Heroes - Petrelli's Eleven (PG)
Before we get to the main event I just want to say how thrilled I am that everybody's feeling the Landry & Tim love. I mean, wow, I thought it was just me, but apparently not. Rock on, people. them0rgue even wrote them for the porn battle, and I'm just like YEAHMOTHERFUCKER! Whoo. *fans self* There's nothing like that new pairing love is there?
Now. I was talking smack with serialkarma last week about how excellent the Petrellis are at selling you anything they want you to buy, and she said, 'Oh, you mean like con artists. Like Ocean's 11.' And that was pretty much it for me.
Heroes AU
* In homage and lightly X-overed with Ocean's 11, but prior knowledge is not required
* Word Count: 5,323
* Nathan Petrelli/Peter Petrelli, Hiro Nakamura, Ando Masahashi, Matt Parkman, and like, everybody possible.
* Het, slash, incest, the usual. But nothing you prolly wouldn't get in a regular Heroes episode (if you squint)
Petrelli's Eleven
"You are not going out like that." Nathan is talking. Peter is…not listening.
He doesn’t have to look up to know Nathan's gesturing to his white tee shirt and jeans; instead he slumps further into the sofa, his feet hanging over the side of the coffee table.
Nathan despairs of Peter's fashion sense, but Nathan despairs of everything. According to him, everyone else is incompetent and unworthy. That's why Nathan's the one who does all the planning.
Peter has his own plans though. Right now he's in the middle of watching The Colbert Report, and Stephen's having his daily love-fest about Hugh Laurie. Peter loves this part. He scowls when Nathan steps between him and the TV. "I was watching that," he points out, trying to look around Nathan's dense form.
Nathan crosses his arms. "Are you listening to me?" Peter glances up perfunctorily, Nathan's in his usual sartorial best. Tailor-made suit, flawless button-down shirt. How boring.
"I don't have to see you to listen to you." Peter rolls over to his side. From this angle, he can see the TV. Stephen's got a picture of his boyfriend, Jon Stewart, on the screen now; if Nathan would shut up, then Peter could hear and all would be right with the world. Stephen's waving a rainbow flag around a lot, maybe he and Jon got married.
"You don't have to see the TV to hear it either," Nathan points out. "Now get dressed."
Peter makes a derisory noise. "Whatever, I'm going like this."
Nathan steps closer to Peter, his knees inches away from Peter's sock-clad feet. Peter could kick him, but that might end badly, and they do have an appointment at nine. Except now Peter can't even see around him.
"If you're going to rob people you should at least show a little respect and put on a clean shirt," Nathan gripes.
"This is a clean shirt!"
"I meant one that doesn't make you look like some Soho hustler," Nathan amends.
Peter's lower lip juts out slightly. "But I am a hustler," he points out matter-of-factly.
"No, you're not," Nathan corrects. "You're a con man, there's a difference. Have I taught you nothing? Now put some clothing on before our meeting or I'll be forced to dress you myself."
"I'd like to see you try," Peter says, even as he's rolling over and getting to his feet.
Nathan's eyes glitter in the soft hotel lighting. "Maybe later -- if you're good and don't fuck this up."
"Promises, promises," Peter mocks, coming around the table and brushing against Nathan as he heads for his own room in the suite.
*
Nathan and Peter Petrelli are con men. No, scratch that. Calling them 'con men' makes what they do sound common and easy. What the Petrellis do is a thing of beauty. They are confidence artists. One of their colleagues once complained that they could sell bacon to a rabbi. Nathan bought that man a vintage convertible. Actually, Nathan had one of his outside contractors liberate the car from a garage where its owner wasn't appreciating it properly and then presented it to Rusty Ryan as a consolation prize for his partner becoming a guest of the State of New Jersey.
*
Hiro Nakamura and his partner, Ando Masahasi, are already waiting when Peter and Nathan step off the elevator. Peter makes them the moment they walk into the lobby, even though Nathan's hand is warm on the nape of Peter's neck, his thumb rubbing the skin hidden by Peter's jacket and distracting him.
Hiro's sitting by a potted plant in the corner, playing with a game console, while Ando's reading a newspaper. Although, knowing them, Hiro could be hacking the National Treasury while Ando reads the personal ads.
Peter makes eye contact with Hiro even as Nathan's steering him into the hotel lounge. Peter drops down onto a stool at the empty bar, his knee bumping against Nathan's. "A whiskey and a whiskey," Nathan says to the waiting bartender.
Peter frowns and takes a handful of the peanuts on offer. "I'll have a beer."
Nathan makes a face. "Beer, huh?"
"Shut up," Peter retorts mildly. Nathan's forever trying to get him to step up his class of drink, but Peter likes beer. Hiro bumps Peter's other knee when he drops down on the stool on Peter's right.
Peter automatically slides the bowl of peanuts over to him. "We are watching football," Hiro says conversationally. The Giants are playing on the TV above the bar. "Yay, Giants!"
The bartender comes back with two whiskeys and a Heineken for Peter.
"The Giants are horrible," Matt Parkman says, putting down a napkin before setting Peter's beer on the bar top. "Hiro, how long have you been living in New York? You know this by now."
Hiro shrugs, grins, and takes a handful of peanuts. "No one is horrible all the time. Sometimes little man wins."
Matt and Nathan groan collectively. Peter claps Hiro on the shoulder. "At least somebody has the right mindset."
"Okay, Robin Hood," Nathan mocks. "Enough team building, let's talk about work."
*
The only people Nathan and Peter work with on a regular basis are Hiro and Ando. The two teams know how to make things happen together, like that one time they blew up a whole city block just to steal a few dinosaur bones from the Natural History Museum. Ando wanted a special birthday present for his godson; Peter thought it was kind of cute. Nathan just rolled his eyes and told Peter he was wasting his talent. That didn't actually stop Nathan from planning the entire job right down to planting Peter in the museum as a replacement security guard.
*
"Leia was not sleeping with Luke," Nathan says as he shifts in the driver's side seat of a rather nondescript car. They're sitting down the street from the headquarters of Sylar, Inc. "Hiro, how many times do we have to go over this?"
It's a warm autumn day, and the windows are down part way so they can breathe. Across the street, a man is taking photos of a very distant view of the Empire Building, and a woman is walking a tiny dog with too much hair.
"But in episode four she kissed him." Hiro points out from the backseat.
Nathan scoffs, turning perpendicular to his seat so he can argue with Hiro face-to-face. "Just because you kiss someone doesn't mean you're involved with them!"
"I kiss Charlie and we are involved," Hiro counters.
Peter's not expecting it when Nathan grabs his jaw and kisses him. He's still blinking long after Nathan and Hiro have gone back to arguing. "Peter's my brother, I just kissed him, that doesn't mean we're having sex," Nathan points out.
That's not necessarily true in this case, but Nathan’s trying to make a point, so Peter’s not going to contradict him. This time. Besides, that’s nobody’s business but their own.
"Yes, but is not same." Hiro and Nathan have some version of this argument every time they work together. It's kind of endearing. "You not Luke, you Han Solo."
