Heroes Fic: Transparency
Title: Transparency
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: N/A
Rating: G
Notes: This fic was written for amiguriken because she is a Claude fan and I'm an Adam fan. Two great tastes that taste great together. Oh and Little!Elle is in here just for fun. This is set sometime during the flashbacks from "Company Man". Elle here is six, which makes Claire about two, and Lyle a newborn. In the commentary for "Company Man", they mentioned the fact that there was a cut storyline where Claude was the one that started the Teddy Bear/Claire-bear thing. He was the fun uncle while Noah was keeping his distance and not being a good dad but being a good Company Man. I really wish they had filmed those scenes because I think it's good characterization for Noah to see how far he's come, and also more Claude is not a bad thing. So basically, Claude has a soft spot for kids, which got me thinking.
All of this was an exercise in writing Adam because I'm writing an Alias/Heroes xover with Adam and Sark and I'm trying to differentiate them in my head.
----------
He didn't get visitors often. Usually, when someone came into his cell, it meant he was getting poked or prodded again. Thirty years and they still hadn't quite figured out how he worked. This time when the door opened, there wasn't anyone on the other side. Before he could make a run for it, the door closed again. Adam looked at it speculatively.
"I don't suppose you'll tell me what you want, seeing as how you won't show yourself," he said to the empty room.
"You're good," a voice said from the far corner.
"Well it's hardly rocket science. As much as I appreciate having someone to talk to, perhaps you could show yourself, so I don't think that I've gone mad."
"Can't. They're watching."
"Of course. What's your name?"
"Can't tell you that either. It's better if we keep this simple."
"Right, then. I suppose I'll have to call you Harvey, and hope that you're not really a giant rabbit, or a voice in my head. I'm assuming you're real, though. I doubt any voice from my head would sound so...North."
The voice chuckled.
"Now don't be a snob," it said.
"I apologize; it was terribly rude of me, Harvey. What can I do for you?"
"I want information on the founders. I get the feeling that my days in The Company are numbered. It wouldn't hurt to have a little insurance."
"If I had anything important of note, would I still be in here?"
"If you didn't would you still be in here?"
Adam smiled.
"That's what I thought," Harvey answered.
"I'm wondering how this works. You aren't projecting yourself because you wouldn't have had to open the door. Invisibility?"
"Comes in handy."
"I'll bet. I'm out of the loop. I've been in here too long. I don't know what I could provide you."
"They would have killed you long ago if you didn't have something."
"Haven't you heard? I can't be killed."
Adam heard Harvey sigh. He got up slowly and walked towards the corner. There was a slight movement of air, and by the time he reached the corner, it was empty. Adam glanced up at the observation window with the corner of his eye. He very well couldn't walk around with his hands out in front of him without giving his guest away.
"Quit moving around. I want proof that you're here," he said.
"You want proof?" Harvey asked.
Adam jerked when he felt someone slap the back of his head. He turned quickly doing a low leg sweep and connected with something. He heard an "oof" and the sound of a body hitting the floor. He squatted down to reach out, but encountered nothing. Harvey must have rolled away. He stood up quickly and started backing toward the wall.
"Do you really want to do this?" Harvey asked from the center of the room.
Adam dove across the room and landed on his bed, never having touched his visitor. He rolled over and pulled his feet up so that he was lying on the bed. The key was looking like you meant to do it.
"What's in it for me?" Adam asked.
"It'd be good to have someone who can come and go on your side."
"While stuck in here? Not really."
"I can't let you out. I've read your file."
Adam sighed and said, "And I suppose everything in your file is accurate." Silence was his answer. He continued, "Haven't you looked? What about your partner's file? I assume you have a partner. They like to keep us on a short leash now. Funny how the founders don't need one. I can't blame you for coming here. It's good to know things. Take it from me. Don't underestimate the people you work with."
The door opened and closed before he could get to his feet. Adam stared at the glass of the observation window. No one was in the hallway.
---
Claude slipped down the hall and appeared in the seat next to Noah. The other man wasn't even startled anymore. It took the fun out of it.
"Bob still isn't here yet. Where have you been? Not causing trouble, I hope," Noah said.
"Now, now, why do you always assume the worst? I could have been helping a little girl get a kitten out of a tree."
"Were you?"
"No, of course not, but I could have been."
Noah gave one of his usual dry replies, "I'm sure."
"You’re grumpy. How's Sandra and Claire-Bear?"
"Fine. Sandra's been a little tired. She's been having trouble getting Lyle to sleep."
"Not colicky I hope."
"No, he just has his own schedule, apparently."
Claude gave a big grin and said, "Waiting up for his da, most likely."
He was rewarded with a small smirk from his partner. The door at the end of the hall opened revealing Bob. A young blonde girl trailed after him with what looked like a death grip on his hand. They both rose to their feet to greet him.
"Ah, sorry I'm late. You'll have to excuse my daughter. She had her treatment today and she's a little clingy. Elle, Elle, let go now. Daddy has a meeting."
Claude kept the grin on his face despite what he saw. The poor thing looked like ten miles of bad road. Her eyes were dull and her face was pale. Of course her dress and hair were perfect. Bob would likely expect no less.
"Why don't I stay here and keep Elle entertained? He's better at details than I am," Claude said motioning to Noah with his head. "I'll probably just ask him to explain everything again anyway."
"Very well," Bob agreed with a frown. He pulled his hand free from his daughter's and went into the office with Noah following. Claude caught the man giving him a grateful look over his shoulder before giving a worried glance to the girl.
Claude sat back down so he was level with her. She tried to hide behind her long hair, but her little headband was keeping it in place.
"Now Elle, you know me. I'm Claude, remember? You always like my trick. Want to see it?"
The girl nodded slightly so Claude gave her a wink, and then disappeared. He saw her give a little gasp. He quickly got up and moved around her. Sure enough, just like Adam, she walked forward reaching toward the chair. He squatted down behind her and reappeared. She turned with a jump and started to giggle.
"That's better. I was starting to think that you didn't know how to smile. Come here," he said holding out his arms. The girl quickly lifted her arms and placed them around his neck. He jumped to his feet spinning her in the air. "Daddy's going to be a while. Lets go see what fun we can get up to."
---
Adam was meditating, something he'd gotten far too good at since his incarceration. And to think those monks in Tibet had told him he'd never become enlightened. Seeing as how they were all dead, Adam supposed that he had the last laugh. His center was interrupted by an unusual noise. It sounded like a child laughing. Adam opened his eyes with a frown. He got up, and just as he walked over to the window, a small, blonde streak flew past. She was giggling madly as she soared through the air. Adam was surprised that someone wasn't stopping the flying girl in the hallway, but it appeared as though no one cared. The girl flew back toward him and then hung in the air waiving at him. Her dress was bunched up a bit under her arms. Adam rolled his eyes and gave a wave back.
"I see you've met my invisible friend," he said.
"Say hello to Elle," the voice from before said in reply.
"Hello, Elle. My name is Adam."
He gave a practiced bow. Elle dropped to the floor and he heard a whisper. She giggled again and then gave a respectable curtsy for a six year old.
Adam continued, "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm sure. I don't suppose either of you are going to let me out?"
"Bad men stay locked up. Daddy said so," Elle said, precociously.
"And how do you know I'm a bad man?"
"Because you're locked up."
"Can't argue with that logic," Harvey said with a chuckle.
"No, I suppose not."
Elle tilted her head with an adorably confused look on her face. Adam waited.
"You're like the gorilla," she said.
"I beg your pardon?"
"From the coloring book that the doctors gave me. The gorilla was in a cage with a window so people could see it."
Adam stared at the girl for a moment. She stared back. There was nothing else for it. He reached up with his hand and made scratching motions at his armpit and said "ooh, ooh" in a deep growl. It had the desired effect because not only Elle, but Harvey as well broke out into a fit of laughter. Adam stopped the foolishness and shook his head.
