Sitting on the couch with his coin gracefully tossing back and forth between his hands Connor watched as a breaking news report on the television depicted a string of seemingly random acts of vandalism throughout the city that was putting everyone on edge. A new trend of causing temporary blackouts with the use of projectile E.M.P.'s had resulted in numerous stores being robbed, and thousands of dollars in private property destruction throughout the entire city. The police were looking into the violent acts but had little evidence to work with as the security footage of the stores that had been targeted first had been destroyed by the E.M.P. which rendered the footage almost completely useless.
Connor was intrigued by the crime spree and was attempting to deduce the identities of the vandals himself with the vague information being provided by the news, as well as the grainy salvaged security footage to try to gather clues. It was as if his instincts as a detective were so deeply ingrained in his psyche that despite resigning his commission the loyal deviant was compelled to look into the case and aid his colleagues at the precinct.
Cybernetically Connor used what small amounts of the security footage had been saved and provided to the media to try and isolate a pattern and his patience eventually paid off.
"That could be it. I must inform Hank of this detail."
Sending a cybernetic message to the senior detective, who was surely busily attempting to solve the same case at the precinct at that very moment, Connor put all of his information together and sent it to Hank's personal terminal. Sending him the same spliced together footage he had gained from the news coverage and highlighting the portions of the footage that had caught his attention, Connor made sure to give Hank all the information he'd need to get a warrant to identify the correct suspects.
'The red pick-up truck; a 2031 Dodge Ruse with a partial license plate ending with 248 is the culprit. The truck can be seen in the frame of the external security camera footage just seconds before the E.M.P. hits at every known location. It is the same truck at every noted location, and it appears to have the same driver behind the wheel each time as well.'
After sending the message Connor stopped fussing with the coin as it spun in a perfect circle on its side over his index fingertip and quickly caught the coin in his fist before pocketing it.
"I hope the vandals are caught before they do any additional harm to the city."
Looking over at Sumo who was napping peacefully on his back on his pillow in the corner of the livingroom with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth and his four legs curled up slightly in the air, Connor patted the side of his leg and called the dog over to him. The way Sumo could relax and nap anywhere was almost envious.
"Sumo, come. Ready to go for a walk?"
Sumo bolted awake and flipped over from his back and onto his belly in a matter of seconds. Wagging his tail happily Sumo stretched out his body and yawned before trotting over to Connor and pressing his nose against the deviant's right hand expectantly.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'."
Rubbing his hand over Sumo's ears Connor rose from the couch and walked over to the front door while Sumo followed at his side excitedly. Slipping on his leather jacket and taking the leash from the hook by the front door, Connor clipped the lead to Sumo's leather collar then opened the front door much to the dog's delight. Stepping out into the slightly warmer weather as spring loomed just around the corner Connor proceeded to lead Sumo down the sidewalk to take their usual route on their daily walk around the block.
"It's warming up. Good."
Connor stated as he felt the gentle kiss of an impending spring pass by his cheek.
"The cold is very uncomfortable to endure."
As the duo enjoyed the quiet afternoon and turned the corner of the block Connor received a response from Hank confirming his suspicion of the red pick-up truck to be sound. There was an A.P.B. issued for the truck and its occupants for questioning. Even while he was away from the precinct Connor was helpful all the same.
Satisfied that he was able to assist in the case despite having resigned from the precinct Connor found himself contemplating his possible return to the precinct in general. He had been programmed to assist the precinct as a detective and had subsequently remained a detective even after becoming a deviant. Connor had initially found the work to be intriguing and it made him feel as though he were a productive member of society, but after losing two people had become close to; both losses being attributed to his work as a detective in way or another, he had lost that desire to continue his chosen career path.
Maybe it time for him to return. But one question was still burning in Connor's mind: Did the precinct need him? Did anyone need him to resume his career as a detective? Would it make a difference?
Reaching the large dog park that he always took Sumo to for a few minutes of play, Connor was alone in both the park and with his thoughts. The still relatively cold weather kept most people indoors and very few people visited the park until after the snow had completely melted.
"Perhaps I should mention my career dilemma with my therapist. She may be able to assist me in making my final decision."
Suddenly from down the street behind Connor the sound of screeching tires caught his ears, and he turned around quickly as the frantic commotion pulled him out of his thoughts and back into reality. He was no longer alone in the park, and the other person was clearly in a hurry for some reason.
"...The red pick-up truck."
Recognizing the speeding vehicle in an instant Connor cybernetically contacted Hank once more and informed him of the truck being sighted and identified the street, the time of the sighting, and the full license plate number that ended in 248 as he had noted earlier. As the truck sped by Connor was able to catch a glimpse of the faces of the two occupants of the vehicle and sent the information to Jack, Chris's deviant partner, to use as additional evidence while patrolling.
The driver's side window quickly rolled down and the barrel of a gun slipped out as the passenger took aim at Connor over the driver's arms. The alert deviant saw the threat immediately and reacted quickly. Sending yet another update Connor confirmed that the men were armed and preconstructed his odds of escaping the gun's line of sight and escaping unharmed.
The odds weren't good.
"Sumo! Come!"
Moving swiftly Connor ducked down behind a nearby tree, dropping the leash to allow Sumo to run if he felt panicked, and endured the loud sound of six bullets being fired all around him. A searing hot pain as a single bullet lodged itself into his left side as it tore through the bark of the shielding tree and found its hidden target with an agonizing accuracy. A surge of electricity flowed through Connor's body and in an instant everything began a painful tingle as the powerful jolt stunted Connor's motions and his processors within seconds.
The streetlamps that lined the sidewalk that encircled the park suddenly burst as electrical surges destroyed the glass bulbs and the compromised wiring caused a shower of yellow and blues sparks, and tiny glass shards to rain down all around Connor and Sumo. Another E.M.P. had been unleashed effectively confirming that the suspects were in fact responsible the chaos overwhelming the city through blackouts and robberies.
The red truck sped away from the scene of the attack just as quickly as it appeared, and Connor slid down the rough trunk of the tree while pulling his legs up to his chest as the wave of controlled electricity surged over his body and radiated from a single point of contact. The cause of his electrical reaction and the destruction of electronics in the immediate area could be linked together by a single source.
The bullet.
