Chapter 4- Fire and Ice

The streets were teeming with people as it always did at all hours. I walked quickly with my hands shoved in my pockets to ward off the unexpected damp chill that hung in the air. On a night like this there was only one food I would find comforting: something hot and spicy. I knew of a great Thai place that was open late about 5 blocks up. I hurried, driven by my hunger, to weave in and out of slow pedestrians and deftly dodged cars as I darted across streets against the light. Only tourists waited on the walk signal.

A small explosion of warm happiness bloomed in my heart when I approached the tiny shop and noted the lights in the interior glowing a soft amber. I almost pressed my face against the cold window pane in ecstasy, but instead went in and was seated by a young woman who was apparently Thai herself. Her long brownish black hair was shiny and pulled back into a pony tail, exposing her flawless caramel colored skin. She shyly made eye contact with me and led me to a small table by the windows with her head bowed. I smiled, but she scurried away to the kitchen. Too much Sylar again?

She was replaced by a tired looking older man who took my order for green curry chicken with no amount of pleasure and only returned to drop a plate of food in front of me. I never saw him again, but I couldn't have cared less- I was in heaven. I felt the fire slowly build on my lips and in my stomach until I was lightly sweating and reaching for my glass of ice water more often. The pain was exquisite as my belly filled with crushed peppers, grilled chicken, and noodles. I consumed the whole plate with wild abandon and was saddened when only small bits of noodle swimming in green sauce were left behind. Satisfied, I paid the bill and went back out into the night, thankful for the cool air. My core felt like a furnace and I couldn't wait to get home to continue reading.

I walked past a night club that appeared to be busy despite it being the middle of the week. Techno music spilled onto the sidewalk near the entrance as people waited in line and pleaded with the bouncers holding clipboards to get in. I shook my head and wondered if they realized what sheep they were. In the alley, one person was vomiting and three others were lined up urinating on the wall.

I kept walking west, slowing my pace when I became aware that I was being followed. I didn't glance back, but I looked at the reflections of the store windows as I passed them. There were 3 large men about 12 feet behind me, talking amongst themselves and gesturing in my direction. I summoned the ability I took from a mechanic while on a road trip with Mohinder Suresh. I listened carefully, trying to modulate the ability least I pick up the sounds of cockroaches scurrying in buildings 4 blocks away.

"He will be easy. Just hit him in the head on my cue, Jesse and I will do the rest. Don't be such a pussy! Do you want a score or not?"

I smirked. So they think they are going to rob me? I no doubt looked an easy target to them; alone and physically innocuous. My muscles twitched in anticipation, but my mind remained cool and I began formulating my plan.

As a rule I never sought out mortals, or humans without powers, to kill because despite what Bennet or anyone else thought, I was not a petty, common murderer. What would the death of a human benefit me if they had no power? I usually tried to avoid them because it was all too easy, almost effortless to kill them. However, I was not opposed to defending myself.

I walked past the mouth of an alley and heard one of the men break into a run and then I felt him tackle me. We went crashing to the ground, his much larger mass crushing me beneath him. His breath was heavy with alcohol and his clothing smelled of stale cigarettes. I struggled to regain my breath as he hauled me up by my sweater to my feet and slammed me up against a rough brick wall. I looked calmly at him and said in a flat tone, "You were supposed to hit me in the head. You should have stuck to the plan."

His compatriots had rejoined him and moved in close. One pulled a knife and waved it in my direction menacingly. Something in my head twitched. I was going to let them live, but no longer. If I could see no personal benefit in their deaths, I could equally see no benefit to society were I to spare their lives. These men were parasites and deserved to be exterminated. My eyes grew dark and the smirk of absolute power twisted my lips. These men had no chance of escape and no hope for mercy.

I used a powerful telekinetic shove to force the man away from my face. "Just give us your money, boy. You don't know what you are doing." Warned the man with the knife.

I cocked my head slightly and narrowed my eyes. "I know precisely what I am doing. It is you who do not know who you are dealing with." I took a few steps toward him and he lifted his knife defensively. I smirked and lifted two fingers to easily disarm him by tossing the knife onto a second story fire escape.

"What the hell are you?" Growled his friend drawing a gun and pointing it at my chest.

I smiled mockingly and put my hands in the air. "Nothing, if not special."

With another twitch of my fingers, the gun fell and skidded across the pavement near my feet. I made a 'watch this' gesture as I crouched by the gun and hovered my hand over it. After a few seconds, the gun began to quiver and then shake more violently before collapsing into a pool of disambiguated base metal. I looked back up at the man and raised my eyebrows.

All three men stood looking at my creation in disbelief. "And now," I stated standing up, "for you." The men began to back up, but before they could scatter, I held them in place with sheer force. It was physically draining, but there was no turning back now. I slowly approached the immobile men and looked each in the eye. "How should I choose the manner of your deaths?" I mused to myself. "So many ways to die, you mortals are so fragile." I added with a wince.

"Are there more like you?" The man in the middle whispered with awe. I was annoyed at him for breaking the mood with such an asinine question. He would die first just on principle.

"No," I said shaking my head, "there are others out there with powers, but none are quite like me. Soon I will hunt them down and kill them too, but first things first." I raised my index finger and made a quick slash across his throat from ear to ear. He gurgled as crimson blood poured from the wound and spilled onto the ground. The other men struggled mightily against my grip, but I held fast. I reached out with my left hand and slowly froze the man nearest the street and then turned my hand to glowing thermonuclear fury and burned the man on the right until he was charred.

I let their bodies drop, took one last look back at the pile of carnage, and continued home without another thought about them.