The entire city was suddenly on edge during the dark and rainy spring night. A massive resurgence in the spread of 'red ice' had claimed the lives on nine humans who had overdosed and left another eighteen humans hospitalized and fighting for their lives after a single day. Human weren't the only ones being affected by the return of the drug flooding the streets as many deviants who had attempted to renovate numerous abandoned buildings and convert them back into livable housing had been assaulted and left for dead by the gangs who wanted to use the territory to 'conduct business' and reclaim the same buildings as new drug dens.

Anxiously Connor danced his coin over his left knuckles as he spoke to a deviant victim who had been a witness and been admitted to an emergency care facility after being assaulted in the street. The victim had suffered a gunshot wound to his right shoulder and right bicep, and had been physically beaten with blunt instruments and bare fists leaving him with a partially dislocated jaw, damaged left optical unit and numerous internal abrasions to his biocomponents. It was fortunate that the deviant survived without suffering any permanent intracranial damage.

"I appreciate your cooperation in aiding the police with our investigation." Extending his hand right hand Connor interfaced with the witness and uploaded the parts of his memory that were crucial to solving the case into his own memorybank as evidence. The images were somewhat blurry but still managed to give enough details to be prove beneficial. "Do you know of any other potential witnesses who would be willing to step forward and help with the case?"

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant." The shaken witness, a 'JB-300', apologized sincerely as the attending technician entered the recovery room to check on his damaged eye. He subsequently broke the connection to Connor as he allowed his eye to be examined. "I don't know if anyone else saw what happened."

"Don't be sorry, you've been a tremendous help. Remain here until you've recovered fully and then go to either New Jericho Tower or to Skye Tower for temporary shelter until it's safe for you to return to your neighborhood."

"Of course. I will be sure to do so."

Leaving the facility with his new information regarding the witness statement Connor returned to the patrol car where Gavin was asleep in the passenger seat with his arms crossed over his chest and breathing softly while he dozed. Connor opened the driver's side door quietly and tried to shut it just as quietly as he sat down behind the steering wheel, but the sound of the door closing was still enough to jolt Gavin awake and sit upright in his seat quickly.

"I apologize, Gavin." Connor knew Gavin was exhausted from taking care of Aria as a first time father and needed to sleep. "I was trying to not disturb you."

"It's all right..." Rubbing his right hand over his tired face Gavin sighed and corrected his posture as Connor turned over the engine. "I shouldn't be sleeping on the job, anyway."

"You're exhausted. You need to rest."

"Yeah, well, tell that to the assholes flooding 'red ice' through the streets." Leaning forward a little Gavin reached for his lukewarm coffee sitting in the cup holder at his left side and blinked a few times to wake up further. "So, what did the witness have to say?"

"The witness's statement confirms the speculated location of the new drug ring." Pulling the car on to the street Connor made his way back to the precinct and biometrically scanned Gavin's elevated vital signs curiously. Everything in Gavin's current health pointed toward physical exhaustion. He wasn't in any immediate danger but he still needed to properly rest. "Through direct interfacing I was permitted access to the witnesses memory and I was able to isolate two faces of interest."

Gavin popped off the lid to his cup of coffee and smelled the bitter beverage inside warily. "Anyone we know?"

"Yes. The first is a known 'red ice' and illegal arms dealer who had eluded capture three years prior after a bust; Eddie Wesker. Wesker has an extensive record in both drug distribution and illegal distribution of arms, as well as assault, public menacing and seems to have a curious streak of luck with witnesses either developing amnesia or disappearing without any warning."

Sipping at the caffeinated drink Gavin grimaced and replaced the lid over the cup. "...And the other asshole you honed in on?"

"The second is Amber Carson. She has a history of stealing, kidnapping and resetting female androids to be sold into prostitution. The androids who attempted to fight back or escape from Carson were beaten to death and left to rot in the street. Those who found the bodies dismissed the shutdown androids as nothing more than defective models that had been replaced. It's estimated that Carson alone is responsible for sixty-one separated android unique murders."

"Son of a bitch. Sounds like a real charming couple." Gavin yawned and shook his head as he tried to remain more alert and focused on the case. "All right, what did Anderson fine out? Do you know?"

Connor was silent for a moment as he cybernetically texted his information to Hank's phone and received a reply after a few minutes. "The human victims at the hospital who have regained consciousness are being less cooperative then we had hoped."

"Of course they are. They don't want to get in trouble for taking drugs." The tired Sergeant was fighting to keep his eyes open. It was clear that he was running on fumes and needed more sleep. "Whatever."

"Gavin, I don't want to have to pull rank on you but if it becomes necessary I will."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You're physically exhausted and need to rest. If you collapse from exertion you will be of no use to the precinct or to your family."

"Don't try to pull that shit on me, 'Tinman'!" Immediately on the defensive Gavin lashed out with a grumpy burst at the deviant. "I was asked to come back by Captain Fowler as soon as I recovered and used up my six weeks of paternity leave, so don't go and order me around just because-"

"I'm merely attempting to keep you safe." Connor interrupted firmly with genuine emotion in his voice. "I won't order you about or send you home, but I do ask that you remain on desk duty and only enter the field if it becomes absolutely necessary."

"You're benching me!?"

"No." The tone of Connor's voice carried authority but not aggression. "I'm keeping you from getting shot again."

Gavin didn't really have anything to say against that. Instead he let out a pissed off sigh and leaned back against his seat while muttering to himself. "Fucking deviant."

"Think of me as your 'fucking Lieutenant'." Without any offense Connor quipped sharply as he pulled to a stop at a red traffic light. "It's better for your ego."

Grumbling under his breath Gavin shut his eyes again to rest a little more during the drive back to the precinct as he fell back on his usual answer to everything that annoyed him. "...Whatever."

Angrily and begrudgingly Hank left the hospital with Tina at his side as the two walked away without any credible witness statements or leads to help them locate the drug dealers. The few victims who had regained consciousness after their overdoses were either too delirious to be reliable or too uncooperative and scared to speak to the police about who they bought from and where the purchase had taken place. As the two frustrated officers returned to the squad car in the parking lot, Hank texted Connor the lack of information they had gained and decided it'd be best to return to the precinct for the time being until another potential lead came along.

