Chapter 4

"I'm going to kill you, you little bitch!"

Elle was starting to regret turning off her communicator when she saw Phil start to shape shift. With his hands clamped down on hers, this was going to hurt like a mother.

"ARGHHHH!!!" They both yelled as she released her biggest jolt yet. All of her organs felt like they were about to explode but she noticed that her electricity seemed to hamper his ability to shift. She turned it up and felt his grip on her loosen and he let go completely when their clothes and the carpet around them caught fire. Shit!

She grabbed his discarded jacket to put herself out just as the fire alarm came on. The sprinklers immediately followed and she was soon drenched. She turned to face Phil again and saw that he was hurt but his eyes were burning with fury. With a roar, he thrust his arms out over his head, his hands forming into claws. The skin of his chest tore in two and with a sickening crack, his back twisted and grew. The tear ran down his stomach and up across his face and the new growth underneath showed dark and bloody. Elle paled. She had never seen a transformation like this before. Something wasn't right. And wet as she was, she knew she would only harm herself if she tried to shock him now. She had to get out of there. She ran for the door.

He reached her before she had even taken two steps.

She was thrown across the room and bounced off the window, leaving it cracked but not broken. She couldn't move her body and struggled to lift her head. He was coming for her again. She tried to jolt him and gasped aloud in pain as the water caused her power to feed back into her. He stood over her, body still rippling in the midst of his transformation, his blood dripping onto her. Cold dread washed over her like a rush of ice water. He was going to kill her and it would be brutal. She took a shallow breathe. At least her father would never let Gabriel know the truth about what had happened to her. Tears prickled her eyes. Oh, Gabriel... Phil's nearly fully formed lupine shape filled her vision.

A crash followed by three quick gunshots filled her ears. Phil howled and was thrown forward over her and into the window, narrowly missing her. She heard the ring of shattering glass and his agonized screams fading and then a meaty thump. She slumped in relief as her vision blurred and faded to white.

___

Noah sighed in relief to find that Elle was still breathing. She was unconscious and looked badly damaged but he had seen her worse. He holstered his gun, lifted her into his arms and raced out of the room. He needed to get her back to Primatech.

He ran out the door and looked both ways down the corridor before deciding to head away from the stairs – they would be swamped and he wanted to avoid detection. They would have to use the elevator. He moved as quickly as he could with Elle in his arms. Once he got there, it was shut down as expected. He looked at Elle, hoping she'd be coming around so she could power it up for them. She was white and unresponsive. Placing her on the floor, he tore off the access panel and gave it a jolt with his taser. He was surprised but relieved when he heard the elevator hum to life. Lifting her back up, they rode to the first floor and lost themselves in the crowd outside. He could hear the approaching sirens of the fire and police departments and hurried to the van they had parked in an alley in the back.

Placing Elle in the passenger seat, he reached to strap her in. A loud ringing interrupted him. He glanced in the cup holder to see Elle's cell phone flashing. He checked the display and frowned when he saw it was her husband. It seemed that she had already missed several calls from him. Whatever it was the man needed, it would have to wait. He finished strapping Elle in and drove out of the alley, making his way back to Primatech headquarters.

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She could hear voices murmuring indistinctly. Her head felt thick and heavy, like it was wrapped in cotton. The voices were distorted, like they were coming from far away or through water but they were becoming clearer. She heard her father and Noah Bennet and someone else. They were arguing.

"…can't keep her here! Her husband has been calling both her cell and the bakery number."

"Well, what do you suggest we do? We can't let him see her like this. How would we explain it to that boy?" her father sneered.

"Schaeffer can't put him off much longer."

"…not all of this blood is her's. I'm going to take some samples and run it down to the lab…"

"Just where…was happening? I thought I told you to keep an eye on this!"

"And…lot out, didn't you, Bob? I saw him. That was no ordinary shifter!"

"…that was for you to determine. Part of why we put you together!"

"Her hands are damaged…won't be able to –"

"Unacceptable. I need her on this."

"…could give her some of…"

"…do it…"

She was fading out again.

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Sylar slammed his phone shut again and resisted the urge to throw it against the building wall. He angrily looked down at the body at his feet. He glanced back up at Knox.

"Call Arthur and tell him we need a cleanup crew."

"What just happened?" Knox stared at him for a moment while he pulled out his cell.

Sylar turned to look back up at the window Phil Groban had apparently fallen – or was pushed – from.

"I don't know." Yet. He turned back around to reenter the building, leaving Knox to finish with their former target.

Once inside, he made his way past milling police and fire crew, back to the surveillance room. The body of the security man was gone. The sprinklers had gone off in here, too, covering all the electronics in water. Ever screen was dark. He tried turning on the equipment but it stayed silent and dead. Frustrated, he grabbed the security chair and threw it as hard as he could against the wall, feeling a bit better for the physical exertion. His cell phone rang and he flipped it open. Finally!

"Status report, Gabriel."

He suppressed a groan. Just what he needed tonight. He placed his fingertips on his forehead and thought carefully about what to tell Arthur.

"The target is dead. Possibly killed by an unknown party. We're sending him to the lab for evaluation."

"I see. I want to see you and Knox in my office when you get back."

"Yes, sir." He pursed his lips. No need to tell Arthur he wasn't planning on coming in right away. The line went dead but the cell flared to life again as he was putting it away. This time, he looked at the display. Primavera Dessert Company. Relief flooded through him.

"Elle –"

"Hi, Gabriel! No, it's Megan. Sorry we didn't pick up earlier. We were working on a HUGE order of soufflés for that wedding party that came in tonight – I'm sure you remember the one Elle told you about – the Pinkins with their gazillion guests! – and so of course cell phones are a no no in the kitchen! I can't have any noise when those are baking you know –" Gabriel interrupted her before she could get any further. He had no patience for Megan Schaeffer's chatty explanations tonight.

"Megan, I'm sorry, I need to speak with Elle. Is she there?"

"Oh no, honey, I sent her home. She should be on her way there now. Poor thing! She's been on her feet all –"

"Thank you, Megan." He hung up abruptly and walked out to the car, dialing Knox on the way.

"Knox, here."

"Make sure everything is swept. Then take a ride back with the cleanup crew. I need to check on something." He hung up before Knox could ask him any questions.

He needed to see Elle for himself. And he didn't need powers to know something wasn't adding up.