Gavin walked into the police station with fatigued eyes and heavy footsteps, barely latching on to the dark roast coffee he couldn't live without. It was the morning after the storage room incident and the detective couldn't help but replay the scene over and over again in his head, vainly attempting to conjure up reasons as to why RK900 did what he did. As Gavin reviewed the scenario in his mind, he drifted between Richard's actions and his facial features, focusing on strange things like the machine's masculine physique and cold, blue eyes. The detective took in a sharp breath as he caught himself subconsciously biting his lower lip. He looked to the ground in confusion, convincing himself that his exhaustion is to blame for such bizarre thoughts.

The detective made it to his workspace and placed his coffee on the cluttered desk, surveying the area for any signs of his metal colleague. He sat down on his dilapidated office chair with a thump and a groan, pressing further into the seat as he took a moment to collect himself. He tilted his head toward his right arm, examining the black, Velcro brace which snuggly fit around his hand and wrist. "Fuckin' psychotic android," Gavin whispered under his breath as he shook his head and pulled his chair closer to the desk, "And it just had to be my damn shooting hand," he sighed.

Gavin studied the contents on the table, eyes shifting from one case file to the next; he placed his left hand on his forehead, overwhelmed by the amount of work dropped on his lap. The detective looked to his terminal and tapped the screen with his finger. The monitor's bright blue hue illuminated Gavin's face, exaggerating shadows and highlighting features like his sharp jaw and scarred nose. The brunette's hand naturally moved from his forehead to his cheek, tapping his temple every now and then. His brows drew together as he scanned the many recent reports filed in the DPD records; text mirrored onto the detective's focused eyes.

"Good morning, detective."

Gavin jumped out of his skin, almost smacking himself with his hand as he jolted upward. He closed his eyes and exhaled as the unemotional tone of voice sounded all too familiar. He slowly peered over his shoulder to see a smiling Richard, standing tall with hands behind his back. "Aw fuck," the detective scrunched up his face, quickly turning around toward his desk, "For a brief and delightful second, I thought you'd gotten lost and fucked off somewhere else," Gavin expressed with evident irritability. "Sorry to disappoint," Richard calmly responded, inspecting his human partner, "I see you tended to your injury," the machine gestured to the brace. Gavin let out a suppressed laugh, sliding his tongue over his teeth; he stood from his chair and looked to RK900 with a hardened expression. "You know how long I gotta have this splint on?" Gavin took a step forward, his nostrils flaring, "Two-to-ten fuckin' weeks."

"I'd like to apologize but my programming suggests I act upon sincerity," Richard stated, eyes fixated on his fuming counterpart. "The fuck did you just say!?" Gavin asked, pushing RK900 with powerful force. The android only swayed for a moment before regaining his balance, his mouth set in a hard line. "My apologies, detective; perhaps I am using vocabulary you are not familiar with. Allow me to rephrase the sentence in a way you'd likely understand," Richard fixed his tie and glared at Gavin, "I don't feel like saying sorry."

The detective took a step back as he tried to process what his partner just said. Androids aren't supposed to behave this way, are they? Others at the DPD certainly don't, but then again, none of them are paired with cops that are as rude and pigheaded as Gavin. "You know," the android began, "I was quite astonished that you managed to strike me yesterday in the storage room. I found it most impressive," the machine admitted, cocking his head to observe his stunned colleague. The shorter of the two blinked a few times before coming back to his senses, dragging the corners of his mouth into a baleful frown. He pressed a finger into RK900's sternum, "Listen to me, you plastic piece of shit, don't think I won't throw you down and beat your ass senseless right here, in front of the entire department," he bared teeth, "Because I will."

"Aye!" Fowler stomped out of his office and pressed against the railing of the nearby ramp, "Knock that shit off and get to work!" he yelled, slamming his hands on the metal banister. Gavin's jaw tightened, peeved by the Captain's accusatory tone. "He fuckin' started it!" the detective slapped Richard's chest with the back of his fingers. "Yeah? Well I'm ending it! This ain't a fuckin' daycare center!" Fowler concluded, storming back into his room. Other officers glanced in Gavin's direction as they exchanged whispers and hushed laughter. The detective's eyes widened as his face flushed with embarrassment. He gazed up at the ceiling and pressed his hands to his face as he grit his teeth and wailed out in anger in an attempt to cope with the humiliation of being ridiculed in front of his colleagues. Richard placed a hand on Gavin's shoulder, but the detective was quick to slap it away. "Don't fuckin' touch me!" the officer spat. Richard backed off, raising his hands at chest-level to reassure his exacerbated partner he meant no harm. "I was only going to suggest we begin working on a case, detective. It'll help calm you down," the machine slowly articulated.

