Unsung Heroes

By: Ro

Chapter 3: One Step Forward

AN's:

"Heroes" isn't mine, just playing with the characters.

Since I couldn't find a decent English to spoken Japanese translator, let's just assume that when Hiro and Ando are talking to one another, it's in Japanese. Yay Imagination….

Haitian man's words are in bold

Thoughts are in italics

Thoughts heard by Matt in bold italics

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Hiro Nakamura and Ando

New York

"Well that could have gone better."

"What do you mean? Now my sister can head up my family's company and I'm free to fulfill my destiny."

"I meant things between your sister and me. Now that she's heading the company she won't have time to spend with me!"

"Even if she had the time she wouldn't. Focus Ando, we need to find that sword so I can get my powers back. Maybe if we can track down the Mr. Isaac, he can paint me a picture of the sword's exact location."

"There you go again with that 'we'."

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Union Wells High School

Odessa, TX

After three years of high school, Claire finally learned what all adults do when they look back; the high school hierarchy was pure crap. Zach quickly called off the stares from his fellow "outcasts", as the cheerleaders liked to call them, with a few well placed glares. As the cheerleaders called them? Hell, like I used to call them.

Speaking of the natzi-she devils, there they were, looking at her like she'd spit in their faces just by walking to class with her best friend. They didn't dare say anything too loudly; the memory of how she punched out Jackie must've been fresh in their heads. Fresh or not, as soon as Zach headed off down a side corridor, the defacto-head cheerleader came swooping down on her.

"What is the matter with you, Claire? Hanging out with some loser like him, what are you trying to straighten him out or something?"

"I was just walking with him! He's my best friend after all, how is that wrong?" I swear if I hear one more joke about Zach, someone's going to get hurt…again…

"Friends? Come on Claire, I know you're nice and all but this is going too far. I mean, this is, like, disrespecting Jackie's memory or something! You don't have to risk your reputation just to make him popular; I mean I'm sure he's used to being alone."

CRACK Good thing the hall's nearly empty…that felt way too good.

"OW!! What the hell Claire?!"

"Shut up!! You don't even know what it feels like to be alone! You don't have a clue! You think just because you're popular and crap, that you can judge other people?! You're in for a shock once you start having real problems!"

As Claire looked around and took in the astonished stares of the stragglers in the hallway, she suddenly realized that she'd outgrown this place. Maybe it was the recent events at homecoming, maybe it was something else entirely, but she couldn't continue to play these petty games. She couldn't pretend that prom dresses and dates we're her biggest problems. She needed to find Zach and they needed to get as far away from this place as possible. There was nothing here for her anyway.

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Bridge Filming Area

Odessa, TX

"Claire, our flight doesn't take off until midnight. Don't tell me we're going to kill all these hours by filming you trying to kill yourself."

"Of course not dork, we're just here to visit a friend, and then you're going to take me to see my mom one more time before we leave for New York."

"I am? Well thanks for keeping me in the loop."

If Claire hadn't spotted the Haitian man leaning against the remnants of the structure, she would have responded with her usual playful shove. This was going to be a difficult one to pull off, she needed to step lightly. Can't forget to stay between him and Zach incase he tries to pull his memory voodoo again.

"Claire, who is he?"

"He's a friend of my dad's."

"What?! Claire he'll rat us out! We'll get caught before we even get to the plane!"

"Just trust me on this one, please?"

"Fine, but if he tries anything.."

"I see you brought him back, a wise decision. This time I will erase more of his memories."

"You'll what?!"

"No! That's not why I asked to meet you here. I, we, need your help. We need you to spy on my father for us, and visit us every now and then in New York to give us your information."

"Absolutely not, I will not spy on your father for you or anyone."

"Why not? He's using you, using your power for his own purposes."

"Many years ago, he…did much for my family. Even though they my wife and daughter are gone now, I will not repay his kindness by breaking his confidence."

"Whatever you think you owe him apparently doesn't matter; you left me my memories after all."

"…"

"What would your daughter think? You're working for a man who manipulates his wife and daughter, who hides the truth, who wants to control me and those like me!"

"…"

"All I'm asking is that you stay current with what he's up too and tell us. You can do that much, can't you?"

