Chapter 20: The human versus the predator

"Ask her! Ask her if she was asked to look for me."

Both stared at her as she slowly shook her head.

"You see." said Matt immediately.

"No. I won't let her become the victim of their greed."

Matt stopped and closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened them again.

"Who did you bring..." He couldn't finish the question as he moaned and collapsed.Molly screamed as she saw Matt falling to the ground. Immediately, she felt Mohinder's hand what was put in front of her mouth.

"What the hell have you done?" he yelled. Molly was shocked because she didn't know what demon he was talking to.

Someone, a tall man with brown hair and a huge nose, was appearing from thin air. Claude Rains turned himself visible before he answered.

"I got your ass out of some serious shit. He was trying to get inside your head. I had to neutralize him."

"Company routine." murmured Mohinder, holding his hand in front of Molly's mouth, to prevent her from screaming.

"Just hold the girl and pull her down to the cells. Stay close to me! If she alarms someone, I'll kill you myself."

He grabbed Mohinder's hand, opened the room's door and started sneaking out.

Hiro was tired. Without his power, he wasn't able to get them out of the dirty cell they were closed into. He wasn't able to do anything. At least, he tried but that didn't change anything except his hands were in a pain that was getting stronger and stronger. He wished if he had spoken right, and he had really had super strength. He could break the chains with ease and maybe even disarm the Yakuza soldiers guarding them outside. Even if he didn't know how many were there. But there was no help. He felt lost and powerless, just like his sister and he could feel that.

Suddenly, the door opened with a creak. They looked up and saw the soldier stepping in who interrogated Hiro last time. His left and his forearm were in a sling, Hiro thought that it was broken. He looked at him with fury, and then stepped aside. Another Yakuza got in, older and thinner than the first one and he had a beard, too. He wore a shroud like samurai.

"You thought you could fool me so easily, Nakamura?" he said angrily. "Did you expect us to let you go away without trying?" He sat down so his hand was lower than Hiro's one.

"You might not know me. But you are clever and you are the first one who was chosen."

"For what?" shouted Kimiko.

"Did you kno about the founding of the company?"

"How does this come..." Hiro tried to start with the question but his sister interrupted him.

"The Nakamuras were serving the state of Japan for a long time. After the world war, our grandfather got a share from the companies of the rebuild."

"Lie!" the man shouted. "While forming Yamagato, your family were in alliance with another one. Mine!"

"A Yakuza?" Hiro stammered. He couldn't believe his ears.

"My father wasn't simply a clanlord. He was Ekei Ozaki, a clever and wealthy man. He helped the Nakamuras founding Yamagato. But after many years, he and your father, Kaito, had many quarrels and the right was decided in a ritual duel between them. With Kaito's abilities, which were kept secret but were very useful in the duel, he couldn't lose. All of his fortune was taken from my father and the name was erased from Yamagato. From that day, I sought revenge and now I got what I wanted."

"What?" asked Hiro.

"Your power, Hiro Nakamura. I expected one or two of you to have a secret ability like your father. After I had kidnapped Kimiko, I realized that she didn't. So all I had to do is to use her as a bait and get you here. I know about your ability, Hiro Nakamura, all I want to know is what is it."

"You will never know it. You can torture me if you want." said Hiro courageously.

"Of course I could." he said as he stood up. He stepped to Kimiko and in one moment, he grabbed a small knife and put it to her throat. "But if you lose a member of the family?" He moved his hand and cut her. She tried not to shout but she was scared to death. The cut was slowly getting longer.

"Stop!" he shouted. "I can get to wherever I want."

He stared at him and put the knife away. He walked out and called the soldier with him, leaving them wreathing.

If someone would have noticed them, it could have been thought that they were a simple, ordinary couple, though maybe lost because this part of Moscow wasn't among the most popular ones, from the tourists' or couples' point of view. But Sylar and Marie both knew that in his head there were totally different plans. He hadn't killed for a while and felt ready and prepared to make a bloodbath if he had to. He remembered, and the feeling of pain and disappointment was like a lightning bolt for him. He had tried to capture Claire Bennet twice already and she had always managed to fool him and get away without a scratch on her.

"Why don't you go in and wait for them there?" asked Marie, with enthusiasm in her voice.

"It's more fun to wait outside for them and when they are comforted, begin the hunt."

She shrugged his shoulder like she was saying OK, but she didn't really understand that.

"You know" he said "I just miss practice."

She stared at him but she didn't seem that she suddenly enlightened. In fact, how could she, Sylar thought. There is no other person in the planet who could feel the way he could. Get ready, launch the attack, kill fast and get the long-deserved prize. That was what he was looking for. He was excited because he couldn't imagine the feeling. Being invulnerable, a dream coming true.

A van arrived and they watched the two stepping out of it. First, a tall, middle-aged man with horn-rimmed glasses and then a small, blond girl.

