"Seeking the Truth"
Downtown Detroit: Ravendale District
In the days that followed the massive breakthrough in Connor's search for his missing twin brother, activity in the city reached a new peak of chaotic energy resulting in violence and physical altercations. It felt like Connor was the punchline at the end of a cruel joke. Being unable to dedicate himself to his search for Lucas simply because other people in Detroit couldn't conduct themselves properly, or legally for that matter, was frustrating in a manner the rookie detective couldn't put into words. Despite his job requiring him to directly handle any and all disturbances in the city to ensure that the laws were being upheld, Connor couldn't help but resent the city and his active role in the police department now that he was so close to finally finding the answers that he had been seeking for years. It was then Connor finally understood why Hank seemingly lost his patience for the job years prior, and why people like Gavin were seemingly angry all the time.
As he remained crouched down in the freezing snow marring the ground Connor used A.R.I. to determine the cause of shutdown for the destroyed android under his palm. The android was an entirely innocent male 'YK' model that had been found just outside of an automotive junkyard. The truly grotesque part of the investigation was knowing that the glasses were entirely unnecessary for deducing the cause of the child android's demise. There were six stab wounds to the child's back, any one of which would've been fatal in itself. The additional stabs were from rage and to ensure death.
"There are two sets of shoeprints surrounding the body." Connor confirmed as he draped a white sheet over the android's body as a sign of respect. There was little else that he could do beyond simple gestures of kindness. "One set followed the victim for the past two blocks; at least that's as far back as A.R.I. can register. The second set stepped out of the junkyard, circled the body, then returned to the junkyard through the same front entrance from where they had exited."
"Someone stalked the poor kid and killed him, and then someone else either witnessed the attack and did nothing or they helped." Hank sighed as he turned away from the body and glared at the security camera above the junkyard's entrance. He had a feeling the camera was either fake or conveniently malfunctioning and hadn't been able to record the attack. "I don't know what's worse: Killing a kid or doing nothing to stop it."
"The killer knew the child. That's why they were able to follow him for so long and how they were able to get close enough to the child to stab them numerous times in the back."
"Got a name for our victim?"
"Yes. He was named William." Slipping off his glasses Connor rose to his feet and rubbed his fingertips along the bridge of his nose where the glasses frames had been resting for the better part of two hours and left behind shallow dents along his nose. "Before the Revolution he lived with a family in Ferndale. The family has since evacuated from the city and evidently left William behind out of fear of spreading deviancy."
"How do you know that?"
"A.R.I. can read an android's registration and give me the details in real time." The explanation sounded cold as Connor did his best to remain focused on his assigned investigation for the time being. "By all account, this murder was personal and committed by someone who knew William. In the timeframe since William had been abandoned by his former family, he had found refuge with the deviants on Jericho and eventually New Jericho."
"Which means if he left the sanctuary then that meant he was meeting with someone he knew." The sharp Lieutenant deduced with marked disgust. Luring a child out of a safe place just to murder them was beyond unforgivable in every sense of the word. "You're right, this was a personal attack against this poor kid."
"We'll need to go to New Jericho and check their surveillance cameras to determine when William left the tower, and then from there we can track his movements through the city."
"Right." Hank pulled his car keys from his pocket and began walking over to the Oldsmobile parked just down the streets knowing that Connor was going to follow close behind him. "Ben will make sure the kid's treated right and will be given to someone who will properly lay him to rest. There's nothing more we can do here anyway, so we better get to the tower and find William's killer before the trail grows cold."
Even with Hank's comforting words Connor doubted that William would receive proper justice. Deviants were only just being recognized as people, which meant the odds of proper recognition for deviants being murdered were still painfully low. A child without a family being found murdered would've been considered tragic and the city would come together to memorialize the lost life in the form of a candlelight vigil, but with William being a deviant the only people who'd mourn him would be the deviants who'd grieve in private to avoid scrutiny from the heartless bigots.
New Jericho Tower
The deviant sanctuary felt uncomfortably tense as the four deviant leaders tried to figure out how one of their own 'YK' models managed to leave the tower without anyone taking notice of their absence. The murder was deemed unforgivable as the quartet worked diligently alongside Connor and Hank as they reviewed the security footage monitoring the drive connecting the isle to the rest of the bustling city. While the leaders would undoubtedly need to answer for their mutual failure in keeping an innocent child deviant safe, they knew that there would be a proper time for blaming one another after they uncovered the reason behind William leaving the tower and uncovering the identity of the child deviant's ruthless killer.
Markus took the brunt of the blame as he was seen as the figurehead for all deviants, and he did so without blinking. He understood the responsibilities that he had taken on once he began making bold proclamations and actions at the original Jericho. Such responsibilities were his alone to bear, and he alone would answer for any and all questions that pertained to incidents revolving around his people.
The somewhat small security archive felt all the more cramped as six people stood alongside one another while watching the recorded footage of the night William had been killed play out in foreboding detail. It was an eerie feeling knowing that they were watching someone's final moments of life just a few hours before it all came to an abrupt and violent end.
"There." Hank nearly whispered as he put his fingertip on the touchscreen to freeze the actively playing security footage. "He left the tower at just past two in this morning."
"That explains why no one saw him." Simon noted in a disappointed manner. As a caretaker model of android, he held a soft spot for children. "Everyone enters rest mode for the night at one in the morning to ensure no one overlooks any potential updates or patches that get released around midnight. It's a preventative error to avoid needless errors and glitches."
"So William knew when to sneak out without anyone spotting him or trying to stop him."
Connor was fighting to concentrate on the details being uncovered. He didn't want to think about an innocent child being killed. He didn't want to think about anyone being killed for that matter. All he wanted to do was focus on tracking down Lucas at last and being reunited with his younger twin brother after being apart for what was soon to be three years.
From the corner of his eye Hank watched as Connor rubbed at his eyes again and refrained from using the A.R.I. glasses to gain a copy of the security recording. The older man knew his rookie partner and friend was trying to push through what was promising to become a massive headache. If Captain Fowler got wind that one of his detectives was potentially sick, then he'd remove Connor from the investigation, and Hank knew that Connor would take that as a personal offense.
"Cameras along the drive confirm that William was alone when he left the tower." Hank continued on as he took a notepad from his coat pocket and began to write down the little details professionally. "I bet the cameras on the streets will show the same until... You know."
