WARNING:

Physical violence and concepts of revenge explored in this chapter. If you're not a fan of graphic violence, threats or torture please feel free to skip. Also note that this concept is to explore the ramifications of one's actions, not to glorify or condone violence in any way. Please read at your own risk, and only do so if you're in the mental state to handle such a scenario. Take care of yourself!

The prospect of revenge was as disturbing as it was tantalizing. The very notion of tracking down the three dangerous humans and getting revenge for the deviants they assaulted was something that should've immediately gone against Markus's moral fiber, and given Connor enough reason to put a patrol on Markus to watch his every move for even suggesting such a thing. However, in that moment, Connor felt the wicked temptation beckoning to him. He swore to protect Skye from anything and everything in the world, and that included keeping the very men who harmed her at bay. What better way to keep the violent criminals away than by giving them a true warning in the form of a direct confrontation?

Contemplating the suggestion for only a moment Connor looked away from Markus and stared at the sidewalk at his feet as if trying to seek out the solution to his moral problem somewhere buried in the concrete. As an officer of the law he swore to protect and serve, not to seek and destroy. Such behavior was that of a weapon, not a guardian.

"I know what I'm asking you to do." Seemingly able to read Connor's mind Markus empathized with the deviant detective's internal struggle. "And I'll completely understand if you say 'no'. If you don't want to do this I guess the only thing I cou-"

"I'll do it." Lifting his eyes from the ground Connor made himself lock his gaze with Markus standing beside him. Unable to walk away from the offer Connor had no choice but to begrudgingly accept the proposition. "...I'll assist you."

"Thank you."

"Let me make this very clear." Standing up to Markus and staring him down Connor essentially took control over the situation. "I'm only going to do this to protect the victims of the assault, not to assist you in any way."

"That's fine. As long as I can make the men who hurt North feel the same pain she lived through then that'll be enough."

Nodding a little Connor actually agreed with the belief. "...During my walk back to the precinct my search concluded and I know have the names of the three men who assaulted our people."

"They have criminal records?"

"Yes. Two of the men were arrested for sexual battery and assault ten years prior, and the third man was arrested for killing a 'Traci' at the 'Eden Club' two years ago due to the 'Traci' not living up to his standards. The charges against all three of the men were mysteriously dropped after someone with a lot of pull with authority swept their misdeeds under the rug, and paid off the witnesses and victims to 'conveniently' forget what they had seen."

The information left Markus nearly speechless. "...What?"

"Abuse of authority is tragically a real problem."

"What's the connection?" The three men being associated with one another was to be expected, but an unseen fourth party who let them run while was entirely surprising. "Who would let them go like that?"

"...That has yet to be discovered."

Putting his hands to his hips Markus gave Connor a blank stare. "So, what do we do?"

"...My shift ends this evening at six o'clock, meet me at Riverside Park tonight at seven."

"The park?"

"It's a neutral location. I'll proceed to sift through the provided information on the men and track them down."

"Won't that get you into trouble if someone notices what you're doing?"

"Compared to seeking revenge on behalf of victims instead of requesting them come in to the precinct to file a report?"

"...I guess that's true."

"Keep quiet and don't interact with anyone else. Continue to wear what you're wearing, but find a mask. We can't risk these three men being stupid enough or bold enough to try to turn us in if we're recognized."

"All right, I can do that."

"Find a way to establish an alibi as a precaution as well."

"Yeah... I'll do that."

"Go now, I'll do what I can and meet you later."

"Right. Thank-"

"Just go." Continuing on his way Connor left Markus to stand alone beside the parking garage as he went on his way. "I'll meet you later."

Not wanting to associate with Markus any longer than absolutely necessary Connor marched through the front precinct doors without once looking back, and made his way back to the bullpen to finish off his shift as casually as possible. Sitting down at his desk without even acknowledging Hank sitting across from him Connor set about going through his files while also tracking down the trio of assailants through a cybernetic search.

From his own desk Hank sipped at his lukewarm coffee, noted the late afternoon hour and gave Connor a suspicious glance. "So... Where'd ya' go?"

"...I had something important to take care of."

"Can I ask-"

"I'd prefer if you didn't." Cutting Hank off quickly Connor's soulful brown eyes filled with guilt as he realized he was being unnecessarily short with his friend. Seeing the way Hank's blue eyes narrowed caused his L.E.D. to cycle to a nervous yellow before returning to a content blue. "I-I just need some time to handle something on my own."

"Okay, kid." Understanding and impressively patient Hank put aside his mug and leaned back in his chair. All of his paperwork had been filed, all of his reports were done and he had no active cases requiring his immediate attention. "Just answer me one question and I'll let ya' alone."

"...Very well." The request wasn't unreasonable and Connor didn't want to say or do anything to warrant mistrust from his friend. "What do you want to know?"

"Are you in some sort of trouble?"

"...Trouble?"

"I mean, you disappeared without a trace for almost seven hours. No one does that unless they want to hide something, or need to hide something."

"I assure you that I'm not in danger or professional turmoil. I merely have a very important engagement I need to handle tonight, and I'm mildly distracted."

"Is there any way I can help?"

"No, this is..." Trailing off for a moment Connor internally reflected on what he had told Markus minutes ago, and realized he needed the same courtesy extended his way. An alibi. "...In a way, but I can't ask you to do something unscrupulous on my behalf."

"'Unscrupulous'?" Completely taken in by the term and Connor's stealthy behavior Hank's curiosity was piqued. Leaning forward atop his desk and lowering his voice to a near whisper Hank immediately knew something important was happening and he wanted to help. "Kid, you have my full attention."

"...It's a private manner."

"And I can still help out. How?"

Weighing the pros and cons of getting Hank involved in such a scenario left Connor leaning more toward trusting Hank than backing off. After really getting to know Hank as a detective and as a person in general - the wise detective and human having never lost his moral compass while also understanding that risks were worth taking, Connor let out a soft breath and leaned forward as well. Too anxious to say anything Connor closed his eyes and carefully thought out his next words carefully.

"Connor." Using the 'dad voice' Hank was able to pull Connor out of his thoughts and back into reality. Smirking a little as the empathetic deviant blinked his eyes a few times as if to clear his mind Hank gave him a completely sincere stare. "You can tell me what you need and I won't judge you. You're not the first cop to come along and feel a personal connection to a case or a victim."

"...Aren't those feelings frowned upon?"

"Only when a person lets their feelings get the better of them. You're too clever for that to happen, so regardless of what you're doing or thinking about right now, I'm not at all worried."

Taking Hank's words to heart Connor's shoulders slumped a little and his soulful brown eyes swept over the bullpen to ensure that no one was watching him or trying to eavesdrop. "Tonight when we go back to the house I'll need you to possibly provide me with... an alibi."

Raising his eye brows with interest Hank continued to listen very closely to what Connor was about to say. "As much as I want to ask why I know you won't tell me."

"Please. I promise you that I wouldn't ask for something like this unless it was absolutely crucial. After everything's over I'll... I'll tell you the truth."

Without a moment's hesitation Hank agreed to the request and never blinked. "Okay then."

"...Y-You'll do it?"

"Yeah, I'll do it."

"...But, why?" As much as he wanted Hank's help Connor knew such a response was illogical and risky. "I'm not giving you any reason to help me."

"It's because I trust you and I believe you. That's reason enough for me."

Relieved at the unexpected help Connor nodded subtly and sank back in his chair heavily. "...Thank you."

"Sure." Speaking a little louder Hank too leaned back and went about his own business. "Finish up your reports so we can go home and watch the game. I got ten down on the Gears to win by twenty points."

Momentarily confused by the comment Connor quickly realized that the statement was meant as a way of establishing a type of time frame in the event someone was actually eavesdropping. It was a clever ploy to help establish a firm alibi if it became necessary. "...Right." Impressed by Hank's smoothness in the matter Connor tagged on a little as well. "Maybe we can work on my motorcycle afterward, too."

