Note: I added this chapter as an afterthought for those that want an uplifting message or more satisfied ending. But if you want to keep Mohinder in his evil little world *giggles and rubs hands together gleefully* then stop right here and don't read on ahead.
A-A-A
The flight to Tokyo is long and uneventful.
Mohinder is slightly bored but hardly indisposed. He reclines back in his leather bound seat, casually sipping from a glass of lemon-infused water. The waitress, a slim thing with dark hair wound into a glossy bun, glides by in a red uniform. But she's too gawky to be of any more amusement to him. A pity he had to leave Maya still sleeping but he was running on a tight schedule and had to speak to Gabriel briefly on the cell phone before boarding his private jet.
The stewardess bends over his table with a smile of sparkling white teeth out of lush red lips. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Dr. Suresh?"
"Ask Ari if he can find any classical music in the area."
"Of course, sir." She turns around and stries back towards the cockpit. She must be very insecure to have to sew herself up into that dress, Mohinder tutts to himself.
There is a slight crackle from the cockpit and a thick deep voice blares from the speakers.
"I can pick up Chopin," Ari's voice rumbles. "I can pick up Chopin. It's Grand Valse, very nice. Being broadcast from over Shai Ben City."
Mohinder waves a hand in the air although there is no one to see him approve of the command. "That would be fine. Thank you, Commander Ben-Ami."
No sooner does the cockpit signal die away does the cheery melody of piano music start wafting through the cabin. Mohinder leans back and closes his eyes to enjoy the music.
Ben-Ami's indirect bloodline to Hannah Gitelman has given him the wonderful knack for picking up radio signals. Ari says it helps him in crowded bars when he detest the music but he favorite sound is flying planes high above the noise and chatter of cities.
Mohinder doesn't mind at all. He taps his glass with a finger and the stewardess rushes over to refill it. The merry strings from Chopin's melody are sweet and the music seems to dance around Mohinder while the sun flicks in and out of passing clouds.
If you're going to be crammed into a metal can and sent blasting thousands of miles above the ground, you might as well do it in style.
A-A-A
Two men in business suits are waiting when the jet lands on a concrete strip on the outskirts of Tokyo. The long lean face of Ari Ben-Ami waves from the cockpit and he draws the plane to a smooth graceful landing on the strip. "All clear, Doctor. We are in Japan, safe and sound."
"Excellent."
Ari grins, revealing rows of fine even teeth. It's a fine contrast to his olive complexion and slick black hair. He hopes the stewardess will notice him. And she does, with a flirting wink as soon as Dr. Suresh retains his single briefcase and descends from the plane down to the concrete path.
There is a brief moment of handshakes and then Mohinder is in the car and zooming into the heart of Tokyo.
A-A-A
High above the bustling noise of the city, the great Kaito Nakamura stands behind his desk with his hands folded in front of him. Mohinder gives a deep bow of respect to Kaito and another bow to the pretty woman, no doubt his daughter.
He knows that the younger Nakamura has been branded an outcast of society and disassociated himself with his father. It's a black stain on the Nakamura dynasty to know young Hiro is now only whispered among the puny peasants of society as a "renegade". But authority calls him a terrorist and so stories have filtered out that a sword-welding fanatic has wrecked havoc among innocents and must be stopped at all cost.
Naturally, Mohinder is thrilled at the prospect of coming face to face with a man of such popularity. And so a fascinating afternoon unfolds as he exchanges comments with Nakamura-san and is cautious not to mention his "wayward son" whatsoever.
And yet Mohinder is slightly concerned. Because from the rumors he's heard, people like Hiro Nakamura pose a great threat to the future of Primatech and everything that Mohinder has worked for. Therefore he must be extra cautious to gain Kaito's trust and establish yet another fortress of security around the genetic research that he has painstakingly worked in these past 10 years.
A-A-A
As the sun slinks down in the sky, the city of Tokyo flares to life in a blaze of pink and blue electricity. People are out in the streets and whirled up in the drinks, the throbbing music, and the ever flashing lights of advertisements and movies.
But a swift elevator permits Mohinder to rise above the noise and pulsing lights to his private sanctuary of bliss and silence.
