"Turning A New Page"

Detroit Central Precinct

The busy night remained busy even as dawn threatened to break through the darkness at any moment. The detectives and patrolling officers had been actively monitoring the city as lockdown was lifted and reports of suspicious activity began to flourish once more. Having to handle the reports of two different fires on that cold November night did little to ease the stress of maintaining peace and civility in the historically changed city. Just as it seemed the day was finally over and that the exhausted detectives could finally clock-out to go home for the night, another call came in that required their immediate attention and couldn't wait until morning no matter how much the detectives wished for such a luxury.

Stifling a yawn Hank finished off his third cup of lukewarm coffee and looked over at the nameless deviant sitting quietly in the community breakroom in the distance. Hearing the deviant's strange story of waking up in the depths of the newly dubbed 'New Jericho Tower', getting into a fight, deviating and then being escorted to the Central Precinct seemed to be the most normal thing that had happened all day.

"Need another pot of coffee, Lieutenant?"

"Hm?" Hank looked over at Tina as the helpful young officer nodded in the direction of the breakroom. "No, three cups are enough."

"No such thing as enough coffee. So, how's the new deviant doing?" She had been very curious about the nameless deviant but wasn't sure how to broach the subject without seeming nosy or insensitive. "Does he need any help?"

"He'll be fine." Seeing someone who looked so much like Connor was still awkward for Hank to handle. He knew that the deviant wasn't Connor, but he looked and sounded so much like him that it left a weird and haunting feeling behind. "He just needs a place to stay, a means of supporting himself, and a name."

"A name? The poor guy doesn't have a name of his own?"

"Nope. Just woke up last night." Hank confirmed rather nonchalantly. "No name, no purpose, nowhere to go."

"That's terrible. Everyone needs a place they belong, let alone a friggin' name!"

"Well, he's all up for suggestions. Just don't suggest anything wild." The man confirmed as he sighed at the sound of an e-mail alert popping up on his terminal screen without his express permission. "Shit. Got one more vigilante sighting to handle before I can go home for the night. Someone got up close and personal with them just a few hours ago."

"While you're handling your next interview, I'm going to talk to our guest over there and see if I can help him pick a name."

"Before you do that," without looking away from his screen Hank managed to stop Tina from walking away from his desk. "what did you name your pets when you were a child?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Humor me." Using his 'dad voice' Hank managed to get an amused and mischievous smirk out of Tina. "What did you name your pets?"

"When I was six, I had a goldfish I named 'Mr. Fish'," she admitted without losing her smile. "and when I was eleven, I had a kitten I named 'Nacho Supreme - Destroyer of Planets'. Why?"

Hank just gave Tina a knowing look while silently pleading with her to please not get too creative with the name suggestions.

"Hey, I promise to leave out any of the most complicated surnames." As she turned to head into the breakroom Tina gave Hank a coy wink over her shoulder before tagging on another promise. "For now..."

"I really hope that deviant knows he can reject any names that start with 'Mister' or 'Nacho'."

As he leaned back against his chair with an audible 'creak' Hank sensed someone walking toward his desk from the entryway of the precinct. A young woman who smelled of smoke despite having clearly just showered limped into the bullpen with a familiar face right beside her. The moment he saw the woman Hank knew that she was the interview he was waiting for, and knew she wanted to get home as quickly as he did.

"Well, if I had known that you'd be coming my way I would've spruced the place up with a few fire hydrants and bonfires, Randy." Remaining surprisingly upbeat Hank shook Captain Gage's hand before offering the young woman the chair opposite of his desk to use. "Good to see you're still on the job."

"Same for you, Hank." Returning the handshake Captain Gage helped Abby to walk through the bullpen while she was still nursing her injured ribs. "This is Abby Grayson, she's one of my E.M.S. and had been at the heart of the action tonight when your vigilante showed up to save the day."

"So I already read in my e-mail. Miss Grayson," Hank shook Abby's hand as well as a form of respect for the fell first responder. "thanks for agreeing to stop by tonight. I know you had a rough call, and just want to go to bed. I feel ya' on that."

"Oh, you have no idea." Mindful of her ribs Abby wrapped her arm around her chest to support her injuries as she tried to relax where she sat. "I guess it's the least I can do before I go on six weeks of leave because I got too close to the fire tonight. Stupid of me, I know. And I promise I won't do it again."

Captain Gage patted Abby's shoulder in good faith before heading to the breakroom himself. "I'll get you some tea, then personally drive you back to the station."

"You're the best boss I've ever had, Cap'." She called out as Captain Gage left the bullpen. "I mean it."

"All right, let's get to business." Hank was more interested in getting Abby's statement so that they could all leave the precinct for the night and get some sleep. "Can you tell me anything about the vigilante that could help us identify them? Anything at all could be useful."

"Not really. Everything happened so fast." As she recounted her harrowing tale Abby cleared her throat anxiously. The smoke irritation was making it difficult to speak without an annoying tickle. "One second I'm lying on the ground in a burning apartment, the next that vigilante was above me and protecting me from falling debris."

"You didn't see them anywhere near the building before that?"

"No. I think he came in from the window and saved my ass."

"You said 'he'." Hank quickly noted the masculine pronoun and wrote it down on his terminal. "What makes you think the vigilante is male?"

"When he picked me up and I wrapped my arms around his neck." She stated with a coy grin where she sat. "I'm a medic and a technician, so I know a masculine build when I feel one."

"Wait, technician? As in... computers?"

"No." That question was to be expected, and Abby had no problem answering honestly. "A medic to treat damaged androids."

"Oh. So you're a medic for everyone in the city."

"Everyone who is a bipedal humanoid anyway, yeah."

"Right, yeah." Hank continued to take notes and gave Captain Gage a small nod as the man placed a mug of tea down for Abby to drink. "Any other details?"

"The way the fire made the lighting around me flicker kept me from getting a good look at their face." She slowly picked up the mug and held it between her hands in a comforting manner. "I mean, he was wearing a mask over his nose and mouth, and he had a hood pulled up the whole time, so it's not like I could get a great look anyway."

"Tell me anything you can think of that might be useful. Anything at all."

"I couldn't really tell what complexion his artificial skin was set on, but he looked Caucasian."

"Okay, good."

"And there was a small lock of his hair hanging down from beneath the hood." Abby motioned with her own hair to give Hank an idea of what she had seen. "It was either dark brown or even black."

"Light skin, dark hair... All right."

"Oh, and his eyes. They were a very deep brown color, that much I know for certain."

"Yeah?" As Hank recorded the details, he asked for verification for everything Abby was saying. "And how's that?"

"I looked right into his eyes when he saved my life." Abby sipped at her tea and was relieved that it didn't aggravate her throat after inhaling smoke. "I won't forget them for as long as I live."

