The summer heat was beginning to break and cool off as fall loomed around the corner. All of the trees in the city were steadily shifting from green to orange, yellow, red and brown that made every treetop look as though they were glowing in the sunlight. As expected the smell of pumpkin spice began to fill the cooling air and everyone went about their usual routine with their clothes slowly layering up. Life in the precinct slowly returned to normal after the seemingly endless chaos finally came to an end. With Gavin now back on the roster and bragging about his record at the shooting range being as impressive as ever, it seemed as though everyone was steadily making a full recovery after their incredible string of bad luck that had plagued the precinct.

With no high profile cases to worry about or issues with the mayor to deal with, Connor and Hank sat at their terminals to sort through deviant cases of actual priority, as opposed to false complaints from bigoted humans. While Hank sipped at his normal, bland, boring coffee his blue eyes trailed over toward Connor frequently in an attempt to read the emotionally broken deviant's mind.

Connor had only returned to the precinct out of loyalty instead of his usual determination to protect people. Wearing only his typical white dress shirt and jeans - no blazer, no vest and no tie, Connor looked like a burned out college student instead of the fearless detective he truly was. With his L.E.D. blinking in a sluggish dark blue color Connor stayed entirely silent as he cybernetically cycled through the cases before him one at a time.

"You know something, kid?" Hank put aside his coffee mug and pointed at the deviant's clothing as a means of breaking the tense silence. "I actually miss the damn tie."

Not responding to the remark Connor sat slumped in his chair with his eyes transfixed on his terminal screen.

"So, what case won't be a total waste of our time today?"

"...None."

"None?" The strange answer seemed very out of character for the deviant. "Uh, does that mean they're all important, or that they're all unimportant?"

"...All of these cases are false reports."

"Seriously? All of them?"

"Yes." Sending his personal evaluations on the cases over to Hank's terminal to be viewed Connor confirmed that they currently had no active cases revolving around deviant victims one way or the other. "The claim of the deviant stalker is from a known drug user who is paranoid about the mailman. The two claims of deviant shoplifters came from the same convenience store where the owner had made such a complaint four days prior, and had the claim denied then."

"Okay, yeah..." The security footage of the mailman and convenience store were indisputable proof that the deviants were innocent. "What about the other cases?"

"The vandalism that was reportedly done by deviants has been confirmed to be the act of teenagers; a known signature connects the graffiti to a human with a history of such acts, and was not done by a deviant. And the four cases of deviants supposedly pick-pocketing humans in the shopping plaza are in fact deviants working as plain clothes security officer who are effectively picking out the attempted shoplifters in their respective stores."

"Every single one of these cases are bullshit?"

"Yes."

"Damn. That made our day a hell of a lot easier!"

Humming in response Connor fell silent again and resumed tending to his usual paperwork as diligently as possible.

Before he had the chance to say anything further Hank was interrupted by Captain Fowler as the commanding officer appeared by their desks and handed Connor a tablet with orders already on display. "Sergeant, report to the dispensary. I want a full work-up done to ensure all of the higher-ups are pleased."

"...Yes, sir." Accepting the tablet Connor never looked his Captain in the eyes as he rose from his chair and walked slowly across the bullpen to get the elevator on the other side.

Leaning back in his chair, the seat giving out an aged 'groan' as Hank's weight shifted, Hank stared at Captain Fowler in a stern manner. "Don't you fuckin' dare do anything that'll makes that kid feel worse than he already does."

"I'm just doing what I have to do in order to keep everything in this bullpen as sane as possible." Returning the stern glare Captain Fowler made it clear he was in no mood to argue with his usually combative Lieutenant about anyone or anything. "With our investigation into 'you-know-who' just getting underway I don't want to leave anything untouched in case that creepy bastard tries to pull any stunts."

"Uh-huh... Don't think I won't be watching every move that's made around here, especially around Connor."

"That's your job, I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

From his own desk Ben watched as Captain Fowler returned to his private office then spoke to Hank in a low tone that no one else noticed. "So... Do I want to know what's going on?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about."

"What's up with Connor? The poor kid looks like he just watched a puppy get kicked into the street."

Leaning back even further in the creaking chair Hank crossed his arms over his chest and gave Ben a pleading stare. "Like I said, it's nothing you need to worry about. I got this."

Getting the message loud and clear Ben respectfully backed off from the situation at hand. "Got it. Just let me know if you need some help with him."

"He'll be fine." Staring at the empty corridor where he had last seen Connor before the deviant headed up to the second floor Hank let out a deep and soul cleansing sigh through his nose. "That kid is a hell of a lot stronger than he thinks he is."

Having finished with the renovations to New Jericho's spare rooms and private quarters on the twentieth floor Markus decided to make a more positive impression with his still wary people by speaking with them directly in the community room. Choosing to be for more social and open to criticisms Markus was able to give his people a newly developed sense of trust with their leaders. The one-on-one consultation seemed to be enough to ease many lingering doubts about Markus's role as their leader and the representative of the deviant community as a whole.

The positive interactions helped Markus to rediscover his confidence as his presence was met with warmth and understanding from his fellow deviants.

"I'm glad you're all in agreement that the tower needs to work together as a single unit moving forward in the same direction, rather than a large unit made of thousands of individuals trying to move forward in a thousand different directions." Speaking from the heart and with tangible sincerity to his words Markus smiled at the deviants paying attention to his every word. "We'll continue to hold these weekly communications and ensure every voice is heard. Thank you for meeting me here."

While the gathered deviants dispersed from the community room with an upbeat energy about them Markus felt someone's eyes watching him from afar, and turned to where he could feel the gaze patiently waiting for him to turn around. Flashing a small smile from where he sat Markus rose from the black leather sofa and met North by the elevator where she was leaning against the glass structure by herself.

"Good afternoon, North." Greeting her politely Markus stood before his dear friend and noticed her focused gaze was rather serious despite the otherwise calm moment she had just observed. "Our first community meeting went well, and our people seem to be in good spirits."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"But something else is weighing on your mind." Reading her too well to let the moment go by unaddressed Markus knew it was time to have a chat. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes. We should talk in private."

"The office should be vacant right now. Josh and Simon are doing their own thing as of the moment." Motioning toward the private ground floor office on the opposite side of the lobby Markus escorted North to the quiet space to speak without anyone eavesdropping. After passing through the doorway Markus made sure the door was closed behind them before speaking up again. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"Markus," walking toward the sofas in the middle of the office North stared at the very furniture where she had cried her eyes out after returning to the tower to seek help from her friends. "do you know any of the other assault victims besides me?"

"I... know that Skye was one of the victims as well, and that you're friends with her." Respecting the victims' privacy Markus had intentionally kept his distance to ensure they didn't feel overwhelmed. "The other six victims have all entered Josh's therapy program and are going to resume their careers based on their previous programming once they've made progress and begun to heal." Sitting down on one of the white sofas Markus watched as North sat across from him on the second sofa to continue their discussion. "Is there something else wrong with the victims that we need to address?"

Slowly her right fingers found their way to her longer hair hanging near her shoulders to begin nervously combing through the brunette locks. "It's not so much the victims of the assault as it's the people who hurt us that we need to talk about."

"They've been arrested. We both know that they'll never hurt you or anyone else again."

"That doesn't mean the damage hasn't been done. There's going to be a lot of scars left behind even though they're gone." Crossing her arms over her chest and her right leg over the left, North gave Markus a serious stare as she laid everything out on the line. "The victims and I will have to live with that horrible knowledge for the rest of our existence, the men have been branded as the predators that they are, and you and Connor will have to carry the burden of a criminal secret weighing down on your hearts until the days you shutdown."

Feeling that very weight now pressing on his shoulders Markus's good mood suddenly vanished as his posture slumped. "What're you talking about?"

"...You and Connor attacked those men to protect your people - the victims included, and to ensure they never hurt another person. From what I've seen you're able to move on with your life without any regrets, and while I admire your strength and ability to stick to your decisions, I'm worried that you're in denial of how serious your actions were."

Hiding his offense at the comment Markus asked a rather unsettling question as he remembered how North had once kissed Connor as a means of intentionally spiting him. "...Did you meet up or say something to Connor?"

