BURNING THE PICKET FENCE
Part 6 – The Road To Texas
February 12th, 1997
OWI Headquarters, New York City
Sarah lay on her bed with her books spread around her. She was pulled out of her concentration by a sharp knock on her door.
"What?" She called out irritably continuing to study.
Bob opened the door standing next to a young girl about Sarah's age. "Sarah, this is Betty Suarez. She is new to our organization and your new roommate."
Sarah looked up from her book annoyed. "Charmed, I'm sure." She smirked at Betty sarcastically.
"Sarah, please don't be rude." Bob chided her. "Remember how you felt when you first came here."
"I couldn't care less then, and I can't possibly care less now." She replied rolling her eyes. She looked up at Betty. "How you doing. Welcome to The Organization. We need more members." She looked back at Bob. "There. How was that?"
"It's a start I guess." Bob shook his head. "Well, I'm going to leave you two alone to get acquainted with each other." He pointed at Sarah warningly. "Try to be cordial."
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes as Bob walked off.
Betty turned and looked at Sarah who was staring at her keenly. "Look, I don't want to get in your space or anything, so I'll just split."
Sarah closed her book. "Who is your favorite band?"
"Garbage." Betty replied. "Why?"
Sarah looked up at her nodding. "You get to stay." She jumped off the bed. "I'm sorry about before. I'm just get tired of him thinking I need friends."
"It's cool." Betty sat on the edge of Sarah's bed. "By the way, you can call me Candice."
Sarah turned and stared at her. "How in the hell do you get Candice out of Betty?"
"You don't." She shrugged. "I gave myself the name."
Sarah looked at her intrigued. "Why?"
"You ask a lot of questions." Candice replied annoyed.
"Hey, just trying to pretend to be sociable." Sarah shrugged. "It's not like a really care anyway."
"So what's your power?" Candice asked looking around her room.
Sarah laughed. "I kill people." She replied.
Candice looked at her oddly. "What, like you shoot them or something?"
"No, I think I want them dead and they die." Sarah replied simply. "That and I'm telekinetic."
"So you just think you want somebody to die and their dead?" Candice replied stunned.
Sarah nodded. "Yeah, pretty much." She looked up at Candice. "So what about you, Candice. What makes you so special?"
"I do illusions." She answered her proudly.
"Illusions?" She laughed. "You mean like a magician?"
"No." She smiled coolly sitting on the edge of her bed. "I mean like I can make you see whatever I want you to see."
Sarah sat up. "Prove it."
Candice nodded. "Ok." She morphed into an overweight girl with goth makeup and body piercings. "This is what I really look like."
Sarah's eyes widened. "SHUT UP!"
She morphed back into Candice. "Yeah, I got fucking sick and tired of having people mess with me because of what I look like. So I became one of them. Like you."
"Like me?" Sarah stared at her incredulously. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"You're gorgeous." Candice replied. "You probably have tons of boyfriends and are on the cheerleading squad."
Sarah laughed spitefully. "I do not have tons of boyfriends and I am not a cheerleader. I haven't even been to high school! You see that guy out there who brought you in here? Bob? Well, he watches me like a hawk and he will watch you that way too. If you have a boyfriend, you better write your Dear John letter right now because you ain't going to be seeing him again."
Candice shook her head sadly. "I don't have a boyfriend." She looked up at Sarah. Are you still a virgin?"
"How is that any of your fucking business?" Sarah stared at her annoyed.
"Hey, it's just a question!" Candice replied defensively. "You don't have to be so fucking rude about it."
"Well you don't have to be so fucking nosy!" Sarah replied mockingly.
"So are you or aren't you?" Candice asked.
"If it's that important to you, yeah, I kind of am." Sarah replied.
"What do you mean kind of?" Candice asked bewildered. "Either you are or you aren't"
"That means I've never had a guy stick his dick in me." She replied. "But I've done other things."
Candice thought for a moment then her eyes widened. "You mean you've…"
Sarah nodded.
Candice leaned forward. "Was it one of these men around here."
"Oh God! Don't be gross!" Sarah shuddered. "No, it was a boy I met at school a few years ago."
"Did you like it?" Candice asked.
"Yeah, it was ok." Sarah replied. "He was a virgin too. Kind of weird, but really cute in a dorky kind of way. But his mom came in and we almost got busted. I was hoping I would see him at school the next day, but I never saw him again."
"Wait a minute…back up! Did you just say you go to school?" Candice asked her surprised. "They told me I would be homeschooled."
