Understanding [11/?]
Title: Understanding [11/?] - The Plan
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairing/Characters: Mohinder/Sylar, Ensemble
Spoilers: Seasons 1 & 2, and some of the online comics.
Warnings: Some possibly, vaguely disturbing imagery surrounding being buried alive. A little language, vague references to past m/m sex and murderous intentions. Nothing major.
This Time: Mohinder faces interrogation from two different fronts while Sylar takes off for Japan.
A/N: This chapter was absolutely hell to write. Bennet intimidates me and I've never written this much dialog all at once. O.o So I'm sorry for the wait, but hopefully it will have been worth it. This part is also a bit short (sorry!), but its setting up a lot of fun stuff on the horizon.
Infinite thank yous to ladywilde80. Who, despite going through a rough time herself, prodded me to keep going and continued her awesome beta work. So glad you kicked my ass about the Sylar scene, I would have died of embarassment if I'd posted it the way it was. Everyone go send her some love!
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Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10
“Hello Bennet,” Mohinder greeted the other man as politely as he could, given the circumstances. He stepped aside, letting Noah in and shut the door carefully behind him. “I have to admit, I expected the cavalry.”
“Oh I brought the cavalry with me.” Noah assured him as he surveyed the apartment. “I just sent them home when we determined Sylar wasn’t here.”
Mohinder gestured towards an empty dining chair. He didn’t fail to notice the gun just barely visible under Bennet’s open jacket. It was just that, all things considered, he didn’t have it in him to be worried about such mundane things at the moment.
“Tea?”
“No, thank you.” Bennet took the offered seat and nodded towards the keycard that Mohinder had dropped back onto the table.
“I guess I don’t need to tell you that you’ve got some explaining to do.”
“I only wish that I had more answers for you.” Mohinder replied as he slid into another of the chairs. It was taking a monumental amount of effort to keep his attitude casual. “Is anyone hurt?”
“No, actually.” Noah replied with a frown. “And before you ask, no I don’t know what he was up to. To be honest, when it was explained to me what happened I had expected to find out he’d killed you. So the real question is: what happened here?”
Mohinder sighed, looking off to the side at nothing in particular.
“Not much, really.” He started, pulling up his regrettably only half thought out story. “I woke up and he was here. He tossed the card at me, said ‘have fun explaining this to your boss’ and left. I don’t know why, but he seems intent on mind games at the moment.”
Noah seemed to consider this for a long moment and Mohinder did his best not to look guilty. The silence was oppressive and he found himself talking just to fill the empty air.
“So why’d they send you?” He asked with genuine curiosity.
Noah jerked roughly out of his thoughts. He regarded Mohinder mutely for a moment before answering.
“Sylar’s my first new assignment.” The emphasis made it plenty clear to Mohinder how Bennet felt about working for the Company again. It seemed that, for the moment, Mohinder was being considered the lesser of two evils. “I’ve dealt with him before and I’ve got plenty of motivation to see him stopped.”
Mohinder just nodded. He was reminded all of a sudden that since he hadn’t told anyone about Claire, Bennet wouldn’t know either. Information about his daughter would be a good way to get him to listen while Mohinder explained about the Petrelli’s plans. He was still pulling his thoughts into order, however, when Bennet continued talking.
“It’ll be a lot harder this time though. We need something to incapacitate him before he has a chance to use that telekinesis of his. Last time I had Eden and the Hatian. Without similar resources we need to be somewhat more.. cunning.”
“Wait, we?” Mohinder’s mouth dropped open in stunned dismay.
“You haven’t been assigned to be my partner or anything,” Noah leaned forward, folding his hands on the table before him, looking Mohinder hard in the eye. “Listen. I’m not sure I believe you when you say that you don’t know why Sylar keeps -visiting you, but it doesn’t really matter why he’s decided to toy with you rather than kill you. Frankly, right now we have no way of tracking him without Molly. What we do know, is that in the last week he’s come to you three times.” Bennet sighed as he misinterpreted the horror that tugged at Mohinder’s features. “I know its dangerous, but right now this is the only option we’ve got. You fooled him once before, do you think you can do it again?”
“You- you can’t be serious?” Mohinder felt like he was going to be sick. This day just kept getting worse and worse. “That was when he thought I was his friend. Now that he knows I’m an enemy? No way.”
The worst of it all was that Bennet was even more right then he could possibly know. Sylar had said he would be back. Getting close enough to him, distracting him long enough to stick him full of sedatives could be easy. Mohinder might not succeed but there’d be no better way to surprise him.
Except that he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it.
“You disappoint me Dr. Suresh. Lose your nerve after shooting me?” Bennet spoke with a disturbing calmness. The words glinted like the edge of a freshly sharpened and polished blade. Mohinder was tempted to rise to the challenge in those words, to justify himself for pulling that trigger. Unfortunately his guilt over the event was all too real and any protestations would only be hollow words.
