The day had started out rather unusual and was only getting worse. Connor and Hank were returning to the precinct after investigating the supposed disappearance of a deviant from his elderly owner's residence - the deviant in question was in fact in the residence and taking care of chores upstairs when the senile old woman believed he had run away. When a second report of a deviant being the victim of a hit and run accident in the street was sent their way the two detectives set out to their next call. The scene of the tragic accident was disturbingly close to the apartment complex where Connor and Lucas resided, which only hastened their arrival to the scene itself and with that arrival came a sense of impending dread.

An android-unique ambulance was already at the scene when Connor and Hank arrived. The Emergency Field Technicians were tending to the victim while Lucas himself was assisting out of the kindness of his heart as he had been an eye witness and would provide some help as he too was a technician.

"Lucas?" Hank addressed the helpful deviant as he and Connor approached the victim laying on the gurney in the back of the ambulance from their parked car. The sight of Lucas at the scene was a little unexpected but welcome all the same. "What're you doing out here?"

"Hank, Connor." Lucas stepped away from the ambulance to speak to the two detectives and family members face to face. "I was on way my out to run some errands when I saw the deviant over there get struck by a speeding vehicle. I tended to his injuries after I summoned emergency services. Unfortunately, the victim, Lloyd, did not survive the accident."

As his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow Connor's brow furrowed with sadness and curiosity while he watched the technicians in the back of the ambulance pull a white sheet up to cover the victim's face respectfully. "You witnessed the accident?"

"Yes." Confirming that he bore witness to the accident Lucas eagerly stepped up to help in any way he could. "I can identify the vehicle, the license plate and give you an accurate description of the driver if you wish."

"Come on." Hank put his hand on Lucas's shoulder to guide him away from the tragic scene and back to his own car parked just down the street. "We'll take your statement at the precinct and get a warrant for the driver's arrest. You may have just saved us a massive search of the city, kid."

"It's unfortunate I couldn't do more for the victim."

"You saw his killer and you're giving a statement to the police." Reminding Lucas that he was still going to help the victim Hank let the deviant technician climb into the backseats of the Oldsmobile to sit down and fasten his seatbelt. "As long as he gets justice then you've done everything possible to help him."

Due to the personal nature between the two detectives and the lone witness to the fatal traffic accident Connor and Hank had to recuse themselves from taking the witness statement and made sure Captain Fowler knew of the circumstances before anyone else told him. In response Chris took the initiative and wrote down every word that Lucas said and was truly grateful for the deviant's eidetic, perfect recollection of the accident itself as well as the incredibly detailed depiction of the driver that the artistically talented deviant had created by his own hand. The accurate details and overall efficiency of the deviant mind were making the investigation much easier than anticipated.

While the two detectives waited at their desks for Lucas to finish giving his statement Gavin approached the duo with utter confusion plastered on his face and dared to ask about Lucas as he had caught a glimpse of the deviant through the window of the interview room. It was widely believed that Connor was the only android of his kind.

"Uh, Lieutenant?" Motioning to the interview window Gavin asked his crass comment with a charm exclusive to his abrasive personality. "What the fuck is that thing that's talking to Chris?"

"Lucas." Hank replied curtly as he gave Gavin an offended stare. "That 'thing' is named Lucas and he's Connor's little brother. So watch it."

"B-Brother?!" That very idea made Gavin scoff and roll his eyes arrogantly. "Since when the Hell do chunks of plastic have siblings?"

"What does it matter?" The gruff senior detective practically snarled as he defended the two deviants he had taken in as his sons. "Lucas and Connor are brothers and Lucas witnessed the hit and run accident from this morning."

"...It doesn't matter. It's just fuckin' weird." Trying to save face Gavin lowered his voice and looked away as if ashamed of himself. "Especially since, you know, there could be a bias-"

"Related to a detective or not, Lucas's statement is solid." Hank interrupted sharply as he knew where Gavin's mind was going. "Lucas saw everything that happened and had even tried to save the victim, but the damage was too severe and the victim died."