The lack of progress was becoming disconcerting for the investigating detectives. Refusing to just give up and go home everyone involved decided to regroup at the precinct and put their heads together to come up with a new theory and plan of action.

"All right, we're better off going back over the evidence we already collected." Hank decided as he pocketed his phone and gave Tina a stoic look. "Think you can keep Gavin awake long enough to fill in a few pieces of the puzzle?"

"Sure. I don't mind slapping him a few times."

"I don't know what the precinct would do without you staying as Gavin's partner, Tina."

"Well, I owed him. Besides," opening her passenger side door as Hank did the same from the driver's side of the car, the two officers sat down and readied for their return to the precinct. "I missed him a little while he was away. Brad was just too polite for my liking. I need a little gruffness every now and then."

"Good. Now let's just hope Chris and Jack had more luck with the victims at the other hospitals and facilities than we did."

"Gavin and Connor struck-out, too?"

"No, but with only one side of the story gathered we can't reach the right conclusion. We'll need to keep looking for witnesses or at least hard physical evidence to locate the assholes poisoning the streets."

"Sounds good to me, Cap'."

Returning to the precinct before their respective partners had arrived, Connor and Gavin began filing their reports and informing Captain Fowler of their painfully limited progress, then continued their search for answers at their desks. While Connor had no difficulty in keeping up a steady pace of his increasing workload, Gavin was fighting to just keep his eyes open and had to continuously sip at his less than pleasant coffee to remain alert enough to focus on his terminal screen. Glancing casually over his left shoulder Connor studied Gavin's demeanor and noted his still elevated vital signs that were indicative of both exhaustion and stress.

Discreetly Connor took Hank's empty mug from the connected desk across from his own and entered the breakroom to get the absent detective some fresh coffee. As he did so Connor filled up a second mug with the fresher coffee and proceeded to sweeten them both to an acceptable level before returning to the bullpen. Placing the second mug down on Gavin's desk as he walked by without uttering a word Connor put Hank's mug down on the appropriate side of the desk and resumed his work as if nothing happened.

Connor could feel Captain Fowler watching him through the transparent glass walls of his office but he didn't look up or acknowledge the superior officer as a means of keeping a low profile for both himself as the current ranking officer in the bullpen and for Gavin's pride. The deviant could sense Gavin picking up the coffee for a quick taste before taking in a full gulp needing the caffeine boost desperately and finding the sweetness to be ideal.

Uploading the likenesses of the two suspects that Connor had identified from his witness into his terminal for further investigation, an A.P.B. was promptly issued to bring in the two dangerous humans. As the dedicated detective proceeded to file his report and attempt to pinpoint a proper location where the drug dealers could be hiding Connor next sensed Hank's return and nodded as his senior partner took his seat at the desk.

"Thanks for the coffee." Hank readily sipped at the provided drink and leaned back in his chair as he studied Connor's face. "Find anything else while checking over the evidence?"

"Possibly. There is an abandoned warehouse that had once been used as a textile plant then reformatted as a storage facility. It was purchased six months ago by a man named 'Andrew Longside'."

"And why's this guy important?"

"The name 'Longside' is our primary suspect's mother's maiden name. And 'Andrew' is the suspect's middle name."

"You think our 'friend' Eddie Wesker bought the place with an alias?"

"It's plausible."

"Well, that's a start. But we still need enough evidence to get a search warrant." Turning on his own terminal Hank brought up the files on the two suspects and his brow immediately furrowed. Leaning forward against his desk Hank's blue eyes flashed with sense of dreaded familiarity. "...Connor, did you send this to Fowler yet?"

"No, not yet." Connor could see the worry in Hank's eyes and lowered his voice. "Is there a problem?"

"Yeah. This Eddie scumbag has a bad history with Fowler." Lowering his own voice and turning off his terminal to ensure that Captain Fowler couldn't see the image over his shoulder Hank let Connor in on a little history from his and Captain Fowler's past as detectives. "And I don't want to see Jeffrey trying to settle an old score."

"...An old score?"

"Come with me for a second, kid. I have to tell you a little story."

"Where are we going?"

"Meet me in the precinct gym in the basement in twenty minutes. We need to talk in private without it looking like we're talking in private."

"...Very well."

Connor watched as Hank stood up from his chair and made his way down the corridor to where the precinct lockers were located in the rear of the first floor. Resuming his work for the moment the deviant could once again feel Captain Fowler's eyes watching him but once more he ignored the intense stare and set about making his report.

A paper ball bounced off of Connor's shoulder causing him to turn around to face Gavin sitting at the desk a few feet behind him. "Can I help you, Sergeant?"

"Where'd Anderson go?" Yawning a little Gavin rubbed his hand over his somewhat bloodshot eyes as if trying to physically stave off sleep. "You guys get a lead or something?"

"No. He is going to the gym."

"The gym?" Gavin almost laughed, whether it was from genuine shock or his tired stupor Connor couldn't be sure. "What for?"

Thinking quickly Connor thought of a plausible excuse for Hank's sudden absence while remaining secretive. "His back is still sore and I suggested he try to exercise to ease the tension in his muscles."

The response seemed to catch Gavin off guard and made his shoulders slump a little. "Does that really work?"

Fortunately for Connor's sake of an excuse, it does in fact work. "Yes. As long as you don't exert yourself too much."

"Yeah, yeah..." Muttering to himself Gavin sipped at the coffee that Connor had given him a few minutes ago and gave Tina, who was now sitting before him and giving him a knowing glance, an annoyed look in return. "I got it. None of my business."

Waiting the appropriate twenty minutes as requested Connor rose from his desk, turned off his terminal and joined Hank in the gym in the basement of the precinct. Though androids had no need to workout or exercise Connor had taken the liberty of changing into the athletic gear that had been provided to him upon his official reinstatement to the precinct to continue a low profile as he met Hank in the gym. Wearing long black jogging pants, a black tank top with the initials 'D.P.D.' printed over the front in white bold letters and a pair of black and white running shoes, Connor appeared as any other officer would upon entering the gym for a routine workout.