Everything suddenly became quiet, and the air stilled.
Thinking quickly and piecing together the odd collection of details he had overwhelmed with during the attack Connor realized to his horror that the projectile E.M.P.'s that had been destroying store fronts and security footage all through the city were being emitted from specially modified bullets. Now one of those very bullets was lodged in his left side, nestled in the pit of his torso after passing dangerously close to his frantically beating heart.
"S-Su-mo."
Connor slurred and stuttered as his voice echoed with a distinctly upsetting electronic reverb. The E.M.P. was wreaking havoc on his programs and basic functions, all the while the delicate shielding in his cranial processor kept his mind from being completely destroyed by the E.M.P. as a result of the rare and effective design.
"G-Go h-h-ome. Go... h-home."
The massive dog returned to Connor's side after having fled from the gunfire and ducking down under a nearby park bench. Sumo whined and sat down in front of Connor refusing to leave the deviant alone and put his large paw down on Connor's knee protectively. The protective dog knew something was wrong and wanted to protect his guardian.
Connor pressed a trembling, uncoordinated hand to his bleeding left side and let out a breathy hiss as the pressure caused the searing pain to flare up with an intense aggression. Instinctively Connor tried to make cybernetic contact with Hank to ask for help but the E.M.P. had severed his cybernetic connections, as well as his ability to run self-diagnostics. Soon his optical units flickered in and out before failing him entirely leaving him blind to the world around him. Convinced his self-healing program was also knocked offline Connor used as much pressure as he could focus to try to stem the heavy bleeding in his side as best as he could until help could arrive.
If help would arrive at all. With the exception of Sumo sitting before himself Connor was entirely alone.
"H-H-Help."
Unable to shout, unable to stand, Connor could only sit against the tree with Sumo whimpering pathetically as he waited for someone; anyone, to find him.
"Pl-Please... I...I need... h-help."
It wasn't long after Connor's cybernetic message regarding the truck's location reached Hank's phone that the senior detective was trying getting to a hold of Connor for more information. Only Hank received silence from the deviant's end of the line with each attempted phone call and text message. There was nothing but static whenever Hank tried to call, and every text message that he sent failed to connect to Connor's private number as if something was blocking it. Instinctively Hank knew that something had happened to Connor and had ordered Gavin to accompany him in his search for the deviant. Hank had an idea of where Connor could be at the moment, and he was determined to make sure that his son was safe.
"Reed." Shouting to the younger detective as Gavin sat behind his desk and signed off on a report, Hank walked past him and motioned to the front doors of the precinct to follow after him. "You're with me."
"Huh?" Barely looking up from the electronic tablet under his hand Gavin seemed almost in a daze from working so many extra hours as of late. "Why?"
"Just move your ass!"
"All right, all right..." Standing up from his chair Gavin grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and slipped the warm garment up and over his arms toward his shoulders as he jogged a few paces to catch up to Hank. "I'm comin'!"
"I got some more information on those assholes destroying the city." Hank finally explained as he and Gavin walked over to the precinct's neighboring parking garage to get in Hank's personal car to drive around in search of Connor. Jerking his door open Hank gave the detective a stern glance and made sure he knew how serious the situation had become. "Connor found something and gave me the details, then he got all quiet after reporting a direct sighting of the suspects."
"Do androids lose signal?" The question wasn't sarcastic, it was sincere. Fastening his seatbelt Gavin watched as Hank turned the key in the ignition and quickly pulled the car out of the parking garage and on to the street. "I mean, it's not like a missed call necessarily spells doom and gloom."
"In this city all the only thing that makes any sense is doom and gloom."
Driving as quickly as he could through the streets to get out to the park where Connor had reported the shooting, Hank quickly located the street that Connor had identified when he reported seeing the truck and Gavin ordered a patrol car to check the immediate area along with them. It had only been a few minutes between Connor contacting Hank and the deviant suddenly going dark. If the deviant was still in the area, then Hank knew he'd find him.
"Come on, kid." Hank tried again and again to make contact with Connor on his phone, but his texts and his calls went unanswered. "Where the fuck-"
The red pick-up truck sped through a stop sign and nearly broadsided Hank's car as it slammed on the brakes and tried to reverse as quickly as possible as the requested patrol car also reached the area from the adjacent intersection. Had Hank not been on his guard he surely would've been struck.
"Fuck!" Hank cranked the wheel to turn onto the street to pursue the fleeing vehicle. "Radio it in! We found 'em!"
"Already on it!" Gavin grabbed onto his radio and reopened the line to make the report to dispatch. "Just don't lose those assholes!"
Chasing after the car Hank felt a twinge of guilt for changing his priority away from Connor and toward the two worthless criminals. The pursuit of the truck was quickly joined by the requested patrol car and a second patrol car joined in on the chase shortly after. With three vehicles and soon after four aerial drones all in pursuit of the truck, it didn't take long for the news helicopters to begin circling overhead and reporting on the incident as the high speed chase became the number one news story of the afternoon.
"Sorry, son. I'll find you as soon as I can."
Glancing up at the news helicopters through the front windshield Hank shook his head and let out an annoyed sigh at the intrusive and noisy vehicle hovering overhead. They didn't need the media looming overhead while they were still trying to arrest the dangerous suspects.
"Fucking vultures... Go find a carcass!"
The modified E.M.P. bullet had caused considerable damage to the Connor's entire being. In an attempt to compensate for his extreme pain and sudden physical limitations, Connor breathed rapidly and nearly panted as the lingering shock of the E.M.P. was causing his systems to overheat. The relentless pain in his left side stole what few breaths he managed to take as he pressed his hand as firmly as he could to his bleeding side. Unable to speak, unable to issue a cybernetic distress call for help or even move a synthetic muscle, all Connor could do was lean back against the course tree trunk and fight through the searing ache that was burning throughout his body.
Sumo whimpered and paced back and forth anxiously in front of Connor, his leash dragging on the partially snowy grass behind him. Pressing his nose against the side of Connor's face the dog whimpered again and tried to get Connor to move and respond.
"...S-Sumo."
As he spoke Connor could feel Thirium oozing down his chin from the corner of his mouth. He was beginning to bleed internally and the blood was collecting in his ventilation biocomponents.
"S-S-Sit."
