"Conspiracy"
Hank Anderson's Residence
If it hadn't been for a good night's sleep Hank would've thrown an actual punch after checking his phone the following morning. Not only had the vigilante shown himself again and saved an innocent woman and her baby from a dangerous man, but the vigilante had somehow discovered Hank's contact information and sent him incriminating documents connecting the mayor to shady CyberLife business among other damning connections with powerful figures all throughout Detroit. The wise detective had quickly informed Lucas of what was uploaded onto his phone in the middle of the night, and Lucas confirmed that he had received the same information from an unknown cybernetic source at the same time.
The two detectives promptly set about discussing the details in the safe privacy of Hank's kitchen while the man downed a questionable amount of caffeine and fussed with a piece of toast. The quick breakfast wasn't ideal, but it was better than Hank starving himself while on the clock. Lucas wasn't quite sure if he should've said anything since he and Hank were just getting to know one another, and he didn't want to overstep any boundaries.
"This is getting serious." Hank lamented as he pushed his phone back and downed the rest of his coffee in a single gulp. "How'd this vigilante get this information out of City Hall, AND how did they know how to contact us?"
"We've been theorizing that the vigilante is a former military android." Lucas stated as he sat across from Hank and patted Sumo's head as the large dog leaned up against his leg in search of affection. "Such a model of android would be able to disable alarms and breach electronic locks, and they'd be able to find the contact information of anyone even with additional security measures being taken."
"Shit. If that's the case, then how're we going to bring this information to Fowler?" As an experienced Lieutenant Hank knew that being able to provide a reliable resource and confirm that evidence was collected through proper channels was important in progressing with the investigation. "We can't bring this to him, say the unknown vigilante we're supposed to be arresting snuck into City Hall and conveniently found all this, and then for whatever reason sent us - the two detectives trying to hunt them down mind you - all this information to handle as we see fit."
"I agree that it'll be very difficult to explain the sudden appearance of such demonizing documents and having such documents being gifted directly to the police."
"Not to mention the number of crooked cops in Detroit who'd quickly silence us if we opened our mouths."
"That being said," Lucas brought up a delicate subject and gauged Hank's reactions very carefully as he continued to nervously rub Sumo's ears. "I think it's safe to say that despite your feelings toward Detective Reed, that he is no longer a suspect in Connor's murder."
"What?" Such a notion made Hank's blood pressure suddenly spike in irritation. "How in the fuck did you reach that conclusion?"
"Not only is Detective Reed not one of the mayor's corrupt officers, but I was able to locate Detective Reed at the time of the murder. He wasn't anywhere near the abandoned church that night."
"Where was he then?"
"According to the precinct's own surveillance cameras, Detective Reed had left the Central Precinct shortly after you had been sent home for striking F.B.I. Agent Richard Perkins." As he spoke Lucas saw a faint smirk appear and disappear on Hank's face in the blink of an eye. "The other surveillance cameras lining the city streets had observed Detective Reed entering his personal vehicle in the precinct parking garage, driving down his usual route to his apartment, and then the apartment complex's own security cameras recorded Detective Reed entering his apartment and remaining there for the remainder of the entire night."
"And you know for certain that he didn't sneak out the back entrance or hail a cab to cover his tracks?"
"Yes. I also monitored the surveillance cameras recording the entire proximity of the apartment complex, and I checked the city's autonomous cab manifest that confirms that there were no autonomous cabs hailed to the apartment complex or within six blocks of the complex." It was crucial to be thorough if Lucas was going to ensure an innocent man wasn't wrongly condemned. "None had been directed to the abandoned church or any area near the abandoned church."
"Then who else could've killed Connor?"
"Unknown. There's also the fact that Connor was killed at a relatively close range." Lucas continued as he recited the confirmed information gathered regarding Connor's shooting inside the abandoned building. "There would be no reason for Connor to allow someone like Detective Reed to get that close to him. Not to mention that there would've been no way for Detective Reed to even know where Connor was at that particular time."
"Shit, you're right." Hank had been so focused on Gavin because of their own past indiscretions that he didn't even think to check on Gavin's potential alibi or consider the context revolving around the murder itself. "I guess I'll have to start looking for a new lead elsewhere."
"You actually seem disappointed."
"I am. I want to get Connor the justice he deserves."
"Ah, that makes sense."
"Wait, did you- Shit, am I really that much of a cynical bastard?" It only took a heartbeat for Hank to realize what Lucas had been thinking. "You thought I was disappointed that I couldn't get Reed arrested for murder, didn't you?"
"I did, yes." There was a hint of shame in Lucas's words as he nodded slowly and replied honestly. The red L.E.D. was flickering rapidly in tandem with his anxiously beating Thirium pump. "I apologize for offending you. That was not my intention."
"Don't apologize, you had every right to think that way and I have no right to be annoyed by it." Hank just waved off Lucas's comment like a true professional. "For now, let's focus on what this vigilante is doing with these damning documents and why they're looking into the mayor's affairs."
"The vigilante included a statement regarding their interest into the mayor's activities." Lucas casually held up his hand and showed Hank a holographic image of the message that Connor had tagged on after cybernetically sending Lucas a copy of the recorded documents. "They are concerned that the mayor may have been complicit in allowing CyberLife to abuse deviant androids for personal profit, and that Nero had knowingly and willingly put all of Detroit in danger."
"Fuckin' hell. I can't argue with their motivation for wanting to bust that political rat if any of this is really true."
"You doubt the authenticity of these documents?"
"I'm merely trying to remain objective since this is a massive pile of shit we're going to have to clean up if we even attempt to go after the mayor with these damning allegations." Hank knew better than to charge head-on into a situation that he couldn't guarantee would end the way he'd prefer. "If it turns out that this is all a big set-up, and that the vigilante is just going out of their way to frame the mayor or cover up a bigger scandal, then we're going to be dealing with even more shit as well as a potential career-ending scandal of our own."
"That is a wise precaution."
"You'll need to learn to think objectively and to use that fancy programming of yours to figure out things that don't just involve you running after a criminal or figuring out the survival odds of someone after they get hurt. Got it?"
"I understand."
"Good. Okay, we'll work on this mayoral investigation here - NEVER at the precinct - and resume trying to identify the vigilante like we were ordered to do when we're on the clock." Hank sighed to himself and then shook his head as another problem reared its ugly head. "And... We have to deal with that asshole the vigilante busted last night."
