It was routine as usual for the two detectives as they clocked-in for their morning shifts at the precinct, and fortunately it was a relatively quiet morning with only a few cases to catch up on after returning from their week long vacation at the cabin. What had started off as a two day getaway turned into seven days after the duo decided that the isolation and quiet of the cabin had proven incredibly restful for the often overworked, over-stressed detectives, and they chose to stay away a little longer. Luckily, Chris was more than happy to spend a few extra days taking care of Sumo on their behalf which helped keep the stress at bay all week long.

While Connor began cybernetically sorting through the case files that had piled up on their desks during their week long vacation, an update from CyberLife popped up into his visual processors causing his L.E.D. to flash yellow rhythmically. The sudden shift from blue to yellow didn't escape Hank's attention as the senior detective sat across from Connor at their adjoined desks.

"What's up?" Having noticed the change in Connor's L.E.D. Hank saw the blank, somewhat confused look on the deviant's face and asked about what was on his mind. "You look like a deer caught in the headlights."

"...There is massive software update from CyberLife that is available for cybernetic download."

"Yeah? Something wrong with that?"

"This update is over three-hundred terabytes in size, which means whatever the update contains is massive and potentially life altering."

"Okay... What's the update for?"

Pausing for a moment Connor attempted to decrypt the coding and describe its purpose yet the information needed wasn't provided. "...Unknown."

"Unknown?" Hank parroted with slight shock to his tone. "How's that possible?"

"There is no data available with the software update to inform me of its contents. This update was the final update that CyberLife had begun work on before the Revolution, and the update itself must've continued on through autonomous programming after CyberLife fell into bankruptcy."

"Well," inquisitively Hank leaned back in his chair a little as he tried to comprehend the very idea of getting a life changing update, let alone one from a less than trustworthy source. "can you get some answers from other deviants who've already accepted the update?"

"...No." The conflicted deviant shook his head as he tried to make a decision. "It appears no deviants are willing to risk receiving the update."

"I honestly can't say that I blame them."

Connor's mouth twitched slightly as he tried to make his final choice regarding the update and his current and justified mistrust of CyberLife. As a prototype he couldn't afford to ignore updates to his still delicate and developing programs, yet he had every right and every reason to decline such an update.

Sensing the internal conflict Hank offered some form of guidance to the young deviant. "It's your body and your decision." The gruff, but kindhearted detective reminded him. "If you don't want to get the update then don't do it."

"I don't even know what the update could possibly either do for me or do to me."

"Take your time and think about it. No pressure."

"Yes. You're correct." Connor's yellow L.E.D. transitioned back to blue as he dismissed the update notification for the moment. "I will wait for more information to become available before making my final decision."

"Hypothetically speaking: Can you remove the update from your system if it turns out you don't want it after all?"

"Yes. I can remove it as easily as I can download it."

"Maybe you can do a type of 'trial-run' of the update and not have to worry about making it permanent." While not exactly tech savvy Hank did have some basic understanding of downloads and deletion. "You could also weigh the fifty-fifty odds and flip a coin to help you choose."

Nodding where he sat Connor agreed with Hank's logical alternatives and took them to heart. "Those are very wise options to consider."

Disrupting the conversation Captain Fowler walked up to Hank's desk from behind the senior detective and placed a small electronic tablet down in front of Hank to read. "I need you to take the suspect in interrogation one."

"What the hell?" Hank muttered as he looked at the small screen that had been presented before him. "It's not even nine in the morning, what's going on?"

"We got ourselves a 'red ice' dealer." Captain Fowler replied curtly as put his hand down on the tablet and pushed it closer to Hank. "We need the names of his distributors, his clients and his source for the materials. And we need them now." Sighing with utter irritation Captain Fowler dragged his hand over his tired eyes at he reached the end of patience. "This asshole is responsible for at least six overdoses since last night alone. There's three other people in the hospital fighting for their lives as we speak."

"...Some life worth fighting for." Hank grumbled under his breath as he looked over the tablet and got the basic details. "They'll be brought back from the dead and immediately go out in search for their next hit just to O.D. and go back to the hospital all over again."

"Knock it off, Hank." Captain Fowler scolded impatiently as he waited for his Lieutenant to go into interrogation. "I hate it just as much as you, but you're the most experienced officer I have with dealing with these drug dealers. So go do your damn job."

"Yeah, yeah... I'm on it." Rising from his chair Hank made his way over to the interrogation room while Connor remained at his desk to finish his own reports and get everything sorted. "Let me know if a deviant case pops up."

"Will do."

Sighing tiredly Captain Fowler walked away from the two desks and returned to his private office to breathe for a moment and try ignore the fact that nine people were all taken down by one man and his bad batch of drugs. "I'm getting too damn old to keep pulling kids out of the gutter..."

Remaining at his desk Connor continued to work on his stacked case files while waiting for Hank to finish the interrogation. Everything was progressing smoothly and seemed the like the entire day was going to follow suit.

The update prompt soon returned to Connor's visual processors after only fifteen minutes, but there was still no information on the update itself. The size of the update was substantial and that alone was intriguing enough to entice the ever curious, ever attentive deviant into serious contemplation about downloading the new software. Finding himself unable to make a definitive decision either way, Connor's hand instinctively went to the coin tucked away in his gray blazer pocket and began to dance it over his knuckles in deep thought.

"I have a choice in my future updates... I have a say in what happens to me internally, externally and everywhere in between."

As the metal disc graceful ran over his hand Connor remembered that humans had their own method of helping to make a decision when at a loss, one that Hank so helpfully suggested a moment before: Flip a coin.

Connor easily slipped the coin from his knuckles over to the back of his thumb with the quarter resting face up.

"Heads, I will get the update." He told himself in a quiet voice. "Tails, I will dismiss it entirely."

Holding his breath Connor flipped the coin straight up into the air with a graceful motion of his thumb and caught the falling coin with his same hand in a tight fist as the quarter fell back down toward his grip. Turning his closed fist so his hand was resting palm upward Connor slowly uncurled his fingers and looked down at the coin to see the final result.

It was heads.

