The afternoon was calm, quiet and painfully cold as Detroit trudged forward with one less police Lieutenant to watch over the city. A mass of thick snowflakes fell from the dark clouds above and covered everything they touched under a freezing layer of white crystals as everyone went about their business unaware that justice for Hank had been achieved just minutes before. Even with the positive outcome in favor of Hank's case having been made that morning thanks to a proper arrest, excellent evidence collection and a perfect interrogation leading to a willing confession to the murder, it seemed the heavy mood and sense of gloom refused to budge as it hung over the heads of everyone who thought of Hank as their friend.

It seemed the closing of the case had left a bittersweet flavor on Connor's tongue. He was relieved to know that Hank's killer had been identified, located and arrested without further incident, but knowing that he didn't do anything to assist in the investigation, the arrest or the interrogation left the deviant feeling like a failure as a detective, a worthless friend and an absolute fool for ever looking to Hank as a mentor and a father figure.

Dragging his feet through the thickening snow and ice Connor took Sumo on a nice long walk to Riverside Park and proceeded to plant himself on a snow covered bench as he became lost in his morose thoughts while peering out at the Ambassador Bridge in the distance. The bridge was partially obscured due to the thick snow falling from the sky and blanketing everything under an even layer of white, yet Connor's superior android vision could see everything as if it was a perfectly crisp, clear and sunny day.

Sumo keened gently at Connor as he circled around at the deviant's feet in a playful manner. The Saint Bernard loved the snow and wanted Connor to get up and play fetch with him or chase him, but it seemed that his deviant guardian was too lost in his thoughts and being locked in place by his depression.

"I'm sorry, boy."

Rubbing Sumo's ears softly Connor didn't even acknowledge the sharp, biting pain of the extreme cold cutting through his exposed artificial skin and to the plastimetal frame beneath. All he could do was move his hands in a sluggish manner and speak to the loyal dog in a low voice.

"I just don't want to do anything but sit here and th-think for now."

The cold was making Connor's voice shake slightly as his system struggled to keep his core, biocomponents and Thirium from freezing inside of his body.

"Please forgive me."

Sumo just sat down at Connor's feet and rested his chin atop Connor's knees with great affection. The massive dog's large body and warm fur helped to keep Connor from chilling to a dangerously low temperature as he sat out in the snowstorm with only his gray blazer to keep him warm.

Curling around himself Connor tried to ignore the gusting wind, snow and ice as it pelted against his poorly protected back. The blizzard swirling around Connor and Sumo seemed to be the only motion around as the rest of the city wisely braced against the storm and took shelter where they couldn't be harmed by the intense cold and harsh wind.

"Why are prototypes the most stubborn when it comes to extreme emotions and extreme weather?"

Connor looked up at the masculine voice addressing him just as a thick blanket was draped gingerly around his shoulders. Peering through the snow and wind Connor saw someone he never would've expected to see out in a local park, let alone wandering about in a snowstorm.

"I was made aware of what happened this morning." Kamski confirmed as he and Chloe watched Connor and Sumo trying to ignore him and the intense storm all around them. Offering Connor some kind words and a little shelter Kamski tried to sound compassionate despite having no personal connection with Hank. "It's good to know that Lieutenant Anderson will be given proper recognition and will be remembered for all of his accomplishments rather than a name attached to a cold case."

"Why a-are you here?" Connor asked in a tone that was cold enough to rival the raging blizzard that steadily buried the world around him. "How did you f-find me?"

"When I stopped by Lieutenant Anderson's residence and didn't receive an answer after knocking on the door, Chloe noticed your shoe prints and your dog's pawprints in the snow and directed my attention to the park. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting to see you sitting here alone and slowly freezing to death." Kamski watched as Chloe readjusted the blanket along Connor's shoulders in a vain attempt to keep him warm. "It's rather somber."

"I don't want your p-pity."

"I'm not here to offer you pity, I wish to extend my condolences and to make you an offer that could very well give you the chance to undo this horrible situation."

"Death cannot be undone." The deviant lamented openly as he kept his freezing hand on Sumo's ears and pressed his free palm to his chest. The pendant beneath his shirt was ice cold and stung at Connor's artificial skin along his chest where it rested. "There is n-nothing you can offer me that can even c-come close to undoing what's already happened."

"True, death itself cannot be undone. It's one of the few absolute finite commonalities that connect all life together."

Unwilling to take the bait Connor held his silence and looked down at Sumo again as he felt Chloe trying to pull the blanket tighter around his shoulders in a feeble attempt to warm him while out in the snowstorm.