"This is sickening." Markus shook his head with a marked sense of absolute disgust. The deviant leader would never allow himself to become jaded by death or violence to ensure he never lost his empathy or compassionate heart. "What else can we do to assist in the investigation?"
"Ask some questions." The seasoned Lieutenant stated quickly as he gave Markus his full attention. The way he alone was speaking only emphasized how severe Connor's headache was that the moment. "Figure out who spent time with William and see if you can find out if William had any friends outside of the tower. Better yet, find out if he was communicating with anyone in secret. He used to have a human family, so maybe he was trying to find them after they left Detroit."
"We'll get on that. Simon?" Turning to the blond deviant Markus asked for his friend's assistance in their new task. "Could you find William's friends and start asking them questions? You're our expert on children."
"Sure, I can do that. Mind if Josh helps me?" Simon looked to his friend for a little help since Josh was a calm, compassionate person in every sense. "His experience with our community therapy sessions can help with the grieving process his friends will be going through."
"Absolutely. North, find a deviant who has experience in security measures." Markus turned to his lover as she reached out and took his hand while Simon and Josh exited the archive. "We'll need to increase our security measures and instate a curfew on anyone attempting to leave the tower past midnight. No one else will be able to sneak out undetected."
"I'm on it. I'll report to you as soon as I find the perfect deviant for the job."
Before she left the room North kissed Markus's cheek and made a move for the door. She gave a passing glance at Connor that wasn't exactly hostile, but it wasn't warm either. The fiery deviant was less than thrilled to let humans in the tower even if the humans were considered friends by Markus himself. By keeping her silence about her discomfort, she was showing the two detectives a surprising amount of respect.
"We'll solve this case and then get back to our other investigation." Hank promised as he returned his notepad to his coat pocket and patted his other pockets in search of his small bottle of aspirin, only to remember that he used it up after his last drinking binge a few weeks prior. "Think you can power through your headache on your own?"
"I'll manage." Connor replied softly as he tried to ignore the pain and focus on his friends standing beside him. "The person who killed William is still roaming the streets. We need to find them."
"We will."
Markus appreciated Connor's passion and knew that he was fighting to maintain focus on one investigation while thinking about another, personal case. It wasn't easy dealing with emotions - something that Markus and the rest of the deviants were actively learning firsthand - and as such he empathized with Connor's struggle.
"Markus, we'll be in touch as we track down the killer." In spite of his pain Connor promised to keep his friend in the loop throughout the investigation. "Until then, I strongly suggest you keep all 'YK' deviants from leaving the tower unless accompanied by an adult appearing guardian."
"Consider it already done. Before you go, I want to give you something important regarding your other investigation."
Markus made his way to the exit with every intention of giving Connor the promised item before leaving the tower. He knew that his friend was dealing with intense stress and needed to be given some answers in order to ease the emotional burden straining his mind. As a still active caretaker for Carl, Markus knew all too well how stress - whether it was physical or mental - could take a drastic toll on the human body inside and out.
Hank walked a single pace behind Connor to keep an eye on his younger partner as his paternal side told him to watch over the ailing rookie. After he learned so much about Connor's neglected childhood Hank felt compelled to protect the younger man despite Connor being a fully functional, entirely responsible and productive adult contributing to society. It was as if the man's fatherly instincts were resurfacing with a vengeance as he spent more time with Connor and strengthened his friendship with the rather emotionally reclusive detective.
"In the days since we discovered the file labeled 'Project Light' we've discovered schematics for prototype designs for entirely new androids, hardware, software, new types of biocomponents, Thirium types, and even detailed plans regarding androids being placed in positions of power around the nation." The way Markus spoke gave an air of secrecy and caution. The last thing they needed was a mass panic from CyberLife secrets being exposed. "We think that Lucas was connected to these plans and that's why his file was so heavily encrypted and why his name was hidden from personnel with lower clearance levels."
"Have you been able to decode any other details since you gave me the thumb drive?" Connor's curiosity allowed him to ignore his painful headache for the time being as he did his best to hang on to hope that he'd be reunited with his brother soon. "The details that Hank and I were able to uncover seem to connect whatever 'Project Light' was supposed to be directly with the F.B.I. for an unknown reason."
"That's where our search led us too." Markus noted as he led the way to a personal office set up on the tower's ground floor and invited his two colleagues to join him inside the private space. "We're sure that's why the F.B.I. got involved with deviancy even though the mayor kept quiet. We also think that Agent Perkins was chosen specifically to lead the investigation by someone within CyberLife's fold."
"We'll soon find out."
"I know you will." Handing over another thumb drive made it seem like Markus was digging up every secret CyberLife tried to bury while letting Connor and Hank take on the brunt of the work. "I understand if you'd prefer to keep the investigation within New Jericho for now. After all, two detectives looking into the activity of the F.B.I. may not sit well with other people with higher authority."
"We'll exercise discretion and ensure that no one ties our work back to you or anyone else here in the tower." Without any fear Connor slipped the thumb drive into the breast pocket of his preferred sky blue dress shirt to keep it from becoming lost or falling out of his blazer pocket by mistake. "I appreciate you doing all of this for me. Especially when you consider how I-"
"You did nothing wrong, my friend." Without fail Markus silenced Connor's sense of self-doubt and self-hatred with a calming voice. "You're our ally and my friend. You have no reason to apologize for anything you did before we met."
"Thank you for being so understanding." Whether it was the headache or a lingering ache in his heart, Connor felt compelled to constantly apologize for his past actions and behaviors. "I know that my presence isn't welcome here. I won't linger for too much longer for the comfort of the other deviants."
"Despite what the others may think of you; I know the truth. You're welcome here just as any other ally would be." Markus could see that Connor wasn't feeling well and trusted that Hank would be able to assist Connor in getting his friend to rest for a while. "I'll message you as soon as we have any information on William or more information on the CyberLife files."
Connor could only nod graciously as he and Hank excused themselves from the office to head back to the precinct. They had a lead on where William had come from and what time he ventured out into the city, but they still needed a motivation for his secret behavior and a motivation behind his murder. Such gruesome details were sure to make Connor only feel worse.
"Ben should have the scene taken care of by now." Hank kept his focus on the case while discreetly keeping an eye on Connor as they exited the tower. The sharp eyed detective could see numerous deviants glaring at Connor as he made his way to the front entrance entirely unfazed by the angry stares. "We have time to stop and get some lunch then get right back to work."
"I don't believe that any food will agree with my stomach right now."
