It was a full three weeks before Sylar contacted Elle again. She had naively hoped that she wasn't going to hear from him again; she had no experience in being secretive, and she was terrified of messing up and getting her father killed. But sure enough, he called her on her Company cell phone, 3 weeks, almost to the hour, after he first threatened her.

She didn't recognize the number, so she answered as usual.

"Elle Bishop."

"Elle."

She froze and her eyes darted around her small office, as if she might find someone to help her, or perhaps she thought he was in the room with her.

"Who is this?" she asked shakily, despite the instant recognition.

"You know who this is," he mocked.

"What do you want, Sylar?" she demanded, trying to sound intimidating, but sounding more like a child feigning authority over her parents than anything.

"To give you your first assignment, of course." She looked purely terrified by the prospect. "Meet me on the roof of the Deveaux building in an hour. Don't try anything, I'll know."

Somehow, Elle didn't doubt that.

So an hour later, she was at the specified location, shifting nervously from side to side. That stupid sling was off, finally, but her arm was still bandaged, a fact she'd hidden by wearing a black jacket over her striped top. She didn't want to look any weaker than she was.

She stepped closer to the ledge, peering out over the city. Heights weren't her favorite, but it was so pretty up there. She sighed and looked at her watch for the fourth time, starting to wonder if Sylar was coming, but as she turned to face the door again he was suddenly inches from her face.

Elle gasped in surprise, too stunned by his proximity to be afraid yet. Gone was the desperate criminal look of the alleyway, replaced by carefully styled hair and clean-cut clothes. Not only was she shocked by his sudden presence, but his appearance surprised her as well for a reason she couldn't quite place. His facial expression was somehow menacing, business-like, and pleasant at the same time.

"Elle," he greeted, his voice as cordial as though they'd been friends forever. When she didn't speak, he tilted his head to the side. "Something wrong?"

Elle's eyes hardened at the question. She ignored it.

"Just give me my assignment and let me go."

"And what if I don't?" he mused, stepping, if possible, even closer. Elle's eyes were cold with hatred as he ran a hand down her arm, looking almost perverse as he did so.

As soon as his hand was close enough to hers, she sent a small jolt through him to remind him that she wasn't powerless. He grunted lightly and took a step backward, but was chuckling almost immediately. He gave her a once over, then ended today's game. He reached in his jacket and handed her a typed sheet of paper. She unfolded it and skimmed the contents.

"I don't understand. If you already have all these names then what do you need me for?"

"I need their locations, Elle, and you're going to give them to me."

She looked up at him, horrified.

"That's like signing a death sentence for each one of them."

"That's true. But if you don't do it, that's like signing your own death sentence, not to mention your father's. And anyone else you love."

She tried to hold back the tears in her eyes, but she couldn't, so she looked at the list again. So many names… 15, at least…

"You have a week."

She looked up, but he was gone.