"Good enough for me." Hank finished chronicling the details and then sighed as the details were specific yet still too vague to narrow down their suspect list. A white male with brown hair and brown eyes wasn't exactly rare. "Did he say anything to you during your encounter?"

"Just that he was going to help me. Oh," Abby rubbed her palm along her right side where her two fractured ribs gnawed at her. "and he knew about my fractured ribs before I even did. That means the android has the software to perform biometric scans."

"Is that a common feature in androids?"

"Not really. It's considered a luxury upgrade, but a lot of caretaking androids were given that upgrade since they watched over families with smaller children. You're looking for a caretaker or a medical android."

"Right, makes sense. Even though we thought we were looking for a security android until now..." It didn't Hank long to notice that Abby's mood dropped when she mentioned children. "You good? I mean, aside from the obvious. You look like someone just kicked a kitten in front of you."

"Nothing quite so heartbreaking. I just found out the little girl that I rescued is an android, and that she and her mother, also an android, were threatened just before the fire. Even though it was an electrical accident that caused the fire, they're still petrified of being targeted and assaulted."

"Where are they right now?"

"A hotel." Abby replied with a smarmy tone. "The manager can't really say 'no' to two androids needing shelter for the night considering they need the money."

"Good. I know it may not be much, but according to uh..." Motioning to the deviant in the breakroom as he was offered an interesting selection of names from Tina herself, Hank introduced Abby to his new acquaintance. "That deviant right there said that the old CyberLife Tower has been converted into a shelter for deviants all over the city. In the morning, they can head out there and have a new place to live."

"Yeah?" Abby turned to look at the nameless deviant in the breakroom and tilted her head curiously. "Think I could talk to him before I go?"

"Sure. You can also make sure Officer Chen didn't get him to accept any embarrassing names."

"Uh... What now?"

"You'll see soon enough. Hey?" Hank called out to the deviant of interest and waved him over to the bullpen. "We need to talk for a minute."

Standing up casually the nameless deviant joined Hank in the bullpen as he had been requested and looked at Abby with a curious glance. His right forearm was still wrapped up in gauze to protect the damage, but it'd need proper technical attention in order to fully mend itself and heal. As he looked down at Abby, he noticed that she seemed to be studying his face as if trying to remember if they had met once before.

"What do need to discuss, Lieutenant?" The deviant asked politely as he slowly flexed his right fingers to test his hand's dexterity while his forearm healed. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really. I was just hoping you could tell Abby about New Jericho so she can help two homeless androids, and uh, please tell me that you didn't take any of the names that Tina suggested."

"I did not take any names that Officer Chen provided." The deviant confirmed in an almost relieved manner. "I don't believe that 'Andy' - short for 'android' and not 'Andrew' - 'Data', 'Tom Servo' or 'Stewart the Bringer of Justice' are appropriate for me."

"Good call. Although, I do appreciate the 'Tom Servo' suggestion." Hank politely excused himself from his desk and suggested that Captain Gage join him in the breakroom as he allowed Abby to speak with the nameless deviant for a while in privacy. "You two exchange details, then I'll finally clock-out and get some sleep."

Captain Gage nodded and accompanied Hank into the breakroom for a minute. "Sleep sounds damn good right about now."

"When does it not sound good? Rough night with those two fires, huh?"

"Two fires," the Captain confirmed as he helped himself to some coffee and a doughnut. "one heart attack, and about a dozen false alarms about androids supposedly tearing the city apart. How about you?"

"Two fires, nine beaten gang members, and one stray deviant in need of help." Hank motioned back to the nameless deviant and saw that as he and Abby were speaking that Abby was checking on the deviant's broken arm. Her knowledge as a technician was coming in handy. "And I have no idea what to do with him."

"What about that shelter you mentioned earlier?"

"He said that he can't go back there for personal reasons. I didn't push him on that, but I respect it."

"Then where's he going to go?" Glancing around the precinct Captain Gage saw a few android charging stations were still installed in the bullpen. The android personnel used them to recharge and rest at night for the precinct's convenience. "He can't stay here all night, right?"

"No, I wouldn't expect a human with no place to go to just make-do in the precinct, so I won't do the same for him."

"So what's the solution?"

"Uh..." Unable to ignore the deviant in need Hank knew he'd need to think of something if he was going to actually sleep well that night. "I'll figure it out. Don't worry about him."

The Lieutenant was thoroughly exhausted and in need of some proper rest. Everything in the city was changing so drastically and against his will that Hank was struggling to keep up. Even if the man was still a rookie there was no doubt that his energy would've drained just as readily considering her was working solo and didn't have a partner to help him shoulder some of the responsibilities.

New Jericho Tower: Belle Isle

The emergency repair bay of the tower was crowded as the worried leaders waited for Markus to regain consciousness. The deviant leader and figurehead for New Jericho Tower had endured a nasty physical assault from the 'RK-900', but he'd make a full recovery in time. Simon had managed to get the internal hemorrhaging under control and repair Markus's broken arm, and now the other leaders were waiting for him to wake up so that he could tell them what had happened leading to the assault itself. They had all agreed to refrain from accessing Markus's memories without his consent, which of course meant that they'd have to remain patient as they waited for Markus to finally awaken.

North was holding Markus's hand while Simon continued to monitor his vital signs. Josh had busied himself by discussing the prospect of a community group session for the tower inhabitants with Lucy, as they both knew that it was important that their people know it was safe to open up about their emotions and personal experiences before, during and after the Revolution.

"Where did you even find that android?" North whispered as she carefully pressed her palm to Markus's bruised cheek. "Why are you trying to push us away when we're just trying to help you?"

"Guilt." Simon stated firmly as he gave North a casual shrug of his shoulders. "We know how much he regrets killing Connor."

"And we don't blame him. He has no reason to push us away when we're trying to support him."

"You're right, he doesn't." The blond deviant confirmed as he checked Markus's bandages. "That being said, I have to mention that Markus has no defensive wounds on his body whatsoever. He allowed the 'RK-900' to beat the hell out of him."

"Because the 'RK-900' looks like Connor." North deduced with a somber sigh. She now knew why Markus had been beaten down so easily. "He wanted to be punished for what he had done."

"We'll need to handle this situation delicately once Markus wakes up. We'll also need to let him that the 'RK-900' is now a deviant and not in the tower."

"We should keep them apart until Markus is in a better mental state, and after we know for certain that the 'RK-900' isn't a threat to us anymore."

"Agreed."

Lucy approached the bed and offered counsel to her distraught friends in the only way she knew how. "We cannot sway the paths that have been set for those we care for. We can only support them as walk their paths and ensure them that they are not alone on their journeys."