His pulse started to raise, as he got a glimpse of his prey.

As Niki left when she heard that something had been wrong down in the computer room and Micah had been taken away, Nathan was left alone, at last. He washed his sweating face and then he went to the window of the office and stared out. He knew he took a hard job and he knew he couldn't avoid sacrifice. He felt like this had been his world, though it was similar that he was used to in his father's office. He could never rest, he had to be ready all the time to help people, to make them happy and strong in a world full of tragedy and crises. He knew this wouldn't be easy and that he needed help. And right now, he couldn't afford to let this boy die, despite his personal desire. This would have been a too big price for the world, and for her. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. He didn't really wanted to see anyone, as he didn't expect anyone.

"Come in." he said quietly, instead of sending his visitor away. Always ready.

He sat down as the door opened. Nathan just saw the Chinese doctor, standing well away from the door but staring right at him. Then, he felt that someone or something caught him and pulled him away from his desk, out of the office. He tried to fly but he couldn't, and in a moment he was standing in front of her, petrified, unable to move.

"What are you doing?" asked he, afraid. A few seconds ago, he was thinking about a way to a better world, and now, someone could destroy it easily.

"Testing." she replied calmly. In a moment, the force was gone. "I took a new ability. Now that it is working I can test myself and figure out this whole thing." She turned around and left.

"Watch out for the boy!" Nathan said but she didn't seem to listen. He should better keep an eye on her.

Despite all the given circumstances, Niki decided to hold her son's hand in hers. She didn't care about all the doctors moving around them like a storm, slowly getting weaker and weaker. He wasn't sweating heavily, his breathing was undisturbed and at all he was stable. Yet she could feel that this simple move, feeling her hands in his, comforted him. The doctors told her that he had woken up before but he was still weak. Niki thought about what happened to him and what Nathan said. Micah could have been the last hope but she couldn't lose him. And if anyone had another opinion, she should crush them easily.

His heartbeat sped up and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Hi, Mum." he said quietly and he smiled.

"Hi. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

Silence fell between them for a seemingly long time. Niki couldn't say anything now when he woke up at last. Then, desperation burst out of her in one sigh.

"What should we do?"

Micah seemed to think before he answered.

"Guard me, please." he said. "I'm going back but I want you to guard me."

She looked at him, shocked.

"I'm not going to let anyone to send you back." she said.

"Nobody has to. I want to." Her surprise grew and maybe her anger as well.

"I can defeat it, I know. If I had known what to do I could have done it earlier. Now I know and I will do it. Just be my guardian."

She looked in his eyes and saw dedication. She realized that he wasn't just talking about being a hero – he really was one and he found his mission. He wasn't a kid any more.

"What should I do exactly?" she asked.

"Hold my hand." he whispered and slowly got out of the bed.

Hiro looked towards the exit as it opened again. He felt that Kimiko turned her head, too. The Yakuza clanlord who had tortured stepped in, alone. The knife was in his hand, again. But instead of striking them, he sat down in front of Hiro, just like he did a few hours ago.

"I am a very lucky person even if I had to make this choice." His face moved closer to Hiro's left ear. "I have an ability, just like you, Hiro Nakamura. The hardest part was to recognize it, because it isn't like yours, not so simple and not so common. It was a huge accident when I became conscious of my power. I can take powers of other people but I can't use them myself. I can only give and take. But with this, I could become a lord. I can make my soldiers, my allies stronger, faster and more resourceful. I am very happy that you became a victim of mine."

He stood up, slowly took the knife and released both of them while the soldier with the broken hand came into the room.

"I won't kill you." the clanlord said. "I'll ensure that you remember the name Ainora Ozaki, the man who humiliated you and found revenge that was sought for a long-long time."

The soldier suddenly grabbed Hiro and Kimiko, and in the next moment, they found themselves in the CEO's office.

Hiro collapsed. He was more than humiliated. He was nearly destroyed.

Both Claude and Mohinder sighed deeply when they found out that Kamala is still down in the cell and it looked like she didn't have a scratch on her. She was sitting on the floor, meditating.

Suddenly, her eyes popped up. For a moment, they were blind faded but in the next they turned back to their original brown colour. She looked shocked.

"They are coming." she stammered.

"Get the hell us out of here!" shouted Claude. In the same moment, the door shattered as something like a grenade or a stick of dynamite blew up. People outside were yelling like they were going to a battle but orders were said out even louder. Taking advantage of the reigning chaos, Molly bit Mohinder's hand and broke free. In that moment he didn't really care about Molly, instead jumped in front of a tazor which had been shot towards Kamala. As the needle hit his back, he could feel that he touched her but nothing more, before he collapsed because of the drugs spreading all over his body.

Moments seemed hours or maybe even years for him. But he couldn't afford to make another mistake with such a valuable target. Just like he had said: get them comforted and only then attack. So Sylar decided that they should wait for about five or ten minutes and that she should look at her watch, not to let his desire to overcome him. It was really harder to say than to do it. He was like a hungry predator and this process was like a torture for him.