"Damn straight. I want to see what kind of engine you got hiding under that shiny silver frame."

Watching the sun setting in the distance Markus stood at the railing along the Detroit River as it ran along Riverside Park. Facing toward Canada as cars raced up and down the Ambassador Bridge just a few hundred yards away Markus wondered how many deviants once used that exact bridge to escape to freedom before the Revolution, and wondered how many were willing to come back now that their freedom had been granted. Leaning against the cold metal railing with his forearms Markus looked down at the dark river water flowing beneath him and to his wavering reflection on the surface of the water with a sense of unfamiliarity.

No longer the single leader of the deviants, no longer the infamous unknown deviant who hijacked the news broadcast, and no longer seen as the true ally to deviants all over the world Markus began questioning who he really was and who he was meant to be. To seek out brutal revenge went against everything he stood for when he protested peacefully. To feel the need to shed red blood because blue blood was spilled wasn't justice, it was vengeance. To have feelings of anger and hatred flowing in his heart wasn't the way Carl had encouraged Markus to live his life.

There would be no going back. There is no rewinding time or undoing a single mistake. His decisions would be final regardless of the outcome.

"We need to leave."

Turning around quickly Markus looked over his shoulder and spotted Connor wearing a very similar attire to what he had worn when he first infiltrated Jericho the previous fall. The jacket and jeans were identical, while the hoodie was the black D.P.D. hoodie Connor had grown fond of wearing. The black beanie covering the deviant's hair and L.E.D. was a newer one Connor had borrowed from Hank, and the work boots were black with small oil stains soaking into the surface.

"Do you have a mask?" Stepping back and walking toward the street Connor didn't wait for Markus to catch up to him. "Removing the artificial skin from your face won't work this time."

"Yes. I have one." Watching as Connor approached an autonomous taxi idling on the street Markus could tell from the deviant detective's body language that he was already looking for a fight. It seemed violence was inevitable. "Where are we going?"

"I identified the three men and confirmed that they have active hunting licenses."

"They're back in the woods?"

"Yes." Sitting down in the back of the cab Connor waited for Markus to join him before pressing his bare right palm to the cab's G.P.S. terminal to input a very specific set of coordinates rather than an address. "Hunting feral swine seems to be a year round hobby for most hunters in the area. Ironic that humans will happily go out of their way to hunt down dangerous animals, yet have no qualms with attacking and violating their fellow humans or deviants..."

"I don't doubt your ability to track down known criminals." Pulling the thin mask from the internal pocket of his Kevlar vest Markus ran his right thumb over the surface where the tiny refractory panels had been expertly sewn into the fabric. The mask had an incredible ability to alter the wearer's face once it was activated with an electrical impulse. It'd obscure Markus's face perfectly. "But what makes you so sure they're in the forest right now?"

"During my brief return to the house to change my attire I was able to not only identify the three men who are responsible for this atrocious act, but I was able to locate their phone numbers and thus through a cybernetic process of elimination locate their phones. All three phones are in the same approximation as one another, and based on their coordinates the trio are currently in the forest on another hunting trip."

"If they're hunting then they'll be undoubtedly armed."

"Then it's a good thing we are, too." Giving Markus a sideways glare Connor reached into his jacket pocket and revealed the hunting knife he had taken from the house's garage as a weapon. Looking at the shining blade as it glistened in the fading sunlight shining through the tinted windows of the cab Connor stared at his partial reflection on the knife for only a moment before slipping it back into his pocket. "...I know you have a gun."

"Y-Yeah." The weight of the gun in his pocket suddenly felt like a two tone weight. "Only to defend myself."

"Considering you stated earlier that you were planning 'revenge' your current statement is a contradiction."

"...Can't deny that."

Falling silent the two deviants waited for the cab to take them to their intended destination where they'd confront the three humans who harmed their people and attacked two friends very important to them. Neither deviant was willing to break the intense silence between them as the cab exited the city and neared the forest six miles outside Detroit.

Knowing that Hank was going to provide some form of cover in the event he was accused of his impending crime only brought Connor some mild degree of comfort. Having a friend watching his back and supporting his decision made Connor feel as though he was going to end up disappointing Hank once he returned home and told the senior detective the truth about what he had done in regard to the revenge. The internal conflict of wanting to make Hank proud of him for his personal accomplishments and productive work as a detective weighing against the promise he made to Skye to protect her made Connor's heart ache and mind race.

One promise shouldn't have to undo another.

Awkwardly washing his hair with just his right hand while his remaining left arm was wrapped up under thick bandages and plastic wrap, Gavin sighed as the steam from the shower helped stave off his headache and the pounding water felt great on his tired and sore muscles. After using a washcloth to remove the old sweat from his skin and remove the lingering stench of the hospital from his body Gavin began to slowly feel more like himself. Turning off the shower Gavin awkwardly tried to wrap a towel around his waist, but failed. Choosing to use the dark red bathrobe hanging on the back of the door instead Gavin wrapped up and managed to tie the belt around his waist in a very messy but effective knot, then tucked the empty left sleeve into itself.

Peering at his reflection in the mirror over the sink Gavin stared at the thick and dark stubble growing over his face and longed for a nice hot shave, but knew that it would be risky to do with just one hand. Dragging his fingertips over the stubble Gavin sighed again and stepped out of the bathroom to return to the livingroom for a moment before he decided to go to his bedroom and struggle to redress himself with just one hand.

As he trudged into the livingroom Gavin noticed an odd brown box wrapped up in packaging paper was sitting on the coffee table. The box must've been delivered while he was in the shower, but he didn't have anything coming in the mail and he knew that deviants didn't splurge and buy things for themselves or on a whim.

"Hey, Lucas?" Calling to his roommate as Lucas carefully poured Lucky a calculated amount of food to control her weight Gavin pointed at the package on the table with a confused stare in his hazel eyes. "What's that?"

"It's for you."

"Me?"

"Yes." Putting the food away Lucas gave his roommate an amused grin. "Remember when you make a comment about a quill and parchment paper?"

"Holy... You seriously bought that?"

"Yes." Standing in the kitchen as Lucky rubbed against his ankle on her way to her bowl still being held in his hand Lucas explained the package's origins. "It took some time to locate everything necessary, but I found it."

"Why are deviants completely deaf to sarcasm?"

"We're not." Putting Lucky's food bowl on the floor of the kitchen Lucas joined Gavin in the livingroom. "I just decided to see if you're a man of your word."

"Said what?"

"You said you'd write Aaron a love letter if I could find you a writing quill, inkwell and parchment paper."

Blushing a pale pink at his previous comment Gavin suddenly remembered the odd previous discussion they had. "...Oh."

"Go ahead, try it."

"Fuckin' deviants are so fuckin' weird..." Sitting down on the couch with a heavy drop Gavin fumbled a little to tear open the paper and reveal the cardboard box underneath. Tearing open the clear packing tape over the box Gavin pulled back the cardboard flaps and peered down the very carefully wrapped glass inkwell, long quill and the glass bottle of black ink tucked inside. "How in the hell did you find this?"

"There are several antique dealers in the city who have very interesting connections." Sitting down on the couch beside Gavin as the detective pulled out each item one at a time Lucas motioned to the carefully packed parchment at the bottom of the box. "Do you know how to write in calligraphy?"

"Why in the fuck would I know that?" The question was as strange as it was unexpected. "My school didn't bother to teach cursive, let alone calligraphy."

"I was just curious."

Setting up the ancient stationary on the coffee table Gavin looked at the quill, looked at the ink and sighed. "...Fuck me."

"What's wrong?"

"Dude, I can't open the bottle of ink to pour into that jar... thingy, let alone sit down and write out a mushy love letter! I'm not that kind of person."

Unwilling to accept defeat so easily Lucas pressed the matter in a kind way. "Have you written such a letter before?"

"No. Like I said, I'm not that kind of person."

"How can you be certain until you try it?"

"Now you're starting to sound like Tina at lunchtime."