"No. I didn't need to say a word to him to know that he's been affected by what happened in a very terrible way."

"When did you see him?"

"After I took care of Skye I saw Connor walking around like a hollow shell in the rain, and I just..." The vacant look in Connor's eyes was almost haunting, and was virtually impossible to ignore. "He's broken. He's been affected by what you both did that night and it's going to slowly destroy him."

"I don't know what you want me to do about it. We're not friends, we're not even allies." Shaking his head at the very notion of being on the same page as Connor beyond a mutual interest for justice, Markus was a total loss of what to say or do. "I doubt me speaking to him would do anything to ease or clear his conscience in any way."

"What about your conscience? Are you really at peace with what you did?"

"I don't regret what I did at all." The fire in his mismatched eyes matched his tone perfectly. "They were dangerous people who were able to elude to law for far too long, and what happened to them was well deserved."

"Regret isn't the issue here." Snapping back with understandable frustration North's own eyes began to burn with a fiery passion. "That's not what I'm talking about."

"Then what is the issue?"

"Don't you fear any possible consequences for what you did? You broke the law, assaulted three men and you're acting as if what you did won't possibly come back to haunt you in any way."

"Did Connor tell the police what happened?"

"I have no idea what he may or not have said to anyone. I just know that he was trying to help Skye through her own personal trauma and now he's fucked up. It's frightening to see how someone who managed to survive death itself can be so broken down by a single moment in time. I'm worried that you might be in denial about what you're feeling, and I don't want to see you break, too."

"North, I'm not going to break." Softening his tone Markus eased his tense body language for his friend's sake. "It's not like I'm proud of what I did, but I'm not going to apologize for it, either."

"I don't want you to apologize or feel regret, I just want to make sure you're really okay." Leaning forward where she sat North folded her hands together atop her lap as she looked so deeply into Markus's eyes. It was as if she were trying to peer directly into his heart. "We need you to be strong and I need to know my friend isn't going through some kind of pain entirely alone."

"I'm not alone. I have my friends right here with me and I know I can trust them with any problems I may have." Reaching out his right hand Markus gently took hold of North's warm hand, and held tight to give her a sense of reassure and strength. "I will tell you if I need help in any way. I trust you with my life."

Sitting statuesque on the exam table of the precinct's dispensary Connor didn't utter a single complaint as Joel ran a full battery of tests on his processors and checked all of his vital signs. Keeping his eyes straight forward on the far gray wall behind the kind technician Connor obediently took in a deep breath when prompted to check his ventilation biocomponents, and responded to every question with a straightforward and honest answer. The way Connor just sat entirely still and didn't try to resist whenever a new test was performed made it seem like he had reverted to his obedient machine self once again, and was void of all signs of life.

Unwrapping the Thirium pressure cuff from around Connor's left bicep Joel finished the exam and confirmed that the deviant was physically in optimal condition, and was fit for active duty. The final update on Connor's condition was submitted to Captain Fowler and Connor himself was free to go.

"You're fully functional, Connor." Sitting down at his desk in the corner of the dispensary Joel observed Connor's stilted motions with a studious gaze. "Beyond the lingering scars on your torso you're in perfect condition."

Rebuttoning his white dress shirt Connor slid off the exam table and didn't bother to glance down at the offensive scars that marred his abdomen. "Thank you for your assistance."

"I, uh, I know we're not close friends or anything, but if you want to talk I'm here to listen. Hell, as a technician I swear by the same rights and rules doctors have with patient confidentiality. It'll never leave this room."

"...I have nothing to say. I'll be returning to the bullpen now unless you need me any further."

"No, you're good to go. Just try not to stress yourself out with the upcoming investigation with the mayor." With a simple shrug of the shoulders Joel explained how he knew about the investigation without actually being nosy. "I can't help but hear all the rumors in the bullpen since so many people seem to forget that the technician has free range of the precinct, too. I won't say anything outside of this room, so, you know... Try to have a good day."

"...I will do my best."

Turning his back to the technician Connor left the dispensary and was unaware of Joel sending a text message to Hank expressing his concerns for the deviant's emotional state of mind. Concerned that his friend was slipping away and nearing a very dangerous mental breakdown Joel wanted to do everything he could without actually getting directly involved.

When people were in such a fragile state it was best to use a very gentle touch...

The bland and uneventful few days at the precinct had been a welcome change of pace for every detective involved, and yet there was still an undeniable heaviness in the air. Falling into a boring routine of filing reports and taking witness statements had only confirmed that Connor's fighting spirit had been broken by his own emotional and mental turmoil. It was as if he was so afraid of making any mistakes that he had given up on taking any form of initiative, and was afraid of Captain Fowler passing judgment over him. Being on probation made the deviant feel as though he were under a microscope just like when he was under the control of CyberLife.

After returning to the house and completing a full week of quiet cases without ever entering the field Hank watched Connor disappear down the hallway and lock himself away in his bedroom out of sight. The silence was deafening as Connor only spoke when spoken to, and even so only gave short and simple answers. He refused to talk to anyone about anything, and couldn't even bring himself to look anyone in the eyes.

As the deviant simply went about daily tasks on autopilot Hank became increasingly worried and knew he needed to act fast if he was going to save Connor from himself. Taking Sumo outside and into the warm fall air Hank called Lucas on his phone and decided to ask the deviant for some help in pulling Connor out of his depression.

"Hey, Lucas..." Trying to not sound desperate Hank sighed and walked around the yard with Sumo as the massive dog trotted over the softening green grass before rolling around on his back atop of it like a furry idiot. "Do you work tomorrow?"

'No, I have tomorrow off.' Lucas sounded casual and yet busy at the same time. 'I presume Connor is still enduring his emotional conflict, and you want me to spend some time with him.'

"Yeah, you got it. I can't seem to reach him and I'm worried that he's going to get even worse." Turning to face the closed backdoor of the house Hank kept the phone pressed to his right ear as he hoped to see the door open and Connor finally make an appearance to join them in the backyard. "He won't talk to me anymore, and what I do know isn't giving me any ideas of how I can help him."

'I understand. I'll visit tomorrow and encourage him to speak to me.'

"Thanks. I'm hoping that maybe his silence is because he needs another deviant to talk to, you know? Someone who actually feels what he feels and thinks the way he thinks."

'That's a logical deduction. It might also be easier for him to speak on a cybernetic level rather than verbally since it's still difficult for deviants to properly communicate our emotions.'

"Still?"

'Yes. I know what it feels like to be happy, sad, angry and even scared, but it's difficult to explain what it means to experience joy, sorrow, rage or fear. They are similar feelings, yet vastly different.'

"Do you have any experience in heartbreak?"

'...No. I have not met anyone that has evoked such a feeling like love, but I understand the concept through my discussions with my friends.'

"Then you might be able to help him after all. Stop by whenever you want tomorrow. Your brother needs you."

'I'll do whatever I can to help him, Hank. Please don't worry.'

"Yeah, no dice. I'm going to worry no matter what."

'Fair enough. I'll see you tomorrow.'

"Right. Thanks again, Lucas." Ending the call Hank slipped his phone into his back pocket and crouched down to extended both hands outward toward Sumo. The moment Sumo got to his feet and plodded over to his hand Hank rubbed the Saint Bernard's chin, neck and ears as he let out a breathy sigh. "It's just not the same without Connor throwing that damn ball of yours until you were ready to pass out, huh, boy?"

Sumo wagged his tail and tried to lick the side of Hank's face affectionately.

"He'll be okay." Glancing at the backdoor over his shoulder Hank stared at the door still hoping it'd open up and Connor would appear. "We just gotta' be patient with him. Remember how fucked up I was after all the bullshit I went through? Now it's his turn for us to be patient with him."

Having finished the phone call with Hank, his discussion silent thanks to his cybernetic communication ability, Lucas walked into the apartment's livingroom and made sure that Tina was resting comfortably over the couch before he checked on the kittens. Seeing that the kittens were all equally thriving, beginning to walk around on their own and had opened their blue eyes made Lucas grin. The previously rejected kitten was able to walk around just as easily as his sisters despite having only three functioning legs, and he was as playful and energetic as the other three kittens.