“Things aren’t that simple Bennet.” Mohinder replied tiredly, rubbing his temples in an attempt to stave off the headache he could feel blooming in his skull. “In fact, they’re unbelievably complicated.” He took a deep breath, staring up at the ceiling as he finished sorting his thoughts into order. “How much do you know about the assassination attempt on Nathan Petrelli’s life?”
Mohinder carefully explained everything that had happened with Nathan, Peter, Claire and Sylar. He edited things a little, but thankfully only he and Sylar knew exactly what had been happening in that motel room before Peter showed up. Noah tried to interrupt several times during the story, notably whenever Mohinder reached a point where Sylar and Claire were in the same room. Eventually the whole story got told, everything from the Petrelli’s desires to take down the Company to the ominous message from the future.
“You just can’t make up your mind, can you Dr. Suresh?” Bennet chided. “First you tell me you want to take the Company down, then you go native, and now you want to bring them down again. I can’t work with someone so liable to change his mind at the drop of a hat. This is a dangerous game and I’m not playing it with anyone who’s not completely committed.”
Mohinder let out a puff of air in annoyance. He was starting to get a headache from the constant tension in his shoulders and it didn’t look like things were going to calm down for him anytime soon.
“I still maintain that dealing with the virus, and now figuring out how to cure Peter, are the most important issues at the moment. We need the Company’s resources for that, its unfortunate but its true. I never said that I liked that fact, but that’s what it is, a fact.” Mohinder explained with more than a hint of annoyance. “I understand your feelings concerning Claire, I do. I’ve worked my hardest to keep Molly out of the Company’s clutches as well; but the fact was, and still is, that her blood is the only way to cure the more virulent strains of the virus. The thing is, Claire was more than willing to give us some. If you hadn’t been so damn stubborn things would have gone a lot smoother. I know you’re worried about things getting out of hand, but I was never going to let that happen.”
“If the Company wants to do something Suresh, they will. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you could protect Claire from them. That’s my job and I know the only way to do it is to keep her out of their clutches entirely.” Bennet shot back angrily.
“And what if Claire’s blood is the only thing that can cure Peter? What if more people contract the nastier strains of the virus?” Mohinder shot back defensively. “Dammit Noah, I understand your concerns but Claire could save so many lives and what’s more, she wants to! Nathan and Peter can keep her safe and hidden. They’re good people, and as long as Peter’s infected they’re safe from Sylar. Sylar won’t risk accidentally killing Peter right now, she couldn’t be in better hands.”
Knock, Knock!
Mohinder and Bennet’s heads both snapped around to stare at the door. Sylar had said he would be gone for a few days, but Mohinder had no reason to trust anything Sylar said. He hadn’t told Bennet anything though, and it was fairly obvious his first thought was Sylar as well.
“Mohinder?” Peter’s voice, cautious and concerned floated through the door and Mohinder let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. He got up from his seat with a smile tugging at his lips as he pulled the door open. Peter’s timing couldn’t have been better.
“Peter! What are you doing here?” He asked as he stepped aside to let the younger man in.
“I was in the neighbourhood,” Peter replied hastily and with a shrug. “But uh-“ Whatever Peter was going to add evaporated on the tip of his tongue as he spotted the other man in the room.
“Nice to see you again Peter.” Bennet extended his hand with a friendly smile and Peter shook it automatically. “I was glad to hear that both you and your brother are well.”
“Thank you.” Peter’s gaze flickered between the two men. “So Mohinder’s filled you in then has he? You will help us won’t you?” He looked so earnest and desperate all at the same time and both Bennet and Mohinder found themselves wincing a bit. Disappointing Peter was never easy. Mohinder certainly didn’t want to do it again, but if Bennet refused…
All three men took a seat around the dining table and Mohinder felt a soothing wave of relief. For the moment no one was paying him any attention and it was a wonderful change of events. He resolved to stay silent and unnoticed for as long as possible.
“We’ll its definitely something that the Company would do.” Bennet conceded cautiously. “I’m at the bottom of the trust totem pole right now, but I think I can do some digging for you as long as I’m still in town.”
“Well we’d appreciate that Noah.” Peter replied politely; though that hadn’t exactly been the enthusiastic response he’d been hoping for. “So… where are you headed?”
Bennet cleared his throat and shot a glance in Mohinder’s direction but Mohinder studiously avoided eye contact.
“I’m in charge of the hunt for Sylar. So I don’t know where I’ll be for the next little while. I was hoping that Doctor Suresh might be of some help with that but apparently I was mistaken.” The derision in Bennet’s tone was undeniable and Mohinder’s entire body tensed in apprehension. His relief had been short lived to say the least.
“Why would…” Peter trailed off as he turned to take in the oddly silent member of the group. All Mohinder could do was brace for impact as his lies turned around to bite him in the ass.