Understanding the reference only too well Lucas absentmindedly pressed his right palm over his torso. "...I've noticed she has a tendency to try to get people to eat things they have no curiosity about."

Noticing the hand motion and the way Lucas's L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment Gavin knew that the deviant was still reeling from his last lunch date with Tina. "Stomach still hurt from that spicy stuff?"

"Yes. It seems Thirium-based curry is quite... potent."

"At least she didn't get you to try kale or any of those weird vegetable smoothies. Those are nasty! They also give ya' gnarly gas..."

"I'll take your word for it."

Sighing a little Gavin grabbed at his left shoulder and rubbed his palm over the tense muscle as if he could somehow work out the pain through massage instead of relying on the painkillers. "Shit..." Struggling to adjust to his new physical changes and limitations Gavin fought to hide his pain. "...This sucks."

"You need your medication."

"I don't want to keep poppin' pills."

"You're not 'popping pills', you're taking your medication at the proper dose at the proper time."

"...That's what my mother used to say."

"You're not her, you're not an addict."

"...Yeah, sure."

Seeing the depression building in Gavin's increasingly downcast gaze Lucas contemplated telling him about the bionic arm just sitting under the couch out of sight, but then decided such a thing would only rub salt into the literal wound. The time wasn't right and Gavin's surgical incision and sutures still needed to heal properly before even attempting to attach a prosthetic limb anyway.

"Gavin, would you like me to show you how to write in calligraphy?"

"Fuck no! I can write just fine without some hoity-toity fancy scribbling technique behind it..."

"Do you want me to help-"

"I can do this!" Stubbornly and quickly Gavin set about removing the plastic protecting the quill and then managed to hold the bottle of ink in his right palm while using his fingers to curl around the lid to twist open the glass bottle. Smugly Gavin put the bottle down on the table and motioned to it as if he just solved the oldest mystery in the world. "See?"

"I see." Smirking a little Lucas leaned back against the couch and watched as Gavin dipped the quill into the ink right out of the bottle, then used the ink covered tip to write out a small message on the side of the cardboard box it had come in. "Now what're you doing?"

"Practicing." Watching as the ink bled a little until he found the appropriate pressure and angle to hold the quill Gavin managed to scrawl out a short but very eloquent message for Lucas to read. "There! What do you think?"

Reading the shaky and uneven letters easily Lucas's blue L.E.D. cycled a little fast as he gave Gavin an odd look. "...'Fuck the world'?"

"If you can read it, then my handwriting's good enough."

"...I suppose that's true."

Holding the quill in his right palm over the box Gavin theatrically dropped it into the box as if feeling triumphant. "I'm going to go change into real clothes and then I'm going to order a pizza."

"You are?"

"Yeah, I'm starving. I'll give you the money and you pay the delivery dude so I don't have to deal with it."

"Yes, of course." More than happy to help his roommate now that Gavin was behaving more like his usual self Lucas approved of his choices that night. "That won't be a problem."

"Whatever..."

Almost proud of Gavin's gruff answers and sudden increase of appetite for greasy and unhealthy food Lucas didn't put up any kind of argument whatsoever. Seeing any form of life returning to Gavin's person and demeanor was a very good sign of recovery that Lucas happily relayed to Aaron and Tina though cybernetic texts. Staying on the couch while Gavin walked down the hallway and disappeared into his bedroom Lucas stared at the drying ink on the cardboard box for a moment until Lucky hopped up onto the couch to sit beside him as she licked her paw, and washed her whiskers.

"It seems Gavin is going to recover after all."

Petting Lucky's ears as he spoke Lucas felt a little better about the entire tragic situation finally coming to an end. Peering at the cat beside him Lucas shook his head and sighed as he noticed that she really was getting fat.

"You are putting on weight, Lucky."

Looking at the rounded furry belly on the fluffy cat Lucas decided he'd need to put her on a diet while also helping Gavin get his weight back up.

"After Gavin's arm has healed I'm going to suggest he try to use the bionic arm to replace what he's lost. Hopefully he'll be cooperative or at least listen to reason when that time comes..."

Using a little hacking and clever planning Connor pressed his exposed right palm against the autonomous taxi's screen where one types in their address of interest, then began to cybernetically override the cab's safety protocols so the doors could be forced open while the cab was still in motion. Forcing open the side door Connor crouched down a little and gave Markus a subtle nod over his shoulder before he carefully leapt out of the vehicle, and rolled a little as his body met the grass running along the road. He came to a graceful stop on his right knee and left foot without a single scratch. Not long after Markus appeared near his side right after mirroring Connor's movements, and managed to leap from the still moving vehicle without harming himself in the process.

Standing up and scanning the immediate area Connor noted that there were no other cars, deviants or humans in the area. The only life signs he could easily detect belonged to the local wildlife; wild hogs, birds, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, skunks, opossums, deer, foxes and few coyotes. Satisfied that he and Markus weren't going to be noticed Connor led the way through the dense treeline and promptly located a faint hunting trail snacking along the forest floor.

"This way."

Stepping through the treeline behind his ally Markus glanced about curiously. "How can you be sure?"

"There are boot prints in the grass that are only four hours old." The advanced programming in Connor's model let him see things the average deviant could not see. "These are three distinct sets of boot prints as well."

"The trio we're looking for..."

"Stay behind me at all times."

"Why?"

"I can see the trail and I can detect any potential traps or motion cameras the hunters may have set up to catch their prey."

"Shit. Cameras?"

"I can disable any and all cameras before they have a chance to record us. It'll appear as though the cameras either lost power or simply didn't react to anything moving in the area."

"That's handy..."

Walking slowly and carefully Connor easily matched the boot prints of the three hunters he was in search of. Navigating for nearly a half mile the two deviants ventured deep into the forest in search of the dangerous men.

Stepping over a downed log and hearing a flowing stream a few yards away Connor held out his right arm and pointed with his left hand at a large elm tree in the distance. "Camera."

"Did you disable it?"

"Yes. It's been-" A strange sound of an animal in distress as well as a small jingling bell caught Connor's ear. Trailing after the sound out of his own curiosity Connor walked toward the sounds while Markus stayed behind him. Peering through the brush running along the stream Connor spotted a doe completely ensnared in a trap that was meant for a passing wild hog. "...It's a deer."

The deer, a doe, had her rear right leg ensnared around her hoof in a tight cable that had a small bell attached to it designed to ring when an animal became trapped. Judging the trap based on its design and location it was meant to catch a wild hog when they came to the stream to drink. Instead it caught a doe well out of deer hunting season, and unless the hunters came back to free her she'd die or starvation, exposure or from an opportunistic predator.

Having never seen a deer in person before Connor stared at the creature with awe and then anger. She was strung up in a trap and struggling to get free, and no one else could help her. Feeling particularly petty and vindictive Connor approached the struggling doe cautiously and motioned for Markus to keep back. Nearing the doe Connor suddenly noticed that there was a fawn hunkering down in the brush out of fear while staying close to the trapped doe.

"...And she has a fawn."

"Is it hurt?"

"No." Running a scan Connor didn't see any blood or physical trauma coming from the fawn, or the doe. "I think it's just scared."

"What're you going to do?"

"Free the doe." Approaching the trapped and frightened animal very slowly Connor watched as the doe panicked, tried to run and toppled onto her right side as her three remaining freed legs kicked about wildly. "...It's okay. I'm going to help you."

"Connor, I know you want to-"

"I got this." Staying calm and quiet Connor knelt beside the doe while keeping out of kicking range and used an impressively soft voice to speak to her. "I know you're scared, but I'm going to help you. I don't want you to be trapped here."

The doe made pathetic noises of distress as she kicked again.

"...I don't blame you for being afraid of humans, but I'm not a human. I won't harm you."

Staying back as instructed Markus watched as Connor pulled the hunting knife from his jacket pocket and placed it on the grass beside him. It was fascinating to see Connor slowly reaching his right hand over to the doe's side and place his palm down in a very gentle manner. As the deviant detective lightly patted the doe's side Markus swore he saw the compassion of Connor's heart that had been locked up and hidden from the world due to his own actions against him during the Revolution.

