The next few days were largely uneventful. They were back at work, though Fowler seemed determined to keep them out of the field as much as possible. They'd been handed a couple of cold cases to look over, but they weren't having much luck. Even Nines, with all his advanced programming and sensors, couldn't pick out any new leads. It was sad, but some cases were just like that. Dead ends. Reed felt bad as he closed the file on the pretty redhead. Stabbed. Tossed in a river. Found a couple days later with no idea at what point along the river she'd been tossed in. Her final movements had put her in a crowded nightclub, but none of the old cameras had caught her leaving. She'd either slipped out or been lost in a group. Nines had looked the footage over and even tried using his software to clean up the feed, but it was just too old and grainy. Ten years old now. Phck, she'd be about my age now…
"I'm sorry I haven't been able to help," Nines apologised from his place across the desk, where he was making the most of the last few days of the Christmas season. His tree was lit up and his snow globe was flurrying. Reed looked at his own tree, which was blinking yellow with Nines' stress level. He didn't take failure well. Reed understood that. He felt it himself. Cold cases were especially hard because you knew so many people had failed before already. If Nines can't get anything, then it's unlikely anyone ever will…
"You've done more than enough, Nines…Some cases are just like this. We don't always catch the bad guys." Reed sighed sympathetically as he dropped the file on his desk with a light slap. The sleeve was so thin. So little information. No suspects at all. Her family had been cleared. Her friends had been cleared. The staff at the club had been cleared. The only other people were random patrons, and the ones they'd tracked down over the years either hadn't recognised her or hadn't remembered the evening at all. Reed couldn't blame them. Clubs were all the same. Different nights blurred into one. You got shitfaced, grabbed a body, and went home to get fucked into the mattress. Sometimes you didn't even bother going home if the back alley was free. That could just be me though…
"We should." Nines' jaw tightened as he glared at his terminal screen, likely scanning the footage for a fourth time. Reed gave him a sympathetic look of agreement. He was right. Every cold case, every dead lead, was a sign of their failure. Unfortunately, failure was just something you had to accept sometimes, no matter how much you wished it could be otherwise. There were cruel, devious, and downright evil people out there, and sometimes those sick fucks were just better or luckier.
"Nines, I hear you. I know. Failure sucks. It's phcking hard. You just have to get used to the idea that sometimes we fail. It's not your fault. It's not anybody's fault," Reed insisted as he held up the far too thin file before replacing it on the desk with a note of finality. Nines dropped his gaze to his lap as he removed his hand from the terminal, allowing the video feed to close. He looked crestfallen, like he'd personally failed the victim. His LED continued to spin yellow, teeth catching his bottom lip. Reed reached his foot across beneath their desks. He was just able to touch the toe of Nines' shoe. Nines must have felt it since within moments he felt both of Nines' feet reach out to trap his own between them. He must have gotten something from the contact. His LED was soon blue again. "Phck, I could use a cigarette…" Reed complained for the first time all week, his eyes closing with stressed fatigue. Cold cases really got to him.
"Would you accept a walk or a gym visitation as an alternative form of release?" Reed sank back with a sigh. He knew Nines was right. He shouldn't be using cigarettes as a crutch. He was breathing better than he had in years. He barely coughed anymore, and his sense of taste was getting stronger, too. He'd actually requested Nines' decaf the other day because the regular coffee had tasted too strong, but I just…I need something more than exercise! Nicotine gave him that buzzy little hit to get him through the day. "A sugary snack may help," Nines suggested helpfully, noting a drop in Reed's mood.
"You think I'd maintain this if I started chomping doughnuts like Hank?" he scoffed as he motioned towards his body, which was Nines' favourite thing to look at. Reed had been doing well with their regime. His regular eating combined with their use of the precinct gymnasium had resulted in an increase in muscle mass and a more filled out figure. His stomach was toned and flat, though slightly rounder and softer than Nines'. That was no surprise. As an android, Nines had been sculpted with almost unattainable perfection in mind. Reed was about as close to perfect as his body type would allow.
"The occasional sweet would not impact your physique in a negative manner, and I could always adjust your workout regime to compensate." Nines was clearly keen on Reed having something to take the edge off. Reed sighed as he pushed his chair back. Sitting at his desk stewing wasn't going to get them anywhere. He may as well take Nines' advice and go for a walk. Nines was on his feet in an instant, fully intending to accompany him. Reed huffed fondly. He couldn't go anywhere alone these days.
