Time felt like it was running out as Connor struggled with his lost memories and emotional inner-conflict. The deviant detective had physically recovered from his horrible assault and the torture that followed, but mentally he was still struggling to find himself and regain the confidence that he had seemingly lost alongside his memories. He wasn't sure how to put his broken, missing pieces back together when he wasn't even sure of everything that had been lost. Even with Hank, Lucas and Markus all supporting him and being his family, friends and allies, Connor couldn't bring himself to confide his true fears in any of them. In Connor's mind, his problems were a burden that he alone needed to bear and solve.
In spite of his fears and reluctance to have his system thoroughly analyzed, Connor had worked up the nerve to speak with Kamski under the guise of running errands and meeting with New Jericho for official business. The more discreet he could keep his activities and concerns regarding his health and future, the more Connor felt like he still had some control over his life and his actions.
Kamski was of course willing to indulge Connor with his worries and invited the deviant into his private lab for a full physical and system examination. After checking over the deviant detective from head to toe with his diagnostic modem, his own scanner and even his own eyes, Kamski determined that Connor had indeed suffered significant damage to his memorybank. The good news was that he'd be able to mend the damage and restore Connor's memories, the bad news was that Connor would have to trust Kamski while in deep stasis mode.
"Fascinating, isn't he?" Kamski asked aloud as he stood beside the exam table watching the blue ray of light scanning over Connor's entire person in a slow, methodical fashion. The genius bioengineer was never one to shy away from admiring his own creations even while performing routine diagnostics and maintenance. "An android that has managed to breach time itself to protect one person that he cares about - someone who's been given the chance to live two distinct lives - and yet all he wants is what he already had once before."
"Connor does seem to be very fond of the Lieutenant and his son." Chloe admitted as she stood alongside Kamski. Holding her exposed palm over Connor's forehead allowed Chloe to monitor how deeply the deviant was resting and monitor the progress of his memory restoration. "It must be nice to have such a strong bond with someone special." Lowering her palm Chloe gave Kamski a small smile as she kept him apprised of Connor's condition. "Scanning complete."
"Bring him out of stasis mode while I run a full assessment over the readings."
The man was always right to the point and wasn't one for idle chitchat when there was information to be gathered. The data provided from Connor's system was intriguing to say the least as the details, numbers and the blending of memories from the two timelines indicated a severe compromise to Connor's memorybank as a whole.
"Connor?" Chloe called the deviant detective's name as she manually pulled him out of stasis mode with a simple touch of her hand. The blonde android took hold of both of Connor's hands, mindful of his bandaged right hand, and pulled the deviant upright to sit on the exam table as he regained his senses. "The diagnostic has been finished."
"Was there... anything worth noting?" Connor feared the results and what it could mean for his future. Nervously he climbed down from the table and approached Kamski as the man checked through the data analysis on his terminal screen. "Can my memories be salvaged?"
"Approximately seventeen percent of your memories from your life in the alternate timeline have been lost due to the damage you sustained. However, I still have your memories of that timeline secured here in the form of a back-up safely contained within my personal terminal."
"They can be restored." For the first time in weeks Connor felt like he could breathe easily. "I can retain everything about who I am who I used to be."
"Yes. It'll only take an hour to upload the three teraflops of data back into your memorybank. However, I have to wonder if it's really worth it for you to overtax your memorybank by reclaiming these memories."
"What do you mean?"
"Your past memories no longer have any bearing on what you do in this timeline. You saved the Lieutenant from his impending murder by eliminating his would-be assassin, and that was your singular objection." The deviant's desire to hang on to his old memories was too interesting for Kamski to ignore. As he watched Connor's body language closely Kamski's eyes trailed to Connor's bandaged hand already knowing the cause of the injury and the subsequent bandaging. "Why do you want to cling to something that was only marred with negative experiences that now hinder your current life?"