"Yep, you will." Sarah smiled smugly. "But not me. I'm in college."
"No way!" Candice whispered.
"I graduate in the spring." Sarah narrowed her eyes knowingly. "I started when I was fourteen."
"Holy shit!" Candice marveled. "So you're some kind of brainiac?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Sarah laughed.
"Have any of these old guys ever tried to sleep with you?" Candice asked curiously.
"God yes." Sarah rolled her eyes in disgust. She motioned for Candice to follow her to her window. In the parking lot, she pointed to a man with salt and pepper hair standing next to a silver Lexus. "That's Thompson. He is a major perv. He thinks he's hot, but he isn't getting any from the wife at home, so he thinks just because we live here we are his property. He's asked me to do some pretty disgusting things, but I threatened to kill him, so he leaves me alone now."
"We?" Candice asked. "Whose we?"
"Well, Bob has a daughter. Elle." Sarah replied. "She shoots lightening from her finger tips. She's a serious pain in the ass though."
As they were still looking out the window, a white haired gentleman with a beard came walking out of the building. "Thats Linderman; a dirty old geezer who thinks he would be doing me a favor if I slept with him. Yeah…as if! Like he could even get his toy soldier to salute anymore. If I was going to screw an old man, he had better be stinking rich with one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel. The only reason women sleep with him is because he has money."
"I think I'm going to like hanging around you." Candice replied thoughtfully.
"Yeah, you're alright." Sarah half-smiled. "You can stay. So can you turn into Johnny Depp?"
They both laughed.
New York City
Not So Distant Future
Elle laid back on her bed closing her eyes as her father came bursting into her room.
"Well it's Tuesday!" Elle smiled sarcastically. "Time for the shit to hit the fan and splatter all over Elle again!"
"What in the hell did you think you were doing?" He stood angrily with his hands on his hips. "You know Sarah is still learning to control her anger! You could have gotten us all killed! What in the hell were you thinking?"
Elle stood up furiously. "What was I thinking?" She hissed. "I was thinking that I am so fucking sick and tired of Sarah being so held in high regard after she almost kills us all, while I get sent to my room. I swear Dad…I am your natural daughter and she isn't even related to you, yet you treat her like a princess…no, let me take that back! You treat her like the queen of the fucking universe!"
"You watch your language young lady!" Bob angrily wrinkled his nose. "If I treat your sister with higher regard than you, it is because she plays by the rules and she follows orders. She doesn't go around killing people just for kicks and she is the best player we have on our team."
"Yeah, you raised the perfect little agent!" Elle retorted. "And daughter!"
Bob turned around with his hands over his face. "Elle, I have tried and tried to understand you. I have tried to trust you, but I have a company to run and I can't keep running around cleaning up your messes! I am tired of following you around apologizing for you. I want to trust you, sweetheart, but you just prove to me time and again that I can't."
"But you trust Sarah!" Elle shouted. "After she allowed that boy to be killed? After what she did today? Well I got news for you, Daddy! She's not as perfect and flawless as everybody thinks she is! She is evil Daddy! When nobody's looking, the claws come out and people go running! "You just wait Daddy! She's going to turn on you someday too."
Bob stared at Elle for a moment. "I never said Sarah was perfect, or that she is without problems, Elle. But she is not evil. She has an ability that could easily make her as such, but she knows right from wrong."
"Why don't you just get the fuck out of my room!" Elle screamed at him. "I'm so tired of hearing how good she is and how bad I am! I don't want to hear it anymore! Get out!"
Bob tried to comfort Elle, but she shrugged him off. He shook his head and closed her inside her room.
Elle lay on her bed crying.
"Are we there yet?" Sylar smirked from the back of the van.
"Look I have a pistol and I will not hesitate to use it to blow your fucking head off if you don't knock it off." Luke shouted at him. "It is obnoxious!"
Sarah laughed to herself as she drove. "Luke he is trying to get under your skin and your allowing him to. The more irritated you get the more fun he is having."
"Well, I am serious about shooting him if he doesn't knock it off." Luke scrunched down in his seat.
Sarah glared at him. "Luke, our marching orders are to keep him alive. We were told to use whatever means possible to make sure he stays alive. I don't know why, but somebody wants to keep him in one piece. If we don't deliver him to Texas in the same condition he was in when we left New York, there will be consequences."
"Kill joy." Luke muttered. "Stop up here. I have to take a wiz."
