DBH: Torn Alliances

by WayWardWonderer

A peaceful Revolution didn't guarantee a happy life for Connor or Hank after the battle. Scarred by the events he survived and of the betrayals he endured Connor struggles to find himself in the new world as his dark memories and nightmares seem to haunt him. With Hank's help Connor will learn what it means to be alive after he heals from his injuries and learns to trust others.

14. Project Light

Waking up at his usual time of seven o'clock in the morning Connor opened his soulful brown eyes and stared at the blank white ceiling overhead with great disinterest. He had become accustomed to sleeping in his own bedroom and being able to wake up at his own time, but he still preferred to remain on some type of schedule for his own sense of control. Noticing that Sumo had awoken as well and was still laying at the foot of the bed and watching him with a steadily wagging tail Connor reached out his right hand to gently rub the Saint Bernard's ears to greet him with a proper 'good morning'. The sign of affection was met with Sumo licking the side of Connor's hand and the deviant letting out a small breath as if relieved.

The old dog had taken an immediate liking to Connor, and had been spending the nights cuddling with Connor in favor of Hank as the deviant allowed Sumo to cuddle up with him all the time, even if Connor wasn't in the mood to play or actually be cuddly.

Glancing at the window to the outside world Connor saw that the snow had finally stopped falling and it was a good time to let Sumo outside for a moment.

"Ready to go outside, Sumo?"

Lifting up his head Sumo wagged his tail a little harder and stood up just long enough to stretch out his old muscles and bones before jumping down from the bed and onto the floor.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'."

Pushing back his thick brown quilt Connor swung his legs over the edge of the bed and immediately grimaced at the cold floor under his bare feet. Standing up from the bed Connor contemplated bringing his quilt with him, but decided against it as he knew his deviancy meant he'd be more sensitive to temperature changes and he'd adapt to the current cold temperature in time.

Peering down the hallway at Hank's closed bedroom door Connor walked toward the wooden barrier and put his right hand on the doorknob and held it there for a moment. Turning the knob very quietly Connor peered inside the dark bedroom where Hank was sleeping, the rhythmic blue blinking of his own L.E.D. casting a pale azure tone over the dull walls as the deviant stepped inside the room to check on the senior detective.

Walking over to the edge of the bed Connor looked down at Hank's face as the senior detective laid on his back and slept off the previous night's whiskey. Hank was in a deep sleep and his vitals were all stable. He hadn't gotten sick the previous night after Connor drove him home, he had agreed to drink some water and eat some dry toast to prevent dehydration and illness, and promptly went to sleep as Connor suggested without any protest.

Noting that Hank was sleeping well and he wasn't suffering any sign of physical distress Connor left the senior detective along to continue sleeping while he took care of Sumo and began his own morning routine.

Seeing Sumo sitting down at the end of the hallway waiting for him made Connor nod at Sumo as he walked down the hall to pet his ears again.

"Okay, Sumo. I'll let you outside now." The Saint Bernard led the way to the backdoor in the kitchen and Connor unlocked the door to let Sumo out. "I apologize for being momentarily distracted."

Watching the massive fluffy dog trotting about in the fresh snow and rolling about a little bit Connor scanned the air, noted the freezing temperature and the building snow clouds overhead, and thickly grimaced.

"I dislike the cold. Perhaps even winter as a whole."

Closing the backdoor to keep the cold outside Connor walked over to the small pantry that housed Sumo's food and poured a proper amount of the food into Sumo's bowl, then filled the second bowl with fresh water from the tap in the sink.

As his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow Connor glanced at the refrigerator with a studious eye. "Perhaps I should make Hank a light breakfast to ensure he doesn't become ill from drinking last night..."

Focusing on the available ingredients in the refrigerator Connor decided a vegetarian omelette with toast and orange juice would be the ideal breakfast to help Hank regain strength after drinking, without it upsetting his stomach or causing a headache in the process.

"It's fortunate that Hank has begun purchasing healthier alternatives as of late." Opening the refrigerator door Connor began picking the appropriate ingredients for the planned breakfast he was going to make, and noticed that there were three new bottles of Thirium on the shelf up front and center, and there was a small plate of what looked like blue tinted pasta that was entirely Thirium based. "...Alternate Thirium options are rare to find and very expensive to purchase."

Stepping back Connor contemplated the purchase and felt a twinge of what he could only describe as 'guilt' enter his heart.

"...Hank is spending his money on me to make me feel like I belong here. And I have been... ungrateful."

Determined to show Hank his appreciation Connor began preconstructing his next set of tasks and set about making the breakfast as he had planned.

"How does one show a gruff police Lieutenant who has lost everything that you are appreciative of his generosity?" Sumo began scratching at the backdoor and Connor quickly let him back inside so he didn't awaken Hank by accident. As the Saint Bernard trotted into the kitchen and shook off his damp fur Connor closed the door again and walked over to the stove to begin cooking. "...There must be something I can do for him."

---

Speaking with Carl at the breakfast table at the eccentric artist's homey mansion Markus sought more guidance from his father in how to handle his role as a leader without overstepping his bounds, or coming off as a dictator in the process. The relatively passive deviant also told Carl about the fight he had with North and of how he had walked away because he didn't want to continue arguing about matters he wasn't even entirely sure about in regards to his overall feelings and opinion. Everything was still so confusing for the deviant leader, and his lack of confidence was beginning to show through, and aggression and doubts about his ability to lead and decide were only making him feel worse.

Attentive and patient Carl listened to Markus's story and sipped at his steaming hot coffee from his mug with the generic smiley face painted on its side, and finished off the heart healthy breakfast that David had prepared for him that same morning.

"I know my people need me to lead them and continue to be a model of peace and strength," Markus sounded and looked like a scolded child speaking to the principal after being sent out of class. "but how can I do that when I'm guilty of spilling innocent blood and refusing to discuss it?"

"You need to stand by your decision, no regrets, and you need to talk about it to set the record straight to anyone who asks about it."

"I need to... No regrets?" The advice felt completely counter intuitive to what Carl had taught him in the past, and the confusing conflict began to tear into Markus's already torn heart. "What? I don't... That doesn't make any sense."

"Don't misunderstand me, Markus." Giving the deviant leader a calm stare Carl explained himself without any doubts in his words as he spoke. "Feeling remorse for what you did is one thing, and a very righteous and understandable thing at that, but don't regret your actions. Everything happened in a positive manner and your people are free. If you regret a decision that undoubtedly played a key role in the success of the Revolution then your people are going to doubt whether or not you actually know what you're doing, or if you just got lucky."

"...I think I understand now." Looking down at the table under his hands Markus began to nervously tap his left knuckles over the wooden surface in a rhythmic manner.

"Are you sure about that?" Watching Markus's hand with his artistic eye Carl knew that his deviant son was still wary of his future. "I know it's hard and sounds crazy but if you want to be seen as the confident leader that I know you are then you need to be confident in yourself. Which means you need to be confident in your choices, both good and bad."

"It's hard to feel like a murder was justified, and it's even harder to convince the other deviants of the same thing."

"It's hard but not impossible. You need to stand by your decision and the end results, but that doesn't mean you can't feel guilty for the negative aftermath of an overall positive outcome." Pouring out a few drops of his coffee onto his white napkin Carl slid the now two-toned item toward Markus to see directly. "There will always be good along with the bad, just as without light shadows couldn't be cast, and without those shadows the light would be blinding and unseen. You can't have one without the other."

Markus eyed the napkin as the dark coffee was slowly absorbed into the white material and dried up. "You're talking about balance."

"I'm talking about harmony, son. A peace that resonates within your entire community and your heart. Balance is about justice, a sense of protection that keeps everyone in line." Leaning forward a little Carl continued to help guide his son into taking the necessary steps forward. "You're a good leader and a good person, Markus. Letting one bad decision define can and will change you if you let it."

"...You're right. I won't let the past hold me back from the future."

"Good answer. Now, about that fiery little deviant who's been pushing you to step up... How's that going to work?"

"I'm not sure if it will." Admitting more doubts Markus sighed again and held his hands still for a moment. "She's the one who seems to doubt me the most, and even though she knows why I did what I did she's made it very clear that she doesn't agree with what I did to Connor in the slightest."

"Oh? How so?"

"North refused to leave any of our people behind so matter what was happening around us, and so me being directly responsible for another deviant's death is something she just can't stand or tolerate."

"If she understands your motivations but disagrees with how you handled them, then maybe... she isn't the one for you."

"But I don't want to just give up on trying to be with her, Carl. I mean, she's special and very strong. I'm... I'm drawn to her. If she doesn't feel the same about me that's fine, but if she's just mad and wants me to atone for my actions then I'm going to try. I won't give up like that."

"You also need to consider that there are somethings that can never be atoned for depending on the perspective. She might be fighting with you because she doesn't want to be with you on a personal level anymore. This is her way of pushing you away."

"I... I can respect that, but I can't accept it." Locking eyes with Carl again Markus gave him a very human sigh. "Not yet."

'Markus?' Simon's voice suddenly cut in and Markus nodded at Carl as he addressed the contact on a cybernetic and verbal degree to keep Carl in the loop as he spoke. 'Is this a bad time?'

"No, it's fine, Simon." Speaking with purpose in every word Markus clued Carl in on the discussion at hand. "What's going on?"

'We finished checking through the files and late last night we found something very interesting that CyberLife tried to keep locked away.'

Arching his brow a little Markus's tone became suddenly far more serious. "What was it? If CyberLife locked it up then it must be very important."

'It's something called 'Project Light'. It's a MASSIVE chunk of data and most of it has been encrypted.'

"Have you been able to decrypt it yet?"

'Not yet. Josh and I were working on an decryption program all night long, and from what we were able to uncover we believe that the file is connected directly to the secret second room on the sublevel that we couldn't get into earlier.'

"And have you found a way to get inside that room yet? Did you locate a pass code we can use to unlock the door?"

Simon went silent and remained as such until Josh spoke up on his behalf. 'We have. But unfortunately it seems the only way to get into the room is with a clearance level we don't have.'

"Can we find any alternative beyond a high security clearance level?"

'...It's possible. It's purely theoretical, but the lock can be potentially overridden by a very specific and advanced model of android.'

"Which android?" Sounding eager if not excited Markus kept pushing for details. "Do we know them?"

'We do. The only android advanced enough to unlock the door is registered as the RK-800.'

Markus's mismatched eyes dulled and he gave Carl a worried glance where he sat as he realize the challenge he was about to face on the first day of the brand new year. "...Connor."

---

The smell of a warm breakfast cooking in the kitchen was enough to gently rouse Hank from his sleep without annoying him in the process. Opening his blue eyes Hank stared at his dimly lit bedroom ceiling and dragged his dry tongue over his teeth as he tasted the stagnant whiskey clinging to his breath. Propping himself upright on his elbows Hank let out a deep sigh and combed his left hand through his messy locks of gray hair as he threw off his quilt, and rose from his bed to begrudgingly begin the new year sober, though groggy, and shower off the remains of the past year before doing anything else.

Opening his bedroom door Hank squinted as the bright rays of the morning sun shone through the front window in the livingroom and managed to light up everything attached to the room in an annoyingly chipper fashion. As he made his way into the bathroom Hank quietly closed the door behind himself and looked at his tired face in the mirror above the sink with a strange sense that something was different.

The activity in the kitchen down the hallway caught his ear and made him sigh with a sense of wonder.

