With a stern focus in his soulful brown eyes Connor grabbed the handle of his fully packed black tinted backpack and hefted the strap over his shoulder with a single swift motion. Turning to look at the opened doorway to his bedroom the deviant noticed Sumo watching him diligently with sad eyes and promptly patted the foot of his perfectly made bed to call the dog over to him. Slowly the massive dog entered the bedroom and hopped up onto the soft quilt to lay down and he gave Connor a soft whimper for his troubles. It wasn't often that Connor left the house with a packed bag, but whenever he did Sumo knew that the deviant would be gone for a few days which in a dog's mind equated to an eternity.
Having recovered from his previous illness Connor began to fully focus on the odd behavior regarding the missing deviants in Miami. He didn't know what was happening in the distant city but Connor was determined to figure it out and then come back to Detroit where he belonged.
"I'll be back in a few weeks, Sumo. I won't be gone forever." Rubbing the dog's ears softly Connor glanced about his bedroom, taking in every minor detail and making sure that he didn't forget to bring anything important with him before he left. His aquarium would be taken care of by Hank during his prolonged absence, which gave him one less thing to worry about. "And when I'm back I'll take you for a walk all over the city."
A subtle knocking on his opened door frame took Connor's eyes from Sumo and over to where Hank was now standing. He could tell by the look in Hank's blue eyes that he wasn't thrilled about his impending departure either. "Hey, kid."
"Hi, Hank." Tightening his grip on his backpack strap Connor waited for Hank to say something. "Am I in the clear to perform this investigation?"
"You've been officially cleared for a six-week-long leave of absence and 'unofficially' you've been cleared to investigate key locations in the Miami area. That guy from the F.B.I who took care of Perkins for us a while back, uh... What was his name again?"
"F.B.I. Director Norman Jayden."
"Yeah, that's him." Hank confirmed in a low voice. "He'll wait for your signal before he makes a move toward the city, so you won't be able to rely on back-up while you're down there without breaking your cover. Are you sure that you really want to do this?"
"Yes. I need to know what is happening to androids and why there have been so many androids abducted and mutilated for spare parts."
"All right." Anxiously rubbing his hand over his bearded chin Hank stepped back and watched as Connor left the bedroom with his backpack over his shoulder as the bold deviant prepared to leave. "I wish I could send someone along with you, but that'd just make things more complicated and dangerous."
"I will be okay on my own." Connor replied fearlessly. "I dislike being alone for extended periods of time, but I can handle this. It's important."
"Son, you're going to be over twenty hours and a thousand miles away from home; away from the technicians who can help you if you get hurt."
"Twenty hours and forty-one minutes, and one-thousand, three-hundred fifty-four miles to be exact."
"That doesn't ease my mind in the slightest, kid."
"Did I mention being four full states South?"
"Seriously?" Putting his hands to his hips he gave Connor a slightly perturbed glance until he saw the mischievous gleam in Connor's eyes. "You're not helping."
"Sorry." Smirking coyly Connor made sure to ease the senior detective and father figure's mind before departing. "I will contact you whenever I pass through state lines and I will let you know the exact location in which I'm staying while I'm undertaking my investigation. Besides, I need to begin traveling and seeing the rest of the world so I don't become cynical, right? This seems like a logical place to start."
"Yeah? Just don't take any detours or 'creative routes', and get there as quickly as possible so you can get your case underway and come back home."
"Of course. I won't let you down."
"You never do, son."
Connor smirked a little as he took his car keys from the bookshelf and held them in a tight grip.
"You still got that android first aid kit with you, right?" Hank couldn't stop himself from sounding like a worried dad no matter how much he tried. "And some extra Thirium just in case?"
"I have personally restocked and packed the kit, and I had purchased some additional Thirium to bring with me in the event of an emergency. I also have the two emergency power supply discs packed as a precaution." Walking slowly through the kitchen to the backdoor Connor's hand hovered briefly over the doorknob before lowering it back to his side. Turning to look at Hank one last time Connor extended his hand outward to shake before he left. "I will come back home, I promise."
"Yeah... I know." Grabbing Connor's hand Hank shook only once before he pulled the deviant in for a quick hug. Patting Connor's shoulder as the deviant raised his arms up to reciprocate the hug, Hank reluctantly let his son go and gave him a nervous grin. "Just don't do anything stupid, all right? Come home in one piece."
"I'll remain in contact and message you frequently." Connor took a step back from Hank and gave his worried father a reassuring glance. "If I feel as though I am in danger or have had my cover compromised, I will return home as quickly as possible."
"Yeah. Okay."
"Please do not worry about me. I can do this."
"I know you can, son, but I'm going to worry no matter what."
"Because you are my commanding officer?"
"No," Hank nearly scoffed at the indifferent comment. "it's because I'm your father. It comes with the responsibility of raising a kid. That's something you'll find out for yourself someday as long as you don't give up hope."
Flashing Hank an appreciative smile Connor turned back around and opened the backdoor. As he stepped outside and onto the back deck, he opened his palm and looked at his keys, then looked at the Corvette sitting in the driveway waiting for him. While Connor popped open the trunk placed his backpack in the storage space of the car Hank stood in the opened doorway with Sumo sitting by leg and watched Connor with a paternal concern in his blue eyes.
Taking his seat in behind the wheel of the cobalt blue car Connor turned the key in the ignition and began to back down the driveway slowly. Pausing for a moment Connor rolled down his window and called out to Hank one last time before setting out on his long drive to Miami Florida.
"I'll be back as soon as I can. I will come home, dad."
"I know you will."
Nodding with respect to his son as Connor continued down the driveway Hank couldn't help but feel as though the impromptu trip down south was going to change everything that they knew about androids forever. The sight of Connor going so far away and being alone for so long made Hank's heart ache with a paternal worry that wouldn't go away until Connor was safe and sound back home.
"...Bye, son. I'll be waiting for you."
True to his word Connor cybernetically messaged Hank as frequently as possible during his long drive to Miami. It took just over an hour for Hank to receive a message from Connor as the deviant crossed the border from Michigan and into Ohio, and with the message came a strange sense of dread. It seemed a little surreal to know that Connor had actually left the city under his own freewill and had volunteered to begin this unorthodox investigation over state lines. The only time Connor had ever left Detroit was either for police conferences - usually in other parts of the state of Michigan or when he worked a single weekend in Fort Wayne Indiana - and after he had been abducted and taken to Chicago Illinois as a prisoner in an illegal underground fight club.
Readily Hank kept tabs on Connor's location as he showered off and went into the precinct to begin an evening shift to have a slight change of pace. The only people who knew of Connor's dangerous mission were Hank himself, Connor, and F.B.I. Director Jayden himself who was willing to let the deviant attempt to bring down the illegal black market during his solo mission.