The Golden Pearl Hotel is his favorite place of choice in Tokyo. Mohinder slides his key into the lock and opens the door to his private suite. He likes the simplicity of this elegance, the straight lines of décor and the small delicate flowers on the table. There's already a tray for him on the table with porcelain and a pot of hot water waiting to be poured out. But he stops when he sees something brightly-colored lying on the bed.
He reaches out and touches the item, only to have the silken fabric of a dress slide through his fingers.
Then he hears the sound of water rushing form the bathroom and the strains of a Latin melody. "Mi flor pequeña bonita, mi amigo, viene y canta conmigo," sings the voice.
Mohinder opens his briefcase and takes out his gun. Four years of pistols training at Cambridge and Company combat practice has kept his aim and eye at light speed. Not that he likes resorting to violence but it is a necessary skill.
He keeps the gun close to his body and reaches for the doorknob. There is a dull murmur from inside where the person continues to sing. In a flash of movement, he barges into the bathroom and aims the gun at the shower. The glass is frosted but he can see the outline of a woman's body.
Maya opens the door to the shower and her body freezes up. She looks more puzzled and embarrassed than afraid of Mohinder. Her fine eyebrows arch up when she sees the glint of the gun aimed at her belly. Maya quickly grabs a towel and wraps it around her body.
Mohinder does nothing. He's too professional to be put off by the presence of a woman in his shower.
Maya tilts her head to one side and shyly draws a lock of wet hair behind her head.
"Forgive me. The manager downstairs let me in," she replies.
"How did you find me?" Mohinder demands.
"Ms. Bishop told me where you went."
Damn you Elle, Mohinder curses to himself. He's going to have a word or two with that blonde lightning rod when he gets back to Las Vegas.
Maya looks at his face; passive, contemplating. The gun still in his hand. She looks sheepish and a bit hurt. "You did not want me here?"
She watches him wave the gun back and forth in a toying gesture.
It's not that Mohinder didn't enjoy his romp with her last night. It's that he finds women to be complicated ever since his fiasco with Mirah. Their relationship dissolved into a heated battle of tears, shouts, and an unwanted baby. She left him with a slap across the face and a storm of curses before walking out of his life.
Since then, Mohinder prefers to keep things as hygienic and disposable as possible.
Nevertheless, Maya is here. In his shower. Looking very sweet and smelling of jasmine flower.
"You seem interested in knowing more about me," he says at last. He puts down the gun and begins to unbutton his shirt.
"I am," she murmurs, watching him advance towards her.
"Good. Because as a scientist I study many things."
The door slams shut behind them.
A-A-A
After their "anatomy class" in the shower, Mohinder and Maya lie on the bed and turns massaging each other's limbs. One lazy hour easily slips into two and then three until they're sprawled out in comfort on the sheets.
Eve and Adam, he thinks.
They make a very pretty picture although some prudes would ask them to behave with more civility. No wonder Mohinder feels so exposed with nothing but air and Maya touching his skin. He's nearly forgotten what it means to be vulnerable.
"I'll be in Tokyo for the rest of the week," he informs Maya while tracing the curve of her shoulder. "I want you to go to Milan and wait for me there."
"Can't I stay here?"
"No."
She opens her mouth to protest but Mohinder merely lays a hand on her mouth, silencing her. "I'll call for you when I'm ready. I don't want to vex you when I'm in a bad mood."
"You could never be in a bad mood," Maya insists, kissing him on the lips. Her hair smells wonderful after the shower and she deepens the kiss while Mohinder pulls her on top of him.
A-A-A
Maya is fast asleep again while Mohinder watches her chest rise and fall with every breath. He has to admit that he's enjoyed the surprise escapade very much. If Maya can continue please him like this, she'll make an ideal mistress for him. And if she doesn't comply then all he has to do is remind Maya about her unstable "condition" that only he can keep in check.
His cell phone goes off. "Emergency at Nakamura Headquarters," says Gabriel.
Mohinder snaps up. "What?"
"I just got a tip."
He nearly jumps into his clothes and after scribbling a hasty note, leaves Maya there.
The door shuts. Maya stirs. Ten minutes later, she wakes and finds her lover is gone.
Maya reaches for the phone and dials a number. A man's voice comes through the other end.
