Chapter 8! Review, please and thank you!

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"I'll look after you," came The Fray from the car speakers. Peter hummed quietly along to the song as he wearily kept driving. They'd been on the road for eight hours now. It had been nine when they left and now it was around five in the morning. He'd taken a quick nap in the back with Elle leaning on him and then Claire had grown tired of driving. He had reluctantly had to wake up the peaceful girl. He remembered the way she looked at him when she woke up. She had beautiful eyes and the cutest smile. When she woke up she blinked sleepily and gave him a small grin and got up so he could leave. Now he turned back and looked. He smiled at what he saw. Elle was stretched out across the seat with her feet on the seat and her knees in the air and her head was rested on Claire's lap. Claire was asleep and leaning against the window with her arms laid out in front of her across Elle. He liked the fact that Claire had taken Elle in the instant they had met each other. Claire hadn't been afraid to befriend her even though Elle had been considerably rude. But Claire even took her in like a big sister. He was certainly proud of Claire lately. He kept on driving and the song ended. But he heard a small murmur from the back.

"I liked that song," he heard Elle mumble. Peter laughed to himself and skipped the CD back one.

"Happy?" he asked.

"Very," came her drowsy response. He grinned and turned off the highway into a small town to stop for gas. It was still early and there was only one other car at the station. He slowed the car down and parked so he could fill the tank up.

"I'll be right back," he said quietly and heard a small "uh huh" from Elle. Peter hummed while filling up the car. He spotted a pay phone outside the small gas station store. As soon as he felt a few quarters in his pocket he decided he would give Noah a call.

"Pick up, pick up," he muttered as he called Noah after finishing refilling.

"About time you called," came a familiar voice on the other end.

"Noah I'm sorry," Peter apologized, "but we're on the run. It's not exactly easy to contact you while protecting two special teenage girls."

"I suppose you plan on taking the company down now," Noah said.

"Just like our previous plan," Peter said. He remembered the deal.

"We have to take them down, Noah," Peter said longing to bring them down.

"I know that Peter," Noah said in deep thought. "You're saying they attacked Nathan recently?"

"I told you, they tried to convince him to come back with them and when he didn't they chased him but he flew away in time," Peter repeated. "What the hell is this company anyway?"

"They think they're out making the world a better place, by testing on these people and eventually destroying them," Noah said bluntly. "We moved because I quit. Peter they wanted my Claire bear. They're not going to lay a hand on her."

"They're up to something," Peter said worriedly.

"What is it?"

"This girl named Elle was at Claire's school for about a week or so—"

"That asshole! He sent Elle?!" Noah shouted. Peter was startled but continued.

"Um well Claire decided to befriend Elle and by yesterday you could tell that even though Elle despised her she kind of wanted to be Claire's friend. Well this Elle girl told Claire that she was supposed to take Claire back to New York with her. Kidnap Claire I guess. But I was with Claire when she said this. Something was wrong Noah."

"Hell yeah something's wrong," Noah said angrily. "Elle is the boss's twisted daughter. Do you know how many people she's hunted down for him?"

"Well listen," Peter said impatiently. "She said she wasn't going to take Claire back. She said she'd take the blame and pretend that Claire got away." Noah's eyes widened at this.

"She what?"

"This Indian man showed up with a gun and asked what the hell was going on. You know Mohinder Suresh? Apparently he was working with her but she used her ability on him."

"She killed Suresh?!"

"No just put him in a bit of a shock," Peter replied. "He was hell bent on taking Claire. He kept raving about her blood and what not. Claire's worried though." At this point neither of them heard Claire enter the house quietly and walk right into the doorway in the middle of their conversation. "Elle said something about taking the hard fall for Claire. Claire was extremely worried."

"She has right to be worried," Noah said shaking his head. "Her father's messed up. He'll see that she's dealt with for making her get away."

"I told you so Peter." The two men suddenly turned to see Claire standing in the doorway with tears in her eyes. "It's all my fault too," she said softly.

"We'll find her," Peter said quickly looking Noah in the eye. "Then we'll take them down."

"How's Elle?"

"She's doing well, she's actually doing really well for someone who's been tortured over the last oh say eighteen years," Peter remarked.

"Where are you?"

"I can't tell you," Peter said cautiously. "The less you know the safer it is."

"Good boy," Noah replied. "Okay well two things before you go."

"Yeah?"

"First, protect Claire at all costs. My little girl is safe with you right?"

"Of course sir."

"Second, never let your emotions interfere with your job at hand. Got it?"

"Got it," Peter said quickly. "I'll talk to you soon Bennet." He hung up quickly. Peter began to walk back to the car when he stopped midway frozen. The back door was open and Elle was still asleep in the backseat. But Claire wasn't there.

"Claire?" he whispered. "Claire?" His voice got louder. "Claire!"

A quick tap on his shoulder caused him to jump and grab the person behind him. "Woah Peter," Claire said sleepily from behind. "I was just going to throw some shit out in the trash.