Hank was already sitting on a bench press with a white towel wrapped around his neck as he too had changed into workout clothes for the sake of subtly. Unlike Connor however, he wore an old white t-shirt with 'Detroit Police' scrawled over the front in faded navy text and an old pair of gray basketball shorts with an even older pair of gray running shoes.

"Hank." Connor greeted as he walked over to the bench where Hank was preparing to lift some weights. It seemed like an excessive gesture just to speak in private but Connor didn't question Hank's decision or request. "There is no one else around, is it safe to talk?"

"Yup. But 'spot' me anyway just in case someone walks in."

Connor was familiar with the concept of working out but not the term that Hank had used. "How do I 'spot' you?"

"Stand up here," Hank motioned Connor to the correct place at the head of the bench near the weights. "and be ready to catch the weight if I lose grip of the dumbbell or if my arms give out. I don't want my throat crushed."

"Ah. I understand, now." Standing at the designated position at the head of the bench Connor noted the four twenty-five pound weights, two on each side of the weight bar, and kept his hands lightly gripped on the center of the bar without applying any additional weight of his own. "Are you certain you can bench press one-hundred pounds?"

"If I can lug around your deadweight without any problems I think I can handle this." Giving the deviant a somewhat offended glance Hank laughed a little and wrapped up his palms with supportive athletic tape. "I'm not that old. I used to be able to bench two-hundred pounds when I was fresh out of the academy and I didn't exactly stop taking care of my upper body until after I lost Barb. It's been a while, but I know what I still can and can't handle."

"Very well." The deviant relented and prepared to help 'spot' Hank patiently. "Begin when you're ready."

"All right, going for ten." As Hank laid back and took a firm grip on the weight bar he lifted it up from the metal support beams and slowly began lowering the weight down to his chest at a controlled speed before lifting it straight back up into the air. "...What do you know about Fowler's past?"

"Captain Jeffrey Jeremiah Fowler is an only child and was born August 8th 1982." Connor stated with perfect accuracy to his level voice. "He was raised in Detroit by his now late parents-"

"Not that." Hank interrupted sharply as he lowered the weights down again for a second rep. "That shit everyone knows. I meant his career."

"Yes, of course. Captain Fowler had previously served in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army where he achieved the rank of Master Sergeant and Sergeant First Class respectively." Connor replied as he carefully monitored Hank's vitals as the older detective lifted the weights back up from his chest for the second time. "He was a highly decorated officer and has since retired from his military service to focus entirely on his career in law enforcement after he married."

"...Right." Hank confirmed as he lowered the weights back down and then up for the third time. "What else?"

"Are you referring to his personal life?"

"I'm talking about his time as a detective before he became a Captain." Lowering the weights down for a fourth time Hank breathed deeply and slowly as he spoke. "What do you know about Jeffrey as an officer after his military career?"

"I know he worked narcotics for two years before being transferred to homicide." Tightening his hands on the bar Connor watched Hank's climbing heart rate as the senior detective lifted the weights up from his chest for the fourth time. "Afterward he continued to steadily climb through the ranks and had been responsible for your own promotion to Lieutenant being approved."

Lowering the weights slowly Hank eyed Connor carefully. "...Nothing else?"

Resisting the urge to help Hank lift up the weights from his chest Connor shook his head a little. "I do not have access to his full file."

"All right, it's like this." Keeping his breathing under control Hank lifted the weights for the fifth time as he spoke to Connor in a calm voice. "Jeffrey transferred out of narcotics and I ended up taking his place. The reason he left was pretty damn personal and now I think it's going to come full circle and bite him in the ass after all this time."

"...Can you give me more information?"

Lowering the weights for the sixth time and then pausing, a faint red hue began to overtake Hank's complexion and he began to sweat. "Jeffrey's former partner was a friend who joined him in the police academy after they both left the army." Still lowering the weights toward his chest he let out his breath and took a moment to rest. "And his friend was sent undercover to bust a drug ring."

Connor quickly caught on to what Hank was telling him. "...His partner was killed during his assignment."

"Yeah." Lifting up the weights for rep number seven Hank continued the sad story. "His name was Ruben Estevez, and he had a loving wife, two young sons and a daughter on the way when he died."

"May I ask what happened?"

Lowering the weights slowly Hank nodded a little. "While Ruben was undercover someone in the gang blew his cover and in turn he was executed in a back alley. He took a single bullet to the back of his skull and the shooter wrote the word 'pig snitch' in Ruben's blood along the wall of the alley where he was found."

"Wesker was responsible." Connor deduced as Hank lifted up the weights for the eighth time, his arms only just beginning to shake from the effort. "But it couldn't be proven."

"...Worse." Holding the weights up for a moment Hank took in a deep breath and lowered them back down slowly. "It was proven that Wesker was the murderer, but Wesker had bought the jury AND the judge. He got away with murdering a cop."

"That's..." The revelation made Connor's own heart rate suddenly spike with a sense of injustice. "That is completely unacceptable."

"Yup, you're damn right." As he lifted up the weights for the ninth time Hank turned his head slightly to make sure no one was near the doorway to the weight room while he and Connor spoke as discreetly as possible. "And Jeffrey left narcotics out of guilt. He's been feeling like shit ever since."

"Do you think Captain Fowler would attempt to go after Wesker out of personal revenge?"

"...I don't know." Lowering the weights carefully Hank took a deep breath and lifted them back up to finish off the tenth and final rep. Connor helped to secure the bar back over the metal supports while Hank sighed and sat upright slowly. "Jeffrey and I hadn't spoken for a while after that," wiping off his sweat from his brow and neck onto the towel he gave Connor a somber glance. "and it got only worse after I went through my own depression. I don't know the man as well as I used to."

Sitting down on the neighboring unoccupied bench Connor contemplated Hank's concerns and found them justified. "You are also a Captain, perhaps you can handle this case without him knowing."

"Doesn't work like that." Unwrapping his hands from the athletic tape Hank flexed his palms a few times and took in a calming breath. "He's still in charge at this precinct and everything goes through him."