"Is he gone?"
"Yes."
"Is he coming here?"
"I think so."
"You did very well, Herrera."
"I am still sorry to deceive him," she confesses. "He makes me feel afraid, and yet alive."
"So do cobras. Until they bite."
A-A-A
When Mohinder arrives at Nakamura Industries, he notices the building is empty. No one is in the lobby, no security guards.
Damn her, he thinks to himself. Maya is going to be in trouble when he arrives in Milan.
He takes out his gun and climbs the stairs. When he gets to the last floor he realizes how strange the building looks at nighttime with everyone gone. It's flooded in pale blue lighting that casts long shadows across the walls. And as Mohinder walks towards the private chambers of Kaito Nakamura, he can't help but wonder if he's walking inside a dream. At least he approaches the last doors and pushes them open.
A man is sitting at Kaito's desk. His dark hair is slicked back into a ponytail and a small goatee graces his chin. He wears a simple but effective black combat uniform and Mohinder notices the handle of a sword sticking out from behind his shoulder.
"Good evening." The man gives a slight nod to Mohinder. The geneticist can see it's going to be a battle of composure and decides to keep his ground.
"You must be the legendary Hiro Nakamura. I am honored," he says with a deep suave bow.
"And you must be the world renowned Doctor Mohinder Suresh," speaks Hiro out of smooth lips." I must confess that I cannot honor you but I am aware of the full scope of your power."
"You are mistaken, Nakamura. I have no powers—unlike you."
"A power based on DNA manipulation is nothing compared to the power of domination and exploiting others for personal use."
"Ah, you must think me as a fascist," Mohinder tutts.
"Oh no, only a little less than a monster," Hiro dotes back.
Mohinder has to admit, the renegade is good with words. But he keeps his gun in front of him. It will take Hiro Nakamura a matter of seconds to slice Mohinder from navel to nose, but Mohinder has never missed a target. This little verbal dance between them is getting interesting. He'd hate to let it slide by so quickly.
Mohinder chooses his words carefully, hoping to pierce the man's ego and wound him. "Your father must be sorely disappointed to know his only son and heir has been branded a terrorist and fanatic by the country."
A lesser man would flinch from the insult. But Hiro's face remains passive and calm, his lips parted into the faintest but noticeable smile. He looks like Buddha.
"I am not here to look for a fight, Dr. Suresh. You are too dangerous to meet in combat and I would easily be killed."
"You know your adversaries, Nakamura-san. I congratulate you on your wisdom." Mohinder still has the pistol aimed at Hiro's head.
"Will you consider an offer?"
"That depends on the offer."
"Half an hour of your time. No weapons." Saying so, Hiro removes the sword from his back and places it on the table. "In the next thirty minutes I will use my powers for you to observe and I promise you that I will not attempt to injure you in any way."
"On the condition…"
"On the condition that you disarm yourself and agree not to injure me in the next thirty minutes."
Mohinder ponders this for a moment. Something is afoot, something he must have overlooked. And inside, he silently berates himself for being so blinded. And yet he's also exhilarated at the prospect that Hiro has to offer. If his sources are correct, then Mohinder knows the man before him posses a unique ability to bend the space-time continuum. Such is a power beyond mortal reach but has found its way into the hands of the young Hiro Nakamura.
"And at the end of thirty minutes?"
"I will return us both safely here and we may take up our arms and face in combat, if you so wish it."
"I would prefer it if you come back to Primatech with me," Mohinder says in his most charismatic voice. "Your skills would surely be praised among our department."
"I will consider your offer after thirty minutes. Please remove your gun."
Based on previous experiences, Mohinder knows that Hiro is not lying. He shrugs and lays the gun on the table next to the sword.
Nakamura comes to Mohinder and places a hand on his shoulder. "Hold still. This will feel odd for a moment."
The ground ripples beneath them. Mohinder feels a rush of wind through his hair, the world spinning before his eyes. He wonders if this is how teleporting always feels and if sends the blood rushing into your head.
And then….no sooner does it start….
It stops.
A-A-A
Mohinder blinks and realizes the teleportation must have worked after all. They're now inside a dimly lit room separated from another room by a door of glass and wood. The door is opened a slight crack so they can see inside.
