Heroes

Rules of Engagement

Chapter 4

A Change of Place

Hiro paced around the office as Mr. Tykro held the book tightly. The office was small and crammed with bookshelves that were overflowing with many different tpes of books. There were no windows and it felt extremely claustrophobic. Mr. Tykro cleared his throat loudly as he scanned the book. "Where did you find this book?" He asked looking at Hiro through his thickly rimmed glasses that magnified his already large eyes.

"I got it from my house," Hiro said looking at Ando who was leaning against one of the bookshelves.

"This is one of the most interesting books I have ever seen," Mr. Tykro said turning to face Hiro. "And believe me I have read many books," He paused and began to laugh on his own. He stopped and looked at both Hiro and Ando again. He squinted and continued, "I have seen this writing only once in my life."

"What is written in the book?" Ando asked stepping up to Tykro.

Tykro looked at at Ando and shook his head. "I don't know," He said as Ando face clearly fell in disappointment, "I can't read what is written inside because it is written in Hebrew."

"Written in Hebrew?" Hiro asked looking at Ando confused.

"Yeah it is written in Hebrew," Tykro said handing the book back to Hiro. "I am sorry I can't be more help."

"Does the snake on the front cover resemble anything?" Ando asked as Hiro turned to leave.

"I don't know," Mr. Tykro said shaking his head as he stood up. He removed his large glasses and placed them in his front pocket that was filled with an assortment of paper and pens. He led Ando and Hiro out of his cluttered office. "I am sorry I could have been more help."

Hiro and Ando salked out of the office. "Thanks for the help," Hiro said waving goodbye as they walked away.

"So now what?" Ando asked as they approached their rental car.

"I am not sure," Hiro said opening the car door. He sat inside and waited until Ando was seated before starting the car. "I do have one more person to talk to."

"Who is that?" Ando asked looking outside the window. He saw a homeless male holding a sign that said help me help the world.. give me money for food.

"The one person that has been closest to my father for many years," Hiro said turning on to one of the busier streets. "The one person that always remains quiet." Hiro took a deep breath and looked at Ando as he stopped by a red light. "That person is my sister."

XXX

Matt looked out the car window as they drove down the long street that led them out of the forest. "Tell me again," He said watching the trees whiz by, "What is the plan exactly?"

Peter who was sitting in the back seat, leaned forward and poked his head in between Mohinder and Matt. He looked at Matt and said, "The plan is we break into Building 26 and rescue Tracy Strauss,"

"I thought that is what it was," Matt said shaking his head. The plan was reckless and they could easily get caught. "How many guards do you think are in there?"

"There are going to be a lot," Mhinder said pulling on to another deserted road that led to the freeway. They had been driving for the past hour, so they could get far enough where Peter could fly away with Matt undetected. "I know you guys will be successful."

"Let's hope so," Matt said thinking of how many things that can go wrong on a mission like this. If they were caught their whole plan to stop Nathan and his men would be futile. "So once we get into the building, what then? How do you suppose we get through all the guards?"

"That is simple," Peter said looking at Mohinder with a small smile, "You will get into the guards heads and we will get enough of them to back us up until we get Tracy."

"Sounds like a plan," Matt said as Mohinder pulled into an empty gas station. The few gas tanks that were there were old and rusted. It was as if no one has has been here in years.

"Ok this is it," Mohinder said turning off the car. He stepped outside and sniffed the air. It smelled stale and nothing more.

Peter and Matt stepped out of the car. Peter looked around as he approached the front of the car. Matt stood next to Peter as Mohinder leaned against the car door. You ready for this?" Peter asked looking at Matt.

"I can never get used to this part," Matt said as Peter grabbed him from behind.

"Good luck," Mohinder said watching Peter fly.

Peter held on to Matt tightly as he flew toward Building 26. They landed on the roof roughly. Peter looked around as Matt said, "As I have said many times before, I can never get used to that."

"Oh it is not that bad," Peter said finding the door that led to the lower floors. "Ok now for the hard part."

Peter opened the door and began to walk down the brightly lit staircase. "How do you think we will find Tracy?" He asked opening the door at the bottom of the staircase. There was a long and empty hallway that was full of doors.

"I guess I can get into enough people's heads and ten get an answer," Matt trying the first door on his left, which was locked. It didn't surprise him in the least. It would be unsafe to leave the doors unlocked.