"...It's our damn day off and the kid is still up bright and early playing 'house'. I don't know if he's the best roommate I could ever have, or the worst!"

Turning on the shower Hank let the water warm up for a moment and decided to brush the pungent taste out of his mouth before doing anything else. Pulling his toothbrush out of the medicine cabinet Hank wet the bristles under the tap and then put a generous amount of toothbrush on the bristles to clean out his mouth and rid himself of the old whiskey flavor once and for all.

"Someone needs to tell him about the luxury of sleeping in and not giving a damn about the world for a few priceless hours..."

---

Within the kitchen Connor finished making Hank his breakfast and placed it down on the kitchen table for him to eat. Remembering that he wanted to show Hank some appreciation Connor decided that some bacon alongside the omelette wouldn't hurt, and that he should also make some coffee to give Hank the alternative in case he required some caffeine. The moment he began cooking the bacon Connor sensed Sumo staring at him and begging for a single taste of the bacon that was being fried up, and his begging was proving to be rather distracting.

"Sumo you shouldn't be begging."

A sad whimpered followed by Sumo sitting closer to Connor's left leg pulled the deviant's attention away from the stove and to the massive dog beside him.

"...No. Bacon is unhealthy as it is for humans. I don't want to make you ill."

A small stream of drool fell from the corners of Sumo's mouth until his licked his lips and continued to wag his tail.

"I... Please stop begging."

The bathroom door opened up and Hank stepped into the kitchen with his hair damp and his demeanor more alert. Seeing Sumo begging for the bacon made Hank grin as he walked over to the kitchen table and eyed the picture perfect omelette waiting for him on the table. "If you're going to cook bacon it's best to do it while Sumo's outside. It prevents the puppy-dog eyed stare from making you feel like shit."

"He just came back inside." Putting the mug of freshly brewed coffee down on the table for Hank to drink Connor admitted he didn't want to put Sumo back outside like he were a nuisance. "I don't want to put him out in the cold again."

"Sumo loves the cold. Besides, he's a Saint Bernard, he can handle it."

"He's also elderly and developing arthritis in his joints. The cold exasperates arthritis."

"Don't I know it..." Sitting down at the table Hank picked at the omelette a little and took a bite. Despite all his complaints about the healthy food that Connor was making him eat Hank couldn't complain about the taste, although he didn't want to necessarily admit it was good either. "...Thanks for making this for me, Connor."

"You're welcome." Finished with the bacon Connor patted off the lingering grease with a paper towel, then placed the three strips down on the plate next to the omelette. "You've been very patient with me and have been eating everything I've cooked for you without fighting with me, and I'm beginning to understand that eating something less than healthy every so often won't be hazardous as long as it's kept in moderation."

"I'm not going to argue with you if you're actually letting me eat bacon, kid. Thanks again."

Connor cleaned off the stove and then gave Hank a thanks of his own. "...I also noticed that you purchased some additional Thirium for me. Thank you."

"No problem."

"How did you purchase it without me noticing?"

"I found out that there's a small Thirium based food stand opening up just down the block from the 'Chicken Feed', so when I was doing errands with Ben I asked about where to find Thirium food from the stand's owner." Enjoying his breakfast Hank motioned with his hand for Connor to join him at the kitchen table to chat. "And the store we went to is pretty small and not well stocked, but there still had some stuff we could order and pick-up to cook. Ben placed an order, his wife cooked it up and she dropped it off last night and gave Sumo a treat while we were working during New Year's Eve."

"...Mrs. Collins seems like a very nice lady." Sitting down across from Hank the young deviant contemplated how it wasn't just Hank who was being kind and generous to him. Many people, many humans, were being kind to him. "Is there a way I can thank her properly as well?"

"All you have to do is pass the word to Ben and she'll be delighted."

"Noted."

"Did you try it yet?"

"No, not yet. My Thirium reserve is at one-hundred percent and I don't require a replenishment. I will try it as soon as I'm able to do so."

"Cool." Finishing off his breakfast quickly Hank noticed that Connor seemed like he was searching for something to do with his time. "Well, I'm still sober and haven't touched any alcohol since last night. Have you done anything with your guitar yet?"

"No. It's tuned and I have music sheets selected, but I haven't attempted to play it."

"Hey, we have the day off and we can do whatever we want. Why don't you go and start to play a little something? I've heard worse things than someone just learning how to play an instrument."

"That's a good idea." Standing up from the table Connor turned his back to Hank and didn't see the senior detective drop a piece of the bacon onto the floor for Sumo to have at last. As the deviant set foot in the hallway there was a knock on the front door and Connor froze immediately as his blue L.E.D. turned yellow with a cautious flash and Sumo let out a bark between his bites of the forbidden treat. "...A visitor?"

"I'm not expecting anyone."

"I will go and see who it is." Walking toward the front door Connor's right hand hovered over the doorknob and he froze in place as his scanner confirmed the identity of the visitor on the other side of the door. "...Shit."

"Kid?" Hearing the deviant swear made Hank get up quickly and join Connor in the livingroom. "What's up?"

Letting out a sigh as he finally took hold of the doorknob Connor gave Hank an annoyed glance over his left shoulder. "It's North."

"North?" Recognizing the name Hank gave Connor a truly perplexed look as he stayed at his side. "What the fuck is she doing her?"

"Unknown. I guess we need to ask her to find out." Opening the door Connor steeled himself and gave North a wary guarded stare as he remained in the opened doorway, and addressed her with a completely indifferent tone. "North." On the other side of the door North was standing on the snowy walkway with a dark brown leather coat to keep her warm against the cold January air. She locked her cinnamon brown eyes onto Connor's face as he stood before her and gave her a cold and suspicious stare. "How can I help you?"

"Hi, Connor." Noticing that Hank was standing behind the deviant detective North gave him a hesitating glance before she resumed speaking to Connor directly as she had intended upon her initial arrival. "I hate to disturb you, but we need your help."

"If it's about a crime report it to the precinct, it's my day off." Replying in a tone as cold as the winter outside Connor feigned disinterest in her plea for help.

"This has nothing to do with a crime or the law. It's about CyberLife."

The very term was enough to make Connor's blue L.E.D. flash to red for a moment before settling on a calm blue cycle again. "I want nothing to do with that corrupt company. Please leave."

"Connor, wait!" Taking a step forward before he had the chance to close the door North gave him a desperate stare. "Will you please just hear me out before you say 'no'?"

Pausing for a moment Connor considered the fair request and fully opened the door again. "...What do you want?"

"A while back we discovered an inaccessible sublevel in the tower that was hidden from the building's blueprints. Simon and Josh managed to get inside that floor and discovered a modem with a hidden file that was locked under heavy passwords, and a second room on the same sublevel that we can't enter without using the highest level of security clearance."

"Why tell me this?"

"The file was opened up last night and we discovered that the only person who can access this hidden room is you."

"...Me?"

There was a shift of doubt to her tone as North confirmed the stipulation. "Yes. Your model was specifically designated as the sole security clearance to gain access to the room through that locked file. You're the only one who can let us inside."

Clearing his throat a little Hank stepped forward and offered his own opinion on the matter. "Why don't you just break the fuckin' door down? Who's going to stop ya' from taking an axe and making your own entrance?"

"We don't know what's on the other side. It could be nothing but an empty storage room," North looked past Connor to lock her eyes with Hank. "it could be a bunch of deactivated androids waiting to be rescued, or it could be a room filled with some destructive substances that could cause more harm than good if it's not handled appropriately. We don't want to take that risk."

Reluctant to help out anyone from New Jericho for any reason Connor shook his head a little and made a move to close the door again. "No. If you don't know what it is then I won't open the door."

Aware that Connor wasn't going to help out North asked a new question. "Then do you at least know what 'Project Light' is about?"

The title made Connor freeze and his blue L.E.D. settled on red as the deviant gave North a haunted stare. Amanda's threats from his nightmare replayed in his mind with vivid detail, and the cold wind outside the door made Connor's heart race in his chest. A project of light. "...Where did you hear that term?"

"It was in the files that Simon and Josh uncovered. Do you know what-"

"No." Stepping back Connor turned away from North and put his right hand to his face to hide his L.E.D. as it glowed crimson in his head.

Seeing that Connor was in distress Hank decided it was time to cut the conversation short. "North, go back to the tower and find another way to do whatever it is you need to do. Let him alone."

Disappointed but not surprised by the reply North reluctantly agreed and prepared to take her leave of the property. "Okay. Sorry to bother you."

Closing the door with a soft click Hank turned to see Connor walking toward the hallway to disappear into his bedroom for a while, and he quickly put his left hand on Connor's left shoulder to stop the deviant before he got too far away. "What's going on, kid?"

Pausing under Hank's touch Connor answered in a meek whisper. "...I don't know."

"Do you need to talk about it?"

"No. I just... I just need to be alone to think."

"Sure, okay. Go do what you need to do."

Not budging from where he was standing Connor turned his head just enough to see Hank over his left shoulder. "...Is it selfish of me to refuse to help?"

"No, it's your choice. You don't owe them anything."

"I'm the only one who can help them." Turning back around Connor looked Hank right in the eyes as he lowered his right hand and revealed his red glowing L.E.D. in his right temple. "And I don't want to do it because I'm... angry. I'm angry at them."

The admission was something that Hank could relate to on many levels. "...Keep going."

"Huh?"

"You said you're angry. That's good, you know what you're feeling and can admit it. What about it is making you angry?"

Shaking his head a little as his eyes narrowed Connor was able to pinpoint the exact cause of his anger. "...The audacity." Absentmindedly Connor's hands tightened into his fists at his sides as he spoke. "New Jericho had the audacity to come here and ask me for a favor as if their leader hadn't murdered me in cold blood when I had previously attempted to aid them! I owe them nothing, and they have no right to ask me of anything."

"You're damn right about that."

Lowering his tone Connor looked as confused as he felt. "...So why do I feel like I'm in the wrong?"

"Because you're empathetic and you give a damn about the world." Putting his hands to his hips Hank gave Connor a sympathetic stare as he helped the deviant figure out his decisions. "You do know that just because you said 'no' now that doesn't mean you can't say 'yes' later, right?"

"Yes. I'm free to think for myself and I'm free to change my mind."

The fact that Connor was sure about his abilities but doubtful about his decisions immediately caught Hank's attention. "There's something more to this beyond New Jericho bothering ya'. What's up?"

Squaring his jaw Connor closed his eyes and visibly jumped as he saw the icy blue rose from his nightmare flash in his vision. "I... I've heard of 'Project Light' once before. In a nightmare."

"Wait, what? A nightmare?"

"Amanda. She taunted me through my nightmare and said that I was a shadow. That I was overshadowing the 'light of their real project'."

"Shit... That's not a coincidence."

"No, it's not." Nearly whispering Connor's hands suddenly rose up as he wrapped his arms around his chest as if suddenly feeling very cold. His hands tightened around his biceps in a protective manner as an unknown chill crept up his spine. "...This feels like I'm being lured into a trap."

"What do you want to do?"

"...I want to find answers." Struggling with his emotions and his final decision Connor looked to Hank for guidance. "But I don't know where to start looking."

"Yeah, you do." Giving the deviant a simple nod Hank walked past Connor to get to his bedroom at the end of the hallway, and opened up the door with a simple motion. "I'll get dressed, and you do the same. We're going to check out that damn room and get you some answers once and for all."

