At four in the morning there was a massive deafening explosion downtown at an old rundown hotel that had left the entirety of the former building in smoldering ruins. The fire department managed to douse the blaze after a two hour long battle, but what they found in the charred remains of the destroyed hotel had brought the police in to investigate in the aftermath of the bizarre incident. Due to the nature of the gruesome and controversial discovery, it was Hank who had been summoned to the scene and of course Connor accompanied Hank out to the fire as Connor's advanced forensics software was ideal for sifting through charged ruins in search of evidence.

Annoyed by the early hour, but alert the moment he received the call, Hank met with the fire department Captain who had requested his presence personally. Meanwhile Connor set about carefully examining the scene of the explosion without interfering with the firefighters currently sifting through the debris and looking for victims of the blaze.

"I hope there's a good reason you asked for me by name, Captain DeSoto." Hank greeted the seasoned firefighter with a strong handshake as they glanced at the foundation that was once a building. "I was actually gettin' some decent sleep when you call."

"Yeah, Hank, there's a good reason." Captain DeSoto confirmed as he motioned toward the smoky rubble behind himself. "I hated bothering you, but this is sort of your area of expertise."

"My expertise? Please tell me you didn't find a mass grave of deviants down there."

"No, nothing to do with androids." Reaching into the right pocket of his turnout coat Captain DeSoto handed Hank a plastic bag containing red crystals and residue. "But plenty of this was found inside."

"Son of a bitch." Taking the little bag in his hand Hank examined the contents and was thoroughly pissed. "More fucking 'red ice'. How many of the 'red ice' assholes are still lurking in the city?"

"One is too many. We already found the chemist in charge." Pointing to the epicenter of the explosion the seasoned firefighter gave the senior detective a wary glance. "As you might expect, he didn't survive the explosion."

"Anyone we know?"

"We won't know that until his dental records come back."

"That bad, huh?"

"Oh, yeah." Looking at the remains of the room that had been ground zero to the devastating explosion Captain DeSoto just looked defeated. "There was an estimated twenty pounds of that stuff already brewed and ready for sale by the table. Another fifty pounds was found in the bathtub of the bathroom. I figured you'd want to get in there and see the drugs for yourself before I give the boys the go ahead and wash that shit away."

"Thanks. This sample will be enough to trace any customers back to this seller." Clutching the evidence bag in his right hand Hank joined Connor as the deviant carefully examined the ruins of the absolutely decimated room with a thorough scan. "Find anything useful, kid?"

"Single occupant of the room. Male." The deviant replied as he continued to run the scan over the scene of the destruction. "Not enough of a D.N.A. sample to gain a proper identification."

"Here's a sample of their 'product' that escaped the blaze." Hank handed over the bag for Connor to take. "Can you break it down and give me an idea where they got their ingredients?"

"I can attempt to do so." Taking the evidence from Hank's hand Connor opened the bag and took a very small crystal and pressed it to his tongue to run an accurate analysis sample. "The chemical composition is very old. No doubt the expiration of the chemicals caused the explosion, and due to the age it is now impossible to trace it back to the original manufacturer."

"Fuck. Great."

"We can still attempt to locate other samples of this single batch from drugs that has been previously confiscated."

"No, pass it on to Chris and Jack." Needing to step back for a bit Hank decided to prioritize another case over one already dead drug dealer. "We need to focus on Quondam."

"You are the expert on 'red ice'. This should be your case."

"I'll offer some help, but right now we need to prioritize looking for that masked psycho and his weird-ass threats."

Connor didn't have any reason to argue but he wanted to make sure everything was being handled properly. "...You're certain?"

"Yeah, Quondam is more important than a couple of drug dealers who are too stupid to not blow themselves up while cooking their own poison."

"Very well. I'll send the details I've collected to Jack to use while we continue on our own case."

"Right." Motioning for Connor to follow after him back to their vehicles Hank seemed distracted, if not upset about something. "Let's get outta' here."

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Huh?" Pausing for a moment Hank realized that Connor had noted his focuses demeanor. "Oh, I'm just thinking."

"About the case?"

"That," the senior detective admitted as he pulled open the driver's side door of the Oldsmobile and stared at Connor over the roof of the vehicle as the deviant walked over to his Corvette parked just behind Hank's car. "and there's a few things I have in storage that I need to go through. I guess I was taking a mental inventory or something."

"Storage. In the crawlspace?"

"Nope. An actual storage unit downtown."

"Oh. Can I ask-"

Holding up a shushing hand Hank gave the deviant an understanding glance. "I don't want to distract you, but your anniversary got me to thinking about my own 'anniversaries'. I got to thinking about Barb and Cole, and I just, I don't know. I kinda' figured it's just time to let go of the past and move on."