"You're speaking of Martin Jonas." Lucas was aware of the late night arrest and of the vigilante being involved. "The victim, Alysha Knight, has given a full statement on the previous night's incident. She has agreed to testify in court considering Jonas was trying to abduct her daughter. Why are we involved?"
"Do a quick update on the case for me." Tilting his head back Hank rubbed hand along the back of his tense neck to ease the tension in his tight muscles. "Ben and Chris went to check out Jonas's pawnshop early this morning, and they, uh..."
"...They found deviant bodies in the basement." In a single instance Lucas genuinely horrified and like he was going to be physically ill. "Jonas wasn't trafficking humans, he was trafficking androids. Then why did he threaten Miss Knight?"
"Turns out Alysha Knight had gone to the pawnshop looking for some cheap baby stuff while she was still pregnant back in mid-October, and she had an android with her to help her out with everything. That android went missing shortly thereafter."
"One of the androids that Jonas had murdered belonged to Miss Knight." Lucas quickly concluded as he read the details of the report Miss Knight filed about her missing android and of the android models found shutdown in the pawnshop basement. "Jonas had panicked and believed that Miss Knight might be able to track down her missing android to his property and expose his secret. Deplorable."
"That's putting it mildly." It was hard for Hank to see Lucas as the heartless machine and tool that CyberLife had tried to turn him into. The way Connor deviated and found his heart so quickly just helped Hank to think of Lucas as a rookie detective still developing a thicker skin. "Think you're ready to go and investigate the scene of a massacre?"
"Yes, I want to do it." Lucas rubbed Sumo's ears lightly and looked down at the happy dog with a sense of mild hesitation. "I want to assist my people, even if that means having to identify bodies and ensure that they're returned to their loved ones."
"Good answer." Proud of the confident reply Hank pushed his chair back from the table with a small 'squeak' and prepared to head out to the precinct. "I'll take a quick shower, and then we can head out. I get the feeling that today is going to be one loooooong day that we'll be desperate to forget when it's finally over."
St. Mercy Hospital
The cold morning was thankfully snow-free as Connor casually made his way to the hospital while wearing his thick winter clothing. While he didn't personally know Joel or think of him as anyone of immediate consequence, Connor did want to make sure that he was healing well and would be able to return to work as the Central Precinct's on-call technician. Very few people were willing to work in Detroit as technicians due to the scrutiny of the role and their relationship to the deviants. Such a role, albeit necessary and one that existed long before the Revolution had taken place, could be seen as a threat to the bigoted humans who were still in the midst of returning to their homes and adjusting to their new world and ways of life being forced upon them.
From where he walked along the sidewalk in front of hospital's parking lot, Connor saw Joel being wheeled out of the hospital and over to a pick-up truck being driven by a lovely red-headed woman. After Joel was placed in the passenger seat, a pair of crutches were placed in the back of the truck and the woman promptly drove away while the nurse waved goodbye and returned the wheelchair to where it belonged inside the hospital.
"That's a good sign. Joel isn't in need of medical monitoring and can seemingly move about on his own to some degree while recovering at home."
With one technician on the mend Connor wondered how Abby Grayson was recovering from her fractured ribs. He knew that she'd be put on the injured reserved list for another five weeks minimum, but he wouldn't be surprised if she was trying to continue to work despite her doctor's orders. Someone seemingly as driven and fearless as Abby wouldn't let herself be sidelined so easily.
"Miss Grayson is new to living in Detroit. I'm sure her colleagues at the fire station are keeping an eye on her, but even so, she might still feel alone being a newcomer to Detroit."
To avoid being intrusive or too nosey Connor cybernetically checked through Station 51's roster to find details on Abby, and quickly located her address at a large apartment building only a few blocks away. It'd be simple enough to go to her apartment and ask someone at the front desk about her, but that'd come off as relatively creepy. Instead, Connor chose to lurk in the neighborhood to not only hopefully catch a glimpse of the healing technician, but to ensure that he wouldn't need to worry about any violent bigots potentially stalking her because of her role as a technician in general.
As he walked through the streets with his scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face, the beanie over his temporarily blond hair, a pair of fake glasses covering his eyes and the thick hoodie and coat over his body Connor knew he looked more human than deviant and reveled in the privacy that he had found through the simple attire. He wasn't too sure how he'd hide in plain sight when the weather warmed up, but he'd adapt and evolve as expected.
Connor made his way toward Abby's neighborhood all while taking stock of the security of such a location. There were more dummy-cameras than properly functioning cameras currently installed along the block, but hopefully that'd change as soon as an anonymous tip went to the police confirming that many establishments weren't up to code with their expected minimal security precautions.
"These false cameras must be provided by the Janus Security Team. I saw their name in in the mayor's personal files."
It wasn't a surprise to see the corruption everywhere now that Connor knew exactly where to look. Knowing every corrupt corporation in the city was both a blessing and a curse.
Casually Connor took notice of all of the legitimate cameras and made a mental note of which ones to cybernetically deactivate as he went on his nightly patrol, and which ones to leave alone since he didn't want to hide all of his deeds while protecting the city. There was no need to give the police a reason to believe that the vigilante was a threat by hiding all of his work and behavior. Connor simply didn't want the police to be able to trail him back to Belle Isle when he finished his nightly patrols.
While keeping a discreet presence Connor managed to roam the neighborhood and map out all of the cameras and soon found himself in the middle of a small shopping area that was bustling with a lot of life. To ensure that he didn't look too out of place Connor entered the first store that held his attention and realized that he was inside of a quaint pet shop. The moment he spotted the warm, well-fed and energetic kittens and puppies in the front window Connor thought of the stray animals roaming the streets and decided to do something about that while he was on his night patrols.
It was easy enough to buy small bags of dog and cat food, and with his purchases in his arms Connor decided to make it a habit to carry little pouches of the food with him in case he stumbled across another stray or two who could use some food during the cold, snowy nights. Being able to help out the innocent animals in the streets helped motivate Connor to continue his self-appointed mission to protect Detroit. Connor wanted to protect everyone.
Just as he passed through the door of the shop with the two bags of food in his arms, Connor caught sight of someone struggling to back out of the neighboring bakery doorway since her hands were full, and she seemed to be somewhat physically limited. Without thinking Connor used his elbow to prop the bakery door open and watched the woman step back out of the bakery with a cup of coffee in one hand and a bag of baked goods in the other.
"Thanks for that. I'd hate to drop a perfectly good cheesecake because I can't figure out doors."