"We'll get something light." Without even mentioning that Connor admitted to feeling sick, Hank insisted that they get something to eat anyway. "If you don't eat your headache will get worse."
Turning his head slightly, Connor just gave Hank a perplexed stare while wondering how the man knew he had a headache.
"Migraines are hard to hide." Casually Hank shrugged his shoulders and unlocked the doors to the Oldsmobile. "Never had one myself, but I know they're a bitch to deal with."
The prospect of being stricken with a migraine suddenly made Connor feel worse. It was as if acknowledging his pain amplified it against his will.
"How about this?" Hank offered a small compromise to help Connor deal with his current plight without making the rookie detective feel incompetent. "I'll handle the details with our murder case while you check through the new stuff Markus gave you. Once we make more progress on the murder case you can help me close it."
"That might be for the best." Connor admitted as he pressed his palm over his chest to feel the thumb drive beneath the fabric of his shirt. "I don't want to make any mistakes with our investigation."
"Kid, you don't need to be perfect as a detective. You just need to be honest."
"Honest?"
"Yeah, you need to do things by the book, not twist the evidence to fit biased theories, never profile a suspect, and never let corrupt officers bribe you or conveniently lose evidence during an investigation."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. For now, just try to not stress yourself about everything happening at once take it easy." Slowly Hank pulled the Oldsmobile along the drive that encircled the tower and began a steady drive toward the city. "The new year is about to begin. I'd hate for ya' to start it off feelin' like shit."
Detroit Central Precinct: Bullpen
The entire day played out at a painfully slow rate. The murder case did in fact lead the investigating detectives toward the potential identity of William's killer, but that soon led to another dead-end as the suspect's identity was linked to a rookie cop that had only just begun working in the city. As soon as the security footage of the city streets documented William's route into the city the distinct vehicle of a police cruiser trailing after the 'YK' android caught the eyes of Hank, Connor and Ben as they worked together to analyze the collected footage. It took Captain Fowler only two minutes to identify the murderous officer and get a warrant for his arrest, but as soon as he was brought in a representative from Internal Affairs and a very expensive lawyer provided by someone with much higher authority shut down the interrogation before it could even begin. Such a strange reaction made it hard to focus on anything but the horrific and tragic murder of William that morning.
Connor rubbed his fingertips along his temples as he read up on the very minimal personnel file of the offending officer. Kenneth Davidson had only just begun his career but had a powerful connection thanks to being friends with a notorious F.B.I. agent. There was no way that it was a coincidence that the rookie officer killed a deviant android while having a connection with the very F.B.I. agent who had attempted to commit genocide against the deviants during the night of the Revolution.
"This is fucked up." Hank muttered bitterly to himself as he fought the urge to kick open the interrogation room door and scream in Davidson's face. The man's posture was slumped yet tense as he glared in the direction of the interrogation room with his arms folded firmly over his chest. "There's no fuckin' way that a rookie officer connected to Perkins coincidentally murdered a deviant. Perkins HAD to have put him up to it. But why? What good would come from murdering a child deviant?"
"Nothing." Connor whispered as he responded to Hank's rhetorical question. "There is absolutely nothing good that could possibly come from the murder of a child."
"What did we uncover about William's former family?" Turning to face his partner Hank asked a few logical questions to try to take his mind off his anger. "Did they have any connection to the police or any other government official?"
"The family didn't have any direct connection to any form of authority. They were, however, friends to Mayor Walter Nero."
"And our 'beloved' mayor didn't do jack-shit during the Demonstration, the Revolution, or any of the months leading up to 'em." It was as if Hank had just begun piecing together the various pieces of a very unusual puzzle. "That gives us another useless fucker to question, but we still don't know what questions to ask. Why kill William like that?"
"I don't know." Connor's voice was low, and his complexion was as white as the snow outside. "I wish I did."
"Maybe you should go lie down in the bunk room for a while. You're really pale and clearly exhausted."
"I'm all right." Sitting back in his chair Connor lowered his hands from his temples to attempt to appear less fatigued than he was actually feeling. "I can finish working on this case."
"I know you can, but you should still pace yourself."
"I'm fine. Really."
As if to prove his point Connor rose to his feet and walked into the community breakroom to get something to ease his headache. He knew that Hank was right and that by eating something he'd feel better, but the small chicken sandwich that he had for lunch before returning to the precinct wasn't cutting it. A little caffeine could always help, which meant a small cup of coffee was in order. It was just unfortunate that there wasn't any fresh coffee in the carafe ready to be poured.
"I got this." Chris volunteered as he watched Connor pick up the empty glass carafe while looking entirely disappointed. "Rule is: The person who pours the last of the coffee needs to brew the next pot. My guess is one of the C.S.I. dudes from Ben's team didn't know this rule and helped themself without making a refill."
"Thanks... I'm still unfamiliar with the layout of the breakroom."
It didn't take Chris long to find a clean filter in a cabinet, clear out the used one from the coffee marker, and pour in a generous scoop of fresh coffee grounds from a massive tub sitting on the back of the counter into the coffee maker. It fortunately only took the coffee maker ten seconds to brew steaming hot coffee and refill the carafe.
"Sugar and sweetener are on the countertop over there and we keep the creamer in the front of the fridge." After getting his own fill of the coffee Chris went on his way and directed Connor about the room. "Help yourself."
Connor could only nod his thanks as he grabbed a clean mug from the nearby cabinet to pour himself some coffee and slowly sip it. He loathed coffee regardless of how sweet or diluted it was, but it was his best bet to rid himself of his persistent headache without relying on medication. It seemed even CyberLife's relentless disciplinary tactics and training were no match for the agony of a migraine.
"Hank, no!"
The sound of Captain Fowler's deep voice echoing through the bullpen caused Connor to flinch and lower his mug back down to the counter. There was no denying that his commanding officer was angry and wasn't in the mood to deal with a disobedient detective.
"The fucker killed a kid and is actually braggin' about it!" Hank growled as he tried to push past Captain Fowler to go after the arrested rookie officer as he was led out of the precinct in handcuffs with an F.B.I. representative and his lawyer leading him away. "He thinks he can get away with that kind of shit without consequences! Let me show him he's DEAD wrong."
"Stop. You're already on thin ice for punching Perkins in front of a dozen witnesses." The seasoned Captain wisely cautioned as he planted himself firmly between Hank and the departing officer. "Don't make things worse for yourself OR for your fellow detectives. Get what I'm saying?"
