The morning started out with an unusual case coming to the brownstone and immediately held Connor's attention. A deviant who was busying herself by searching through abandoned buildings to find other deviants still hiding in the city had uncovered what looked like an explosive device in the storage room of an old and long vacated department store. Upon further investigation, Connor determined that the device was in fact an armed explosive and it was of a crude design with a remote detonator. The lack of fingerprints or unique structure made it incredibly difficult to determine who could've made the device, let alone uncover a reason for the device to even exist or why it was placed inside the abandoned building to begin with.

After reporting the explosive and its exact location to the proper bomb disposal authorities, Connor returned to the brownstone alongside his client to discuss the details a little further. Not only was the discovery of the explosive unusual, but the way it was discovered was just as unusual. The deviant detective needed more answers before he could begin creating a theory to try and solve the bizarre case.

"You spend your time roaming abandoned buildings and remote locations." Connor stated as he stood before the sofa where his client, Clark, was currently sitting and watching the way Connor was putting all of the sparse details together. "May I ask why you do such a thing?"

"I know that there's still a lot of deviants hiding from the world, and I just want to find them and let them know that they're safe now." Clark was a 'GT-100' in design with vibrant blond hair, dark brown eyes and a medium complexion. The unique appearance was one that Clark had chosen for himself to differentiate his aesthetic from the other dark haired, fair skinned deviants of the same model. "I've been able to help six deviants this way."

"Commendable." The compliment was sincere as Connor began to gently dance his coin over the back of his knuckles in deep contemplation. "Have you found any of these types of explosives before today?"

"None. I've found some drug and weapons stashes, but those belonged to humans squatting in the buildings and not the deviants."

"Have any of the deviants you've aided ever made comments regarding a desire to cause destruction or harm to the city?"

"Not to me." Clark admitted in a sheepish manner. "I mean, I can't vouch for every deviant in the city, but..."

"I understand what you mean. It's very unlikely that anyone who'd want to commit such a crime would openly express it in a public manner."

"Was there anything you could find out by examining the bomb?"

"Nothing substantial. As of the moment, the bomb squad is handling the explosive and are working to properly disarm it before it'll be taken apart for further and direct analysis."

"That's reassuring." Rising to his feet Clark sighed and extended his hand out toward Connor to shake. "Glad I know that I can count on you to take such a serious problem seriously, and not just dismiss me because I'm a common deviant."

"All problems need to be taken seriously, regardless of if it's a complaint from a deviant, human, commoner or a celebrity." Shaking Clark's hand Connor showed his client to the door and cybernetically accepted his consultation fee. He'd take care of any further investigation free of charge. "I'll handle the case from here. Please inform me if you happen to discover another explosive or hear rumors of deviants messing with explosives."

"Yeah, I'll keep my ears open. Thanks again, Connor!"

Locking up the brownstone door Connor paced the study and stood before the aquarium to admire his new companions swimming about in a peaceful coexistence. It seemed even Bruno liked the new aquarium as the K-9 unit had begun laying before the aquarium and watched the fish swim back and forth in a focused gaze every chance he got.

"This is a strange case, but I'm sure if there's a motivation behind planting an explosive device in an abandoned building."

Bruno looked up at Connor and tilted his head curiously as he set up a cybernetic link. 'Drug dealers?'

"That was my first thought, but drug dealers wouldn't set up such a device in an area unless they were planning on destroying one of their drug den in order to hide evidence from the police. There was no sign of any type of drug manufacturing inside that particular building."

Laying his chin back down over his outstretched paws, Bruno sighed through his nose and resumed to watching the aquarium. 'Insurance scam.'

"That seems probable. Even if a building abandoned, they may still have hefty insurance coverage that could make the benefactor quite wealthy under the right circumstances, namely the potential destruction of said building."

Outside the brownstone the usual sounds of the city suddenly shifted in a drastic manner when an unexpected and deafening explosion rocked the building as another building went up in orange flames, and black smoke erupted into the blue sky like an active volcano. Screams of terror and panic filled the air as a few people scattered and rushed away from the source of the chaos while the dust began to slowly settle in the distance. The explosion was strong enough to make the entire brownstone shake on its foundation and momentarily dim the overhead lights as it made the water in the aquarium slosh about just enough to cause some spillage over the side of the glass. The windows all rattled in their frames, some old dust was shaken loose from the floorboards and ceiling, and in the distance dozens of car alarms screeched in protest to the disturbance.

Connor pocketed his coin and Bruno jumped to his paws as they both went on immediate alert and assessed the damage around them. Everything inside the brownstone was still intact, although the fish were now swimming about in a rapid and confused manner as they had no idea what happened around them.

"What the hell was that?"

Once the interference in the air faded Connor tapped into the police broadcast for a report on the sudden disturbance and used his cybernetic G.P.S. to find the proper address of the explosion. Once the report was officially broadcast for first responders to handle, Connor felt his artificial stomach knot as he marched toward his door to leave the brownstone and go out to help the people in need of assistance.

"Bruno, remain here and protect the brownstone."

Grumbling once Bruno tagged along beside Connor as if demanding to go with him. 'What is happening?'