Wrapping his fingers around the coin once more Connor slipped it back into his jacket pocket as he closed his eyes and allowed the massive software update to download into his system at a steady rate. The massive update turned his blue L.E.D. yellow as he resumed his work at his terminal. The deviant drew a few odd glances from other officers as his yellow tinted L.E.D. blinked rhythmically as the new software, the unknown software, began to advance Connor's already advanced programming to a new level that he had never experienced before, but he ignored the prying eyes easily.

After four hours of filing away his reports while Hank finally, mercifully, finished his interrogation of the suspect Connor's yellow L.E.D. cycled back to blue as the update finished its download and began to install itself automatically. The deed was nearly done and Connor still had no idea what to expect as the inevitable outcome.

"Come on, kid." Hank returned to his desk and leaned down heavily against his hands atop the desk top's cool surface as he let out a deep sigh of utter mental fatigue. "I need a damn break."

Connor nodded in agreement as he turned off his terminal and rose from his chair to join Hank on their afternoon lunch break. "I take it the interrogation was a success?"

"More or less." The exhausted senior detective admitted with a slight shake of the head. "He confessed to making that lethal batch of 'red ice' then turned over four other dealers in the city, and then he promptly pissed himself when I reminded him that one of the people who O.D.'d last night was the daughter of a gang leader. I feel bad for the custodians mopping up that puddle right now, but it was worth it."

"Why'd it take four hours, six minutes and fifty-two seconds to get a confession?" Connor asked as he walked beside Hank across the bullpen and out of the precinct through the front doors. The duo crossed over to the neighboring parking garage at an unusually sluggish pace as Hank was clearly tired. "It usually only takes an average of forty-six minutes and twelve seconds to get a confession from arrested drug dealers."

"I had to wait a couple of hours for him to come down from his high and stop shouting about government conspiracies." Fishing his keys from his pocket Hank unlocked the driver's side door of the Oldsmobile then pressed the release on his door handle to unlock the passenger side for Connor. "He said something about the C.I.A. lying about rubber bands and their 'true purpose for the rest of society'."

Connor's brow furrowed in absolute confusion as he stood beside the car door with his grip on the handle. "What possible secondary purpose could rubber bands have that is so potentially dangerous beyond the occasional 'snap' or good humored workplace projectile?"

"Not a damn clue. And I don't want to even think about it..."

Even after having his lunch and an extra hour long break Hank was still feeling tired from the lengthy interrogation and had no interest in returning to the precinct anytime soon. Choosing instead to patrol the block rather than head back inside the building, Hank found himself already longing for the cabin outside the city and hiding out from the rest of the noisy, chaotic world around him. That week long vacation was suddenly not enough time away and the senior detective pined for another week away at the peaceful, isolated cabin so far away from idiotic 'red ice' dealers and anti-android bigots who were destroying the city from the inside out.

The way the buildings loomed over the people in Detroit was menacing in comparison to the green trees of the forest. Something about man made structures would always be ominous yet inferior compared to nature itself.

"Summer's gone and autumn will be over before we know it." Hank stated somberly as he watched a group of school aged kids running down the sidewalk in the direction of the community pool just a few yards away before it closed for the rest of the year. "Maybe we could get one more weekend at the cabin before it's too cold to enjoy the lake."

"Maybe." Connor nodded subtly as pressed his left hand to the back of his suddenly tense neck. "It would be pleasant to return to the cabin soon, I agree."

"Already anxious for another vacation?"

"Not so much anxious about going back," the deviant explained casually as he tried to process the bizarre feeling of fatigue that suddenly seemed to fall over him as a slight chill ran up his spine. "but I am eager. Vacations are quite enjoyable and I wish to experience more."

"Hey... are you okay?" Hank turned his gaze from the window and locked onto Connor's face with utmost curiosity as he reluctantly pulled back into the parking garage next to the precinct. Reclaiming his assigned parking space Hank put the car in park and turned off the engine as he gave the deviant sitting beside him a truly curious glance. "You somehow look... pale."

"...Pale?"

"Your face."

As his blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow Connor pulled down the visor from the car's ceiling above his seat and looked at his complexion in the attached mirror on the back. His normal pallor was indeed two or three shades whiter than usual, and such a complexion was normally unseen in androids unless they had fallen into low power mode resulting in their artificial skin becoming partially translucent.

"...It appears you are correct."

"How's that possible? I've only seen you look pale once before and that was because there was some problem with your fake skin forming fully because you were too weak from blood loss or whatever."

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he stared at his lighter pallor with a burning interest that made his L.E.D. flicker a bright yellow. "It may be an unintended side effect from the-" Trailing off Connor suddenly flushed a little paler as an upsetting thought settled in and nearly stole his voice. "...Oh."

"What's going on?"

Visibly Connor sunk back in his seat and gave Hank a somewhat embarrassed glance as he spoke. "While you were in the interrogation room with the suspect I made my decision. I downloaded the update."

"You did?" Obviously surprised that Connor went for it Hank pressed for more details. "What's it for?"

"...Still unknown. But I suspect this new external reaction is directly related to the update itself."

"Can you run a self diagnostic thing or something?"

"Yes." Connor's eyes closed briefly and his yellow L.E.D. cycled rapidly for a few seconds as he initiated the program. Opening his eyes he blinked a few times before turning back to look at Hank with only a vague answer. "The single anomaly my system has detected is a mild increase of my core temperature, which is common after a large update or program modification."

"You're sure?" Hank didn't wait for a second answer as he pressed the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck for a few seconds. His paternal instincts told him to treat Connor as if he was becoming ill. "You do feel like you're starting to run a little warmer than usual."

"It's not a critical change in my core temperature." Connor reassured as he flipped the visor back up and removed the mirror from his line of sight. "But it might be best to check in with Joel. Perhaps he can decipher the updated software and identify the exact modifications it uses on android systems so I know what to expect."

"Good idea." The paternal side of Hank agreed wholeheartedly as he motioned toward the precinct behind the parked car with a casual thumb over the shoulder. "Let's go get you checked out before Fowler has me playing 'twenty questions' with another drug dealer all afternoon."

Like a human getting their annual check-up at the doctor's office, Connor had removed his gray blazer, his black tie and unbuttoned his white dress shirt while he was sitting on the exam table in the precinct dispensary. Joel was performing routine tests and examinations of his vital signs, biocomponents and software stability to determine exactly what the update had affected. A long black cable was attached to Connor's still yellow L.E.D. and snaked back to Joel's laptop on his desk to allow the technician to check on the updated software that Connor had recently downloaded. Due to the immense size of the software it was taking a while for the laptop to fully analyze the update.