"Remember, we must not speak. It will ruin what I have to show you," cautions Hiro.
"Agreed." Mohinder is too interested to protest so he glances through the small crack along with Hiro and waits for the charade to play out.
They must be inside some urban apartment. The place has a somewhat cluttered feeling with stacks of books lying everywhere and crayons sprawled across the table. The rug is slightly threadbare although the desk and chairs look familiar. Didn't he have furniture like that in Chennai? Why, that's his father's old bronze elephant lying on the desk!
Another door opens and someone walks in. Mohinder's face doesn't change but Hiro watches the eyes of the geneticist blaze with astonishment to see nothing less than his doppelganger in the other room.
The new Mohinder who stands on the other side of the apartment looks somewhat disheveled and tangled. His jawline is overcast with a faint blue shadow from the stubble on his chin. He probably hasn't shaved in a few days. His clothes are somewhat rumpled too; the tan pants are scrunched up around the legs and the cotton green shirt faded from washing.
Mohinder frowns to himself. What's he doing in such a messy state? And where's the maid?
The other Mohinder, while looking more like an exhausted tourist than a professional geneticist, has a surprisingly calm look on his face. He walks over to the sink which is stacked with dirty dishes…and begins washing them! He smiles to himself and hums a familiar tune from India.
"Mohinder?" a child's voice feebly comes from the other room.
He drops the dishtowel and sees someone in the doorway. Molly is there in a cotton nightdress with a floral print. Her forehead is damp and she is rubbing one eye with her fist.
"I had a bad dream," she whimpers. The unkempt Mohinder comes to her side and wraps his arms around her protectively.
"Shhhh, it's all right, Molly," he soothes her. Mohinder and Hiro watch the doppelganger carry Molly to the sofa and sit her down. "The boogeyman again?"
"No. It was just very scary. I was running around a lot of dark trees and I couldn't find you or Matt."
He cradles her head to his chest and begins stroking her hair. "Don't worry, Molly. We're not going anywhere."
A sharp knock at the door makes them both jump. Molly's face goes white. "He's here," she whispers in fear. "The boogeyman."
"Now let's not be hasty," Mohinder assures her. But there is a note of concern in his voice. He takes a broom from the corner and advances towards the door with caution.
From behind the door, Mohinder resists the urge to sneer or snicker. Imagine trying to fend off an attacker with a household appliance! He silently regrets leaving his pistol behind in Nakamura Industries.
"Who is it?" Mohinder asks.
"Claire Bennett," comes a voice from behind the door. Relief floods the doppelganger's face and he opens the door up.
There in the hallway stands a blonde-haired teenager clutching a backpack in her hand. She is dressed in a navy blue jumpsuit that almost blends her into the darkness of the hallway. She takes a step forward and the light from inside the apartment casts a glow on her face. She'd be pretty with her big blue eyes and yellow hair but she too looks flustered and upset to care. Her forehead is scrunched up and her lower lip sticks out in a pout.
"Can I come in?" she asks.
The doppelganger looks surprise but his voice is kind and inviting. "Of course, Claire."
She stalks into the apartment, drops her bag on the floor, and nearly collapses into a chair at the kitchen table with exhaustion. Molly looks on with interest from the sofa while pulling an old afghan up to her chin and leaning against the pillows.
"It's my dad," Claire beings to fume. "He's so strict all the time! It's 'stay home Claire' and 'look out Claire' and 'listen to me Claire'. It's driving me crazy!" She bangs a hand on the table in frustration while Mohinder looks on.
"And meanwhile, everyone in my school is acting like a creep."
"Surely not everyone. The entire population would be overrun with creeps," Mohinder suggests.
The light humor brightens up Claire's face for a brief moment. Then the shadow is cast back over her young brow. She stares back at the table. "Anyway, I got into a fight with my dad and was sent to my room. So I took a bus and ended up here."
"Wait a minute…Noah doesn't know you're gone?" Mohinder asks with concern.
"No."
"Your parents will be worried," he says softly as he reaches for the phone. "I should call them."
"Let them worry!" Claire brushes her golden mane off her shoulders impatiently. "I just needed to get out and talk to someone else for a change."