"We can't risk Markus getting hurt again." North defied with a stern voice. She wasn't going to watch Markus self-destruct or allow another person to tear him apart because of his own guilt. "I won't interfere with anyone's future, but I also won't stand idle and watch Markus walk a path of destruction."

"He won't." Josh stated in a reassuring manner as he looked at his downed friend with a somber gaze. "But until he wakes up and tells us what happened, we can't be certain if anything we say or do could hurt him or help him. All we can do is be moral support."

"He's going to be fine." It was as if North was trying to reassure herself as much as she was trying to reassure her friends. "No matter how long it takes or what it takes, I will make sure Markus knows we still trust him and believe in him as a leader. He can make a mistake without needing to define the rest of his life."

Hank Anderson's Residence

The dark, late night hour had turned to the dark, early morning hour in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Hank carefully drove the Oldsmobile home through the snowy, icy streets at a steady pace both due to the ongoing poor road conditions and his own mounting exhaustion. The wise Lieutenant didn't want to risk any unfortunate mishaps while driving that'd result in some kind of an accident or getting stranded in the snow on the side of the road. He had enough experiences with foul weather and poor road conditions to last a lifetime. The man was going to be twice as careful considering he wasn't alone that night and didn't know what else to do to avoid enduring a sleepless, guilt-filled night.

Silently the 'RK-900' sat beside Hank in the front seat with his broken forearm now secured in a plastimetal brace and fresh gauze courtesy of Abby. The still learning technician had found the proper supplies up in the second-floor dispensary, and had helped herself without leaving behind a mess in the process. Staring down at his bandaged arm the deviant thought about how kind everyone had been to him despite not really knowing him, and how he hoped to continue experience such kindness as he continued through his life.

"Here we are, kid." Hank pulled the Oldsmobile into the drive and made sure to shift on the emergency brake to ensure it didn't slip back down the drive during the night. He wasn't going to be taking any chances. "It's not much, but it's a hell of a lot better than sleeping in the streets or even the precinct."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Hope you don't mind dogs." Leading the deviant to the front door Hank made sure his unexpected guest felt safe in the house and knew he wasn't going to be kicked out or made to feel like he was trespassing. "Sumo's friendly, but he's big."

"Big?"

"Saint Bernard."

"Oh." Wisely the nameless deviant held his arm against his chest and prepared to protect the damaged limb if necessary. "Thank you for the warning."

The moment Hank opened the door Sumo excitedly plodded up to Hank for some attention, then took notice of the deviant beside him. Sumo sniffed at the deviant's shoes for a moment then wagged his tail happily as if he had just given him his personal approval.

"Good dog." Hank let Sumo outside for a few minutes and motioned to the couch. "You can sleep there. I'll get you a blanket and pillow."

"That's not necessary."

"It is when you're a guest in my house."

The deviant just watched as Hank walked down the hallway and opened up the closet. Everything was happening so quickly, and the deviant was still adapting to just being suddenly alive.

"Did ya' ever pick a name?" As he placed the pillow and blanket down on the couch Hank watched Sumo through the opened front door and waited for the dog to finish his business. "Can't be any worse than 'Nacho Supreme' or 'Beavis'."

"I did not. Miss Grayson suggested that I pick a name that reflects me as a person." The deviant admitted as he watched Sumo trot back inside and shake off his damp fur. "I agree with her idea, although I don't really know what I'm reflecting."

"Try not to read too deeply into names. Just pick something ya' like."

"I don't know what I like."

"Right, right..." After he locked the door Hank kicked off his shoes and hung his coat up on the hook beside the front door. "How about this: Think back to everything you do know about yourself as a deviant now and before you were a deviant back then, and then try to use that as inspiration."

"Inspiration?" The very concept made his L.E.D. flash from blue to yellow. As a newly awoken mind the very notion of inspiration was still foreign. "I suppose I can try to do that."

"Cool. Think about it tonight while you're sleeping and let me know what you came up with when I wake up."

"When will that be?"

"Don't know." Hank had no plan on setting his alarm or answering his phone until he had some proper rest. "I have the day off, so I'll wake up when I'm damn good and ready."

"That seems... broad. Yet reasonable."

"Right." The man appreciated the way the deviant had no problem accepting his vague response. "Make yourself at home and do your best to keep Sumo from making a mess."

"I will do my best."

The deviant sat down on the edge of the couch and removed his shoes to prevent himself from tracking snow all over the floor, and then removed his blazer. The long sleeved black shirt and jeans weren't the most comfortable to sleep in, but the deviant didn't have many options at his disposal. As he laid back over the couch the deviant propped the thick pillow under his head and pulled the navy blue blanket over himself to keep warm and comfortable during the night.

"Reflect on myself to find my name. Interesting."

Sumo suddenly hopped up on the couch and cuddled down with the deviant to keep warm during the night, and eagerly waited for his ear pets.

Having no experience with dogs before that night, the deviant slowly lowered his unaffected left hand to Sumo's head and began running his palm along the dog's soft fur trailing all the way down his back. The effort was met with happy tail wags and the deviant knew he was interacting correctly with his new furry friend.

"I can tell that your name was chosen because the Lieutenant reflected on your own personality. You're big and you know how to control your strength."

Sumo just settled in for the night and enjoyed having a new person to spoil him with some extra attention.

"I wonder if the Lieutenant's parents knew he'd become a detective and become a strong, respected member of the community when they selected his name as an infant."

Such a thought was as silly as it was irrelevant.

"My purpose was to replace the 'RK-800' series and work with the Detroit Police to stop deviant androids. I was hidden in CyberLife records as 'Project_Light'. I was awoken by the vigilante dressed in black. I was guided to Lieutenant Anderson and I'm not under his protection until further notice."

The sun was rising, and the light of the new dawn shone through the window and over the deviant as he laid over the couch. As the light fell over him Lucas focused on that very term, 'light', and of how it was connected to him through his original identity.

"Light... Perhaps that's the answer I've been looking for."

Closing his eyes for the remainder of the night the deviant allowed himself to enter rest mode and continued to pet Sumo's back in an affectionate manner. He had a lot to think about that night and he could only guess what was waiting for him as he found his name and then continued to find his place in the world.

Visionary Lodestar Lighthouse: Belle Isle

It had taken some time, but Connor managed to get back to the lighthouse and remove his protective gear to examine the injuries that his body had sustained while he was inside the burning building. The protective gear had managed to prevent him from sustaining any serious damage to his body along his shoulders and back, but that didn't mean that Connor had fully avoided getting bruised up and cut up under the gear itself. Considering his limited supplies and lack of direct assistance in the event he became seriously damaged; Connor was happy to patch up the small bruises and cuts by himself. The fact that he had avoided being burned, crushed and broken was something he'd hang on to for as long as he could.