As he waited for the analysis to finish Joel wrapped a Thirium pressure cuff around Connor's left bicep and a thermal band around his left wrist. Pressing the bell of his audioscope to Connor's chest Joel listened carefully to the deviant's Thirium pump beating in his chest, as well as his ventilation biocomponents circulating the fresh, clean air through his system to keep his core temperature at its optimum degree.

Patiently Hank watched from a short distance with his arms crossed over his chest and his back pressed up against the wall. "Well, Joel? How's he doing?"

"Aside from the shift in his complexion," Joel stated as he draped the audioscope around his neck and checked the reading on the pressure and thermal wrap around Connor's left arm. "he's suffering from mild overheating. His Thirium volume pressure is normal, pump rate's normal, ventilation rate's normal..."

Connor's brow arched inquisitively as he watched Joel's demeanor remain skeptical about his reportedly normal exam as Joel curiously trailed off. "You seem unconvinced by these readings."

"I've never encountered a deviant, or an android for that matter, who exhibited external reactions to a software update." Admitting that he too was experiencing something new, Joel continued with the examination as professionally as possible. "I need to run a few more tests just for peace of mind and so I know what to look for in any potential future updates."

"I understand." Connor had no objections to Joel wanting to be as thorough as possible. Remaining still on the exam table Connor pressed his right fingertips to the cable attached to his L.E.D. and tried to run another self diagnostic. "I don't know what would be considered an error myself as this update has very little details regarding its function readily available."

"The upload is nearly complete." Joel motioned for Connor to lay back flat against the table for additional tests as he glanced at his laptop screen. "I want to check a few more things, then I'll take a look at the software itself."

Obediently Connor laid back over the table and waited for Joel to resume the examination.

Placing his hands down over Connor's abdomen Joel began to press down lightly and waited to see if Connor had any negative or painful reaction to the applied pressure, but Connor didn't budge. "No discomfort present in any internal core biocomponents." Joel noted keenly and stepped back from the exam table. "That's always a good sign. No unusual displacement of biocomponents or Thirium lines detected, either."

"Uh..." Hank's blue eyes narrowed for a moment at hearing that comment. "Displacement?"

"On the rare occasion biocomponents can become loosened from their couplings and essentially float around inside an android's body."

"Oh..." Hank walked over to the exam table and watched as Connor easily sat upright again and rebuttoned his shirt. "How do you feel?"

"I feel relatively normal in comparison to my usual processing functionality." Remaining honest Connor gave his adoptive father a rather uneasy stare. "However, I do admit that I am feel slightly tired and I cannot explain why."

From his desk Joel gave Connor a possible answer as he typed away on his laptop as the deviant sat upright and proceeded to rebutton his shirt. "This was a massive update. It very likely consumed a larger abundance of energy than you were ready to provide and your system didn't properly calibrate beforehand."

"That seems plausible." As Connor straightened his tie Hank handed him his gray blazer to slip back on. Removing the Thirium pressure wrap and thermal band from his left arm Connor slipped the blazer back on over his shirt casually and prepared to leave the dispensary. "Perhaps entering rest mode will correct this feeling."

"Okay," Joel motioned toward the black cable still attached to Connor's L.E.D. from where he sat with a casual wave of his hand. "I got what I need. You can detach yourself from the laptop and go about your business."

Reaching up to his right temple Connor carefully removed the sensor pad attached to his L.E.D. and let the cable drop to the floor beside the exam table without a care. Jumping down from the exam table to his feet Connor walked over to Joel's desk and looked at information being displayed on the screen as Joel uploaded it to the official precinct files regarding deviants, androids and known updates from his laptop's analysis of Connor's programming.

"Looks like the purpose of this new software is to give deviants more human reactions and sensations on an external level." The keen-eyed technician was able to read the file coding fairly easily. "Your paleness could very well be imitating the same response as that of a human when experiencing an active infection or physical fatigue."

"This is... normal?" Connor's hand pressed against the side of his face as his L.E.D. flickered between blue and yellow a couple times before settling on blue. "Not a glitch?"

"Yeah. I'm not exactly sure how many external responses you've been given but as long as you continuously run self diagnostics to differentiate between the updated software and actual malfunctions you should be able to adapt to these new sensations in time." Joel turned to look at Connor and gave him a subtle nod. "I also suggest keeping a dedicated log of every new sensation you experience to ensure there isn't an abnormality in your system being masked by the update itself."

"How many deviants have uploaded the updated software?"

"At the moment?" Hesitant to answer Joel gave Connor an odd glance over his shoulder as the deviant stood behind him. "One. Just you."

Connor's blue L.E.D. flickered to yellow momentarily. "That's... unnerving."

As he put his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank cleared his throat as he reminded Connor that he always had the option to remove the update. "If you don't like it, delete it. CyberLife can't tell you what to do anymore."

Nodding to acknowledge the comment Connor looked past the text on the screen and focused on his pale reflection on the pristine surface with a halting glance. "I'll wait twenty-four hours before I make my final decision. Until then, I will document my new experiences."

"All right, kid. It's your choice."

Joel closed his laptop and gave the deviant simple instructions to follow. "I suggest you remain on desk duty for the remainder of your shift until you know exactly how much this update may affect your energy levels and physical resolve. If you begin to feel weak, experience new sensations or errors then come right back up here so I can re-examine you."

"I will do so." Walking toward the door to the dispensary Connor held his head high and ignored his pale reflection as he walked past the window next to the door. It was unusual to see himself looking different against his will. "I'm ready to return to work. I'll continue to monitor my new changes as well."

The rest of their shift thankfully went about with no additional unwelcome surprises and allowed the two detectives to clock-out at their usual time. Returning home to a very happy Sumo after their strange shift came to an end Hank greeted the large dog with a gentle pat to the head while Connor sluggishly removed his gray blazer and needed two attempts before he hung it up properly on the hook by the front door. Normally Connor had flawless grace when he was home and handling his preconstructed routines. Hank couldn't help but notice Connor's uncoordinated, if not clumsy movements, as he tried to go about his business as normally as possible.

When Connor didn't even acknowledge Sumo as the Saint Bernard circled around at Connor's feet Hank knew something was wrong. Every one of his paternal instincts were yelling at him to do something.