Tina was making a swift recovery and enjoyed crashing in the apartment until she was well enough to take care of herself again. Having her best friend always making sure she was comfortable and bringing her cookie dough ice cream was the perfect reminder of why they were best friends to begin with. It didn't hurt having Aaron recreating her mother's own recipes perfectly, either.

"I think I'm going to miss sleeping over in the apartment." Tina sipped at her tea and watched Lucas gently petting Lucky's ears and then lightly petting the ears of each kitten to give them all equal attention as well. "Where else can I chill with my best friend, his awesome almost-husband, his super secret deviant roommate and a box of kittens?"

"I cannot answer that." Picking up the golden furred kitten very gently Lucas rubbed her chin and held her close to his chest as a means of getting her more comfortable with being handled by people. Looking at Tina as she laid on the couch Lucas took a single step toward her. "Would you like to-"

"Yes!" Holding out both arms Tina made the 'gimme' motion with her hands after putting her cup of tea aside as she desperately wanted to cuddle with the kitten. "Let me see her!"

Moving slowly and carefully Lucas passed the kitten over to Tina, as the kitten made loud squeaks and pawed curiously at the very soft blanket draped over Tina's body. It was enjoyable to have tiny little creatures trusting humans and wanting to explore the world as temporary companions.

"You're just too cute! Your nose is so bright pink!" Giving the pink nose a little 'boop' with her fingertip Tina swooned over the tiny kitten as she settled down against the soft blanket and purred surprisingly loud. "If you were mind you'd be spoiled rotten!"

"I'm certain Gavin would have no objections with you adopting one of the kittens."

"He better not! I won't let this little one go without a fight..."

"Tomorrow I will be spending time outside the apartment." Remarking about his future plans without getting too specific Lucas sat down on the floor beside the basket as he spoke. "Will you be content with just Gavin and Aaron to keep you company?"

"I won't mind. I might finally win a damn game of 'Scrabble' if I play against them instead of you."

"Sorry. I have an actual dictionary built into my mind."

"Cheater..."

"I'm not cheating, I'm merely able to accurately calculate the best outcome via words and word placement in order to get the highest possible score."

Rubbing the kitten's chin Tina gave the deviant a suspicious glance. "So, you cheat?"

"It's not cheating to use a dictionary in 'Scrabble'."

"No, but using a dictionary AND a calculator that other people don't have access to IS cheating!"

"You can use the same tools as well."

"I could, but... I'm not a cheater!"

Lucas gave Tina a defeated stare as he sighed and returned his attention to the other kittens scrambling about the shopping basket. "Now I know why Gavin warned me about playing any games with you."

"Sounds like he should've warned me since you cheat!"

"I don't cheat." Rubbing Lucky's chin to reassure her that it was okay to let Tina cuddle with one of her kittens for a moment Lucas flashed the cheeky officer a playfully annoyed grin. "I use resources to my advantage."

"Sounds like cheating to me."

It was then Lucas decided it'd be best to stop the debate before it got out of hand. "I guess that depends on who's winning and who's losing..."

"Sounds like something a cheater would say..."

A bright and sunny morning greeted the emotionally damaged deviant as he awoke from his rest mode at seven o'clock sharp. Sitting upright in his bed Connor set about feeding Baron, changing into casual day clothes, going down the hallway to tend to Sumo's needs, and then prepared a very modest breakfast for Hank to enjoy before sitting down absolutely silently and still on the couch in the livingroom. Refusing to break away from the simple routine to do anything out of the ordinary through a misguided fear of failure Connor stayed motionless on the furniture as he relented to do absolutely nothing for the entirety of the day.

The sound of Hank's bedroom door opening sounded impressively loud as the senior detective awoke just after seven-thirty, and made his way down the hallway. Seeing Connor sitting quietly on the couch reminded Hank that the deviant was going through something painful and inexpressible entirely alone.

"Good morning, kid."

"...Good morning."

Even responding to the cliche greeting made Connor sound broken and lost. "Thanks for making me breakfast." Already smelling the freshly brewed coffee and the two fried eggs before he entered the kitchen Hank was somewhat relieved to know that Connor wasn't just sitting around awaiting for orders to follow. "I think today I'm going try setting up a small gym in the garage so I can keep in shape during wintertime. What do you think?"

"...Exercise is crucial to health. It would be a very beneficial addition to the house."

"Think I should put it in the garage or set it up in a small space in the corner of the livingroom?"

"It's your house and your decision. What I think is irrelevant."

"Not true. Your thoughts and beliefs do matter."

"...I hurt people."

"Son, you don't do anything negative on purpose. Shit happens."

Falling silent again Connor didn't even try to argue to the contrary. Such a discussion could end poorly.

Entering the kitchen Hank dragged his left hand over his bearded chin and stared at the perfectly prepared breakfast sitting on the kitchen table waiting for him. The two eggs were cooked perfectly and evenly, making them look almost fake as they sat side by side atop the white plate. Even the coffee was pure black and steaming at an ideal two-hundred and five degrees Fahrenheit in the navy blue D.P.D. mug beside the plate. Just as he picked up the fork to take a bite of the eggs a gentle knocking at the front door stole his attention.

"Come on in!" Shouting in response to the visitor Hank put the fork back down and returned to the livingroom just as the front door opened quietly. "Hey, Lucas. Good morning."

"Good morning, Hank." Seeing his big brother sitting on the nearby couch Lucas tried to give him a confident smile as he addressed the deviant in a polite and chipper manner. "Good morning, brother."

"...Good morning, Lucas."

Sensing the same heavy emotion in Connor's voice that had been worrying Hank, and even Joel, Lucas now knew he had quite the challenge to ahead of himself in regard to aiding his brother. "Since we both have the day off I was hoping we could take Sumo for a walk at the park." Lucas was immediately swarmed by the massive dog when he spoke Sumo's name. Holding out both hands Lucas rubbed Sumo's ears and let the curious dog take in the various scents of the kittens clinging to his artificial skin. "It's been a while since we spent the day together."

Looking at Sumo wagging his tail and enjoying the attention Lucas was giving him, Connor didn't have a response to such a suggestion.

"Or we could just go for a walk together. I'm still curious about the aspect of brotherly bonds."

Staying quiet Connor just sat idle on the couch.

Not wanting Connor to remain in a slump Hank patted Connor's right shoulder and sided with Lucas. "Go on, kid. We've worked every damn day over the week and not once did we go into the field. You just said exercise is beneficial, right?"

Unable to argue against his own claim Connor looked up at Hank and blinked slowly as if hoping Hank would change his mind on the suggestion.

"It's a gorgeous day, too. You might as well head out and enjoy the warmth and sunlight before winter steals it."

Extending his right hand Lucas reached out to Connor and invited him to rise to feet. "Please, brother?

Afraid of letting Lucas down or disappointing him in any capacity Connor reluctantly agreed and rose to his feet.

"Thank you, Connor." Remaining upbeat Lucas promptly headed toward the front door knowing his brother would soon follow. "It's truly a nice day today. We should be comfortable dressed as we are."

Connor was wearing his usual black t-shirt and jeans, and soon slipped on his Converse shoes after he walked into his bedroom for a moment. Lucas was wearing a dark green t-shirt as he had taken Noreen's comment about green being his color to heart. Wearing pale blue jeans and generic white running shoes Lucas was ready for a nice long walk around the city.

"Lucas," speaking in a low tone Hank gave the deviant a grateful nod. "whatever you think will help him snap out of it, and let him see that he isn't a disappointment or a failure, go ahead and do it. The kid needs positive reinforcement like any other child who had been rescued from an abusive household."

"I must admit," matching Hank's low tone Lucas replied in an understanding manner. "Connor's behavior does seem to mirror that of victims of abuse. I never met Amanda before her I.A. was destroyed, but from what I do know about her it seems her mannerisms and manipulative tactics stem from pure narcissism and apathy. It's not surprising that Connor is struggling with his emotions."

"Hopefully you'll get more information out of him than I could. The sooner we figure out what he's thinking the sooner we can help him."

Returning to the livingroom with his shoes perfectly tied Connor gave Lucas a blank stare.