With the doe now slightly calmer Connor picked up the knife with his left hand and used it to easily cut through the tight snare around the doe's trapped leg and free her at last. The moment the snare snapped the doe rolled from her side and onto her belly to curl her four legs under her body for a moment, before getting up onto her hooves and standing her ground since Connor was precariously close to her fawn.

Wisely Connor pocketed the knife and backed away very slowly from the freed deer until he was back into the brush near Markus. "...The doe wasn't the hunters' target, but she was a victim all the same."

"...Yeah." Watching as the doe shook out her freed leg and then reunited with her frightened fawn who had also rose to its hooves Markus smirked a little, and took in the beautiful sight of nature before him. "You took a huge risk doing that. She could've hurt you or even killed you with one strong kick."

"As we've both already agreed, some things are worth the risk." Continuing down the hunting trail Connor easily navigated the darkening pathway in the West with Markus right behind him as the sun finished setting. Able to easily navigate the darkness the deviant detective found the trail of the three hunters and detected their vital signs in the distance. "...Their camp is five hundred meters ahead of us. Keep quiet and put your mask on."

"Right."

Doing the same Connor pulled a similar mask from his jacket pocket and placed it over his face to conceal his identity. Such masks that he and Markus were wearing had been outlawed eight years prior, but that didn't stop rich collectors and law enforcement from getting their hands on such useful items. Fully disguised and ready for a fight Connor crouched low and stepped very slowly as to not snap any twigs or disturb the surrounding wildlife trying to go to sleep for the night.

Whispering cautiously Markus glanced about the surrounding forest for any sign of their targets. "Anymore traps?"

"None that'll get in our way."

"Good." Making sure to match Connor's pace and footsteps Markus managed to keep up with the deviant detective while also gazing upward to watch the stars peeking through the tree canopy overhead. It was a beautiful sight and the air was calm and tranquil all around them. "...Too bad we're not out here to enjoy the view."

Not commenting on the observation Connor just continued on his way until he heard the loud drunken laughter of their intended targets. Putting out his right arm again to stop Markus from walking any further Connor honed in on the voices and gauged their current state of inebriation. They were undoubtedly drunk, but not so drunk that they wouldn't be able to put up a fight if confronted directly.

"Keep low and quiet. They're just ahead."

Crouching down Connor followed the light of the campfire as it burning brightly through the next treeline. Focusing his mind and steeling his emotions the empathetic deviant reminded himself that he was about to confront three very dangerous criminals who had assaulted eight innocent deviants in one of the most vulgar and cruel manners possible. As a detective it was his job to stop people like that from harming anyone under any circumstance. He was just trying to do what was right.

At least, that's what he kept telling himself over and over again...

Reaching the line of trees and weeds that encircled the hunters' campsite Connor peered around a large oak tree and watched the three men shouting, laughing and drinking beer around the fire as they sat in collapsible folding chairs. There was a large cooler full of partially melted ice and beer cans near the men, as well as a large tent and a tarp that had two hog carcasses wrapped up for transportation behind them.

'That's them.' Connor confirmed cybernetically as his facial recognition software identified each man in turn. 'They're the ones we're looking for.'

'Who the hell are they? What connection do they have that lets them do whatever the hell they want?'

'The man on the left is Chase Froth.'

Sitting in the chair and laughing hysterically Froth appeared to be the average man of average height and build going about his business, but in reality he had a hot temper and had numerous complaints filed against him by ex-girlfriends and his ex-wife. Froth was one of the men who had been arrested for sexual battery but released with only a slap on the wrist as a punishment. Keeping his greasy blond hair pulled back in a messy ponytail Froth's face was entirely visible in the firelight. A large chin was covered under unshaven stubble, his gray eyes were cold and bloodshot from drinking, a scar over his left eyebrow indicated a history of fighting and a faded tattoo indicating a hatred of women was visible on the back of his right hand.

'The man in the middle,' Connor continued in an emotionless tone that was nearly a growl. 'is Irwin Syracuse. He's the one who killed the "Traci" at the 'Eden Club' and was permitted his freedom after paying a minor fine.'

Irwin had a reputation of bullying his coworkers and getting suspended from his construction crew numerous times. The man was a towering six foot four and two-hundred and eighty pounds of muscle. His head was shaved bald and he had a scruffy brunette beard over his chin. His brown eyes were bright and almost orange in color. Wearing a worn-out tank top that showed his massive arms it was easy to see Irwin's numerous healed scars from previous fights and construction work, as well as outdated and poorly designed tattoos showing swastikas and other symbols of hatred covered his entire right arm.

'And the man on the right,' the third man was the most drunk, and practically falling out of his chair in a drunken slumber. 'is Dugal Karrar. He was the accomplice to Froth's crime regarding the assault and sexual battery charges.'

Seemingly the least threatening of the three men Dugal was was short and scrawny. Like Irwin he had a temper and had multiple restraining orders filed against him by his previous girlfriends. Barely five foot five in height and maybe one-hundred and forty pounds in weight, it was clear Dugal was suffering from a bit of Napoleon complex and it kept getting him in trouble.

Markus was instantly angered as he too recognized the men from the memories North shared with him. 'What do the three have in common?'

'They're friends from high school.' Connor replied quickly. 'They apparently never grew-up despite graduating sixteen years prior.'

'And who do they know with enough power to keep their sorry asses out of jail?'

Letting out a soft sigh of disappointment Connor answered the question honestly. 'Another high school friend. Walter Nero.'

'Th-The mayor?!'

'Correct. It seems the mayor isn't afraid to abuse his power when it serves him well.'

'How could getting those assholes off the hook help Nero in any way?'

'Froth owns a private security company. The very company that trained the mayor's bodyguards.' Relaying the information as he watched Froth and Syracuse grab onto Karrar's arms to drag their passed out friend over to the large tent, Connor knew their opportunity was near. 'Syracuse sealed a deal with the mayor regarding construction and reconstruction projects, which is why he hasn't been fired despite his numerous errors at the construction site.'

'And Karrar?'

'Karrar is part owner of a local brewery. Having such a connection gives the mayor unfettered access to high quality bourbon, wine and other liquor that he can use to to impress people at City Hall, or give to his friends and family.'

'Son of a bitch... We're looking at three violent men who are permitted to roam free because the mayor who is supposed to be looking out for the entire city wants to pad his wallet or build a reputation.'

'His reputation is already known...' Keeping an eye on the hunters' every move Connor waited until all three men were sleeping inside their in tent before making a move toward them. 'It's about as respectable as you'd expect.'

'When we're done with them we should go after the mayor.'

'I assure you I already have an adequate punishment for the mayor lined up. Think of it as insurance that'll protect us if these three men somehow learn our identities and try to press charges against us.'

'That's comforting. What of our alibis?'

'Hank is covering for me. What about you?'

'I used the mansion's security program to track movement in the mansion to make it appear as if I'm there. Carl had android canaries down in the foyer, and so I programmed one of the canaries to fly around the mansion at timely intervals to fool the security program into recording "me" walking around all night.'

'Clever. I'm impressed.'

'Thanks.'

The sound of the tent being zippered up echoed through the trees as the trio of drunk hunters settled down for the night. Wanting to make sure all three men were completely asleep before even entering the campsite Connor stayed crouched down behind the treeline and used his scanner to track their vital signs from the distance.

'Once all three have fallen asleep we'll make our move.' Glancing at Markus beside him Connor pulled his knife from his pocket and held it tight. 'If we do this there is no going back. Are you ready?'

'...Yes.' The urge to protect North and the other deviants was too powerful to be dismissed. He needed to make the men who harmed North suffer. 'We'll do what we need to do, and never mention this night to anyone.'

'Agreed.' Slowly turning the knife about in his hands Connor fearlessly and patiently waited for their chance to move. 'Only you and I will know the truth about what happens to these men tonight.'