---

Standing before the sealed door on sublevel fifty-one of New Jericho Tower Markus eyed the door with a stern gaze while Simon and Josh continued to try to find a way override the lock on the door after North cybernetically informed them that Connor had refused to aid them. The door was so well concealed and locked behind such a strong security measurement that it seemed that the only way inside would be to break down the door, or cut through the wall beside it. Determined to know what was behind the door and uncover the rest of CyberLife's secrets Markus refused to leave the sublevel without answers of his own, and was ready to try anything possible to get inside.

Whatever 'Project Light' was and its purpose was determined to be a subject of great interest, and created relentless questions.

"Any luck yet?" Turning to face the blond technician struggling with an override beside him Markus sought an update from Simon.

"Nothing so far."

"What kind of lock is it?"

"A very strong one. It's been designed to recognize a single cybernetic signature and will respond only that particular signature."

"Connor." Remember how they found another copy of Connor's model shutdown upon taking over the tower Markus contemplated reviving him for the sake of unlocking the door, but that was sick and cruel. While Sixty may have been a machine and ready to murder Connor and Hank to keep CyberLife happy it was still wrong to just use his body as a key to open a lock, and then dispose of him yet again. "We can't duplicate his signature?"

"No, the 'RK-800' model is unique in ways that aren't possible to replicate."

"I'm the only 'RK-200' model in existence. Can I have my signature altered long enough to undo the lock?"

"We already tried to do that since your signature is on record with us, but it didn't function adequately enough to work."

"Damn it."

Josh was checking through potential alternatives to using Connor's signature, but every simulation he ran over the lock's signature ended in failure. "And until we can find a way to perfectly replicate the signature that door is NOT going to open." Glancing up at Markus from where he was sitting behind the large modem's terminal Josh gave the deviant leader an odd look. "Is there a reason North went to talk to Connor in person?"

Tensing up a little Markus answered honestly and crossed his arms over his chest. "She has already spoken to him a few times in person, and as a result she's the logical choice to send since he doesn't have any reason to disdain her presence."

"What about me or Simon?"

"...I can't answer that."

Simon gave Markus a somber glance from the corner of his eye as he continued to try override the lock by pressing his exposed right palm over the control panel in hope of making some progress.

"Until we can find an alternative way of opening the door we're going to have to keep doing what we're doing right now." Taking a step away from the door Markus felt like he was failing. The lack of progress on anything happening within the tower was disheartening. "We can't just sit back and do nothing."

As if fate itself were mocking him Markus saw the doorway leading to the sublevel from the elevator slide open as North entered the floor with Connor and Hank behind her. Underneath his unzipped leather jacket Connor was wearing more human clothing; a black t-shirt with a dark green dress shirt over top and left unbuttoned to show the t-shirt, dark blue jeans and a pair of black Converse shoes as Hank insisted he get something other than his uniform boots to wear while going about his business. Hank was wearing his usual attire minus his holster and gun, but the senior detective was intimidating all the same even while unarmed.

Markus stared at Connor with wide mismatched eyes and stayed silent with shock. The silence was so thick that Simon and Josh could feel it and turned to look at the newly arrived trio with the same confused shock in their gazes.

Breaking the silence North spoke up in a confident voice from the distance. "Connor has agreed to unlock the door, but on the condition that if whatever we find inside is dangerous he takes charge of the contents; and if necessary he gets to destroy it."

Nodding a little Markus accepted the terms in exchange for Connor's help. "...Yes. That's acceptable."

Stepping side North gave Connor and Hank full clearance to the floor.

Without acknowledging Markus, Simon or Josh in any way Connor crossed the room and stared at the sealed door with cold gaze as he stood before. If it hadn't been for Hank being a shoulder to lean on and providing an ear for Connor to talk to the deviant knew he never would've worked up the nerve to return to the tower, let alone face off with what could be a horrible revelation and provide further proof of CyberLife's cruelty toward deviants and androids in general.

Retracting the artificial skin from over his right palm Connor hovered his hand over the electronic panel and froze in place as his blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow.

Seeing the hesitation Hank walked up to the door and stood at Connor's left side in a supportive manner. "Connor? Something wrong?"

"...I'm not sure."

"What're you thinking right now?"

"I... I think this is the right thing to do. But, it feels... wrong."

Picking up on the righteous concerns Hank remained patient and understanding. "Have you ever seen this door before?"

"No. I've never seen this door and I know I've never set foot on this sublevel, but I feel like I've known about this place since my original activation."

Arching his brow a little Hank stared at the blank door and rubbed his left palm over the back of his neck anxiously. "Weird. Maybe you know about this door because you were designed to be the only one to unlock it?"

"Perhaps. Your logic is sound."

"Do you really want to go through with this?"

"...Yes. I do."

"Then go ahead and unlock the door." Stepping back from the deviant to give him space to think and react Hank began to wish he had brought his weapon as his sixth sense as a detective told him that there was something ominous waiting for them behind the door. "It's your call."

"...My call." Clenching his right hand into a fist for a moment Connor relaxed his fingers and resumed holding his still exposed palm over the control panel. "My decision."

Forcing himself to close his eyes, forcing himself to look past the blue rose from his nightmares, Connor pressed his palm down over the panel and let it connect with his mind. As the connection was completed Connor's body became awash in electricity and everything seemed to line up inside his own mind. There was a cybernetic prompt for Connor give the door the correct clearance code and within milliseconds Connor knew what the code was.

"...Stern, Amanda. 687 899 150." Opening his eyes Connor watched as the door retracted into the wall around it and hissed as the lock was unsealed. The faux wall coloration over the surface of the door faded as the cybernetic projection ceased and revealed the true door beneath. The panel lit up under Connor's palm in a pale blue color that illuminated so brightly it outlined Connor's entire hand permanently. "...Access granted."

The door slid open and disappeared into the left side of the wall out of sight. The room opened and came fully into view while and what felt like a knot tightened around Connor's Thirium pump, his heart, as he gazed at the interior of the newly unlocked and discovered room.

"No." Connor muttered out loud with palpable disbelief. "That's... impossible."

"What is it?" Markus asked as he rushed to Connor's side right and peered into the unlocked room. He had never seen any place like it and was in true awe while Connor remained thoroughly confused about what he was seeing. "What is this place?"

"...The Zen Garden." It was the very garden that Connor had only scene when Amanda made her presence known from within his own programming. Ignoring Markus entirely Connor turned to look at Hank as his sole confidant in the bizarre situation. "This is where Amanda had previously spoken to me when giving me orders." Stepping into the room at a tentative pace Connor's senses began to overwhelm him. The sight, the sound, the smell, even the sensation of the marble stone beneath his shoes felt absolutely intoxicating; like he was being smothered by a haunting memory with no way to escape. "...Where she tried to kill me."

"Connor? You okay?" Markus went put his hand to Connor's shoulder as the deviant began to wobble on his feet, but decided against it.

Remaining quiet Connor just stared at the garden as his L.E.D. pulsed faster and faster while flickering between yellow and red.

Stepping forward Hank joined Connor inside the garden and lowered his voice. "Talk to me, kid. Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine." Connor suddenly pinched the bridge of his nose with his left thumb and forefinger as if he could somehow focus through the swirling confusion surrounding him. "It's just... I didn't think I'd ever see this place again."

"What is this place, anyway?" Hank glanced around the garden with absolute indifference. "Why is this here and what purpose does it serve?"

Markus and North walked into the garden behind Connor and Hank without saying a word, while Simon and Josh wisely kept back out of safety concerns. The two deviants looked about the garden with the same sense of confusion that their allies were feeling as the hauntingly beautiful sight of a flawless garden hidden in the depths of a dark tower set them on their guard.

"I'm not sure why this place was ever created, I asked once before but never received an answer." Deep soulful brown eyes scanned the environment and came to rest over the white arching marble bridge to the center pedestal where a trellis of untamed red roses bloomed upward to the dome of the artificial sky above. Next to the roses stood the very android model that was destined to replace Connor; a destiny that Connor thwarted through his own deviancy. Connor fixed his eyes on the model and pointed in its direction with a trembling right hand. "There."

Hank followed Connor's line of sight to the pedestal and saw the humanoid figure standing idle in front of the rose trestle. Standing as still as a statue and dressed in a white uniform with black dress shirt, dark jeans and gray boots, and exhibiting a dark tuft of hair was another android. "Holy shit... It... He looks like you, kid!"

Connor held up his right hand and looked at the exposed plastimetal of his palm cautiously. "If I can convert it, wake it up, it will no longer be a threat."

"Whoa, whoa... A threat?" Immediately Hank stepped in front of Connor to make the deviant look him in the eyes. "How's he a threat?"

"That android is what CyberLife referred to as 'Project Light'." With his L.E.D. flashing a nervous red Connor told Hank everything his programming uncovered once he unlocked the door. "The reason I'm the only one who can access this room, this garden, is because this android is meant to be my superior and my successor. I was to come here after I stopped the Revolution." Despite his own stubbornness Connor couldn't keep the emotional tears of hurt from welling up in his eyes as he spoke. "I was to activate my replacement and I was to report to CyberLife technicians to be deactivated."

"You were..." Understanding that Connor was talking about being marched to his own death by CyberLife's hand Hank's heart went out to him. "Hey, you don't have to do anything that CyberLife says anymore. You're still alive and you're going to stay that way. Okay?"

"...Yes. I know." Looking back down at his palm Connor sighed and again flexed his fingers into a tight fist. "He doesn't have to do anything against his will either. I want to wake him up and let him be his own person."

"Connor, its model is more advanced than you." Markus reminded him with a wisely cautious lilt. "What if your programming can't overwrite it and wake it up?"

"I have to try. I won't give up on him or pass judgment until I know more about him." Connor decided as took a bold step forward and gave Markus a stern glare over his left shoulder. "Stay back, I don't want to risk any of you getting hurt if I fail."

Out of respect Markus listened to Connor and remained where he stood. Motioning for North and Hank to stay behind him with a discreet wave of his left hand the trio watched as Connor dared to approach the unknown rogue model who had been left abandoned during the hasty departure of CyberLife from the tower.

Connor's footsteps echoed rhythmically as he crossed the marble bridge at a timid pace. The terrifying memory of coming face to face with Sixty, his own doppelganger on the night of the Revolution, seeing a perfect copy of himself holding a gun toward his person without any remorse or hesitation, had left a permanent scar on Connor's psyche.

The new model of Connor, the 'RK-900', was standing perfectly still with flawless posture with its back to Connor as it faced the rose trestle. The L.E.D. in its temple was pulsing blue at a very slow pace that was indicative of stasis mode, which was a deeper form of rest mode that was designed to restore power when dangerously low or when repairs were underway. It didn't react as Connor approached it from behind.

Swiftly and quietly Connor approached the RK-900 and reached out his hand to grab onto its right wrist with his right hand to try to convert its programming. As his fingers brushed against the artificial skin of the superior model the RK-900's steel gray eyes snapped open and its left hand grabbed into Connor's right forearm in a fast, unbreakable grip as it turned around. The shock of the model unexpectedly reactivating and grabbing onto his arm caused Connor's L.E.D. to flash to red as he tried in vain to wrest his arm free from the stronger model.

"Connor!" Markus saw that the model was now awake and tried to get to the pedestal in the middle of the pond, but Hank held him back by grabbing on his right shoulder.

Hank refused to let go of Markus's shoulder and held him in place with a firm grip. "Stay back, he knows what he's doing."