"There was an explosion down the block." Unlocking the front door Connor took in a deep breath and gave Bruno a somber glance. "And it was at the Zeta Facility. I have to go and check on Abby."

'Bruno can help!'

"I can't let you risk yourself by maneuvering through a damaged building. Stay here until I come back."

Whimpering a little Bruno reluctantly stayed back to patrol the brownstone as he had been ordered. 'Bruno will stay.'

"Good boy. I'll be back as soon as I can!"

Sprinting down the block Connor was quickly met with a thick black cloud of smoke and his sensors indicated numerous toxic substances in the air. Dismissing the readings as none of them would affect his systems, Connor easily navigated the smoke and located the front entrance to the heavily damaged facility. Forcing the sliding glass doors open and locking them into the opened position Connor made it easier for people inside the facility to find the exit and escape.

Above him the flash red warning lights regarding the fire and the high pitched screeching siren ensured that anyone within the dangerous area knew to evacuate. Passing through the waiting and front lobby Connor's clothing and hair were completely drenched by the emergency sprinklers overhead as the water attempted to douse the fire burning somewhere in the center of the building.

"Evacuate the area, move!"

Shouting over the sirens Connor ran a scan through the building and noted there were twelve deviants and three humans inside the building. One of the humans was working to help four of the deviants in the waiting area get outside, another human was deep inside the building near the storage area, the third human was pregnant and in one of the treatment rooms with a deviant dangerously close to the fire, and the other seven deviants were either volunteers working elsewhere in the facility or were patients already in need of help.

"Everyone out! Go!"

Passing through the sliding doors over the corridor leading into the depths of the facility Connor waved over the deviant volunteers who were escorting the wounded out of the burning building. Four of the seven had been located and Connor asked about the other three.

"Th-They're stuck! The explosion sealed a door to the emergency repair ward!" Barry, shouted over the blaring siren as he carried an unconscious deviant patient in his arms to safety. "It's the emergency repair ward 'B'. And Dr. Grayson is still back there!"

"I'll find them. You get outside with the others!"

Walking deeper into the flaming and smoking building Connor reached the rear of the building and located the jammed door to the repair bay and could see the three deviants trapped inside the room through the plexiglass observation window. A large chunk of concrete had been dislodged from the adjacent wall during the explosion and had become wedged against the door keeping it from sliding open.

"I'll get you out!"

Shouting to the trio of trapped deviants Connor ignored the red warnings appearing in his vision as his system detected the dangerously high temperatures all around him causing him to overheat, and of the abundance of toxic smoke entering his ventilation biocomponents.

"Get back!"

Grabbing on to the concrete slab with both hands Connor pulled it back from the door and managed to push the almost six hundred pound chunk of weight off the door and to the side. Forcing the damaged door open with both hands Connor pointed toward the facility's front entrance and motioned for them to all run and get out of the building before it was too late.

"Keep going! Don't stop!"

Keeping count of the people trapped inside the building Connor knew there was just one more deviant and two more humans inside the building. Tracking the weak vital signs of the nearest human toward the storage area of the facility Connor was stopped by an unbearable heat at the next corridor where the epicenter of the explosion had apparently taken place.

Flames were eating through the compromised walls and black smoke threatened to choke and blind anyone who dared to venture too close. The sirens were almost deafening, and the sprinklers were causing steam to rise from the heated walls, floors and ceiling.

"H-Hello?!"

Calling out over the crackling flames and crumbling walls and ceiling Connor peered through the intense brightness of the flame and dark smoke toward the waning vital signs. Through the rising steam and thick smoke Connor saw a figure on the ground and his heart sank. The human was a male who was burned beyond recognition, already brain-dead and just seconds away from death as the smoke stole his final breath.

"...Shit."

There was nothing that could be done to save the unnamed human.

Prioritizing the last two living victims of the fire in favor of the deceased human Connor rushed toward the remaining human vital signs and trailed it to a treatment room. The door wasn't locked, but it still needed to be forced open due to the sprinkler system shorting out the electronic motion activated mechanism that allowed the door to slid open and close.

"Hello?"

Entering the room Connor saw a familiar person laying unconscious on their side on the dark and smokey floor, and a little 'YK-500' girl sitting on the exam table looking absolutely petrified.

"It'll be okay," he spoke to the little girl calmly as he focused on Abby. "I'll get you out of here."

Kneeling down on the floor Connor scanned Abby's vital signs as he checked her back, neck and head for any sign of injury before pressing his palm down on her pregnant belly. The fetus was still showing strong vital signs and Connor could feel gentle movement under his touch.

"Abby? Abby, can you hear me?"

The kind technician was completely unconscious and unresponsive.

"It'll be okay, I'll get you all out of here."

Standing back up Connor stood before the little android and turned his back toward her. "I need you to climb onto my back and hold onto my shoulders. I'll be able to carry you and Dr. Grayson out of here together."

The little android clung onto her savior's shoulders and held tight. "Where's my daddy?!"

"Outside. Everyone is already outside and safe."

With the little android safe and on his back, Connor focused on Abby again. Being extremely careful he rolled Abby from her side and onto her back before scooping her up into his arms to carry her bridal style to safety. The technician was completely unconscious and didn't react to Connor picking her up and holding her close to his chest protectively.

