Heroes - Rise of the Phoenix
Chapter six - Angels and Demons

Peter Petrelli stood off to the side of the door to the hospital room, in a private conference with Noah and Hiro while the Doctors and attendants worked over Molly in a desperate hurry. They had been working over her for the last hour or more and she still was not responding to any stimulation or medication. Her heart rate was dipping lower and lower, by the minute and her coloring was fading into a milky pale white, that made the few freckles on the bridge of her nose stand out like blood droplets on fresh fallen snow. Her hair was spread out about her face on the pillow dripping in perspiration. Her breathing came in short gasps that arched her back in pain as she tried hard to fill her lungs with air. Her eyes were withdrawn and glazed as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

Peter had summoned through his connections and wealth, the Hospital's entire senior medical staff to attend to his young mistress. He had made it clear to the hospital executives that money was no object. They had to save her! They were to spare no expense. Deep inside he was worried. His face remained stoic and guarded, but he was worried. His healing ability had had no effect on her ailments. Whatever was hurting her was not physical. Whatever had her in its terrifying grip was not tied to the mortal body of the small girl that the staff worked over. This attack was stronger and more intense that the last one. The first attack of the other day, had frightened them greatly, but it was mild compared to this attack. It had not lasted long, and he had been able to heal her body quickly. But this attack was lingering for hours, and he felt helpless; a feeling he dreaded with every ounce of his being. The Doctors had medicated her with the strongest sedatives the hospital could administer to lower her brain activity just below the conscious state or REM sleep. "I would induce a coma, but with her heart rate as erratic as it is, I am not confident she would survive the further sedation." The Doctor had whispered to Peter just a few minutes before.

One by one the Doctors assembled at the foot of the bed, and summoned Peter to join them. They did not have positive expressions on their faces.

Peter and Noah stepped up to the small group of specialists, as the doctors waited for them to join the assembly. "I am sorry Mr. Bennet and Mr. Petrelli. We have tried everything we dare. Her condition is not responding or improving with the medications. We have not been able to ascertain the physical cause of her dilemma, as of yet; but we are still waiting on the labs for the results of the latest blood tests, and the MRI." The Chief of Medicine for the Hospital spoke solemnly.

Noah spoke up with worry in his voice, "There must be something you can do! Her little body can't take much more."

Peter silently placed a hand of encouragement on Noah's shoulder as the Doctor cleared his throat, "We have all agreed we have limited options at this point. Something is attacking her mental synapses. If you look at the EKG, her brain waves are off the charts, even with the induced REM levels. We need to restrict the blood flow to the brain; it is our only sure way of cooling down her activity. She is like a small Volkswagen Beetle trying to compete in the Indy 500. Her mind is going to burn up if we do not act soon.

Peter spoke with calmness in his voice that helped Noah's pain, "What do you suggest?"

"We need to lower her core body temperature. This will cause her heart to slow, and restrict the flow of blood to the brain. By restricting the blood flow, the brain will go into a form of hibernation that will allow her to rest and heal naturally. Our hope is that whatever is causing the massive fluctuations of brain activity will then subside."

"You want to freeze her brain?" Hiro shouted out as the room became deathly cold.

"Children have been known to survive for hours under water, in sub-zero temperatures." The Doctor continued. "I know it's a risk, but if this is successful her brain will shut down and reboot, like a computer. We can then slowly bring her body temp up in small increments until she regains cogent functionality. If we don't, her brain will burn out in the next 30 minutes, there will be then permanent brain damage that cannot be avoided. We are in uncharted territory here, Mr. Petrelli."

X-X-X

Tracy adjusted her hand in Molly's grip as she glared at the medical staff talking in whispers near her husband and Peter. She had not let go from the time they left the apartment until now. Her hand was cramping, but she was determined to remain at Molly's side. She wanted it to be her face that Molly saw first when she finally opened her eyes. She sat in a low chair, which Noah had found for her and had been resting her face on the pillow beside the small girl. Their faces were just touching, allowing for a close connection. She hoped that the warmth of her body would reach into the cold of Molly's physical prison and give her hope. Now deep inside Tracy's heart burned with rage. Her little girl was suffering and she knew it had something to do with the man in the park and the children.