This comment causes Mohinder to keep the phone in hand but he doesn't dial the number.
"Well," Mohinder rubs a hand through his tangled curls and looks a bit sheepish. "I'm not a professional in family matters but I do know that a cup of tea can smooth things out. Would you like some?"
Claire looks almost grateful for the offer and even more relieved when Mohinder puts the phone down without even calling her parents.
Mohinder asks Molly to get out the cookie jar and the little girl complies eagerly, hoping to sneak in another gingersnap or two for herself. Meanwhile, Mohinder fills the brass kettle with water and brings it to a boil on the stove. He is about to reach for the tea when he pauses for a moment and wisely selects the hot chocolate tin from a lower shelf with a knowing smile.
Mohinder brings two mugs of cocoa to the table for Molly and Claire and a traditional tea for himself. Claire takes a gulp of the hot chocolate. The sweetness seeps into her adolescent soul, soothing it like a magical remedy.
"I know from working with your father that he is a complicated man," Mohinder says as he stirs his tea with a spoon.
"Noah Bennett follows his own codes and ethics. He will not consent or compromise with another person's interests if they conflict with his own. But as a father, he does have your best interest in mind." He looks up for a minute and his dark eyes are soft with emotion. "Sometimes I wish my own father was more like that."
Claire stops venting in her own frustrations long enough to look at him. "What was your dad like?"
"He was brilliant. Passionate, creative, and uncompromising in his beliefs." Mohinder pauses to take a sip of tea. "I wanted so much to be like him and work by his side in his research. But at some point in our lives he pushed me away. He didn't want me meddling into his work. And since then, we drifted apart. It was like that until the day he died."
Claire looks down into her mug. "I'm sorry," she murmurs.
"It's not your fault. But I do believe that we may never know everything about our parents. They're like the roots of the tree, always embedded deeper in the ground than we ever imagine. And no matter how deep we dig, they still go deeper."
"Did you father keep things from you?" asks Claire.
"Yes. And it wasn't until after he died that I realized he was trying to protect me from danger. If only I would have known, I wouldn't have been so angry at him."
His words are beginning to make an impression on the young woman. Claire's lower lip begins to tremble. "Will I ever die?"
Mohinder studies her face, so young and sweet and full of life. It's a question that most teenagers won't even address but Claire asks with solemnity and conviction.
"I don't want to live forever," Claire blurts out.
"With your condition I think that it may be your only choice," he says softly. "I'm very sorry, but that's the truth."
"That scares me a little," Claire admits feebly. She cradles her hot chocolate in her hands. "Everyone around me will die one day and I'll have to go on living. Even my dad can't protect me forever. So why does he try so hard?"
"As your father, he may see it as his ongoing responsibility for the rest of his life."
"That makes no sense, Dr. Suresh," Claire putts him off.
Mohinder looks at Molly who has already polished off her hot chocolate and is lying comfortably on the sofa, snuggled up in the old afghan. Something stirs inside of him and it gives him the inspiration to continue speaking.
"Love is a complicated emotion, Claire. It confuses us and blinds our judgment but we can't live without it. We will risk our happiness, security, and our lives for those we care about." He leans closer to her. "Don't you feel the same way about your family?"
"Well, some days I'd like to push Lyle's head into the toilet," Claire mutters. It causes Mohinder to chuckle softly and makes Claire go on. "But yeah, I guess I do care about them after all…though my dad will ground me for life after this."
"I highly doubt that," Mohinder smiles.
It's taken the edge off things and the next ten minutes lapses into a conversation of leisure. Claire admits the pettiness of the snobs in her school and Mohinder listens with politeness, even sees interested in the ridiculous nuances of an American public high school fight up the social ladder.
"I'm so glad I could come here and just be myself," Claire admits. She munches a cookie and glances around the apartment, so cramped but alive in contrast to her mother's bright sparkling kitchen. "Peter was right when he said to trust you."
"Me?" Mohinder lifts one eyebrow in surprise. "I'm flattered to know that but I haven't accomplished enough in my life to be in the right."
"No way," Claire defends her uncle proudly. "Peter knows people better than they know themselves. And if it's good enough for him then it's enough for me."
