"IT SNOWED LAST NIGHT!"
Linda groaned, covering her head with a pillow. She had just been dreaming of Brad Pitt and chocolate syrup, only to find herself yanked from fantasy land and pulled towards reality.
"GET UP, GET UP!" A little voice cried out, tugging on Linda's comforter. "Pwease, Aunt Winda, wake up!"
Shaking her head, and debating if it was moral to flood the entire building, Linda Frey slowly sat up, rubbing gunk out of her eyes and looked down at the little person currently standing on her bed.
Valencia Alverez was a study in pink. Little pink socks adorned her feet, followed by a pair of pink snowsuit, a white snowman sewed on the front. Her hair was done up in pigtails, complete with pink ribbons, and on her head sat a pink wool cap. In her tiny, pink mitten covered hands were her pink boots and, of course, pink scarf.
Linda smiled slightly as Vally held out the boots. "Help?" she asked innocently.
"Vally…what do we say?" Linda asked.
"…pwease help?" Vally said. Her father was trying his hardest to instill manners in her, since Madrid hadn't bothered to teach the girl much in the ways of etiquette.
Linda shook her head, but relented, setting Vally on her lap and helping her get the boots on. Ever since they'd left Las Vegas, Vally had become everyone's responsibility. She was a hyper little thing, a hydrogen molecule with legs, and it took the entire group to keep her safe. It would have been a lot easier, if said little girl didn't have strange superpowers.
The last month had brought them all no closer to figuring out what Vally could do. Sometimes, she would sneeze and Linda would suddenly find herself in a rainstorm…inside the building. One time Marshall had been stuck as a puppy for 7 hours while Vally blissfully (and completely unaware) pet him while watching cartoons. When Kelly and Tina had taken her shopping, they'd panicked when Vally had burst into pink flames, forcing them to remain hidden in the women's bathroom until Carter arrived. The most recent, and startling, of Vally's power flare ups was when she had somehow made Hank turn invisible. After they had fixed that mess, Hank had found he now had the power to go unseen with just a blink, leaving the group even more confused.
"So, it snowed last night?" Linda asked softly.
Vally bobbed her head. "yup! And daddy is takin' me swedding!"
Ever since they had arrived back in Michigan, Carter had promised his little girl that she would finally get to see snow. Vally had been waiting every day, peaking out the window and asking when the "snow-man" would get there.
Glancing at the clock, Linda frowned. "Vally…its 5:30 in the morning…I think daddy is going to want to wait a bit."
"no!" Vally snapped. "Swedding!"
"Vally…" Linda said again, but Vally had already leapt from her arms and was running down the stairs. Chasing after the little girl, Linda skidded to a stop when, in the main foyer of the building, she found Carter and Hank bundled up, waiting for Vally.
"Hey, ready to go sledding?" Carter asked, cradling Vally in his arms, his black duster hanging loosely around his form.
"Aunt Winda said we awen't swedding!" Vally exclaimed, tears in her eyes.
Carter shot Linda a dirty look. "Aunt Linda is very tired, so she is saying stupid things."
Linda rolled her eyes. "Says the man up at 5:30 to go sledding."
Hank scoffed, throwing open the door and revealing the magnificence of their surroundings.
(The Travelers-The Governor's Mansion, Mackinaw Island)
"Only you could be bitchy in a winter wonderland."
"EEEE!" Vally squealed, leaping from her father's arms and running out to play, the men right behind her.
Marshal blinked, walking into the room, cup of coffee in hand, already dressed. "Wow, you slept in really late."
Linda rolled her eyes in disgust. "men…"
&&&
(The Alliance Mountain Headquarters-Swiss Alps)
"I want him dead, father." Ashleigh snapped, pacing back and forth. Her father watched her from his seat at the war room table, tapping commands into a computer and bringing a digital picture of the United States up. "He embarrassed me!"
"And I suppose this has nothing to do with the fact that Carter Daniels is currently with your son?"
"HE ISN'T MY SON!" Ashleigh screamed, kicking a chair violently. "He is…is a mistake, caused by a rogue doppelganger. And when I find him, I will erase him…she is dead, I won, no part of her can live on!"
Anthony Delpine sighed. For a month, Carter Daniels had been off the radar, escaping Vegas with his daughter and Tina Linderman. Where they had gone, no one knew, but it had all of the Delpines on edge.
Well, except for Merrick.
Anthony glanced over at his son, who was currently opening and closing his hand, watching as a strawberry he had on the table seemed to be…breathing…or growing and shrinking…
"Must you do that?" Ashleigh complained.
Merrick glanced up, his hand still shut and the strawberry looking normal. "Is it bothering you?"
"Yes." She said tersely. "Stop it."