“I was going to ask why you didn’t check into a hotel like you said you would.” The hurt in Peter’s voice only served to make Mohinder feel even worse. Lying to Peter hadn’t been easy in the first place.
“Listen, I’m sorry Peter but it was the only way to keep you from worrying about me. Sylar knows where my lab is so what was the point in giving up the comforts of home?” Mohinder explained softly. “As long as you’re infected I’m not in any danger. He needs me to find a cure so that he can- um…”
“-kill me,” Peter finished for him evenly and Mohinder nodded silently. “So its true then?”
“I’m afraid so,” Mohinder confirmed wearily. “I can’t tell you much more than that. Except that its like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I left some tests running overnight, but I don’t expect to have concrete findings any time soon.”
“Well you made the right choice in keeping this a secret from the Company at least.” Bennet chimed in suddenly. “Otherwise I have a feeling I’d be assigned to bring you in right now Peter. For the greater good, of course.”
“Ya, well I stared at those concrete walls long enough for one lifetime.” Peter grumbled absently, provoking startled glances from the other men. Peter didn’t notice at first, too lost in whatever memory had overtaken him, but finally he let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling.
“After the explosion… and Nathan, well. I was desperate to keep it from happening again. So I walked willingly into their hands.” Peter let out a bland chuckle that was absolutely devoid of amusement. “I thought they would help me. I didn’t think I had a choice. Adam was right in the end though, they never intended to do more than keep me drugged and locked away.”
“I can’t imagine they would just let you walk out of there,” Mohinder observed dryly. Peter let out another chuckle in response, though this one with a bit more humour in it.
“Of course not. Fortunately I managed not to let on that I was anything less than willing to be there. So I pretended to take my meds until my abilities came back.” He shrugged then, pulling into himself a little.
“Anyway, you said you hoped Mohinder could help catch Sylar?” Peter changed the subject abruptly and eagerly. The Empath didn’t want to talk about what had happened to him over the last four months. He did, however, want to know what was going on with Sylar.
Bennet and Mohinder shared a long look, each trying to out-stubborn the other. It was a short battle of wills, but Mohinder felt he owed at least some honesty to Peter and caved first. He’d rather talk about absolutely anything else, but there really wasn’t any choice.
“Sylar was here again,” -last night- “this morning.” Mohinder explained hesitantly, trying his hardest to keep his thoughts tightly under wraps. “He, ah, borrowed my Company access card and… well, Noah seems to think since Sylar keeps showing up at my doorstep that he might do so again.”
As if there were any doubt.
“What he has failed to consider, however,” Mohinder continued in clear annoyance. “Is that even if Sylar comes back here, there’s no way I could possibly deceive him like last time.” Not that even that turned out well. “His hearing has made him into a walking lie detector. Besides, the only reason he has to come back is to find out if you’ve been cured and he’s smart enough to know that this kind of research is more likely to take years than days.” Mohinder shifted his attention towards Bennet, “if he broke into the building without killing anyone then he must have been after information. He’s probably closing in on his next victim even as we speak!”
Of course he is. I know he is. I should be jumping at the chance to stop him! Have I completely lost my mind? Oh shit- Peter.
It took all the willpower Mohinder possessed to keep his eyes on Bennet, and not let them snap towards Peter.
“You have a point.” Bennet conceded reluctantly, “but that still leaves us with the problem of finding him. Mohinder-“
“No.” Mohinder knew where this was going and was going to stop that train of thought before it had even left the station. “Don’t make yourself into a hypocrite Noah. Sylar’s on the move and asking Molly to find him even once could be devastating for her.”
“I’m out of options Mohinder,” Bennet replied quietly. “Without Molly the only way we’ll be able to find him will be to follow the trail of corpses!”
“What about me?” Peter’s almost timid inquiry banished the tension from the room. Mohinder and Noah looked to him with expression that, while different, both screamed ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ “This Molly, she can track people down with her ability?”
Peter’s inquiry was met with a pair of nods.
“So let me meet her and I’ll help track down Sylar.” Peter spoke resolutely. “I don’t know how much more help I can be right now, but this I can do.”
Mohinder’s mind whirred with possibilities as he analyzed the situation. He could arrange for them to meet up safely. It was a logical solution, the perfect one really.
“Doctor Suresh?” Bennet prodded him verbally, clearly on board with the idea.
“I’ll call Matt,” Mohinder agreed slowly. “The four of us can go out to dinner. Its been too long since I last saw her anyway, and that way we can pretend its just a friendly meal. She doesn’t need to know what’s going on.”
“Got it,” Peter agreed with a more than a hint of enthusiasm.
“In the meantime I’d like to get back to my lab,” Mohinder continued decisively. “I’ll call you with a time and place.”
