[Fic] Heroes - Argus 10/13
Title: Argus 10/13 - Senator Nathan Petrelli has an idea
Author: themaskedmckay
Rating: Gen
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: None
Words: 1,258
Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me.
Warning: Character death & implied character death. But death isn't always as final as it might seem.
Spoilers: Up to the end of season three. The story takes place between seasons three and four.
Summary: Sylar the cockroach becomes Sylar the planarian when his cell regeneration ability evolves.
Author's Notes: A HUGE thank you to luckykitty for the beta!
Argus Illustration
[ All Parts to date]
Senator Nathan Petrelli has an idea
I don't like the way Angela Petrelli and Noah Bennett stand so comfortably in my office; like they are the ones with the power here. I think the large hole in the floor should prove that I am the one with the power - and that a solid gold man when dropped from ceiling height can do a lot of damage.
They're standing with their heads tilted together, talking about me, wondering what I can remember, or if it was me who did it, or if there was another Sylar present. I'm leaning against the wall. I may seem to be paying attention to what they're doing but I'm really watching the men they've brought with them out of the corner of my eye. Company men. Armed to the teeth and eyeballing me.
If I let on that I know who I really am they'll put me in confinement again. I'd be lucky if being made to think I'm Nathan is all they do to me. Now that I'm aware that I'm a wolf in, well, shark's clothing I'm very reluctant to give up the political power and influence Nathan Petrelli has at his disposal.
There's a lot I can accomplish as Nathan Petrelli.
Noah looks over his shoulder at me but his face gives nothing away. "Senator Petrelli," he says as he walks over to me. "Do you want to tell me one more time what happened here?"
He's watching my face, looking for lies and secrets. I use the Nathan personality they forced onto me to help with my masquerade and release a shaky breath. "I came back from lunch early and Sylar was here. Next thing I know, he's pinned to the ceiling. I thought there might be another Sylar hiding in the room so I ran. I'm not stupid, I can't take him on."
Noah gives me that smile of his that is meant to be reassuring but comes off as smug. Has he ever had a genuine emotion? "That was very wise of you, Nathan. I helped take down two Sylars earlier; it wasn't easy." He's telling the truth. I'm sure it gave him a warm glow inside to kill my duplicates, but it probably wasn't as good for him as when he slit my throat during the last eclipse.
"Is Claire alright?" I ask, full of fatherly concern. He hesitates, analysing why I'd suddenly be enquiring after his adopted daughter. Of course, she's my daughter now, too. It's hard not to smile at his apprehension; is it Nathan asking after Claire or an emerging Sylar?
"She's fine," he replies warily.
It's nice to know I can still hit that particular button of his. "Good. Does she know about the Sylar duplicates?"
"No." He's not sure who he's talking to. "I think it's best she doesn't know."
I nod as if I'm contemplating the fatherly wisdom of protecting her. She hates being coddled. "She'll be furious if she finds out on her own."
"I know." He might be a bastard but at least he takes responsibility for his actions. "I'll deal with that when, and if, she encounters one."
I chuckle as if we're sharing some sort of Claire-related joke. "Better you than me." He returns my smile but his eyes are still wary. He's not a man who is easily put at ease, especially where I'm concerned. "Listen," I say sliding my hands into my pants pockets. "I've been thinking about how we can contain and study the Sylars we capture."
Noah's eyebrows raise in surprise, "Who said anything about capturing them?"
"Unless you can think of some way, other than turning them to gold, that we can prevent bits of him from replicating I'm listening, Bennett. Even if you do that thing with the 'sweet spot' you were talking about he'll recover and if, in the meantime, someone cuts a finger off or hell, if he bleeds enough, we could have another one on our hands. Can we trust the men we send after him to make sure every scrap of him is destroyed?
"If word of this threat gets out, all the work I've-" I gesture an apology- "We've been doing will be for nothing! People with abilities will be hunted again." Claire is must still forefront of Noah's mind because he actually looks concerned for a moment. Sometimes, it's all too easy to manipulate these people.
"We're collaborating with Dr. Suresh. He's already started research to find a way to stop the replication process." He smirks at me and I curse myself for letting emotion show on my face. He obviously knows what buttons to push to make me react, too, if I were Sylar. I shouldn't be surprised Mohinder is involved but Nathan might be. He wouldn't have knowledge of our past experience.