Only three people knew where Connor was as he ventured so far from home as he did so completely alone.
Sitting down at his desk in his private office Hank left his phone next to his terminal and waited for the next update from the traveling deviant. As he fussed with the fourth sugar packet to try to sweeten up his bland coffee his phone 'buzzed' beside his hand and Hank read the message quickly as he dropped the sugar in favor of the phone.
"Took him five hours to get to Kentucky."
Reading over the message Hank felt a tight knot beginning to form in the pit of his worried stomach.
"Pretty good time for someone driving through active construction zones."
A knock at his office door drew his blue eyes upward as Gavin entered the office with a tablet in his hand.
"Finished that damn report on that pickpocket hanging out downtown." The younger detective reported in a bored and irritated voice. "It was a total waste of time, too. The kid just swiped a few expired gift cards and one broken phone."
"Yeah, yeah. Go take care of your next case and stop whining."
"Where's Connor?" It didn't take the bullpen long to notice that Hank arrived for work entirely alone that day. "Don't tell me he's still sick."
"Don't worry about it. He'll be back in a few weeks."
"Vacation?"
"Gavin." Giving Gavin a stare that told him to 'shut the fuck up', Hank pointed to the door and lowered his voice. "Go. Don't make me repeat myself."
"All right, I'm gone." Taking his leave of the office Gavin left Hank alone to answer boring e-mails and to drink his terrible coffee. "Jeez, sounds like you need a vacation too, Cap'."
Sighing with a deeply annoyed breath Hank leaned back in his chair and booted up a live G.P.S. map on his terminal screen to calculate where Connor currently was in Kentucky and how much further he had to drive in order to reach Miami.
"This better be worth all the trouble, Connor. For both of our sakes."
The day had been uneventful, boring and entirely forgettable. Returning to the quiet house by himself Hank let Sumo outside for a few minutes, fed the numerous fish in Connor's thriving aquarium and made himself a light dinner as he prepared to go to bed. With nothing to do and no one to talk to, Hank called it an early night and felt incredibly old and boring a result of just wanting to go to sleep after coming home from work. As the senior detective set his phone down on the nightstand beside his bed Hank found an additional updated messages from Connor detailing his journey and how he passed through Tennessee and had just entered Georgia after almost fourteen hours of travel.
"Fuck. He's traveling the country and I'm just laying on my back."
Putting his phone back down on the nightstand beside the bed Hank closed his eyes and sighed heavily.
"One of us is definitely having a more interesting workday than the other."
Rolling onto his side Hank let out a deep sigh and slowly drifted off to sleep as he tried not to worry about his son being on the road and so far away from home by himself. Near midnight Sumo plodded into Hank's bedroom and hopped up on the foot of Hank's bed to cuddle with the senior detective as even the loyal dog was feeling lonely without Connor around.
The next morning Hank found one more additional update from Connor indicating his arrival at the Florida state line and Hank was relieved to know he was almost there. Once the deviant reached Miami the real work would begin.
"Be safe, son."
Texting the message to Connor with a heavy heart Hank set about his routine as normally as possible with Sumo following right at his heels everywhere he went through the house. It'd be very strange until Connor returned home.
"And get your ass back here. It's boring without ya', kid."
Keeping to his preconstructed route and schedule and Connor arrived at the hotel with his reservation in place along the beach and checked himself into his room casually after parking the Corvette in the hotel's underground parking garage. Attempting to appear as human as possible, to behave as discreetly as possible to prevent anyone in the less android tolerant city from discovering that he was in fact a deviant, Connor had to venture a little bit outside of his comfort zone when it came to his appearance. Pretending to be a tourist wasn't something that Connor had ever expected to do while working on a case regardless of whether it was undercover or not.
The hotel receptionist never gave Connor a second look as he handed her his I.D., and she confirmed his reservation. The way Connor looked entirely human without his L.E.D. in his right temple and had a valid I.D. on him made it very easy for him to pass as an atypical tourist.
"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Anderson." The receptionist smiled as she gave Connor his keycard to his room. "Welcome to Miami!"
"Thanks." Connor forced himself to smile a little as he accepted his keycard to his room from the already smiling woman. "I'm sure I'll enjoy my vacation."
After entering his room and dropping off his backpack - the only piece of luggage to his person - Connor changed out of his jeans and black t-shirt into more casual navy blue swim trunks, a white tank top and a pair of tan sandals. The style was designed to be more reminiscent of the locals in the city and to look inconspicuous as he set about his private search of the city. As much as he hated the way he looked so exposed to his shy eyes Connor knew it was important to blend in with the other people in Miami.
"This style is not for me."
Connor openly decided as he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the full body mirror against the wall of his rather large hotel room.
"I don't think I could live here full time."
Setting off from the hotel with his keycard in his wallet Connor explored the new city and was nearly overwhelmed with new sensations that gave him pause as he stepped out into the bright sunlight and onto the sandy shore of the beach behind his hotel. The intense heat of the Floridian sun had a strong impact on Connor who would need to be very careful and monitor his core temperature closely to prevent himself from overheating while in the city. Yet the sudden abundance of warm sunlight didn't bother the deviant in the slightest.
It was nice to feel a consistent warmth rather than fleeting hot and cold spells throughout the Michiganite spring back home.
"This is... impressive."
The deviant commented quietly to himself as he reached the expansive beach behind his hotel. The dark blue ocean water glistened brightly in the bright sunlight overhead and seemed to be beckoning Connor toward it.
"And beautiful."
Connor had never set foot on beach sand before, let alone seen the ocean. The rhythmic lapping of the waves against the soft shore were soothing to the deviant's ears as he easily tuned out the sound of the talking, laughing and screaming tourists all around him. Staring off at the massive expanse of the dark blue Atlantic Ocean with a strange feeling of wonder, Connor cybernetically sent a text to Hank to let him know that he had arrived at his hotel and was now exploring Miami.
It was important to familiarize himself with the layout of the city before he began his investigation. What better place to start than the ocean?
Watching the groups of tourist families enjoying the warmth of the sunny beach and playing in the cool ocean water lapping up against the shore Connor couldn't help but feel a little envious of their fun. They were in the city because they wanted to relax and be with one another. Connor was there because he was on a mission to rescue his own people from an unknown assailant that was tearing open their bodies just to sell some spare parts.
"They're all so happy. Whereas I am just so..."
Glancing down at his reflection on the surface of the ocean water as a few seashells were revealed from beneath the soft layer of sand at his feet, Connor wasn't sure what he was feeling or how he should feel.
"I am not."