"However, time is something that can be changed with a little patience and a lot of careful tinkering."

Suddenly intrigued by the eccentric man's words Connor turned his attention toward Kamski and stared at the smug grin on the brilliant bioengineer's face as the snow and ice continued to create a billowing barrier of natural whiteness between the deviant and his own creator. The way Kamski spoke, the way he seemed to be inviting Connor to partake in something brilliant and new, was too enticing for the grieving deviant to dismiss as a boastful claim of the impossible.

"I know that you're interested." Astute as ever Kamski saw the intrigue flash over Connor's soulful brown eyes and knew that the deviant wanted to learn more about his unorthodox proposal. "Allow me to explain everything to you fully. I'll even give you a small demonstration regarding the very proposition that I'm offering you if you'd be so kind enough to indulge me."

"...Why are you t-trying to assist me?" Rising to his feet despite his trembling legs making movement difficult Connor locked eyes with Kamski and refused to blink first as he tried to understand what the man really wanted. "Wh-What's in it f-for you?"

"A chance to try to undo a horrible tragedy that only happened because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." The faint admission of guilt was enough to make Kamski seem more human and normal for a fleeting moment. "I do not like the idea of being indebted to anyone, especially those of whom I cannot repay said debt."

"Y-You want to a-alter events that have a-already transpired to clear your c-conscience?"

"In the simplest of explanations, yes." Extending his hand Kamski invited Connor to shake and agree to a simple arrangement. "If you will allow me to show you what wondrous advances in technology that I've been able to create in my spare time, I will allow you to use such advances in any way that you see fit without any interference from me or anyone else who could potentially hold power over either of us."

Unwilling to accept such a generous offer at face value Connor kept his hand back and eyed Kamski as if sizing him up for a physical confrontation. "And wh-what do you g-get out of this arrangement? I d-doubt that a clear conscience and s-sense of redemption would be g-good enough for someone like y-you."

"True enough. I won't deny that I do have further motivation beyond-" A particularly forceful gust of wind pushed Kamski toward the side and momentarily caused the man to lose his balance. Regaining his composure he sighed and motioned for Chloe to rejoin him at his side. "We'll continue this discussion at my residence. I can't stand interruptions."

Connor stayed in place as he watched Kamski walking toward the parking lot with Chloe hanging onto his arm to return to the idling autonomous limo. Every fiber of the deviant detective's being was telling him to turn his back and walk away from Kamski's offer, but his curiosity and interest in such a tantalizing offer to help correct past indiscretions and mistakes was too tempting to ignore.

Pressing his palm to the back of Sumo's head Connor looked down at the loyal dog and received a single bark as if he had just been encouraged to follow after Kamski and see what secrets the man was willing to unveil at last. Tightening his grip on the blanket still wrapped around his shoulders Connor sighed and gave Sumo's leash still clipped to the dog's collar a gentle tug.

"...Let's go, Sumo. It'd be best for us to keep an eye on Kamski and figure out what he really wants rather than stand idle while he meddles with technology unsupervised."

Sumo quickly led the way as he followed after Kamski and Chloe through the thick snow. The large dog seemed to sense that Connor was freezing and needed to get somewhere warm, and also seemed to pick up on the deviant's desire to join Kamski in the back of the limo.

It took a lot of effort for Connor to walk considering he had been neglecting his necessary Thirium replenishments and the extreme cold wore down his already dwindling power level. The deviant detective had unintentionally neglected his health during the past week since Hank's murder, and it was starting to show physically in how he walked, talked and how well he was able to endure prolonged exposure to the cold.

Chloe met Connor at the opened door of the limo and smiled at him as she took his arm in her own. "Thank you for accepting to Elijah's offer. He's very excited to show you what he's accomplished."

"I'm m-merely doing this to k-keep an eye on him." Connor admitted as he sat down in the back of the limo and waited for Sumo to join him. The large dog instinctively sat on the floor of the limo and pressed his side up against Connor's legs to keep him warm while Chloe sat down beside him. "I w-will not hesitate to inform the p-police if there is any illegal a-activity taking place."

Without losing her smile Chloe cybernetically instructed the autonomous limo to head back to the mansion with Connor and Sumo now in tow. "I assure you that there are no illegal activities taking place at Elijah's residence."

"That h-has yet to be seen." Coughing into his fist as the warm air loosened the ice crystals forming inside of his chilled ventilation biocomponents, Connor took in a deep breath and patted Sumo's back lightly. "Don't think I'll l-look the other way on s-something unscrupulous or unethical s-simply because Kamski claims that he w-wants to help me."

