Peter carried Sylar to his car and lay him down in the back seat, being sure to buckle him in. The drive to his apartment didn't take very long. He pulled up, got Sylar out, and carried him up the stairs to his apartment. Once he was in, he put Sylar down on the couch. A few seconds later Matt and Mohinder showed up. Matt looked at Mohinder and said, "Should we tie him up? Will that even matter if the serum didn't work?"
Mohinder wore a scowl as he responded to Matt's query, "I don't know if it will help, but it certainly can't hurt. How much time do we have before that tranquilizer wears off?"
Matt said, "Well for a large dog it would take somewhere between half an hour to an hour, so I'd say about the same for him."
Matt turned to Peter and said, "Do you have any rope?"
"I have some in my car." Peter went back down to his car to get the rope out of his trunk that he'd previously used to tie things to the top of his car.
While Peter was gone Matt asked Mohinder, "Does the serum work right away, or does it take time to get into the system? Will an hour be enough time?"
Mohinder shook his head in frustration as he responded, "It's a new strain than what the company designed originally. If it works at all, it should work immediately. Now all we can do is wait and hope for a positive result."
Peter came back with the rope, cut a small strip, and used it to tie Sylar's hands behind his back. He cut another strip and tied Sylar's ankles together, being careful not to make the ropes too tight. There was still plenty of rope left over, so Peter looped it around and under the couch, and tied both ends of that to the rope that held Sylar's hands together. Sylar was lying on his side, but could sit up comfortably with the ropes the way they were. He just wouldn't be able to get up off the couch. Once Peter was done, he turned to Matt and Mohinder and said, "Anything else we should do to get ready?"
Mohinder replied, "We need to discuss what we plan to do with him. Even if his powers have been effectively subdued, we can't just let him go. He's a major threat even now. Maybe turning him over to the company is are only real option since turning him over to the police will be a waste of time. No one in the justice department is going to believe he's Sylar, and we all know the manipulative little jerk will just play innocent until he's able to get away."
Matt nodded in agreement. "I agree. If we send him to the company, he'll be off our hands, he won't be able to hurt anyone else, and they have a long list of special people on their payroll who can help contain him. Maybe even wipe his memories, so he won't be able to remember who he is or what he's done."
Peter said with conviction. "No. We can't send him to the company. If that's our only option, it would be more merciful to kill him. I spent some time there voluntarily, and that was bad enough. You're right; they probably would remove chunks of his memory. Being without his memory won't make him better; it will make him more crazy. But my guess is that they'll try to use him as their own personal assassin. The company decides they don't like one of us, and Sylar here gets to track us down, kill us, and get our powers. The company isn't an option."
Mohinder crossed his arms in frustration retorting, "Then what is an option Peter? What? Are you going to keep him? Matt and I certainly aren't going to bring him home with us!"
Nodding in agreement Matt agreed, "Molly's already been traumatized by Sylar more then once. I don't want him anywhere near her."
Peter looked at Sylar lying there, and looking so peaceful. He knew that there was good in him still, and he wasn't willing to give up on that. No matter what he'd done in life, Nathan had never given up on him, even when his parents had. Peter nodded and said, "Yes. I'll keep him."
Mohinder was surprised by this admission as he stated warily, "I hope you know what you're taking on Peter." He shook his head as he looked over at Sylar and added, "I think I need another cup of coffee."
Peter walked into the kitchen and said, "I'll make some. Matt you want some too?"
"Sure."
Peter made coffee, and wondered if he was crazy. He was about to open his home to someone who wanted to kill him. Once the coffee was started, Peter picked up the kitchen phone and dialed his brother's number.
After three rings Nathan answered his cell phone after reading the caller ID. Instead of hello, Nathan said, "I'm kind of in the middle of something Pete. Can it wait?"
Peter knew Nathan was desperately trying to cover up last night's event. Peter said, "Sure. Call me when you can."
"Okay, I will." Nathan hung up.
Peter sighed and hung up as well. A few minutes later he was handing out mugs of coffee, and they all sat down to wait for Sylar to wake up.
Sylar's head pounded and he felt sick to his stomach as he blinked awake. He squinted against the harsh sunlight the shined through Peter's living room window. He was still out of it as the tranquilizer left him quite foggy. He looked at the ceiling fan and slowly drifted his eyes downward. As soon as he saw that his hands were tied, his brain immediately became fully alert as he sat bolt up right. Panic began to overtake when he realized with a sinking feeling that his powers were no longer there. 'I can't hear anything! I can't use my powers!' He glared across the room at the three men like a wild animal that had been backed into a corner as he yelled, "What did you do to me!"
Matt turned to Mohinder and said, "The serum worked. He can't use his hearing."
Peter looked at Sylar and said, "We used a tranquilizer to put you to sleep, and then once you were asleep, we gave you a serum to take away your powers."
Sylar gave Peter a look of awe, "But how…?" He felt so many mixes of emotions, anger, fear, betrayal, and despair. He wanted to cry, but wouldn't give them the satisfaction and instead lashed out desperately trying to dislodge his hands and feet from the ropes binding him.
Mohinder snarled in response, "It doesn't matter how Sylar, all that does matter is that you're no longer able to hurt anyone else."
