This story was prompted by theJollity from the 9thWonders forums in the Syhindlar thread.
The aged wooden floor creaked, echoing down the dusty hall and making the agent wince. Mohinder was greatly unnerved by the silence of this run down apartment. The stillness made his movements that much louder, not ideal at all for hunting wanted criminals. Mohinder expected that even his heavy heartbeat could be heard, bouncing off peeling painted walls; it thudded so loudly against his ear drums.
Gun out and steady, Mohinder crept further along knowing this was not the time to back out; he was already committed to the task. A crumpled note in his hand detailed the address of his prey, but Mohinder's eyes rested upon the glinting red door knob that undoubtedly marked the door of his prey better than the fading numbers.
He inhaled, steeling his nerves while wrapping his hand carefully over the rusting knob. Mohinder's resolve faltered a bit, not used to this kind of hunt and chase game, but former agent Audrey Hanson's words rang out in his mind.
'Sylar is not the normal kind of serial killer. He kills without mercy and in ways that are a violation to mankind. If you catch him in your sights at all, don't hesitate to shoot. Regardless of the rules, that man deserves no fair trial. If you don't shoot him Suresh, you will die.'
She had rounded on him after the meeting of her dismissal. The slew of words from her mouth were of frantic tales of the supernatural as she pleaded with him to understand. Mohinder had listened, at first detached and only humoring her, but the look in her eyes was desperate. They drew him in and made him glance more carefully at the mysterious killer, Sylar's file. An hour of reading left him heeding Audrey's words, Sylar had do die no matter what.
Now, with his head resting against the wooden door, Mohinder prepared himself to face the real nightmare. Prepared to make his first kill ever and a chill went down his spine at the dark thoughts. Sylar was not human; he played life like he was a God and manipulated other people's lives. Already three people had left the force after playing Sylar's game; one in a mental hospital, one in a grave, and the last, Audrey Hanson, luckily got off with only losing her job.
Anger welled in Mohinder's chest as he remembered, building to a furious crescendo until it pulsed in his ears. The handle gave way easily in his grip, pushing the wood back and entering the musky darkness within, ignoring the red wetness on his hand. The shadows were all encompassing, taking a while for Mohinder to adjust from the orange glow of the lights in the hallway. His gun was pointed blindly out and Mohinder listened through his harsh breathing, seeking his prey out.
The silence, the lack of movement coming to attack him, put Mohinder on edge. His eyes adjusted slowly, taking in the old, run down furniture and lack of life. His gun roved from side to side as doubt started coursing through his mind, maybe this wasn't the right place at all. No one came out to greet him, like Mohinder had expected after reading Audrey's reports about Sylar's nature, and that unsettled Mohinder even more.
The scraping to his left made Mohinder jump and whirl around finger itching to pull the trigger of his gun. A tall, shadowy figure was leaning against a doorframe leading to a room Mohinder hadn't noticed before. In the person's hand was a towel once white and pristine, but now smeared with dark red that made bile rise in Mohinder's throat.
"Raise your hands above your head," Mohinder growled out angrily, to hide the fear the slithered down his spine. "I'll shoot if you don't comply."
The figure's head tilted slightly, Mohinder still couldn't make out his features but he could feel the amusement rolling from the figure.
"Raise my hands?" Such a low, timber voice that made Mohinder's arm shake slightly.
"Yes." Mohinder stated swallowing.
The towel dropped lightly to the floor and the figure's arms rose above the waist, but stopped at the shoulder. Mohinder was going to call out the order to raise them fully but the figure flicked his right wrist, sending the gun clattering against the wall while his left hand pushed out and Mohinder found himself crashing back into the wall, unable to move and barely able to breathe.
"You just hang there for a moment. I'll be right back." The amusement in that voice sent shivers down Mohinder's spine, but his attempts at struggling (at screaming) were stopped by an invisible hand against his throat; crushing out all the extra air.
