After a lengthy foot chase ended with Connor running a common pick-pocket down in an alleyway, the deviant detective began to feel the disadvantages of not having an available method of immediate transportation. The graceful tackle leading to a graceless slide over the dirty, slick alleyway was enough to make the deviant detective lament not having an alternative method of pursuing suspects. After tackling the fleeing man to the ground Connor found himself covered in dirt, mud, stagnant puddle water and bits of garbage. The filth clinging to his dirtied uniform was enough to prompt Connor to make both a change of his clothes and change of the way he navigated the city during his investigations.

Roaming the used car lot with a keen focus Connor danced his coin over the back of his knuckles in mild excitement as he scanned the area in search of a vehicle that he could call his own. Eager to pay and return home with it finally in his possession Connor sidestepped the busy salesmen skulking about the lot as he didn't need a sales pitch or a helping hand. He knew exactly what he wanted, and he wasn't going to leave without it. The vehicle of interest wasn't the traditional type of four wheeled vehicle that one would expect a rather introverted person to seek out, and yet Connor was drawn to the curiously intriguing vehicle like a moth to a flame.

Keen eyes and dedication to his choice guided Connor right to the coveted vehicle being displayed inside the lot's showroom floor inside the building. Secured on a display pedestal and under dozens of security measures was the very vehicle that Connor was determined to drive away with. The vehicle itself was actually a motorcycle that Connor had an unexplainable urge to not only purchase but modify to ensure that it was entirely unique in comparison to anything else in the city.

Eyeing the motorcycle almost hungrily Connor knew it was already his, he just needed to sign the paperwork to take it back home with him.

The motorcycle itself was a Yamaha FJR-1300 ABS. The body was silver in color without a single trace of rust or chipped pain. The chrome exhaust was free of any dents, rust or misalignment, and the black vinyl seats were still fully intact. Despite being over twenty years old the motorcycle was in fantastic shape and ready to be driven right then and there.

Reminding himself that it was okay to do something for himself every so often, Connor had no doubts about his latest purchase. Buying something as useful as a motorcycle wasn't anything to be ashamed of, especially since it'd make it easier for him to do errands without needing to worry about hailing and paying for an autonomous cab.

"Excuse me?" Addressing the nearest salesman walking nearby Connor nodded at the motorcycle and confirmed that he was going to purchase it. The white envelope filled with cash in his hand would guarantee prompt and excellent service. "I would like to speak to someone who can aid me in the paperwork and payments. I've made my choice."

The salesman's eyes lit up and he gave Connor an eager grin. "I'm your man, sir! Join me this way," motioning to a vacant desk against the far wall he led Connor over to where the paperwork would be signed and the payments processed. "and I'll get you the key to your new motorcycle."

"I appreciate it."

Within the hour Connor was able to ride back to his brownstone on his motorcycle while feeling particularly free. The helmet over his head was enough to keep him protected, but it didn't stop him from admiring the wind as it blew over his body while he sped down the streets and toward his brownstone atop the silver motorcycle that had been painstakingly cared for since its original construction. Something about the freedom of being out in the open and controlling the small vehicle's speed and direction gave Connor a true sense of self and control.

Unwilling to leave the motorcycle outside where it'd be exposed to the elements or potentially stolen by curious people who took notice of the newly acquired vehicle, Connor decided to pull the motorcycle behind the brownstone and keep it well out of sight of anyone passing by. The property had a wooden fence that concealed the backyard and gave the area some privacy, and in turn Connor would be able to store his motorcycle in relative safety until he remodeled the side of the brownstone to hold a small garage.

"This seems impulsive, but I know it was a practical purchase."

Pulling the key from the ignition Connor scanned the motorcycle and preconstructed his plans for enhancing the vehicle over time. He wanted the motorcycle to be improved in such a way that it'd be an electric and Thirium-fueled hybrid that'd be beneficial to environment. It wouldn't take long for Connor to make the proper modifications by using spare parts for androids in general, but the external aesthetic would take some time to alter to accommodate the internal changes.