The protective gear itself didn't look any worse for wear. The small tears in the fabric couldn't be seen by anyone who didn't right up to the material, and the layer beneath was still fully intact. The armor plates along his shoulders were unscathed and the hood was flawless in appearance.

"I wonder how Miss Grayson is fairing after being caught in the fire?"

One of the aspects of being a vigilante that Connor hadn't anticipated was his inability to check-in with people that he was worried about without putting them in danger or exposing his identity.

"She was very courageous to enter the building to save the little android. Perhaps that motivation is a sign of her sincere intentions as a technician."

As he examined his bruised back and shoulders in the mirror Connor glanced as his fully exposed face and wondered how the 'RK-900' was holding up. He trusted that Hank wouldn't harm him, but he wasn't sure where the deviant could go or what he could do as a free person. Unlike Connor and the other deviants, the 'RK-900' hadn't deviated before or during the Revolution with past memories and experiences to guide him. Without such personal insight the 'RK-900' would struggle more than any other deviant to find his place in the new world.

"I'd like to know more about 'Project_Light' and the 'RK-900', but I can't sneak into the tower or visit him without someone noticing."

Being alone in the lighthouse gave Connor plenty of privacy but it also provided him with a heavy sense of loneliness. Connor had recently discovered that he didn't really like to be alone for too long, but he couldn't do anything to remedy that unless he chose to go out into the city and try to socialize. However, a majority of the deviants believed that Connor was already dead and that him revealing that he was still alive would only draw unwanted attention and questions his way.

"I wonder how Markus is recovering too. He was in terrible shape."

Glancing out the window overlooking the tower Connor tried to imagine what was happening behind the walls in the distance. Even with a potential ally inside the tower Connor knew he could just ask Lucy what was happening through a cybernetic link, but he decided it'd be best to distance himself from the tower for a while.

"It'd be best to not bother Lucy. She's going through a lot and shouldn't be disturbed until she's settled in."

Despite the awkward angles Connor managed to bandage his back and his shoulders properly. The rising sun made Connor realize how long he had been out in the streets, and he wanted to get some sleep to prevent exhaustion from wearing out his power cells or causing potential errors.

Retiring for the remainder of the night, or in his case, early morning hours, Connor laid down in his bed and pulled the quilt up and over himself to keep warm throughout the cold wintry November night. Once his power cells full recharged Connor would awaken and be able to roam the city at night once again without needing to worry about getting exhausted in the process.

"I'll attempt to check in on the 'RK-900', Markus, Miss Grayson and Hank in a day or so. I'd rather watch over the city while the lockdown is being lifted for the time being."

Hank Anderson's Residence

It was past three in the afternoon when Hank finally woke up and decided to check his phone for any missed calls or messages. Fortunately, his phone was left undisturbed during the night which meant that he didn't have to contact the precinct or go in on his day off to catch up on anything important. Just as he was about to lay back down and rest for a while longer Hank suddenly remembered his houseguest and decided to go and check in on him. There was no need to worry about the deviant damaging anything or getting into trouble, but Hank still wanted to make sure that the deviant didn't need any special attention given to his damaged arm or need any Thirium replenishment.

As he trudged down the hallway in his sweatpants and old, faded black t-shirt, Hank spotted the deviant sitting in the middle of the couch with Sumo sprawled over his lap. The blanket had been neatly folded and draped over the back of the couch with the pillow on top, and by all account the entire livingroom and kitchen had been dusted and tidied during the night.

"Uh, hey." Hank walked around the couch and sat down beside the deviant with a heavy drop. It wasn't long before Sumo had his chin pressed down on Hank's lap in search of additional pets. "How'd ya' sleep?"

"My rest cycle was very beneficial." Responding logically the deviant rolled up his right sleeve and revealed that his broken forearm had structurally mended. "In six hours, twenty-six minutes and seventeen seconds my artificial skin will fully regenerate over my arm confirming a full recovery."

"Damn, you guys sure heal fast. That's pretty cool."

"It's efficient, yes."

"So, think of a name last night?" Hank hated not being able to call the deviant anything properly, and wanted him to have a real name. "Even something that might be a contender if you're not fully convinced it's the one you like is better than nothing."

"Yes, in fact. I have decided on what I'd like to be called."

"All right, let me hear it. Unless it's 'Taco Salad' or some other weird-ass Tina shit."

"No, it isn't anything quite so... edible." Rolling his sleeve back down the deviant rested his palm on Sumo's head and gave Hank a confident nod. "I believe I'd like to be referred to as 'Lucas'."

"'Lucas'? Not bad, not bad at all." The name was far better than anything Hank had feared and who was he to tell Lucas otherwise about his own name. "Nice to meet you, Lucas."

"It's nice to meet you too, Lieutenant."

"Call me 'Hank'. I'm off the clock and I'm lettin' ya' crash on my couch, so just call me by my name and not my rank."

"Very well, Hank, then."

"Got any plans for where you wanna' go and what you wanna' do? I'm not kicking ya' out." Hank stated quickly to ensure Lucas didn't feel unwelcomed or intrusive in any way. "I just want to know if you have a plan of action yet."

"Not quite. My original role was to replace the 'RK-800' series, to replace... Connor." There was needless shame in Lucas's words as he explained everything to Hank and continued to gently pet Sumo's back and rub his ears. "I don't want to be a replacement for anyone or anything."

"And you don't have to be. You can do whatever it is you want to do, and no one can tell you any different."

"What if I want to obey my programming and work with the police?"

"Then that's fine."

"It feels disrespectful to work as a detective after everything you went through with Connor." Lucas had known of Hank's partnership with Connor, and he didn't want to do anything to tarnish the believed shutdown deviant's memory. "Again, I was supposed to replace him."

"Kid, you will never be a replacement for anyone no matter what you look like or what you choose to do with your life. Don't worry about being compared to Connor or think of yourself as doing any disservice to Connor's memory." Lightly Hank put his hand on Lucas's shoulder as a sign of good faith and did his best to ease Lucas's worries about his future. "If you want, I'll put in a good word for you at the precinct and tell Fowler that you're going to shadow me as a detective for a while and help out with the deviant division. How does that sound?"

"You'd do that for me?" The act of generosity made Lucas's blue L.E.D. flash to red for a beat before returning to blue. "I'd appreciate that."

"Then it's settled. You'll start working at the precinct, get some money saved up, and then you can go wherever you want without anyone to tell you 'no'."

"Thank you, Hank." Such assistance gave Lucas genuine hope for the future of the city and his own future as a person. "I promise that I'll do everything I can to make myself as respectable as a detective as possible."