Sitting in the middle of the large leather couch with Sumo sitting on the floor beside his right leg Hank watched the Gears game to help keep up the alibi's believability, but he couldn't really concentrate on the game itself. Rubbing his right palm over Sumo's soft ears the senior detective tried to not worry about Connor going out and doing whatever it is he needed to do. The secretive behavior and cryptic answers rose so many red flags in Hank's mind as he just knew the deviant was doing something incredibly risky. Ignoring such red flags made his head spin and his stomach knot with dread and anticipation for when Connor finally returned home.

Staring at the television screen just as the Gears scored another three point shot Hank sighed and patted his palms rhythmically over his knees before he stood upright from the furniture. Stepping around Sumo with a wide motion Hank made his way into the kitchen just to stare blankly into the refrigerator as if the contents within could provide him a distraction he needed through mindless snacking.

The pattering of nails clicking over the linoleum floor behind him made Hank turn to face Sumo as the massive Saint Bernard followed him into the kitchen. Closing the fridge door Hank put his hands to his hips and looked down at Sumo with a sympathetic stare in his blue eyes.

"Don't tell me you're worried about Connor, too."

Letting out a soft whine Sumo tilted his head to the side as if trying to answer the question.

"Yeah, I figured as much. Good dog."

Grabbing Sumo's large bag of chow from the pantry Hank poured Sumo some food into his bowl, then decided to check on the blue betta in Connor's bedroom. As expected Baron was swimming about in perfectly clean water and had already had his morning flakes which meant he didn't need to be fed again.

Peering at the bright blue fish swimming about in the small aquarium, alive and well, Hank sighed and took his leave of the bedroom.

"The kid's a natural when it comes to taking care of other people, animals AND plants. Too bad he doesn't take care of himself in the same way."

Returning to the livingroom just in time to see the second period of the game just beginning Hank rubbed his right palm over the back of his neck before walking around the couch and plopping back down in the center cushion where he had been sitting before. Ignoring the temptation to send Connor a text or call him to ask about what was going on, Hank just fell to his left side to lay over the length of the couch to try and stop worrying for a minute.

"...Game's not fun to watch without someone to bet against. Kid owes me money no matter the final score is!"

Less than an hour after the three men returned to their tent to sleep off their drunken stupor Connor's scanner indicated that the trio were all deeply asleep, and unaware of two deviants stalking them from the treeline. With the men completely oblivious of their presence the deviant duo stepped through their floral cover and set foot on the campsite without making a single sound. Markus checked over the tarp where the dead hogs were wrapped up, and located a canvas wrap securing a dozen different hunting knives and a large two barrel shotgun. The gun was loaded with buckshot and the knives were covered in blood that he assumed belonged to the dead hogs laying nearby.

Connor checked over the tent and located a large metal footlocker sitting behind the tent that secured the hunters' other weapons and supplies. Opening the footlocker Connor crouched down and scanned over the contents with an angry glare and twisted stomach. The unnecessary amount of birdshot, buckshot, tranquilizer darts, various poisons, shotgun shells, shotguns of various calibers, tracking bullets, snares, nets, rope and bear traps all contained inside the case was enough to make Connor's blue blood boil with a quiet rage.

'Markus, these men are armed to the teeth and many of their weapons of choice are illegal.'

'How so?'

'They're using diethylstilbestrol, medroxyprogesterone acetate, cyproterone acetate and flutamide. These are drugs used in chemical castration.'

'Why would they have those kinds of chemicals?'

'They're hunting feral swine that are breeding in large numbers and breeding frequently. They're undoubtedly using these chemicals without a proper clearance to try to control the swine population while tracking the swine through the forest. If they alone are successfully hunting the swine then they can potentially collect a bounty provided by the county for their kills.'

'These assholes are profiting off of the deaths of innocent creatures? They really are monsters.'

'They also have a large arsenal of guns and tranquilizers: Azaperone, Detomidine, Haldol, Ketamine and Carfentanyl.'

Meeting with Connor behind the tent Markus crouched down as well and looked at the powerful chemicals that Connor had uncovered. 'These guys seem to have no problem with throwing around their weight, bullying and assault...' Picking up one of the shotgun shells Markus eyed it bitterly and gave Connor a somewhat vengeful glance. 'True justice is about balance and harmony. Think these guys should get a dose of their own medicine?'

Selecting one of the preloaded tranquilizer darts from the footlocker Connor held it in a tight grip and gave Markus a single nod. 'Let's start with the tranquilizers and work our way up.'

Taking a dart of his own while Connor picked up a second dart Markus alongside Connor crept near the front of the tent, quietly unzipped the secured flap and proceeded to carefully, one at a time, use the tranquilizer darts to keep each man in a deep sleep. Sticking the darts in the mens' left thighs to ensure maximum effect Connor's scanner confirmed the successful administration of the tranquilizer, and noted that the trio were completely unconscious.

"Get the rope." Connor stated out loud as being quiet was no longer an issue. It was clear he had a plan and wasn't going to back down. "We're going to bind these assholes to their chairs and give them a very rude awakening..."

Slowly eating a slice of pizza as his empty stomach wasn't too keen on handling a lot of grease at the moment Gavin watched Lucky rolling around in a playful manner at his feet as she begged for a piece of the pizza for herself. Noting that Lucky was definitely getting pudgy Gavin refused to cave in to her adorable wiles and didn't give her anything from his plate. Instead Gavin used his foot to gently push Lucky away as she continued to roll around and try to charm her master into giving her the pizza. Instead of taking the hint and walking away Lucky just tried even harder to get Gavin to give her some pizza by purring loudly and rubbing against his ankle.

Lucas had noticed Lucky's behavior and found it odd that she was hungry again. Making a move to pick the cat up from the floor Lucas contemplated taking her to the vet to get her on a proper diet, then decided he'd keep her on a controlled meal schedule for a week to see if there was any change.

"Keep her away from me." Gavin stated as he took another bite of his greasy slice and let out a small sigh. "I'm eatin' slow, but that doesn't mean she gets to help me out before it gets cold."

"I'm aware." Placing Lucky down on the couch Lucas pet her back softly and decided to run a quick scan over the cat to ensure she wasn't suffering from an underlying condition such as diabetes or hypoglycemia. "Maybe she's bored and she's..." His scanner quickly picked up on the cause of her behavior. "Oh."

"'Oh'?" The odd comment made Gavin give his roommate an equally odd glance. "What's 'oh' about?"

"...I believe I discovered why Lucky is putting on weight and seems to be constantly hungry."

"What's up?"

"...She is approximately seven weeks pregnant."

"She- What?!" Getting up from the kitchen table Gavin marched over to the couch to stare at his cat while he used his right palm to cup at his still sore left arm in a protective manner. Looking over Lucky's changing physique carefully, her thick fur disguising her condition for quite some time now, Gavin sighed and shook his head. "...Are you sure?"

"Yes. I can detect four additional heartbeats emanating from her body."

"Four? Okay... That's not too bad."

"Gavin, what's wrong with her having a litter of kittens?"

"Aside from the strict ONE pet per apartment clause in our lease, it's hard to re-home kittens to people who won't hurt them."

The worrying statement made Lucas's blue L.E.D. flash to yellow with confusion. "What do you mean 'hurt them'?"

"Some assholes like to use kittens as food for their pet snakes or chew toys for their dogs. Some people even use 'em as target practice or ship them off to labs to be cruelly experimented on!"

"...We won't let that happen! I know it."

"Damn right!" Petting Lucky's ears softly Gavin gave the cat a somber stare. "Besides, it's my fault. I put off getting her spayed until it was too late. If I had taken her to the vet once she was six months old she wouldn't be in this mess."

"...I'm also responsible. I let her outside where she mated without us knowing." Accepting his own blame in the situation Lucas began making a plan of action to take after the kittens were born and taken care of. "Once she's finished with her litter I'll take her in for an appointment to get spayed, and make sure she's caught up on all her shots."