"I believe I've finally gone stir crazy. I'm surprised it took so long."
"Elle," Harvey said after she had calmed down, "can you do me a favor?"
She nodded so hard it looked as if her head would come off.
"Good, can you make just a little spark? I know you're tired after your...treatment, but can you do it?" Harvey asked her.
Elle tilted her head again as if thinking required a new perspective. Adam watched, intrigued. After a moment she nodded again, though not as vigorously as before.
"Good. You see that little black box by the door? I want you to give it just a little spark."
Elle floated into the air again as she was picked up by her invisible companion. Adam plastered himself against the glass so he could see what they were doing over by the door. Elle held her hand out inches from the door's keypad control. There was a faint blue glow and then an electrical discharge arched from her hand to the keypad. There was a mechanical noise and the door clicked open just barely.
"That's my girl," Harvey said. "Now stay right here."
Elle was lowered to the floor. The door was opened slowly. Adam stood his ground when he felt a hand slam down on his shoulder. Suddenly, he was looking up into a grinning face. The man had dark hair and prominent nose. He was pulled out into the hallway. Elle was looking into the window.
"Come on and don't let go of me, or you'll be seen."
Adam nodded and they quickly made their way down the hall. They rode an elevator up several floors. They went down a hallway past two guard checkpoints and no one ever looked at them. Exiting through another secure door, they ended up in an underground parking garage. Harvey pulled him up the row of cars to a sedan. He unlocked the trunk with one hand and pushed Adam inside.
"You don't expect me to--"
"Shh. I'm getting you out of here, just keep quiet."
The trunk lid closed with a slam. Adam lay curled in the dark, trapped in a much smaller place than he'd left.
"Wonderful," he muttered.
---
Claude quickly re-entered the building and made his way back to Elle. He found her in the hall where he'd left her. She was breathing on the glass and drawing pictures into the mist. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with a smile now that she was sharing his power. Claude quickly wiped off the observation window with his coat and picked her up again. Elle laid her head on his shoulder. She was obviously tired. Even that small use of her power after the testing that Bob forced her through was too much. Claude made his way back to the hallway outside of Bob's office. He sat down in the chair and let himself reappear. Elle was curled up in his lap asleep. He hoped her dreams were better than her everyday life.
It was just luck that Bob had brought Elle with him. Claude knew that the cells recorded the key code used to open the doors. If he had let Adam out, it would have been traced back to him. But if the keypad failed due to an electrical surge, no one would be the wiser. The cells had been checked right after he had visited Adam. They wouldn't check again for another twenty minutes or so. Claude stared at Bob's door, and hoped that it wouldn't be much longer.
As if in answer to his prayers, the door opened. Noah exited with Bob right behind him. They paused, looking down at Elle.
"Didn't need much looking after. She conked out right after you went in. Poor thing's worn out," Claude said.
He got to his feet and handed Bob his sleeping daughter. Noah smiled at the girl before they headed back down the hallway. There wasn't any rush for his partner, but he wanted to be out the door before his time was up.
"Hurry up. I'm starving."
"You ate just a couple of hours ago."
"So?"
"We'll have to take it back to the hotel. Bob wants us on the first flight back to Texas in the morning. Thompson will probably have something for us too when we get home."
"Fine with me. Come on."
---
Adam tried meditating again, but the confined space made it difficult. He kept trying to clear his mind, but eventually it would come back to his situation. If Harvey really was helping him escape, why the change of heart? Adam had gotten the impression that the invisible man wouldn't help him when he visited earlier. There was noise outside the car that broke his chain of thought. He felt the car adjust as someone got inside. Two doors slammed and the engine started. The ride was thankfully short. He heard the two doors slam again before a muffled conversation occurred near him. Adam waited for a few moments. When the trunk opened, he squinted against the light.
"We don't have long," Harvey said, helping him out. They were in another underground parking garage.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"My hotel. I have to get you up into my room before my partner gets back."
"I have one question," Adam asked.
"What?"
"What's your name, or do I still keep calling you Harvey?"
The man gave another full face grin and said, "Claude."
"If you say your last name is Rains, I might hit you."
"That's my joke, mate. Now come on."
Adam was again grabbed by the arm. They made their way through the hotel, carefully avoiding colliding with the people milling around the lobby. It was harder than it seemed. If people didn't know you were there, they didn't try to avoid you. It placed all the work on his and Claude's end. The other man was obviously used to it, but it took some adjustment for Adam.
The hotel room was nondescript, as they always were. Claude brought him in and started going through his bag.
"Here if you want to change," he said handing over some clothes. "The pants will be a little too long, and I'll have to get some shoes later, but that should do you. Don't answer the door. Noah's across the hall and he thinks I'm going out for food, so I'll be back in a bit."
Adam nodded. Once the other man was gone, he quickly changed into the borrowed clothes. It was too much of a risk to keep depending on the kindness of the disappearing man. For all Adam knew, this could be some kind of Company ploy. He was reaching for the door when he heard the noise of a door opening. Adam paused to make sure the hallway was clear before exiting. The eye piece in the door revealed that Claude's partner had propped his own door across the hall open, probably waiting for his return. He saw movement in the room beyond. If he tried to open the door, he would be seen. Adam gave up leaving with a sigh.
He sat on the bed dejectedly. At least he was back to being trapped in a small room instead of a car trunk. A half an hour later he heard someone at the door. Adam quickly slipped into the bathroom and waited in the dark. Claude was speaking to someone in the hall.
"Let me just get rid of this coat and I'll bring it right over."
Once the door was shut, Claude took off his coat and emptied white Chinese cartons from the large bag he was carrying.
"You here?" he asked quietly.
Adam stepped out of the bathroom with a nod.
"I brought you some food. I'll have to eat with Noah. I can't stay long or he'll get suspicious. I'll be back in a bit."
Adam went into the room, and stepped out of the line of sight of the doorway as Claude exited. The food did smell wonderful. He hadn't had much variety while in the Company's care. There was rice and a mix of vegetables and meat. Adam descended on it hungrily. Once he was pleasantly full he stretched across the bed lazily. There was a TV on the far dresser, but he was afraid the noise would draw attention, so he left it off. His eyes started to drift shut and he was asleep before he knew it.
---
Claude picked at his sweet and sour pork. It was one of his favorites, but his mind was on the man in the room across the way. Noah was telling him a story about something cute Claire had done. Claude didn't realize that he'd tuned the other man out until he heard his name.
"Are you okay?" Noah asked. "You've been kind of distracted since we came back."
"Yeah, you know me, fresh as a daisy. I was just thinking about that little girl," Claude lied.
"While I don't condone what Bob does, you can't deny that she's dangerous. Elle burnt a house down without even really trying, Claude."
"Then they should be helping her, not... And what about me? They dragged me in off the street. Do you think working with you was what my life's goal was? Don't get me wrong, Noah, I like you, but I'm not exactly here by choice."
Noah sighed and put down his chop sticks. He sat back with one of his patented Bennett frowns.
"You're good at this. You've helped make me good at this. We're helping people, why is that a problem?"
"Helping?" Claude said, rising to his feet. "And if Claire has an ability? Are you going to let them 'help' her too?"
"They gave Claire to me for a reason."
"And you've distanced yourself from her as much as you could, but I know you Noah. You're a good man. You're a good dad. Are you really going to hand her over?"
"We're not having this conversation again."
"You can only keep your head in the sand for so long, mate," Claude said and headed for the door.
He closed Noah's door and opened his own. The room was dark. The sun had gone down while they'd ate. Claude bumbled his way over to the dresser and flipped on the lamp. Adam lay across the bed dead to the world. His skin glowed in the amber light from the lamp. He certainly didn't look like someone who had lived four hundred years. Asleep with pale lashes splashed against his cheeks, he looked ridiculously young.