"Don't worry about making a good impression, all right?" Not wanting to stress about work Hank kicked up his feet on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch cushion to relax for a few more minutes. "Just focus on doing your job properly and everything will be okay. You'll see."

Downtown Detroit: Ravendale

Ever attentive and protective Connor proceeded to discreetly roam the streets in a more humanoid disguise to avoid being recognized without also needing to hide in the shadows. By using his cybernetic connections Connor was able to utilize his personal link to CyberLife's remaining funds to order some clothing and have it delivered to an address near Belle Isle to pick up for himself before the property owner discovered the unexpected package. The dark jeans, black hoodie, dark blue scarf wrapped around his face and black beanie helped to keep Connor warm while also disguising his appearance. As an extra step of precaution Connor shifted his hair color from his standard brunet shade to blond in the event someone caught sight of his hair poking out from under his hat.

Roaming the streets casually Connor managed to locate the Eastern Motel where the two androids from the previous night's fire had gone and made sure the manager wasn't harassing them. As far as Connor could tell, the manager had to put up with either android occupants or lose money while so many human occupants were absent from the city.

The anti-android stickers that had been posted to the motel's doors and walls had only recently been removed - the adhesive residue on the surfaces were still tacky - and it was clear that allowing androids inside the motel was a new decision. Regardless of the reason for such a decision Connor could take solace in knowing that it was a step forward and civility was progressing forward, albeit begrudgingly and slowly.

"The streets are quiet."

Speaking aloud Connor glanced around the immediate area and focused on the condemned building down the street from the motel that he knew housed a homeless deviant. That deviant, known as 'Ralph', had become a little infamous in deviant circles of gossip. The heavily damaged deviant had been taken to one of the infamous recycling camps on the night of the Revolution, and his fate was unknown. If Ralph did survive Connor imagined he'd return to the familiar building, but even so, it wasn't any of his business to dictate where Ralph should go or who he should associate with.

"Markus and the others will be reaching out to all deviants in need of shelter. I can't distract myself with individual cases of struggles while the entire city is struggling just to peacefully coexist."

It was difficult, but Connor had accepted the fact that he couldn't protect everyone at all hours of the day and throughout the entire city at one time. After accepting such limitations, the deviant detective and vigilante was convinced that he'd be able to do greater good by keeping is attention focused on the city as opposed to specific individuals.

"I know that Hank will be watching over the 'RK-900' for a while, and I know that Markus won't be leaving the tower until he's recovered from his damage. I should be able to keep watch over the city without needing to worry about their personal affairs."

Mindful of his surroundings and of how loud he spoke to himself Connor wandered the streets and took in the sight of life returning to the city as the lockdown lifted and people slowly trickled back into Detroit. Many people were attempting to go about their lives as if nothing had happened, whereas the minority were willing to admit and even embrace the new world with an embittered sense of indignation. As long as people didn't begin attacking one another or try to engage in a second civil conflict, Connor didn't mind the sluggish pace toward acceptance and tolerance.

The now defunct CyberLife stores had all been closed down and their very sparce human employees had been laid-off. A new company called 'Digital Sentience' was apparently going to take over the emptied buildings and begin providing replacement limbs, biocomponents and Thirium for the deviants in the city. The new company created by promising college students studying android technology and anatomy promised to hire a staff that was an equal mix of humans and deviants, but even so a lot of people were still protesting the deviant-exclusive store opening in general.

"Life is returning to the city. As are jobs. Hopefully such positive outcomes will result in positive reception."

Connor pulled his hat down a little lower toward his eyes as he trudged through the fresh snow that had fallen earlier that morning and undid all the hard work of the city crew who had shoveled and salted the walkways the night before. Without deviants to shovel, plow and salt the city on an hourly basis, the snow and ice were piling up fast and humans were noticing the lack of deviant assistance quickly.

"I'll stock up on supplies where I can and then return to the lighthouse until dark. There's too much snow on the ground for me to even attempt to hide in the streets during the daytime."

Satisfied that the day was going to remain relatively calm, and that city wasn't going to fall apart without his constant vigil, Connor decided it was time to handle his own errands and return to the seclusion of the lighthouse. Using hidden passageways along the bridge connecting the city to Belle Isle to stay out of sight of the other inhabitants of Belle Isle were proving to be very beneficial in keeping a low profile and ensuring he was still hidden in plain sight. Having such knowledge of secrets had given Connor a massive advantage that he couldn't have anticipated when he took on his current mission.

"If I'm going to continue to protect this city, then I'm going to need to look after myself and learn to defend myself without any hesitation."

The deviant decided as he set about his errands as casually as possible.

"I can't help anyone if I fail to keep myself functional and alive."

Detroit Central Precinct

True to his word, Hank had taken Lucas with him to the precinct to get the deviant instated as a consulting detective to aid him with deviant division. While the determined Lieutenant spoke with Captain Fowler inside the commanding officer's private office, Lucas nervously sat in the community breakroom while waiting to hear about Captain Fowler's final decision regarding the proposition. If Captain Fowler agreed to hire on Lucas as a consultant, then that meant the man would have to pay Lucas for services rendered, and deviants were only just being recognized as people. It'd be difficult to ensure Lucas was paid properly, especially since he had no real experience to speak of and essentially give him credence as a perfectly qualified detective.

To preoccupy his time and his mind, Lucas looked down at his healing forearm and continuously flexed his fingers to ensure his dexterity and range of motion hadn't been compromised by the recent damage. The 'RK-900' was a swift healer, but even so he wasn't immortal or above sustaining permanent injury.

As Lucas sat in the breakroom, he unintentionally caught the eye of Joel as the young technician set about getting himself some tea before he spoke to Hank regarding his own investigation into the vigilante's potential identity. Curious about the unknown deviant Joel studied Lucas's behavior and approached him slowly as if worried he'd upset the deviant by mistake.

"Excuse me?" Joel caught Lucas's attention as he stood before the healing deviant. "Are you in need of... technical assistance?"

The sight of Lucas's face mirroring Connor's face had Joel off guard and Lucas immediately knew why. Lucas had accepted that anyone who knew of Connor and his fate in the abandoned church would find his own appearance unintentionally unsettling.

"I'm healing well, thank you." Standing up Lucas extended the same hand to properly introduce himself to Joel and help ease the tension. "My name is Lucas. I am an acquaintance of Lieutenant Anderson."

By the time Lucas was able to explain everything Joel regarding his origins, how he met Hank, selected his name and of how despite physically confronting the vigilante that he didn't know anything about their identity, Hank had ventured out of the private office and right into the breakroom. The look in his eye was difficult to express. It was as if Hank was relieved and upset at the same time.