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Sylar let out a long yawn and stretched out in his wonderfully comfortable first-class seat. He’d debated simply flying to Japan on his own power alone, but the dual threat of freezing and getting lost over the ocean had dissuaded him. Besides which, a long plane ride would give him time to rest and give his file a more thorough look.
Taking an airplane the whole way had been out of the question as it would have taken far too long. So instead he compromised, flying under his own power to California and hopping a plane from there.
Sylar gazed out his window, taking in the fluffy white clouds as well as the vast and unending blue sea. This was actually Sylar’s first time in an airplane. It wasn’t nearly as novel an experience as he might have expected. After all, he’d already flown the skies using Nathan’s ability. By comparison this was positively boring. Still, it was definitely more comfortable.
If Sylar hadn’t acquired Candice’s power this might not have been possible. He hadn’t had a passport as Gabriel Gray and he was wanted for murder under both his names. Jacob Leeroy, a middle-aged businessman who’d recently arrive in New York on business, however, was completely innocent and innocuous. It had been far too easy to steal his identification and identity. It probably wouldn’t be long before Mr. Leeroy realized his passport was missing, but it hardly mattered. Sylar could simply make himself invisible if the authorities were clued in to what had happened, and with any luck he’d be teleporting back home.
The mere thought of such an amazing power had embedded a dangerous glint in Sylar’s eyes. He was back on the hunt. One lust had been sated, but now the one for power and revenge had taken over.
Sylar ran a thumb along the seam of the strap on his one piece of carryon and grinned at the sight. Sylar had taken Mohinder’s satchel with him when he’d left the apartment. He’d needed something to keep his file in if he was going to be flying across the country and it amused him to think of Mohinder’s reaction when he realized the bag was missing. Messing with Mohinder’s head was just too much fun to resist.
He continued the motion absently, his mind drifting back over the last 24 hours. Realistically, things couldn’t have gone much better. He was on his way to scratch the first name off his revenge hit list, and as a bonus the man was a time-traveling teleporter. He’d memorized a new list of names, including a 400 year old regenerating man; and with any luck he’d be able to get his location out of Hiro before he died. Questioning him and preventing him from using his powers at the same time would be difficult, but Sylar would think of something. He always did.
It was a shame though, that he had to travel to the other side of the world to get to Nakamura. This flight alone was going to suck up twelve hours of time. Sure, some of that time would be spent sleeping, but he could think of much more comfortable places he could be resting. Like with his arms wrapped around the lithe form of a certain geneticist.
Sylar closed his eyes while the memory crystallized into perfect clarity: Mohinder sprawled hap hazardously across the bed, his hair disheveled, the tear in his soft lower lip just beginning to heal. Bruises in the very first stages of formation mapping out the places that Sylar had been, the territory he had explored and claimed for his own.
Sylar rapidly found himself lost in the recollection.
Had he been more alert the idea might have disturbed him. That he was so pleased, so comforted by the thought, by the memory, should have been worrying. Instead the memory of that sleepy moment seemed to remind his body that sleep as of late had been all to brief and that he was far overdue.
Curled up in his seat with his thoughts, Sylar found himself drifting off to a the world of dreams with a smile on his face.
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He was floating outside his body. There was no more pain, no more suffering, no more darkness. There was no more anything. Nothingness was all that existed and he failed to exist in it. He wasn’t thinking, wasn’t breathing, wasn’t anything.
- and yet….
It was faint, oh so faint at first. The slightest of things, so small that it might as well be non-existent. In any other circumstance it would have been imperceptible, but in this void it tore through the nothingness, meeting no resistance, and became the entire universe. Everything that ever was and ever would be existed in that muffled screech.
Adam snapped out of the insanity of terminally hovering in that space between life and death and listened.
There! Again! Louder this time.
If he was capable of anything other than existing he would be screaming. If his heart was functioning properly it would have been beating madly in his chest. If he had breath left to gasp and tears left to shed he would be sobbing.
The sound got louder and louder, grew more complex, closer. His mind was so broken that he couldn’t process what was could be creating it, but it didn’t matter. That sound was the first thing he had heard in what might as well have been an eternity and it was the pure embodiment of hope.
Right up until it stopped.
Time itself held its breath. The echo of freedom faded into the walls of his prison and the very fabric of reality stood on the brink of destruction.
The entire world shook. Sound returned, his world vibrating in harmony with the trembling. Life flooded in, pushing the nothingness back, replacing death with life. Dirt mingled with the air that Adam sucked greedily into his lungs but he didn’t care. He coughed and spluttered and his entire body burned with pain, but he didn’t care. He siphoned breath into his lungs, hacking and coughing until the desperate gasps turned into peals of laughter.
Eyes that had nothing to drink but darkness for an age gorged themselves on light. It filled him up like the mana of the gods was flowing down from the star-filled heavens just for this moment.
The universe existed once more.
