Disclaimer: I hate these fucking things.
A/N: Well, chapter three! Yayness! I want to thank the people who reviewed, it means a lot. Here's the next chapter for you, you totally rock! Anyways I'm planning on introducing some of the characters from the show in this chapter so it could get pretty long but then again, I don't think people will complain. Anyways, I really don't have much else to say (I know, amazing for all of you who know me) so on with the chapter!
Unnatural Fire
Chapter Three
Questions, Answers, Tests and Chai.
I spent the next day trying to figure out what the hell to do about being temporarily homeless and, although I knew it was very school-girlish of me, couldn't stop periodically staring at the phone willing it to ring. By the time noon hit I had decided that I was going to take the apartment above Issac's. Not only because all of the other ones I had seen were shitholes, but because I felt Issac was someone I could kinda relate to - despite my earlier thoughts that he was a raving lunatic.
He could paint the future, and I was a freak who didn't even in which way I was a freak yet. It was an interesting concept. I was just heading into my trusty beast when 'All-star' by Smashmouth blared from my purse making me jump. It's funny. I had spent my whole day hoping the phone would ring and when it does, it scares the shit outta me. Shaking my head at myself I answered it.
"Hello?" I said, flipping the phone open and bringing it to my ear.
"Hello, this is Dr. Mohinder Suresh. Issac Mendez referred you to me saying that you were interested in the fact that you may possess certain abilities. This is Laira Niac, correct?"
"Yes." I answered, nodding. "Yes, this is Laira Niac."
"Perfect. I was wondering if you were interested in possibly meeting me today at my apartment." He replied. I didn't know why, but there was something about his voice that I liked. "Normally I would ask you out for a coffee but given the light of the situation I don't think you would want to demonstrate your abilities in public."
"Definitely not." I answered calmly, slipping into my car and shutting the door. "Ya, sure I'd love to come over, what time?"
"Is it possible for you to come now? If not then you can come by later."
"No, no, now's good." I replied. "Uh, where you do live?" He gave me an address that I scribbled down on my arm, at the moment having nothing better to write on. "Alright, perfect. I'll see you soon."
"Looking forward to it." He hung up and I slipped my phone back in my purse, smiling. I felt like a little girl but I couldn't help the happiness I was feeling that maybe someone would actually have some answers for me. I drove, looking for the address which I found fairly quickly. Feeling nervous I walked up to the apartment, making sure that I had the right number and knocked on the door. A couple seconds of shuffling and the door opened.
There, standing in the doorway was perhaps one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen in my life. Tall, with curly black hair, tan skin and very strong, angular features. He looked a little bit scruffy, not the stiff I had imagined when I found out he was a doctor. For a moment I didn't know what to do and stood there, gawking like an idiot. Thankfully, he broke the silence.
"Hello. Laira, I'm assuming?" This broke my trance and I looked away quickly.
"Yes. Well, my full name is Salaira, but everyone just calls me Laira." Yes, Laira, nice going. I'm sure he really cares about your full name. Real articulate you moron. I mentally told my brain to shut the hell up.
"Well, Laira, come in." He moved out of the doorway, letting me in. His apartment was normal looking, or it would have been if it wasn't for the huge map with enough pins in it to make a pincushion jealous. I was instantly captivated by it and moved to study it closer.
"What's this?" I asked, looking around for him.
"That's a map to keep track of where others like yourself are." He replied and then held up a kettle. "Tea? I'm afraid I only have Chai."
"Yes, thank you. I love Chai." I replied, smiling before turning back to the map.
"Others like myself?"
"Yes, people who possess superhuman abilities." He replied, setting the kettle down on the stove and then coming up beside me, studying the map.
"I don't know about that one." I replied. "But there is something weird going on."
"Tell me about it." He said, gesturing for me to sit down. I did but I couldn't help myself from looking around the room, my eyes always seeming to fall on the map.
"Where do I start?"
