Author's note: Late update, I know. I sort of became discouraged when no one really reviewed. Nonetheless, here's chapter four, for those who are interested.

Dislcaimer: Blah blah, not mine, blah blah...

Veronica Hammond

Hartsdale, New York

With a flick of his hand, my body slams against the wall. He raises his finger and traces a line in the air. I scream for help, but no sound comes out of my mouth. My shield is gone. Streaks of red fill my eyes and his taunting laugh echoes…

I sit up suddenly, breathing hard. My blanket is tangled all around me. I can feel my shirt sticking to me from the cold sweat. Sylar's wicked laugh still rings in my ears, then I realize it's the alarm clock. I shake my head at my own silly paranoia and shut the thing off. I shouldn't have reread his file…shouldn't have gone through all those photographs…

I have new routine. After my morning ritual of showering and eating, I accompany one of the doctors, usually Henry, down to Sylar's unit. He's given his morning dose and I give him his breakfast. Today is my third day. It's the same as the first and second. He eats quietly and I watch him. After, I come up to work on my abilities with Mohinder. I manage to break the glass panes of a cabinet and receive another nosebleed. I eat lunch with Sylar, who I later bring up to Mohinder's lab where he's tested on. After an hour or so, I leave for my physical training. I return after showering to Mohinder's lab, where a worn out Sylar waits for me to drag him back to his cell. Dinner follows and I head down to watch him receive his evening dose, then it's off to sleep. The cycle continues.

A week passes and Sylar still hasn't spoken. For once, Bob's word is true. Color returns to Sylar's ashen face and he often paces around his cell, but only for a few minutes. He slumps against the wall, the medicine heavy and intoxicating his brain. It's the second day of the second week. As I poke my lunch with my fork, I come to realize I've been in this facility for nearly two months. It seems more like a decade. I glance up at Sylar. The Company only managed to imprison him for several days, not even a week. He was enraged, but now he's passive. Has he finally come to accept his fate? A man's soul is broken into pieces when he kills another, but maybe there's still a small shard of his soul left in him.

"I knew all along."

My fork drops to the floor with a clatter. Did he just…talk? Sylar is sitting with his back towards me.

"I knew you weren't just driving out in the middle of the desert to see the damn sunset." His voice is hoarse and low. "But I had to get out of there. I should've killed you the minute you said you came from Odessa, but I didn't. Maybe the meds made me a little careless too."

"So he speaks." Is all I can say.

Wincing, Sylar rises and leans against the glass pane, staring placidly at me.

"I didn't see you the last time they had me locked up." Slyar mutters. "Then again, all I remember seeing was Bennet and a bunch of doctors and nurses. Oh, and that one little girl who tried to kill me. She ended up killing herself so I couldn't get her ability. A fucking martyr." He smirks. "So, Veronica, what makes you tick? I know you're special. Show me what you can do. It's not like I can do anything about it." He presses his hand against the glass.

"I'm nothing special, really." I say. "I'm just playing nurse to you. That's all I'm good for in this place."

"I'm guessing you didn't want to be here in the first place."

"Good guess, Einstein."

Sylar laughs and I shudder at the sound. I remember my dream—nightmare—and lower my eyes to the floor.

"So, how did you end up here?" Sylar asks. "Did you get picked up from the middle of the desert too? You should've saved yourself the trouble and tranquilized me."

"A tranquilized person isn't as easy to get through border patrol as a serial killer on the run."

"You didn't answer my first question."

"I think I'm supposed to be the one bossing you around."

"You must be really brave to head out to the desert alone and hunt down a psychopath. Or really stupid."

Really stupid.

"Neither."

"I can hear your little heart racing."

I give him a puzzled look.

"Your medicine is only numbing my abilities, not killing them. And I can tell you're hiding something special from me."

"Are you finished?" I snap. "It's time to for your tests."

"Ahh, my favorite part of the day. I look forward to seeing you again tonight."

I press a button and a guard enters. He drags Sylar out and leads him up to the lab. I walk slowly behind them.

"I don't feel well." I lie to Mohinder as I enter his lab after I had my post-workout shower.

My hair is still damp, clinging to the back of my sweater. Sylar is lying on a bench, rubbing his head from exhaustion. He stares at me and I turn around.

"I don't think I can carry on with this." I mutter, nudging my head in Sylar's direction. "He talked to me earlier." I add silently.

Mohinder gives Sylar a curious glance before calling on the guard to escort Sylar back to his unit.

"What did he say?" Mohinder asks the moment Sylar disappears out into the hallway.

"He said he knew I was part of some Company plan the moment he met me." I say. "And that he knows I'm…special. But I completely denied it. He still won't believe me, though. I am a terrible liar."

"Clearly. You don't look the least bit unwell." Mohinder retorts. "Don't bother with Sylar. He'll just trick you into helping him, then kill you. He's a patient, Veronica, a dangerous one."

I frown. "Well, so am I."

I leave the the doctor's office, somewhat fuming. He obviously had forgotten that I, too, am still treated as an animal here. Forget having my own ID and wearing my own clothes. All I'm doing is babysitting. Just like Elle. That one's already lost every bit of her mind and soul. Twenty-three years in this place can do that to you.

"You said you weren't feeling well."

Sylar speaks even before the lights come on.

"Have you been given tonight's dose yet?" I ask him firmly.

"Not for the next few minutes, no." Sylar says, moving towards the glass pane. "Strange. The drugs should be wearing off a bit by now, but I feel just as…powerless. Only until you came in."

"It's all in your head." I say faintly.

The walls, even the glass, surrounding Sylar are quite thick, iron and near impenetrable. I struggle to keep my him enclosed in my bubble, quelling his abilities.

"If I could use my abilities right now, you know what I'd do?" Sylar says.

"Aside from the obvious?" I retort dryly.

"I'd find out what's so special about you, Veronica, and if it's any good, I'd like to have a piece of it."

"Probably the only special thing about me is that I have the ability to stomach your repulsiveness for a long period of time." I shoot back. "But you're right. I didn't choose to be here in the first place, being your nurse. It's an insult to what I'm capable of. They're treating me like a child."

I'm not lying. The Company took away my life of normalcy and replaced it with a spectacularly bizarre one. Normal has fallen out of my vocabulary. I can say farewell to my former dreams of pure convention: get a job, travel, marry, have kids, die happy. Since last week, my only dream is to survive this madness. Nearly two months with The Company and nothing makes sense. Yet, I am beginning to embrace it. Then I remember twisted little Elle. I must keep in mind that the world—my world—doesn't and shouldn't revolve around The Company. I won't let them tell me what to do. I will get out of here.

"Veronica?"

"Hmm?"

I realize I've been staring off into space and turn around to see Dr. Henry standing behind me.

"Oh, doctor…err…"

"Are you all right?"

"Not really." I glance at Sylar, who's now sitting calmly on his bed. "But it's nothing. I'm just tired."

The doctor heads in and quickly injects Sylar. He nods off to sleep in a matter of minutes and I leave him in the dark after.

Review, please! And I promise a longer chapter next time (yes, I'm actually continuing this). :)