"We should walk around the park today." Lucas opened the door and motioned for Connor to follow him. "The foliage is beginning to change their color and I want to see it more closely."

Not having a single comment to make about the proposition Connor merely accompanied Lucas outside the house through the front door to walk around the city. Stepping into the warm air and sunlight felt good on his artificial skin, and the wind blew through his dark locks of hair in a gentle manner.

"It seems that Tina is going to be returning to work in two weeks." Lucas stated optimistically in an attempt to lift Connor's mood. Small orange and yellow leaves scattered about the sidewalk at their feet with the breeze guiding their every movement. "She is healing well, regaining strength and is playing with the four kittens as I speak."

Not responding to the positive news Connor just walked at Lucas's left side as they began their way to the park.

"I also suspect that Gavin is going to propose marriage to Aaron soon. He's been checking for rings to purchase and I believe he's narrowed his selection to the perfect ring to offer."

Having no opinion or interest in the matter Connor stayed painfully quiet as he walked alongside his brother.

"And the kittens are doing well. The kitten that was born with a malformed right front leg is thriving and seems to be just as healthy as his sisters. I believe Tina is going to adopt the golden kitten and I know Noreen is going to adopt one as well. I suspect Aaron is going to keep the male kitten with the malformed leg for himself."

Nearing the park while remaining stoic and silent Connor had nothing to say about the kittens.

'Brother.' Choosing cybernetic communication over verbal communication Lucas tried to get his brother to speak. 'I know you're in pain and you're very confused. I want to help you through this.'

'...Please do not exert yourself on my behalf.'

'I will do so because you're my brother.' He wasn't going to back down now that he got Connor to speak. ' We may not be close but I trust you with my life, and in time I'd hope to be given the some honor from you.'

'...I do trust you, Lucas. I do not trust myself.'

Finally. Lucas was beginning to make some progress in aiding Connor's emotional recovery. 'Can you tell me why?'

'...I make attempts to help people but it never ends as I want it to end. People get hurt and I'm the one who's responsible for the outcome.'

'You cannot be flawless in every decision you make. It's illogical to make such an impossible standard for oneself.'

'As a detective I should be able to use deductive reasoning, evidence and logic to make the proper decisions that result in a beneficial manner for all of those who are involved.' The crunching of the few leaves that had fallen from the trees accompanied the modest traffic in the surrounding streets. 'The people I care the most about seem to be the ones who suffer the most because of my decisions.'

'May I ask to what decision you're referring?'

Silent for a moment as he and Lucas crossed the final block to reach the park Connor closed his eyes as his docile blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow. Sharing the details and information about the assaults with his little brother - swearing for him to keep quiet and play ignorant regarding the unfortunate situation, Connor told him of the crime he was guilty of, the way North and Skye had been traumatized, and of the horrible event Skye alone went through. Struggling to speak about the way Skye had insulted him and pushed him away Connor mentioned being called a "monster", and of how he felt like he had failed to keep his promise to never become the weapon that CyberLife had wanted him to become.

Now knowing what has happened to his big brother broke Lucas's own heart. The fact that Connor had gone through such pain and heartache alone and then tried to stay alone only made the sympathetic heartache all the worse.

'You're not a monster, Connor. You're a good person and your intentions were good as well.'

'The person I wanted to protect the most suffered the worst. How am I supposed to trust myself when I keep making mistakes, let alone expect others to trust me? It'll be better for everyone if I just stay quiet and never make another decision.'

"Connor, no." Speaking out loud as they reached the sidewalk leading into the park Lucas faced his brother and put both hands on Connor's shoulders. "You can't just give up on yourself like that. You are holding yourself to impossible standards and it's tearing you apart. Please stop torturing yourself, you're not a weapon, you're not dangerous, you're not a monster and you ARE a good person!"

"...I find that incredibly hard to believe."

"Then do what it takes to become a believer. You attacked three people, which was indeed wrong by every legal standpoint, but you did something morally positive. Not only did you frighten the men, but you gave the victims a sense of safety. And the fact that the arrest of the three men gave other victims the courage to come forward and tell their stories, too."

Unable to look Lucas in the eyes Connor bowed his head and stared at the sidewalk between his and his little brother's feet.

"The men confessing to their crimes after demanding justice from the assaults they had endured has also given the entire city the clearance they needed to finally investigate the mayor, and remove a corrupt and terrible person from a seat of power."

"...The ends shouldn't justify the means."

"No, they shouldn't. But your actions weren't all negative."

"...It hurt someone I truly cared about, and that's all it takes for me to live a life of regret. I hurt her and it hurts to think about."

Noticing the past tense in that sentence, 'cared', Lucas finally got to the bottom of Connor's distress. "...You don't love Skye anymore, do you?"

"I do love Skye. I just don't think I'm in love with her anymore. Her words they..." Shaking his head a little Connor struggled to explain his emotions. "It feels like they severed any connection I once felt toward her. She's all I can think about and her pain is my pain. I wish I knew why I still feel anything toward her at all, and I just want her pain to stop. I want her to be okay."

"As I stated before, you're a good person. You know she's in pain and you want to help her feel better. That's a normal reaction."

"...Maybe."

A sudden and intrusive call interrupted Lucas before he could speak again. Recognizing the call from his own Captain back at his own precinct Lucas sighed and dropped his hands from his big brother's shoulders. "Captain Rourke is calling me. I will be only a moment, then we can continue speaking."

Staying on the sidewalk while Lucas walked deeper into the park Connor watched the random people going about their own business on the other side of the street. The strange faces were a mixture of emotions that seemed to make Connor's own emotions all the more conflicted.

"I understand, sir." Lucas spoke out loud as he stood beside the parking lot near the park and answered his Captain's request. "I'll come in first thing tomorrow morning and assist with the investigation."

As he ended the call Lucas suddenly heard the sound of screeching tires fill the air, while a few people let out startled screams. Turning to look at the source of the loud noise Lucas caught sight of a black luxury car speeding through the streets, hopping up onto the sidewalk and barreling directly toward Connor, who was still standing just a few feet down the sidewalk.

"CONNOR!" Lucas shouted as he ran toward his big brother only to see the vulnerable deviant being struck by the vehicle without any chance to move out of the way of the oncoming danger.

Within a matter of seconds Connor's body hit the front of the car on his left side, rolling up over the hood, striking the windshield with his head and rolling up over the top of the vehicle's roof before rolling off from the top of the vehicle and to the side of the street. The targeted deviant's body struck the concrete sidewalk and pavement of the street with a sickening 'thud' that became a duet with sharp 'cracking' sounds from internal damage, and his plastimetal frame fracturing.

Lucas was was suddenly frozen in place with fear as he looked at his big brother's bloodied body laying motionless on his left side on the street. Lifting his eyes he looked over to the car as it stopped long enough to look back and see the deviant he had struck. It was then Lucas caught of glimpse of the driver's face in the driver's side mirror, and his blue blood ran cold just seconds before boiling hot with rage.

Perkins.

The car sped off but Lucas memorized the license plate number and cybernetically texted it to Captain Rourke quickly. Rushing to Connor's side Lucas all but slid on his knees as he put his left hand on Connor's right shoulder, and the right hand beneath Connor's bleeding head.

"Connor?!" Lucas's voice was beginning to shake and crack from emotional distress. Carefully he rolled Connor from his left side and onto his back as he began to assess his injured brother's condition. "Connor, please answer me!"

Dark blue Thirium stained the right side of Connor's cranium and ran down his face. A patch of Connor's artificial skin over his right eye and cheek had been scraped away by the impact of the street revealing the fractures in the plastimetal frame beneath. The same horrible dark blue stained through Connor's black t-shirt near the upper left, center of his chest where he took a majority of the impact from the vehicle. Connor's right arm was badly broken from his shoulder down to his wrist, and was seeping Thirium at an alarming rate through damaged plastimetal frames and his torn artificial flesh. His right hip and leg were bleeding as well through the torn up denim material of his jeans in a sickening flow.