"Yeah, sure." Moving his hand from her ears to under Lucky's chin Gavin sighed again, and decided to take the lead on the situation. "She's got about two weeks to go before she delivers, so let's give her all the food and water she wants and we'll convert the laundry basket into a little nest."

"A nest?"

"Yeah. Line the bottom of the laundry basket with a clean and thick towel, then drape another one over the top to keep about three quarters of it covered. She can have the kittens in a safe and warm place inside the basket, and if we need to move her around we can pick up the basket by the handles. Put it in the livingroom so Lucky gets used to it, and doesn't try to deliver under one of our beds or something."

Impressed by Gavin's reaction and method of handling Lucky's condition Lucas knew that Gavin was speaking from personal experience. "You've been through this before, haven't you?"

"...Yeah. My foster parents also fostered animals at the human society so they could be adopted. I've had to play midwife to cats and dogs a couple times before. It's messy and time consuming, but not nearly as dramatic as some people might assume."

"Then you're the expert on this situation."

"Right... Expert." Pulling his hand back Gavin gave Lucky a somewhat annoyed stare but his anger didn't last too long as Lucky purred loudly. "What're you doing to my life, you fuzzy little slut?"

With the three tranquilized men all bound to their chairs around the dwindling light of the campfire Connor gave Markus a studious glance as he pointed to his own throat. Signaling for the deviant to disguise his voice to ensure their identities were as protected as possible Connor then retracted the artificial skin from both of his hands to hide as much of his identity as possible. Staring down the unconscious trio with absolute disgust in his soulful brown eyes, the mask he was wearing kept his gaze concealed behind the refractory layer, Connor mentally steeled himself for the inevitable confrontation with the loathsome group of hunters.

Stepping forward Connor stared at the face of Syracuse, the man who was the first of the three rape Skye, and slapped him across his face as hard as he possibly could. The impact of his right palm across Syracuse's left cheek and eye sounded like an echoing gunshot through the forest, and caused immediate bruising and swelling as the man suddenly bolted awake in a confused panic.

"What the... fuck?" Glancing around as his vision cleared and the tranquilizer wore off Syracuse looked up at Connor and jumped in his seat. Feeling the ropes tied around his chest, forearms and ankles made him panic as he realized he had been assaulted in his sleep. "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!?"

"No one of interest." Speaking with an intentionally garbled voice Connor taunted the man with an aggressive tone. "But for now you can think of me as your judge, your jury and your executioner."

"You're what?!"

Markus stepped up and gave the now conscious man a stern glare that also went unseen under his own mask. "We know what you did."

"What the fuck are you talking about?!"

"You attacked, assaulted and raped eight deviant women eleven nights prior."

"Are you insane?" Scoffing at the notion as if his crime was nothing more than jay-waling Syracuse actually laughed. "You're pissed off because we had some with some plastic?"

"You violated eight women."

"Jealous?"

"Disgusted."

"Oh, please. Are you some pussy little-"

Kicking the man in the stomach with the heel of his shoe Markus silenced Syracuse in a very satisfying manner. "You will only speak when given permission."

"F-Fuck you! You-"

Another kick silenced Syracuse again. "Quiet! You weren't given permission to speak."

Connor proceeded to slap awake Forth and Karrar in the same cruel manner as before, and watched as the awakened duo panicked just like their friend. "You three are violent and dangerous criminals. You abused people and creatures who cannot defend themselves and then cower behind the mayor." Pulling the knife from his jacket pocket Connor brandished it in the camp's firelight in an intimidating manner. "The mayor isn't here. It's just you and us."

"Y-You can't do this!" Froth cowered and begged as he promptly began to sweat in fear. "W-We didn't do anything! I swear we di-"

"Lies." Connor stated without any hesitation whatsoever as he cut Froth off. "We know what you did. We saw every gruesome second of your crimes. As the judge I find your conduct irredeemable. As the jury I find your excuses laughable. And as the executioner I find your lives expendable."

"Fuck... P-Please!" Begging as he sweated even more Froth tried to plead for his life. "I-It wasn't our idea! Irwin said-"

"SHUT IT!" Syracuse growled as if he could somehow take charge of the situation. "That guy has nothing-"

Markus again kicked Syracuse in the chest to shut him up. "QUIET."

Holding up his right palm Connor replayed Skye's memories of the rape from her own point of view and watched the three men pale to a deathly shade. The screams of terror, the begging for mercy and repeated shouts of 'stop', 'no' and 'let me go' echoed in the forest as loudly as they did during the night of the assault. Through Skye's eyes she got a good look at her three assailants and recorded their voices as they taunted her, abused her, struck her, raped her and threw her on the ground before she was spat on.

"From what I've seen and heard you all willingly participated in this heinous act. You're all guilty. You're all criminals. You all need to be punished."

Froth began to hyperventilate in fear. "Th-Those bitches recorded us!?"

"Shut up." Markus slapped Froth over the face and promptly walked behind the tent to drag the weaponized footlocker into full view of the captive three men. Opening the case up for everyone to see after placing the footlocker down between the men and the campfire Markus picked up the glass vials of chemicals, and stared at the cowering men. "They recorded you during the act. They recorded you violating them, threatening them and telling them to 'shut up' as they begged you to let them go. You didn't listen to them, why should we listen to you?"

"Th-They're just plastic! Not-"

"Shut up!" Connor hooked his foot under the leg of Froth's chair and kicked back as hard as he could to cause the man to topple over to his side on the ground. "You assaulted eight women. Human or deviant doesn't matter; you're all vile rapists and a danger to every single woman walking this planet. You need to be stopped before you harm anyone else for your own selfish desires. We're going to stop you."

Syracuse refused to admit he was afraid and tried to justify his actions. "Those plastic whores all came from the 'Eden Club'! We were just using them as they were meant to be used! They had it com-"

Markus chopped Syracuse in the throat to silence him again. "You don't listen to anyone, do you? You're NOT permitted to speak!"

Responding to the man's cruel demeanor Connor reminded the man that his crimes were needed to be punished. "They were machines who were FORCED into servitude. They are free people who said 'no' repeatedly as you held them down and violated them sexually, and beat them physically."

"P-Plastic isn't-"

Having heard enough Markus pulled the gun from his pocket and fired a bullet into the ground between Syracuse's feet to silence him again. The gunshot was enough to cause the man to shut up while Froth promptly pissed his pants. "Deviants. Are. Alive." Keeping the gun in his hand Markus gave the mouthy and arrogant human a soul burning glare. "Keep running your mouth and you won't be."

Karrar began to openly weep as he begged for forgiveness. "P-Please! I swear it was Irwin's idea! H-He found them walking through the woods a-and he said it was an easy score!"

"'Score'?" Markus repeated the word with audible disgust thick on his tongue. "Attacking helpless women is not a fucking game to be won! You may not have planned the assaults, but you willingly participated all the same. You're ALL guilty."

"W-What're you going to do?" Whimpering and trying to disappear into himself Karrar dared to ask about his punishment. "...What's going to happen!?"

"You're going to understand the fear that these eight victimized women all felt. You're going to understand the pain they went through." Slipping the gun back into his pocket Markus refused to break eye contact with the cowering man. "You're going to feel as helpless, powerless and scared as they felt when they begged for mercy and you didn't listen."

Froth, still laying on his side on the ground, began to cry as well before he vomited up his beer and mounting fear into the grass.

Syracuse was still trying to feign confidence as he mouthed off again. "...You ain't going to do anything to us! You don't have the bal-"

A strong kick to the chest silenced Syracuse again as Connor shut him up in a very effect manner. "Before this night is over none of you will."

"Wh... What're you t-talking about?" Coughing and struggling to catch his breath Syracuse stared at Connor through tear filled eyes.

Silently Connor picked up one of the glass vials of the chemicals that caused castration from the footlocker, and waved it in a taunting manner before Syracuse's eyes. Being able to expertly identify each chemical through his advanced software and programs Connor knew exactly what he was doing, and what the final results would be.

