Heroes, "The Devil and Her Treasures" chapter 5
Fandom: Heroes
Title: The Devil and Her Treasures
Author: paynesgrey
Artist: rebelle_elle
Word Count: 23,514
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: Claire, Peter, Sylar, Elle, Noah Jr, Nathan, Rene, Danko, Knox, Daphne, Claire/Elle, Elle/Sylar, past Peter/Claire
Warnings character death, manipulation, implied incest, torture, violence, sexual situations
Notes: Written for heroes_bigboom. A huge thanks goes to bellonablack for the beta job. This is a sequel to my other fic, Grave New World, and takes place in the "exposed future" around the events of the “Second Coming” and “I am Become Death” episodes, as well as the “Resistance” online graphic novel chapter 106 (which I would recommend reading if you want some early chapters to make sense).
Summary: Renowned terrorist Peter Petrelli has been hiding Sylar, Elle and their son for a long time after Noah Bennet’s death, and when Pinehearst Agent Claire Bennet finally discovers them, they strike a deal to leave Sylar and his son alone, as long as Elle becomes Claire’s prisoner.
Link to art master post: HERE.
The Devil and Her Treasures
Chapter Five: A Mother's Sacrifice
When Nathan found her reclining in his office chair again, she expected the scowl on his face. She grinned at him, certain he would be rattled by her smugness.
“Once again I find you sitting and doing nothing as my brother still remains at large and is still killing innocent people,” Nathan said, stopping in front of his desk as she propped her feet up.
“Relax,” she groaned at him. “I’m waiting for a call from my mole first, and then I’m going to be back on the streets looking for a ghost again.”
“Mole?” Nathan asked, and she watched as he cocked his head with genuine interest.
“Yes, my mole,” Claire repeated. “It took some time, but I was able to get a Pinehearst agent into one of Peter’s moving terrorist cells. The last contact I had with him, he said that Peter had promoted him to a special position. He hadn’t been in their group for more than a month, and already my uncle has put his trust in him. What a fool, as always, but it was something I was banking on.”
“What is this special position?” Nathan asked, and Claire made no motion to leave his desk chair as he began to round the desk, hovering over her shoulder. She shot him a wicked side-glance and turned her attention back to the phone.
“I’m not sure yet, so that’s why I’m waiting for his call,” Claire said, and she watched as Nathan pursed his lips.
“You gave your mole the direct line to my office?” he asked, annoyed.
“No line is more secure,” Claire said bluntly, and Nathan couldn’t argue with that. They almost got locked into another angry stare-down before the phone suddenly rang. Claire batted Nathan’s hand away as he reached for it, and she waited for the voice on the other line to speak first.
“I see, well that is interesting,” she said. “Do as he says for now. Lay low and play along for about a couple weeks. We’ll get our resources ready and strike,” Claire said, and as her mole affirmed her orders, she ended the call. “Try not to be suspicious, and if you hear anything from Peter, please contact me immediately. Good work.”
She hung up and felt Nathan’s eyes bore into her with anticipation. “Well?” he just about shouted.
Claire shrugged nonchalantly. “The plan is a go. The mission - and oh, Peter is a smart one-- is for my mole to watch Elle and Sylar and their brat.” Claire’s face darkened as she thought over the information. “Apparently, my uncle thinks he’s being clever by setting up Sylar and Elle in my old house in Costa Verde since it came on the market.”
“Hidden in plain sight,” Nathan murmured. “And, he thought you wouldn’t notice?”
“He might have been right without my mole,” Claire said with a shudder. “I haven’t thought about that house in years. My aunt was renting it out, but I couldn’t even bring myself to get my things there after I started with Pinehearst. I’d sooner burn everything.” She frowned and turned away from Nathan’s gaze. “That’s not who I am anymore.”
“So, why is Peter moving them now?”
“I suppose it’s because he’s the number one terrorist in the country. Putting his lackeys on babysitting duty just proves he’s going to stop helping them because he’s too busy trying to hide from me,” Claire said, and her brow lifted as she met Nathan’s eyes. “Wow, that must mean I’m doing my job well or something.”
