Sylar is dead. Or is he? Selene, with Claire's help, tries to find out.
I do not own Heroes.
For want of a friend Part 21
Selene moved her hand at the wrist. She flexed her fingers, then bent her arm at the elbow. Her upper arms were bound, and she found she couldn't rise.
"Don't move yet. Let me free you first." Claire was undoing the belts that bound Selene. "Dad doesn't know I'm here."
"Claire, where is here? Ohhh..." Selene sat up and rubbed her temples, blinking rapidly to help clear out the mind fog. "What are you doing helping me anyway? Wouldn't that be going against your fathers' wishes?" Selene remembered the wink she thought Claire had given her, and so it must have been.
"Didn't I warn you? Just give yourself a minute to shake off the effects of the stunner. We're in the Facility, as Dad calls it." She had loosened the last belt and pushed them off Selene, then grabbed her by the shoulders, and helped her off the bed.
Selene leaned against the edge of what looked like a metal exam table. "Wait, Claire. Where is Sylar's body? Did they leave him out in the street, or did they move him here?"
"I think he's here, but I don't know where. It's a pretty big place. And no one is up to telling me much of anything anymore. Even Peter won't talk to me."
"Where is Noah?" Selene asked, willing the headache pounding in her head to go away.
"I'm not sure. I only know that Nathan returned to Washington. He felt that Dad had everything in hand, and there was no reason for him to stick around and risk being caught involved with this operation."
As Selene tried to shake off the pain from the stunner, she noticed something, a tiny thing really, in the palm of her hand. She concentrated hard, visualizing on one aspect of her powers. Surprise filled her, when she saw blue energy spikes emitting from her hand.
"What was that? Selene, did you just...?" Claire started to ask.
Selene smiled. "It looks like the device your father placed such stake in has only a temporary effect. Let me try something." She thrust out a hand at a chair that sat in a corner, and tossed it across the room. "Oops, we'll have to keep that quiet." She scanned the room, looking for cameras, hidden or otherwise, but noticed none. Maybe they didn't feel any need to keep a watch on her. She held an open palm up, and willed golden energy to gather, then just as easily, willed it away, satisfied she had that power too. "I definitely have my abilities back, Claire," she declared, hugging the young woman.
Selene walked around, testing the rest of her body. Except for some residual aches, she felt well enough to get down to business. She placed hands on Claire's shoulders. "We have to find Sylar's body. If the effects of the device are short-lived, Sylar may be able to regenerate, if he hasn't already."
"Selene, maybe you should leave while you have the chance. If Sylar regenerates, he can escape on his own," Claire suggested, anxious for her friend to leave before Noah found out she was conscious.
"I won't leave him here. Dead or alive, I'm getting him back. We have to find out where they're keeping him. And I think we'll need a little help."
Selene stood by the door, reaching out for the thoughts of anyone nearby. She sensed two people. She gestured to Claire to follow her, and opened the door a crack. Peeking out, she saw two men in white coats coming down the corridor right for them. When they passed, she opened the door, and stepping out of the room, flung out her hands, pinning each man against opposite sides of the corridor walls. They crumpled onto the floor unconscious. She went to one man, and kneeling by his side, she placed a hand on his forehead. She read his surface thoughts, but there was nothing of interest. Selene looked up at Claire, who was standing beside her.
"He doesn't know anything," she said, disappointed. She turned to the other scientist, and placed her hand on his forehead. A half minute later, she closed her eyes, a smile on her face. She stood and clasped a hand on Claire's shoulder, squeezing. "He's up three floors, room C26. Let's go."
The two women walked briskly along the corridor until they came upon an elevator. They stepped inside, and Selene pushed the button for the 3rd floor. She only hoped there was no camera as public elevators sometimes had.
Before long, the doors opened onto their desired floor, and they first went left, but seeing rooms C18 and then C14, they turned around and headed the other way. It didn't take them long to reach C26. Selene tried the doorknob, but found it locked.
"Why is this door locked, but you were able to get past mine?" Selene asked, confused.
Claire smiled. "I used a screwdriver I found on a desk. I thought it might come in handy."
Selene couldn't fault the girl for her creativity in a clutch. Concentrating on her own objective, she pointed her hand at the knob, and summoning her heat energy, melted it without any trouble. She prodded the door open with her foot, and walked into the darkened room. "Claire, is there a way to turn on the light?"
Claire felt along the wall until she came to a switch. She gasped, as she saw Sylar lying on one of the metal exam tables. He was still, blood visible on his clothing.
Selene walked over to him, looking down at the man she believed indestructible. She ran a hand along his cheek and down his chest. His blood had dried, and her hand came away clean. "He's so pale, Claire." Selene grabbed his hand, cold and without life. He hadn't regenerated. She leaned over him, pressing her cheek against his, whispering into his ear, as if he could hear her. "Sylar, it's me, Selene. I'm here, sweetheart. You didn't think I'd leave you behind. I'm taking you away from this place." She kissed his cool skin, and pressed her face into his neck. She stood suddenly. "That's odd."
