Chapter 6: Atrip
Claire somehow found it comical that they could never spend a family dinner out together without interruptions. She was not at all surprised, nor troubled when her father excused himself to take a cell call from the company.
What she wasn't expecting that soon Lyle and her mom would be looking at her with the same disapproving and disappointed expression they regarded her father whenever he blamed his work for running off. Claire would never consider herself a company girl or'd want her family to think about her that way, only this time she had no choice, but to leave her favorite cheese soufflé at the renowned vegetarian restaurant she could never afford herself, check that she did bring her taser gun with her and run to her dad's car with him, ready to intercept the emergency situation back at the prison facility.
Noah couldn't tell her everything that had happened, but apparently there was a security breech of the highest grade. Prisoner 19, Phillip Norton, their newest addition to their lot of superhuman prisoners, possessed the dangerous power to turn anything or anybody he wanted into a paper mache, but it wasn't this ability that he used when he overpowered guards with his bare hands and made it impossible for a new anti formula dose to be administered to him. Since at that point he still didn't have his power back yet, he then went on to take some hostages and demand some other cells to be opened so that he could have more people on his side. Noah mentally made a note of having to talk to Angela on too many costs having been cut. They didn't have enough personnel to cope with cases like this 24 hours a day.
"What about Sylar?" Claire asked the first question that appeared in her mind.
Her father didn't have time to answer as he was jumping another red light, but as soon as they were speeding down the highway, he turned his head towards her for a moment, "I really don't know," he frowned, "we'll have to see when we get there."
Twenty minutes seemed like hours till they reached their target. Claire was too busy worrying about her dad's welfare in case of a crash to think too much about the serial killer. Angela was already there when they arrived, her dismissing hand gesture stopped their hurried rush and now they were only quickly walking towards her.
"Norton has been dealt with," she pointed to the bloodied, lifeless form behind her. "Number ten and thirteen have been recaptured. The present personnel had been less effective regarding number nine. Two recovery teams had been sent after him. No other prisoner got out."
Noah put his gun back into his pocket, "emergency over then?"
"Not quite. We have lost control over the underground levels. We have it sealed off, but nobody has any idea what's going on down there. No visual either. I was just about to send the back up teams down."
"On your command, Sir," Elisa, the most senior agent in attendance of the Department of Homeland Security addressed Noah, giving over responsibility over the operation to Bennett, if he was there, not part of any organization that had initials, but nevertheless their acting boss.
Without being fazed, or showing any annoyance or emotion at all, Noah took out both his taser and his firearm, then indicated he was ready.
The stairs down seemed quiet and the first look onto the corridor gave a similar view. Eric Doyle was thankfully in his cell, Claire concluded and so were the next two prisoners, Samedi and Geraldi, although they seemed rather agitated and looking into the other direction.
A moment later it became clear what the object of their interest was. There were casualties. Guards, burned inside out without a fire being present, no doubt courtesy of Gina Straw, also known as the recaptured number thirteen. The top half of another body was turned paper mache, but Norton already paid for that with his life.
Noah side stepped in a way most of the bodies were not visible to Claire, and waved the agents in that direction as well. Nobody could miss the scalpless victims lying on the hallway lower down. Blood froze in Claire for a moment, but she willed it to continue flowing and forced herself to look away.
"Sylar's new powers are: breathing under water and seems like he reacquired his enhanced hearing," Elisa judged by turning over the victims to establish their identity and their respective powers that have been absorbed, "not the most useful, under the circumstances," she commented. "Only prisoner four and six is unaccounted for," the agent let everyone know of everything that could be helpful and made sure that her team was aware of all the facts and factors as it was her duty, "the rest are locked in their cells."
"Not so good," one of the DHS officers to her side remarked. Of course those on the loose, had to be some of the most dangerous, Sylar, and Constance Blake, who could command easily the many dead that were around them.
"The inhibiting formula's effects did not have enough time to wear off," Elisa assured them, "but cover your backs the same." They were her last words.
Her commands were executed too late as the deceased guards raised their guns and fired at them from all angles, not affected by the fire being returned. Claire was shot as well, but she was more bothered by the hairless, scalpless woman grabbing her foot so that she couldn't get away and make sure the bullets didn't reach her father.
Several moments of desperate combat ensued. Those still alive tried to make it towards the lab, while the numbers of the enemies increased by the second. The agent next to her dad got shot in the head and immediately turned on Noah and Claire could only watch as his dead fingers handled the gun.
