ADAM'S DISCIPLES
CHAPTER 4: THE VIRUS
Victoria Pratt is in a lab, she's looking at a sample of something in shock. The date is February 14, 1977. A building for The Company has been built in an unknown location. The Company is young, and that is the only building for it so far. Inside another room, Adam Monroe is speaking to his students.
"Humans, probably the most complex of creatures," Adam starts.
Daniel Linderman, Angela and Arthur Petrelli, Kaito Nakamura, Maury Parkman, Bob Bishop, and Charles Deveaux are all sitting in a circle around him. They're listening in fascination. Adam continues the speech.
"We can contain so much, yet use so little of our minds. We never use our full potentials. Most humans never know what their purpose in life is. People like us, however, realize that we are all special. Every man, woman, and child on this planet is special, unique. We're like snowflakes, all unique. But uniqueness means nothing if we don't use it to our advantage. Unlike most people, we have special gifts that can save the world. We can protect mankind and help them realize their full potentials just like ours. Alone, each of use is useless, helpless, and unwilling. But together, our strengths combine and we become one. We are not just people, we are a symbol, we are the symbol of hope. When people realize what they're doing, they will not see us as a threat, they will see us as a sign. A sign of salvation onto mankind. A sign that maybe there's more out there then just their own silly little worlds. There's a whole world to explore! We will become a universal message to all! A message of hope and realization! Our message will be to open your eyes and open your minds! Connect with everyone around you because we are all connected! This world has too much beauty to waste! Together, we can all make a difference! Victoria has been examining something that could be the key to all of this! What she has found in a little girl is our first step to saving the world! We can help people like us, with her help. What she has could save everyone!"
The students happily clap and cheer, Adam smiles on.
"Thank you, thank you," Adam says with a smile.
Suddenly, this celebration is interrupted by Victoria slamming open the doors.
"Adam, I found out what it is!" Victoria shouts.
Everyone stares at her with anticipation.
"Yes my dear, what it is?" Adam asks with excitement and hope.
She sadly looks at them. At first, she cannot speak. But finally, she tells them.
"Sir, it's a...it's a virus."
All the hope washes off their faces. Their smiles disappear and their cheering fades. Everyone in that room was emotionally destroyed by those three words, "it's a virus." The one thing they believed could solve all their problems turns out to be something that kills. All of their research would've started from that, but now, they have nothing. Everyone took it hard, but nobody took it as hard as Adam.
Denial is the first natural response in a human.
"That's impossible," Adam sadly exclaims.
Victoria is about to cry.
"I'm sorry, but it is," she replies while crying.
Everyone looks at each other, completely in shock.
"I can't believe this," Adam says depressingly.
This next comment will change everything.
"Maybe she's lying," Arthur exclaims.
Everyone looks at him.
"Why would she lie about this?" Angela asks.
Arthur doesn't have an answer for that.
"Your suspicions of her have gone too far!" Linderman declares.
Arthur looks betrayed. He looks at everyone, who has the same look Linderman has. Adam calmly moves over to him.
"Get out," Adam calmly orders.
Arthur looks at him with pure anger.
"Fine, I'm leaving," Arthur announces, "But don't expect me to come back."
He stomps off and pushes Victoria out of his way as he leaves. Angela doesn't even follow him. Her loyalties to Adam are too strong. She merely watches him leave with an emotionless expression.
"It's okay everyone," Linderman reassuringly states, "He'll come back."
Linderman looks at Victoria.
"Are you okay?" he calmly asks.
She looks up at him.
"Sure," she replies.
Adam hasn't said a word yet. He's still in complete shock. Adam finally says something.
"How did you know it was a virus?" Adam asks her.
She pauses for a moment.
"Because I tested the sample on Carlos, Suzanne, Harry, and Paula. They're all dead now," she sadly announces.
The others look at each other again. Adam almost faints.
"This is just too much," Adam says in shock.
Linderman places his hand on Adam's shoulder.
"Everything will be alright," he reassuringly states.
Adam briefly gives a warm smile, but it quickly fades away.
"What do we do now?" Maury asks the others.
"We can still go on," Kaito suggests.
"How? We're running out of money and we have to start over again!" Bob negatively argues.