"You don't have a plan do you?" Adam said, eyes still shut, making Claude jump.
"This was more a crime of opportunity. You know the Company. You helped make it. I want a way out."
"You can disappear, why is running away an issue?"
"You think I haven't tried it before? They'll find me. They always do."
Adam opened his eyes, and when Claude looked into their blue depths all trace of youth was gone.
"If the Invisible Man can't escape what chance do I have?"
Claude sagged against the dresser and said, "They're going to figure out it was me. God what was I thinking? Who else would they suspect? And if Elle says anything…"
"Calm down. We have to come up with a plan. There are people I can contact that would still be loyal to me."
"No way, I don't trust any of those buggers."
"Neither do I, but that doesn't mean they don't have their uses. I need to make some calls, and doing so on your hotel phone would be a little too obvious."
"There is a payphone outside of the market down the street. I passed it on the way to the Chinese place."
Adam nodded and got to his feet. Claude reached out and grabbed his arm as he started for the door.
"You're not going to just take off are you?"
"I've been locked up for some time. Right now you're the only contact I'm sure of."
Claude let him go and gave a shaky breath. Adam checked the hall before slipping out the door. Once he was gone, Claude sat on the bed and ran his hands through his hair.
---
Adam stepped out into the cool night air with a small smile. He turned away from the direction that Claude had indicated and started walking. The first order of business was obtaining some money. His longevity provided for fiscal independence. It was just a matter of determining which accounts The Company hadn't raided. Using a payphone several blocks away from the hotel, he called one of his international banks and made a few transactions. Thankfully, they didn't mind him calling collect. All he had to do was make it to the financial district where one of their satellite offices would be able to assist him no matter what time it was.
Adam made his way to the subway never once thinking about the man he'd left behind.
---
Claude was watching the television distractedly. Adam hadn't returned yet and it had been better part of an hour. He jumped up when there was a knock at the door. He pulled it open and blinked at Noah.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Bob called. There's been an escape. He wants us back at the office ASAP."
"Who escaped?" Claude asked turning away to get his coat.
"He didn't say, but it must be bad. He didn't even try to hide his distain for once."
Claude bit his lip and followed his partner who was already most of the way down the hall. They headed down to the garage. Claude stared at the market as they rolled past it, but no one was standing at the payphone. He mentally cursed himself for believing Adam. After all, he had read the file. The man was manipulative. Claude should have gone with him, and now he had to face the fire. He glanced over at Noah who was focusing on the road.
Back at the Company office, security was on high alert. They followed one of the assistants down to the cell area. Bob stood staring into the empty room through the observation window.
"What's up?" Noah asked.
"Adam Monroe escaped."
"Who's Adam Monroe?" Claude asked. His eyes were drawn to the glass where Elle had drawn pictures with her breath. One of the Company scientists was fingerprinting the keypad.
"He's a very dangerous man. He was one of the Company founders. Before we locked him up, he tried to release a virus that would have wiped out the human population."
"Nice," Bennett said, dryly.
Bob turned to them with a fiery look in his eyes.
"Adam must be retrieved at all costs. We have our other New York teams working on this, but I need all hands. I've already contacted Thompson. For the time being you're both being reassigned here. Thompson said he would make excuses to your wife, Bennett."
"Great. Do we know how he got out?"
"They're checking but it looks like the door controls had some sort of short. He simply walked right out."
"Surely he would have been caught at the checkpoints. This isn't exactly a college dorm," Noah said.
Claude stared at the man fingerprinting the door. Had he wiped his prints from the first visit with Adam? Would Elle's charge have covered that up as well? He turned back to the other two.
Bob said, "I've learned not to underestimate Adam's abilities."
"What are his abilities?" Claude asked.
"He can heal from any wound, and he can't die. At least not from conventional means. This also means that he's been around four centuries. I have no doubt that he wouldn't have a problem getting past our security."
Claude gave a low whistle and tried his damnedest to look like he had no idea what was going on.
"Four centuries? That's a new one," he said.
Noah shook his head and said, "If he's been down here, he's been out of the game. He'll need help, money."
"I'm looking into his contacts and the accounts we know about, if we get a nibble you'll be the first to know. There are a couple of places here in New York he might try. Old haunts as it were. I want you two to check them out. The list is in my office."
Bob nodded at them both and headed back up the hallway. Claude turned back to the empty room. Noah stepped up beside him so close that their shoulders brushed.
"Hell of a thing," Noah said. "Four hundred years and he ends up locked up here. Lucky for him that lock went out."
"Sun Tzu said that if a man waited long enough by a river he'd see the bodies of his enemies float by. I guess this Adam fella just waited. What's four hundred years to a cheap Japanese keypad?"
Claude could feel Noah looking at him out of the corner of his eye, but his partner just grunted. After a moment, they turned in unison and headed back upstairs. With the mood Bob was in, it was likely to be a long night.
There was a bar in Hell's Kitchen that was a known hang out for specials. Usually, the Company tried to keep a minimal presence there so as not to tip off the people they were trying to track down. This wasn't any ordinary night. Claude silently followed Noah into the bar. He waited for him to sit down. In doing so, Bennett 'accidentally' kicked out the chair across from him giving Claude somewhere to sit. It was an old trick. Claude stayed invisible which made Bennett look either approachable or vulnerable depending on who was looking. The only problem was with the chair out, people thought it was available. Claude always had to keep a look out for someone trying to sit on him.
Bennett ordered a beer. Claude crossed his arms. The only problem with this plan was not getting the chance to drink. The bartender was already giving their table the fisheye so he had pegged them as either Company or cops.
Coming here was a waste of time. Claude could tell that this wasn't the kind of place that Adam would frequent, not unless he had to. So far he hadn't been implicated in Adam's escape, but it was just a matter of time. Who knew what the lab techs would come up with? Claude had to start thinking about running. It hadn't worked before, but it had been a while since he had tried.
Noah had just taken the first sip from his beer when an older man came up to the table.
"Are you Bennett?"
"Yes."
"We need to talk. Come with me."
Noah cast a glance at Claude as he got up to follow. They wound their way out the back of the building to an alley. The older man looked around for a moment before speaking.
"I was told you would be here. I've got in touch with some of my contacts in the financial district. A young man came to the after hours access point for one of the Swiss banks my contact represents. There was quite of bit of money being moved around in those accounts, and they haven't been accessed in a while. Bob told me to look out for anything unusual. I contacted the bank representative and passed myself off as the young man's accountant. I told him I wanted verification of the transactions. They were able to give him a small stipend for tonight, but he has to wait until tomorrow for the full amount he requested to be disbursed. The young man fits the description that Bob gave me, though my contact couldn't be sure it's the man you were looking for."
"This is good. Do you know when he's supposed to be back?" Noah asked.
The man handed over a piece of paper.
"All the information is here. I really must go," he added looking around.
Once the man had re-entered the bar, Claude made himself visible. He peered over his shoulder at the paper.
"Do you think it's him?" he asked.
"Close as we're likely to get. We'll have to jump him when he comes out. Bob gave me a photo. We could try flashing it at the bank to confirm."
"Nah, we don't want to tip him off. The bank might try and contact him."
"Right. I guess it's back to the hotel. We can't do anything until tomorrow."
Claude was silent as they headed back downtown. Noah pulled back into the parking garage and turned the car off. When he didn't make any move to get out, Claude shot him a speculative glance.
"What?"
"You're quiet. I usually can't get you to shut up. You've been acting off all day."
"Just been thinking. That's all."
"Where did you go this afternoon when we were waiting for Bob?"
Claude huffed a humorless laugh.
"Just wandering around, looking through files, making a nuisance of myself. You know the usual. Why do you ask?"
