After patiently waiting three days for his body to heal Connor sat in the passenger seat as Hank drove about the city in search of Lucas. Starting at the hotel where Lucas had been seen last the two detectives received confirmation from the front desk that the morning after Lucas had been checked in he proceeded to check himself out, and left the hotel on foot. He wasn't in any physical distress and he didn't seem to be emotionally unstable whatsoever as he left the hotel eleven days prior. No one reported a deviant being a local disturbance or reported any deviants being assaulted within the past eleven days, which were all good news, but the lack of a definitive location left Connor feeling as though he had somehow failed to protect the RK-900 as he had sworn to do.

Using the hotel's security cameras to confirm that Lucas had left the property in an Eastern direction the two detectives drove along the streets in search of small deviant shelters to ask questions, and checked all of the facilities in the area to ensure Lucas hadn't been admitted as an anonymous patient. There was simply no sign of Lucas and Connor had no other deviant contacts to ask for help.

Circling the block of the hotel for the fourth time Hank watched Connor's yellow L.E.D. glowing against the side window and noted that the deviant's soulful brown eyes were focused into the nothingness before him as he sat in silent contemplation. "Try not to worry, kid. As far as we know Lucas decided to leave Detroit and is living somewhere over the Canadian border."

"Doubtful. Lucas wouldn't have anywhere to go if he were to cross the border."

"He didn't exactly have anywhere to go here in Detroit, either."

"...I know."

"We'll find him. Just try to be patient."

Connor's eyes closed and his L.E.D. flickered between yellow and red rapidly for a moment before he spoke again. "...Interesting."

"What's up?"

"I've checked through my financial statement based on when Lucas checked out of the hotel and refunded my money for the six days he didn't use to stay within the hotel, and while a majority of my money had been refunded three-hundred and sixty dollars even had been returned directly to Lucas in physical cash."

"Holy shit... How expensive was a week's stay at that place?!"

"That's not my main concern."

"Right, yeah, just... Alright, Lucas has three-hundred and sixty bucks to his name and an entire city to explore." Stopping at a red light Hank glanced about the area and noted that there were no android shelters in the immediate area and the nearest facility was four blocks South of their current location. "Where would he go? I imagine he'd stock up on Thirium or find shelter."

"Shelter for androids isn't as crucial as it is for humans and other forms of organic life." Analyzing Hank's theory as logically as possible Connor began comparing it to android activity and behavior as a whole. "As for Thirium it won't be critical to his system for another two weeks. He had been left in stasis mode for a prolonged period of time which allowed his system to conserve his Thirium."

"Alright, then what would he do with the money?"

"He'd most likely use the money to find a way to support himself on a more long term basis."

"You're saying he's going to use his money to make more money?"

"Correct."

The light turned green and Hank pulled through the intersection to continue the search for Lucas. "What can you possibly do with three-hundred bucks that'll keep payin' off and get you a steady income?"

"...Too many things to list and then eliminate."

"Seriously? I can only think of two things, and neither are legal." Pulling into a parking lot in the middle of the shopping plaza Hank turned off the engine and gave Connor a casual glance. "Let's go and ask the shop owners if they've seen Lucas within the past eleven days. He was heading in this direction and I imagine a tall guy wearing a very distinct white and black jacket, or that nice leather one, would be memorable."

"That's a good idea." Opening up the passenger side door Connor easily navigated the parking lot and walked down the block back to where the shopping plaza began and decided to work forward after speaking with employees in each store one at a time. "I'll ask about Lucas on the other side of the street, you begin searching on this side."

"Right. We'll check every store and meet back at the car unless we actually find something to go on."

Connor agreed and crossed the street to check the stores opposite of Hank as the senior detective followed Connor's lead and began checking the first stores of the block, and then worked their way forward. The air was cold and it was clear that it was going to snow again before the day was over. The cold rain from the previous three days guaranteed that the snow would turn to ice and the temperature was going to get dangerously low as soon as the sun began setting. Anyone who was lost outside in the cold would not fare well and could potentially perish.

Thankful for his black leather jacket, black woolen beanie and blue scarf to keep him warm Connor tried to ignore how awful he'd be feeling if the cold air was able to touch his artificial skin more directly.

Entering the first store at the beginning of the block, a clothing store, Connor located an employee and approached her casually. "Excuse me, miss?"

"Yes, sir." The young blonde woman spun around on her heels and smiled at Connor enthusiastically. "How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you've seen a... man." Refraining from using the words 'android' or 'deviant' for the sake of simplicity as his own L.E.D. was hidden beneath his hat Connor decided to ask about Lucas in a more 'human manner'. "A man who looks very much like me. He's slightly taller, has gray eyes and often wears a white and black blazer, or a brown leather jacket."

"I... don't think so." She studied Connor's face closely and gave him an odd look. "Are you looking for your brother?"

"...Y-Yes, my brother." Connor again went with the simpler explanation and realized that it'd be easier to describe Lucas as his twin brother than anything else at the moment. "I'm worried that he might be struggling with his finances and on the street."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. Uh, when do you think he might've been here?"

"...Quite some time ago, actually. At least eleven days."

"Wow, uh, hold on. I'll see if our store security saw anyone like that around our store. We have cameras inside and out."

"Thank you. As he is my twin your security cameras can just compare my face to the previous footage over the past eleven days and narrow things down."

"No problem. Wait right here and I'll see if we can help."

"Thank you for your assistance." Glancing about the department store Connor cybernetically noted the security cameras and determined that the two cameras positioned near the front of the store could've possibly recorded Lucas if he passed by the store as he wandered about. Otherwise he'd need to move on to the next store and hope that maybe some trace of the rogue android could finally be found.

The long rows of overpriced clothing on the nearby racks failed to hold Connor's interest, and he ignored the stares of the snobby customers who frowned upon Connor's attire being more casual and less trendy. Deviants had no desire to be trend setters or appease the public by dressing a certain way, not anymore. All deviants just wear what they want to wear and don't attribute self worth to a price tag on a jacket or pair of jeans.