"You know what?" Gavin clapped his hands together, "You're absolutely right! The faster I sift through these cases, the faster I get rid of you," he smiled sarcastically. Richard scanned his partner, amused by the detective's copious amounts of rage and resentment. Gavin took a seat in his chair, eyes still on RK900 for a few seconds before shifting his gaze to the monitor. "I noticed you were analyzing some case files before I greeted you this morning," Richard said with curiosity in his cadence. "Greeted me? More like fucked up my concentration," the detective corrected as he placed an elbow on his desk. "What were you looking into, detective?" Richard asked, leaning in closer to the terminal. "I was just rakin' through some of the more recent reports filed for busted up androids n' shit," the detective explained, "More specifically, this one," he pointed to the screen. Richard's eyes moved from left to right as he read through the lines of text with lighting speed. "Some philosophy professor that teaches at the University of Detroit Mercy repor—"

"Reported coming home to his android destroyed beyond recognition. He also stated that the body had been dismembered and placed in the bedroom with the word 'Swine' written in paint just above the bedframe," Richard said, eyes trailing from the terminal to his partner. "I'd say this is a good place to start, detective," the machine suggested with a glint of warmth. Gavin exhaled, chewing at his lower lip, "Why'd I have to be the one to deal with this shit?"

RK900 straightened back up and grabbed his partner's raincoat which was resting on the chair. "I calculated the route to Professor Aiden Davis' home," Richard stated, "I'll be in the car, detective," he concluded as he walked off toward the station's exit. Gavin sunk further into his seat, feeling defeated, "I didn't even get to have my fucking coffee."

After a few minutes of muttered protest, the detective slowly pushed off his chair and tossed the cold coffee in the trash as he zipped up his jacket and readjusted his holster. He then proceeded to drag his feet to the exit, sighing heavily.

Gavin walked into the parking lot and scanned the area for his car. He noticed Richard next to the vehicle, waiting with coat in hand, grinning as the detective approached. "The fuck are you smiling at?" Gavin grumbled as he walked over to the driver's side, sifting through his pant pocket for the keys. "Nothing at all," the machine responded with a soft expression.

The two men sat in the car, the leather seats squeaking as the pair situated themselves. "So, are we gonna talk about the shit you pulled yesterday?" Gavin asked while aggressively jamming the key in the ignition. RK900 raised a brow in response. "Oh don't gimme that shit. You know exactly what I'm fuckin' talking about," the detective side-eyed the machine as he started the engine and shifted gears. "I was simply expressing my low tolerance for impolite behavior," Richard explained, gazing out the window. Gavin's brows snapped together as he jerked his head toward his partner. "You fucking broke my wrist, you robotic sack of shit!" the brunette yelled, calling out the android's understatement. "Correction, I dislocated it. I didn't break it, detective," the machine remarked, eyes following the passing trees. "Ohoho," Gavin sniggered, "You're asking for it, aren't you?"

Richard's LED turned yellow, his eyes twitching a bit before returning to a blue state and looking to his partner, "I found several facilities within Detroit that offer anger management classes. I've bookmarked them for future reference," the android stated in a satirical tone. Gavin paused a bit before curving his mouth into a slight smile, "Cheeky fuck," he mumbled. After about a minute or so, the detective glanced at the dashboard, his smile changing as concern crossed his face. RK900 noticed the air in the car grow thick; he tilted his head, noting Gavin's hesitation. "You seem preoccupied," Richard broke the silence, "Is something on your mind?"

"Hm?" the officer flinched, "No—uh," he paused, clearly ruffled up, but quickly shook his head, "It's nothing." The machine furrowed his brows, "Interesting," he commented, "Your core temperature seems normal," Richard brought his hand to his chin. "The fuck are you goin' on about now?" the detective rolled his eyes. "Your reddened cheeks suggest you're running a fever," RK900 peered at his partner, "But your internal temperature is normal, detective," he continued through hooded eyes. Gavin's eyes shot open as he met Richard's gaze. He didn't know how to respond to the android; there was no way he could admit that thinking about the more lewd actions the machine conducted in the storage room caused the officer's cheeks to flush. "Stop readin' me like I'm some kinda fuckin' book," the detective warned as he placed his elbow on the windowsill. The android smirked, "Whatever you say, Detective Reed."

It took about a half hour to reach the house; noontime traffic was moderate and Richard helped navigate his partner through shortcuts to avoid congestion. With constant city construction and weather elements, driving in Detroit has come close to being a new form of torture. "We're here, detective" Richard expressed as he motioned the officer to park near the curb. Gavin looked up from the wheel, "Damn, now that's a nice place," he whistled, scoping out the sizeable stone home. "Didn't know they built mansions like this in Detroit," the brunette chuckled, "no wonder this guy's house got broken into."

"Interesting that the culprit didn't bother robbing the property," the machine knit his brows, "The professor didn't mention anything being stolen," Richard went on. "Yeah well we'll find out more when we talk to the guy," Gavin dismissed as he got out of the car and headed to the front entrance. RK900 quickly followed from behind with confident footsteps. Gavin rang the doorbell as his partner approached the porch. A few seconds of silence passed before Richard suggested ringing again. "Professor Davis!" the detective shouted as he knocked on the door. Again more silence passed and worry began setting into both men as they exchanged nervous looks. Just as Gavin reached for his gun and Richard assumed an intimidating stance, the door slowly creaked open, a gloomy face appearing behind it. The men paused for a moment before relaxing themselves as Gavin let go of his holster and RK900 resumed his normal posture.