Some more minutes pass by peacefully. Claire ends up on the sofa with Molly and the girls are curled up under the blanket together with the lamp for reading light. This time it is Claire's turn to read James and the Giant Peach aloud although she convinces Molly to read some of the words too. Mohinder takes the time to wash the mugs and sweep the kitchen floor.
Another knock is at the door and this time, a man's voice is heard from the other side. Molly is already nodding off and too tired to see if it's the Boogeyman. Claire, on the other hand, recognizes the voice and gets off the sofa. When Mohinder opens the door, he walks right in.
He's wearing a brown suit and eyebrow glasses that give him a no-nonsense look. His jawline could cut iron and there's nothing but duty in the plain hard face.
"Claire!"
He rushes in and pulls the girl into a tight embrace. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine dad," she insists. Her voice is slightly muffled against the fabric of his coat but she feels his hand run over the top of her head where he kisses her. Mohinder watches Noah Bennett release his daughter from the hug but still holds her at arm's length.
His face is searching hers for some explanation. "What on earth gave you the idea to come here?" Noah Bennett demands.
"We had cookies and hot chocolate," Molly murmurs sleepily under the afghan. Everyone looks at the little girl whose nightmares are now gone and restored with pleasant dreams and hot chocolate.
"It was good. And Claire read to me. She's a good story teller."
Noah doesn't seem too interested in Molly's comments and fixes his attention back on Claire. "Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me? Your mother was very worried about you. She wanted to call the cops and I was about to call the Petrellis—"
"No dad, please don't call them," Claire begged. "Everything is all right now and we don't have to make anyone else worry. Can't we just go home now?"
Noah Bennett looks into her face that pleads for a moment of peace and silence. At last, the Company man decides to relent. He exhales and nods. "All right. We'll go home, Claire Bear."
He helps his daughter into her parka and picks up her backpack. Noah is about to lead Claire out of the apartment when Mohinder catches him by the elbow. "Noah, can I have word with you?"
"It's late, Mohinder."
"This will just take a minute."
Noah glances at his daughter. "I'll meet you in the car in five minutes." Claire looks at Mohinder and smiles. "Thank you, Dr. Suresh."
"It's just Mohinder, Claire. And you're welcome to come back any time you want."
"'Night Claire Bear," Molly sings softly from the sofa. Mohinder would smile if he didn't have Noah Bennett glaring at him like a falcon. He waits until Claire is in the elevator to address the man before him.
Mohinder rolls up his sleeves which are wet with dish water and folds his arms across his chest. "Claire thinks you don't trust her."
"Well I don't," Noah retorts. "She's still a child...my child."
"Yes, but a growing one, Noah. If you continue to keep her enclosed then Claire won't ever learn to fend for herself!"
Noah tilts his head upward and the glasses throw a harsh reflection onto Mohinder's face. "Is that what she came here to do? To tell the doctor about her big bad daddy who keeps her locked up in a tower?"
"I understand and respect your duties as a father to look out for her," Mohinder responds calmly. "But you're not going to be around forever, Noah. Who will look after Claire when you're gone? The Petrellis will do their best but no one will replace you in her eyes. You need to prepare her because one day, sooner or later, you'll be gone. Claire needs to be ready for that day."
Noah doesn't say anything. There's nothing to discuss in this matter and no reason for him to start a list of options in favor of his choice. He's about to leave but Mohinder has one last piece of sound advice for him.
"Talk to her, Noah. She needs her father to be a friend as much as a protector."
His expression doesn't change although he keeps one hand in the doorway. "Since when did you become the local shrink?"
Mohinder says nothing. He just takes the insult and goes back to washing dishes.
"I mean look at you, Suresh." Noah waves a hand around the room.
"You're playing the household mother, riding the subway on Sundays, taking care of a kid," Noah gestures to Molly who is sleeping happily on the sofa. "You should really come work for us. Angela Petrelli got back the test results and you're the best marksman by your shooting range scores. As a company agent you could-"
"No."
The response is soft but audible; gentle but firm. Mohinder looks at Noah Bennett and shakes his head. "I won't compromise my judgment or conscience by bending to your Company's rules."
"You're afraid of becoming like me?"
"I have my reasons. My mind is made up."