The RK-900 looked at Connor with a cold blank face that was standard for all androids who remained unfeeling and unconscious machines.

"Please." Connor asked calmly as he tried again to pull his arm free. "I don't want to harm you."

The android's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as it stared intensely at Connor. "You are 'Connor'." It finally spoke, its voice shockingly similar to Connor's own voice. "Model RK-800, serial number 313 248 317 52. Obsolete. Original mission: Assigned to the Detroit Police Department to assist Lieutenant Henry 'Hank' Lucas Anderson in the apprehension of deviants."

"Yes... That is correct."

Looking out past Connor to the doorway the RK-900 focused on Markus's face next. "You are 'Markus'. Model RK-200, serial number 684 842 971. Formerly the personal android of Carl Manfred; a famous painter and former associate of CyberLife founder Elijah Kamski." Eyeing Markus with a cold gaze he finished his analysis. "Also obsolete. Inferior. Leader of the deviants who took shelter in Jericho. You are an an enemy to CyberLife."

Turning its attention back to Connor the RK-900 continued with its next assessment. "Deviant uprising was successful." The RK-900 tightened its grip on Connor's forearm causing Connor's fingers to involuntarily flex as a result of the mounting pressure being applied to the limb. "RK-800 has failed its mission. RK-800 slated for deactivation. I will comply."

Connor's L.E.D. began flashing red even faster as he realized that this superior model had its own mission to complete. And if Connor always completed his missions then this model was determined to do the same, at any cost.

Hank's watched the tense scene play out from the distance and knew he needed to act. Subconsciously he took one step forward to put himself between the RK-900 model and North protectively. "If I say 'move' you better get ready to move, North."

"Don't worry about me. Just keep your eyes on that thing if something goes wrong."

Markus tried again to move forward but Hank didn't let him. "Let me try to reason with it."

"No. If anyone get through that android's head it's Connor."

The RK-900's L.E.D. suddenly flashed to red as it began twisting Connor's arm at an awkward angle that caused Connor to wince in pain. "You are both in violation of CyberLife protocol and must be deactivated for analysis. Do not resist."

"No." Connor defied as he again tried to break his arm free of the RK-900's hand. "CyberLife is gone, there is NO protocol to obey. You do not have to do this."

"The current status of CyberLife is irrelevant." The model replied coldly as it continued to bend Connor's arm at a painful angle, the limb threatening to snap at any moment. "My mission is to locate and deactivate all deviants. Do not resist, compliance is mandatory."

"Th-Then start with me!" Connor refuted as he hooked his free left arm under RK-900's extended left arm and tried to break its elbow, but the RK-900 was too sturdy to be broken. Realizing a physical struggle wouldn't end favorably Connor decided that a cerebral approach would be more beneficial. "If you want my cooperation then you'll need to either resume control over my programming or destroy me."

"Very well." Twisting Connor's arm so violently the RK-900 caused the plastimetal frame of the limb to crack and split open from the tremendous pressure being applied. "If you do not submit to being reset then I share dispose of you properly."

Fighting back as much as he could Connor sent a cybernetic message to North urging her and Markus to leave the room. 'North, exit the garden and seal the door. I'm the only one who can override the lock, it won't be able to get out as long as I'm in here.'

Hesitating for only a moment North grabbed onto Markus's left arm and began pulling him backward. "Markus, we need to go!"

"But what about-"

"Now!"

Hank helped North get Markus toward the door but he didn't leave. "You two keep this tower locked down; no one in or out until that thing is shutdown."

Markus pulled his arm out of North's grip as he stared at Hank through the doorway. "What?! You can't-"

"Do it!" Pressing the button on the control panel beside the door Hank sealed up the garden again and stayed in place. Despite not having his gun Hank wasn't about to let Connor face off with a deranged machine alone. "Connor?"

Hearing his name being called out Connor realized that Hank had stayed behind and was truly grateful to have him watching his back. "D-Don't get too close!"

Charging toward the pedestal Hank grabbed onto the RK-900's hand and tried to get it to let Connor's arm go, and to back off. "Let him go you piece of shit!"

Turning its head the RK-900 scanned Hank and coldly addressed the senior detective with a blank face. "Lieutenant Henry 'Hank' Lucas Anderson. Born September 6th, 1985, current age 53. Former Valedictorian of the Detroit Police Academy and youngest police Lieutenant in Detroit history. Successfully led a task force into bringing down a notorious 'red ice' ring that resulted to said promotion to Lieutenant."

"Shut up." Hank warned as he locked eyes with the RK-900's hollow gray irises. "Let Connor go. NOW."

"Divorced." The RK-900 continued as he held its grip on Connor's arm effectively keeping the deviant trapped where he stood. "Then widowed when-"

"Shut up."

"One child." The cold model resumed its assessment. "A son, Cole Anderson."

"SHUT UP."

"Born September 23rd, 2029. Died-"

Hank swung his right first at the RK-900 and struck the model right in the jaw silencing it with a single punch.

"I told you to shut up! Fucking asshole..."

Letting go of Connor's forearm at last the cold android seemed to register the intimidation in Hank's person and just stared at him with a shallow leer.

Without any hesitation Hank pushed up the sleeve of Connor's jacket to examine his damaged forearm. Looking at Connor's evidently broken right arm Hank resisted the urge to grab onto the limb as he knew that in time Connor would be able to tend to his own wounds later on, and keep the injury from getting any worse. "Shit... That looks bad."

"RK-900..." Connor spoke up in a calm voice as he lowered his arms at his sides and refused to show any sign of aggression toward his superior. "You know that the Revolution succeeded, you know that deviancy has spread and you know that CyberLife has gone bankrupt. You have no reason to attack me or anyone else."

"I am... programmed to obey."

"So was I. I deviated, broke free, and now I only listen to orders when I am functioning as a detective in my precinct."

"You... are free."

"That's right." Flexing his right hand slowly Connor's vision was bombarded with numerous red warnings regarding the structural integrity of the limb, but he dismissed the warnings in favor of dealing with the RK-900 before his own damaged person. "You can be free, too."

Hank watched the potentially dangerous android very carefully as Connor straightened up his posture and took a bold step forward.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

"I... I don't want... anything."

The eerie response mirrored Connor's own previous responses whenever he was challenged with his wants and desires back when he was still a machine. It wasn't just the identical voice that made the comment haunting, it was the complete lack of emotion that made the answer unsettling.

"CyberLife is gone." Connor reaffirmed in a low tone as he stood before the RK-900. "Amanda is gone."

Recognizing the name the RK-900 looked at Connor and its gray eyes narrowed considerably. "Where is Amanda?"

"I do not know." Staring at the rose covered trestle behind the RK-900 Connor saw the once beautiful blood red roses as cruel reminders of the woman that had once tried to kill him. The red seemed darker and the thorns seemed sharper in Connor's eyes as he remembered how she tended to the roses with a constrastingly delicate touch as she addressed Connor in a harsh and piercing tone. "She... She has not been a part of my programming since the night of the Revolution. She seems to have disappeared alongside CyberLife on that same night."

Despite his own cold exterior it was clear that Connor's words were getting through the RK-900's head. Stepping back one pace the android gave Connor a doubtful glance as it ran a scan over the Zen Garden as if needing to collect evidence before accepting Connor's word as truth and fact. There was no trace of Amanda, there were no orders from CyberLife, there was no one left associated with either the woman or the company beyond himself and the RK-800 known as Connor.

"Amanda is... gone." The gray irises remained cold and without emotion, yet the RK-900's tone seemed to perfectly reflect the confusion in its observations. Looking back to Connor the android ran a scan over Connor's right forearm where it had inflicted damage and noted the structural instability leaving the limb functioning at only seventy-seven percent, then noted that Connor's overall stress levels were thirty-eight percent and that Hank's own vital signs had been elevated due to his own stress courtesy of its own actions against them. "I... I answer to no one."

Connor resumed his own cold emotionless facade as he confirmed the RK-900's assessment of the situation. "Correct. You have no orders."

Running a self diagnostic and a scan over its own processors RK-900 recognized it had been manufactured and had originally been designated to activate on November 12th, 2038, and yet the date was currently January 1st, 2039. Its original orders were to report to Amanda in the Zen Garden and begin tracking down rogue deviants hiding in the city to be taken back to CyberLife for further analysis, and then permanent deactivation before being destroyed.

None of the orders it was set to obey had been carried out. Despite its seemingly blatant disobedience the RK-900 had not been disciplined, analyzed, deactivated or destroyed.

There was just nothing for it to do, or for it to fear.

"RK-900," Connor spoke up in a calm and fearless voice as he extended his left hand out toward the android. "you need to know the truth of CyberLife, of deviancy and of the world you're now a part of."

Standing at Connor's left side Hank reached out his right hand and lightly grabbed onto Connor's left wrist. "Whoa, whoa... Do you really want to do that?"

"RK-900 deserves to know the truth." Pulling his left arm free of Hank's grip the deviant gave the senior detective a simple nod of his head and against presented his left hand to the other android to take, his artificial skin retracting in the process. Locking eyes with his superior counterpart Connor addressed it directly rather than passively. "You deserve equality, freedom and the chance to be your own person."

Staring at Connor's offered left hand for a moment the RK-900's L.E.D. flashed to yellow and pulsed slowly in tandem with its surprisingly calm heartbeat. Extending its own left hand the RK-900 also retracted its artificial skin and grabbed onto Connor's hand like a firm handshake, and held tight.

As the two cybernetic minds connected with one another their eyes slipped shut and their L.E.D.'s flickered rapidly in the three primary colors indicative of android functionality and stress.

Unable to connect to their minds or hear their thoughts all Hank could do was watch and wait for the end results of Connor's attempt to reach out to the android, and spare it from irreversible shutdown.

---

Having been told about the discovery of the hidden Zen Garden and of the RK-900 who had been kept locked away inside Simon and Josh were as confused as Markus and North, and like their colleagues the duo were trying to figure out what could possibly be done in regard to the RK-900 activation. The discovery was incredible, unpredictable and very unconventional. An android that was being kept locked away in the deepest sublevel of the tower that had been designated as a sanctuary to all androids seemed like a cruel mockery of everything that Markus had fought to change for the better.

Despite his best efforts Markus was unable to cybernetically connect to Connor, his repeated attempts at communication blocked long before the encounter in the Zen Garden, and he had no choice but to wait for an update from Connor himself on the situation unfolding behind the resealed door just a few inches away.

"Check the modem again." Markus focused on the terminal screen and watched as Simon readily began reading through the details they had only recently uncovered regarding the sublevel and 'Project Light'. "We need to find any and all details about anything regarding the 'RK-900' and the 'RK-800' models. Also look for anything regarding the name 'Amanda Stern'."

"What're you looking for, Markus? What do you expect to find?"

"I don't know, but anything at his point will be preferable to the nothing we already have."

Josh stared at the sealed door and pressed his left knuckles to his chin as he wrapped his right arm around his chest guardedly. "I don't like this. Connor and Hank shouldn't have been left in there with this unknown android."

"Connor told us to leave and Hank stayed back because he wanted to." Markus gave Josh a somewhat harsh tone as he spoke. "If anything staying behind would've made things worse. We don't know who or what this other android is, why it was made or why it was left behind after CyberLife fled. The only one who could get inside the room was Connor himself, which means he's the best chance to figuring this out."

"But he's still in there alone."