"Connor?" Lucas pressed his left hand to the center of Connor's chest but didn't feel any beating from the wounded deviant's Thirium pump, or his ventilation biocomponents allowing breath to pass. The left side of Connor's chest shifted beneath Lucas's hand like a fully broken rib. By all account Connor was in full Thirial arrest and onto the verge of permanent, irreversible shutdown. "Connor?!" Bending his right ear down to Connor's bloody chest Lucas listened intently but heard nothing. "No! Connor?!"

Straightening his brother's neck Lucas tilted Connor's head back and lowered his jaw slightly. After delivering his lbig brother two rescue breaths Lucas cybernetically called Hank's cell number then placed one hand over top the other and laced his fingers together to create a single fist. He then placed his fist down in the center of Connor's chest and squared his shoulders. Beginning the first round of chest compressions Lucas heard Hank pick up the call and begin talking.

'Hey Lucas, what's going-'

"Hank! Connor has been hit by a car! Agent Richard Perkins was the driver!" He shouted as he counted to ten and continued to compress until reaching fifteen. "Connor is in Thirial arrest! I'm giving him C.P.R. but-"

'Holy shit, where are you?'

"Outside the park!"

'Did you call for an-'

"No! I called you first! Please Hank, I need your help! He's dying!"

'Stay on the line with me, son.' Always calm Hank continued to talk to Lucas while heading out to the scene him via Oldsmobile. 'What happened?'

"Perkins drove up on the sidewalk and hit him!" Lucas explained as tears began to flow down his face. With each compression that failed to reboot Connor's system Lucas felt useless. "I saw Perkins driving and cybernetically texted the license plate number to Captain Rourke."

'We'll find him, Lucas.' The sound of a car door slamming in the background indicated that Hank was now in a vehicle. 'Don't hang up on me Lucas, do you hear me? Keep talking to me, tell me what's happening. What are you doing right now?'

"I-I'm trying to revive him. I'm giving Connor C.P.R., but he isn't responding." Lucas was beginning to cry openly, his tears flowing freely down his face and onto Connor's bloodied chest as he understandably wept for his injured big brother. "Hank... I don't know what to do."

'Yes you do.' Hank encouraged over the line as he kept his own voice calm and level. 'Keep doing what you're doing. It's the best thing for him.'

"I'm trying..." Lucas nearly whimpered as he continued the compressions without breaking rhythm. "I'm... scared. I'm actually scared, Hank."

'It's going to be okay, son. I'm almost there.'

"That'll be too late..." Lucas felt Connor's Thirium pump, his heart, suddenly flutter back to life under his palms and he heard Connor take in a weak, shuddering breath. "Connor?!"

'Lucas, what's going on?'

"H-He's breathing again, and I can feel his pump beating." Lucas was still on the verge of full blown emotional breakdown, but was staying composed for his brother's sake. "If he falls back into Thirial arrest I don't think I can revive him again..."

'Just stay with him, I'm-'

"The facility where Abby works in three blocks away..." Lucas realized as he glanced about and reality set back in. "I'm taking Connor there myself!"

'Lucas, don't-'

"I have to try!"

Ending the call Lucas slipped his arms beneath Connor's shoulders and knees. As he lifted his brother up from the blue blood soaked pavement and carried him toward the nearest available autonomous taxi charging along the sidewalk, Lucas noticed all of the witnesses who didn't bother to either help :ucas or even call for help at the scene as he fought to save a life.

It was sickening.

"I have you, Connor." Lucas promised his big brother as he carried him over to the taxi and pulled the door open with one blue blood soaked hand. It was a struggle but he was able to place Connor down in the backseat with a gentle motion, and slam the door shut again. "I won't let you die."

Sitting down beside Connor in the backseat Lucas resumed holding pressure on Connor's wounds, and cybernetically forced the cab into motion. The autonomous taxi sped off from the park down the three blocks to the facility where he hoped that technical help would save Connor from death.

"I'm so sorry, Connor... This shouldn't have happened to you. It's my fault!"

Connor was completely unconscious and covered in his own blue blood. He was entirely oblivious to the world around him, or the severity of his wounds.

"I'll get you help, I promise."

The taxi sped off to the facility and came to an abrupt halt in the front emergency drive with a jerking motion.

"We're here, Connor. Hold on!"

Paying the taxi's fare Lucas practically broke the door off the hinges as he opened it quickly to exit the vehicle. As he pulled Connor out of the taxi and carried him through the front doors of the facility he called out for assistance in a loud voice.

"Dr. Grayson!?" Lucas's voice sounded off with a booming authority through the facility as he carried Connor's bloody, broken body in his arms. "I need help!"

The deviant receptionist immediately recognized the two brothers and cybernetically summoned assistance to the waiting room. Within seconds Barry, the assistant who had been interning under Abby for a few months, rushed out and escorted Lucas to the back to the emergency repair bay.

"I will find Abby." Barry stated in an eerily calm voice as he motioned for Lucas to place Connor down on the exam table. "Place Connor down here."

With his arms shaking Lucas laid Connor down on the exam table and began tearing open Connor's already damage t-shirt to first expose his chest, and then his badly broken right arm. As he removed the dark blue stained clothing from Connor's upper body Lucas returned his left palm to his brother's chest to count his struggling heart as it rapidly, but weakly, beat in his battered chest.

"Please, Connor..." Lucas pressed his left fingertips to the right side of Connor's neck out of instinct and. Moving his hand over to Connor's left wrist Lucas found the same weak pulse beating under his fingertips. As he moved to check Connor's right wrist he felt no pulse and realized he lost full Thirium flow to his right arm. "Oh, shit..."

"Lucas?!" Abby all but ran into the room and was immediately hovering over Connor. Lifting up his eyelids one at a time she checked Connor's pupils with a penlight and found them to be barely responsive. "What the hell happened?!"

"He was intentionally hit by a speeding car. He couldn't get out of the way in time."

"Shit. All right, I'll get him taken care of."

"He doesn't have a pulse in his right arm, but he does in his left." Lucas all but whispered as she watched Abby's gloved hands running down Connor's exposed chest to check for internal damage. "He was in total Thirial arrest. The impact from the vehicle stunned his Thirium pump but I was able to get his pump beating again on its own after three rounds of compressions."

"Lucas, I need you to go outside to the waiting room."

"What? No!" Lucas refused to budge from where he stood as he kept his left hand on Connor's chest, keeping his palm over his brother's beating heart. "I'm not leaving him alone."

"You're not leaving him alone, Lucas. You're letting him get treated."

"I can help!"

"You're a detective and an advanced deviant with knowledge of android anatomy," Abby clarified in a somber tone as she nodded to Barry. "and you're the patient's brother. I can't let you treat him." Attaching the wireless leads from a Thirial activity monitor to Connor's bloodied chest Abby motioned to the doorway of the repair bay, and gave Lucas a reluctant wave of the hand. "You're too close to the patient."

"I can help him!"

"I know you can, but right now you need to-"

"No! I won't leave him!"

"Lucas, please."

Staying put Lucas just stared at Connor's expressionless face and kept his hand over his chest. A rapid fluttering under Lucas's palm was accompanied by a sudden high-pitched screeching from the activity monitor.

"Insipid shock." Abby announced and Barry quickly proceeded to attach a Thirium line to Connor's undamaged left arm to replace the Thirium he lost. The line beneath the plastimetal plating was exposed in a matter of seconds with virtually no resistance on Connor's part. "I'm going to need to a system diagnostic and a lot more replacement Thirium."

"Let me-"

Barry put his left hand on Lucas's right shoulder and tried to push him back toward the door. "He will be okay, Lucas. Please allow Dr. Grayson to work."

"I have to help him!"

"You did. You brought him to Abby." Barry spoke sympathetically to the worried younger brother. "Now let Abby save him."

Unable to move and unwilling to let Connor be alone, Lucas just stood frozen in place like a statue. His hand tensed for a moment as he felt Connor's heart struggling to beat then slowly pulled his hand back. "...Hang on for me, Connor. Please."

Backing toward the doorway Lucas watched as Abby pressed her left fingertips to Connor's right temple to retract his remaining artificial skin from over his chest and the rest of his right arm, and then opened up the plastimetal panels in his chest to check his internal biocomponents. Barry on the other hand had the responsibility of inserting an external air intake line down Connor's throat to aid his ventilation biocomponents until he could breathe again on his own.