"What do you recommend?"

"Keep looking into the case. If we can connect this new strain of 'red ice' to Wesker then I'll be the one to tell Fowler about it in private. If he gets too fired up I'll pull rank and have him recused from the investigation."

"I suspect that Captain Fowler is already aware that the case could be connected to Wesker."

"How do you figure?" Tossing the used sweaty towel over his shoulder Hank breathed deep again where he sat to cool down after his brief but surprisingly effective workout. "Hear some gossip I should know about?"

"After returning to the precinct I noted that Captain Fowler was watching me closely as if he were waiting for me to say or do something of particular interest. I believe he recognized Wesker's alias and is looking into the case as well."

"Okay... Try to keep it quiet without being too secretive. Think you can manage that?"

"Yes. I will do so." Reaching his right hand over to the second bench Connor grabbed onto Hank's left wrist and noted his pulse. "You should shower off and drink some water. I'll see if I can establish a connection between the drug ring and Wesker."

"Yeah, sure. I'll meet you back in the bullpen."

"Should I mention anything to anyone else?"

"Let Gavin and Tina know so they can work at their desks, then send a message to Jack so he can let Chris know what's going on while they're on patrol."

"Anyone else?"

"No, Ben's out at another overdose scene so there's no point in telling him. Besides, between the six of us we should be able to handle this and hopefully keep Jeffrey from doing something he'll regret if he's still out for blood."

"I hope you're correct."

"Yeah, me too." Standing up from the bench Hank took a moment to stretch his back before leaving the gym. "I just hope this will work."

"May I ask why you're so determined to shelter Captain Fowler from this case?"

"Let's just say I owe Jeffrey this one. He kept my ass from getting burned worse than it had been in the past when I was an alcoholic mess. It's the least I can do for him."

"I understand." Nodding with respect Connor fully understood Hank's intention and readily agreed to do whatever it took to keep their Captain from doing something unintentionally reckless that could jeopardize his career or even his life. "I'll do everything I can to help solve this case as quickly and efficiently as possible."

"I know, kid. I'm not worried about you, though." Stretching his back very slowly and carefully, Hank made his way over to the secondary locker room where the showers were located. "Right now I'm worried about Jeffrey."

True to his word Connor resumed his work on the case at hand at his terminal while remaining discreet throughout his entire investigation. Having quietly spoken to Tina in the breakroom when she had gotten up to get Gavin some (more fresh) coffee, the clever deviant detective was able to inform her of the potential seriousness of the active case and had also managed to send a cybernetic message to Jack to keep things outside the precinct quiet as well. Tina and Gavin both readily agreed to keep their frustrating case quiet while under investigation to ensure that their Captain wasn't put on edge or forced to make a drastic decision.

However, Captain Fowler wasn't the type to be fooled so easily. He could sense the tension in the air without needing to step outside of his office, and seeing Gavin working without bothering Connor was a pretty big red flag that something unusual was going on. As soon as he caught sight of Hank returning to his desk, his gray locks of hair still damp from his shower despite toweling off, Captain Fowler made his way out of the office and opened his door to call to the second Captain.

"Hank." Calling to the seasoned detective from his opened office doorway, Captain Fowler invited him into the office to speak. "I need to speak to you."

Flashing Connor a suspicious stare out of Captain Fowler's line of sight, the deviant stared back at Hank with a look in his eyes confirming his innocence in the matter.

"Yeah, I'm comin'." Hank somewhat shouted in response as he turned away from his desk to enter the office as requested. As he set foot inside the office Hank closed the door behind him and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the desk from Captain Fowler. "I don't got enough to do as it is, so why not stop to chat?"

"Knock it off." Captain Fowler snipped as the senior detective joined him in the office. Pressing a small button Captain Fowler shrouded his office behind a layer of opaque frosting over the glass walls. "I know something's going on and I need to know what it is."

"Now what?"

"Hank. Cut the shit." Now standing before the stubborn detective Captain Fowler crossed his arms over his chest and gave Hank a stern look that he seldom expressed to one of his fellow officers. "I know something's going on with that piece of shit Wesker."

"Ah, fuck." There was no point in playing dumb and Hank knew it as he admitted the truth. "Who told?"

"No one. Did you seriously forget that I'm a detective, too? Or do you really think I'm that fuckin' stupid?"

"I don't know. I guess it depends on if you're going to go after Wesker or not."

"You know I can't look away on this one."

"Which is why I didn't say anything and ordered everyone else to keep quiet."

"I didn't say anything when you shot Jack Pillar to death in the bullpen."

"Hey! That was a clean shot!" Hank was now on the defensive and ready to fight. "The fucker was holding Gavin hostage and he shot Connor. The fact that he killed Barbara had NOTHING to do with what went down that day and you know it! Don't you fuckin' try to twist this around on me. I shot Jack to protect my officers, not out of revenge. The fact that he just also happened to kill my wife was just a karmic coincidence."

"Uh-huh. I also know about Connor going after Perkins for-"

"Jeffrey..." Hank resisted the urge to grab Captain Fowler by the neck and squeeze. Instead he took a more aggressive stance and held up an accusatory finger in his commanding officer's direction as he stood up and faced Captain Fowler directly. "If you want to threaten me, FINE. I don't care. But don't you dare go after my family."

"So acts of revenge are okay as long as someone named 'Anderson' pulls the trigger? Is that it?"

"Fuck. You."

"You know as well as I do that killing that asshole would be a major service to this city and it'd finally give Ruben the justice he and his family were denied."

"Jeffrey, I'm not going to watch you get yourself killed. You're pissed off and trust me, I know MANY things about being pissed off, but what you're thinking about is fuckin' murder." Fighting to keep his cool Hank refused to let his old friend do something foolish. "What I did was justified, what Connor ALMOST did would've been the worst mistake of his life and he wised up and stopped himself before he pulled the trigger. But what you want to do will put a fuckin' target on your back and your own family will get caught in the crossfire."

"Now you're threatening MY family?!"