"Just hang on." Connor instructed the little android and whispered the same suggestion to Abby. Stepping out of the room and into the smokey corridor, Connor braved the flames to get everyone to safety. "You're going to be okay."

As Connor swiftly made his way down the corridor he ran into Barry as the helpful receptionist came back inside the facility to try to help evacuate the rest of the facility. "Barry?"

"Connor!" Relieved to see the deviant again Barry glanced down at Abby in Connor's arms. "Is Dr. Grayson hurt?"

"She'll be fine. Here, take her." Passing the scared child android over to Barry's arms Connor continued on his way with a little less weight to slow him down during his escape from the facility. "I have Abby, keep going."

Responding quickly Barry to turned around and carried the crying 'YK-500' out of the burning building to get to safety with Connor right beside him. Despite his flaky appearance and persistent optimism, Barry was entirely reliable and knew when to be serious.

Stepping through the front doors and into the street Connor and Barry were readily met by a pair of firefighters dragging their hoses up to the building to begin battling the flames. Confirming that everyone who was still alive was out of the building, and confirming the location of the body he found in the corridor to the firefighters, Connor proceeded to carry Abby over to the ambulance awaiting at the scene to treat the wounded.

"Sm-Smoke inhalation. She's currently twenty-two weeks pregnant." Connor stated with a shuddering cough as he placed Abby down on the gurney in the back of the emergency vehicle. "I didn't detect any skull fractures or dislocations of her vertebrae or cerebral vertebrae, but I suspect she has two fractured ribs along her left fifth and sixth ribs at the costal cartilage. I didn't detect and fetal distress or signs of premature labor triggered by the blunt force trauma to her body."

"We'll take care of her." The lead paramedic confirmed in a kind tone as she placed an oxygen mask over Abby's face. Using her stethoscope the paramedic checked the pregnant technician's breathing and heartbeat while the younger male paramedic worked to check her vitals and check on her baby. "There's an android ambulance already at the scene, make sure you get checked out."

"...Right."

The concern for Abby trumped any concern Connor had for himself at the moment. Coughing again as the smoke aggravated his artificial lungs Connor activated his ventilation program at full power to help rid the acrid smoke from his body and to help his core cool back down after being surrounded by intense heat for so long. Stepping away from the ambulance reluctantly Connor felt a strong hand clamp down on his left shoulder and knew it was Hank without having to look back.

"...Abby is unconscious." Facing the senior detective Connor saw the genuine fear in Hank's eyes. "You should inform Gavin of what's happening so he can be with her once she's admitted to the hospital."

"Yeah, I'll pass the word over to Reed and Fowler at the precinct. What the fuck were you doing here?"

"I h-heard and felt the explosion from m-my brownstone. I had t-to investigate." Coughing in response to the aggravating smoke in his artificial lungs Connor asked about Hank's presence at the scene. "Wh-What're you doing here?"

"Same as you. I was on my lunchbreak when all Hell broke loose." Hank's paternal side was beginning to show through as he heard the brutal coughs coming from the deviant standing before him. Making sure the responding E.F.T.'s took notice of Connor - not that the drenched, soot covered, ash smeared and smoke smelling deviant was hard to miss - Hank then went to make a call to the precinct to give Captain Fowler an update on what was happening. "Cooperate with the E.F.T.'s and I'll let Reed know what's going on with his wife."

Too overwhelmed to resist or protest, Connor let Hank lead him over to the E.F.T.'s for an assessment. Connor sat down on the edge of the gurney in the back of the android unique ambulance and coughed again as he shrugged off his soaked blazer and unbuttoned his gray vest slowly. Feeling oddly hot and cold at the same time Connor's system struggled to recalibrate with the wildly opposing temperatures swarming his body and core.

"Lay back and breathe slowly." The male E.F.T., Johnny, ordered as he put his hands on Connor's shoulders to guide him down against the surface of the gurney. Noting the coughing and mild shivering the E.F.T. knew that Connor would need to have his vitals monitored closely for a while. "What's your core temperature at right now?"

"...One-hundred and t-two point six."

"Where did it peak?"

"A-At one-hundred and two point eight."

"Too close to reaching critical." Moving aside Connor's black tie Johnny unbuttoned Connor's white dress shirt just enough to expose his chest so his younger partner could attach wireless leads to the deviant's chest to record his vitals on his Thirial activity monitor. "How's the functionality of your ventilation program?"

"...Ninety-three percent functionality." Coughing again Connor ran a self diagnostic on his current system and programs. "The smoke... and toxic fumes are still... being filtered."

"Okay. I'm going to give you some clean oxygen to help your vents clear out and your core cool down. Just lay back and let my partner and I check you over."

Nodding a little Connor didn't flinch when he felt the plastic mask being placed over his nose and mouth or the plastic band wrapping around the back his hair over his ears to hold the mask in place. Peering over the plastic mask Connor watched as Hank finished his phone call then went to check on Abby in the second ambulance before it took off. The senior detective's body language wasn't tense or worried which was a good sign of the situation at the moment. Watching as Hank returned to the rear of the android ambulance Connor looked up at his partner and didn't pay any mind to the two E.F.T.'s listening to his chest with an audioscope and wrapping a Thirium pressure cuff around his left bicep.