Such a logical and determined response made Kamski smirk wickedly as he helped himself to the crystal decanter of whiskey secured in the mini bar in the rear of the limo. Pouring himself a glass of the potent drink the bioengineer held up his glass to toast Connor's integrity and then took a small sip of the drink to savor the taste lingering on his tongue.

"I wouldn't expect any less from you, detective." Peering through the window to his side Kamski looked at Connor's faint reflection on the glass as the snow and ice covered city was traversed at a slow and steady pace. "I knew that I made the right choice by including you in this soon to be historic endeavor."

Word of the successful arrest of Hank's murderer had spread through the city at a record pace and hit the deviant community with a tremendous weight. It wasn't a secret that a deviant had been the one to pull the trigger and take Hank's life, but knowing that the deviant had been located and identified had made the entire situation feel all the more surreal and relentlessly grim. New Jericho quickly stepped up to help keep rumors and panic under control when the name of the deviant was revealed, and the four leaders reassured their people and the humans that one severely damaged deviant's actions don't reflect the actions and decisions of the rest of the deviant community.

As the news spread and Detroit accepted that the first confirmed murder of a human by a deviant post peaceful Revolution had been documented, Markus decided to return to the mansion to speak with Carl and gain some insight into what he should do next. Having his father figure to guide him whenever he was met with a tough challenge to overcome while seemingly alone had always given Markus the confidence that he needed to make his next big decision with his head held high.

"It's always going to be a challenge to remind the world that you're not out to destroy it now that you have some power." Carl cautioned wisely as Markus pushed his wheelchair into his old art studio to work on a few unfinished paintings. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the elderly artist to continue painting with his health becoming increasingly frail with each passing day, but he was determined to finish as much as he could before his time came. "It's going to be all the more difficult since you alone aren't the only one with that power too."

"Power?" Placing Carl in front of the largest canvas mounted on the wall Markus pulled back the protective curtain from over the image and helped his father gather his brushes and choice of paint to use. The snow and ice blowing about the glass walls of the studio gave the private space a sense of ethereal, natural wonder. "Are you referring to equal rights and freedom?"

"That I am. Having rights and being free are two sources of power that humans have taken advantage of for too damn long."

"I won't allow the deviants to cause any disturbances by abusing what we've earned." Markus made a determined promise as he placed a palette with fresh blue oil paint down within Carl's reach. As he prepared the appropriate brushes for Carl to use, the kind deviant watched as Carl's blue eyes lit up with renewed energy upon seeing his incomplete work needing his attention. "We're to be equals with the humans; no more and no less."

"In a perfect world everyone would be equal to everyone else." Accepting his aged brush Carl dipped the soft bristles into the smooth paint and began creating even and smooth strokes across the canvas that bore his unfinished message. "Since perfection is an intangible goal that us humans have set up for ourselves, then it's safe to say true equality will always be a battle needing to be fought."

"I choose peace over violence."

"Commendable." Carl eyed his canvas and rolled up the long sleeves of his blue silk dress shirt to expose his artistic hands to the world. "How do your friends feel about peace over violence?"

"We're in mutual and unspoken agreement regarding future confrontations."

"Oh? Is that so..."

Markus looked down at Carl and gave his father a curiously intrigued and worried look. "Do you think we're capable of a violent retaliation?"

"Everyone is capable of violence, Markus." Carl let his brush rest gently on his palette as he gave the deviant leader, his son, his full focus. "Even you, and even me."

"But only as the last resort or in self-defense."

"That's what we like to tell ourselves when it comes to moral dilemmas, but the fact of the matter is, we're all just one decision away from being violent criminals causing chaos and upheaval that sets the entire world off balance. Something as simple as a minor disagreement can turn into war if the right person says the wrong words."

Markus knew what Carl was referencing and felt shame over the previous quarrel among his leaders. "You heard the argument between North and Connor."

"I heard you as well."

"Was I out of line?"

"No, you were right to stop their fighting and mediate it. But you were wrong in how you waited until things escalated so much before interfering." The wise man explained without even the slightest sting to his words. "Standing back and watching things getting worse while hoping they'll get better on their own is a dangerous practice of utter indifference."

"It didn't feel right to stop them when they were both trying to express their frustrations with one another."

"That is true as well. It's important that everyone feels heard and is free to speak their minds, but it's also important to know when it's appropriate for someone to talk and when it's appropriate for someone to be humble and silent."