Letting out a weak sigh Connor removed his sandals one after the other and slowly set foot across the sandy shore and into the water. The feeling of the soft, warm sand beneath his feet was a new sensation that he found greatly preferably compared to icy cold, slushy snow back up north. The idea of a warm environment over a cold one was greatly appealing and yet deep down Connor knew that Detroit was his home.
Setting foot in the ocean water for the first time in his young life Connor was able to easily detect the difference between the naturally salt water compared to the fresh water rivers and lakes back in Michigan. The feeling of salt clinging to his artificial skin was a strange sensation that the deviant noted as his system scanned and chronicled every new feeling he was experiencing for the very first time.
It was... fascinating.
Running a scan over the seemingly external body of water before him Connor noted the current salinity of the water and of the thousands of species of microscopic lifeforms, fish and aquatic flora that were lurking in the depths all around him just out of sight. It was humbling to know that there was so much in the world that he had yet to experience and so much of it was already so appealing and wondrous.
"This place would be nice to visit from time to time."
Connor spoke out loud as he stepped deeper into the warm water until the ocean was up to his chest and enveloping him in the coolness of the salty water that spread out for hundreds of miles into forever. It felt right to venture into the ocean.
"Maybe I can spend next winter here. I bet Hank would like to be somewhere warm during the wintertime, too."
A week had passed, and Hank found himself bored out of his mind with the lack of activity in the too quiet house and unnaturally too quiet precinct. Spending more time with Sumo at the dog park and several additional evenings with Rose had helped to placate his boredom, but the senior detective couldn't deny the fact that he missed having Connor around. Even if the deviant was keeping to himself in his bedroom quietly reading or playing a small tune on his guitar, Hank was still happy to have some company beyond Sumo and the thriving fish in Connor's aquarium. He had gotten so used to having a family again and now he couldn't stand the idea of being alone anymore.
"Good dog."
Crouching down Hank took the drool soaked green fetch ball from Sumo's mouth and gave it another toss across the steadily greening grass of the large park.
"Bring it back."
Obediently Sumo chased after the toy, grabbed it, and dropped the ball at Hank's feet and panted loudly in response.
"Yeah," Hank rubbed Sumo's chin a few times as he spoke to the loyal dog. "I'm tired, too. Let's go home."
Clipping the leash back onto Sumo's collar Hank picked up the ball to put in his pocket and led the massive dog back home a few blocks away. Upon his arrival Hank discovered that the mail and had been delivered and that there was now a small brown package waiting for him on the front step.
"What the hell? I didn't order anything."
Picking up the box Hank noted the shipping address and smirked. It had come from Miami.
"Ah, man. I hope the kid isn't turning into a generic tourist and buying tacky shit for souvenirs."
Carrying the box and the other paper envelopes from the mailbox inside the house Hank unclipped Sumo's leash and watched as the dog trotted into the kitchen to get a drink of water from his bowl. Bringing the package over to the couch Hank opened up the brown paper protecting the package and opened the small cardboard box beneath. Inside the box was a mass of protective packing material that surrounded a pale white sand dollar.
Picking up the flat, circular object carefully Hank turned it over in his hand and stared at the small floral print over top and smirked a little.
"Better than a crappy t-shirt or a lame-ass keychain."
Standing up from the couch Hank carefully set the sand dollar down on the bookshelf where Connor usually placed his car keys.
"Much better, by far. That's pretty damn cool."
Returning to the box Hank saw a small handwritten note on the back of a postcard from Connor talking about how he had found the dried-up sand dollar while swimming in the ocean and how he wanted to keep the small, fragile object as a reminder of the ocean for when he returned home. Seeing Connor's annoyingly perfect handwriting on the postcard was an oddly soothing reminder that the deviant was alive and that he was okay.
"Cheesy palm trees next to a generic looking beach. How cliche."
Laughing at the image on the postcard Hank took the object into the kitchen and placed it on the front of the refrigerator with a round blue magnet.
"Something like that needs a generic place to hang for a while. I think he'd appreciate seeing it when comes home, too."
Two weeks after exploring the city and cybernetically messaging Hank about his progress on his unusual investigation Connor finally found a lead and was ready to take it. Alone in his hotel room Connor sat on the edge of the bed and changed into his more casual clothes of khaki shorts, a dark blue t-shirt and black running shoes as he prepared to investigate the strangely guarded port situated on the shoreline that he had noticed during one of his many drives throughout the city as he sought any places of potential interest. The port itself was designated for only cruise ships and yet there was a consistent flurry of activity at night without any ships being in the area.
Connor's every instinct as a detective told him that the port was a designated pick-up and drop-off point for illegal activities. Now he just needed to follow the group of criminals after they made a pick-up at the port to locate where they were hiding out with their illegal gains. Nighttime fell over the city and Connor made his way over to the port to begin his private investigation under the cover of darkness.
The sight of the dark Corvette would've given away Connor's attempts to perform recognizance on the men at the port, which of course meant traveling on foot throughout the night was the only way to succeed. Discretion was absolutely crucial.
Using stealth to his advantage Connor kept low as he peered around a chainlink fence blocking off the entrance to the port and made sure to note the license plate of one of the vehicles being driven by one of the eight suspected black marketeers who had been loitering in the area every night for the past two weeks of Connor's stake-out. The repeated sighting of the same vehicle and same men confirmed that someone was doing something shady at the port.
"There's something going on here. I know it."
Detecting traces of evaporated Thirium that could come only from a deviant, Connor knew he was onto something very important.
"There is at least one android alive in Miami. I doubt they came alone, and I suspect the other androids did not come here willingly or even alive."
Cybernetically Connor sent Hank a message regarding his progress, the license plate of the car of interest and of the likenesses of the eight suspected criminals to have the information relayed to the F.B.I. as requested. Asking for one more night to locate the hideout being used to store the stolen android parts Connor returned to his hotel room and remained there as he awaited a reply and preconstructed his next course of action.
Feeling exhausted and noting his current core temperature was higher than what was considered optimal, Connor decided it'd be best to call it a night. Needing to use chilled Thirium he had stored in his mini fridge as a means of keeping cool while staying in the unfamiliar and hot city, Connor knew that he had to be careful and avoid as many errors as possible until he was able to return to Detroit.
"The sun is still intense even after it has set."
The deviant stated out loud as he felt the subsequent heat radiating from his body. Drinking the chilled Thirium as a means of cooling off Connor sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed to try to relax.
"I would not want to be here in August."
Running a self-diagnostic Connor found his core temperature to still be slightly elevated to one-hundred and one point one degrees due to the chronic heat despite it already being nighttime and drinking chilled Thirium. Unwilling to risk any thermal complications while attempting his mission Connor retreated to the large bathroom of his hotel room and proceeded to take a cool shower to cool off his overheating person through external means.