For a few minutes neither Peter or Matt spoke. Every door on the floor was locked. As Peter approached the elevator he heard someone shout. Matt turned around and roughly looked at the guard getting into his head. The guard shivered and lowered his gun. Matt told him not to attack and instead fight along their side. Matt dug deeper and found out the Tracy was being held on the third floor. The guard nodded as Peter pressed to open the elevator doors. "This should be easy," Matt said with half a smile.

Peter briefly looked at Matt as he stepped into the elavator. "We will be in and out before we know it."

XXX

Danko stepped up to the computer screen as he watched Peter, Matt, and one of his guards step into the elavator. "Well I'll be damned," He said in a low tone as Nathan approached.

"What is it?" He asked watching Danko intently.

"We have got some unwanted company," Danko said turning to face Nathan. Nathan looked at the computer screen as he watched Peter press the button for the third floor.

"Where do you think he is going?" Danko as he cleared his throat loudly.

Nathan looked at Danko briefly. "I am not sure," He said lying. He knew exactly where they were heading.

"Well I know exactly where they are going," Danko said with a frown, "They are going to get Tracy out of containment." He paused and looked at Nathan, "We won't let them."

"I am going to talk to them," Nathan said watching the elevator doors open and them step out.

Danko shook his head in disagreement. "Nathan this time your politics won't work," He said walking away from Nathan. He motioned for one of the guards as he said, "Gather a team together and make sure they don't and I mean don't get out with Tracy." The guard nodded and jogged out of them room yelling into his walkie-talkie. Danko then turned and motioned for another guard to approach. "Gather a second team in case the first team fails. Make sure no one gets past your team. A man named Matt Parkman will try to get into your head."

"Don't kill them," Nathan said approaching Danko who shook his head and sighed.

"They are dangerous," Danko said looking at Nathan. "They are on our turf and I will do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe."

XXX

Peter turned a corner and saw four guards stationed in front of a door on the far end of the hall. He jumped back abruptly and whispered, "Four guards on my right, far end of the hall."

Matt nodded and walked around the corner. He entered their minds and told them to lower their weapons. He also told them to stand by and await for further instructions. He turned and told one to show the exact room where Tracy was being held captive. The guard turned and opened the door they were guarding. Peter ran ahead and stepped inside the room. "Whoa!" He said when he felt the intense temperature of the room.

"Peter?" Tracy asked watching him approach. "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you," Peter said motioning for one of the guards to approach and shoot the chains that held Tracy to the floor.

Tracy closed her eyes as the guard shot and broke the chains. She opened them up moments later and stood up. "Thank you," She said looking at Peter as stepped out of the room. She looked at Matt as her fists turned to ice. She touched the chains on her feet and pulled it off when they broke. She did the same with the chains her wrists.

"OK let's go," Matt said walking away from the room. "We don't have much time."

Matt told the guards to walk ahead of him and lead them to a window. As soon as they turned the corner and a gunshot was heard. One of the guards fell to the floor, bleeding profusely. Matt got into the minds of the other guards and told them to back off. They did so and let Peter, Matt and Tracy to walk to the end of the hallway. "I won't be able to hold them off for long," Matt said feeling a little dizzy. Matt told one of the guards to shoot and break the window. "Take Tracy first," Matt said turning to face Peter who stepped up to Tracy.

Peter nodded and grabbed Tracy by the waist. They locked eyes briefly. "I will be back as soon as I can," Peter paused and jumped out of the window and flew out of the window. He looked at Tracy who held on to him tightly. "I will bring you somewhere safe, where we will get picked up by a friend," He said as she looked at him in the eye. Her blue eyes seemed penetrating and it made Peter slightly shiver. "I will go back and pick up Matt. Once I do so. we will go back to the base. I promise you will be safe there."

"Thank you again," Tracy said with a smile, happy to be free. "You don't know what it was like in that hellhole."

"I can only imagine," Peter said approaching their destination point. He flew to the ground and approached the car. Mohinder looked at him as Peter said, "I will be right back."

Peter flew back to Building 26 and up o the window. He saw Matt wrestling with one of the guards. The other guards were fighting with each other. Peter grabbed the guard who was choking Matt and threw him into the wall. "What happened?" He asked helping Matt to his feet.

"I will tell you what happened," Danko said pointing a gun at Matt. "Your friend just lost concentration."

Peter jumped and grabbed Matt and flew out the window as Danko fired. He cursed and ran to the broken window watching Peter and Matt fly away. It took them a few seconds, but they finally made it back to the car. "That took a lot quicker than I thought," Mohinder said starting the car.

"Yes it did," Peter said getting into the back of the car with Tracy. He took a deep breath and looked at Tracy. They locked eyes again and as he continued, "We are one more step closer in stopping Nathan and his men."

