Decisions

New developments had occurred since the last newscast, Frank and Mohinder had heard about the amok attack at the Santa Barbara police station. The already known facts were now supplemented by a press conference the new chief of police was holding in front of the station.

I just wanna say one thing." the former head detective Carlton Lassiter announced from his position behind the microphone. „Whoever this man is. He better be ready to tango, because we´re going to find him."

What do you plan to do, chief Lassiter?" a reporter asked him. Lassiter gave the young man a face as if that was the most stupid question he´d ever heard in his life.

I just told you what I plan to do." he said. „I will find this bastard and bring him to justice. Eight of our finest died because of him and I will make him pay for that."

„That sounds as if you would consider vigilantism, chief." another reporter mentioned. „Is that an option for your men? To revenge their comrades by playing judge and executioner all in one?"

In this moment something happened in chief Lassiter´s face, that didn´t only make the reporter skip back a little but also the officers around him.

You listen to me." he addressed the reporter in a low tone. „If you want to indicate that the S.B.P.D. would lower itself down to the level of this criminal …"

Then you say that the man who did this will be treated just like every other criminal that is wanted by the S.B.P.D.?" another reporter asked fearless.

He´ll be treated like every other criminal that dared it to come into our station and kill eight people in cold blood." Lassiter replied. „I will drag him in front of your cameras myself so you can see that cowardly bastard for yourself. And you may quote that back to me if you want."

Some more questions followed but the quintessence went down to the already said again and again. Chief Lassiter promised by his oath as a police detective to find this man and bring him to justice for all the people he´d killed. After a while the news switched away from the live conference and back to the studio for a more compressed summary.

„I already called my sister and asked her to leave town for a while." Frank mentioned. „She´ll stay with a friend in San Diego. I had to threat her with coming over to watch over her myself if she wouldn´t." He threw an estimating look at Sylar. „Any thoughts of who could have done that?" he asked him.

Sylar only shook his head. „No." he said and there was something in his voice that Mohinder didn´t like because it sounded too much like the old Sylar. „But I´ll find out." he promised. His gaze was still fixed on the TV where the frozen picture of the culprit – one that couldn´t even be called a picture, bad as it was – was still filling one half of the screen.

„I´ll go and find that guy." Sylar said. „And I´ll ask him what he was thinking by using my name."

„What are you gonna do?" Mohinder demanded to know and stepped forward to draw the killer´s attention away from the screen.

„I just told you." Sylar answered, not understanding the question at all. „I´ll find him. Whoever he is."

„And kill him?"

Sylar cocked his head in surprise. „Depends on." he shrugged. When he was confronted with accusing gaze of the geneticist he pointed at the screen. „He obviously killed people." he cried defensively. „Don´t tell me that you want me to be gentle with him."

„Depends on." Mohinder said calmly.

„On what?"

„On why you´d want to kill him." Frank answered the question for Mohinder. „If he´s a Special like you …"

„You´re right." Sylar admitted. „If he has an ability, the hunger might drive me to take it from him. But honestly." he turned back to Mohinder. „Would that be such a crime?"

„You said that you wanted to change." the geneticist recalled.

„I do." Sylar assured him. „But I need to do that. Not because this guy could have an ability that I want. But he knows me. I don´t know how but he does."

„He could have heard of you." Frank offered a possibility. When they both looked at him surprised, he shrugged. „A typical copycat killer … trying to imitate his idol."

„Yeah." Sylar agreed slightly irritated. „Fact is, he´s doing these things in my name." he went on where Frank had interrupted him. „Or … because of me. Anyway, I need to go there. I could stop him."

Mohinder studied his face for a moment. „You really mean that, don´t you?" he found.

„I´m responsible for what´s happening there." Sylar insisted. „He might have killed Shawn and Juliet when he attacked the police station. And even if he didn´t, next time he might. I can´t let him do this."

Mohinder was still hesitant. Could he really risk that? What if Sylar fell back into his old habits after all? Just the temptation might be too much.

