HEROES: Perspectives - Prologue
Disclaimer: I own NUTTINK! 1.2-3.8 spoilage.
Characters: Noah/HRG, Haitian, Thompson, Hank, with Matt, mentions of Molly, Audrey, Sylar
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October 2, 2006
"Looks like we got another hit by Sylar," Thompson said, leaning into Bennet's office.
Noah looked up, tensing in anticipation of leaping into action. "Where?"
"Los Angeles, took out a couple in their home. At the moment their young daughter is missing."
His throat clenched. Thompson raised an eyebrow. Noah cleared his throat, pushing the paternal thoughts of Claire away for the moment. This didn't concern her. "How were they killed?"
"Father was frozen, mid-bite, at the breakfast table," he informed his colleague, reading off the paper in his hands. "Mother was pinned to the wall by silverware. Several feet off the ground." He looked up. "Dad's head was sliced open. His brain was missing."
"Gray."
"Gray," Thompson echoed. He looked back to the report. "Local police and FBI are combing the house, looking for any indication that the girl was hopefully gone for the incident, sleepover or something. Nothing seems to be out of place."
Noah felt his stomach drop. He didn't have to be a father to feel sorry for the poor kid. The thought crossed his mind that Gray wouldn't let her suffer and make it quick. Then it occurred to him. "He's never taken live victims before, just the brains. Why change now?"
Thompson shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he realized she's one of them, too, and he hesitated killing someone so young?"
"Or maybe he got distracted before he could get very far?" he offered. "He doesn't always take the brains, only when it looks like he's been in a hurry."
"You don't think he has the girl?"
Bennet rose. "For her sake, I hope not."
An aide rushed up to Thompson, handed him another paper. "Great. That's just what we need."
"There's been a lead?"
"No. We have another potential problem," he informed his subordinate. "One of the attending officers is Parkman's son."
"Maury Parkman? I thought he went into hiding after Petrelli died."
"You haven't read his file, have you?"
Noah shook his head. "Not in a while, will he be a problem?"
"Maury left his kid when he was a teenager, back in '81 I think, apparently under Arthur's orders," he explained. "No further family contact that we've been able to confirm since."
"Then what's the problem?"
"Do you really want Gray to get hold of one of the Founder's kids, even if he hasn't manifested yet? I'm sure She will have heads rolling if he does, regardless if the guy is active or not."
"Ah, I hadn't considered that. I'll get out there right away." Bad enough Parkman had already encountered Sarah--sorry, 'Eden', but it allowed the Haitian to pick her up. His encountering one person of interest is chance, two as a result of a third is not.
"The girl is the first priority, running interference between Parkman and Gray is a close second."
"What if the girl has already manifested with an ability like her father apparently did?"
"Bring her in, regardless. We'll worry about Parkman, later."
Noah bristled at this order, thinking of Elle Bishop and his own Claire. "And if she's normal?"
"Bring her in, anyway. We'll run a few tests, just to make sure." He smiled to himself and Noah fought to keep from removing it with his fists. "Make it quick, I want you back in New York to check in with Suresh. Make sure he's settling in and found his father's files. Chandra was making a list of those he thought had abilities. I want it." He then turned and strode out.
Noah bristled again. Gray had mentioned a list when he and Elle first found him. He had known Chandra Suresh. Killed him. Had he gotten his list off of Chandra's? What if Claire was on that list? He had to get to it, make sure she wasn't on it by any means necessary.
A shadow crossed his door again. Thompson re-entered.
"You know what? Never mind."
"Sir?"
"You head to New York. This is a simple surveillance. I'll send your Haitian friend. I'm sure he can handle it."
"Do you think that's wise? Sending him after Gray by himself?"
"Oh, I'm not sending him by himself, I'm just not sending you with him." He winked at Bennet. "It's not like you two are married, now is it?"
Bennet laughed it off, thinking his boss a schmuck.
"No, I'll send, let's see," he paused, mentally scrolling through agent names and availability. "I think Hank is free this week. You can relieve him once you're done in New York. I'm sure a few days apart will be good for you two."
Bennet nodded, silently hoping Gray, or 'Sylar,' as he called himself, now, would stay far away from Odessa until they caught up to him.
"After we have the girl, and hopefully, Gray, you two can bag and tag Parkman, just in case."
"Well then, I guess I'm off to New York again, aren't I?" he mock grinned. He would check Parkman's files just in case while up at Hartsdale.
-
Hank slowed down as they neared the address. It wasn't to confirm the right location, but the handful of traffic this quiet street usually handled had more than doubled, as those living nearby decided to see why an entire squad of police had descended upon their neighborhood that morning.
"Think they've found her, yet?" he asked his mute friend.
The dark skinned man scanned the crowd of police slowly, shaking his head in response.
"This is the part of the job I hate, getting kids involved," he continued, a hint of sadness creeping into his voice.
The dark man nodded. He withdrew his necklace, kissed it and said a silent prayer for her safety. Then he saw him. He nodded in the direction of the officer waving traffic through. He wore a frustrated expression as he talked to another officer behind him.