"I'm going to need to get some supplies and I'll need to make sure this motorcycle doesn't become an attractive nuisance."

Pocketing the key with genuine pride, Connor opened the backdoor to the brownstone and entered his home to begin ordering those very parts. Thanks to swift delivery drones and the needed parts not being in high demand, Connor wouldn't have to worry about the parts being readily bought up before he could put in his orders and get his new project underway.

"Anyone stop by the brownstone?" Connoy called out to Bruno as he picked up his guitar from its stand in the corner and watched the loyal K-9 unit continuously observe the fish swimming about in the aquarium. "The city seems relatively quiet at the moment."

'No one stopped by.' Bruno confirmed with his cybernetic link. 'Not even Lucas.'

"He has been spending a lot of time at the tower lately." Strumming a simple tune on his guitar Connor noted that Lucas hadn't been home for the past four days due to sudden spike in activity at the deviant sanctuary. He knew that tensions were high with five leaders in total trying to work together, but a part of him also knew that a majority of the stress revolved around Josh's return and recovery. "Once my supplies arrive, I'll contact him and ask him to stop by. It'll give him the chance to get away from work and socialize with us."

Bruno approved of the idea and wagged his tail happily as he waited for Lucas to return to the brownstone. 'Bruno likes that!'

The Central Precinct was as busy as ever as more reports of makeshift "red ice" labs were uncovered throughout the city by attentive deviants bringing the illegal operations to light. The explosion at the Zeta Facility had given the deviant community a damn good reason to band together and actually go to the police rather than avoid them when they noticed something unusual happening in their neighborhoods. Several more abandoned buildings had been investigated and thoroughly searched, as was a hotel still under construction and the android exclusive apartment complexes being built not too far away from the precinct itself. In return, the investigating officers had uncovered seven more labs and arrested thirty-six would be drug dealers in the process.

During the search through the hotel construction site another explosive device had been uncovered and then properly disarmed by the bomb squad. Just as before, the explosive device had been made without there being any trace of the engineer's fingerprints or of where they had gathered the necessary material to construct such a device. As a result, the precinct found itself dealing with both a "red ice" flood and a potential mad bomber on the loose.

"Fuck me. This shit is getting outta' hand." Hank complained as he read over the latest reports on the 'red ice' analysis with a thick grimace. Chris and Ben were handling the bombs at the moment and were currently discussing the evidence with the bomb squad elsewhere. "I don't have the energy to make another task force to save the city again."

"You shouldn't have to do that." Tina noted as she checked over Gavin's desk and made sure her partner and best friend had everything he needed while working from home for the week. The close call with Abby had prompted Gavin to take the initiative and keep an eye on her during her first week of recovery to be certain that she and the baby were truly going to be okay. "And since we're partnered up for the week, I'm going to do everything I can to prove it."

Turning in his chair with an audible 'creak' Hank gave Tina a curious glance. "How's that?"

"I'm aiming for Detective before the year is over." Dropping down in the vacant seat of the empty desk across from Hank's desk, Tina flashed the senior detective a cheeky grin as she picked at her large plate of various snacks. "And I'm going to prove to Captain Fowler that I deserve it!"

"We all already know that you deserve it." The senior detective reassured as he watched Tina dip a green olive into a small saucer of hot salsa before popping it in her mouth. "It's the higher-ups who need to admit it."

Speaking around her full mouth Tina gave Hank some puppy-dog eyes. "Could you put in a good word for me?"

"Already have." Unable to hide his momentary disgust Hank put up a hand to block the sight from his eyes. "I'll give you another one if you chew with your mouth closed."

"Sorry, Lieutenant." Finishing her oddball snack Tina then picked up an apple slice and dipped it into the same salsa. "I know that's gross, but I am starving right now."