"I'm trying to WARN you as my friend, damn it!" Resisting the urge to throw a punch Hank took a step back and took in a deep breath to calm himself as much as possible. The raised voices were drawing unwanted attention on the other side of the frosted glass and Hank was doing everything he could to keep the argument at a minimum. "Jeffrey, I'm the last person who should tell you that you're wrong for being pissed off and wanting to choke the life out of that worthless bastard, but I can't just stand by and watch you throw away your career. You're too good for the kind of bullshit that I've done. Don't make my mistakes, don't let grudges from the past take away your future."

"So you just want me to sit here on my ass while my officers arrest the motherfucker who killed my best friend?"

"No. I want you to observe the investigation without TOUCHING any of the evidence. You're too close to this case; Wesker is a cop killer. That cop was your best friend and your investigation will easily be argued as tainted."

"Right. You'll get the evidence, prove Wesker is a piece of shit and we'll watch him walk away after bribing his freedom for a second time. Why not?"

"That won't happen."

"How do you know?"

"Because we won't let any corrupt assholes stop justice. Not this time."

"You really think you can get the charges to stick?"

"Yeah, I do."

"How?"

"Witnesses, evidence and incorruptible detectives who respect you are working on this case as we speak."

"Fine." Shaking his head Captain Fowler turned away from Hank and pulled open the top right drawer of his desk. Placing his badge and his service weapon down into the drawer he gave Hank a cold, blank stare. "Then I'm recusing myself from this case AND this precinct."

"Wait... What?!"

"Congratulations, Hank. You're now the ranking officer and now you're in charge."

"You can't be serious."

As Captain Fowler made his way toward the office door he stopped short and looked back at Hank over his right shoulder. "I'm going to go home and be with my family. Don't fuck this up, Captain Anderson."

"Jeffrey, wait a goddamn-"

The door slammed shut and within seconds Captain Fowler crossed the bullpen to shove open the front doors of the precinct to disappear into the night. The rest of the bullpen silently watched as their commanding officer left building without a single word to anyone or any hesitation behind his steps.

Captain Fowler was gone.

Leaning down atop the desk on both of his hands Hank bowed his head and swore with utter frustration and worry for his enraged friend.

"...Shit. Don't do something that you can never take back Jeffrey.""

It took Hank barely an hour to inform the 'higher-ups' of Captain Fowler's sudden recusal and with that information Hank was officially instated as the Central Precinct's acting Captain. The abrupt change of command was a bit of a shock to the rest of the bullpen but that didn't stop the detectives from continuing their investigation into Wesker's connection to the drug ring and of his current location. It felt like the entire precinct was battling against an unseen ticking clock for reasons they couldn't seem to understand, and everyone was banding together to complete the investigation as quickly and efficiently as possible for Captain Fowler's sake.

Connor entered the office where Hank was currently sitting behind Captain Fowler's now vacated desk with a deeply contemplative expression on his face. Sitting back in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest, Hank stared at the floor on the opposite side of the desk and didn't move even as Connor spoke to him in a low tone.

Speaking up in a low voice Connor asked his partner and father a simple question. "Are you okay?"

"...Fine. It's just this isn't how I was expecting to take my first command." Closing his tired blue eyes Hank tried to steel his uncharacteristically fragile nerves and maintain control. "But that's not why you're in here, is it? What's going on?"

"We... may have a lead."

"What?" Looking up quickly at the deviant standing before him, Hank suddenly returned to reality and his eyes brightened with intrigue. "You have a lead?"

"Yes. The alias that I had mentioned earlier is connected to bank fraud, tax evasion and drug trafficking. As a result we have been granted a search warrant of the property under his name."

"All right. You and me are going to check the place out. Get some Kevlar for the both of us and meet up front with the warrant."

"Got it." Connor quickly departed from the office and obeyed his instructions flawlessly. "I'll just need two minutes."

Fishing his phone from his right jean pocket Hank sent a text message to Captain Fowler's wife, Maria, to ask where he was and if she knew what was happening. Her reply text was enough to send a cold shiver down his spine: 'Jeffrey isn't here, he said he was working overtime tonight. What's happening, Hank?'

"...Son of a bitch."

Sending a quick message urging Maria to remain calm and that he'd get everything taken care of, Hank took in a deep breath and prepared himself for a worst case scenario. Slipping his phone back into his pocket Hank exited the office and motioned for the officers in the bullpen working on the case to follow after him and get ready for their new assignments.

"Okay, we need to move. I get the feeling some shit's about to go down tonight and I don't want anyone here getting caught in the mess."

Upon issuing the statement the bullpen promptly gathered their necessary equipment and readied themselves to take action.

"No lights, no sirens." Hank urged as he accepted his requested vest from Connor's hand. "We need to do this right because we only have one chance. If Wesker gets away then our shot to bring him to justice will disappear along with his sorry ass. Let's move!"

Diligently Connor drove the swift squad car to the address of the warehouse with Hank as the passenger. Leading a small squadron of police cars and responding police drones as they converged on the scene, Hank stayed on the radio and issued commands to the responding officers as the entire precinct, not just his partner, was now his responsibility. It wasn't the first time Hank had to take charge of a serious investigation or potentially dangerous situation, but it never got any easier to accept such a heavy burden on his shoulders as he tried to lead by example with professionalism and dedication. Such traits were previously gone but returned shortly after he found a way to pull himself out of his depression and reignite his passion for law enforcement.

The warehouse area was dark but there was still sign of movement from someone, or an entire group of people, skulking about in secret without any clue that the police were swiftly converging on them. All the same, discretion and silence were important. The warehouse itself was located on a harbor that had several small personal boats tied off at the docks in the distance. Empty cargo containers littered the rear of the property stretching out toward the harbor and the docks that settled into the lake.

Removing his gun from the holster at his right hip Hank examined the weapon for any possible malfunction then checked the clip that was already loaded into the weapon. "Keep a look out for Jeffrey."

"What?!" The deviant almost snapped at the order. "Why should I locate Captain Fowler?"

"His wife said he never came home and I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to take on Wesker himself."

