What should've been a peaceful night's sleep during the chilly spring that struggled to warm the city was rudely interrupted by an emergency phone call directly from Captain Fowler himself. An unusual case was reported at just past four in the morning that required both Connor and Hank to make an unexpected trip out to St. Mercy Hospital to investigate. The two detectives were in charge of Detroit's only deviant division at the moment, and as such they were the only two detectives brought in on a very bizarre and ethically questionable case regarding a deviant's life and the second life that she had just brought into the world in a very unexpected and dramatic fashion.

Meeting with hospital security at the front receptionist area of the hospital, the two detectives were shown to a secluded area of the hospital's maternity ward where a single female deviant had been physically beaten to a severe degree just before she had given birth to a human infant. The deviant in question, Maya, was barely conscious and being watched over carefully by Dr. Wilson as she rested from the difficult birth that she had endured not an even hour before.

Maya had a Thirial activity monitor recording her vital signs and an I.V. of Thirium running into the bend of her arm. Her right eye was a dark blue and swollen shut from the severe beating she had endured, and her right leg from the knee down was secured in a plastimetal support to keep the limb stationary until the damage could heal. Numerous white bandages covered cuts, scrapes and supported her abdomen after she had delivered the human baby who had miraculously survived.

"Deviants can give birth?" Whispering to Connor as they stood outside the closed door to the private recovery room, Hank stared through the observation window at the swollen, bloody face of the new mother who was barely moving as Dr. Wilson checked her over. Never once had Hank seen a pregnant deviant, let alone one admitted to the maternity ward of a hospital. "How the fuck does that happen?"

"Androids have the option to acquire special biocomponent upgrades to properly act as surrogates on behalf of humans." Connor explained things in such a casual manner it was as if Hank had simply skipped over a chapter in a children's book. "The models of androids also require functioning genitals to give birth without requiring technical intervention, which means Maya, as a 'WR-400', is an ideal hire for surrogacy."

"All right, then answer my next question." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank drummed his fingertips over his bicep as he tested the pain threshold of his recently healed broken wrist. "Who in the hell would beat a pregnant woman like that?"

"In most cases the culprit in the severe physical assault of a pregnant woman stems from the father of the child or a disgruntled family member. However, we cannot rule out an attempted theft of the infant by someone suffering from severe psychosis, or this being another hate-crime against deviants."

"Shit." Seeing anyone beaten down and bloody deviant made Hank's blood boil, but knowing a pregnant woman had been viciously assaulted and her unborn child's life was put at stake filled the senior detective with a rage that would make even the bravest of men cower. "Okay. Let's go ask her what happened and see if we can find the fucker responsible for her attack."

Connor pressed his exposed palm over the electronic panel of the door to unlock the room and gain entrance. Quietly entering the room to speak to the victim was suddenly disturbed when Maya herself noticed Connor and began to panic.

"It's all right, Maya. We're here-"

"Keep him away from me!" Maya was trying to get up to run from the room but Dr. Wilson had put both hands firmly on her shoulders to keep her in the bed and as still as possible. Her injuries would only become worse if she continued to panic and flail about. "Please! He's the 'Deviant Hunter'!"

"I'm... not that horrible title." The unfortunate nickname made Connor's blue L.E.D. flash to red with shame as he hung back by the door. "I am not here to hurt you or take you anywhere you don't want to go. I am not hunting you or anyone else."

"Don't listen to him!" Grabbing on to Dr. Wilson's forearms Maya pleaded with the doctor and was genuinely afraid for her life. "He's going to take me back to them! I won't go back! I won't-"

"Maya, I promise you will NEVER be taken back to the people who hurt you." Using a soft tone Dr. Wilson did his best to calm Maya down and get her to properly rest. Recognizing trauma and abuse in physical, emotional and psychological forms had given him a sixth sense when it came to helping his patients recover in the most effective manner possible. "Detective? Could you please give us some space?"

"Very well." Doing his best to mask his disappointment at being asked to step aside Connor agreed and left Hank alone with Maya to learn what had happened to her and why it happened. "I'll be outside."