Peter scoffs loudly, but he can see how pleased Nathan is with the comparison. Ando gets back in the car holding his digital camera carefully. "I have everything," he says as Nathan turns back around and turns the car on.
"You can be Chewie," Nathan tosses over his shoulder magnanimously.
Peter can hear him talking, but he's more focused on the surrounding buildings, because this is how they work. Nathan plans, Peter executes.
*
Nathan likes big, flashy jobs. The kind that result in headlines in the paper, drinks from his colleagues and dismay from large corporations. For a long time Peter's parents thought Nathan was going to go into the more legitimate brand of thievery -- politics -- but Nathan turned out just like the rest of his family. Recently, he's even become more willing to let Peter choose smaller jobs. The kind that require only a few people and much more attention to detail. They even have a rotating assortment of cast members to choose from, although Peter tends to choose the same people every time.
Familiarity and trust are important when you're breaking multiple laws.
*
"They go missing all the time," Isaac Mendez insists. "I can just lift one off the street."
"With what?" Matt mocks, "your super strength?"
Peter met Isaac at a comic store in downtown where Isaac was trying to sell graphic novels he'd written about everyday people. The proprietor of the store didn't believe Isaac when he said the guy's car was getting a ticket, but he was curious enough to come around the counter to look, and when he passed Isaac by, Isaac stole his wallet. When Isaac caught Peter looking, he just winked.
"You doubt me," Isaac frowns. "Never doubt me, Parkman."
Peter interrupts the bickering. "Make a fully equipped Federal Express van appear downstairs, and not only will I not doubt you, but I might ask you to marry me."
They're back at the Omni, in the suite across the hall from Nathan and Peter's, working on logistics. Ando's on the phone with Charlie, talking about explosions and the city emergency services, while Peter's on the sofa with Mohinder Suresh, Isaac and Matt, discussing entries, exits, personnel, and how long it would take to gut a Federal Express van and turn it into something useable.
"Maybe DL would be able to convince you of the error of your ways, Matthew," Isaac retorts to whatever Matt's just said.
"Yes, but don’t forget you can't have DL without Niki," Mohinder points out thoughtfully, sending a collective shudder through the entire sofa. Peter's father used to work with Mohinder's father, so they all go way back.
"She is crazy," Ando interrupts from the coffee table where he's hooked up to three laptops.
"Aren't you Micah's godfather?" Peter's asks. He remembers very distinctly Hiro and Ando having a falling out over Ando's obsession with Niki. This was back when DL was a guest of the State of Nevada and Niki was running a prostitution ring.
"She is very hot," Ando says by way of explanation.
"Doesn't mean she's not crazy," Isaac says.
"You could call the Haitian," Mohinder suggests.
"Or I could call the Haitian," Peter pauses.
Nathan's across the suite, studying some blueprints while he's on the phone with someone else, presumably Bennet, or possibly Eden McCain, who's been planted as a temp inside Sylar. He chooses this exact moment to look at Peter, like he can feel Peter's eyes on him. He probably can.
"The Haitian," Peter mouths, while Matt and Isaac bicker around him.
Nathan wrinkles his nose.
No Haitian then.
*
When Nathan was away (serving two to four for trying to be a good husband and failing miserably) Peter did some work with Isaac and his girlfriend, Simone Deveaux. Three, however, was too much company, so the day that Nathan got out Peter broke it off with Simone. And Isaac. It was a business decision, nothing personal; but it was much harder to find a quality contractor than it was to get laid.
*
Peter's yanking at his bowtie. He doesn't want to wear it, but that's what happens when you're earning minimum wage collecting tickets at the door of the local movie theatre. Peter is not cut out for menial labor like this. He likes using his hands with people, not to get paper cuts. Still you can't work surveillance from the roof or check out the ventilation shafts next door if you're not an employee of the theatre. Well, you can, but it's a lot easier for an inside man to leave the back door open than it is for some random patron.
"Children of Men. Theatre 9 on your left." Peter says without looking up from the box where he's dropping ticket stubs.
Out of the corner of Peter's left eye he can see a large group of people gathering next door at a night club called Katana. Katana is interesting because of the building on its other side: Sylar, Inc., the watch conglomerate, and also because DL's just become the door security at Katana.
"Dreamgirls. Theatre 2 on your right."
Peter doesn't really have much use for watches because he's always with Nathan, and Nathan's genetically punctual, but Bennet said that he had a job that required Nathan and Peter, so here they are.
"Happily N'ever After. Theatre 4 on your right."
The draft from the open door is making Peter's hair whip into his eyes. It stings. Of course, Nathan's always telling Peter to cut his hair, to look less conspicuous. To stop looking like him. Peter usually rolls his eyes and goes back to whatever he's doing at the time.
"Ocean's Eleven," Peter reads evenly from the purple colored stub. He looks up, briefly taking in Hiro, Ando, and Nathan, holding various bags. Nathan's wearing a hat. Nathan never wears hats -- it's a good look on him.
"I like retro movies," Peter says conversationally. "The Rat Pack were pretty awesome. Theatre 6 in the back."
Hiro and Ando give him small smiles and nod. Nathan's hand brushes against Peter's own as he moves past and Peter passes him the key for the stairwell in the back.
"Peter, how's everything going out here?" Peter's mouth twitches as a red acrylic-clawed hand comes down solidly on his shoulder. "Everything working out? Is there anything you need? A coat? Some coffee? A date?"
Peter laughs off the latter suggestion with grace. Tina Brown is the fire-haired manager of the Odeon theatre where Peter's working. She's been flirting with him since the moment he arrived to apply for a job opening that didn't even exist. Isaac said Tina would love him; Peter just didn't think he meant this much.
"Everything's good," Peter says with false sincerity. "This is a great job."
"Just remember there's always room for people who are good at their jobs," Tina says with a lascivious wink.
Peter nods. "I'll remember that," he says guilelessly. "Thanks, Ms. Brown."
"I told you to call me Tina," she protests loudly.
"Right. Tina." Peter corrects himself before shooting Tina a grin that is all about the promise of something that is never, ever going to happen. But that's what Peter does. He makes people believe. He gives them hope.
During the entire exchange Peter can feel Nathan's eyes on the back of his neck, watching from somewhere, and he resolutely doesn't turn around. The middle of a job is not really the time for overt displays of possessiveness.
*
Peter successfully completed his first con when he was twelve: he convinced a high school freshman that he was old enough to date even though he was only in seventh grade. Nathan was so impressed that he agreed to drive them to the movies anyway.
Peter has always been able to convince people of things they already want to believe anyway. According to Nathan, Peter makes the most impossible lies sound like the God-given truth. Peter sometimes wonders if this is a blessing or a curse.
*
The job is simple:
Retrieve package from Sylar, Inc. Fourth floor. 406B. You will know the package when you see it. Drop package off at the Upper East Side Helipad. There will be a helicopter waiting.
Time and date of enterprise to be determined upon acceptance of job.
Cost of retrieval: $10 million. To be deposited upon completion.
The problem with doing a job for Bennet is that his jobs are never quite that simple.
