"Fancy meeting you here, brother," Samuel drawled, stepping from between two tents on the outskirts.

"Whoa! Who-what's going on?" Alex stammered, looking from one Carnival Master to the other.

"Time to run, Claire," Sylar said darkly, gathering electricity into his hands. "Go. I'll catch up."

"What are you doing? You think she really wants you? Loves you?" Samuel laughed cruelly. "She's using you for escape. She'll turn on you as soon as she and her little boyfriend are safe."

"Then so be it." His hands crackled furiously.

"Find us," Claire whispered, touching his upper arm briefly. "Let's go." She took the bags, and tugged on the tall boy. "Alex, now!"

Slowly, he started moving with her. They headed straight for the treeline for concealment before any more carnies showed up to catch them.

"This way," she whispered, zigzagging in a general northeast direction.

Alex was already breathing heavily as he followed at a pace that made her growl in frustration. They'd never get away at that rate.

*****Meanwhile******

"Samuel!" Alice stumbled upon them, confused for a moment. But, the blue glow in his hands gave Sylar away. "It's Eli-"

"Forget him," he cut her off. "Go after the boy and the blonde. Don't hurt them, just stall."

"I can do that," she smirked, taking off.

"Are you sure you don't want to keep her close? A little power-up might make this a fair fight."

"Oh, she'll be close enough to do her part." The earth started trembling.

"Ready or not, here I come." Sylar sent a bolt of lightening that was blocked by a sudden earthen mound. A great fissure opened at his feet and he barely had time to leap into the air before falling into it.

Now flying, he sent bolt after bolt at the Englishman, but time and again sudden walls of dirt would spring up like shields to protect him. Getting bored quickly, Sylar circled him and used his telekinesis to lift him into the air.

Out of contact with the earth, he lost fine control of his power and the whole of the carnival shook threateningly. Screams filled the air as the unsuspecting members stumbled out of their trailers. Children looked, terrified, up to where Sylar was holding Samuel. Parents grabbed little ones, lovers latched onto each other as they stared wide-eyed at the hovering men.

"Am I to be a martyr?" The ground started to crack under their feet.

"Let's leave it to fate," Sylar growled, flying higher and off to the south. "This should be far enough. At this height, you'll stand about a thirty percent chance of surviving the fall. But I'd up it to approximately fifty percent because of your ability. Sound fair?"

"Wh- No!" Samuel screamed as Sylar released his hold on the man.

The ground started to rise to meet him, but there wasn't enough time; Samuel crashed with a sickening crunch. His neck bent at an impossible angle.

"Sylar!" Claire screamed from at least a mile in the opposite direction. Without his gifted hearing, it would never have carried far enough. It was precisely that sort of thing that made it hard to properly regret his murderous past.

Not sparing another thought for the deceased carnie, he sped towards Claire's cries. The closer he got, the more desperate they became. Finally, he saw her struggling against Alex, who had her pinned on her stomach to the forest floor.

"Stop it! Stop! Sylar!" She elbowed the man in the face, possibly breaking his nose.

Not deterred, he continued to try and peal her pants off. Knowing Alice was near, he spotter her just to the left, watching with a smile; she hadn't noticed him. He landed directly in front of her, making her gasp in fright.

Sylar shrugged, grabbed her head and twisted violently, snapping her neck; she fell lifeless to the round. He rushed over to the still fighting pair, and snatched a handful of Alex's dark hair, flinging him backwards.

He reached down to the sobbing Claire, who was scrambling to her feet. Unfortunately, she kicked out at his knee without checking his identity first. Sylar yelled in pain as his knee dislocated under the force of her blow. She swung around, fist connecting with his jaw only a second before recognizing him.

"Dammit," he cursed, hobbling back a step to escape further attack.

"Sylar," she whispered, hands out, noticing the way he flinched away from her. "Sylar, I'm sorry. Alex, he...it was Alice," she tried to explain. Slowly, she touched his cheeks, running her hands down them to his neck, then his chest. "We have to find Alice, she'll drive him mad."

"She's not a problem anymore." Sylar gritted his teeth as his knee snapped back into place. "That was a hell of a kick."

Claire chuckled, tears spilling down her cheeks. Not entirely sure how she got there, she cried into his chest; large hands soothed her back and picked leaves from her hair. After several minutes, she shuddered, taking a deep breath as he kissed the top of her head.

She pulled back, wiping her face. "Sorry."

"Don't be." He ran a finger across her chin.

Claire gasped suddenly. "Alex! Where is he? Did you..."

His eyes clouded dangerously. "I should have," he snarled.

She sighed and closed her eyes in relief. "It wasn't his fault."

"Doesn't matter; he touched you."

"Where is he?"

"Secured." He pointed a thumb over his shoulder to the white-faced boy wrapped around a nearby tree.

"Samuel?"

"Same as Alice."

"Do you think we're safe?"

"No; Charlie and Eli are still alive. But for now..."

Claire nodded; they were in as good a situation as they could expect for the time being.

"I'll get you to Peter, then come back for that one."

"Let's go." She wrapped arms around his neck as he pulled her close to his body.

She couldn't follow their direction as they flew above the clouds, so she settled for resting her cheek against his chest. It didn't take as long as she had imagined it would. As they landed, Parkman ran out onto the roof to meet them, gun trained on Sylar; Peter was only a few steps behind him.

"I'll be back for her," he announced, pushing her towards her uncle. "Keep her safe."

"But-"

"Alex," he said and leapt from the tall building, flying up into the clouds.

Claire watched him go with emotions thick in her throat.

A/N: Yes? I can hear you thinking, but you gotta press that little review button to let me know details. ;)