"Right." Gavin again scoffed at the statement and folded his arms over his chest. "It's either a solid statement or part of a bias agenda. These damn machines would love to stick together to take us real people down."

Connor turned his attention to Gavin and retorted with a stinging remark. "It seems the only one here with any form of bias is you, Gavin."

"What did you just say to me you plastic-freak?"

Unwilling to put up with Gavin's discrimination and insults any longer Connor stood up from his desk and stared Gavin right in the face, his L.E.D. remaining a calm blue the entire time as he confronted the bigoted detective. "You may be dense but I know you heard me just fine."

Gavin paled a shade as he swallowed nervously. The look in Connor's eyes and the tone of his voice was far more intimidating than anything Gavin had ever seen in the deviant before. There was something about Connor's demeanor that seemed very alive, very human.

"Enough." Hank spoke up defensively to end the confrontation before it had a chance to really escalate. "Beat it Gavin, get some work done for once."

Backing away slowly and quietly Gavin retreated to his desk and kept his head down as Connor calmly reclaimed his seat at his own desk and resumed filing a report on his terminal.

Once Gavin was out of the immediate area Hank spoke up in a low voice. "You okay, Connor?"

"I'm fine." The deviant confirmed as he timidly looked Hank in the eyes. "Why do you ask?"

"I've never seen you stand up to Gavin before, that's all."

Connor seemed to shrink down a little in his seat as his blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow with a sense of error. "...Was I wrong to do so?"

"Absolutely not. That asshole provoked you. It's just a little out of character for you to show a more 'vicious' nature."

"Sorry." Sitting back upright Connor's yellow L.E.D. cycled back to blue. "I guess hearing Gavin referring to Lucas as anything inferior upsets me."

That comment made Hank smile broadly. "As it should. That's exactly how a big brother should react when his sibling is being insulted or threatened."

"Threatened?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow once again. "Someone threatened him?"

"Relax, Gavin has a big mouth and little everything else. He won't actually try anything."

Connor's L.E.D. resumed its normal blue color as he turned his head to look back at the interview room where Lucas had been giving his statement as he seemed to sense that the interview was over. Sure enough the door slid open and Chris escorted Lucas out of the room and back over to Connor and Hank's desks where they had been waiting.

"All right, we got it." Chris held up the tablet with Lucas's statement written out neatly atop the screen proudly. The hand drawn depiction of the suspect was in his other hand ready to go. "I'll get the registration from the license plate and find the guy responsible. Thanks for your help, Lucas."

"You're welcome." Lucas nodded respectfully to Chris as he joined his family at their desks. "May I leave now? I still have errands to tend to."

"Yeah, you're good." Hank confirmed with a casual gesture of his hand toward the door. "Thanks for your help today, son."

"I'm glad I could be of some help this afternoon. I failed to save the victim, but at least I can help catch his killer."

"Lucas," Connor gave his younger brother a sympathetic stare. "you can't save everyone. That's a lesson I've had to learn the hard way. I don't want you to go through that type of painful awareness."

"Yes, I know. But it doesn't make it any easier." Lucas cleared his throat a little before saying his goodbye. "I'll see you back at the apartment, Connor. And I hope to see you again soon, Hank."

"Same." The senior detective nodded at the helpful deviant with a sincere smile. "Take it easy."

As the deviant technician departed the precinct he was followed by a mass of confused stares from the other officers who were also surprised to see another android who looked so similar to Connor - save for the green colored eyes and darker brown, almost black hair. Not to mention the fact that Lucas had removed his L.E.D. long ago while Connor had kept his own.

Chris approached Gavin and almost startled the pouting detective as he told him about Lucas's statement, the confirmation on the license plate and the driver's description. Getting up in a hurry Gavin made his way toward the precinct's front doors with Chris right at his side.

Connor spoke up in a low voice as if hesitant to speak. "Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it uncommon for humans to acknowledge deviant families?"

"Yeah, a little. I think it's because when most people think about androids they still imagine the cold manufacturing process over the free thinking, free feeling deviants you've become. The idea of android and deviant camaraderie and family units are still a tad odd for most humans."

