Author: Nils Bolle aka The Outlander
Disclaimer: Heroes was invented by Tim Kring and I do not own any of the copyrighted material he and his co-workers have produced since creating the concept. References to other franchises are purely for entertainment's sake, and I do not seek to profit from them, nor rob their creators from any profit.
Title: Anti-Heroes
Summary: A mighty new Hero rises, but does he want to save the world?
Chapter: Chapter 13 – Revelations
Chapter Summary: Maarten and Lucas, on the run, meet new Heroes and a shocking revelation is made.
Timeline situation: Around 'Four Months later'
Author's notes: Keep in mind that Fran is shape shifted at all times, and that both Lucas' parents and John don't know who she really is. So whenever I say 'Fran' in or after conversation, it's either in Lucas' or Rachel's shape. Also, mature content ahead.
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"What a shitty episode," Frank told his wife, turning off the tv. "EastEnders has become nothing more than average these days..."
"Stop whining," Sharon told her husband. "It's better than most things on telly if you ask me."
"Yeah, well," Frank continued, getting up from the couch and stretching a bit, "I'm not watching it anymore." He slowly walked off to the kitchen, and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator.
"I'm worried about Lucas," Sharon shouted at him. "He's been acting so strange lately. Last couple of months..."
"Don't worry so much," Frank assured his wife. "He's just going through a phase."
"But he has never been so rude to us before. Not even during his puberty. He ever comes down..."
"He has never come down a lot," Frank reminded her, walking back from the kitchen and sitting himself back down on the couch.
"True, but have you seen his room lately? His Xbox is gathering dust. His comics are untouched and stowed away somewhere under his bed without adding to his collection. His action figures are all in the closet. He's reading books now. That's just... not like him."
Frank shrugged. "Maybe he's maturing. Ever considered that?"
"I don't know... And what about all of his nightly escapades? He never used to go out. And he doesn't want to talk about it. And John's mother says she hasn't seen Lucas around their house for ages. And we haven't seen John either come to think of it."
"For God's sake, woman, let the boy pick his own friends, yes?"
"But why doesn't he want to talk about it?"
"He's entitled to his secrets, just like any other human being."
"You're being too easy on him, Frank."
"He'll turn out all right."
"You should talk to him."
"Why me?"
"He listen to you. At least, he used to. Sometimes I don't even know if I recognise him anymore..."
Frank sighed. "Okay, okay."
Upstairs, a door opened, swiftly followed by footsteps on the stairs. Sharon whispered to her husband. "Quickly, there he is now."
Reluctantly, Frank Terry opened the door separating the living room from the small entrance hall. He saw the figure he believed to be his son walking down the stairs with a backpack. "Lucas, your mom and I need to talk to you."
"No time," Fran said. "I'm..."
"Now, son," Frank insisted, not willing to listen to any excuses.
With a deep sigh, Fran followed the real Lucas' father to the living room. Frank sat himself down again next to Sharon.
"Yes?" Fran asked, raising her eyebrows.
"We were just wondering," Sharon started, "where it is you go every single evening."
"I'm sticking my nose in my own business," Fran rudely answered.
"Come now, boy, what kind of an answer is that?" Frank asked. "You've been acting like a shitty teenage stuck in puberty these last few months. We're your parents, don't you think we're entitled to know where you're going?"
Fran sighed again. She realised that her job here was about to end soon, one way or the other. It was almost four months now since she had been undercover. During that time, she had been fucking Lucas' best friend, estranged him with his parents, gotten lousy grades at school and all sorts of other things. She was still bullied occasionally in school, but she didn't really care about that. She could endure that. But the whining of these people was what really annoyed her. It was bad enough she had to share dinner with them every day.
"Are you seeing a girl or anything?" Sharon asked.
"What? No, of course not," Fran answered, giggling internally. That was about the last thing she'd do. And, ironically, it was probably also the last thing the real Lucas would do. Still, they were not going to be content if she did not provide a valid answer. "I've... got a job."
"A job? Where?" Frank enquired.
"It's not really... I think you're going to be proud of."
"You're not into dealing drugs, are you?" Sharon asked with a concerned voice.
"No, it's nothing... illegal or anything."
"For fuck's sake, then what is it?" Frank said, starting to lose his patience.
"I, do, the, announcing at the local wrestling club," Fran stuttered, not knowing what else to say."
"Jesus Christ," Frank sighed.
"Well... Why didn't you just tell us?"
"I thought you wouldn't like it... Anyway, I really have got to go now. They're waiting for me."