Somehow Molly was linked to one or both of them and through this link; she was dying from the inside out. Somehow Molly could not disconnect from these new specials like she could with the others. She had said years before there had been a Man who could reach back into her mind and hurt her, if she located him through her ability. She had called him the Bogy-man. Eventually they had discovered who the bogy-man was. It had been Matt Parkman's father and one of the founding members of the Company that Noah had worked for. His mental abilities had only been matched and eventually surpassed by his son. Only Matt had been able to defeat his father and save Molly from his reign of terror. She needed someone strong like Matt: someone that could reach into the realities of the mind and save her baby. She could barely stand it here. Every inch of her flesh was creeping and crawling with energy. She wanted to be on the hunt. She wanted to find the person responsible. She wanted to protect her child. This was her little girl, and she was helpless to do anything to save her!

"Are you sure this procedure help her?" Tracy asked the Doctors in a soft but powerful voice that thinly disguised her worry, and the increasing rage she barely held under control. She did not trust the doctors, but she trusted Peter with all she was. Peter was her Zeus, her Messiah, her Hercules and Samson all rolled into one. She trusted Noah! He would never rest until Molly was safe. He would move heaven and earth, to protect his own. They would never let anything happen to Molly. She trusted them. Noah would erase anyone that would try to intentionally harm his girls. And Peter, she shuttered as a cold gust of reality blew through her mind, and Peter? She looked into his eyes. She would never want Peter to be that mad. She took a deep breath and asked once more, "Peter, will this save her?"

Peter stepped up to Tracy and placed his hand over hers that held Molly's small hand, "She is linked to someone we know nothing about. Her attacks are getting worse, and she is slipping deeper into the darkness with each attack. If we do nothing she will die before the hour is up."

Tracy's eyes filled with tears of pain and worry as her free hand covered her own heart, which felt like it was going to stop all on its own, "Peter, she can't survive it! Look at her! She will break under the stress."

"It is the only way, otherwise she will die and I will not be able to bring her back." Peter whispered as a he felt her pain, and a single tear rolled down his face.

"NJ!" Tracy stated with a startled look on her face. "NJ could turn her powers off, and then back on when she has had time to recover."

Peter nodded his head in agreement. Why had he not thought of that as well? The little boy could save Molly's life with just a simple turn of a mental switch, "Yes that might work. It would only be temporary, just long enough for her to rest. We need her ability to track these specials. We need to find them."

"Yes, I would like a few words with them, myself..." Tracy mumbled under her breath, as the room about them lowered in temperature by several degrees.

"Hiro," Tracy asked as they all turned to the young man "Where is NJ"

X-X-X

Gabriel sat in the darkness of the sewer system deep below the streets of New York City and calmly smiled back at the little girl that stood before him so bravely, holding a large knife to his chest. She trembled in barely controlled fear as streams of tears made their course down her cheeks through the dirt, mud, and sewer grime. "Are you an Angel?" she asked him as she dropped the knife point towards the concrete floor they sat on. His smile vanished as his body began to glow. A White halo of energy encapsulated his body and slowly he lifted off the cement floor and floated in mid-air. Lightening and energy crackled and danced across his skin and face, as the tunnel they were in lit up like the afternoon sky. The walls about them reflected and refracted with the water and light in a cool white that made the little girls eyes grow large in wonder and hope.

The little girl spun around on her toes as she spread her arms out wide in overwhelming joy; dropping the knife from her small hands to the floor with a clang of steel against cement that resounded along the stone walls. The white energy crackled across his fingers and struck the concrete walls in all directions. With a small adjustment of effort, Gabriel relaxed his concentration and the energy arcing through the air changed colors and made rainbows of red, green, and bright blue in the dark caverns of the tunnel below New York City. Esmeralda giggled and laughed as she raced around the small space they huddled in trying to catch a pink bolt of light that was just out of her reach. She stopped and looked back at the man floating before her and whispered with awe in her small trembling voice, "I love you!" and then quickly covered her mouth with her dainty fingers as if she had revealed a precious secret she knew she should never had told; but just couldn't resist.