Hank heard the hurt in Connor's words and watched as the deviant stepped out of the room and into the corridor to ensure Maya felt safe. The moment Connor was out of the room Maya calmed down considerably and stopped trying to get up and flee from the hospital. Approaching the bed slowly Hank pulled a chair over from the nearby wall and sat down beside Maya so he could be eye level with the frightened deviant.

In the dim lighting of the room Maya's dark blue eyes were bright with sheer panic and her long blonde hair was messy, tangled and even torn out in some places leaving bald spots along the back of her head. Maya's pale complexion was marred with blue bruises of numerous shades and sizes confirming that she had been beaten days before her admission to the hospital.

"I'm Lieutenant Hank Anderson." Introducing himself calmly Hank showed Maya his badge and spoke to her in a gentle voice. "We were informed of what happened to you but we still don't know everything that had happened. Are you able to answer a few questions?"

"Will 'he' be in here?" Looking at Connor through the window giving her a view of the corridor Maya, was still worried about Connor potentially working with the enemy and being taken away. "I won't say anything until he's gone!"

"If you don't want him around you then he'll keep away." Pocketing his badge Hank gave Maya his full attention and knew that Dr. Wilson was going to stick close by to ensure that Maya didn't feel like she was being deceived or was in any danger. "Whenever you're ready could you please tell me what happened?"

"Only after I can see my baby."

"It's your baby?"

"Yes." Adamant in her reply Maya gave Hank an annoyed glare before looking to Dr. Wilson for support. "I have to know that he's okay."

"I can arrange that." The kind and understanding doctor wanted to help Maya and her son after everything they had survived. Agreeing to bring her the baby for a visit, Dr. Wilson gave his patient some space. "I'll be back in one moment."

"You're in good hands here, Maya." Using the opportunity to speak with Maya alone Hank asked her simple questions to uncover the identity of the person or persons who attacked her. "Let's start from the beginning. You said that the baby is yours, who is the fath-"

"There is no father." Maya turned away from Hank as she wrapped her arms around herself in a self-comforting embrace. "I was taken against my will along with fourteen other deviants. We all came from the 'Eden Club' and we were all forced to act as incubators for rich humans who couldn't be bothered to carry their own offspring."

"You were forced to undergo unwanted upgrades to your system and forced to act as surrogates." Recalling what Connor told him just prior to entering the room Hank wanted to make sure he was fully understanding Maya's claims. "Is that what you're saying?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Unfortunately, no. I believe you." Pulling a small notepad from his coat pocket Hank began taking notes on what Maya was telling him. "Fourteen deviants have been abducted and forced to act as incubators for humans. Does that fourteen include you?"

"No, I'm number seven of fifteen in total." Rubbing her palms up and and down her arms Maya told Hank about her ordeal over the past year. "We fled from the club en masse when the Raid started during the night of the Revolution. Most of us managed to get away but the rest of us were taken by a group of humans using black vans to transport androids around the city while unseen."

"Did you see the faces of the people who abducted you?"

"Yes." Using her palm Maya showed Hank numerous images from her memory showing the face of the men and women responsible for the abductions. "I'll never forget the faces of the people who abducted us, forced us to endure unwanted upgrades, and then isolated us to be 'showcased' to their 'clients' so they could pick which of us they wanted to carry their offspring. We're living beings, NOT incubators to be rented out."

"You're right, you're not." Snapping photos of the provided images Hank sent the details over his phone to the precinct to be used. "You're talking about a black market baby ring."

"Yes I am. And I won't be the last one to tell you this horror story."

"You said there's no father, but there has to be a client." The Lieutenant keenly noted. "Do you have a name?"

"No. We were kept in the dark, literally and figuratively, to ensure that the clients couldn't report the ring in the event the 'bosses' didn't give them the baby after birth. In the event the clients changed their minds and didn't want the baby anymore, the babies were taken away and left outside hospitals or fire stations under the guise of an unwanted teenage pregnancies. No one ever asks questions about that type of human behavior."

"That's sadistically clever on their part." Biting his lower lip for a moment Hank kept himself from swearing at the people who were selling off babies for a profit. "What do your clients want from you?"