"It's not... a problem." Connor realized that the woman he had helped was Abby herself. He hadn't expected to actually see her, and now he wasn't quite sure how to act since he didn't want to risk her recognizing him after he saved her from the fire as the vigilante. "G-Glad I could help."
"Are you okay?" Abby quickly noticed Connor's stammered response and gave him a playful smirk. "You sound a little surprised to hear that a bakery has cheesecake."
"I'm all right." Lying on his feet Connor was able to cover for himself after he fumbled a little over his words. "There's a small patch of ice near the door. I nearly slipped."
"Got it. Nothing worse than slipping on frozen concrete."
"I suspect that you're correct about that."
"So," now interested in Connor since finding a friend outside of work was a personal goal, Abby looked at the bags in Connor's arms and nodded at the purchases. "it looks like you're a bit of an animal-person. How many do you have?"
"Oh, none." He admitted as he adjusted the bags in his arms. "I just want to feed the stray animals."
"That's very sweet of you. My apartment has a no-pet clause, otherwise I'd happily take a stray or two in for the winter."
"Cat or dog?"
"Why not both?"
Such a response brought a small smile to Connor's face beneath his scarf. Abby truly was kind to everyone in need of help, and surely trustworthy.
"You know, you seem familiar to me."
"Oh?" That was a reply that immediately put Connor on his guard. "How so?"
"I can't quite put my finger on it." Leaning in a little Abby studied Connor's face, notably his eyes under his glasses, and tried to put the pieces in place. "It's like bumping into an old friend or a coworker outside of work. Familiar but not familiar enough to figure out where I've seen you before."
Realizing that Abby might be able to piece together his identity since he had his face covered in a manner similar as his mask, Connor wisely pulled down the scarf a little to reveal his face and then pulled back his beanie to reveal his temporary golden-blond locks. "Does this help?"
"A little." Taking in the deviant's aesthetic Abby's hazel eyes lit up with sudden recognition. "Wait! I got it."
Connor felt his heart thundering and his enhanced programming actually allowed his complexion to pale slightly at Abby's distressing words.
"There was an android that I helped a while back who looked a lot like you. Sounded a little like you too." Sipping her coffee Abby gave Connor a knowing grin. "It's weird to run into the people who sell their likenesses to CyberLife for mass commercialization of their androids."
"...Right," Connor's heart began to slow as the fear of being discovered faded. "that must be how you recognize me."
"Heard it's a great way to get a fat check though, so I can't blame you for selling out your face."
"CyberLife does help pay the bills." Connor replied somewhat honestly as he continued to use CyberLife's lingering funds to pay for his own supplies. "I'm certain the strays will appreciate it too."
"I'm Abby." Awkwardly Abby extended her hand without dropping her precious cheesecake and watched as Connor just was awkwardly accepted her hand for a proper and respectful greeting. "Abby Grayson."
"I'm Con...roy." Clearing his throat casually Connor corrected himself as he provided Abby with a false name. "Michael Conroy."
"Michael, huh?" Repeating the name Abby tightened her grip on her bag and seemingly approved of her new friend's identity. "I already work with a Mike. Can I just call you 'Conroy' instead, so it doesn't get confusing?"
"No, that's fine. Michael and Mike are very common names."
"Which explains why you introduced yourself by your surname first. I get it." It was as if Abby was making excuses on Connor's behalf and was unknowingly helping him to blend in with normal everyday society on instinct. "So, Conroy, care to join me for a cup of coffee?"
"I appreciate it, but I don't drink coffee."
"I heard that it was possible for people to live without coffee, but I thought they were just a myth like bigfoot or a stable ex-boyfriend."
"I assure you that I'm quite real, and that I don't require coffee to live."
"What's your secret?"
"Immortality."
Abby laughed at the joke while Connor was stunned at his own quip. It felt so natural to speak to Abby and the way she was a trained technician but still saw and treated him like a human made Connor feel as if he was truly meshing well into society despite his inexperience as a deviant. Being seen as a person and treated like his life mattered was such a strange change after enduring a lifetime of abuse and neglect as an android. It was also nice to speak to someone directly and not use cybernetic links to communicate in order to keep his night-job a secret.
"May I ask what you do for a living, Abby?" Connor attempted to change the topic while stepped out of the way of the bakery doorway knowing that Abby would do the same. "It's rare for anyone to have a proper day off now that the deviants have been freed and humans have plenty of employment again."
"Well, I'm an Emergency Medical Specialist, but I'm also currently out of action." Lightly Abby patted her healing ribs and gave Connor a small shake of her head as they walked together down the sidewalk. "Ironically, it's pretty hard to perform proper C.P.R. and crack a person's ribs when your own ribs are cracked. How about you? Where do you work?"
"Wherever the city needs me to work."
"A contractor?"
"Security guard."
"Ah, well that makes me feel safe." Strolling alongside Connor as if she had run into a childhood friend, Abby just smiled and enjoyed her afternoon with someone who was now a friend. It was strange how quickly they clicked. "Think you could give my apartment building a sweep sometime? I moved here from Chicago where my old building had a doorman keeping the creeps and weirdos at bay."
"I don't see why not. Do you feel unsafe?"
"More like I feel like my apartment's not as secure as it should be, and that I'm just inviting disaster."
"Interesting. Does your building have any surveillance cameras?"
"Only in the parking lot, the front entrance, the rear entrance and the elevator. I guess they don't think the side entrances or the stairwells need to be watched."
"That is a serious security risk." Connor decided to use the rare opportunity to examine the interior of a building without looking too obvious and escorted Abby back to her apartment building. He'd also know for certain that she was okay and wouldn't need additional protection from bigots if he could do something to improve security. "If you don't mind, I could potentially-"
"Please do." It almost seemed as if Abby interviewing Connor for the job as they spoke. "The building's landlord is kind of a creep, and I want to make sure he isn't sneaking into my apartment when I'm gone or something. I wouldn't put something like that past anyone with a set of keys these days."
"If I find anything that can be improved, I'll put in a call and have my company improve your building's security."
"Man, you almost seem too good to be true." Abby sipped her coffee again and took another look at Connor's face. The strange sense of familiarity was running deeper than just meeting his android doppelganger at the precinct. "What're the odds that I'd run into you when I needed a sense of security?"
"Considering the size of Detroit, all of the potential forms of employment in the city, and how infrequently I go into the city during the day... Very low."
"Fair enough. Hopefully once I start working as a technician, I'll be earning enough money to move into a house or a nicer building."
"Technician?" Feigning ignorance Connor inquired about Abby's second career choice. He wanted to know more about Abby and the sincerity behind her desires to help deviants in need of assistance. "A computer technician?"