"I'll say." Lowering his hand Hank gave the plate a onceover and had no idea what he was looking at. "What the fuck are you eating anyway?"

"I'm dipping cheese, apples, olives, grapes and garlic toast in this amazing habanero salsa."

"...Why?"

"It tastes AMAZING!"

"Wait, I thought you hated olives. I remember that Reed will always order a pizza with extra olives on it just to keep you away from his lunch."

"It's the weirdest fuckin' thing." Popping more olives into her mouth Tina finished chewing and swallowed before speaking again. "I can't get enough of them right now. Apparently, our taste buds change every few years, so maybe that's what's happening to me right now. Want to try it?"

"My eyes are watering from the heat of that salsa from where I'm sitting right here. I don't need heartburn on top of my stress."

"Habaneros aren't that hot!"

"There's a warning label on the bottle, don't try to bullshit me."

"Wuss." Flashing Hank a small wink Tina then offered him her apple slices and cheese cubes instead. "Not everything's been contaminated by the salsa yet."

Admitting that he too was getting hungry Hank picked up one of the apple slices and bit into it. "How about we go take our lunchbreak and work on the case out of the precinct? I could go for some fresh air."

"Fine by me." Smearing the salsa over a slice of the garlic bread and dotting it with green olives, Tina took a big bite and savored the intense flavor combination. "We should pick up some Chinese. I could go for some eggrolls right now."

"You scare me sometimes, Tina."

Completely amused by Hank's reactions Tina just shrugged her shoulders and finished off her flavorful snack. "And it's not even Halloween yet... Damn I'm good."

The warm air began to cool as summer slowly gave way to autumn. Being outside was impressively comfortable and it gave anyone an excuse to be outside and work with their hands, and that included Connor himself. Kneeling beside his rapidly and heavily modified silver-white colored motorcycle, Connor scanned the vehicle and confirmed that the engine had been rebuilt properly, the new engine components were functioning properly and that the brakes were going to be able to respond and handle the increased speed capacity of the modified motorcycle without any issues. It was a brand new passion project that helped Connor focus his thoughts during his sleepless nights and keep him from obsessing too much over opened cases throughout the city.

Proud of his hard work Connor set about finishing the final details to ensure the motorcycle was now a fully functional electric and Thirium hybrid vehicle that was also as silent as a manual bicycle. With its sleek design, lightweight frame and fantastic fuel efficiency, the motorcycle was bound to be quite useful to the deviant as he took on more and more cases.

"Good afternoon, brother." Lucas called out as he returned home and opened the backdoor to check on Connor. The returned deviant had Bruno tagging along right at his heels as the happy K-9 unit greeted his returned guardian. "I see you've picked up a new hobby."

"I have." Stepping back Connor wiped the excess Thirium from his modifications staining his hands onto a rag. "And I finished modifying it. It's now an electric and Thirium hybrid model. What do you think?"

Scanning the motorcycle for himself Lucas noted the delicate work and professional details that Connor had put into its new design. "Your motorcycle seems to be complete."

"Nearly complete. I still need to tweak a few components and add its security system before it'll be truly finished." Putting his progress aside for a moment Connor spoke to his brother directly since Lucas took all the time to come back to the brownstone. "How are things at New Jericho?"

"Not as well as they should be." Lucas admitted with a small grimace as he helped Connor gather some of the tools left on the ground to ensure that nothing was overlooked by mistake, and then placed them down on the makeshift workbench against the back of the brownstone. "Tensions are high within the ranks, and I'm beginning to suspect that there's something amiss that's either being kept a secret, or it simply hasn't been addressed just yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, North and Josh are meant to work on rotating shifts to avoid seeing one another." The deviant leader and technician explained as he worked alongside Connor to finish the little details on the motorcycle in a timely manner. "And yet I keep seeing North in the tower when she's not supposed to be there."

"Is she doing anything or going anywhere she shouldn't be?"

