"Detective Cyber-Man, Robo-Detective, Inspector Gadget, Android Detective, Detective Gears…" Alex was reading the headlines out loud. She set the stack of news papers down on the desk and looked at the star on the front page of every local paper. Even the smaller papers ran by grassroots groups that looked down on traditional media had gotten in on the fun.

Rick was pacing around the office nervously as she recited the names the local newspapers had dubbed him.

"Those are awful." Rick complained as he stopped to look at her. "This is exactly what I didn't want." A sort of embarrassed smile crept over his lips. Even he couldn't help but see the humor in the names people were coming up with.

Alex giggled, "well, I kind of like Inspector Gadget." She replied. Rick grimaced and she laughed more.

"It sounds like the name of a cartoon character, they all do." Rick remarked with some slight touch of disdain. He was surprised no one had used 'Six-Million Dollar Man' already.

"But that's what makes it so much fun. Didn't you ever want to be a hero from the cartoons as a kid?" Alex asked.

Rick thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, I did have one cartoon hero."

"Who was it?" Alex asked with a smile.

"Spider-Man." Rick replied with a sheepish smile. Alex immediately began to laugh.

"You're favorite cartoon super hero had the worst media attention ever." She calmed her almost cackle. "You can't believe you'll have it that bad, I mean, this could be good for you. No more keeping it low, I know the Feds don't like you, but if you become a local sensation they might come around, and at least you'll get to have some fun."

The door opened and Grant stepped in. Voices filtered in through the open door but there were too many people speaking at once. Luckily the office windows were fitted with blinds that were drawn. "How'd it go?" Alex asked.

Grant made a face. "The press is satisfied for now." He replied. He sat down on the desk.

"But?" Rick asked.

"But, they want you to speak." Grant replied. Rick paled considerably.

"Did you tell them no?" Alex asked.

"I did, but um, they want to see something, take some more pictures." Grant sounded like he had pleaded with them to be patient.

"I think they have plenty of photos." Rick pointed to the papers. "And I don't feel like showin' off."

"They have one question for you." Grant added.

"What?"

"They would like to know if you would be willing to choose one of the monikers the journalists came up with." Grant chuckled. "They want to nickname you, and they want a contest for it."

"Well this is just a little humorous." Alex remarked.

Rick went back to pacing. He fingered the stitches on his neck and sighed. "I'm supposed to choose a nickname?" He was wearing a collared shirt and jeans. His left eye was almost swollen shut and had a dark blue-black tinge around it. "Let alone go face the press looking like this." He added.

He'd never dreamed that he would end up in the spotlight like this. He figured people would have a more negative reaction to something as unbelievable as cyborg cop. Perhaps it was the novelty of it all, the people were just excited by something that had never been done before. He hoped the initial enthusiasm would fade away after a few weeks.

"You could tell them to give you a few days. Let them have their fun for a while and you never know, you might get some entertainment out of it." Alex suggested.

"Make it a real contest. The journalist who names you can get a picture taken with you…,"

"Or you could let them be your honorary partner for a day."

"Ooh, that's a good one Hon." Grant commented. He obviously hadn't thought of something as prize worthy as that. Alex smiled proudly.

Rick almost laughed. Why was it that his friends were having more fun with this than he was? Maybe cause while he got the media circus frenzy, they got the credit for all the behind the scenes work. Of course he was tempted to go along with all of it, but he also didn't feel comfortable doing that. He had to admit, it couldn't hurt to play along to some degree.

"Alright." Rick replied. "You tell them I end the naming contest on Friday. The winner gets to ride shotgun with me for a day." He smiled, "I'll try to have some fun." Grant and Alex beamed. This wasn't only Rick's big break, but it was theirs as well.

Rick's cell phone hummed in his pocket, the Star Wars theme music filled the small office. He pulled it out and answered it, "Hey, Darlin'." He greeted.

'Hey, I just watched Grant's Press Release. Sounds like someone's getting quite the publicity.' Her voice was excited.

"I know. It's a mad house here still, how's Penny?"

'She's good. We went and bought the local papers. So is there an official naming contest or not?'

Rick chuckled, "I guess there is."

'Good, Penny and I agree on either Inspector Gadget or Detective Gears.'

"I'll remember that. Oh, hey about dinner tonight, I was thinkin' maybe we should stay in and have a date night with Alex and Grant. They're already stayin' at the house for the week." The Lawrence estate was going to take a while to repair. The contractor hired wouldn't be able to start on the mansion for a week. So Rick had opened up his own place. Rick and Jessica were splitting the time that the two would stay with each of them.