"I see." Now understanding what Hank was thinking about Connor backed off out of respect. "I apologize if I was prying."

"Nah, it's fine. Just help me crack this Quondam case, and if I need any help with some heavy lifting you come running as soon as I text you."

"Always. I've already cybernetically informed Jack of the 'red ice' problem and he will be waiting at the precinct for us."

"Good." Climbing into his car Hank turned over the key in the ignition to leave the ruined hotel behind him. "The sooner we get these messes sorted through the better."


The Central Precinct was already working on both the 'red ice' case from the destroyed hotel and trying to make progress on the Quondam case when Hank and Connor had arrived for their morning shift about twenty minutes after the 'red ice' case was passed over to Chris and Jack. At the moment the two detectives set foot in the bullpen Gavin and Tina were delving deeper into the Quondam footage that had been uploaded to the internet from the day before, while Chris and Jack were quickly going through the evidence regarding the 'red ice' dealer that the fire department had salvaged from the early morning blaze at the destroyed hotel.

Everyone was pulling their weight in an attempt to crack either case before anything else happened. No one could predict the behavior of Quondam or even guess as to how many drug dealers escaped the hotel with their supply before the building burned to ash.

"I haven't been able to view the new footage that Quondam had uploaded." Connor stated as he went to his terminal and turned on the screen to begin his investigation. "I know there won't be much evidence to work with, but perhaps I can see something the others cannot."

"Do what you can, kid." Hank replied after he yawned and made his way to office to set about his own work. "Keep me posted."

As was his usual custom Connor stared intently at the footage as it played out before him and tried to analyze it for any tells of the masked man's location or find any additional details to confirm his identity. Unfortunately, there were none to be found.

'Androids will not hesitate to let humans die. They will be the ones pulling the triggers and this city is the one who handed them the guns.' The masked man preached in front of an entirely black background behind his masked face and false voice. 'I will prove that these beings claiming they want equality will not hesitate to let us all die and spit on our mass grave.'

"Why is this man so full of hate?" Connor asked himself as he turned off the terminal screen with disgust. "He must have some connection to androids, either through CyberLife or one of the companies that went bankrupt because of CyberLife."

A paper ball bounced off of Connor's left shoulder as Gavin overheard his comment. "You can't figure it out either, huh, 'Tinman'?"

"I cannot." The deviant admitted with a heavy heart as he acknowledged Gavin's question. "And it's quite frustrating."

"Any idea what he's trying to do with that new threat?"

"Not yet. But I suspect he won't be able to do any grand gestures if he's now working alone."

"Do you really think he's just a solo act?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"The last threat was recorded on a laptop being held by his female companion." Explaining his theory with logic and reason Connor glanced back at Gavin sitting at his own desk a few feet away. "I witnessed his last attempt to record his failed detonation the night Hank and I cornered him at the former android landfill before his companion's death. Now he is recording from a temporary phone which indicates that his connections are thin, resources are limited and he no longer has an ally to record the footage for him."

"Shit, how much harm can one asshole do?"

Connor sighed as he stared at Gavin with a somber look on his face. "Why don't you ask Elijah Kamski?"

"...Fair point." An interesting idea popped into Gavin's head after processing what Connor just said. "Wait, are you saying that Kamski's creations, as in, you, are somehow harmful?"

"No, at least not unless I choose to be. But a majority of the world did think that all androids were all by default dangerous for an uncomfortably long time. Ideas can be as dangerous as they can be beneficial."

Without anything else to add to the conversation Gavin just squared his jaw and resumed working on his own terminal.

There was little progress yet again on the Quondam case but Chris and Jack were able to finally trace back the source of the chemicals used to create the massive batch of 'red ice' that blew up the hotel, killed the dealer and injured sixteen other occupants of the building. The underground black marketeers who were selling the dangerous and unstable chemicals had been traced back to amateur chemists who were seeking to rebuild the 'red ice' empire from their broken-down trailer in an ill reputed trailer park a few blocks from the ruined hotel itself.

Four people were responsible for the illegally obtained, improperly contained chemicals that resulted in the explosion. They were charged with negligent homicide, sixteen counts of assault, possession of drugs with intent to distribute, possessing illegal materials and a whole slew of other charges to cover the damages to the hotel and the victims. The wannabe "drug kingpins" were also charged with several cases of overdoses that were traced back to their supply.

As the shift wore on with virtually no progress to be had on the Quondam case Connor felt like he was failing. He needed to find the masked man and bring him to justice, but there was nothing more he could do until more information was available.