"According to the files Adam's been locked up for almost fifteen years. Now that may be a blink of an eye to a guy that's lived so long, but I can't believe that it wouldn't make him a little behind the times when it comes to security measures. None of the cameras picked him up. Nobody saw anything suspicious. Don't you think that in itself is kind of suspicious?"
"You think it was an inside job."
Bennett said nothing. He just stared out the windshield and refused to look at him. Claude gritted his teeth.
"You think I let him out?"
"I didn't say that."
"Why? Why would I let out some wanker that the Company has locked up and thrown away the key for?"
"I don't know. I do know that that cheap Japanese keypad was anything but. It shorted out spectacularly. It was almost like an electrical discharge fried it."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing. You're good with kids. You're good with Claire and the baby. Elle's always liked you, hasn't she?"
At this he finally turned to look Claude in the eye. Bennett was always so calm and self assured, even as a rookie. Claude couldn't hold his eye for long and he found himself staring at the glove box. Noah spoke quietly and Claude could hear the anger in his voice.
"You let him out. A potential mass murder with a god complex, and you let him out."
"He was my chance to get some dirt on the Company! Something that would get me out," Claude barked back at him.
"Damnit, Claude."
"You going to turn me in?"
When there was no answer, he looked back at Noah and asked again.
"Are you going to turn me in?"
"Let's catch him first. Then we go to Bob with everything, and I mean everything. We can say that Adam manipulated you. That you didn't know who he was."
"And if he says different?"
"We'll just have to convince him that it would be a bad idea before we turn him over."
"I'm sorry, Noah. I really am."
Bennett shook his head slowly and got out of the car. Claude followed him without saying a word.
---
Adam got a room at a better hotel than the one that Claude and his partner were staying at. He took his time going through the television stations. The sheer number of them was a surprise. The last time he had watched television there were still only four stations. Unfortunately, there still wasn’t anything worth watching. Plus, the MTV that blasted far too loud showed exactly how out of touch he was. He found a way to silence the set and watched the disjointed pictures that flashed across the screen. At least it seemed that women were happy to wear less in this decade. He wondered if the free love movement was still in effect. Adam frowned. His imprisonment was an inconvenience. He had some catching up to do, but now that he was free he had time.
He wanted to stay up, but sleep tugged at him. He’d had a productive day. Adam went to sleep on silk sheets with a smile on his face.
The next morning the concierge showed up with some clothes. Adam had given his approximate sizes. Normally, he preferred tailored to off the rack, but there was time for that later. He had an appointment with the bank at ten. He had breakfast at the hotel restaurant and enjoyed a cappuccino on the way to the bank. The financial district was bustling. Adam took his time and walked instead of taking a cab. If getting out of town wasn’t so urgent, he might have indulged himself by touring Central Park. There was a spot with wildflowers east of the pond that he’d always appreciated. He wondered if it was still kept up.
With his mind wandering, he entered the small office to confirm the accounts were up to date. There was a different young man behind the counter than the night before. Everyone was extremely pleasant as was to be expected considering the size of Adam’s accounts. He shook hands with the young man and was handed a briefcase with some pocket change, as it were. Adam slipped on the sunglasses he had purchased from a street vendor and exited the building with a smile.
“Hey, Adam,” a voice called out as he stepped to hail a cab. He jerked his head around to see a man with glasses smiling at him.
“Damn,” he said and quickly started running in the opposite direction.
The pounding footfalls behind him let him know that the man was following. He turned a corner and saw an empty street. He started pumping his legs in earnest trying to gain speed. Suddenly, something crashed against his throat causing him to slam onto the concrete. The street was completely empty.
Adam rubbed his throat and croaked, “Et tu, Brute?”
Claude appeared before him with his arm stretched out clothes line fashion. He dropped the arm and frowned down at Adam.
“You took off and left me to the Company’s devices. What did you think would happen?”
The partner ran up. He pulled Adam to his feet. Adam could feel the barrel of a gun pressed against his ribs. He glanced back at the man.
“That really won’t do you much good.”
“I’m pretty sure it’ll still hurt. Come on.”
Claude bent down and picked up the briefcase. The two of them escorted him further down the street to a familiar looking sedan. Claude’s partner held him while the invisible man opened the trunk.
“Oh not again,” Adam complained.
“Again?” the partner asked.
Claude shrugged with a sheepish grin. He was less careful shoving Adam into the trunk than the first time. Adam’s head smacked hard against the trunk lid and he saw stars for a moment. By the time his ability had kicked in and he could see straight, the only view he had was the lid closing on him again.
“Wonderful,” he said, but no one was listening.
---
Back at headquarters, they turned Adam over to a couple of guards who immediately shocked him with a taser and dragged him back to the basement. Claude stared after him. Bennett’s hand landed on his shoulder.
“Don’t tell me you still feel sorry for him,” he said.
Claude shrugged and admitted, “Just wondering how long before that’s me.”
“Don’t. After all, they’ll probably just kill you.”
Claude shot him a look, but Bennett was already walking away. He followed his partner to Bob’s office. The smile on the man’s face was actually genuine. He shook both their hands and offered them a seat.
“Good job,” he said. “I honestly didn’t think we’d capture him so quickly.”
“There’s something we have to tell you,” Noah said.
Claude took a deep breath and started to spill everything, but Noah continued.
“We got him coming out of a bank. Apparently, you missed some of his accounts. He had this on him.”
Bob looked surprised as Noah laid the briefcase on the desk. He opened it and Claude’s eyes grew as he saw how much money was inside. He glanced over to Bennett, but the other man wouldn’t return his look.
“We thought you should know,” Noah said simply.
“I think we’ll have to look into this. I appreciate your honesty in handing over this money.”
“Not a problem.”
Claude was still speechless as they exited the office. He followed Noah as they went downstairs. The guards had left Adam in the neighboring cell. The keypad locks on both doors looked brand new. Somehow, Claude was sure that Elle would have a hard time taking them out. Adam looked up at them as they came to the window. He got up and walked over. Bennett was looking down at him with his usual poker face. Claude had a sudden urge. He scratched under his arm and grunted. Adam’s eyes narrowed. Noah glanced over at him with a raised eyebrow, but turned his attention back to the prisoner.
“I assume you’re here to try and obtain my silence,” Adam said.
“I don’t have to,” Noah replied.
“Oh really?”
“You won’t say anything.”
Adam laughed.
“And why wouldn’t I?”
“Because you think this is a punishment, being in this cell.”
“Isn’t it?”
Noah smiled and Claude’s blood suddenly ran cold. He could see that the humorless grin also affected the man behind the glass.
“Not compared to what it could be. Especially considering how happy the guards would be with the money I can pay them.”
“The Company doesn’t pay you that well,” Adam scoffed.
“Who said I was going to use my money? After all, it seems only right to spread the wealth.”
Claude gaped. He looked at Noah and then back towards the door to the stairs.
“You didn’t give him all the money?” Claude asked.
“No, he got it all. It was the accounts themselves. Bob’s contact the other night. I called him this morning before the transactions completed. It was a simple matter to have Adam’s ‘accountant’ update some of the numbers. For a percentage, he was happy to shuffle some paper.”
“You didn’t,” Adam growled.
“You’ll find the guards here are very…enthusiastic about their work. I suggest you make this easy on yourself, Adam.”
“Why are you doing this? If they find out what you’ve done you’ll be in just as much trouble has your friend here.”
Claude was asking himself the same question. Noah didn’t answer. He just gave another of his cold smiles. They left Adam stewing in his cell. Claude followed his partner back to their parking garage. They had a flight to catch that afternoon.
“He was right you know,” he said.
Bennett looked at him and said, “It was a lot of money. Maybe you’re not the only one that needs an exit strategy.”
“Thank you, Noah.”
“Who said I did it for you?”
Claude watched the other man get into the car and thought about the little blonde girl in Texas waiting for her daddy to come home. Maybe there was hope for the Company man yet.