XXX

Sylar lowered the volume of the radio as he turned off the freeway. He began driving down a long and empty street. Luke turned and glanced at Sylar with a questioned look on his face. "I am not a hundred percent sure where I am going," Sylar said keeping his eyes on the road. "But I do have a strange feeling that this is the right way."

"Let's hope you are right," Luke said with a yawn.

"Let's hope so," Syalr asked raising his voice a bit. He glanced at Luke dangerously, making Luke shiver in fear. He braced himself for whatever Sylar would do to him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"If I told you where your father may be," Luke said looking at Sylar who was now paying full attention to the road. "You might kill me on the spot."

"That is probably true," Sylar said with a chuckle. Luke frowned not liking what Sylar was sayig one bit.

"You would honestly kill me?" Luke asked feeling unsteady. "After all we have been through together?"

"First of all," Syalr began as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "There is no we," He paused and then continued. "And of course I would kill you and take your ability. Remember I am a killer."

"That's good to hear," Luke said swallowing nervously. He gave Sylar a fake smile.

Suddenly Sylar hit the breaks. He stepped out of the car quickly and looked around a concentrated look on his face. Luke stepped out slowly and approached Sylar. "I have been here before," He said glancing at Luke. "I am not sure how or when," He paused and touched one of the trees along the roadside. "This is it," He said with a smile. "Now I know for sure that I am going in the right direction." He paused and returned to the car with Luke following closely behind. "This road will lead me home."

XXX

Nathan rubbed his tired eyes and yawned loudly. He leaned back in his chair and didn't say anything when Danko walked into the room sipping coffee. Danko looked at Nathan and said, "Now that we lost Tracy, what is the plan right now?"

Nathan opened his eyes and looked at Danko who took another sip of his coffee. "The plan right now," He said standing up, "Is to find Molly Walker. Wherever she is, she is the key in finding everyone with an ability."

Danko walked out f the room with Nathan. They approached all of the pictures of their suspects theat as pinned to the wall. "So now Tracy is a prime target again." He said removing her picture and placing it next to Peter, Matt, Mohinder, and Sylar's.

"That is true," Nathan said sternly as he stared at the picture of Peter. Peter had an angry look, that Nathanrecognized only too well. "But finding Molly Walker is the priority."

"Sir," Someone called out as she approached Danko and Nathan. "We just got word that one of our teams has come in contact with Syalr."

"What is the word? Danko asked looking at Nathan briefly as he sipped his coffee.

"There is no word," She said looking at both Danko and Nathan. "Sylar took out the two teams that met up with him."

"Thank you," Nathan said. She smile at him briefly and then walked back to her post. He turned back to the pictures and said, "There has got to be a better way to stop Sylar without all the casualties"

Danko looked at the picture of Sylar. He sighed and then finished his coffee. "Then let's find Molly Walker before anymore of my men die."

XXX

Alex sped up as he looked in the rear view mirror at the the black van that was following closely behind and gaining speed. He turned to the main road and ran through a red light. There was a wave of honks and screeching cars. A car swerved and then flipped over. It skidded into a street light.

Ckair's eyes widened in horror as she watched the car flip over. To her, it was all happening in slow motion. "I still don't know how they found us," Alex repeated his palms beginning to sweat. It was a problem he had, which really bothered him.

"It doesn't matter how they found us," Clair said looking at Alex who was looking scared. "All that matters is that they did and now we have to find a way to lose them."

"Do you have any suggestions?" Alex asked turning around a corner quickly. The car swerved, but he quickly regained composure.

The corner of the car hit another car in the process. It made them turn around one hundred and eighty degrees. Clair watched the black va approach as their car came to a complete stop. "I have an idea," Clair said unbuckling. "Get out of the car."

"Are you crazy?" He asked in shock.

"Just do it," She said sternly.

Alex shook his head and slowly got out of the car. As he did so, Clair took his place and when he was out of the car she pressed the gas. The car gained speed and Clair watched in slow motion as the van tried to turn out of the way. Her car hit the side of the van and flipped over skidding toward a fire hydrant. It broke it, spewing water upward.

The van driver lost control as he cursed. He hit the curb hard and the van flipped over. It hit a tree and the tree fell on top of it. Gas leaked from tank and within a few seconds exploded. Alex ran up to Clair and helped her out of the car. There was blood covering her face and hands. She looked at him as she began to heal and within a few seconds the only blood that was left was on her clothes. When Alex saw this all he said was, "Whoa!"