Noah shrugs. He can't force Mohinder into serving them. Sometimes even a softy like Dr. Suresh can be stubborn as a rock. "Suit yourself," he shrugs.
"Noah….just listen to Claire. Even if you two talk about the smallest and most trivial things, it could mean the world to her. So just listen to her…and maybe she won't run off anymore."
"I'll keep that in mind." With one final glance at the geneticist, Noah Bennett closes the door behind him tightly.
Mohinder sighs and shakes his head yet he can't help but smile to himself. He glances up at the clock and realizes how late it is. He gathers the sleeping Molly up in his arms and carries her to the bedroom.
A-A-A
There is another flash of light and they're back in Nakamura Industries.
Hiro faces Mohinder. And as he watches the brow wrinkle in frustration and the dark eyes flash with fire, Hiro knows he has managed to do something that few people can do: provoke Dr. Suresh
"You're a fine specimen of idiotic fanaticism and sentimental nonsense," Mohinder says in a frigid tone. "Do you intend to make a mockery of me by showing me that illusion?"
"It's you."
"That is not me," he bites his words. "It is a completely irrational scenario. Do you think that I would compromise my status and intelligence to live in a cheap Brooklyn flat raising Molly in my care and play Dr. Freud to a spoiled teenager? To be put down and ridiculed by another man who thinks he holds some superior status over my own?"
"Do you remember finding a butterfly in your father's garden when you were seven years old?" Hiro inquires Mohinder. "You caught it, pinned it to a piece of cardboard, and after it died you showed it off to you father Chandra Suresh."
"What on earth does that have to do with all of this nonsense?" snaps Mohinder.
"In an alternative world, you chose not to endanger a delicate creature. So the Mohinder of that world let the butterfly go free. Then he went into the library to read books.
"I fail to see the value behind comparing parallel worlds."
"The space-time stream could not justify the existence of two driving forces within one man's heart. Your soul was fractured. Unable to resolve the conflict, your destiny broke into two separate ways. In this world you chose reason over compassion. But in another world, you sought the eternal balance of man and God; spirit and science."
Mohinder's lips thin irritably and he crosses his arms over his chest. "I think you're making a mockery of me."
"Your utopia was built on the backs of people you crushed, Dr. Suresh," replies Hiro. "It is a cruel plan for the future. And you have disgraced the memory of your father."
"I help people, Nakamura-san, I don't break them," Mohinder defends himself "And I can help you too."
"I think not."
Mohinder tapped his foot impatiently. "What does this Mohinder of a parallel world do for income?"
"He drives a taxi cab."
Mohinder suddenly bursts out into cold clear laughter."
"What makes you think I'd stoop to such low circumstances? A taxi driver!?" he sneers. "I'd rather die than accept such a petty occupation."
"Then you err in judging yourself by an income as a means of sustaining yourself," Hiro murmurs. "And at least in this alternative world we witnessed, the evil you created is external and not internal. Without the proper mentoring, Gabriel Gray chose to elevate his status by himself. He emerged as a serial killer bent on executing any rivals that stood in his way."
"Rubbish. Gabriel would never betray me," Mohinder retorts. "But what do I expect to spew from the mouth of a terrorist except for lies and illogical assumptions?"
Hiro contemplates telling Mohinder about Sylar and the scientist's quest to avenge the death of a beloved father. But with a swift glance at the clock, he realizes they don't have the time to delve into such complicated matters.
"Well, this has been a very interesting evening Nakamura-san," Mohinder says at last. "It's been entertaining and enlightening but surely you didn't lure me here just to give me a freak show of what I could have become: a silly simpering incompetent twit with a talent for therapy."
"Of course not, Dr. Suresh. I am offering you a choice. You can shut down Primatech and resign your position as Surgeon General or face the consequences."
Mohinder bites his lower lip hesitantly. "And why on earth would I do that?"
"Because I cannot allow you to continue."
"I think you can. Because as soon as I pull the trigger then your life won't matter anymore," Mohinder replies. He reaches for his weapon on the table.
"No second thoughts?" asks Hiro.
"No second thoughts," answers Mohinder.
The calm face of the Japanese man pulls into a smile. "No matter."
"Why not?"
Hiro points to the clock "Your time is up, Dr. Suresh."