“Sarcasm aside, why did you tell your mole to play along for a couple weeks? We should send a team out there now to grab them before they move in,” Nathan said petulantly.
“Would you just trust me on this? I said I had a plan, didn’t I?” Claire said, reclining in his chair and playing with one of his expensive ballpoint pens. The Prime Minister of Japan had given him that pen, and when she snapped it in half, he cringed, suddenly annoyed. He stayed silent, however, because at the moment her temper was raging. “I want Elle and Sylar to get comfortable in my house, play family for awhile, and feel safe. Then, just like Sylar did to me, I’m going to take away everything they care for in mere seconds. I’m going to finally get them, dead or alive, and then I’m going to take his kid away from him. I’m going to take away everything!”
She threw the pieces of his pen on his desk and met his eyes, and he wondered just how much darkness she was holding within her. He sighed. “Do you ever hear yourself sometimes, Claire? When did you get so cold?”
She scoffed at him. He was the last person who had any right to ask her such a thing. “I was under the impression my coldness was genetic.” She bounced out of his chair and marched out of his office, leaving him with one last phrase. “I have to go. I have a family to destroy.”
xxxxx
Without much hassle, Gabriel and Elle moved into the old Bennet household with their son, and their newly adopted dog, Mr. Muggles. As he and Elle carried the last of their boxes across the threshold, Gabriel paused and looked around the house, letting the reality sink in that he had finally come home. He’d always wanted this house, and though it held bad memories for both he and Elle, for the few weeks he was with Bennet after their rescue in Coyote Sands, he’d felt at peace, as if he really had a chance to start a new life.
That may have never been possible without Noah Bennet, and every day, he felt the guilt weigh down on him that he was the one who had killed Noah, even though the man was possessed and not himself.
He watched as Noah Jr. was already warming up to Mr. Muggles, and his son chased the dog around the house giggling as the dog barked with excitement.
“The last owners fixed up the place,” Elle said at his side. “It looks different. The living room...is that pea green?” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I’m going to have to do something about that.”
“Yes, Mrs. Alden,” Gabriel said, drawing her into a hug. Elle reached up and kissed his chin. She had dyed her hair black, cutting it pixie-short as she donned green contacts.
“That’s Laura Alden to you, Mr. Scott Alden,” she said, laughing and rubbing his recently bald head. He was wearing the nerdiest and thickest black frame glasses too. He also wore a loud Hawaiian shirt as Elle snickered at her grandma sweater and Mom jeans. “This has to be the ugliest disguises we’ve had yet.”
“I don’t know; I think one of the movers was checking you out,” Gabriel teased, and Elle punched him in the arm.
“Don’t underestimate with the power of my Mom jeans,” she said, and they both fell onto the couch laughing. Gabriel looked out the window through the thin white curtains, and he made a mental note to go to the store tomorrow and get thick brown drapes to keep the sunlight, and to have some much needed privacy. In fact, Peter gave them a healthy nest egg to do whatever they wanted to the house, and the improvements would definitely keep them busy.
“Do you think they’re watching us now? Peter’s people?” Elle said, following his gaze toward the window.
“I would imagine so,” Gabriel said. “I’m glad they’re watching. I know you think it’s creepy, but we really can’t be sure Claire won’t come for us. This is her house after all, and I don’t want to have to use my powers and defend ourselves if we don’t have to. Plus, Claire is powerful, and so are her fellow Pinehearst agents.”
“Yeah, but not as powerful as we are,” Elle said.
“I know,” Gabriel answered with exasperation. “Elle, you know how I feel about this. For Noah’s sake, I hope we never have to use our powers again. I don’t want to go back and be the man that Sylar was. I don’t want Noah to ever see that side of me.”
“And he won’t,” Elle said, taking his hand and squeezing it. Gabriel met her eyes and as she nuzzled her forehead against his, he sighed. “I just want you to know that for Noah’s sake you may have to use your powers anyway. We both might. Claire could force our hand.”