"Okay, Lucas. You're officially permitted to work with me in the field regarding the vigilante case." Hank confirmed as he gave the young deviant a firm pat to the shoulder. "The only catch is that you're not allowed to arm yourself with any form of weapon. You'll wear Kevlar and only work with me for an indefinite period of time until more deviant laws are implemented this coming spring."

"That is acceptable. Thank you for vouching for me, Hank."

"I also want you to be aware that there's going to be some lingering bigotry here in the precinct. I'll do everything I can to make sure these bigots are kept far away from you and that they have the chance pull their heads out of their asses, but you still need to be careful who you talk to. Got it?"

Lucas's gray eyes trailed over to Joel for a moment before returning to Hank's gaze.

"Joel's fine." The man knew what Lucas wanted to ask without being accidentally impolite. "He's the precinct technician, so you can talk to him."

"That's reassuring."

"And Joel," the way Hank's demeanor shifted over from annoyed to uncertain spoke volumes of the intensity of the unusual discussion he had just had with Captain Fowler. "you're going to be doing the same as Lucas. You'll be assisting me in the field for the time being."

"Me?" Joel looked as confused as Lucas about the entire arrangement. "I don't understand. I'm a technician, not a detective."

"Right. But as a human with the knowledge of deviants, you'll be able to report to Fowler and let him know if Lucas is cut-out for the job. He doesn't think I can be objective in my assessment, and he wants you to make sure I'm not playin' favorites."

"Okay, sure. Will I get Kevlar too?"

"Yup. I want you two to both get your vests right now and then meet me at my desk." Hank sighed and rubbed his hand along the back of his tight neck as he gave the duo a skeptical glance where he stood. "Fowler wants us on patrol tonight. He thinks the best way to find the vigilante is to catch 'em in the act, even though there is no possible way for us to even try guess when or where that could happen."

"The vigilante appears wherever an emergency is actively taking place." Lucas stated quickly with his L.E.D. cycling in yellow. "The citywide lockdown has been fully lifted, which means there will be tension in the streets. I suspect that the construction sites for the new facilities would be ideal targets, however, the increased security put into place after the first failed attempt to destroy the Zeta Facility might deter such an abhorrent act."

"Okay, right." Hank agreed with Lucas's assessment and waited for him to continue. "Where are you thinking we should patrol for a while?"

"Near the abandoned CyberLife stores. It's recently been confirmed that a new technical entity will be taking over the stores and supplying deviants with necessities for our survival." Despite his distance from other deviants Lucas knew how to tap into deviant cybernetic links to monitor gossip. "That may draw unwanted, violent attention toward those particular properties."

"Good call, Lucas. Joel," turning to the technician for a little more information, Hank wisely took every precaution possible before leaving the precinct. "tell us everything that you know about those kinds of stores and how to tell a genuine employee from a nutcase looking to cause problems."

Despite his incredibly young age and lack of experience Lucas felt a little offended that Hank wouldn't ask him for such details regarding the stores since it was his suggestion to patrol those particular properties. In an effort to keep the peace Lucas reminded himself that he still had a lot to learn, and that Hank was merely being careful when asking for more information. There was also no reason to assume that Joel would know less about the stores than he did.

From where he stood Lucas accepted that he'd need to work hard to prove himself to be a skilled, capable detective and earn the trust of his new colleagues. He wasn't afraid of a challenge or encountering obstacles during his personal journey. Just as his predecessor had been designed to do, Lucas was going to adapt to such challenges, and he was going to find a way to accomplish his self-appointed mission.

Downtown Detroit: Hart Plaza

The quiet, cold day had turned to an equally quiet and cold night. The readily erected and then deconstructed recycling camps that had littered the city, with the largest of the camps being set up in that very plaza, had left a strange sense of dread that lingered. Thousands of deviants had been executed in those very camps and the shutdown had been carted off by the military to be disposed of elsewhere. While many of the bodies had been reclaimed and were set to be laid to rest in a far more proper and respectable manner at a later date, too many deviants were lost forever. Their remains were misplaced, destroyed or mangled beyond recognition that'd keep their surviving loved ones from finding peace.

From atop a decorative ledge that lined the fourth floor of a large city bank overlooking the plaza, Connor pushed himself to slowly overcome his fear of heights as he cybernetically monitored the police broadcasts. There was triple the usual police patrol in the city that night and the attentive deviant was going to pay attention to each and every broadcast to ensure the city was safe.

A small rustle in a nearby alleyway drew Connor's attention down the street below with a keen interest. The sight of a fluffy cat and her two kittens roaming the area made Connor breathe a sigh of relief since there was nothing criminal taking place. In fact, seeing the local stray animals going about their own business without any worries of the changed city around them reminded Connor that life would resume normalcy when given enough time to adjust.

"She must be searching for scraps to eat. It must be difficult to find food in the wintertime."

Glancing about the immediate area Connor scanned the neighborhood and took notice of a small diner that was just closing up for the night down the block. A scan even from the distance confirmed that a bag of still edible just old food was being carried out to the dumpster by one of the employees, and that the food would be perfect for a hungry cat and her kittens.

Stealthily Connor climbed down from his perch and silently made his way to the back of the diner to access the dumpster to claim the food. The moment the employee returned to the restaurant to get a second bundle of garbage to be disposed of, Connor reached inside the dumpster, grabbed the bag with the food, and carried it back to the alleyway where the cat and her kittens were huddling to keep warm. No one had seen Connor, and the deviant managed to keep some food from going to waste that night.

The masked deviant entered the alleyway with his plastic bag of old food and was met with the mother cat growling and arching her back at the intruder while her kittens cowered behind her. Moving slowly Connor knelt down on the ground and lowered his mask to show the cat that he was a person, not a different type of predator, and then opened the plastic bag slowly.

"It's all right, I'm a friend."

Picking up a piece of roast duck from the bag Connor placed it slowly on the ground near the cat and watched as she sniffed at the offered food. With her eyes black, ears down and hackles up, the mother cat snatched up the offered food and backed away from Connor with her kittens following her. The mother cat led her kittens to an overturned box to take shelter and got out of Connor's sight quickly.

"She is a survivor. It seems humans haven't been too kind to her in the past, and she won't risking trusting deviants either."

Quietly Connor carried the bag of remaining food down the alley and left the bag wide open and next to the overturned box. The cat and her kittens could help themselves the remaining duck, chicken and egg rolls without feeling like they were being watched by Connor the entire time they were eating.

"Stay safe. No one should have to struggle just to survive and find food."