"Sure thing. Get out of here," Frank agreed, waving his hand.
With a little grin, Fran turned around and walked out of the room.
"Fools," she thought. As soon as she'd left the house Frank turned to his wife.
"Maybe I was wrong after all. Maybe a little shit is all he'll ever be."
XXX___XXX___XXX
Around the corner of the street, Fran changed clothes. Her Rachel-outfit was, of course, not the same one she wore when in Lucas' shape. This was probably the most annoying part of her double life: changing clothes in the street. She couldn't risk getting caught or seen. Luckily, there was a small alley that provided excellent cover and an ideal stowaway place for her bag. As soon as she had changed, she walked towards John's house. He was the perfect toy. Strong, tall, handsome, well endowed, and... she even started to like him. It was fun to see him bend to her will and desperately trying to fulfil her every wish, no matter how tiny or big. It was the only reason she kept doing it.
John opened the door quickly, as always. Fran could tell he was madly in love with her and that this was probably one of the happiest periods in his life. They didn't talk much, but that wasn't exactly what Rachel was looking for. And neither was John.
They went upstairs immediately.
They did what they normally did: screw each other. Five minutes into the deed, however, something intervened.
Fran's cell phone rang, and she was shocked to hear that it was a special ringtone she had installed. Only to be used when Bob called. She pushed John off of her.
"Oh, come on!" he shouted. "Don't answer that! I was just..."
"Shut up!" Fran shouted back, taking her phone. Still completely naked, she walked out of the room, well out of John's hearing range. Bob didn't know about Fran's 'visits' to John's house as Rachel, so she locked the door and shifted back into Lucas' form, who had the vocal chords Bob was expecting to hear.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Fran, we've got a situation here," Bob said, getting straight to the point. "Lucas has escaped from the facility."
"What? How?"
"He got out with the help of Peter Petrelli and Adam Monroe. We believe Peter has also seriously injured Graham. He's alive, but it's not looking good."
"Shit. Is he still with them?"
"We don't think so. Peter has disappeared, I've sent Elle after him. Same goes for Monroe. But we've got no reason to believe he's with either of them."
"The little son of a bitch. What are you doing to find him?"
"We're still waiting from Graham to recover consciousness. Maybe he can tell us more. In the meantime, be vigilant, Fran! Lucas will probably try to go home. If he shows up at your doorstep, thing could get real complicated."
"I can handle him," Fran assured Bob.
"Are you sure? I can always send some backup."
"He's just an inexperienced shape shifter."
"Exactly, but he has gained a significant amount of control over his ability nonetheless."
"I can still kick his ass. I know kung fu, remember?"
"Fine. Still, it'd be best if you do not leave the house the next couple of days. Not until you receive word from me that we have him. Fake an illness or something. If you're at his home when he arrives, disable him. You are authorized to use lethal force."
"Wow, was he that bad?"
"Worse. Talk to you later, Fran."
"Bob," Fran said, concluding the phone call. This was bad. Really bad. She shifted back into Rachel's shape and hurried back to john's bedroom.
"Ah! I was beginning to wonder if... Hey, what are you doing?" he asked, seeing 'Rachel' get dressed.
"I have to go," Fran told him. "Something has come up. I can't see you for a few days."
"But... But... What about this?" John asked, pointing at his crotch. "The throbbing is more than I can handle! Come on, please just..."
"I said no!" Fran shouted, putting her t-shirt on. "Use your hands or anything, I don't care."
Without wasting any more words, Fran left the house and retrieved her backpack. She changed clothes and shifted shapes again, after which she made her way back home.
XXX___XXX___XXX
"Where are we going?" Lucas asked Maarten, out of breath from running all the time. "We've been running like this for almost an hour."
"We're nearly there," was Maarten's short reply.
"That's no answer," Lucas shot back. Although he was grateful Maarten undeniably saved his life, he had a bit of trouble trusting the man who had kidnapped him. Still, it was clear Maarten and the Company were no longer associates and that both wanted the other dead. Lucas figured they were in the same situation, more or less. Lucas didn't want to kill the Company. His violence had never extended to the real world. Sure, he enjoyed slaughtering thousands of people when he assumed control of uberninja Ryu Hayabusa, but that's where he had always drawn the line. And he hoped it could stay that way.