„You believed me back in Santa Barbara, Mohinder." Sylar spoke up as if he´d read his doubts in his features. „Will you come with me or not?" he demanded to know. „I´ll go there with or without you. But I´d feel saver if you´d come too."

The geneticist frowned. „Saver?"

„Just in case … you know."

And of course he knew. He understood just too well. That Sylar was still not able to trust himself and his hunger to be controlled when it was needed most. Not if he was alone with no one around to call him back to reality. And that way it wasn´t only Sylar´s responsibility to go there but also his.

„All right." Mohinder said at last. And more he didn´t need to say.

Sylar nodded at him seriously. „Thank you."

Frank studied the two of them for a minute and then decided that the talking part was over. Now it was called for to move.

„I´ll arrange a flight to the States for you two then." he said.

...

When Nobody had approached the big gates, he hadn´t been angry anymore. At least not as angry as he´d been when he´d gone to the police station. This time it had been just a job he´d had to do. The second half of his message to these bastards that had dared to kill Sylar.

He hadn´t planned to do too much in there and he hadn´t needed to do much. Just enough to make the avalanche roll down the hill all on its own. And it hadn´t needed too much of a push to make that happen. He´d known that. He´d spent a big part of his life in the company of such men. They really only needed a tiny little push and all hell broke loose. He´d known that and he hadn´t cared. Not really. It could only serve his needs. The more chaos this city would experience, the better for him.

All he wanted was to let them know that they´d lost control. That they´d signed their own death sentence when they´d killed Sylar, that Sylar might be dead but that someone was here to make them pay for that. A new Sylar. A better one. Because this one wouldn´t die. If they would try to kill him they would be up for one hell of a surprise. Just the way the police had always been up for a surprise when they´d wanted to arrest him. They´d learned that lesson again and again over the years … with heavy losses of their own and none whatsoever on his side.

When he left the prison behind, the riot was just in the process of getting started but Nobody didn´t intent to stay and watch. He didn´t care what these culprits would do now that they were free. His work had been done when he´d killed the guards and opened the cells. Now this load of crap should go and do with this city whatever they thought suitable. He would just go on and do the same.

One each day, that was his plan. Just the way he´d started it. Only that this time he wouldn´t hope for a reply from Sylar anymore. This time he would show them that Sylar was back with these bodies. And they would understand the message. Oh, yes, they would. Because now it wouldn´t be anybody anymore. This time he would pick the people to kill. He would make sure that they would never sleep again. Until he decided to pay them a visit and release them from their misery.

He heard a sound behind himself and halted. When he looked back, there was a shadow. Just for a second and then it was gone behind a car. What the hell? Was one of these assholes from the prison following him? He should go to hell. Nobody walked on, but the steps followed him. Whoever it was, he didn´t want to be seen. Who was that guy thinking that he was?

But maybe that wasn´t even the worst that could happen to him. That way he didn´t need to search out his next victim. If this guy was so eager to die he would do him the favour. So he walked on as if he wouldn´t hear the sounds that followed him, sometimes shuffling, sometimes stumbling, sometimes even knocking something over. This guy must be the worst guard ever. No wonder that he was working in prison, when he wasn´t even able to disguise his presence. Nobody walked around a corner and slipped into the darkness of an allay.

He didn´t need to wait long and the idiot was there, peeking around the corner like a child that played hide and seek. Big eyes tried to see in the darkness and failed. Long curly hair hung down from the head that was stretched around the corner. The pink colour of her dress was screaming even in the darkness of this allay. Nobody couldn´t believe it. That was not what he´d expected.

He reached out his hand and grabbed the collar of the person that had dared so foolishly to follow him. A shriek escaped the small mouth but only for a moment. Then he had pushed her against the wall and the air out of her lungs.

„Why are you following me, woman?" he demanded to know.

The woman looked at him with excited eyes. It almost was as if she wasn´t even scared.

„I´ve seen the news." she told him. „You are the guy that blew up the police station, ain´t you?" She laughed and shook her head. „Man. What a wicked thing to pull of. You know they are so going to kill you for that." she told him seriously.

Nobody could only smile at this. „They can´t kill me." he told her.