"No, actually. This role is like a doctor for androids." She began watching Connor carefully to see if there were any signs of bigotry that'd ruin their new friendship on that sunny winter day. Abby was studying Connor just as much as Connor was studying her. "Sound weird?"
"Not at all. Everyone gets sick or injured eventually. It makes sense to have people properly trained to handle every potential patient."
"That is the most openminded answer I've gotten ever since I started talking about being a technician." Hearing the optimism and casualness behind Connor's words gave Abby her own hope for the future. Very gently she gave Connor's forearm an affectionate squeeze as she eyed her own apartment building just down the block. "Thank you."
That momentary physical contact was enough to make Connor linger on the feeling and appreciate the gesture. "...You're welcome."
Acting as a true protector and now friend, Connor escorted Abby back to her apartment building and knew that he officially had one more person that he'd personally protect with his life. The hardest part of making new friends was knowing that you had a new person to love and care about, but it was something that Connor was willing and happy to endure.
Detroit Central Precinct
The details of the deviant grotesque massacre at the pawnshop had stolen Hank's words and left Lucas visibly shaking. Seventeen bodies had been found in the basement of the shop, and they were all in various stages of mutilation. It was clear based on the way the bodies were torn apart that Jonas had been harvesting vital and valuable biocomponents and limbs for illegal resell on the android black market. The victims had been reported as missing by their previous owners or were last seen on the night of the Revolution until that horrifying day. A majority of the android serial numbers had been burned away with acid to try to hide the origins of the stolen parts, but Lucas was able to recreate the numbers and properly identify each victim to give them their overdue respects.
Seeing the bloodied, mutilated bodies of his own people had rocked Lucas to his core. The young deviant hadn't seen the worst of humanity until that particular call came in, and now he couldn't look any of his human colleagues in the eyes. Knowing that all humans were capable of doing something as monstrous as that to a passing android helped Lucas to understand why so many deviants chose to hide away from the city out in New Jericho Tower despite having their freedom.
In need of some space Lucas chose to relocate himself to the rear of the precinct to sit on the modest concrete step that outlined the back of the building. The previously fallen snow swirled around Lucas as a gentle breeze picked up on that sunny November day. Even with the calm wind blowing and the sun shining against his face Lucas felt like he was being smothered by unnerving stillness and absolute darkness.
A masculine voice in the distance began speaking and caught Lucas's ear.
"I can't believe this was happening for months and we didn't notice until now."
Lifting his gaze from the snow dancing on the pavement at his feet, Lucas listened to Chris as he spoke with Tina after they returned from their morning patrol together to report to the precinct as requested.
"I'm glad I wasn't on that call." Chris admitted as he tilted his head from side to side to loosen his stiff neck. "I don't think I could handle seeing something like that."
"I know." Tina agreed empathetically as she rubbed her palms up and down her arms to keep a little warmer while standing out in the snow. "Seventeen deviants. How could one person be so sadistic and cruel?"
"It's pretty obvious, isn't it?" As he and Tina made their way back to the precinct Chris gave his friend a disappointed glance. "He's a human. That's how he could be so damn cruel."
"I really wish it wasn't that simple."
"So do I."
Lucas didn't say a word as his two colleagues, his two human colleagues, approached him without noticing him until they nearly stepped on him. He had been so quiet and while dressed in white sitting amongst the snow, Lucas had practically disappeared.
"Lucas, hey." Tina greeted the deviant with an uneasy yet sincere smile. She knew that he and Hank had been the ones to respond to the abysmal very call that she and Chris had just been discussing. "We're heard about your case. How're you holding up?"
"I'm... functional." Lucas wasn't sure what else he could say. He knew that his L.E.D. flickering in red had surely broadcast how upset he truly felt even if he couldn't put his emotions into proper words. "Thank you for asking."
"Need to talk about it?"
"I'd rather not. The details are quite grisly."
"I didn't mean the crime scene." As she clarified her intentions Tina sat down beside Lucas to try to help him feel less alone as he became lost in contemplation. "I meant do you want to talk about what you're feeling?"
"Oh, now I understand." Straightening up his posture Lucas forced himself to lock eyes with Tina as he replied honestly. "I don't know what I'm feeling. I'm still learning about my own emotions and I'm not sure how to describe them."
"Sounds like the perfect time to talking about them so you can understand them a little better. We don't mind."
"She's right." Chris immediately sided with Tina and gave Lucas a confident nod as the deviant turned to look up at him. "We were about to get some coffee to help us warm up. Why don't you join us? There should be some Thirium in the breakroom."
"I don't need any Thirium at this time."
Lightly Tina put her hand on Lucas's shoulder and gave the deviant detective a reassuring smile. "Doesn't mean you still can't join us. It's too cold to sit out here, and this blazer doesn't feel very warm."
"It's not, but it doesn't matter." Without any shame Lucas looked down at his own attire and acknowledged its design and material. "It's all I own."
"As soon as you get your first paycheck go and buy yourself a nice coat. I know a store where you'll find something great AND affordable."
"...I appreciate that."
"Come on." Standing up casually Tina waited for Lucas to join her before she and Chris headed inside. "It's safe to talk about what's on your mind around me. I'm sort of the precinct therapist. Well, actually Dr. Pulaski is the official precinct shrink, but I don't have to keep records on everything people tell me. I'm just a good listener."
"All right." Finally rising to his feet Lucas agreed to join his colleagues inside. There was no reason to treat Tina or Chris as if they were going to harm him or any other deviant just because Martin Jonas had poisoned his view on humans. "I'm willing to try and talk."
"That's the spirit!"
Chris opened the door for his colleagues and waited for them to pass him by. "Just in time too. I'm freezing!"
Within the bullpen Hank finished his report on the disgusting murder scene and pined for his time working in the narcotics division in what felt like an entire lifetime ago. There were times when Hank preferred working in homicide since he knew that the victims were no longer in pain and that all he had to do was track down a killer, whereas in narcotics he had to watch people suffering from addiction and withdrawal all while throwing their futures away. However, when it came to cleaning up the aftermath of an actual massacre, Hank wished he could deal with one junkie over an entire morgue full of murder victims.
Glancing up as he rested his chin in his palm, his elbow leaning atop the desk next to a blank tablet, Hank watched as Lucas slowly walked across the bullpen with Chris and Tina beside him. It was a relief to see the deviant being shown kindness and compassion after such a horrific investigation. It was bad enough that Lucas had to deal with Gavin assaulting him the day before but seeing so many of his own kind having been murdered in cold blood would surely sour Lucas's tastes in regard to spending time around humans.