Within seconds the hunter recognized what was about to be used against him and began to panic. "N-No! You wouldn't!"

"More like I 'couldn't', at least under normal circumstances. However, since you are armed with illegally obtained chemicals and drugs I'd be a fool to walk away from such an opportune moment."

"No! Don't! You don't know what-"

"I'm very aware of what these chemicals will do." Connor stated in a near growl. "How else would I be able to expertly use your own tranquilizer darts against you without you even noticing us infiltrating your campsite?"

"D-Don't!" Struggling to break his arms free of the ropes that kept him bound to the chair Syracuse finally showed that he was indeed scared. "Don't do it, man! Please!"

"To answer your plea in the appropriate manner, I'll quote yourself from the night of your crimes." Changing his voice to mimic Syracuse's own voice when he violated Skye, Connor made it clear that neither he or Markus were going to show mercy. "'Shut up, bitch. You brought this on yourself.'"

Terrified beyond rational thought Syracuse began to violently struggle and thrash against his ropes until he fell backward on the grass while still bound to the chair. Unable to move or break free Syracuse desperately cried out for help as if someone else could be wandering the woods, and could possibly hear him.

Ignoring the cries for help Connor loaded one of the tranquilizer dart with the devastating chemical and towered over Syracuse as he laid on the grass in a pitiful state of cowardice. "You're dangerous and need to be stopped. This will stop you."

"NO! PLEASE!"

Markus watched as Connor took the loaded dart and stabbed it painfully into Syracuse's stomach with enough force to make the man cough and wheeze in agony and fear. It was a necessary evil; one that the law would never do thanks to Nero's corrupt influence keeping the courts from providing justice, and it was seemingly the only way to protect the deviant victims and the other women that the three men seemed to have no problem with abusing.

Syracuse cried a little as the chemical entered his body, but Connor didn't care. For good measure Connor hit Syracuse with a second and third dose of the chemical with two additional darts, and his scanner confirmed that the doses he had administered were enough to leave the twisted man entirely impotent. It wasn't the same as being brought on trial and paraded through public as the monsters they were, but it'd have to do.

Standing over Syracuse for a moment longer Connor lifted up his mask just enough to spit in his face in the same way he had spat on Skye. "...You'll live, but you won't be able to rape anyone else. That's adequate enough punishment for now."

Agreeing entirely Markus loaded up one of the tranquilizer darts with the chemicals as well and honed in on Froth. The man covered in his own vomit had been the first one to attack North and called her horrible names that haunted her chronic nightmares. Wanting him to feel the same shame and suffering that North had gone through Markus too used three loaded darts to ensure that Froth was castrated chemically, and could never violate a woman for as long as he lived. Every time he stabbed one of the darts into Froth's stomach Markus mentally promised North he was protecting her and asked for Carl to forgive him.

Not wanting to leave the third man without any punishment, despite his sincere regret for his actions he still willingly committed them, Connor and Markus loaded up three more darts and gave him the same treatment. All three men were actively being castrated internally, and in time they'd recover from their own trauma but be unable to get any form of justice or revenge.

Connor glared at Syracuse and pulled the knife from his pocket to finish getting revenge. Kneeling down on the man's chest Connor held Syracuse's face in his left hand to keep him still as he used the knife in his right hand to cut into the man's forehead.

As Syracuse let out a yell of pain Markus connected with Connor cybernetically. 'Connor! What're you doing?!'

'I'm branding him as the monster he is.' Carving the letters 'R', 'A' and 'P' into Syracuse's forehead Connor made it clear that he wasn't going to let the men off so easily. 'I won't kill him, I'll just make him wish he was dead.'

Catching on to Connor's motives Markus walked over to the cooler still full of cold beer cans to join in. As casually as possible he popped one of the cans open and held it over Syracuse's head with a malicious intent. "Wait."

Stopping after carving in the letter 'I' Connor leaned back and looked up at Markus.

"Dying man deserves one final drink." Turning the can until the beer poured out and splashed all over Syracuse's face Markus watched the man pitifully squirm. Watching the beer washing the red blood from the man's face was as sickening as it was symbolic. "Make it last, asshole."

Coughing and sputtering as the beer went up his nose and into his mouth Syracuse struggled to not drown in the amber drink as Connor refused to let him turn his face away. "F-Fuckin-"

"Shut up." Connor resumed writing his message against Syracuse's forehead with the knife and didn't stop until the complete word, 'RAPIST', was visible to everyone who would ever come within twenty feet of the man. "Now anyone who looks at you will know the truth."

Markus crunched the now empty beer can in his hand and threw down against Syracuse's bloody face. "One down, two to go."

Connor handed his knife to Markus and watched as his ally walked over to Froth and repeated the message over the second man's forehead after kneeling down on his chest. Providing the same courtesy as before Connor too opened up a can of beer and poured it all over the man's face. Seeing that horrible word being cut into Froth's forehead in such a way it was guaranteed to scar gave the deviant detective an odd sense of pride in his actions.

The old human custom of the 'Scarlet Letter' made the act all the more symbolic as it was often women being branded as adulterers. Now it was three disgusting men who were being labeled for their crimes against women. There was no escaping who they were or what they had done. Even if they hid their marks behind hats or bandanas the label would still be there. If they tried to get plastic surgery to remove the scars they'd have to talk to a doctor and tell them something resulting in the scars, and undoubtedly the doctors would never believe them.

Everyone would know the truth.

Stepping back from Froth as the man continued to cry and vomited again Markus looked at Karrar and let out an exhausted sigh. "Just one more."

"You do the honors." Connor insisted as he pulled a third beer from the cooler and dumped it over the final man's face. "I'll take care of the campsite."

As much as he hated hurting other people Markus readily repeated the actions on Karrar and watched as Connor proceeded to trash the campsite to make it look like a drunken brawl had taken place. While Markus cut Karrar Connor began cutting open the tent, tearing apart the men's backpacks and dufflebags, spilling their cooler of food all over the ground and cracking open the remaining beer cans to spill the contents everywhere making the entire campsite smell of alcohol.

Kicking over the canvas wrap with the knives and the shotgun to keep up the facade of the hunters getting drunk and stupid throughout the night Connor was determined to stage the scene as convincingly as possible. As the weapons scattered about at his feet Connor made sure to stab a few of the sharp knives into the ground and trees, and then picked up the shotgun. Pointing the barrel downward Connor smashed the gun into the dirt to fill the barrel with grass and dirt to ruin the weapon as much as possible, before carelessly tossing it aside where the butt of the shotgun smashed into Syracuse's bloodied forehead.

It only took a matter of minutes to destroy the men's campsite.

Finished with his task Markus stood upright and looked at the three men all sniffling and bleeding as they reeked of alcohol on the ground. With dozens of crumpled up and empty beer cans all around them the trio looked as pathetic as they truly were on the inside. Backing off from the trio Connor and Markus decided that their actions were punishment enough.

Glaring at the three men Connor shook his head with utter disappointment and scoffed in a condescending manner at the trio all crying and covered in beer, blood, vomit and urine at his feet. "Remember this. When you walk out of the forest with your useless dicks being cradled in your shaking hands tomorrow morning, no one is going to believe your story. You'll all be dismissed as drunken fools who can't hold your liquor. Rumors will spread that you were sexually active in the forest, most likely with one another, and you'll be mocked relentlessly for as long as you live."

Markus handed the now bloody knife back to Connor and pointed at Froth as the man lifted his head up from the ground to look at his two attackers. "The world will see you as you truly are. Monsters. You're not men, you're not even human, you're vile monsters who prey on the weak and cower behind political power. You're pathetic pieces of shit and now the world will see the truth at long last. You'll live through the night, but you won't have much of life worth living after you leave this forest tomorrow morning."

Sifting through the footlocker for the final time Connor located three more tranquilizer darts and readied them for use. "Let's end this."