"Hey, Connor," Hank called out to the deviant from across the livingroom as Connor stayed beside the front door. "look at me."

"Huh?" Connor slipped off his shoes at the front door and stood upright, his face now at least two shades paler than before and there were dark purple circles beginning to form under his eyes. "...Something wrong?"

"Jeez, you look like shit."

Admitting he wasn't feeling optimal Connor's shoulders slumped and his L.E.D. pulsed a slow yellow in his right temple. "...I'm beginning to think this update is more of a hindrance than a benefit regarding deviants becoming more human than machine."

"Sit down before you fall down." The senior detective urged firmly as he pointed to the couch. "I'm going to let Sumo out for a few minutes and you're going to stay on the couch until your system finishes recalibrating that update thingy or whatever it needs to do. Just sit still and relax."

Too tired to try to argue Connor walked around the edge of the couch to sit down as Hank suggested. As he pulled on the knot of his black tie to loosen the dressy garment from around his neck he felt an odd sensation at his hairline that he normally only felt when he was standing outside in the rain or showering off dirt. Running his free hand over his hairline Connor felt something slick on his palm and looked down where he noticed that very diluted shade of blue water droplets had collected on his artificial skin from seemingly nowhere.

"What is... this?" Rubbing his thumb over his palm Connor studied the odd collection of moisture and failed to recognize it. "Hank?"

"Yeah?" Hank walked back into the livingroom after he let Sumo out the backdoor in the kitchen to check on the deviant. "What's going on?"

"This." Connor held up his hand for Hank to see the palm from where he was standing just behind the couch. "...My hand's wet."

"Your... what?" A fine sheen of something was forming over Connor's entire face. An accumulation of dampness under Connor's arms and around his neck was now visible. Grabbing onto Connor's hand gently Hank looked at the odd blue tinted water on Connor's palm only to realize what was happening with an alarmed tone. "Shit... You're sweating."

"S-Sweating?" Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed rapidly and remained in color as he pulled his hand back from Hank and looked down at the collected water on his palm once again. "Androids aren't... supposed to be able to... sweat." Thinking quickly Connor determined the cause of the odd reaction but even with the answer he was still shaken by the discovery. "It must be an additional effect of the update."

Hank pressed his own palm over Connor's forehead under Connor's rogue lock of hair and held it there for a few seconds as he felt the intense heat radiating from the deviant's artificial skin. "Kid, you have a fever." Dropping his hand from Connor's forehead and onto the deviant's shoulder Hank shook his head worriedly. "Connor, you're sick."

"I'm... sick." Repeating the term Connor was righteously shaken and having difficult in accepting it. "I'm actually sick." Connor was becoming frightened by all the bizarre changes his system was undergoing. "The update made me sick."

"Yeah, son. It looks that way." Hank kept his hand on Connor's shoulder as the deviant began to tremble a little. Whether or not the trembling was from fear, his thermal regulator malfunctioning or fatigue, Hank couldn't be certain. All the father figure did know was that Connor needed to lay down and sleep so his body could heal properly. "You need to go get some rest. Lay down and sleep, try to take it easy."

"...O-Okay."

"And," Hank let go of Connor's shoulder as the sick deviant stood up from the couch and began to walk toward the hallway to enter his bedroom. A diluted blue dampness had formed in the center of Connor's back beneath his shoulders as he began to sweat profusely all over his body as his system displayed one of the unexpected physical effects of the update beyond Connor's control. "you need to change your clothes. You're all sweaty."

Pausing outside of his closed bedroom door Connor ran his fingers through his thick and unruly hair and swept most of sweat through the locks in an entirely unflattering manner. "...I don't think I like sweating."

"Yeah, no one does." Hank watched as Connor slowly disappeared into his bedroom to change out of his sweat stained clothes and into something clean and far more comfortable. Walking away from the couch Hank called down the hallway toward the deviant and made his way to the kitchen. "I'll bring you some ice to help your fever come down."

As soon as Hank returned to the kitchen he heard Sumo scratching at the backdoor ready to come back inside to get some attention. Opening the door for Sumo's big return Hank watched the massive fluffy dog trotted over the linoleum floor of the kitchen and promptly made his way down the hallway and barged into Connor's bedroom through the partially closed door.

"Damn dog needs to learn how to knock."

Hank grumbled indifferently to himself as he pulled open the freezer and pulled out a large blue bag of ice. Sitting it down on the sink he opened the cabinet above the sink to grab a bottle of extra Thirium to put inside the freezer before he shut the door to let it chill faster than average.

"And I guess I need to learn to quit talking to myself..."

Carrying the bag of ice into the bathroom down the hallway Hank grabbed a clean washcloth and ran it under the cool tap. Opening the medicine cabinet Hank then picked up the digital thermometer and turned it on before wringing out the excess water from the washcloth and taking the gathered items into Connor's bedroom where the now sick deviant was laying down and hopefully getting some rest.

Wearing a black t-shirt and gray sweatpants Connor looked like any other sick human trying to sleep through a nasty bout of the flu, which of course meant he looked horrible. Connor was laying on his back on top of the covers with his eyes closed and his head lolled slightly to the right as he rested his head against the massive, thick pillow. His left arm was draped limply over his slowly rising and falling abdomen and the right arm was laying straight out at his side. Connor's face was somehow even paler than it had been seconds before and dark circles forming under his eyes appeared even darker. Sweat had left a sheen over his pale face and caused his dark locks of hair to cling uncomfortably to his forehead.

For the first time since Hank had known Connor and had begun patching up the deviant after sustaining injuries or contracting illnesses while on the job, Hank thought he looked truly human and frighteningly vulnerable. Even Sumo seemed to pick up on the strange changes taking place in Connor's system causing the ever loyal dog to rest his chin on the foot of the bed and watch Connor with his massive emotional eyes.

"Connor?"

Sitting down on the edge of Connor's bed the sick deviant let out an exhausted but acknowledging sigh as Hank pressed the back of his hand to Connor's left cheek and caused the ill deviant's heavy eyes to partially open. He straightened his neck a bit as he kept his head against the pillow while he looked up at the senior detective sitting at his side. Connor's L.E.D. was blinking yellow rhythmically without any fluctuation to the color at the same pace as his heart as he tried to sleep through his illness.