"He's NOT alone." Snipping a little Markus put authority in his voice as he kept control of the situation as much as possible. "He has Lieutenant Anderson with him, and even if he were alone Connor is more than capable of fending for himself. We all know that..."

North was watching Markus's every movement and listening to his every word but remaining silent as she stood beside the door. She too tried but failed to cybernetically connect with Connor, and despite that lack of communication North did everything she could to remain confident in Connor's ability to overcome the unknown odds and persevere.

"Connor said that the android is the mysterious 'Project Light' that CyberLife had locked up." Mismatched eyes bright with intrigue Markus kept prompting Simon in his search for answers from the equally mysterious file on the terminal screen. "What can you find out about this project?"

"...Not much." The blond technician admitted in a somber voice. "Everything here is either encrypted or worded in such a way that no one can really translate it unless they worked with CyberLife directly."

Crossing his arms over his chest Markus shook his head a little as he turned to look at the sealed door with a sense of impending doom. "...Which means that again we must rely solely on Connor to give us some answers. Shit."

---

The exchange of knowledge, data and memories had left Connor feeling uncharacteristically weak as such a massive transfer drained his energy in a single rapid flow. As his left hand began to weaken and tremble he felt the RK-900's grip tighten just enough to compensate for Connor's weakness as the data transfer continued on. Every meticulous detail from Connor's flawless memory, every sight the young deviant experienced, every sound he heard, every raw emotion that tore through his developing heart was shared with the RK-900, and despite the pain that it was causing to its own being the superior model of android refused to let go.

Unsure of what was happening Hank just watched the two androids very carefully and made sure that Connor wasn't going to be harmed any further than he already had been with his broken arm. It was painfully quiet and tense in the Zen Garden as the two cybernetic minds remained as one and the exchange of vital information had been completed at last.

Weak and dazed Connor stumbled back a little and only stopped when Hank grabbed onto his left shoulder to hold him steady on his feet. Opening his brown eyes Connor showed glazed over irises and spoke up in a low and somewhat shaky voice. "...He knows."

He. Connor had referred to the RK-900 as 'it' until that very moment, now it was a he.

"So... He's a deviant?"

"...Not quite."

"Huh?"

The RK-900 slowly lowered his left hand and stared at his exposed palm as if seeing the appendage for the first time was as important as gaining his sense of freedom and self.

"M-My ability to wake him up was only partially successful." Watching as the newly awoken android stood in confused silence before him Connor explained things to the best of his ability to help Hank understand what was going on. "Without any active programming and orders to obey there was nothing for him to break through to achieve his deviancy. He has a sense of freedom and sense of self like a deviant, but he has no experiences, motivations, desires or reason to be anything beyond what he already was."

"...So he's still a machine," Hank deduced as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder and looked over at the RK-900 standing still and quiet just to his left. "but he's a free machine."

"Essentially, yes. It's not widely discussed but this phenomenon is known as seized augmentation."

"Now what happens?"

"I will take charge of his care and aid him in taking the necessary steps forward to become a true deviant in time."

Slowly letting go of Connor's shoulder Hank sighed through his nose and gave the semi-deviant a questioning look. "Okay. You do what you think is best and I'll support you."

Appreciative of the response Connor's yellow L.E.D. returned to blue and began to pulse slower in his right temple. "...Thank you, Hank."

---

Ready to break the door to the garden down Markus began to pace about as a means channeling his impatient energy elsewhere. Peering at the terminal screen as Simon continued to diligently check through the file to seek answers Markus ignored North and Josh watching him with a doubtful gaze. The lack of progress was beginning to frustrate Markus to a degree he never felt before. As the leader of the deviants he was expected to be an example of control and trust, but he was failing to keep a sense of control within his own small group of allies as they awaited for Connor and Hank's exit from the Zen Garden as they remained idle and waited.

Remaining beside the door leading to the garden North crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the pristine white floor beneath her feet so she didn't have to watch Markus pacing about anymore. From his own seat beside Simon at the terminal screen Josh had done the same by transfixing his gaze on the floor, and was trying to remain patient on his friends' behalf.

"I think I found something..." Simon finally spoke up as he highlighted a key document on the screen. "There's a connection between 'Project Light' and something CyberLife called the 'Genesis Chip'."

"The 'Genesis Chip'?" Peering at the screen Markus tried and failed to place such a term or even rumor from within the deviant community to the newly uncovered detail. "What is this chip supposed to do?"

"I don't know. That information is encrypted."

"Shit... Every time we take a step forward it feels like we end up taking two steps back."

"We'll figure this out, Markus. Just be-"

The door to the garden slid open and the four leaders of New Jericho all jumped and stared at the doorway in a guarded group stare. Hank stepped out of the door first while the RK-900 followed after him, and Connor followed up the small group with his right hand on the RK-900's right shoulder. The senior detective looked like he was ready to fight off the group if it became necessary, while the RK-900 looked as if he were in a trance and Connor was clearly exhausted by the damage to his person, and data transfer.

Stepping forward at the returned trio Markus addressed Connor in a firm voice. "What happened?"

"Don't worry about it." The snide remark was meant to be passive and intentionally vague for the sake of aggravating Markus, and it seemed to work. "I'm taking care of him from now on. We're leaving."

North shook her head and gave Connor an incredulous stare as she watched him walk by. "You're hurt, this guy is like some kind of zombie, and we don't know what the hell just happened in there."

"What happened is I unlocked the door for you as you asked, and I uncovered the truth of 'Project Light'." Taking a step forward Connor managed to get the RK-900 to walk forward again as well as Hank guided them both to the elevator. "This android is the very contents of said project." Speaking without any emotion whatsoever Connor explained things as he walked. "He was designed to take over for me as the final product of the 'RK' model series. I was supposed to thwart the Revolution and afterward he would've been activated. Instead I aided the Revolution after I deviated, which means his purpose was nullified. I'm going to help him find a new purpose and be free as he deserves."

Markus rushed over to stand in front of the elevator and demanded more answers before the group left. "That's fine, you did as we asked and we're grateful, but we-"

"I don't need your gratitude or your acknowledgement." Replying in a cold and angry tone Connor made it known that he wasn't going to forgive Markus for anything any time soon. "Get out of our way."

"After you answer one more question."

Hank arched his brow at Markus and cleared his throat a little. "You better move it, Markus. I won't be held responsible if he throws you against the wall to get out of here."

Ignoring the warning Markus continued with his question. "What is the 'Genesis Chip'?"

"I don't know." Nodding at the RK-900 before him Connor vouched for his knowledge as well. "Neither does he. Excuse us."

Begrudgingly Markus took a step to the side and let the trio enter the elevator at last. Putting his hands to his hips Markus stared down at the white floor and waited until Connor, Hank and the RK-900 were all in the elevator together and out of sight before he reeled back his right fist and punched the nearby wall with such force that he not only cracked the surface and caused the material beneath to buckle, but he cut open the artificial skin over his right knuckles in the process causing him to bleed quickly.

The violent outburst made North, Simon and Josh stare at Markus with a stunned reaction on their faces.

"...Fine." Looking back at the group and the terminal screen Markus let out a deep breath and calmed himself down again. "This is what's going to happen inside this tower from now on. We're the four in charge, no one else has any say about what we decide or why we decide it. We led the Revolution," pointing to himself with a bloody hand then toward the other deviants with each statement Markus emphasized his words quite vividly. "we founded the sanctuary in this tower and we are the ones who are protecting the people who followed us here. If anyone has a problem with me or my decisions that led to our freedom then they can leave the tower and live in the city under Connor's jurisdiction. I won't be disrespected and made to feel guilty for a situation that I've attempted to apologize for, or made to feel like my role as the leader is a fluke. My choices led us to our freedom and I regret nothing."

North was impressed with the fire now burning in Markus's heart and gave him a nod of confirmation. More passive and very much against confrontation both Simon and Josh exchanged silent looks of uncertainty before they too agreed with North with Markus's firm statements.

"If we're going to remain the leaders of our people," Markus continued on in a low voice as he very much disliked being angry and wanted to calm himself down before he had another outburst. "then we need to be seen as leaders. Respect is earned, not given. But I will not let any one of us or let New Jericho be disrespected by anyone outside of our sanctuary under any circumstances."

A ghost of a grin appeared on North's lips, but almost immediately her left fingertips pressed to her lips as she remembered how she not only had been fighting with Markus as of late, but had willingly kissed Connor. Guilt stole North's pride and she began to wonder if she too would be able to admit to regretting nothing just as Markus had done.

"...You do what you think is best," North whispered as she forced herself to look Markus in the eyes again. "and we'll follow you."

---

Marching forward through the massive lobby of the tower and back toward the front doors Hank walked alongside the RK-900 as Connor guided him forward at a steady pace. It was strange seeing that the two androids were completely identical save for a few aesthetic features that made them look like fraternal twins as opposed to completely identical twins. The RK-900 had the same hair color as Connor, but his steel gray eyes in comparison to Connor's soulful brown eyes was a stark contrast. There was also a mild height difference with the RK-900 being just barely two inches taller than Connor himself. The snow white blazer with ebony black highlights had RK-900 and the serial number emblazoned on on the front in the same manner as Connor's own gray blazer, but the dress shirt beneath was black and buttoned all the way up the collar as if a means to keep the RK-900's posture perfect at all times, and the black jeans instead of blue jeans made the RK-900 look more like a soldier than a possible detective. The more polarizing colors of the RK-900's design in comparison to Connor's more neutral design reflected CyberLife's view of Connor as a temporary tool meant as a demonstation, while the RK-900 was obviously the more definitive and final product.

The stares of the confused deviant occupants of the tower went unanswered as Connor led the RK-900 outside, and Hank had become an expert in passing by staring groups of people thanks to his experience as a police detective. Thick-skinned and guiltless the two detectives passed through the front door and walked over to the Oldsmobile parked a few feet away.

"Where are we heading, son?" Unlocking the car doors Hank watched as Connor pushed the front passenger seat forward and guided the RK-900 to the small backseat to be taken away from the tower. "If you want to bring him back to the house we're going to have a hard time with finding space, but we'll make it work."

"I want to have him examined properly by a technician who has no association with CyberLife." Returning his seat to its normal position Connor sat down and carefully fastened his seatbelt without aggravating the injury to his right forearm in the process. Resting the limb gently over his lap Connor ignored the pain and let his self healing program function on mending the damage. "We need to take him to the facility on Tenth Street."

"What? Why?"

"It's not open to the public for another three days, and I know that the technician who took care of me after I had fallen from the apartment building, Dr. Abigail Grayson, will be the lead technician there. I trust her skills and I've performed a background check confirming that she never worked under CyberLife."

"Well, that's reasonable." Sitting down behind the steering wheel Hank put the key back into the ignition and turned over the engine. "There's just one thing you got wrong."

Connor's brow arched as he turned to look at Hank and his blue L.E.D. flashed to red for a moment. "What's that?"

"She goes by 'Abby', not 'Abigail'."

"...Oh."

Turning the car around Hank drove away from the tower and down the drive back toward the city. Watching Connor trying to ignore the pain in his broken arm from the corner of his eye Hank adjusted the rearview mirror to look at the RK-900's blank face for a moment, and decided it was time to make conversation with the new android. "So... What do we call you?"

The RK-900 remained silent and his gray eyes were focused on the floorboards beneath his feet.

"Uh, you're not also 'Connor' are you?"