"Gladly." Sarah complied pulling into a service station. "Mr. Gray, do you have to use the restroom?"
"Are you going to help me?" He smiled staring at her longingly.
Sarah gave a short laugh. "Do you need me to hold it for you or something?"
"You'll probably need a magnifying glass to find it." Luke snorted as Sarah glared at him.
"Go take care of your business." Sarah sighed, annoyed with him.
Luke glared threateningly at Sylar. "Stay in your seat and don't even think about making any moves forward."
"I'll be good if she will." He taunted Luke as Sarah big her lip to keep from laughing out loud.
"I'll be right back." Luke told Sarah.
"I'll be anticipating every second until your return." Sarah rolled her eyes sardonically.
She sat in her seat staring out the window trying to ignore Sylar sitting in the back, but she could feel his eyes penetrating the back of her head.
"You really are a beautiful woman, Sarah Noonan." He said softly causing Sarah's insides to stir.
"Thank you." She replied composedly.
Sylar laughed at her impudence. "You really should try dressing a little less…stern."
"Stern?" She laughed in amazement. "You make me sound like Frau Blücher."
"Every time I see you, you're always wearing black with a ton of make-up and your hair pulled back. I would love to see your hair down hanging down." He whispered. "I bet it feels like fine silk. Maybe put on a pair of jeans. Not so much make-up. I know the company you work for likes its women to dress like the men, but you're such a beautiful woman. It's a shame they try to make you look like one of the men."
"Yeah, some people can't tell agent Ramirez and I apart." She fixed her eyes on him in the rear mirror. "I wasn't wearing black when I brought you breakfast the other day, was I?"
"No." He closed his eyes smiling thoughtfully. "You were wearing form fitting blue jeans, a low cut sweater and boots. But your hair was still pulled back and you still wore a ton of make-up. You don't need to wear so much make up. You're blessed with natural beauty."
"Are you ever going to tell me why you're so obsessed with me?" She asked him coolly.
His face became serious. "You really don't remember, do you?"
"Remember what?" She stared perplexedly at him.
He smiled eerily at her. "Well, for now that's just going to be my little secret."
"Whatever." She shrugged. "But one thing I don't quite understand. Sexual obsession doesn't fit your character profile. I admit I'm stumped."
"Why can't you believe that maybe I just like you." He whispered
Sarah turned her seat around. "Because I know you. You have been my case study for the last year. You are a classic psychopath. You have an ulterior motive for everything, including sex. Just like I know you allowed yourself to get caught. The only thing I really believe is if you get your powers back, you will try to kill me and if you succeeded, you would be back to tracking down more people like me to eat for lunch." She stared distrustfully at him. "I wouldn't mind having a throw down with you in the bedroom, but I don't think either one of us would come out of it alive."
He leaned in closer to her. "You think you could kill me?"
"Oh, I know I could." She raised an eyebrow at him.
"But you don't want to kill me." He whispered. "Just like I don't want to kill you." He began to lean in toward her as Sarah stared at him. "Do you know how bad I want to kiss you right now?"
"I told you I don't kiss." She stared at him captivated, looking in his dark eyes.
"But you want to." He replied tantalizingly. "I can feel it. If I had my super hearing, I know I would hear your blood racing and your heart pounding. But I don't need my powers to tell me what I already know. You want me, Sarah. You want me as bad as I want you."
"Just trust me when I tell you it's better to just forget about me." She replied softly.
Luke opened the door to the passenger side seeing the two of them facing each other. "What in the hell is going on here?" He demanded.
"Nothing." Sarah replied turning around. "Not a thing."
Luke stared at Sylar threateningly as Sylar stared back smiling disdainfully at him.
Sarah met Sylar's gaze in the rear view mirror once again as she began to drive.
Annapolis, MD
"Well, I'm getting tired of driving and it's late." Luke yawned. "Let's stop at that Hyatt up there and catch some z's."
"No arguments here." Sarah replied stretching. "Let me off at the main entrance. I've got the company card, so I'll check in."
"Make sure my room has a Jacuzzi tub." Sylar smirked as Sarah climbed out of the passenger seat.
Sarah looked at him narrowing her eyes. "Yeah, I'll get right on that." She shut the door and walked away.
As she left, Luke turned around staring at Sylar warningly. Sylar returned his stare.
"Anything in particular you find interesting about me, or do you just think I'm pretty to look at?" Sylar smiled malevolently at him.
Luke scoffed at him. "I'm just trying to find out your angle."