"No. And she isn't going anywhere near Markus unless it pertains to business, so it's safe to say she's over their uncomfortable break-up."

Removing the original exterior panel of the motorcycle to lay on his workbench, Connor used soldering irons, a heat gun and weighted presses to reshape the panel into a sleeker design that'd accommodate the new modifications. "Why is her behavior so strange to you?"

"Whenever I've seen her roaming the tower when she's not supposed to be there, at least when she's not supposed to be there to act as a leader, I've seen her hovering around the emergency repair bay as if she's waiting for something. If she notices me in the area she quickly leaves without a word."

"That is strange." Connor carefully reshaped the panel and gave Lucas a worried glance. "Do you suspect that she's damaged and is trying to tend to her own wounds in private?"

"It's possible." Working alongside his brother Lucas helped hold the panel down on the workbench as it was slowly reshaped by hand into a new design. "She might be seeking help from Simon and is trying to find him while he's on his shifts, but she keeps encountering me by mistake."

"If that's the case, then it's safe to suspect that her personal pride and lingering disdain toward humans is keeping her from going to any facility for treatment."

"Agreed. It's a shame that she feels the need to be so secretive within the tower, and that she cannot trust me to help her if she needs it." Letting out a small huff Lucas looked over at Bruno as the K-9 unit proceeded to roll about the grass and wag his tail happily. Bruno was slowly becoming more dog and less android with each passing day. "Have you heard anything about the reported explosives being found throughout the city?"

"The only issue I've encountered today was a pick-pocket who targeted a little old lady at a nearby bus stop." Connor replied honestly as he used a controlled strength to reshape the panel as he wanted. "I was able to apprehend him and return the lady's money, but even so, it was an annoying issue to handle."

"I understand your frustration." With the new panel design nearing completion Lucas let up on the frame to ensure that Connor could reshape every millimeter of the plastimetal paneling as he saw fit. "Rumors about additional explosives being discovered in abandoned buildings have been circulating all morning long, and it seems no matter what we say, the rumors refuse to be effectively silenced."

"Has anyone threatened the tower?"

"Thankfully, no. I'm also aware that gossip is something that's practically impossible to stop, but it's still frustrating to acknowledge."

"Understandable." With the first side panel now adjusted Connor checked over his work and determined that it was ready to be added to the motorcycle once its counterpart on the opposite side of the vehicle was also modified. "The previous client who informed me of the first explosive hasn't reported anything further to me or the police, so I cannot say for certain about the condition of the city as a whole regarding the potentially dangerous situation."

"And I know that if anything unusual had been reported that you'd inform us at the tower immediately."

Picking up on concern in Lucas's voice Connor gave his brother a curious side-eye. "Are you worried about a potential threat happening at the tower?"

"I'm worried about such a potential threat every day regardless of the odds of explosives being reported by passersby." Approaching Bruno casually Lucas knelt down and gave the happy dog some belly rubs as he watched Connor remove the other half of the paneling from his motorcycle. "The tower might as well have a giant red target painted on the front of it."

That comment made Connor freeze for a moment as his concern for his little brother suddenly amplified. "Do you feel unsafe in the tower?"

"It's not a matter of safety. It's a matter of security, if that makes any sense." Straightening back up Lucas made his way over to the motorcycle and helped Connor remove the second panel to begin modeling it to match the first remodeled panel. "I know that the tower has emergency protocols in place and that there are cameras, strong doors and a barricade down the drive; but even so the tower could easily be swarmed by a group of angry people if they wanted to try to do something against the tower."

"Skye had enhanced the tower's security programs before focusing on becoming a defense attorney, correct?"

"Correct."

"Has anyone taken over her role as the security chief at the tower?"

"It wasn't seen as a necessity since the role was deemed as temporary while Skye made the proper adjustments after New Jericho set up inside the tower." Contemplating the notion for a moment Lucas seemed to find inspiration in Connor's inquiry. "Perhaps I should step down at the lead technician and take over as the chief of security. After all, I'm already a private detective and I'm familiar with safety protocols. It might be a good way to help distribute responsibilities as well."