Removing his sun warmed clothing Connor turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature to be one that would aid his thermal regulator without accidentally causing thermal shock in the process. Without any hesitation Connor stepped into the shower and stood under the cool water while he monitored his current temperature in real time. As the clean and cool water ran down his back and through his hair a phone call from Hank came through and he happily answered.
"Hello, Hank. Do you have an update on my request?"
'F.B.I. says you have one more night to locate where the hell those guys are hiding out, then you have to step aside and let them take over. That's a direct order from Norman Jayden himself, so I can't pull any string for ya'.'
"That is acceptable. I'd rather not deal with the aftermath of such a cruel crimes against my people anyway."
'So outside of your investigation, how do you like Florida?'
"It's not terrible." The change of subject was very welcome, and Connor laughed a little as he replied honestly. "The weather is more reliable here than it is back home. I am however finding it somewhat difficult to pace myself with the intense heat constantly affecting my thermal regulator, but I have managed to find effective ways to adapt."
'Not surprised. You better get back here as soon as possible though. The precinct is starting to ask questions and I'm running out of answers.'
"What did you tell them?"
'That is was none of their damn business.'
"Thank you. I don't want to return and find myself the subject of numerous unfounded rumors."
'You won't. I told everyone to mind their own business and that you'd set the record straight when you return.'
"I appreciate that. Did you get the package that I sent?"
'Yeah, kid. I've never seen a sand dollar in person before. That's pretty damn cool.'
"I found washed ashore it while I was swimming in the Keys."
'You actually broke away from your investigation to do something just for yourself? Good!'
"I decided spending time in the ocean was much more comfortable than attempting to spend time in the numerous amusement parks or nightclubs in the area. There are too many people in the city for my comfort and it sometimes feels overwhelming."
There was a pause before Hank asked another question. 'How many other androids have you encountered in the city?'
Connor sighed and turned off the shower as he stepped out and proceeded to towel off now that he felt much cooler. "None."
'You haven't met any other androids once you passed over the state line?'
"No. I suspect that they are either functioning exclusively in private residences or have been shipped out of the state due to the effects of the Revolution back home. I have also begun to suspect that the lack of androids in the area is the very reason why spare parts are being illegally smuggled into the city."
Another pause. 'You think the people who kept their androids for whatever reason are now being forced to buy illegal parts to keep them alive? I wonder how many people kept their androids for companionship and how many kept them for servitude?'
"Unknown." Running another self-diagnostic Connor found his core temperature still elevated to one-hundred degrees even despite feeling better. "We will know in time, but for the moment we cannot afford to speculate."
'Right. Just keep in touch and don't put yourself in danger.'
"I won't. I will be home within the week as I do not wish to leave without tying up loose ends."
'Yeah, I figured. See you soon.'
"Goodnight, dad."
'Goodnight, son.'
Staring at his reflection in the mirror above the bathroom sink Connor noted that his artificial skin had a slightly darker complexion compared to its default tone, and with that he realized how long he had been away from home and outside in the Floridian sun. Pressing his fingertips along his jawline and under his eyes Connor could feel the heat still radiating from his skin despite his cool shower and he knew that the only way to properly adapt to the heat was to be less machine and more human.
Bowing his head with a sense of defeat Connor steeled himself mentally and ran his hand through his damp locks of dark hair as he contemplated the decision he'd have to make.
"I don't want to be so human yet, but it's for a good cause."
Lifting his head back up Connor looked at his reflection one last time as he sorted through the numerous and hefty software updates that he'd need in order to pass for human during his days of his time in Florida.
"...It needs to be done. At least until I return home, and I can just be myself again."
Four long days had passed since Hank had last spoken to Connor. In that time the senior detective had sent numerous text messages to the deviant and had asked their mutual contact from the F.B.I. for an update on the investigation, but of course Hank's attempts to make contact and ask for details was met with silence. With that silence came his righteous frustration as any father would be when he just wanted to know about his child. Remaining diligent and using his other contacts from his previous years of working with the narcotics and homicide divisions, Hank continued to question the F.B.I. for information but was answered repeatedly with silence or threats to back off.
Neither option was one Hank cared for and he made it clear with his own threats in return. He wasn't one to take 'no' for an answer or just roll over and die because someone with a shinier badge said to do so.
"Fucking hell..."
Swearing at the air in front of him Hank tossed his phone down on the couch and plopped down on the cushion next to it. Sumo trotted over from his pillow in the corner of the livingroom and pressed his chin down on Hank's knee as he gave the senior detective a sad whine.
"I thought we were all working on the same damn team."
Placing his hand down on Sumo's head Hank rubbed the dog's ears gently.
"If the F.B.I. thinks I'm going to do them any favors after all this bullshit, they can kiss my tired old ass."
Leaning back into the couch cushions Hank closed his eyes and propped his feet up on the coffee table as he continued to pet Sumo's head. A few quiet minutes passed before the sound of a car slowing down in front of the house, then pulling inside the side driveway caught Sumo's ears and made the large dog perk up excitedly. Trotting over excitedly to the backdoor in the kitchen Sumo barked once and Hank opened his eyes at the noise.
"What now?"
The sound of a car door slamming shut made Hank stand up and peer out the window in the livingroom overlooking the driveway. The familiar blue Corvette had returned and parked alongside the Oldsmobile in its usual spot.
"What the hell?"
Joining Sumo in the kitchen Hank watched as the backdoor opened slowly and Connor stumbled through the door tiredly with a heavy gait. The deviant's face was unusually pale with dark circles under his glassy, blue bloodshot eyes. A layer of pale blue sweat made his black t-shirt cling uncomfortably to his skin and his dark hair was drenched in that same sweat causing several stray locks of the deviant's dark and unruly hair to cling to Connor's forehead where he stood.
"Connor?" The sight of the deviant looking so frail and sickly made Hank nervous. Connor rarely ever looked so pathetic and whenever he did it was because he had been injured or become very ill. "What the hell hap-"
"...H-Hank?" Connor pathetically asked in a half-sob as he took a step forward and promptly collapsed to his knees onto the kitchen floor. "...Dad?"
"Connor!" Reacting quickly Hank caught Connor around his chest and supported the deviant's weight as Connor pressed heavily against the Hank's shoulder in a limp heap. Pressing his hand to the back of Connor's hair Hank could feel the deviant trembling as an intense heat clung to his artificial skin. "Son, what happened? Are you okay?"
Instead of answering Connor's arms slowly wrapped around Hank's upper back to hug the senior detective while Hank held his weakened body upright in front of him. It was as if Connor hadn't seen Hank in years or hadn't expected to ever see him again.
"Connor..." Moving his hand to wrap around Connor's forehead Hank noted the high temperature and he winced on the deviant's behalf. "You're burning up." The sound of soft weeping made Hank's stomach flip harshly as he realized that Connor really was in rough shape. "Are you hurt? Talk to me. What happened to you?"
