Gavin had been well behaved during the ambulance ride, likely due to his fatigued state. He'd tried to shrug off the paramedics at first, not seeing the need for all the fuss, but he'd settled down once Nines told him to. A paramedic had listened to his chest, frowning at the slightly wet sound. It was manageable, but he did have a little water in his lungs from the waterboarding. Nines reported the drugging and Gavin was patient but twitchy as the paramedic examined his eyes, nose, and mouth. From the description of the smell and taste, the slight redness of his skin, the effect on his eyes, and the way the drug had been administered, the paramedic thought it likely that it had been diethyl ether. Possibly mixed with chloroform.

"I don't need all this fuss, just give me some pills and send me home!" Gavin insisted grouchily, sitting up on the gurney rather than lying down. They tried to make him lie down, but he was stressed enough about the tight space as it was. He at least compromised and had his legs stretched out with a strap across his waist. Nines had seated himself behind, allowing him to lean against his shoulder for support and comfort.

"Sorry, Sergeant. It's standard procedure for victims of drowning and drug use to be kept in for at least twenty-four hours in the event of a relapse or further complications." Nines squeezed Gavin's hip gently, a silent request for him to remain calm. He knew how he hated being referred to as a victim, and the paramedic likely hadn't meant anything by it. Gavin's green eyes seemed almost vulnerable as he dropped them and allowed the young man to continue his careful examination.

The paramedic connected a drip of fluids to combat any side effect of the drugs. Gavin had been patient enough initially, despite the obvious discomfort of the needle piercing his vein. Unfortunately, that hadn't stopped the vomiting from starting up part way through the journey. The paramedic had been unsurprised and well prepared as Gavin clapped a hand over his mouth and bent over. A cardboard bowl was pushed into his hands within seconds and Nines soothed him as he choked a mixture of bile and water. That the coughing had dislodged some of the excess water from his lungs was a small benefit of his suffering.

Upon their arrival at the hospital, Gavin was taken to the same private ward as his last visit. Elijah had previously left instructions and open access to his account in the event his brother returned. A doctor arrived promptly to ask for details. Bloods were taken, an extra fluid bag of antibiotics was hooked up to prevent a chest infection, and water was provided. Gavin looked truly miserable while lounging back against the pillows. He'd hated every second. He hated hospitals, and he hated being prodded even more.

Elijah and Chloe arrived to distract him, at least. And he only vomited a couple more times before the fluids kicked in to help settle his stomach. Chloe was attentive as ever, giving him the right balance of sympathy and empathy so that he didn't feel so self-conscious about vomiting. Elijah also helped to distract him by having him tell them the story of how it happened. Gavin had gone through it all, smirking as he relished the thought of their success.

Since VB was in custody, they'd be able to get a warrant to search his home, workplace, and any other holdings he had under his name. They'd also be able to demand co-operation from the AHL since a group of their members had been caught red-handed torturing a well-known and decorated police sergeant. If the AHL didn't cooperate fully, they'd look as guilty as their rogue members. Jericho would probably be contacted for comment as well since it was such a high-profile android group. Markus would have to distance himself and the Jericho organisation from any androids with ties to the AHL. Gavin would likely be contacted for comment as well at some point, not something he was looking forward to. He'd be sure to clarify that the AHL was a very small separatist movement that didn't reflect on the majority of androids.

That's exactly what happened over the next few days. Gavin left the hospital two days later. Elijah had insisted he not be allowed to leave until the doctors were certain there had been no lasting effects from the drugs and he'd had enough medicine to guard against any infections. Gavin had grumbled the whole time, especially since Nines had returned to work the next day to begin the process of attaining warrants and interrogating their suspects. Chloe had remained to keep him company, insisting he help her with crosswords and play chess. Gavin hadn't been good at chess before, but Chloe was a good and patient teacher.

