I'm
the mess you chose
The closet you cannot close
The devil in you
I suppose
'Cause the wounds never heal
Sometimes the things I
say
The moments of disarray
Succumbing to the games we play
To
make sure it's real
When it's just me and you
Who knows what we
could do
If we could just make it through
The toughest part of
the day
- Everything Changes by Staind
Mohinder Suresh walked down the long carpeted hallway with a hard look to his face. All around him he could hear quiet muttering as he passed. Everyone was descreetly going about their own business. The building seemed to be very busy, but Mohinder could understand why. The death of Peter Petrelli hit their interests hard, and now they were on the look out for a killer. Again.
For a feared company, they didn't have the best track record of keeping ahold on their prisoners.
Mohnider reached his destination, and knocked hard on the thick red wood door three times.
"Come in," called a female voice.
Mohinder flung open the door dramatically, and met the unimpressed face of Elle Bishop. She was sitting on her father's desk popping gum and playing with a golden ball. She quirked her lips prettily at Mohnider before turning around and looking to her father, Bob Bishop, who sat behind the desk.
"Look who's here, Daddy," Elle said in her sweet voice.
"Dr. Suresh!" Bob said happily, leaning back in his leather wing backed chair. "What a pleasant surprise."
"Hello," Mohinder said stiffly, slightly unnerved by the look in Elle's eyes. She snapped her gum and winked. "I have some information that you might find helpful."
"Doubt it," Elle said, affecting a pout. "We don't have any use for a underfunded scientist."
"Now, Elle," Bob said softly, placing a hand on her's. "Be nice to Dr. Suresh."
"Its quite important," Mohinder said, put out. "It concerns Sylar."
"Enlighten us," Bob said casually, giving Mohinder a cool look that was mirrored by his daughter.
"Peter Petrelli came to my loft this morning, going on about a rumor he had heard that Sylar is hiding out in Bray, Louisianna. That he has a reltionship with a young girl!" Mohinder said. "At first I didn't believe him, because it seemed far fetched that Sylar would leave the city, land it also seemed unlikely that Peter would ever figure out what Sylar's current love life was."
"Ouch," Elle interrupted, "Peter's a very talented boy, you souldn't be so mean to him."
Mohinder glanced at her before turning his attention back on Bob.
"And how did young Mr. Petrelli find all this out?" Bob asked, crossing his arms over his chest and glancing down at his watch.
"He drew it," Mohinder replied quickly. "You know, his ability of precognition-"
"Yes, yes," Bob said, sitting up and waving away Mohinder. "Of course, I know."
"Why didn't Peter come tell me," Elle mused aloud, the ball in her hand suddenly covered in blue electric currents.
"Because he doesn't trust this place," Mohinder snapped at the foolish girl. "And neither do I."
"Why come to us then," Elle shot back, her eyes cold as she looked towards him. "God, Mohinder. Chillax. All that nobility is getting to your head."
"Well," Bob interrupted before Mohinder could reply to Elle. "Thank you very much, Dr. Suresh. We will certainly be looking into this."
Elle hopped off the desk and walked towards the door, brushing past Mohinder as she went, sending his hair statically on edge. Mohinder watched her with a furled brow, and when she opened the door and gestured towards it, he turned back to Bob who was sipping tea with an appreciative look across his face.
"What," Mohinder asked, looking towards the older man. "That's it?"
"What else do you want, Dr. Suresh?" Bob asked. "You are no longer part of this company, there for have no right to this information or the goings on of this opperation."
"But Sylar must be stopped," Mohinder insisted meeting a stoney expression. "Please, I promised Peter I would make sure this was followed through."
"And then you came running to us," Elle sighed. "I don't think your word counts for much."
"Now wait," Bob said, sitting up in his chair and giving Mohinder an appraising look. "I think we can work something out."
"Anything," Mohinder said. "Sylar must be brought down. Bray is in trouble if they have someone like Sylar hiding out there."
"A bit overly heroic, isn't he Daddy," Elle sighed, closing the door insolently and leaning against it.
"Dr. Suresh," Bob began, "Mohinder, if I may, I think we can reach a deal. Now, you want to see Sylar taken down?"
"Yes, of course," Mohinder enthused.
"And I want to send my daughter out into the feild again." Bob said, gesturing to Elle who had visibly lightened. "But there's a problem with that. Last time she went out, she killed a someone. And naturually, I don't want anyone dying on this mission."
Mohinder eyed Elle in a frightened way, but knew the girl wasn't all bad. She had saved his, Molly's and Maya's life from Sylar the last time they all came into contact.
"I need someone with her, a calming influence if you like." Bob explained.
"And you want me to be that influence?" Mohinder asked.
Bob smiled. "Precisely. I think you'd be perfect for it."
Mohinder sighed and hung his head. Nothing seemed to ever really go his way. He could just see himself and Elle quarelling for the whole assignment. But, if it meant being apart of taking down Sylar, then that's what he'd do.
"Fine." Mohinder said in a clipped voice. "I think we can settle on those terms."
"Excellent," Bob said, standing and walking around the desk. He came up to Mohinder and offered his hand which Mohinder shook hesitantly. "Welcome back."
Mohinder turned to where Elle stood by the door, leaning against it and smiling brightly.