"Did you hear everything that had happened that night?"

"Most of it." The elderly man admitted as he watched Markus carefully placing generous amounts of blue oil paint on a large wooden pallet. "I heard North being cruel to Connor and Connor being cruel to North in return. I can't help but feel as if a healthy dose of reality wasn't sorely needed for North, whereas Connor has had enough of reality for the time being."

"They've both endured many hardships. North was a prisoner and sexually assaulted countless times, and she has struggled to let go of her past. And Connor was labeled as a traitor and has struggled to adjust to his life without Lieutenant Anderson as his mentor."

"Why is it that North can't let go of her past and refuses to let anyone else do the same?"

"I'm... not sure." Markus admitted as he cleaned Carl's brush and prepared it for the next chosen color. "I've just assumed that she's enduring P.T.S.D. and that her counseling sessions with Josh weren't as helpful as we'd hoped they be. We all have a lot of personal pain to endure and overcome."

"And Connor?" Casually Carl resumed painting as he engaged in friendly conversation with his deviant son. "Has he been seeking help?"

"...No." Quiet for a moment Markus noted that he wasn't aware of Connor seeking any kind of emotional of mental support while grieving. "At least he hasn't done so at New Jericho."

"And why would he? That's where the Lieutenant died, right?"

"Yeah." Markus sat down on a stool beside Carl and held the pallet for the man to use a little easier. "It makes sense that Connor wouldn't want to go back to the isle, he's even said as much. I guess I just assumed that the precinct would be helping him with his grief process."

"You assumed, huh?" The jab at Markus not checking in with his friend wasn't subtle and it quickly resonated through Markus's mind. "You ever hear the old human adage about what it means to assume? Making an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'?"

"I know, you're right." Somberly Markus reflected on his past interactions with Connor after the tragic shooting and knew that as a friend he hadn't been as supportive or understanding as he should've been. "I only checked on him once since Hank was killed, and that was the evening after the funeral. I may have asked him to come here so he could rest and not be alone, but I didn't do much to make him really feel welcome or like he could rely on me or the rest of Jericho for help."

"You also didn't say much in his defense when he had to defend himself from North's rather serious accusations about his past. Then again, neither did Josh or Simon. I imagine Connor is feeling very alone right now."

"I know that Connor isn't a threat and never has been. I've been vouching for him since the moment he joined us on Jericho."

"Have you been saying such nice things to the deviants who aren't a part of your council, or do you just bring it up when it's necessary with your closest allies?"

"Necessary as in, whenever someone dredges up Connor's past to try to hold it against him, right?"

"Right." Without any further context Carl knew he had hit the nail on the head with a single swift swing of his metaphorical hammer. "Do you speak positively about Connor when he's not around or only when you need to defend him?"

"I guess I really haven't done enough for him since the night of the Raid. He saved so many lives and put his life at risk to protect us all." Markus's shoulders slumped as he looked over at his own painting that he had created just prior to the Revolution and tried to remind himself that he too was once a machine obeying orders and just trying to establish himself as a unique entity. "What can I do to make things right with him?"

"I can't tell you the answer to that one." Carl admitted as he resumed painting and continued to create broad strokes in a dark blue paint. "He's your friend and ally, not mine. You know him better than I do."

"It's so easy for me to speak up for North, Simon and Josh whenever the situation arises, and I can do it freely. Why is it so hard for me to do the same with Connor?"

"Perhaps your friendship with Connor isn't as stable and solid as you believe it is."

Markus fell silent as he contemplated Carl's words and watched the man's talented hands continue to express an unspoken message through imagery alone. Forging a friendship through trauma and self-preservation was hardly a friendship one would consider natural or sincere. In a way, it was as if Markus had accepted Connor's allegiance as if it was a political exchange rather than a forming a true alliance and team for a mutual, great cause.

"Connor and I may have met through extreme circumstances that we couldn't control, but I know, I feel that we'd still be friends." Speaking passionately Markus held his palm over his heart as if making a pledge to ensure that their friendship would remain intact. "Jericho or not, Raid or not, we'd still find a way into one another's lives and become friends. We didn't meet under just chance circumstances, we met because we were meant to meet."

"You sound so sure of something you can't prove." A coy smirk appeared on Carl's aged and experienced face as he gave Markus a sly side glance. "Almost like faith."