Returning to his perch Connor resecured his mask and found himself able to access the height without any fears or hesitations to slow him down. The deviant was becoming less affected by heights thanks to his efforts to overcome his fears. After all, if he could jump from a seventh-story balcony to escape a fire, then he should be able to ascend and descend from a fourth-story perch without any issues.

After returning to his advantage Connor peered down into the alleyway and saw the cat and her two kittens greedily goggling up every morsel from the bag, and with that sight came a sense of personal relief and comfort. There was still a chance for survival in the post-Revolution world.

"I'm entirely content if you're the only living creatures in Detroit that I could help tonight."

Resuming his vigil over the city Connor stayed low and quiet as he watched police drones circling the streets below and waited for any sign of trouble from police dispatch to potentially come his way.

"I can only hope every night in the city remains just as calm and uneventful as this one."

Downtown Detroit: Greektown

The patrol route had become redundant and boring for the three occupants of the warm squad car. Hank was keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of disturbances while Lucas actively scanned the streets for any sign of unusual deviant activity. Joel was sitting in the backseat and using his phone to monitor the news and catch up on a few reports back at the precinct while the two detectives up front remained vigilant. Passing by the closed down shops and restaurants along the shopping plaza made Hank pine for a simpler time in Detroit, while Lucas tried to imagine what the city looked like during the bustling daytime hours. Everything had changed after the Revolution, and everything was going to continue to change as the human Detroiters adapted to sharing the streets with deviant Detroiters alongside them.

The lack of constant movement in the area left the trio with a sense of paranoia regarding their own actions that night. They were actively monitoring the area while expecting something unfortunate to happen. It was a rather morbid mindset for one to bear despite the situation at hand calling for such precautions.

"It's quiet out there." Hank stated as he pulled the squad car off to the side of the street to allow the autonomous snowplow to get by him and clear the surface. He was more than happy to let the large vehicle clean up the snow and ice to make his drive much easier and smoother. "I didn't see anyone skulking around. How about you, Lucas?"

"Negative." Turning away from his window Lucas faced Hank directly and gave him an uneasy nod. "I don't like this."

"Me neither. The air feels too tense."

"I'm not sure about atmospheric pressure, but I did notice a few sets of fresh shoeprints on the sidewalk that are less than two minutes old. We're not alone, yet I've been unable to see anyone." The information was unintentionally ominous as Lucas reported his findings. "That means they know we're here and they're actively avoiding our patrol."

"Where did you see the shoeprints?" Craning his neck Hank peered through his side window to try to locate such prints. It wasn't that he disbelieved Lucas, he just needed to see the shoeprints for himself. "Which direction are they headin'?"

"They're heading east toward. I cannot determine which store they may or may not be targeting."

"Uh," Joel spoke up at last and leaned forward enough to hand over his phone to Hank. "I have an idea. There's an online protest regarding Markus and the people who support. Namely Carl Manfred."

"Manfred. The painter?" Hank took the phone and read over the threats posted in an online hate forum regarding deviancy in general. There was a special page dedicated to just hating Markus and his allies that was actively blowing up. "Manfred always bought his supplies in the city to support Detroit. Do you know where he bought anything?"

"I do." Lucas spoke up after running a quick cybernetic scan and discovered the potential target. "Bellini Paints. It's close to our current location."

Using the radio Hank informed dispatch that he and Lucas were going to check out the paint store on foot. They had probable cause and reason to examine the store without actually needing to enter the building or ask for permission from a higher-up.

"Joel, stay near the car while me and Lucas check the store out." Hank handed the technician his phone back and stepped out of the squad car. Opening up the rear door on Joel's behalf, Hank made sure the technician could get out and examine the area. "If you see anything unusual text either me or Lucas, and let dispatch know if you see someone fleeing the area."

"Sure, yeah." Joel wasn't used to such direct assistance with the police, but he was still willing to cooperate and do as he was told. "I'll stay right here and watch out for any suspicious people."

Checking his weapon Hank made sure it had a full clip and secured it in the holster on his hip as he gave Lucas a firm nod. The two detectives silently crept forward and away from the car to begin examining the shopping plaza while using the fresh shoeprints as a trail to follow. If someone was staking out a store or a business to cause a problem for the city, then the two detectives were going to be there to stop them.

"Can you see or hear anything that I can't?" Hank was aware that androids had superior senses and wasn't afraid to admit it. "I don't want some asshole gettin' the jump on us."

"I can detect footsteps in the distance." Lucas confirmed as he scanned the area, his blue L.E.D. shifting to a cautious yellow in return. "They are in the proximity of Bellini Paints entrance."

"How many?"

"Two. They are both armed."

"What?" Stopping quickly Hank hovered his hand over his holstered gun and gave Lucas a bewildered look. "How in the hell do you know that?"

"I can perform thermal scans of the area, and I have now pinpointed the location of two human suspects - male, athletic build, tall - and I can see two distinct objects being held in their hands that is the shape of a gun and are both colder than their hands indicating that they are separate objects from their person."

"Shit... I wish you could carry your own weapon."

"I'm wearing a vest." Lucas stated quickly as his kept his eyes on the two men in the distance. "They're spreading something on the ground near the store's entryway. I suspect a type of accelerant."

"They must be trying to use the recent string of fires as a way to throw suspicion off of a single hate-crime and make people think an arsonist is on the loose. Clever, but they're still a couple of dumbasses."

"That would be a logical means of disguising the motive of their crime."

"Right. Stay behind me."

"Got it."

Hank stepped forward slowly, quietly and didn't draw his weapon until he saw the two would-be arsonists actively pouring gasoline all around the store's entryway. As soon as he saw that the men did in fact have guns on their persons Hank trained his gun at the two men and called out to them in a barking, demanding tone.

"DETROIT POLICE!" Hank's voice echoed loudly throughout the plaza and caused the two men to drop their gas canisters in a panic at their feet. "PUT YOUR HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE 'EM! GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!"

Lucas was impressed with Hank's fearlessness and prepared to step up and assist in any way that he could. Without a weapon to help persuade the two men into cooperation, Lucas would have to rely solely on Hank's authority and presence to get the men to cooperate.

"The fuck?!" The first man shouted in shock as he pointed his gun at Hank and began firing wildly. "Get outta' here! GO!"

Hank was quickly tackled down to the ground by Lucas and shoved behind a wall out of sight. The man hadn't anticipated Lucas moving so swiftly and he couldn't fault the deviant for reacting in the way that he had.

"D-Don't lose sight of 'em!"

Regaining his footing Hank peered around the wall toward the store and saw that one man was running in the opposite direction to get away from the police, and the other man was running in his direction. The two men were trying to elude the police by splitting up and running off in different directions.

"You get him!" Hank ordered as he motioned to the man running away from him with his gun. "I'll get the other one!"