His angel had finally come for him.
Part 12
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairing/Characters: Mohinder/Sylar, Ensemble
Spoilers: Seasons 1 & 2, and some of the online comics.
Warnings: Some possibly, vaguely disturbing imagery surrounding being buried alive. A little language, vague references to past m/m sex and murderous intentions. Nothing major.
This Time: Mohinder faces interrogation from two different fronts while Sylar takes off for Japan.
A/N: This chapter was absolutely hell to write. Bennet intimidates me and I've never written this much dialog all at once. O.o So I'm sorry for the wait, but hopefully it will have been worth it. This part is also a bit short (sorry!), but its setting up a lot of fun stuff on the horizon.
Infinite thank yous to ladywilde80. Who, despite going through a rough time herself, prodded me to keep going and continued her awesome beta work. So glad you kicked my ass about the Sylar scene, I would have died of embarassment if I'd posted it the way it was. Everyone go send her some love!
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Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10
“Hello Bennet,” Mohinder greeted the other man as politely as he could, given the circumstances. He stepped aside, letting Noah in and shut the door carefully behind him. “I have to admit, I expected the cavalry.”
“Oh I brought the cavalry with me.” Noah assured him as he surveyed the apartment. “I just sent them home when we determined Sylar wasn’t here.”
Mohinder gestured towards an empty dining chair. He didn’t fail to notice the gun just barely visible under Bennet’s open jacket. It was just that, all things considered, he didn’t have it in him to be worried about such mundane things at the moment.
“Tea?”
“No, thank you.” Bennet took the offered seat and nodded towards the keycard that Mohinder had dropped back onto the table.
“I guess I don’t need to tell you that you’ve got some explaining to do.”
“I only wish that I had more answers for you.” Mohinder replied as he slid into another of the chairs. It was taking a monumental amount of effort to keep his attitude casual. “Is anyone hurt?”
“No, actually.” Noah replied with a frown. “And before you ask, no I don’t know what he was up to. To be honest, when it was explained to me what happened I had expected to find out he’d killed you. So the real question is: what happened here?”
Mohinder sighed, looking off to the side at nothing in particular.
“Not much, really.” He started, pulling up his regrettably only half thought out story. “I woke up and he was here. He tossed the card at me, said ‘have fun explaining this to your boss’ and left. I don’t know why, but he seems intent on mind games at the moment.”
Noah seemed to consider this for a long moment and Mohinder did his best not to look guilty. The silence was oppressive and he found himself talking just to fill the empty air.
“So why’d they send you?” He asked with genuine curiosity.
Noah jerked roughly out of his thoughts. He regarded Mohinder mutely for a moment before answering.
“Sylar’s my first new assignment.” The emphasis made it plenty clear to Mohinder how Bennet felt about working for the Company again. It seemed that, for the moment, Mohinder was being considered the lesser of two evils. “I’ve dealt with him before and I’ve got plenty of motivation to see him stopped.”
Mohinder just nodded. He was reminded all of a sudden that since he hadn’t told anyone about Claire, Bennet wouldn’t know either. Information about his daughter would be a good way to get him to listen while Mohinder explained about the Petrelli’s plans. He was still pulling his thoughts into order, however, when Bennet continued talking.
“It’ll be a lot harder this time though. We need something to incapacitate him before he has a chance to use that telekinesis of his. Last time I had Eden and the Hatian. Without similar resources we need to be somewhat more.. cunning.”
“Wait, we?” Mohinder’s mouth dropped open in stunned dismay.
“You haven’t been assigned to be my partner or anything,” Noah leaned forward, folding his hands on the table before him, looking Mohinder hard in the eye. “Listen. I’m not sure I believe you when you say that you don’t know why Sylar keeps -visiting you, but it doesn’t really matter why he’s decided to toy with you rather than kill you. Frankly, right now we have no way of tracking him without Molly. What we do know, is that in the last week he’s come to you three times.” Bennet sighed as he misinterpreted the horror that tugged at Mohinder’s features. “I know its dangerous, but right now this is the only option we’ve got. You fooled him once before, do you think you can do it again?”
“You- you can’t be serious?” Mohinder felt like he was going to be sick. This day just kept getting worse and worse. “That was when he thought I was his friend. Now that he knows I’m an enemy? No way.”
The worst of it all was that Bennet was even more right then he could possibly know. Sylar had said he would be back. Getting close enough to him, distracting him long enough to stick him full of sedatives could be easy. Mohinder might not succeed but there’d be no better way to surprise him.
Except that he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it.
“You disappoint me Dr. Suresh. Lose your nerve after shooting me?” Bennet spoke with a disturbing calmness. The words glinted like the edge of a freshly sharpened and polished blade. Mohinder was tempted to rise to the challenge in those words, to justify himself for pulling that trigger. Unfortunately his guilt over the event was all too real and any protestations would only be hollow words.