"Suresh? He worked for my father at Pinehurst! How can we trust him?"
"I don't trust him. But he feels responsible for Sylar's crimes. He'll dedicate himself to finding a way to stop Sylar and that's all we need from him."
I tap my lips with a finger. "I suppose. We should have a team with him, for protection." Mostly, I just want to keep an eye on him but I'm sure that doesn't escape Noah.
"Parkman should be with him soon enough."
"The telepath? Sure, he's a good choice to work with Suresh but what's he going to do against a Sylar-clone?"
"Oh," Noah straightens out his sleeves in an unnecessary gesture, "Parkman's picked up a few useful tricks."
"I'd like to know what these tricks are. " I really, really, want to know. I should arrange for a meeting with Parkman. Maybe that's the reason they've been keeping us apart, afraid his ability would be too much temptation and I'd overcome my Nathan programming to take it.
"I'm sure you would." Noah's eyes are hooded and he's not giving anything away but he suspects me. What am I thinking? He suspects everyone all the time.
"Yes, I would, Bennett." My posture shifts so my stance is more aggressive but not I'm-going-to-touch-your-brains aggressive; I'm just letting him know that Nathan is serious. "If the Company wants me to secure additional resources and put my political career on the line then, yes, I want to be in the know."
My mother, Angela, moves between us. I suspect she and the rather recently separated but not yet divorced Mr. Bennett may have a little something going on. You know, for the Company. Lie back and think of your Country, mom.
"Nathan." Her tone of voice is the one she uses for when she thinks I'm being naughty. "We need you to have plausible deniability should any of this go public. You are our greatest asset. We can't put you and your position at risk." She's running her hands over the front of my suit like it will soothe me.
I pull away and shoot a glare at Bennett. "I know how we can handle the clones and secure enough funding the Company won't have to worry about borrowing government resources for a long time."
"Really?" He keeps his expression bland.
"Of course. It just... came together in my head." There, enough so they don't know I know I'm Sylar but the explanation is plausible enough they know it could be true.
Noah stares at me. His eyes search my face, looking for a sign of Sylar. He won't find anything; Senator Nathan Petrelli fits me like a glove. Satisfied, he says, "Let's hear this plan."
-------
[ All Parts to date]
On to part 11
Author: themaskedmckay
Rating: Gen
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: None
Words: 1,258
Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me.
Warning: Character death & implied character death. But death isn't always as final as it might seem.
Spoilers: Up to the end of season three. The story takes place between seasons three and four.
Summary: Sylar the cockroach becomes Sylar the planarian when his cell regeneration ability evolves.
Author's Notes: A HUGE thank you to luckykitty for the beta!
Argus Illustration
[ All Parts to date]
Senator Nathan Petrelli has an idea
I don't like the way Angela Petrelli and Noah Bennett stand so comfortably in my office; like they are the ones with the power here. I think the large hole in the floor should prove that I am the one with the power - and that a solid gold man when dropped from ceiling height can do a lot of damage.
They're standing with their heads tilted together, talking about me, wondering what I can remember, or if it was me who did it, or if there was another Sylar present. I'm leaning against the wall. I may seem to be paying attention to what they're doing but I'm really watching the men they've brought with them out of the corner of my eye. Company men. Armed to the teeth and eyeballing me.
If I let on that I know who I really am they'll put me in confinement again. I'd be lucky if being made to think I'm Nathan is all they do to me. Now that I'm aware that I'm a wolf in, well, shark's clothing I'm very reluctant to give up the political power and influence Nathan Petrelli has at his disposal.
There's a lot I can accomplish as Nathan Petrelli.
Noah looks over his shoulder at me but his face gives nothing away. "Senator Petrelli," he says as he walks over to me. "Do you want to tell me one more time what happened here?"
He's watching my face, looking for lies and secrets. I use the Nathan personality they forced onto me to help with my masquerade and release a shaky breath. "I came back from lunch early and Sylar was here. Next thing I know, he's pinned to the ceiling. I thought there might be another Sylar hiding in the room so I ran. I'm not stupid, I can't take him on."
Noah gives me that smile of his that is meant to be reassuring but comes off as smug. Has he ever had a genuine emotion? "That was very wise of you, Nathan. I helped take down two Sylars earlier; it wasn't easy." He's telling the truth. I'm sure it gave him a warm glow inside to kill my duplicates, but it probably wasn't as good for him as when he slit my throat during the last eclipse.