As he passed through the doorway of the exam room Lucas turned around, his pained deep green eyes fixed on the tile floor beneath his feet, and felt two firm hands clamp down on his shoulders.

"Lucas!" Hank was staring at the obviously shaken and stunned deviant while trying to get his attention. "Lucas, what happened to Connor?"

"He..." Glancing up Lucas's eyes suddenly filled with tears and he put his right hand over his eyes to hide the emotion welling up inside of himself. "The car..."

"Easy, come on." Hank pulled Lucas over to a nearby chair and sat him down. Keeping his right hand on Lucas's left shoulder Hank focused on getting Lucas to calm down enough to speak so he could finally figure out what had happened. "Take a breath and just sit still for a moment. Everything will be okay."

Lucas was still shaking and on the edge of a full blown emotional breakdown.

"Slowly. Tell me what happened." Displaying impressive patience Hank kept his own emotions under control as he addressed the deviant beside him. "Take your time and tell me everything that happened."

It took only an hour for the collected evidence against Agent Richard Perkins to confirm his identity as that of the hit and run driver that ran down Connor in front of the park. Security footage from the store across the street from the park confirmed that Perkins aimed at Connor and it wasn't an accident. He intentionally drove up on the sidewalk to take Connor down. An A.P.B. and an arrest warrant was issued for Perkins, but he had seemingly fled the city and used his connections with the F.B.I. to disappear.

Since the call was sent to Lucas's precinct it was Lucas's Captain who was taking charge of the assault. Captain Rourke spoke with Captain Fowler due to Perkins's personal history with that particular precinct, and as a result word of the attempted murder quickly spread and every available detective and patrol knew to look for the dangerously elusive agent.

Gavin was on edge as he confirmed the report with Ben, and then ordered Chris to accompany him on patrol. Texting Tina about the incident as a means of venting his frustration and keeping her in the loop, Gavin grumbled under his breath as Chris drove the patrol car to the scene of the crime at the park.

"Fuckin' asshole must've gone after Connor because he's still pissed about Connor saving deviants during the Raid at Jericho." Leaning back in the seat Gavin stared at the flashing red and blue lights of the other patrol cars already at the scene, and tried to not think about how much that day was going to affect Lucas in a negative manner. "I bet you anything that fucker tried to kill Connor because his own brat got busted for a deviant murder a few months back."

"It'd make sense." Pulling the car up to the sidewalk Chris put the vehicle in park and gave Gavin a somber stare. "After all, Connor's the one who played the negotiator when those deviants took the precinct hostage and he confirmed that it was Perkins's son who was responsible for the murder of a little girl. It's so fucked up that this all happened right in front of Lucas, too. What a horrible thing for a sibling to see."

"Yeah..." Opening his door a little Gavin suddenly reached out and grabbed onto Chris's arm to keep him from leaving the patrol car. "Of course, Lucas was also a part of that case AND Lucas was with Connor when Connor got hit."

"Do you think Perkins was aiming for Lucas and hit Connor by mistake?"

"It's possible." Sending a quick text to Tina about his theory Gavin let go of Chris's shoulder and stepped out of the car to head over to the sectioned off area of sidewalk to begin a more direct investigation. "We can't rule anything out, and we need to find that F.B.I. asshole before he flees the city."

Diligent and professional Abby was hovering over Connor's opened chest and examining the damaged Thirium pump; his heart, fighting to beat in the deviant's battered chest. Dark blue blood was pooling in the opened chest cavity and continuously leaking the precious Thirium at an alarming rate. Despite being a skilled technician Abby was struggling to keep Connor stable enough to even begin to repair the extensive internal damage to his heart, so she could then focus on the severe damage that Connor sustained to his cranium.

"Damn it..." Swearing with frustration Abby fought to clamp off one leaking Thirium line after another. "I don't understand why he's bleeding so severely. It must have something to do with his prototyping model."

"What do you recommend?" Barry asked as he worked in tandem with Abby and expertly kept replenishing Connor's lost Thirium as quickly as he was losing it.

"We need to keep the Thirium pump stable, we need to keep his Thirium volume above eighty-percent and we need to make sure he can ventilate on his own." Checking over Connor's processor and remaining function Abby was worried that he had suffered the android equivalent to a concussion or was even in a comatose state. "If we're going to save Connor we're going to need to get the bleeding in and around his heart under control first."

Despondent, frightened and shaking Lucas pressed his hands to his face, and leaned forward against his palms with his elbows on top of his knees. He was too distraught to speak or think about anything other than his big brother. Lucas could still see and hear the horrific accident that rendered Connor unconscious and now near death. The sight of the blue blood all over Connor's chest was sickening even in his mind. The sound of Connor hitting the metal hood and the glass windshield was deafening. The lack of motion under Lucas's hands as he felt for Connor's heartbeat was numbing.

Just as it felt like Lucas was about to let out a pained scream of overwhelming emotional frustration the front doors of the facility slid open and Hank's voice called out a familiar name. "Joel?" The confusion was audible in Hank's tone as he called out. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I got word that Connor is injured and needs help." The dedicated technician explained casually as he made his way to the emergency treatment rooms of the facility to lend a hand. "I'm here to do just that."

Without another word Joel disappeared into the emergency repair bay to assist Abby in saving Connor's life.

"...Thanks, Joel."

Slowly Lucas lifted up his face from his hands and stared at the wall on the far side of the waiting room.

Hank of course saw that Lucas was on edge and knew he needed to give Lucas a steadying presence to lean on. "It looks like Connor is getting all the help he can, son." Falling into a paternal state of mind Hank made the comforting comment as he stayed beside Lucas. "Abby and Joel are both incredibly skilled technicians. You know that."

"The fact that Connor needs so much help isn't exactly encouraging."

"Hey, don't you dare give up on him."

"I'm not giving up on Connor, I'm merely accepting the fact that-"

"No." Putting a firm right hand on Lucas's left shoulder Hank refused to let the young detective fall into a dark despair of doubt like his brother. "Don't you start doubting yourself, too. All right? Connor needs us both to be strong for him right now."

Nodding once Lucas returned his face to his hands took in a deep and shuddering breath. "...It's my fault."

"What?"

"It's my fault Connor has been injured."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I left him standing alone on the sidewalk by the street. If I hadn't-"

"There is no fuckin' way you could've possibly known that Connor was going to get hit by a damn car!"

"I'm supposed to protect him! He's my brother..."

"That doesn't make you responsible for what other assholes in the world do!"

"I should've been looking out for him."

"You were, Lucas. You immediately started helping him and kept control over the situation. You did everything right by him."

Dropping his hands onto his lap Lucas nodded his head slowly as his green eyes filled with fresh tears again. "I hate this..."

"I know you do." Leaning back in the chair Hank empathized with the deviant's pain. Patting Lucas's arm lightly Hank let him know that he wasn't alone in his current despair and anger. "I hate it, too."

Working alongside Joel, who graciously volunteered his time and skills to aid the downed deviant, Abby was finally beginning to make progress on Connor's severe condition. The Thirium pump was now beating on its own and in a normal rhythm thanks to Joel's ability to work on the damage. Meanwhile Abby repaired the surrounding Thirium lines and Barry replenished the blue blood in an efficient manner. The two human technicians were now working on repairing the damage to Connor's intracranial processor together, since Connor's heart had been finally stabilized.

"Okay... He's still online." Abby confirmed as she opened up the panels on the right side of Connor's cranium to examine the internal damage. "Shit. This layout is completely different from any model I've worked on before. They don't have enough prototypes to practice on back in school."

"You're right." Joel agreed entirely as he brought up the schematics of Connor's intracranial processor on a nearby display to use as a guide. "Connor's design is slightly different to accommodate beta hardware, so I know this is going to be all the more complicated."

"Some of this hardware has been structurally compromised." Abby noted in a dour tone. "...I don't think I can repair it."

"I might be able to do it, but it'll take some time to handle."

"Right now I have nowhere else to be." Focusing on clamping off another bleeding line Abby sighed as she began marking her progress on the nearby tablet to ensure the entire processor was correctly examined. "Take all the time in the world, Joel."