The usually obedient dog refused to do so, and he continued to push his head under Connor's arm as if trying to get him to stand up.
"...S-S-S..." Connor stammered again with a reverb in his voice as he tried to get Sumo to let him be alone for a moment. "S-Sit."
Sumo backed away from Connor with a pathetic whine and looked about as if a strange sound had caught his ears. Looking in the direction of the curious noise Sumo trotted off down the nearby sidewalk and proceeded to bark loudly. The dog had been excited by something.
"S...S...Su...mo?"
The barking grew quieter as Sumo trotted off and away from Connor only to suddenly grow louder again as Sumo returned to Connor within a single minute.
"Connor?!"
An unexpectedly familiar voice raced up to him and was immediately kneeling down at his left side. Pressing his hand down atop Connor's hand Simon tried to apply more pressure to the still bleeding wound as he ran a scan over the affected deviant's system.
"Oh, Connor... You were shot."
"S-S-Si...mon?"
"Easy, try not to talk." Pressing his free hand over Connor's too warm forehead Simon grimaced and slid the same hand down over Connor's chest to feel his frantic heartbeat. "Your systems are going crazy. I need to get you stable before I even try to help you move."
Connor swallowed once but failed to reply as the Thirium that was collecting in his throat from a damaged line in his core was choking off his voice. Sumo loyally returned to Connor's side and licked the side of his face as he finally sat down and watched as the blond technician began checking over Connor's condition.
Moving quickly and professionally Simon pulled Connor's legs down so they were stretched straight out before himself, then unzipped and peeled back the fabric of Connor's leather jacket. It was then he was greeted by a massive stain of dark blue blood blossoming from Connor's left side, over his abdomen and partially up his chest. Lifting up the hem of Connor's blood stained gray t-shirt Simon fully exposed the bullet wound beneath and grimaced at the sight.
The bleeding bullet hole in Connor's side was outlined by a large missing patch of artificial skin allowing the stained plastimetal frame underneath to be visible. Inside the wound, damaged Thirium lines continued to bleed as small blue sparks erupted from inside the wound itself.
"Damn, this is bad. Who in the hell shot you?"
Connor's blinded eyes began to drift close, and his head lolled limply to the side.
"No." Simon put his hand under Connor's cheek and turned the deviant's head so that he was looking directly at his closed eyes again. "Connor, stay awake. I've contacted emergency services, and an ambulance is coming. Stay awake!"
"...S..." Connor tried again to speak but the effects of the E.M.P. had completely damaged his voice. "...Si...mon. St-t-ay. B-B-Back."
"Why do I have to get back?" Using his thumb Simon carefully lifted up Connor's eyelids one at a time and saw that his eyes were glazing over and that the normally brown irises were beginning to fade into an opaque pale blue as the whites darkened until completely black. "You can't see. Do you know who shot you?"
"...T-T-Truck. Driver sh-shot me. E... M... P."
"You were struck with an E.M.P.?" At that revelation Simon immediately tensed up and realized how serious the situation truly was. "All right, hold on. I'll get you patched up. Okay?"
The siren of the approaching android-unique ambulance filled the air and Simon stood up long enough to wave the emergency vehicle over to the location where Connor was helplessly sitting up against the tree and slowly bleeding out. Crouching back down in front of the wounded deviant Simon kept his fingertips pressed to the side Connor's cold neck to monitor his pulse until help arrived.
"Help is here, we'll take you to Skye Tower instead of a facility, okay? I know you don't like facilities, so I'll help you at the tower."
"...S-S-Si-mon. I'm... s-s-s-s-orr...y."
"'Sorry'? Sorry for what?"
Connor's eyes remained open despite not being able to see as his head and body suddenly went limp and became heavy from a total failure of strength. Sumo whimpered again and pawed at Connor's leg as Simon carefully moved Connor until he was lying flat on the grass on his back. Applying pressure to the bleeding wound Simon tried to offer some words of encouragement to his downed ally even as his consciousness slipped away thanks to his emergency stasis mode kicking on.
There was a sudden jerk of Connor's entire body as his Thirium pump seized in his chest and his body relaxed as his processors began to shut down one by one courtesy of the extensive damage. The electrical interference caused by the E.M.P. had does its damage.
"Connor?"
Unable to detect a pulse the technician responded quickly and didn't wait for the emergency technicians speeding to the scene to take the initiative.
"You're not going to die today." Simon challenged as the ambulance pulled up to the sidewalk and the two android technicians climbed out of the back with the gurney between them. "You're going to make it."
Sensing his master's distress Sumo whined and nervously pawed at the ground as he watched Simon fight to save Connor's life.
Reacting as he would with any other damaged deviant Simon placed one hand over the top of the other into a single fist in the center of Connor's still chest and began compressions. Simon tried to force Connor's stopped Thirium pump back in to forced motion manually until he could find a way to correct the electrical interference destroying Connor's system.
"We need an external Thirium pump pacer." Simon shouted with authority to the two responding E.F.T's arriving at the scene. "He's gone into full Thirial arrest, and he has a bullet lodged in his left side. He's also been stunned by an E.M.P. blast; exercise extreme caution."
As the two human technicians began to assist Simon in reviving Connor the blond deviant made a reluctant cybernetic call to Hank to let him know what was happening with Connor and where he was going to be taken for treatment. It was too risky for Simon to be near Connor while the E.M.P. bullet was still active for too much longer.
"Don't give up on us."
Simon pleaded as the technicians tore away Connor's bloody t-shirt and placed the single wireless sensor pad over the center of Connor's exposed chest, just under Simon's compressing hands. The Thirial pacer connected to the Thirial pump simulator - the equivalent to a cardiac pacer for humans - was set to two-hundred Joules and began sending controlled shocks to Connor's stopped heart forcing it to beat once more. In response Connor's body jerked slightly with each forced beat of his stopped heart.
The sight of Connor being fussed over by the E.F.T.'s and prepared for transportation made Simon pine for the security of his own emergency repair bay within New Jericho Tower. He was always in control inside his own bay, but out in the middle of the park he was as helpless as Connor laying at his feet.
"Stay strong, Connor. Your friends and family still need you."