There's the matter of Sylar's fortress-like security, and the fact that no company that only makes watches would have cameras outside their building, inside their lobby, four security guards, titanium reinforced elevators, receptionists on every floor, and did Isaac mention the thing about the dogs?
Peter sighs and rubs his forehead. "Dogs?"
Isaac plops down on the sofa next to him and takes the Federal Express badge off of his reusable polyester suit. Velcro is the best invention ever. "Dogs, Pete. I saw at least two and that was just in the lobby and on the sixth floor."
"Big dogs?" Peter's a glutton for punishment.
Isaac nods. "Big dogs."
Nathan looks up from where he and Ando are going over security feeds on multiple laptops. "Eden never said anything about dogs," Peter says flatly.
"Steak." Hiro's on the floor playing with infrared goggles, and he doesn't even glance up from where he's retrofitting some sort of flashlight on the top of the infared goggles.
Peter raises an eyebrow. "Steak?"
Hiro pushes his glasses up his nose. "Kobe beef. Best steak ever."
"You're going to feed the dogs?" Isaac asks, but Peter gets it.
"You want me to drug the dogs?" he asks.
Hiro grins. "It works in movies, yes?"
Peter and Nathan exchange a look. It couldn't possibly hurt.
*
Nathan got married when Peter was twenty-one. Her name was Heidi; Peter genuinely liked her. She was good for Nathan. She made him relax. She made him want to go straight, and Peter couldn't begrudge Nathan that. Even though Peter had grown up thinking that it was always going to be him and Nathan, he wasn't selfish enough to protest -- although a part of him really thought he should.
*
The day before the job, Nathan drags Peter shopping, because clearly Peter just doesn't have enough to worry about with dogs and unknown packages and his stupid boss at his stupid minimum wage job pinching his ass when Peter was helping clean up the concession stand the night before.
Peter sighs as the tailor pushes his arms away from his body to pin the waistband of his trousers. He's already standing in the fitting room half-dressed. His skin prickles in the stale air. "I don't need another suit," he says to Nathan belligerently.
Nathan pauses in what he's doing to lean against the three-way mirror and watch the fitting process critically. "You can always use another suit, Pete."
"So it can sit in the closet and gather dust?"
"No, so you can look presentable. Presentation is everything." Nathan's randomly trying on ties while he watches Peter's fitting. It's really distracting for Peter: the susurration of silk against the collar of Nathan's shirt.
He can't stop staring at Nathan's open collar.
"I thought distraction was everything," Peter mocks. "Ow!"
Giancarlo looks up from where he's kneeling on the floor, pinning the fabric at Peter's inseam. "Oops," he says with a guileless smile.
Nathan snickers and Peter scowls. Giancarlo Vanni has been making suits for Peter since his dad was alive. As far as Peter knows, Giancarlo's been making suits for the Petrellis since their grandfather came over. He certainly looks old enough with his bright white hair and gold-rimmed glasses
"Was that distracting enough for you?" Nathan mocks back, trying on a gold tie that makes Peter scrunch up his nose.
"Don’t change the subject," Peter is feeling sullen now. "I don’t see why it matters what I wear. I thought you didn't want people to notice me. Didn't you say I had to stop being so conspicuous?"
Nathan pulls off the tie. Shhhhhhhh.
Giancarlo gets to his feet slowly. "I need more pins. Do not kill each other with sarcasm while I am gone," he commands before paddling off.
Nathan stands upright as Giancarlo moves past him into the other room. Peter licks his lips as Nathan crosses the room, trying to keep an eye on his brother as he walks around the platform that Peter's standing on.
"Maybe I just want you to be presentable for me," Nathan says in a low tone. Peter's nostrils flare slightly. "The hustler look is interesting," Nathan carries on, "but I'm tired of seeing everyone else appreciate your ragged jeans and tight shirts."
Peter blinks. His skin is prickling again, but for a completely different reason now. He opens his mouth to say something, anything, but it's Giancarlo who interrupts. "I told you two to stop squabbling. You are like my daughter and her good-for-nothing husband."
Nathan smiles broadly and ruffles Peter's hair. "I wouldn't say Peter's good for nothing -- just not most things."
*
After Nathan got married he retired, and Peter went to nursing school, because Peter liked taking care of people. He liked helping. And for a little while everything was okay. For a little while the Petrellis were like anybody else, except that cons don't stop conning. They stay sharp or they get sloppy, and Nathan hates being sloppy. But if Nathan hadn't been sloppy, then he never would've gotten caught trying to steal a Picasso from Linderman.
Peter tried to warn him. It was a stupid job. Peter could've called Isaac and Mohinder and gotten Nathan an entire gallery's worth of Picassos, but no, because Nathan never listened to Peter. Peter was younger; Peter wasn't as experienced; Peter had finals. He had to study.
He had no business working a job.
And then Peter got a frantic call from Heidi at three o'clock on a Wednesday morning, because Nathan was in jail for breaking and entering and Heidi didn't understand any of it.
Her divorce lawyer certainly did though.
*
The basement of the Katana Club is nasty and dark and dank and there are rats. "Nobody said anything about rats," Mohinder protests from inside the ventilation shaft that the Katana Club shares with Sylar, Inc.
Peter sighs from just outside the shaft. This is why he doesn't go first. Nathan's standing across from him, and Peter can see his smile disappearing as he pulls down his balaclava and puts his goggles on over the top.
"You are big girl," Ando's voice is crackly over the earpiece. "Please to stop whining." Ando's sitting in a commandeered Federal Express van down the street with Isaac keeping a watch out for anything they're not expecting. He's not the one dealing with the rats.
"I'm not a girl!" Mohinder protests.
"Well, you're certainly pretty like one," Nathan retorts, his voice growing muffled as he follows Mohinder inside. "Now stop bitching and get climbing."
Peter nods to Hiro as he turns on his goggles and prepares to follow Nathan inside. The ventilation shaft is a tight fit and it smells awful. It probably doesn't help that they're loaded with drugged raw meat and enough C4 to blow both buildings into New Jersey.
Peter does not twitch when something runs across his foot, and in the darkness he can just make out Nathan climbing ahead of him. If he holds his breath he can hear Hiro closing the shaft as he follows behind them, and then they're on.
This is what they do.
DL is at the top of the stairs on security, and his wife, Niki, is inside the club, prepared to cause utter chaos if the situation calls for it. Ando and Isaac are on detail. Matt's working back-up. Everything's going to go fine.
Right.
*
Peter and Nathan exchange a look when the door of 406B swings open, smoke clearing from the explosion, and they're confronted with a man lying on a cot in a blue jumpsuit reading a copy of A Catcher in the Rye.
It would've helped if someone had told them that the package was a goddamn human being.
"Shit," Peter says succinctly.
"You're the one who always wants to help people," Nathan snaps.
"This isn't what I meant."
"We can discuss intent later."
"Much later," Hiro adds.
The package doesn't look phased in the slightest. "Are we leaving now?" the man asks, interrupting their squabble. "It took you long enough. I've been in here for weeks."
And that's when the alarms go off.
*
Alarms. Dogs. Security guards.