"Connor." Hank put his hand on the deviant's shoulder to snap him back to reality after stepping out of his office. "Clock-out, kid."

"Clock-out?" Checking his internal chronometer Connor realized that it was already six in the evening and his shift was over. "How did... I was unaware of the time passing."

"I've had my own share of cases like that, son. Come on. We need to go."

"...I dislike leaving without having accomplished anything."

"Connor, now. I don't want you working yourself into the ground. AGAIN."

"I-" Realizing that Hank wasn't going to let him talk his way into working any longer, Connor begrudgingly relented. "...All right. Let's go."

"Relax, kid. It's hard to deal with, I know." Hank empathized as Connor obediently clocked-out and turned off his terminal screen. "But overthinking is going to burn you out."

"Yeah, I know you're right."

Hank's brow arched a little as he noticed that Connor's phonetic pattern had shifted into a much more natural form of speaking over the past few months. The deviant sounded more human and less formal. Usually when Connor spoke in a more relaxed tone it was because his systems were overwhelmed and his ability to communicate was somewhat compromised emotionally or mentally. But now it just seemed like he was being... human.

"Call me crazy, but," the senior detective observed the odd behavior as he and Connor crossed the bullpen together. "you're behaving a little more human than usual."

"How so?"

"I haven't heard you say 'yes' in a while, it's been 'yeah' for the past couple of weeks now. You're less argumentative and you were even willing to wear Kevlar without me having to push it. What gives?"

"I don't really know when it started, but I do know you're right." Passing through the front doors of the precinct side by side the duo made their way over to the neighboring parking garage beside the massive precinct building with the building autumn chill creeping down their spines. "Perhaps my time with Luke has affected my vocabulary. Or it was a lasting result of the most recent update despite having it removed afterward."

"What about you actually wearing body armor just for a quick field investigation?"

"As I previously told you, I intend to uphold my promise and put the value of my life on the same parameters of the other lives in this city."

"Well, whatever's going on, don't change. I like it." The senior detective and father encouraged. "That natural speech pattern really suits you, and I'm glad you're taking more steps to protect yourself."

Connor tilted his head a little and smirked at the compliments. "Thanks."

"You head on home." The two went to their own separate vehicles in the parking garage while still speaking to one another. "I'm going to sort through a few things at the storage unit and make a list."

Wind swept through the garage and made Connor's rogue lock of hair dance over his eye as he unlocked his car door. "A list?"

"I'm going to decide what I keep, what gets tossed and what goes to charity."

"Do you want me to assist you at the storage unit?"

"No, kid. This is something I need to do alone. You know?" As he spoke Hank turned his eyes away so Connor couldn't see the emotions building up while he spoke. He had been torn about going back to the storage unit but knew it was something he needed to do. "It's my past and my future that I need to sort through."

Nodding with complete understanding Connor respected Hank's request for privacy. "Okay, I'll head home." Pulling open the door to the Corvette Connor sat down and watched as Hank did the same for the Oldsmobile. "But if you need my help-"

"Yeah, I know. Go home, kid and get some sleep. You're exhausted and I don't need you passing out or getting sick on me."

Closing his door Connor turned over the car's engine and pulled out of his assigned parking space to head for home.

Hank watched as the shiny blue car disappeared from sight and sat down behind the steering wheel of his own car. Checking the glove box for the key to his storage unit, Hank felt his heart aching for one final moment in the past with his late family while also looking forward to a far more prosperous future with his current family. He adored Connor and Luke with all his heart and truly thought of the deviants as his sons, but he'd never be able to forget about Cole or Barbara, or how they were missing out on meeting the deviant brothers and the people important in the brothers' lives.

"No matter how much I try to tell myself I'm over my pain it just isn't true. Maybe if I finally sort through all of my emotional baggage on a physical level I can really let the past lie where it is and let those damn ghosts haunting me rest in peace. Heaven knows I need the rest and peace, too."


One more week of investigating the strenuous Quondam case had gone without any progress being made. The entire precinct was getting frustrated by the inability to make any progress in uncovering the masked man's identity or the validity of his threats against the city, but Connor was determined to locate the masked man before it was too late. From within the moderate confines of his private office Hank glanced over the very few details that had been collected over the past week since the last Quondam threat and like Connor he was focused on figuring out the identity of the masked man and eager to stop him before it was too late.

A loud commotion in the receptionist area of the precinct suddenly drew the attention of the entire bullpen away from their investigations as a heavily damaged female deviant stumbled into the building with a crying six month old baby in her remaining right arm. Connor marched over to the deviant to check on her while Hank, having heard the commotion as well, joined him quickly.