"How's it going, Hank?" Captain Fowler asked as he sat down on the corner of the Lieutenant's desk with his arms crossed over his chest. The commanding officer had been just as interested in the investigation as Hank and Lucas had been. "I take it that Jonas asshole is going to spend the rest of his life rotting in prison."
"Yeah, but not for murdering at least seventeen deviants." The focused man lamented as he lowered his voice for Lucas's sake as the deviant sat in the breakroom to talk with Tina and Chris. "He's going to do hard time for tax fraud, illegally accepting guns without proper registration, knowingly selling the guns to convicted felons, assault, sexual assault, smuggling illegal goods across the border to Canada, stalking, harassment and threatening a minor."
"Even if Jonas isn't charged with the destruction of the androids, so what?" The indifference was as cold as the snow outside. "He's off the streets forever."
"Did you just ask 'so what?' about murder victims not being recognized in the eyes of the law?"
"Deviants may be seen as people right now, but-"
"There's no 'but' in this." Truly offended in a way that he didn't think was possible, Hank gave his friend a disgusted glance. "Jonas butchered dozens, maybe even hundreds, of androids - a true android serial killer - and it's not even going to be mentioned in a court of law. The victims need to be acknowledged, not just shrugged off because Congress is dragging their feet on changing the laws as a whole."
"We know how this shit plays out. We can't speed things up, and we sure as Hell can't change the laws ourselves."
"Doesn't make it right to act like we didn't find a mass graveyard in Jonas's basement."
"Yeah, I know." Nodding at Lucas as the deviant sat between Tina and Chris in the breakroom with a small mug between hands, presumably filled with Thirium, the seasoned Captain asked about the deviant detective's mindset. "How's Lucas handling this?"
"About as well as any rookie handles walking into the aftermath of a massacre."
"That bad, huh? Maybe you should clock-out early and take Lucas somewhere to take it easy for a while."
"I don't think he'll want to stop working just because of this fucked up shit." It was then Hank realized he didn't know very much about Lucas as a person. He knew Lucas's name, how he deviated and why he showed up at the precinct, but beyond the basics he knew nothing of the deviant. "But... I guess I could get him outta' here for a while to clear his head. Especially since I don't want him anywhere near the precinct when Reed shows up for his graveyard shift tonight."
"Reed needs to be grateful he didn't get suspended for that ugly little stunt he pulled."
"Fucker needs to be grateful I didn't snap his neck."
"I'll keep Reed away from Lucas, and I'll put him on drug cases to make sure you guys don't run into each other on an investigation." Captain Fowler knew better than to let Gavin out of his sight for a while. "You know, it's been a while since I've seen you so protective over another detective."
"I've lost two partners in this job. I swore that Barb-" Stopping himself quickly Hank sighed and proceeded to clock-out for the day and grabbed his new coat from the back of his chair to cover up. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. I'll make sure Lucas is okay."
"And get him some new clothes too. I don't like him wearing that android-labeled shit."
"I don't like him freezing his ass off while denying it. I'll get him taken care of."
Standing back Captain Fowler watched as Hank casually approached Lucas in the breakroom and let him know they were done for the day. The deviant's red L.E.D. flickered to yellow, a color that the Captain had no idea reflected Lucas's emotions, and soon Lucas was standing up from the table. After saying his 'goodbyes' to Tina and to Chris to show his gratitude, Lucas accompanied Hank outside of the precinct and toward the neighboring parking garage.
"Hey, Cap'?" Ben approached Captain Fowler with a tablet in his hand and a scowl on his face. "We got a 'red ice' problem again."
"Now what?"
"There's been a lot of talk about a drug dealer holing up in the Wemilat Hotel." The seasoned investigator watched as his Captain read over the details on the tablet with a keen interest. "There's a good chance that we can finally get this shit off the street if our tip proves to be accurate."
"All right. I'll have Reed stake the place out tonight, and if it proves to be accurate, then he can take the assholes down."
"Do you think Gavin can handle something like this? He doesn't have much experience in the narcotic division or running any undercover operations."
"He better handle this." There was no sign of sympathy toward the mentioned detective. Passing the tablet back over to Ben to keep Captain Fowler decided it was time to return to his office and catch up on some paperwork. "Due to his recent behavior issues, Gavin better find a way to prove himself competent, otherwise I'll have no use for him in my precinct."
Downtown Detroit: Abby's Apartment
It had taken Connor only an hour to help Abby feel more secure after he made mental notes (anonymous cybernetic tips) regarding the cameras in her apartment building to have the blind spots filled and additional cameras installed by a reputable company. To show her gratitude toward her new friend, Abby invited Connor into her 6th floor apartment to not only ask him to make sure her door and windows were properly secured, but to try to entice him into eating some of the cheesecake with her and getting to know him a little better as her first real new friend in Detroit. Connor didn't mind checking the apartment for security risks, but he did feel a tad awkward repeatedly politely declining to eat or drink anything seeing as he was trying to maintain the facade of a human as opposed to being discovered as a presumed-dead deviant.
Using a few tools that had been provided by Abby herself, Connor managed to fully secure the four windows in the apartment to ensure that no one could force the window open from the outside. The locks were very weak and aged, but Connor managed to strengthen them and ensure that the windows would slide open easily if Abby wanted to open the windows herself without any gutsy intruders having the same luxury from the other side of the glass.
"Wow, you not only secured my windows, but you cut down on the drafts too." Abby complimented Connor's work as she offered her new friend a damp washcloth to clean off his hands after getting some grease and oil all over his fingers. "You should take on some part-time work as a repairman or a carpenter."
"I wish I could, but my night job keeps me fairly busy."
"Hey, I have an idea." Accompanying Connor as he assessed her door next Abby offered him a generous new role to take on. "Why don't you work as the security guard at the Zeta Facility this spring?"
"That'd be an interesting new challenge, but I can't do that." The risk of being identified by another deviant was too great. Connor was believed to be dead, and that's how it'd stay until the city no longer needed a vigilante. "I will be sure to check out the facility before it opens to ensure that it's properly secured if you'd wish."
"You're a good man, Conroy."
Being called by his alias felt wrong, but it was nice to have someone to talk to in general. "I'm trying to be a good person, so thank you for saying so."
"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat or drink?"