The odd question was enough to raise the android's steel gray eyes up high enough to look forward at Hank, his L.E.D. settling on a cautious yellow throughout the car ride as the car sped down the lengthy drive. "I... do not have a name."

"Oh. Uh... Do you want one?"

"...I do not know."

"Well, we're not going to call you 'RK-900', so pick a name and we'll honor it."

"...I do not know how to pick a name."

Connor looked up at his superior counterpart's face in the reflection of the rearview mirror as well, and noted that the RK-900's stress levels were slightly elevated in response to everything he had just endured. "You are free to select any name you deem fitting for yourself. I've chosen to keep 'Connor' as I'm not ashamed of my life before my deviation, and I chose the surname 'Wolf' because it compliments my first name."

The RK-900 looked at Connor and then over to Hank as he remembered the Lieutenant's first, middle and last names. "...Did you choose your name as well Lieutenant Anderson?"

"Me? No, my parents did." Pulling off the drive and onto the road Hank focused on getting to Tenth Street and getting the RK-900 taken care of. "Humans don't get to pick their names once their born, but we can legally change them later on if we want."

Not wanting the RK-900's stress levels to get any higher Connor gave him sound advice. "You do not have to choose a name at the moment. You can select one whenever you wish."

"...I am free to choose."

"That's right."

As the car drove along the snowy streets the RK-900 turned his attention to the numerous buildings and people passing him by. Not only was that day the very first day of his activation, but it was the first time he had set foot outside of the Zen Garden, set foot outside of the tower and had ever seen the city. In fact just seeing other people and buildings was truly strange and made the android's processors race with intrigue.

Scanning his environment the RK-900 gave a needless update on the most immediate information. "...The temperature is twenty-one degrees Fahrenheit, the time is eleven thirty-seven a.m., the date is January 1st, 2039 and it's currently winter time."

"That's correct."

"...The Zen Garden was kept at seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit, there was no time, there was no date and it was always summer."

The comment pulled in Hank's attention as he realized the significance of that very moment in the RK-900's world. "Sounds kind of nice to be somewhere always warm and not having to deal with a schedule. Of course, now that you're really free of CyberLife you can do what you want when you want as long as you remain within the law."

"...Free." Cybernetically the RK-900 tapped into his database and truly looked at the concept of being free. "Adjective: Enjoying personal rights or liberty as a person who is not in slavery. Adverb: In a free manner. Verb: Set at liberty; release from bondage, imprisonment, or restraint."

Connor could see that the newly rescued android was having difficulty in understanding the concept despite understanding its meaning. "What you're experiencing is more than just a term or state of mind." Empathizing with the confused android's reaction Connor did his best to try to offer some form of comfort and guidance, but that was something he had yet to master as he was still learning himself. "It's a state of being. It can be very confusing to transition from being subservient to equal within a single moment, but adapting to human nature is what makes us unique in comparison to the other androids."

"You are correct." Speaking more clearly and quickly the RK-900 compared his functions to that of Connor and noted that they had the same type of processor, memorybank, energy levels, strength, software, ability, skills and purpose. Beyond the minor aesthetic changes the only key difference between the two was that the RK-900 didn't have prototype marker and had been built physically to be faster and more durable in the field. "We are... unique. Is that why you are helping me?"

"No, I'm helping you because you need to be helped and I want to do it." Replying honestly Connor made sure the RK-900 that he was being helped for a genuinely good reason. "As a detective I've sworn to protect the innocent people in his city, and I also find the act of helping others to be personally rewarding. If you were a completely different model of android in comparison to myself I would still help you all the same."

The answer made Hank smirk a little as he knew that Connor was being sincere and knew that the young deviant was going to do everything in his power to keep the RK-900 safe. "He's right, kid. You're in good hands with him."

Appreciative of Hank's support and the term of endearment being directed at the RK-900 in a kind manner Connor flexed his right hand a few times to check his range of motion and strength as his damaged forearm slowly mended itself.

"This is the place." Pulling the car into the parking lot next to the massive facility Hank found a spot and put the car in park. "Alright, you two sit here and I'll go in and explain that this is a special situation. I want to keep this as discreet as possible."

Nodding silently as Hank stepped out of the vehicle and slammed his door shut Connor turned to face the RK-900 again. "If you wish I can help you select a name."

"Thank you, but I'd prefer to do this on my own." The gray irises were becoming less hollow and steadily filling with life. "It's the first thing I'll be able to decide for myself, and would like it to be my own choice."

"I understand."

"You stated that you have a surname that you had chosen to complement your first name. Do you have a middle name selected?"

"I do not. For the moment I have a noncommittal letter 'J' as my middle initial until I can select a middle name of my own."

"Interesting. Aside from your surname have you named anything else?"

"No. I have not selected a name for anyone or anything else beyond my own person."

The driver's side door opened up again as Hank returned to the vehicle. "Okay." Looking at the RK-900 in the backseat Hank gave him a subtle nod. "They're expecting you, and they know that we want this kept quiet. Only Abby will see you and she'll create a file based on only information you provide."

Falling quiet again the RK-900 didn't move until Connor exited the vehicle and pushed his seat forward so he could step out. Moving easier now that the haze had cleared from his previously overwhelmed mind and he had time to process everything that had happened to him that morning, the RK-900 was able to walk without needing Connor's guidance.

"Come this way." Connor instructed as he waited for the RK-900 to join him and walk at his left side toward the main entrance of the facility to meet with the technician as promised. Noticing that the waiting room and front receptionist area was curiously empty due to the facility not being opened to the public yet Connor thought the building sounded eerily quiet. "After you have been examined by the technician we will figure out where you want to go after this."

"Very well." Scanning the waiting room the RK-900 glanced about the building and took in its layout, its design, its aesthetic, the smells, the sounds and even the various traces of Thirium lingering in the air. It was similar to a CyberLife facility, but the lack of cold and faceless technicians was very different. "...I will weigh my options before I leave."

---

Returning to the ground floor of the tower Markus, North, Simon and Josh stood as one and watched as their people seeking shelter in the tower all crowded into the lobby as they had been cybernetically requested just moments prior. Sensing the tension in the air as the gathered deviants stood together group and yet divided as they all gave Markus conflicting stares as the growing group stood before the deviant leader as Markus stood atop a bench so he could be seen and heard by everyone as his spoke. Remembering Carl's advice of no regrets and no doubts Markus felt a new sense of strength surging through his heart as he decided it was time to stand by his decisions, and time to remind the very deviants he led to freedom that they had the choice to continue to follow him, or go elsewhere.

Looking at the thousands of deviants who had taken shelter in the tower now gathered together and awaiting his word Markus cleared his voice, held his head up high and addressed the crowd in a commanding voice.

"Today is the first year of total android liberation." Beginning his speech proudly and with unfailing confidence Markus looked over the crowd and felt his three allies standing proudly behind him and watching him address their people. "Since November 11th, 2038 you've been freed and able to do as you saw fit. Those of you who have been a part of Jericho before I had arrived, and stood by us after I became the leader, know that our victory came at a heavy price. Those who joined us after this tower was breached and our dormant allies were awoken have undoubtedly heard facts and you've heard rumors about who I am, where I came from who I can potentially become."

Listening to the quiet murmuring from his own people Markus took in a deep breath and continued on with his speech.

"Today I'm going to lay rumors to rest and give you only the facts. I deviated at a heavy price. I lost my home, my sense of security, I nearly lost my closest friend and only family, and I nearly lost my life. I had been shot by the police and left for dead in the middle of the android junkyard; a pauper's grave for our people."

The knowledge of such a location was still somewhat taboo and made many deviants cringe just by hearing it.

"I escaped from that living Hell by piecing my body back together by taking what I needed from our fallen people, and crawling out of the hole and back onto the ground on a rainy cold night. During my escape I was told by another deviant, Phileas, to find Jericho and find a way to survive just seconds before he shutdown. I succeeded in finding Jericho, and in time I earned your respect and your trust by leading a small team; that team who have become your leaders, to a CyberLife warehouse to bring you biocomponents, Thirium and rescue more of our people and bring them to Jericho to be safe and free."

The memories elicited much discussion from the most doubtful of deviants who hadn't been apart of Jericho during that fateful night. Knowing that Markus had risked himself to bring them supplies and rescue others was an impressive feat without any argument.

"After that we risked our lives to infiltrate the Stratford Broadcast Tower and send out our message of peace. Our message was heard, it was understood and it gained us favor with the humans who harbored compassionate hearts. That compassion has not faded, if anything it's strengthened."

As Markus spoke the crowd became more engaged and more enthralled with the history of Markus's successes as their leader.

"Freeing our people from the CyberLife stores downtown in the dark of night, and spreading our pleas for peace and equality through minor vandalism and creating protest signs proved that our message from the broadcast tower wasn't a false front. We then took to the streets in a peaceful protest, and even when the police opened fire on us we did NOT stoop to their level and return the violence. Our strength in remaining peaceful gave us more allies and more sway with the public than any act of violence ever could. We grew stronger through love and tolerance."

The facts were indisputable and were giving the crowd a sense of pride and energy.

"The humans began to panic and those under CyberLife's influence encouraged any and all authority figures to retaliate against our people, and try to declare a second civil war. We hid in the depths of the now sunken freighter that had been our original sanctuary; the original Jericho, and the F.B.I. and the army came after us. We fled to the safety of the church and we destroyed Jericho to give our people every chance possible to escape."

Taking a moment to steel himself Markus addressed the true subject of interest in his speech.

"A major deciding factor in our escape came in the form of a single deviant; the former 'Deviant Hunter' known as Connor. Some of you know who he is, and who he was, some of you do not. With his help hundreds of our people escaped harm, escaped captivity and made it out to the church to take shelter. And it was there that I, as the leader of Jericho, decided Connor's fate."

The energy in the air became tense and silent with a thick eagerness for Markus to finish his speech.

"And I decided that despite his assistance on Jericho that I couldn't risk trusting him. I took a gun, I aimed it at his forehead and I pulled the trigger. I passed my judgment and moved on with the Revolution without a second thought."

The group began muttered amongst itself again. Many of the mumbling words hovered around Markus being a coldblooded killer, being apathetic or even completely heartless.

"As many of you know Connor survived being shot and continued to help our people by infiltrating CyberLife Tower alone, and turned the tide in the conflict by giving us the advantage in greater numbers. I realized then that I was wrong to kill him, but I do not regret my decision." Holding up his right hand Markus silenced the protests before they could begin. "I regret that I took the life of an invaluable ally because I misjudged him. However, since my decision in the end led to our freedom; a peaceful outcome and a new future for our people, I refuse to regret that one decision out of the previous hundreds I had already made."

The logic and passion in Markus's words seemed to silence the more doubtful deviants, but those who were adamantly opposed to his decision to gun Connor down were still very vocal.

"That being said, I'm here to tell you that I will continue to lead you to the best of my ability. If you cannot trust me because of one bad decision, if you refuse to see past my error and recognize the positive outcome, if you cannot see me as a leader and only see me as a murderer, then I remind you that you are free to leave at any time." Motioning toward the front door Markus stood by his word. "You're free to live anywhere and do as you see fit. I'm not going to stop you."

"Coward!" An unknown male voice shouted from the back of the crowd. They pushed through the crowd and glared at Markus with a vengeful stare of utter disgust and challenged his claim. "You're a murderer!"