Gabriel placed one finger to his lips and the then lower his hand towards the floor for her to sit down, as he himself settled to the floor with his legs crossed.

With her eyes sparkling in the lights surrounding her, the little girl eagerly plopped to her knees and trembled with excitement. She had never seen such wonder. Such power, such beauty, was he real? He had to be from heaven, there was no other idea that she could think of. Her prayers had been answered. She would never be scared; she would never be in danger again. Just wait until those bad guys try and hurt her again. This man would protect her. He would save her. He was her angel. He was her Gabriel. She stretched out her hand and poked his leg with her fingers, he was real! She let out her breath slowly as the man placed one hand on the side of the wall, and directed her attention to something about to unfold. As she watched with eager anticipation, the wall began to glow beneath his hand.

Gabriel closed his eyes and concentrated. He pushed his energy through his hand into the wall beside him. The flame and power laced through the cracks between the blocks and soon the room around them was laced with a brilliant golden light. A Spider web of golden bands crisscrossed through the cracks between the bricks and cement stones. Gabriel took his hand away while the walls continued to glow and burn from his touch. The look in the little girls face filled his heart with a joy he could not put into words. She looked all around her as her hands cupped her cheeks in unbelief. Then she squealed with amazement and happiness bubbling over her cup; as she crawled on her hands and feet toward him and cautiously curled up in his lap. She wiggled as she got comfortable. She stretched her arms wide in a long yawn, and then wrapped them around Gabriel as far as she could. She was safe. The bad guys could come now, and they would lose.

She lowered her head onto his chest as the fire dimmed and faded out, she was so tired. It felt like it had been ages since she had slept last. Her eyes were so heavy. She felt like she couldn't keep them open. She could hear his heart beating slowly and with such strength below his skin. The rhythm of his heart beat washed over her and she felt so safe, and so incredibly tired. With a sign of resignation she allowed her eyes to close as she mumbled in her small voice, "My very own Angel! Thank you mister God! Thank you..."

X-X-X

Noah Bennet and Tracy sat at Molly's bedside as the doctors and Peter rushed to prepare a metal wash bin with towels and ice. Noah held Molly's hand as Tracy held a cool compress to her forehead. She was burning up in a fever. Her small body was drenched in perspiration and her medical gown clung to her frame like she had just stepped out of a swimming pool. The machine beside the bed that registered her pulse was dancing along at a pace that frightened the doctors and gave them more reason for urgency. Nurses moved around them like ghosts in a blur; words said only in whispers, and only when necessary. Noah reached across the bed and placed a comforting hand on Tracy's shoulder. She was a strong woman and her ability to handle this crisis made his love for her grow beyond measure.

Silently he let go of her shoulder and slipped his hand into his pocket, as his department issued phone began to vibrate and raddled its alert. He placed Molly's hand gently on the bed and stepped to the hallway to answer the call. "Noah Bennet!" he spoke with a firm and commanding tone.

"Bennet, this is Beckett. I need your help. I know your little girl is in the hospital, and even though I can barely follow the reasons you stated in your message to me this morning about why she is there; I need you."

"What have you got?" Noah interest was piqued. He knew Sam would not call unless it was big.

"I've got a situation down here that is right up your alley of the wacky and weird. I've got walls of stone that look like they have melted and re-solidified. I've got two bodies burned to almost to ash and bone, and I've got your daughter Claire, sitting here in my squad car in handcuffs."

"Claire is there?" She was supposed to be out searching for Gabriel...

"Sam, Text me your location, I am on my way."

Noah slipped his phone back into his pocket and prepared himself for his wife's pending wrath. After he told her was going to have to leave; her anger would freeze his heart to stone, if he did not handle this correctly. He might soon be in a hospital bed beside Molly if he was not careful. He reached for the door knob, just as the door opened and Tracy flung her arms around him in joy, as tears streamed down her face. "Something happened, Molly is sleeping now. The connection, or link, or whatever it was, is now gone."