"Hey partner," she said gladly, throwing the golden ball at Mohinder, who caught it quickly. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O
"Mmm," Elle sighed, leaning back in the first class seat and turning to a concerned looking Mohinder. "What do you think of some champagne? Celebrate our new partnership."
"I don't drink," Mohinder said, his eyes sweeping over the assigned file in his hand.
"Well, I do," Elle said, quickly pressing on Mohinder's stewardess button.
"Can you really zap people into unconciousness?" Mohinder asked, viewing the girl beside him warily.
"Yeah," Elle said proudly, siting up a little straighter. "I'm a menace."
She was wearing three quarter tight jeans, and a tight pink top with the words "Little Miss Naughty" across them. You wouldn't have been able to tell she was a danger by looking at her.
"I hate teenagers," Mohinder grumbled, placing the manilla folder onto his fold out tray. "Why do I have to be a biology teacher!"
"I bet you're great with kids." Elle said soothingly. "Anyway, at least you don't have to pretend to be a teenager."
Mohinder looked over to her with a furled brow. "You are a teenager."
"Hello," Elle said hotly, "I'm 23. What are you? 32?"
"26," Mohinder siad hotly, trying to block Elle out now.
"Oh really?" Elle asked, her eyes travelling down Mohinder's conservative brown outfit. "You should act more your age. I would have gotten it right if you loosened up a bit."
"No," Mohinder snapped, "I don't want to."
"Oh, very mature," Elle laughed. "Give it time. A few days with me, and you'll be a bit more carefree."
"Maybe you should be the one acting more like me." Mohinder sniped back, "Maybe then you won't need a partner."
"How lonely," Elle sighed. "A life with no partner? All stiff upper lip and maturity? Yikes."
"Works for most people."
"Even Sylar has a girlfriend," Elle pointed out. "He didn't get her by acting like you."
"I'm not looking for an 18 year old girlfriend."
"But I bet you want one." Elle laughed.
A flight attendent came by, smiling serenly down on the pair as she asked what they wanted.
"A glass of champagne, please," Elle ordered, smiling back broadly. "Hwo about you, Dr. Suresh?"
"Scotch. On the Rocks." Mohinder sighed, his hand working at his tense neck.
"How manly," Elle commented as the flight attendent walked away down the aisle. "What happened to not drinking?"
"It went the way of my patience." Mohinder replied, rolling his eyes as Elle smacked his arm.
"I'm not that bad. Give me a chance!"
Their drinks arrived, and Mohinder downed his quickly. He knew he shouldn't be so hard on Elle, but this whole assignment... He could relax more once Sylar was locked up for good behind the company's walls. He might even be fun. But until this business with Sylar remained unfinished, Mohinder doubted he'd ever be able to relax. In a world where Sylar existed, Molly was never safe...
Elle had taken out a DS and an iPod, and was presently singing along to a song quietly as she played Brain Age. She was quite pretty, Mohinder decided, and if she wasn't completely juvenile, he might have found her enchanting.
But for the time being, Mohinder was unaware that he'd come about to liking Elle very much.
"How's that little girl?" Elle asked, taking a sip of her champagne. "Molly?"
"She's fine." Mohinder replied, his brow furrowed as he put down his empty glass. "She's staying with a friend."
"It must be so hard..." Elle said, her eyes suddenly sad. "I don't remember being a little girl."
"You don't?" Mohinder asked, his brow furrowed.
Elle laughed suddenly, the moment of melancholy gone. "Oh well," she said brightly. "who wants to remember that! But I bet you take care of Molly very well."
"She wants for nothing," Mohinder replied, nodding.
"Good." Elle said, bringing up her DS once more. "Now, go over what we have to do once we find the slime ball."
"I surprise him, you shock him, we bag and tag him, and then send him off to the company." Mohinder rehearsed. "Why do I need to remember it?"
"Well, that's just a base plan. Something to make us feel better." Elle explained. "But seriously, we don't have any plan. We don't know where he is, if he's killing, if he's got new powers, or even if he's here. No plan can be made except a spur of the moment one."
"I just hope we get to Sylar before he can hurt any one else." Mohinder said, "God only knows what he's doing to that poor girl."
Elle nodded, her eyes bright as she lowered her game and unplugged one earphone. "That's what surprises me the most. Why would he persue a romance when he's in hiding? And a young girl? Why?"
"I don't know," Mohinder said.
"Its odd." Elle concluded. "I would never have believed Sylar would do this. I wonder what she's like..."
"Most likely an idiot," Mohinder summarised, leaning back in his chair and thinking the issue over. "Sex starved and closed minded. Beautiful no doubt, but shallow. No one with any sense of self would date Sylar."
"He's good at pretending," Elle said. "I don't think we should draw any conclusions about this girl. She might actually be really sweet and smart, just blinded by love."
Mohinder snorted. "Love! Who could love a killer like Sylar?"
Elle shrugged, "I'm no shrink. But something's up. This doesn't fit his MO."
"What ever, the sooner he's behind bars, the sooner everyone is a whole lot safer."
"Agreed."
"You know what," Mohinder said, smiling at Elle. "I think I will have champagne."
Elle squealed happily and pressed the call button on his chair again.