"They want the baby but refuse to pay until AFTER I had delivered. I refused to let them treat the innocent life that I carried, nurtured, and gave birth to, as nothing more than the end result of a transaction I never agreed to take part of. So, I ran to protect the baby from those cold people and managed to escape."

The door to the recovery room slid open as Dr. Wilson returned with a small plastic bassinet being pushed gently in his hands. Placing the bassinet beside the bed Dr. Wilson very gingerly lifted up the newborn baby boy swaddled in a white blanket and handed him over to Maya to hold.

"He's perfectly healthy and hasn't shown any sign of distress after everything you've both endured."

"Thank RA9." Holding the small baby in her arms Maya gave him a genuinely loving smile as she held him against her chest. Despite everything, it seemed Maya had formed a loving bond with the infant. "For as long as I live, no one will ever harm my son. He's my world."

Hank approved of her reaction and knew that the law would have to support her as the mother. In the eyes of the law, the woman who gave birth to the child was the rightful, biological mother and could retain custody of the child if she so wished.

"He's beautiful." The baby had a dark complexion with a small amount of raven black hair. The big blue eyes were bright and full of life as he looked at the new world all around him. "What's his name?"

"I like the name 'Archer'. It's a strong name, like a warrior."

"That's a great name." Hank complimented honestly as Dr. Wilson wrote the baby's name down on the electronic chart attached the foot of the incubator. "We'll be sure to do everything in our power to ensure you keep full custody over Archer without those clients trying to pull something shady behind your back."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"You said you ran from the people who were holding you captive. Where did you run from?"

"At the far west side of the city there's a private motel that's conveniently always booked despite the parking lot always being empty. It's called the 'Gilded Fountain' and is keeping the other deviant surrogates captive in isolated rooms."

"I'll have a patrol sent to check out the motel." Using his phone Hank requested the patrol check out the motel and to bring plenty of back-up and technicians to the scene in the event the other deviant surrogates were damaged. "How did you escape?"

"When the owner of the motel came by my room to tell me I was required to deliver the baby by noon the next day, I knew I couldn't just hand the baby over. I spent time slowly prying open the window to the third floor balcony, and I managed to sneak out through the window and climb down the balcony." Giving Archer a small kiss on his little nose Maya seemed to find a new sense of strength and courage. "I didn't see anyone in the parking lot, so I used the early hours and darkness to hide in plain sight."

"What happened after that?"

"I tried to run from the motel, but it was hard to do while full term, barefoot, and on an icy cold road." As she spoke Maya cradled Archer with a loving embrace and admired the baby boy she had brought into the world. "I managed to make it two blocks before I went into labor. An autonomous cab came down the street where I was standing and I waved it down, only to have the two passengers in the back of the cab climb out and confront me."

"Who were the passengers?"

"A couple of idiots who stank of cheap booze." Using her palm again Maya showed Hank a holographic image from her memory identifying her attackers. "They demanded my purse, I told them I didn't have one, and they decided that since I was pregnant, wearing only my bra and panties, that meant I would be willing to put out for them. I refused and that's when they held me down and started attacking me. They realized I was a deviant when they saw my blood and then they used a hunting knife and... tried to cut open my belly."

"Son of a bitch." Uploading the images of the men to his phone Hank sent an update on the case to the precinct and requested an A.P.B. on the two violent drunks to ensure they were arrested for assault, attempted rape and attempted infanticide. Those were just going to be the first charges he was determined to make stick to the two abhorrent men. "What happened after the assault began?"

"I kicked at the men and made them fall over. Since they were drunk and it was icy, I was able to get back to my feet a little quicker and run down the hill toward a large wooded park, but I tripped and broke my leg as I fell." Recounting the horrific story made Maya's eyes glisten with tears as held Archer in a protective hug. "I managed to drag myself into the tree line and get out of sight until the two drunks finally left. I had to spend over twenty minutes laying on the cold, icy ground in labor before I worked up the nerve to return to the road and try to find some help."

"How'd you get to the hospital?"

"A nurse was driving by after leaving her shift and drove by me as I supported my body upright against a tree beside the road. She saw me, pulled over, helped me get to her car and brought me here." The kindness of the nurse would never be forgotten. "Less than an hour after being admitted Archer was born."