Noah looked over Tracy's shoulder into the room at Molly who was now resting peacefully as the medical staff double checked their machines and her vitals. "For, now..." he said to himself as he gave Tracy a reassuring embrace.

X-X-X

The Man squatted in the shadows of the sewer tunnels as his piercing eyes followed the pair of individuals that sulked through the passageway a few dozen yards ahead of him. The smaller one looked to be the leader and the silhouette that crawled on the walls behind them created from a faint light her held in her hand, told him they were not sewer workers. He had been following them for more than few minutes now, trying to remain as quiet as possible. They were heading toward Esmeralda like blood hounds on the trail.

The body suits they wore were gray and black. They had found them again. Once more, he would have to fight, die, or kill to protect the children. He adjusted his weight and prepared to move as the pair approached a cross-way in the tunnels; when the leader stopped. "I have two heat signals just over 50 yards ahead, down this pathway." The woman spoke to the taller man in hushed tones.

With sudden panic the old man lowered himself into the sewer waters. They had a heat signature scanner! With fearful hands, moving fast fueled with the sudden adrenaline pumping through his veins, the man scooped up handfuls of mud and sludge from the bottom of the water way and smeared the black muck over his body and face. It would not completely block his signature, but if they turned this way he would appear to their screen to be maybe a rat, or small rat nest.

"I thought you said the girl was alone?" The male questioned as then turned off their lights and allowed the darkness to surround them.

"Are you sure it's her?" the male asked from the darkness.

"There is only one way to find out." The leader retorted as they disappeared around the corner.

The Man slowly rose to his feet and stepped lightly through the sewer waters careful not to make a splash. Two heat signatures ahead? Who would be with the girl? He pulled back the sleeve of his shirt to check his watch screen. The sensor blip that represented his little girl flashed a steady pulse just about 50 yards ahead. It was her, but who was she with?

X-X-X

"Let me speak to my Dad! I do get one phone call you know." Claire bellowed out at Detective Beckett as he pushed her legs into the squad car and closed the door. Lifting herself up so her mouth was to the small crack at the top of the window, she yelled out, "Detective Beckett! Please, I must know if it was him..."

Sam Beckett paused and turned back to his young captive. "You are interfering with official police business and tampering with evidence."

"But I know those shoes!" Claire called out now pleading. She was desperate, those shoes she had just given to Gabriel the other day. If they were his, then he was in danger. "Please, I need to speak to my Dad!" Claire strained at the handcuffs that bound her wrists behind her back.

"Lady, the last time you were locked up and I was in charge of you, dozens of policemen and women died. Friends of mine were killed, because of you." He locked his eyes on hers, "This time, you are staying put until I straight this all out."

"But that wasn't me!" Claire tried to reason through the squad car window, "That was..." great! She suddenly closed her mouth. If she told him who had really been in his jail cell, he would never let her out the car. She had to think. She couldn't wait for her father to get here all the way from Southside Hospital. She needed to act now. She needed to take matters into her own hands.

Was Gabriel alive? What had happened in the alleyway? She had to find out. Was he injured somewhere and not able to contact her for help? Her heart was aching with worry. Was he one of the bodies of ash they had found? No! There had been a shadow of a human form burned into the wall of the building beside the discovered remains of a pair of dress shoes. She had presented those as a Christmas gift just the other day to Gabriel, she would know them anywhere. They were burned and melted but she could still recognize them.

"If it wasn't you," Beckett demanded, "than who was it?"

Claire closed her mouth and smiled a sweet smile back at the man, "Who was what? Who are we talking about?" she asked.

Sam threw up his hands and stormed away back to the crime scene and his investigation in exasperation, "WOMEN!"

Carefully Claire pulled her waste through the opening of her handcuffed wrists and folded her small legs through past her hips, bringing her hands now in front of her. She let out a slow breath of air, as she concentrated on her right hand, and with her thumb and index finger she gripped the handcuff by the lock and pressed down. The Metal bent and snapped under the pressure of her hand now harder than iron. In less than a minute she was free of the cuffs and with all her strength she pushed down on the widow edge and could feel the automatic window gears give way as the window lowered under her weight until it was low enough that she could climb out.