"...I'll remain vigilant." The idea of such a respectable person attempting something reprehensible made Connor internally wince. "But how would Captain Fowler even know to come here?"

"Jeffrey still has a lot of good contacts and knows how to pull strings. I wouldn't be surprised if had ordered Jack for an update and got all the information he needed from his super computer brain."

The deviant detective wasn't all that social but by all account he seemed to understand the basics and overall recognition of discretion."Jack?"

"It's not Jack's fault, mind you." Hank immediately tagged on as he heard the confusion in Connor's voice. "He's still learning how to react without pure obedience guiding him, but I still wouldn't trust a secret with him in the near future."

"Right. I'll speak to Jack about this later."

The speeding vehicles reached their destination and came to an abrupt stop several yards from the building of interest. Keeping their distance for the moment the responding officers silently readied themselves for the inevitable confrontation surely awaiting for them inside.

"Stay quiet, and keep low." Hank practically barked as he turned to look at Connor and issued his next order to the deviant. "Do NOT go in alone."

"I'm right behind you."

"Good." Grasping tightly onto his gun Hank opened his door and made his way toward the warehouse with Connor right behind him and eight other responding officers; excluding Gavin and Tina, right after them. Lowering his voice Hank made his first call on the scene. "Find the front door."

Connor nodded with his own gun already drawn and pointed it at the ground before him as he moved and proceeded to locate the front entrance of the warehouse. Hank kept low as well and motioned for the other officers to locate the rear entrance and any other door that could be used as an escape route through silent hand gestures.

Pressing his back up against the exterior of the warehouse beside of the front door Connor peered inside the partially opaque windows and ran a scan on the occupants inside the the building. One of the occupants was properly identified as Amber Carson, the others were all known small-time drug dealers. They were also all armed and hovering around an impressive amount of 'red ice' centered on a long aluminum table in the center of the room.

Connor confirmed the number of armed suspects to Hank and waited for the next order. "There are fourteen people inside the warehouse. All are armed, all are dangerous and have criminal records."

"All right. Let's do this on three." Hank spoke very low and took the safety from his gun while Connor did the same for his own. "One, two... three!"

Right on cue Connor kicked down the large front door as he and Hank entered the warehouse side by side.

"DETROIT POLICE." Hank's deep voice barked out and echoed through the warehouse in a voice of pure authority." DON'T MOVE."

The group inside the warehouse immediately scattered; half of the group trying to flee from the police and the other half grabbed additional weapons to open fire. Ducking down behind large metal cargo containers Connor and Hank held their ground while the officers outside proceeded to wrangle and arrest those who managed to slip outside the building through the side doors and windows.

"Do you see Wesker anywhere?" Hank shouted as he kept his head down and away from the bullets tearing through the metal makeshift shield in front of him. "Fuck! I can't see anyone!"

"Negative!" Connor shouted in his return as his scanner detected all motion in the immediate vicinity. "But there is movement behind the warehouse near the port! At least two people are trying to escape out the back."

"Can you get out there and head them off?"

"I can." Connor confirmed as he quickly scanned the building and preconstructed a route outside. The route was ideal but it would require running through the line of fire to get outside in a timely manner. "Cover me!"

Sidestepping away from his own metal cargo container Connor continued to open fire as he made he way to the nearby window and leapt through the already broken glass to get outside. Landing on his feet easily atop the fragments of broken glass littering the ground outside Connor used his scanner to locate the fleeing suspect and noted a second person moving in right behind them.

"I have located Wesker." The deviant shouted in hope that Hank could hear him. "I'm now in pursuit."

Within the confines of the warehouse Hank resumed the firefight and managed to wound two of the suspects with clean shots to the shoulders. As the two drug dealers dropped their weapons and knelt on the floor to surrender the other criminals attempted to flee through the rear of the warehouse only to be cut off by the other officers and drones already waiting for them outside.

"Lock 'em all up!" Hank shouted as he kicked the dropped weapons away from the surrendering criminals and toward the walls. Standing tall and fearlessly among the chaos Hank exuded authority and no one dared to question it. "We'll get names and statements later."

From the center of the floor Amber Carson glared daggers at Hank and looked like she wanted to spit at him.

"With you I don't need an introduction." Hank snarled at the heartless and cold woman. "There's a special punishment waiting for you."

"Piss off, pig!"

"Save it for the trial, sweetheart." Seeing a serial android murderess get locked away would do Hank's heart some good. "It's that kind of charm that'll get you a longer sentence."

"Fuck off!"

"Get her outta' here."

Motioning with his thumb over his right shoulder Hank pointed to the front exterior of the warehouse casually. Grabbing his phone with his free hand Hank made contact with Connor through a cybernetic voice message and heard the distress in the deviant's voice.

"Give me an update, Connor."

'I have the suspect in my sight. Confirmation that it IS Wesker. There is a second male suspect as well, I cannot confirm the identity from this distance.'

"What's your current position?"

'Currently heading South-West of the rear of the warehouse heading toward the water.'

"We're on it, stay with him!"

'Will do.'

Due to his superior android build Connor easily gained speed and closed the distance on the two fleeing humans before him, but despite his agility he still wasn't fast enough to witness the cause of the gunfire that echoed through the air just before him. Instinctively Connor stopped and ducked down behind a concrete barricade that led out to the docks on the water and scanned the area for any sign of the gun and tried to identify which of the two suspects had opened fire. One of the two human suspects was now laying on the concrete near the edge of the warehouse's port and the other human was looming over them with the smoking gun clutched in their hand.

Resuming the chase Connor kept his gun own drawn and noted the sudden drop in vital signs as one of the humans had clearly been injured and was beginning to bleed out from his potentially lethal wound.

"Detroit Police!" Connor shouted as he eyed the two suspects positioned on the now bloody dock. The smoking gun was raised until it pointed at the face of the second human on the ground. Getting closer Connor was able to confirm that the injured man bleeding out was in fact Wesker. "Drop your weapon! I won't ask again!"

The offending human raised his hands into the air to peacefully surrender before he spoke up. "It's okay, Connor." Turning on the gun's safety the man made it clear he had no desire to harm Connor. "It's over."