Mohinder has the gun in hand and is ready to blow Hiro's brains out. But Hiro, even weaponless, is still the legendary hero of lore. His fist lashes out and strikes Mohinder in the chest. Fingers splay and strike into his ribcage, then retract back into a tightly-clenched fist.
Mohinder coughs and beings to choke on his own blood. He can feel the sticky salty liquid bubbling up in his mouth and trickling down his face "What… did you do?" he wheezes at Hiro. The room around him begins to grow gray and foggy as he staggers backwards.
"I short circuited your cardiovascular system. Forgive me but it is a short death. Your vital organs will shut down in approximately 30 seconds."
Mohinder sinks to his feet, his body getting heavier with every passing moment.
"It's a hand-to-hand technique only to be used in the most dire circumstances by samurai masters. Forgive me, Dr. Suresh. There was no other alternative."
Mohinder is on his hands and knees by now. His breathing is deep and gurgling with blood. He looks up at Hiro and shakes his head in disdain.
"Damn you, Nakamura," he curses between his teeth. " I could have made you a great man."
"I know," Hiro says softly.
He watches the doctor take his last breath before collapsing onto the ground. Hiro reaches over to the corpse and lays a hand on his head.
"But it is better that you become a good man, Mohinder-san."
A-A-A
Hiro blinks his eyes and looks at his reflection in a Fifth Avenue window. The bloodied scene inside Nakamura Industries has vanished as if it was nothing more than a bad dream. He listens to the sights and smells of New York City.
Buzzing taxi cabs and the smell of greasy hot dogs. Tables piled with trinkets and balloons. Children ice skating in Central Park. Fuzzy sweaters and his old shoulder-bag stuffed with comic books.
Good.
He smiles proudly and pushes his glasses back up his nose with his finger. Ando begins to chastise him about losing track of their mission and leaving his best friend along in Manhattan for the hundredth time.
Hiro doesn't mind.
At first he was concerned about the space time continuum. Time traveling was risky enough but even bending other universes out of focus could wipe out the existence of countless lives. Hiro quickly realized if alternative worlds began meshing together then the stronger one would encompass the weaker one. One world would collapse and other would survive. A world where Mohinder Suresh was feared and loathed would endure but it would be a world of bleakness and cruelty. The only alternative was to kill him and let the shift blend back into his own reality.
Hiro continues walking down the street with the same big smile on his face. It was amazing how the existence of such seemingly insignificant people held the balance of the entire world in their beings.
First the cheerleader from Texas. Than the shy nurse with hair falling into his eyes.
And now the seeker was the one keeping the world in balance. He was the spiritual compass who would help them move forward towards their destinies.
Hiro watches the door to a building open and Mohinder and Molly step outside. The scientist takes a moment to make sure her scarf is wrapped securely around her neck to protect her from the chilly New York air.
"Mohinder, it's snowing!" she laughs. Molly sticks out her tongue to catch a snowflake.
Mohinder looks up and puts a hand out, watching the tiny lace-like bits of crystal land on his palm before melting into drops of water. "How wonderful," he murmurs.
"Mohinder, my friend Patty says that snowflakes are made of angels' tears." Molly's eyes grow wide with surprise. "Is that true?"
The scientist within him wants to put such a silly idea out of Molly's head and explain the intricate details of the crystallized flakes. But the man within him knows she's still a child and deserves to dream. He is content to remark on their beauty, which makes Molly happy.
Yes, Mohinder might be driving a taxi cab instead of teaching in a university. He lives a meager life and makes constant mistakes now and then. But he tries his best. He speaks his mind.
And most of all he loves Molly. He truly loves the little girl with as much pride and happiness as his heart can hold.
That makes the doctor a man of great honor and respect as only Hiro Nakamura deems it worthy. And Hiro knows that sadly, many men have had that chance to gain honor and lost it in the fight against corruption and greed. At least this time Mohinder has a chance to prevail.
For that alone, Mohinder is satisfied. He looks across the street to see Hiro Nakamura clutching a large bag and waving at them. Mohinder looks back and he and Molly wave.
Hiro goes off, snowflakes swirling around him and wind whistling in his ears.
He's saved the world. Again.
END