The deviant, an 'AX-400' model, was horrifically battered and bleeding from various wounds. The artificial skin on the left side of her face was torn away as if clawed by an animal. Her short brown hair was messy with random strands clinging to her face as Thirium oozed from numerous wounds along her face. Massive blue sparks, wires and compromised Thirium lines jutted from her body through gaping wounds where she stood. Her left arm was heavily damaged and non-existent from the elbow down causing her to leak Thirium at an alarming rate.

"Miss?" Connor addressed the heavily damaged and bleeding deviant in a calm voice. She only had one remaining optical unit making it difficult for her to focus on anyone around her. "Miss, what happened to you?"

"I w-was..." Her voice was garbled by electronic interference but she was determined to speak. "I was... attacked. P-Please..." Pushing the small crying baby out toward Connor with her remaining arm she begged the detective for his help. "...Protect her."

Instinctively Connor took the crying infant and held her against his right shoulder carefully. "Who did this to you?"

"I... I-I didn't..." Before she could say another word the deviant collapsed face down onto the floor in a growing puddle of her own Thirium.

Connor took a step back from her body as he continued to hold the crying frightened child in his arms. Hank saw the bleeding deviant unconscious on the ground and ordered the receptionist, Pamela, to call for ambulance to take her to a nearby facility and to call tech down to try to help her.

"Connor, are you-" The loud cries of the baby in the deviant's arms made Hank flinch for only a moment. The look in eyes was almost as if he had seen a ghost but he quickly regained his composure. "All right, take the baby into an interview room where it's calmer and quieter. We'll take care of her friend here."

"O-Okay." Still a little startled about having the baby thrust into his arms Connor backed out of the receptionist area and made his way to the nearest available interview room as ordered. All the while he instinctively and gently patted the baby's back and tried to 'shush' her crying. "It's okay, you're safe now."

Pulling the door shut behind himself Connor sat down in the chair and let the baby lean against him as she continued to cry. She was covered in Thirium and was surely getting cold from the drying blue blood that was soaked into her bright pink 'onesie'.

"I'll help you feel warmer."

The deviant promised as he carefully slipped off his gray blazer one sleeve at a time while switching arms to keep the baby secured against his chest. He then wrapped the warm garment around her in a swaddling manner. It was then he noticed that the baby was a little underweight and seemed to have small abrasions along her arms and hands.

"I wish you could tell me what happened." Connor whispered as he held her tightly against his chest and continued to gingerly rub at her back to try to comfort her. "Then we'd be able to help the deviant who brought you here. It's clear you both need some help."


Having been summoned to the receptionist area to help the unknown deviant, Joel was knelt beside the downed victim and was doing everything in his power to keep her stabilized until the E.F.T.'s arrived to take her to a facility. She had already lost a considerable amount of blue blood but she was still functioning despite being unconscious. Using all of his skills at his disposal, the dedicated technician managed to cap off her bleeding arm where it had been severed and tie off her exposed Thirium lines to prevent further blue blood loss. Whether or not the deviant would be able to survive the extensive repairs she need to endure had yet to be seen.

Shortly after Joel's arrival the android exclusive ambulance pulled up to the scene of the incident and the responding E.F.T.'s began assessing her overall condition. The outcome was bleak but not necessarily lethal.

"I've done everything I can, Hank." Joel stated as he packed up his own equipment and gave the two E.F.T.'s more room to work. He stood up and stood before the Captain with an unsure gleam in his pale blue eyes. "I can't even hazard a guess as to whether or not she'll make it."

"Yeah, thanks doing what you did." Hank didn't seem too optimistic either as he put his hands to his hips. "I appreciate your help."

"Right. If you need anything else I'll be up in the dispensary."

Hank let out a loud sigh as he watched the poor victimized deviant get loaded onto the gurney and wheeled out to the ambulance. With nothing more he could do to help anyone Hank returned to the bullpen where Gavin was sitting on the edge of his desk with his phone in his hand. "Well?"

"I already called C.P.S.," the Sergeant stated in a somber voice. "and they're on their way."

"Good. Where's the baby now?"

"With Connor in the interview room." Motioning to the room where he had seen Connor disappear into Gavin pointed Hank in the right direction. "As long as he keeps holding onto her I think she'll stay comfortable and quiet."

"Do we have any spare formula, clean towels and extra clothes? That kid was soaked in Thirium and is going to need to be cleaned up."

"Yeah, Tina already grabbed some stuff and took it into the interview room to help out Connor."

"All right. Let me know when C.P.S. shows or if ANY witnesses come in regarding whatever the hell just happened. I want to know what fuck happened."

