"Your critics are going to say that this is a rather arrogant choice of costume," his wife said, helping to fasten the cape around the president's neck.
"On the contrary," Nathan replied, "I would argue that it's only appropriate. Modest even," he joked.
"Modest is the last thing I would call an outfit made of a leotard and tights," a voice commented, and Nathan spun around.
"Oh, Gabriel," Nathan said, greeting his brother warmly, though not, Tracy noticed, as warmly as he used to greet his other brother. But Tracy would have died rather than call this to Nathan's attention; Nathan, who rarely even spoke about Peter anymore, though he did keep an old picture of the two of them hidden in his desk drawer.
"Darling," Tracy said. "You ought to keep moving. You won't be very popular if you're not there to greet people at your own event."
"You're right," he said. "Uh... Gabriel," to this day he had to catch himself so as not to call the man Sylar, but it was getting easier. Things had changed, and Sylar was Sylar no more. "I'll see you in there, alright?" He took Tracy by the arm. "Shall we, Lois?"
She laughed. "Of course, Mr. Kent." They left the room and walked towards the main staircase into the ballroom.
In the ballroom, two arguments were taking place. One was in Japanese.
"This is stupid," Ando said. "No one will know who we're supposed to be. I look like an owl and you look like a smurf."
"People will know," Hiro replied confidently. "It's very popular."
"Only if you actually read comic books. Look around. How many of the people wearing superhero costumes are dressed as characters that haven't been in movies?"
"Well... they might have seen the trailer?"
The conversation continued while, across the room, another more serious conflict was taking place. The two blondes faced each other, each gritting her teeth and speaking angrily.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just keeping an eye on things. Nice costume, by the way," Elle added, smiling. "But don't you think it's a little more appropriate on me?" she asked, gesturing at her own costume, which was the same as Claire's.
"Well, the name is," Claire responded. "You're the rogue here. And you should go. There's nothing to keep an eye on here. We've got it covered." She glanced around and Elle's eyes followed hers, seeing the other men and women, all dressed as various X-Men mutants, gazing warily around the party.
"Look," Elle replied. "It's not that I don't itrust/i you," she said sarcastically. "But I think I'll do things my own way. And I've got people too."
"Yeah? Where?"
"Maybe you just can't isee/i them." She turned and walked away, leaving Claire clenching her fists angrily behind.
Hiro felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see a girl with white-blonde hair wearing a red cape and leotard.
"Nemesis," he said in surprise.
"Why do you still call me that?" she asked, sounding a little upset.
"Nickname," Hiro said. "Where is your family?"
"Trick or treating. The princess wanted to go, so Iron Man took her."
"Iron Man is Marvel. The Flash is DC. You wouldn't get along."
"Whatever. And what about you, shouldn't you be naked?"
"What?"
"I'm assuming you're Dr. Manhattan and not a smurf."
"You know about Watchmen?"
Daphne shrugged. "I guess so. Listen, I have to go. I'll talk to you some other time. Bye Ando," she said, turning to Hiro's sidekick as she dashed away.
"I told you," Hiro told his friend.
"Maybe she just saw the trailer." Hiro opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the lights went out.
A single spotlight lit the stage. At first, everyone assumed it was just Nathan's way of making his speech more appropriate for Halloween, but the man in the light was not the Petrelli who was President. The scar across his face shone white under the glare of the spot.
The man spoke quietly, but the audience was even quieter, and heard every word. "You've got to run." And then he was gone.