Apocalypse by SLynn
Summary: Three years have passed since the explosion and life has drastically changed for everyone. This isn't the world they imagined they'd be saving.
Spoilers: Up to 'Fallout'
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing and will return them all when I'm done, virtually untouched.
Chapter 20: Lapse
The door opened to their cell without warning as the guards brought Matt back to them.
They didn't say anything, hadn't even had him handcuffed this time, just pushed him inside and were gone again.
Matt hadn't moved. He just stood there, pale and seemingly lifeless.
"Matt?" Audrey said hesitantly.
That seemed to do it.
Matt rushed to the sink, sick and gagging unexplainably.
Audrey and Mohinder looked at one another, frightened.
"What happened?" Audrey asked, hurrying to his side. "What did they do?"
Matt didn't answer her. He just turned on the water and began to methodically wash; rinsing out his mouth and rubbing his eyes once or twice before continuously splashing water onto his face.
"Was it that woman?" Mohinder asked.
Matt briefly choked again before shaking his head and continuing on as before.
"Matt?" Audrey said, extremely worried now. "Talk to us. Please, you're…"
"Give me a minute," he said, gripping the sink tightly as he held his head down.
Both Audrey and Mohinder nodded and took a few steps back; not only giving him time, but space as well.
Matt stood at the sink a few minutes more before rinsing his face one last time and wiping it dry with his sleeve.
"Sorry," he said to them both as he turned around again. "I just…"
"Its fine," Mohinder said quickly, still concerned.
Some of the color had returned to Matt's face but his hands had begun to shake slightly.
"What happened?" Audrey asked once more, taking his hands in hers as he sat beside her.
"That woman," Matt said plainly, as if it were an explanation.
"Did she try and get more information out of you?" Mohinder asked tentatively.
"No," Matt said, shaking his head. "She wanted me to help her. I don't know; she wanted to make some kind of deal. I…"
Matt shut his eyes tightly and continued to shake his head.
"She's not far along," Matt continued after he'd recovered some. "She doesn't know what she's doing yet, not really. She thought since I can read minds and she can enter them that I would be able to tell her how to control her power."
Mohinder nodded along eagerly.
He'd been working on a similar theory. His belief was that no two people possessed the same power, but that each power could be grouped into a sort of subset. Each subset could be defined by how a power was used or worked. Matt, being a telepath, would belong to the same subset as a telekinetic, like Sylar, and a mentalist, like this woman seemed to be.
Theoretically, people within the same subset working together would be stronger.
But, it could also work in reverse. That people with similar powers could actually cancel one another out.
Mohinder could neither prove nor disprove it since he knew so few gifted people himself. And of those he did know, none of their powers seemed to be connected in any way.
It was part of his overall research, his father's research that he had been continuing.
"Jenny," Matt said, "she's strong. I don't think she realized how strong she is until now. Before she was just accessing images and emotions off of people to use, now she can get at their fears."
"How can you be sure?" Mohinder asked.
"I don't want to talk about it," Matt quickly dismissed.
The familiar rapping at the door was back. No one jumped this time. The three of them just looked up in contempt at the man in the window and made their way towards the far wall.
"Alright," the man said, coming inside with three other men and one burly looking woman, "let's get things straight. We're taking the three of you down into general population for a quick meal and showers. You will be handcuffed the majority of this time. I don't want any funny business. There's no way out of here and trying is a waste of your time and mine. You play nice with me and I'll play nice with you. Understood?"
No one answered but he took their silence as acceptance.
"Hanson," he hollered. "You're going with Deputy Myers."
Audrey looked skeptically at the woman and then back to the man obviously in charge of this outfit.
"Now," he yelled, motioning her over.
Audrey gave Matt one last look before walking over to her appointed guard. The woman was about as gentle as she appeared, taking a rough hold on her wrists as she tightened Audrey's handcuffs with more force than was necessary.
"Easy," Matt muttered under his breath, not liking this at all.
"Shut up, Parkman," the head guard barked.
Audrey looked over her shoulder at him and he caught clear as day, 'I'm fine. Don't worry about me.'