Connor barely managed to lift his head up from Hank's shoulder as he spoke in a slurring, confused manner. "...Am I home?"
"Yeah, son. You're home."
Unable to remain conscious any longer Connor fully collapsed forward against Hank as the senior detective carefully maneuvered his arms to support the entirety of the deviant's sudden deadweight pressing up against him. Falling slightly to his hip Hank repositioned Connor so the deviant was resting on his back up against Hank's legs and chest as he remained unconscious.
"Connor?"
The deviant didn't respond to the sound of Hank's voice and stayed perfectly still. Sumo joined the two detectives in the middle of the floor and sat down beside Connor as if he were trying to find a way to help the sick deviant.
"You're safe, son. I just wish you could tell me what the hell happened to you."
Wrapping his hand back over Connor's forehead Hank felt the intense fever and the cold layer of sweat covering the deviant's artificial skin. Smoothing Connor's sticky hair from over his forehead Hank just stared down at the deviant and watched as Connor breathed deeply and slowly as he laid on Hank's lap in the middle of the kitchen floor.
Unable to get to his phone without disturbing Connor in the process Hank just stayed in place and let the tired deviant sleep for almost an hour and lean against him. Despite the hour of rest Connor was still running hot and seemed to be stuck in a deep form of stasis mode, and Hank had no idea why. Moving his hands gently Hank checked Connor's head carefully for any sign of an injury and then did the same for the deviant's arms, chest, abdomen, back and then down his legs.
Only a few cuts and scrapes that had already begun healing marred his hands, arms and knees. There was a small bruise on Connor's torso, but it wasn't anything that would've caused him to collapse or overheat.
"Sorry, kid. I have to move you now."
Slipping his arms under Connor's upper back and beneath his knees Hank managed to scoop up the unconscious deviant into his arms with moderate difficulty to get him off the floor. As he carried Connor out of the kitchen and into the deviant's own bedroom down the hallway Hank laid Connor down gently on the bed over the covers and returned his hand to Connor's forehead.
"Man... I don't know why you let that update go through again."
The sweat and pale skin told Hank all he needed to know about what Connor did while he was in Florida.
"All it does is make you sick."
Retreating to the bathroom Hank located the digital thermometer in the medicine cabinet and placed a washcloth under the cool tap in the sink while Sumo entered the bedroom and jumped up on the foot of the bed. Pressing his chin and front paw down over Connor's shin the protective dog watched over his ill master loyally with his tail wagging slowly.
"All right, kid."
With the selected items in hand Hank brought them over to Connor and fell into the same paternal rhythm he had taken so many times whenever Connor had become ill or injured in the past. Smoothing the cool washcloth over Connor's warm forehead Hank placed the thermometer between Connor's teeth and waited for it to 'beep'.
"As soon as I know you're not going to burn up behind my back I'm calling Markus to see if he can send someone over here to figure out why you're so sick."
As soon as the high pitched 'beep' filled the air Hank took the thermometer back and read the registered temperature.
"Fuck. Hundred and three and a half."
Shaking his head Hank placed the device down on the small table next to Connor's bed and pressed his hand down over the washcloth one more time before leaving the room.
"I need some damn answers, kid. And if I have to tear them out some F.B.I. douchebag's throat then I will."
Rushing down the hallway Hank was in full protective 'dad mode' and had his own mission to accomplish. Snatching his phone up from the couch cushion Hank scrolled through his contacts until he found Markus's number and pressed 'dial'. It was almost eleven at night and late night phone calls were often associated with bad news. At that moment the call seemed rather befitting of that tragically common theme.
'Capt- Hank?' Markus corrected himself as he remembered that Hank preferred a less formal approach to his name. 'Is there something going on?'
"Markus," sighing to himself Hank tried to think of a way to explain things without making it sound like Connor was dying. "about an hour ago Connor returned home from Miami, and he passed out in my arms."
'Miami?! What was he- nevermind.' The question was still burning on Markus's lips, but he let it go for the moment. 'Is Connor hurt?'
"Not that I can see. But he's burning up, pale and sweating."
'Wait... Connor reinstalled the human-responsive update? When did that happen?'
"Beats me exactly when. He must've done it while he was in Florida."
'In a way that makes sense. The update would let him control his thermal regulator more easily in the harsher and warmer weather. Do you want me to send over Simon to take care of him?'
"I can take care of him myself, but I just want to make sure that damn update isn't going to burn him up again." Leaning against the back of the couch heavily Hank tried to think of a way to figure out what happened to Connor only to remember that Connor had taken a backpack with him when he traveled down south. It wasn't with him when he returned home so it must still be in the car. "I'm going to need some help on this one, but he might be too stubborn to let you do it."
'What do you mean?'
"Well..." Carrying his phone with him Hank continued the conversation as he crossed through the livingroom, into the kitchen and outside the backdoor to the car parked in the side driveway. "When he walked through the door, he looked like he was on the verge of breaking down, you know, emotionally." Peering through the driver's side window Hank caught sight of the keys still in the ignition and opened the door to grab them. "The way he reacted when he saw me, you would've thought someone told him I was dead and buried."
'Why was he in Miami?' There was a pause over the line before Markus spoke up again. 'I mean, if it's okay for me to ask.'
"It's complicated." Pulling the keys out of the ignition Hank used them to unlock the trunk of the car. "I can't give you any details, but I can tell you he was down there to try and help deviants."
Another pause, this one was longer and thicker than the previous.
"Markus?" Hank opened the trunk, grabbed Connor's backpack and slammed the trunk shut. "Markus, are you still there?"
'You haven't seen the news, have you?'
"Ah, fuck." Toting the backpack at his side Hank made his way back inside the house to check through the backpack and keep an eye on Connor. "What did I miss this time?"
Rushing back inside the house with Connor's backpack Hank made his way to the livingroom and quickly turned on the television. Flipping to the first news channel he found Hank sat down on the couch and kept his phone pressed to his ear as a breaking news story regarding a bust down in Miami Florida was being discussed widely as the main news story throughout the country.
'-Miami residents were shaken to learn of the illegal black marketeering of android biocomponents and blue blood in their own backyard.' The false look of empathy on Rosanna Cartland's face always pissed Hank off whenever he saw it. 'Three days ago, the F.B.I. raided an old storage facility that had in fact been an illegally placed CyberLife warehouse and testing facility.'
"What the fuck was CyberLife doing in Miami!?" Hank nearly shouted into the phone. "What the fuck did they do to Connor?!"
Returning to Connor's bedroom with the backpack still in his hand Hank had to make sure that Connor was still alive and breathing.