"Ok." Merrick said, opening his hand. The strawberry quivered, appearing to be squeezed by an unseen force, before it exploded, juice and pulp flying everywhere. Merrick brushed away the goo, Ashleigh glaring at him. "Happy?"
"Delighted." Ashleigh muttered. "Would you mind telling us why you are so calm?"
Merrick shrugged. "Simple, really. While you fouled up the robbery, and dear ol' dad's assassins couldn't take out Daniels or the cheerleader, I planted the perfect mole in Daniels' group. Aradiky will keep an eye on Alverez, and when she finds out where her sister/daughter is…bam!" Merrick slammed his hands together. "We find Daniels."
Anthony frowned. "Need I remind you that we are not seeking to kill Daniels…we merely want the light…"
"Daniels is predicted to kill us, father." Merrick said coldly.
"You don't believe in prophecies." Anthony countered.
"But you do." Merrick stated. "You believe the prophecy of the Son and the Lion is going to come to pass, that Carter will turn two of our own against us and destroy us. You believe my son and Ashleigh's bastard child are the Son and Lion spoken of."
Anthony leaned forward. "And you don't? There is a prophecy about you, my son. How the sun will burn out, love will ignite the stars, and your death will be the final trigger that begins the last war."
"Fate has no control over me." Merrick said coldly. "And if you believe it does, then why do you fight on? Why did you fire Riker and BeeBee?"
Anthony pointed a finger at his eldest. "I believe that some things can be seen…but I do not believe our fate is sealed." He scoffed. "Your mistrust in prophecy is as foolish as your trust in Sergei."
"My second will outdo your assassins and Ashleigh's clones…" Merrick said as he turned to leave. Under his breath, he muttered. "Then we will see who should be running this family, father."
&&&
(Château de l'épéiste-30 minutes outside of France)
Daniel briskly typed into his laptop, growling in frustration as he failed yet again to hack into the system the Delpine's were using. He knew they were after his grandson, but unfortunately, there was little he could do legally to stop them.
The Alliance was made up of 7 major families. Each major family was divided into many smaller families that were all connected by one head. The House of Delpine was broken down currently into 15 different families and sub families, but the head of the family was Anthony Delpine.
If the head of a family wished to attack another, they needed a majority vote from all members of the alliance to do so. Which meant, in actuality, that they needed a majority of the major family heads to agree, as the head of each family could guarantee that each of his/her relatives would side with their decision.
So far, Daniel had only secured 2 votes, not counting his own, Anthony having 2, not counting his own.
The final head would not decide for a long time.
Lord William Brynt, head of the House of Brynt, had been brutally attacked a month ago, barely hanging on before dying with Seth at his side. Lord William was to have sided with them, but without an official pronouncement…
Worst still, Lord William's second had been killed shortly before, a deed Daniel expected Merrick had been involved in. Without a second, the title of Head of Family would be fought for in the House of Brynt for months…most likely years.
Which left Daniel trying to crack their code…
"Sir." Seth called, Daniel picking up his headset. "We have a problem…it's Madrid."
&&&
Lee frowned, looking around at the tall buildings that surrounded them. "Are you sure about this?"
"Positive." Madrid said coldly.
"…just is, as a Boston boy, born and raised…I don't like being in enemy territory." Lee muttered.
"I agree with Lee, as sad as that is." Jessica/Galatea said. "This city is not a good place." Madrid's head snapped towards her, the look Madrid gave her enough to cause even Jessica to pull away.
Sergei frowned. "We need to be here…the only person that can help us lives here."
Lee rolled his eyes. "Yea yea yea…lets find this Dr. Suresh and get out of here. The less time spent here, the better…the people here are jerks." He paused, watching a guy in a Yankee hat innocently walk by. "Yankees suck, ass face! Red Socks, bitch! WOOOOO!"
Jessica/Galatea shook her head in disgust, while Sergei, a New Yorker born and bred, wondered if a jury would convicted him if he threw Lee in front of a bus.
&&&
Riker raised his gun, firing off several rounds at the dummy he had set up with Linda's face on it, blowing perfect little holes through her head. He grinned viciously, before extending a rubber arm and punching the dummy in the face.
"I can't wait till Merrick finds that girl…God…I am so going to bust her up…then I'll find that Metatron asshole and rip him a…you know." He nodded towards his partner. "You lookin' for vengeance, BeeBee?"
"Yea…yea…" She said. She'd told no one about what had really happened, told no one that the Metatron's touch hadn't wounded her, but instead fixed the damage in her mind, righted the chemical balance and removed her lust for violence. The kind, if street wise, girl she had been had awoken, and found herself trapped in a nightmare where her attacker was always near, she was forced to kill, and already her hands dripped with blood from all those she had hurt.