"That is him, isn't it?" Hank noted, glancing to the open file on his compatriot's lap. As they came closer to the officer, he closed it and set it out of sight down between his legs for the moment.
"Doesn't look happy. Probably pissed he's on crowd control," he mused.
The dark man nodded at his partner, making mental notes of the officer in question as they passed. They locked eyes for a brief second, and he nodded. He could tell Parkman was bored, as he glanced to the next car behind them.
Hank grinned. "I don't suppose you want to stop and say 'hi', do you?" He was greeted with a stern look. "O-kay," he grimaced. "That answers that question. Once more around the block?"
His companion had pulled out his PDA and began typing, letting the office know: 'First pass, Parkman directing traffic outside crime scene. Most likely unaware of details.'
Hank drove on a few more blocks, turned, and then wound his way back past the scene. Parkman was gone, and there seemed to be something happening.
"Crap, looks like we missed something. Hopefully they found her alive," he said as they drove past again. "Maybe I can park around the block and we can sneak up?"
The dark man's attention was drawn to the house. He could sense two abilities inside. One he recognized from a few minutes earlier, the second was...small. The girl? The larger presence approached the smaller one slowly. They intertwined. Shock and joy. She was safe. EMTs rushed into the house.
He pulled out his PDA again as Hank parked the car. 'Second pass, activity. Parkman gone inside? Will continue surveillance.'
Both men got out of the car and watched the house as they leaned against it, trying to act as nonchalant as the other onlookers. They saw the EMT rush back out with a blanket obviously covering a small someone in his arms as he jumped into the back of the waiting ambulance.
Parkman followed him out, with two women hot on his heels. He held up his hand and made a small wave at someone inside the vehicle as the rear doors closed. The redhead was saying something, Parkman stopped and looked back at her, confused. The pair led him around to the back of the house as the ambulance left.
"You don't think he manifested, just now, do you?"
The dark man narrowed his eyes. 'Update, Walker girl alive, taken to hospital? Parkman remains behind. Possible trouble? FBI involved.'
Hank pulled out his camera. "I'm going to see if I can't get closer. If anyone asks, we're with the Times. Or Enquirer. Y'know, whatever."
He was gone before the dark man could stop him. He sighed as his partner crept through the neighbor's yard, obviously trying to get some shots of Parkman in the rear of the house and what he could of the chaos inside.
Five minutes later, he was being escorted back across the street. He smiled at his companion as he got back in the car.
"I'm not sure what happened, but Parkman found the girl hiding inside and now he is in trouble over it." His partner raised an eyebrow. "I managed to snap a few pics of him and hopefully, a few of the inside, if I'm lucky."
He handed his partner the camera and he began flipping through the tiny images. Parkman was standing by the pool, waiting, and he did not look happy. One of them looked to show a leg pinned to the wall inside, but it was hard to tell. They would have to analyze them back at the office.
They tried to keep tabs on Parkman's whereabouts the next two days and were surprised to learn the FBI thought he was responsible for the double-murder and "rescue" of the girl.
Fortunately for Parkman, Gray/'Sylar' came back for the girl. Unfortunately, he killed two officers before Parkman and FBI Agent Hanson (the blonde from the Walker house they learned) managed to chase him off. Walker was taken to a police safe house for the time being, while Parkman returned home.
Bennet had caught up to his partner in LA, having read Matt's file. He learned that the Parkman's were in counseling. He wasn't privy to the argument he had with his wife, but he soon left home and headed to a local bar. Bennet and his silent partner followed and soon found the opening they were waiting for.
On 10/04/2006, Subject Parkman (file: C002; password: MPggtn75x) was observed leaving residence following argument with spouse, entering local bar and ordering beer. He began looking around room at patrons, making small talk with bartender and an older woman before taking notice of Agent. Agent induced drowsiness and stepped forward to remove him from premises 'for fresh air.' Subject Parkman taken to Los Angeles facility for full examination. (See attached results.) Subject returned to home following evening (10/05) before wife returned home for night. No further action to be taken at this time.
Bennet knew better than to make note that Parkman had somehow slipped inside his mind as he was leaving the exam room. Just his luck that he was thinking of getting home to check on Claire. He would have to keep an eye on this one. Even Parkman's father had been unable to defy his partner's power blocking ability. Luckily, the son seemed to be easier to deal with once his memory of the bag and tag had been erased.
Bennet didn't mind sharing a beer with the guy, even if he had to practically force half of it down his semi-conscious throat before they dropped him off. Let his wife think he went on a bender. Just one more thing for them to argue about in 'couples therapy'. It's not like he forced Parkman to hit a bar to begin with, but it made for an excellent cover for his missing time.
Noah finished the last of the bottle, not wanting good beer to go to waste, as he let his partner drive them away from the Parkman residence. He mused that in another life, he and Matt Parkman probably might get along and toss back a few beers together at a backyard barbecue some weekend.
Nah, that'll never happen.
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