Part VII: When someone else follows the evolutionary imperative…
The elevator ride seemed twice as long as the other ones; fortunately, Sylar was not claustrophobic. The elevator finally reached the next floor. The doors opened to reveal a long narrow hallway. He headed out of the elevator and walked to the door at the end. When he reached halfway through, a greenish gas came from the vents from the side of the walls. Sylar held his breath and ran for the door ahead, but it was too far away. It was too difficult to keep running and not breathe; he was forced to inhale. As soon as he did, he began to cough and choke. Then he collapsed onto the floor; his second time blacking out in one day.
Sylar woke up to find himself in the evil geneticist's operation quarters. Unfortunately, he was trapped inside a glass cage. He tried liquefying the glass walls that formed the cage, but it did not work. Something was negating his powers. Sylar waited for the maniac to show up. He should be here any second. While Sylar waited, he took notice of his surroundings. He saw lots of computers, test tubes, and all sorts of lights. However, it was not long till he discovered a myriad of tall glass cylinders behind him, all neatly lined up together. Inside those glass cylinders were the "specimens". They were naked and unconscious, held in place by some kind of fluid- most likely water, and nurtured by a long tube that went into their mouths. Sick…
"So what do you think?"
Sylar turned back around and saw that Hohenheim had finally arrived.
"It's inhumane…" stated Sylar.
"And you don't think killing people for their powers isn't?" said Hohenheim.
The man walked around Sylar's cage and gave him some very weird looks.
"I know it's wrong. But I couldn't control this hunger." said Sylar.
"And I couldn't stop breeding them! See? We're not so different."
Hohenheim walked around the cage until he was on the side with the glass cylinders.
"Like you, I follow the evolutionary imperative. It calls our names. Unlike you, I am unable to take their powers for myself. So instead, I evolve an entire species by means of reproductive isolation and artificial selection. With this method and my V-R training program that you helped me finalize, I will create the most powerful beings the world will ever see," said the Hohenheim.
Sylar remained silent and just glared at the man. Eventually he had to ask.
"How do you know so much about me?"
"Heheheh, I know so much about you thanks to my little friends. It's amazing how many places a cockroach can wander to. I can see what they can see, hear what they can hear. I am able to control them at my will. This power has granted me the ability to hunt and track down those who possess powers. It was easy kidnapping them. It wasn't hard to keep track of you either. When I knew what you were doing, I marveled at you. How overwhelming it was to see that someone else had engaged the evolutionary imperative."
"Your ability fits you perfectly," commented Sylar, "in that its ugliness reflects who you are inside."
"Hahaha, still uttering the same nonsense? I truly wish you could be kept as my personal jester."
Hohenheim walked around the cage.
"I'm sure that you enjoyed your last fight. A failed experiment. That is why I sent her to her death. But don't worry. I have many left. Eventually I'll make her flawless."
"Well you did her a favor. It was better off for her to end her life there then have her stay with you any longer," said Sylar.
"Indeed…but I had listened to your encounter with her. She made you weaker. A shame really, since you're way ahead of everyone else. But here, allow me to help you get back on the right track by eliminating your weak soft side forever."
Hohenheim snapped his fingers. From a dark hallway emerged a young boy. As he approached Hohenheim's side, Sylar knew exactly who he was.
"This is your son Mr. Gray, but judging from the look on your face, I guess you already figured." Hohenheim patted the boy's head. "He's a beautiful boy isn't he? He sure listens well."
Sylar stared at his illegitimate child. It was too much to handle. It was wrong in an indescribable way.
"I swear to god, if it's the last thing I do, I'll make sure you die for this. You sick piece of shit…I'll kill you. I'll kill you!" shouted Sylar as he banged on the glass walls of his cage.
"Oh my, it seems that daddy dearest needs a hug," mocked the maniac. Hohenheim reverted his attention back to Sylar who now had both hands against the glass wall with a furious expression on his face.
"Your boy here has a fantastic power. I never would have guessed it could have been so deadly. The power to control water… It's as good as it gets."
Hohenheim gave the boy a nudge forward. The boy approached Sylar. Father and son now stood face to face with each other.
"One of you will die here," said Hohenheim. "If you cannot kill your son with your bare hands, Mr. Gray, I'm afraid you'll die a very painful death. But... if you succeed, you'll have rid your weak side forever and can join me in remaking this world!" There was a brief pause. Hohenheim walked over to a computer. "Let's find out what happens…now."
Hohenheim pressed a button on the computer. One of the walls on Sylar's cage lowered into the ground. He was face to face with his son now, but he wouldn't- couldn't kill his own son. Sylar stood still, ready to accept the fate that was handed to him.
"Kill him," said Hohenheim. Sylar and the boy continued to look at each other. "I said kill him!" repeated Hohenheim.
The boy continued to ignore his master's command.
"What? You dare defy me? I created you! You will obey me!"
The maniac approached the boy furiously, but then he stopped dead in his tracks and agonized in pain.
"Arrrgggghh! What are you doing?!" shouted Hohenheim in shrieks of torment.
Water could be seen slowly escaping from the man's pores. The boy was using his power to remove water from the human body. Within seconds, Hohenheim's body turned into a wilted, dehydrated corpse that collapsed into a puddle of water on the floor. The boy then turned back to Sylar.