'Good idea, I'm totally up for it. Tell Alex I'll cook dinner.' Jess replied.

"Then that's all settled. Thanks for comin' and gettin' Penny for me." The poor girl had been dragged to the precinct and questioned as a witness after the horrific battle. When they had finished with her Jessica had come and taken her home. Rick was still filing reports at the time and Alex and Grant were there as well. Rick would have let her sleep in the office, but the press was too invasive.

"Will do. Talk to ya later."

'Right.' Jessica hung up. Rick put his phone away.

"You know I've been working on designs for some extra features. How would you like to have your phone in your hand?" Alex began.

Rick waved his hands in disagreement. "No way." He replied scrunching up his face. "I've went along with every other thing you've designed, I think I need a break." Alex rolled her eyes but nodded. "Jess is makin' dinner tonight." Rick added.

"Sounds good. Though we'll probably be too tired for more than that." Grant said as he got back up. "I'll go announce the official contest, are we taking any more entries?"

"No. They've cooked up enough wacky titles already."

"Alright." Grant opened the door and the whirlwind of voices started back up again. The man had to push his way out and fought to close the door. People wanted in, Alex jumped up and rushed the desk ramming her side into it. The wooden door shuddered and slammed shut.

"You alright?" Rick asked. Alex nodded. The two remained silent for some time.

"So Rick, about those car designs I sent you last week?" Alex finally prodded.

"I liked the second one." Rick answered after a moment of thought.

"The armored sports car?" Alex asked surprised. She figured he'd want the unimpressive sedan or maybe the SUV.

"Just cause I ain't a flashy person doesn't mean my car can't be." Rick stated.

Alex waggled her eyebrows. "I think someone's finally having some fun."

That night everyone was too tired to do much more than eat dinner. Grant and Alex turned in early.

Penny was the first one asleep, Jessica couldn't get her to sleep much when she brought her home. The girl had refused to sleep. She watched the news with Jessica about the attack for hours, as soon as one channel was finished she'd flip through them until she found another covering the story.

Jessica left the house at nine. She'd been cleaning the kitchen after dinner, despite Rick's protests. "I can do that in the mornin'." He told her.

"I know, but I made the mess." Jessica insisted. As soon as the dishwasher was loaded he forced her to give up and go home. "You take care," she said sternly at the door. "I can't believe you took two bullets yesterday."

Rick shrugged, "Compared to other things I've suffered a couple bullets ain't much."

"You're lucky, without all that cybernetic work you'd probably be dead." Her eyes were shiny.

"I know I would be." Rick replied. "I was a dead man once already."

"I know." Jessica looked down and then back up at him, "Well I better get going, you need to rest." She made to kiss his cheek, but he turned and her lips met his. It was a brief touch, neither one had the energy to be passionate about it.

She left and Rick went back inside. He snagged the bottle of pain killers off the counter as he passed the kitchen. His neck and shoulder throbbed with pain. He took the pills in his room with a glass of water he kept next to the bed.

For a long time he tried to fall asleep, he was too exhausted to sleep. The pain in his neck was another sleep deterrent. Rick's synthetic skin could register feeling the same as the real stuff including pain. And even with all the work they did to the skin still intact after the explosion he couldn't turn the pain off. No matter where it was. Grant had added this to ensure that Rick didn't feel alienated by the cybernetic replacements.

When Rick did finally fall asleep his usual ironic luck(He called it ironic luck instead of bad luck because whatever happened to him was usually ironic in nature) struck. Penny in the room next door screamed. The sleeping detective sat up in shock. He winced as the pain flared back up.

"Daddy!" Penny yelled again. Her voice was laced with fear. Rick climbed out of bed not bothering to put on a shirt. His sweatpants were adequate enough covering to ease his nightmare ridden daughter.

He took the few steps down the hall to her room and flicked the switch. Light washed the pink room and illuminated the sobbing girl. She leapt from her bed and into Rick. She buried her head into his wounded shoulder.

He winced. "Nightmare?" He asked. She nodded against him.

"I was in the lab alone, and there was an explosion like yesterday." Her voice faded into a sob.

"Sh, it's ok. That's not goin' to happen again. We caught them all." He said in a confident whisper.

He picked her up and carried her into the hall. He hoped that Alex and Grant hadn't been woken up by Penny, but it was likely they were. He continued to the recliner in the living room down stairs. He sat down and held her until she fell asleep. As it would happen he fell asleep holding her.