"How are you feeling right now?"

"...I feel horrible."

"It's okay, son." Hank retracted his hand and smoothed the cool washcloth over Connor's forehead, brushing his sweat drenched lock of hair away from his forehead in the process. "It's just a fever. You've been through worse and walked away without breaking stride."

"I can't run any self diagnostics. It's like my head is just... overwhelmed." Putting his hand to his warm face Connor sighed and his brow knitted together in frustration and confusion. "Nothing is working as it should. I don't know what's happening to me."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Pressing one hand over the cool compress Hank held out the thermometer with the other and lowered it to Connor's mouth to get the deviant to cooperate a little. "Besides, we can check your temperature with this."

"...It's not as accurate as my own system." Connor replied like a stubborn child as he eyed the thermometer dubiously. "I prefer accuracy."

"Well, I sure as hell ain't going to take your temperature through the 'other way'."

"What's the-"

"Nevermind." Cutting off the deviant quickly Hank didn't even want to think about fifty levels of awkwardness that such an act would create. "Trust me, you don't want to know." Giving Connor a stern glance he tried to get him to cooperate again. "Open."

Feeling too horrendous to try to argue his point any further, Connor relented and opened his mouth just wide enough for Hank to place the device between his teeth and under his tongue.

"Hold it there for a minute." Hank instructed as he picked up Connor's wrist and counted his pulse. The sweat clinging to Connor's arm left a cold, clammy feeling over top his artificial skin that Hank wasn't expecting. "Shit, you need to shower off after you're feeling better."

Knowing not to talk with the thermometer in his mouth Connor just nodded a little as closed his eyes again and let out another tired sigh.

"How's your head?" Keeping track of the deviant's symptoms Hank let his paternal side take over as the thermometer beeped and he took it from Connor's mouth. "Shit, one-hundred and two point eight. If you were human I'd seriously consider taking you to the hospital for treatment."

Connor swallowed once before replying honestly. "My head hurts, and it feels... strange."

"Strange how?"

"Like... Like everything I want to think about is just too much for my processor to comprehend. And the lights and sounds make my pain worse and makes it even more difficult to concentrate."

"Sounds like you're on the verge of another migraine."

"...I've had one before." Noting the accurate comparison Connor's eyes seemed to fill with dread in an instant. "As much as I disliked it the first time I can't imagine the second time will be any more enjoyable."

"Nope. Does your stomach hurt? You know, do you feel nauseous for any reason?"

"No. There is no need to worry about possible Thirium expulsion at this time."

"Can you breathe okay?"

"Yes." Connor let out another weary sigh as his hand clumsily tried to wipe away some of the sweat that had built up from his face. "It seems my only symptoms are overheating and intense intracranial pain."

"Get some sleep, okay?" Hank pulled his hand from the washcloth and lightly placed the bag of ice over top of the quickly warming compress to help it keep cool for a while longer. "I'll check on you every so often to make sure you're still all right."

"...Okay." The ill deviant barely moved as he allowed his system to enter low power mode as he initiated a manual override to fall into rest mode earlier than normally scheduled. "I'll sleep and allow my self healing program to initiate at full capacity."

"Good."

Patting the foot of the bed twice Hank invited Sumo to join Connor on the bed and the loyal dog eagerly hopped up onto the mattress as Hank commanded. Sumo circled around at the foot of the bed twice before settling down near Connor's legs and pressed his chin down over the deviant's stomach.

"Good boy." Opening up the closet door at the far wall of the bedroom, Hank located the spare gray blanket that had been left folded atop the shelf inside the space and draped it over Connor rather than try to coax the ill deviant into getting under the covers while he was feeling so terrible. "Sleep."

"...I will attempt to do so."

As he exited the bedroom Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a text to Joel to let the technician know that Connor was showing other side effects from the software update modifying his systems. Not wanting to worry Connor or accidentally stress out the already sick deviant, Hank remained as quiet and discreet as possible while going about his own routine to try to relax.

"Poor kid."

Retreating to his laptop at the corner of the livingroom Hank set about researching the latest update provided by CyberLife for himself but there was little information available as it seemed no deviant was willing to risk uploading the software from the shady company into their systems. The lack of usable or reliable information was as frustrating as it was enigmatic.

"Damn it. Fuck CyberLife and their secrets."

After an hour of finding absolutely no information on the update Hank walked back down the hallway to check on Connor and make sure the deviant didn't need anything else in order to recover. Pushing open the bedroom door Hank saw that Connor had somehow become even paler and he was almost panting for breath as his head lolled slightly against the pillow and his hands twitched where they laid.

Sumo was whimpering a little as he pressed his cold wet nose against Connor's face as he could sense Connor's distress and wanted to help his ill master.

"Connor?"

Hank walked over to the bed and pushed Sumo aside as he laid his hand down over Connor's sweaty chest while brushing aside the warmed up washcloth and melted bag of ice to press his other hand down against Connor's forehead. At some point in Connor's sleep his yellow L.E.D. shifted to red and was blinking slowly. The sight made Hank very uneasy as he noted the critical change in Connor's condition, but it was the intense heat radiating from Connor's person that made a huge red flag pop up.

"Shit, you're burning up!"

Connor never opened his eyes or even reacted to Hank's presence. Breathing heavily and rapidly Connor's system was fighting to cool off his critically high core temperature as he began to sweat more profusely to cool down but it wasn't enough.

"Get up, I need you to get up."

Hank ordered as he put his arm under Connor's shoulders and forced the unconscious deviant into a sitting position on the bed. Moving his arm down to wrap around Connor's waist Hank grabbed onto the deviant's limp arm with his other hand, and pulled the limb around his broad shoulders to pull Connor up to his feet while dragging Connor off the bed and onto the floor.

"Connor if you can hear me, say something."

A weak groan escaped Connor's lips as Hank hauled him out of the bedroom and hefted him into the bathroom just a few feet away outside the bedroom door. Maneuvering as carefully as he could in the small expanse of the bathroom, Hank carried Connor over to the bathtub and carefully laid the deviant down in the white basin to take care of him. Slipping his arm around Connor's chest Hank lifted the deviant up until he was sitting upright with his head resting heavily against the yellow tile wall behind him to ensure he didn't slip downward.

"Hang on, kid."