Claire brushed off her clothing as she stood to her feet now outside of the squad car once more, as an EMT and a few firemen rushed past her.

"Bring the gurney!" The EMT called out, "They found a girl in the sewers!"

Claire made her way behind the crowd as the medical team worked over a small girl laying on the concrete.

"I was minding my own busy work, ya know how it is down there officer." a man was saying just a few feet away from the girl to Detective Beckett. "Me Job today was ta be check'en the service tunnel capoffs."

"The capoffs?" Detective Beckett asked.

"Yep, the end of the tunnels that we cap off with a door so as we can keep expanding some day like in the fut-chua."

"Okay, I get it now, go on please."

"Well I sees, a cap door closed and chained." The man continued, "And I nevers chain a door. Why chains a door when we all got the key."

"So I cuts the chain and roll back the door, and that is when I finds that there kiddie all napping away like a little sleeping beauty."

"Thank you Gregory." Sam stated as he closed his note pad.

"Do you think she will be alright?" the man asked, "She seemed to be put there on a purpose like."

X-X-X

Hiro was beside himself with panic and fear. It had been almost an hour he had been searching for NJ and still he could not find him. He had torn the apartment apart and there was no little boy still hiding, or sleeping. He had banged on every door in their hallway asking if anyone had seen him. He had called his Sister and she had made calls to the local hospitals, Police stations, and shelters but no luck. The boy was gone.

He had rung the bell at the front desk in the lobby, but no one answered. They had to be on break or out for lunch. Where was the boy? He couldn't go back without NJ; Aunt Tracy would kill him! Hiro ran out to the street shouting the boy's name, "NJ!" he called out as loud as he could, "NJ!"

The people of New York mostly ignored him and passed on by him on either side as he rushed through the sea of bodies looking for the child.

Then he saw the car parked across the street from the apartment building. It was a black car with reflective tinted windows. The engine was running, but he could not see who was in the car. He rushed to the car and banged on the window. "Open up in there!" Hiro shouted

"I know you're in there, what did you see?" Hiro called out as he banged on the window more, "Help me!"

Slowly the front window on the side of the car that he was banging on rolled down.

"You have to help me!" Hiro yelled into the dark car. "You were here earlier today, did you see a little boy..." he asked as a large hand grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into the dark car, as the window slowly rolled back up.

X-X-X

Gabriel opened his eyes and let out a slow yawn as he stirred in the darkness of the alcove they huddled in deep in the sewer system tunnels below the City. He must have fallen asleep with the warmth of the little girl in his lap and the stress from having a knife stabbed into his chest and then pulled back out. He needed to get to the surface. He needed to contact Claire. She would know what to do with the little girl, and then he would need to speak with Peter and Noah about the woman that attacked him. Who was she and why attack him? Was she connected to the girl in his lap in some way? After seeing and experiencing what the child could do, he knew she had to be the one that Molly was linked too. She had almost killed Molly the other day. The power that flowed through the little body in his arms was incredible. Imagine what he could do with such power. He would be more powerful than Peter! He would be the living savior of mankind; or the devil incarnate! His heart was racing as he ran his fingers through the child's golden hair.

The blood lust began to boil deep in his soul, as he broke out in a sweat. He could take it here. No one would ever find her body! He could hold his hand over her mouth, and no one would hear her scream. He needed that power! His mouth started to water. He needed to be special! Gabriel slowly moved his hand toward the little girl's mouth. NO! His mind commanded. I am no longer a monster. I have changed. I am good. I have Claire. She would hate me forever if I hurt this girl. But Claire would never need to know. She does not even know there is a girl with such power. She would forget about it over time. I could save the new power until it served a vital purpose. What if I kept it hidden, until I used it to save Claire's life, Or Peter's life?