"Only do something if you're comfortable with doing it." Connor cautioned as he set about remodeling the second panel. "Don't do anything because you think other people expect of it you."

Lucas couldn't help but give Connor an approving smile at the way his older brother was speaking up and sounding so assure of himself. It was a stark contrast compared to how he had initially behaved after deviating and trying to isolate himself away from the world. It was clear that despite his difficult beginning in life and all of the oppression he had once felt, Connor was becoming his own person and gaining a true confidence all his own.

"Can you help me with this paneling?" Connor asked as he placed it down on the workbench and preconstructed his next move. "It'll only work if it's entirely and perfectly symmetrical with the first paneling."

"Sure." Joining Connor at the workbench Lucas put his hands down on the paneling and proceeded to help his brother work on his project. "Once you finish with your modifications you can give me a ride back to New Jericho so I can let Markus know of my decision."

"Consider it done."

The corridors of New Jericho Tower were mostly quiet save for the occasional foot traffic from the denizens going about their own routines in a calm and collected manner. Everyone respected everyone else's personal spaces and needs, and there was no need for any type of moderation from the leaders to keep things calm or civilized as the deviant community melded together to share a peaceful coexistence. There were only a handful of floors and rooms that were sealed by the leaders for their own personal needs, and as such a majority of the tower was constantly full of energy and activity from the other deviants. One such room that had a seal on it was the equipment and supply storage within the emergency repair bay, while the others were the archive rooms, the security room and the private office located on the ground floor.

Knowing the layout of the tower extremely well due to her position as a leader, North was able to navigate the floors and corridors without drawing any unwanted attention from those who noticed her. However, being demoted to part-time leader under her own freewill had left North suddenly limited from the very rooms she could once access as a full-time leader.

The frustration in her futile attempts to open a single locked door was apparent in her voice as she swore and kicked the bottom of the locked door. "Son of a bitch..."

"I was unaware doors had parentage."

Jumping at Simon's voice North flashed him an exasperated look as she ran her hand through her long auburn hair. "Funny."

"Sorry. I'm used to telling jokes to little kids, not fellow deviants." Pressing his palm to the panel of the locked storage room Simon gave North access to the room as he trusted her to not do anything foolish or dangerous. "All you have to do is ask."

"Well, I figured that as a leader I'd still be able to move about the tower as just that. A leader."

"It's nothing personal." Simon understood her frustrated outburst and tried to be of some help. "We just decided-"

"That since Josh is also a part-time leader that it'd be best to limit access to anyone with that rank." North recited with a firm interruption of her colleague's reply. "I know."

"It's just temporary."

"Whatever."

Heading into the room North began to sift and search through the storage shelves and cabinets like she was on a mission. The way her cinnamon brown eyes were focused forward as she hunted for something in particular was indicative of someone either desperate or frightened.

Worried about further upsetting his friend Simon spoke up in a timid manner. "Uh, can I help you find something?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Look, I know you're still pissed at-"

"Damn right I am!"

"...at us," Simon continued with a small delay to his interrupted words. "but we're still your friends."

"Not Josh. Not ever Josh."

"But you still have me, Markus and even Lucas."

"I really doubt that the brother of the guy I supposedly wanted to kill is going to go out of his way to help me." Slamming her palms against the shelves in frustration North backed off and wrapped one arm around her stomach while pressing her palm to her forehead. "...It's not here."

"What're you looking for?"

"It's not important."

"You know me better than that, I'm not stupid. And if what you're searching for isn't that important then you wouldn't be so angry right now." Sensing that something was amiss with the fiery leader Simon patiently waited for her to speak up and talk to him. "Either let me help you or ask Markus."

Quiet for a moment North just gave Simon a somber look. "...Markus can't help me."