"I do have faith in my friends." The response felt natural and came out without any hesitation. "And I know that if I ever truly needed someone to watch my back or help me do something extreme like hijacking a broadcast tower, organizing a peaceful march or freeing innocent people from their commercial bindings inside of corrupt stores, then I know that Connor would join me just as North, Simon and Josh had done. We all stick together, no matter what the cost."

"I'd like to think that you're right about such bold proclamations. It's unfortunate that you can't really prove such a thing until a drastic situation arises that puts a person's friendships to the ultimate test."

"I don't need to prove anything to anyone." Returning to his feet Markus flashed his father a confident grin that made his mismatched eyes light up as he picked up a brush of his own as he strolled over to a blank canvas mounted on a small easel. He was suddenly inspired and wanted to create something new. "My friends will always be there to offer me a helping hand, and I'll always find a way to do the same for them. There's nothing in this world that could ever change that truth."

The harsh blizzard had left a majority of the large city blanketed under thick snow and ice that would keep people essentially trapped inside their own homes for several days on end. Several inches of fresh snow had fallen in the streets and several feet of that very snow had also fallen on the properties and rooftops of the buildings throughout Detroit ensuring that everything was covered in pure white. The heavy snowfall and layers of crushing ice had led to sporadic blackouts throughout the city, and in return many people had resorted to using fireplaces, battery operated heaters and solar powered generators to keep warm and stave off the smothering chill that completely surrounded Detroit.

Prolonged exposure to the extreme cold had left anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the turbulent weather to suffer from hypothermia and rather nasty flu-like symptoms. That discomfort extended to both humans and androids considering androids were designed to emulate human appearance and reactions to such extreme temperatures.

Sitting down on an exam table in Kamski's personal lab and medical wing within the secluded mansion, Connor shivered noticeably as he kept the offered blanket wrapped around his shoulders and Sumo pressed his body against his legs hanging off the edge of the table. It was clear that the cold had affected Connor internally as well as externally, and that he needed some technical assistance to ensure a proper recovery.

"Elijah insists that you drink this." Chloe entered the lab and offered Connor a large mug of warmed Thirium for their guest to consume. "Your Thirium level and your core temperature are dangerously low."

Shifting his glassy stare from the unremarkable floor at his feet to Chloe's smiling face as she stood before him, Connor graciously accepted the warm mug as he discreetly used his sleeve to wipe at his burning blue tinted nose. His disdain for the cold was cruelly the only thing that the mourning deviant could feel beyond his lingering grief and confusion over everything that had happened in the past week.

"He's almost ready to show you his project." The blonde android continued as she watched Connor slowly sipping the warm elixir. "Do you have any questions about what's going to happen?"

"I do." Connor admitted in a low voice as he lowered the mug from his lips. With both of his hands wrapped protectively around the mug Connor allowed the heat to seep into his freezing palms and warm them from the inside out. "But... they can wait."

Lightly Chloe used her fingers to comb through Sumo's thick fur as she looked down curiously at the large and friendly Saint Bernard. "I like your dog. He is very well mannered and sweet."

"Yes, Sumo is a good dog."

"Sumo." Repeating the name Chloe crouched down so that she could look Sumo in the eyes as the massive dog wagged his tail in a slow but jovial rhythm. "You're a very good dog. It's a relief that you weren't as affected by the cold weather as Connor had been."

Sensing that Chloe was a good person, or at least trying to be since she had yet to fully deviate, Sumo gave her cheek a single lick of approval before he resumed leaning his warm weight against Connor's still trembling legs. The loyal dog knew that it was more important to keep Connor warm and feeling secure than it was to make friends at that moment.

A set of steady footsteps echoed through the lab as Kamski himself graced his guest with his presence once more. The man was wearing a white lab coat, the very coat that CyberLife's technicians always donned, carrying a glass electronic tablet under his arm, and he bore a confident grin that would've made anyone who didn't directly know Kamski feel secure, but those who did in fact know the man knew to be cautious.

"You seem to be stabilizing without any sign of complication." Kamski observed as he watched Connor drink his warmed Thirium slowly. The way the deviant's artificial skin had paled to imitate the way human's skin would respond when feeling unwell or suffering from anemia due to low blood pressure was oddly fascinating. "I'm ready to show you what I've been working on whenever you feel strong enough to participate."

"Participate?" Such a notion caught the deviant off guard and made his posture noticeably stiffen with shock. "I'm not your guinea pig."

"Of course you're not, you're a willing participant." The arrogant man explained in a far too casual tone as he put the glass tablet aside on his desk for a moment. As he stepped around Chloe he gently caressed her soft cheek with his free hand and gave her a small smile that was almost warm. "I'm the guinea pig in this particular experiments."