„You know." she replied unimpressed. „My father used to say that too. But he´s dead. I killed him."

Nobody frowned. That was yet another thing he hadn´t expected. „You killed your own dad?" he heard himself ask.

„I didn´t want to." she assured him. „He left me no choice." After saying that she nodded at him very seriously. „I really wish he hadn´t made me do it." She then reached out her hand for him. „I´m Yang by the way."

Nobody was unsure what to do with this. This was definitely not what he´d expected. This woman was obviously crazy. But something about her surprised him beyond that simple fact. He didn´t know exactly why, but he released her. He suddenly didn´t want to kill her anymore. He would find another victim soon enough.

„See that you get out of here." he told her and walked away.

He had no idea what was wrong with him all the sudden. He could have killed her easily and there was no reason why he shouldn´t. A victim was a victim no matter how he came across it. The only thing that mattered about them was that he could present it to the police the next day. Just … not this one. Maybe it was the stupid pink dress, he figured. He hated the colour.

He´d just reached the end of the street, when he heard her annoying shuffling sounds again. He stopped and swirled around to go back and tell her to scram … and was more than startled when he found her standing right behind him. She bopped on her feet like a little girl and looked at him just the same way.

„Why do you keep following me around?" he asked irritated.

„Well, maybe because I don´t know where to go anyway." she answered with a shrug. „And I´m curious. Why do you think they can´t kill you?"

„I don´t think that." he replied. „I know it."

This reveal only caused her to laugh. She even suppressed a squeal like from a school girl. What the hell was wrong with her?

„You don´t believe me." he spoke it out.

„I´ve seen a lot crazies in there over the last few years." she told him, pointing behind herself at the by now far away prison she´d just escaped from. „One of them is still knitting on his invisible pullover." she said with a nod. „So, no. I don´t believe you. You´re not the first megalomaniac who thought he´s invincible. In the end they get shot pretty effortlessly."

„Not me." Nobody assured her but she only nodded selfconfident.

„You too." she said matter of factly.

He just couldn´t believe it. „You know that you play with your life right now." he asked her.

She waved her hand through the air. „Heard that pretty often too." she said unimpressed. „You´re the one playing with your life when you run around, busting a prison and the police station with only your crazy thoughts as protection. I for myself would prefer a bulletproof vest."

„I don´t need a bulletproof vest." he assured her but she only rolled her eyes and nodded as if to say: sure sure, whatever you say.

This time he had enough. How could she dare to talk to him like that? He would teach her a lesson not to doubt his words. Right here and now. He reached under his coat and pulled a knife and indeed she flinched when she saw it. Nobody smiled. It was always so sweet to see the fear in their eyes. But despite her little jump, she didn´t run for her life. He had to give her that. She was either very brave or just really really crazy. Either way, he had pulled the knife for a reason hadn´t he? So he took it tight and then he stabbed … himself.

She jumped again, raising her hands to her mouth and gasped. But then she realized that he wasn´t hurt, not at all, and she frowned in confusion. She inched a little closer to see better if she hadn´t just overlooked the blood that should be gusting out of his chest by now. But there was none. Nobody found it very amusing to watch her eyes grow big at this discovery. She looked at his chest and then up at him astonished. He looked right back at her with an arched eyebrow. See now, his gaze asked her.

He offered her his knife. „Wanna try it yourself?"

She hesitated for a moment, studying his face to estimate if this was a trick or not. Then she took the knife and stabbed him in the chest. The result of course was the same as before. Still she seemed surprised. Maybe she´d expected it to be a magic trick of some sorts, that would cease to work as soon as she used the knife. But it didn´t. Because it was no trick. She could feel that when the blade of the knife just refused to penetrate his skin. She stared at him in shock … and tried it again. And again. When she wanted to try again, he stopped her.

„That´s enough." he told her like a strickt father and she stopped. Her eyes were so big again.

„Oh my god" she breathed.

He could only chuckle. „You´re not that far off with that name."

...