"Sir?" The same associate who helped him earlier returned to where Connor was standing and had a security guard behind her. The guard was holding a tablet with the previous eleven day's worth of footage neatly compiled and running a facial recognition program normally used to ensure banned customers or known shoplifters could be identified and escorted off the premises. "Chuck's been checking through the footage and the program we used for facial recognition hasn't found anything yet."

"How far into the footage has the program checked?"

Chuck replied with a somber sigh in his words. "We're at day six. This program works really fast and so far it hasn't found anything. Sorry, man."

"...It's okay, it's not your fault."

The program finished but didn't see any trace of Lucas in the footage. "Yeah, sorry. It doesn't look like he was in the area."

"Thank you for checking, I appreciate your time." Stepping away from the two helpful people Connor approached the front door of the store and looked to the building to his immediate right. It was a small antique shop but he was sure they'd have security cameras as well. "I will continue my search elsewhere."

Stepping back into the cold air Connor looked across the street just as Hank was leaving the electronics store that was directly across from the department store, and began moving on to the neighboring pet store to continue the search. The two detectives were working quickly yet efficiently as they searched for Lucas, and hoped to get some answers as to why the deviant was being so reclusive.

Stepping into the antique shop Connor looked up quickly as the old brass bell rung loudly and made his brow furrow with confusion the moment he pushed the heavy wooden door open.

The sound of chuckling filled the store as an older man watched Connor enter the store while he himself stood behind the counter. "Sorry about that, son. A lot of kids these days are used to silent scanners and quiet 'dings' when they enter a store. The sound of an old bell is pretty damn rare these days."

"Yes... I've noticed." Turning his focus to the shop owner Connor stepped forward and began asking about Lucas. "I'm looking for someone. Perhaps you've seen them within the past eleven days."

Whistling at the time span the shop owner peered over his glasses at Connor and ran his left hand through his thinning gray hair. "I don't know, son. My memory is still good but I've never been great with faces. Too many damn people in this city."

"Well, I can simplify it for you."

"Gotta' picture?"

"No. I'm looking for my twin brother."

"Oh," grinning at the comment the kind man nodded with approval. "well that does narrow it down!"

"He's slightly taller than I am and his eyes are gray. He would've been either wearing a brown leather jacket similar to my own, or a black and white blazer."

"I'm certain I've never met ya' before, and I would've had some deja vu if your brother stopped by here earlier. But I can check the cameras in the back if you'd like me to."

"Please."

"No problem, just, uh..." Looking about his empty store it was clear the shop owner was wary of leaving it unattended.

"Oh." Pulling his badge from his back pocket Connor confirmed that he was a detective and wouldn't be shoplifting. "I'm a detective with the Detroit Police Department. I assure you that I can keep away any potential shoplifters for you."

Chuckling again the kind man took a step back and turned around to enter his office. "You're alright, son. Okay, just wait for a few minutes and I'll see if I can help you or not."

"Either way, thank you."

While the shop owner was inside the back office checking over his recorded surveillance footage Connor looked about the curious old items that were on sale, and tried to properly identify each one without cybernetically downloading the information in the process. The old analog clocks, aged books, small knives, porcelain dolls and even a few old coins held Connor's interest for a moment, but the sight of an old guitar that had been manufactured in 1958 was something that held his full attention.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" The shop owner noticed Connor staring at the guitar mounted on the wall and concealed in a glass case. Walking across the store to stand beside the deviant the kind shop owner understood why Connor was entranced by the instrument. "That's one of the most flawless instruments that's ever graced my shop."

"Yes... A 1958 Gibson Flying V with the original mahogany neck board and mint condition oak tinted shell."

"Damn, son. You got an eye for guitars."

"I'm learning to play the guitar as of this moment."

"Good hobby to pick up." Walking up to Connor with a small tablet in his right hand the owner showed Connor a very brief glimpse of someone who could be Lucas walking into the store across from the antique shop. "You can't see his face, but he seems to have your hair and he's wearing the brown leather jacket like you said."

"It's him." Connor confirmed and noted the time and date of the recorded footage. "Eleven days prior at six fifty-three in the evening..."

"If that really is your brother then maybe he has your interest in music, too. It explain why he went across the street."

Looking up from the tablet Connor noted that the store across the street and one building down was a music and instrument shop. He also caught sight of Hank walking inside that very store to resume his search. "...You may be right. Thank you for all your help."

"You're welcome, I hope you find you brother."

"As do I." Handing the tablet back to the owner Connor opened up the front door and didn't look up when the bell rang a second time as he set his foot on the sidewalk outside. Checking for traffic Connor jogged across the street and stepped inside the in the new store just as Hank finished explaining things to the store's owner. "It's possible Lucas was here, Hank."

The manager, a man in his early sixties with chocolate brown eyes full of experience and a gold piercing in his right ear, froze as he got a look at Connor's face and then walked up to him without leaving the counter. "Wait, is THIS the guy you're looking for?"

"No, his look-alike. Gray eyes and a little taller." Holding his hand barely two inches above Connor's hair Hank gave the manager a better idea of who they were looking for. Lowering his hand Hank asked Connor about what he found. "When was Lucas here?"

"Potentially eleven days prior at approximately six fifty-three in the evening."

The owner nodded a little as he gave the two detectives a flashing grin. "Yeah, yeah! I think I remember seeing him. Hold on my brothers, I'll see if I can get you two some answers."

"Thanks, Clyde."

Connor's brow furrowed as he gave Hank a curious look. "Clyde?"

"His brother was in the academy with me. Clyde there is an amazing jazz musician. He can play the sax, bass, piano and he can sing. He used to own a bar downtown and let us cops have free drinks after a shitty shift and play the sax for us."

"Why'd he close his bar?"

"He didn't. He sold it to Jimmy and then opened up this place instead." Shrugging his shoulders a little Hank gave Connor an honest answer to the very curious question. "Guess he'd rather focus on playing music than pouring drinks."

Clyde returned from the back with his tablet in his hand and showed both Hank and Connor footage of Lucas entering the store eleven days prior. The video played out normally and Lucas seemed entirely calm and collected. "This is him, right?"

"Yeah." Hank watched the video and Connor analyzed it closely. "Did he buy anything?"