Maarten didn't know what to think either. Luckily for him, Maarten had always had excellent navigational skills and he knew the area where they were going. Unfortunately, he didn't know where exactly that was. He hadn't exactly received lots of information, only that the fate of the world depended on it. He had not told Lucas anything about a future version of him suddenly showing up in his living room. The future one was right: the present Lucas couldn't handle that just yet. How Lucas had been able to time travel was still a mystery to Maarten. Maybe there was more to him than met the eye. Most likely, a future time traveller teleported Lucas to the precise time and place. Why Lucas himself was so important to be saved, Maarten could only guess. Maybe it was all just a joke and did Lucas just fear for his own life. If that were the case... Well, he would probably never find out anyway.
Maarten noticed a small street sign that ringed a bell. He took a quick look at the scrap of paper.
"We're here," he said.
XXX___XXX___XXX
Kate and Jonathon were sitting in the sofa. Jonathon was quickly going over a book on rocket science. Kate was watching a typical teenage girl show on MTV. About as close as she was going to get to being a normal girl.
Jonathon, her little brother, was a powerful two-year-old mastermind. His brain was so powerful he could do practically anything with it. He had the intelligence of a grown man. He could think, speak and act like one, although he still exhibited childish behavior. She loved him very dearly, and she'd do anything for him, as she had proven not so long ago.
Kate herself was twelve years older. Also still a kid by most people's standards, but she had seen and experienced more than most people ever would. And Kate considered such people to be lucky. Then again, those people weren't capable of psychokinesis: telepathy and telekinesis. It was a gift she shared with her little brother, although she seemed to lack his extraordinary intelligence.
A sudden knock on the door awoke both youngsters out of their trance. Wondering who that could be at this late hour, Kate stood up and walked towards the front door. She wasn't scared of muggers, burglars or anything of the kind. In fact, she pitied those that would ever try to harm her or her brother. They knew how to take care of herself. Which was the reason she could live in a house of her own along with Jonathon.
Still, out of curiosity, she peeked through the peephole in the front door. She saw a tall guy with a firm moustache in a long coat and a much younger guy in white clothes. They looked suspicious at first sight, but something in their eyes made Kate believe they meant no harm. She could quickly read their minds of course, but it was something she didn't do out of principle.
The door opened. To both their surprise, a girl opened the door. She was even younger than Lucas was. And yet, both men immediately felt she had a maturity to her well beyond her age. And Maarten felt she was not to be messed with. Luckily, they were here to ask for help. And future Lucas had said they were good people that could be trusted.
"Eh… Are you Kate?" Maarten hesitantly asked, looking at the sloppy writing on the little piece of paper.
"I am," she answered. "And who might you be?"
"My name is Maarten."
"Lucas," was Lucas' very short introduction. He was entranced by this girl. She was too young for him to be really sexually attractive, but in a way she made him think about Elle. She was also blonde, pretty and had a lot of self-confidence.
"We need help," Maarten said, coming straight to the point. "We were told we could find it here…"
"Oh?" she asked, surprised by this claim.
"It's a long story. Can we come in?" Maarten asked.
"I, erm… Yes, well, why not."
"Thank you," Maarten said, thanking her with a nod of his head. Lucas and him quickly entered the house. Kate closed the door behind them.
Having taken Maarten's coat, Kate guided them to the living room, where Jonathon was reading one of the last pages in the book. He looked up from his pages and greeted the two visitors with a questioning, but friendly smile.
"Jon, these are Maarten and… Lucas, was it?"
"Hi," Jonathon greeted, accompanying his words with a small wave. Both Lucas and Maarten waved back in return, somewhat dazzled by a two-year old behaving like that. But they had seen so much these last couple of days that nothing really surprised them anymore.
"They said they came here looking for our help."
"And some answers as well," Maarten added, who was a bit puzzled. Was this really the right address, he wondered. Was this the help the future Lucas had given them?
Lucas was also confused. He wondered if there was going to be an adult here, or if these were the people Maarten confided in. Still, he had seen so much these days nothing could surprise him anymore.
"Answers we might be able to provide," Jonathon intervened. "Help is something else, though we will try to be of service to the best of our… abilities," he added with a grin.
Maarten grinned. For him, the situation was clear. He realized this kid had an ability that involved extreme intelligence and brain activity. It also explained the kind of book he was reading. Lucas, however, was rather freaked out by a little kid speaking like an adult, despite his earlier claims of not being easily surprised any longer.
"You… can talk?" Lucas asked him.
"Yes, most people can," Jonathon dryly remarked. "But please, take a seat," he added, pointing to some empty chairs around the living room. Both Maarten and Lucas sat themselves down.
"I didn't mean to offend you," Lucas told Jonathon, it's just that…"
"… you've never seen a four-year-old act intelligently?" Jonathon completed the question. "No offense taken, friend. And I derive from the circumstances that you two are also evolved humans, just like us. Right?" he asked.