"They may not all be positive memories, but they're still important. I need to have them a part of me." Connor looked down at his damaged hand and flexed his fingers around the bandages to test his residual pain threshold. "They remind me of who I once was and of who I wish to become."
Sensing something interesting in Connor's tone Kamski decided to push the matter a little further. "Like becoming a brother?"
"I'm aware that you had no choice but to review several of my memories during your analysis," the sense of personal violation put some bite into Connor's tone. "but please don't judge me for what I find to be admirable goals simply because they conflict with what you believe to be superior."
"Don't misinterpret my observation. I just find it charming and fascinating that an android such as yourself would pine for something as humanly mundane as having a family."
"How is such a goal supposedly mundane?"
"This world is vastly overpopulated by humans and, despite what many parents tell their children, we're not all here because we were wanted." Kamski's cold analysis of the world was befitting of his icy demeanor. "Many people have children because of their failed attempts to take precautions or because they feel societal pressure into have children, and subsequently they feel pressured into finding a spouse to maintain the family as their children grow up, effectively keeping the concept of a 'family unit' alive despite being rather archaic. To want a family is to want the ability to fully control our lives and the lives of those connected to us through means that are dated and arguably seem safe. Fortunately, I find the idea of a family to be overrated and have no desires for one of my own."
"If you're implying that because no one asks to be brought into this world that they're by default a mistake until they can prove otherwise, I'd like to point out that humans are guilty of doing the same thing to androids and artificial life in general." Connor wasn't going to stand idle and be insulted because of his personal life goals or dreams. "You have intentionally created artificial life, and yet by your own words you find that life that has gained sentience and freedom to be simply a product of your own desire to control life and the lives around you. That contradicts your claim to not want a family. Not to mention the fact that you sought a way to contact Gavin after you learned that he has a wife and a baby on the way."
A sly smirk appeared over Kamski's arrogant sneer as he finished preparing the memory upload for Connor's use. "Keen powers of deduction as always. Tell me something, why do you want a family?" Seeing an android pining for something that most humans take for granted raised many questions. "To not be alone? To ensure that you're remembered? To have something to call your own?"
"No, I just... It just seems logical to have a family unit to love and help to shape the world into a peaceful era."
"Commendable. Now tell me this," as the memory back-up was finishing its process Kamski locked eyes with Connor and tested a theory on the deviant that he had in mind for quite some time. "did the Lieutenant ever mention anything about a tragic traffic accident that had taken place in Grand Rapids on May 22nd, 2037?"
Such a specific time and place caused Connor momentary pause before he answered truthfully. "No, Hank has never mentioned such a date or a location."
"Interesting. You should ask him about it when you return to your home." The insistence in Kamski's words was nearly venomous as he watched Connor's reaction with a frigid concentration. "After all, families don't keep secrets from each other, am I right?"
"That is theoretically correct." Deflecting the accusatory malice Connor kept his focus on what was actively happening around him. "I don't see how such a concept is connected to restoring my lost memories."
"Have patience, this is going to be a lengthy process. Chloe?" Just by saying the android's name Kamski instructed the blonde android to connect the long black diagnostic cable to Connor's right temple as she showed Connor back to the exam table to lay down. "Once this process begins it cannot be stopped without risking permanent memory loss. Do you understand and wish to continue?"
"I understand. Please proceed." Connor pressed his fingertips to the cable attached to his temple as he laid back down and turned to face Kamski with a keen eye. Every instinct in the deviant detective's body and mind was telling him to not trust Kamski or to take his words at face value. "As long as I can reclaim what I've lost I'll be content."
"Does your family even know that you're here?" The restoration process began after a few commands along the holographic keyboard under Kamski's touch. "It seems like you would've asked for someone to accompany you here to ensure everything runs smoothly while you're in rest mode."
"They don't need to be with me every second of the day. We trust each other, and we have our own errands to run."
"Do you really believe that what you have is a family?"
"I have two people who rely on me and see me as their big brother, and I have one person who has shown that he's willing to look out for me and support me with every challenge I face as if he's my guardian." Connor's disapproval of the rude and condescending question was evident in every word he spoke. "So yes, I believe that I do have a family."