“Things aren’t that simple Bennet.” Mohinder replied tiredly, rubbing his temples in an attempt to stave off the headache he could feel blooming in his skull. “In fact, they’re unbelievably complicated.” He took a deep breath, staring up at the ceiling as he finished sorting his thoughts into order. “How much do you know about the assassination attempt on Nathan Petrelli’s life?”
Mohinder carefully explained everything that had happened with Nathan, Peter, Claire and Sylar. He edited things a little, but thankfully only he and Sylar knew exactly what had been happening in that motel room before Peter showed up. Noah tried to interrupt several times during the story, notably whenever Mohinder reached a point where Sylar and Claire were in the same room. Eventually the whole story got told, everything from the Petrelli’s desires to take down the Company to the ominous message from the future.
“You just can’t make up your mind, can you Dr. Suresh?” Bennet chided. “First you tell me you want to take the Company down, then you go native, and now you want to bring them down again. I can’t work with someone so liable to change his mind at the drop of a hat. This is a dangerous game and I’m not playing it with anyone who’s not completely committed.”
Mohinder let out a puff of air in annoyance. He was starting to get a headache from the constant tension in his shoulders and it didn’t look like things were going to calm down for him anytime soon.
“I still maintain that dealing with the virus, and now figuring out how to cure Peter, are the most important issues at the moment. We need the Company’s resources for that, its unfortunate but its true. I never said that I liked that fact, but that’s what it is, a fact.” Mohinder explained with more than a hint of annoyance. “I understand your feelings concerning Claire, I do. I’ve worked my hardest to keep Molly out of the Company’s clutches as well; but the fact was, and still is, that her blood is the only way to cure the more virulent strains of the virus. The thing is, Claire was more than willing to give us some. If you hadn’t been so damn stubborn things would have gone a lot smoother. I know you’re worried about things getting out of hand, but I was never going to let that happen.”
“If the Company wants to do something Suresh, they will. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you could protect Claire from them. That’s my job and I know the only way to do it is to keep her out of their clutches entirely.” Bennet shot back angrily.
“And what if Claire’s blood is the only thing that can cure Peter? What if more people contract the nastier strains of the virus?” Mohinder shot back defensively. “Dammit Noah, I understand your concerns but Claire could save so many lives and what’s more, she wants to! Nathan and Peter can keep her safe and hidden. They’re good people, and as long as Peter’s infected they’re safe from Sylar. Sylar won’t risk accidentally killing Peter right now, she couldn’t be in better hands.”
Knock, Knock!
Mohinder and Bennet’s heads both snapped around to stare at the door. Sylar had said he would be gone for a few days, but Mohinder had no reason to trust anything Sylar said. He hadn’t told Bennet anything though, and it was fairly obvious his first thought was Sylar as well.
“Mohinder?” Peter’s voice, cautious and concerned floated through the door and Mohinder let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. He got up from his seat with a smile tugging at his lips as he pulled the door open. Peter’s timing couldn’t have been better.
“Peter! What are you doing here?” He asked as he stepped aside to let the younger man in.
“I was in the neighbourhood,” Peter replied hastily and with a shrug. “But uh-“ Whatever Peter was going to add evaporated on the tip of his tongue as he spotted the other man in the room.
“Nice to see you again Peter.” Bennet extended his hand with a friendly smile and Peter shook it automatically. “I was glad to hear that both you and your brother are well.”
“Thank you.” Peter’s gaze flickered between the two men. “So Mohinder’s filled you in then has he? You will help us won’t you?” He looked so earnest and desperate all at the same time and both Bennet and Mohinder found themselves wincing a bit. Disappointing Peter was never easy. Mohinder certainly didn’t want to do it again, but if Bennet refused…
All three men took a seat around the dining table and Mohinder felt a soothing wave of relief. For the moment no one was paying him any attention and it was a wonderful change of events. He resolved to stay silent and unnoticed for as long as possible.
“We’ll its definitely something that the Company would do.” Bennet conceded cautiously. “I’m at the bottom of the trust totem pole right now, but I think I can do some digging for you as long as I’m still in town.”
“Well we’d appreciate that Noah.” Peter replied politely; though that hadn’t exactly been the enthusiastic response he’d been hoping for. “So… where are you headed?”
Bennet cleared his throat and shot a glance in Mohinder’s direction but Mohinder studiously avoided eye contact.
“I’m in charge of the hunt for Sylar. So I don’t know where I’ll be for the next little while. I was hoping that Doctor Suresh might be of some help with that but apparently I was mistaken.” The derision in Bennet’s tone was undeniable and Mohinder’s entire body tensed in apprehension. His relief had been short lived to say the least.
“Why would…” Peter trailed off as he turned to take in the oddly silent member of the group. All Mohinder could do was brace for impact as his lies turned around to bite him in the ass.
