His phone blew up on the ride home.

》I'm so sorry

》I was so confident that he wouldn't shoot

》I shouldn't have done that

》There's some androids out there that are actually deviating

》I promise

A few minutes passed.

》Hank told me about what you did

》You've been hunting them down for these past few weeks

》And I'm finding it hard to believe that you haven't sympathized them

》Just give them a chance

》Please

There were a few more sent after that, but Connor ended up turning his phone all the way off.

_________

"I'm afraid that I'm going to have to remove you from the case."

"What? Amanda- you can't do that!"

"I'm afraid I can, Connor."

"You shouldn't! I-I know we haven't made much progress yet, but with a little more time-"

"That's enough, Connor." She frowned, "I don't know what has gotten into you. I thought you'd be happy to be off this case."

"I'm so close." He promised, putting on his best puppy-dog face.

"According to your android, you've been deliberately holding back information- jeopardizing the case while he single-handedly managed to find out where all of the deviants were hiding. I'm choosing to look away and let you leave- but so help me, if I catch you doing anything like that again, I'll have you suspended. Or fired. Do I make myself clear?"

"Amanda-"

"Do I make myself clear?" She repeated slowly.

Connor's brow furrowed, "Perfectly."

"Go home, Connor. Finish your day off."

He shot Hank one last glare, before finally leaving the office.

"Yikes. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

North.

"Bad day." He muttered. "Got removed from the case."

Her face lit up, "Change your mind?"

"What?"

"Chloe asked me to ask you. Apparently, you aren't answering your phone."

"Tell her that I don't want her to call me. I'm still thinking."

"Right-"

A yell interrupted what she was going to say next. Connor flinched, glaring up at what appeared to be a very disheveled man in the holding cell, slamming his fist on the door a couple of times.

When all the attention was in, he started pacing. Connor noticed the criminal twitching, shaking, various familiar tics... and he swore to God, he's seen the same mannerisms before.

Then, it finally came to him.

Leo

"Deviant?"

North shot him a confused look, and he simply pointed at the holding cell.

"Oh. Just another druggie."

"Really?"

"Red ice is a common drug, Connor. I don't know why you're so confused."

"Huh."

__________

When Connor returned to the household, he was greeted by his roommate glaring at him from the living room, sitting in a chair intentionally pointed towards the door. Sumo was asleep on his lap, letting Daniel pet him and add to the dramatic effect.

"Good evening, traitor."

"What? Traitor?"

Daniel leaned back, though his expression remained cold.

"Your mother and I are very disappointed in you."

"I'm older than you-"

He held up Sumo, though the cat didn't seem to care.

"We were worried sick."

Connor rolled his eyes, "I'm back now, doesn't that count for... something?"

"You're supposed to be taking it easy! But instead, you're running off... doing mischievous tomfoolery with those... hooligans!"

"Daniel-"

"Heathens!"

Connor pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm back, and don't plan on leaving anytime soon. All right? I'll... take it easy."

Daniel's eyes narrowed, "Uh huh?"

He held up his hand.

"Scout's honor."

"You weren't in scouts."

"Then I just promise. I'll take it easy for today- and after that too."

"I don't believe you."

"I was removed from the case." He stated grimly.

Daniel leaned back in the chair again.

"All right. Fine."

"Why are you awake, anyway? I thought you were asleep around this time."

"You woke me up."

"And you never fell back asleep?"

"No."

"What are you doing out in the living room?"

"Waiting for you to come home."

"Really?"

A pause.

"I saw a spider." He muttered.

"Of course you did."

He glared at him.

"There was a spider on the ceiling. I tried smashing it with a shoe, but when I removed it, it was gone."

Though Connor was tempted to suggest the idea that the spider was on him now, he refrained from doing so.

"You sure it wasn't on the shoe?"

"Yes, I checked the shoe."

Connor forgot what he was going to say when the sound of a toilet flushing sounded out of nowhere.

"Is anyone else in the here?" He asked, side-eyeing the hallway.

"Oh yeah. Forgot about that."

"Forgot- who's here?"

Again, the conversation abruptly stopped.

Nines stood in the halls, adjusting his sleeve while walking back towards the living room. Upon seeing that Connor had finally arrived, he froze in place.

"Oh."

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to talk. Apologize." He took a deep breath, "Make sure you were okay."

His expression softened, "What?"

He shifted his weight from his toes to his heels, thinking. Choosing his words carefully.