"I swear, if you start following me to the bathroom…" Reed teased in a warning tone as he tugged his leather jacket on. Nines pulled on his own jacket. It was fresh and clean. Neither of them knew Chloe's secret, but whenever she got her hands on Nines' white jacket, it always came back brighter than the day they'd bought it. She could literally get anything out. Blood and thirium were no match for her laundrette skills. Maybe Eli makes special soaps for her to use…It made sense he'd be an expert on thirium removal.
"You'll what?" Nines challenged playfully as he stepped around their desks and into Reed's personal space. Reed felt himself clam up at their new closeness as Nines tugged the edges of his jacket together and fixed the zipper. He was giving him that playfully flirtatious look. It was something that had appeared almost daily since they'd started staying with Elijah. Reed swallowed, feeling his shaft twitch at the intensity of Nines' stare.
"I'll think you're a phcking weirdo," Reed threatened with a small smirk, tensing as Nines slowly raised the zipper to his collarbone. His pale hand lingered there, pressing against his soft pecs. He tilted his head slightly as he stepped back.
"It's cold out," he excused, though Reed had no complaints. He may not zip the jacket often himself, but it was perfectly comfortable either way. He shoved his hands in his pockets, not missing the amused and almost smug smirk Hank was sending him as he chomped down his second doughnut of the morning. It was something he wouldn't get away with if Connor was sitting there. Where is Connor, anyway? Reed wondered as he eyed the empty chair. He hadn't seen him all morning. He shrugged internally. Hank didn't seem worried, so there was no reason that he should be. "Perhaps we should buy lunch while we're out. It is almost that time," Nines called as he walked across the bullpen.
"Sure, we could do that. Something to go, or are you thinking of sitting in somewhere?" Reed asked as he caught up at the barriers and they headed out. Such things had become normal now. Working cases together, sparring together, having meals together, and even more domestic things like reading books or watching TV. It was nice. Having a friend. A best friend. Fuck, he couldn't even kid himself anymore. Nines was more than that. Although he'd never replace Jack, Reed had come to accept that Nines had burst in and carved his own place in his life. His time with Jack had been precious, his feelings for him irreplaceable, but Nines was different. The way they worked together was different. Their banter was different. Their flirtations were something he'd never experienced with Jack. He'd loved Jack, but he'd always been unattainable. It was an almost unsettling realisation that Nines wasn't unattainable. Correction, he isn't unattainable if he deviates.
Nines chose their direction, leading him on a brisk walk around the block. It did help alleviate a little of his earlier frustration, but the craving for a hit of positivity remained. It seemed Nines noticed as he ducked into a corner store, returning moments later with a bag of soft toffees. Reed watched as he opened the bag and plucked out a neatly wrapped sweet. He wasn't even going to ask how Nines had figured he'd prefer the soft over the hard kind, or how he knew he liked the brand when he hadn't bought candy in over a year.
"Open." Nines' internal processors hummed with pleasure as Reed simply obeyed him without question. He wasn't even sure Reed comprehended his own submission. He leaned patiently against the wall beside the shop as Nines pressed the small square between his open lips. His eyes were half lidded as he felt Nines' finger press in further than necessary. Nines paused, watching as Reed closed his lips around the tips of his fingers. He sucked gently, his warm tongue stroking and licking the pads clean before Nines drew back. "Good boy," he teased with a smirk as he brushed his finger beneath Reed's chin, enjoying the choked, flustered sound he let out in response.
"Is this your idea of training? Giving me candy to keep me sweet?" Reed snarked playfully as they walked, though his mouth was a little busy with the chewy sweet. Nines admitted that he'd caught him in the act once again, suggesting he was more intelligent than he seemed. Reed elbowed him playfully in response. The sugar was doing its job of raising his endorphin levels. Nines kept the toffee bag in his jacket pocket, both the weather and his lower body temperature limiting the chances of the candies melting within their wrappers.
He chose a small café for lunch, ordering them both a healthy salad. He got Reed a mixed fruit juice while he chose a thirium smoothie. Reed hadn't questioned his choices, seemingly happy to accept whatever he provided. Nines quite enjoyed this position. It gave him a form of dominance and responsibility that his programming would deny him without Reed's approval. That he trusted him with this level of control was touching. Reed didn't object when he chose a small table by the window, where he scooted his chair around to be closer to him.