Hearing the unexpectedly familiar voice almost stunned Connor where he stood. "...Captain Fowler?" The deviant's own gun dropped lower in response. "What're you doing here?"

Captain Fowler turned around slowly, his gun still clutched in his right hand, as he faced the deviant Lieutenant behind him. "He was attempting to flee the scene and would not surrender." Captain Fowler's voice was calm and even. "It was a clean shooting."

"Captain... You shouldn't be here."

"I know." Slowly Captain Fowler turned his gun so the handle was extended out toward Connor to take for himself. "That's why I'm turning in my back-up service weapon and will report to I.A. tomorr-"

Connor's eye caught the flash of movement a second too late as Wesker pulled his own gun and opened fire against Captain Fowler. The cowardly act put a bullet in Captain Fowler's back just below his left shoulder. "Captain!?"

The unexpected bullet pierced through Captain Fowler's unprotected back and erupted with a gush of blood. Reacting with an angry outburst Connor fired twice at Wesker; one bullet lodging inside the man's upper chest and the second striking his right shoulder. "DROP THE GUN."

As Wesker collapsed in defeat thanks to Connor's two shots and verbal order, his gun falling limp from his right hand and clattering on the hard ground, Captain Fowler fell to his knees heavily in both pain and blood.

"Captain?!" Kneeling down in front of Captain Fowler as quickly as possible Connor let the wounded human lean up against him with his chest resting against Connor's shoulder. Pressing his right hand against the bleeding wound in the upper portion of Captain Fowler's back; the bullet tearing through his body just below his left shoulder blade and into his ribcage, Connor applied pressure and cybernetically called for help. "I have you, sir. I got you. Help is on the way."

"...Shit." Captain Fowler swore as his heavy weight pressed against Connor with an increasing pressure. "Damn bullet... in the back. I knew he was... a worthless coward."

"You're going to be okay, Captain." Connor insisted as supported his wounded superior officer in his arms. Reaching out his left hand he snatched away Wesker's gun and made sure the incapacitated man was still unconscious. "Help is coming."

"...It was a good shooting. W-Wesker... was armed... and fleeing."

"I know, Captain." Adding more pressure to the wound Connor kept track of his commanding officer's vital signs very closely. "You wouldn't have fired unless it was absolutely necessary. I will attest to that."

"I doubt..." Wincing as he took in a shuddering breath Captain Fowler managed to laugh a little as he spoke. "...I doubt I.A. will see it... that way. Right, Hank?"

From behind Connor the senior detective arrived and fell to his knees beside Captain Fowler where Connor was still holding him. "Ah, fuckin' hell..." Hank slipped off his dark coat and draped it around Captain Fowler's shoulders to try to keep the bleeding man as warm as possible. "Jeffrey, what the fuck did you do!? Fuck me..."

"I told you I knew... what was happening."

"So you came out here and waited for all Hell to break loose?"

"What better way... to confront your demons?"

"Damn it, Jeffrey..." Now understanding the frustration that Captain Fowler must've felt every time he had been so reckless in the past, all Hank could do was think about how Captain Fowler's one decision may have affected everyone else he cares about. "What am I going to tell Maria?"

"Tell her... that I was an idiot. And that I love her and our kids... more than anything in this world."

"Fuck! You're NOT going to die, Jeffrey." Hank's hand pressed down over top of Connor's hand beneath the coat to help keep the pressure over the wound until the ambulance arrived. "You're just going to spend some time in the hospital and I'm going to make sure every second you're there you know how much of a dumbass you were tonight."

Connor gave Hank a worried emotional look as he swallowed his fear. Sending Hank a cybernetic message to his phone, Connor constantly monitored the injured Captain's vital signs and did so silently. The phone 'buzzed' in Hank's jean pocket and he knew that whatever Connor had sent to his phone was important, but he didn't want to see it or deal with it right now. Jeffrey, his friend, was more important than any update or cautionary warning that Connor had wanted to tell him.

"Hang on for me, all right?" Hank encouraged as he glanced back over his shoulder to see other officers encroaching on the scene quickly. "The ambulance is on the way."

As Captain Fowler began to lose consciousness from rapid blood loss Hank took Connor's position entirely and let Captain Fowler lean against him instead. Captain Fowler's head bowed down and he fell limp against Hank's chest as he lost the fight and blacked out. Connor responded by slipping off his own gray blazer, only letting up on the pressure of the wound for a second, as he draped the second layer over top Hank's already provided coat to provide additional warmth to the bleeding human.

"Hold on, Jeffrey." Hank kept his tone even and calm, but he was obviously worried for the life of his oldest friend. Moving his other arm so it was wrapped around Captain Fowler's upper body Hank held his wounded friend in a warm embrace as he watched Connor cuff the now comatose Wesker on the ground just a few feet away. "Just hold on... Please."

At the hospital the waiting room will filled with police officers, detectives, firefighters and military personnel alike as word of Captain Fowler's last stand against the criminal who murdered his best friend circulated far and wide. Maria sat in the waiting room with Captain Fowler's oldest child and fully grown son; Jeremiah - a young man in his early twenties, holding her hand on one side, while their daughter Renee, an impending high school graduate, held her other hand. Hank sat across from the worried family and spoke to Maria as calmly and sincerely as he could while Connor stayed in the corner of the room anxiously toying with his coin to keep himself from pacing about.

Chris, Jack and Tina has stopped by the hospital to check in with their Captain while Gavin remained at the precinct to keep things under control. Dozens of other familiar faces from other precincts had stopped by as well as word of what happened to Captain Fowler quickly spread throughout the entire city.

"Maria." Hank lightly put his right hand over top of her hand and Renee's hand as he spoke to them in a calm confident voice. "Jeffrey is going to be okay. I can feel it."

"I know, Hank." Maria was trying to not cry for the sake of her children, but she was losing the struggle as the night wore on. Her cinnamon brown eyes were bloodshot and her long raven hair was strewn about her face from her stressful toying with the luxurious locks. "I just hate waiting to have an answer, that's all."

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."