"I... first off, I wanted to apologize. For when I first visited. It obviously wasn't fun for you, and I shouldn't have forced you to do anything."

Connor sighed, "I'm sorry too, Nines. I shouldn't have been acting like an ass."

"I would've too- if I were in your shoes. And uh... I was going to apologize earlier... by a few days... but Daniel said that you needed time to yourself?"

Connor glared at him, but Daniel wasn't paying them any attention, "Really?"

"He said you had a gun pointed at you, by the deviant leader himself."

"I did."

"I wanted to check on you, and make sure you were okay."

"I'm perfectly fine. It's not the first time a gun's been pointed at me."

"So you're doing okay?"

"Yeah."

"And we're good?"

There was a pause.

"Yeah. We're good."

Nines sighed in relief, and sat down on the couch. Connor did the same. Daniel had been doing that, but when he noticed everyone else laying down, he sunk further in the couch.

Daniel reached for the remote, and turned the T.V. on.

Leo's face on the almost made Connor jump. Almost.

"You made them obedient. Docile. Ready to do every single thing you no longer wanted to do yourselves-"

"They're still reporting about that?"

"It's a pretty big deal."

After the clip ended, the reporter began talking about a more recent event. A new clip showed of firefighters putting out all of the fires that the deviants set, and even clear out some dead androids that were just laying in the middle of the street.

"Ugh." Connor scoffed.

"Ugh?"

"Weren't you there last night?"

"Unfortunately." His eyes narrowed, "Still can't believe they think it's going to work."

"What?"

He sat up, gesturing towards the screen, "Look at them! They're setting things on fire, for fuck's sake."

"I mean, they're scaring them, right?" Daniel sat up as well.

"Their goal isn't to scare people. It's to lead a revolution, and they're doing it in the worst way possible." He sat back, "I swear to God, if I knew where they were hiding, I'd march right up to their leader and tell him that he needs to get his shit together."

"Not worth the trip, anyway. The place is a shithole."

Connor perked up.

"What place?"

"That place you were just talking about. Jericho."

"You know where their hideout is?" He muttered, utterly dumbfounded.

He nodded slowly. "Why?"

Connor blinked.

"You're telling me you had the location the whole time and you didn't tell me?"

"Yes."

"Daniel- I need that! Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"You didn't ask." He answered simply.

"Where is it?"

He glared at him, "Oh hell no. Last time you tried dealing with deviants, you almost got shot in the head. I don't think you should do this."

"Daniel. It's my job."

"And you're acting like you're invincible. Slow down. Nines, back me up here."

"I care about your well being, so... I agree with your roommate."

"Daniel, you have to understand. I can't slow down. If Hank finds Jericho before I do, everyone's lives would be in danger." When he seemed unconvinced, he added, "Including Simon's."

Finally, Daniel's eyes widened.

"Excuse me?"

He needed to play his cards right if he wanted to get to Jericho.

"You think Simon won't get in trouble for helping? He's human- and while I don't think that he'll get hurt- I'm pretty damn certain that he can't avoid getting in trouble." He tilted his head, "And- if I remember correctly- you would risk... so much... just to keep him safe"

"Yeah?" His voice was unnaturally quiet.

"If you can help me out, I can stop all of that. I can help him, and so many others."

"Why does it have to be you?" He snapped, "Why do you have to risk your life for this?"

"Because nobody else is willing to."

Daniel sighed in frustration.

Nines piped up. "I'm willing to."

"What? No- you're not going by yourself."

"Then I'll come along with you."

"Yeah- me too. I'm coming too."

Connor suddenly felt sick.

"You- you can't come along. It's too dangerous."

"Then why should you go on your own?"

"We work better as a team."

He shrugged, "I need to see Simon again."

"Three heads are better than one stinky, impulsive head that doesn't care for his own safety."

"I think you both keep forgetting that I'm the only cop here."

Daniel raised a brow, "You shouldn't do this, either. You were just removed from the case."

"I'm not bringing along someone that's too afraid to confront a spider!"

"You're scared of crabs!"

He scowled, "I don't see how that's relevant to the situation!"

"It is where we're fucking going."

"So Jericho's near a beach." At Daniel's hesitant his, he pinched the bridge of his nose, "If course it fucking is. Just my luck."

"We're coming with you, whether you like it or not."

Connor stood.

"We need to make it there before Hank does."