A/N: Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. :)
October 11th 2035…
"Don't worry, I'm driving at a safe speed." Hank responded calmly as 17 year old Leah glanced at him and then glanced at 6 year old Cole, who was blissfully unaware to what his dad and cousin were talking about… and Leah switched the radio off of Hailstorm by Knights Of The Black Death and onto Losing My Religion by Bellsaint, Hank rolling his eyes.
"Uncle Hank, Cole is too young to listen to heavy metal." Leah replied, Hank chuckling.
"Alright. Just this once, he can listen to a cover of a REM song…" Hank responded before Leah noticed a familiar red 2023 Ford F-150 Exterior out of the corner of her right eye.
Leah immediately shielded Cole as the truck crashed into the charcoal 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham, flipping it over and an enraged Leo Manfred got out as Hank and Leah pulled Cole out of the wrecked car.
"How does that feel, huh bitch?! I told you what would happen if you left me-" Leo shouted before he was tasered and fell to the ground, being handcuffed.
Gavin had the misfortune in his mind of being a witness to the road rage incident and read Leo his rights before pulling him up to his feet as Hank and Leah noticed that Cole was bleeding heavily, Hank dialing 911.
The next few hours were a blur as Cole was in the OR and Leah was treated for a concussion and three fractured ribs, Hank and Selene staying with her once Selene had gotten there.
But when the MD750 Android who identified himself as Ryan had told them that Cole had died on the OR table, Hank pulled his sobbing niece and wife into his arms and let his own tears fall…
Present time, October 7th 2038…
Leah opened her eyes, looking around… and sure enough, Hank had fallen asleep too in the nearby recliner.
She heard his snoring and looked to her left as Connor opened his eyes and his LED changed from yellow to blue.
"I'm sorry if I woke you. I was making a report to CyberLife about what happened earlier at the college." Connor explained, Leah carefully sitting up.
"So it wasn't a horrific nightmare…" Leah responded quietly as she was still out of it from the sedative, Connor glancing at Hank to see if he'd wake up soon.
Hank had mentioned that Leah was his only family member left… and it led Connor to wonder where Leah's parents were but he wouldn't ask her just yet.
Silence settled around them for a few seconds before the door was opened and Hank opened his eyes and saw Ben Collins walk in, Ben looking at Leah.
"Hey…" Leah spoke up, Ben letting a sympathetic smile be seen.
"Fowler said you can see the department therapist if you need to since you're part of the officer shadow program, kiddo." Ben explained before he turned to Hank. "Someone just called in a fight at the Black Widow Bar." He responded.
"Let someone else handle it, I'm not leaving Leah's side." Hank replied firmly.
"Fowler wants you to handle it, an Android self-destructed and injured several people in the bar-" Ben responded.
Hank stood up after hitting the nearby table, glaring at Ben… and Leah moved away from them, Connor looking at the monitor and seeing a sharp spike in her vitals and resting his right hand on her left arm as Hank turned belligerent and started shouting at Ben.
"Lieutenant Anderson?" Connor spoke up, Hank turning around and glaring at him.
"What?!" Hank retorted, Connor looking right at him.
"If it's okay with you, I'll keep an eye on Leah while you and Detective Collins talk in the hallway." Connor explained.
Hank stormed into the hallway with Ben following after him, Leah briefly closing her eyes and Connor seeing anger.
"Sometimes I feel like Jeffrey only cares about the goddamn job!" Leah responded through gritted teeth, Connor getting her to drink some water… and seeing a hospital bracelet on her wrist, Leah realized she had been admitted to the hospital for observation. "I can't stay here!" She replied as she tried to get out of the bed, Connor stopping her.
"It's for your own safety, your heart rate and blood pressure were dangerously high when you were on the roof earlier." Connor explained as Hank walked back into the room and Leah saw Ben walk away.
"Don't try it, Leah. Seeing you on that roof scared the hell out of me." Hank responded.
Leah gave in without a word, grabbing a notepad and pen instead and writing a note before she folded the paper and handed it to Chris when he walked in… and he put the note in his pocket before setting the white roses in a vase.
"Take all the time you need to rest, kiddo." Chris replied before he left.
'Don't really have a choice.' Leah thought before she stretched back out in the bed and looked up at the ceiling.
His LED remaining a steady blue, Connor saw 'Leah: Warm' and 'Hank: Neutral' flash before him.
"She has a reason for wanting to get back to the college so soon. Some of the rookies are sweeping the dorms for evidence." Hank responded quietly while Leah was asleep.
Outside of the hospital and in his squad car, Chris unfolded Leah's note.
'Under the floorboards of Nathan's dorm room is a safe with a notebook in it. Passcode is 7/17/02, notebook is a slate grey color with leather on its side. I need that book because I know Gavin will destroy what's in it.'
Reaching Wayne State University, Chris reached room 116 and walked in… he pulled up the floorboards and found the safe, putting in the passcode and opening it.
"Paydirt." Chris responded before retrieving the notebook and leaving.
He reached the hospital, getting back into Leah's room and Hank and Connor seeing the notebook.
"Leah bought that book for Nathan a year ago." Hank replied.
"And it was right where her note said it would be." Chris responded before he set it on the table, Leah opening her eyes and carefully sitting up.
"Thank you." Leah replied before she opened it, Hank confused as to why Nathan's handwriting was a strange code.
"We're not gonna be able to make sense of that." Hank responded.
Glancing at it, Connor saw rA9 written repeatedly on one page and CyberLife: Project Revival on another.
"It was an abandoned project from before Elijah retired. Why would Nathan want to pick up where his brother left off?" Connor replied.
"Nathan was always trying to be successful like his big brother. Reviving this abandoned project would've made him his own fame so he could step out of Elijah's shadow." Leah explained before she quickly closed the notebook and hid it as a knock sounded at the door, Hank standing up and looking out into the hallway.
Breathing a relieved sigh, he opened the door and let Leah's roommate Jennifer Chen in before the ravenette and redhead hugged.
"You scared the hell out of me, Le!" Jennifer replied before they let go.
"Jen, I'm okay." Leah responded even though both girls knew it was a lie.
In the evidence room, Gavin looked for the notebook but was unable to find it… and he ran back upstairs to his desk, logging into his computer right as Jeffery approached him.
"Detective Reed, I think you should take some time off." Jeffrey explained, Gavin looking at him.
"Nathan Kamski's notebook was never entered into the evidence room!" Gavin responded.
"No one could find it, Gavin. I'm sorry but you can't be involved in this investigation-" Jeffrey replied before he was cut off by Gavin shoving things off of his own desk.
"Alex is dead! Nathan caused it and now Leah's involved in hiding evidence! I'm not taking time off, not until this is done!" Gavin shouted.
"You have no proof that Leah is hiding Nathan's notebook, Gavin! You're distraught and taking it out on a girl that is grieving much like you are!" Jeffrey retorted. "You are taking time off, that's final!" He responded before he left.
Gavin grabbed his keys and stormed out to his black 2029 Chevy Camaro, getting into the driver's side and starting up the engine before buckling up and driving off as The Thunder Rolls by State Of Mine, No Resolve and Brandon Davis played on the radio.
Gavin screamed ragefully as tears ran down his face right as "As the storm blows on out of control…" echoed through the car.
"I don't need proof…" Gavin whispered as he kept driving, looking at the cloudy Detroit skyline.
In his mind, Leah was going to suffer.