"No." Refusal to back down was always one Hank's best and worst traits. "Why don't you spell it out for me?"
"Hank, I'm saving your ass from immediate termination for assault against a federal agent. Need me to repeat that in smaller words?"
"Oh, fuck that! Perkins had it coming!"
"That's not the point. You need to be able to conduct yourself professionally at all times, regardless of how much of a piece of shit a suspect can be."
"I'm really sick and tired of taking the high road while everyone else uses the low road to sleaze their way to the top." Hank admitted with a defeated sigh. The moment the arrested officer was out of his sight Hank's anger seemed to leave the precinct behind him. "We both know that Davidson murdered a deviant, a CHILD deviant at that, and he's gonna' walk because Perkins is going to pull some magic strings and let him go."
"Even if the prick gets away with what he did today, he won't live long enough to brag about it. We both know that these types of things have a very bloody way of sorting themselves out."
"Doesn't bring William any justice."
"You're right, it won't." It was important to remain focused on the investigation and not on taking revenge. "Did you figure out the motivation?"
"Not yet. Me and Connor are going to look at the mayor next since William's family had ties to the prick."
"Be careful when it comes to snooping around politicians. With your current reputation I won't be able to do much if you piss off the wrong person."
"Don't worry about me, I got this."
"And how does your partner feel about that?" Captain Fowler easily reminded Hank that he wasn't working alone anymore. Any damage to Hank's reputation could affect Connor's reputation by proxy. "Don't do anything that you'll regret for yourself or for the kid."
Hank could only sigh through his nose as he turned to look at Connor watching him from the breakroom as Captain Fowler returned to his private office. The last thing that Hank wanted to do was put Connor in a tough situation. It had been a monumental task just earning Connor's trust enough to accept a bedroom of his own or any other gift without the younger detective becoming suspicious of the good deeds. Risking Connor's career before it even had the chance to flourish would be inexcusable.
Needing a minute to think Hank approached Connor in the breakroom just long enough to give his shoulder a reassuring pat before heading out the rear of the precinct to get some space. The older man was working hard to keep his temper in check and do better for his younger partner's sake.
"Connor?" Ben noticed Connor standing in the breakroom and met the rookie detective inside the relatively isolated space to speak to him directly. "My team finished analyzing the crime scene. The details and compiled security footage you requested are on your terminal when you're ready to take a look."
The very notion of reading more into William's final moments was enough to make Connor regret the coffee. His stomach twisted into a painful knot of dread as he returned to his desk to resume the investigation while Hank was cooling off. The moment he logged into his terminal with his credentials Connor was met with the grotesque details of the murder and a confirmation that Joel was actively performing the necessary apportionment on the murdered deviant up on the second floor at that very moment.
It seemed no one had stepped forward to claim William as family, which meant it was up to the city to determine what was to be done with his body. Before the day was over Connor would make sure Markus stepped up to take care of William instead to ensure the tragically murdered 'YK' android was properly laid to rest.
Focusing only on the key details helped Connor to feel somewhat grounded as he continued to feel physically unwell. The migraine was getting worse, and he wasn't sure what to do about it without needing to call off or take a sick day and leave two very important investigations open. In his mind, whether it was from his own decision based on evidence or CyberLife's training still taking hold, Connor was compelled to keep working regardless of his own health and personal situation.
Security footage of the disgraced Officer Kenneth Davidson stalking William in his patrol car for six blocks was disheartening. The brutal murder being caught on camera was enough to make Connor taste bile. The amount of blue blood being splashed around, staining the snow and pouring out of William's body was absolutely barbaric. Seeing Davidson casually wipe the blood off of the weapon onto his sleeve - a six inch long hunting knife - and slip it into a small leather sheath on his side was enough to make Connor's blood boil in rage.
"Davidson stalked William, stepped out of the car and approached William, and easily assaulted and subsequently murdered William because Willian undoubtedly recognized Davidson as a cop and thought he could be trusted. It's no wonder the other deviants loath my presence."
Connor allowed the collected footage to continue to play out and felt his already dwindling faith in humanity take a serious blow. The owner of the junkyard stepped out of the front entrance just seconds after Davidson returned to his squad car and pulled away from the murder. The owner then looked down at William's lifeless body, nudged William's limp arm with his foot, then resumed his business as if he hadn't just discovered the aftermath of a brutal murder.
"Too many people are indifferent to the lives of others. What will it take for humans to finally reclaim their humanity?"
The urge to walk away was strong, but Connor's desires to solve the case were stronger. Logging away the details for the time being, Connor rose to his feet and made his way up to the second floor dispensary to talk to Joel and to pay his respects to William. Until he could undercover the motivation behind the murder, being supportive toward the helpless victim was all Connor could do.
Hank Anderson's Residence
The day had come to an end but that didn't mean work had ceased when Connor clocked out for the night. The murder case was still open. Attempting to bring justice to a murdered deviant was going to remain an ongoing venture as the two dedicated detectives worked tirelessly to put the pieces of the puzzle together and finally uncover the motivation behind the murder itself. Hank had volunteered to cook dinner that night while Connor remained hunched over the laptop sitting on the coffee table before him in the livingroom. With Sumo pressed up against his side and Hank rummaging around in the kitchen a few feet away, Connor knew he wasn't alone despite feeling as if he was being left stranded in the middle of a confusing, if not overwhelming, scenario and expected to find a way to survive despite the odds stacked against him.
With the final bits of evidence now compiled Connor patiently waited for the massive file to finish downloading from Joel's personal laptop back at the precinct so that he could resume his investigation. Only when he was able to finally view William's memories would Connor be able to find the potential connection between the innocent deviant's demise and the possibly corrupt mayor. From there, he would also be able to find the reason behind William's murder in itself.
All it took was the single press of a key for Connor to watch William's final moments through the little deviant's own eyes. Seeing William sneaking out of New Jericho Tower without a single person noticing was enough to motivate Connor to purchase a hundred security cameras for the tower with his own money. The way William ran down the drive without catching anyone's attention inside or outside the drive made it clear that apathy and indifferent were alive and well in Detroit. However, seeing the final minutes of William's life as he trudged his way downtown only to be stopped by Davidson and then murdered in cold blood was enough to finally break Connor's resolve.