"I know you've banged her a few times. How is she?" Sylar asked slowly. "Is she as nice, and hot and ripe as I think she's going to be? Or is she cold and lifeless like a dead fish?"
Luke turned around shoving his gun in Sylar's face. "You shut the fuck up about her!" He hissed at him.
"Oooh, did I hit a nerve?" He laughed.
Luke grabbed Sylar by his hair, pointing the gun at his temple. "If you say one more word about her, I can, and I will blow your fucking brains out. I don't give a shit if my orders are to keep you alive or not. I'll tell them you tried to escape. I'll tell them it was self defense. I really don't care. I'll make something up and they'll believe me. They might even give me a medal."
Sylar laughed at him insolently. "Well, I wonder what Sarah would do if you shot me. I wonder if she would shoot you in retaliation?" He smirked.
Luke cocked the trigger shoving his gun harder against Sylar's head. Sarah opened up the van door.
"What in the hell is going on here?" She shouted. "Luke, what do you think you're doing?"
"I'm getting tired of his fucking mouth!" Luke hissed.
Sarah shook her head in disbelief. "Maybe that's because your letting him get to you. What is the matter with you?"
"I don't know Sarah." He stared at her angrily. "Maybe it just pisses me off that this asshole is still alive. Maybe it's because he has killed some of our best people. Or maybe I just don't feel like carrying out the order to keep him alive."
"Well, that's not really up to you, is it Ramirez?" Sarah asked him coolly. "From here on out, you are under my orders. Got a problem with that, call Bob and he'll tell you the same thing."
Luke mouth dropped open. "Bob put you in charge?"
"He did." Sarah replied slowly. "You have become sloppy, emotional and hotheaded, Ramirez. We have been given strict orders to keep Gray alive and this is the second time I have seen you point your gun at him while he is cuffed and shackled in the back of the van. I can't trust you to follow orders."
"Ok, fine! I don't give a shit!" Luke angrily exited the van, slamming the door. He walked around to the back where he came face to face with Sarah. "Why are you so hell bent on keeping him alive? Do you have some kind of sick fantasy of fucking a serial killer?"
"Maybe." She smiled furtively.
"Sarah, there has always been something about you that is not right." He whispered loudly. "You don't kiss when you have sex. You take a man into your bed and kick him out when you're through with him. You know what they call you? They Hyena! And that is because everybody thinks you would rather be a man where you can grow a penis whenever you want to."
She stared unwaveringly at him. "Are you finished?"
"Yes. I am." He began to open up the back, but Sarah grabbed his arm.
Her eyes were cold like steel as she spoke to him. "If I see you point your gun at the prisoner again, I will not hesitate to use whatever means to stop you." She leaned in closer, sneering. "And we both know what I am capable of; don't we, Luke?"
"Oh hell yes, Sarah, I know exactly what you are capable of!" Luke replied grabbing her shoulders, his voice filled with contempt. "I just can't believe you would kill me to save a murderer."
"Well, believe it." Sarah replied coldly. She opened the back of the van retrieving Sylar.
They went in through the back entry heading for the service elevator. "Why are we going this way?" Sylar asked as the hotel employees stared at them.
"Because we don't want the other guests to know there is a brain stealing serial killer in the hotel and ruin their vacations." Sarah replied. "This way they remain safe in their delusions that they are safe in this world and nothing will harm them."
As the doors to the service elevator opened, Luke looked around and motioned that it was safe to proceed. Sarah, led Sylar from the elevator. They came to a stop in front of a set of adjoining suites.
"Ok brain boy, time for beddy bye." Luke started to grab Sylar's arm.
"No." Sarah said firmly. "I will be taking the large suite and Mr. Gray will be staying with me."
Sylar smirked to himself as Luke's face dropped. "Don't be fucking stupid, Sarah!" He shouted. "You don't know who or what the hell you're dealing with!"
"I know exactly what I am dealing with." She replied definitively. "But you have proven to me today that I can't trust you. So it is up to me to guard the prisoner. He will have his own room and be cuffed to the bed. Good night, Agent Ramirez." She handed Luke his key and opened her door.
"Sweet dreams." Sylar smiled forebodingly as Sarah escorted him into the room shutting the door.
Luke stood out in the hall holding his key, fuming. "I don't care what it takes. I am going to kill that son-of-a-whore! The company will give me a slap on the wrist, but to the rest of the world, I'll be a fucking hero." He smiled to himself and entered his suite.
--END--