"Hopefully that'll change soon."

"It will." Confirming the hope for a better future Hank did his best to reassure Connor's mind. "Maybe not 'soon', but it will change. Be patient."

Two hours had passed before Chris and Gavin returned with the driver responsible for the hit and run accident that killed a single, innocent deviant. The killer was dragged into the precinct in handcuffs and was evidently not happy about it. The young man, no older than twenty, was red with anger and practically foaming at the mouth as he swore and threatened every officer in the precinct as he was dragged into interrogation for questioning. Every insult the arrested young man threw at the officers carried a heavy slur of intoxication that only made the young man's situation worse and worse with each passing word that spewed over his intoxicated lips.

The young man had piercing green eyes that seemed impossibly bright thanks to his bloodshot eyes and red hot anger in his face contrasting against the emerald tone. Thin with dark hair and a major ego the arrested suspect looked more like temperamental toddler than an up and coming college student.

"Shit, that driver is still just a kid." Hank commented as the raging young man was taken away into the interrogation room. "What kind of life did he live to make him so pissed off at the world while he's still so young?"

Connor just silently shook his head as he stared at the closed door of the interrogation room after it slid shut. In the time since his deviancy Connor had encountered many types of people with personalities that ranged from completely tolerant and kind, all the way to utterly xenophobic and full of spite. Yet in that time he had very limited encounters with children and teenagers, but he still knew from Hank's reaction that this particular person had a very troubling or abusive childhood that had left a permanent dark scar over his impressionable young heart.

After nearly an hour the interrogation ended and Chris had the 'honor' of escorting the arrested driver into the nearby holding cell to await prosecution. The suspect's face was still red with rage and he had tears staining his face as he begrudgingly let Chris lead him away and over to the cell. Shortly thereafter a familiar and unwelcome voice sounded off through the precinct as he demanded to see his son, who as it turns out, had recently been arrested.

"Where is he?!" The infamous F.B.I. agent Richard Perkins stormed through the desks in the bullpen and demanded to see his kid all the while flashing his badge as if that was somehow a free pass to be an asshole. No one was impressed with his display. "Where's Benjamin?"

"Calm down, Perkins." Hank angrily shouted over to the intrusive agent as he took charge over the situation. "What's going on?"

"You tell me, Lieutenant." Perkins approached Hank with an indignant gait and a failed attempt to intimidate the seasoned detective. "My son has been arrested on a piece of shit charge!"

"All right, what was he charged with?"

"Fleeing the scene of a hit and run accident and murder. Since when is smashing into a machine murder?"

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to red with anger but he remained where he sat as soon as he saw Hank grab Perkins by the shirt collar and force him backward a few steps with a single swift motion.

"Listen asshole," Hank swore as he loomed over the smaller man with a paternally instinctive snarl. "whether or not you think an android is a person or a machine doesn't matter. Your kid was identified by a witness at the scene of the accident; he's drunk, his fuckin' car is smeared in that android's blue blood and the traffic camera on the street both PROVE that your kid intentionally drove up onto the sidewalk and AIMED at the android. He's GUILTY."

"His car malfunctioned. That's all." Brushing off the damning evidence Perkins tried to dismiss the charges as if his son, Benjamin, had done nothing more than jay-walk or break curfew. "The director of the F.B.I. will make this all disappear with a single phone call."

"BULLSHIT." Hank practically spat at the absurd response as he continued to stare the agent down. "Your kid's drunk while underage and there's a mountain of evidence proving his guilt."

"Yeah, and I suppose YOU would know better than anyone about being drunk, wouldn't you, Lieutenant?"

"I beat your sorry ass once before, what makes you think I won't do it again?"

Captain Fowler's voice cut in as he interfered with the fight before it got out of control. "ENOUGH. Hank, sit down. Perkins, get in my office and we'll talk."

Hank let go of Perkins' shirt collar and stepped away with an annoyed sigh as being in the company of the disgraced agent made him feel sick. With the hostile moment over Connor stood up and put his hand on Hank's shoulder as a means of trying to help Hank calm himself down.