"Is Claire alright?" I ask, full of fatherly concern. He hesitates, analysing why I'd suddenly be enquiring after his adopted daughter. Of course, she's my daughter now, too. It's hard not to smile at his apprehension; is it Nathan asking after Claire or an emerging Sylar?
"She's fine," he replies warily.
It's nice to know I can still hit that particular button of his. "Good. Does she know about the Sylar duplicates?"
"No." He's not sure who he's talking to. "I think it's best she doesn't know."
I nod as if I'm contemplating the fatherly wisdom of protecting her. She hates being coddled. "She'll be furious if she finds out on her own."
"I know." He might be a bastard but at least he takes responsibility for his actions. "I'll deal with that when, and if, she encounters one."
I chuckle as if we're sharing some sort of Claire-related joke. "Better you than me." He returns my smile but his eyes are still wary. He's not a man who is easily put at ease, especially where I'm concerned. "Listen," I say sliding my hands into my pants pockets. "I've been thinking about how we can contain and study the Sylars we capture."
Noah's eyebrows raise in surprise, "Who said anything about capturing them?"
"Unless you can think of some way, other than turning them to gold, that we can prevent bits of him from replicating I'm listening, Bennett. Even if you do that thing with the 'sweet spot' you were talking about he'll recover and if, in the meantime, someone cuts a finger off or hell, if he bleeds enough, we could have another one on our hands. Can we trust the men we send after him to make sure every scrap of him is destroyed?
"If word of this threat gets out, all the work I've-" I gesture an apology- "We've been doing will be for nothing! People with abilities will be hunted again." Claire is must still forefront of Noah's mind because he actually looks concerned for a moment. Sometimes, it's all too easy to manipulate these people.
"We're collaborating with Dr. Suresh. He's already started research to find a way to stop the replication process." He smirks at me and I curse myself for letting emotion show on my face. He obviously knows what buttons to push to make me react, too, if I were Sylar. I shouldn't be surprised Mohinder is involved but Nathan might be. He wouldn't have knowledge of our past experience.
"Suresh? He worked for my father at Pinehurst! How can we trust him?"
"I don't trust him. But he feels responsible for Sylar's crimes. He'll dedicate himself to finding a way to stop Sylar and that's all we need from him."
I tap my lips with a finger. "I suppose. We should have a team with him, for protection." Mostly, I just want to keep an eye on him but I'm sure that doesn't escape Noah.
"Parkman should be with him soon enough."
"The telepath? Sure, he's a good choice to work with Suresh but what's he going to do against a Sylar-clone?"
"Oh," Noah straightens out his sleeves in an unnecessary gesture, "Parkman's picked up a few useful tricks."
"I'd like to know what these tricks are. " I really, really, want to know. I should arrange for a meeting with Parkman. Maybe that's the reason they've been keeping us apart, afraid his ability would be too much temptation and I'd overcome my Nathan programming to take it.
"I'm sure you would." Noah's eyes are hooded and he's not giving anything away but he suspects me. What am I thinking? He suspects everyone all the time.
"Yes, I would, Bennett." My posture shifts so my stance is more aggressive but not I'm-going-to-touch-your-brains aggressive; I'm just letting him know that Nathan is serious. "If the Company wants me to secure additional resources and put my political career on the line then, yes, I want to be in the know."
My mother, Angela, moves between us. I suspect she and the rather recently separated but not yet divorced Mr. Bennett may have a little something going on. You know, for the Company. Lie back and think of your Country, mom.
"Nathan." Her tone of voice is the one she uses for when she thinks I'm being naughty. "We need you to have plausible deniability should any of this go public. You are our greatest asset. We can't put you and your position at risk." She's running her hands over the front of my suit like it will soothe me.
I pull away and shoot a glare at Bennett. "I know how we can handle the clones and secure enough funding the Company won't have to worry about borrowing government resources for a long time."
"Really?" He keeps his expression bland.
"Of course. It just... came together in my head." There, enough so they don't know I know I'm Sylar but the explanation is plausible enough they know it could be true.
Noah stares at me. His eyes search my face, looking for a sign of Sylar. He won't find anything; Senator Nathan Petrelli fits me like a glove. Satisfied, he says, "Let's hear this plan."
-------
[ All Parts to date]
On to part 11