"I'm on it." Readying himself for the time consuming task before him Joel flexed his hands and picked up the first delicate tool required for such an intricate procedure. "We can do this, we can save him..."

With the resources of two precincts pulling together to find one man Agent Perkins had been located at the Wemilat Hotel downtown. The very expensive and exclusive location made it ideal for wealthy or powerful people to hide in plain sight. Unfortunately, the deviant maids and desk personnel were informed of the attempted murder of a fellow deviant by the very man who led the Raid on Jericho, and were more than willing to expose the deplorable man's hiding spot. Ensuring that he couldn't check out of the hotel under any circumstances, and that someone was watching his room at all times, the deviant employees effectively trapped the man in his own room until the police arrived to arrest him.

The disgraced agent was marched through the bullpen and right into interrogation by Chris and Gavin, where Captain Fowler was waiting for the man's arrival. The video evidence of the attempted murder in the form of a hit and run, the confirmation on the license plate and the working theory of revenge were more than enough to give the seasoned detective all he needed to drill the agent and get some answers.

"Agent Richard William Perkins." Glaring a fiery hole into Perkins' face Captain Fowler showed no fear when confronting the former agent. "You had a promising career until you tainted your name with leading the Raid at Jericho, and by establishing the Recycling Camps during the night of the Revolution. After that you were quietly pushed aside so the F.B.I. could distance themselves from your mistakes. Must've stung to lose out on a huge promotion and a raise."

"Don't talk to me like you know me, Fowler." The gravely voice of the disgraced agent failed to carry any form of intimidation as he spoke. Scoffing in the face of Captain Fowler's authority Perkins dismissed the remark as if it was nothing more than an invitation for coffee. "You're just another forgotten name behind a badge. Pathetic."

"I'd rather have my name forgotten about than shamed. Now I understand why your son is so fucked up."

The remark was all it took to break the arrogant man's thin skin. "Don't you talk about my family you arrogant, son of a bitch!"

"I don't need to talk." Sliding the electronic file with Benjamin Perkins's arrest record toward the former agent Captain Fowler kept pressing for information. "I have proof about how you failed as an agent and as a father."

"Fuck off! Get me a damn lawyer!"

"A lawyer?" Knowing he needed to back off until the lawyer arrived Captain Fowler pressed a little more just to piss the disgusting man off. "Shouldn't the F.B.I. be sending down someone from Internal Affairs to try to clean this shit up? Or did they final get sick of your sorry ass and fire you?"

"I'm warning you-"

"Save it! You have no authority and no influence here, or anywhere else!" Standing up from the table Captain Fowler kept the arrest record on display just to taunt Perkins before he left the room. "You tried to kill my detective and now you're going to pay for it."

"Can't kill a machine. That freak put my son in danger by leading him into this very precinct!"

"Wrong. Your son put himself into danger when he began drinking underage, driving around while drunk and getting into fights. Detective Blake gave him a Kevlar vest and kept him safe when he faced off with his murder victim's father during that particular hostage negotiation."

Laughing arrogantly Perkins shook his head and tried to stare Captain Fowler down. "'Blake'? Is that what the RK-800 calls himself now?"

"Wrong. That's what the RK-900 calls himself." Now laughing himself Captain Fowler made it clear that Perkins just ended his own future with that simple smug statement. "Your son was led into the precinct by the only RK-900 in existence, and my detective is the only RK-800. You tried to kill Lucas thinking he was Connor, didn't you? Gotta' grievance with the deviant who eluded your little Raid and humiliated you? Revenge is a pretty weak reason to throw your whole life away."

Paling dramatically Perkins realized his error as he heard the sincerity in Captain Fowler's words. "...There's more than one of those freaks running around?"

"That's right. The best part is they'll be running around freely, while you get to rot and die a slow and miserable death behind bars. That's appropriate enough punishment I suppose. Your F.B.I. buddies won't let you get punished for the genocide you committed, so the attempted murder of a detective will have to suffice." Turning his back to Perkins without any fear Captain Fowler unlocked the door and glanced again at the agent over his shoulder. "I wonder how long you'll last in prison before your new cellmate learns you were a cop?"

Stepping out of the interrogation room Captain Fowler entered the neighboring observation room where Gavin and Chris were watching everything, and gave them a quick nod. Chris was behind the small table next to the observation window and taking notes, while Gavin was leaning against the far wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Make sure that prick gets his lawyer and then ship his ass out of here. I don't want his bullshit stinkin' up the place."

"Gladly, sir." Chris took his leave of the room to get everything in motion as instructed.

"And Gavin?" Glancing at the Sergeant against the wall Captain Fowler gave him positive feedback on his role in the investigation. "Good work."

Giving his Captain an odd glance Gavin didn't quite understand what he was talking about. "Huh?"

"Your hunch about that asshole looking to take down Lucas instead of Connor was spot on. It's too bad the asshole thought Lucas and Connor were the same person, but when it comes to bigots everyone who doesn't look exactly like themselves 'looks alike'."

"Thanks, but I don't think my little theory is all that groundbreaking."

"Maybe not, but it was still a good hunch and it gave me the right questions to ask for a confession. Take your break and then get back to work. We need you out in the bullpen."

Withholding his smirk until after Captain Fowler left the room Gavin dropped his arms and glared at Perkins through the observation window with a sense of genuine pride. "Can't believe that me and that asshole were ever on the same page about anything..."

A painfully slow two hours had passed before Abby emerged from the doors leading to the waiting room to speak to the two men waiting for an update on Connor. Her blue tinted scrubs were covered in Connor's dark blue blood all over her chest and abdomen from where his Thirium leaked out of his body as she hovered over him. She had removed her blood covered purple latex gloves before she left the treatment room, but she didn't have time to change out of her scrubs. Approaching Lucas and Hank very calmly Abby gave Hank a subtle nod before speaking, which made Hank visibly relax upon reading her body language.

"Connor is alive." Abby confirmed in a low and exhausted voice. "He survived his injuries and the subsequent repairs."

Lucas's head lifted up from his hands again and he looked at the technician with tearful, but bright eyes. "...How severe was the damage?"

"The impact from the car caused a massive leak in his Thirium pump." She explained in a level voice - the true mark of a professional. "As you know it stunned his Thirium pump causing Thirial arrest which was corrected through compressions. His right arm was severely broken but has been repaired with new internal joints and lines. The limb will be weak for a while but he'll regain his full strength in time. However, the worst of the damage was to his intracranial processor."

Lucas's shoulders slumped with defeat and Hank's hand tightened his grip on that very same shoulder. "Abby, what's going on?"

"The damage was physically repaired and his self healing program is functioning," she sounded a little perplexed as she spoke. "but it's not functioning as it should. Right now Connor is in a very deep form of stasis mode, essentially the android equivalent to a coma."

"...Coma?" Lucas parroted as his brow furrowed slightly. "...Is his system stable?"

"Yes. He's stable and resting in the recovery wing right now."

"Can I see him?"

"Sure." Abby agreed and took a step back as Lucas stood up on his shaking legs. He looked as broken down and exhausted as she felt, and yet she knew he was hurting at least ten times as much in that moment. "I'll show you to where he's resting."

Hank let out a sigh of relief as he and Lucas made their way toward the corridor. Catching sight of Joel as the precinct technician passed into the facility's breakroom Hank managed to give him a silent nod of respect and gratitude before Joel returned to the precinct.

"At least the kid's not going to be alone..."

The arrest of Richard Perkins spread through the city like a plague. All of the deviants were celebrating the arrest of the man who had killed thousands of their people through a simple heartless command during the night of the Revolution, but the leaders of New Jericho Tower were oddly silent. Markus, North, Josh and Simon all stared at the news broadcast with silent disgust as the face of the man who tried to hunt them down in the original Jericho was displayed publicly for all to see. The hollow and cold eyes of Perkins's mugshot sent chills up their spines, and the details of his failed career were brought to light in a thoroughly sickening manner.

Knowing that Perkins had been arrested only because he tried to kill Connor was enough to make Markus feel sick. The way Connor seemed to be getting punished by some unseen power over and over again while he was able to walk about without any problems filled Markus's heart with guilt.