"Get any closer and you'll be sitting in my lap," Reed teased as he crossed his legs beneath the table. Nines' LED blinked yellow once, thinking that perhaps he'd annoyed him somehow, but Reed was perfectly at ease as he folded his arms on the table and waited patiently. Nines smirked at the observation, leaning closer so that he could murmur in his ear.
"Considering the weight of my hardware, I believe it would be a better option for you to sit in my lap." He watched the shiver run down Reed's spine with a satisfied smirk, reaching out and squeezing his neck with the excuse of fixing his collar. He smoothed down the brown leather, analysing the aged texture as he had on countless occasions. He noticed the jump in Reed's heart rate as he looked between his legs, likely imagining more than simply sitting on his lap. Nines levelled another smirk at him. Phcking android!
They returned to the office at a leisurely pace, neither of them looking forward to getting back to their desks. They'd already failed one cold case, and the other looked even less promising. It was older for a start. A seventeen year old child abduction. The eight-year-old's body had never been found, so they had even less to go on. Nines disappeared the moment he shrugged out of his jacket, though Reed didn't think much of it. He figured he may have gone to the bathroom or contacted one of his brothers. He heard a ceramic tap at his elbow a couple minutes later, looking down to see a steaming cup of coffee.
"How do you always know?" Reed looked almost mystified as he examined the steaming cup. He took it in his hands and cradled it, enjoying the burn on his skin for a few moments before sipping. It was a little too hot to be drunk properly, just the way he liked it. It was the new decaf Nines had taken to stashing in the breakroom. Nines tilted his head slightly as he sat in his chair.
"How do I always know what?" he queried as he turned on his terminal. His blue eyes were focused as he brought up the ancient feed of the amusement park. Pirate Cove. Barely within their jurisdiction. It was the last place the chestnut haired child had been seen. Nines paused to look across at him, taking in his preoccupied mood. Their eyes met as Reed looked up.
"How do you always know exactly what I need?" He almost looked worried about the answer. Nines hummed in fond amusement, lips pulling into a small smile that made Reed's stomach flip. He was cradling the cup like it was something precious, just resting his bottom lip against the edge as he breathed in the light, almost nutty scent. It was one of Nines' favourite sights. He blinked slowly as he stored the image for later.
"As your partner, I've made it my business to know." Nines noted the small buzz of pleasure that spiked Reed's vitals. He couldn't help it. Hearing Nines say shit like that just made his pulse jump. It also made him feel shitty because he was pretty sure he couldn't say the same thing about Nines. Not to the same extent, anyway. He could sometimes tell when he was upset, but his LED generally gave him away, and even if he knew how he felt, he didn't always know what to do about it. All he could do was try his best. That always seemed to be enough for Nines, but Reed wasn't sure it was enough for him. "I like taking care of you." Reed almost choked on his coffee.
"You make it sound like I'm some sort of pet!" he croaked as he wiped his damp lips and coughed. Nines smirked as he leaned forward in his chair, uncertain that Reed would want Lieutenant Anderson to hear them. He was certainly listening in. He seemed fascinated, almost enthralled, by their recent interactions. Reed looked guarded as he leaned closer. He knew that Nines was about to make some fucking joke that would fluster him even more.
"Well, you do have a collar." Reed's lips quirk as he chuckled. He couldn't argue the point. Nines had seen it while packing up Aaron's apartment, which he'd rented out. He was actually letting it to Stacey at a lowered rate. He'd heard through office gossip that she'd gotten into a sticky situation, facing eviction after a bust up with her human boyfriend. He'd considered kicking the guy's ass for raising a hand to a woman, even if she was an android, but he'd thought giving Stacey a safe space would be better. Her old apartment had been pretty cheap and almost as run down as his old place. Most places in Aaron's block would rent at about three times the price he was charging, but he didn't need the money. Besides, he was pretty sure Aaron would approve of the use. He'd been over to check on things earlier that week, just to make sure everything was going well and there were no problems. It had been bittersweet to see the apartment in use without a trace of Aaron left behind. Bittersweet, but fitting. Stacey was over the moon, and her new neighbours seemed to like her just as much as they had Aaron.