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: N/A
Rating: G
Notes: This fic was written for amiguriken because she is a Claude fan and I'm an Adam fan. Two great tastes that taste great together. Oh and Little!Elle is in here just for fun. This is set sometime during the flashbacks from "Company Man". Elle here is six, which makes Claire about two, and Lyle a newborn. In the commentary for "Company Man", they mentioned the fact that there was a cut storyline where Claude was the one that started the Teddy Bear/Claire-bear thing. He was the fun uncle while Noah was keeping his distance and not being a good dad but being a good Company Man. I really wish they had filmed those scenes because I think it's good characterization for Noah to see how far he's come, and also more Claude is not a bad thing. So basically, Claude has a soft spot for kids, which got me thinking.
All of this was an exercise in writing Adam because I'm writing an Alias/Heroes xover with Adam and Sark and I'm trying to differentiate them in my head.
----------
He didn't get visitors often. Usually, when someone came into his cell, it meant he was getting poked or prodded again. Thirty years and they still hadn't quite figured out how he worked. This time when the door opened, there wasn't anyone on the other side. Before he could make a run for it, the door closed again. Adam looked at it speculatively.
"I don't suppose you'll tell me what you want, seeing as how you won't show yourself," he said to the empty room.
"You're good," a voice said from the far corner.
"Well it's hardly rocket science. As much as I appreciate having someone to talk to, perhaps you could show yourself, so I don't think that I've gone mad."
"Can't. They're watching."
"Of course. What's your name?"
"Can't tell you that either. It's better if we keep this simple."
"Right, then. I suppose I'll have to call you Harvey, and hope that you're not really a giant rabbit, or a voice in my head. I'm assuming you're real, though. I doubt any voice from my head would sound so...North."
The voice chuckled.
"Now don't be a snob," it said.
"I apologize; it was terribly rude of me, Harvey. What can I do for you?"
"I want information on the founders. I get the feeling that my days in The Company are numbered. It wouldn't hurt to have a little insurance."
"If I had anything important of note, would I still be in here?"
"If you didn't would you still be in here?"
Adam smiled.
"That's what I thought," Harvey answered.
"I'm wondering how this works. You aren't projecting yourself because you wouldn't have had to open the door. Invisibility?"
"Comes in handy."
"I'll bet. I'm out of the loop. I've been in here too long. I don't know what I could provide you."
"They would have killed you long ago if you didn't have something."
"Haven't you heard? I can't be killed."
Adam heard Harvey sigh. He got up slowly and walked towards the corner. There was a slight movement of air, and by the time he reached the corner, it was empty. Adam glanced up at the observation window with the corner of his eye. He very well couldn't walk around with his hands out in front of him without giving his guest away.
"Quit moving around. I want proof that you're here," he said.
"You want proof?" Harvey asked.
Adam jerked when he felt someone slap the back of his head. He turned quickly doing a low leg sweep and connected with something. He heard an "oof" and the sound of a body hitting the floor. He squatted down to reach out, but encountered nothing. Harvey must have rolled away. He stood up quickly and started backing toward the wall.
"Do you really want to do this?" Harvey asked from the center of the room.
Adam dove across the room and landed on his bed, never having touched his visitor. He rolled over and pulled his feet up so that he was lying on the bed. The key was looking like you meant to do it.
"What's in it for me?" Adam asked.
"It'd be good to have someone who can come and go on your side."
"While stuck in here? Not really."
"I can't let you out. I've read your file."
Adam sighed and said, "And I suppose everything in your file is accurate." Silence was his answer. He continued, "Haven't you looked? What about your partner's file? I assume you have a partner. They like to keep us on a short leash now. Funny how the founders don't need one. I can't blame you for coming here. It's good to know things. Take it from me. Don't underestimate the people you work with."
The door opened and closed before he could get to his feet. Adam stared at the glass of the observation window. No one was in the hallway.
---
Claude slipped down the hall and appeared in the seat next to Noah. The other man wasn't even startled anymore. It took the fun out of it.
"Bob still isn't here yet. Where have you been? Not causing trouble, I hope," Noah said.
"Now, now, why do you always assume the worst? I could have been helping a little girl get a kitten out of a tree."
"Were you?"
"No, of course not, but I could have been."
Noah gave one of his usual dry replies, "I'm sure."
"You’re grumpy. How's Sandra and Claire-Bear?"
"Fine. Sandra's been a little tired. She's been having trouble getting Lyle to sleep."
"Not colicky I hope."
"No, he just has his own schedule, apparently."
Claude gave a big grin and said, "Waiting up for his da, most likely."
He was rewarded with a small smirk from his partner. The door at the end of the hall opened revealing Bob. A young blonde girl trailed after him with what looked like a death grip on his hand. They both rose to their feet to greet him.
"Ah, sorry I'm late. You'll have to excuse my daughter. She had her treatment today and she's a little clingy. Elle, Elle, let go now. Daddy has a meeting."
Claude kept the grin on his face despite what he saw. The poor thing looked like ten miles of bad road. Her eyes were dull and her face was pale. Of course her dress and hair were perfect. Bob would likely expect no less.
"Why don't I stay here and keep Elle entertained? He's better at details than I am," Claude said motioning to Noah with his head. "I'll probably just ask him to explain everything again anyway."
"Very well," Bob agreed with a frown. He pulled his hand free from his daughter's and went into the office with Noah following. Claude caught the man giving him a grateful look over his shoulder before giving a worried glance to the girl.
Claude sat back down so he was level with her. She tried to hide behind her long hair, but her little headband was keeping it in place.
"Now Elle, you know me. I'm Claude, remember? You always like my trick. Want to see it?"
The girl nodded slightly so Claude gave her a wink, and then disappeared. He saw her give a little gasp. He quickly got up and moved around her. Sure enough, just like Adam, she walked forward reaching toward the chair. He squatted down behind her and reappeared. She turned with a jump and started to giggle.
"That's better. I was starting to think that you didn't know how to smile. Come here," he said holding out his arms. The girl quickly lifted her arms and placed them around his neck. He jumped to his feet spinning her in the air. "Daddy's going to be a while. Lets go see what fun we can get up to."
---
Adam was meditating, something he'd gotten far too good at since his incarceration. And to think those monks in Tibet had told him he'd never become enlightened. Seeing as how they were all dead, Adam supposed that he had the last laugh. His center was interrupted by an unusual noise. It sounded like a child laughing. Adam opened his eyes with a frown. He got up, and just as he walked over to the window, a small, blonde streak flew past. She was giggling madly as she soared through the air. Adam was surprised that someone wasn't stopping the flying girl in the hallway, but it appeared as though no one cared. The girl flew back toward him and then hung in the air waiving at him. Her dress was bunched up a bit under her arms. Adam rolled his eyes and gave a wave back.
"I see you've met my invisible friend," he said.
"Say hello to Elle," the voice from before said in reply.
"Hello, Elle. My name is Adam."
He gave a practiced bow. Elle dropped to the floor and he heard a whisper. She giggled again and then gave a respectable curtsy for a six year old.
Adam continued, "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm sure. I don't suppose either of you are going to let me out?"
"Bad men stay locked up. Daddy said so," Elle said, precociously.
"And how do you know I'm a bad man?"
"Because you're locked up."
"Can't argue with that logic," Harvey said with a chuckle.
"No, I suppose not."
Elle tilted her head with an adorably confused look on her face. Adam waited.
"You're like the gorilla," she said.
"I beg your pardon?"
"From the coloring book that the doctors gave me. The gorilla was in a cage with a window so people could see it."
Adam stared at the girl for a moment. She stared back. There was nothing else for it. He reached up with his hand and made scratching motions at his armpit and said "ooh, ooh" in a deep growl. It had the desired effect because not only Elle, but Harvey as well broke out into a fit of laughter. Adam stopped the foolishness and shook his head.