"Earlier you said that you had to sneak out your window and run for help. What kept you from sneaking out before that?"

"The owners of the motel told us that he had private security patrolling the motel at all times, and that we'd never know who was security and who wasn't. I know that there are still androids out there who haven't deviated and still obey humans." Lifting her eyes to glare at Connor through the observation window Maya made it clear she didn't trust him and would most likely never would. "Like him."

"I know you don't trust Connor and I'm not going to tell you to trust him without him earning it, but Connor is a free deviant and works for the Central Precinct, NOT anyone from CyberLife."

"I know of the stories." Refusing to believe Hank at face value Maya didn't let go of her resentment. "I know that Connor chased two 'Tracis' out of the 'Eden Club' with the intent to kill them."

"But he didn't kill them." Defending Connor's honor Hank told Maya the truth of that incident. "He let them go and they made it to Jericho."

"I highly doubt that. He worked for CyberLife, hunted after deviants, and then he conveniently deviated when Markus confronted him." Scoffing at the idea of someone like Connor being a true deviant Maya seemed to confirm Connor's worst fears. "No. He's plotting against the real deviants and masquerading as one of us. He's a fucking wolf in sheep's clothing."

"Believe what you want." Unwilling to argue with Maya for any reason Hank kept focused on the case at hand. "Regardless of that, we're still going to help you and we're going to free the other deviants before the sun rises."

"I hope you can keep that promise." Adjusting her arms Maya cuddled with Archer and watched as he closed his eyes to take a nap. She was grateful that her son would never remember his traumatic origins or of how he had been conceived. "I don't want the other deviants losing their babies to rich and entitled humans. I got lucky because I could escape, I don't think they could all disappear so easily."

Rising from the chair Hank gave Dr. Wilson a respectful nod before stepping out of the room to reunite with Connor in the corridor. Slipping the notepad back into his pocket Hank looked over at the deviant detective and saw the shame in Connor's soulful brown eyes. It was clear that Connor had been listening to the conversation through the window and knew what Maya and many other deviants still thought of him.

"Kid, don't let-"

"We need to get to the motel." Stopping Hank before he could bring up the delicate subject Connor rubbed his fingertips over his traitorous red L.E.D. and began walking down the corridor to leave the hospital via elevator. "If there is private security patrolling the motel then it won't be long before they notice that Maya has fled the area."

"Patrol is already on their way there." Joining Connor as he marched down the corridor Hank made a mental note to give Connor a little space to think after they handled their current case. "Police drones are scanning the area to ensure that no one can sneak out of the motel or try to hide."

"We need to hurry." Entering the elevator Connor cybernetically informed Markus at New Jericho Tower of the situation and asked them to prepare rooms for the deviant surrogates and their babies if they needed shelter. "I doubt Maya is the only deviant who was ready to deliver."

"Shit, if we have to rescue a laboring deviant, I don't think this case will close as easily as we hope."

"Cases seldome are." Looking at his reflection on the surface of the closed elevator doors Connor sighed and looked away from his own gaze out of misplaced guilt. "I don't think any cases will ever close as easily as we'd hope."

In less than an hour there were six patrol cars, twelve police drones, four android unique ambulances and at least twenty police officers surrounding the motel. The E.F.T.'s were taking care of nine pregnant deviants along with the two paramedics who had arrived. All of the deviants in various stages of their pregnancies were requiring different levels of care. The cops were marching four humans out of the motel through the front doors and toward squad cars to be arrested. By the time Hank and Connor arrived at the scene, two more pregnant deviants were being escorted to the ambulances for treatment and examinations, but three deviants were still unaccounted for. Each room was being checked over and sectioned off as crime scenes and every room had been already cleared by the cops to ensure no one was overlooked.

Sensing that something was wrong Connor approached the four humans who were operating the illegal black market ring and ran facial recognition scans to confirm their identities and names. The leader was a woman in her late fifties who had a record for sex trafficking illegal immigrants and keeping them captive. She was out on parole but had clearly violated the conditions of said parole by forming a second illegal operation. The woman's name was Margaret 'Maggie' VanWorth. She had short cut gray hair with matching gray eyes and snake tattoo running down the right side of her neck that disappearing down her chest under her shirt.