"Correct," Maarten said, lighting up his right hand as a little demonstration.
"I, er… Shift shapes," Lucas added.
"So tell us," Kate intervened, what can we help you guys with?"
"Well, eh… It's a long story, actually. Lucas, you do the honours, would you?" Maarten asked.
And so, Lucas told Kate and Jonathon everything from the beginning. About his home. About his first manifestation. About his abduction (for which Maarten sincerely apologized). About his training at Primatech. About his assignment. About his failure. And eventually, about his escape and Maarten rescuing him. While he talked, Kate served some drinks and a bit of food. A gesture most sincerely appreciated by the two fugitives.
"Interesting…" Jonathong mumbled after hearing everything. "Very interesting. Could I ask a favour, Lucas?"
"Erm, yeah, sure. I guess so. What do you need?" Lucas asked.
"Could you shift your shape, please? Into… someone you've met recently. Take a pick."
"Well, I could try to shift into Kate, if that's all right with you…?"
"Perfect," Jonathon nodded. "This should be interesting."
"Indeed," Kate agreed. "I always wondered how I look outside of a mirror."
Lucas closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt he was really getting the hang of it. He had touched Kate earlier while she handed him a glass of water and focused on her touch and tried to visualize her in front of him. It was the first time he changed his shape into that of a woman. It was a strange sensation indeed. He shrunk, some body parts more than others, things grew, both on the in- and outside,… After 10 seconds, he was an identical copy of the girl sitting in front of him.
He noticed how Jonathon looked at Kate and grinned. Kate looked back at him and the two just stared at each other for a while. Lucas threw a questioning look towards Maarten.
"They're communicating telepathically I think."
"Oh… I see," Lucas softly brought out with Kate's voice. "That's a bit… creepy."
"Still not used to our world, eh?" Maarten smiled. "You will. Sooner rather than later, I think."
Jonathon interrupted his silence. "Lucas, we have one more thing to ask you. Did you, apart from finding out you can shift your shape, notice any other strange things during your stay at Primatech?"
Lucas thought long and hard. There were a couple of things, but not really something that they could possibly be interested in. Although there was one thing that had always confused him…
"Well," he began, "one time I sparred with my mentor. As I told you before, he always beat my arse into a pulp, figuratively speaking. One time, though, I just knew what to do. I had learned some basic moves, but for a split second I had the feeling I knew everything there possibly was to know about the art of fighting. And I used that knowledge to flatten him. I tried it afterwards, though, but I couldn't remember how exactly I did it. It was very strange."
"I think I have an explanation, Lucas," Jonathon revealed. "I think I know exactly how your ability works."
"What do you mean? I shift shapes, and…"
"No, no, no!" Jonathon interrupted, "you're not just some shape shifter! Lucas, you shift DNA and muscle memory. You can manipulate it. Transform it. You don't just change your appearance, you become an identical genetic copy of the one your portray. And because you assume their muscle memory, you look exactly like they do."
"I don't… understand," Lucas whispered, looking at Maarten again.
"If that's true," Maarten said, "then that means it's possible he…" Maarten paused, still looking at Lucas.
"Jonathon nodded. "My thoughts precisely, Maarten. Only one way to find out…" Jonathon stood up from the chair and placed Lucas' glass of water right in front of him. "You are now an identical genetic copy of Kate. A person's ability is locked away in his genes. Everything is, one way or another. If you have the exact same genes Kate has, and Kate's genes allow her telekinetic and telepathic powers, it's highly possible you can do the same, Lucas. Try it."
"I can… wait, what?" Lucas answered, confused by this sudden revelation.
"You can assume the abilities and skills of those you've transformed into," Maarten explained. "Jonathon's saying that, for example, if you shifted into me, you could also control fire, like I can." And suddenly Maarten understood how the future Lucas was able to travel through time and teleport him here. But he wasn't going to reveal that just yet.
"That's… impossible," Lucas stuttered. "Is it?" he asked, looking at Jonathon.
"Only one way to find out," the young boy answered, nodding at the glass.
"So… what, I have to move this glass with my mind, right?" Lucas skeptically said.
"Indeed. If my theory is correct, you should be able to. After all, you're still in Kate's shape."
"You make it sound like he's an Autobot or something," Kate joked, to which Lucas grinned. Maarten and Jonathon didn't get the joke, but Lucas most certainly did.
"All right then… Here goes…" Lucas said, concentrating on the glass in front of him.