“You better hope it never comes to that, Elle,” Gabriel said, kissing her forehead. They snuggled together before Elle broke away, getting ready for dinner as Gabriel turned to take care of Noah and the dog.
xxxxx
Elle’s worries seemed to simmer on his mind, and as two weeks went by, Gabriel felt the trepidation in the air. The skies were dark as storms passed through, muddying up the sky when the rain stopped. Noah had nightmares, and Gabriel woke to Mr. Muggles barking like crazy. Thinking it was another storm, Gabriel got up from a crash of light outside, and when Noah started screaming, Sylar’s blood ran cold. His super-hearing turned on from panic, and he heard footsteps padding around his house.
“Elle, wake up; get Noah,” Gabriel said, and she bolted up out of bed and saw the horror on his face. “They’re here. I can hear them. Get Noah and run,” Gabriel said, bolting out of their bedroom with Elle behind him. She splintered off toward Noah’s room, quieting his cries as she cradled him in her arms. “Go. Run.”
Elle looked down. Blue fire was already pulsing in Gabriel’s hands. The first wave of soldiers burst through the front door, and without hesitation, Gabriel threw them backward with his TK as if they were nothing more than dolls. Stepping over the heap of unconscious soldiers, Gabriel quickly met the dark gaze of the one in charge.
“Hi, honey, I’m home,” she said mockingly. “Where’s the missus? Oh, yeah, we caught her sneaking out back with the kid.” Claire said, enjoying the look of defeat on his face. “That was stupid by the way.”
“And I know you’re lying, Claire,” Gabriel said. “Elle would have defended herself; I would have heard her.”
“She didn’t even get a chance,” Claire said, stepping aside as two of her other agents, a blonde she called Daphne and a man she called Knox held his son and wife. Elle groaned in pain as Daphne had cuffed her behind her back and held her steady. Knox had a hold of Noah Jr., who was frozen with fear.
“This kid is really afraid,” Knox said, inhaling heavily. “I’ve never felt so strong.”
“You don’t touch him!” Gabriel seethed.
“Now, now, you don’t have any room to bargain here,” Claire said, tutting him. “Why don’t we just stop all this fighting? You’re coming with me anyway, and I promise not to hurt the boy if you cooperate.”
“Why should I trust you?” Gabriel sneered.
“I have all the cards. You have no choice,” Claire said. “Also? Really nice of you to take care of my house while I was gone. Love what you’ve done to the place.”
“Go to Hell, Pom-Pom,” Elle squeaked out, and Claire kicked her in the gut to shut her up. Gabriel gritted his teeth as he watched Elle double over in pain. He backed off when Elle started laughing. Everyone turned to Elle as she struggled to her feet. “Is that the best you got? You forget who you’re dealing with.”
“I would stay quiet if I were you,” Claire warned. “Your brat is giving Knox enough power to rip your pretty little brain out.”
Knox nodded. “That’s right.”
“You forget who I am though, or who I once was,” Gabriel said, and everyone turned to him. He saw that momentary fear flash on all their faces, even Claire. “Yes, you must have all been frightened of me at one point. Just my name alone carried dread among our kind.”
“But I thought you gave up that life, Sylar,” Claire said, and then smirked. “No matter what Peter told me, I could never believe you would play house and be a good guy. Look at you, still bragging and threatening people. Maybe I was right. You can’t change.”
“Oh, I can, but if I have to go back to that to save my wife and son, I will. And you know, Claire, I would rather die than become a Pinehearst prisoner.”
“No, Gabriel,” Elle said, shaking her head. “You can’t.”
He could already feel the nuclear fire burning in his hands. Claire, Daphne, and Knox stepped back, watching him intently.
“You can’t kill me,” Claire said.
“Maybe not, but I can find a way to kill you. And I will kill everyone else to get to you, Claire, and I will become Sylar once again. With my wife and son gone, I’ll have nothing to live for, right? I will become more terrifying than Peter ever is. Do you want that Claire? Would you rather just hunt a terrorist, or would you like to hunt a monster too?”
Claire gritted her teeth. “I can take you both down!” she hollered.