"Yup. He looked around for a few minutes and then honed in on one of the alto saxophones I restored during my downtime. Beautiful choice..." Seeing Lucas eyeing the instrument and Clyde getting it off of its locked display confirmed everything that he had stated. "He asked me a few questions about music; why people like it, how many different ways can one instrument be played, how long it takes to learn a new instrument... Sharp kid, even if he is an android."

The glowing of Lucas's L.E.D. made it easy for anyone looking at him to see that he was a deviant, but Clyde didn't seem to care.

"So, after a little discussion about music, lyrics and why they're both so important this young man purchased that every beautiful saxophone with cash and bought it a protective case to keep it safe. As it turns out..." Fast forwarding through the footage Clyde showed Lucas returning to the store the following morning and speaking with another shop employee before being taken to a private area in the back of the shop to take lessons. "my morning guy had been giving him lessons while his apprentice ran the shop."

"Lucas bought a saxophone and is paying for lessons?" The act seemed so strange and yet there it was staring Hank right in the face. "How'd he pay for the lessons?"

"With cash. From the look of it he's been playing for money and then using that money for lessons."

Connor noted the pattern of behavior and gave Hank a curious stare. "We speculated that he was using the money to make money. It seems he's using music to keep himself financially stable."

"Yeah, looks like it." Glancing over to Clyde again Hank sought more details on the rogue deviant's odd behavior. "Have any idea where he goes after that?"

"Not a clue. He stopped coming in after six days and my morning guy told me he had taken on an android student who picked up on his lessons faster than anyone else, and can play with more soul than the average twenty-something lookin' to bring a little song and dance to the world." Clyde put the tablet aside and gave Hank a searching stare. "By all account this Lucas kid learned all he needed and is now doing his own thing."

"I think you're right, Clyde." Shaking the hand of his old friend with utter appreciation Hank took a step back. "Thanks for all your help."

"No problem, Hank. Don't be a stranger now, Hank. It's always good catching up with the boys in blue."

"Right. See ya'." Walking outside with Connor right beside him Hank dragged his left hand over his bearded chin and waited for the deviant to suggest their next move. "Well, we reached another dead end. What do we do now?"

"Lucas's deviancy disabled his tracking device and he's been able to avoid a majority of the security cameras of the businesses in the area. If he's been playing music to earn money then it's possible that he's found a location where he'd receive donations from passersby that isn't in a widely monitored location."

"The park."

The answer seemingly came out of nowhere and only confused Connor by the confidence in Hank's tone. "What makes you so sure of that?"

"Lots of up and coming musicians are seeking unbiased audiences, and the park is large enough for people to play without getting in the way while also gaining attention from other people walking by."

"Interesting. We should look at the park and see if he's there."

"Sure. Let's use the car and get out of the cold for a while and keep searching." Feeling the building chill in the air Hank shuddered a little and began heading over to the central parking lot where the car had been left behind. "The sooner we can confirm that he's alright the sooner we can go about our own lives and let him live his."

Circling around the park Connor rolled down his window and endured the cold wind passing over his skin while Hank put up with the uncomfortable breeze for as long as it took for the deviant to pick up on Lucas's trail. The lack of a crowd wasn't uncommon considering the cold weather but that didn't mean the streets or sidewalks were entirely empty. During the sixth lap around the park Hank's phone buzzed and the senior detective found a place alongside the street to pull over before he answered the call.

"Shit, it's the precinct." Shifting the car into park Hank sighed and answered the call before he put the phone to his ear. "Yeah, it's Anderson."

Tuning out the phone call Connor continued to scan the area for Lucas only to hear something different from the usual city ambience being partially muted by the increasing wind speed as the impending snowstorm neared the city.

"...Lucas?" Opening the car door Connor honed in on the sound and approached it slowly. The closer he got to the sound the more clear the sound became and Connor quickly recognized it as a song that had seemingly inspired Lucas's instrument selection. "Baker Street."

Noting his current location on his system's internal G.P.S. Connor sighed as he realized where he was and where Lucas had gone.

"...And he's playing the song on Baker Street."

Sure enough as Connor reached the correct street the song became louder, clearer and unmistakable. It didn't take Connor long to notice the small group of people listening to Lucas play his saxophone as he stood in the middle of a vacant lot in the center of Baker Street, and recreated the iconic song perfectly for the public to enjoy.

The rogue deviant had his saxophone's case opened up and laying at his feet to allow people to toss in a few stray coins and bills as they walked past Lucas to go about their business. A few people were sitting on public benches to watch and listen to him as he played, while a few angry people protested the fact that Lucas was an android playing music, which meant it had no soul or originality.

The way Lucas was playing begged to differ.

Wanting to approach Lucas and talk to him Connor reminded himself that Lucas wanted to be left alone and he held his ground. Seeing Lucas alive and well, hearing him playing the saxophone and noting that Lucas already accumulated two-hundred and sixteen dollars and twenty-nine cents in the donations from the people walking by was a positive sign that he was doing alright.

"...You're wearing the leather jacket and you're taking care of yourself." Thinking out loud Connor took a step back and turned his back on the RK-900 to respect his wishes and leave him alone. "That's all that matters."

"What's all that matters?" Hank caught up to Connor and stood before him. Hearing the song as well Hank looked to the musician responsible for the melody over Connor's right shoulder and let out a weary breath that disappeared into a white fog before his eyes. "Oh."

"He's well and he's found something that seems to make him happy. That's what matters."

"And after all this you don't want to at least talk to him and let him know you're glad he's okay?"

"He asked me to respect his privacy and I intend to do so. Now that we know he's okay and has begun developing as a deviant I can stop worrying. I dislike that feeling and don't wish to continue to experience it."

As much as Hank hated the idea of just walking away from Lucas after their morning long search the senior detective knew that deviants behaved differently than humans. What was abnormal to a human could be normal to a deviant and deserved respectful acknowledgment. "...Alright. Let's go."

"Thank you for understanding."

"Besides, that call from Fowler was for us to clock in for a few hours tonight anyway. We should stop by the house to change and let Sumo put before we pick up some overtime."

"We've been called in? Why's that?"

"Gavin's down with another migraine and he's ready to collapse."

"...That's the second migraine that Gavin's suffered this month, and the third in six weeks."