The chase in midtown came to an abrupt and destructive end as the red pick-up truck was forced off the road and crashed into a streetlamp on the corner of the street the suspects had fled down. With their guns drawn and with back-up right at the scene, Hank and Gavin approached the forcibly stopped truck as the two men exited the wrecked vehicle with their hands held in the air to surrender peacefully. Using one hand to get his cuffs from the back of his belt and his other hand to keep the gun trained on the driver of the vehicle, Hank ordered the man to turn around, kneel on the ground and to put his hands on the back of his head. The arrest would only bring Hank so much peace of mind until he knew what happened to Connor at the park.
"Don't move, asshole!" Hank holstered his gun quickly and slapped the cuffs around the man's wrists one at a time as Gavin did the same to the passenger of the truck. With the two men now restrained Hank ordered the other responding officers to take the lead and take the two arrested suspects into custody on their behalf. "Make sure these two morons don't do anything else stupid on my watch."
"Yes, Captain!" One of the attending back-up officers complied readily as he grabbed the driver by the shoulder to lead him away, his partner doing the same for the passenger of the offending vehicle. "We got 'em."
Running his hand through his locks of gray hair Hank returned to his car and grabbed his phone that had been left on the dashboard. As he picked up the device, he saw a missed call from Simon and a knot tightened in the pit of his stomach. He instinctively knew the call was about Connor.
"Shit." Listening to the voice message that had been left for him Hank shouted at Gavin and waved him over at the car. "Reed! Get your ass over here, NOW."
"What now?" Gavin snipped as he jogged over to the car and slipped his gun back into his own holster. "What's going on?"
"Connor's been fuckin' shot."
"What?!" Without another question Gavin tore open the passenger side door and proceeded to call Abby to get some information on what had happened to the deviant across town. He just knew that Abby would be the one to take care of Connor that day. "Son of a bitch, if it isn't one problem it's another..."
"He's at Skye Tower being treated." Hank stated firmly as he pulled the car away from the scene of the arrest and made his way toward the designated building as fast as he could get the car to go. His every instinct as a father overrode any responsibility he had as an officer of the law for the moment as his son was far more important than two violent idiots looting stores and causing mayhem. "And I can guarantee you those fuckin' assholes are the ones who shot him today.
"And if they did, they'll spend the rest of the days behind bars."
"That's if I don't break their necks first..."
Still in emergency stasis mode Connor was oblivious to the world around him as he was wheeled into the emergency repair bay of Skye Tower with Simon still at his side. Simon was using an ambubag to force cool air into Connor's artificial lungs while the external Thirial stimulator sent controlled electronic pulses into his stunned heart to force it to beat until the disrupting electrical interference could be fully eliminated. Pale from low power mode and Thirium loss, Connor looked as though he was on his deathbed and just waiting for his last rites. The location of the bullet was proving itself to be very effective at creating maximum damage with minimum effort, and there was nothing that Connor do to help himself.
Abby was on call with Dr. Wilson when Connor was wheeled inside and the two were already preparing to deal with the internal hemorrhaging that Simon had reported en route to the tower. Getting the call from Gavin a moment before saved Abby some time as she knew that Hank was already on his way to find Connor.
"Simon, don't touch him."
Abby warned as she ran a scan over Connor's body with her internal viewing screen and noted the unusual electrical activity occurring within his core. Using the viewing screen in a sweeping motion over Connor's abdomen Abby located the bullet that had become lodged in the deviant's artificial stomach near the center of his torso. With the discovery of the bullet, she also pinpointed the source of the ongoing electrical disturbance that was causing Connor's pump to stop.
"The bullet is holding a strong electrical charge. I think it's an E.M.P. device."
"The E.M.P. is inside of him?" Simon took a step back and allowed Dr. Wilson to take over breathing for Connor. The ongoing electrical interference easily explained Connor's negative reaction and vital signs, but there was one thing that didn't add up. "I wasn't affected by the E.M.P. when I was treating him out in the park. Why?"
"The charge had dissipated since its initial contact and Connor's design was one of stealth and internal investigations. He is far more prone to electrical interference than most other deviants, but you can still be affected if you try to operate on him or come into direct contact with the bullet. Keep away."
"All right." Backing toward the doorway of the emergency repair ward, Simon reluctantly passed Connor's care over to Abby. Considering Abby's condition made her rather delicate, Simon hated having to leave the area in order to keep himself safe. "I'll leave this to you."
"It's fine, Simon." Abby insisted as she nodded at Dr. Wilson across the gurney from where she was standing. "I have a star student to assist me today."
"Okay. I'll be outside." Reluctantly Simon took his leave of the emergency repair bay along with the other emergency responding technicians. "Hopefully Captain Anderson is already here. If he is, I'll let him know what's happening."
"Dr. Wilson," Abby turned to the kind doctor to begin teaching him in a literal hands-on manner. "attach the wireless leads of our stationary Thirial activity monitor to Connor's chest. We need to get a fresh reading on his vitals."
"Right." Falling back to his time as an intern obeying his attending, Dr. Wilson easily followed Abby's instructions without fail. Removing the leads from the portable monitor and replacing them with the new leads Dr. Wilson continued to help Connor breathe until his ventilation program resumed on its own. "And if we're going to be working together you can just call me 'Caleb'."
"Okay." Abby replied somewhat curtly as she motioned for him to step back and then set about straightening Connor's neck and slipping an intubation tube down the deviant's air intake line. "I'll be sure to remember that. Make sure the external stimulator is still functioning at two-hundred Joules."
"The charge is holding steady."
"Good. At least something is..."
Dr. Wilson eyed Abby's every movement carefully and took notes of her process as she checked Connor's vital signs and proceeded to intubate Connor before hooking him up to the external ventilator to aid his breathing. It was all entirely necessary until he could breathe on his own once more. The skilled technician worked diligently and with absolute precision as she took charge of Connor's treatment and explained everything that she was going to the doctor who was seeking training and education to become a part time android technician.
"This won't be a complicated procedure." Abby promised as she wheeled over the delicate metal tools used for internal android repairs and replacements. The monitor attached to Connor displayed his wavering vitals as the E.M.P. bullet continued to interfere with his biocomponent functions and Abby had to rely more on her instincts as a technician than the monitor in that moment. "We need to get the bullet out, put it in a shielded case and keep it away from any and all androids. Afterward the police will take it into evidence and disable the E.M.P. far away from us."