“Are you sure? Do you want to test your father’s ire by allowing a monster to kill everyone in this town, or even worse, this world? How many powers have you been selling? It sounds delicious, all those powers. I would love a taste of them. I could take them all,” he said, feeling the Hunger bubbling to the surface. Noah stared at him with fear, and Gabriel hated that his boy had to see him like this, but he had no choice. It was either this or death. He’d never let Pinehearst capture them.
“No, Gabriel, you don’t have to,” Elle said, standing up and turning to Claire. “Take me. Just me. Let my son and Gabriel go, and Gabriel will promise to never use his powers again. He will never help Peter again, and you can take me and do whatever you want. You can torture me; hell, you can even make me into an agent. I don’t care. Just let my son go! Let them both go,” Elle pleaded.
“Are you crazy? I won’t agree to that!” Claire spat.
“Then you’re stupid, Pom-Pom,” Elle said, squirming testily in her restraints. “You’ll have the innocent lives of everyone in Costa Verde on your conscience if you refuse. Gabriel will blow himself up, killing everyone but you, and then you’ll have nothing. You won’t even have us, and you’ll be responsible for the lives of so many innocents because you refused to let two people go.”
“You’re criminals!” Claire said.
“Claire, she’s right,” Daphne said, and Claire glared at her insubordination. “Hey, look, I’ve seen Sylar’s files. He could blow up this whole town. I don’t think Nathan wants Sylar and Elle that much where Pinehearst will be responsible for all those deaths.”
“I’m with Daphne. We already got in trouble with the Prez after what happened in Albany,” Knox said.
“Wonderful! My own agents are rallying against me!” Claire raged at them.
“It’s because they’re right,” Elle said. “Take me, and leave my son and husband, and save a lot of lives today.”
Claire snapped her head to Sylar, knowing in his face he could turn back to the monster in an instant and kill them all. She knew, but she didn’t want to admit it. She was this close to taking away everything and making him pay for what he did to her father. She wanted to beat him so badly, but truthfully, Sylar was more powerful. He always would be, and whether he chose to use that power or not, it didn’t matter. Today Sylar would win.
“Fine, Sylar and the brat get to stay, but only because you’re my prisoner,” Claire relented and snapped at Elle.
“And you won’t bother them again. As long as they don’t help Peter or try to free me, you and Pinehearst must agree to leave them alone for good. Is that a deal?” Elle stressed her point.
“Fine, I agree,” Claire said, crossing her arms and glaring at Sylarl, who didn’t like that Elle was going, but he was somewhat more relieved he didn’t have to use his powers against them.
“Elle, I won’t let you leave like this,” Gabriel said. “I’ll find a way to free you.”
“No,” Elle said, and she turned to Noah as Knox was putting him down. She gave her little boy a hug before he ran back to his dad. “This is the deal, and I’m going to keep it. I’m their prisoner now, and you and Noah won’t have to run anymore. You can have a life without always looking over your shoulders, waiting for someone to capture you. You can start over and be a family, and if I can guarantee that protection for you, I’ll do it, even if you become a family without me. I...I never had a family like that. You know this, but if I can give this security to my son, I will...in a heartbeat.” She turned and met Gabriel’s eyes, his expression so tortured and unsure. She ran up to him and he scooped her into his arms, covering her mouth with his in a long, desperate farewell kiss.
“Ugh,” Claire groaned in the background, and when the couple broke away, Gabriel said goodbye.
“I love you,” Elle said, shocking him slightly. “You ass.” She turned to her son and hugged him again. “Be good, buddy. Be good for your dad, and remember that I love you more than anything in this world.”
“Mommy! Please don’t go. Please!” he clung to her legs and Gabriel had to peel him away. Her son began to cry, and even Elle couldn’t keep back her own tears.
“Let’s get going before I barf,” Claire said, and both Sylar and Noah glared at her as she took Elle away. Elle looked back one more time and smiled at them through her tears.
“I’ll see you again. Promise,” she said, and they heard Claire’s mocking laughter as they led Elle away, breaking up their family. Gabriel felt tears on his cheeks as his son clung to him. Elle’s words of goodbye lingered in his thoughts.
