Chapter 7: A Heartbeat Away
The New Company Lab- Sylar, Kate, and Mohinder
Sylar sat with Kate who was still in a coma in the lab, while Mohinder ran the tests Peter had asked for. When he left the room Sylar sat back in the chair, turning his palm up.
"Work damn it!" he focused hard as he tried to make the abilities taken from Elle work, but all he could achieve were small spark. As his frustration mounted the more glass in the lab he exploded.
Suresh came back seeing a mess of broken glass on the floor, "you're cleaning that up, not me." He grabbed the broom and tossed it to Sylar.
"Do you really think I need a broom to do that…" his voice was still stinging with frustration.
Sylar used his abilities to bring the glass off of the floor and threw it into the trashcan. Luckily this ability never failed him.
"Right…" Mohinder rolled his eyes and looked down at the results, "I should get these to Peter before he leaves for the night."
When he looked up at Sylar he was next to the bed, nearly on top of Kate.
"Kate?" Sylar worried as her body was starting to shake.
Suresh hurried over and put Kate on her side, "she's having a seizure."
When Kate's body stopped shaking they laid her back down on the bed. That's when the alarms on the monitors started going off as her heart stopped beating. Quickly Mohinder started pumping her chest in an effort to restart her heart.
Counting aloud he waited for Sylar to breathe air into her, however he had to do it himself since Sylar wasn't listening to him.
Sylar was looking at his hands in panic; if he could get them charged enough he could restart her heart.
"Peter!" Mohinder called out hoping he was nearby, as CPR wasn't working.
"Let me try…" Sylar said pushed him away.
"Are you crazy? The electricity could react with the electrical current already running through her body! You both would fry!" Mohinder spoke with urgency.
"Yeah and her heart should be fixing itself but it isn't…" Sylar said and Mohinder wanted cursed himself for not thinking of that.
Sylar placed a hand on top of her chest and he gave it his all. He could feel the current coursing through him as Mohinder witnessed a coil pass over Sylar's left eye.
At this Suresh moved away in fear, as if Sylar was going to explode any minute.
There was a look of strain on his face as more electricity was coming from his hands once he placed them on Kate's chest.
"Come…on!" he growled and felt drained of his energy as he fell back into his chair exhausted. He didn't know if it was enough...but his power felt drained.
They both looked at the monitor in silence as the flat line started spiking again, her heart was beating again.
"If that happens again I'll make sure she's not the only one, do I make myself clear?" he threatened Suresh and a chair flied across the room behind him, hitting the wall.
"Don't blame Suresh, this is your fault….There is nothing else we can do, but her body is fighting it. The absence of your abilities is a good sign," Peter said from the doorway.
He had heard Mohinder call him and arrived in time to watch Sylar restart her heart.
Sylar looked down at her then to the others, he already knew the things they were telling him, but one question remained:
"Did she kill anyone or have the hunger?" The question seemed out of the blue to Peter and Suresh, but it had been on Sylar's mind for a while.
Only Peter could really understand. The hunger for more was a terrible price for his ability, but it didn't make him any more of a monster than the rest of them.
Mohinder shrugged not having a clue.
"She was only determined to help you," Peter said before leaving the room.
"Good," he smiled, which quickly faded when he looked at Mohinder, "you can leave now too."
He was on his way out anyways since Peter had left without seeing the test results. Suresh almost caught himself saying goodnight to the killer, instead he left in silence to catch up with Peter.
Now alone, Sylar kissed her forehead, "keep fighting Kate. I know how strong you are."
He was still worn out from focusing so much to bring her back that he soon fell asleep in the chair next to her bed.
Peter's Apartment- Claire and Peter
As Peter was on his way to his apartment he was trying to figure out why the phrase "the boogeyman" sounded familiar. Then as he entered his building he remembered why…because one time he was in the future and Sylar was in control; he called himself Gabriel. But that future had been changed already so he had no worries about that. Although it didn't mean he wasn't freaked out by it…and he would of course keep this to himself.
When Peter opened the door Claire was already inside waiting for him.
"Sorry I'm late...Kate's heart stopped, but Sylar brought her back." Peter put down his bags and grabbed a beer out of the fridge.
He walked into the tv area when he failed to get a response from Claire. When she saw him Claire wiping her eyes and tried to clear her throat.
"Hey…" Peter sat down next to her, "it's gonna be okay." He looked down at the picture she was holding…it was of him and Nathan before having abilities.
"I miss him," she looked up and hugged him, "I can't believe he's gone…I was hoping you'd be wrong about all this..."
He wrapped his arms around her and felt tears in his eyes too, "Me too. Nathan's always been there for me…he always knew the right thing to do when I didn't. I don't know who to trust Claire; it's just me and you now."
Peter wiped his eyes still trying to stay strong for Claire, who needed her uncle.
He started sharing his plan with her, "There is a guy at the company with the ability to create fire. I've used his power before and I think it would be the most useful against Sylar. I was a heartbeat away from killing him before; with the right ability I can do it again. And tomorrow night I'll make sure Kate's dead, and then I'll go after him."
"Let me help you fight him, he can't hurt me," Claire sat back up.