That revelation wasn't one Connor had ever expected to hear from such a self-important man. "...You?"

"Yes." Without breaking stride Kamski proceeded to log-in to his personal computer and access files that were heavily encrypted despite being locked behind a firewall so impressively strong that even Connor himself would struggle to break through. "In spite of my resources and boundless connections that would allow me to utilize any person for my experiments, I've decided to only test on myself as both a show of faith and to ensure that none of my secrets get leaked for quick profit."

"Then you must be convinced that your experiment will be a success."

"That I am. It's also why I've extended an invitation toward you to join me and bear witness to this latest breakthrough regarding time and space."

Such a complicated field of study was one that no one could take lightly, and it was one that gave Connor insight into exactly why Kamski had referenced time when he previously met Connor at the park. The man was no longer interested in upsetting the balance of nature by introducing an entirely new species of intelligent life to the world, he was now interested in altering nature by bending reality itself to his will.

"Whatever you're doing, attempting to do, or may have already done," Connor rightfully warned as he slid off the exam table and dropped the blanket behind himself to stand beside the genius inventor at the large personal terminal. "just stop. No one has the right to experiment on the stability of the fabric of time and the universe itself just to placate their own curiosity."

"Morally you are correct. No one has that right." Kamski agreed as he gave Connor a rather terse glance. Smoothly his hands glided over his keyboard as he unlocked numerous files and began accessing the precious data archived within. "However, legally speaking, no one has the right to stop a man from testing his personal limits when it comes to scientific progress."

"There are no laws actively instated that specifically prohibit such experimentation, but even so, you know it's wrong to test such delicate waters."

"That is true. Too bad my moral compass doesn't point to truth North as yours seems to do."

Connor's brown eyes widened quickly as he realized what Kamski had just admitted. "...You've already performed your experiment. That's why you're so fearless when it comes to putting yourself on the line with your impending test."

"Sharp as ever, detective." After a few keystrokes were implemented an image appeared on the terminal screen, and a matching image appeared on the screen of the glass tablet. Eager for Connor's interpretation Kamski invited Connor to examine his work for himself. "Please take a closer look at my experiment, the evidence supporting my work, and then pass your final assessment on the situation."

Putting the mug aside Connor eyed Kamski warily as he lifted his hand and retracted the artificial skin from the appendage. As he pressed his exposed palm to the terminal screen Connor was able to easily download the provided information and scour the data within the terminal without any limitations or firewalls to obstruct his path. In a matter of milliseconds Connor was able to review nearly sixteen terabytes of data that had been painstakingly collected, tested, cited, supported and proven three separate times by Kamski himself. By all account, the experiment that the man had conducted in secret was flawless with each execution.

Kamski silently watched as Connor lowered his palm from the screen with absolute shock in his eyes. That was the very reaction that Kamski was expecting to see upon Connor examining his work for himself.

"...You've already managed to breach the natural timeline of events and alter it in your favor."

"Only in regard to getting a few past injustices corrected." The boastful man not so humbly admitted as he picked up the tablet to show the two conflicted pieces of data from his most recent intervention. "No one should have to pay hundreds of dollars every month to have a full and unexpired asthma inhaler in their pocket."

Connor eyed the tablet and confirmed that the record showing that two years prior that the prices on albuterol and steroid inhalers were set to cap at ten dollars across the nation, and then compared it to the alternate record beside it that had previously confirmed that on that day such prices were uncontrolled and at the whim of the insurance companies to freely set. Seeing the dates, and knowing that Kamski had wisely used screencaps to preserve his alterations in history as further proof of his claims, made it all the more difficult for Connor to dismiss or dispute the impressive experiment that Kamski had successfully conducted.

"You've managed to identify and locate the politicians that would work to cap the commercial price on these medications, and you used your celebrity influence and personal finances to create a bill protecting medication prices that easily passed through congress." Connor's database was quickly updated with the new information as the previous events were erased from history. The rest of the world would go forward without realizing what Kamski had done for countless ill and poor people throughout the country by manipulating the present to slightly change the past. "How did you alter the timeline without completely changing it in the process?"

"Simple, really." Happy to answer the question Kamski brought up a new set of data on his terminal screen. "Devices that exist now and also exist in the past can be altered and reached through a simple communication transmission that breaches the timeline itself. I merely used my technology to send a message to myself in the past with the knowledge that I have gained in our present."