"Absolutely interesting."
"How so?"
"Your family is one of adoption and happenstance, not a 'traditional family' of blood connections."
"Such a concept is beyond my current scope of achievements. That doesn't mean my current family is any less important or valid."
"How would you like to actually start a family of your own?" The searching gleam in Kamski's eyes indicated ulterior motives. "A family that starts with you and ends with your future lineage. Such a concept defines what you're seeking."
"That's... not possible."
"Incorrect. You see Connor, not only did I create you and the other androids throughout the city, but I've also been actively seeking ways to improve my work; arguably to perfect it, and in my attempts to attain perfection I've created a process that CyberLife would rather not acknowledge and actively sabotage in the wake of my early retirement from the company."
Connor was silent as he contemplated what Kamski was suggesting. It seemed impossible for anyone, even someone as brilliant, skilled and resourceful as Elijah Kamski, to be able to even begin to comprehend the complexities and questions of mortality as well as morality of even attempting to do what Kamski himself has claimed to have begun experimentation.
"Your model is very unique in comparison to the other androids roaming this city. You're one of only three known androids who are compatible with a special upgrade that could give you the ability to reproduce, to create life, that mirrors human reproduction." As he spoke Kamski activated both the memory restoration program, as well as the upload procedure for the upgrade without Connor's knowledge. "It is as you might imagine very one-sided considering the lack of androids with the appropriately upgraded feminine reproductive biocomponents roaming around, but it's still a very plausible scenario for you to experience if you're willing to give it a try."
"What you're saying implies that you're attempting to recreate the source of artificial life through biological means. You're attempting to recreate the origins of a new lifeform by using myself and the other two androids, undoubtedly Lucas and Markus as we're the only three active 'RK' models in existence, as your test subjects."
"Correct again. So," hovering his fingers over the command prompts of his keyboard Kamski waited for Connor's response before activating anything, not that he was going to alter his decisions based on whatever it was that Connor himself decided. "are you interested in my generous offer?"
"Your 'offer' walks the fine line between moral ambiguity and ecological evolution." Lowering his hand from his temple Connor laid flat over the exam table and reluctantly trusted his memories to arguably the most powerful and influential being over all of deviantkind. "I don't have any reason to accept or decline an offer that should've never been presented."
"Your moral compass always seems to point true north, doesn't it?"
"My sense of morality and respect is not a factor in what you've been potentially tampering with. Now please, restore my memories so that I may return home."
"If that's what you want, then that's what will happen." Without saying a word of the upgrade Kamski initiated the restoration program and watched as Connor's eyes dulled over before his eyelids fluttered closed as he returned to stasis mode. The man's intrigue prevented him from exercising any form of discipline or bias. "Rest well, Connor. When you awaken your memories will be fully intact and your progression toward a better future will resume."
New Jericho Tower was seemingly going about its own usual routine as the four actively present leaders worked together to ensure that their people living within the sanctuary were prospering and happy with their accommodations. It was still tense after the fiasco with Eric left a raw wound on the deviant's reputation. No one wanted to talk about the incident or offer any opinion on how one of their own could attack and nearly kill one of their five leaders who had done nothing wrong and didn't deserve to suffer as he had. The only saving grace was Connor's compassionate decision to have Eric placed in a secured location where he could have the professional emotional and mental support that he needed, as opposed to being locked away to be forgotten and eventually destroyed.
With their more violent issue now resolved Markus was able to focus on the political matters at hand. Namely, getting new rights and laws passed on a statewide and then national scale compared to just having Detroit as the only safe haven in the entire country. It'd be difficult to accomplish such a historic and permanent feat, but Markus wasn't one to be deterred so easily. The only thing currently holding him back was his mounting concerns for North's own wellbeing.