"What"? asked Claire, who stepped closer to the table.
"I don't smell any decay." She bent over him and sniffed, inhaling strongly. "He smells...like himself."
"Selene, how could he? He's been dead for hours," said a disbelieving Claire. Her friend must have been in complete denial.
"I know how Sylar smells. We've been together non-stop for the past couple of weeks. I would recognize his scent in the dark. I know it's not possible, but he isn't rotting yet. Claire, he might be regenerating, only more slowly because he's dead. The effects of the device must wear off first for him to be able to heal."
Claire watched as Selene placed her hand on his forehead. She wondered what the woman might be trying to accomplish, but said nothing.
Selene entered Sylar's brain, seeking surface thoughts, but there were none. That didn't really surprise her, since he was dead. But if he was regenerating, she would have to go deeper. She went into his mind, calling his name, looking for any sign of conscious thought. She searched below the surface levels of his subconscious, and found nothing. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled, preparing to go further into his dead mind.
Claire watched, fascinated by what she saw. She had never been a big Sylar fan, but she liked Selene. To see her happy, she would put up with Sylar's presence. Her dad would be upset if he knew she was helping the two people he had spent so much time and money trying to trap. How to appease him when he did find out would be the question foremost in her mind.
Noah was never the kind of father who had spanked her as a child. She didn't fear his anger, since she could always fight back against that. But he would act disappointed, and that was one chord which touched her negatively. She hadn't ever wanted to disappoint her dad. He had always been there for her. Yet there were moments when she didn't trust even him. Like the time she had nearly been raped by that sports jock. Why she hadn't trusted him then, and just told him flat out what had happened? He had looked into her eyes as if he already knew. And he always did seem to know everything. At times, it was almost as if he had an ability too, which she knew he didn't.
Over the years, Claire had suffered loss and disappointment, loneliness and sorrow, despite being a cheerleader and popular girl amongst the jocks. Look what that got her. Her future seemed endless, an eternity of failed relationships and hiding from those who felt she was some kind of freak. It wasn't a life she wanted. And someday, her dad wouldn't even be there for her anymore. Everyone in her family, Noah, Sandra, Lyle and Mr Muggles, all of them would be dead. But she would live. Forever. A single tear slipped down Claire's cheek, which she wiped away angrily. She moved over toward the end of the bed so she could see Selene more clearly.
Sylar lay there, unmoving. His body was pale and still cold to the touch. But Selene did not give up. She continued searching his mind, level by level, moving deeper still. Once, she thought there was something, a fragment of a thought. But she felt she was deluding herself. She closed her eyes and let her head fall forward.
Claire walked up behind Selene, and touched her on the back, rubbing slightly to try and comfort her. "Selene, we can't do this for much longer. Once they know you're gone, they'll start looking for you."
Selene turned to Claire, and said, "You should go. You don't need to get into trouble with Noah on my account."
Claire noticed how tired Selene looked. Her eyes were glassy and rimmed in red.
"I know. I'm tired. And maybe its some residual effects from the stunner. But I'm not leaving him, Claire."
"Then I won't leave either. You keep trying and I'll keep watch. Selene, I know what it's like to lose someone you love." She nodded and smiled in support, then went to stand by the door.
Selene sighed, and turned back to the prone figure lying on the exam table. She again placed her hand on Sylar's forehead, and sent her thoughts into his mind. She used her mind-reading ability to reach deeper than she'd previously gone. She called to Sylar, willing him to be there. If he was regenerating, surely his thoughts would start to appear. Sylar, where are you?
he was on the ground looking up into the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen, holding the hand of the woman those eyes belonged to, watching as she defended him against his pursuers, standing alone in an unfamiliar bedroom, loneliness invading his very soul, seeking the company of the woman who'd saved him, lying next to her in her bed, feeling her warmth, kissing her, running with her as fire broke out around them, laughing with her when he noticed the blood on her shirt, offering her comfort when he spoke to her dead parents, feeling wanted when she became angry at his abrupt but temporary departure, taking pleasure in the luxury of his surroundings, taking pleasure in her body as she gave herself to him freely and without fear, curious when he took her form to talk with Peter, feeling the pain of the young girl whose mind he'd invaded, reveling in the love, desire and belonging he felt for the woman the woman, where was she, she was here, he felt her, heard her calling to him, he tried to reach out to her, the woman, Selene yes Selene, his love, his life, he could hear her coming closer, I'm here don't leave me I'm here, I will find you...
Selene pulled back with a shock. She'd heard him, it had to be him. She looked down at his body, which seemed to be taking on color. "Claire, come here for a minute. Please tell me I'm not seeing things."