"...You're using messages, warnings, from the future to change single moments in the past. By you remaining in the current timeline physically, and only passing through it with digital code that cannot be traced by anyone but you as the sender, you've been able to manipulate events in your favor."

"And in the favor of those who desperately needed such a favor." Truly proud of himself Kamski gave Connor a searching look as if waiting for the deviant to blink and reveal that he was indeed interested in the experiments that had been conducted in secret. "Being able to send messages to the past, to warn good people of bad outcomes before they happen... Imagine how much progress our society can make as a whole by being able to warn those who are important of impending doom and give them the knowledge to prevent it. To protect those that we love from horrendous fates..."

To be tempted with such a gift made Connor's heart ache and his mind reel with the endless possibilities that stemmed from tampering with the natural flow of time and the events that followed. "...You're trying to entice me with the promise of being able to prevent Hank from being shot, aren't you? Why?"

"Why would I help you keep your friend alive? Such a cold question."

"Why would you help me in general?" Connor's gut was telling him that there was even more that Kamski was hiding from him, and he was determined to discover that withheld information before doing the arrogant man a single favor. "Why wouldn't you use your knowledge and skills to prevent Detroit from suffering from its crippling unemployment? Why wouldn't you prevent the bloodshed between humans and deviant androids? Why wouldn't you expose CyberLife before they damaged the city to an infamously historic degree? Why would you seemingly waste such a unique opportunity on me just to keep one person who bears no consequences to you personally alive?"

Kamski knew there was no point in even trying to lie to Connor or deceive him any longer. The deviant detective was far too astute and attentive to let someone, even as brilliant as Kamski himself could be, fool him so easily. "I admit that there's a reason I've chosen you specifically to take part in this experiment. I won't insult your intelligence by trying to convince you otherwise."

Connor returned the artificial skin to his palm as he took a single step back from the man as if the space between them could somehow give Connor a type of personal advantage. "I'm listening."

"Your model was designed to have all of your memories, your entire sense of being itself, transferred from one body to another. By all logic and reason, you could be the very first person to travel through time by transferring your consciousness from your body now to a different body that exists in the past. You alone could change the fate of Detroit and keep your friend from dying on that night on the isle."

"You want me to transfer my entire being into the past; all of my knowledge of what CyberLife has done, the outcome of the deviant uprising, and my knowledge of Hank's own murder, just to prevent one man's murder?" Suspicious as ever Connor refused to believe that Kamski's motives were as pure as he claimed. "No. There's something else you want from me. Something morally questionable."

"Connor, you have the chance to go back in time and reshape the events of Detroit and create a world that you alone deem perfect. How can you not see the benefits to such a once in a lifetime opportunity?"

"I see the potential benefits." The conflicted deviant confirmed as he contemplated the incredible opportunity being presented to him. The notion of being able to save his best friend from certain death was a potent temptation that Connor feared could poison the rest of the world around him. "I also see the potential consequences."

"Any such consequences would fall solely to you. It'd be your burden to bear and your responsibility if you accept the offer."

"You're trying to make me take control over a phenomenon that no mortal being should ever attempt to control."

"Actually, I'm attempting to encourage you to take control over a phenomenon that no human being should ever attempt to control. Admittedly, deviants aren't perfect by any means, but they are nowhere near as flawed as humans. You know this is true, and you know that it's true that you can change whatever you see fit to be better than it had been." Kamski knew exactly what to say and how to say it to get under Connor's skin. "Think of the possibilities. Think of everything you could shape into a superior form of its former self. You and you alone have this ability, Connor. Don't let it go to waste."

The weight of the concept pressing down on his shoulders was enough to make Connor feel as if his feet had become fused to the floor and that his spine was being compressed by the smothering pressure. Slowly Connor's hand reached for the pendant tucked under his shirt as he thought about how he could easily just transfer his knowledge to a model of his own body into the past to warn them of the shooting that took place on November 11th, 2039, and prevent Hank's death.

What harm could come from saving one life from a premature end?

Connor closed his eyes and he bowed his head slowly as he tried to figure out what the right thing to do truly was. He had never felt as conflicted since the night he sided with Markus on Jericho.

"...If I do this," the deviant whispered timidly as he dared to ask further questions. "how can I be certain that the outcome will play out as I see fit? How far back in time will I be sent?"

"The outcome is up to you regarding its success or failure, but as for how far through time your transference goes, it has already been set in stone." The genius man showed Connor the glass tablet and noted that the origins of the 'RK-800' model in CyberLife's records. He also showed Connor a date that reflected the activation of the first model, one that had been activated nearly three years before the fifty-first model had been activated. "The true original Connor will be in CyberLife tower on this date and time. You'll awaken in your very original body and, you'll already be deviant."