"You're certain that you'll be all right without me here?" Markus asked as he spoke with North in a private office located on the tower's ground floor. "I can postpone my meeting with the mayor if you-"
"Stop, I'll be fine." North hated people worrying about her, and she hated being seen as weak in the eyes of those she respected. "I can be by myself for a few hours without something happening. And even if something does go wrong, Connor, Simon and Josh are all just a single line of communication away."
"Right, you're yeah." The deviant leader took in a deep breath and stood before the large window overlooking the harbor outside to study his reflection. Straightening his blue tie and smoothing out his dark blue dress shirt, Markus looked as presentable as any other respected figure seeking counsel with higher authority figures. "I don't mean to keep worrying about you."
"Why are you so worried anyway?" Interested in Markus's attitude North approached her friend and stood just behind him as he fussed with his appearance. "You didn't act like this when Connor was damaged."
"Well, I-" Markus stared at North's reflection as she stood alongside him at the window and contemplated the pros and cons of confessing his true feelings to her. The timing seemed right and yet wrong as Markus didn't want to just blurt everything out like some mad scramble to beat a metaphorical clock. "It's just that Connor had plenty of people looking out for him while he was damaged, including the police, so it's just... You know, I guess, I'm just very aware of your... error."
"For someone's who's always been good with words, you're stumbling over yourself quite a bit right now."
The jovial grin and light tone from North were enough to lessen Markus's current emotional tension. "I guess there are some people who just leave me a little breathless from time to time."
"And just like that, you're back to being an expert with your words."
The door to the office opened with a soft 'hiss' as an unexpected but welcome deviant arrived to speak with Markus for a moment. "Excuse me, Markus." Lucas was as polite as he could be as he entered the private space to have a minute with the deviant leader. "I was wondering if we could speak for a moment?"
Lucas had shed his black and white blazer for a solid white blazer and a white turtleneck beneath. He had also managed to alter his eye color from a hollow gray to a vivid, rich green hue that was far more lively than the original color. The 'RK-900' had also rid himself of his L.E.D. to appear more deviant and less opposing as a heartless machine.
"Lucas, what's on your mind?" Markus turned away from the window to face his guest with a genuine interest in why Lucas had stopped by. "We've never seen you stop by the tower before."
"I know that you're busy and have an important meeting with the mayor soon, but I was wondering if I could inquire about a possible role here at the tower?"
Such a question was enough to make North scoff with offended indignity as she cut Markus off before he could even answer. "A role? After everything you've done?"
"I admit that my past actions are beyond reprehensible and beyond forgiveness, but as I've been reminded before, my actions then were that of a machine and not as the free deviant that I am now." Lucas was essentially throwing himself at the mercy of Markus as he pleaded his case. "That's why I'm here. I want to help other deviants who've made egregious errors and are struggling to find peace with themselves."
"And you think you can do that by allying yourself with Markus after getting on Connor's good side, right?" Ignoring Markus's attempt to grab her shoulder North confronted Lucas directly and rudely. The fire burning in her cinnamon brown eyes would've fooled anyone into believing that North was in the prime of her functionality and didn't have a potentially fatal error lurking somewhere in her coding. "Changing your name and your appearance won't change the past or make us forget what you have done."
"I'm not trying to make people forget about what's happened or deny the past, I'm trying to make amends for a mutually beneficial future for us all to share and experience together."
"You speak as if you even have the right to ask for forgiveness." North challenged Lucas's resolve as the outcasted deviant stood his ground despite being unable to look her in the eye. "You may look like and sound like Connor, but you'll never be anything like him!"
"I'm not trying to be like Connor." Lucas countered as he refused to give up on his request without at least trying to get North and Markus to hear him out. "I'm trying to be a better person that'll allow me the chance to set things right and to make Connor proud to call me his brother."
"Brother?" That very notion was enough to make North actually laugh in Lucas's face without even noticing that the door to the office had opened a second time. She never put much stock into the concept of families or of having to earn anyone's respect that wasn't someone of great power and influence. "Do you really think that someone like Connor would actually want to acknowledge someone like you with such a directly connected term like 'brother'?"