"…very well child, I will be your eyes and ears. Just remember that what your father does, he does because he loves you."

"Thank you…" He loves me enough to isolate me like an animal.

"So you're the guy who took my memories?! Can you give them back, or unblock them, or whatever it is that you do?"

"My gift does not work that way."

"So you just go into people's heads and rip out what you can't put back?! What the hell is your problem?!"

"Zach, come on, he said he couldn't do anything. I wish he could too, but he can't, let's get going."

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Kermit Co. Trailer Park

"…Wait, so you're telling me that my father is some politician in New York named Nathan Petrelli?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It's just that, well, I think you have a right to know. I guess I shouldn't be going all mother-like on you after all these years, but I can't help it."

"Thanks for telling me, at least one of my parents thinks I can handle honesty. Look, I'm going to be leaving tonight. There are others out there mom, other people like us. Maybe if I find them, I'll be able to figure out what I'm supposed to do with this power. Who knows, maybe my dad has a power too"

"I guess you can't tell me where you're going?"

"No, sorry, I wish I could."

"It's ok honey, every woman has her secrets. Speaking of secrets, who's the boy outside in the car?"

"Oh, he's an old friend."

"Uh-huh."

"It's not what you're thinking, we're not like that. He is coming with me though, so if you hear about our disappearances, don't worry."

"Funny, I didn't say anything about what I was thinking…"

"I…um…have to go. Take care mom."

"You too honey."

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Matt Parkman's Residence

"You're leaving me?! What about us? What about your child?!" Worthless prick!!

"Janice, please listen, I'm doing this for all of us. There are others like me, others who have powers. Like this Peter Petrelli, I heard that he tried to take a woman's purse and then disappeared into thin air! If I can find him, then I can figure out why I have this power!"

"LIAR!! This about that woman Audrey isn't it!" I knew that bastard was cheating on me!!

"I am not cheating on you!"

"Stop doing that!"

"I need to do this Janice, for us, for our kid. I'll be back. If you need me, just call. I love you."

"Matt! Matt get your ass back here!" Jerk!!

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Plane cabin

"I can't believe we actually pulled that off!

"Believe it, airport security may be tougher these days, but at the smaller airports it's hardly any different than the pre-911 set ups. We'll have to be really careful when we hit the other end of this flight, big cities are bound to have more thorough people."

"More careful, got it."

"We should get some rest; it'll be a long flight. Claire?"

Apparently, he'd been talking to a brick wall. Claire had just fallen asleep, and decided to use his shoulder as a pillow. She really did look great as a redhead with green eyes, not as beautiful as her natural self, but she still managed to turn heads on the plane. He laid his head over hers and drifted off into one of those rare, peaceful sleeps.

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Undisclosed Location

Sylar's POV

He loved being free again. Free to hunt for the others, the other special ones. Once he absorbed all their powers, he would be the special one. Even at this very moment, he could feel the powers he already collected surging through him, like the electrical currents he'd recently learned to control.

Then, his worst nightmare came true. He felt his powers leaving him, every last one. He felt empty, like he had for previous years. Panic filled him as he looked around and saw only one man in the vicinity.

The man was staring at him like he could see right through him. He was extremely intimidating, built like an NFL player; the scars that covered his dark skin gave witness to his harsh past. He didn't speak a word, but the darkness emanating off of him was almost palpable.

"Hello Mr. Sylar."
"Who the hell are you?! What have you done to me?!"

"You are not the only special one here Mr. Sylar, I am special too. Your powers are great, but mine invalidates them all. I believe we have similar goals. I believe we can help each other. I seek to eliminate those with powers, you seek to have those powers, and we could be of use to one another."

"Interesting, what's your name?"

"I have no name, for identification purposes you may call me Letalis. Do you have any leads on any others?"

"One, 'save the cheerleader, save the world'"

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Plane Cabin

'Achoo'

"Ow!"

"Sorry Zach."

Claire's sneeze snapped Zach out of a very nice dream; he really shouldn't have rested his chin on her head. The passengers around them smiled silently as the teens went back to sleep in their cozy corner. Ah to be young again…