It was as quiet as it was tense as the gathered group waited for an update on Captain Fowler's condition. The emergency surgery was entering its fourth hour and barely anyone breathed during that time. It was as if Captain Fowler's life was the only keeping the city from imploding at that very moment.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Fowler?" When the surgeon at long last arrived to give Maria an update on her husband's condition there was a collective sigh of relief. "I'm Dr. Ortiz." The surgeon introduced herself as she approached Maria and knelt down before her. "Your husband survived the surgery. Jeffrey is going to make a full recovery."

A tension left the room as Dr. Ortiz went into detail regarding the injury and of Jeffrey's impending recovery. The bullet had missed all major arteries and his spinal column altogether, but it had passed through the left lung causing considerable damage. He'd be in pain for quite a while, but was expected to make a full recovery in a few months time.

Maria, Jeremiah and Renee were all shown to Jeffrey's recovery room and the occupants of the waiting room set about either making calls or taking their leave for the night now that they knew Captain Fowler survived the shooting.

"Hank?" Connor pocketed his coin and joined Hank in one of the vacant chairs after the detectives were left to sit alone. Despite knowing that Captain Fowler was going to be okay Hank still appeared to be very upset. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, kid." Slumping down in his chair Hank ran his hand through his gray locks of hair warily. "I'm just taking a moment for myself, ya' know?"

"Yes. I understand."

"Of all the cops I've ever known," Hank leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest as he turned to look the deviant in the eyes. "Jeffrey was the last one that I ever would've expected to go out for blood."

"I suppose all cops have their breaking point."

"You're not wrong. The fact that he reached his breaking point before I reached mine is what worries me. Maybe I'm losing my touch as a detective."

"How so?"

"Jeffrey's my friend and I've been a cop for over twenty years now. But I still didn't see it comin'..."

"Aren't you always reminding me to not try to hold myself accountable for things that I cannot possibly take control of? Why do you think you're any different?"

"Because he's my friend."

"And you're my father. I don't want to see you beating yourself up over this night just as you didn't want me do the same when we lost Lucas and I lost Skye. I don't believe Captain Fowler would want you to do the same on his behalf, either."

With a hearty sigh Hank put his right hand on the back of Connor's neck and held it there for a moment. "Thanks, son. You're right."

"Do you want to see Captain Fowler before returning to the precinct?"

"Nah. Give him a minute with his family. We can see him later."

Agreeing with the suggestion Connor just stayed beside Hank and set about filing his report cybernetically to the precinct. "Of course. The precinct is in good hands as of the moment anyway."

One by one visitors stopped by to check in on Captain Fowler over the course of the following three days after the incident at the warehouse. In that time there was an investigation into the shooting of Wesker and Captain Fowler was cleared of any possible disciplinary charges by Internal Affairs, and the same was determined for Connor when he shot Wesker twice. The shooting itself was deemed justified and no blemish appeared on either of the honest detectives' already flawless records. It took almost fifteen years of waiting and patience, but it seemed fallen Officer Ruben Estevez and his surviving get some form of justice after all.

As for Wesker, his wounds weren't fatal but they were detrimental. The coldblooded killer was placed under guard at another hospital across the city and he had slipped into a deep coma after his own emergency surgery. The odds of him waking up without any mental impairment was slim, but no one in the city seemed to shed a single tear for the criminal.

More than happy to speak to Captain Fowler and shake his superior officer's hand with respect, Connor expressed his gratitude in knowing that the man was going to be okay and that his record would remain intact. "I'm relieved to know you're making a full recovery, Captain."

"Thanks, Connor." Captain Fowler was happy to shake Connor's hand, his strength returning quickly as he recovered. "I knew you coming back to the precinct was a good sign."

A subtle knocking on the door frame drew his attention to the sound and the two occupants of the room saw Hank standing idle in doorway. "Hey, kid. Can you give us a minute alone?"

"Of course." Looking back at Captain Fowler one last time Connor nodded with respect. "Take care, Captain."

"You do the same, Lieutenant."

Passing by Hank without breaking stride the deviant gave the two old friends the privacy as requested to speak to one another.

Patiently Connor stood outside the room with his coin dancing on his right knuckles while Hank stepped inside the private recovery room to speak to Captain Fowler alone. The two men appeared to be speaking to one another as two good friends normally would and with the mutual respect between them now evident Connor sensed that whatever grudge Hank had bore against Captain Fowler for all of those previous years had finally ended.

Waiting quietly for almost an hour Connor met Hank outside the room as the senior detective stepped outside the room and put his hand down firmly on the deviant's shoulder. "Hey, Connor. We need to talk."

Connor could see the distress on Hank's face and asked accordingly as he pocketed his coin out of sight. "Is there something wrong?"

"...I don't know."

"You seem to have something heavy weighing on your mind."

"Connor," guiding the deviant to a more secluded place in the hospital away from nosy people Hank explained things as simply as he could as he watched Maria and the kids all enter the private room to be with Captain Fowler again. "Jeffrey is going to retire from the force."

"Retire?" The revelation was rather grounding, if not humbling, even to the young deviant. "But he's not of the appropriate-"

"It's not about his age or being injured, son. It's about wanting to spend as much time with his family as he can."

"...I see. Near-death experiences have been known to make humans prioritize the most important aspects of their lives. In Captain Fowler's case that seems to be his wife and his children."

"Right. I always put Cole first and foremost after I lost Barb, so I get it."

"I think I understand his reasoning as well, and I respect it." Connor's brow arched inquisitively as he and Hank reached an exterior balcony of the hospital away from people to speak privately for a moment. "If I may ask, who will take over the precinct as the commanding officer?"

Hank's hand clamped down firmly onto Connor's shoulder once more as if needing to brace for a powerful impact. "Me."

"...You?"

"Yup. As of next week I'll be taking over the precinct, and with that you'll have a new partner."

"A new partner?" The comment was unexpectedly melancholy. "I suppose that's another experience I'll need to adapt to."

"Yeah. Same for me becoming the precinct Captain."

"Everything changes for a reason, I suppose."

"Yeah... Let's just hope those changes are for the better."

-next chapter-