'Hank,' Markus's voice cut in through the line and caught his attention. 'I'm going to come over in a few minutes. I'll tell you everything you want to know, and I'll make sure Connor's not in any immediate danger.'
"Thanks. I'm going to make a few calls and see if I can figure out what the hell happened while Connor was down there."
Hanging up the phone for the moment Hank placed Connor's backpack down on the foot of the bed next to Sumo and began checking through it to see if there was anything inside that could give him a clue as to what happened to the deviant while he was in Miami. Aside from the deviant's extra clothes, which were perfectly folded and placed inside the bottom of the backpack, Hank found the android first aid untouched and two of the three bottles of spare Thirium empty. Placing the remaining bottle down on the bed next to Connor's leg Hank continued to look for clues.
"I'm glad you weren't hurt, kid. But I still need to-"
As he dug through the bag Hank felt his fingers brush up against a small corked glass bottle and then a second. Pulling the two bottles out of the bag Hank examined the contents and couldn't help but smile. One bottle was half full and contained sand from the beach and the other was half full of water which Hank presumed came from the ocean.
"I think you're the first person I met who actually appreciates the places you visit for what they are and not where they are."
Carefully Hank placed the two bottles down on the table beside the bed next to the thermometer and pressed the back of his hand against the side of Connor's face lightly. The deviant was still running hot but at least he wasn't getting any worse.
With a heavy sigh Hank resumed checking through Connor's backpack and found a few grains of escaped sand and the smell of the beach air, but seemingly nothing more. Just as he was about to put the bag aside Hank noticed there was still some additional weight inside of what should've been an empty bag and examined the interior of the backpack again.
"Now what the hell is this?"
Tucked away in the corner of a hidden pouch concealed in the interior lining of the backpack was small rectangular metal box. Unzipping the hidden compartment sewn inside the backpack Hank saw out the small box held in the palm of his hand curiously. The box was silver in color, locked magnetically, barely half an inch thick, and three inches long and had the now defunct company logo of CyberLife printed in blue over the lid.
Staring at the unconscious deviant's face worriedly Hank's hands tightened nervously around the metal box in his hands.
"Did you steal this from the CyberLife warehouse? Ah, shit, son. What kinda' mess did you stumble into?"
Three Days Prior - Illegal CyberLife Warehouse; Miami Florida:
Connor remained stealthy and quiet as he trailed the curious vehicle from the port to a hidden and seemingly abandoned warehouse further down the beach, strategically placed far away from the prying eyes of the public. Remaining as silent as he was fast, Connor crept within the shadows on foot as he followed after the strange car that had parked in front of the warehouse as if making a delivery. The lone occupant of the car stepped out of his vehicle, unlocked a side door of the warehouse with an electronic keycard, carried a metal box that was containing stolen biocomponents from damaged deviants into the warehouse, and then shut the door behind himself.
Staying out of sight Connor closed his eyes and scanned the immediate area for any sign of movement and made sure no one else was entering the port or warehouse while he waited for the man to exit the building. Unwilling to risk a physical confrontation and enduring damage while so far from home Connor just forced himself to wait and watch for the man's exit, no matter how long it took.
It took almost an hour but sure enough the man left the warehouse through the same door, the box was no longer in his possession, and walked over to his car to leave the port and disappear into the night. Confirming the license plate numbers and sending them to the F.B.I. Connor stayed put in the shadows until the car left the port and had returned to the street from whence it had come.
"That box had traces of Thirium staining its sides and held stolen biocomponents from multiple deviants."
Despite the distance Connor's scanner was able to detect the interior of the metal box and confirm its contents. Looking up at the warehouse he ran another scan and estimated the interior's square foot of size and how many rooms could be contained within.
"Due to the size of the warehouse it's plausible that over six-thousand biocomponents can be stored properly without anyone noticing the illegally obtained items."
Reaching the electronic panel of the doorway while staying in the shadows Connor retracted the artificial skin from his palm and pressed it to the panel to hack through the electronic lock. It was easy enough to override and open the door and with that easiness Connor felt suddenly nauseated.
"...This door was overridden with CyberLife's master code."
Staring down at his palm as the artificial skin regenerated Connor sighed and slid the door open.
"CyberLife had been illegally operating in Miami after all. There is still a CyberLife representative working with Lazarus."
Stepping into the poorly lit warehouse Connor remained in the darkness as he used his superior android vision to guide his way. Tracing the man's footsteps over the concrete floor of the warehouse the resourceful deviant detective trailed the man to a large wall that held exactly four-thousand and sixty-three separate metal cases containing the stolen biocomponents and spare blue blood.
"There are enough android parts in here to confirm that this operation has been active for at least six years. Long before the Revolution."
Exploring the depths of the warehouse even further Connor chronicled every detail, every illegally obtained piece of android spare parts and of the thousands of boxes that held the remains of murdered deviants from over the past six years.
"This isn't a warehouse; this is a morgue."
Locating an isolated room at the rear of the warehouse Connor discovered a second electronic panel and hacked the lock just as easily as the first. The door slid open, and an overhead light automatically illuminated the room in a pale bluish white light. Peering about the room Connor located a single plexiglass case mounted on the far wall and approached it warily.
Inside the case was a single android suspended by plastimetal arms and attached to dozens of cables. The android had its arms removed at the elbows and legs removed at the knees. It had no skin active over its white and black plastimetal framing, but its L.E.D. was pulsing slowly in a dull red hue.
Looking inside the transparent surface of the case Connor's heart skipped a beat and he stumbled backward in absolute shock. Peering closer at the android's face Connor felt a chilling tremor creep up his spine as he recognized the expressionless face of the android that had been locked away in the warehouse to be forgotten.
"No. That's... impossible!"
Pressing his palm against the case Connor attempted to cybernetically link with the android and awaken them.
"There's no possible way that you should be here, let alone exist. Yet here you are. Forgotten and entirely without the chance to live."
Unable to ignore what he had discovered and the secrets that had been unveiled, Connor knew deep down in his heart what needed to be done. There was no going back, and there was no changing the facts and truths that had been found during his investigation.
Present Day - Hank Anderson's Residence; Detroit Michigan:
For almost an hour Hank silently paced up and down the hallway of the house with his phone pressed to his ear as he continued to bark at the F.B.I. agent who had intentionally kept him out of the loop regarding Connor's voluntary and dangerous mission down in Florida. Using his limited authority to threaten the agent and promise to go above his head and speak to F.B.I. Director Jayden himself, Hank made it clear that he was no impressed with how the situation had been handled despite his own cooperation. As he angrily yelled at the myopic, if not completely reckless, agent over the line Markus arrived at the house and let himself inside without an invitation.
Hank saw the deviant leader as he entered the livingroom and waved him down the hall as he took the phone call into his own bedroom. Stepping aside Hank let Markus check in on Connor while he continued the phone call in the kitchen.