He knew they were never going to see Elle again.
xxxxx
Chapter Six: Bartering with Blood
Title: The Devil and Her Treasures
Author: paynesgrey
Artist: rebelle_elle
Word Count: 23,514
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: Claire, Peter, Sylar, Elle, Noah Jr, Nathan, Rene, Danko, Knox, Daphne, Claire/Elle, Elle/Sylar, past Peter/Claire
Warnings character death, manipulation, implied incest, torture, violence, sexual situations
Notes: Written for heroes_bigboom. A huge thanks goes to bellonablack for the beta job. This is a sequel to my other fic, Grave New World, and takes place in the "exposed future" around the events of the “Second Coming” and “I am Become Death” episodes, as well as the “Resistance” online graphic novel chapter 106 (which I would recommend reading if you want some early chapters to make sense).
Summary: Renowned terrorist Peter Petrelli has been hiding Sylar, Elle and their son for a long time after Noah Bennet’s death, and when Pinehearst Agent Claire Bennet finally discovers them, they strike a deal to leave Sylar and his son alone, as long as Elle becomes Claire’s prisoner.
Link to art master post: HERE.
The Devil and Her Treasures
Chapter Five: A Mother's Sacrifice
When Nathan found her reclining in his office chair again, she expected the scowl on his face. She grinned at him, certain he would be rattled by her smugness.
“Once again I find you sitting and doing nothing as my brother still remains at large and is still killing innocent people,” Nathan said, stopping in front of his desk as she propped her feet up.
“Relax,” she groaned at him. “I’m waiting for a call from my mole first, and then I’m going to be back on the streets looking for a ghost again.”
“Mole?” Nathan asked, and she watched as he cocked his head with genuine interest.
“Yes, my mole,” Claire repeated. “It took some time, but I was able to get a Pinehearst agent into one of Peter’s moving terrorist cells. The last contact I had with him, he said that Peter had promoted him to a special position. He hadn’t been in their group for more than a month, and already my uncle has put his trust in him. What a fool, as always, but it was something I was banking on.”
“What is this special position?” Nathan asked, and Claire made no motion to leave his desk chair as he began to round the desk, hovering over her shoulder. She shot him a wicked side-glance and turned her attention back to the phone.
“I’m not sure yet, so that’s why I’m waiting for his call,” Claire said, and she watched as Nathan pursed his lips.
“You gave your mole the direct line to my office?” he asked, annoyed.
“No line is more secure,” Claire said bluntly, and Nathan couldn’t argue with that. They almost got locked into another angry stare-down before the phone suddenly rang. Claire batted Nathan’s hand away as he reached for it, and she waited for the voice on the other line to speak first.
“I see, well that is interesting,” she said. “Do as he says for now. Lay low and play along for about a couple weeks. We’ll get our resources ready and strike,” Claire said, and as her mole affirmed her orders, she ended the call. “Try not to be suspicious, and if you hear anything from Peter, please contact me immediately. Good work.”
She hung up and felt Nathan’s eyes bore into her with anticipation. “Well?” he just about shouted.
Claire shrugged nonchalantly. “The plan is a go. The mission - and oh, Peter is a smart one-- is for my mole to watch Elle and Sylar and their brat.” Claire’s face darkened as she thought over the information. “Apparently, my uncle thinks he’s being clever by setting up Sylar and Elle in my old house in Costa Verde since it came on the market.”
“Hidden in plain sight,” Nathan murmured. “And, he thought you wouldn’t notice?”
“He might have been right without my mole,” Claire said with a shudder. “I haven’t thought about that house in years. My aunt was renting it out, but I couldn’t even bring myself to get my things there after I started with Pinehearst. I’d sooner burn everything.” She frowned and turned away from Nathan’s gaze. “That’s not who I am anymore.”
“So, why is Peter moving them now?”
“I suppose it’s because he’s the number one terrorist in the country. Putting his lackeys on babysitting duty just proves he’s going to stop helping them because he’s too busy trying to hide from me,” Claire said, and her brow lifted as she met Nathan’s eyes. “Wow, that must mean I’m doing my job well or something.”