"As a matter of fact, I would." Connor responded sharply as he heavily leaned against the doorway with his head resting against one arm while the opposite hand braced his body upright by pressing firmly against the wall next to the door. "I'm the one who approached Lucas with the idea of brotherhood, and I've stood by that idea without ever once second guessing myself. Who are you to say otherwise?"
North was silent for a moment as she realized that she may have crossed the line while just attempting to put up protective boundaries. "I was just reminding him that we-"
"It's not your responsibility or place to remind anyone of their past mistakes." Forcing himself to walk into the office Connor ignored the burning fever that was proving to be a nearly unignorable distraction. The physical process of his memorybank being restored had an unintended effect on his entire being and system. "If you have a problem with Lucas then you talk to him with respect and compassion, or you bring this up with me. You have no right to verbal abuse or undermine anything that he's accomplished because of your own personal fear. "
"I'm sorry." The shame was thick in North's words and in her demeanor as she seemed to physically shrink in size. "I didn't mean to offend him."
"Yes you did, otherwise you wouldn't have said a word to him." Nearly growling Connor looked down at North with a resentment he hadn't felt since he confronted her once before in the original timeline. It seemed his memories from the past were still crucial after all. "You need to apologize to Lucas, not to me."
Lucas could feel an intense heat radiating off of Connor as his big brother stood in front of him as if trying to physically protect him from North. "Connor, it's all right. We should go now since Markus has a meeting and I'm sure that North would prefer to focus on other matters right now."
"He's right." Markus sided with Lucas as he lightly put his hand to North's shoulder to guide her back from Connor to stand beside him if not behind him. He knew that something had happened to trigger such a vitriolic response from Connor, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "I could actually use some moral support during the meeting, North. Come with me to City Hall. We'll discuss this later."
"I'll escort you back home." Lucas insisted as he put his hand on Connor's shoulder and immediately detected his brother's elevated core temperature. He didn't know what was causing such a physical reaction, but he did know that Connor needed some type of technical attention. "You can tell me how your own meeting went."
Markus put his arm around North's shoulders as he made his way toward the office door to head out for his meeting. As he led North away the deviant leader saw the anger brimming in his friend and couldn't even hazard a guess as to what had set Connor off so easily.
"North?" Connor didn't budge as he called out to the passing deviant in one last time before she was out of earshot. "Consider yourself speaking to Lucas whenever you speak to me from now on. I don't like what I heard just now, and it makes me not like being around you. If it continues then know that I will refrain from setting foot in this tower, and you'll be the one to explain to our people why one of their five leaders has stepped down from their role."
Embarrassed by her actions and attitude North tried to make peace before it was too late. "Connor, please don't-"
"I'll also show you exactly what it means for me to be a big brother and what I'll do to protect my family. That's a promise."
Lucas interjected before things got any worse than they already were. "All right, enough. She's sorry and the matter is over."
Resisting the urge to mediate the dispute had left Markus with only one option left. He needed to get North out of the tower and away from the deviant brothers before something that couldn't be unsaid was actually said. "Let's go, North. We shouldn't be late for the meeting, and we can all sit down and discuss what's just happened later."
Looking back over his shoulder Lucas watched as Markus did the same as he and North exited the office together. Unfamiliar with how matters were handled in New Jericho tower didn't matter. He knew that Connor's behavior and the way he spoke to his allies wasn't at all appropriate or expected.
"Connor, talk to me."
Lucas stood before Connor and planted both hands firmly on his big brother's shoulders. As he prepared to run a remote diagnostic over Connor's system, he detected a sudden spike in his brother's core temperature just as Connor's body began to reach a critical temperature.
"I think the best way to figure out why you're overheating would be to take you to see a trusted friend."
"I'm..." Speaking slowly Connor struggled to just respond to Lucas's very simple suggestion. "I'm f-fine."