The sight of the deviant only aggravated Perkins further as he smoothed out his shirt. "Should've known there was a bias going on." The embittered agent stated as he recognized Connor in an instant. "Piece of plastic is twisting evidence to fit his own agenda. You won't get away with this, I'll see to it."

Connor had enough of being insulted by oblivious humans and verbally reciprocated the insult just as he had done to Gavin earlier. "Seems like a hollow threat coming from a man who couldn't find Jericho until after I pieced the evidence together for you. Even then you still failed in your mission."

"What'd you just say to me?" Perkins turned around and glared with venom at the mouthy deviant. "Huh? You trying to be smart?"

"Are you really that stupid?" Hank asked as he planted himself between Connor and Perkins and stood beside Connor's statement. "Sure as hell explains why your kid is so fucked up."

Before Perkins had the chance to reply Captain Fowler grabbed onto Perkins' shoulder and dragged him toward his office. "HANK. Enough."

The two detectives just watched as Captain Fowler had to drag Perkins into his private office like a father putting his cranky child into time-out.

As soon as the office door shut Hank turned to look at Connor and gave the deviant an approving nod. "That's twice now I've seen you stand up for yourself."

Unsure if he messed things up Connor lowered his gaze and lowered his voice. "Did I cross the line this time?"

"No, not even close."

The entire bullpen was stunned into silence by the confrontation, the only sound coming from the phones ringing in the reception area and the mechanical whirs of computer terminals humming away. As the surrounding officers stared blankly at the two detectives Hank felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up with frustration and he responded with an animalistic growl.

"What're you looking at?" The Lieutenant shouted again as he ended the staring contest. "Show's over! Get back to work!"

At those words the entire bullpen resumed work and paid no mind to the bizarre confrontation they had just witnessed. No one dared to question one of Hank's orders.

Connor's L.E.D. cycled back from red to yellow as he took his own seat and leaned forward against his desk top in disgust. "...It never changes."

"What?" Cooling off himself Hank reclaimed his seat opposite of Connor as he studied the deviant's demeanor curiously. "What never changes?"

"Humans blaming androids for their own personal problems. When we were manufactured it was against our will, as were the tasks that humans had programmed us to perform. And yet every time something negative happens as a result of human engineering they continue to blame the tools and not the engineer for the errors."

"That was pretty profound, son." Impressed with Connor's insight Hank encouraged him to keep talking. "Have you ever said anything like that before?"

"...Not to a human, no."

"Well you should, and I'm glad ya' did. Because you're absolutely right."

"Thanks." Connor's yellow L.E.D. finally cycled back to blue as he calmed down a little more. "I'm glad you understand."

Before the day was over agent Perkins had posted a hefty bail for his son and dragged the still somewhat inebriated, hostile young man out of the precinct by the arm. Having been charged with hit and run, driving while under the influence, underage drinking, reckless driving, fleeing the scene of an accident, malicious destruction of property and manslaughter, the hefty charges ensured that Benjamin would stand trial for his crimes. However, the odds of a judge readily willing to consider the death of the deviant as manslaughter, even after the new laws and rights to protect androids have been signed, seemed incredibly and depressingly low.

Connor was disheartened by the whole ordeal that had taken place throughout the day as it seemed very little interest was being paid to the deviant who had been intentionally killed by a drunk, human driver. There was only a brief report of the accident on the news and there was virtually no public outcry against the murder.

"Why don't we clock-out a little early tonight?" Hank suggested as he noted Connor's glum disposition from behind his terminal screen. "It was a long day, we managed to finish our reports on time and we had a rough shift."

"I... I don't know." Connor admitted despondently as he continued to scan the news reports cybernetically. There was still nothing about the accident and it was becoming fairly upsetting. "I feel like I should continue to work on the case to ensure Lloyd gets justice."

"Yeah, but I do know. Go home and hang out with Lucas, play your guitar and stop thinking about what happened today. Once you start obsessing over the things you can't change those things start to change you. And it's never for the better."