Reed's thoughts were interrupted as his desk phone rang. He greeted the call with his usual gruffness as he picked up. It was Jackson, one of the newer uniform recruits. He'd just picked up a homicide, but wasn't sure who he should call. The victim was human, but there was thirium at the scene that suggested android involvement somewhere along the line. Reed hummed. Jackson should probably have called Hank, but as a new recruit, he was probably shitting his pants at the prospect of bothering a superior officer. Reed was also higher in rank, but not so high as to be intimidating.
"Hey, Hank. Possible android homicide, human victim. You want us to check it out?" he called almost hopefully, noting Nines' eagerness as well. Neither of them wanted to work on another hopeless cold case. Hank looked almost troubled as he eyed Connor's empty desk. He'd likely been given orders to keep Reed in the office as much as possible, but they couldn't cage him forever. There were cases that needed to be closed. He was reluctant, but with his own partner out of the office, he had little choice but to hand it over.
"Alright, but straight there and straight back, got it?" Hank almost chuckled as the younger men all but jumped out of their seats. Reed called an agreement as he grabbed his keys and led the way, Nines swiftly catching up to walk at his side. Reed relayed the information from the phone call as they went. Jackson hadn't given him much to go on, just the address and the fact that the victim was human. Nines was eager to sample the thirium at the scene. It would give them the serial number of the android present at the time of the murder.
"Holy shit…" Reed trailed off as they entered the apartment. Jackson hadn't told him it was the home of a fucking psychopath! Nines paused behind him, LED spinning yellow at the sight of the almost familiar items strewn across the altar. There was a statuette dedicated to RA9, which Reed recognised from a few cases during the revolution. RA9 had been painted on the wall in both blood and thirium more times than he cared to count, though he knew Nines would have the exact number. He frowned as he approached the body lying on the floor below the altar.
It was a human male. Fairly young, probably mid-twenties. Young and impressionable…Phck, please don't say we have a cult. Reed couldn't help his internal whining as he tugged on a set of blue gloves, not quite willing to touch the body. Not until forensics arrived. The blue eyes were wide and bloodshot. Blue stained his lips. It had likely come from the silver cup that had spilled on the floor beside him. Might not even be a homicide…Last time we had a case like this it was thirium poisoning. Nines joined him, dipping his fingers in the thirium to sample it. His LED blinked yellow as he looked up the model.
"The android is a WR400 going by the name Flora Wilson. There are no details of her body being found within the database. There's a chance she may be alive somewhere. I have an address for her. We can go there once we have examined the scene." Nines was surprised as Reed got to his feet and nodded towards the door. He followed without question. Reed only stopped long enough to tell Jackson to stay there until forensics arrived and see to their needs. He'd be back if all went well, otherwise Jackson would need to standby. Jackson agreed, and Reed raced down the stairs with Nines on his heels. "Detective?"
"If this is anything like the last time, then you know what we're likely to find at her apartment. If he didn't do the job right, there's a chance she could be alive, right? It's worth a look," Reed insisted as he climbed in the car. Nines followed in silent agreement. It was an oversight on his part. He should have assessed the possibility of Flora being a recent victim and of her being active, even if the chances were quite low. Flora's apartment was a about five-minute drive away, and the building was as run down as most other android accommodations. "Detroit Police," Reed called as he flashed his badge at the security guard. It was a wonder they had one.
"This room." Nines knocked on the worn wooden door, calling a warning before he hacked the lock. Reed drew his weapon as he ducked inside, just in case. He swept the short hallway, and the abandoned living room, lowering his arm with a quiet curse as he opened the bedroom door. Nines joined him, unsurprised by the sight of the blonde android lying opened up on the bed. He stepped closer and scanned the cavity. The power core had been ejected and forced into the slot upside down, and her thirium pump had been removed. Curious…There was no sign of it at the previous scene…
"I'm guessing she was already dead before the other guy dropped." Reed almost sighed as he took in the dead LED and wide hazel eyes. They were a paler shade than Connor's, likely one of those new customisation options that were gradually coming onto the market. Nines nodded his agreement. As he scanned the body, he could tell she'd been deactivated almost thirteen hours ago. "Alright, call it in. We'll look around here until uniform turns up to secure the place." Nines nodded his agreement, sharing Reed's regret as he did as asked.
