Claude didn't like to admit that he liked the little girl. He hated to admit that he could identify with his partner at work, who had taken in one of "them" (us) and had gotten attached (trouble). But Claude wasn't planning to admit either of these things. He didn't want to die (usually). And he didn't want Lily taken away (ever). They needed each other, she more than him, he supposed, as she was only twelve, but he thought that if there was ever a twelve-year-old who could survive on her own in New York City, it would be Lily Taylor.
Each day Claude went to work with the Company and hoped that he wouldn't return home to a pile of rubble and debris, courtesy of his (damn) boss. When he returned home, he was met by Lily, her dark curls bouncing as she ran to meet him, her face shining with adoration as she looked up at him (something people usually didn't feel when they look at me).
"Are we safe today?" she asked.
"Yeah," Claude replied, "We're safe today" (I hope). He had no idea how she had first known that the Company was looking for her. One day, Thompson had given Claude Lily's file and told him to find her. Claude didn't tell him that he already had. When he got home, Lily knew.
"Are we safe today?" she had asked, as she did every day since. Claude figured that she must've encountered a mind reader at some point in her life. Strange thing about her. Most people Claude and the Company ran into had one specific ability. Lily had… everything. She seemed to absorb "powers" from people nearby. Claude had occasionally met people who had the same ability as someone else, but no one that could take in others' abilities. He figured Lily was the only one in the world who could do what she could do.
And of course he knew why the Company believed her to be dangerous (she was). When she first absorbed a new ability, Lily sometimes had difficulty controlling it. So far, she hadn't come into contact with any really dangerous powers (at least as long as I've known her), but if she did, the results could be disastrous. Claude was sure that, with a little instruction, Lily would be taught to perfectly control her abilities, but the Company was more into the "shoot first, screw instruction" philosophy.
Lily interrupted his thoughts. "What are we having for dinner?"
"I don't bloody know," Claude replied. "What's in the freezer?"
"Nothing. You were going to go to the grocery store today."
"Ah, right. Damnit. I suppose the shops are closed by now."
"Pizza?" Lily asked hopefully.
"Sure," Claude said agreeably. Lily handed him the phone. While he called the pizza joint down the street, she hummed a song happily, not caring that she was completely off-key.
Lily always felt happier when Claude was happy. She knew that his job made him unhappy, sometimes, though her twelve-year-old mind couldn't quite understand the moral dilemma that he faced every day about what he was doing (and not doing), she only knew that he felt stressed and upset. Lily worried about Claude. Sometimes she saw things, just flashes of things, things from the future, from the future where Claude was bitter and angry. She wished she knew hot to explain it to him.
"So," Claude asked when the pizza arrived (changing the subject), "How go the studies?"
"Aright. I had trouble with the science. But then I realized I was holding the magnets the wrong way." She giggled.
"Polarity is important, yeah." Claude grinned. They continued eating.
The next day was the same. Claude went to work. When he came home, Lily asked if we are safe today? And Claude replied that we are (I hope). After dinner, Claude helped Lily with schoolwork.
"Will I ever be able to go to school again?" Lily asked. "No offence, but you're a pretty bad teacher."
"Sue me," Claude replied. "I'm trying." He thought for a moment (in Japanese. I don't know what I'm doing). "I'm sure one day soon you'll be able to go back. Once you're old enough to control your abilities all of the time. I mean," he said quietly, "we don't want what happened to your parents happen to anyone else, do we?"
Tears welled up in Lily's eyes and threatened to spill over. Claude knew he had said the wrong thing. "No," Lily said tearfully.
"Oh, damn. Lily, I didn't… (But I did. Again in Japanese. Know the dangers)"
"No," she said, shaking her head fiercely. "You're right, I don't want to hurt anyone else." She put her head in her hands. Claude patted her back awkwardly.
The next day, things changed.
Claude entered the office and saw Noah Bennet deep in conversation with Thompson. They were walking towards Thompson's office. Invisibly, Claude slipped in behind them as the doors swung shut.
"We've given him all the time we can," Thompson was saying. "Its time to step in. After you've taken care of Claude, we'll go to pick up the girl."
(NO)
Claude's eyes got wide. So did Bennet's. "I have to…"
"You've done it before."
"Not to my partner."
"But to other traitors," Thompson said. Then he said, "Well, maybe you're right. Maybe we don't need the one that he is hiding. Maybe we can study your little girl instead." He held out a gun. Bennet took it with a pained look on his face. The two men left the room and Claude followed closely behind. He hurried too his office.
"Damnit," Claude said once the door was closed. "Damnit, damnit, damnit. Bloody fucking hell." He took a deep breath. Bennet entered the room.
"What're you yelling about?"
"I slammed my hand in the desk drawer. (You asshole, how can you stand there trying to look concerned when you know you have to kill me?)"
"Oh. We have a job. Let's go." Claude started to walk towards the stairs, but Bennet said, "Let's use the elevator… lift."
"How many times," Claude said, rolling his eyes. "You don't have to British it up for me." He put on a high, simpering voice. "Well, hello there, old chap. Would you care for some tea up in my flat? Have you seen the latest Doctor Who? Absolutely spiffing!" He dropped the tone. "I know what an elevator is, thanks very much. (Bastard)"
"Sorry."
Bennet drove and Claude sat in the passenger's seat. When they got near the bridge, Claude calmly explained that he knew exactly what was going on, and Bennet not-so-calmly shot him.
Claude clung to the underside of the bridge (pain), gasping for air (pain), for life (pain). He heard a car motor growl as Bennet drove away. Claude freed himself to move and he pulled himself back up onto the road, where the collapsed.
He stood up, coughing blood, and began to run.
Nobody saw him as he raced towards his apartment. At the building, Claude clutched his chest and leaned on the doorframe, nearly falling when Lily opened the door.
"Oh my gosh," she cried. "What happened?"
"Nothing, (We're not safe today)" Claude replied. He coughed and his hand was full of blood.
"You need to call the doctor," Lily said, and burst into tears.
"No," Claude said.
"But I don't want you to die!" The little girl wailed. Claude made no effort to comfort her. He didn't know how, and it was better that she be scared anyway. Scared people do whatever they have to do to get out of danger (Run!).
"Listen to me, Lily," His voice rasping from the bullet in his lung. "You have to get out. We've practiced for this. You know how to control yourself... well enough," he amended when she shook her head. "If you come into contact with someone and absorb their ability, just concentrate on controlling it and keeping it in."
"But where will I go?"
"A big city. New York, maybe. Not Las Vegas though, any of the others. The biggest city you can find. Just... disappear. Blend in. There's a bank account under the name 'John Smith' that you can use to buy food. If I can't reach you soon and that runs out, just take what you need."
A car screeched outside the apartment window. Claude looked out. "Shit," he muttered. "Lily, they're here. You have to go."
"What about you?" she asked, wiping away tears as more fell.
"Don't' worry. Just run!" (Run for your life!) They rushed down the back staircase and out the door. Lily stood, blinking in the lot behind the apartment. The sun blazed down on her and she froze.
"Run," Claude shouted.
Lily looked up, eyes glittering with tears and sunlight, and was gone.