"How about at the beginning?" I laughed and shook my head.
"Ya, that could be a good place." I replied, digging in my purse and retrieving a pack of cigarettes. "Do you mind?" I asked and he shook his head.
"By all means." I lit the cigarette and then leaned back in the chair.
"A couple nights ago I woke up in the middle of night, screaming blue murder. I don't know…. it was just pain. I felt like I was being burned alive or something. I could barely even breath. And then, it just vanished and I was drenched in sweat and shaking like a leaf." The sound of the kettle went off, jerking our attention back to real world.
"Excuse me, one moment." He got up and went into the kitchen, reemerging with two steaming mugs. He placed one in front of me and then sat back down. "Go on, continue."
"And then, yesterday at work, I had a boiling hot pot of coffee dropped on me and didn't get burned. My arm was a little sore, but there wasn't any burn marks. And then I was singing at band practice - I'm in a band called Lover's Thorn - and then I handed the mic to my band mate and he said that it burned him, but I didn't feel anything at all." I took a breath to take a sip of my tea. "Wow, this is really good!"
"Yes, it's not exactly local." He replied, taking a swing of his. "It comes from my homeland, coincidentally where Chai was first made."
"India?" He looked, seeming a little surprised that I knew that.
"Yes, how did you know?"
"Well, first off I used to work in a coffee shop so I know a little something about tea." I replied. "Secondly, you said it was from your homeland and I assumed that you weren't exactly North American." He smiled setting his cup down.
"You're very observant."
"Not really." I answered, shrugging casually. "I'm actually kinda scatterbrained most of the time, but I have my moments."
"Anyways, please, continue your story."
"Oh ya. See - easily distracted." He laughed and I found myself liking the sound of his laugh. There was something about it that was oddly calming and I felt myself begin to relax a little more. "Anyway, then my house burned down last night and I have no idea how. I had a couple drinks, went to go to bed and then I got this splitting headache out of nowhere and fell unconscious. I woke up in an inferno. Flames were actually touching my foot and I didn't feel any pain or anything. I actually had to run through fire to get out of there and of course, the same thing. No burns, no marks, no anything. And that's not even the weirdest part. The fire department says that they can't understand how the fire even started. The building was completely safe as far as wires and things went. They're mystified." I finished with a shrug and took another hardy sip of the best Chai tea I had ever had. Mohinder sat there for a moment, looking lost in thought as he mentally assessed what I told him.
My cigarette was still burning and I used my hand as a temporary ashtray as I studied him studying me. It was like some weird kind of experiment or something.
"And before the night you woke up in pain, did you ever experience anything like that before it?"
"No." I replied calmly. "I mean, I have some burn scars from when I was younger." He nodded, still thinking.
"Can you show me?"
"What?" I asked, surprised.
"Can you show me your ability?"
"As soon as I know what it is." I replied, smiling and he returned it. I took a moment to mentally notice how white his teeth were.
"Well, Laira, from what I've heard I believe that you may have something known as pyrokinsis." He explained calmly. "Which means that you have the ability to start fires with your mind, similar to the ability to move things with your mind. In having that ability it would be probable that you would be immune to fire in order to prevent you from damaging yourself. Like a defense mechanism."
"Start fires?" I asked, a little confused. "So, you mean that I set my own apartment on fire?"
"More then likely, yes if they can't determine any other cause." I took another sip of the tea and let this information sink in. Finally, the words came out of my mouth were so typical of me it was almost comical.
"Well that sucks." At this, Mohinder flat-out laughed.
"Well, that's one of putting it."
"But how?" I asked, suddenly confused. "Why am I suddenly getting this power now if I never had it before? And, how the hell would I start a fire and now know that I was starting it?"
"In all the others that have been developing power over the last little while, it's in their genes - some form of evolution in the human race." He explained, looking eager to be sharing this knowledge with me, which was a little flattering. "I believe that your genes have possibly kicked in a little late so that's why it's come as a shock to you. And as for starting the fires, it may not be something that you can always do at will. There might be something in your brain waves that can randomly set them off if triggered in a certain way, sure as emotions and other internal and external elements."