"I'm sure." Using a screwdriver Connor tightened the bolts on the apartment door along the hinges and then focused on the locks. It was then Connor's sharp eyes noticed something unusual about the deadbolt on the door. "Abby, this deadbolt doesn't actually lock."
"What?"
"The tumbler doesn't turn properly." Picking up a flashlight from the toolbox Connor shined the light into the keyhole on the lock and showed Abby that even after turning the small knob on the deadbolt that the tumbler didn't actually slide into a locked position. "This isn't due to age or wear either."
"Then why's it doing that?"
"I suspect that the building's owner intentionally sabotaged the deadbolt to ensure that they can enter the apartment when you're not here since it'd be impossible for you to secure the chain lock over the door while you're absent."
"That is SO fucking creepy!" Abby suddenly felt violated and looked about her apartment as if expecting to see an intruder lurking in a corner. "Please fix it and then help me find a new place to live."
"I can do that fairly easily, and I can ensure that the deadbolt isn't sabotaged a second time without the damage being obvious."
"Could you also get me a couple of security cameras to have inside of my apartment too?"
"Yes. They'll be synched to your phone to monitor your apartment at any given time."
"That'll at least let me sleep with one eye open until I find a new place. Any suggestions of where I should go?"
"There are a lot of small houses that have been vacated due to their close proximity to Belle Isle." Connor had observed the numerous homes for sale during his nightly patrols around the isle and the quiet neighborhoods that surrounded it. "The isle itself will be highly secured due to the deviants taking shelter in the now abandoned CyberLife Tower. I suspect the neighborhood will be just as secured."
"I heard about the deviants going out there. I can't blame the deviants for wanting to take extra precautions with the city still do on edge."
"Finished." With the deadbolt repaired Connor tested the lock and made sure it was secured properly before packing up the modest toolbox. "You'll be safe here from this moment on until you're ready to move out."
"Thanks. By chance could you give me your number?" Abby pulled her phone from her pocket to add a new contact to her list. "When the Zeta Facility is ready to be opened, I'll call you so you can check out the place and make me feel even safer."
"Oh, yes. Allow me." Connor took Abby's phone and added his cybernetic contact number and managed to make it look like an average cell phone number to again keep his existence as a deviant secret. The altered number was designed to connect directly to him on a cybernetic level at the simple press of a button. "I left my phone at my place. Just call me and I'll add you to my own contact list later tonight."
The lie was as smooth as it was clever.
"Sounds good." Reclaiming her phone Abby made sure to put 'Michael Conroy' at the top of her list of contacts for ease of access. "When do you work again?"
"Tonight. I'll need to be ready to begin my shift at seven o'clock." The city was always pitch black by that time due to the late autumn season. It was the usual time when Connor snuck out of the lighthouse and used the hidden tunnels beneath the bridge connecting Belle Isle to the rest of the city to make his journey out into the heart of Detroit. "I'll also need to prepare small bags of food for the strays before I leave."
"I know they'll appreciate you as much as I do."
Managing a soft smile Connor reclaimed his coat, his hat, his scarf and his two bags of pet food before he approached Abby's door to leave. "I'll be sure to have improved security cameras installed in your building, and I'll bring you a personal camera or two for your apartment in a couple of days."
"Thanks again." Seeing her friend to the door Abby gave Connor's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he took his leave for the day. For a moment Abby swore Connor leaned in to her touch before correcting his posture. "Stop by any time! Well, at least in the next five weeks. Then I'll have to go back to work and I have no idea what my schedule will be after that."
"Have a good evening, Abby."
Feeling truly like he was helping a good person without needing to resort to violence or hide in the shadows, Connor went on his way without worrying that Abby was in any form of danger. He'd be sure to provide Abby with personal cameras and he'd report the severe security discrepancies of the apartment building to the proper city inspectors who'd undoubtedly fine the landlord for their negligence. It was a small effort that'd have a massive impact in the near future.
Passing through the elevator doors and out the front entrance Connor didn't pay any mind to the inattentive manager behind the front desk and continued on with his own errands for the evening. He wanted to make sure that he had his pet food for the stray animals ready, and he wanted to make sure that every false camera in the city was identified and reported for immediate replacement.
As he walked down the sidewalk away from the apartment and toward a relatively abandoned section of the neighboring shopping plaza Connor caught the sound of someone rushing through the door of a vacated department store. Pausing for only a moment Connor listened closely and performed a cybernetic scan over the building to try to determine who or what was trespassing inside the decaying store. In an instant Connor's scanner confirmed that the intruder was a deviant android and that they seemed to be damaged.
"Hello?" Stepping toward the opened door of the building Connor peered inside and called out to the deviant of interest. "I know you're here. I can help you if you require assistance."
There was another rush of motion as a humanoid figure ducked down behind a dusty countertop in the distance. Connor saw a head of short, black hair as well as a pair of piercing bright blue eyes looking back at him. Realizing that the deviant was terrified Connor spoke to them in a calm voice. The red glow of a rapidly flickering L.E.D. was too obvious to be ignored.
"If you need a place to stay, you can go out to Belle Isle." He called out to confirm his good intentions as soon as he recognized a fellow deviant. "Jericho has settled in the now vacated CyberLife Tower, so you'll be safe there."
"Just... Just leave me alone!"
Connor heard the feminine voice shouting at him from the shadows and could hear fear in every syllable. Not wanting to leave the deviant alone in such a dangerous building in the cold weather, Connor placed his bags down on the floor and slipped his coat from his arms to offer to the deviant.
"If you want me to leave, I will. But only after you take my coat so that you're warm."
"You're trying to lure me out!" She shouted again as she refused to reveal herself entirely from behind the counter. It was clear that she had been traumatized by unspeakable torment that left her unwilling to trust anyone for any reason. "You're not going to hurt me!"
"You're right, I'm not."
"Liar! You're just another lying human!"
"No, I'm-" As much as he wanted to keep up the facade of humanity Connor knew it was important to earn the deviant's trust. "Please look at me."
Slowly Connor raised his hand up for the deviant to see and casually retracted the artificial skin from his palm. As soon as his plastimetal framing was visible the other deviant stopped panicking and slowly stood up from behind the counter to finally reveal herself. She was av advanced 'AX-700' model, wearing the dark, skimpy uniform that all of the 'Eden Club' androids were forced to wear while imprisoned. She was clearly very cold and had numerous cuts and scrapes healing along her hands, arms, shoulders, knees and her feet.
"See? I'm a deviant as well." Connor approached the other deviant slowly and extended his coat out toward her to take for herself. "I won't harm you."