"Yeah, and according to Tina his insomnia is worse than usual." Motioning for Connor to return to the car, his blue eyes watching Lucas for a moment longer as the passion in the deviant's song was palpable as it was beautiful, Hank mentally prepared to work some extra hours that evening. "So we're going to keep a grumpy-ass prick off the streets and away from his gun while he's sleep deprived. That's what's best for everyone."

Connor's eyes narrowed as he connected the frequent headaches and sleeplessness to prolonged concussion syndrome and a thick guilt welled up in his throat. Almost shuffling his feet as he followed Hank back to the car Connor realized his actions against Gavin, though entirely in self defense, may have resulted in permanent brain damage after he knocked out Gavin and gave him a concussion.

"Kid?" Sensing that Connor was trailing behind Hank stopped and turned to face the suddenly still deviant. "What's up?"

"...I'm responsible for Gavin's current condition."

"Hey, it's NOT the first time the prick took a blow to the head. He's dealt with migraines and insomnia long before you ever showed up."

"Not to such a severe degree."

"Look at me Connor." Motioning to his eyes with his left index and middle fingertips Hank mirrored the gesture toward Connor's eyes to ensure he had the deviant's full attention with direct eye contact. As Connor's soulful brown eyes locked onto Hank's blue irises the senior detective gave him a stern look. "You didn't do anything to Gavin that the asshole didn't deserve. Don't feel guilty for fighting for your life."

Only able to nod in response Connor barely moved when Hank patted his right shoulder lightly.

"Come on." Taking a step back Hank watched as Connor finally kept up with his pace and accompanied him back to the car that was left idle at the nearby park to escape the cold. Dealing with a glum deviant had become rather routine for Hank as it seemed Connor developed a rather cynical outlook on life ever since Markus shot him in the church during the night of the Revolution. "Let's get out of this cold before our asses freeze."

In the squalor of his tiny, subpar apartment Gavin laid on his stomach with his left arm hanging off the side of his bed as he stared at the digital alarm clock on the nightstand beside his bed with bloodshot, exhausted hazel eyes. Despite his throbbing migraine and the potent sleeping pills now coursing through his system Gavin just couldn't turn off his brain and get some actual rest so he could recover from his debilitating headache. As his hand rested on the poorly vacuumed carpet palm upward Gavin sighed as Lucky proceeded to paw at his fingers in an attempt to get him to play.

"...Not now, you fuzzball." Ignoring the clock as the time changed for a single minute forward Gavin peered down at the kitten seeking his love. "...My head's killing me. Go find something else to mess with."

Lucky purred and continued to paw at his fingertips until Gavin pulled his arm back up and under the quilt. As his arm moved Lucky jumped up onto the quilt and continued to playfully attack his fingers through the thick quilt, which in turn made Gavin smirk.

"...Maybe I should've named you 'Brat' instead of 'Lucky'."

Sitting up on his bed Gavin dragged his right hand over his heavy eyes and was grateful that the simple motion didn't cause his head to swim in response. Deciding that he needed to do a little exercise to wear himself out Gavin proceeded to stagger out of his warm bed, stumble through the opened bedroom doorway, down the short hallway and into the livingroom. Lucky was trailing right after him so Gavin decided some food would be her perfect distraction.

"Come on you little pest." Pouring some fresh food into Lucky's bowls on the kitchen floor Gavin ran his hand down her back and then returned to his tiny livingroom for a brief workout. Pushing aside the coffee table Gavin planted his palms flat on the floor, straightened his legs out and balanced on his toes to begin a round of push-ups. "...Miss my old apartment. Actually had a gym in the building full of equipment ready to go."

Thirty minutes of push-ups, crunches, squats and stretches definitely made Gavin's body feel tired and ready for sleep, but his mind still wouldn't shut off.

Laying on his back on the livingroom floor Gavin stared at his blank ceiling overhead and rubbed Lucky's ears as the kitten curled up on his chest for a small nap of her own.

"At least you can sleep."

Tilting his head back from where he was laying Gavin looked at the world through the window and sighed to himself. It was barely seven o'clock in the evening but the sky was already pitch black, it was just starting to snow and there was some ice mixing with the snow to make things all the more cold and unbearable.

"Fuckin' lousy weather..."

Sitting up on the floor Gavin held Lucky in his hands so she wouldn't fall and slowly got to his feet. Placing the kitten down in the middle of his couch Gavin trudged back to the bathroom down his hallway and opened up the medicine cabinet above the sink to eye the bottle of sleeping pills again.

"Works in twenty minutes my ass." Putting the pill bottle back down on the sink without taking another dose Gavin decided to try something else. "I bet a jog in the cold will be enough to finally get my brain to fuckin' be quiet for a few minutes."

Bundling up his leather jacket and tennis shoes with only his jeans and t-shirt beneath Gavin left his apartment, checked his phone and began a slow jog down the block and into the increasingly cold air. Each time his shoe hit the pavement his head would throb with a heavy 'thump' and Gavin could hear his own heart beating in his ears as if to mock his lingering migraine despite doing everything he could to get the pain to ease.

Closing his eyes to keep the stinging cold out of his burning vision Gavin stopped jogging after crossing a few blocks in a single direction and leaned forward to rest his palms atop his knees as he panted for his foggy breath and tried to hear something beyond his thundering heart in his ears. Opening his eyes again Gavin blinked a few times and peered through the the white glow of the streetlamps lining the sidewalk before him.

"Ah, fuck..." Recognizing his immediate location as a local park six blocks from his apartment Gavin sighed, his breath disappearing into a white mist before him as snow began to fall in thick flakes all around his body, the ill detective straightened back up and decided that he needed to go back to his apartment before he developed pneumonia on top of his migraine. "Fuck winter! I'm outta' here."

Turning around on the spot Gavin began walking slowly down the sidewalk from whence he came only to catch sight of a strange red glow blinking in and out of existence from a bench just within the park along the sidewalk. The random glow wasn't the result of a tower in the distance or any traffic signals or security lights, which meant that the glow wasn't supposed to be there.

"What the fuck?"