"Abby's going to be okay." Hank relayed in a relieved manner. "She already woke up and was more or less just confused about what happened, she's not in pain. And she immediately felt the baby kicking, so they're both going to be okay."

"That's good." Muffling his response through the plastic mask Connor responded to the Lieutenant as if it was business as usual. "Did she give you any details about what happened?"

"No, she was in the treatment room with her patient during the explosion. Hell, she didn't even know there was an explosion until she woke up in the back of the ambulance."

"Is her memory okay? She was unconscious for an extended period of time."

"Looks like it. Now, stop worrying about her and relax. While you're going to the, uh... Which facility?"

"Epsilon." Johnny replied without looking away from his patient. "It's out on the corner of Third Avenue across from the Digital Sentience store."

"Right. While you're out there I'm going to follow Abby to the hospital, get her statement and then go pick you up so you can give me your statement later. Okay?"

"...Yeah, okay. Make sure Abby isn't alone."

"Will do. See in a few hours, son." Looking at the two E.F.T.'s with a stern glance Hank gave them a little order before stepping back. "Don't let him fool ya', he's stubborn and clever, so don't let him try to tell you he doesn't need any technical attention. Take good care of him, the kid's a hero."

Johnny nodded and gave Hank a playful wave. "No problem, Lieutenant."

As the doors to the back of the ambulance closed Connor thought about the word 'hero' and tried to compare his actions against the pure definition again. What he did was brave, and it was the right thing to do, there was no doubting it, but heroic? That seemed a little extreme.

The massive explosion was now the new top story in the city, and everyone knew about it either through the news or eye witness accounts considering the radius of the blast. New Jericho Tower became very active as the tower asked for their contacts within the other facilities to ensure that no one had threatened any of the facilities or the deviants inside to rule out a possible domestic terrorist attack, all while the police began their intense investigation. Fortunately, there was no reports of threats against the remaining facilities, technicians or their patients, and those who were caught in the blast at the facility were being properly taken care of at local hospitals and other facilities.

The news was of course reporting the explosion with a sickening enthusiasm and a few cameras managed to catch the image of Connor emerging from the burning building with Abby in his arms as if his single deed somehow reflected all deviants in the city. The five leaders of New Jericho - Josh having returned to his role as a part time leader to work opposite shifts as North - knew Connor was going to lead the investigation into the cause of the explosion and trusted his skills out in the field to solve the case and help keep the peace.

Dragging his hand over his chin in deep thought Markus sighed at the images on the large television screen before rising from the small white sofa to look out the window overlooking the harbor outside. A few puffs of the dark smoke had managed to billow past the tower and even the smell of charred concrete and metal drifted inside the tower through the front doors.

"We can confirm that none of the facilities were threatened before this explosion." Sounding almost disappointed Markus stood up straight and kept his arms behind his back with a military style to them. "And we can confirm that because Connor was at the scene of the Zeta Facility's destruction that a deviant will be investigating any other possible attacks against our people."

Lucas spoke up on his brother's behalf while Connor was being treated at the Epsilon Facility. "This morning Connor was hired by a deviant who had located an explosive device at an abandoned department store downtown. That cannot be a coincidence."

"Agreed. The timing and specific circumstances cannot possibly be coincidental."

"I'll return to the brownstone once Connor's returned as well. We'll work on the case together."

"That'll be for the best." Turning away from the window Markus sighed and lowered his eyes to the floor at his feet. "Many things are still happening outside of this tower that we can't control. The most we can do is hope for a peaceful coexistence with those living in the city."

Simon joined Markus by the window and gave his lover a reassuring smile. "We'll find a way to handle this problem. You've led us to success before, so I know you'll find a way to handle this situation."

North flipped her hair over her shoulder as she cybernetically muted the television mounted on the far wall. "Skye just contacted me. The city's going to go on emergency lockdown while the police comb the streets."

"That might scare some deviants." Markus sympathized in a worried tone. "If anyone wishes to take shelter here while the city's on lockdown we'll make room for them."

"I'll let Skye know the plan." As she crossed the office to take her leave North managed to flash Josh a disgusted and righteously angry glare without anyone else seeing her fiery leer. "And I'll locate vacant rooms that can be used by any potential deviants in need."

"Good plan." Turning to Simon beside him, Markus gave his beloved's hand a gentle squeeze. "Simon, be sure that the emergency repair bay is fully stocked and that all non-critical patients are placed in their respective rooms to recovery to keep the bay as open as possible."

"You got it."

Lucas knew what he needed to do and was going to take his leave of the office as well once Simon left the room, but something stopped him before he even took a step. Josh was sitting silently on the white leather sofa with a distant stare in his eyes. He hadn't budged or said a word despite being invited to the meeting to discuss any plans of action out in the open.

"Josh?" Addressing the silent deviant in an understanding tone Lucas tried to get him to participate in their discussion. "Do you have anything you wish to contribute to the situation?"

Barely reacting to the question Josh trailed his eyes up toward Lucas then shook his head as he continued his silence before rising to his feet. He hadn't associated with his fellow deviants, let alone the other leaders, and was still struggling with his survivor's guilt. As he left the room Josh refused to lock eyes with either Lucas or Markus out of a misplaced sense of guilt and utter sorrow.