But as Riker smiled at her, his dark little eyes beading in on her…Biddy realized that she might be able to survive killing one more person…
&&&
Helena took a sip of her coffee, working on her laptop. She was e-mailing Governor Granholm, letting her know that they appreciated her lending them the Governor's Mansion on Mackinaw Island. Of course, Helena had not told her that she was using the mansion to hide her son and granddaughter from a secret group looking to capture and experiment on them.
No…no need for that.
PING
Helena paused, wondering how she could be getting an instant message.
WIRELESS: Is the Metatron there?
Huntress52: This is Helena…what do you want, Hana?
WIRELESS: I need to speak to the Metatron
Huntress52: You are going to speak to me first
WIRELESS: The Metatron is in danger
Huntress52: the company?
WIRELESS: Two senior members
WIRELESS: I don't know how they found you
Huntress52: Do we need to leave?
WIRELESS: No
WIRELESS: From what I overheard on their cellphone, they merely believe the Metatron and The Light passed through Mackinaw Crossings. As long as you do not leave the island, you should be fine
WIRELESS: You haven't left the mansion, correct?
WIRELESS: Helena?
WIRELESS: Helena?
WIRELESS: HELENA!
&&&
"Good fudge?" Carter asked, looking down at Vally as the girl happily munched on her snack.
"Yup!"
Hank had driven the snowmobile up to the Mackinaw Bridge, Carter and Vally being dragged behind on the sled the gang had gotten on a previous trip. The little girl had screamed with joy the entire time, secure in her father's arms as Hank pulled them in complex patterns and bone jarring speed shots along the frozen lake.
Finally, after hours of fun, the 3 had parked the snowmobile under the bridge and made their way into town, getting lunch and making a snack run to one of the famous fudge shops.
"Carter…" Hank said, pulling on his wool facemask. "…you sure you never saw God?"
Carter nodded. Ever since he'd gotten back, Hank had been quizzing him about his return, something, according to Kelly, to do with Hank's crisis of faith. "Positive…a lot of dead people…but no God."
"Hmmm…I'd think God would want to see His voice."
Carter smirked, but before he could respond, someone else did. "God can see many things, Mr. Delpine…why can't He see his own Voice whenever he wants?"
Hank and Carter fell into defensive positions, keeping Vally between them and away from the three newcomers. It was a strange group: A stern older Japanese man, a younger Japanese man that seemed too innocent to be there, both men having samurai swords strapped to their back…
…and a woman that looked like the Devil herself, dressed in prada…and not as a joke.
Carter's eyes flashed. "Angela Petrelli."
"You know my name?" Angela asked in interest.
"You see many things in the afterlife…what you tried to do to your sons…to my sister…" His hand burst into silver flames. "Well…that is the talk of all of Heaven."
Hank licked his lips, grasping Vally's shoulder. "Carter?"
"We are only here to talk, Mr. Daniels." The older man said, his voice calm yet unyielding.
"I seriously doubt that, Kaito." Carter shot back, backing his group away.
"Why are you so defensive…we are not here to fight you." The younger man said.
"Ando." Carter greeted. "I'm surprised you're here…Charlie said so many kind things about you…and something about you needing to lose weight?" Ando's eyes widened, and Carter glared at Angela. "That woman makes Satan shiver, Ando."
"You don't know me." Angela said calmly. "You don't understand why I did what I did?"
"Kill millions so you can set your son up as the savior of man. Oh yea…I understand." Carter shot back. He turned towards Kaito. "And let me guess, Kaito…you're just here because you wanted to visit…it has nothing to do with great grand father…the man you have imprisoned right now in one of your Company cells."
Kaito's lips made a thin line. "Adam Monroe tried to destroy the world."
"And imprison him." Carter answered. "But from what I've learned, that ain't enough…me and granddad have been talking…The Company wants to eliminate everyone of the Monroe bloodline…including me."
"Some family ya got, Carter." Hank quipped. "What next…cousin who's a mass murderer?" Carter glanced away. "Carter? Carter!?!"
"Gabriel is nuts, ok? Not my fault and not the point." He turned back to Angela. "Hank…get Vally out of here."
"Daddy?" Vally whispered.
Angela raised a finely sculpted eyebrow. "Are you going to have Hank and the girl disappear, Carter?" Hank frowned as she guessed his move. "I see we came just in time, if that is the best idea you can come up with to protect her."
Carter raised an eyebrow. "let me guess…you're here to kidnap my daughter." Vally whimpered, curling against her father's leg.
Kaito frowned. "We can give her a better life."
"I've seen what the Company considers a better life." Carter replied harshly, Ando's eyes widening at that comment, wondering what the heck was going on. "I still have electrical burns."
"Elle and Terrence are different…" Kaito answered. "We would insure…"
"Why was Hiro never in the Company?" Carter asked. "Why not your own son, Kaito?" He narrowed his eyes, other hand going silver. "That's enough of an answer for me."