“Sarcasm aside, why did you tell your mole to play along for a couple weeks? We should send a team out there now to grab them before they move in,” Nathan said petulantly.
“Would you just trust me on this? I said I had a plan, didn’t I?” Claire said, reclining in his chair and playing with one of his expensive ballpoint pens. The Prime Minister of Japan had given him that pen, and when she snapped it in half, he cringed, suddenly annoyed. He stayed silent, however, because at the moment her temper was raging. “I want Elle and Sylar to get comfortable in my house, play family for awhile, and feel safe. Then, just like Sylar did to me, I’m going to take away everything they care for in mere seconds. I’m going to finally get them, dead or alive, and then I’m going to take his kid away from him. I’m going to take away everything!”
She threw the pieces of his pen on his desk and met his eyes, and he wondered just how much darkness she was holding within her. He sighed. “Do you ever hear yourself sometimes, Claire? When did you get so cold?”
She scoffed at him. He was the last person who had any right to ask her such a thing. “I was under the impression my coldness was genetic.” She bounced out of his chair and marched out of his office, leaving him with one last phrase. “I have to go. I have a family to destroy.”
xxxxx
Without much hassle, Gabriel and Elle moved into the old Bennet household with their son, and their newly adopted dog, Mr. Muggles. As he and Elle carried the last of their boxes across the threshold, Gabriel paused and looked around the house, letting the reality sink in that he had finally come home. He’d always wanted this house, and though it held bad memories for both he and Elle, for the few weeks he was with Bennet after their rescue in Coyote Sands, he’d felt at peace, as if he really had a chance to start a new life.
That may have never been possible without Noah Bennet, and every day, he felt the guilt weigh down on him that he was the one who had killed Noah, even though the man was possessed and not himself.
He watched as Noah Jr. was already warming up to Mr. Muggles, and his son chased the dog around the house giggling as the dog barked with excitement.
“The last owners fixed up the place,” Elle said at his side. “It looks different. The living room...is that pea green?” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I’m going to have to do something about that.”
“Yes, Mrs. Alden,” Gabriel said, drawing her into a hug. Elle reached up and kissed his chin. She had dyed her hair black, cutting it pixie-short as she donned green contacts.
“That’s Laura Alden to you, Mr. Scott Alden,” she said, laughing and rubbing his recently bald head. He was wearing the nerdiest and thickest black frame glasses too. He also wore a loud Hawaiian shirt as Elle snickered at her grandma sweater and Mom jeans. “This has to be the ugliest disguises we’ve had yet.”
“I don’t know; I think one of the movers was checking you out,” Gabriel teased, and Elle punched him in the arm.
“Don’t underestimate with the power of my Mom jeans,” she said, and they both fell onto the couch laughing. Gabriel looked out the window through the thin white curtains, and he made a mental note to go to the store tomorrow and get thick brown drapes to keep the sunlight, and to have some much needed privacy. In fact, Peter gave them a healthy nest egg to do whatever they wanted to the house, and the improvements would definitely keep them busy.
“Do you think they’re watching us now? Peter’s people?” Elle said, following his gaze toward the window.
“I would imagine so,” Gabriel said. “I’m glad they’re watching. I know you think it’s creepy, but we really can’t be sure Claire won’t come for us. This is her house after all, and I don’t want to have to use my powers and defend ourselves if we don’t have to. Plus, Claire is powerful, and so are her fellow Pinehearst agents.”
“Yeah, but not as powerful as we are,” Elle said.
“I know,” Gabriel answered with exasperation. “Elle, you know how I feel about this. For Noah’s sake, I hope we never have to use our powers again. I don’t want to go back and be the man that Sylar was. I don’t want Noah to ever see that side of me.”
“And he won’t,” Elle said, taking his hand and squeezing it. Gabriel met her eyes and as she nuzzled her forehead against his, he sighed. “I just want you to know that for Noah’s sake you may have to use your powers anyway. We both might. Claire could force our hand.”