“I was going to ask why you didn’t check into a hotel like you said you would.” The hurt in Peter’s voice only served to make Mohinder feel even worse. Lying to Peter hadn’t been easy in the first place.
“Listen, I’m sorry Peter but it was the only way to keep you from worrying about me. Sylar knows where my lab is so what was the point in giving up the comforts of home?” Mohinder explained softly. “As long as you’re infected I’m not in any danger. He needs me to find a cure so that he can- um…”
“-kill me,” Peter finished for him evenly and Mohinder nodded silently. “So its true then?”
“I’m afraid so,” Mohinder confirmed wearily. “I can’t tell you much more than that. Except that its like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I left some tests running overnight, but I don’t expect to have concrete findings any time soon.”
“Well you made the right choice in keeping this a secret from the Company at least.” Bennet chimed in suddenly. “Otherwise I have a feeling I’d be assigned to bring you in right now Peter. For the greater good, of course.”
“Ya, well I stared at those concrete walls long enough for one lifetime.” Peter grumbled absently, provoking startled glances from the other men. Peter didn’t notice at first, too lost in whatever memory had overtaken him, but finally he let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling.
“After the explosion… and Nathan, well. I was desperate to keep it from happening again. So I walked willingly into their hands.” Peter let out a bland chuckle that was absolutely devoid of amusement. “I thought they would help me. I didn’t think I had a choice. Adam was right in the end though, they never intended to do more than keep me drugged and locked away.”
“I can’t imagine they would just let you walk out of there,” Mohinder observed dryly. Peter let out another chuckle in response, though this one with a bit more humour in it.
“Of course not. Fortunately I managed not to let on that I was anything less than willing to be there. So I pretended to take my meds until my abilities came back.” He shrugged then, pulling into himself a little.
“Anyway, you said you hoped Mohinder could help catch Sylar?” Peter changed the subject abruptly and eagerly. The Empath didn’t want to talk about what had happened to him over the last four months. He did, however, want to know what was going on with Sylar.
Bennet and Mohinder shared a long look, each trying to out-stubborn the other. It was a short battle of wills, but Mohinder felt he owed at least some honesty to Peter and caved first. He’d rather talk about absolutely anything else, but there really wasn’t any choice.
“Sylar was here again,” -last night- “this morning.” Mohinder explained hesitantly, trying his hardest to keep his thoughts tightly under wraps. “He, ah, borrowed my Company access card and… well, Noah seems to think since Sylar keeps showing up at my doorstep that he might do so again.”
As if there were any doubt.
“What he has failed to consider, however,” Mohinder continued in clear annoyance. “Is that even if Sylar comes back here, there’s no way I could possibly deceive him like last time.” Not that even that turned out well. “His hearing has made him into a walking lie detector. Besides, the only reason he has to come back is to find out if you’ve been cured and he’s smart enough to know that this kind of research is more likely to take years than days.” Mohinder shifted his attention towards Bennet, “if he broke into the building without killing anyone then he must have been after information. He’s probably closing in on his next victim even as we speak!”
Of course he is. I know he is. I should be jumping at the chance to stop him! Have I completely lost my mind? Oh shit- Peter.
It took all the willpower Mohinder possessed to keep his eyes on Bennet, and not let them snap towards Peter.
“You have a point.” Bennet conceded reluctantly, “but that still leaves us with the problem of finding him. Mohinder-“
“No.” Mohinder knew where this was going and was going to stop that train of thought before it had even left the station. “Don’t make yourself into a hypocrite Noah. Sylar’s on the move and asking Molly to find him even once could be devastating for her.”
“I’m out of options Mohinder,” Bennet replied quietly. “Without Molly the only way we’ll be able to find him will be to follow the trail of corpses!”
“What about me?” Peter’s almost timid inquiry banished the tension from the room. Mohinder and Noah looked to him with expression that, while different, both screamed ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ “This Molly, she can track people down with her ability?”
Peter’s inquiry was met with a pair of nods.
“So let me meet her and I’ll help track down Sylar.” Peter spoke resolutely. “I don’t know how much more help I can be right now, but this I can do.”
Mohinder’s mind whirred with possibilities as he analyzed the situation. He could arrange for them to meet up safely. It was a logical solution, the perfect one really.
“Doctor Suresh?” Bennet prodded him verbally, clearly on board with the idea.
“I’ll call Matt,” Mohinder agreed slowly. “The four of us can go out to dinner. Its been too long since I last saw her anyway, and that way we can pretend its just a friendly meal. She doesn’t need to know what’s going on.”
“Got it,” Peter agreed with a more than a hint of enthusiasm.
“In the meantime I’d like to get back to my lab,” Mohinder continued decisively. “I’ll call you with a time and place.”