If Peter had known there was going to be tear gas he would've worn a goddamn gas mask. What rent-a-cops carry tear gas?!
Ahead of them, Nathan's racing through the halls like he's memorized the entire building's blueprints, which he probably has. Behind them, Peter can hear Hiro shouting into his headpiece in Japanese. Someone's ass is going to get it when they get out of here.
When the fire alarm goes off, the sprinklers create a whole new hazardous environment, and then things become really interesting.
There was no plan to blow a hole in the back of the building and jump into a dumpster in the alley, but Peter takes care of execution, so this is what they're going to do. Peter didn't think there could be more confusion, but he was apparently very wrong. At least nursing school prepared him to deal with any stripe of crisis, and he doesn't give anyone a chance to hesitate before he's shoving people out the building. At worst there'll be a broken leg. It's only four floors.
And to think that Nathan thought they'd brought too much C4. Ha.
Mohinder.
Hiro.
The package.
Peter waves Nathan on and Nathan balks. "You first."
"Can we argue later?" Peter can hear the shouting of people getting closer. He's blinking through the water streaming into his eyes and talking around the debris that's sticking to his lips.
"This is not up for discussion," Nathan retorts. Except the shouting is a lot closer now, and Nathan's yanking Peter behind him, but Peter's not falling, he's flying.
They're flying.
This is a new trick.
*
"What hell was that all about?" Peter whispers under his breath once they're safely in the Federal Express truck and heading towards the heliport. There's water in his ears for the love of god. He's never going to be dry again. Across from him, Mohinder's attending to the package, a young man in his early twenties with brown hair and curious eyes.
Nathan grins and pats him on the back, even as he's stripping off his wet balaclava. "Did you like it?"
"Like it?" Peter glares.
Nathan's smile is all white teeth and used car salesman.
They didn't land in the dumpster, they sort of floated down next to it, but Mohinder and Hiro were too busy pulling the package out of the dumpster to notice. And then there was running, and the van waiting at the mouth of the alley, and god, Peter loves this shit.
The planning. The execution. The adrenaline. "Why did we just break you out of a high security room at a watch factory?" he asks the package rather abruptly. "I mean, we'll try anything once, but I kind of draw the line at human trafficking."
He can feel Nathan's glare. "Excuse him," Nathan interjects. "Sometimes he acts as though he's being paid to ask questions. He's not."
The package shrugs. "I could tell you," he says, "but then I'd have to kill you."
Peter grins at the package, but there's something about the look on his face that makes Peter feel uneasy. As though he might not be joking. He jumps when Nathan elbows him in the ribs. "One more word and I'm calling Rusty and having you replaced," Nathan hisses.
"Rusty eat all my wasabi peas," Hiro exclaims from the front seat, where he's squashed in next to Isaac and Ando.
"Rusty eats everything," Mohinder corrects.
Peter's post-job rush is losing some of its edge, but if he looks out the front window of the van he can see fire trucks racing towards the direction they've just come from. That's a lot more fire trucks than police cars.
"They're responding to the fire alarm, right?" Peter wants verification that this has gone the way it was supposed to.
"Yeah, the bartender at the Katana smelled smoke and pulled the fire alarm," Isaac says matter of factly, even as he's slowing down to make a right turn inside a open garage.
"The bartender?" Nathan says slowly as they pull inside the warehouse's unloading area. Isaac shuts off the engine, and the doors to the back of the truck open before Peter can touch the handle.
"Hi," Matt Parkman greets them with a broad smile and a shiny black tee shirt that says Katana on the right breast pocket.
Peter grins back. "Nathan, meet the bartender."
*
Peter Petrelli is sitting in a green vinyl booth in a nondescript diner in New Jersey. Across the table from him, Hiro Nakamura is plowing through a plate of waffles and Ando Masahasi is picking at something that might've been an omelet in another life. Every time Ando tries to steal a bit of Hiro's waffles, Hiro pokes him with his fork.
"Why you are not ordering your own?" Hiro says, curling a protective arm around his plate.
"Because you ordered some," Ando says, trying a sneak attack only to be rebuffed yet again. "Ow!"
Peter takes another sip of his coffee and chuckles. "We are partners," Ando complains, "why are you not sharing?"
"Partners not share everything," Hiro says around a mouth full of waffle.
Peter's never seen Ando sulk, but he's distracted when Nathan slides into the booth next to him. "Hey," Peter protests mildly as Nathan takes the coffee mug out of his hand and drops a newspaper on the table.
STEWART AND COLBERT MARRY IN CANADA
Truthiness of vows under question
Peter stares for a moment. This is a major newspaper but there's nothing about the robbery at Sylar, or anything reputable or newsworthy whatsoever. The state of American journalism sucks. And Stephen wore a rainbow tie to the wedding.
Peter snickers even as he flips through the paper looking for some mention of something or other.
"There's a mention of a fire alarm at Katana club and Lindsey Lohan's cocaine supply being washed away on page 16," Nathan says, bumping shoulders with Peter. "But that's about it."
They exchange a look: absolutely nothing about the break-in. Huh.
"You boys good over here?" Peter looks up at the waitress and raises an eyebrow. Hilda has gotten much younger in the last ten minutes.
"Claire, hi!" Hiro is entirely too happy to see Claire Bennet. Of course, Hiro is always happy to see everyone. Peter can feel his face twisting into some rictus of a smile. When Nathan was retired and Peter was in nursing school, Peter used to do jobs on the fly for Claire's dad. He tried to convince her to make something of herself and not go into the family business. She didn't listen. And yet, she blends in well with the other waitresses. It must be the blonde hair.
Peter can feel Nathan tensing next him, and he shifts to stretch his right arm along the back of the booth, his hand coming to rest on the nape of Nathan's neck. "Something wrong?" Peter asks with a smile.
"Not at all," Claire says taking out a pad of paper and a pencil and writing something down. "My dad was real pleased with the job you all did; as a matter of fact, he was so pleased he has another offer for you."
And with that, Claire rips off the piece of paper and sets it down on the table. "Have a good day," she says brightly as another harried waitress rushes by.
"Bye!" Hiro calls even as Nathan reaches out to pick up the piece of paper.
Peter leans over to look at the message. He doesn't get it. "Since when does saving a cheerleader pay $30 million dollars?" Peter asks in a low voice.
Hiro and Ando look interested, even Nathan hasn't automatically said no.
"That must be one hell of a cheerleader," Peter offers as he steals back his coffee.
"Maybe she can save the world!" Hiro says excitedly.
Ando makes a scoffing noise. "We are stealing superheroes now?"
"For $30 million she should at least be able to cure cancer," Peter says.
Nathan shifts next to him. "I thought you weren't into human trafficking," he parrots.
"$30 million to save one person is helping, not trafficking."
"Your delusion is amazing," Nathan says with something akin to admiration.
Peter grins. "It's why you love me."
Nathan rolls his eyes, but he doesn't deny it.
"Okay," Hiro says, interrupting the moment. "You love him. He love you. I love everyone. We have group hug now?"