"No. I need you to make sure no one will stop me. I don't think they want me to kill him and I don't want to know why…I've had it with them," Peter pounded his fist on the table.
"Promise me you won't do anything stupid. If Sylar is getting the upper hand please let me help?" Claire squeezed Peter again.
"I'm the only one that can stop him…but I promise Claire," Peter rubbed her back and kissed her head.
"Maybe you don't have to be the only one. Matt could help us and Suresh hates Sylar just as much, there are tons of people that could help," Claire hoped he'd understand because she didn't want him fighting alone…unsure he'd win without help. But she also knew how stubborn Peter was when he had a plan.
"I'm not letting anymore people die. I will win this time Claire, Nathan would want Sylar to suffer," Peter took a drink and relaxed on the couch.
"I hope you're right," she sighed and looked at the clock. "Mind if I sleep here tonight?"
Peter smiled, "Of course Claire…you can have the bed, and I'll sleep on the couch."
"You sure? I don't mind the couch…" Claire stood up.
"I'm sure…now let's go get your stuff before it gets any later."
He got up and started turning off the lights…Tonight would be a lot easier with Claire there. Peter would have worried all night knowing Sylar was out there, and it would also keep him from losing grip on his emotions.
Angela's Office, The New Company- Angela, Noah, and Matt
"Russ won't be ready till tomorrow night," Angela said pouring herself a glass of champagne.
Matt nodded, but Noah looked at them confused.
"What's this about?" he asked.
"While you guys were upstairs I had a vision about Sylar. But unlike the dreams I've had in the past this was unclear. Two different futures were in it. One being Gabriel Gray living in Canada and having a normal life as a father or Sylar being angry about what we've done and killing someone in the process…I wasn't able to see who it was." Angela said more about the vision than she had told Matt before.
Both the men sat surprised. "Is it really possible for Sylar to not kill anymore?"
"It is Mr. Bennet. For the past six weeks Sylar hasn't killed, with the exception of the two men in his office…but for that amount of time his hunger has been suppressed, which means it's possible for him to control it," she explained.
Matt wasn't buying it, "Yeah…but he didn't kill because he thought he was Nathan. Killing wasn't in his memories or thoughts."
"It wouldn't matter," Angela corrected, "gaining new abilities comes with his ability. The need to know more, his body needs it…it shouldn't matter who he thinks he is. But as Nathan he must have been able to resist it, fulfilling that need some other way. If Sylar can achieve this now then we mustn't interfere. However…if Sylar is going to kill again we have to stop him now. From my past experience the future can be very tricky, if we kill a harmless Sylar who knows how that will change the future…" Angela walked around the office sipping her drink.
"Kate won't be particularly happy either," Noah warned.
"Which is why Matt is going to look into Sylar's head; he's going to read his thoughts and see if maybe we can be a step ahead of him. But I worry about Peter and Claire; I know they must be planning to go after Sylar…that's to be expected," she sounded angry about that as well.
"Wait…I'm supposed to allow Sylar to possibly have a life and a family, even though he tore mine and yours a part?" Noah glared as he was reminded by the mention of Claire.
"You don't understand Noah…everything has to be taken into account. Like their future son, Nathan," Angela revealed more hoping to convince Noah.
Noah and Matt were silent again in shock and confusion.
Mohinder knocked on Angela's office door before he was allowed in by her. His entrance stopped their previous conversation, leaving it on a strange note.
"Mrs. Petrelli, I just came to update you. Sylar is asleep with Kate…but earlier we almost lost her. She seems to be recovering now. Sylar saved her life…her heart had stopped after having a seizure." Mohinder looked around, now realizing he had walked in on some kind of meeting.
Matt looked to Angela, "This isn't enough to prove anything…maybe I can get inside his head while he's sleeping?"
"You're right Mr. Parkman, however we're not ready to make our move just yet. I won't do it without Russell" Angela looked at Mohinder still a bit surprised though, "I just wonder what he sees in that girl…"
"Just like Elle," Noah reminded them, "they worked together for a short time. Then something happened between them and they found her charred body by the ocean."
Mohinder made a face of disgust, "anyone who'd want to be friends with Sylar must crazy…Honestly I don't think Sylar is capable of change for anyone's sake. I expect him to attack anyone without warrant."
By his statement and opinion it was clear to the others that informing him about Angela's vision wasn't a good idea. So in order to continue their discussion Mohinder would need to leave the room.
"You can go home for the night Mohinder; we'll see you here around eight am," She put on a smile hoping he'd get the hint.
"Right…" he said noticing they wanted him to leave in order to continue their secret meeting. He was alright with this since he didn't want to be involved in their scheming.
Once the door locked shut the room got quiet again. The last thing Angela had said before Mohinder's knock was still on Noah and Matt's minds.
"I have a feeling you know more about their son than you are telling us…" Matt turned his to the side looking at her.
"Yes Mr. Parkman and if you try to read my thoughts I'll make sure you'll never do it again," Angela fiercely defended her privacy.
Noah held back a chuckle, from working with Angela he knew better than to pry into her secrets….she would tell them what they needed to know when they needed it, and not a minute before.