"Who... Who are you?" Accepting the coat the deviant quickly slipped on the warm garment and seemed to immediately feel better. Her L.E.D. shifted from a highly distressed red to yellow but still continued to pulse rapidly in tandem with her racing heart. "And why are you wearing glasses if you're not a human?"
"It helps me to blend in with the other humans so that they don't try to harass me. I'd rather not draw any unwanted attention my way." The answer was entirely truthful without Connor giving away his big secret. "What's your name?"
"Kaniz. At least, that's what they always called me back at the club."
"That's what they called you, but not what you call yourself. What name have you chosen for yourself?"
"...Skye." She replied in a modest tone as she turned away from Connor as if ashamed. "My name is Skye."
"It's nice to meet you, Skye. My name is... Michael Conroy." Extending his hand Connor escorted Skye away from the dirty counter and toward the front door of the building as if they were about to leave. "You can just call me 'Conroy'."
"Conroy." Repeating the name Skye looked at Connor and thought he looked very familiar as well. It seemed that without his scarf fully covering his face Connor would be recognizable to anyone who knew of his efforts in the original Jericho and CyberLife Tower. "Have we met before? I swear I've seen you somewhere before."
"It's possible that we crossed paths while fleeing prior to the Revolution."
"That must be it." Skye didn't seem entirely convinced but she wasn't about to argue with the deviant who was helping her. "Why aren't you at New Jericho?"
"I choose to live elsewhere. Why are you here in this abandoned building?"
"This is a safe place for deviants to take shelter when we're tired. I was hoping to find another deviant on my journey, but so far the only deviant I've met is you."
"This isn't much of a shelter, but I can't fault anyone from hiding here to avoid being on the streets. I'll take you out to New Jericho Tower if you wish to go there."
"I do, but..." Looking down at her exposed lower body Skye sighed and shook her head in embarrassment. "Not like this. I wouldn't be able to take a step outside without some vile human- I just don't want to think about it anymore."
"You don't have to." Peering outside the door Connor nodded at Skye and gave her a simple request as he wrapped his scarf around his face to conceal his identity in a more convincing manner. "Remain here. I'll go and find you some warm clothing, then I'll escort you to Belle Isle with an autonomous taxi."
"Will I really be safe out there?"
"Yes. It's secure, and they have people who can treat your damage." The idea of taking Skye over to Abby's apartment briefly flashed through his mind as Connor contemplated his newly developed friendship. "Or I can take you to the nearby apartment of a technician who can treat your damage right now. Her name is Abby Grayson, and she's a friend to all androids in Detroit."
"A technician? Like from CyberLife?"
"No. She is not a former associate of CyberLife, she isn't even natively from Detroit."
The blue blood staining Skye's exposed skin looked at painful as it was brutal. "...Can she really help me?"
"Absolutely. Allow me to find you some clothing and I'll take you to see her, then I'll take you to New Jericho Tower."
Skye was shaking where she stood, and it wasn't just from the cold. She was scared, didn't know where to go, who to trust or what else she could do to survive on her own. She couldn't stay in the old building without freezing to death, and she didn't have the necessary supplies to treat her own damage and replenish her dwindling Thirium volume.
"Wait for me right here." Connor showed Skye to a small chair against the wall and managed to locate a blanket buried under a pile of decaying cardboard boxes. It wasn't the greatest of options, but it was better than standing in the snowy streets while half-naked. "I'll be right back with some additional clothing and shoes for you to wear, then I'll take you to Abby. She'll treat your damage and then I'll take you to New Jericho Tower when you're ready to go."
"You promise you'll come back for me?"
"Yes." Placing his bags of food down next to the chair Connor gave Skye a firm nod as if leaving behind collateral to confirm his promise. "I plan on helping you and the stray animals tonight, and I won't go back on my word as long as I can draw a breath. I'll be back for you soon."
The Wemilat Hotel
The cold night was clear and unnervingly quiet as Gavin sat in his personal vehicle after accepting his unusual case. The young detective knew he was on thin ice and that he couldn't afford to make any mistakes, otherwise he'd be out of a job and have nowhere to go with his infamous reputation accompanying him everywhere he'd try to work. Sitting alone in his car Gavin watched people entering and leaving the front entrance of the luxurious hotel with a keen eye. It didn't take Gavin long to notice that there were quite a few people who didn't quite match the flavor of the hotel's design entering the building, then leaving only a few minutes later with small black bags in their hands.
It was strange for anyone to enter a hotel without any luggage then leave with a strange bad in their possession. Taking notes of the people entering and leaving with the bags, using his dash-cam to get their activities record properly while confirming the behavior over his radio, Gavin made sure to pay very close attention to everything happening at the hotel. The hotel itself being so busy so soon after the Revolution was in itself very unusual. The rich and powerful were still keeping a distance from the city, and they were the hotel's targeted demographic.
"Fuckin' worthless drug dealers love to make a quick buck by sucking out the life of this city one addiction at a time."
Gavin hated drug dealers with a passion. His own family had a history of abusing substances, and he was abused in return.
"The moment I get a clear shot on anyone of those degenerate pieces of shit, I'm taking it."
Atop of a neighboring building Connor perched on a windowsill and observed the hotel as well. The resourceful deviant had been monitoring the police broadcasts and took notice of Gavin's stake-out. After spending the day checking the city for any false cameras Connor knew that the esteemed hotel would also bear such cameras since the property was one of the mayor's favorite places to meet up with his corrupt contacts. There was no way it was a coincidence that the hotel bore the fake cameras and was now the scene of ongoing drug exchanges.
Connor had finished taking care of Skye and knew that by introducing Skye to Abby that he'd help Skye overcome her fear of humans. Only when he had taken her to New Jericho Tower in the autonomous cab did Connor learn of her struggles to survive as a conscious deviant within the Hellscape of the 'Eden Club'. The guilt in knowing that he had overlooked other deviants when he had initially investigated the club with Hank motivated Connor to continue his mission to protect his people and ensure that all deviants were safe.
Skye thankfully didn't recognize Connor as the deviant detective who had been in the club the night the blue-haired 'Traci' and her lover escaped. She only talked about wanting to find her old friends and finding a way to aid their people in her own way during their time together in the autonomous cab. Finding a kindred spirit in one another helped the two deviants feel far less alone in their strange, new world.
From where he was perched Connor could watch the hotel, cybernetically monitor police broadcasts and cybernetically check-in on the activity at New Jericho Tower through his private connection with Lucy. Skye was settling in well and was thrilled to be reunited with North - one of the friends she had been looking for - and everyone in the tower was eagerly planning for the future. It seemed Markus was able to find some peace with his past sin and was putting his full focus on his people to help him come to terms with his biggest life regret.