"He needs help." Lucas stated openly to Markus without any hesitation. As a technician Lucas recognized trauma and knew when someone needed someone else to step in and offer a supportive hand. "He's shutting down emotionally and isolating himself more and more with each passing day."

"What can we do to help him? He's still supposed to be exiled and isn't allowed access to secured wings and floors for a reason." As the leader Markus knew that he needed to make a decision, but he didn't want to continue to condemn a fellow deviant who had clearly suffered enough for his past crimes on a physical, mental and emotional level. "We can't just pardon his crime because he was also the victim of another crime."

"That's true, but he shouldn't be entirely alone. Maybe if we can get him to take the lead on the group therapy sessions he'll be encouraged to speak up and open up about what he's feeling and what he's gone through."

"That's a good idea. I'll try to talk to him tonight and see if I can't get him to try to go back to his previous role."

"That should work as long as you're the one to talk to him."

"Whoa, wait." That particular comment was one that Markus hadn't anticipated. There was something about Lucas's words that sat wrong with the deviant leader, and he wasn't sure why. "What about me in particular talking to Josh would be better than anyone else?"

"Well, North is pretty self explanatory." Lucas replied in an uneasy tone as he realized he may have said a little too much. "And since I'm Connor's brother, well, that's also self explanatory."

"And what about Simon? What's wrong with him?"

Quiet for a moment Lucas crossed his arms over his chest and remembered a fateful day outside the tower when he unexpected witnessed someone's heart break in a horrendously painful way. "...Josh had once bore romantic feelings toward Simon."

"What? Since when?" That was something that Markus had never know and something that Simon had never mentioned. "How do you know?"

"The day Simon confessed his love for you out on the harbor was the same day that Josh was about to do the same for Simon. He... saw what happened and dropped the flower he was going to give to Simon. I think he still feels strongly toward him, and if that's true then having Simon speak to him could cause more problems."

"And you're certain that Josh was attracted to Simon and not... Well, me?"

"Positive." Showing Markus a holographic image on his palm, Lucas pointed out the flower that had been dropped by Josh. "This is Simon's favorite flower, correct?"

"...Yeah." Markus immediately recognized the red tulip as the ones that his beloved favored greatly. "He tends to them more than anything else in the arboretum."

"Josh was going to bring the flower to the deviant he had loved in secret." Lowering his hand Lucas gave Markus a sympathetic glance. "Aren't you a fan of carnations as opposed to tulips?"

"...Yeah. Yellow carnations are my favorite." A small smile graced Markus's lips as he reflected on the bittersweet discussion. "Simon always brings me one when I feel stressed out at the end of the day."

"Then there's no denying that Josh loved Simon, and he may still harbor such feelings."

"Then it'd be best for me to handle the situation and spare Josh and Simon's feelings." The difficult decision had been made and Markus knew he needed to be entirely diplomatic for the sake of keeping the peace among the five leaders. "Thanks for letting me know."

"I'm glad I could help, but please, don't let Josh know that I told you this."

"You have my word. We'll find a way to help Josh and we'll do it in the most tactful, sensitive manner possible."

At the Epsilon Facility Connor had been given a thorough examination by Dr. Hetfield, a technician he wasn't too familiar with, and had been cleared to leave the facility on the grounds that he return to his brownstone to rest. The smoke covered deviant showered off the soot and ash from his hair and body in his temporary private recovery room that he had been given and had bagged up his smokey clothes to be washed later on. Wearing a pair of dark teal scrubs until he was back home and able to change into his usual attire Connor patiently waited near the front entrance of the facility for Hank to arrive so he could go and see Abby in the hospital with his own eyes.

The moment the Oldsmobile pulled into the parking lot Connor began heading toward the aged vehicle and promptly pulled open the front passenger side door with a swift motion. Sitting down and tossing his clothes onto the floor, Connor looked over at the Lieutenant and waited for Hank to speak up first.

"Abby's still conscious and she's resting. The baby's doing well too." Pulling right back onto the street Hank headed to their next destination to continue their investigation. "She agreed to give us a statement on what happened after her headache lets up, and we've been given permission to examine the building to check for the cause of the fire now that it's under control."

"Very well."

"What did your technician say?"

"Aside from mild irritation to my ventilation biocomponents, I'm functioning in optimal parameters." Stifling a dry cough Connor managed to keep his voice level as he spoke. "I've been cleared."

"Uh-huh..." Hank had gotten to know Connor too well and knew when he was trying to get away with one of his obsessive little thoughts. "You were cleared?"

"Yes."

"Cleared for discharge or for work?"

"...Technical clearance is all that matters."

"No, your health is all that matters."

"I'm fine. If I was in any danger then I wouldn't have been permitted to leave the facility."

"True enough I suppose."

"Has there been any theories regarding the possible cause of the explosion?"

"Not yet. The fire department's ruled out a bomb or sabotage, so that's good. And I know that this time the explosion wasn't caused by a druggie shooting an armed explosive, so we can rule that out, too."