“You better hope it never comes to that, Elle,” Gabriel said, kissing her forehead. They snuggled together before Elle broke away, getting ready for dinner as Gabriel turned to take care of Noah and the dog.
xxxxx
Elle’s worries seemed to simmer on his mind, and as two weeks went by, Gabriel felt the trepidation in the air. The skies were dark as storms passed through, muddying up the sky when the rain stopped. Noah had nightmares, and Gabriel woke to Mr. Muggles barking like crazy. Thinking it was another storm, Gabriel got up from a crash of light outside, and when Noah started screaming, Sylar’s blood ran cold. His super-hearing turned on from panic, and he heard footsteps padding around his house.
“Elle, wake up; get Noah,” Gabriel said, and she bolted up out of bed and saw the horror on his face. “They’re here. I can hear them. Get Noah and run,” Gabriel said, bolting out of their bedroom with Elle behind him. She splintered off toward Noah’s room, quieting his cries as she cradled him in her arms. “Go. Run.”
Elle looked down. Blue fire was already pulsing in Gabriel’s hands. The first wave of soldiers burst through the front door, and without hesitation, Gabriel threw them backward with his TK as if they were nothing more than dolls. Stepping over the heap of unconscious soldiers, Gabriel quickly met the dark gaze of the one in charge.
“Hi, honey, I’m home,” she said mockingly. “Where’s the missus? Oh, yeah, we caught her sneaking out back with the kid.” Claire said, enjoying the look of defeat on his face. “That was stupid by the way.”
“And I know you’re lying, Claire,” Gabriel said. “Elle would have defended herself; I would have heard her.”
“She didn’t even get a chance,” Claire said, stepping aside as two of her other agents, a blonde she called Daphne and a man she called Knox held his son and wife. Elle groaned in pain as Daphne had cuffed her behind her back and held her steady. Knox had a hold of Noah Jr., who was frozen with fear.
“This kid is really afraid,” Knox said, inhaling heavily. “I’ve never felt so strong.”
“You don’t touch him!” Gabriel seethed.
“Now, now, you don’t have any room to bargain here,” Claire said, tutting him. “Why don’t we just stop all this fighting? You’re coming with me anyway, and I promise not to hurt the boy if you cooperate.”
“Why should I trust you?” Gabriel sneered.
“I have all the cards. You have no choice,” Claire said. “Also? Really nice of you to take care of my house while I was gone. Love what you’ve done to the place.”
“Go to Hell, Pom-Pom,” Elle squeaked out, and Claire kicked her in the gut to shut her up. Gabriel gritted his teeth as he watched Elle double over in pain. He backed off when Elle started laughing. Everyone turned to Elle as she struggled to her feet. “Is that the best you got? You forget who you’re dealing with.”
“I would stay quiet if I were you,” Claire warned. “Your brat is giving Knox enough power to rip your pretty little brain out.”
Knox nodded. “That’s right.”
“You forget who I am though, or who I once was,” Gabriel said, and everyone turned to him. He saw that momentary fear flash on all their faces, even Claire. “Yes, you must have all been frightened of me at one point. Just my name alone carried dread among our kind.”
“But I thought you gave up that life, Sylar,” Claire said, and then smirked. “No matter what Peter told me, I could never believe you would play house and be a good guy. Look at you, still bragging and threatening people. Maybe I was right. You can’t change.”
“Oh, I can, but if I have to go back to that to save my wife and son, I will. And you know, Claire, I would rather die than become a Pinehearst prisoner.”
“No, Gabriel,” Elle said, shaking her head. “You can’t.”
He could already feel the nuclear fire burning in his hands. Claire, Daphne, and Knox stepped back, watching him intently.
“You can’t kill me,” Claire said.
“Maybe not, but I can find a way to kill you. And I will kill everyone else to get to you, Claire, and I will become Sylar once again. With my wife and son gone, I’ll have nothing to live for, right? I will become more terrifying than Peter ever is. Do you want that Claire? Would you rather just hunt a terrorist, or would you like to hunt a monster too?”
Claire gritted her teeth. “I can take you both down!” she hollered.