"And the repairs?"
"It's only his artificial stomach that requires immediate repair." Showing the doctor the image on the internal viewing screen Abby demonstrated how to manually deactivate android artificial skin to prevent any need to cut into the skin that would subsequently cause more bleeding. "The rest of the repairs will be done by Connor's self-healing program as his systems reboot and recalibrate."
"All right." Eager to save Connor's life Dr. Wilson couldn't help but think of how he had saved Connor once before during a freak accident at his hospital and of how back then he had to repair the deviant's artificial stomach. Now he'd have to do it all over again. "Show me how to get started."
Impatient as ever Hank was standing in the lobby of the tower with Gavin as he waited for any information on Connor. There were other deviant volunteers walking the hall and a few refugees from the camp who were resting in the community room as they contemplated returning to the city and a couple of young teenagers huddled together in the kitchen area after running away from abusive homes. The tower was finally beginning to fill up as those seeking help found their way to the sanctuary and took shelter. It was exactly what Connor had wanted and Hank knew that the deviant would be pleased to know that those who needed help found their way to the tower.
Gavin looked around the relatively quiet lobby as he wandered about the first floor curiously and returned to Hank with his arms crossed over his chest. He hadn't been to the tower until that day, and he had to admit that he was genuinely impressed.
"Damn. This place is nicer than most of the hotels I've stayed in."
"Connor didn't hold back." The senior detective replied in a low voice. "He wanted to make sure everyone who needed help could get that help, and he made sure everyone felt safe and comfortable while here. Hell, he saved Markus's life just three weeks ago by having this place just existing."
"I'll admit it, I'm impressed." The sight of the people seeking help and actually getting it made Gavin's heart swell. "No wonder Abby keeps coming here to work. It's pretty great here."
"She's here now?"
"Yeah. Thirty-three weeks pregnant and still working." Running his hand over the back of his neck Gavin cleared his throat nervously. "Uh, she isn't going to hurt herself or the baby by doing that, is she? You know, stress and all that shit."
"No." Hank replied dryly as he stared at the white marble floor beneath his feet and leaned against the receptionist desk heavily. Hank had watched Barbara work behind her desk at the precinct until she was sixteen weeks pregnant with Cole and knew that some women were bound and determined to help other people no matter what the cost. "Barb worked while pregnant, remember? Abby's probably safer here than anywhere else right now anyway."
"Cap- Hank," Gavin stated in a calm voice just above a whisper to avoid drawing any attention from the wandering volunteers keeping track of everything in the building. "you know that he's going to be okay. Connor's been knocked on his ass more times than I can remember, and he always gets back up."
"Yeah? Well how times has he done that after-"
The elevator doors slid open and Simon approached the two detectives warily, stopping Hank mid question. "Captain Anderson."
"Simon, for the hundredth time call me 'Hank'." Standing before the blond technician Hank dared to ask a new question. "How's Connor doing?"
"I won't lie to you, it's bad. He was shot with an E.M.P. bullet."
"Fuck!" Swearing loudly Hank put his hands to his hips and began pacing about anxiously while the other people in the tower flinched at Hank's raised voice. It was only when they saw Hank's stress did they realize he wasn't a threat, he was just scared. "I knew those bastards in the truck targeted him."
"The bullet lodged in his artificial stomach and caused excessive bleeding." Simon went right into detail to bring Hank up to speed. "The E.M.P. is interfering with a majority of programs and basic functions making it harder for his body to heal."
"Why are you down here? Why aren't you up there helping Connor?"
"I can't be near the bullet once it's removed from his body. The E.M.P. is still active and it can harm other androids."
"Son of-" Pressing his palm to his forehead Hank stared at the blond deviant technician impatiently. "Okay. So, Abby is working on him, right?"
"Yes. She is being assisted by Dr. Wilson."
"Okay, that eases my mind a little."
"It won't take long to remove the bullet and repair the damage; an hour at the most." Simon explained calmly and honestly where he stood. "But he'll be unconscious for an extended period of time until his system and processor fully reboots."
"Any permanent damage?"
"That has yet to be seen."
Gavin spoke up timidly as he finally addressed the deviant he had never met until that moment. "Will that E.M.P. shit hurt Abby or the baby?"
"No. She's safe, the E.M.P. won't harm her or affect her pregnancy." Simon confirmed as he gave the younger detective a stern look. "If she were in any danger here then Connor wouldn't have allowed her to volunteer her services while she's still pregnant."
"Y-Yeah... Good." That made sense but Gavin hadn't even considered it until simon said something. "Good to know."
"Oh, one other thing." Simon walked over to one of the private rooms and pressed his hand to electronic panel to open the door. Sumo trotted out of the room and promptly sat down at Hank's feet and whimpered once. "I didn't know what to do with your dog, but the technicians were willing to let him ride in the front of the ambulance cab. I put him in here until he could be taken back to the house."
"Oh. Thanks." Hank rubbed Sumo's ears and looked at the leash still attached to Sumo's collar. "Looks like your walk got interrupted, huh, boy?" Grabbing onto the leash's handle Hank handed it over to Gavin. "Why don't you take Sumo into the community room. I'm sure someone would like a friendly dog to pet and work out some anxiety."
"Yeah, no problem. Uh, blond-guy." Gavin turned to look at Simon and gave him an odd glance as he accepted the leash from Hank. "Simon, right?"
"Yes." Simon confirmed with an equally odd glance. "That's right."
"Once that bullet is removed find me so I can take it in as evidence. Hank will get Connor's statement."
"Yeah, of course."
Mindful of his allergies Gavin walked away from the lobby with Sumo slowly following after him as the detective introduced him to the scared teenagers in the next room. The frightened youths seemed to relax at the sight of the massive bundle of fluff wagging his tail and seeking love from anyone willing to pet his head or rub his chin, which in turn gave the entire area a much lighter and happier feeling.
Alone with Hank and understanding Connor's preference for discretion, Simon addressed the senior detective in a low voice. "When Connor was injured he apologized to me, and I don't understand what for. Do you know why?"
"Uh..." Hank was aware that Connor had a misplaced chip on his shoulder after Skye's death, but he didn't want to say anything definitive. It wasn't Simon's fault that Skye didn't pull through and he didn't want to imply such an ugly thing by accident. "I have an idea, but I don't want to jump to conclusions."