"At least I was close by and able to help in a timely manner." Glancing up at the blue afternoon sky as fading plumes of black smoke dissipated before his eyes Connor thought back to his time inside the burning facility. Seeing the smoke, the flames and hearing the screeching siren made the deviant feel jumpy, whereas the memory of encountering the burned body made him feel sick to his stomach. "The single human victim within the corridor... Has he been identified yet?"

"Uh, no." Hank was just as hesitant to acknowledge the sole casualty as well. "The poor bastard was burned so bad we need to wait for his dental records to arrive before he can give him a name. The coroner is working on it."

"He was brain-dead when I found him." Closing his eyes Connor crossed his arms over his chest and sank down in his seat. "I didn't leave him there to die."

"I know you'd never do that to anyone, son. It's impossible to save everyone." Clearing his throat a little Hank gave a passing glance to one of the responding fire engines just now driving down the street to return to its station after battling the flames at the burned facility. It had been there all afternoon and was covered in soot courtesy of the intense blaze. "The guys who retrieved the body confirmed that he was right next to the explosion when it took place. A part of his skull was caved in and... his brain was physically destroyed by debris, and then the fire itself." It was a sickening thought and Hank needed to stop himself fast before he ended up with more nightmares. "The guy was dead the moment the explosion happened. No one, absolutely no one, could've saved him."

"...That doesn't make it any easier to accept."

"Nothing ever eases that type of pain or needless guilt." Returning to the smokey street that had been blocked off by barricades Hank parked the car and presented his badge to the firefighters giving him an odd look. "Let's go, son. Do your thing."

Exiting the vehicle alongside Hank the deviant detective stared at the charred exterior of the salvaged building with wide eyes. The fact that the facility was still standing, even if it was standing only on the burnt foundation of an internally destroyed building, was somewhat miraculous. What had once been a previously flawless white exterior was now stained black and gray, the front door was partially warped by the intense heat affecting the plastic and metal paneling and the front lobby smelled of hot metal and wet ash.

"Jeez..." Putting his hands to his hips Hank looked into the lobby that was being aired out by massive portable fans and vents provided by the fire department. He couldn't imagine having the guts to rush into a burning building the way Connor and the firefighters had done just a few hours earlier. "It's incredible that only one person was killed."

"I don't think 'incredible' is a word I'd use in this situation." Stepping into the lobby Connor led the way deeper into the facility where he had found the body. It was clear the explosion had happened right next to the deceased man, and all that was left to do was find the cause of said explosion. "I only had a passing glance of the scene of the explosion during the fire, but it seemed to originate from within the walls itself."

"Gas explosion?"

"Possibly, but I believe the building uses electricity for heating and power." Fighting to stifle another cough Connor did his best to appear completely unaffected by his harrowing experience both emotionally and physically. "I'd need to see the building's blueprints to confirm such a feature."

"Well, this place is a hospital for androids, and they use oxygen when an android needs to take a clean breath..." Rubbing his palm over the back of his neck Hank followed Connor to the scene of the explosion and stopped in his tracks at the sight of the pitch blank scorch marks all along the broken walls, ceiling and floor. "Uh, anyway..." Continuing forward Hank tried to think logically about what could've happened. "Could an oxygen tank have exploded and caused this?"

"All oxygen canisters are kept in the examination, treatment and emergency repair bays. Oxygen tanks are not stored in the storage area under any circumstances since the enclosed space can caused unwanted pressure on said canisters resulting in spontaneous eruptions."

Two firefighters were chipping away at the already compromised wall to ensure that the entire fire was smothered out and that there were no smoldering embers that could reignite. Taking notice of the two detectives the firefighters stepped back for a moment and pointed to the large storage area at the end of the corridor behind them.

"Good to know." Hank acknowledged the comment as he and Connor explored the ruined corridor together. "The source of the explosion is in there. The arson investigator is already inside and checking things out." Through the opened doorway, the door itself was completely missing courtesy of the powerful blast from the inside knocking it down, Connor and Hank could see another man checking out the interior of the storage space looking for clues. "It looks like some form of freak accident."

Considering the logical statement Connor and Hank passed through the ruined corridor to enter the storage space without getting in the way. Upon greeting the arson investigator and introducing themselves, the two detectives were given a rundown on his investigation and directed to the ruins of what appeared to previously be a metal work bench, glass jars and a Bunsen burner.

"By all account the explosion originated from here." The arson investigator, Randy, stated with a confident tone. Having investigated over one-hundred cases of suspected arson throughout Detroit during his twenty year long career there was no doubt that Randy knew what he was talking about. "The last time I checked Thirium wasn't combustible, so I'm at a loss as to what was in here."

Connor knelt down over the melted glass shards and ran a scan of the remaining contents. Detecting trace amounts of ethanol, ether and Thirium the keen eyed deviant detective sighed as he pressed his fingertips to the burned ashes and pressed them to his tongue. Working cybernetically Connor received an analysis and discovered what was being made at the impromptu work station that had seemingly combusted.

"...Ethanol and ether were the culprits in the explosion." Turning to face Randy and then Hank beside him, Connor gave them his grim analysis on the situation and cause of the explosion itself. "This was an attempt at creating a crude 'red ice' lab."

Hank stared at the deviant detective blankly for a moment before finally responding to the comment. "...You're shitting me."