"I believe I've finally gone stir crazy. I'm surprised it took so long."
"Elle," Harvey said after she had calmed down, "can you do me a favor?"
She nodded so hard it looked as if her head would come off.
"Good, can you make just a little spark? I know you're tired after your...treatment, but can you do it?" Harvey asked her.
Elle tilted her head again as if thinking required a new perspective. Adam watched, intrigued. After a moment she nodded again, though not as vigorously as before.
"Good. You see that little black box by the door? I want you to give it just a little spark."
Elle floated into the air again as she was picked up by her invisible companion. Adam plastered himself against the glass so he could see what they were doing over by the door. Elle held her hand out inches from the door's keypad control. There was a faint blue glow and then an electrical discharge arched from her hand to the keypad. There was a mechanical noise and the door clicked open just barely.
"That's my girl," Harvey said. "Now stay right here."
Elle was lowered to the floor. The door was opened slowly. Adam stood his ground when he felt a hand slam down on his shoulder. Suddenly, he was looking up into a grinning face. The man had dark hair and prominent nose. He was pulled out into the hallway. Elle was looking into the window.
"Come on and don't let go of me, or you'll be seen."
Adam nodded and they quickly made their way down the hall. They rode an elevator up several floors. They went down a hallway past two guard checkpoints and no one ever looked at them. Exiting through another secure door, they ended up in an underground parking garage. Harvey pulled him up the row of cars to a sedan. He unlocked the trunk with one hand and pushed Adam inside.
"You don't expect me to--"
"Shh. I'm getting you out of here, just keep quiet."
The trunk lid closed with a slam. Adam lay curled in the dark, trapped in a much smaller place than he'd left.
"Wonderful," he muttered.
---
Claude quickly re-entered the building and made his way back to Elle. He found her in the hall where he'd left her. She was breathing on the glass and drawing pictures into the mist. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with a smile now that she was sharing his power. Claude quickly wiped off the observation window with his coat and picked her up again. Elle laid her head on his shoulder. She was obviously tired. Even that small use of her power after the testing that Bob forced her through was too much. Claude made his way back to the hallway outside of Bob's office. He sat down in the chair and let himself reappear. Elle was curled up in his lap asleep. He hoped her dreams were better than her everyday life.
It was just luck that Bob had brought Elle with him. Claude knew that the cells recorded the key code used to open the doors. If he had let Adam out, it would have been traced back to him. But if the keypad failed due to an electrical surge, no one would be the wiser. The cells had been checked right after he had visited Adam. They wouldn't check again for another twenty minutes or so. Claude stared at Bob's door, and hoped that it wouldn't be much longer.
As if in answer to his prayers, the door opened. Noah exited with Bob right behind him. They paused, looking down at Elle.
"Didn't need much looking after. She conked out right after you went in. Poor thing's worn out," Claude said.
He got to his feet and handed Bob his sleeping daughter. Noah smiled at the girl before they headed back down the hallway. There wasn't any rush for his partner, but he wanted to be out the door before his time was up.
"Hurry up. I'm starving."
"You ate just a couple of hours ago."
"So?"
"We'll have to take it back to the hotel. Bob wants us on the first flight back to Texas in the morning. Thompson will probably have something for us too when we get home."
"Fine with me. Come on."
---
Adam tried meditating again, but the confined space made it difficult. He kept trying to clear his mind, but eventually it would come back to his situation. If Harvey really was helping him escape, why the change of heart? Adam had gotten the impression that the invisible man wouldn't help him when he visited earlier. There was noise outside the car that broke his chain of thought. He felt the car adjust as someone got inside. Two doors slammed and the engine started. The ride was thankfully short. He heard the two doors slam again before a muffled conversation occurred near him. Adam waited for a few moments. When the trunk opened, he squinted against the light.
"We don't have long," Harvey said, helping him out. They were in another underground parking garage.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"My hotel. I have to get you up into my room before my partner gets back."
"I have one question," Adam asked.
"What?"
"What's your name, or do I still keep calling you Harvey?"
The man gave another full face grin and said, "Claude."
"If you say your last name is Rains, I might hit you."
"That's my joke, mate. Now come on."
Adam was again grabbed by the arm. They made their way through the hotel, carefully avoiding colliding with the people milling around the lobby. It was harder than it seemed. If people didn't know you were there, they didn't try to avoid you. It placed all the work on his and Claude's end. The other man was obviously used to it, but it took some adjustment for Adam.
The hotel room was nondescript, as they always were. Claude brought him in and started going through his bag.
"Here if you want to change," he said handing over some clothes. "The pants will be a little too long, and I'll have to get some shoes later, but that should do you. Don't answer the door. Noah's across the hall and he thinks I'm going out for food, so I'll be back in a bit."
Adam nodded. Once the other man was gone, he quickly changed into the borrowed clothes. It was too much of a risk to keep depending on the kindness of the disappearing man. For all Adam knew, this could be some kind of Company ploy. He was reaching for the door when he heard the noise of a door opening. Adam paused to make sure the hallway was clear before exiting. The eye piece in the door revealed that Claude's partner had propped his own door across the hall open, probably waiting for his return. He saw movement in the room beyond. If he tried to open the door, he would be seen. Adam gave up leaving with a sigh.
He sat on the bed dejectedly. At least he was back to being trapped in a small room instead of a car trunk. A half an hour later he heard someone at the door. Adam quickly slipped into the bathroom and waited in the dark. Claude was speaking to someone in the hall.
"Let me just get rid of this coat and I'll bring it right over."
Once the door was shut, Claude took off his coat and emptied white Chinese cartons from the large bag he was carrying.
"You here?" he asked quietly.
Adam stepped out of the bathroom with a nod.
"I brought you some food. I'll have to eat with Noah. I can't stay long or he'll get suspicious. I'll be back in a bit."
Adam went into the room, and stepped out of the line of sight of the doorway as Claude exited. The food did smell wonderful. He hadn't had much variety while in the Company's care. There was rice and a mix of vegetables and meat. Adam descended on it hungrily. Once he was pleasantly full he stretched across the bed lazily. There was a TV on the far dresser, but he was afraid the noise would draw attention, so he left it off. His eyes started to drift shut and he was asleep before he knew it.
---
Claude picked at his sweet and sour pork. It was one of his favorites, but his mind was on the man in the room across the way. Noah was telling him a story about something cute Claire had done. Claude didn't realize that he'd tuned the other man out until he heard his name.
"Are you okay?" Noah asked. "You've been kind of distracted since we came back."
"Yeah, you know me, fresh as a daisy. I was just thinking about that little girl," Claude lied.
"While I don't condone what Bob does, you can't deny that she's dangerous. Elle burnt a house down without even really trying, Claude."
"Then they should be helping her, not... And what about me? They dragged me in off the street. Do you think working with you was what my life's goal was? Don't get me wrong, Noah, I like you, but I'm not exactly here by choice."
Noah sighed and put down his chop sticks. He sat back with one of his patented Bennett frowns.
"You're good at this. You've helped make me good at this. We're helping people, why is that a problem?"
"Helping?" Claude said, rising to his feet. "And if Claire has an ability? Are you going to let them 'help' her too?"
"They gave Claire to me for a reason."
"And you've distanced yourself from her as much as you could, but I know you Noah. You're a good man. You're a good dad. Are you really going to hand her over?"
"We're not having this conversation again."
"You can only keep your head in the sand for so long, mate," Claude said and headed for the door.
He closed Noah's door and opened his own. The room was dark. The sun had gone down while they'd ate. Claude bumbled his way over to the dresser and flipped on the lamp. Adam lay across the bed dead to the world. His skin glowed in the amber light from the lamp. He certainly didn't look like someone who had lived four hundred years. Asleep with pale lashes splashed against his cheeks, he looked ridiculously young.