-end-
Betas by the absolutely awesome serialkarma and antheia. Again, this is a homage and x-over with the 2001 version of Ocean's Eleven, and I think I've paraphrased a line of dialogue. Possibly three. Yeah, the one about the whiskey and the one about calling the Haitian.
Now. I was talking smack with serialkarma last week about how excellent the Petrellis are at selling you anything they want you to buy, and she said, 'Oh, you mean like con artists. Like Ocean's 11.' And that was pretty much it for me.
Heroes AU
* In homage and lightly X-overed with Ocean's 11, but prior knowledge is not required
* Word Count: 5,323
* Nathan Petrelli/Peter Petrelli, Hiro Nakamura, Ando Masahashi, Matt Parkman, and like, everybody possible.
* Het, slash, incest, the usual. But nothing you prolly wouldn't get in a regular Heroes episode (if you squint)
Petrelli's Eleven
"You are not going out like that." Nathan is talking. Peter is…not listening.
He doesn’t have to look up to know Nathan's gesturing to his white tee shirt and jeans; instead he slumps further into the sofa, his feet hanging over the side of the coffee table.
Nathan despairs of Peter's fashion sense, but Nathan despairs of everything. According to him, everyone else is incompetent and unworthy. That's why Nathan's the one who does all the planning.
Peter has his own plans though. Right now he's in the middle of watching The Colbert Report, and Stephen's having his daily love-fest about Hugh Laurie. Peter loves this part. He scowls when Nathan steps between him and the TV. "I was watching that," he points out, trying to look around Nathan's dense form.
Nathan crosses his arms. "Are you listening to me?" Peter glances up perfunctorily, Nathan's in his usual sartorial best. Tailor-made suit, flawless button-down shirt. How boring.
"I don't have to see you to listen to you." Peter rolls over to his side. From this angle, he can see the TV. Stephen's got a picture of his boyfriend, Jon Stewart, on the screen now; if Nathan would shut up, then Peter could hear and all would be right with the world. Stephen's waving a rainbow flag around a lot, maybe he and Jon got married.
"You don't have to see the TV to hear it either," Nathan points out. "Now get dressed."
Peter makes a derisory noise. "Whatever, I'm going like this."
Nathan steps closer to Peter, his knees inches away from Peter's sock-clad feet. Peter could kick him, but that might end badly, and they do have an appointment at nine. Except now Peter can't even see around him.
"If you're going to rob people you should at least show a little respect and put on a clean shirt," Nathan gripes.
"This is a clean shirt!"
"I meant one that doesn't make you look like some Soho hustler," Nathan amends.
Peter's lower lip juts out slightly. "But I am a hustler," he points out matter-of-factly.
"No, you're not," Nathan corrects. "You're a con man, there's a difference. Have I taught you nothing? Now put some clothing on before our meeting or I'll be forced to dress you myself."
"I'd like to see you try," Peter says, even as he's rolling over and getting to his feet.
Nathan's eyes glitter in the soft hotel lighting. "Maybe later -- if you're good and don't fuck this up."
"Promises, promises," Peter mocks, coming around the table and brushing against Nathan as he heads for his own room in the suite.
*
Nathan and Peter Petrelli are con men. No, scratch that. Calling them 'con men' makes what they do sound common and easy. What the Petrellis do is a thing of beauty. They are confidence artists. One of their colleagues once complained that they could sell bacon to a rabbi. Nathan bought that man a vintage convertible. Actually, Nathan had one of his outside contractors liberate the car from a garage where its owner wasn't appreciating it properly and then presented it to Rusty Ryan as a consolation prize for his partner becoming a guest of the State of New Jersey.
*
Hiro Nakamura and his partner, Ando Masahasi, are already waiting when Peter and Nathan step off the elevator. Peter makes them the moment they walk into the lobby, even though Nathan's hand is warm on the nape of Peter's neck, his thumb rubbing the skin hidden by Peter's jacket and distracting him.
Hiro's sitting by a potted plant in the corner, playing with a game console, while Ando's reading a newspaper. Although, knowing them, Hiro could be hacking the National Treasury while Ando reads the personal ads.
Peter makes eye contact with Hiro even as Nathan's steering him into the hotel lounge. Peter drops down onto a stool at the empty bar, his knee bumping against Nathan's. "A whiskey and a whiskey," Nathan says to the waiting bartender.
Peter frowns and takes a handful of the peanuts on offer. "I'll have a beer."
Nathan makes a face. "Beer, huh?"
"Shut up," Peter retorts mildly. Nathan's forever trying to get him to step up his class of drink, but Peter likes beer. Hiro bumps Peter's other knee when he drops down on the stool on Peter's right.
Peter automatically slides the bowl of peanuts over to him. "We are watching football," Hiro says conversationally. The Giants are playing on the TV above the bar. "Yay, Giants!"
The bartender comes back with two whiskeys and a Heineken for Peter.
"The Giants are horrible," Matt Parkman says, putting down a napkin before setting Peter's beer on the bar top. "Hiro, how long have you been living in New York? You know this by now."
Hiro shrugs, grins, and takes a handful of peanuts. "No one is horrible all the time. Sometimes little man wins."
Matt and Nathan groan collectively. Peter claps Hiro on the shoulder. "At least somebody has the right mindset."
"Okay, Robin Hood," Nathan mocks. "Enough team building, let's talk about work."
*
The only people Nathan and Peter work with on a regular basis are Hiro and Ando. The two teams know how to make things happen together, like that one time they blew up a whole city block just to steal a few dinosaur bones from the Natural History Museum. Ando wanted a special birthday present for his godson; Peter thought it was kind of cute. Nathan just rolled his eyes and told Peter he was wasting his talent. That didn't actually stop Nathan from planning the entire job right down to planting Peter in the museum as a replacement security guard.
*
"Leia was not sleeping with Luke," Nathan says as he shifts in the driver's side seat of a rather nondescript car. They're sitting down the street from the headquarters of Sylar, Inc. "Hiro, how many times do we have to go over this?"
It's a warm autumn day, and the windows are down part way so they can breathe. Across the street, a man is taking photos of a very distant view of the Empire Building, and a woman is walking a tiny dog with too much hair.
"But in episode four she kissed him." Hiro points out from the backseat.
Nathan scoffs, turning perpendicular to his seat so he can argue with Hiro face-to-face. "Just because you kiss someone doesn't mean you're involved with them!"
"I kiss Charlie and we are involved," Hiro counters.
Peter's not expecting it when Nathan grabs his jaw and kisses him. He's still blinking long after Nathan and Hiro have gone back to arguing. "Peter's my brother, I just kissed him, that doesn't mean we're having sex," Nathan points out.
That's not necessarily true in this case, but Nathan’s trying to make a point, so Peter’s not going to contradict him. This time. Besides, that’s nobody’s business but their own.
"Yes, but is not same." Hiro and Nathan have some version of this argument every time they work together. It's kind of endearing. "You not Luke, you Han Solo."
Peter scoffs loudly, but he can see how pleased Nathan is with the comparison. Ando gets back in the car holding his digital camera carefully. "I have everything," he says as Nathan turns back around and turns the car on.