After leaving the hospital, he headed to the precinct to see Fowler, who insisted on a psychological evaluation before he'd be allowed back in the field. It wasn't his first time being kidnapped and beat up, and Dr Marr had agreed that he had minimal lasting effects from the encounter. With that done, he was allowed to return to work the next day on light duties. Nines and Connor went out to search VB's properties from top to bottom. They scanned every inch of the place for secret hiding places, but nothing turned up. He's probably keeping his trophies somewhere else, or with someone else...Fifty-Seven was a safe bet. He hadn't been part of the group that evening, and the warrants for AHL holdings were still in the works. The only saving grace they had was that the members didn't know for sure what they were looking for.

"If nothing else, we've got them on murder, kidnapping, and torture," Reed sighed as he looked across at Nines. Nines nodded, though he was sure that VB could get out of the murder charge. They had no proof that he was the android who'd pulled the trigger on Ashton. Reed had already looked over the report on Ashton's death and noticed quickly that something had been taken. A simple chain necklace. It was a thin silver one with a small dolphin pendant. He didn't need to see it to know he'd been wearing it. He'd always worn it. It had belonged to his little sister. She'd died from cancer in the early twenty-tens. He'd never taken it off. Ever. Some things didn't change. Reed knew for a fact he would have been wearing that pendant, and he knew VB had to have stashed it somewhere. "How thoroughly was VB searched when he was brought in?" Reed asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"His clothes were searched, and his belongings signed in." Nines allowed him to look through a list. The pendant wasn't there, which wasn't surprising. It would be too incriminating. Upon Reed's request, they went out and searched Hank's car. Connor had driven VB back, so if he'd tried to hide the evidence it could have been left there. Hank had helped with unlocking the seats to lift them up and search underneath, but there was nothing.

"Did he have any contact with any of the android staff?" Reed sighed as he helped Hank fold the seats back into place. Nines paused as he looked through the video footage of the cells. He could see nothing out of place, and none of the footage had been tampered with. Alright, so he took the pendant, but he didn't get rid of it between the scene and the station...That means he must still have it on him..."Do you guys have any...storage compartments, you know, in your..." He leaned on Hank's car and waved up and down Nines' body. Hank was listening with interest, just locking the trunk.

"Theoretically, there are many components that can be utilised in such a manner. What is it you believe he has?" Hank was just as interested in Reed's theory as he joined them. Reed looked around, checking how close the cameras were and whether they could pick up their conversation.

"It's just a hunch, but Ashton always wore this little dolphin necklace. It belonged to his dead sister, and he'd never take it off himself. Someone took it. If VB's our killer, then he has it on him somewhere," Reed replied with certainty, watching Hank's lips curl in agreement. There were some mementos that could never be thrown away. He kept Cole's first tooth in a small plastic cylinder zipped in his inner breast pocket. He'd always carried it, even before the accident. Having it there had reminded him why he did what he did, and after Cole's death, it had been the one thing he'd had to cling to while out of the house. A permanent reminder. You didn't just get rid of things like that.

"A full body scan and search of his cell may be in order," Nines agreed as he called Connor internally. They played it as they did every other interrogation. Connor walked VB to the closed off room while Nines took up his place in the small observation room. VB looked delighted as Reed stepped inside to interview him. His guard was down. Reed tossed down the file and took his seat, flipping open the papers to push a photo of Ashton across.

"You recognise this man?" Reed asked in a level tone, dirty green eyes piercing. VB played along, taking the picture in his cuffed hands and examining it with a smirk. Nines and Hank watched everything while Connor returned to search the cell from top to bottom. "Someone shot and killed this man during my abduction...Was it you?" Reed's brow twitched as VB smirked and pushed the photo back.

"I've never seen this man, and I didn't abduct you, Sergeant." His voice was laced with false sincerity. Reed took a breath, reminding himself to stay calm. It didn't matter what VB said here. This interview was purely so that Nines could scan him from the observation room. He couldn't scan internally with his eyes, but he could scan for certain metals, like a detector. Androids didn't contain a lot of metal. It was mostly reinforced plastic and copper wiring, so any sign of gold or silver would be a dead give-away.