"Where are the other deviants?" Connor asked as he approached Maggie and stood before her with his shoulders back and his eyes focused. Not in the mood to deal with deception, Connor gave her a very pissed off glare. "Do not lie to me."

"I don't know who you're talking about." Smirking with an irritating arrogance Maggie tried to dismiss the question. "What other deviants?"

"I know there were fifteen deviants being held captive here. All but three have been accounted for, where are they?"

"How am I supposed to know how many of those sluts-"

"I am NOT going to ask you again." Towering over the five foot five woman, Connor's red flashing L.E.D. and fiery gaze weren't to be taken lightly. "Those women were held captive here and forced to act as incubators for your clients. One of them made it to the hospital to give birth and has told us everything about this scam. How will your clients react when they learn you took their money but won't be able to give them their baby?"

Maggie paled a little but tried to keep a brave face. "You don't have-"

"You abducted fifteen 'Tracis' fleeing from the 'Eden Club' during the night of the Raid." Recalling his evidence Connor refused to let Maggie play dumb. "You knew they were going to hide and that the club owner wouldn't try to locate them, making them easy targets to use and abuse for you own personal profit."

"Even if that were true, you wouldn't be able to get these supposed clients to turn against me."

"We don't need the clients to come forward. A simple D.N.A. test on every one of the infants will tell us who their parents are, and thus who your clients are. How do you think they'd react when they learn you're incapable of keeping as confidential and secretive as you claimed? How many will talk to the police in exchange for leniency? I don't know of any human who would willingly go to prison for another human."

The other three humans, all men, overheard the comment and didn't want to deal with all the charges being weighed against them.

"If we tell you," the first man spoke up with a shaking tone. "will you cut us a deal?"

"The first person to direct me to the location of the remaining deviants," Connor turned to look at the man over his shoulder as he spoke. "will be given a much lighter sentence and avoid jail time."

"LOOK IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM!" Shouting the confession as loud as he could, the twenty-something man was clearly desperate to avoid prison. Ignoring the glare from Maggie the man kept speaking and giving away some details. "That's where the deviants delivered the babies!" Pale and sweating profusely the man's short brown locks were clinging to his forehead as while brown eyes went wide with fear. "That's where you'll find the other ones!"

"He's right!" The second man shouted as well right alongside his colleague. "And Maggie kept a journal with all of her clients hidden in a floor safe inside the old kitchen freezer!" The muscular thirty-year-old was shaking like a leaf. The sweat droplets on his bald head were shining in the flashing police lights and his blue eyes were full of fear. "She has hundreds of names of past, present and future clients! You'll find them all in that journal!"

"All true!" Not wanting to be left lagging behind, the third man gave up another disturbing detail of his own. "Maggie also keeps 'red ice' stashed in a fake wall in the alley behind the hotel!" Being twenty-something as well had left the man with limited options. He didn't want to give up his life over someone else's schemes. His long cut blond hair was hanging over his brown eyes and made him look as shady as he had been behaving. "She has customers stop by every night at midnight, her security camera can prove it! Just look for the footage!"

"Thank you." Grateful for the cooperation from the three men Connor backed away from Maggie to take care of the missing deviants. Knowing that Hank would handle the reports of 'red ice' and documentation of Maggie exploiting the abducted deviants, Connor focused on the victims at the scene. "I'm going to find the missing deviants inside the motel."

Passing through the opened front doors Connor walked pass Ben and his C.S.I. team as he cybernetically downloaded the blueprints of the motel to locate the laundry room. Reaching a long corridor leading to the rear of the building Connor noticed that there was a security camera pointed right at the door labeled 'Laundry' and that walls of the corridor were lined with soundproofing materials. Chronicling the layout of the motel for further investigation and to be included as evidence in the case, Connor made his way to the door and checked the electronic lock with his hand.

As expected, the door was locked and sealed with a master pass code. Able to easily override said lock Connor opened the door and stepped into the laundry room in time to hear a pained scream from a woman in distress.

"Detroit Police. Open the door."