Interims chief Lassiter had just finished the worst phone call he´d ever had in his career as the chief of police. What was it that he started this position and immediately he had to keep the city from falling apart? The door flew open and his partner stormed in, closely followed by Spencer.

„Carlton." she cried.

He put – hammered – the phone back into the cradle. „I know." he grumbled. „I just heard it. Goddamn bastard."

He stood up and started to walk around, his hand wiping though his hair in despair and frustration. He had to restrain himself from gripping really hard and maybe pull some of it out in the process. He truly felt like ripping something out, preferably the throat of that son of a bitch Nobody.

„What are we gonna do now, Lassie?" Spencer asked after a minute.

Lassiter looked at him and his partner. They looked both really upset and uncertain. They obviously expected him to make a decision. And of course they did. He was the chief for god´s sake.

„McNab!" he yelled on top of his lungs and made them both flinch under the sudden and unexpected noise. Outside the young officer jumped as well and immediately rushed in.

„Yes, chief?"

„Arrange another press conference." Lassiter ordered. „I want a bunch of cameras out there in ten minutes from now. Make that happen."

McNab looked a little helpless but nodded nevertheless. Lassiter turned to his partner.

„O´Hara, I want pictures of each and every culprit that escaped today." he told her and turned back to McNab. „And I want every man out on the streets to find them before the day is out. Got me?"

„Yes, sir." the officer replied and ran out to execute his orders.

„What about Nobody?" O´Hara asked him.

Lassiter was about to give her an answer when the thin voice of Mary Lightly interrupted him.

„That´s exactly what he wanted." the small profiler said, standing in the door with crouched shoulders. „Chaos. He wants to let us know that he is in control and we´re not."

„We didn´t lose control." Lassiter stated matter of factly. „And we won´t. Not as long as I´m in charge here. That´s against the rules."

„This man has no rules but his own, detective." Lightly said.

„Then we´ll teach him some of mine." Lassiter replied determined. And he already knew how. „Spencer!" he addressed the fake psychic and made him flinch with that. He obviously hadn´t expected to be addressed. Lassiter signaled him with his finger to follow and walked out.

Shawn threw Juliet an uncertain glance.

„Right now!" Lassiter barked without turning back around.

This time Shawn gave up wondering what he was up to and just hurried after him.

...

Mohinder shoved his bag into the compartment above the seats and then sat down. Sylar was sitting at the window. He was looking out, obviously deep in his own thoughts. It wasn´t that the scientist couldn´t understand that. There were a lot of things he needed to think through as well. But before he could do that, there was something else he needed to know and that was something he couldn´t devine by himself.

„We need to talk." he addressed the killer.

„Talk." Sylar said without looking at him. „I´m listening."

„I need to know what you´re going to do when we find this man." Mohinder said.

„I don´t know that yet." was all Sylar would say to that. „Depends on the situation."

„That´s not what I´m talking about and you know that." Mohinder hissed. „You must know where you tend to go and I need to know that too. What are you gonna do?"

Instead of giving him an answer Sylar looked ahead at the backrest of the seat before him. For a moment Mohinder thought he was thinking about an answer but then the killer turned his dark glare around to look out of the window again. In some way that was more for an answer than Mohinder had wanted to have. He grabbed Sylar´s shoulder and made him look back at him.

„I won´t let you do this, you hear me?" he hissed.

For a moment, Sylar was startled. „This man is a murderer." he stated. „And you´re honestly begging for his life?"

„This has nothing to do with how many cruelties this man has done." Mohinder told him. „It´s about you, not him. You asked me to come along to do exactly that, to keep you in line. So now you will listen to me. If this man we seek has an ability then this is the ultimate test for you to fight your hunger."

There was no big change in Sylar´s face. „I might be forced to kill him if there´s no other way." he said at last.

„If that happens then it happens." Mohinder agreed and startled the killer once again with that. „But you asked for my help and if you only use the situation as an excuse to feed your hunger, then I´ll refuse to ever help you again, you hear me?"

Now Sylar wasn´t just startled anymore but downright stunned, Mohinder could tell that from the look in his eyes. „Yeah." he said. „I understand."