"Should I ask him about it?"
"Honestly? No. I'd let it go." Giving the blond technician a friendly pat on the shoulder Hank let out a tired sigh. "If anything, he'll tell you himself once he feels up to talking about things. The kid's emotions get pretty complicated from time to time."
"All right. I'll follow your advice." Nervously wringing his hands together before himself Simon noted the time on his internal chronometer and gave Hank a despondently regretful stare. "I should be heading back to New Jericho Tower. There may have been other deviants affected by the E.M.P. bullets that could need my help."
"Sure, go ahead. But I gotta' ask you something before you go." Eyeing Simon curiously Hank presented him a very important question. "How did you find Connor anyway? The tower and the dog park aren't exactly next door, you know."
"To be honest with you, I was walking downtown to buy something special for Josh." The deviant's hand went for a small square box tucked into his jean pocket and held it in a tight fist for a moment. "And Sumo caught my attention before leading me back to the park. That's how I found Connor."
"Good timing then."
"I'm just glad I was able to help."
"Yeah, you did great Simon. I'll let you know as soon as Connor is awake."
"Thanks... If there's any other deviant that's been affected by the E.M.P. bullets, I'll send a notice to the precinct so you can add as many charges to the shooters as possible."
"Any additional charges will guarantee a lengthy prison sentence." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank gave Simon an approving nod at the notion of extending the shooters' sentences to the maximum degree. "That sounds good to me."
Weak and on the verge of total shutdown Connor was completely still and unresponsive on the repair table as the two technicians worked to save his life. As his heart was still being externally forced into motion by the stimulator, and his breaths were being forced into his artificial lungs thanks the external ventilator, Connor was completely at the mercy of those all around him. Still partially covered in his own blood Connor looked as though he had been assaulted and left in a gutter to die alone. Had he not been found by Simon when he had, there was little doubt that Connor would've shut down at the park and wouldn't have been found for several hours after his heart had stopped. Successful revival after such a shutdown was very rare.
Diligently Abby had managed to locate the bullet in Connor's stomach and had a hold of the meddlesome projectile between a pair of metal forceps. She slowly pulled it out of the affected vital biocomponent, and Dr. Wilson proceeded to follow her guidance and repair the damage to the stomach before restoring flow to the main Thirium line connected to the artificial stomach.
"Okay... The bullet is out." Abby announced as she dropped the modified bullet into a special metal box that was internally shielded to keep the E.M.P. from affecting anything else around it. The bullet fell into the box with an audible 'tink' that echoed through repair ward. "Now we just need to repair the damaged biocomponent, replenish his lost Thirium, and get his heart beating unassisted."
"Have you treated many androids with gunshot wounds?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Even before androids showed signs of deviancy a lot of androids were cruelly used as target practice by their drunk, violent owners or used as initiation fodder for gang members."
"Sounds like a lot of troubled teens that end up in my E.R. all too often." The common ground was the kind that Dr. Wilson never wanted to tread when it came to working with a new colleague. "It's a horrible shame."
"With any luck the future generations won't need people like us to protect them from terrible people like that." Subconsciously Abby pressed her hand against the side of her pregnant belly and held it there for a moment as she felt strong kicks. "Humans and androids deserve to live in peace."
"Why don't you take a rest?" Dr. Wilson offered to take care of everything as he finished sealing the hole in Connor's stomach and poured decontaminating chrism over the repaired biocomponent carefully. He knew that Abby was uncomfortable and as a doctor he didn't want to see Abby accidentally strain herself while so far into her pregnancy. "I can manage from here."
"I know you've operated on Connor and a few other androids before, but I don't like leaving my students unattended."
"Fair enough. Show me what's next in proper technical assistance." Dr. Wilson smiled sincerely at the determined woman's fiery spirit. "It's an honor to learn from the master, Dr. Grayson. Er, sorry, Abby."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere Caleb," Abby arched her brow at him as she rolled over the Thirial stimulator; the android defibrillator, to give Connor's heart a shock. "but keep trying. It's good for my confidence while I'm sporting a massive gut."
Dr. Wilson took a step back and watched as Abby manually closed off Connor's abdominal cavity and motioned to the painful bullet hole in the plastimetal frame at his side. Picking up a small soldering iron next to the other technical tools that had been used to extract the bullet and repair the internal damage she began to carefully seal the hole in the frame with a controlled motion. Within seconds the frame was a smooth and intact surface that looked like it had never been damaged.
"Now, just as before." Abby pulled away the iron and wiped away the residual scorch marks with a wad of gauze dipped in sterilized saline. "You press your fingertips against the right temple and put your hand down over the closed panel to regenerate the artificial skin."
Following Abby's instructions just as he had done with his attending back when he was still a medical student, Dr. Wilson managed to successfully replace the artificial skin; skin that was still paler than usual due to low power mode, and then awaited his next instructions.
"And here's the challenging part." Powering up the stimulator Abby stepped back from the table and put both hands over her distended belly to ensure she was completely clear of the table. "Jump starting his heart. Normally I'd do it but," rubbing her belly she gave the doctor a knowing look. "I can't exactly reach without some part of me accidentally making contact with his body these days."
"I completely understand." Dr. Wilson picked up the two stimulator paddles with confidence and placed them down over Connor's chest just as he would do for a human. "Same positions, correct?"
"Yup. I'll turn off the pacer and you start him at two-hundred Joules." As she removed the pacer's wireless pad from Connor's chest Abby took a cautious step back and gave Dr. Wilson a nod of approval. "Work your way up only if he doesn't respond to the first two attempts."
"Okay."
"Sending charge." Abby announced as she turned on the stimulator and set it to its designated charge. "Go."
Dr. Wilson did as he was instructed and watched as Connor had the same reaction as a human getting defibrillated at the hospital. Connor's back arched slightly as the controlled jolt surged through his stopped heart and attempted to get the electrically affected biocomponent to beat on its own. As his body relaxed down on the table the Thirial activity monitor showed that his heart still wasn't beating on its own.
"No conversion." Dr. Wilson noted the lack of response on the monitor and tried again. "Sending a second charge."