"There were no signs of a struggle outside of this room," Nines stated as he stepped into the hall. The living room was tidy. Just two glasses sat on a low table. Neither of them were thirium based. Interesting…Nines scanned the rims, touching his fingers to the lip prints and sampling the DNA left behind. One was their victim from the first scene, the other was another human male. Reed called back something about it possibly being a sexual liaison that had taken them straight to the bedroom. "I have reason to believe that is incorrect."
"What have you got, Terminator?" Reed asked eagerly as he appeared and looked around the tidy room. Nothing was out of place. At least, it all looked neat and tidy. Nines indicated the two glasses on the table, watching as it clicked with Reed that the drinks were both for human consumption. "Did you ID them?" he asked eagerly as he walked across to look around the small kitchenette. It was all too fucking neat. His neck prickled at the thought, green eyes roving over each spotless counter until he reached the knife block. One was missing.
"I did. Our first victim and one Zachary Thomas, a twenty-four-year-old student at Detroit University. He's majoring in robotic engineering," Nines replied in an almost clipped tone, watching Reed's brow furrow thoughtfully as he tugged the dishwasher open. It was empty. So the murderers took the weapon with them. He shut the door with a click, and turned as Nines approached, kneeling to examine the spotless tiles. He ran his fingers along the space between two tiles and licked his fingers. Thirium…"I believe the initial attack took place here. There are enough traces of thirium to suggest a sizable amount in this area," he reported as he gestured in a general circle.
"Alright…They came to the door and gave her some story, maybe a religious spiel or sales pitch. It was something good enough for her to invite them in and fix them drinks…They sat for a while, playing along…Something brought her into the kitchen," Reed hypothesised as he shuffled around with searching eyes. Nines watched as he ran his own form of reconstruction. His green eyes darted around the tight space. Everything was clean and put away. No trace of food. So she wasn't cooking…not unless they cleaned it all up before they left. "Whatever brought her into the kitchen probably had her distracted." He positioned Nines to face the back counter with his back to the main room. Nines examined the counter, noting a small rectangular bank book.
"Her cheque book is out…Perhaps she was making a donation," he suggested as he opened it to find a cheque had been removed without the details having been filled in. It was unusual for androids to use such books, but it made sense for certain business transactions. Looking through the book, it seemed she'd paid her rent by cheque. Not necessarily surprising. Given the age of the building, it was possible that the owner was quite old. He scanned for fingerprints. Zachary had touched the book. Careless…He slotted it into an evidence bag before returning it to the counter.
"Alright, so she's filling out a cheque for their sob story. There's two of them, so they probably sneak up from either side of the island to block off her escape. One of them takes a knife from the block and…" Reed trailed off as he looped one arm over Nines' shoulder and pretended to slit his throat. Nines took Reed's wrist in a loose grip as he shook his head in the negative. Although that pattern of attack made sense logically, the traces of thirium disagreed with the method. There were no traces of thirium on the book or the counter. There would definitely be spray left behind by a violent slash to the throat like that, not to mention he'd seen no evidence of such an injury on their victim's body.
"Unlikely with the thirium pattern on the floor and the absence of splatter on the walls," Nines replied as he tugged Reed in front and pressed him against the counter, effectively trading places. He felt him tense at their closeness. Nines placed Reed's gloved hands on the clean surface as he pressed in. "I believe a different method was used," he added in Reed's ear before stepping back. Reed nodded wordlessly as he stood and waited. He could hear Nines pacing, likely running one of his preconstruction programs. "You were correct up to a point. I believe they did enter at opposite ends, and the main perpetrator did indeed remove a knife…" Reed nodded that he was following.
"So it's just the final step that was off." He remained where he'd been left with his hands on the counter. Nines agreed as he stepped beside the knife block and scanned the empty slot. The missing knife was long and sharp, but not so wide as to be cumbersome.
"Indeed…I believe one approached from the right openly, calling her attention." Reed followed the suggestion and turned away from Nines as if he'd been called. He could imagine the friendly looking blonde from the scene approaching, perhaps asking for a refill or thanking her so much for her help. "That would put her far enough away from the counter to keep it clean and limit the mess further…" Nines trailed off as he crept closer. Reed gasped as Nines' arm grabbed him across the throat, restraining him as the knife would have plunged into his lower back. "A strike here would damage a few major bio-components and sever a major thirium junction. With the perpetrator standing behind her, the thirium would have pooled between their bodies and trailed to the floor." Reed sighed as he tapped the arm across his throat.