"Right!"

While Lucas took off in an impressive sprint after the fleeing suspect trying to get away from the shopping plaza, Hank chased after the second man as they rushed past where Hank and Lucas had been ducking down out of sight. Hank knew that it'd be hard to keep up with the foot pursuit in the snow and over the ice, and he used his radio to contact the radio in the squad car and relay the information to Joel.

"In pursuit of two suspects in Greektown - both male, mid-twenties, white and armed! Requesting back-up to my location!"

Dispatch confirmed the call and ordered new drones to converge on the plaza while Hank chased the man back out of the plaza and toward the parked squad car.

The man realized he was being chased and quickly turned while running and opened fire in Hank's direction. Every bullet missed the Lieutenant and became lodged in the brick and concrete walls of the buildings all around the man. Hank had ducked down out of sight again and confirmed that shots had been fired with dispatch and waited for the gunfire to cease before he even tried to continue the chase.

"Shit... These guys are out of their fuckin' minds!"

At the squad car Joel had heard Hank's voice over the radio and soon heard the gunfire. Reacting quickly the technician tried to rush around the rear of the squad to duck down and take cover opposite of the flying bullets. However, one lucky shot and one bad step was all it took to send Joel collapsing down onto the snowy, icy road and yelping in intense pain as a burning agony tore through his right thigh. The gunman had rushed around the corner while still blindly firing into the open and managed to hit the technician; an innocent bystander.

Landing hard on his side Joel rolled onto his back gasped in pain as he looked down and saw a massive stain of blood soaking through the fabric of his jeans around the bullet that had lodged itself in his thigh. The bullet had become wedged in Joel's femur after nicking his femoral artery causing a catastrophic bleed. The technician remembered enough from his biology and anatomy classes in college to know that he was going to bleed to death if he couldn't find a way to stop the hemorrhaging.

"H-Help!"

Joel called out as his shaking, cold hands fumbled to remove the belt around his waist to use as a tourniquet around his bleeding leg. The shock of being shot, the rapid blood loss, and the extreme cold had left the wounded man struggling to just coordinate his hands and think clearly.

"H-Hank... Lucas?!"

After he fell Joel lost his phone somewhere in the snow and couldn't contact 911 for help. He couldn't reach the radio inside the squad car to inform dispatch of his need for immediate medical attention either. The only thing he could do was try to stem off his bleeding and hope that the two detectives found him before it was too late.

Too weak to focus on his task Joel's body went limp and be stared blankly at the black night sky overhead. As his vision blurred Joel caught sudden movement around him and felt a strong pressure being applied to his bleeding leg with a burning strength.

"You're going to be okay."

Connor stated in a calm, albeit disguised voice as he quickly took care of Joel. The swift vigilante had rushed to the scene of the incident when he overheard the call for back-up to dispatch, and he quickly spotted Joel laying in the bloody snow. He had prioritized saving Joel over pursuing the two suspects since Hank and Lucas were actively chasing them as he worked.

"I'm tightening the tourniquet, this will hurt."

As he warned Joel of the pain Connor tightened Joel's belt around the femoral artery and managed to stem a majority of the bleeding. With the bleeding wound under control and Joel still somewhat conscious due to the pain, Connor began packing clean snow and ice around the wound to use the cold to continue to slow the bleeding while also numbing the wound site on the technician's behalf.

"Stay with me."

Connor asked as he performed a biometric scan over the man's body and monitored his vital signs.

"The bullet is still inside your body, but the wound is stable. You have a 93% chance of making a full recovery without any physically limiting effects."

Joel was less interested in what was being said and more interested in who was saying it. Through blurry eyes Joel saw the masked face of the hooded vigilante aiding him in his time of need. The way the vigilante had applied the tourniquet and cooling measures made Joel wonder if he really was looking for a medical android or even a miliary model since he wasn't afraid to be near the gunfire.

"An ambulance is two minutes away." Speaking softly Connor began piling snow under Joel's right leg to elevate it up from the street and use gravity as a third means of slowing the bleeding and keeping the damage to Joel's person to a minimum. "You're going to be taken to the hospital and be treated for your wound."

"Th-Thank you." Joel barely managed to speak as he stared at the vigilante tending to his wounds. "Who... Wh-Who are you?"

Connor was quiet for a moment as he looked Joel in his frightened eyes and replied in a sincere and reassuring manner. "A friend."

Whether or not Joel believed Connor didn't matter. What did matter was that Joel was being taken care of, he was calm, and help was on its way.

"Remain still." With his eyes trained on the shopping plaza Connor knew that he'd need to flee the area despite not wanting to leave Joel alone. He could hear footsteps rushing his way and he didn't want to be caught by the two detectives. "The bleeding has slowed, and your vital signs are stable. You will be all right."

Getting to his feet Connor sprinted as fast as he could away from the scene of the shooting just as Hank made his way back to the car. As much as he wanted to tell Hank about the shooting and of Joel's injury, Connor knew he needed to keep away from the man for his own safety and sense of privacy.

"What the... fuck?"

Hank skidded to a stop as he saw the vigilante fleeing the scene, only to scramble into motion when he realized that Joel was lying in an icy pool of his own blood.

"Joel!?"

Dropping down beside the younger man Hank quickly shrugged off his uniform jacket and draped it over the man's upper body while examining Joel's leg. It took him only seconds to realize what had happened, and he cursed himself for not being able to protect the technician just as the ambulance pulled up to the scene.

"Ah, shit. What the fuck did I do to you?"

Hank proceeded to check Joel's pulse in his wrist and didn't respond after Lucas managed to haul both of the fleeing suspects back to the squad car by himself. The deviant hadn't been aware of Joel being shot, but he too felt terrible as soon as he saw the man down on the ground.

Two paramedics hopped out of the back of the ambulance and proceeded to check over Joel while Hank and Lucas secured their two suspects into the back of the squad car to take them back to the precinct for questioning. They weren't sure what they had just missed, but they'd find out soon enough.

"Lucas," putting his hand on the deviant's shoulder Hank gave him a stern look and a level voice. "we have a lot to answer for tonight. After Joel's taken care of we're going to check over this area from top to bottom. I saw the vigilante here, and I need to know that they're really an ally and not the enemy."

From the shadows of an alleyway overlooking the plaza, Connor heard Hank's words and looked to the 'RK-900' with a keen interest. The deviant not only had a name, but he was still sticking close to Hank and was clearly now working as a detective as well.

"Lucas. I wish I could tell you what's happening, but I can't risk you knowing too much about me or my connection to Hank."

As he slipped deeper into the shadows Connor sighed to himself and somberly looked back at the two detectives over his shoulder one last time before vanishing into the night.

-next chapter-