Mohinder nodded. „Good." he said.

He realized that he was still holding Sylar´s collar and let go of him. He turned around and realized something else. The man who occupied the seat next to them on the other side of the aisle had returned during their talk and he was now looking at him curiously. Mohinder needed to remind himself on the fact that this man was a Swiss and only understood German. He had learned that when they´d entered the plane. Still it was uncomfortable to know that he´d listened to their discussion the whole time.

Mohinder gave him a polite smile and the good man smiled right back at him. „Schönes Wetter heute, nicht?"

...

The door was barely open when she already rushed in and looked around excitedly, spinning like a dancing princess with her arms flying around her. She giggled and hugged herself, throwing him a gaze that looked a hundred percent like a six year old girl. He almost expected her to tell him next: `I´m a princess!´

But she didn´t. She pulled the childish expression back and put on a more professional and adult face.

„So that´s your place, huh?" she asked almost casually. „Like what you´ve done with it."

For a moment Nobody wondered what part of her performance was the real one. The first one or this one. But her gaze was so earnest – it had been earnest before and it was earnest now – that it was hard to tell the difference. Right now she looked at him as if she expected something special from him. What the hell did she expect him to say? That he had a subscription for the happy home improver? That interior decoration was a secret passion of his? None of the above.

„I killed the guy who lived here earlier." he told her.

„Oh." was all she said to that. „Then these are not your furnitures, I figure."

He threw the keys on the table and shrugged. „Now they are."

„I see." she nodded and started to walk around. „Anyway, I like it. But I would put other curtains on. They really don´t match the cushions of the sofa."

Nobody couldn´t help but smirked. „Do what you want with it." he said. „I won´t stay here very long."

„Where do you want to go?"

„What do you care?"

„If I´m not supposte to care, why did you take me along in the first place?"

„Maybe I just wanted a new victim that I can present the police in the morning." he suggested and stepped closer to her for show.

„No, I don´t think that was the reason." she shook her head, not a bit intimidated. „If you´d wanted that you could have killed me everywhere." she said rightfully. „You don´t care about anything, not even about being seen."

„Maybe I wanted some undisturbed fun with you before I kill you." he kept suggesting possibilities.

„Oh, if that is all, just go ahead." was all she said. „But I still don´t think that´s the reason why you brought me here."

„You have no idea what you´re talking about, loony." he said when he had enough and finally walked away from her.

„Oh, I know that I´m crazy but that is something we have in common." she mentioned. „Only I know it and accept it. You don´t."

„Maybe I should kill you." he mused.

„Yeah, but you won´t do that." she replied confidently. „Because I happen to know the detectives that are investigating your case. I could help you track their steps. I´m pretty good at this."

„I don´t need your help with anything."

„Well, then why the heck did you bring me here? I mean it won´t be just because of my cheery company, will it?" In this moment, when his gaze met her´s again, she gasped. „That was the reason." she cried when the so called realisation hit her. „Aaww." she smiled and lay he head askew. „You just want someone to listen, don´t you? Don´t worry, I understand that."

„You don´t know what you´re talking about, loony." he repeated what he´d already said.

„Oh, believe me, I do." she assured him. „I know that feeling of just wanting to be heard. You tell yourself that you don´t want that, that you don´t need anyone. You did great all these years alone. But inside, you just want someone to listen. No matter if they want or not. If they understand or not. No matter who they are, even if they are the victims of your daddy. But that is even something you have in common so you figure it´s okay. And they will listen because they have no choice. Okay, they are pretty freaked out but … they will listen. At least for a while. But then they are dead and they can´t listen anymore. And you are alone again with your thoughts. Alone except maybe for daddy but …" she laughed. „Let´s be honest, he never really listened." After that she became serious again. „So yeah." she said. „I know what I´m talking about. I understand. You can talk to me. I will listen, I promise."

Nobody stared at her. He had listened to all of this, growing more and more fascinated without wanting it. There it was again. This strange something about this woman that he couldn´t understand and even less explain.

„Why were you in prison again?" he asked her.

She only smiled and rooked like a shy little girl.