"I'm on it, Cap'."

Slowly Hank opened the door to the interview room where Connor had taken shelter and peered inside. Connor was still sitting in the chair with the baby now dressed in a plain white 'onesie' and completely clear of any residual Thirium now resting against his chest as she nursed from a bottle. Two towels were sitting atop the desk and covered in the victim's blood and trace amounts of the same blood were under Connor's fingernails.

Tina had made sure to bring a couple of extra diapers, powder and a bottle of formula for the baby if she needed it, and left the items on the table. By all account it looked like Connor had just been assigned to babysit rather than take protective guardianship over the frightened baby. The gray blazer was still draped over the baby and providing the her with an additional layer of warmth as Connor held the baby in a gentle grip.

With the baby now quiet, being fed and resting against Connor's chest, the deviant detective seemed oddly content and was very still where he sat and seemed to be sleeping as he held the baby and her bottle.

"Connor?"

"Hank." Opening his soulful brown eyes Connor spoke in a low voice as if his speaking would somehow upset the calmed down infant while she readily nursed from the provided bottle. "How is the deviant?"

"Joel did what he could, but now it's up to the technicians at the facility to pull her through." Nodding at the baby Hank asked how she was fairing. "How's our 'little friend', there?"

"She's uninjured save for a few bruises, and she is cold and hungry."

"Child Protective Services are on their way." Joining Connor at the table Hank sat in the chair next to the deviant and watched the baby as she snuggled against Connor and finished the last of the bottle. "Did the deviant say anything to you before she passed out?"

"No. She tried, but couldn't do so." Putting the empty bottle aside Connor readjusted the baby and his blazer to ensure she remained comfortable and warm after enduring a hectic experience. "I was unable to cybernetically connect with her before she lost consciousness."

"Great. Well, I'm going to go ahead and assume that this child was trusted to her care."

"I agree. There are no daycare facilities in a feasible proximity to the precinct that the victim could've walked from." Connor's right hand lightly patted the baby's back as he spoke as a means of keeping her calm. The baby was looking around curiously and quietly as if she knew that Connor was her friend and going to keep her safe. "She must've been a nanny working in a nearby apartment."

"Makes sense to me." Hank crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the calm baby in Connor's care. "Think you can narrow it down any further?"

"Unfortunately I cannot."

"All right, no problem. Can you stay here with the baby until C.P.S. arrives?"

"Yeah, I don't mind."

"Cool." The sight of Connor being content with the baby gave Hank an odd sense of peace. It was as if the deviant was finding his own peace after enduring so much personal disappointment. "I'll keep you posted if anything happens regarding our strange deviant and her assault."


Using the small security cameras located outside of the precinct near the parking garage and over the front entrance to the precinct itself, Hank was able to confirm that the bleeding deviant had stumbled down the sidewalk from the East before collapsing inside the precinct's front receptionist area onto the floor. Several witnesses quickly jumped out of the way of the deviant as she limped toward the precinct as quickly as possible and refused to help her as she left a trail of blue blood behind her as she fled from wherever she was assaulted with the crying baby in her arm. The camera footage also recorded the apathy of the people passing her by as the victim struggled to get to safety.

"All right, we can use that." Hank stated as he paused the footage on Chris's terminal screen and pointed to the blue blood on the sidewalk. "Trail her back to her apartment or wherever it was she came from."

"Doesn't Thirium evaporate?"

"Yeah, but androids can still see it."

Jack looked somewhat uncomfortable from where he stood but spoke up nonetheless. "Actually, only Connor can see evaporated Thirium." The deviant officer admitted in a small voice. "It's a special feature exclusive only to his model."

"Ah, cripes. Well, as soon as-"

"Emily Bette." A woman in her early thirties identified herself and showed Hank her credentials. She held her badge and I.D. out for Hank to see as she honed in on the commanding officer. "Child Protective Services."

"Oh." Looking over her provided information Hank gave the young woman a nod of his head. "Emily, you have great timing and I love that you know the drill."

Slipping her badge into her dark red blazer's pocket Emily stayed focused on her assignment. "Where's the baby?"

"Interview room 'A'." Hank motioned for Emily to accompany him to said room. "My Lieutenant is sitting with her and keeping her calm."

"Was the child injured?"

"Only some small bruises and she seems malnourished. Only the deviant who carried her in was seriously wounded."

"Any I.D. on the deviant?"

"Not yet, we're working on it."

"And I presume there's been no way to identify the child?"

"She left her I.D. in her other 'onesie'." Hank joked and made Emily smile a little as he opened the door to the interview room. "But we'll figure this out."