The sound of the laptop slamming shut caught Hank's ear, and the man knew that Connor was losing his battle against stress. Hank peered out into the livingroom and watched as Sumo playfully pressed his nose against the side of Connor's neck while Connor buried his face in his palms and leaned heavily against his knees in utter defeat. The seasoned Lieutenant recognized all the signs of emotional distress and physical sickness all too well.
"Guess tonight wasn't a good night to make enchiladas." Hank sighed to himself as he finished making the spicy dish and decided to prepare a smaller helping for Connor since he knew the younger man wouldn't be able to handle too much spice at the moment. "Dinner's ready, kid. It's something new, so be honest and tell me if you like it or not."
Connor didn't budge from where he sat. Feeling the couch cushion dip down beside him as Hank joined him in the livingroom didn't do much to ease his discomfort since there was just too much on his mind at the moment.
"Down, Sumo." With a gentle but firm tone Hank ordered the large dog off the couch to ensure he didn't beg or eat something he shouldn't eat by mistake. "This is the worst part of the job. Finding the motivation for murder, no matter how sick, twisted, convoluted or illogical as it may be."
"William thought Davidson was going to help him." Connor finally spoke as he lifted up his head and revealed his bloodshot eyes to Hank. He accepted his plate for dinner but didn't even look down at the prepared meal. "Joel was able to isolate William's memories. I was able to see his final moments and the... I saw what happened."
"Oh, shit... That's fucked up." Putting his own plate aside Hank picked up the laptop and saw the paused video on the screen that Connor had just viewed. The animalistic glare frozen in Davidson's eyes as he looked down at William's dying body while William struggled to look up at him was beyond words. "We won't let Davidson get away with what he's done. He WILL burn for this."
"How? We still don't know why William had left the tower or where he was going when Davidson killed him."
"The memories Joel managed to find didn't contain anything we can use?"
"Recovering an android's recovered memories doesn't make technicians actual mind readers." Connor sighed as he leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes to keep the overhead light out of his sensitive vision. "The best he can do is check through the internal communication logs within William's system to find out who he had been talking to prior to his murder."
"How long will that take?"
An e-mail popped up on the laptop from Joel and answered Hank's question immediately as he read the subject headline.
"Nevermind. Try to eat a little and then take a shower." The wiser of the two detectives urged as he checked over the new information. "That should help ease your headache enough for you to sleep comfortably tonight."
"I can manage for now." Connor promised as he looked down at his dinner and used the side of his fork to cut into a very small portion of his meal. He truly didn't feel hungry, but he knew Hank was right and eating would be beneficial to easing his headache. "What did Joel send us?"
"Let's see here..." Hank read the details quickly and found a list of names that William had been communicating with since his initial activation. A majority of the communication had involved his former family up until he had been abandoned. "We have some names and numbers to work with. Now we just need to narrow down the list to find a name of interest."
"It seems as if William had a small circle of contacts." The rookie detective observed as he took a bite of his meal and instantly wished his stomach wasn't so sensitive at the moment since he was discovering very quickly that Hank was a great cook. "...The most recent number on William's contact list is a dummy number."
"How do you know that?" Turning to face Connor curiously Hank wanted to know how he could recognize a legit number from a fake one. "We haven't run an identity check on any of these numbers yet."
"These are the name area codes that CyberLife used to hide their tracks when communicating with personnel outside of the tower. I had such a number when I became a field agent and had been expressly forbidden from sharing the number with anyone outside of the company."
"No shit? Any number you recognize?"
"None. However, we can ask Markus to send us CyberLife's records of communication lines and the names associated with them."
"And from there we can match the name to the number and finally figure out who drew William out into the city in the middle of the night." The promising new lead gave Hank hope that they'd close the case relatively soon. "That's a pretty slick connection right there."
"It's unfortunate that it's even necessary."
"You're entirely right about that." Leaning back a little Hank picked up his own plate and began to sample his piping hot dinner while Connor sent an e-mail to Markus to ask for his assistance one more time during the investigation. While Connor busied himself with work Hank turned on the television and began searching for a movie to watch and provide a small distraction. "How's your dinner? I didn't add too much sauce, did I?"
"No. At least, I don't think you did."
"I keep forgetting that you didn't get to grow up eating the good food like this. At least I know you like the spicy stuff so that I don't have to worry about holding back whenever I cook."
"I'll do my best to not burn the next meal I make when it's my turn to cook again."
"Don't worry about it." Settling on an old movie from the 80's to fill the silence in the livingroom, Hank reminded Connor that he was still learning a new skill. "For a first timer on the stove you're actually pretty good. Just remember to start with low heat and work your way up to prevent burning and issues with things drying out."
"Markus found the numbers." Connor noted quickly as he put his plate aside and hoped that Hank wouldn't push too hard to get him to keep eating. "He's compiled the list and sent it to my e-mail for us to analyze."
"How long will that take?"
"Not too long at all. Markus already cross referenced the numbers in CyberLife's list to the numbers saved within William's memory."
"Next time I hear some asshole tryin' to complain about deviants in the workforce, I'm gonna' punch 'em right in the throat." Leaning forward where he sat, Hank turned down the volume of the movie and gave Connor his full attention. "This type of progress is the kind that detectives can only hope for on the simplest of investigations."
"The number belongs to Thomas Westward." The motivation behind the murder began to reveal itself with that single revealed detail. "He is the mayor's personal assistant."
"And I imagine an acquaintance to William's former family that abandoned him. What the fuck would the mayor's assistant want with William?"
"I'll ask Joel to check through William's memories and verify if William ever witnessed or overheard any potentially illegal or unethical decisions behind discussed or made by the mayor in the past. If William knew something damning like illegal activities, then he'd be a prime target for murder; especially since his family no longer cares for him."
"Son of a bitch. I think you just cracked this case." Hank admitted as he too set his plate aside. He suddenly lost his appetite and promptly began texting Captain Fowler to keep him apprised of the investigation. "I bet William accidentally witnessed something shady between the mayor and the F.B.I., which is why the F.B.I. is protecting their hired assassin in the form of Davidson."
Unease settled into Connor's core as he pulled his legs up from the floor to sit cross-legged on the couch. Slowly he pulled the blanket from the back of the couch down to wrap around himself in a comforting and protective manner as his mind began to race with hundreds of disconcerting thoughts and fears.
"What's wrong?" It took Hank only a single glance to see that Connor was worrying about something. Playing on a hunch, the far more seasoned detective decided to go for Occam's Razor in an attempt to ease his friend's fears. "If you think Lucas got wrapped up in something ugly like this, then don't. He's safe."
