Hereafter
Ch 1
Peter Petrelli took in a massive gulp of air.
His heart began pounding in his ear drums, a sign of life.
Peter had returned.
The bloodied bullet holes in his chest began to close but as he then noticed there was something more shocking to be seen.
He was inside a white walled room, lying on a hard metal operating table.
There was another one beside him, empty.
Someone had been there, recently though, the loose restraints said it all.
And so did the body sprawled on the floor.
Peter leapt down, the cool air only now starting to apply goose bumps to his half naked flesh.
"Nathan?" his brother was dead, head sliced open Sylar style.
Only it wasn't Sylar who had done it.
Peter shuddered as the sudden realization struck. "My fault," he whispered sadly.
"I have worked for this company my entire life, what am I supposed to do now?"
"I suppose you'll have to get yourself another life."
Elle Bishop stared at Angela Petrelli in disbelief.
Maybe a little jolt would help change her mind, then again…
Angela's attention was elsewhere now.
Elle reduced to little more than a second thought.
It was time to leave.
Elle stood on the sidewalk.
Her dad was dead, he home and job gone. Infact her entire life as she knew it was over.
Elle was 24 years old. It should have been starting.
So what now? Elle had never felt so lost, so alone.
"I know I'll go back and kill Sylar while he's down." She patted her bandaged forehead.
"No that won't work. I could get Angela out of the way though. Just a little bit of persuasion, take over the company and, no that won't work either.
Peter will probably get mad at mad. So what do I do?"
Her eyes were glassy, a single tear rolled down Elle's cheek. She brushed it aside, struggling to keep her composure.
A sleek black Hyundai rolled into the car park.
Not wanting to seem out of place, Elle moved on leaving Primatech behind her.
"Elle?" The voice was familiar, she turned.
Peter Petrelli had wound down the driver's window and was looking straight at her.
Elle felt a burst of joy.
"Peter, I…what are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for somebody."
"Oh," Elle slunk towards him. "Anyone I know?" she smiled her trademark smile. Being somewhere between seductive and innocent?
Then she froze.
This was not the Peter she knew. His dark hair swept back, leather jacket, serious eyes and a scar embedded into his face.
A swift line starting at the left side of his forehead and running diagonal between both eyes and the bridge of his nose.
"You're…" Elle faltered.
"I'm looking for Peter, the other me."
"Oh."
"Have you seen him?"
"No."
Peter struck the steering wheel and murmured something in coherently.
"Peter?" Elle cautioned.
"What?'
"Are
you…"
"I've got to find him; the whole course of history depends on it. I never should have taken him there in the first place. More dead butterflies."
"The future, you
mean?"
"Yeah." Peter began to wind the window back up. And
Elle panicked not wanting to be alone.
"Peter, wait!"
"What is it?"
"Can I… can I come with you? I mean I could help you look… for him?" she finished clumsily.
"Elle it's too dangerous, it's… you don't know what you're asking. I'm sorry."
"But…"
"It's not a joy ride, Elle."
"Joy ride? Peter your mum's taken over the company, Sylar killed my dad and I've got nowhere else to go. And…no one else to turn to, so…" she hesitated suddenly small and shy. "Can I come with you, or not?"
Peter's dark eyes studied her carefully, there was an awkward silence.
Finally he replied, "Sure, why not."
"Yay!" Elle leapt with excitement and hurried over to the car.
"Hold on tight," Peter warned as she slid in beside him."
Then Peter, Elle and the car simply vanished.