"Damn it Claire don't scare me like that," Peter said relieved and grew serious. "I told you not to leave my sight."

"Sorry," she said sincerely. "I thought you saw me. Who were you talking to anyways?"

"I-" Peter was cut off and suddenly Claire heard a whack and saw Peter fell instantly. Before she could scream she felt a hand slip over her mouth and a gun being held right below her chin facing straight up. Someone was behind her and in front of her stood another man dressed in pretty ugly clothes with a mask on. He was probably a poor robber or something.

"Money," he growled.

"Don't have any," she whispered panicking. The gun was pressed harder into her and she whimpered.

"Maybe we'll just take your little friend in the back seat," the man in front of her snickered and backhanded her across the face. Then right before Claire's eyes she saw blue lightning shoot at him and he stumbled backwards and fell. The man behind her quickly let go and ran to his friend.

"That's right," came Elle's vixen voice. It wasn't the sweet voice that Claire had been beginning to like. It was a sort of twisted, seductive, vicious voice. "I'd run and I wouldn't touch her if I were you." Claire turned around to see Elle's eyes sparkling. It was almost like this was normal for her. Suddenly lightning shot out of Elle's hand and Claire watched in horror as the man who had been in front of her screamed in pain. She turned back to Elle and saw her face was angry with a twisted smirk on it. She stopped and did the same to the other man who also screamed in pain. "Don't touch her ever again," Elle said in a dangerous low voice and stopped. She suddenly noticed a security camera and zapped it quickly. Claire looked wearily at her and began to walk towards Elle when she noticed something. Elle looked extremely drained and pale but she threw her arms around Claire anyway.

"You okay?" Claire asked.

"Yeah that just kinda took a lot of energy," Elle replied. She seemed back to normal.

"Get in the car," Peter's voice suddenly commanded. They wasted no time in doing so.

"You good Peter?" Claire asked as they scrambled to get in the car.

"Yeah but we got to get out of here," Peter said and sped off. "Good job Elle."

"No problem," she said tired and lay her head on Claire's shoulder.

The next day…

"Peter we're almost there right?" Claire asked.

"We are there," he said with a grin. "Welcome to San Francisco." They pulled into a hotel down town and checked in. Claire and Elle waited patiently while Peter went to the counter and did all the work. Claire got up and began to wander around when she saw a pay phone. Elle saw her and looked around for some change. She noticed some in the purse sitting next to her and saw the lady was distracted with her child. Too easy, Elle thought. She quickly stole them and slipped them in her jean pockets and walked over to Claire.

"Here," she said and handed them to her.

"Thanks, where'd you get quarters from?" Claire asked curiously.

"Stole them off of some lady," she replied shrugging her shoulders.

"Elle!" Claire said but couldn't help as a small grin spread across her face. "That's terrible."

"Well when you're on the run I don't see what else you can do," she said. Claire just shook her head and turned to put the quarters in. She dialed her dad's cell number.

"Calling again so soon?" came her dad's voice.

"Dad!" she exclaimed.

"Oh hey Claire bear," he said quickly. "Where are you sweetie?"

"You know I can't tell you that," she said cautiously.
"Yeah," was all he said. "You doing okay Claire?"

"Yeah I'm fine but what did you mean by calling again so soon?"

"Oh nothing I thought you would be someone else," he said simply.

"Alright dad I have to go Peter's coming but I'll call later," she promised.

"Okay Claire bear, I love you," he said.

"Love you too," she replied and hung up. "Come on Elle," she said and led the other girl to Peter.

"Floor eight," he said as they walked towards the elevator. None of them noticed a dark sinister figure trailing behind them.

"Mohinder's girl Molly can find them," Agent Vince Drake reported to Bob.

"Well do you have her?" Bob asked.

"The doctor wouldn't let us near her," he said.

"Well we need her. Let me get a few things and we'll go."

"Right, sir."

"Mmm this room is so nice," Elle said happily. Of course most rooms were nice compared to her little cell in the lab at Hartsdale. Peter laughed and went to get some ice in the fridge for his water.

"Damn no ice," he said.

"I'll go get some," Claire volunteered.

"And I'll go with her," Elle suggested.

"Go ahead," Peter said and tossed them the ice bucket. Claire caught it and they left the hotel room. They walked down the long corridor slowly.

"How are all the injuries Elle?" Claire asked.

"They're good," she replied. "The only thing that really hurts is my side but I guess that's cause of the gunshot. It barely hurts."

"That's good," Claire said and they rounded the corner. Just a little way down was a little space in the wall where there was an Ice Vending Machine. They hurried to it. The two waited patiently as the ice poured into the little container. "I think it's done," Claire said and removed the container.

"Claire the lights are flickering," Elle said with a scared look.

"It's probably just—" Claire was suddenly sent flying down the hallway and landed with a cry. Elle whipped around and sent a bolt to whoever it was but it was sent back to her and she screamed as she stumbled into the wall.

"Hello again," said the man with a grin.

Elle was fuming. "Sylar."