"How can you be so sure that Lucas is safe in this very moment?"
"Because CyberLife clearly struck some kind of deal with the F.B.I. and with the mayor, and since you and Lucas worked for CyberLife then I know neither of you will get tied into this mess."
"Your logic is sound, but without any real evidence to the contrary..."
"Yeah, I know." Sympathetically Hank gave Connor's shoulder a small pat. The moment his palm touched Connor's shoulder Hank noticed that Connor was entirely tensed up and stressing himself out yet again. "As soon as we close this case then I know that we can use the rest of those collected numbers to find out which one was assigned to Lucas, and from there we should be able to pinpoint is exact location and find him."
"Wouldn't it be easier to call Lucas once we find his number?"
"Not really." With his text message sent Hank slipped his phone back into his pocket and then closed the laptop to get his mind off work for a few precious seconds for both his and Connor's sakes. "I doubt that he'd answer any calls or texts that came from an unfamiliar number. Not to mention the fact that if Lucas could so easily communicate with you over the phone, then he would've done it ages ago."
"I suppose you're right."
"Go shower off for a minute." Showcasing a true paternal side had been helpful to both Hank and Connor on their respective roads to healing. "That should help with your headache, then you can finish your dinner and head to bed."
"What if Joel or Markus e-mails us with more information pertaining to our investigation? I haven't even begun to check through the additional information that Markus had given to me this afternoon."
"Then I'll handle it." Not wanting to sound arrogant Hank gave Connor a reassuring nod of approval. "And if gets to be too much I'll wake ya' up. I know you want to see this case closed."
"All right." Slowly Connor rose to his feet and reluctantly dropped the blanket as he pressed his palm over his eye to shield it from the overhead light. Each step he took caused his headache to throb with a painful beat that reminded the young detective of his physical limitations. "Please let me know as soon as something of interest comes in."
"You got it."
Hank patiently waited for Connor to enter the bathroom, then waited for the door to click shut and the water in the shower to turn on before he looked over at Sumo sitting patiently beside his leg. The loyal dog was silently begging for a quick treat. Lightly Hank rubbed Sumo's silky soft ears and whispered to the dog as if he needed to tell the lovable Saint Bernard a secret that he didn't want Connor overhearing.
"That kid still has a lot to learn about not needing to be perfect. He's a great detective and one of the most dedicated rookies I've ever worked with."
Sumo grumbled a little as he leaned into Hank's hand as he thoroughly enjoyed the ear rubs that he was receiving.
"At least he's not letting himself get pushed around by Reed anymore. That's a major accomplishment in itself."
Curious about any potential developments Hank opened the laptop again and checked for any new e-mails pertaining to their investigation. Such an update had arrived from Markus and with that new information Hank set about reading up on the details and found something truly interesting that Markus had managed to highlight for Connor's personal use.
"Son of a bitch. Markus must've figured out what Lucas was working on for CyberLife and gave that info to Connor earlier."
The amount of information that Markus was supplying through the previously locked CyberLife archives was a little disconcerting. If it had taken the deviants over a month to find information on a single CyberLife employee and uncover their personal number, then the amount of illegal activity and fraud that CyberLife had busily covered up over the years was going to be a staggering mess to clean up.
"Okay, thank fuck."
A quick skim of the details made it easy for Hank to confirm that Lucas had nothing to do with the mayor's actvities or William's murder. Lucas had been out of the city for over two years and had zero connection to anything happening back in Detroit at that moment.
"Lucas is in the clear and... Holy shit. Markus actually managed to trace Lucas's personal phone out in Washington D.C. just a few hours ago. Lucas is working with the F.B.I. right now?"
Those details caught Hank off guard. The idea that Lucas was a CyberLife employee working within the Federal Bureau of Investigation was enough to make the seasoned Lieutenant righteously worried about any potential problems that Connor could face as he dug deeper into CyberLife's mountain of dirty secrets.
"Oh, shit."
Sumo whined sympathetically and pressed his strong paw down on Hank's knee. The large dog picked up on Hank's distress immediately.
"If Perkins knows Lucas, then that can make this investigation way more complicated than it already is. A judge could argue bias or a conflict of interest on this case if Lucas has even the smallest connection to Perkins, Davidson or Westward."
The sound of the shower turning off made Hank turn his head slightly to peer over his shoulder toward the bathroom door before closing the laptop. He didn't want to worry Connor any more than he already was in regard to Lucas's safety and role within CyberLife's strange schemes. Even though the abominable company had gone bankrupt and was no longer in any form of power, it seemed as if CyberLife's influence had reached far and wide enough to continue to have some sway in the legal and justice system.
Hank found himself torn between letting Connor know what Markus had found and letting Connor go to bed and stop worrying for a few hours. He didn't want to keep any secrets from his young friend, but he didn't want to exasperate Connor's ongoing migraine by mistake. Sometimes it was hard to do the right thing when neither option seemed entirely right or wrong.
"Anything new?" Connor asked as he ran his fingers through his damp hair to keep the thick locks out of his face. He was still pale and had dark bags forming under his eyes as he fought through his pounding headache long enough to keep on top of the investigation before going to bed. "Markus works fast."
"Yeah, I've noticed. He was able to rule out any other potential suspect in William's murder, so I'll get Fowler to approve an arrest warrant for Westward's arrest first thing in the morning."
"That's good."
"Think you can eat a little more, or do you want to go to bed?"
"I'd prefer to get some sleep right now."
"No problem. I'll put everything in the fridge and then we'll have leftovers tomorrow."
"Thanks." Before walking back down the hallway Connor reached over to pet Sumo's ears then made his way to his new bedroom. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Yeah, goodnight."
All Hank could do was send Captain Fowler an e-mail requesting the arrest warrant with his and Connor's collected evidence that had been properly cited, chronicled and documented as proof for the requested warrant while Connor finally got some rest. It felt wrong to not let Connor know about what Hank had just learned and of the possible dilemma that Lucas could be a part of regarding the F.B.I. and CyberLife crimes. Then again, telling Connor something so upsetting without a means of remedying the situation would be just plain cruel to the already stressed out young detective.
"I hope you sleep well tonight, kid."
Again, Hank whispered to no one in particular as Sumo jumped up onto the couch and rested his chin sympathetically over the man's thigh.