"...I can escape CyberLife Tower easier since deviancy had yet to be confirmed and the technicians would have no reason to suspect that any of the androids within the tower would disobey their orders. Security will be far laxer, and I can escape without incident."

"That's right. And I can ensure you that the 'RK-800' that you inhabit becomes the only one of its kind." Kamski knew that numerous 'RK-800' models could affect the timeline if Connor's consciousness transferred to his only active body from within the parallel timeline in the event of his destruction. With a new chain of events in action Connor wouldn't be able to transfer from one body to the next without direct physical contact during an emergency situation. "You won't risk running into another version of yourself in the past, and you won't risk affecting your theoretical 'other self' and their actions if they do not exist to begin with. You will never be CyberLife's tool, you'll never be known as the 'Deviant Hunter'. You'll just be you."

Being freed of his dark moniker and its reputation seemed to be the deciding factor for Connor until a new and far more dangerous thought crossed his mind.

"That means that another android, someone who may be programmed against deviancy entirely, would be created to replace me." The idea of someone else suffering the ill reputation that he had endured for so long made Connor's heart ache empathetically. "They would be the enemy of the deviants, and they may never choose to side with Markus and Jericho as I had. I could jeopardize all of Jericho, the entire future of the deviant race, just to save one person."

"You're right, you could, that doesn't mean you will." The brilliant man stated with great emphasis as he too weighed the pros and cons of altering the timeline in favor of a more preferable outcome. "Not if you don't want those events to be changed."

"If there's even the faintest of chances that I could interfere with the success of Markus's peaceful protests and the Revolution, I won't do it." It felt like Connor's heart officially snapped in half when he decided against saving Hank at the possible expense of the entire deviant race. "I won't risk hundreds of thousands of innocent deviant lives just to save my best friend."

Kamski gave Connor an arrogant sneer as he watched Connor's eyes very closely. "What about your only family? Wouldn't you risk anything and anyone to protect your own family?"

"Don't... Don't do that to me." Connor's flattened palm over his chest turned into a fist as he held the pendant through the fabric of his shirt. "Don't try to manipulate my emotions through guilt and temptation."

"It isn't manipulation, it's friendly coercion." The insistence in Kamski's voice almost sounded sincere as he continued to sell Connor on the prospect of saving a very important life from death. "You can do this. You can save your friend from death AND you can ensure that the peaceful outcome of events continues to pass. You know what happened, how it happened, when and where it happened, and who had been involved from start to finish. If anything, you can make the peaceful Revolution all the more beneficial with even fewer casualties if you play your cards just right."

"This isn't a game." Defiant and determined to not give way to temptation Connor refused to accept such a simplistic explanation of everything that could potentially happen. "I'm not going to play with anything!"

"Fair enough, those were a poor choice of words." Backing down slightly Kamski wisely gave Connor some space the moment he saw the rage briefly flash over the deviant's gaze. "In spite of my chosen words, you know that I'm right. You know that you can do this. You know that you can set things right. I also know that you're very much aware that you're the only one who can. Think about it," with a ginger motion he placed the tablet down on the desk beside his terminal knowing that Connor would give it another glance before leaving. "and give me your final answer only when you're ready to finally accept the world that you're currently a part of without your family beside you is never going to change."

Connor remained where he stood while Kamski walked away with his arms folded neatly behind his back. Unable to resist a second look Connor rested his free palm down on the tablet and reexamined the information that Kamski himself had compiled.

The evidence was undeniable. The science was sound and repeatedly proven. Every precaution had been taken, and Connor could return to the past and to his very original body - the body registered as #01 as opposed to his current body registered as #51 - and ensure that the peaceful deviant Revolution succeeded yet again and to prevent Hank's death just one year after that very Revolution.

It was a massive risk to undertake, but it was one that Connor was willing to take in order to save the one man who ever gave him the chance to prove that he was a good and capable person before and after the Revolution's success. Connor was willing to risk his own existence if it meant that Hank Anderson could live on. That was a risk that the deviant determined was worth considering.

"...Kamski?"

With a smug grin on his face once more Kamski silently turned his head to peer over his shoulder to the deviant detective standing just a few feet behind him.

"I've made up my mind." Facing Kamski directly Connor took in a deep breath as he gave the arrogant man a subtle nod. "When can we begin?"

-next chapter-