Announcing his presence Connor saw another young woman, a human, suddenly scramble away from a laboring deviant and get behind the deviant to shield herself from the deviant detective's immediate line of sight. The woman brandished a gun and pressed the barrel to the side of the deviant's pregnant belly and wrapped her free arm around the same deviant's throat.

"Let her go." Connor called out in a level, calm voice. "Don't do anything foolish, it's already over."

"Back off!" The woman, the daughter of Maggie based on the similarities of her face and body type, was clearly high on 'red ice'. A quick scan confirmed her name as Marianne and that she had numerous arrests for drug abuse and assault. "Or I'll kill this bitch!"

"If you kill her then I'll have no choice but to arrest you for double murder."

"No! You're going to leave-"

"No, I will not." Looking at the deviant being used as a hostage Connor ran a scan and confirmed the pregnant deviant was deep into labor and needed to be in a hospital as soon as possible. Time was running out. "It's over. Drop the gun and surrender."

"Or what? Huh?!" Shaking with adrenaline and drugs coursing through her veins Marianne was evidently out of ideas and desperate. "Are you going to kill me?"

"I will subdue you in order to protect-" Connor stopped mid sentence when the deviant screamed again as her labor progressed at a rapid pace. "The police are all around the motel, your mother has been arrested along with your colleagues, and we're collecting evidence as I speak. You're already going to prison; do not do anything you can't undo."

"Tough talk from a plastic-pig!" Tightening her grip around the deviant's throat Marianne was very unstable and her shaking hand around the gun was a threat that needed to be handled immediately. "You're going to turn around and leave! If you don't, I'm going to-"

Unwilling to risk either mother or baby getting hurt, Connor swiftly retrieved his gun from the holster wrapped around his back and under his blazer, pointed it at Marianne's right shoulder and squeezed the trigger. The single bullet found its target and caused Marianne to drop her own gun to the floor with a loud clatter. Moving quickly Connor pulled the laboring deviant away from Marianne's grip and picked her up into his arms as he backed toward the door after kicking Marianne's gun away from her limp hand.

"I warned you."

Kicking the door off its frame Connor called for help down inside the laundry room as he focused on the deviant in his arms and carefully carried her down the corridor to get some help. Holding tight onto the laboring deviant Connor ignored the high pitched wailing and screaming of Marianne in the laundry room and let Ben take care of it.

"Where are the other deviants?" Connor asked as he carried the pained deviant outside to receive proper attention. "There should be two others somewhere in the motel."

"B-Backroom connected to the laundry room." Wrapping her arm around Connor's neck the deviant held tightly and endured her increasingly pained labor. She knew who Connor was and despite her fear she was in too much pain to protest him helping her. "They're a-all in labor, too!"

"We'll take care of them." Carrying her over to the back of the large android ambulance, Connor gently placed the laboring deviant down on the gurney to be transported to the hospital. "What's your name?"

"June." Staring up with wide green eyes at Connor the deviant told her his name. "My name is June."

"Hello, June. My name is-"

"I know." Brushing her long blonde hair from her eyes June stared at Connor as if afraid he was suddenly going to attack her. "Please... Please don't take me t-to CyberLife!"

"I promise I won't. I don't work for-" A loud scream interrupted Connor as June's labor progressed alarmingly fast. "I need a technician or a paramedic over here. She's ready to deliver."

One of the E.F.T.'s jumped into the back of the ambulance and began checking over June to the best of his ability. Having limits android specific tools and instruments made field care rather difficult and cumbersome.

"We'll need to get her to the hospital before she delivers." The E.F.T. confirmed as he monitored his patient's condition. "I don't have the proper equipment to deliver a baby, and the paramedics are handling the other two deviants and that crazy bitch in the motel."

"Then let's go now. If it becomes necessary I can help with the delivery." Connor ordered as he took June's hand and held tight so that she had someone to support her in her time of need. "I'll monitor her condition during transport as well."

"All right, I'll get her hooked up to a monitor and let the hospital know we're coming in." Reaching forward, the E.F.T. slapped the window connecting the front cab to the back of the ambulance to signal the driver to head out. "Let's go! St. Mercy Hospital."

The engine of the ambulance roared to life as the driver up front prepared to take off. The moment the doors to the back of the ambulance were slammed shut the ambulance began its swift drive back to Detroit and to the hospital with the laboring deviant in tow.