"I get the feeling that the next couple of days are going to be exhausting for the both of us, and knowing you, it won't matter how tough the situation gets. You'll see this investigation through to the end regardless of who's involved and what might happen."
Detroit Central Precinct: Interrogation Room 'B'
The bright and early morning hours were unpleasant for just about everyone in the precinct. The arrest warrant for Thomas Westward was approved overnight, and before the man could even pour himself his morning cup of coffee, he found himself answering the door to two arresting police officers who quickly secured him in a pair of handcuffs and hauled him to the precinct to be interrogated. The abrupt arrest kept the media from catching wind of the potential controversy unfolding just as the new year was preparing to begin. As long as the responding police force were able to keep the arrest quiet then they'd be able to avoid any rumors swirling about the city and keep the vulturous reporters at bay for a while longer. The more inconspicuous the arrest and interrogation were, the easier it'd be to make progress on the investigation without outside interference hindering the detectives attempting to uncover the truth.
Hank had been busy interrogating the groggy, confused and very frightened personal assistant while Connor and Chris observed the tense interrogation from the neighboring room. The two witnessing officers were taking diligent notes and made sure every word spoken was being recorded to be used as evidence later on and eventually taken to trial once the investigation had been finished.
'Killing an innocent kid is the coldest fuckin' thing a man can do.' Hank's voice was as cold as the heartless deed being discussed. It was easy enough for Hank to use his taller, broader build to intimidate the shorter, smaller man sitting across the table from himself. 'The only thing that's arguably worse is being a coward bribing someone else to finish the job for you.'
'I don't know what you're talking about, Lieutenant.' Westward lied through his teeth as he tried to put a fake smile on his face to hide his fear. The cold sweat on his brow and his anxious twitching gave away his true emotions for all to see. 'I've been home with my wife and kids all night long.'
'Not talkin' about last night.' Slamming the file with the chronicled photographs of the murder onto the table made Westward jump in his seat. 'We're talking about the night before. It was very cold that night. Too cold for a kid to be wandering the wintery streets of Detroit alone.'
Westward eyed the photographs for only a heartbeat before turning a sickly pale color. All color drained from his face save for an unflattering shade of green flushing his cheeks. The sweat already matting his blond hair along his forehead in sticky strands became all the more intense as true fear settled in at last. Pressing his shaking hand to his bloodshot blue eyes and running it down his neatly trimmed goatee, Westward looked as if he was fighting the urge to be violently sick.
'It seems so easy, doesn't it?' Hank pushed without shifting his level tone of voice. 'You just pay someone else to do your dirty work so you can keep your hands clean. But at the end of the day, even if you didn't hold the knife that ended William's life, his blood still managed to stain your hands all the same.'
'W-William wasn't a kid.' The arrested man replied in a shaking manner. Desperation was thick on his tongue and muddled his words as he spoke. 'It only looked like one, it was just a machine.'
'The law says differently.' Without missing a beat Hank reminded Westward that he couldn't hide behind deviants being viewed as machines any longer. 'Murder through paid contract is still murder. We already caught the murderer, and he's lawyered up.'
At that confirmation Westward swallowed nervously and wrapped his arms around himself as he began to sink down in his chair in a pitiful attempt to disappear.
'I bet before the end of the day he'll cut a deal with the D.A. to get a lighter sentence in exchange for cooperating with the police.'
'What does any of this have to do with me?' Westward was trying to hide his fear without doing anything that was arguably an admission of guilt. 'I didn't hire anyone to kill-'
'Your personal cell number and the list of personal contacts and communication we retrieved from William's body says otherwise. Try another one.'
The way Hank was able to keep calm while pushing Westward to his limits was a little disconcerting. If one didn't know that Hank was a well-trained, disciplined and seasoned detective, one might think he was a heartless sociopath. From where he just a few feet away sat Connor listened to the interrogation taking place on the other side of the one-way mirror and watched Hank's body language closely. The younger detective was still learning how to be effective with his own skills and knew that by letting Hank teach him in every possible way that he'd become just as skilled as his senior partner in due time.
"I'm surprised the Lieutenant volunteered to do this interrogation." Chris whispered as he continued to take notes on the precinct sanctioned tablet screen. "Any time a situation involving kids comes up, he usually turns the other way."
"Considering what happened to his own son, I'm not at all surprised that Hank would find such interrogations challenging." Connor replied in a soft voice as he activated A.R.I. and lightly pressed his gloved palm to the glass barrier to send out a cybernetic pulse to monitor Westward's vital signs. "He's been working hard to overcome his past trauma. Perhaps this was his big step toward a proper recovery while being able to help someone who had no one else to rely on."
"Wouldn't matter how many years pass or how many suspects he interrogates when it comes to violence against kids." Discreetly Chris pulled his phone from his pocket and began swiping through the saved photos of his own son to ease his personal worries for his family. "No one ever fully recovers after the death of their own child."
"I suppose you're right about that." Lowering his hand Connor watched Westward's rapid pulse and elevated blood pressure with a keen eye on his lenses. He knew that the suspect was attempting to lie, and he knew that Hank was going to reveal the truth soon just by asking the right questions. "I'm fortunate enough to have never endured such a painful tragedy."
"Did I ever show you pictures of my son?" Maintaining discretion Chris showed Connor his phone and the photo of his smiling son looking back at him. The photo was recent and one that Chris was sure to keep forever. "That's Damian. He's almost six months old now, and he's my whole world."
Connor noted the genuine happiness being exuded from the photo with a small sense of envy. He didn't have any happy memories of his own childhood. Seeing Chris's brilliant, glowing smile as he held his smiling son in his arms almost seemed surreal. To see a child being loved and cared for by their parent shouldn't be considered a rare venture, and yet that's exactly how Connor viewed the entire moment captured in time on Chris's phone.
"I knew what happened to Hank's son when I first started working here a couple years ago." Pocketing his phone after giving the photo one last look, Chris resumed observing the interrogation and watched as Hank kept his cool while Westward slowly shifted from a sickly pale white to an enraged tomato red at the questions being asked. "I knew why he was an alcoholic who was so emotionally distant and angry all the time. But only after I held Damian in my arms for the first time did I truly understand why Hank was trying to shut himself away from the world and fade away."
There was nothing more that Connor could add to such an emotionally succinct observation. He didn't have children, a father, a mother, arguably any siblings, or even a memorable childhood to compare anything that Chris had said against for proper analysis. It was strange to be so out of place and so removed from a world that he was still expected to remain an active part of despite not knowing much about anything beyond the basics of survival and common sense.