His vision fading, Mohinder sent out silent prayers of forgiveness as the shadows overtook him. Fear of death drifted off as he drifted out of consciousness. A gasp of pain slipped past his lips as a cold hand grasped his face harshly, bringing his eyes to meet the dark brown eyes of death.
"So they're sending newbie's after me now?" Sylar mused, hand stroking down Mohinder's cheek making him cringe away.
"I'm not a newb--" He rasped, getting interrupted.
"I have to disagree. The experienced ones shoot before speaking. It was painfully obvious you weren't cut out for this job the moment you walked up those stares." Sylar leaned in, his warm breath ghosting across Mohinder's lips. "You're heart beat in fear, not the thrill of the hunt."
Sylar pulled back, making Mohinder sigh in relief before yelping as the force holding him up vanished and sent him crumpling onto the floor. The splintered wood from his impact against the wall jabbed into his back as he slid across his surface, eyes watching Sylar's steps move away toward the discarded towel.
It leapt up into his hand, as with the gun, and Mohinder watched wearily from his spot on the floor as Sylar examined the gun over; seemingly cleaning it with the towel.
"Are you going to kill me now?" Mohinder asked into the silence, swallowing the bile in his throat; fear thudding in his ears. He was at this man's mercy.
Sylar tilted his head, a brow rising elegantly while an amused smile spread across that face. "Do you want me to?"
Mohinder shook his head, not trusting himself to speak and shrinking away from glowing, amused eyes.
"What are you going to do with me?" Mohinder's gaze trailed to the gun longingly resting in pale fingers.
"I don't know. What do you want me to do?" Sylar responded, shrugging and pocketing the gun to Mohinder's dismay.
"Go to jail. Pay for the crimes you've done." Mohinder ground up, slowing pushing himself up against the wall; not liking how he has to still continue looking upwards to meet the monster's eyes.
Sylar laughed, making Mohinder jump for it was such a sweet, innocent sounding laugh; full of amusement, not sadistic glee.
"Ah. I can see why they sent you." Sylar smirked, slinging the towel over his shoulder once more. "Very much like how she was. How is Audrey now?"
Mohinder bristled, the anger drawing back in and replacing his fear but Sylar's cruel smile kept him silent, kept him still.
"That's cute." The killer stated, moving forward and making Mohinder tense up.
He seemed to ponder something; those eyes looking into, through, Mohinder and making him want to squirm. Mohinder resisted, staying tense and mind scrambling for a plan, anything that'll get him out of this alive.
"Maybe…Yes." Sylar murmured, handing moving up to his chin in a thoughtful posture, completely relaxed.
Mohinder was trying to figure out how to get the gun out of that pocket and into his hand, but it was difficult to concentrate on thinking when those eyes digging into his soul.
"How about this," Sylar started, dropping his hand and making Mohinder jump a bit. "You have dinner with me and if you can handle it. I'll go with you."
"Wait…What?" The Indian's mind short-circuited, unable to comprehend the bizarre request.
"Dinner, with me," Sylar grinned, looking all too gleeful for Mohinder's liking.
"Dinner?"
"Yes."
"Like a…Like…" He couldn't say it; the word 'date' made his insides squirm.
"Exactly," Another grin, its knowing nature making Mohinder cringe.
"You'll…give yourself over to the police if I have dinner with you?"
"I'll go with you."
"But…That…This," Mohinder sputtered, leaning back into the wall in bewilderment.
This wasn't right, this wasn't normal at all and his mind brought up Audrey's warnings, looking for an answer. She hadn't told him about this, had only said Sylar killed on whim. This little game was suspicious and the chills going down his spine from that gaze scared Mohinder even more than when his gun was in those hands.
"It's not a joke." Sylar answered before Mohinder could even voice the words. "I'm completely serious. I have no intention of…playing with you, Mohinder."
Warning bells went off in Mohinder's head, something was off about that remark. He couldn't grasp it, but there was something there he should note but the killer had turned and made his way to the doorway before Mohinder could think to long.
"I'll be here tomorrow night at seven. You better be here." He threw over his shoulder in dismissal before vanishing out into the hall.