"Okay, then can I maybe help?"

"Only if you can point me to the full system diagnostic modem."

That particular modem was only used when a deviant was experiencing multiple system errors at once, and it was kept secured in the emergency bay for easier access in the event of such a catastrophe. "It's in the repair bay. I'll show you."

Hesitant to accept the help North just gave Simon a suspicious glance before quietly accompanying him to the correct door a few yards down the corridor. She had little say in the matter since she needed a technician's help at the moment. Despite her righteous mistrust toward her friends for how they so readily cast her out of the tower, North also knew that she couldn't bear a grudge against them forever. They had admitted their mistakes, apologized and had welcomed her back with opened arms as soon as they realized that they were wrong.

Not a fan of the thick silence in the air Simon addressed his colleague as they entered the emergency repair bay together. "Can I ask why you-"

"No you cannot." North defended herself tersely as she entered the bay and made sure no one else was around. "Just give me access to the modem and don't tell anyone what I'm doing."

"You have my word."

Shaking her head doubtfully North eyed the modem as Simon wheeled it toward the nearby exam table. Sitting down on the edge of the table North reached for the long black cable attached to the modem and attached the opposite end of the cable to her right temple to perform the diagnostic. The feeling of having the modem connecting to her intracranial processor was suddenly overwhelming and she had little choice but to lay down on the table to keep herself from falling forward due to sudden dizziness and weakness.

"It's all right, that's normal." Simon soothed as he guided North down at a slow rate to ensure she didn't accidentally strike her head or pass out. "This will only take two minutes to complete."

"Fantastic." Closing her eyes North seemed to be suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue and couldn't remain awake. "I have at least two minutes to spare these days."

"Rest and I'll handle everything." Patting North's arm in a reassuring manner Simon eyed the modem's attached display monitor and waited for the results of the diagnostic to appear. "Whatever's bothering you is something I'll help you figure out before it gets out of hand."

As evening settled over Detroit the sunlight began fading away while creating bright rays of light contrasting brilliantly against the darkness of the surrounding clouds and sky overhead. Having finished with his new motorcycle's modifications with Lucas's assistance, Connor put the tools away and cleaned up the modified vehicle to give it a beautiful shine. The white body of the motorcycle contrasted brilliantly against the dark clouds in the horizon, and it truly looked like an entirely unique vehicle that Connor could proudly call his own. There were no regrets in his seemingly spontaneous purchase from that afternoon, and he was eager to take the motorcycle out on its first trip around the city.

Locating his black helmet on the nearby workbench Connor scanned the weather before taking Lucas back to the tower and taking the motorcycle out for a test drive. Handling Lucas his second back-up helmet, Connor encouraged his brother to join him on the back of the motorcycle.

"Ready?" Connor asked as he secured his helmet's strap under his chin and waited for Lucas to do the same with his own helmet. "This is the big test."

"I'm ready." With his own helmet secured Lucas held tightly onto the support bars of the seat so he didn't have to wrap his arms around Connor's chest. He wanted his brother to have the ability to shift his weight as necessary without needing to compensate for Lucas's weight in the process. "Let's go out to the tower."

Placing the key into the motorcycle's ignition Connor turned over the engine and was rewarded with a quiet hum as his very efficient modifications made the motorcycle run almost silently. The way the vehicle began to shake with new life and energy confirmed that the modifications weren't for naught or just for show, they were efficient and sustainable.

"I'll drop you off at the tower and then I'll come back home. "Connor decided as he revved the engine and was rewarded with a soft purr. "I don't want to drive around in the dark until I'm completely sure of how well this motorcycle handles."

"A wise precaution."

Driving out of the rear of the property and onto the street, Connor noted that the motorcycle was gliding smoothly over the roads at a steady speed. The vehicle was responding with perfect precision under Connor's control and the deviant detective had no fear in handling the modified motorcycle under any circumstances. It was as if Connor himself was somehow designed specifically to drive such a graceful and slick vehicle.