"You don't have a plan do you?" Adam said, eyes still shut, making Claude jump.
"This was more a crime of opportunity. You know the Company. You helped make it. I want a way out."
"You can disappear, why is running away an issue?"
"You think I haven't tried it before? They'll find me. They always do."
Adam opened his eyes, and when Claude looked into their blue depths all trace of youth was gone.
"If the Invisible Man can't escape what chance do I have?"
Claude sagged against the dresser and said, "They're going to figure out it was me. God what was I thinking? Who else would they suspect? And if Elle says anything…"
"Calm down. We have to come up with a plan. There are people I can contact that would still be loyal to me."
"No way, I don't trust any of those buggers."
"Neither do I, but that doesn't mean they don't have their uses. I need to make some calls, and doing so on your hotel phone would be a little too obvious."
"There is a payphone outside of the market down the street. I passed it on the way to the Chinese place."
Adam nodded and got to his feet. Claude reached out and grabbed his arm as he started for the door.
"You're not going to just take off are you?"
"I've been locked up for some time. Right now you're the only contact I'm sure of."
Claude let him go and gave a shaky breath. Adam checked the hall before slipping out the door. Once he was gone, Claude sat on the bed and ran his hands through his hair.
---
Adam stepped out into the cool night air with a small smile. He turned away from the direction that Claude had indicated and started walking. The first order of business was obtaining some money. His longevity provided for fiscal independence. It was just a matter of determining which accounts The Company hadn't raided. Using a payphone several blocks away from the hotel, he called one of his international banks and made a few transactions. Thankfully, they didn't mind him calling collect. All he had to do was make it to the financial district where one of their satellite offices would be able to assist him no matter what time it was.
Adam made his way to the subway never once thinking about the man he'd left behind.
---
Claude was watching the television distractedly. Adam hadn't returned yet and it had been better part of an hour. He jumped up when there was a knock at the door. He pulled it open and blinked at Noah.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Bob called. There's been an escape. He wants us back at the office ASAP."
"Who escaped?" Claude asked turning away to get his coat.
"He didn't say, but it must be bad. He didn't even try to hide his distain for once."
Claude bit his lip and followed his partner who was already most of the way down the hall. They headed down to the garage. Claude stared at the market as they rolled past it, but no one was standing at the payphone. He mentally cursed himself for believing Adam. After all, he had read the file. The man was manipulative. Claude should have gone with him, and now he had to face the fire. He glanced over at Noah who was focusing on the road.
Back at the Company office, security was on high alert. They followed one of the assistants down to the cell area. Bob stood staring into the empty room through the observation window.
"What's up?" Noah asked.
"Adam Monroe escaped."
"Who's Adam Monroe?" Claude asked. His eyes were drawn to the glass where Elle had drawn pictures with her breath. One of the Company scientists was fingerprinting the keypad.
"He's a very dangerous man. He was one of the Company founders. Before we locked him up, he tried to release a virus that would have wiped out the human population."
"Nice," Bennett said, dryly.
Bob turned to them with a fiery look in his eyes.
"Adam must be retrieved at all costs. We have our other New York teams working on this, but I need all hands. I've already contacted Thompson. For the time being you're both being reassigned here. Thompson said he would make excuses to your wife, Bennett."
"Great. Do we know how he got out?"
"They're checking but it looks like the door controls had some sort of short. He simply walked right out."
"Surely he would have been caught at the checkpoints. This isn't exactly a college dorm," Noah said.
Claude stared at the man fingerprinting the door. Had he wiped his prints from the first visit with Adam? Would Elle's charge have covered that up as well? He turned back to the other two.
Bob said, "I've learned not to underestimate Adam's abilities."
"What are his abilities?" Claude asked.
"He can heal from any wound, and he can't die. At least not from conventional means. This also means that he's been around four centuries. I have no doubt that he wouldn't have a problem getting past our security."
Claude gave a low whistle and tried his damnedest to look like he had no idea what was going on.
"Four centuries? That's a new one," he said.
Noah shook his head and said, "If he's been down here, he's been out of the game. He'll need help, money."
"I'm looking into his contacts and the accounts we know about, if we get a nibble you'll be the first to know. There are a couple of places here in New York he might try. Old haunts as it were. I want you two to check them out. The list is in my office."
Bob nodded at them both and headed back up the hallway. Claude turned back to the empty room. Noah stepped up beside him so close that their shoulders brushed.
"Hell of a thing," Noah said. "Four hundred years and he ends up locked up here. Lucky for him that lock went out."
"Sun Tzu said that if a man waited long enough by a river he'd see the bodies of his enemies float by. I guess this Adam fella just waited. What's four hundred years to a cheap Japanese keypad?"
Claude could feel Noah looking at him out of the corner of his eye, but his partner just grunted. After a moment, they turned in unison and headed back upstairs. With the mood Bob was in, it was likely to be a long night.
There was a bar in Hell's Kitchen that was a known hang out for specials. Usually, the Company tried to keep a minimal presence there so as not to tip off the people they were trying to track down. This wasn't any ordinary night. Claude silently followed Noah into the bar. He waited for him to sit down. In doing so, Bennett 'accidentally' kicked out the chair across from him giving Claude somewhere to sit. It was an old trick. Claude stayed invisible which made Bennett look either approachable or vulnerable depending on who was looking. The only problem was with the chair out, people thought it was available. Claude always had to keep a look out for someone trying to sit on him.
Bennett ordered a beer. Claude crossed his arms. The only problem with this plan was not getting the chance to drink. The bartender was already giving their table the fisheye so he had pegged them as either Company or cops.
Coming here was a waste of time. Claude could tell that this wasn't the kind of place that Adam would frequent, not unless he had to. So far he hadn't been implicated in Adam's escape, but it was just a matter of time. Who knew what the lab techs would come up with? Claude had to start thinking about running. It hadn't worked before, but it had been a while since he had tried.
Noah had just taken the first sip from his beer when an older man came up to the table.
"Are you Bennett?"
"Yes."
"We need to talk. Come with me."
Noah cast a glance at Claude as he got up to follow. They wound their way out the back of the building to an alley. The older man looked around for a moment before speaking.
"I was told you would be here. I've got in touch with some of my contacts in the financial district. A young man came to the after hours access point for one of the Swiss banks my contact represents. There was quite of bit of money being moved around in those accounts, and they haven't been accessed in a while. Bob told me to look out for anything unusual. I contacted the bank representative and passed myself off as the young man's accountant. I told him I wanted verification of the transactions. They were able to give him a small stipend for tonight, but he has to wait until tomorrow for the full amount he requested to be disbursed. The young man fits the description that Bob gave me, though my contact couldn't be sure it's the man you were looking for."
"This is good. Do you know when he's supposed to be back?" Noah asked.
The man handed over a piece of paper.
"All the information is here. I really must go," he added looking around.
Once the man had re-entered the bar, Claude made himself visible. He peered over his shoulder at the paper.
"Do you think it's him?" he asked.
"Close as we're likely to get. We'll have to jump him when he comes out. Bob gave me a photo. We could try flashing it at the bank to confirm."
"Nah, we don't want to tip him off. The bank might try and contact him."
"Right. I guess it's back to the hotel. We can't do anything until tomorrow."
Claude was silent as they headed back downtown. Noah pulled back into the parking garage and turned the car off. When he didn't make any move to get out, Claude shot him a speculative glance.
"What?"
"You're quiet. I usually can't get you to shut up. You've been acting off all day."
"Just been thinking. That's all."
"Where did you go this afternoon when we were waiting for Bob?"
Claude huffed a humorless laugh.
"Just wandering around, looking through files, making a nuisance of myself. You know the usual. Why do you ask?"