'Last chance to answer honestly.' Hank's voice cut through Connor's thoughts and brought his focus back to the interrogation. 'The evidence doesn't lie, but people do. What do you think the mayor's going to say when the press finds out his personal assistant is connected to the murder of a deviant child? That wouldn't look too good for his upcoming reelection campaign, and he'd do anything to preserve his reputation. Do you really think he'd protect your sorry ass when it could cost him the election?'
'A-All right! All right, I'll tell you what happened.' Westward finally caved and slunk down into his chair like the useless lump of shit he truly was. 'I want a lawyer, and you need to swear to keep my family safe, but I'll tell you everything that happened and why that android was targeted.'
'Deal.' Hank seemed to know that Westward was going to cooperate before even Westward did. 'Do you have a lawyer in mind already?'
'Yeah. The number's on my phone.'
'I'll go get it.' As he rose to his feet Hank decided to leave the photographs behind on the table to ensure Westward's guilt didn't fade, but he also decided to show a little compassion toward the now cooperative man with a simple and kind gesture. 'Need coffee or something?'
'Please.'
'Right, be back in five minutes.'
Seeing a chance to speak with his partner in private, Connor slipped off his glasses and exited the observation room to catch Hank out in the bullpen. The younger detective found his partner just crossing the workspace to get to the breakroom and joined him at the counter as Hank prepared a cup of fresh coffee for Westward just as he promised he'd do. They had no reason to exercise such discretion among their own colleagues, and yet the two detectives felt compelled to keep a low profile until their investigation had been concluded.
"What do you think, kid?" Hank didn't even need to lift his eyes from the mug to know that it was Connor who had joined him in the breakroom. "The fucker's being awfully cooperative right now, but that doesn't mean he won't change his tune once he lawyers-up."
"I think that Westward will continue to cooperate with us since he's undeniably worried about his family's safety." Without noticing Connor took on a more military style posture by folding his arms behind his back while standing up perfectly straight. "I suspect that the mayor has preemptively threatened Westward about keeping this murder as quiet as possible, and that same threat revolves around Westward's family."
"You're both damn close." Captain Fowler cut in with his deep voice as he found his two detectives in the breakroom. "But try the feds threatening our suspect, and not the mayor."
Hank and Connor both turned to watch as Captain Fowler joined them in the breakroom with a tablet in his hand. The commanding officer had evidently overheard their discussion and agreed with their overall assessment without needing to ask for specific details. While the two detectives had been meticulously collecting their evidence and rounding up possible suspects to uncover the motive behind the murder, Captain Fowler had been looking into Davidson and Agent Perkins behind his locked door.
"I just got done talking to the F.B.I. Director himself, and he confirmed that he's been watching Perkins since he returned to D.C. last month." Lowering his voice as he addressed his two detectives, Captain Fowler showed them only respect and trusted their judgement on handling such a delicate investigation. "He suspected that Perkins struck a deal with Nero when he showed up in the city, which is why Nero sat on his ass and did nothing while Detroit was on the brink of a Civil War and didn't object to Perkins creating those fuckin' death camps."
"Anything else we can use to our advantage?" Hank asked as he picked up the mug and studied his oldest friend's face closely. "What about this Davidson guy, where does he come into all this mess?"
"Turns out Davidson is a friend to Perkins's son." Such details had been confirmed ahead of time by Captain Fowler himself. "Perkins also pulled some strings to get Davidson through the academy without needing bust his ass like the rest of us had to do."
"Perkins knew the mayor AND the cop who killed William, whose family also knew the mayor... It's not the neatest tapestry, but everything still fits and holds together pretty damn well." Looking to Connor for a minute Hank made sure his younger partner knew what he was talking about. "There are no coincidences, kid. Not in this city. We need to find concrete proof that our theory isn't just a theory or conspiracy against Perkins if we're going to close this case properly and get William justice."
"I've noticed." Connor confirmed as he took Hank's words to heart and sought insight from the two far more seasoned detectives beside him. "What's the most ideal course of action to take regarding proper protocol?"
"You two going right to the source." Captain Fowler continued as he handed the tablet over to Connor to review before handing it over to Hank. "You're both going to meet with Director Jayden in D.C. first thing tomorrow morning. Your flight is scheduled in six hours, and I have a hotel already booked for when you arrive."
"We're going to Washington D.C. tonight?" The idea of leaving Detroit was something that Connor rarely thought about. Going to another city for work - the very city where his own missing brother may also be located - was something that he hadn't even considered. "May I ask why?"
"Direct communication and proper documentation are the best ways to get everyone responsible for William's murder on trial, and it'll uncover any possible corruption or conspiracy within the justice system at the same time." It was clear Captain Fowler wasn't going to change his mind on the matter, and he knew how important it was to get the case closed as soon as possible. "Go get your bags packed and head to the airport. I'll finish Westward's interrogation and keep you two up to date on everything happening here."
Hank knew why Connor was hesitant to leave Detroit and put his hand to the younger man's shoulder just long enough to remind him that he wasn't alone. They both knew that they were given a rare chance to solve two cases with one witness, and that they needed to take it before it was squandered.
"It'll be okay in the end, kid." The senior detective promised as he slowly lowered his hand and let Captain Fowler take the mug of coffee back to the interrogation room on his behalf. Hank didn't want to mention Lucas's possible connection to protentional internal corruption within the city. "We'll focus on getting this case closed and then we'll take a few minutes to make some more progress on your own personal search for answers before we leave. It's not often we can multitask like this."
Silently Connor accepted that even if he wasn't ready to face the truth about what happened to his brother, wasn't ready to uncover CyberLife's secrets, or ready to make history as the first detective to handle a deviant's murder, it didn't matter. He needed to step up and do what was right by other people. It was time to do what was right even if it didn't actually feel right to do anything at all.
"Yes, okay." Taking in a deep breath Connor emotionally steeled himself for what was going to happen whether he wanted it to happen or not. "Then I guess we should do as we've been told and go pack for our flight."
"Yup. I'll ask Chris to check on Sumo and your aquarium while we're gone, and then we can focus entirely on solving our case." Hank reassured the wary rookie detective as they returned to the bullpen side by side to set about their new assignment. "After that, we'll take care of your own investigation and finally figure out what's been going on with your brother and with CyberLife for these past couple of years."
-next chapter-