"Who are you?" the sullen gentleman asked, his eyes darting from the brunette to the android. "The name's Gavin Reed" the shorter of the two began, "and this is Richard," he motioned with his head. The pair took out their badges and showed the man their credentials. "We're from the Detroit Police Department, Professor Davis," Richard added. The professor let out a breath as relief crossed his face, "Come in, come in," he welcomed.

Gavin entered first and Richard followed closely behind as both surveyed the home, noting the fancy crystal chandelier in the foyer, the vintage Victorian artworks hanging on the walls and the large spiral staircase leading upstairs. "You've got a nice place here," Gavin complimented, looking up at the walls. "It means nothing anymore," the man expressed with saddened eyes, "It means nothing without Odette." The pair traded sympathetic expressions and chose to remain silent as they followed the professor into the living room. "Please, have a seat gentlemen. May I interest you in some tea or water?" the professor asked with a faded smile. "Coffee for me, please and—uh—tin man here doesn't drink," the detective glanced at his partner. "Thank you, Professor," Richard stated on behalf of his coarse counterpart. Aiden nodded, "I'll be right back with the coffee then."

The professor left the living room with quick footsteps. Richard turned to his partner, "Try being a bit more considerate, detective. The man seems to be mourning over the loss of his android," the machine advised in a hushed tone as he gingerly took a seat on the sofa. "Ugh gimme a break," Gavin groaned. Richard glared at the detective. "Fine, fine," the brunette stated as he sat on the soft couch, "I'll be nice." Both men turned around as they heard a loud crash from the kitchen. "Professor Davis, you okay in there?" Gavin yelled, bringing his hands to his mouth creating a makeshift megaphone. "Yes, yes, I'm alright! I just dropped something! I'll be right there, officer," Aiden shouted back. Gavin looked to Richard and shrugged, "Anyways, this is a nice place don't you think?"

"Yes, it's quite ornate," Richard responded as he surveyed his surroundings. "Wonder how much this place cost. How much you think this dude makes?" the detective went on.

"Here's that drink, Officer Reed. I hope you don't mind instant coffee," Aiden said as he walked into the living room once more. "Oh, right. Thanks, Professor Davis," Gavin took the coffee and carefully held it in his left hand. The professor sat in the armchair that was across the quaint room. "I take it you know why we're here, professor," the detective stated, taking a sip of the heavenly smelling drink. Aiden's expression changed to a sorrowful one, his eyes shifting to the ground. "Yes, I do," he said while interlacing his fingers. "Tell us everything that happened," the detective demanded, placing his drink on the coffee table next to the couch. "It was a typical workday really. A Tuesday it was," Aiden began, "I had breakfast with my darling Odette and grabbed my leather bag and jacket soon after and headed to the university."

The men remained silent as they focused on the professor's words. Aiden let out a shaky breath, "and then I come home in the afternoon to find the front door unlocked. I was perplexed at first but I just assumed that Odette had forgotten to lock it, you see?"

"Go on," Gavin gestured.

The professor arched his brows inward and swallowed, "I walked in and yelled out a greeting. When I heard no response I simply thought she was upstairs and couldn't hear me so I went up there…and into the bedroom and—"

Aiden placed a hand on his eyes, rubbing them as his lower lip began to tremble. "And there she was…my beautiful Odette completely destroyed," he paused, tears welling up in his eyes, "and dismembered, with the word 'Swine' written in paint above the bed."

"Did you have a romantic relationship with Odette, Professor Davis?" Richard asked with gentle eyes. "Yes. She was my world," Aiden answered, trembling. "My condolences," Richard respectfully expressed. "So I take it you're a fan of androids?" Gavin asked as he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. The professor stared up at the detective with an offended look, "Yes, I am a fan, officer," he scoffed, "I'm the leading advocate of human-android marriage," he stated visibly irritated. "Please excuse my colleague, professor" Richard interjected, "Sometimes he comes off as a bit rude," the android leered at Gavin. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be an ass," the detective apologized, scratching the back of his neck, "Did you—uh—have any enemies? You know, someone who avidly resented you and Odette?"

"N-no…well I mean yes and it was because of my views but nothing that warranted worry. Many people knew and related to how I felt and still feel about androids. Granted, I had bitter spats with some b-but nothing that would make me believe they would do anything remotely close to this," the professor gestured with his hands.

"Is the body still in the house?" Gavin asked, his leg bouncing up and down.

"Yes, she's upstairs. I've placed her remains in a bin and I haven't touched the paint that's above the bedframe," Aiden answered, wiping the tears from his face. "May we take a look, professor?" Richard tilted his head to look at the staircase. "Yes, just please find who did this. I'm begging you," the man pleaded with tired eyes. Richard nodded and shot a glance at his partner, motioning to go upstairs.