"According to the files Adam's been locked up for almost fifteen years. Now that may be a blink of an eye to a guy that's lived so long, but I can't believe that it wouldn't make him a little behind the times when it comes to security measures. None of the cameras picked him up. Nobody saw anything suspicious. Don't you think that in itself is kind of suspicious?"
"You think it was an inside job."
Bennett said nothing. He just stared out the windshield and refused to look at him. Claude gritted his teeth.
"You think I let him out?"
"I didn't say that."
"Why? Why would I let out some wanker that the Company has locked up and thrown away the key for?"
"I don't know. I do know that that cheap Japanese keypad was anything but. It shorted out spectacularly. It was almost like an electrical discharge fried it."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing. You're good with kids. You're good with Claire and the baby. Elle's always liked you, hasn't she?"
At this he finally turned to look Claude in the eye. Bennett was always so calm and self assured, even as a rookie. Claude couldn't hold his eye for long and he found himself staring at the glove box. Noah spoke quietly and Claude could hear the anger in his voice.
"You let him out. A potential mass murder with a god complex, and you let him out."
"He was my chance to get some dirt on the Company! Something that would get me out," Claude barked back at him.
"Damnit, Claude."
"You going to turn me in?"
When there was no answer, he looked back at Noah and asked again.
"Are you going to turn me in?"
"Let's catch him first. Then we go to Bob with everything, and I mean everything. We can say that Adam manipulated you. That you didn't know who he was."
"And if he says different?"
"We'll just have to convince him that it would be a bad idea before we turn him over."
"I'm sorry, Noah. I really am."
Bennett shook his head slowly and got out of the car. Claude followed him without saying a word.
---
Adam got a room at a better hotel than the one that Claude and his partner were staying at. He took his time going through the television stations. The sheer number of them was a surprise. The last time he had watched television there were still only four stations. Unfortunately, there still wasn’t anything worth watching. Plus, the MTV that blasted far too loud showed exactly how out of touch he was. He found a way to silence the set and watched the disjointed pictures that flashed across the screen. At least it seemed that women were happy to wear less in this decade. He wondered if the free love movement was still in effect. Adam frowned. His imprisonment was an inconvenience. He had some catching up to do, but now that he was free he had time.
He wanted to stay up, but sleep tugged at him. He’d had a productive day. Adam went to sleep on silk sheets with a smile on his face.
The next morning the concierge showed up with some clothes. Adam had given his approximate sizes. Normally, he preferred tailored to off the rack, but there was time for that later. He had an appointment with the bank at ten. He had breakfast at the hotel restaurant and enjoyed a cappuccino on the way to the bank. The financial district was bustling. Adam took his time and walked instead of taking a cab. If getting out of town wasn’t so urgent, he might have indulged himself by touring Central Park. There was a spot with wildflowers east of the pond that he’d always appreciated. He wondered if it was still kept up.
With his mind wandering, he entered the small office to confirm the accounts were up to date. There was a different young man behind the counter than the night before. Everyone was extremely pleasant as was to be expected considering the size of Adam’s accounts. He shook hands with the young man and was handed a briefcase with some pocket change, as it were. Adam slipped on the sunglasses he had purchased from a street vendor and exited the building with a smile.
“Hey, Adam,” a voice called out as he stepped to hail a cab. He jerked his head around to see a man with glasses smiling at him.
“Damn,” he said and quickly started running in the opposite direction.
The pounding footfalls behind him let him know that the man was following. He turned a corner and saw an empty street. He started pumping his legs in earnest trying to gain speed. Suddenly, something crashed against his throat causing him to slam onto the concrete. The street was completely empty.
Adam rubbed his throat and croaked, “Et tu, Brute?”
Claude appeared before him with his arm stretched out clothes line fashion. He dropped the arm and frowned down at Adam.
“You took off and left me to the Company’s devices. What did you think would happen?”
The partner ran up. He pulled Adam to his feet. Adam could feel the barrel of a gun pressed against his ribs. He glanced back at the man.
“That really won’t do you much good.”
“I’m pretty sure it’ll still hurt. Come on.”
Claude bent down and picked up the briefcase. The two of them escorted him further down the street to a familiar looking sedan. Claude’s partner held him while the invisible man opened the trunk.
“Oh not again,” Adam complained.
“Again?” the partner asked.
Claude shrugged with a sheepish grin. He was less careful shoving Adam into the trunk than the first time. Adam’s head smacked hard against the trunk lid and he saw stars for a moment. By the time his ability had kicked in and he could see straight, the only view he had was the lid closing on him again.
“Wonderful,” he said, but no one was listening.
---
Back at headquarters, they turned Adam over to a couple of guards who immediately shocked him with a taser and dragged him back to the basement. Claude stared after him. Bennett’s hand landed on his shoulder.
“Don’t tell me you still feel sorry for him,” he said.
Claude shrugged and admitted, “Just wondering how long before that’s me.”
“Don’t. After all, they’ll probably just kill you.”
Claude shot him a look, but Bennett was already walking away. He followed his partner to Bob’s office. The smile on the man’s face was actually genuine. He shook both their hands and offered them a seat.
“Good job,” he said. “I honestly didn’t think we’d capture him so quickly.”
“There’s something we have to tell you,” Noah said.
Claude took a deep breath and started to spill everything, but Noah continued.
“We got him coming out of a bank. Apparently, you missed some of his accounts. He had this on him.”
Bob looked surprised as Noah laid the briefcase on the desk. He opened it and Claude’s eyes grew as he saw how much money was inside. He glanced over to Bennett, but the other man wouldn’t return his look.
“We thought you should know,” Noah said simply.
“I think we’ll have to look into this. I appreciate your honesty in handing over this money.”
“Not a problem.”
Claude was still speechless as they exited the office. He followed Noah as they went downstairs. The guards had left Adam in the neighboring cell. The keypad locks on both doors looked brand new. Somehow, Claude was sure that Elle would have a hard time taking them out. Adam looked up at them as they came to the window. He got up and walked over. Bennett was looking down at him with his usual poker face. Claude had a sudden urge. He scratched under his arm and grunted. Adam’s eyes narrowed. Noah glanced over at him with a raised eyebrow, but turned his attention back to the prisoner.
“I assume you’re here to try and obtain my silence,” Adam said.
“I don’t have to,” Noah replied.
“Oh really?”
“You won’t say anything.”
Adam laughed.
“And why wouldn’t I?”
“Because you think this is a punishment, being in this cell.”
“Isn’t it?”
Noah smiled and Claude’s blood suddenly ran cold. He could see that the humorless grin also affected the man behind the glass.
“Not compared to what it could be. Especially considering how happy the guards would be with the money I can pay them.”
“The Company doesn’t pay you that well,” Adam scoffed.
“Who said I was going to use my money? After all, it seems only right to spread the wealth.”
Claude gaped. He looked at Noah and then back towards the door to the stairs.
“You didn’t give him all the money?” Claude asked.
“No, he got it all. It was the accounts themselves. Bob’s contact the other night. I called him this morning before the transactions completed. It was a simple matter to have Adam’s ‘accountant’ update some of the numbers. For a percentage, he was happy to shuffle some paper.”
“You didn’t,” Adam growled.
“You’ll find the guards here are very…enthusiastic about their work. I suggest you make this easy on yourself, Adam.”
“Why are you doing this? If they find out what you’ve done you’ll be in just as much trouble has your friend here.”
Claude was asking himself the same question. Noah didn’t answer. He just gave another of his cold smiles. They left Adam stewing in his cell. Claude followed his partner back to their parking garage. They had a flight to catch that afternoon.
“He was right you know,” he said.
Bennett looked at him and said, “It was a lot of money. Maybe you’re not the only one that needs an exit strategy.”
“Thank you, Noah.”
“Who said I did it for you?”
Claude watched the other man get into the car and thought about the little blonde girl in Texas waiting for her daddy to come home. Maybe there was hope for the Company man yet.