"Just imagine what you're about to do. The ability should do the rest," Kate guided him. "And because you also have my muscle memory, your proficiency should be the same. So be careful and gentle. I'm quite strong, you know."
"Okay…" Lucas whispered, focusing on the glass. But nothing happened. "It's not working," he said, somehow disappointed and somehow very happy.
"That's because you don't believe you can," Maarten said, somewhat irritated. "Believe in yourself for once, damn it! You can do this, kid!"
Lucas nodded and reassembled his focus. He stared at the glass, imagining it to levitate. And then, the glass flew upwards with such force it hit the ceiling, sending shattered glass all across the living room.
"Seems like you need to control your powers," Kate grinned. "Maybe it would've been better to start with imitating someone less powerful."
"I, erm… Did I do that?" Lucas asked out loud.
"You sure did," Jonathon smiled. "But, as Kate said, you need to control the ability. With time and experience, you will."
"Yeah, I heard that before," Lucas mumbled. And he slowly started shifting back to his original self. "I'll practice more later," he clarified with his own vocal chords. "I, erm… Need some time to think. And rest."
"Yeah, now that you mention it," Maarten added, "I could use a good night's sleep as well. We better be on our way, then, to find a place to sleep."
"Oh, no, that's out of the question," Kate said. "You're staying with us here tonight. It's much too late to be wondering around in the dark, especially with those Company agents on your heels."
"We do not wish to intrude," Maarten refused the offer, "and we do not want to endanger you and your little brother."
"Believe me, you're endangering the Company agents by bringing them here. It's much safer for the four of us if we stay together for now."
"Well," Lucas intervened, "I'm all for safety."
"You're being too kind," Maarten thanked Kate. "But I deeply thank you for all the help you and your brother have provided."
"Don't mention it. Maarten, you can have the double bed upstairs. Lucas, you can sleep in my bed. Jonathon can sleep in his own; I'll sleep on the couch."
"Oh no," Lucas denied, "you can sleep in your own bed. I'll sleep on the couch. I insist. Compared to the cot in my cell at Primatech, it'll be like sleeping on sheets of silk and satin."
"Very well, then," Jonathon smiled. "I must say, this is all very exciting. Company agents, the discovery of an ability I've never even heard of before, discussing what bed we're going to sleep in… I'm anxious to see what the future will bring!"
XXX___XXX___XXX
"How is he?" Kevin asked Bob. They were standing next to Graham's bed. He was almost entirely covered in bandages.
"Bad shape, obviously," Bob stated. "2nd and 3rd degree burns all over his body. Petrelli must've done this, there's no other way. There's no way Monroe or the Terry kid could've burnt him like this. Poor guy."
"Is he going to make it?"
"Graham's tough. We're lucky we found him when we did, though. Still, his ability might help him recover faster than average humans. Not like someone with rapid cellular regeneration like Monroe, but faster nonetheless."
"How so?" Kevin asked.
"Graham has the ability to succeed in every single physical action that lies within his physical limits. His body automatically takes the right course of action in every situation, guided by Graham's will. Therefore, his wounds will regenerate faster. He should be okay."
"Can he talk? He might know something useful… Like where the fugitives went!"
"I've already sent Elle to track down Peter Petrelli. Where Monroe and Lucas went is still a mystery. Doctor says it's okay to wake him up for a couple of minutes. No more. He needs to rest as much as possible."
"Well, time's wasting I'd say," Kevin declared with a faint grin.
"True," Bob agreed. He tapped on some pads on Graham's bed, which slightly erected itself, putting Graham's upper body in a higher position. The console bleeped a couple of times.
"Graham?" Bob asked loudly, "Can you hear us? It's me, Bob. Kevin's here as well!"
Slowly, Graham opened his eyes. He had an excruciatingly painful look in them. He looked directly at Bob, but said nothing. The faintest trace of a nod suggested an affirmative answer, though.
"We need to know who did this to you. And more importantly: where they went!" Bob continued.
Graham tore open his chapped lips. He tried to say something, but the sound was very distorted. Bob brought his left ear closer to his mouth, and he could faintly understand three words.
"It was Maarten."
XXX___XXX___XXX
Author's Notes: Kate and Jonathon are not my own characters. They were created by ScifigeekET and are featured prominently in the fanfic 'Kate vs. Sylar', found at this link: .net/s/5552133/1/Kate_vs_Sylar
I would like to thank ScifigeekET for the contributions to this chapter!
[Next chapter: Lucas and Maarten go to the second address. With Lucas' newfound powers, things are looking up. However, far away from there, things take a nasty turn.]