Accident Prone - Becoming Human

Suffering

Holding their heads up high Connor and Hank had confidently resumed their usual routine at the precinct after enduring an oddly brutally cold winter full of unexpected circumstances that had pushed the two detectives nearly to their breaking points physically, emotionally and mentally. With the anti-android gang finally disbanded, the gang leader behind bars and the former gang members now either off the streets or out of the city, the number of deviant cases that the two detectives were assigned had declined to a wonderfully record low number since the peaceful and historic Revolution. There were no further assaults, threats or murders of deviants at the hands of the bigoted and violent humans.

The early Michigan winter had fortunately given way to an early spring and the city was quickly warming up allowing the people to finally emerge from their homes after the streets mercifully thawed out. As the green life of nature steadily returned to the city in tiny green buds poking through the snow and ice, the reports of violence declined and the city as a whole truly felt much warmer than it ever had been in decades.

Sumo was still lethargic but he was moving around easier as the warmer weather showed mercy on his arthritic joints. Laying down on the floor of the garage the massive fluffy dog watched his two masters working together on the old Corvette, slowly but surely, restoring life to the aged vehicle one day at a time.

Connor watched Sumo curiously as the older dog was behaving less and less like his usual self and was getting worried for Sumo's health. "I'm surprised Sumo isn't walking around more now that the cold has dissipated."

"It may be warmer but that doesn't mean he still isn't a little sore. Arthritis never really goes away." Hank rolled out from beneath the raised body of the Corvette with grease smeared on his hands and his face and a red rag collecting whatever bits of black sludge he wiped off from his palms. "All right, let's see how that works now."

"Right." Connor was already hovering over the newly restored engine in the popped hood of the car ready to check their work. Ever attentive he began running a cybernetic scan of the mechanical components to ensure that the everything in the engine was properly connected, lubricated, capped and compatible. "The oil drain plug appears to be holding."

"Good. One less thing to worry about." Standing upright Hank leaned backward a little to work out a tight knot in his back and stretch his tired muscles to prevent a cramp from setting in. "When's that new starter supposed to get here?"

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he cybernetically sought an update on the incoming package. "It should arrive at six in the evening four days from now."

"Shit, we're on a roll! I hate to stop working for so long because one part is taking its sweet time gettin' here."

"Maybe you can spend that time deciding on the final color."

"Uh-huh, I can tell you right now the car is NOT going to be green!"

"Red would attract unwanted attention."

"No such thing as 'unwanted attention' with a Corvette, son." Hank handed the rag over to Connor whose hands were just as greasy as his own had been and watched the deviant wipe off his palms. "Get yourself cleaned up. Fowler wants to talk to us about our casework in about an hour."

"Do you think he'll assign us new partners?" Connor asked timidly as he wiped off his hands and tossed the rag on the workbench behind him. "Our division is small and might need expansion."

"I don't know. I don't think Fowler would risk assigning you with a new partner just yet."

"Because I'm a deviant?"