Chapter 1

It Begins Again

"So, what are we supposed to do now?" Ando asked Hiro as they stood in the terminal of JFK, awaiting their flight back to Japan. Both clutched suitcases in their hands and were sipping two coffees from the Starbucks in the terminal. Hiro looked over at Ando, a contented smile on his face. "We return home, old friend. Sylar is gone, Building 26 is finished, and our mission is complete."

Ando glanced over at his friend, whom with he'd been through thick and thin. Ever since he'd gotten his powers, Hiro had been always obsessed with helping the world, just like the comics he read like a holy scripture. With the war on Building 26 finished, there was no real reason for them to stay In America. Also, their lives back home were suffering their absence.

Nakamura Industries had been under the direction of Hiro's sister, but they needed the actual C.E.O to get anything done. Ando would have used up all his leave for the next year in another week, and his job wouldn't wait much longer. The time for being heroes was over. Everyone, them included, had earned the right to return to their lives.

"Will all passengers for flight 326 to Tokyo, Japan, please board at terminal 12, thank you" A woman's voice said over the loudspeaker, and Hiro and Ando made their way to the correct terminal. Hiro handed their tickets to a smiling receptionist, who glanced down at them for a moment, then waved a hand to her left.

"Your flight leaves straight off the tarmac. Simply make your way down the flight of stairs and out the door on your right." She said, somehow managing to keep that plastic smile on her face. "Thank you, ma'm." Hiro said as they both walked away and opened the door to the stairwell.

It was a bit dark inside, a faulty light the likely culprit. The typical smells of rubber lining and exhaust smoke cluttered the small space, which still managed to echo with the clip-clop of their footsteps. When they reached the bottom floor, Ando pushed on the door out onto the tarmac, but it refused to budge. He tried again, harder this time, but with the same result. Ando turned to look at Hiro, who made a hand gesture, asking what was wrong.

"The door's locked." Ando replied, and Hiro frowned. "Here, let'a me try." Hiro slid past Ando and braced his arm against the door, pushing against it. He grunted with the effort, while Ando sighed dramatically. "C'mon, let's just go back up and ask someone to unlock the door." Hiro, after giving it one more shove, nodded and turned around.

However, before they could take the first step, a black streak flashed by Hiro's face and imbedded itself in Ando's shoulder, piercing his jacket and arm. He uttered a pained cry as the dart sent a surge of electricity into him, buckling his knees and sending him to the floor. Hiro spun around, just in time to catch a dart in the stomach. He cried out as he stumbled back and onto the ground, weak from the blast of electricity. A wave of nausea rolled over him, and his head lolled back to the floor. He gazed up at the ceiling, and saw the dark figure of a man standing above him, gun in hand.

The man bent down, sliding his weapon into a holster on his hip. He reached a hand down to press against Hiro's temples, and Hiro saw his eyes turn from dark brown to a glowing, icy blue. He felt a rush of pressure in his head, and he fell back into cool bliss as unconsciousness claimed him.

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Senator Nathan Petrelli sat at his desk, overlooking the Washington monument reflection pool. He shuffled a few papers around on his desk, making a few errant marks with the pen he twirled in his hand. However, something was bothering him, like a fly buzzing behind his ear. He glanced over at the glass cabinet where a small clock sat.

Something about that clock had been nagging him lately, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Nathan shook his head and sighed, rising from his chair and grabbing his coat on the way out.

"Good-bye, Marissa. I'd like the new staff memo on my desk tomorrow morning." Nathan said to his secretary, who was busily typing on her computer. "Yes, sir, Senator." She replied, not looking up from her work.

Nathan shouldered on his coat as he walked out into the parking lot of the Senate building, to his new Hummer (the joys of a high-paying salary). He clicked the remote on his keys, unlocking the doors as he glanced up at the sky, where the sunset set tall, ominous thunderclouds afire with brilliant light. Still, the black clouds loomed over the capital, and sent quick shiver of foreboding through him.

He brushed it off and opened the driver-side door, sliding into the seat and starting the huge car. He pressed the gas and pulled out of the parking lot, turning up a ramp to the famous Turn-pike which circled D.C. After slipping into the flow of traffic, he mentally checked over his recent work. \

After some convincing, he'd managed to get Building 26 shut down and all the people home. The President had been relieved to hear about the absence of danger, although Danko had been placed in jail for the murder of four agents. Something about that nagged at the back of Nathan's mind, as if it wasn't the whole truth, but he ignored it. It wasn't as if Danko was a completely stable individual, so why should it seem suspicious that he went crazy?

However, his thoughts were cut short as a semi-truck in the next lane swerved towards him, its trailer craning around towards him. "Holy-!" Nathan shouted as he jerked the steering wheel to turn out of the way, but the trailer crashed into the rear of his car, crumpling the rear bumper like a tin-can. He was knocked into the next lane, where a Mini-van smashed into him, smashing the window next to him.

Nathan screamed as shards of glass and steel pierced his side and cheek as his Hummer was knocked to the side, crashing into the wall on the edge of the highway. Vibrations shook his spine and jostled his eyes in their sockets, making black spots dance in his vision. He groaned as he weakly turned his head to the left, straining to see through the warm trail of blood pouring from a gash in his forehead. Nathan's eyes widened as the barreling form of the semi filled his vision, on a direct collision course with his car.

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Cracka-BOOM!!! The bellow of thunder filled the air as large thunder-heads rolled in over the horizon. Peter pulled his coat tighter to himself, glancing up at the sky. Dark cloud banks crowded over the New York skyline, making the streets seem closed and claustrophobic. Peter hurried his pace as he felt the first few patters of rain tap against the back of his neck.

After turning into the doorway of his apartment building, the hospice nurse stomped up the stairwell, shaking water from his hair as he did so. Climbing two floors until he reached his, Peter flicked his index finger, unlocking his door and throwing it open. He stepped inside, sliding out of his coat. After tossing it onto a chair, he slid into the kitchen and grabbed a can of cola and a bowl of microwave ramen from the fridge.

Peter popped the cup into the microwave, setting the timer and turning it on. Quiet humming filled the room as his dinner spun in the small over. Peter sighed and leaned against his kitchen counter. "Ahh, the joys of a hospice nurse's salary." Peter mumbled to himself, blowing a sigh into the bangs dangling over his face.

A knock on the door riled Peter from his thoughts over his minimum wage. He shuffled out of his little kitchen and cracked open the door. Peter stuck his head out the door, his eyes widening in surprise as to who it was. "Well, I didn't expect to see you again." Peter said.

"It's nice to see you too, old friend. However, I'm afraid I'm not here on a pleasure trip."

Peter's brow furrowed as he read the expression on his visitors face.

"You'd probably better come inside, Mohinder."