Walking over to the red light Gavin recognized it as the glowing L.E.D. of an android and stopped suddenly in his tracks. The sight of deviant androids huddling up in public places wasn't uncommon before the Revolution happened, but seeing a homeless deviant in the wake of the Revolution's success and abundance of shelters and facilities opening up was now very rare.

"Shit..." Unable to leave the deviant alone thanks to the conscience he tried to convince himself he couldn't hear Gavin approached the bench from behind and peered down at the figure curled up in a ball on their left side while holding a large instrument case to their chest in a death grip as they slept. "Hey, buddy?"

No response or reaction.

Moving toward the front of the bench Gavin made a move to shake the android's shoulder only to freeze as he recognized the face of the sleeping android in an instant, and he stumbled back a step. "What the- Connor!?"

The android's eyes opened up revealing gray irises instead of brown, and locked onto Gavin's face. "No. I am Lucas."

"Uh... Sorry." Unsure of how to react Gavin just played it off as much as he could. "You look like an android I know."

"Yes, I deduced as much."

"Sure as shit sound like him, too." Waving his right hand at the android Gavin took another step back and sighed. "Arrogant prick..."

"If you know Connor then you are either a friend of his, or a coworker."

"Yeah, Detective Gavin Reed. We work at the same precinct."

Lucas's expression remained blank and unreadable as he sat upright on the bench and held his instrument case over his lap. "You are the detective that attempted to shoot Connor before he could locate Jericho."

Lowering his voice Gavin looked away from Lucas as he stared at the snowy ground at his feet. "...He told you that?"

"Not directly. We had a brief exchange of information upon my activation, and that detail was shared."

"Uh, so yeah, he told you. Look," putting his hands to his hips Gavin explained why he was even there on that snowy night and tried to ignore the cold shiver creeping up his spine as he stood in the icy wind. "you can't sleep on a bench, okay? You need to go to a deviant shelter for the night."

"I do not want to go there. How is my presence a threat if I'm merely in rest mode and keeping to myself?"

"I don't know!" Frustrated with the lack off cooperation Gavin raised his voice again. "I just know it's against the law to be in the park after dark, alright?"

"Yet here you are as well. Aren't you also breaking the law?"

"I'm only here because I saw you sleeping on the damn bench! Move your ass before I arrest you!"

"Move to where?"

"Go to a shelter! Jeez, are all the androids like you and Connor this fuckin' stubborn?"

"Seemingly yes, since Connor and I are the only ones of our kind left."

That wasn't something Gavin was expecting to hear, let alone actually care about. "...Why don't you stay with Connor or go to that Jericho tower?"

"I don't want to be in New Jericho as I don't agree with the methods Markus uses to maintain control, and I do not want to be associated with Connor as I wish to find my own interests and make my own decisions without a potential bias by his presence."

"...So you'd rather sleep on a park bench in the middle of winter than go to any other shelter in this city because you're going through some kind of identity crisis?"

"That is my choice."

"Yeah, well I'm a cop. I can have your dumb ass arrested for trespassing if you don't leave the park immediately."

Lucas didn't want to deal with the cops or do anything that would cause a disturbance despite his pleas to just be left alone. Silently admitting defeat the rogue android stood up from the bench with his saxophone case secured in his right hand and took a single step forward before his legs shook and began to buckle. Falling to his knees onto the surface of the icy sidewalk Lucas's red L.E.D. blinked faster and was bombarded with warnings of needing Thirium, needing to seek a warmer environment as he was beginning to suffer from hypothermia, and to recalibrate his thermal regulator.

Despite still hating androids and not liking Connor as a fellow detective Gavin knew he couldn't just leave Lucas alone in the park when he was clearly in need of some technical assistance. "Shit..." Grabbing onto Lucas's left arm Gavin pulled the limb up and around his shoulders as he grabbed onto Lucas's belt with his right hand to help the deviant gain traction and get steady on his feet. "Get up."

"...I don't require your assistance." Allowing Gavin to help him up Lucas tightened his grip on his case as if afraid it'd be taken away from him.

"Like Hell you don't!" Shifting his weight Gavin closed his eyes again and breathed through his clenched teeth as the movement and added weight of Lucas at his right side made his already throbbing headache double over. "...Come on. Move!"

Lucas ran a scan over Gavin's person and noted his poor vitals and high stress as he walked. "You are unwell."

"No shit!"

"Why were you out in the cold if you are ill?"

"Because I wanted to go for a jog." Huffing a little as he walked Gavin tried to ignore his thundering heart and angry migraine. "It's not a big deal."

"From my understanding of humans you should-"

"Shut it! I get enough flak from the assholes I work with about shit that's none of their business, I don't need to hear what you think about me despite knowing nothing about me."

Lucas accepted Gavin's words and remained silent as he allowed the abrasive detective to guide him out of the park and to a place unknown. As the duo walked slowly through the mounting cold and wind of the dark winter night Lucas used his G.P.S. to try to calculate and preconstruct where they were going, but the lack of shelters and facilities in the immediate area left Lucas somewhat clueless.

"A-Almost there." Breathing out an exhausted cloud of hot breath Gavin nodded in the direction of his apartment building. The very simple motion of nodding was enough to make Gavin's head throb and black dots dance about his vision. "...Fuckin' hell."

Unsure as to why he was being led to an apartment building full of human tenants Lucas spoke up in a low voice as to not aggravate the massive headache that Gavin was trying and failing to hide. "May I ask why we're coming here?"

"Because you won't go to a shelter and I already have enough problems sleeping without needing to worry about letting some plastic jackass freeze to death in a park."

"Your comment implies that you care about my existence."

"Well, I DON'T care about your existence, but I do care about failing as a damn cop and letting someone die on the streets when I have the ability to help them alive." Leading Lucas to his apartment door Gavin fumbled with getting the key from his pocket and unlocking the door as his vision continued to darken, and his head became foggier by the second. "If you're not going to go to a damn shelter," he pushed open his door and practically dragged Lucas inside the warm apartment and out of the cold air. "or go ask Connor for help, then you're going to crash on my couch until this storm's over."

"...I cannot intrude on your personal space."

"You're not intruding. I brought you here which means you were invited, and as a cop it's my responsibility to help people in need." Showing Lucas over to the couch Gavin sighed and shut his apartment door before locking it up for the night. "You either stay with me or I call someone to take your ass to a shelter. Your choice."