"You can be Chewie," Nathan tosses over his shoulder magnanimously.
Peter can hear him talking, but he's more focused on the surrounding buildings, because this is how they work. Nathan plans, Peter executes.
*
Nathan likes big, flashy jobs. The kind that result in headlines in the paper, drinks from his colleagues and dismay from large corporations. For a long time Peter's parents thought Nathan was going to go into the more legitimate brand of thievery -- politics -- but Nathan turned out just like the rest of his family. Recently, he's even become more willing to let Peter choose smaller jobs. The kind that require only a few people and much more attention to detail. They even have a rotating assortment of cast members to choose from, although Peter tends to choose the same people every time.
Familiarity and trust are important when you're breaking multiple laws.
*
"They go missing all the time," Isaac Mendez insists. "I can just lift one off the street."
"With what?" Matt mocks, "your super strength?"
Peter met Isaac at a comic store in downtown where Isaac was trying to sell graphic novels he'd written about everyday people. The proprietor of the store didn't believe Isaac when he said the guy's car was getting a ticket, but he was curious enough to come around the counter to look, and when he passed Isaac by, Isaac stole his wallet. When Isaac caught Peter looking, he just winked.
"You doubt me," Isaac frowns. "Never doubt me, Parkman."
Peter interrupts the bickering. "Make a fully equipped Federal Express van appear downstairs, and not only will I not doubt you, but I might ask you to marry me."
They're back at the Omni, in the suite across the hall from Nathan and Peter's, working on logistics. Ando's on the phone with Charlie, talking about explosions and the city emergency services, while Peter's on the sofa with Mohinder Suresh, Isaac and Matt, discussing entries, exits, personnel, and how long it would take to gut a Federal Express van and turn it into something useable.
"Maybe DL would be able to convince you of the error of your ways, Matthew," Isaac retorts to whatever Matt's just said.
"Yes, but don’t forget you can't have DL without Niki," Mohinder points out thoughtfully, sending a collective shudder through the entire sofa. Peter's father used to work with Mohinder's father, so they all go way back.
"She is crazy," Ando interrupts from the coffee table where he's hooked up to three laptops.
"Aren't you Micah's godfather?" Peter's asks. He remembers very distinctly Hiro and Ando having a falling out over Ando's obsession with Niki. This was back when DL was a guest of the State of Nevada and Niki was running a prostitution ring.
"She is very hot," Ando says by way of explanation.
"Doesn't mean she's not crazy," Isaac says.
"You could call the Haitian," Mohinder suggests.
"Or I could call the Haitian," Peter pauses.
Nathan's across the suite, studying some blueprints while he's on the phone with someone else, presumably Bennet, or possibly Eden McCain, who's been planted as a temp inside Sylar. He chooses this exact moment to look at Peter, like he can feel Peter's eyes on him. He probably can.
"The Haitian," Peter mouths, while Matt and Isaac bicker around him.
Nathan wrinkles his nose.
No Haitian then.
*
When Nathan was away (serving two to four for trying to be a good husband and failing miserably) Peter did some work with Isaac and his girlfriend, Simone Deveaux. Three, however, was too much company, so the day that Nathan got out Peter broke it off with Simone. And Isaac. It was a business decision, nothing personal; but it was much harder to find a quality contractor than it was to get laid.
*
Peter's yanking at his bowtie. He doesn't want to wear it, but that's what happens when you're earning minimum wage collecting tickets at the door of the local movie theatre. Peter is not cut out for menial labor like this. He likes using his hands with people, not to get paper cuts. Still you can't work surveillance from the roof or check out the ventilation shafts next door if you're not an employee of the theatre. Well, you can, but it's a lot easier for an inside man to leave the back door open than it is for some random patron.
"Children of Men. Theatre 9 on your left." Peter says without looking up from the box where he's dropping ticket stubs.
Out of the corner of Peter's left eye he can see a large group of people gathering next door at a night club called Katana. Katana is interesting because of the building on its other side: Sylar, Inc., the watch conglomerate, and also because DL's just become the door security at Katana.
"Dreamgirls. Theatre 2 on your right."
Peter doesn't really have much use for watches because he's always with Nathan, and Nathan's genetically punctual, but Bennet said that he had a job that required Nathan and Peter, so here they are.
"Happily N'ever After. Theatre 4 on your right."
The draft from the open door is making Peter's hair whip into his eyes. It stings. Of course, Nathan's always telling Peter to cut his hair, to look less conspicuous. To stop looking like him. Peter usually rolls his eyes and goes back to whatever he's doing at the time.
"Ocean's Eleven," Peter reads evenly from the purple colored stub. He looks up, briefly taking in Hiro, Ando, and Nathan, holding various bags. Nathan's wearing a hat. Nathan never wears hats -- it's a good look on him.
"I like retro movies," Peter says conversationally. "The Rat Pack were pretty awesome. Theatre 6 in the back."
Hiro and Ando give him small smiles and nod. Nathan's hand brushes against Peter's own as he moves past and Peter passes him the key for the stairwell in the back.
"Peter, how's everything going out here?" Peter's mouth twitches as a red acrylic-clawed hand comes down solidly on his shoulder. "Everything working out? Is there anything you need? A coat? Some coffee? A date?"
Peter laughs off the latter suggestion with grace. Tina Brown is the fire-haired manager of the Odeon theatre where Peter's working. She's been flirting with him since the moment he arrived to apply for a job opening that didn't even exist. Isaac said Tina would love him; Peter just didn't think he meant this much.
"Everything's good," Peter says with false sincerity. "This is a great job."
"Just remember there's always room for people who are good at their jobs," Tina says with a lascivious wink.
Peter nods. "I'll remember that," he says guilelessly. "Thanks, Ms. Brown."
"I told you to call me Tina," she protests loudly.
"Right. Tina." Peter corrects himself before shooting Tina a grin that is all about the promise of something that is never, ever going to happen. But that's what Peter does. He makes people believe. He gives them hope.
During the entire exchange Peter can feel Nathan's eyes on the back of his neck, watching from somewhere, and he resolutely doesn't turn around. The middle of a job is not really the time for overt displays of possessiveness.
*
Peter successfully completed his first con when he was twelve: he convinced a high school freshman that he was old enough to date even though he was only in seventh grade. Nathan was so impressed that he agreed to drive them to the movies anyway.
Peter has always been able to convince people of things they already want to believe anyway. According to Nathan, Peter makes the most impossible lies sound like the God-given truth. Peter sometimes wonders if this is a blessing or a curse.
*
The job is simple:
Retrieve package from Sylar, Inc. Fourth floor. 406B. You will know the package when you see it. Drop package off at the Upper East Side Helipad. There will be a helicopter waiting.
Time and date of enterprise to be determined upon acceptance of job.
Cost of retrieval: $10 million. To be deposited upon completion.
The problem with doing a job for Bennet is that his jobs are never quite that simple.
There's the matter of Sylar's fortress-like security, and the fact that no company that only makes watches would have cameras outside their building, inside their lobby, four security guards, titanium reinforced elevators, receptionists on every floor, and did Isaac mention the thing about the dogs?