Taking Hank's advice to heart Connor nodded his head subtly and decided he'd clock-out early after all. "...You're right. I'll go home."

"Cool. Wait for me outside and I'll give you lift."

"Okay." Obediently Connor clocked-out cybernetically as he filed his report and turned off his terminal. "I'll be waiting for you out front."

As the deviant left the precinct he felt the eyes of the other officers watching him silently but he ignored the uncomfortable stares. Passing through the receptionist area and through the front doors of the precinct without a word Connor walked over to the parking garage to wait for Hank by the Oldsmobile to join him outside.

"You're not getting away this." Agent Perkins' voice unexpectedly sounded off again as he stepped out of the shadows of the parking garage to confront Connor in person. There was a malicious intent in his every word and every move he made. "I'm going to make sure you pay for what you did to my son."

"From what I've observed," Connor retorted bitterly as he stared down the agent fearlessly and held his ground. "you've done more harm to your son than anyone else ever could."

"You piece of shit! You think you know anything about raising kids?"

"No. But I do know something about being decent to people. You clearly don't understand the concept and now your son is paying for your failures."

Agent Perkins stood before Connor and sneakily pulled his gun from the holster he was needlessly concealing at his side under his dress jacket. With a swift motion Perkins used the gun to strike Connor across the face under his left eye, creating a long bleeding gash that marred the deviant's face. Stunned and in pain Connor took a step back from Perkins as he put his hand to his bleeding face and his blue L.E.D. flashed to red with pain.

"I could kill you right here, right now." Perkins threatened as he pointed his gun at Connor's forehead and pulled back the hammer. "And all I have to do is make one phone call to get this little mess cleaned up. No one would know a thing."

"Wanna' bet?" From behind Perkins the barrel of another gun pressed against the back of his skull as Hank spoke up on Connor's behalf. "You're really fuckin' stupid, you know that? There are cameras all around this garage. You kill him and I will personally hunt you down and gut you like the weak little fish you are. Put the gun away, NOW."

Wisely Perkins slowly raised his hands as if to surrender before he put his gun back in holster. Once the gun was out of sight Hank pulled the barrel of his own gun away from Perkins' head and stepped back.

"All right, fine. I'm done." Perkins stepped aside and walked away from the parking garage before things got any worse. "But you're not going to get away with this. I'm going to prove your little plastic friend there is framing my boy. My son is-"

"Shut the fuck up, asshole. I'm tired of hearing the same sad little song about some prick's 'perfect kid' getting framed by the big, bad police force. Man the fuck up and give your son a decent role model at least one time in his life. It's not too late to help him."

"This isn't over, mark my words."

"Can it!" As Perkins backed off and retreated from the parking garage and into the night Hank holstered his own gun and put his left hand under Connor's chin to tilt the deviant's head to the side. "Let me see."

The cut along the deviant's face was deep and weeping Thirium, but it wasn't too serious and would heal itself overnight without any complication.

"Here, son." Hank pulled a white handkerchief from his dark coat pocket and handed it over to Connor. "Press that over your cut. Are you okay?"

"Yes." Accepting the handkerchief Connor's eyes dulled as his L.E.D. cycled between yellow and red. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Sensing something was amiss Hank kept an eye out for Perkins while Connor tended to his own wound. "You seem, I don't know, distracted by something."

"I am fine, I swear. However, I just wish you..." Connor trailed off quietly as he refused to finish his statement and pressed the offered white cloth to his wound, wincing slightly from the contact of the soft material against the fresh cut caused it to sting. "Nevermind."

"Wish I... what?" Hank urged in a patient tone as he kept his guard up. "What did you want me to do?"

"Nothing, it's not important. I just want this shift to end."

"Okay. Come on, let's get you home." Hank insisted as he put his right hand to Connor's left shoulder and began walking toward the car with his deviant son at his side. Letting the discussion drop for the moment Hank focused on helping Connor feel better. "It's been a long day, but things will get better for you soon. I can feel it."

-next chapter-