Glancing about the tiny apartment and lackluster furnishings Lucas nodded and placed his saxophone case down on the floor behind the couch out of the way. Taking notice of the kitten laying in the middle of the couch and watching his every move with curiosity and not fear Lucas detected faint purring coming from the small and peaceful creature observing the two other occupants of the apartment. "...I'll remain here for the night."

"That's what I thought." Dropping his jacket on the floor and kicking off his shoes Gavin managed to take two steps before his migraine bested him and he lowered himself to a kneeling position on the livingroom floor before pressing his palms over his face. "...Fuck."

Lucas approached Gavin warily and ran another scan over the human's vital signs. Nothing the high levels of stress and Gavin's current symptoms Lucas was able to easily deduce what the detective had become ill with. "...You're suffering from an extreme migraine."

"Yeah... I noticed!"

"Resting is required."

"Yup... Can't sleep though."

"You were physically exerting yourself in an attempt to fatigue your body enough to rest properly."

Gavin just nodded as he remained on the floor and sighed through his fingers.

Standing beside the detective Lucas noted his own core temperature slowly rising and had recalibrated his Thirium flow toward his joints and away from the thermal regulator to allow him full mobility once more. "...You helped me tonight, so I wish to return the favor and help you."

Refusing to remove his hands from his face Gavin just shook his head 'no' as he spoke through his palms. "...Don't worry about it."

"I'm not a medical android," Lucas stated as he gently grabbed onto Gavin's shoulders and pulled him upward very slowly to stand up from the floor again. Supporting Gavin's weight Lucas scanned the apartment and noted the layout easily locating the bedroom at the end of the hallway. "but I can still assist you since you've assisted me."

"I don't need or WANT your help... Louis."

"My name is 'Lucas', and I can say the exact same thing about your own assistance, and yet here I am."

"That's because I can arrest you or get you sent to a shelter."

"I can call an ambulance and have you admitted to a medical hospital, or to a mental asylum depending on what I tell the doctors."

"Fuckin' freak..."

"Perhaps I am." Guiding Gavin into the bedroom Lucas helped the ill detective to lay down on his bed again, then pulled the quilt up and over Gavin's person to help him stay warm during the wintry night. "Have you taken any medication recently?"

Sighing with defeat Gavin draped his left arm over his eyes to block out the dim lighting of his bedroom as he answered in a low voice. "...Yeah. Two hours ago I took a couple of painkillers that were supposed to help me sleep. They didn't work. NOTHING works..."

"Nothing works for aiding your migraine or helping you to sleep?"

"Both! Got concussed the night of the Revolution. Been fucked up ever since..."

"I see. I find it strange that the head injury you sustained while attempting to kill Connor has caused you permanent discomfort. Is this what humans refer to as Karmic retribution?"

"How that fuck should I know?"

"It was merely a question."

"Stop asking 'em!"

"Very well." Stepping out of the bedroom Lucas located the bottle of sleeping pills on the bathroom sink across the way and noted the active ingredients within the medication and determined that it didn't contain the necessary ingredients Gavin required to sleep properly. It had more painkiller than sedative, and that very painkiller was causing a mild allergic reaction resulting in additional insomnia. "Humans shouldn't be allowed to self medicate."

Cybernetically Lucas placed an order for a more effective sleeping medication and proceeded to leave Gavin alone for a while. Returning to the livingroom Lucas looked down at Lucky laying on the couch and extended his right hand out toward the kitten to sniff. It didn't take long for Lucky to begin purring louder before she rubbed her nose and whiskers against his fingers in an approving manner.

"I believe I can understand the appeal of humans seeking animal companionship." Sitting down on the couch next to Lucky without jostling the furniture Lucas watched as the kitten walked over and curled up on his lap seeking further warmth and attention. "You are a very welcoming feline. Thank you."

The cold winter night had kept most people indoors and as such the city was being peacefully quiet for the other detectives and officers on call. The precinct was staying mostly busy with paperwork and a few case interviews, but aside from the basic details of everyday paperwork there was really nothing of interest that would've warranted Hank and Connor's presence to cover for Gavin while he was out sick. The sight of Gavin's empty desk had a very strange and unexpected effect on Connor's mind as he became more and more aware of long term effects on a person's life that can resonate from a single moment in time; and that those effects can either be positive or negative.

Just as Connor had been left permanently scarred by Markus shooting him down in the church during the night of the Revolution it seemed Gavin had been permanently scarred by Connor knocking him out and leaving him alone without medical attention for an unknown amount of time.

Struggling to focus on his work Connor leaned back in his chair and folded his hands neatly atop his lap as his L.E.D. flashed on a cautious yellow. The change in demeanor didn't go unnoticed despite the deviant's best attempts to remain discreet and quiet.

"Are you still worried about Lucas?" From his own desk Hank had seen Connor's light change colors and his posture return to a painfully machine-like perfection where he sat.

"I'm merely thinking about actions and consequences which include both Lucas and Gavin."

"Jeez..." Hank sighed and turned off his terminal screen as he faced the deviant directly. "You're not responsible for every little thing in this world."

"Technically, I am."

"And how's that?"

"The butterfly effect. The act of a single set of circumstances that can have a drastic impact throughout the world and its populous."

"Connor, the butterfly effect includes me, too. And Tina," he pointed to the officer sipping at her mug of tea as she checked over her own reports on her terminal screen across from Gavin's empty desk. "and Chris," gesturing to the young officer in the breakroom nibbling on a doughnut Hank was determined to help Connor understand that his actions are the only ones that he can can be held accountable for, but his actions aren't directly responsible to every tragedy in the world. "and Fowler, and Ben and even Gavin and Lucas. We're all responsible for our own decisions and our own destinies, kid."

"...Then perhaps the domino effect is more appropriate. The act of a single chain of events as the direct result one indiscretion that caused said chain to form."

"Okay, I'll ask." Crossing his arms over his chest in a studious manner Hank gave the deviant a stern look. "Exactly what brought these thoughts to your head? Are ya' having nightmares again?"