"June, you're going to be okay." Doing his best to sound confident Connor tried to keep her calm during the drive. He knew she was terrified and he knew that the stress could be detrimental to her overall health and condition. "Maya is at the hospital right now with her own son. They're both okay."

"S-Son?"

"Yes. Maya is going to keep the baby and no one is going to take him away."

For a fleeting moment June looked hopeful. "I can k-keep my little girl?"

"Yes." Leaning back a little Connor let the E.F.T. reach over to June's chest to attach the wireless leads to the Thirial activity monitor. June was only wearing a bra and panties just as Maya had described upon her own escape from the motel. "You can keep the baby if you want to keep her. Did you have a name in mind?"

"Dawn." June stated firmly as the E.F.T. draped a blanket over her body to keep her warm and covered during transport. "I w-want to name her 'Dawn'."

"That's a beautiful name. Maya named her son Archer." Letting June squeeze his hand as much as she wanted Connor didn't once complain about the pain or try to pull his hand back during her labor. "You're both going to be okay as well."

"Please!" Groaning through her labor June began to cry in pain, fear and even relief as she was on her way to the hospital and freedom. "Don't t-take me back!"

"I won't do that, June. I'm NOT the 'Deviant Hunter' and I took an oath to protect this city and its people."

Turning away from Connor's face it was clear June didn't believe him. In a way Connor couldn't blame her since he never associated with anyone at New Jericho Tower and rarely associated with anyone outside of work.

"Try to breathe through the pain as much as you can. It'll also keep your core temperature from getting too high." Sending a cybernetic message to the hospital, Connor kept everyone up to date on June's condition and he was able to cybernetically track the baby's vital signs. Fortunately, they were both strong and healthy. "We're less than two minutes away from the hospital."

"I don't want t-to lose her. This baby is all I h-have."

"You won't lost her. You're going to keep her in your life and no one can take her away."

"C-CyberLife can!"

"No, they're gone. No one can touch you without breaking the law." Despite his best efforts Connor knew that his words weren't going to carry much weight since he was so mistrusted by so many of the deviants in the community. Taking a new strategy Connor kept trying to get June to relax. "New Jericho Tower will make the necessary accommodations for you and your baby when you're ready to leave the hospital. You'll be together for the rest of your lives."

"N-New Jericho?"

"All four leaders of Jericho took over the abandoned CyberLife Tower and converted into New Jericho Tower. It's a sanctuary for all deviants in need, and they'll help humans who have nowhere else to turn."

June screamed again as the ambulance backed up to the emergency entrance to the hospital. An emergency team opened the rear doors of the ambulance and quickly checked on June's progress as they prepared for the impending birth. There was no time to get June into a delivery room, she needed to deliver right there in the back of the ambulance.

"Miss?" The doctor motioned for the E.F.T. to step aside as he checked on June and confirmed it was time to push. Moving her legs into the proper positions the doctor readied himself to help deliver the baby. "On the next contraction hold your breath and push. You're fully dilated."

Reacting on instinct Connor repositioned himself behind June to give her support and let her push against him as she pushed with each contraction. The memory of aiding Hank when he delivered a stranded motorist's baby flashed in Connor's mind and he knew what to expect and how to respond. While June pushed with all her strength Connor kept track of the baby's vitals and was relieved to hear a high-pitched cry as the newborn came into the world just as the sun began to rise in the distance.

"Dawn is here." Connor noted as he watched the sunrise and watched as the newborn was tended to by the doctor. It was symbolic of the positive outcome after rescuing the captive deviant surrogates. "And she's here in time to honor her namesake."

"Sh-She is." June looked down at her newborn daughter with genuine admiration as the swaddled baby was handed to her to hold for herself. "...She's perfect."

With everyone safely taken to the hospital Connor helped lower the gurney from the back of the ambulance and to the ground, then walked inside the emergency entrance to ensure everyone was taken care of. The biggest problems had been handled and everyone was now safe. In spite of the positive outcome Connor still felt as if he were somehow failing and hadn't done nearly enough to help the deviants who needed him.