Before Selene could even get out the words, Claire said in shock, "He looks...different! He seems pinker....less pale."
Selene smiled and closed her eyes. When she reopened them, it was very apparent that Sylar's former paleness was being replaced by color. She reached out to touch him, and was rewarded with warm, pliable flesh. She bent over him, and holding one of his hands in both of hers, she sent her thoughts into his mind, calling to him more strongly than before. Her heart soared when she found a single thought, one that melted away any fears she was feeling. I love you. Was that her thought, or was it his? She delved further. I'm here, Sylar. Come to me.
Suddenly, Selene was surrounded by thoughts, so many she couldn't tell them apart, but she knew it was Sylar. She sensed his need, his desire to be with her. She reluctantly broke away from him, forcing him to follow her. His body was definitely beginning to look more life-like, and less like the corpse he had been. With Claire by her side, she waited.
"When he wakes up, what do we do next?" Claire asked.
"Get the hell out of here, I suppose. He may need time to recoup. Can't do that here. As soon as he's strong enough, we leave." It then struck Selene that this might be their only chance to destroy the weapon that had nearly killed Sylar. She didn't want to lose the opportunity while it was in her hands. "Claire, if I ask you to get Sylar out of here, would you do that for me?"
"What? No, you can't stay here!" Claire protested.
Selene grabbed the girl by the shoulders. "Claire, I need to find the thing your dad made, and destroy it. This may be our only chance. Can I trust you? I need you to do this for me. And for Sylar. Please!" She asked Claire where the most likely place would be for the equipment to be kept. Claire gave her two possible locations, which Selene committed to memory.
Claire noticed the desperation in the woman's eyes, and she knew she would do as she was asked, even if it was for Sylar."Of course. Selene, look!" she cried, looking over the woman's shoulder.
The regeneration was complete, and Claire watched as her former tormentor began to move, stiffly at first, but he was waking up.
Selene turned to Sylar, leaning over him, her hand on his face. "Sylar, wake up. Sweetheart, I'm here." She kissed his cheek, and whispered in his ear, "You're alive...again," trying to show less fear than she had been feeling awhile ago.
Sylar looked into the turquoise eyes he knew so well, and smiled weakly. "It's because of you. I heard you calling to me." He raised his hand, and entwined his fingers in the ponytail that hung over her shoulder. He preferred her hair down, but knew she always pulled it back into a ponytail when it was more practical to do so. He saw Claire standing slightly behind Selene. "Hi, cheerleader," he said, grinning.
Claire grimaced, but held her tongue for Selene's sake. He didn't know yet that Selene had asked her to help him. She was sure he would love that, while for her, it would be torture just being alone with him.
"Do you think you can sit up?" Selene asked. Using her telekinetic ability, she helped Sylar into a sitting position. He sat, shoulders slumped, but he was looking normal again, much to her relief. She slipped into his arms, which encircled her. She knew by his thoughts, he was not only glad to be alive, but was happy she was there.
For his part, Sylar knew Selene would not have left him in Noah's clutches if there had been any chance he was alive, but neither of them knew the affect of the device, which could have been permanent, leaving Sylar dead for good. "How did you get in here?" he asked her. Before she could utter the words, he knew how Noah had stunned her, captured her and brought her here, along with his body. Anger welled up inside him.
"No time for that. Claire is going to get you away from here...."
"I have a few things to take care of first..." he started before being cut off by Selene.
"You're hardly in any shape to start a fight, Sylar. You're not strong enough yet. I'm used to infiltration, remember? Sneak in, get what I'm looking for, and sneak back. I'm already in, so that's half the job right there. Claire, will you help him?" Selene knew Claire had no TK ability, so it might be slow going for them. "Get him out the quickest way you know. Wait for me somewhere close by. I'll be right behind you. At least this time, I know what I'm looking for," she said, recalling the insignificant looking box she saw Nathan holding, before she had been stunned into unconsciousness.
Claire reluctantly helped Sylar off the table. She was too small to be an effective support, so she just put an arm around his waist, leading him from the room. "If we happen to run into anyone in the halls, can you do...anything?"
Sylar lifted a hand. He called up his electrical power, watching with satisfaction, the small blue spikes arcing from his palm. It was a weakened version of his usual strength, but would suit their needs.
Selene went over to the pair, hugged Sylar tightly, and told him to be careful. She gave Claire a hug as well. "Let me go first, see if anyone is out there." She smiled at both of them, then opening the door, peered out into the hall. No one was around. She gave them a small wave, then slipped out into the corridor. Selene headed in the direction that Claire had indicated, determined to disrupt Noah's dream of domination over the Evolveds. She looked back to see Sylar and Claire going in the opposite direction, hopefully heading for the nearest exit. She had decided that if she ran into Noah Bennet, she would show him how wrong he was in thinking that he would ever dominate anyone.