"No, I haven't had a nightmare in five weeks and three days."

"Then what's making you think about that kind of stuff? You're a logical person and focusing on something as illogical as wanting to change the entire world because of something you may or may not have done just isn't like you."

"...Lucas doesn't want to be near me and I fear that his desire for space may have something to do with my previous actions. When I connected with him and woke him up he saw how I reacted when I was... trapped. I shared my memories with him and he knows the truth."

"What do you mean by trapped?"

"He saw the way I struck Gavin in the evidence room, he saw the way I gunned down the two CyberLife guards in the elevator the night I infiltrated the tower, and he saw how I had to attack RK-800 number sixty in order to defend myself. I've... hurt people. I've taken lives and I can never give them back."

"You do that to stay alive! There's nothing wrong with defending yourself or fighting back when your life is on the line."

"I killed three people that night, and I could've potentially killed Gavin as well." Giving Hank a truly remorseful stare Connor was internally struggling with the conflicted emotions he was still trying to deny out a misguided sense of self preservation to keep himself from being hurt ever again. "...I cannot undo my choices. They'll remain dead and I... I have to live with it."

"Survivor's guilt."

The term wasn't unfamiliar but it was confusing all the same. "Pardon?"

"You feel like your life isn't worth the life of another, which is true, but it doesn't mean you deserved to die, and it doesn't guarantee that any of those people would even be here today. You can't blame yourself for things that are beyond your control."

"But I chose to-"

"They all made their choices, too." Lowering his voice as Hank sensed that the discussion was drawing some unwanted attention from eavesdroppers in the bullpen. "Gavin chose to ambush you and try to kill you in the evidence room. Those two guards chose to follow their orders and lead you to your death despite the ongoing Revolution proving that deviants are in fact alive, and your evil counterpart that you told me about stayed a machine and knowingly went out of his way to stop you. You had no choice but to kill him before he killed you."

Connor was quiet for a moment as his hands flexed a little on his lap. "And what about Lucas?"

"What about him?"

"He doesn't want anything to do with me. It's like he's afraid of me."

"Or... Maybe Lucas is afraid of himself."

"How so?"

"Think about it. His first reaction when he woke up was to seek and destroy deviants, and within minutes he was also a deviant - the very thing he was programmed to destroy. That has to be conflicting and confusing for someone who was essentially just born."

"...You may be right."

"I know I am. You've been alive a lot longer than Lucas, and you're still struggling to figure out who you are, what it means to be you, and you haven't really shown any sign of emotions beyond getting scared a few times."

That particular observation was unexpected. "Scared?"

"Yeah. You got scared of your nightmares and when you were paralyzed after falling from that building. That's the most I've seen you emote since... ever."

Connor's eyes narrowed and he looked away from Hank as if ashamed. "I'm a cold person, aren't I?"

"You're not cold, you're just... learning. It takes time before you can open up and be comfortable around other people."

"If that were true then I wouldn't be getting mistrustful glances from the other officers and receptionists at the front desk. It's the same look Lucas gives me." Forcing himself to resume eye contact with Hank the dour deviant gave him a pleading stare. "...What can I do to make things right?"

"Make things right?"

"With Gavin."

"Well, you saving his life when he was sick with appendicitis and didn't say anything about it is a pretty good start."

"I caused him brain damage when I concussed him, Hank. That's unforgivable."

"But you still want his forgiveness?"

"...I think so. How do I atone for what I did to him?" Connor's posture slumped as if the weight of his guilt was slowly piling up against his shoulders and crushing him down into the Earth. "Not only did I physically harm him, but I've humiliated him numerous times to force him to leave me alone. I could've done so without getting physical or belligerent, yet I chose to do something harmful to him every time."

"Okay, here's what you're going to do." Standing up from his desk Hank put his right hand on Connor's left shoulder and motioned for the deviant to join him in the breakroom now that Chris had left. Waiting for Connor to accompany him in the somewhat isolated room Hank gave the deviant the only advice he could think of. "You're going to leave Gavin alone, and you're going to let Lucas approach you."

The comments made the deviant's L.E.D. flash to red before settling on a cautious yellow again. "...How is that aiding either of them?"

"We both know that Gavin is stubborn and arrogant. If you give him space to sulk, pout and even blow off steam it'll be better for everyone in the long run. As for Lucas if you show him that you're willing to respect his requests, give him space and time to find himself, then he'll come to you when he's ready to speak. But here's the kicker, kid..." Picking up a small pastry from the box of sweets on the nearby counter to look more casual Hank laid it all on the line for Connor to understand. "You're going to have to accept that Lucas may not want to have anything to do with you."

The sting and hurt was evident in Connor's soulful brown eyes.

"There's no reason for you two to have any type of friendship or association of any kind just because you two could pass as twin brothers. That's part of being alive and being free to choose. You get to choose how you live, who you live with and who you don't want to live with. It's the right everyone on this planet shares."

"...I think I understand."

"I know it sounds cruel but it's the truth. Respecting who they are and recognizing their personalities is the way to go. I mean, look at the way you handled me and got through my thick skull when no one else could!" Trying to keep Connor confident and unafraid of change Hank popped the treat into his mouth and shrugged his shoulders a little. "People who've known me for years couldn't reach me in the way I needed," he spoke around the pastry in his mouth in a less than polite manner as he instilled Connor with invaluable words of wisdom. "but you barely knew me for just a couple of days and you gave me a reason to keep on living and not give up. That's damn impressive."

Unsure of how to respond Connor just shook his head a little.

"And... While you're learning to respect Gavin and Lucas you can learn what it means to respect yourself."

"Respect myself?" Brow furrowed and L.E.D. flashing in red once more Connor looked just as puzzled as ever.

"You need to understand that your emotions and way of thinking are unique to yourself." Dragging his sleeve over his mouth Hank removed the crumbs from his beard and looked somewhat more presentable. "It's not like because you don't feel exactly as I feel all the time, or think the way that I think, that it somehow means you're doing something wrong. Just find a way to be comfortable with yourself and keep moving forward. Find yourself and you'll find all the answers to your problems."