Once again Dr. Wilson shocked Connor's heart and waited for a response. This time there was a faint 'blip' on the monitor as Connor's heart managed to beat a single time without any assistance.
"Come on, come on..." Abby stared at the monitor and waited for another beat. As the beat slowly but surely appeared on the monitor it was quickly followed by additional beats until he reached a steady and stable rhythm. "That's it. Man, I'm so glad it's so much easier to restart an android heart than it is to get a human heart going."
"Yeah..." Dr. Wilson agreed as he put aside the stimulator paddles and patted Connor's chest twice. "Not every heart can be literally jumpstarted like that."
"Almost done." Returning to the table with one hand still cradling her belly Abby noted Connor's stable vital signs and prepared to take the next step. "Extubate him and see if he breathes on his own."
"If he doesn't?"
"Then we monitor him for overheating. If does begin to overheat then he'll have to be intubated again until he has the strength to breathe on his own and maintain his core temperature properly. We'll also use external cooling measures such as cooling blankets and ice packs as well."
"I thought android anatomy was meant to be simpler than human anatomy."
"Yeah-fuckin'-right." Putting her other hand to the middle of her aching back Abby sighed and looked up at the ceiling as if expecting to see a sign. "Nothing is ever as simple as it seems."
From the doorway of the community room Hank leaned against the frame with his arms still crossed over his chest as he watched the runaway teenagers playing with Sumo and talking to a volunteering social worker about their traumatic pasts. Sumo loved all of the extra attention and the friendly dog did wonders to help ease the tension in the air for the frightened kids as he rolled around like a goofball and wagged his tail happily. It seemed even Sumo wanted to help as many people as possible in the same way that Connor did. It was a sweet sight to see frightened teenagers and even deviants managing a weak smile as Sumo went around the community room to greet everyone in turn with slobbery kisses.
Gavin had rejoined Hank in the lobby from the community room and was pacing about anxiously as he desperately wanted to check in on Abby, but he didn't want to barge in on any emergency procedures taking place. Ever since Gavin learned he was going to be a father he began to mellow out considerably and stop being so abrasive, and yet he still refused to admit that he was nervous about the whole thing and was asking Hank for help since he never had a good father while growing up.
"Gavin," keeping his voice to a low growl Hank glanced at the younger detective over his shoulder with great annoyance. "sit down."
"I can't."
"Jeez, if you're this nervous while she's still pregnant, then how're you going to handle it when she's actually in labor?"
"I... I'll deal with it."
"I don't know anything about your parents, but from what I can tell you had a less than ideal father."
"Yeah," his fingertips subconsciously traced over the all too noticeable scar stretching over his face and the bridge of his nose. "something like that."
"You won't turn into your father once you have a kid of your own." Hank stated with a firm but gentle tone as he turned around completely to face the pacing detective before him. "You aren't doomed to make the same mistakes he made with you. Those types of patterns CAN be broken."
"...I know." Gavin stopped suddenly and gave Hank a silent but appreciative glance. "I'll do whatever it takes to remember that when my own kid gets here."
Before either detective could make another comment the elevator doors opened, and Abby stepped out slowly with a metal box in her hands. Walking straight up to Gavin she placed the box in his hands and put her index fingertip over his lips to preemptively silence him.
"Here's the bullet. I'm fine. The baby's fine." Abby addressed Gavin in a terse but understanding tone. "Stop worrying. Go to the precinct."
Gavin nodded at her and was rewarded with a kiss to his lips as Abby pulled her hand back.
"Good man. Go do your thing and make sure those jackasses stay locked up for as long as possible."
"Yeah, no problem." Seeing Abby being her usually fiery self made Gavin's tension fade considerably. "I'm on it, babe." Turning on his heels Gavin gave Hank a quick nod of the head as he pulled his phone from his pocket and called Tina at the precinct to swing by the tower to pick him up out front. "We got the bullet, Ti'. Let's nail those bastards to the wall!"
"Connor?" Hank asked in a level tone as he looked to Abby worriedly while Gavin left the tower. "Is he okay?"
"He's resting and he's going to be just fine. You should know better than anyone else that a bullet can't stop Connor."
"Thank fuck."
"Come on." Taking hold of Hank's arm casually, Abby pulled him toward the kitchen area a few yards away from the lobby and leaned against Hank's side for some support as she walked. "He'll be out of it for a while, so you can treat me to lunch, and I can tell you what's going on with him."
"Sounds fair enough. I've been curious about the kind of food that his place has to offer anyway."
The recovery ward was quiet for the single recovering patient's own comfort. As a horrifyingly intense searing pain in his left side throbbed without mercy, Connor was roused from his deep stasis mode and immediately clutched at his healing side protectively. Almost instantly Connor's palm met thick gauze to ensure that his repaired side remain free of foreign matter as it fealed, but it didn't do anything ease his understandable discomfort. Opening his soulful brown eyes slowly Connor found the world blurry but visible as his optical relay and visual processors rebooted steadily and his vision slowly came back into full focus. The temporary blindness ceased as soon as the E.M.P. bullet had been extracted from Connor's torso.
Attempting to speak, Connor felt a lingering ache in his throat courtesy of being intubated and forced to breathe while undergoing emergency repairs. He remembered what had happened and could see someone hovering nearby as he regained his senses.
"...S-Simon?"
"Try Dr. Wilson." The good doctor quipped as he leaned over the bed that Connor was recovering in and shined a penlight into Connor's eyes to check his pupils. The prompt reaction to the changing light was a good sign. "Hank is here, too."
"Where?"
"He's asleep in the chair right next to you."
Connor blinked a few times after Dr. Wilson retracted the light and the deviant's vision cleared entirely. Lifting his head up slightly from the pillow he saw Hank sleeping lightly in the chair beside the bed, and in turn Connor sighed. The gesture, though simple, was enough to make his side ache again and he outwardly grimaced with undeniable discomfort.
"You're going to be sore for a while. That bullet got in deep."
"Y-Yes." Connor hissed between his clenched teeth. "...I had deduced as much."
Hank began to stir as he heard Connor's voice speaking for the first time in nine and half hours. Looking over at the now conscious deviant Hank put his hand down on Connor's shoulder as he stood up from the chair and stood beside the bed.
"Hey. Welcome back, kid."