Peter sighs and rubs his forehead. "Dogs?"
Isaac plops down on the sofa next to him and takes the Federal Express badge off of his reusable polyester suit. Velcro is the best invention ever. "Dogs, Pete. I saw at least two and that was just in the lobby and on the sixth floor."
"Big dogs?" Peter's a glutton for punishment.
Isaac nods. "Big dogs."
Nathan looks up from where he and Ando are going over security feeds on multiple laptops. "Eden never said anything about dogs," Peter says flatly.
"Steak." Hiro's on the floor playing with infrared goggles, and he doesn't even glance up from where he's retrofitting some sort of flashlight on the top of the infared goggles.
Peter raises an eyebrow. "Steak?"
Hiro pushes his glasses up his nose. "Kobe beef. Best steak ever."
"You're going to feed the dogs?" Isaac asks, but Peter gets it.
"You want me to drug the dogs?" he asks.
Hiro grins. "It works in movies, yes?"
Peter and Nathan exchange a look. It couldn't possibly hurt.
*
Nathan got married when Peter was twenty-one. Her name was Heidi; Peter genuinely liked her. She was good for Nathan. She made him relax. She made him want to go straight, and Peter couldn't begrudge Nathan that. Even though Peter had grown up thinking that it was always going to be him and Nathan, he wasn't selfish enough to protest -- although a part of him really thought he should.
*
The day before the job, Nathan drags Peter shopping, because clearly Peter just doesn't have enough to worry about with dogs and unknown packages and his stupid boss at his stupid minimum wage job pinching his ass when Peter was helping clean up the concession stand the night before.
Peter sighs as the tailor pushes his arms away from his body to pin the waistband of his trousers. He's already standing in the fitting room half-dressed. His skin prickles in the stale air. "I don't need another suit," he says to Nathan belligerently.
Nathan pauses in what he's doing to lean against the three-way mirror and watch the fitting process critically. "You can always use another suit, Pete."
"So it can sit in the closet and gather dust?"
"No, so you can look presentable. Presentation is everything." Nathan's randomly trying on ties while he watches Peter's fitting. It's really distracting for Peter: the susurration of silk against the collar of Nathan's shirt.
He can't stop staring at Nathan's open collar.
"I thought distraction was everything," Peter mocks. "Ow!"
Giancarlo looks up from where he's kneeling on the floor, pinning the fabric at Peter's inseam. "Oops," he says with a guileless smile.
Nathan snickers and Peter scowls. Giancarlo Vanni has been making suits for Peter since his dad was alive. As far as Peter knows, Giancarlo's been making suits for the Petrellis since their grandfather came over. He certainly looks old enough with his bright white hair and gold-rimmed glasses
"Was that distracting enough for you?" Nathan mocks back, trying on a gold tie that makes Peter scrunch up his nose.
"Don’t change the subject," Peter is feeling sullen now. "I don’t see why it matters what I wear. I thought you didn't want people to notice me. Didn't you say I had to stop being so conspicuous?"
Nathan pulls off the tie. Shhhhhhhh.
Giancarlo gets to his feet slowly. "I need more pins. Do not kill each other with sarcasm while I am gone," he commands before paddling off.
Nathan stands upright as Giancarlo moves past him into the other room. Peter licks his lips as Nathan crosses the room, trying to keep an eye on his brother as he walks around the platform that Peter's standing on.
"Maybe I just want you to be presentable for me," Nathan says in a low tone. Peter's nostrils flare slightly. "The hustler look is interesting," Nathan carries on, "but I'm tired of seeing everyone else appreciate your ragged jeans and tight shirts."
Peter blinks. His skin is prickling again, but for a completely different reason now. He opens his mouth to say something, anything, but it's Giancarlo who interrupts. "I told you two to stop squabbling. You are like my daughter and her good-for-nothing husband."
Nathan smiles broadly and ruffles Peter's hair. "I wouldn't say Peter's good for nothing -- just not most things."
*
After Nathan got married he retired, and Peter went to nursing school, because Peter liked taking care of people. He liked helping. And for a little while everything was okay. For a little while the Petrellis were like anybody else, except that cons don't stop conning. They stay sharp or they get sloppy, and Nathan hates being sloppy. But if Nathan hadn't been sloppy, then he never would've gotten caught trying to steal a Picasso from Linderman.
Peter tried to warn him. It was a stupid job. Peter could've called Isaac and Mohinder and gotten Nathan an entire gallery's worth of Picassos, but no, because Nathan never listened to Peter. Peter was younger; Peter wasn't as experienced; Peter had finals. He had to study.
He had no business working a job.
And then Peter got a frantic call from Heidi at three o'clock on a Wednesday morning, because Nathan was in jail for breaking and entering and Heidi didn't understand any of it.
Her divorce lawyer certainly did though.
*
The basement of the Katana Club is nasty and dark and dank and there are rats. "Nobody said anything about rats," Mohinder protests from inside the ventilation shaft that the Katana Club shares with Sylar, Inc.
Peter sighs from just outside the shaft. This is why he doesn't go first. Nathan's standing across from him, and Peter can see his smile disappearing as he pulls down his balaclava and puts his goggles on over the top.
"You are big girl," Ando's voice is crackly over the earpiece. "Please to stop whining." Ando's sitting in a commandeered Federal Express van down the street with Isaac keeping a watch out for anything they're not expecting. He's not the one dealing with the rats.
"I'm not a girl!" Mohinder protests.
"Well, you're certainly pretty like one," Nathan retorts, his voice growing muffled as he follows Mohinder inside. "Now stop bitching and get climbing."
Peter nods to Hiro as he turns on his goggles and prepares to follow Nathan inside. The ventilation shaft is a tight fit and it smells awful. It probably doesn't help that they're loaded with drugged raw meat and enough C4 to blow both buildings into New Jersey.
Peter does not twitch when something runs across his foot, and in the darkness he can just make out Nathan climbing ahead of him. If he holds his breath he can hear Hiro closing the shaft as he follows behind them, and then they're on.
This is what they do.
DL is at the top of the stairs on security, and his wife, Niki, is inside the club, prepared to cause utter chaos if the situation calls for it. Ando and Isaac are on detail. Matt's working back-up. Everything's going to go fine.
Right.
*
Peter and Nathan exchange a look when the door of 406B swings open, smoke clearing from the explosion, and they're confronted with a man lying on a cot in a blue jumpsuit reading a copy of A Catcher in the Rye.
It would've helped if someone had told them that the package was a goddamn human being.
"Shit," Peter says succinctly.
"You're the one who always wants to help people," Nathan snaps.
"This isn't what I meant."
"We can discuss intent later."
"Much later," Hiro adds.
The package doesn't look phased in the slightest. "Are we leaving now?" the man asks, interrupting their squabble. "It took you long enough. I've been in here for weeks."
And that's when the alarms go off.
*
Alarms. Dogs. Security guards.
If Peter had known there was going to be tear gas he would've worn a goddamn gas mask. What rent-a-cops carry tear gas?!