"Unfortunately, I am not. There are fingerprints that have been preserved and melted into portions of the glass containers." Standing back up Connor located the crucial evidence and crossed his arms over his chest. "The prints can identify who had been handling these glass beakers just prior to the explosion. I'll also request an inventory log regarding the supplies in the storage area as I'm one-hundred percent certain that there is no need for ether to be in any facility in the city for any reason. Someone either ordered it for delivery or they brought it here themself."

"Shit." Hank looked at Randy and sighed with a deep sense of disappointment behind his words. "Have this sent to our boys and we'll confirm the contents of the containers and figure out who made the lab." Staring down at the filthy floor Hank sighed and felt his blood begin to boil with frustration. "What a fuckin' waste of everything for everyone."

After stopping by the precinct to give an update on the situation with the facility, and to ensure that Gavin wasn't going out for blood because his wife and unborn child were caught in the explosion. The two detectives confirmed with Captain Fowler that a 'red ice' lab had been the cause of the explosion. Professional as ever, Connor finished with his cybernetic report, gave his statement from his experiences within the facility - Barry's testimony was particularly useful as he had willingly shared his full memory of the day leading to the blast and of the fiery aftermath - and confirmed with Hank that he was now ready to interview Abby at the hospital. They didn't want to intrude on the resting technician, but the sooner they spoke to her the better it'd be for the case.

Looking far more like his usual self after stopping at the brownstone and changing his clothes, Connor checked in with Bruno and met Hank outside once more. He continued to stifle his mild cough and refused to admit that he needed a moment to rest as the deviant detective was more focused on solving a case than he was with resting.

The drive to the hospital didn't take too long, but there was an obstacle awaiting the duo of detectives in the form of news reporters swarming over the property. The media had gotten word that the pregnant technician who had been rescued from the burning facility had been brought to that hospital for treatment, and they were dying to interview the rescued "damsel in distress" firsthand.

"Remember when I said that the reporters would find something else to nose about in?" Pulling the Oldsmobile into the parking lot behind the hospital Hank kept his head low to make sure no one lingering at the front and side entrances to the hospital recognized him. "This is what I was talking about."

"Perhaps you should arrest them for disturbing the peace." Showcasing his sarcasm Connor made it clear that he was losing his patience with dealing with the news broadcasts seeking ratings over the truth. "Surely the patients trying to recover are being annoyed by the constant and needless presence of the media."

"We'll make sure the staff know that the offer is on the table. Move quietly and quickly." Pulling his badge from his pocket Hank nodded at the deviant detective beside him. "Get your I.D. ready so we can be let in through the emergency entrance."

"Right."

Leaving the car parked in the smaller lot behind St. Mercy Hospital Hank and Connor made their way to the entrance and showed the security guard keeping watch over the entrance their badges. Thanking the guard for the discreet entrance, the two detectives confirmed with the nurse at the front desk that they were going to go speak with Abby for a moment and wouldn't get in the way.

Nervously Connor entered the elevator alongside Hank and finally relented in using his coin to channel his tic. "...Do you know how severe Abby's injuries are?"

"Uh, mild concussion and two fractured ribs. Don't worry," Hank knew what Connor really wanted to ask and placated his concerns. "you didn't hurt her or the baby when you picked her up."

"That's good." Thinking back to the moment of rescue Connor felt dread form in his heart. "She was completely unresponsive, and I had no choice but to pick her up and move her."

"Stop." Snatching the coin for a moment Hank tucked it into his own pocket as the elevator doors parted. "You did everything right on a day where it seemed like everything could've gone wrong."

"I know."

"Then stop blaming yourself for things that are beyond your control."

"...I'll try."

Giving the deviant's upper back a small pat Hank stepped out of the elevator first with Connor right behind him. Two nurses stepped into the elevator after them and neither of them looked at all surprised to see a couple of detectives roaming the hallway.

"She's right over her."

Knocking on the closed door of the recovery room Hank heard Abby's voice respond with a soft 'Come in' and promptly slid the door open. Just as he had last seen the technician, Abby was sitting upright in the recovery bed with a nasal canula under her nose to make sure her lungs were cleared of smoke and had an ice pack pressed to her sore ribs. She had a fetal monitor wrapped around her belly and she looked twice as uncomfortable than she did during Connor's birthday party.

"Uh, is this a bad time?"

"No, not at all." Abby turned to face Hank while her guest stayed in the chair beside the bed. "I was just chatting with Skye."

Connor's soulful brown eyes lit up with recognition when he saw Skye sitting in the chair. "Skye? What're you doing here?"

"Oh, hi." Skye's own eyes lit up when she saw Connor and answered his question casually. "I heard about the explosion at the Zeta Facility and wanted to check on Abby for myself. I'm also keeping North in the loop at the tower so she doesn't have to worry about anything outside New Jericho Tower."

"I see." Clearing his throat a little, another dry cough threatening to escape at any moment, Connor approached the bed opposite of Skye and looked down at Abby with confusion and fear burning in his eyes. His biometric scan could tell him everything, but he needed to hear a confirmation from Abby's own lips. "Are you okay?"