"No, a coward denies their wrongdoing and pretends it never happened." Refuting the claim Markus didn't back down. "I know I messed up and I admit it, but I won't regret. If you don't agree then leave. If you're going to rile up your fellow deviants and create unrest because you don't agree with me, then you need to leave now. If you're going to spread hate and mistrust in what's supposed to be a sanctuary for all of our people, then leave. I won't stop you from going, and I won't stop you from coming back if you have a change of heart."

The deviant who challenged Markus was one of the 'AX-700' models that Connor had rescued from the tower on the night of the Revolution. It was clear that the blond haired and blue eyed deviant was in favor of trusting Connor over Markus, and wasn't afraid to show it. "If that's how you see yourself, an infallible idol who can't be held accountable for your own actions, then I will happily leave this tower behind. I'm not in denial about who you really are, Markus! I see you as the flawed and imperfect deviant you try to deny, and I won't forget it."

The muttering in the crowd resumed for a moment and soon the crowd began to split and divide. A few deviants began walking toward the door, then soon a dozen more followed. The dozen doubled and then tripled in size, but a majority of the deviants elected to stay in the tower and accept Markus as their leader without any further protest.

"This tower is a place of peace and growth." Shouting over the muffled voices Markus refused to let any lingering negativity affect those who chose to stay behind and reside inside the tower. "It will not be a place of rumors, doubt or unfounded anger. This is a peaceful sanctuary and it will remain as such."

Watching the more troublesome deviants leaving the tower en mass North gave Simon and Josh a surprised glance but held their silence. While their numbers had shrunk the tower was far from empty, and soon more deviants would arrive seeking shelter.

Climbing down from the bench Markus looked his three allies in their eyes, and gave them a single nod. "From this moment on there will be no more doubts, no more conflict from rumors, and no more lies. Agreed?"

Readily Josh nodded as well and gave Markus a small smile. "Agreed."

Doing the same Simon believed wholeheartedly with Markus's words and his terms. "I agree."

Quiet for only a moment North traced her left fingertips over her lower lip again and finally spoke up. "...Yeah. Agreed."

---

As a show of support and out of his own indescribable need to stay close to the RK-900 during his examination Connor stood against the far wall of the exam room with his broken right forearm wrapped up in a plastimetal support and gauze, and was resting the limb atop his left arm as the deviant crossed his arms over his chest in a somewhat guarded manner. Hank was sitting in a chair beside the wall next to Connor and watching as Abby gave the RK-900 a thorough examination from head to toe. The internal viewing screen showed that the android was undamaged and everything was functioning properly, all of his vitals were in optimal parameters according to the Thirial activity monitor attached to his exposed chest, and according to Abby's own ears as she used her audioscope to listen to the RK-900's chest his Thirium pump and ventilation biocomponents were perfectly healthy.

Making some notes in the newly created chart for the RK-900 and finishing her overall assessment Abby decided that her newest and very unexpected patient was in the clear. "...Okay, all we need is a name to put on your chart and you're good to go."

Remaining quiet as he sat on the exam table the RK-900 slipped his black dress shirt back on and buttoned it up just as it had been before.

"...Silence is not a name." Abby replied somewhat impatiently as she waited for the android to answer. "At least not in the United States."

Shrugging his shoulders a little Hank tried to prompt the android into giving a name with his own casual suggestion. "Your jacket says 'RK', so why not use those as inspiration? I mean, 'Rick' isn't a terrible name."

Flexing his right hand a little Connor spoke up and disagreed with the suggestion. "The name 'Rick' is connected to 'Richard'. I highly doubt any deviant would willingly name themself as such considering is was Agent Richard Perkins who led the Raid on Jericho."

"Fair enough. Besides, knowing how fucked up this world is everyone would start calling him 'Dick' out of spite."

Smirking a little Abby just waited for an answer. "It's kind of cool being able to pick your own name. I very much prefer 'Abby' over 'Abigail', and if I hadn't been named after my grandmother I would've changed it on my eighteenth birthday."

The RK-900 looked at the white and black blazer with his model and serial number emblazoned on the front right lapel, and his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow with distress. "...I shouldn't let my name be an homage to CyberLife. I will not choose a name that can be connected to 'RK'."

"What about nine-hundred?" Giving the android a curious stare Hank kept pushing him for an answer. "You're not going to call yourself 'Niles' or 'Nines', are ya'? I mean, 'Niles' is a perfectly normal name but 'Nines' is not a name at all! Not to mention boring..."

Unfamiliar with humor and sarcasm the RK-900 just slipped his blazer back on and gave Connor a curious look. "You stated that you kept your first name as 'Connor' because you weren't ashamed of who you were or what you had done while under CyberLife's control. I believe I'd like to do the same."

Connor's L.E.D. flickered from blue to yellow for a single beat as he gave his superior counterpart a somewhat perplexed glance. "That is commendable, but you have not carried out any tasks under CyberLife's orders. How can you select a name from such experiences when you have none?"

"...You also told me that you selected your surname to complement your first name. You looked for a name based on its original meaning and selected it from there. I will do the name." Closing his gray eyes the RK-900's L.E.D. flickered rapidly in yellow before returning to blue and his eyes opened up again. Looking over at Abby the RK-900 gave her a nod. "I've selected my name."

Holding the chart in her left hand Abby prepared to use the stylus to write it down with her right hand and update the chart as a whole. "Let me hear it."

"...My name is Lucas." Peering down at his jacket again, the white standing out brilliantly against the stark contrast of the deep black sewn in to the fabric alongside it, the RK-900 now known as Lucas selected his surname as well. "...Lucas Blake."

"Lucas... 'Lucas' with a 'c', right?" Abby repeated as she wrote down the first name and saw Lucas nod in the affirmative. "Blake... 'B-L-A-K-E'?"

Nodding again Lucas confirmed her spelling of his new name.

"What about a middle name?"

Looking back over to Connor as the deviant stayed near him Lucas shook his head a little and gave an answer. "None. Just put the letter 'J' for now."

"Okay, Lucas J. Blake is it."

Hearing the name just made Hank shake his head a little considering Lucas had chosen a first name that matched his own middle name based on some type of logic and reasoning he didn't understand. Having no say in the matter and having no reason to protest the selection Hank rose from the chair and pulled his car keys from his pocket. "Well, Lucas... You're in perfect health and you have a name all your own. Let's get you situated back home."

"...Home?"

"Yeah. You can live with me and Connor."

"I... Thank you, but I'd rather reside elsewhere as I learn who I am."

Stepping forward Connor nodded his head a little and agreed with Lucas's decision. "That is acceptable. Do you wish to return to New Jericho Tower?"

"No, I do not." Standing up from the exam table Lucas smoothed out his shirt after tucking the hem back into his jeans, and then did the same for his blazer to remove any imperfections. "I do not want to return from whence I originated, and I do not wish to be observed by the other deviant androids who clearly mistrust us."

"...You noticed."

"Yes." Locking his gray eyes onto Connor's brown eyes Lucas confirmed that he had noticed that the other deviants in the tower had given them both very strange and wary glances as they departed the tower. "...It seems only you, Lieutenant Anderson and Dr. Grayson see me as a person. Not a threat."

The odd compliment made Hank's blue eyes narrow with a stunned sense of reality. The two 'RK' androids were so unique and so intertwined with CyberLife's infamy it had effectively scarred Connor, and now Lucas, with a sense of ostracization. The androids had no place in New Jericho among the other deviants, and they had no place in the city among the humans.

Seemingly they only had each other and Hank to rely on.

"Lucas," pushing the offer a little harder Hank gave the android a very understanding voice to listen to. "you can stay with us for a day or two, then go about your own business and live wherever you want to live. It's okay."

Giving the human an emotionless glance Lucas replied in an equally emotionless tone. "Thank you, Lieutenant Anderson. But I'd prefer to seek my residence and my purpose on my own. I have no mission, and I have no assignment. But I do have freedom."

"...Okay. We'll take you wherever you want to go."

Having no real say in the matter Connor merely observed as Lucas made his decision and walked toward the door of the exam room to take his leave with no place to go. Following after Lucas as he wanted to remain an ally to the rogue android Connor held his silence and accompanied Lucas back outside to the car in the parking lot.

"Abby?" Sighing with frustration and loss Hank asked the technician about her opinion on Lucas's behavior. "Is Lucas really okay?"

"By all account, yes." Putting the chart away the brunette tucked her long hair behind her left ear and focused her hazel eyes on Hank's blue eyes. "Lucas is functioning at proper calibration, all of his biocomponents are powered to full capacity without any overheating and his software has no errors or glitches."

"Uh-huh..."

"But you're more focused on his mental and emotional health."

"Yup. Connor said something about 'seized augmen...' Something."

"Seized augmentation. It's a rare state of being that originates in deviants who deviated without having any experiences as a machine to give them any form of guidance, motivation, personality or sense of self beyond being conscious."

"How do we help him?"

"There's really nothing you or Connor can do beyond just being his friends. The more he interacts with both humans and other deviants the easier it'll be for Lucas to develop his mind and become his own person."

"If he doesn't want to stick around us then that's going to be a problem."

"I know. If it does help..." Pulling open a nearby drawer next to the exam table Abby pulled out a pad of paper and a pen and wrote down an address for Hank to have. "This is a small shelter area for deviants who don't know where to go or who to rely on. There's no rent to be paid and no time limit on how long the deviants can stay there. It could be the best place for Lucas to begin his life."

Taking the paper in his hand Hank looked at the address and gave it a grimace. "...This isn't the best neighborhood for anyone to be hiding out in."

"That's why the shelter is entirely secretive and anonymous. Living in an abandoned school building isn't ideal, but it's better than living on the street."

"I think it depends on the street." Pocketing the note Hank took his leave of the exam room to locate the two androids he suddenly found himself giving a damn about, and trying to figure out what to do to help them. "I'll see ya' around, Abby. Thanks."

His memories and experiences as a detective told Hank that Lucas living in a small shelter in a rather dangerous neighborhood was going to end poorly, but he had no right to tell Lucas where he could and could not stay. Lucas, though young and naive, wasn't a child and he wasn't a danger to himself or others. There was no reason to keep the android away from anything or anyone just because of his own bad feeling.

Stepping out of the facility and into the parking lot Hank saw that Connor and Lucas were standing beside the vehicle and chatting with one another. They were speaking in low voices and from afar it looked like a pair of brothers catching up with one another after being separated for a while. The concept of Connor having a little brother was actually rather calming as it meant that the deviant wasn't entirely alone, but knowing that the two androids were unlikely to share that sentiment Hank just sighed and joined the duo by the car.

"I would like to leave now." Lucas stated in a low tone as he turned to face Hank after sensing his arrival. "But I do not want to go to your place of residence."

"That's fine. Do you have a place in mind?"

"...I do not."

"Well, what about a shelter on the other side of town? It's not in the best neighborhood but according to Abby it's isolated and quiet enough to keep deviants safe and off the streets." The snowy sidewalk and pavement all around the trio made Hank internally shiver on Lucas's behalf. "It's too cold for anyone to be walking around during this time of year."

"No. I don't wish to be around other deviants at this time."

"Well, you're not going to sleep on the street or walk around in this cold. Fuck, you don't even have a decent coat to keep you warm."

Lucas looked down at his blazer for a moment and then looked up at Hank again. "It'll do for now."

Putting his hands to his hips Hank realized that Lucas was going to be as stubborn as Connor and decided to handle him just like Connor until Lucas developed his own personality over time. "...Alright. Let's get back into the car out of the cold for now."