"Hank." Happy to see his father staying with him Connor pieced together his memories regarding the day's unusual events. "I... assume Simon told you of my predicament at the park?"
"Yeah. And Sumo told him where to find you."
"Sumo?" The large dog suddenly appeared beside the bed and put his front paws and chin down over Connor's chest as he wagged his tail happily upon hearing Connor say his name. The dog gave Connor's cheek a quick lick and nosed at his palm seeking some attention. "...Hi, boy."
"Looks like Sumo found you again. You know, Simon helped you as much as he could at the scene and in the tower until Abby shooed him away." Hank explained in a fairly casual manner. "She didn't want to risk him becoming affected by the E.M.P., too."
"A wise precaution."
"And Simon brought Sumo to the tower after the ambulance picked you up."
"Yes, I've noticed that as well."
"While you were out of it Sumo was downstairs making friends will all the refugees sitting in the tower looking for shelter."
"People are here?"
"Yup, all kinds of them. They're all being taken care of, and having Sumo around helped them to relax enough to ask for the help that they needed."
"Good dog." Rubbing his hand over Sumo's head Connor addressed the loyal dog in a low voice. "You'll get a special treat when we get home."
Dr. Wilson pet Sumo's head too as he gave Connor some more good news. "Abby already went home for the day, not because she's sick or anything like that," he could already sense the desire to ask before Connor had the chance to reply and placated his worries. "but because she's tired and still wanted to get in some hours as a technician at her own facility tomorrow. But before she left, she said that you could leave an hour after you woke up and remained stable."
"I'm glad Abby is still doing well." Hearing that his friend wasn't accidentally putting herself in danger was an immediate relief. "Thank you for your help, Dr. Wilson."
"It was my pleasure. I just wish you didn't have to get shot or get a damaged artificial stomach in order for me to help you."
"The feeling is mutual."
Offering his hand to Dr. Wilson to take Connor shook appreciatively as the kind doctor stepped out of the recovery wing to let Connor and Hank have some privacy as father and son. Turning back to Hank with a focused stare Connor proceeded to rub Sumo's ears and relax a little as he laid on the table trying to focus his self-healing program accordingly on his still sore side.
"Was my deduction on the shooters-"
"Yeah, kid." Hank smiled proudly at the selfless deviant. Of course his first thought would go to a friend or to a case, never to himself. "You were right and the guys in the red truck were the suspects. They were also the ones who shot you."
"I suspect that they shot at me because they believed I was merely a potential witness as they sped down the street. Had they known that I was a former detective they may have let me alone."
"Don't bet on it." Somewhat cynically Hank seemed to be speaking from experience as he let his shoulders slump. "People like that would hurt anyone for any reason if they thought it'd give them an advantage."
Sitting up slightly on the bed Connor pushed Sumo down so that the dog was resting his chin on his leg and away from his chest and sore abdomen. Mindful of his still healing injury Connor ran a self-diagnostic and found that his systems had fully rebooted and were running at optimal parameters despite his self-healing program working to repair the final imperfections of his internal damage and his artificial stomach.
"Don't move too much, kid." Moving his hand between Connor's shoulder to support the recovering deviant, Hank warned him without being aggressive or impatient as he spoke. "That bullet tore a hole through your stomach, but Abby and Dr. Wilson got you patched up easily."
"I'll be careful." Lightly he pressed his hand down over his abdomen where he could feel the dull ache in his stomach. "If I had known that I was going to get shot with an E.M.P. bullet today I would've at least taken an emergency phone with me."
"I kinda' figured after you resigned from the precinct, I wouldn't have to worry about you getting shot anymore. Guess I was wrong. Try not to worry about it."
"Hank..." Speaking up in a soft voice Connor gave his father and senior detective a focused stare. "I think I want to reinstate myself and return to the precinct."
"Wha- Really?"
"Yes." Connor flexed both hands a few times as if he needed to be sure he was still functioning and aware of himself. "I have been thinking about it for some time now, and I believe that I had initially resigned because I did not want to go to a place that had gained a negative association with the deaths of those I care about. I now realize that regardless of what I had lost I have already gained so much more. The negativity will yet linger, but it won't become a hindrance if I don't allow it to become one."
"That's great, son. But..." Mindful of his own feelings Hank locked eyes with Connor and made sure the deviant was confident in his decision. "is it what you actually want to do?"
"This morning, I became aware of the incident in the city and I instinctively began working on the case. I did it not because I was ordered to do so but because I wanted to." Connor admitted while favoring his right side where he sat. "It made me feel as though I were doing something beneficial for other people and that in turn made me feel... good. I realized that being a detective made me feel like I was doing something productive with my life and it was enjoyable."
"So..." A coy smirk discreetly appeared on Hank's face as he heard Connor explaining his soul searching journey. It seemed the lost deviant finally found what he was looking for and now knew what he wanted to do. "You're saying that being a detective makes you happy?"
"Yes." Admitting the truth gave Connor a sense of grounding that he so desperately needed. Being a detective was something he still wanted to do and someone he still wanted to be. "I believe it does. I want to resume my career as a detective for the city."
"If that's what you want to do, then do it. I'll support you one-hundred percent in your decision."
"You aren't disappointed that I had initially left the precinct?"
"Disappointed, no. Bored, hell yeah." The senior detective joked as he ran his hand down Sumo's back as the loyal dog continued to press his chin down over Connor's leg affectionately. "You're the only one I can hold an interesting conversation with in that whole damn building. At least, without needing to worry about the gossip-chain adding a new link in the process."
"Do you think that Captain Fowler will allow me to return to the precinct?"
"Jeffrey can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but he isn't dumb." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank sat back down in his chair and tilted his head slightly at the deviant. "If he knows what's best for the city then he'll let you come back, but it's all up to you to convince him that you're worthy of getting a second chance, son. You can't just slap an application down on his desk or ask for a favor, you need to let him know you're still as dedicated to the job as you have ever been."
"I understand. I will talk to Captain Fowler once I've fully recovered." Glancing down at Sumo with appreciation toward the incredibly loyal and intuitive dog, he put his hand under the Sumo's chin and scratched lightly. "I'll guess we'll finish your walk tomorrow, boy. After I speak with Captain Fowler."
-next chapter-