"Great." I muttered. "I'm a fire-starting menace."
"Not really, no." Mohinder answered. "As long as we can find out what causes it, then we can find ways to prevent it from going off randomly."
"Ya, but how do you find out what causes it?"
"Well, for starters I wouldn't drink anymore." He answered. "The first time a fire started is when you were intoxicated, and that greatly effects your mind and throw your brain patterns out of their normal cycle."
"Makes sense." I said, nodding and taking another gulp of my drink. "But how I explain Even being burned by a mic?"
"You can possibly radiate heat from your body. We'll have the test that one though."
"Test it how?" He seemed to think for a moment before getting a thermomater.
"Here, hold this is your hand and focus on forcing heat into it." He explained. "If my theory is correct, you should be able to heat it up fairly quickly." Staring at the thermomator and crushing my cigarette against my shoe I looked up at Mohinder.
"Here goes nothing." I said, wrapping my hand around the device and focusing on releasing heat. I could feel some kind of energy going through my hand and before I knew it, I could hear Mohinder's voice.
"Amazing!" He exclaimed, which made me open my eyes and look at the thermomator. Whereas a few seconds ago it was set at room temperature, the heat gage was now to nearly 60 degrees celcius.
"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, staring down at the small device.
"Well, Laira, it appears you have the gift of fire."
"Looks like." I answered, not really knowing what else to say.
"Would you mind if I took a blood sample?"
"I hate needles." I whined, but then smiled. "Go for it." Looking remarkably like a little boy he ran to another room in the apartment, coming back with a small needle.
"I just want to be able to analyze exactly what it is in your body that allows heat to pass through so easily." He explained, preparing the needle. "Ok, here we go." I winced and prepared myself for the needle and looked away as it pierced my skin. It a second it was over and he stood back, surveying me. "There we go, I'll be taking a look at that later tonight."
"Ok, just no more needles, k?" He smiled and held up his hands.
"I promise, no more needles unless they are absoultely needed."
"Good." I replied, breathing a silent sigh of relief. I had always hated needles ever since I was a little kid.
"Laira, what time do you have to leave?"
"Uh, I don't really have a time in particular, why?"
"Would you be interested in conducting a couple more tests?" He asked, looking anxious. "To further test your abilites?"
"Why not?" I asked with a shrug. "It's not like I have anything better to do."
"Excellent. Stay right there." He again dashed into another part of the house and I shook my head, laughing a little bit. I couldn't quite place it, but I suddenly felt as if I was something special, some rare kind of creature that he was fascianted it. I didn't know why, but I kinda liked it. He came back with a handful of what appeared to be scrap paper and asked to come to him. He placed it in the sink and then came up beside me. "Alright, now, I want you to try and set the paper on fire. I put t in the sink because I don't want any other apartments going up in smoke." I laughed and then stared at the paper.
I thought about it burning and tried to find that same energy that had raised the temperature of the thermonator. With a little bit of a push I projected the energy towards the paper. In an instant flames leaped to life, dancing in the sink. I looked at Mohinder who's eyes had widened considerably. Feeling proud of myself I walked to the sink and fearlessly shoved my hand in the flames. As was to be expected, I felt no pain whatsoever.
"This answer some questions?" I asked playfully as the flames died out, having run out of paper.
"I think so." He replied, looking almost giddy. A knock on the door jolted us and I took my hand out of the sink. He answered the door and I heard another voice, male.
"Ah, yes, Peter, please come in." A tall man appeared, and I would guess that he was in his younger twenties. He had a kind face, the kind of face that radiated trustworthiness. "Peter, this Laira Niac, my latest discovery. Laira, this is Peter Petrelli. Someone who also has abilities."