'Markus?' Cybernetically North spoke to her friend as she noticed his discomfort as they sat side by side on the white sofa across from Josh and Simon. 'What's wrong?'

Responding slowly Markus had to fight through the guilt strangling his thoughts '...Why did it have to come down to this?'

'Because that Perkins asshole hates all deviants. He saw Connor and took a cheap shot at him, that's all.'

'Do you think it would've happened if I hadn't talked Connor into the revenge plot?'

'No one can know that. That idiot might've tried to kill any other deviant he saw today if he thought he could've gotten away with it.'

'I think I should talk to Connor and see how he's doing.' The urge to speak with Connor and essentially seek his forgiveness was nearly overwhelming. 'He shouldn't be the one suffering after the revenge in the forest.'

'No offense, but him seeing you after he got hit by a car would only make him feel worse. Back off for now.'

'...I need to do something.'

'Then respect his request to be left alone. You've violated that request a few times now, so... Yeah.'

Flashing her a doubtful gaze Markus leaned forward on the sofa in the private office as he contemplated her advice. 'I'll consider it.'

The breaking news swarmed all over the night of the Revolution as a means of stirring up controversy, and with it many old wounds were reopened. Just as one incident was resolved a new one popped up to take its place. Deviants all over the city were still suffering from the aftermath of the Raid, and it seemed that pain would be one to last for generations.

Seeing Connor's head wrapped up, attached to a Thirial activity monitor, a processor analysis monitor, having an external ventilation tube snaked down his throat and seeing Connor's right arm secured under a plastimetal support cast, reminded Lucas of how Connor looked after suffering his heart attack. It also remind Lucas of how he himself had been left for dead in the makeshift 'red ice' lab a few months prior. It was an uncomfortable recovery period after being rescued from the lab, but one that Lucas managed to endure with the help of his friends and his family.

The determination to repay the favor to his big brother gave Lucas the strength he needed to stand beside Connor's recovery bed, and speak up in a timid tone. "How long will he be like this?" Lucas asked as he lightly put his right hand down on his brother's left shoulder. "Android comas are... unusual."

"We can't say for certain." Abby admitted as she stood at the end of Connor's bed and watched Lucas with a sympathetic gaze. "We've never encountered anything like this on someone of a prototype design before."

"You can't manually bring him out of stasis mode?"

"No. And even if I could I wouldn't risk it while his self healing program is still active."

Hank joined Lucas at the bed and stared at Connor's peaceful face with a dour gleam in his blue eyes. "Will he recover?"

"It's entirely possible, yes."

Lucas felt his heart skip a beat at that particular word. "...'Possible'? Not for certain?"

"Not yet." Abby tried to sound confident as she answered Lucas honestly. "But there's always hope. He's strong, his vitals are stable and Connor is too much of a fighter to go down so easily."

Always one to maintain control Hank tried to join in on Abby's optimism and put his hand on Lucas's shoulder. "Good. That's good to hear." Placing his free hand down on Connor's left forearm without causing any pain, Hank gave the wounded deviant a forced smile. "And I know you heard it too, son. You're going to wake up and you're going to be back to your old self again in no time."

A small twitch under Hank's palm made the senior detective's blues eyes suddenly widen with surprise. The motion didn't escape Lucas or Abby's attention either, and the trio all gathered closely around the bed.

"Connor?" Using her penlight Abby checked Connor's pupils and let a small laugh when she saw his pupils contract under the bright light as his ocular relay units came back online. "That's it! Wake up, we're all here for you."

Lucas removed the artificial skin from his hand and moved it from Connor's shoulder to the side of his neck. Connecting his mind to his brother's mind Lucas was able to locate Connor's sense of consciousness and entice him to respond. 'Please, brother. You must wake up now. Come back to us.'

A small fluttering of Connor's eyelids made everyone hold their breaths and then exhale in unison as the soulful brown irises returned to the waking world. It had been over six hours since Connor had been struck by the vehicle and six hours since Lucas was able to get his brother's heart beating on its own again. A small groan of pain escaped Connor's lips around the line snaked down his throat as he became aware of the damage to his chest, right arm and cranium.

"Shh, shh, shh..." Abby soothed as she used her audioscope to listen to his chest very carefully. Hearing the strong and steady beat of his heart and even breaths in his artificial lungs assured her that it was safe to remove the external air intake line from Connor's throat. "I'm going to remove the line, but don't cough. Instead I want you to exhale as much as possible and that'll get the line out since you suffered structural damage to your chest."

Lucas returned his hand to Connor's shoulder and gave him moral support as he sincerely smiled. "You'll be okay, brother. You're safe now."

Unclipping the external line from the nearby external ventilator Abby removed the security straps from around Connor's teeth, and began to gently pull on the line to remove it. "Get ready to blow out your breath. One, two, three!"

The line slid out easily as Connor let out his breath in a single deep exhale and Abby guided it painlessly from Connor's throat.

"Good, very good."

Connor took in a shuddering breath and gave the trio gathered around him a confused glance as he failed to remember the attempt on his life. "Wh-What... happened?"

Hank slipped his left hand under Connor's hair and gave him a kind stare. "You were hit by a car, son. That cocksucker Perkins was driving."

The name brought up many dark memories that made Connor's eyes darken in response. "...Revenge?"

"Yeah, looks like it."

Closing his eyes Connor grimaced and began to silently cry as he swore he was being punished by Karma yet again.

"No! No, don't do that." Moving carefully Hank sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to get Connor to look at him. "You're in NO way responsible for this! It was a freaky chance encounter, not a punishment. If it wasn't you on the sidewalk then he would've hit Lucas, or he would've gone after any other deviant he recognized on the street. This morning Perkins got fired by the F.B.I. and his son was sentenced to five years in prison. He snapped, saw you and floored his car. That's all."

"...I deserve this."

"No, you don't!"

Readily agreeing Lucas sat down on the other side of the bed and held tightly onto Connor's good left hand in a firm grip. "He's right. Perkins even admitted he thought that you were actually me. He was angry that when his son was forced to face the family of the deviant he murdered that it was me, another deviant, who escorted him inside the precinct to face the consequences."

In pain, confused and just frustrated with everything Connor was ready to breakdown entirely. "...I chose to stand there on the sidewalk! If I had just gone into the park-"

Hank 'shushed' Connor in a gentle manner by moving his thumb through the deviant's hair. "He would've gone after you anyway, or chose another victim. Son, you're not at fault in this. Please see that."

Deciding that Connor needed to be alone with his family Abby made a few notes in his electronic chart before she took her leave of the recovery room. "Connor, get some rest. I want you to remain hooked up to the analysis modem throughout the night, and if you remain stable until morning you can go home to rest. You're so stressed out that rest is crucial and you'll be better off in your own bed."

Lucas nodded in appreciation as Abby showed discretion and left the room so that Connor could be with his family. "She's right. You're overwhelmed and in need of a descent night's rest. You're awake, your lines have been repaired and your biocomponents are all mending." Hanging onto Connor's hand Lucas rose from the bed and pulled a nearby chair over to the edge of the bed to stay beside his brother all night long. "You need to rest and I want to stand by my word of bonding closing to you as brothers. Get some sleep, and when you awaken again you'll can go back home where you belong."

Connor wanted to drag his hand over his teary eyes but his left hand was being held by Lucas, and his right hand wouldn't move thanks to the damage to his shoulders. Turning his head to press his face into his pillow Connor tried to wipe away his tears as best as he could. "...I don't want to go back to sleep."

"Listen to Lucas, son." Patting Connor's hair gingerly Hank did his best to give the shaken deviant some words of confidence to consider. "This has just been a bad day, and tomorrow will be better. I know I keep saying that, but I truly believe things will finally start to perk up for you tomorrow. We'll stay beside you and keep the nightmares at bay. Nothing will harm you."

Too exhausted to fight off sleep any longer Connor reluctantly entered rest mode and knew only the calm voices of his father and brother speaking around him. The last thing he felt was Lucas's hand holding his own and Hank's palm resting on his hair to offer him some much needed comfort.

-next chapter-