"Let's go!" she said after a while.

They crossed the road and reached the entrance door of the block.

"What now?" she asked. Her voice was almost as enthusiastic as he was.

"Stand back and watch!" he advised. She did so and he began to concentrate like the long-died Zane Taylor. The door slowly melted and at the same time, her face fell as well. It looked like this was something she could have never imagined. He didn't really care about her thoughts but in deep, he liked the fact that he and his abilities have truly amused someone. They entered and he asked her to be quiet because he wanted to listen undisturbed to find the two Bennets' flat. After a few minutes, he heard Claire's unmistakable voice, like a tingling in his brain. It came from the floor above them. After that, he started concentrating again, lifted both himself and Marie in the air. Another kill came to his mind, just like when he went to Montana and murdered the woman with enhanced hearing. He didn't remember her name, but did he have to? He moved them up to the first floor, in front of the door which one he thought that was leading to Claire's room. He took a deep breath. Another chance given to him by fate.

With a telekinetic punch, he crushed the door and rushed in. There was only one small room, Claire and Noah were both standing.

"Get out, Claire! Any way!" Noah yelled with a panicky voice while he pulled his gun. With Sylar blocking the exit to the door, she tried to use the only way out that was left: the window.

Sylar was ready and reacted fast. Noah pulled the trigger, Claire tried to jump out of the window – he was able to catch both. Claire was forced to stop, she was grabbed by the force of his mind and the bullets were also stopped in mid-air. In the next moment, he launched the bullets back towards Noah.

"Dad!" shouted Claire but there was no use. The bullet went right through his head and he died. Sylar smirked. He was ready for a bloodbath. Then, he pulled her closer to him, to slice her head open.

Suddenly, something hit his head and broke into pieces when it crashed. For a moment, she broke free but he recovered quickly and grabbed Claire again while he turned back. Marie was heaving and she held a piece china in her hand. Anger burst out of him and, while still holding Claire, he pushed her to the wall. She looked terribly afraid.

"That was what you wanted to see." he murmured. "That is who I really am." Surprisingly even to him, there was some sadness in his voice.

"I knew." she whispered. "I have known it since I went to the police office. You murdered your own mother. What ability did she have?"

"And you let him go?" shouted Claire.

"Shut up!" he shouted and closed her mouth with the power of his mind. "She didn't have any. It was a simple accident."

She didn't say a word but didn't seem to believed him. She was close to begin crying.

"You helped me get here and get what I want. Therefore, if you leave right now, I am not going to kill you."

She gulped.

"I liked you." she said. "Does it have to go this way?"

"I've told you. This is who I am. Will you leave?"

She nodded and he released her.

"You're not just an overhuman." she murmured when she left.

Then, Sylar pulled back Claire again in front of him. If she could cried, she would have done that but her mouth was still bound together.

As he began to cut her head open, it regenerated immediately. He cursed and then picked up the china pieces. This will be a bit harder than he had thought.

She wasn't sure about how should she feel because of Micah's situation. He took huge steps and both of them knew that he risked a lot. She remembered the night when D.L. was killed. Just like Micah, he had risked a lot but he knew what was he fighting for. It was a terrible thing that he couldn't win that fight because couldn't get enough help. But now, she was here and was able to help Micah not to fail.

He looked into the computer again and this time, he was prepared that he's going be hit immediately and he was able to defend himself and avoid falling unconscious again. He looked around and saw that the most of the surroundings were glowing in green but there were much less numbers than before therefore it was much darker. Faces of huge, carnivorous lizards appeared around him, some of them formed out of the numbers, some of them just appearing from the dark. If he had been in the real world, he would have felt that lots of eyes were staring a him. In this case, he just knew that the virus was concentrating, focusing on him, trying to figure out how on earth did he manage to stay here after the first attack and what was he after all. He knew what he had to do, he could almost hear softwares and hardwares working, ticking, trying to figure out the error what his presence meant. They couldn't affect him since he was something more than them, not a single program, ready to get overwritten.

The lizards attacked once again but he raised his arm like a shield and defended himself again. He was attacked again and again but he knew that this wasn't his world and managed to stand still. Then, like a professional fighter, as the glowing slowly faded and the lizards were less likely to move and attack, he punched one and after that, many of them. The lizard died, his presence was too much for the virus and it couldn't handle such a new thing.

As he returned to the real world, his mother closed him in her arms.

"I've done it." he whispered. "I want some sleep."

Someone knocked on the door and disturbed Peter again while he was trying to look and see through the events and persons that were represented by the strings. Nicolai entered the room.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"For what?" asked Peter back.

"We have to move. It's your time. We have to get to Moscow. Together."

"At least, I'll try."

He took Nicolai's hand and thought about the capital of Russia.