Gabriel closed his eyes tight as he fought the inner demons that struggled to bust forth. He had changed. He had broken through the wall. He needed help! He was not strong enough to be good. He was weak. Suddenly his ears heard a sound and his entire body tensed in preparation of attack. What was that? Was it a foot step far off in the distance; or a rat jumping into the water to swim? Could it be a leg brushing across floating debris? Or was it nothing at all? Could his ears be just playing tricks after being in the dark tunnels for too long? He opened his eyes cautiously and stared into the piercing blue eyes of a masked face and a hand reaching out of the darkness toward the little child in his lap. The faint light glinted off the bracelet on the attacker's wrist, and flashed into his mind the symbol he recognized from above. She was here!

Gabriel bristled in fury as the hand reached out to the golden hair of Esmeralda. He could not use his powers. Just like before, he was defenseless. His body remembered the pain from above where this woman had killed him with incredible ease. She was a trained killer. She was going to kill him again if he let her. Not this time! Gabriel thought to himself as with lightning speed he grabbed the wrist of the attacker and with all his strength pulled. The Attacker lost her balance and crashed into the cement wall behind him, as Gabriel rolled to his feet holding the sleeping child in one arm.

From out of the darkness another shadow moved and the flash of a gun muzzle preceded the dance of bullets across the walls ricocheting in all directions. Gabriel turned and dropped to the ground as the bullets ripped at his back and legs. "Stop shooting you fool!" the female attacker shouted, "take them alive this time. We need the girl!" The woman swung her foot at Gabriel's exposed ribcage and he could feel something deep inside crack; as the blow rolled him over in the darkness on top of the sleeping child. She was sleeping through this still? Another foot hit him deep in his side, as Gabriel wrapped his arm around the ankle and twisted. The attacker dropped to her knees in pain as he drew back his fist and with all he had swung in a round house blow and connected just at the point of her jaw. The impact sounded like a freight train hitting a brick wall, as the attacker slumped to the ground out cold.

Suddenly hands grabbed at the girl and pulled. "No!" Gabriel shouted as he pulled back on the limp form of the impossibly sleeping girl. He placed a foot on the attacker's stomach and pushed with everything he had left. The man let go and fell backward into the sewer waters with a splash, just as the woman stirred and stumbled back to her feet. She drew a long knife from a scabbard between her shoulder blades. "All right mister, you want to play? We are taking the girl, whether you live or die." she spat out through bloody teeth.

Gabriel prepared to defend when an Old man ran around the corner and opened fire. Bullets bounced off the walls as the two attackers dove for cover. Gabriel looked toward the Old man as he shouted at him, "Save my baby girl! Now Run!" as he pulled out of his jacket pocket an explosive device that began clicking down with green numbers 5 seconds.

Gabriel swung his fist once more at the female attacker and felt her nose crush under his blow, and then he wrapped his arms around the small sleeping girl, placing one hand over her mouth and nose; and then dove off the platform and into the sewer waters slipping over a spillway into the darkness beyond.

X-X-X

Sam Beckett slapped the back of the emergency vehicle as it pulled away from him and out of the alleyway. The policemen stationed at the end of the alley near the street moved the barriers temporarily out of the way to allow the vehicle to pass. As soon as it pulled out onto the main street the driver hit the sirens and emergency lights and raced toward Southside General Hospital. Where was Noah? How long did it take the man to get here? He needed him here. Things were getting creepier by the minute.

"Please Detective; can I look at the shoes?" Claire asked as Sam turned around and found the girl standing before him.

"Well you're a regular Houdini," Sam said as he looked back at his squad car and saw the window now down. "Where are my cuffs?" he asked as he looked back at the girl. "Here.." Claire said as she handed him the destroyed handcuffs, "Sorry."

"These were brand new, now I am going to have to pay for them out of my next paycheck." Sam blurted out as the ground began to rumble, and shake. Sam braced himself with one hand against the alley wall for balance as the ground heaved and pitched. The man-hole cover of the sewer blew off in a blast of flame and murky water, as the ground under their feet cracked and sagged. The blast echoed in their ears as the walls about them groaned and leaned.

Claire, looked toward the sky as the wall beside her crumbled and the brick facade let go and fell, raining brick and rock over them like hail stones. She rushed toward Detective Beckett and like a football star and tackled him around the waist sending them to the ground. The two slid under a parked fire truck as all went dark.

~ Heroes - Rise of the Phoenix ~

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