"You mean am I feeling good after being rescued from a burning building? Or am I in pain?" Pointing to the I.V. stand beside her bed Abby gave Connor a playful grin. "Either way, I feel fine. That little baggy and its miracle drug makes everything okay. It even made the baby sleep, so she isn't kicking my busted ribs right now."

"I'm glad you're both going to be all right."

"Same. And thanks."

Arching his brow Connor searched the technician's face as if expecting to find an answer on her face. "...For what?"

"For saving my life."

"Oh." Blushing at the comment Connor humbly accepted her thanks. "You're welcome."

"You know, I have a very vague memory of someone carrying me to safety. It was like I was being rescued by a knight in sooty armor."

"I merely did what I had to do."

"Yeah, except you're not a firefighter, so you went above and beyond the call of duty."

"I just did what was right." Changing the subject for a moment Connor began asking her a few questions to deflect any attention aimed at himself. "Do you know what happened?"

Confirming that she saw nothing in regard to the explosion and didn't have any memory of the incident whatsoever, Abby gave as many details as she could to help with the investigation. Giving him the name of the deceased man; a new intern named Richard "Ricky" Brand, she also confirmed that she hadn't seen him prior to the explosion and couldn't give any logical reason for the man to be near the storage area during the explosion.

"The last time I saw Ricky he was heading into the emergency repair bays to learn proper sterilization methods. All the supplies we use for such purposes are all kept in storage cabinets inside the bays to ensure each bay had their own personal supply of cleaning chemicals at all times."

While he took Abby's statement Connor's eyes blinked rapidly as he received an update from the precinct. "...Dental records have just confirmed the victim of the fire as Richard Brand. They've also confirmed his fingerprints to be the ones found on the glass beakers and other chemicals used in the makeshift lab."

"You said that ether was found at the explosion, right?"

"Correct."

"There is absolutely no reason for us to have ether in a facility. It serves no purpose in android maintenance, repairs or replacement procedures."

"We'll look at the facility's inventory to try and track down where the ether had come from."

"You know, Ricky was young and eager to work, but... he just seemed to be distracted all the time." Abby took in a shallow breath to keep her ribs from aching and finished her statement. Brushing her hair out of her eyes with a swipe of her fingers the technician looked as tired as she felt. "Please don't judge him too harshly. He was a good technician, just naive and desperate for money."

"We'll get all the facts before we make any definitive statement regarding his behavior and actions."

"Thank you."

Taking a step back Connor gave Abby a worried glance as he asked about her condition. "How long are you going to be here?"

"Overnight as a precaution, then I can go home tomorrow and begin early maternity leave and stay on bedrest. And then... I'll have to deal with Gavin helicoptering around me."

Curious as to the detective's lack of presence Connor had to know where he was at the moment. "Where is Gavin right now?"

"After I kicked him out for being a prick to the nurses, so he said he was going to go up to the roof to cool off and think."

Rubbing his palm over the back of his hair Hank gave the pregnant woman a sympathetic glance. "Want me to go up there and talk some sense into him?"

"No, he'll be fine once he's had a minute to clear his head." As she spoke Abby rubbed her palms over her bump and tried to not move about too much in the surprisingly comfortable bed. "He's just very protective of us. Besides, I have an attorney right here, so if he does anything stupid, she might be able to come up with a defense and keep him from getting fired."

Skye gave Abby a slightly uncomfortable glance and held up her hands in a somewhat submissive manner. "I can try to protect him, but no guarantees."

Yawning a little Abby gave Skye a casual and very faint shrug of her shoulders. "Better than nothing."

Seeing Abby's eyes getting heavy as she yawned Hank decided it was time to leave. "Get some rest. If you think of anything else just call us. We'll be able to get Gavin away from ya' for a while."

"No problem. I've never called a cop before when high on pain meds..."

Smirking a little Hank pulled on Connor's elbow to get the deviant to follow him outside the room. "Come on, son. Let's get everything filed so the coroner can piece together the burn victim's final moments, and the fire department can confirm the cause of the fire."

"Agreed. Rest well, Abby. And Skye, thanks for being here."

"No problem." Skye smiled from where she sat beside Abby's bed. "Any reason to get out of the office for a few minutes and just talk to someone who isn't wearing handcuffs."

Abby laughed a little as she gave Skye a mischievous glance. "You clearly don't know anything about mine and Gavin's date nights..."

Taking the embarrassing comment as their cue, Hank and Connor left the private recovery room to let Abby get some rest. Neither detective really knew what else to do for her or the other victims until the fire department finished combing the scene.

"Let's just file our report and I'll take ya' back home."

Entering the elevator together Connor decided to accept the offer since he didn't want to walk back to the brownstone after everything he went through. "And after that, I'll update Lucas on the situation."

"New Jericho's safe, right?"

"Yes. No threats had been issued toward the tower or any other facility today, which confirms that the explosion was indeed an accident."

"Well, I guess that's something positive to think about." Once on the ground floor Hank glared at the front entrance of the hospital where the reporters were still hovering about. Handing Connor back his coin Hank motioned for the deviant detective to walk back toward the emergency entrance they had used earlier to slip out undetected all over again. "We'll avoid the vultures again before they have a chance to try to pick at us for information."

-next chapter-