly over his lap Lucas focused on his stress levels and did his best to try to get the elevated numbers to steadily lower. The new raindrops slowly sliding down the window to his side was oddly calming, but not quite enough to get his stress level notably lower. "And I know that I need to set a good example as both the lead technician and as one of the leaders of the tower by taking care of myself. It's just difficult to stand back and watch other people do all the work."
"That's understandable. I dislike feeling useless and I do not like being unable to work on cases while other officers and detectives are putting their lives on the line. It seems... unfair."
"That's exactly how I perceive it as well."
"I find it easier to handle such a dilemma by reminding myself that it's unfair to be expected to constantly work and never take any time for myself while everyone else is permitted such liberties. It's not selfish to take care of yourself before others."
"I'll remember that."
As the autonomous taxi pulled up in front of the brownstone Connor noted that the rainstorm was returning to the city and that rolling brownouts were likely to occur yet again. He didn't want a repeat of Lucas being overwhelmed by the heat in the event the air conditioner lost power and let the brownstone warm up again. With his thoughts primarily on making sure their emergency generator would be able to function if necessary, Connor didn't notice a second autonomous cab pulling up alongside the street across from the brownstone as he and Lucas returned to their home together.
Shutting the front door with a soft 'click' Connor began loosening the black tie around his neck and watched as Lucas walked over to Bruno laying over the nearest of the two sofas to give the loyal dog some positive attention. It had been a long day and Bruno deserved to be played with before the night was over.
"Did anyone stop by the brownstone, Bruno?"
'One person.' Bruno replied in a cybernetic link as he playfully pawed at Lucas's hands. The loyal dog patrolled the brownstone and only noted one person who had attempted to speak to the brothers while they were gone. 'They left when no one answered.'
"Did you see their face?"
'Negative.' The loyal dog licked his nose as his ears perked up and he faced the front door behind Connor. Wagging his tail excitedly Bruno alerted the two brothers to one last surprise for the day. 'Guest.'
Two firm knocks on the door confirmed that Bruno was correct and that there was an unexpected guest outside the brownstone. With his tie in hand Connor didn't bother with the peephole since it was raining again and he didn't want their guest to be caught in the storm, and simply pulled the door open. Before he had the chance to say a single word Connor found himself stunned into silence as he took a step backward and gave their hooded guest plenty of room to enter the brownstone.
Lucas turned to look at the guest and found himself silenced as well.
"Connor, Lucas." The guest acknowledged the two brothers in a surprising manner as his voice was identical to Connor and Lucas's voice. "My name is Ethan, and I need your help."
"...Ethan?" Connor repeated the name as he scanned over Ethan's person and discovered something entirely shocking. "...You're another 'RK-800'."
"I am." Lowering his hood Ethan revealed his sandy blond hair and dark blue eyes to both Connor and Lucas to see for themselves. "But that's not important right now, or why I'm here."
The last thing that either deviant had expected to see was their own face looking back at them, and it left the duo entirely at a loss of what to do. The only one who seemed unphased by Ethan's appearance was Bruno.
"Why... are you here?" Struggling to comprehend what he was seeing Connor searched over Ethan's entire person as he desperately sought a clue to give him any theory as to why the long lost deviant was now at the brownstone. The 'RK-800' had a serial number identical to his own, but instead of ending in 51 it ended in 01. "You're... the very first of the 'Connor series' that had been activated. How are you still active as of this moment?"
"I'll explain that later," Ethan deflected as he kept his tone firm but neutral. "but for now, we need to get going."
Lucas finally found his voice and addressed Ethan in an urgent manner as he stared at the unexpected deviant with wide eyes. "Go where? What's happening right now that requires our assistance?"
"We need to go out to D.C. as soon as possible." Taking in a deep breath Ethan realized that he wasn't going to get anywhere unless he gave Connor and Lucas a damn good reason to just follow him out to D.C. on a whim. "As of last night, at eleven fifty-three, Sydney has gone missing."
-next chapter-