"Trying to lessen your prison sentence by shifting the blame to your teammates...I can respect that. It's the sign of a true criminal mind." Reed smirked, enjoying the way VB's eyes sharpened. Being called a traitor in any language was a sting to his ego. "Why not go a step further and help us out...If it wasn't you, then you must know who did it...Which one pulled the trigger? Maybe you can make a deal and get out sooner if you sell them out." VB scoffed and looked away. Reed shrugged as he sat back and waited for an answer. Positive or negative, it didn't matter. Nines just needed time.

He has it. I can't tell where, but there is a definite signature. Reed smirked at the news that came through in his earpiece. All I need to do is lead him into giving it up. He knew one thing. There was no way VB could destroy the evidence inside this room. Wherever it was in his body, he wasn't advanced enough to get rid of it completely. All they had to do was keep him there until a tech could be brought in to extract it.

"Here's the thing, VB. I think you're lying...I think you're a sick, twisted little asshole who gets a kick out of killing humans," Reed said in a predatory tone as he leaned forward. VB's lips twitched into a smirk as he leaned forward to meet him. Reed's confidence didn't bother him. If anything, he was looking forward to the challenge. He tilted his head as his emerald eyes dragged over Reed's body, almost as if luring him into a kiss. His lips curled in contempt.

"Why don't you prove it, Sergeant?"

"I think I will..." Reed replied quietly, eyes searching VB's gaze. They were similar to his own, only the green was much cleaner. They were a deeper shade, like a forest. "You see, I know you're not a real member of the AHL...and by that, I mean that you're not in it for the androids." Reed laid out photos of their victims. VB watched, quietly intrigued by Reed's theory and likely how close it hit to home. "I won't ask if you recognise these guys, because the fact is, I know you do...You took part in each one of these murders...You may not have done all the torture and shit, but you were definitely the one who finished them off." VB seemed truly entertained as he looked between Reed and the photos.

"I must be a true mastermind..." he retorted as he sat back, arms still stretched out where they were clamped to the table.

"Not really, just your regular garden variety sicko...You have a lot in common with human serial killers, and not just because of the way you play with them first." Reed pointed at the first photo and rested his finger silently on the headscarf the man was wearing. He tapped it quietly, tilting his head to draw VB's eyes up. "You take trophies...Nothing big. Nothing valuable. Nothing anyone would think noteworthy...but I noticed." He moved onto the second picture and the missing signet ring the man in the picture wore. Their eyes met as Reed continued. He had one more photo. "You really phcked up this time, asshole."

"How so? Your colleagues booked me, Sergeant. You can check for yourself. I was carrying nothing upon my arrest, and I know you've already searched my home." VB was confident, smirking as he waited. Reed gave a false sigh of sympathy as he kept the final picture facing his chest. VB was looking at it. He knew he wanted to see it. Tough luck, asshole. This is my show.

"Here's the thing, VB...I knew Ashton. You already know that, but here's what you don't know...We used to be close. We used to run together, and shit like that forms a bond...I knew things about Ashton that no other officer on the force would know..." He paused, looking at that photo but still not letting VB see it. "Ashton had a little sister...She died young, but Ashton doted on her. When she died, it really tore him up...He kept something with him. Something of hers...It's not something many people knew about, and it's not exactly valuable." He watched VB's eyes carefully for a reaction. He really wanted to see the picture. That much was obvious. It seemed his story was getting to him, too. The item was clearly girly, and something VB had thought for sure wouldn't be missed.

"A sad story, Sergeant. You still haven't told me your theory though," VB replied with a hint of caution.

"Oh, it's not a theory at this point...I know you have it." Reed tossed the photo down. It was an old one. A picture of Reed and Ashton from back in the day. He was lucky he even still had shit like that floating around. VB looked less worried as he saw the picture, but his brow furrowed somewhat as Reed laid his finger on Ashton's throat and tapped. It wasn't visible in the picture, but they both knew what Ashton was wearing around his neck.

"Enlighten me." VB seemed a lot less certain at this point.