Turning on the faucet Hank adjusted the water until it was lukewarm to keep himself from accidentally shocking Connor's prone system with a drastic change in temperature. Rushing back out of the bathroom Hank retrieved the thermometer from Connor's bedroom and knelt beside the tub as he replaced the device in Connor's mouth. He had to use his hand to cup Connor's jaw to keep the device in place.

"I hope some part of you is still awake enough to understand what's happening right now."

The thermometer 'beeped' and Hank stared at the alarming high temperature that had been registered: One-hundred and five point six degrees.

"Fuck... I don't know how to help you, son, and I don't know anyone who can."

Setting aside the thermometer on the nearby sink Hank set about awkwardly pulling Connor's damp black t-shirt up from over the deviant's head to toss it aside. As Connor's limp arms fell through the sleeves Hank shook his head at the sight of the deathly pale pallor that overwhelmed Connor's artificial skin.

"No one knows anything about this update."

As the water rose higher in the tub Hank turned down the warm water and increased the cold water to cool off Connor's overheating form as gently but quickly as possible. Pulling a towel down from the rack on the wall Hank folded it up neatly and tucked it behind Connor's head for some comfort. Checking the cool temperature of the water with one hand Hank reached up with the other hand to get a new washcloth and dip it into the cool water before using it to wipe away the artificial, pale blue sweat from Connor's face gently.

"Come on, kid. Don't do this to me. You need to wake up."

Feverish and weak Connor was still breathing rapidly, if not panting, to try to cool off. The pale blue beads of sweat clung to his artificial skin and ran down his sickly pale face and into the tub as the water rose around him. Displaying a true father's care Hank pressed the cold washcloth against Connor's forehead and along his face to wash away the sweat and to provide even a modicum of comfort to the ailing deviant in his care.

"You're going to make it. I'm going to see you through this."

A helpless feeling set in as Hank shook his head as he remembered taking care of his own mother when she had been diagnosed with cancer, taking care of his father when he had a stroke and taking care of Cole when he was a toddler sick with the flu. It was all too painfully vivid and heavy in his heart.

"...I..." Connor mumbled in a slurring voice through the delirium that was clouding his mind. "I don't... w-want to... Amanda."

"It's okay." Hank whispered calmly to his deviant son as he tried to aid Connor as much as possible. "I'm here, Amanda is NOT."

"Amanda... please." Connor's heart was beginning to race faster in delirious panic. "I don't... w-want to die!"

"Connor, you won't-"

"HANK!" Connor suddenly called out loudly, his body going tense and his limbs thrashing about wildly for a moment. As cold water splashed all over the walls and the floor Hank pressed his hand against Connor's chest to pin him down in place. "Please, Hank!?"

"I'm here! I'm right here..."

"...H-Hank...?" Connor stopped fighting against his unseen foe and he fell silent as his body went limp save for his hastily rising and falling chest as he continued to pant for breath. "...Help me."

"Shh, it's okay." Soothing the deviant as best as he could Hank pulled his hand from Connor's chest and tucked it beneath Connor's head and rubbed his thumb through the deviant's sweaty hair. "I'm right here, son. You're not going to die. I won't let you, all right?"

Connor's darkened eyes partially opened at a slow pace and his brown, glassy irises stared forward, unfocused and distant as they traced over the yellow tiles on the wall across from him. Sick, confused and even frightened, Connor was truly a pathetic sight to behold.

"Connor? Look at me, son." Hank put his hand under Connor's chin and carefully turned the deviant's head to make the sick detective look him in the eyes. "Hey, talk to me. Say something."

The glassy irises slowly cleared as Connor managed to recognize the face of the person who was trying to help him; the face of a friend and a greatly appreciated father figure. "...Hank."

"Yeah, that's right. Do you know where you are?"

Pausing for a moment Connor blinked slowly as his red L.E.D. cycled rapidly in his right temple. "...Home."

"Right. Do you know what's going on?"

"...I'm..." Trailing off for a moment Connor swallowed once before answering at last. "...I'm overheating. I'm sick." Blinking slowly again Connor's red L.E.D. briefly flashed to yellow before blinking back to red. "The update."

"Yeah, you got it. I need you to focus on me, okay?" Hank dipped his hand in the cool water in the tub and cupped a small amount into his palm to smooth through Connor's sweaty hair in a comforting manner. "I know earlier I said having the update is your decision, but you HAVE to remove it. It's making you sick." Sighing a little Hank smoothed more water through Connor's hair. "Maybe even killing you."

Connor blinked again as he tried to process everything that was happening to him while also attempting to isolate the dangerous software update that was damaging his system. Unable to focus his programming accordingly all Connor could do was watch as Hank smoothed more water through his hair in a compassionate gesture. "...I c-can't."

"Come on, kid, I know you can do it." Hank encouraged calmly yet impatiently as he kept running water through Connor's hair. "Please."

"...T-Trying. I'm trying."

"All right, I have a better idea." The senior detective could see the strain even the simplest of actions were taking on the ill deviant and thought of a possible alternative. It wasn't a matter of strength so much as it was a matter of time regarding Connor's deteriorating condition. "Let's get your fever down first and then you work on removing the update."

Nodding weakly Connor's eyes fell shut again as his hand absentmindedly lifted up from the rising water level of the tub and wiped at his hot, sweaty face again to try to remove the uncomfortable sensation.

Hank turned off the water in the tub as he grabbed onto another washcloth and dipped it into the water to wash off Connor's face on the sick deviant's behalf. As the cool water rinsed away the clinging, pale blue sweat the water in the tub to gradually retain a pale blue hue as well. The paleness of Connor's artificial skin was alarmingly white, almost like death itself, as he continued to get worse.

Sumo curiously padded into the bathroom and stared at Connor in the bathtub for only a moment before plopping down on the floor next to Hank as the senior detective shifted his weight so he could sit on the floor to take the weight off from his aching knees. Connor's eyes remained closed making him appear unconscious, but every so often his hands would fidget in the water or he'd turn his head a little as he waited for the chilly water to cool his core temperature enough to function.

"Talk to me." Engaging in conversation to keep the deviant alert Hank pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the time. Taking back the thermometer from the edge of the sink he placed the device between Connor's teeth again to get another reading. "Stay awake for me."

