Summary: The "Heroes" take on Victor Hugo's classic Les Miserables. (Admit it, you're intrigued.)
General Notes
I don't own Les Mis (duh) or "Heroes"
FYI - So far I've planned approximately 20 chapters.
1 – Apartment on the Fourth Floor
October -- There was nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. Just the rest of eternity to face his embarrassment.
Pulling the collar of his jacket up to his ears, Nathan glanced at the gray skies above and cursed his luck. Of course it would rain, today of all days.
The day on which, after nine years, Nathan had been released from prison.
It was hard to adjust; first to life on the inside, now to life on the outside.
Nathan hurried down the sidewalk as the rain began to fall. Soon it would saturate his coat and pelt his unruly hair and beard. He made a mental note to do something drastic about the beard – it had been too long since he had had a decent shave.
Mechanically, Nathan paused and changed directions, doubling back. The beard was actually OK. So far it allowed him to fly under the radar. The paparazzi knew of his release and would be ready to pounce at any moment.
Manhattan, like life, was full of surprises. Some choice words certainly came to mind as Nathan viewed what had once been his apartment building. At least it was still standing. Well, half of it anyway.
Nathan however was determined as he made his way briskly around the charred half of the building. The fire escape was still intact, but suddenly Nathan remembered he wouldn't need it.
More like didn't need it.
In prison, Nathan had been very cautious about concealing his power. He wasn't sure how flying inmates were handled, but he stopped taking gambles a long time ago. He had almost escaped once by clearing the courtyard fence in a single bound. He made it look like he had climbed the fence, but the guards caught up to him anyway.
Needless to say, he didn't get out early for good behavior.
The floor shuddered as Nathan landed on the fourth floor in front of door number 34. Ducking under the yellow "Caution" tape that was strewn everywhere, he turned the knob and let himself into his old apartment.
It was shabbier than Nathan remembered. Furniture was missing; a curtain was singed; and apparently some of his walls had become canvases for aspiring graffiti artists. After rooting around in the kitchen, Nathan found an empty garbage bag and began to salvage what he could.
Half an hour later, Nathan stepped over the tape and out into the hallway. The door clicked shut behind him.
And then another door clicked shut.
Nathan looked up and found himself face-to-face with a bewildered young stranger. The man was dark complexted, possibly of Indian descent.
Nathan cleared his throat. "I was collecting what's left of my belongings…" he began, avoiding the man's gaze.
"You're Nathan Petrelli." It wasn't a question. "You're quite famous."
The stranger seemed more amused than judgmental. He smiled slightly. "I can't believe I lived across the hall from you all this time."
"And you are...?"
"Mohinder Suresh." The man shifted the box he was holding so as to offer Nathan a hand to shake. "Doctor Mohinder Suresh. I was collecting the rest of my belongings as well."
"Where do you live now?" Nathan asked, wondering if he knew of any apartments for sale.
"Another apartment across town. They're all the same nowadays." Mohinder stared at him a moment longer.
"Come have dinner with us." Again, it wasn't a question.
"Seriously?" A small smile tugged at Nathan's mouth. "I mean, you're not afraid of…"
"No." Mohinder was determined, yet sincere. "I know what you did and you don't scare me. So," he said, heading for the fire escape, "are you coming?"
Nathan took one last look at his apartment, then headed down the hall with a question of his own.
"So who do you mean by 'us'?"