"Hi." I said, smiling as he surveyed me before turning back to Mohinder.
"If you're too busy, I can come back later."
"Not at all." Mohinder replied, gesturing for him to sit. "We were just conducting some tests to see how far her abilities have come along in the last few days. I dare say she's very new to her power."
"Ya, like a day." I replied, plopping into a seat at the table.
"What can you do?"
"Start fires." I replied casually. "Radiate heat from my body, can't get burned. That kind of thing." He nodded, seeming to take all the information in. "What about you?"
"I can absorb other people's power. I don't really have one of my own, I can just use other people's." He replied and I smiled.
"Not to bad." I answered. "You get the variety package." At this both of the men chuckled.
"Something like that."
"She can do some amazing things, Peter." Mohinder said, referring to me. "You should see it first hand sometime."
"Sometime - why not now?" I said, pulling out a piece of paper and putting it into my hand. With a thought I willed them to burst into flames. They sparked to life and then died out quickly.
"Cool." Peter said, looking genuinely interested. "I wonder if I could do that."
"Probably." I replied. "Seeing as you can adapt to other people's abilities."
"I should give it a spin sometime." He answered before turning to Mohinder. "Would you mind if we spoke - privately? I mean, I don't want to throw you out or anything-"
"Not a problem." I said, getting up. It was at that particularly convenient moment that my phone decided to ring. "One minute." I said, digging into my purse and checking my caller ID. I didn't recognize the number. "Hello?"
"Is this Laira Niac?" The voice on the other line asked.
"Yes."
"Issac tells me you're interested in the apartment above his and that you would like to move in as soon as possible."
"He would be correct." I replied. "Seeing as my last apartment…….well, never mind. What's the price?"
"Well, normally it would 400, bills included but seeing as I just want to get someone living in there again, I'll make it 350 for the first little bit." He replied, making me grin. I had a feeling Issac had a little something to do with that. I looked over at the two other boys who seemed deep in conversation.
"Perfect." I replied. "When you do want me to start moving in?"
"You could start moving in now for all I care." He replied making me do a little victory gesture with my hands. "However, it'll take me a couple days at least to get everything reconnected."
"Fine by me." I answered. "I have some stuff to move, so it's not really a problem." We finished the conversation and I hung up, and I turned back to the boys.
"Well, looks like I have an apartment." I said, drawing them away from their conversation.
"Excellent." Mohinder said while Peter looked confused.
"Why? What happened to your last one?"
"Accidentally burned it down." I answered simply. "Anyways, I should get going. It was nice meeting both of you." Mohinder stood up and walked over the me, extending his hand. Aw, what a gentleman.
"Well, it was very nice meeting you Laira. I look forward to hearing from you again soon. Do you have my number?"
"On the phone." I said, holding up the little gadget.
"Yes, of course." He said, smiling. "Feel free to call me anytime. If I'm not home, just leave a message."
"Will do." I said before leaning in to hug him. He seemed a little surprised but hugged me back in a way that wasn't fake, which I liked. I hated fake affection, always have. I pulled back and looked at him dead in his brown eyes. "Thanks……for everything. At least now I know that's I'm going nuts and I'm not the only one." He smiled a little sheepishly.
"You're very welcome. It's not often I get to actually test people like you." I smiled at him and then headed for the door before turning back and giving him a little smile.
"By the way, your tea totally kicks ass." I said before another thought came to me. "And you better stick me on that map!" He laughed and I smiled. I liked hearing him laugh, like I said earlier, there was something comforting about it.
"I promise." Giving him a little wave I left the apartment, shutting the door behind me and feeling relieved. At least now I knew what was happening. Even if it didn't always make perfect sense it was at least something to keep me sane.
Grinning to myself I got in the car and shut the door.
A/N:
Well, there you go, hope you liked it! I don't don't really have a whole lot to say except please review and let me know what you think of my work! I reply to all signed reviews don't be shy, i don't bite...often.