"Remember, hope is the key," Charles reminds them.
"Forget the stupid key!" Bob lashes back, "We're all done for!"
Linderman gets up and calmly walks over to Bob.
"How can we continue now?" Bob continues.
Linderman slaps Bob in the face.
"Get a hold of yourself," Linderman calmly commands.
"He's right, we must stay calm," Adam tells them.
They all try to stay calm, but doubt fills their eyes. The most doubt lies in Kaito's eyes. His trust in Adam has slowly faded.
Later that day, Linderman is in the lab, observing the sample. He's making sure that Victoria is right. A gun suddenly is pointed at his head. Adam doesn't move.
"Arthur?" Linderman asks with fake surprise.
"You know it's me," Arthur responds.
"You can't kill me," Linderman reminds him.
"A bullet through the brain can kill anyone," Arthur retaliates.
"Touche."
"Once you're dead, this company will be saved."
"You don't believe that."
"How do you know what I believe? You don't know anything!"
"I've been alive for centuries. I know so much more than you do."
"Do you? Because I think you don't have a clue."
Maury walks in and stops in shock.
"What's going on?" Maury innocently asks.
Arthur quickly turns around and shoots him in the chest. Linderman turns around and a glimmer of fear fills him.
"Now you know how serious I am!" Arthur yells.
"Really?" Linderman confidently retorts, "Because I still think you won't kill me."
Arthur is about to kill him. He shoots the gun, but he quickly discovers that he already used the last bullet on Maury. He keeps shooting emptiness at Linderman.
"Damn it!" he curses.
Linderman looks up with an evil look. He grins menacingly. Now Arthur looks afraid.
"Goodbye, old friend," Linderman evilly tells them.
"No, please, I'm sorry," Arthur begs.
"You thought you were so tough, didn't you! You thought you could mess with me! Humanity doesn't deserve a second chance! Not with people like you!" Linderman shouts.
Linderman tackles Arthur, pulls his gun away, and knocks him out. Adam gets up and throws the empty gun to the side.
"This isn't over," Adam declares.
Linderman walks over to Maury and kneels over him.
"Poor Maury," Linderman sadly says.
Linderman places his hand on Maury's chest. He's healing Maury. After a while, Maury wakes up.
"How do you feel?" Linderman asks.
Maury can't believe what just happened.
"I'm fine," Maury says, still in shock.
"That's great to hear," Linderman says with fake sincerity.
Maury sees the knocked out Arthur.
"He shot me, right?" Maury asks.
Linderman nods. Maury's eyes become filled with hatred, Linderman notices this.
"Maury, I want you to do a favor for me," Linderman says.
Maury nods.
"Sure."
"I want you to help me get revenge on Arthur," Linderman tells them.
An evil smiles fills both of their faces.
"Let's do it," Maury confidently says.
Linderman shakes hands with Maury.
"This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Maury and Linderman get up.
"What should we do with him now?" Maury asks.
Linderman looks at the knocked out Maury.
"Let me take care of this," Linderman orders.
Maury smiles and nods. He leaves the lab, pretending that nothing happened. In another room, Kaito and Charles are discussing what happened.
"I think Adam's losing his mind," Kaito says.
"How do you know?" Charles questions.
"A person can lose their mind in an instant. One moment, no matter how big or small it is, can bring an entire life down," Kaito explains.
"Let's just hope that if he has lost his mind, he won't drag us down with him," Charles says worriedly says.
"I hope so too," Kaito comfortably says, "You're a great man, Charles. Always seeing the good in others, the bright side of things. If we're all dragged down with him, you'll be the last to go."
Charles smiles.
"Don't forget, you're a great man too."
In the same room, Angela is staring at the wall. She's away from Charles and Kaito. A blank expression fills her face. She's clearly torn between her loyalty to Adam and her love for Arthur.
(Chapter 5: Choosing Sides will take place the next day. As the title suggests, the founders will begin to choose sides. Linderman and Maury will get revenge on Arthur. Adam will begin to lose his mind and hate humanity. Kaito, Charles, and Bob will plan an uprising against Adam. Angela will be forced to choose between her mentor and her husband. Victoria will attempt to destroy the virus but will be stopped by someone unexpected.)