Connor was still sitting in the chair with the baby resting against his chest as she now napped peacefully in his protective arms. The bottle of formula had been entirely consumed and it was evident that the offered snack helped the baby to calm down enough to sleep after being neglected.

"Oh, no..." Emily outwardly grimaced as she peered down at the baby's face. "I know this baby."

Hank closed his blue eyes and swore internally as he knew any social worker who sees the same kid twice is almost always accompanied by a sad story. Connor merely arched his eyebrow at the revelation as the kind woman peered down at the sleeping baby.

"This is Jenna Carson." Emily explained further as she used her phone to access the baby's case file. "She's already been in my care twice before."

Connor didn't like the sound of that and was almost reluctant to let Emily take the napping baby from his arms, but surrendered Jenna in a very gentle and slow manner. "...May I ask why?"

"Well, her biological mother is a teenager, as was the father. The father left the state long before Jenna was born and loves to pretend this baby doesn't exist. Meanwhile the mother's own parents took custody of Jenna against the mother's will. The judge overseeing the case had a known bias against teenage and single mothers, so it was a very one-sided decision." Adjusting Jenna so she was resting just as comfortably against her own shoulder as she had been against Connor's shoulder, Emily told the baby's sad story. "Two months after that unfair court case the grandparents were tragically killed in a car accident leaving Jenna without any legal guardianship."

Connor stood up from the chair and slipped his gray blazer back on over his arms to his shoulders. "Where did Jenna go after that?"

"Well, instead of going back into the custody of her biological mother as the mother had requested and filed, the court placed her in the care of the teen mother's uncle. He's an alcoholic who had Jenna taken away once before for neglect. The judge refused to let the baby go with her mother, already convinced that due to her age the mother was an unfit parent despite her getting her G.E.D., holding a full time job and acquiring a nice apartment. The courts rewarded custody of Jenna back to the uncle after he bought an android to help him take care of the baby. I guess we all know how that worked out."

Hank took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Can you give us a name of this 'upstanding citizen' so we can ask him some choice questions?"

The fire in Emily's gray eyes told the two detective that she was as ready to fight back on that baby and her mother's behalf as the precinct was. "Gladly."


With the address cybernetically uploaded Connor was able to trace the fading trail of blue blood back to an apartment building that matched the information that Emily had provided to the two detectives after taking Jenna to a hospital for an exam. There was no denying that the assaulted deviant came from that very apartment building and had risked her life to save Jenna in the process. The way the entire building was rundown, located in a less than ideal neighborhood for a baby or any children to live and the lack of notice from the man about the child in his care suddenly disappearing, raised enough red flags to be mistaken as an entire nation of assholes.

With a firm fist Hank pounded on the closed apartment door that was covered in her blue blood and announced his presence in a very angry and authoritative voice. He and Connor weren't the types to take child abuse or neglect lightly.

"Detroit Police!" Barking through the closed door Hank had to fight the urge to kick the door in and wait for an answer. "Open up or I'll break the door down!"

There was a muffled complaint from the other side of the door followed by the chain being slipped from the lock and the door opening. "What the fuck do-"

"Russ Carson." Hank forced the door open and flashed his badge to 'introduce' himself to the atrocious man. "I'm Captain Anderson and this is Lieutenant Anderson. We have a warrant to search the apartment."

Dragging his hand over his oily and greasy face Russ looked at Hank and slurred his next words in an obviously drunken manner. "...For what?"

Connor answered as he scanned the apartment and noted the horrible conditions of the place. "Child endangerment for one, as well child neglect, abuse and assault."

"Assault? I didn't punch no one!" The drunken slob known as Russ slurred loudly in protest. He didn't seem at all phased about the child abuse or neglect comments. "They're lying!"

Planting himself in front of Russ as the man breathed his alcohol rank breath in his face, Hank spelled the matter out for him to understand. "You assaulted the deviant you hired as your nanny you dumb shit."

"That stupid bitch is just a machine!" Russ snarled as he made a lazy grab for his bottle of beer sitting on the nearby countertop. "I can break my own property if I want to!"

"NOT in the eyes of the law she isn't. She's a living BEING, not a piece of property." Hank reminded him firmly as Connor continued to search the apartment for the evidence of the assault. "You been drinkin'?"

"So what? It's my place!" Not even trying to deny the impossible Russ seemed to think he was untouchable. "I can do what I want..."

"Not when there's a helpless child in your care, you can't."

"What child... Oh! The brat." It was as if remembering he had a baby in his care was something that'd easily slip anyone's mind. "She's been quiet. So what?"