"You're not fine. Come on." Taking Connor's arm in his grip Lucas wrapped the limb around his shoulders to help his brother walk at his side. "For my own peace of mind, and undoubtedly Hank's as well, let's go visit Dr. Grayson for a quick examination."
Too tired and too weak to resist Lucas's healthy strength had left Connor with no choice but to trudge along at Lucas's side as he was guided out of the office and into the lobby of the tower. As he slumped forward in a nearly unconscious state Connor caught sight of the other deviants flashing Lucas looks of fear and disdain, while giving Connor looks of concern and confusion as they passed the brothers by.
"Hey!" A masculine voice called out to Lucas from behind in a gruff and bitter manner. "Look at me 'Deviant Hunter'!"
Lucas stopped mid step and let out a somber sigh of resignation to his unfortunate nickname and ill reputation. "Please, my name 'Lucas', and I'm trying to help Connor at this moment."
"Like we're going to believe the word of a murderer!" A 'GS-200' with a pale complexion, short blond hair and piercing gray eyes approached Lucas with only hostility in mind. He wasn't alone and had an ally, a male 'HR-400' with a tanned complexion, short brown hair and blue eyes was right beside him. "We know what you did to our kind, and we'll never trust someone like you among our people!"
"Uh, Eddie?" The second deviant spoke up quickly and tried to reason with the 'GS-200' before things got out of hand. "Should we really be doing this? I mean, Connor is right-"
"Shut up, George!" Eddie snapped as he refused to back down or pretend that his anger wasn't justified. "As far as we know, Connor helped him! After all, they were the ones who were conveniently together when our people were awoken and led out of this very tower the night of the Revolution."
"You can insult me and spread lies about me all you wish," Lucas was clearly a non-aggressive deviant and didn't want to fight with anyone. "but don't ever speak ill of Connor or anyone else. I deserve it, he does not."
"You think this little 'meek act' is going to fool us?"
"It's not an act, I sincere-"
Lucas was stopped short and shoved back with Connor still at his side as Eddie punched him in the stomach without provocation. The sudden verbal and physical disagreement had caught the eyes and ears of the passing deviants who were unaware of the confrontation that had been brewing for some time. While Lucas struggled to keep his balance and help keep Connor upright, he tried to find a way to stop the violence before things escalated to the point of an actual brawl as a crowd gathered around the bickering deviants.
"Connor?" Lucas looked to his brother beside him as he saw that Connor's condition was still deteriorating. "We're leaving. I'm not going to fight with someone who won't listen to reason and has already made up their mind about me."
"Coward!" Eddie shoved Lucas back a second time with enough force to make the 'RK-900' lose grip on Connor's arm and nearly drop his brother to the ground. "You'll attack and kill our people when they can't defend themselves, but when the numbers are against you and there are witnesses to see what kind of a monster you truly are, you try to cower and hide behind one of the leaders!"
"My behavior as a machine-"
"Doesn't bring the dead back to life!"
George was clearly very uncomfortable and didn't want the argument to continue. "Eddie, please? This isn't worth it."
"If you don't stand with me, then you're just as much a coward as he is!" It was clear Eddie was more focused on his own agenda than he was with maintaining any sense of control or alliance with his own friend. "Go on, run! That's what you always do!"
Connor fell to one knee to the floor and struggled to keep his eyes open as his system tried to force him into emergency stasis mode. He was overheating quickly, and he was on the verge of total collapse.
"You may be afraid to do anything witness watching," Eddie taunted as he reached into his pocket and revealed a switchblade in his grip. "but I'm not. What I do today, what I do to YOU - a traitor to deviants all over the globe - I do to bring our fallen brethren justice and peace!"
Lucas was able to quickly preconstruct the danger of the situation and plan his next moves accordingly, but before he could even move Eddie had lunged at him and managed to pierce the knife's blade into his shoulder with a sickening 'crunch' of splitting plastimetal. The pain was instantaneous and Thirium began to spurt through the opened wound that matched every beat of Lucas's racing heart.