Of a sudden, her foot got free and she launched herself, but there wasn't any danger to anyone anymore. Bodies fell to the ground lifeless as they should've, joined by Constance Blake herself with the top of her head missing, the superhuman previously responsible for the command of the dead.
Sylar was sitting on the stairs leading up to the lab on the other side of the corridor, clasping his temples, "don't you think you're all too noisy," he grumbled. Although he got used to enhanced hearing once, some adjusting was needed this time round as well.
At least half a dozen pairs of taser electrodes were fired in his direction at the same time. Under regulation, it was supposed to be the more effective weapon to be used against the serial killer. Normally he would heal too quickly from bullet wounds, a taser could maybe stun him a millisecond longer. Additionally, if he turned the projectiles and fired them back, there would be less damage.
Sylar didn't raise his head, nor used any powers to stop the sharp prongs. The projectiles connected to his body, the electric current moving up and down him in waves. Seeing some success, Noah armed his specialized inhibiting formula gun before the charge of the taser shots could completely die out. Every possible card had to be played on the evolved killer.
"Careful," Noah felt the need to say when agents encircled Sylar from all angles, with one nearing the back of his head in particular.
The pray seemed to be shivering and didn't attempt any moves. There was an edgy silence before Noah addressed him, "stand up and start walking towards your cell."
Every hand hovered in the air tensely and jittery till the drawn out answer came. "I can't."
"You will," Noah emphasized.
Another moment passed with nothing happening when Claire edged forward in between two soldiers, "could I, dad?" Having not much to fear with the agent in position at Sylar's back of his head and with Claire's ability, he nodded in his daughter's direction to proceed.
Disregarding everybody's expectations to check whether Sylar was lying, Claire had no doubts how weak Mohinder's new inhibiting formula affected him. "Let me help you," she crouched under the sitting killer's shoulder to encourage him to get upright. Immediately, as she'd expected, she felt how drained he was, in agony and extremely nauseous and he'd been half incapacitated to start with before the whole escape incident started.
Sylar sighed in defeat. This was not how he'd imagined any day of his life, but he needed her to walk, or he'll be dragged on the floor in shame. Between her and the wall's support, they slowly made it back into the draconian prison compartment, surrounded by the unbelieving faces of puzzled guards, agents and officers. He only drearily registered being deposited onto his bed, where he could give in to his exhaustion.
Outside, Claire was met with a commandeering Angela, who'd come down to take charge after things were under control. "Get Mohinder here after the clean up. I want every captive who was any more active during this incident, given double doses of the inhibiting drug."
Her grand daughter shook her head, "I understand it was Norton who let them out?"
"Yes," Angela thought her worthy of giving her a monosyllabic answer before turning to leave.
"Then why do they all need double doses?"
"Pandora's box will be closed, dear, at all costs," she answered without turning back.
"Sylar just saved your life." Claire stated flatly and factually, turning to Noah, "if he hadn't incapacitated Blake, you could be dead," she stepped over to him to hug him.
"And now he has command of the dead," Noah frowned, leading his daughter off the ill fated hallway.
Claire had no intentions blinking behind her. She could deal with death and emergency situations if it was necessary, but this time it wasn't needed and she could succumb to her natural tendency of flight. "Dad. Didn't you say I could take a vacation if I wanted?"
"Of course," Noah sighed relieved. For a while there, he didn't understand her volunteering to help the killer, but her wanting to go away, that made more sense. "You can resign from your post, take a holiday as long as you want, whatever. But even if you decide to do it by your employment contract, you still have about five days to take."
"Thank you dad. I'll call you when I get there."
"Where?"
"Some seaside resort. Just to chill out. Sand, sun..."
"Sex?!?"
"You know, a normalcy holiday. I might use your credit card?"
"Err..yeah," he faintly smiled and waved at her, happy to see her go. Elisa's replacement was already coming in his direction for reporting casualties, no doubt.
Claire only got till the elevator till tears started falling down her cheeks. They felt as if they were burning her face like acid. She paused, not moving, assuring the droplets were making their way down as slowly as it was possible. If she concentrated on them, she didn't have to think about those fallen, she didn't have to remember the fact that she will have to watch every single one of her loved ones die one day. And if she'll learn to love another, than again.
But that wasn't why she had to flee, to get out and forget. Angela assured her inhibiting doses'll be doubled. Which meant she would've had to watch Sylar suffer like she had never before.
Tbc