"With pleasure."

Checking the amount of tranquilizer in each dart to ensure the men would sleep all night and not be able to follow them, Connor handed Markus the first dart then kept the second and third for himself. Walking over to where the three men were laying on the beer soaked grass Markus stabbed the tranquilizer dart into Froth's thigh to sedate the man, while Connor did the same for Syracuse and Karrar.

"Are they unconscious?" Markus asked as he hovered his hands over the ropes keeping Froth bound to the chair. "I don't want to untie him if he's still awake."

"Nearly. Their adrenaline is causing a delayed effect to the tranquilizers, but they'll be out soon enough."

"All right, then."

Untying the men from the chairs Connor and Markus threw the ropes into the fire to destroy them, and make the men's story of being bound and assaulted less credible. Picking up one of the crumpled beer cans from the ground Markus poured the flammable alcohol into the fire and watched the flames glow a little brighter and hotter under the added fuel. The fire itself was contained in a metal rim so neither deviant was too worried about the fire growing out of control while the men were unconscious.

"We need to hide the darts that we used on them." Connor stated with a keen attention to detail. "It'll make it harder for them to gain any traction if they do try to file a case with the police."

"Right."

Returning to the men Markus and Connor pulled out the darts they used, a total of fifteen, and carried them away from the campsite. Turning their backs to the dangerous men Markus and Connor slipped the used darts into their pockets to be disposed of elsewhere far away from the camp, and far enough away to never be located by the police.

"...This was now how I was expecting the night to go." Markus admitted as he and Connor neared the treeline. The traces of blood on his exposed plastimetal hand was sticky, warm, and smelled of iron. "...Thank you for joining me. I imagine I would've chickened out and never would've done something like this."

"Backing out of a revenge plot isn't something to be asha-"

A loud gunshot from behind echoed thunderously through the forest as Connor let out a pained gasp, and fell forward on the forest floor just through the treeline. The moment Connor began falling Markus ducked down and managed to wrap his arms around Connor's chest, and guided him down the ground and kept him from smacking his head on the ground.

"Shit! Connor?!" Keeping low on the other side of the treeline Markus peered back over his right shoulder in time to see Syracuse slumping down after finding the strength to pick up the shotgun and take a clear shot at Connor. With the man already unconscious, thanks to the slow activating tranquilizer, and out of ammo, Markus focused entirely on Connor and pressed his right palm over Connor's Thirium soaked back. "Connor? Can you hear me!?"

"...Y-Yeah." Letting out a weak breath Connor supported himself upright atop his forearms as he recovered from the unexpected gunshot. "...I'm conscious."

"How bad is the damage?" Eyeing the numerous holes over the back of Connor's ruined jacket Markus determined that the deviant detective had been shot with buckshot, and not a shotgun shell or a dart. "I can't scan your system."

"...It's not severe. None of the buckshot cut through my plastimetal frame. It damaged my skin and now the shot is embedded in my frame."

"Can you move?"

"Yes." Pushing himself up from the forest floor slowly Connor stood up on his shaking legs and pulled the mask from his face. Giving Markus a simple nod Connor continued on his way forward with a slight limp due to the mild damage to his back. "...We still need to dispose of the darts."

Removing his own mask Markus walked behind Connor to make sure he stumble or fall. "Where?"

"D-Down by the stream."

"Why there?"

"The trap they set is an illegal snare. If they call the police into the forest they won't lead them down to where one of their illegal traps has been set, even if it has already been destroyed."

"Clever cover."

"The stream will..." Pressing his right palm over the center of his chest as the pain in his back stole his breath Connor continued on his way to the best of his ability. "It'll wash out the darts and remove all traces of the tranquilizer and chemicals we used on the men, and wash their blood from the needles."

"We're hiding and destroying evidence where it wouldn't be found without the men getting busted for their own crimes. How did you-"

"In order to catch criminals you must occasionally think like criminals. It's a disheartening aspect of police work, but one that I've slowly become accustomed to through Hank's mentoring and patience."

"...Reminds me of Carl warning me that 'an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind'."

"Regretting your actions?"

"No, but I am worried I disappointed Carl."

Pausing for a moment Connor considered the words and considered how Hank might react as well. "...Carl would never be disappointed in you. You are his son and nothing will ever change that."

"...Thanks."

"Come on." Forcing himself to keep walking toward the stream Connor was determined to dispose of the darts and leave the forest. "...We need to get back to the city after we destroy the evidence. I'll summon another cab our way, and this time we'll need to jump inside a moving vehicle instead of out of it."

"Jump into a moving cab?" The idea was as strange as it was interesting. Trusting Connor's judgment on the situation Markus accompanied the deviant detective to the nearby flowing stream ready to follow his every command. "That's a new challenge I never thought I'd come across in my lifetime..."

Unable to sleep even as midnight came around Hank stood beside the front window of the livingroom in the dark with his phone in his right hand. Too worried about Connor to go to bed the senior detective glanced at the bookshelf where the official envelope had been stashed away, and began to wonder if he was beginning to project a false sense of family onto the deviant and needed to back down. Over the past eight months Hank had grown fond of Connor as his partner at the precinct, as a friend as an odd extension of his broken little family. It was nice to have someone to hang out with, someone to talk to after work and to have someone give a damn about him. In return Hank gave a damn about Connor and was particularly protective toward the still emotionally developing deviant in a paternal manner.

Glancing down at the phone in his hand Hank let out a small sigh while fantasizing about cracking open a cold beer to steady his nerves. The unshakeable feeling that something was wrong was gnawing at his nerves making him feel jumpy and edgy. Just as he turned away from the window Hank heard a vehicle pulling up along the street and he immediately looked back through the window.

An autonomous taxi came to a stop at the house across the street and a single occupant stepped out of the vehicle into the darkness. The figure began slowly limping toward the front door of the house rather than to the residence that cab had stopped in front of, and based on how slowly they were moving Hank knew something was up.

"Ah, shit..."

Swallowing once nervously Hank watched as the figure limped toward the side of the house to get to the backdoor. Watching through the side windows Hank recognized Connor's face, and promptly made his way day to the backdoor to meet the deviant in person. Opening the door up wide before Connor even had the chance to grab the doorknob Hank watched as the deviant limped through the door and braced himself upright with both hands against the kitchen table.

Closing the backdoor Hank looked at Connor and stopped himself before he even had the chance to speak. He was muted the moment he saw the Thirium staining the back of the deviant's jacket. "Son... What the fuck?!"

"...I-It's complicated."

"Then simplify it for me." Putting his left hand to Connor's right shoulder Hank removed the beanie from Connor's hair and stared at the L.E.D. flickering between yellow and red as Connor's system ran a self diagnostic and his self healing program. "Talk to me, son. Tell me the truth."

"I...I..." Unable to speak Connor let out a grunt of pain and collapsed forward over the kitchen table before sliding off and landing hard on his right side over the linoleum floor.

"Connor?!" Falling to his knees on the floor beside Connor in a protective manner Hank shook the deviant's left shoulder and tried to get the deviant to respond to him. "Son!?"

Peeling back the bloodied jacket from Connor's shoulders and back Hank lifted up the black hoodie and black t-shirt to check out Connor's back directly. The numerous small bullet holes in Connor's back, each one highlighted by a circle of white plastimetal framing thanks to the damage of the artificial skin, were all weeping fresh Thirium at a steady pace.

"You were shot?!"

Connor let out a soft groan of pain as Hank's left hand checked over the wound carefully.

"Ah, shit... Son, you need help!"

Grateful he had kept his phone in his hand during his nighttime vigil Hank checked through his contacts and highlighted the name of one of the few trusted allies in Connor's circle to come to the house, and come to Connor's aid.

"Abby, it's me." Speaking in a calm tone Hank pressed his left palm over the deviant's forehead to check and see Connor was beginning to overheat. "...Yeah, uh, I need your help. I think Connor's in trouble."

-next chapter-