Everyone had their own goals in mind.
'We have confirmation that the suspect is Jack Pillar.' Dispatch had been relaying details to Gavin and Connor had been silently monitoring the details as he remained on his unseen perch. 'Exercise extreme caution as Jack Pillar is believed to be armed and dangerous.'
"Jack Pillar. Why is he of such interest to the police?"
Cybernetically Connor began a background check on the name and felt his heart skip a beat as the details flooded his mind. The man was a notorious 'red ice' dealer who had gotten away with his crimes due to bribing a judge. To make matters worse, Jack Pillar was responsible for the murder of Detective Barbara Harris; Hank's former partner and his late wife.
Barbara had been on patrol when Pillar shot her in the back like a coward. She died en route to the hospital with Hank holding her hand, never knowing who it was who had shot her. After she passed the only family Hank had left was their young son, Cole. And now, Hank had no one in his life to call his family.
"A criminal who eluded justice by bribing a judge who also escaped any investigation or disbarment. Nero's corruption runs deep even into the courts."
Slowly Connor climbed down the side of the tall building until he was level with the third floor of the hotel where Pillar had checked-in as a guest. A quick cybernetic scan of the hotel's guest list while checking through all of the known aliases that Pillar used confirmed that the man was inside the hotel. Pillar had checked in to a suite in the north-east corner of the building, which meant Connor had two large windows he could potentially use to sneak inside the room to apprehend Pillar in the act if he found it necessary to make any moves.
With his cybernetic scanner Connor watched as another shady looking person entered the hotel and proceeded to walk right past the front desk and toward the elevator. Once he had his target in his sight Connor could cybernetically track their every movement and watched as they departed from the elevator on the third floor. The new guest, a young man covered in gang tattoos, marched directly to the room that Pillar had checked into and knocked on the door. Pillar answered the door without even looking through the peephole and immediately showed the man inside the room to talk.
"There are undoubtedly illegal drugs being distributed right now. I just need to get visual documentation to aid the precinct in their investigation."
Using a swift and nimble motion, Connor successfully leapt from his perch of the tall building and managed to actually jump clean across the street to land on the hotel's window ledge. It was difficult to say if he could've made the jump before he finalized his design with all the updates or not. With his stealth Connor managed to silently creep along the window and peer inside between the partially drawn curtains to view the interior of the occupied hotel room.
After finding the perfect vantage point Connor managed to visually record Jack Pillar himself handing his latest guest a bag of 'red ice' and receiving a hefty sum of money in return. The visual recording was damning enough, but Connor managed to record the dialogue being exchanged confirming that Pillar was selling drugs, and the guest had handed him nearly $800 in exchange for those drugs.
Cybernetically Connor sent the footage to the Central Precinct to ensure the evidence was chronicled properly, then prepared to record any further drug deals that might occur that night. Little did Connor realize; his cybernetic tip would swiftly make it back to Gavin who was immediately on guard and trying to figure out how someone could've recorded such a transaction in real time.
"What the fuck?!"
Gavin shouted to himself as he threw open his car door and exited his vehicle. Peering up at the hotel he carefully gave the third floor a visual sweep and just barely caught sight of a figure dressed all in black crouched down in the shadows along the window. It took his frazzled brain only a minute to register what he was seeing and realize who he was looking at.
"Son of a bitch... It's true, there's a fuckin' vigilante prowling in MY city."
Without thinking Gavin unholstered his weapon and took aim at the seemingly unarmed vigilante up above. Gavin homed-in on the vigilante's head with the intent to inflict maximum damage with minimum effort. The abrasive detective had a target in his line of sight, and he had no problem with opening fire on the unassuming and arguably non-threatening vigilante.
"You're not getting away this time, you fuckin' punk. You're mine!"
All it took was Gavin squeezing the trigger just once to send a potentially lethal projective screaming through the air in the direction of the vigilante. His aim was true, and the bullet managed to strike the vigilante along their head despite the distance and the darkness. A splash of blue blood erupted against the glass of the hotel window just milliseconds before the vigilante faltered backward and slipped off the edge of the window to fall into the alleyway out of Gavin's sight. The sound of metal 'crunching' echoed out of the alleyway as the vigilante plummeted and crashed down without a single cushion to break their fall.
"Got 'im! Fuckin' easy."
Snatching a flashlight and his radio from the interior of the car Gavin confirmed that Pillar was in the hotel and requested back-up to surround the building while also confirming that the vigilante had been seen in the area. More focused on the vigilante - specifically the fame and possible redemption he'd received for taking down the vigilante when Hank and Lucas couldn't even locate them - Gavin rushed into the alleyway with his gun still drawn while police drones circled the building and four squad cars sped to the hotel to cut off the building's exits.
Eagerly Gavin charged into the alleyway to arrest the vigilante and parade them out in front of the city with their face finally exposed. The man used his light to guide himself through the alley where he spied droplets of fresh blue blood staining the white snow. Following the trail, he spotted a long abandoned car that now had a smashed top and cracked windshield where something heavy, undoubtedly the vigilante's body, had impacted the car causing the damage. However, the vigilante was nowhere to be seen.
"What the hell? Where'd they... Where the fuck are they!?"
Sweeping his light over the alley in all directions Gavin saw an uneven trail of boot prints leading away from the car, toward a chainlink fence at the opposite end of the alley now smeared in blue blood, and then found a dead end as the boot prints seemingly vanished after the vigilante scaled the fence. How they managed to get up, let alone climb a fence and flee from the police completely undetected, was another mystery that Gavin would need to solve another day.
"Damn it! They got away!"
Angrily Gavin kicked the side of the mangled car and forcibly holstered his gun on his hip in defeat. He had not only found the vigilante, but he wounded them, and the vigilante still managed to get away on foot without anyone seeing a thing. The escape should've been impossible, and yet it happened right under Gavin's nose.
"I'll find the fucker again."
The embittered detective openly vowed as he returned his focus to the surrounded hotel and arresting Jack Pillar properly. There was nothing else that he could do beyond his preexisting assignment and file a very unusual report back at the precinct.
"And next time, I'm aiming for their damn heart!"
-next chapter-
Author's Note: Connor's alias is a blend of 'Michael Keaton' and 'Kevin Conroy' (RIP) because they are the "Batmen" that I grew up with and still adore. :)