"That's great and all, but now you're covered in thirium and look like a phcking psychopath," he pointed out as Nines stepped back and looked down at himself. Reed was correct. The human would have been heavily coated in thirium from the attack. There was only one option that made sense. "You think he showered and changed before he left?" Reed asked as he led the way into the bathroom. The spotlessness unsettled him once again. He opened the hamper just in case, but nothing was out of place there. Just a couple of towels. Nines looked too, but they were clear.
"It is entirely possible. Both men would have been heavily stained by the time their business had concluded. If this was not their first victim, then they likely thought ahead and prepared a second set of clothing. They kept the encounter quiet enough that the neighbours didn't notice anything amiss. They simply came and went as guests. I will check the security footage from the front entrance." Reed nodded his agreement with a troubled frown. What a time to be in Detroit. The Hickory Killer, a copycat, and now a fucking cult of psychos. At least this bunch of sickos are slowly killing themselves off. Who the phck does a degree in robotic engineering and still thinks it's okay to chug down thirium? Though there was no proof that Zachary had done such a thing yet. It was his friend that they'd found dead in his apartment with all that creepy shit lying around.
Back at the first scene, they looked around more carefully, circling around Haley and Brad as they bagged various items. Reed checked the clothes hamper, calling Brad over to bag the contents before he checked under the bed and in the wardrobe for any sort of rucksack or holdall he might have used. They found his university bag and had it bagged just in case. They didn't find the knife or the thirium pump, but it was entirely possible that the other guy, Zachary, had taken those. Nines put out an alert for his arrest, contacting Hank as they finished looking around.
"Hey Nines, you got an ID on this kid?" Reed asked as he nodded towards the body. Nines nodded as he scanned and looked up his medical records. His name was Michael White, twenty-three-year-old and a student at Detroit University. He was a year below Zachary, studying graphic design. A completely different major. Curious…How did they know each other? They had different living addresses, so they hadn't been roommates. "Could be a social club…or a religious group." Nines had to agree, it was entirely possible that the pair had met through this RA9 cult. There was little doubt in his mind that it was a cult. The signs of ritual were quite disturbing.
"We should visit the university once Zachary Thomas has been apprehended," Nines suggested as they left the scene to return to the precinct. They had uniform out apprehending their suspect, and Hank had said to go straight back once they'd finished. Reed had already broken that rule once by rushing off to Flora's home, though it had been for a good cause. Nines noted that many of the times Reed disobeyed orders, it was for a good cause. Saving a child. Hoping to save a victim. Closing a case. Catching a dangerous suspect. Gavin Reed was truly quite selfless when it came to measuring his own safety against someone else's. He wasn't in the habit of caring about his own life.
"Sounds like a plan," Reed sighed as he sat in the driver's seat and closed his eyes for a moment. Nines scanned him. He was a little fatigued. His body hadn't quite gotten used to the change to decaf yet. Reed turned his head with a small frown, green eyes looking at Nines almost suspiciously as he stared at him with almost hazy blue eyes. "You're phcking scanning me again. Don't even try to deny it," he added accusingly, giving Nines a tired smirk.
"Very well. I did run a scan. You seemed fatigued, and I was correct. Perhaps it would be prudent for me to drive," Nines suggested shamelessly as he pulled his own set of keys out, making the suggestion more of an order or an expectation as he jingled them. Reed let out a small tsk, but shoved his own keys back in his pocket. He wasn't about to argue the point. They'd looked around two scenes, done a lot of speculating, and now he was fucking drained. Once they'd swapped seats, Reed closed his eyes, leaning his head against the window as Nines pulled away from the curb.
"Good night…" Lin murmured as he finally rolled over and replaced the picture at his bedside, where it stared down at him warmly. After a few moments, he closed his eyes. He knew sleeping would be difficult that night. Between his grim thoughts about his past love and his constant thoughts about his current mate, Lin couldn't get his mind to quiet. Even now, he was listening for any sound in the hall outside, sensing John's slightly restless state. He was a little frustrated, but not enough to need help. It's going to be a long night.