Matt managed a small smile in return.
He and Mohinder watched as the woman grabbed Audrey by the arm and walked her from the room. Before she'd gotten out the door she gave him one last look, one last thought.
'I love you.'
Matt was too struck to even return the sentiment. He could only look down at his feet and try to hold his composure.
"Suresh," the guard called out sharply. "You're with Deputy Smith."
Matt watched as Mohinder was handcuffed and escorted just outside the room. Presumably he and Mohinder would be going to the same location.
"You're with me, Parkman."
"Don't I get to know your name?" Matt asked as he walked over to the head guard, hands outstretched and ready for his handcuffs.
"Don't get cute with me."
'I'll be glad when I'm done with this one. He gives me the creeps.'
Matt started to smile, happy to have unnerved him, but stopped when he heard the man continue.
'Just one more week.'
Matt stared at the man, trying to confirm it in his face. The guard looked back at him with a familiar look of surprise.
'Did he just hear that?'
"Yeah, I did," Matt answered.
The guard looked at him, looked at him hard and gave a slight nod.
'Not from me you didn't.'
And Matt knew; he knew that was an order. That if Matt didn't want to get dragged into a cell every day and beaten for the next week, his last week, he was never to tell who he'd been tipped off by. That apparently Matt's execution day wasn't supposed to be known to him just yet.
Nathan probably wanted to deliver the news in person.
There was a small knock on the solid wood door followed by a lengthy pause.
"Come in."
Jenny walked into the room, head held high and trying to look unafraid. Truthfully, she was petrified. Nathan Petrelli never called people to his office for good news.
"So," Nathan said from behind his desk, "you got what you wanted. Saw Parkman. How's he doing?"
"As good as he can be," Jenny said as smoothly as could manage.
"Have a seat," Nathan said, indicating the nearest chair.
Jenny smiled tightly at him and did as she'd been told. This wasn't a man to be argued with or denied.
"So tell me, what did you think of him? Honestly. Was he what you'd expected?"
"He's smart," Jenny admitted. "Capable. But you'd never get him to help you."
"Too much damn integrity."
Jenny nodded in agreement.
"And?" he pressed.
"And," Jenny continued, "I think you should have put a bullet in his brain back in that interrogation room."
Nathan smiled at her as she shifted uneasily on the spot.
"Why is that? Because he turned you down? Didn't want to play your games?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"Really?" Nathan asked. "You mean you weren't planning to help him escape, provided he helped you first? Isn't that what you wanted?"
"No," Jenny said shaking her head nervously.
"Come on now, Jenny. We both know my promises aren't worth anything."
Jenny knew then she'd been caught. That she'd been foolish. She'd made a horrible mistake; even if Parkman hadn't wanted to help her, she should have made a run for it that very moment.
"What are you going to do with me?" she asked.
"Nothing."
"Sir?"
"Nothing," he repeated. "You're a valuable part of this administration, Jenny. A very valuable part. Especially as of late. I can't afford to lose you."
Jenny looked at him in disbelief.
"But I need people I can trust," Nathan continued, getting up from his chair and moving around the desk towards her. "People who I know will be loyal to me."
"It was a lapse in judgment," Jenny said immediately. "I won't… it will never happen…"
"I know that," Nathan assured her. "I do. And to prove it, I'm giving you a promotion."
Jenny didn't know what to say. She wanted to believe him but was afraid to.
"I want you to head up my interviews from now on. You'll be in charge. How's that sound?"
"Exciting. Very exciting, sir."
"Good," Nathan finished. "I thought you'd feel that way. My secretary has a few papers for you to sign and then it will be official."
"Thank you," Jenny said, getting to her feet and moving towards the door.
"One more thing," Nathan said just as her hand touched the door knob.
Jenny looked back with a mixture of curiosity and horror.
"About Suresh and Hanson," he said. "Their sentences? Do you still want them commuted?"
She paused, but only briefly.
It was a test. She knew it was a test.
"No," she said shortly. "Kill them both."
Nathan nodded and gave her a cunning smile.
"Excellent."