Stepping back outside of the hospital Connor walked away from the building and looked to the sunrise in the distance with a somber gaze. The way that the two deviants were terrified of him despite him being there to save them made his heart actually ache. He didn't like being seen as a menace or a threat to his own people. He wanted to make the world a more positive place, but it seemed negativity followed him wherever he went.

Being described as a wolf in sheep's clothing wasn't nearly as accurate as being described as a lone wolf, or even a dangerous rogue.

"It's always darkest before the dawn."

Staring at the brilliant sunrise steadily warming the chilly city Connor wrapped his arms around himself and stared at the disturbed white snow at his feet as the sunlight caused it to shimmer like a million little crystals.

"I can only hope that it's true."

Exhausted and chilled by the intense experience mixed with the frigid air, the two detectives finished taking care of the deviant surrogates and made sure they all safely made their way out to New Jericho Tower. The early morning came to an end after the report was filed, the five humans responsible for the imprisonment and abuse of the deviants were charged with their numerous crimes, and the clients who paid to force the deviants into the unwanted role of surrogate were identified and charged with proven illegal purchases. Due to the oddly early morning hours of the case being reported Captain Fowler allowed Hank and Connor to clock-out early to return home and get some rest after everything was said and done.

Unable to sleep and unable to stop thinking about what had happened, Connor sat on the livingroom floor with Sumo sprawled over his lap to help him feel warm and more secure. It seemed like the only people who trusted Connor were Hank, Markus and Lucas. Such a small group of trusted allies and friends felt almost as bad as total isolation.

"Here you go, kid." Walking into the livingroom with two white mugs in his hands Hank sighed openly and handed Connor one of the mugs filled with warm Thirium. "I really should get that old fireplace cleaned up and ready for our next winter."

"I could do it for you if you'd wish."

"Nah. It's my house and my responsibility." After Connor accepted the mug Hank sat down in the recliner and sipped at his mug of coffee slowly. "With any luck I'll get around to it by next fall."

Humming a little in response Connor put the Thirium aside and continued to slowly pet Sumo's back in a gentle manner.

"Son, try not to take it personally."

With his blue L.E.D. flashing to yellow Connor gave Hank a curious glance. "Take what personally?"

"Not having the full trust of the deviants."

"Oh... That."

"Take my word for it. I'm a cop and I'm pretty sure that the trust to mistrust of cops ratio in this whole world is fifty-fifty on a good day." Leaning back in the chair Hank kicked up his feet and thought about his own past experiences with doubt and misplaced mistrust. "It takes time to earn trust, just like respect."

"It's not so much that the deviants don't trust me that is upsetting. It's that fact that despite having been working with the police and fighting for deviant rights for over a year, and yet I'm still seen as the 'Deviant Hunter' first and then seen as myself second."

"First impressions are important. It sucks that CyberLife ruined yours for ya' like that by making you follow their orders."

"How do I gain a new reputation?"

"By doing what you're doing right now. Work hard, don't give up on your people, and keep doing what's right."

"It doesn't seem like it'll be enough."

"It never does. In the end the only thing we can do is our best and hope for just as much."

"Hank, do you..." Pausing for a moment Connor had to force himself to finish the question. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do. You've saved my ass too many times for me to count, and you're one of the most reliable people that I know." Sitting more upright Hank gave Connor a kind smirk and respectful nod of his head. "You have officially earned my trust, my respect and my friendship. Don't ever doubt that for a second."

"Thank you." The comment was enough to make Connor's yellow L.E.D. return to blue as a ghost of a grin appeared on his face. "And for the record, the same goes for you." Picking up the mug of Thirium Connor sipped at the warm drink slowly and returned it to the coffee table. "I honestly trust and respect you as my friend and as my partner."

"I'll drink to that." Taking another sip of his coffee Hank reached for the television remote and turned on the screen to find something to watch. "How about we find something mind numbing so we can forget about this day? Well, the shitty parts anyway."

"I like the sound of that." Pushing himself up from the floor Connor sat down on the couch and invited Sumo up to join him for some more attention. "There are some things I wish to forget, but not all. Being able to help deviants, even if they don't fully trust me, is one such event."

-next chapter-