Peter didn't think Mohinder's tone was helping. He understood why he hated Sylar, and knew it was justified, but lashing out with that hate was only going to make things worse. Peter turned to Sylar who was violently trying to get away with no luck. He ignored Mohinder and said to Sylar, "You're going to hurt yourself. Just calm down and we can talk."
Sylar turned his dark eyes onto Peter thinking, 'What do you care if I hurt myself?' He struggled a moment longer before deciding that it was a pointless exertion. He stared hateful eyes at the three of them settling his glare on Peter as he thought, 'Okay, this is getting me nowhere. I need to play along and see what I can do to get free.' Sylar ground his teeth in aggravation as he spouted, "Talk. I don't see as I have much of a choice in the matter… you've got a captive audience after all."
Peter decided to just lay it out there and see how Sylar would react. He walked over and sat on the coffee table a few feet away from Sylar so he could look him in the eye while he talked. "Your powers are gone; you're stuck in the body of a seven year old. The three of us can't just let you go because we know you're a murderer and you'll kill again given the chance. That doesn't leave us with many options. The police aren't going to believe you're Sylar, so we can't have you put in jail where you belong. We won't..."
Peter looked over a Mohinder for a second and said, "I won't give you up to the company, because I couldn't live with myself if they tortured you or made you their personal assassin. So I've decided to keep you here with me for the time being."
Sylar's gut churned at Peter's admission. As he thought, 'I'm really stuck like this? And HE'S going to be in charge of keeping me? It's okay. Don't panic. I can get away from him; what's he going to do to keep me here… lock me in a closet?' He gulped back the tightness closing up his throat as he leveled his eyes on Peter and gave him a sly smile, "You're going to keep me? Like I'm your little pet?"
Mohinder bristled at Sylar's tone as he replied dangerously, "We don't have to bring you to the company Sylar, but I'm sure we could still arrange to have your mind wiped. Believe me when I say, you're getting a far better deal staying here with Peter. If I had the choice, you would have been put down like the rabid dog you are."
Sylar's smile only widened at Mohinder's indignant anger as he thought, 'So righteous, just like your father. You both think you're better than me. Well, I proved you wrong didn't I? I'll get out of this just like I got out of every thing else you've thrown at me.'
Peter scowled over at Mohinder and said, "You're not helping."
Matt turned to Mohinder and said, "Sylar's just playing along right now. He's biding his time until he can escape. Even tied up and powerless he's pretty smug about his ability to get away."
Peter quickly thought to Matt 'Don't let him know I can read his thoughts too.'
Matt sent a thought to Mohinder, 'Don't tell Sylar Peter can read his thoughts.'
Peter said to Sylar, "Matt here can read your thoughts."
Sylar's eyes widened in momentary shock before settling back into an angry glare hatefully directed at Matt. He felt violated by the intrusion, and he purposefully thought at Matt, 'So, you're reading my thoughts are you? That'll be a neat ability to acquire when I get my powers back and slice your head open to take it from you. Your friend here can't hold me forever.' He grinned sadistically trying to unnerve Matt with intimidation and doing his best to screen his thoughts to only project hate and loathing as he responded nonchalantly, "You found me out; guess I should have known you wouldn't have been that gullible, but after our first meeting in Kirby Plaza… well let's just say I wasn't giving any gold stars in that department."
Mohinder was on the verge of backhanding Sylar just to wipe the snide grin off his face as he took a step forward leaning down into Sylar's face with a grin of his own, "This all coming from you whose literally half the man you were. I really don't think you of all people have any right to accuse anyone of being gullible."
Peter stood up and got in between Mohinder and Sylar, looking at Mohinder, "I understand why you hate him, but taunting him isn't going to help. I think you should go. I've got this under control."
While Mohinder and Peter faced off Matt shoved a thought it Sylar's mind. 'If Peter can't control you, I can.' Then Matt concentrated and forced a suggestion into Sylar's head. ''You're tired, and you can't keep your eyes open.''
Peter glared at Matt and thought loudly, 'You should go too!'
Panic coursed through him as Sylar felt the mental suggestion taking effect, and he realized he was powerless to stop it as he began to slump forward eyes fluttering uncontrollably.
Mohinder stared at Peter in disbelief. He wanted to tell Peter he was insane for trusting himself to keep Sylar but bit his tongue as he straightened to stare one last time at Sylar before turning towards the door. He remarked to Peter as he stormed over to the chair holding his jacket, "If you need me, you've got my number Peter. Come on Matt; let's get out of here before I do something for the betterment of mankind."
Matt turned to Peter and said, "Be careful, and call us if you need help."
"Thanks again. Both of you." Peter said with sincerity.
Matt turned and left with Mohinder.
Peter looked back at Sylar and could tell he was falling asleep again. He wasn't sure how long it would take, for Sylar to wake up again, but decided to take advantage of the situation to grab a shower and change clothes, especially since Sylar was still tied up.
Fifteen minutes later Peter was clean and in new clothes. He walked out to check on Sylar and found him still asleep. He sat down on the other side of the couch and thought about what he was going to do while he waited for Sylar to wake up.