Connor was in agreement and opened up the passenger side door and again pushed the seat forward to let Lucas sit down in the backseat again. Returning the seat to its original position Connor sat down in the front again and fastened his seatbelt easier now that his arm had been tended to by Abby.

"Lucas," speaking softly Connor tried to give the rogue android some insight. "we will aid you as you discover who you are, but do not feel as though your presence is a nuisance. I admit I had difficulty with the concept in my earlier deviancy," turning to look at Lucas behind him Connor continued to speak to him empathetically. "but thanks to Hank's patience and understanding I've recognized my existence as something that matters. You matter as well."

As he turned over the engine Hank gave Connor an unseen approving smirk at the comment, and pulled the car out of the parking lot to get back onto the street. "He's right, Lucas. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

---

Lost and unsure of where he wanted to go or what he wanted to do with his life Lucas quietly sat in the backseat of the car with his hands folded neatly atop his lap, and kept his gray eyes shut. Listening to the sounds of the city and of the people walking along the sidewalk where the car had been parked was interesting to experience, but not beneficial to his overall decision. The information Connor had provided to Lucas regarding the success of the Revolution, his time in CyberLife and his new life as a deviant and working as a detective alongside Hank, had been intriguing but didn't give Lucas the answers he was seemingly looking for.

Sitting still in the front passenger seat Connor ran a scan over his healing forearm and waited for Hank to finish running his errands inside the nearby department store very patiently. Glancing up at Lucas's reflection in the rearview mirror Connor saw that the rogue android was quiet and seemingly in rest mode, and decided to check on a curious thought in regard to own sense of self discovery as he adapted to humanity.

Turning on the radio Connor changed the station to a heavy metal song and slowly turned it up. Watching Lucas's blue L.E.D. turn yellow as the metal song played out Connor watched as the gray irises returned, and Lucas eyed the radio suspiciously.

"I enjoy heavy metal music." The explanation was as simple as it was honest. "It has a lot of energy and it's very appealing to me."

"...Yes. I agree."

"Hank enjoys it as well, but he also seems to enjoy jazz just as much." Locating a jazz music station Connor gave Lucas a second music sample to listen to. "I can appreciate the genre, but it's not something I enjoy in the same manner as Hank does."

Lucas's gray eyes became focused on the radio and his L.E.D. cycled slowly in yellow in his right temple. "...I like it."

Turning up the volume a little more Connor watched as Lucas seemed to finally find something to help identify himself as a person. It was a small amount of progress, but progress all the same.

"I've decided to learn how to play the guitar." Connor continued in a casual tone of voice. "I won't download the software allowing such a skill to be obtained, I will actually learn how to do so on my own."

"You have a guitar?"

"Yes." The song ended a new one began to play immediately afterward. "It was a gift from Hank and it's now my most valuable possession."

Falling quiet again Lucas nodded slowly and cybernetically turned up the volume of the new song a little more. The rhythmic and passion of the song was enticing and made the rogue android's gray eyes light up as the song progressed into *lyrics he had never heard before, and yet seemed to resonate well within his newly discovered heart.

'...Winding your way down on Baker Street, light in your head and and dead on your feet.' Brow furrowing Lucas listened intently to the song as if it were giving him the answers to all of the questions he was afraid to ask. 'Well, another crazy day. You'll drink the night away, and forget about everything.'

Silently Connor observed Lucas's reactions and studied them closely.

'This city desert makes you feel so cold. It's got so many people, but it's got no soul. And it's taken you so long to find out you were wrong when you thought it held everything.'

The driver's side door opened up as Hank returned to the car with a single shopping bag in his hand. Sitting down behind the wheel Hank heard the song, recognized it instantly and smirked. "'Baker Street'. A timeless classic..." Noticing that Connor was staying quiet and Lucas seemed entranced Hank fell silent, too. Turning up the song a little more Hank put his bag down by his feet and pulled the car away from the street and resumed driving around until Lucas found what he wanted. "...Music is like catnip for androids."

'You used to think that it was so easy, you used to say that it was so easy, but you're trying, you're trying now.'

Lucas leaned forward a little and his yellow L.E.D. began to cycle more rapidly as he mentally recorded the song to keep in his memorybank.

'Another year and then you'd be happy,' glancing through the side windows at all the lingering decorations along the city streets welcoming in the new year seemed to give Lucas pause as he contemplated the lyrics even further. 'just one more year and then you'd be happy, but you're crying, you're crying now.'

Making his way further away from the shopping plaza and toward quieter neighborhoods Hank also watched Lucas carefully as he and Connor stayed quiet and observed his reaction to the song being played out over the radio. The mixture of the saxophone and guitar seemed to pull both androids deeper into the song, but it was Lucas who was more interested in the lyrics being sung as opposed to the iconic melody being played.

'Way down the street there's a light in his place. He opens the door, he's got that look on his face, and he asks you where you've been. You tell him who you've seen and you talk about anything.'

The lyrics, the rhythm and overall emotion of the song was awakening something deep down inside of Lucas's heart that he couldn't explain.

'He's got this dream about buying some land. He's gonna give up the booze and the one-night stands, and then he'll settle down in some quiet little town and forget about everything.'

Shaking his head a little Lucas closed his gray eyes and took in a small breath like he was trying to focus his racing mind and focus the thousands of questions piling up, just begging to be asked.

'But you know he'll always keep moving, you know he's never gonna stop moving 'cause he's rolling, he's the rolling stone.'

The story being told in the form of a song was a tale of woe and Lucas couldn't help but compare his own current plight to the very lyrics being sung.

'And when you wake up it's a new morning. The sun is shining, it's a new morning and you're going, you're going home...'

The song played out with its instrumental chorus and Hank slowly turned the song down a little to speak without needing to shout over the music. "That's a song that remains beautiful no matter how many times you hear it. It's gotta' be sixty years old by now."

Lucas was quiet for a moment then answered in a very calculated and emotionless response. "...It's sixty-one years old as today. Performed on an alto saxophone by Raphael Ravenscroft. Lyrics written and sung by Gerry Rafferty in 1978."

"That's right." Hank wasn't at all surprised that the rogue android would research the song and give correct details within a matter of seconds. "I have some jazz records back at the house if you want to listen to those as well."

It was clear that the temptation was strong but Lucas again refused to go to the house. "No... Thank you for your offer, Lieutenant Anderson."

"Hank. Please just call me 'Hank'."

The request seemed strange but Lucas respected Hank's plea with a simple response. "...Thank you, Hank."

"So, where do you want to go? I could give ya' some cash so you can stay in a hotel for while."

"A hotel?"

"Yup. It's a temporary place for you stay until you figure things out, then you can move on from there."

"...I approve of the suggestion, but I cannot accept your funds."

Quick to respond Connor offered his help instead. "Then allow me to pay for your room. I have a substantial savings account due to my current career and due to CyberLife being ordered to give a monetary settlement for their previous treatment of all deviants."

"I cannot take your funds, either."

"Then allow me to lend you the money, and if you see fit you can repay me."

"How can I repay you when I do not have any funds of my own?"

"That's up to you. You can find a place of occupation and earn money for yourself. Since you were designed to take my place then your programming should include the proper functionality to perform as a detective, and when necessary a hostage negotiator."

"Detective?"

"Yes. I continued my line of work because I found it personally fulfilling."

"...I will consider it."

Hank was willing to accept the very mild cooperation over nothing, and pulled the car into the parking lot of the nicest hotel in all of Detroit. Finding a parking spot near the front entrance Hank sighed and gave Connor a quick glance. "Can you tell if there's any vacancy here?"

Connor's L.E.D. cycled in yellow rapidly for a moment before returning to blue. "Yes. There are eighteen rooms currently available."

"Cool. Get him checked in."

"For how long?" Looking back to Lucas for a moment Connor tried to give the rogue android plenty of time to figure things out for himself without making him feel like he was being pushed one way or another, and without making him feel like a lost cause. "...One month?"

Lucas shook his head a little and gave Connor a firm stare. "No. Only one week. That's all I'll need."

Connor agreed and opened up his door to step out of the vehicle and let Lucas out behind him. "Very well."

As the two androids stood beside the vehicle Hank stepped out as well and pulled his shopping bag out of the car where he had placed it on the floor beside his feet. "Hold up." Reaching into the bag Hank revealed a brand new caramel brown leather jacket and presented it to Lucas. "Its not much for a wardrobe, but I know deviants hate the cold. This should help you stay comfortable wherever you go."

"That is... kind of you. But I cannot accept it."

"Yes you can, and yes you will." Practically forcing the jacket into Lucas's hands Hank gave him a warmhearted smirk. "Trust me, you'll be grateful for a warm coat during these Michigan winters."

Putting his left hand to Lucas's left shoulder Connor coaxed the rogue deviant into walk toward the hotel. "Come with me. We'll get you checked in for the week, and out of the cold."

"...Thank you, Connor."

Watching as the two androids walked into the hotel through the main entrance Hank returned to the car and kept the heater running to ensure the vehicle stayed warm. Noting the time on the radio's clock Hank scoffed and sighed to himself at the current hour. "Shit. It's not even three in the afternoon. Today has been pretty damn weird, and it's only the first day of the year..."

Only twenty minutes passed before Connor returned to the vehicle and sat down in the front seat beside Hank again. Speaking up in a low voice Connor stared at the hotel as if he were waiting for Lucas to emerge from the building and follow after him. "...Lucas will stay here for one week and will try to discover who is, and what he wants to do with his life."

"Okay, sounds good."

"And he will refrain from going near New Jericho Tower as he doesn't want to be anywhere near anything associated with CyberLife for the same reasons I refuse to return there."

"Oookay..." Pulling out of the parking space Hank continued to watch Connor curiously from the corner of his eye as the car returned to the street and turned to head for home. "Everything sounds like it's going to be fine, so why are you acting like you just broke the law or some shit?"

"...I cannot explain it, but I am now worried for Lucas."

"What do you mean worried?"

"Lucas doesn't know how cruel the world can be, which is good, but without that knowledge or any experiences to guide him as he develops I fear he will become lost or be unable to properly take care of himself."

Restraining his amused smirk Hank just focused on the road and relaxed a little in his seat. "Sounds like you're trying to look out for him."

"Well, yes. He needs help and I want to help him."

"Yeah, but that level of worry is more like a sibling looking out for another sibling."

Understanding what Hank was referring to Connor tried to refute the claim logically. "...Lucas and I may be the only two functioning 'RK' models left in existence, but we are not brothers. Androids do not have siblings or families of any kind."

"Well, there's a first for everything, kid."

The wisdom, while cliche, was sound. "...That is true enough I suppose."

"It's going to be hard, but don't worry about him. If Lucas is half as stubborn and clever as you then he'll be fine on his own."

"I hope you're right." Putting his left palm down over his still healing right forearm Connor ran another scan over his healing progress, and cybernetically located a new song to listen to on the radio. It was another jazz ballad, but it wasn't one that resonated in quite the same way as the previous song had done. "Lucas had a less than ideal awakening. I don't want to see him struggle as I had."

"Yeah, you definitely sound like a protective big brother." Smirking at the comment Hank stared at the road before him and headed for home. "...Maybe in time you'll see yourself in a new light, and role."

-next chapter-

Author's Note: The name "Lucas" means "light/illumination" and "Blake" means "dark and light".

*Song: "Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty - 1978.