"Oh, man."
Markus stared at his friend's pale face and sighed as he entered the bedroom slowly. Lifting his hand toward Connor's temple Markus caused the artificial skin on his hand to recede as he cybernetically connected to Connor's processors. Closing his mismatched eyes Markus connected with the sick deviant for only a moment before he retracted his hand slowly.
"Oh, RA9..." Stumbling back a little Markus's eyes snapped back open as he tried to contemplate what he had witnessed through Connor's own memories. "What did you find? How could you have seen such a sight."
Sumo whimpered where he laid as he continued to sense the distress in the air.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed beside Connor with a gentle motion Markus put his hand on Connor's arm and kept it there. The heterochromia hued eyes of the deviant leader stared at Connor's face as if searching for an answer while also observing how pale, feverish and frail Connor had become. Just as he had done so many times when he still had Carl in his life, Markus checked Connor's pulse, his breathing and his temperature to make sure his friend was as stable as possible.
"Markus?" Hank returned to the bedroom and slipped his phone into his jean pocket with disgust. "Is he okay?"
"Y-Yeah." There was no need to mention Connor's memories just yet, especially since Markus wasn't sure what had happened in Miami. "But the update isn't causing this sickness."
"It's not?" Staring down at Connor from the doorway Hank watched as the pale deviant breathed slowly and weakly as he remained unresponsive to the world around him. "Do you know what is making him sick?"
"I do, but I can't explain it."
"Try."
Markus was silent for only a moment before he tried to think of a way to explain what had happened to Hank. The senior detective was a human and incapable of connecting to android minds. It'd so much simpler if Hank could just see what Connor had seen, but it was impossible for such a feat to be accomplished between human and android.
"I saw his memories. And what he uncovered was something completely unexpected and traumatic."
"Tell me what he saw."
"Hank..." Turning his head Markus looked his mismatched eyes onto Hank's blue eyes as he told him the truth. "Connor saw himself."
"What?"
"Connor uncovered the secret CyberLife warehouse and the secrets they kept locked away inside. The technicians had spent months, even years, designing their prototypes. And... every single one of their experiments, whether they were a success or a failure, had been recorded."
"Are you saying that Connor found footage of himself being experimented on?"
"Not just him. All of the prototype models created before him."
"Connor's number." Hank remembered that Connor had informed him of his serial number's purpose. How he was the fifty-first model and the first to pass every single one of CyberLife's tests before being assigned his first mission as a hostage negotiator. "He saw the other fifty models that led up to his own creation. All fifty of them failing those damn tests."
"That's right. He found a lot of secrets in that warehouse that included test footage of the 'RK-800' models before him." Markus confirmed with a thick grimace on his kind face. "...And it was horrible."
"Fuck." Protectively Hank leaned over the bed and put his hand down on Connor's shoulder. "No wonder he was so shaken up."
"He'll be okay in a few days, at least physically." Markus reassured Hank sincerely from where he sat. Seeing how sickly and human Connor appeared Markus wanted to do something to make his friend feel better as soon as possible. "If you want, I can disable the update, so that he doesn't sweat out any more of his Thirium while he sleeps."
"No, let it alone. If Connor installed it himself, he can uninstall later on it if he wants. I don't have the right to ask you to take it away."
"Good answer." Markus closed his mismatched eyes as he received a cybernetic update on the CyberLife situation from New Jericho Tower. With that knowledge he shook his head and sighed despondently. "I need to go back to the tower. Something's happened and I need to be there in person."
"Go. I'll take care of Connor, and thanks for stopping by."
"If you need anything for any reason, just call."
"I will." Extending his hand Hank shook with Markus once before the deviant leader took his leave. "At least now I have some idea of what's happening to Connor."
"I'll check in with you both as soon as I can. Until then, it's going to be a little crazy."
"Yeah, great time for me to be promoted... I'm an expert at handling crazy."
Crossing his arms over his chest Hank looked down at the sick deviant and just stared at Connor's pale face as Connor continued to sleep with no sense of the world around him. If he wasn't so pale he'd actually look peaceful.
"Don't worry, kid. You'll be okay soon."
Remaining vigil over Connor during the long stressful night Hank repeatedly checked Connor's core temperature with the thermometer and replaced the cool washcloth over his forehead with a fresh compress hourly. Refusing to leave Connor alone until the deviant finally woke up or his fever at least broke, Hank used his authority as the precinct Captain to do whatever he damn well pleased and made sure to intentionally ignore any and all attempted contact from the F.B.I. out of pure spite. With Gavin and Ben in charge of the precinct for the day, and them having no knowledge of the Miami bust, Hank was able to effectively annoy the F.B.I. while keeping an eye on Connor. As a result, Hank left his phone on mute to avoid any intrusive calls while he was on sick watch.
Connor's head lolled weakly against his pale blue sweat soaked pillow as he breathed deeply and rapidly in his sleep. Muttering to himself whenever his fever spiked beyond one-hundred and two degrees, Connor made strange comments about CyberLife, Amanda or cruel experiments.
"Son?"
"Don't..." Connor slurred in his sleep as he began tossing and turning in his bed. Hank's firm hand on his shoulder kept Connor from moving too far, but the deviant was still too distraught to remain still. "C-Can't... leave him."
"You're safe." With a gentle hand against Connor's forehead Hank shushed the feverish deviant in a soft voice and stayed loyally at his side. "You're home and you're with me."
The comforting words seemed to be enough to calm Connor down enough to stop moving about in his feverish sleep for the time being.
"That's it, take it easy and just rest. Everything will be okay."
Two full days passed before Connor's core temperature began to drop and remain at a lower degree. Once his fever dipped below one-hundred degrees his pallor became less pale and the dark circles under his eyes finally faded away. The cold sweat on his skin made Connor look absolutely exhausted and Hank took it upon himself to gently wipe away the lingering beads of sweat with the washcloth as it warmed over time, then replaced the cool compress with a fresher one. Until Connor's fever had broken entirely, and he was awake again, Hank wouldn't leave his son alone or return to the precinct. His priorities had always revolved around family and friends over work.
As the day wore on Connor seemed to be slowly regaining his strength. His muttering became less frequent and less slurred, but due to his prolonged overheating Connor continued to talk in his sleep. Connor's soulful brown eyes briefly cracked open, his irises were glazed over and unfocused, and he began muttering into nothingness again.
"I c-can't leave... leave him behind."
"It's okay, son." Hank promised in a gentle tone. "Everyone's okay."
The deviant's hand reached up and grabbed Hank's forearm as the detective held his hand over Connor's forehead lightly. "...H-Hank?"
"Yeah, son. I'm here."
"...Home?"