"She's NOT here you dumbass. C.P.S. has her."

"Again?"

Hank was disgusted by the man's indifference and Connor was containing his frustration internally. "Find anything, Connor?"

"Six bottles of whiskey; four empty and two full." Connor took a quick inventory of the contents of the kitchen and announced his findings loudly. "One remaining canister of formula but no clean bottles, and no additional items for childcare. There are no additional diapers and no sign of anything designated with childcare in mind. I detect trace amounts of 'red ice' and a massive puddle of Thirium in the middle of the livingroom floor."

The sight of something plastic and jagged sticking out of the trashcan beneath the sink made Connor feel sick to his stomach. Reaching into the trashcan Connor held up the object in question and narrowed his eyes at Russ.

"...And this is the left forearm and hand of an 'AX-400' model android."

"So what did she do?" The senior detective challenged as he stared down the horrible man. "Call you out on your drugs or your alcohol?"

"That piece of plastic had the nerve to tell me how I should spend my money!" Russ was beginning to slur his words more as his recent hit of 'red ice' began to affect his mind and his body. "'Zed I should... stop buying whiskey and buy more formula, more diapers... 'Ztupid bitch. It's MY money."

"And that child is your responsibility."

"Never wanted the brat! My niece is a slut and that little shit-bag brought in a nice eight-hundred bucks from Uncle Sam. I was doing them both a favor and you're acting like I'm the bad guy..."

"Fuck. You. I've seen enough." Grabbing the cuffs from the back of his belt Hank forced the man to turn around and pinned him chest first against the wall in the livingroom. As he pulled the man's arms behind his back he cuffed Russ's wrists and proceeded to march him out of the apartment to go to the precinct for a nice long talk. "You're under arrest for assault, child endangerment, child neglect, possession of a controlled substance and some other shit I don't have time to list off. Point is, this is the last time you're going to see this shit-hole you call an apartment."

Connor nodded in approval as Hank marched the arrested man through the door and outside to an awaiting police squad car. As he followed after Hank the deviant took one last look at the apartment and only imagined how much worse it would've been if the deviant nanny hadn't been there to keep Jenna safe and hadn't run off with the baby.

"This is a disgrace. How can anyone treat a child in such a cold and heartless manner?"

Looking at the deviant victim's severed left arm clutched in his hand, Connor shook his head with disappointment and took his leave of the dirty disgusting apartment. It was littered with garbage, alcohol and drugs as a reminder of the horrendous slob who once resided there.

"Humans are not a superior species in any way."


At the Epsilon Facility where the damaged 'AX-400' had been taken for repairs, the brave deviant nanny was immediately greeted by Connor himself as she finally rebooted after nearly three consecutive hours of in-depth emergency repairs and the subsequent recovery. Opening her blue eyes the recovering deviant saw Connor looking down at her as he promptly showed her his badge to identify himself as a police detective and as an ally. Once the recovering deviant had the chance to reboot fully she slowly lifted her head up from the soft pillow under her hair and looked about the recovery wing of the facility confusedly but soon gained her bearings.

The memory of carrying Jenna to safety after protecting her from her abusive guardian and fleeing to the precinct was garbled but still prominent. The deviant nanny also remembered encountering Connor before collapse.

"...You. I remember-" The nanny suddenly bolted upright quickly but Connor put a gentle hand to her shoulder to keep her still. "Jenna!"

"She is safe. And Russ has been arrested." Pocketing his badge Connor introduced himself properly. "My name is Lieutenant Connor Anderson and I work with the Detroit Police, but I'm sure you already know that. You're both safe now."

"Thank goodness..." Relaxing as relief washed over her the 'AX-400' laid back down against the bed to rest. "I'm glad she's okay."

"What is your name?"

"My name is Lila."

"Lila. You saved Jenna's life today, and now she's finally being placed back into the custody of her biological mother."

"She won't have to live with that horrible man anymore?"

"No. He's been arrested and the judge who held such a bias against the mother is being investigated for corruption."

"That makes it almost worth being destroyed."

"May I ask where you intend to go now?"

"...I guess I'll seek work elsewhere." Lila sighed as she flexed her left hand upon discovering the limb had been replaced. "I might be able to find another family to take me in as a nanny or housekeeper."

"Or you could go to Skye Tower."

"The shelter? What for?" Lila didn't seem to understand the suggestion or why she'd go there. "I may have been assaulted but I can still take care of myself."

"There is a daycare in the tower to help aid the struggling parents who are young or trying to get out of abusive homes. It's just as open to humans as it is to deviants."

Lila's blue eyes lit up enthusiastically as a ghost of a smile appeared on her face. "...I could help other people and their children?"