Lucas wasn't afraid of the motorcycle either, and he fully trusted his brother's capability in handling the vehicle. The way the motorcycle was nearly silent, swift and completely responsive made the moderately lengthy journey out to the tower surprisingly relaxing. It was also faster since Connor could take routes that autonomous cabs weren't programmed to recognize.

"I'm going to need to build a garage to keep this motorcycle secured when not in use. It'll be built off the side of the brownstone and stretch around to the back."

"I'll be sure to help you with the construction when I can." Lucas promised as he watched the setting run glowing bright orange in the distance. "Maybe I'll purchase a vehicle of my own."

"So far having a mode of transportation is proving to be very beneficial. Buy whatever you like!"

Idling at a red light Connor casually glanced at all of the towering buildings looming over him and wondered how many could potentially be rigged with an explosive device hidden inside. While there had been no direct threat regarding discovered explosives, it was still unsettling to know that someone was going out of their way to create such destructive and dangerous weaponry, and they could be doing it right at that moment under everyone's noses.

Driving through the green light and toward Belle Isle at a steady pace, Connor noticed a few digital advertisements encouraging the city to vote for a certain candidate during the upcoming mayoral election. In less than two months a new mayor would be elected and so far, there was only one candidate who was running entirely unopposed.

Elijah Isaac Kamski.

"Don't fear the worst, brother." Lucas had sensed Connor's internal worry as they passed by the glowing digital display. "There's still a chance that someone could step up to run against Kamski. Someone who's less controversial and far less secretive."

"I hope you're right." Pulling onto the drive leading out to the tower on Belle Isle Connor decided to speed up and test how quickly the motorcycle could rev up. It didn't take long for the vehicle to shift up from a common speed to a higher speed without any stuttering or hesitation. "I'd hate to think how much trouble someone like Kamski could stir up either intentionally or accidentally while in power."

Slowing back down Connor waited for the security barricade near the center of the drive to lower into the ground after the sensors monitoring the drive recognized both his and Lucas's unique signatures and granted them clearance. It was a simple security measure but effective all the same.

"Be sure to let Markus know about your idea to become the chief of security in the tower." Connor encouraged as he resumed the swift drive out to the tower. "I think you'll do great."

"Thanks for saying so." A faint grin appeared on Lucas's face as the motorcycle came to a gentle stop in front of the tower's main entrance. Stepping off of the parked vehicle Lucas removed his helmet and placed it in the storage compartment hidden beneath the bucket seat where he had just been sitting. "I'll let you know how things turn out when I return to the brownstone. I'll see you soon, brother."

"And just ask if you want a ride back to the brownstone." Truly enjoying his little purchase Connor made it clear that he was going to enjoy having his new little toy to play with from time to time. "I'll come and get you!"

"Will do."

Revving up his motorcycle again Connor saw Lucas off and sped back down the drive. Feeling the wind on his artificial skin and the warmth of the setting sun on his back, Connor felt truly free and like he had discovered a new level of his personality and interests. Perhaps that was an interest his human counterpart and inspiration felt as well.

Speeding through the mostly empty streets and around quiet corners Connor eyed additional billboards revolving around Kamski's bid for mayor and felt like there was now a storm brewing on the horizon. The way Kamski had been so quiet as of late and had been keeping a low profile didn't strike Connor as anything that a mayoral candidate with sincere intentions would do. It made him think of either a coward in hiding or criminal plotting their next scheme.

"Unless someone steps up to challenge Kamski I fear that Detroit will fall back under the control of a corrupt businessman twisting the city around for their own personal benefit and needs. All of our hard work could be undone."

The fear of having to answer to Kamski was enough to make Connor's Thirium pump race in his chest.

"We can't allow CyberLife to resume control over the city. No matter what it takes, we need to keep corruption from resuming control over Detroit."

-next chapter-