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Sylar let out a long yawn and stretched out in his wonderfully comfortable first-class seat. He’d debated simply flying to Japan on his own power alone, but the dual threat of freezing and getting lost over the ocean had dissuaded him. Besides which, a long plane ride would give him time to rest and give his file a more thorough look.
Taking an airplane the whole way had been out of the question as it would have taken far too long. So instead he compromised, flying under his own power to California and hopping a plane from there.
Sylar gazed out his window, taking in the fluffy white clouds as well as the vast and unending blue sea. This was actually Sylar’s first time in an airplane. It wasn’t nearly as novel an experience as he might have expected. After all, he’d already flown the skies using Nathan’s ability. By comparison this was positively boring. Still, it was definitely more comfortable.
If Sylar hadn’t acquired Candice’s power this might not have been possible. He hadn’t had a passport as Gabriel Gray and he was wanted for murder under both his names. Jacob Leeroy, a middle-aged businessman who’d recently arrive in New York on business, however, was completely innocent and innocuous. It had been far too easy to steal his identification and identity. It probably wouldn’t be long before Mr. Leeroy realized his passport was missing, but it hardly mattered. Sylar could simply make himself invisible if the authorities were clued in to what had happened, and with any luck he’d be teleporting back home.
The mere thought of such an amazing power had embedded a dangerous glint in Sylar’s eyes. He was back on the hunt. One lust had been sated, but now the one for power and revenge had taken over.
Sylar ran a thumb along the seam of the strap on his one piece of carryon and grinned at the sight. Sylar had taken Mohinder’s satchel with him when he’d left the apartment. He’d needed something to keep his file in if he was going to be flying across the country and it amused him to think of Mohinder’s reaction when he realized the bag was missing. Messing with Mohinder’s head was just too much fun to resist.
He continued the motion absently, his mind drifting back over the last 24 hours. Realistically, things couldn’t have gone much better. He was on his way to scratch the first name off his revenge hit list, and as a bonus the man was a time-traveling teleporter. He’d memorized a new list of names, including a 400 year old regenerating man; and with any luck he’d be able to get his location out of Hiro before he died. Questioning him and preventing him from using his powers at the same time would be difficult, but Sylar would think of something. He always did.
It was a shame though, that he had to travel to the other side of the world to get to Nakamura. This flight alone was going to suck up twelve hours of time. Sure, some of that time would be spent sleeping, but he could think of much more comfortable places he could be resting. Like with his arms wrapped around the lithe form of a certain geneticist.
Sylar closed his eyes while the memory crystallized into perfect clarity: Mohinder sprawled hap hazardously across the bed, his hair disheveled, the tear in his soft lower lip just beginning to heal. Bruises in the very first stages of formation mapping out the places that Sylar had been, the territory he had explored and claimed for his own.
Sylar rapidly found himself lost in the recollection.
Had he been more alert the idea might have disturbed him. That he was so pleased, so comforted by the thought, by the memory, should have been worrying. Instead the memory of that sleepy moment seemed to remind his body that sleep as of late had been all to brief and that he was far overdue.
Curled up in his seat with his thoughts, Sylar found himself drifting off to a the world of dreams with a smile on his face.
-------------
He was floating outside his body. There was no more pain, no more suffering, no more darkness. There was no more anything. Nothingness was all that existed and he failed to exist in it. He wasn’t thinking, wasn’t breathing, wasn’t anything.
- and yet….
It was faint, oh so faint at first. The slightest of things, so small that it might as well be non-existent. In any other circumstance it would have been imperceptible, but in this void it tore through the nothingness, meeting no resistance, and became the entire universe. Everything that ever was and ever would be existed in that muffled screech.
Adam snapped out of the insanity of terminally hovering in that space between life and death and listened.
There! Again! Louder this time.
If he was capable of anything other than existing he would be screaming. If his heart was functioning properly it would have been beating madly in his chest. If he had breath left to gasp and tears left to shed he would be sobbing.
The sound got louder and louder, grew more complex, closer. His mind was so broken that he couldn’t process what was could be creating it, but it didn’t matter. That sound was the first thing he had heard in what might as well have been an eternity and it was the pure embodiment of hope.
Right up until it stopped.
Time itself held its breath. The echo of freedom faded into the walls of his prison and the very fabric of reality stood on the brink of destruction.
The entire world shook. Sound returned, his world vibrating in harmony with the trembling. Life flooded in, pushing the nothingness back, replacing death with life. Dirt mingled with the air that Adam sucked greedily into his lungs but he didn’t care. He coughed and spluttered and his entire body burned with pain, but he didn’t care. He siphoned breath into his lungs, hacking and coughing until the desperate gasps turned into peals of laughter.
Eyes that had nothing to drink but darkness for an age gorged themselves on light. It filled him up like the mana of the gods was flowing down from the star-filled heavens just for this moment.
The universe existed once more.
His angel had finally come for him.
Part 12