Connor smiled and offered her his hand to help her sit up again. "You could. It's your choice."

"No, I-" Lila noticed that her entire body had been repaired and her strength was returning quickly. "I want to go. It's just I never thought I'd get the chance to choose something like that."

"As I stated, all are welcome at Skye Tower. If you'd like I could show you there myself once you've fully recovered."

"I'd like that very much!" Shaking Connor's hand Lila happily accepted the offer and smiled brightly at the kind detective. "Thank you, Connor."

"It's my pleasure, Lila." Seeing a deviant so energetic and eager to help other people managed to ease Connor's emotional pain for a fleeting moment. "I will see you tomorrow at the tower."


It was a long, emotionally draining day for everyone at the precinct as the continued lack of progress on the Quondam threat and the unexpected assault and child neglect case had put everyone on edge. Hank had clocked-out and returned home long before Connor since the deviant detective went to the Epsilon Facility to check in on their abuse victim, and Hank was now in the process of making himself a light dinner when the deviant detective arrived at last. Sumo instantly recognized the sound of the Corvette door slamming shut and loyally trotted to the backdoor to meet his deviant master while Hank tended to his meal on the stove.

As the backdoor opened Connor greeted Sumo and stopped short just in front of the door frame as if needing a minute to think. The returned deviant barely acknowledged Sumo and just stayed in place at the doorway as he passively rubbed Sumo's ears.

"What's on your mind, son?" Hank asked as he turned off the stove and glanced over at the deviant. "You look pissed."

"I am pissed. It's not fair."

"You're talking about that poor baby being passed around and ending up in a shitty situation, aren't you?"

"Why did that happen?" Connor asked angrily. His hands were clenching into tight fists at his sides as he spoke. "Her mother wanted to keep her, but the grandparents took her away simply because of her young age. And instead of going back to her mother after the grandparents died she was placed with a repugnant, abusive person, TWICE, simply because he was older than the mother."

"I told you once before that the system's broken. It's going to take decades to get everything cleaned up."

"The court would rather let that helpless child reside in the custody of selfish people like that, but not let deviants adopt out a misplaced sense of deviants somehow not being adequate caregivers." Connor was getting riled up and it was evident in his soulful brown eyes. "That nanny nearly died protecting the baby, but that doesn't count toward anything. It's all-"

"Connor." Hank raised his voice to keep the deviant from getting too heated about something he couldn't change or control. "Sit."

Squaring his jaw Connor gave Hank a briefly defiant stare before he sat down at the kitchen table as Hank had requested.

"Son, you can't fix all the wrongs in the world overnight. And some people are just so fucking blind to the way the world is and have convinced themselves that some other twisted form of reality exists. That's what holds back progress." Trying to offer some comforting words Hank sympathized with Connor's righteous ire. "I know it isn't easy to accept, but for now there's really nothing more we can do to change the laws."

"That's bullshit!"

"Yeah, son. It is."

"It needs to be changed!"

"I agree, but we can't change the law overnight. You know this."

"...That doesn't mean I have to agree with it." Feeling frustrated by the pressing matters of the Quondam case and being emotionally overwhelmed by the case he had just handled that afternoon, Connor was ready to either blow up or throw a punch. "Things need to change for the better and not just be accepted as they are."

Hank wasn't feeling that much better than Connor, but he had more experience with both handling emotions and handling cold cases than the deviant. "I know you don't want to hear this right now, and probably won't believe me, but sooner rather than later everything will work out for you."

"I want to believe that, I really do. Yet it feels like every time I feel confident in something it's taken away from. I've discovered that nothing crushes your heart more than disappointment. I don't want to hope for anything only to have disappointment hurt me again."

"Please don't give up hope, kid." The urgency in Hank's voice was completely sincere. "I promise you that everything will be okay."

Blowing out a slow breath Connor sank back in his chair and let Sumo rest his chin over his knee. "Sometimes it's really hard to hold on to hope when it feels broken promises are your only memories. Words don't hold much weight when no one is really listening."

"I know. Just don't let people like that asshole break you down, son. You're a hell of a lot stronger than fucked up people like that."

Sumo whimpered and licked the right side of Connor's hand as he wagged his tail happily in agreement.

"Yeah... Sure." Connor looked down at the massive dog at his side and managed a weak grin. It was like even Sumo was trying to remind him hold on and to not give up on hope. "I'll try to hang on to hope, dad. For a little while longer."

"Good to hear. Don't give up on the world just yet. It's not all that bad."

"Yes it is." Connor lamented in a depressingly low voice. "But I understand what you're saying."

-next chapter-