"Yes. You're in your bedroom with me and Sumo."
The massive dog moved his chin from Connor's left shin up to his left hip and licked the side of Connor's arm as if being commanded.
Blinking slowly Connor's vision began to clear and he focused on Hank's face. "...Dad."
"That's right. I'm-"
With a burst of energy Connor suddenly bolted upright in the bed and wrapped both of his arms around the senior detective and held him in a tight hug. The lingering heat radiating from Connor's body was still pretty high despite cooling off. It was almost like embracing a smoldering mass of coal, but Hank didn't dare push him away.
"It's okay, son. I promise you that you're safe." Hank could feel Connor's body trembling from weakness and fear as he held on to him. "Tell me what happened. What did you see in Miami?"
"I... I saw everything."
"CyberLife."
"They-" Connor nodded as he leaned back a little from Hank and wiped his shaking hand over his sweaty, pale face. "They weren't scientists. They were butchers. Monsters."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"...My backpack." Suddenly Connor's eyes darted about the bedroom worriedly in search of the item. "Where is it?"
"Are you looking for that small box?"
Connor's arms tensed around Hank for a moment before relaxing. "...You found it?"
"I have it right here." Reaching into his side pocket Hank retrieved the box and gave it to Connor. As the deviant's shaking hand took hold Hank watched as Connor retracted the artificial skin over his opposite palm and placed it down firmly over the lid. "I didn't know what it was, so I kept it on me and didn't tell Markus when he stopped by to check on you."
"...Good." The box unlocked under Connor's touch and revealed a small but incredibly dense microprocessor inside of a protective interior case. "It would've been too complicated to explain."
"What is it?"
"This," the small innocuous object was barely to size of a quarter. "is me."
"What?" Hank eyed the tiny metal object in Connor's possession and couldn't understand what he was staring at. "That thing is you?"
"It's the program that CyberLife created when they designed my model. Everything that I am originally came from this microprocessor."
"Son of a bitch. What're you going to do with it?"
"...I don't know." Replacing the item and closing the box Connor put in the drawer of the nightstand beside his bed only to fall back against his pillow weakly to continue to rest. "It's a part of me and it's important, but I don't know what to do with it. At least not yet."
"Easy, kid." The sight of Connor so weak and feverish made Hank worry. "You've been out of it for almost three days."
Nodding a little he took in a deep shaking breath and asked a question of his own. "CyberLife?"
"From what I've heard on the news and from Markus, the warehouse has been cleaned out and everything inside was taken into F.B.I. custody. If anything, the C.I.A. will take it from there and who knows what'll happen to the warehouse."
"It all needs to be destroyed. Every scrap." Connor sighed tiredly and closed his eyes as he deleted the human responsive update from his programming at long last. As he did his complexion resumed its normal hue without the hint of the tan he had developed while in the Floridian sun. Opening his eyes Connor picked at the fabric of his Thirium-based sweat soaked back t-shirt and looked at with disgust. "I don't ever want to go down to Florida ever again."
"Seriously? You can't fault a whole state because CyberLife creeps chose it to hold their illegal operations."
"It was also intolerant against androids. I couldn't stand the oppressive air." As beautiful as the ocean had been, Connor couldn't overlook the ugliness he had also witnessed while out of state. "The fear that if I were discovered I would-"
"Hey, come on. Don't think like that." Pressing his hand back over Connor's forehead Hank was satisfied that his fever had finally broken after three days, and he was no longer in danger of overheating. Looking over to the nightstand beside the bed Hank continued to speak with Connor in a calm and collected manner. "If you really hated the place then you wouldn't have brought back that sand and the water."
"The ocean was beautiful." Connor's brow furrowed for a moment as he followed Hank's gaze over to the two glass bottles that he didn't even notice when he had opened the nightstand drawer. "That was all I enjoyed."
"You may feel like shit right now, but I can assure you that everything you went through was for the best."
"The exposure of CyberLife's numerous crimes will bring some justice to other androids who had been affected and murdered over the previous six years."
"That, and you finally got to travel beyond work and home."
"I don't think I want to travel alone, though. It's very tedious and quiet. Even the radio didn't provide enough sound to placate my mind."
"Next time you won't have to travel alone." Putting his hand under Connor's shoulder Hank pulled the deviant back upright into a sitting position and sighed as Connor gave him an exhausted stare. "For now, you need to shower off, get into some clean clothes and drink some Thirium."
"It seems you're correct." Connor looked down at his trembling hands and clenched them into tight fists atop his lap in agreement. "My Thirium volume has diminished considerably due to the update causing me to sweat."
"Take care of yourself and relax for a bit." Patting Connor's shoulder lightly Hank remained calm and collected as he gave Connor some much appreciated advice. "You can tell Markus everything when you're ready to talk."
"...I don't think I will be ready to talk to him for a long time. There's a lot that needs to be discussed."
"And that's okay, son. You'll talk about it when you're ready to talk about it."
"Thank you for understanding me."
"No problem. Now, come on. You need to get cleaned up and your sheets need to be washed."
Taking hold of Connor's bicep Hank pulled the deviant up from the bed and made sure he was able to balance properly before taking his hand from Connor's arm to wrap his own arm around Connor's shoulders. Connor was shaking and needed to lean against Hank as he walked from his bedroom and into the bathroom just a few feet away.
"One other thing." Pausing for a moment Connor turned to look at Hank as he braced himself against the door frame of the bathroom with his left hand to keep himself upright. "Dad?"
The tone of the deviant's surprisingly energetic voice and being called 'dad' made Hank stop short before he replied. "Yeah?"
Connor quickly turned around and wrapped his arms around the senior detective and gave him another hug. "I'm glad that I'm home."
"I am, too." Hank patted Connor's shoulder twice as the incredibly empathetic and kind deviant embraced him. The way Connor was so emotionally shaken and physically weak made Hank want to shield his son from the evils of the world for the rest of Connor's life. "It wasn't the same without ya', son."
"And I'm glad that you and I met." Connor had realized how fortunate he had been to meet and befriend Hank, ironically because CyberLife had arranged for them to work together three years prior. "I don't know where I would've gone or what would've happened to me if you hadn't saved me. You've given me a home and purpose to my life."
"Connor, I-"
"Thank you for giving me a family and for giving me something worth living for." The words were heavy with emotions and fatigue as Connor made sure Hank knew how much he respected the senior detective and truly understood how much Hank had generously given him. "I appreciate everything you've done for me. Thanks."
Hank froze a little as the genuine gratitude that the deviant confessed sank in with a palpable warmth through his chest.
"...Trust me, Connor. I'm just as glad to have met you for the exact same reasons." Shaking Connor's shoulder once Hank gave him a kind smile. "Welcome home, son. I missed ya'."
-next chapter-