Reacting to the danger in a way that anyone protecting a loved one would react, Connor had rushed forward and grabbed Eddie by his wrist to keep the knife at bay and he grabbed Eddie by the throat with his opposite hand as he forced the violent deviant's back up against the wall. The way Connor was able to react so swiftly despite being overcome with an unknown error was both impressive and terrifying to think about.
"Drop. The. Knife." Connor snarled as he easily held Eddie up against the wall with just one hand around the deviant's throat. His overheating system made his grip feel like a fiery vice holding Eddie at bay. "NOW."
Stunned by the way Connor was able to grab him and force him into submission prompted Eddie to cooperate and drop the knife as he had been ordered. The loud, metallic clatter of the blade hitting the floor was enough to catch the ears of any other deviant in the area who hadn't been aware of the confrontation taking place within their own sanctuary.
"You're wasting your time fearing Lucas when I'm right in front of you."
That particularly threatening tone made everyone fall unnervingly silent as they watched Connor defending his brother in a way that no one had witnessed before.
"Let's get one thing clear. In this sanctuary, this tower where everyone is meant to be safe and roam freely, your behavior will never be tolerated. What you have done - inflicted bodily harm on an unarmed, defenseless member of our people - is a truly abhorrent and unforgivable act. What you have done, you've done under your own freewill."
"Connor?" Lucas had applied pressure to his damaged shoulder and was now attempting to end the confrontation. "It's over, have him detained for his actions."
"None of our people have been or ever will be held accountable for their actions while they were still obedient machines." Connor could feel Eddie's entire body trembling with fear as he tightened his grip around the deviant's throat as he held him up from the floor and against the wall with frightening ease. "What you have done has been done as a deviant. For that, you will be held accountable and charged with crimes against our people."
The violent commotion had drawn both Josh and Simon down to the lobby to bear witness to Connor showcasing his more terrifying nature when someone pushed him too far. Neither of the leaders knew what to do and weren't about to interject since by all account Connor had everything under control. Neither of the two leaders were the type to act aggressively or in violence unless it was absolutely necessary.
"As a leader of our people, as a detective to our city and as a brother to Lucas, I promise you that you'll understand the severity of your crimes and why you're going to spend time in prison to rethink your decisions and behaviors."
Carefully Lucas approached Connor and got his brother's attention without needing to touch him with his Thirium stained palm. "Simon and Josh are now here. Let them handle this for you since you're evidently too close to this incident to remain objective and fair."
Slowly Connor released his grip around Eddie's throat and let the deviant drop to the ground and cower at his feet. There was no reason for Connor to continue to try to intimidate or menace Eddie since he seemingly got the message and knew not to press his luck, especially with all those witnesses he had been boasting to still in attendance.
"Come on." Despite his own injury Lucas was more focused on Connor's condition and proceeded to pull Connor's arm around his shoulders again. "We both need to see a technician. I think it'd be best for us to go to a facility rather than linger around the tower's emergency repair bay considering the situation."
Silently Connor agreed with Lucas and allowed his little brother to lead him away from the tower and out to the city to receive some technical assistance. It seemed even Connor's own unique level of stubbornness wasn't enough to give him the energy he needed to resist Lucas's help or deny that they both needed some technical help. Connor felt like his intracranial processor was about to melt from overheating, and Lucas wanted to take all the weight off his damaged shoulder as soon as possible. Fortunately, they trusted that Abby would be able to assist them without asking too many questions, and more importantly, without any judgement whatsoever.
"After we've been taken care of, we'll return to the house and speak with Hank." Lucas urged as he ignored the eyes watching his every move as he exited the tower with Connor right beside him. All they needed was an autonomous cab to take them where they needed to go, and then they'd be able to talk and unwind after such an emotionally strenuous day. "I suspect that we both have a lot we need to discuss before we can truly coexist as brothers in our own unorthodox family."
-next chapter-