"What do you plan to do, Mr. Daniels? Fight us?" Angela asked with a quirk of her lips. "Try and punch us and treat this like a back alley brawl?" She held out her hands. "Look at where we are…you'll draw attention to yourself, and that is the last thing you need. And besides…you won't win." She held out her hand. "Give us the girl…and we will work with you to ensure you play a part in her life."
Carter nodded his hand. "A…generous offer. But you see…a generous offer from a madwoman…is mad in of itself." He held out his hand, but when Angela and Kaito prepared for the blast, Carter instead darted towards Ando, punching him in the gut and relieving him of his weapon.
The Kensai blade.
"This is a nice sword." Carter said, before swinging the blade at Kaito's neck. The older man drew his own sword, blocking the strike. "Hank!"
"Got it!" he shouted, going invisible along with Vally.
"Daddy!" Vally's voice rang out.
"Vally, go with Uncle Hank!" Carter commanded, locking blades with Kaito.
Angela frowned, walking towards where Hank and Vally had stood, following the rapidly appearing footsteps in the snow. "Deal with him, I'll get the girl."
Kaito looked at Carter. "You should have given her to us…made it easy."
"You shouldn't have come here…made it easier on everyone." Carter replied, swinging his sword.
The battle was on.
&&&
Author's Note: Many people have wondered about how Carter Daniels can be so powerful, why so many people are after him and his daughter. The reason can be found in his family tree. Carter is slowly discovering that he is connected to many, many powerful houses, each of these lending down to him and making him such a favored target.
There are about 25-50 powerful family bloodlines in the Elsewhere/HEROES universe. The Petrelli Bloodline, the Nakamura Family, the House of Ellis, and The Line of Adam Monroe are four of the most powerful. Beyond these are other strong houses that, when blended in with any of the four, result in a powerful hero. Angela Petrelli's family is one, resulting in Peter. The Gordon family is another, its two children (Claire and Carter) both incredible powerful.
As we have seen, many heroes have connections, and more will appear soon in the show and the story to reveal just how closely they are tied together.
But for now, because someone requested in, Carter's family tree. After each person's name will be their power and what house or bloodline they belong too.
Carter Daniels: Mental Manipulation; most notable houses are the House of Ellis and the Line of Adam Monroe; The Voice of God/Metatron.
Adopted Parents: Helena Daniels (nee Bruce) and Vic Daniels; Powerless and Unknown, assumed powerless
Birth Mother: Meredith Gordon; Fire creator
Birth Father: Edward Ellis; Seduction related powers
Half Sisters: 1) Claire Bennet (By Meredith Gordon and Nathan Petrelli); Self Healing; The House of Gordon and the Petrelli Bloodline. 2) Sarah Ellis/Eden McCain; Compulsion; The House of Ellis; Atleast 7 other unknown half sisters
Half Brother: Terrence Harper; Nervous System manipulator; House of Ellis (Edward Ellis bore no other sons)
Fraternal Grandfather: Daniel Monroe; Age manipulation; The Line of Adam Monroe (Only known child of Adam Monroe, though Adam Monroe denies his existence)
Fraternal Grandmother: Joyce Brightdawn Ellis; Powers unknown, believed to the be light connected; The House of Ellis
Fraternal Cousin Once Removed: Virginia Grey (nee Ellis); Unknown
Fraternal Cousin Twice Removed: Gabriel Grey; Superhuman understand of mechanics of machines and humans.
Maternal Grandparents: Unknown
Fraternal Grandfather's Father: Adam Monroe; Self Healing; Head of the Line of Adam Monroe
Fraternal Grandfather's Mother: Unknown, believed to be a prostitute Adam Monroe was with before heading to Japan
Fraternal Grandmother's Father: Isaiah Ellis (birthname Richard Bishop, son of Robert Bishop; adopted son of Father Ellis, catholic priest); Telescopic vision; The House of Ellis founder, The Horsemen of Death
Fraternal Grandmother's Mother: Stormrider "Stormy" Ellis; Lightning summoner, The Horsemen of War
Distant Cousins (more the 5 times removed): Bob Bishop, Alchemy; Elle Bishop, electricity summoner;
For Bob and Elle, Isaiah's father had a brother who is their ancestor, meaning that Carter is very, very distantly related to Bob and Elle…making the fact that Terrence and Elle seem to enjoy beating on Carter more humorous.
Now, one other piece of business: Another one of the minor houses is the House of Alverez. This house is known for minor powers and incredible control. Believed to have some connection with The Alliance.
Carter's Daughter: Valencia Alverez-Daniels; Powers unknown, currently can detect, block and cause strange reactions in people with powers; The House of Ellis and the House of Alverez; The Light of God