"A pendant...Just a thin chain with a dolphin on it...Every arrest has it listed as an item he had on him, and I was with him the night he died. He was wearing it when we met, but not when his body was recovered." It wasn't a lie. Reed knew he'd been wearing it. He didn't need to have seen it to know, but he wouldn't tell VB that little detail. VB seemed slightly guarded, but still didn't have much to worry about. Just because the pendant was gone, didn't mean they knew for sure that he had it in his possession. "To explain the next part, I'll need to tell you a little about my partner," Reed added as he nodded to the observation room.

"The RK900? What about him?" VB frowned as Reed smirked. He clearly didn't know any of Nines' abilities, otherwise he'd be a lot more worried.

"Most advanced android Cyberlife ever created. Did you know he was built for military use? Both espionage and combat. They gave him all sorts of fancy shit. A forensics lab. Scanners. Reinforced plating..." He could tell VB was impatient for him to get to the point. "You see, while we've been sitting here, Nines has been scanning you for precious metals...Androids are mostly plastic and copper, right? Now, that pendant you took looks small and cheap, but it wasn't that cheap. It's made of silver...and guess what just turned up in his scan." Reed smirked as he let the words hang between them. VB looked like he was ready to argue, but Reed held up a hand and waved him off. "I know-I know. We can't search internally without a court order, but that scan is a hundred percent admissible. We're entitled to run scans like that to guard against suspected bomb attacks and such, and the presence of silver is more than enough to get that court order. It's already on its way...not that I need it...I bet I can guess where you've stashed it..." Reed added as he got to his feet with a calculating air.

"Go ahead..." VB invited as Reed circled him, stiffening as he noticed Reed's hand hovering above his left shoulder.

"Most people would think you swallowed it, you know, just in case you got caught," Reed began as he moved his hand down the android's back. He didn't touch him. He was careful of that. The cameras were on to ensure VB couldn't claim violence, either. "But I don't think you had time for that...Lieutenant Anderson tossed that shock grenade in without warning, and his partner cuffed you right after. You wouldn't be dumb enough to wear a murder victim's necklace, so that's out...You likely had it in your pocket to start with..." Reed's hand continued to rove over the android's back. He raised it up to the opposite shoulder, VB's eyes following the whole time. "Connor put you in the back of the car. He had to drive, so that gave you a little time to take the pendant out of your pocket. You couldn't leave it in the car though. That would be incriminating. Your hands were cuffed, so you had to be able to reach the hiding place with your hands stuck together..." Reed moved back around to the front and leaned over the table. VB watched as he smirked and ran his hand above one forearm and then the other. He held his palm open, moving between the two. "Eeny...meeny...miney...moe." He spoke slowly as he moved his hand back and forth before finally pointing at VB's right forearm.

"Very clever, Sergeant." VB's artificial skin drew back to reveal a small panel. Reed didn't touch it. He knew better than to lay his hands on the android without verbal consent. "How did you know?" There was no outward sign, and even if it had been a logical deduction, that didn't explain his confidence in choosing his right arm and not his left.

"You told me." Reed gave a simple shrug as he sat back. "Do you give me consent to open your arm, or do you want to wait for the technician to arrive?" VB's scowl deepened at the news. He didn't answer, so Reed cleared up his files and nodded to the window. Hank would sit and wait with him for the tech while he and Nines got on with their paperwork. They could ask for a full confession later, once the evidence was in their hands. Reed sighed as he met Nines in the corridor, relieved he'd been right about the compartment.

"How did you know?" Nines was just as curious as VB had been. He'd watched VB and Reed the whole time. They sat down as they reached their desks and Reed powered up his terminal. It shouldn't take that long to get his report done.

"His eyes gave him away...Every time I moved towards the right place, his eyes shifted a little in that direction and he tensed up...It was easy once I got down to the arms." Nines hummed curiously. It wasn't exactly a standard interrogation technique, but no rules were broken. He'd even held himself back from touching him directly without his consent. Reed had done well. Good behaviour was to be rewarded. Nines slid his foot forward beneath the table to rest his shoe against Reed's, noting the way his vitals spiked in his HUD. Reed's lips raised at the corners as he returned the small tap and typed away at his report.