Connor's eyes partially opened into half-lidded slits as he glanced over toward Hank again and spoke around the thermometer in his teeth. "...I'm awake."

"I need to check your fever again, so hold that in place for a minute."

Obediently Connor remained as still as possible and waited for the digital thermometer to 'beep' and give them both an update on his still elevated core temperature.

"Just wait one minute." Hank's phone suddenly 'buzzed' as a message from Joel appeared on the display. Pulling the phone from his pocket Hank scanned over the message and shook his head a little at the information that Joel had uncovered. "Well, kid, you're not alone. About two dozen other deviants in the city had accepted the update and are just as sick as you are. One of the receptionist deviants at the precinct got sick about an hour after you did and Joel's been taking care of her ever since."

The thermometer 'beeped' and Hank pulled it from between Connor's teeth.

"One-hundred three point two. Slight improvement, but we can do better than that."

"...Has..." Connor slumped away from the wall and leaned against the side of the tub toward Hank, his arm hanging over the edge and his chin resting against the white surface as he tried to remain alert. His fingers began fussing with the thick mat on the floor beside the tub as if the gesture could help him focus his thoughts. "Has anyone... at New Jericho Tower gotten ill?"

"I don't know. I haven't called Markus to ask him if he knows what's going on."

A unexpected knock at the bathroom door made Hank turn around quickly and caused Sumo to bark once in response to the arrival of the uninvited guest. Simon himself was standing in the opened doorway with a technician's satchel over his shoulder and a focused stare in his eyes as he observed Connor's complexion and Hank's overall demeanor.

"I'm sorry for stopping by unannounced," the blond deviant stated in a sheepish tone. "but Markus insisted I check in on Connor regarding the CyberLife update. I take it you're aware of what's happening."

"Perfect timing. Come on in, Simon." Hank urged as he stood up from the floor and grabbed Sumo by the collar to lead the large dog outside. "I've been doing everything I can think of to help him, but it's still not enough."

Simon stepped aside as Hank pulled Sumo outside the bathroom to try to make more room to move about. "Actually Lieutenant, your methods have been proven as the most effective in treating the intense overheating that the update has caused. Basic, common sense treatment is the key."

"That's not as comforting as I would've liked to hear."

Entering the bathroom with a slight grin on his face Simon knelt down beside the bathtub and pressed his two forefingers against the sick deviant's red L.E.D. for a few seconds as he put his emergency technician's satchel down on the floor beside him. "How long have you been overheating, Connor?"

Somewhat dazed Connor blinked once and shook his head a little, unable to accurately to respond. "...S-Simon?"

Hank returned to the bathroom and leaned his back against the sink as he watched Simon try to assess Connor's overall condition. "He was starting to run warm just after one this afternoon, then he started to run hot just after five. His temperature peaked at one-hundred and five point six and he's been like this for the past three hours now."

"Time frame is consistent with the other affected deviants I've examined." Simon confirmed as he opened up the satchel beside him and gave Connor a visual cybernetic scan from where he was kneeling. "Overheating is the most common and severe symptom I've had to treat."

"...Markus?" Connor slurred a little as his brown eyes trailed over to Simon's face slowly. "...J-Josh?"

"And North." Confirming the deviant detective's hunch, Simon gently used his thumb to lift up Connor's eyelids to check his pupils. "But they're all fine now. The update was pretty severe on North's systems but she's recovering, too."

"...You r-removed the update?"

"No, I just treated them for overheating and corrected the glitch in the update that caused the overheating to begin with."

Simon returned his attention to his satchel on the floor as he began rummaging through the equipment stored inside. Locating the thermal wrap tucked away neatly in its designated place inside the first aid kit, Simon wrapped the device around Connor's wrist of his left arm hanging over the edge of the tub, then pulled out the audioscope to listen to Connor's heart by running the bell over his exposed upper back instead of his chest.

"Your heart rate's a little fast, but you're not in any danger. Your breathing is also stable." Draping the audioscope around his neck Simon asked about Connor's other symptoms. "You've begun sweating, right?"

"...Y-Yes. I dislike it."

"And you're experiencing an intense headache, too?"

"...Yes, a migraine. I can't run a self diagnostic or initiate my other pr-programs."

Clearing his throat Hank added on another symptom. "His fever got so high he became delirious for a moment, too." He watched Simon carefully as the blond deviant placed the audioscope back in the satchel and checked the thermal wrap on Connor's wrist. "Do you know why he's so sick?"

"I do." Simon confirmed as he took a small digital display from the satchel and powered the device on. "The update was meant to make all androids exhibit more humanoid physical responses to external stimuli as well as internal malfunctions. It was CyberLife's attempt to simplify identifying malfunctions for those who aren't technicians. The update automatically causes the thermal regulator to increase the core temperature to enable the artificial perspiration program to activate in order to test it, but a glitch prevented the thermal regulator from returning to its normal setting after the system recalibrated. The result was one nasty bout of overheating and an decrease in Thirium pressure in his cranium."

Hank shook his head a little and shrugged his shoulders. "I sure as hell hope I wasn't meant to understand any of that."

Steadily regaining coherence Connor blinked slowly and moved his gaze upward toward Hank. "...My fever and h-headache were caused by a glitch. S-Simon can correct it."

"Oh." The senior detective finally looked relieved to hear a simplified explanation of everything happening. "Now that I can understand."

Simon looked a little embarrassed by his overly complicated terms but remained focused on Connor. "You were perspiring profusely and the perspiration itself is the result of diluted Thirium exiting through your most external and thinnest Thirium lines that connect to your artificial skin once the skin itself generates over your frame. You'll need some fresh Thirium to replenish what you've lost, but you'll be just fine once you cool off."

"I'm on it." Hank volunteered as he stepped out of the bathroom and returned to the kitchen to get bottle of Thirium he had already stored in the freezer.

"Your headache," Simon continued casually he carefully lifted up Connor's arm from the floor and draped it over the edge of the tub. "is the result of your low Thirium pressure and it's why you can't run any of your more advanced programs to figure out what's happening to your system."

Closing his eyes Connor tried to rest a little but remained conscious and spoke to Simon in a logical, calm tone. "...How long until my core temperature returns to normal?"

"Once I activate this software patch," Simon held up the small display screen and planted it again Connor's L.E.D. with a light pressure. "the glitch will be corrected and your thermal regulator will return to its optimal temperature within the next thirty minutes."