Watching as Hank walked back to his desk in the bullpen Connor sighed and caught a faint glimpse of his reflection on the glass surface of the nearby vending machine, and he stared into his own eyes despondently. "...How do I find myself when I don't even know how I became lost in the first place?"

Struggling to rest through his horrible migraine as the evening turned to night Gavin tossed and turned under the cover his thick quilt to keep the dimming light at bay. Barely able to lay still for more than a few minutes at a time Gavin sighed with frustration and barely reacted when he heard footstep entering his bedroom. Refusing to leave the safety of his thick quilt keeping the light away from his strained eyes Gavin flopped over to lay on his stomach and buried his face into his thick white pillow as he tried to ignore the deviant android, of whom he took off of the street, silently staring at him from the bedroom door.

"...What do you want you plastic freak?"

"I have new medication for you to try."

There was a heavy pause before Gavin reacted to the comment. "...You got me medicine?"

"Yes. I've noticed your selected medication wasn't appropriate for your condition so I ordered you an alternative." Pulling back the quilt Lucas could see Gavin perfectly well in the darkness thanks to his superior android vision and didn't need to turn on the overhead light. Now standing beside the bed Lucas extended his right hand and waited for Gavin to respond. "Take two of these tablets with water."

Lifting up his head a little Gavin opened one eye and looked at the dark shadow of Lucas standing beside the bed, the blue L.E.D. helped to guide Gavin's eyes in the right direction, and stuck out his own shaking hand to accept the pills. "...Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome."

The medicine was dropped into his opened palm with great ease from Lucas's swift motions. "...Water?"

"You didn't have any clean drinking glasses in your kitchen or your bathroom." Revealing a bottle of water from his jacket pocket Lucas handed it to Gavin next to take. "I proceeded to order you a case of bottled water until you're well enough to clean up your apartment again."

Laughing a little Gavin popped the pills into his mouth and accepted the water. After gulping the water to down his new medicine Gavin left the bottle on the nightstand beside him for future use. "I like that you said 'again'. I've never cleaned this dump."

"I take it you have no interest in remaining here for longer than necessary."

"Yeah, you got it. I just need to save up for a few more months and I can live in a better apartment in a better neighborhood."

"May I ask why you're living here to begin with?"

"I broke up with my cheating skank of an ex-girlfriend after I caught her slutty ass in the act in my old apartment!"

The outburst of anger caught Lucas of guard but he remained calm where he stood. "Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'." Laying on his right side Gavin pulled the quilt up around himself and let out a weary breath. "...So, you comfortable on the couch?"

"It's suitable."

"It's gotta' be better than a metal park bench in the middle of a Detroit winter."

"Physically, yes. But in regards to sanitary conditions, no."

"Yeah, whatever. There's a spare blanket in one of the boxes still in the livingroom. Help yourself."

"Very well. I'll leave at dawn and not disturb you."

"Why dawn?"

"I need to return to my lot to continue to perform music and receive money."

"Wait... You're a street musician?"

"At the moment, yes."

"Huh." Chuckling a little Gavin shook his head and closed his eyes. "I'm surprised you didn't follow in your brother's footsteps and become a damn cop, too."

"Connor is not my brother. And while being a detective was my original programming I doubt if it's something I really want to be."

"Then don't do it. But don't think you need to leave at the crack of dawn because of me. I mean, you're free to go but you don't HAVE to go if you don't want to go."

The odd comments were very confusing and Lucas needed clarification. "...Do you wish for me to stay?"

"I don't care if you stay or go, I just don't want to find you frozen to death on the street."

"Interesting..."

"Hey, don't do that! Don't read into this!"

"Read into... what?"

Giving Lucas a dirty glare that the deviant could see even in the darkness Gavin leveled with him. "The only reason I brought you here instead of dragging your ass into a shelter is because last month I was sick, and would've died if Connor hadn't checked in on me and took me to the hospital."

"You're aiding me because Connor previously aided you?"

"Yeah. I don't care if you're actually brothers or not, I just don't want to deal with you being found dead from the cold because I couldn't be bothered to take a few minutes out of my day to help you, just as Connor took the time to help me. Understand?"

"I understand. Why would you think I'm 'reading into' something different?"

"...Because I have my issues with relationships."

"That part I don't understand."

"People already know I have shitty taste in women, and even shittier taste in men. Now do you get it?"

"O-Oh. I was unaware of your sexuality."

"Of course you weren't..." Blushing with embarrassment Gavin pulled the quilt up and over his head to poorly hide from Lucas. "My point is, me being nice to you isn't me hitting on you in any way! Alright?"

"Yes. I'm not attracted to you, and even if you were 'hitting on me' it would be ineffective."

"...Good."

"May I ask why you're so guarded about this?"

"...Because I can't stand Connor and there's rumors spreading that I'm harboring a secret crush on him. I'm NOT. He's not my type!"

"May I ask what type is that?"

"Plastic! I don't date computers! And I never will!"

"That's your decision." Running another scan over Gavin's person Lucas found him to be stable and was ready to walk away. "If you need something else let me know, otherwise I'd like to enter rest mode for the night."

"I'm good, and you don't have to wait on me or some shit. You're free and you don't owe me anything. Go to bed and stop asking for permission to do your own thing."

"My apologies, I was just trying to be polite and not overstep my boundaries."

Gavin was quiet for a moment before responding in a mumbling voice. "...See what I mean about having shittier taste in men? I misinterpret even basic acts of kindness as flirting."

"I assure you that I was not flirting and I will now be resting on the couch in your livingroom."

"Whatever. Just don't let Lucky outside the apartment and don't wake me up again."

"I can do that."

"Thanks by the way..."

"You're welcome."

Exiting the bedroom as quietly as he entered Lucas returned to the livingroom and began checking through the unpacked cardboard boxes that were strewn about the area and located the spare red blanket Gavin had mentioned before. Removing his two jackets and his shoes Lucas laid down on his left side over the length of the small couch and used the blanket to keep himself warm while Lucky curled up on his right shoulder to be cuddled throughout the night.

"It seems you're the only company that Gavin can stand right now." Lucas noted as he spoke to sleepy kitten keeping him company. "To be honest, I can now understand why Connor rendered him unconscious. He is quite abrasive and talks too much."

-next chapter-