Ahead of them, Nathan's racing through the halls like he's memorized the entire building's blueprints, which he probably has. Behind them, Peter can hear Hiro shouting into his headpiece in Japanese. Someone's ass is going to get it when they get out of here.
When the fire alarm goes off, the sprinklers create a whole new hazardous environment, and then things become really interesting.
There was no plan to blow a hole in the back of the building and jump into a dumpster in the alley, but Peter takes care of execution, so this is what they're going to do. Peter didn't think there could be more confusion, but he was apparently very wrong. At least nursing school prepared him to deal with any stripe of crisis, and he doesn't give anyone a chance to hesitate before he's shoving people out the building. At worst there'll be a broken leg. It's only four floors.
And to think that Nathan thought they'd brought too much C4. Ha.
Mohinder.
Hiro.
The package.
Peter waves Nathan on and Nathan balks. "You first."
"Can we argue later?" Peter can hear the shouting of people getting closer. He's blinking through the water streaming into his eyes and talking around the debris that's sticking to his lips.
"This is not up for discussion," Nathan retorts. Except the shouting is a lot closer now, and Nathan's yanking Peter behind him, but Peter's not falling, he's flying.
They're flying.
This is a new trick.
*
"What hell was that all about?" Peter whispers under his breath once they're safely in the Federal Express truck and heading towards the heliport. There's water in his ears for the love of god. He's never going to be dry again. Across from him, Mohinder's attending to the package, a young man in his early twenties with brown hair and curious eyes.
Nathan grins and pats him on the back, even as he's stripping off his wet balaclava. "Did you like it?"
"Like it?" Peter glares.
Nathan's smile is all white teeth and used car salesman.
They didn't land in the dumpster, they sort of floated down next to it, but Mohinder and Hiro were too busy pulling the package out of the dumpster to notice. And then there was running, and the van waiting at the mouth of the alley, and god, Peter loves this shit.
The planning. The execution. The adrenaline. "Why did we just break you out of a high security room at a watch factory?" he asks the package rather abruptly. "I mean, we'll try anything once, but I kind of draw the line at human trafficking."
He can feel Nathan's glare. "Excuse him," Nathan interjects. "Sometimes he acts as though he's being paid to ask questions. He's not."
The package shrugs. "I could tell you," he says, "but then I'd have to kill you."
Peter grins at the package, but there's something about the look on his face that makes Peter feel uneasy. As though he might not be joking. He jumps when Nathan elbows him in the ribs. "One more word and I'm calling Rusty and having you replaced," Nathan hisses.
"Rusty eat all my wasabi peas," Hiro exclaims from the front seat, where he's squashed in next to Isaac and Ando.
"Rusty eats everything," Mohinder corrects.
Peter's post-job rush is losing some of its edge, but if he looks out the front window of the van he can see fire trucks racing towards the direction they've just come from. That's a lot more fire trucks than police cars.
"They're responding to the fire alarm, right?" Peter wants verification that this has gone the way it was supposed to.
"Yeah, the bartender at the Katana smelled smoke and pulled the fire alarm," Isaac says matter of factly, even as he's slowing down to make a right turn inside a open garage.
"The bartender?" Nathan says slowly as they pull inside the warehouse's unloading area. Isaac shuts off the engine, and the doors to the back of the truck open before Peter can touch the handle.
"Hi," Matt Parkman greets them with a broad smile and a shiny black tee shirt that says Katana on the right breast pocket.
Peter grins back. "Nathan, meet the bartender."
*
Peter Petrelli is sitting in a green vinyl booth in a nondescript diner in New Jersey. Across the table from him, Hiro Nakamura is plowing through a plate of waffles and Ando Masahasi is picking at something that might've been an omelet in another life. Every time Ando tries to steal a bit of Hiro's waffles, Hiro pokes him with his fork.
"Why you are not ordering your own?" Hiro says, curling a protective arm around his plate.
"Because you ordered some," Ando says, trying a sneak attack only to be rebuffed yet again. "Ow!"
Peter takes another sip of his coffee and chuckles. "We are partners," Ando complains, "why are you not sharing?"
"Partners not share everything," Hiro says around a mouth full of waffle.
Peter's never seen Ando sulk, but he's distracted when Nathan slides into the booth next to him. "Hey," Peter protests mildly as Nathan takes the coffee mug out of his hand and drops a newspaper on the table.
STEWART AND COLBERT MARRY IN CANADA
Truthiness of vows under question
Peter stares for a moment. This is a major newspaper but there's nothing about the robbery at Sylar, or anything reputable or newsworthy whatsoever. The state of American journalism sucks. And Stephen wore a rainbow tie to the wedding.
Peter snickers even as he flips through the paper looking for some mention of something or other.
"There's a mention of a fire alarm at Katana club and Lindsey Lohan's cocaine supply being washed away on page 16," Nathan says, bumping shoulders with Peter. "But that's about it."
They exchange a look: absolutely nothing about the break-in. Huh.
"You boys good over here?" Peter looks up at the waitress and raises an eyebrow. Hilda has gotten much younger in the last ten minutes.
"Claire, hi!" Hiro is entirely too happy to see Claire Bennet. Of course, Hiro is always happy to see everyone. Peter can feel his face twisting into some rictus of a smile. When Nathan was retired and Peter was in nursing school, Peter used to do jobs on the fly for Claire's dad. He tried to convince her to make something of herself and not go into the family business. She didn't listen. And yet, she blends in well with the other waitresses. It must be the blonde hair.
Peter can feel Nathan tensing next him, and he shifts to stretch his right arm along the back of the booth, his hand coming to rest on the nape of Nathan's neck. "Something wrong?" Peter asks with a smile.
"Not at all," Claire says taking out a pad of paper and a pencil and writing something down. "My dad was real pleased with the job you all did; as a matter of fact, he was so pleased he has another offer for you."
And with that, Claire rips off the piece of paper and sets it down on the table. "Have a good day," she says brightly as another harried waitress rushes by.
"Bye!" Hiro calls even as Nathan reaches out to pick up the piece of paper.
Peter leans over to look at the message. He doesn't get it. "Since when does saving a cheerleader pay $30 million dollars?" Peter asks in a low voice.
Hiro and Ando look interested, even Nathan hasn't automatically said no.
"That must be one hell of a cheerleader," Peter offers as he steals back his coffee.
"Maybe she can save the world!" Hiro says excitedly.
Ando makes a scoffing noise. "We are stealing superheroes now?"
"For $30 million she should at least be able to cure cancer," Peter says.
Nathan shifts next to him. "I thought you weren't into human trafficking," he parrots.
"$30 million to save one person is helping, not trafficking."
"Your delusion is amazing," Nathan says with something akin to admiration.
Peter grins. "It's why you love me."
Nathan rolls his eyes, but he doesn't deny it.
"Okay," Hiro says, interrupting the moment. "You love him. He love you. I love everyone. We have group hug now?"
-end-
Betas by the absolutely awesome serialkarma and antheia. Again, this is a homage and x-over with the 2001 version of Ocean's Eleven, and I think I've paraphrased a line of dialogue. Possibly three. Yeah, the one about the whiskey and the one about calling the Haitian.