"...I'm ready whenever y-you are."

With the chilled Thirium in hand Hank returned to the bathroom again and watched as Simon uploaded the patch into Connor's system to remedy the glitch that had left the deviant so suddenly sick. Connor's eyes opened for a moment, then closed slowly as his red L.E.D. flashed to yellow then cycled back to red after the upload was completed.

"Done." Simon put aside the small screen and glanced up at Hank with a confident stare as the senior detective returned to the bathroom. "He'll be fine. He no longer needs the cooling measures you've applied."

Hank's shoulders slouched with unspoken relief at the good news. "Thanks for helping Simon. I wasn't sure what else I could do."

"You did everything correctly. Just let him rest for a while longer and he'll be back to optimal function within the hour." Packing up his satchel Simon excused himself from the presence of the two detectives to finish his business. "I need to deliver this patch to the facilities in the city to aid other affected deviants. That means a lot of stops."

"Yeah, I get it, thanks again." As Simon took his leave of the house Hank quickly shook his hand and then grabbed a giant fluffy white towel from the nearby shelf mounted on the wall and knelt down beside the bathtub. Pulling the plug in the tub Hank watched as the cool, slightly blue tinted water drained then draped the towel around Connor's bare shoulders to help him dry off. "Think you can stand?"

Connor's eyes open heavily and he looked over at Hank with a fleeting alertness in his focus as his red L.E.D. finally shifted to yellow. "...I can try."

Offering Connor his hand Hank stood upright and took a firm grip of the deviant's accepting hand as he pulled him upright slowly until Connor was standing on his shaking legs. Hank pressed the towel against Connor's shoulders and back as the deviant slowly stepped over the edge of the tub and set foot on the small mat covering the linoleum floor beside the tub.

"Walk slowly, kid. Don't push yourself too hard." Hank pleaded as helped Connor to walk out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom. "Are you cold?"

"...Not really. I'm just tired."

"Put on some dry clothes then lay down on the couch."

"What's wrong with laying on my bed?"

"You already sweat all over it. That's not healthy to keep doing."

"Thirium will evaporate."

"Don't care. It's still gross."

Connor nodded and walked into his bedroom, the towel falling from his shoulders and back as he walked forward revealing the faint lingering scars from his previous injuries for Hank to see. They were scars that had never been there before but were suddenly visible and agonizing to look at.

Another unfortunate side effect of the update.

Forcing himself to look away from the scars on Connor's back Hank grabbed the bottle of chilled Thirium from the bathroom sink and carried it into the livingroom for Connor to drink later on. Sumo was laying on his pillow in the corner of the livingroom watching Hank's every move curiously, his tail thumping rhythmically over the hard floor as just the presence of his owner was enough to make the fluffy dog happy.

"You're a good dog, Sumo. Just too big to be in that small bathroom with three other people."

Slipping back down the hallway Hank grabbed the spare blanket from the hall closet and draped it over the back of the couch as he listened to Connor's unusually heavy footsteps as he made his way down the hallway with a clean navy blue t-shirt and pair of black sweatpants in place of his wet clothing.

"You still got that wrap on your wrist, right?" Hank asked curiously as Connor finally rejoined him in the livingroom. "That thermal thing."

"...Correct." Connor looked down at the wrap on his left wrist and noted his temperature had dropped down to one-hundred point nine degrees. "My core temperature is stabilizing."

"Your color is looking better, too."

"Color?"

"You're not as pale anymore."

"Oh..." Figuring out the curious turn of phrase rather quickly, Connor sat down on the couch and immediately had Sumo up from his pillow and eager to get his ears rubbed as he pressed his chin down atop Connor's knee. "I understand the term, now."

"Here." Hank threw the blanket around Connor's shoulders and joined the deviant on the couch. "Strange seeing you respond so humanly to illness. I have to admit I was a little freaked when I saw you pale, sweating and unconscious."

"I apologize for frightening you."

"How many times do I have to tell you to NOT apologize for getting sick or hurt?" Handing Connor the bottle of Thirium with a steady motion Hank leaned back against the soft couch cushion and propped his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. "Besides, this was from a glitch in some shitty software. You couldn't help it."

"Yes." Accepting the bottle of Thirium Connor removed the cap as he continued to speak with Hank as casually as possible. "That's why I'm currently in the process of deleting the update from my program."

"You're sure you really want to do that? Get rid of it entirely."

"...Yes." Connor drank a little of the Thirium and paused as his system began to recalibrate his registered Thirium volume and pressure. "Even if I hadn't become sick I believe I still would be uncomfortable with all of the physical changes the software had caused. I'm not ready to be so... human. At least not yet and not all at once."

"Like I told you before; it's your body and it's your decision."

"I wonder how the other deviants are responding to the update in a negative manner?"

"Maybe you can check in with Markus and the others at New Jericho tomorrow?"

"That might prove beneficial." Connor's yellow L.E.D. flickered to blue at long last as the software had been removed from his system much quicker and easier than it had been installed. "...The update has been successfully removed."

"How do you feel?"

"I feel better. More like myself"

"That's what's important, kid."

"How do humans cope with such horrid physical and emotional feelings so frequently?"

"We get used to them, that's all." Hank replied in a curt, matter-of-fact tone of voice as he gave Connor's forehead a final fever check with his palm. "Through either patience or necessity, we just fuckin' get used to it."

"I don't think I want to 'get used' to feeling so vulnerable or so weak on a regular basis."

"Good. Don't." Hank watched as Connor nervously fumbled with the partially empty Thirium bottle in his still mildly trembling hands before Hank himself rose from the couch and strode down the hallway. Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank pushed the deviant to lay down over the couch again. "Finish that off then rest for a while to make sure you're functioning at one-hundred percent. I'll go throw your sheets in the washer so you can have a clean bed again."

"I'll take care of it." Connor shouted loudly down the hall after the senior detective. "Don't worry about cleaning up after me."

"I can handle a little laundry, besides, you did the same for me when I was sick. You stay there." The father figure shouted back firmly as he walked into the deviant's bedroom. "And it's too late, I'll always worry about you."

"I appreciate all your help."

Hank mumbled to himself as he disappeared into the bedroom. "That's what families do, son."

-next chapter-