“Are you sure? Do you want to test your father’s ire by allowing a monster to kill everyone in this town, or even worse, this world? How many powers have you been selling? It sounds delicious, all those powers. I would love a taste of them. I could take them all,” he said, feeling the Hunger bubbling to the surface. Noah stared at him with fear, and Gabriel hated that his boy had to see him like this, but he had no choice. It was either this or death. He’d never let Pinehearst capture them.
“No, Gabriel, you don’t have to,” Elle said, standing up and turning to Claire. “Take me. Just me. Let my son and Gabriel go, and Gabriel will promise to never use his powers again. He will never help Peter again, and you can take me and do whatever you want. You can torture me; hell, you can even make me into an agent. I don’t care. Just let my son go! Let them both go,” Elle pleaded.
“Are you crazy? I won’t agree to that!” Claire spat.
“Then you’re stupid, Pom-Pom,” Elle said, squirming testily in her restraints. “You’ll have the innocent lives of everyone in Costa Verde on your conscience if you refuse. Gabriel will blow himself up, killing everyone but you, and then you’ll have nothing. You won’t even have us, and you’ll be responsible for the lives of so many innocents because you refused to let two people go.”
“You’re criminals!” Claire said.
“Claire, she’s right,” Daphne said, and Claire glared at her insubordination. “Hey, look, I’ve seen Sylar’s files. He could blow up this whole town. I don’t think Nathan wants Sylar and Elle that much where Pinehearst will be responsible for all those deaths.”
“I’m with Daphne. We already got in trouble with the Prez after what happened in Albany,” Knox said.
“Wonderful! My own agents are rallying against me!” Claire raged at them.
“It’s because they’re right,” Elle said. “Take me, and leave my son and husband, and save a lot of lives today.”
Claire snapped her head to Sylar, knowing in his face he could turn back to the monster in an instant and kill them all. She knew, but she didn’t want to admit it. She was this close to taking away everything and making him pay for what he did to her father. She wanted to beat him so badly, but truthfully, Sylar was more powerful. He always would be, and whether he chose to use that power or not, it didn’t matter. Today Sylar would win.
“Fine, Sylar and the brat get to stay, but only because you’re my prisoner,” Claire relented and snapped at Elle.
“And you won’t bother them again. As long as they don’t help Peter or try to free me, you and Pinehearst must agree to leave them alone for good. Is that a deal?” Elle stressed her point.
“Fine, I agree,” Claire said, crossing her arms and glaring at Sylarl, who didn’t like that Elle was going, but he was somewhat more relieved he didn’t have to use his powers against them.
“Elle, I won’t let you leave like this,” Gabriel said. “I’ll find a way to free you.”
“No,” Elle said, and she turned to Noah as Knox was putting him down. She gave her little boy a hug before he ran back to his dad. “This is the deal, and I’m going to keep it. I’m their prisoner now, and you and Noah won’t have to run anymore. You can have a life without always looking over your shoulders, waiting for someone to capture you. You can start over and be a family, and if I can guarantee that protection for you, I’ll do it, even if you become a family without me. I...I never had a family like that. You know this, but if I can give this security to my son, I will...in a heartbeat.” She turned and met Gabriel’s eyes, his expression so tortured and unsure. She ran up to him and he scooped her into his arms, covering her mouth with his in a long, desperate farewell kiss.
“Ugh,” Claire groaned in the background, and when the couple broke away, Gabriel said goodbye.
“I love you,” Elle said, shocking him slightly. “You ass.” She turned to her son and hugged him again. “Be good, buddy. Be good for your dad, and remember that I love you more than anything in this world.”
“Mommy! Please don’t go. Please!” he clung to her legs and Gabriel had to peel him away. Her son began to cry, and even Elle couldn’t keep back her own tears.
“Let’s get going before I barf,” Claire said, and both Sylar and Noah glared at her as she took Elle away. Elle looked back one more time and smiled at them through her tears.
“I’ll see you again. Promise,” she said, and they heard Claire’s mocking laughter as they led Elle away, breaking up their family. Gabriel felt tears on his cheeks as his son clung to him. Elle’s words of goodbye lingered in his thoughts.
He knew they were never going to see Elle again.
xxxxx
Chapter Six: Bartering with Blood