"Evolution is not merely a straight path. It is one filled with detours and branches. As one moves along, there are many chances for a being to chose the wrong path. And when they do, they must fight to return to the true path…"

-Mohinder Suresh

(Lee Malion- Boston)

"Malion, what the heck are you doing in today? It's your day off, ain't it?"

Lee chuckled softly, rubbing his right hand against his other arm. "Yea…guess I just can't stay away from this place."

"…ok, what's the real reason?"

"Could never get one past you, could I Joe?" Lee told the security guard. "I left some art supplies up in my office and I had wanted to do some drawing today…you know, got this idea for a poster, and I can't just using a pad of paper…need to see it actual size and all…"

"Lee." Joe interrupted. The guard shook his head, a slight smile forming on his lips. "Do you really think I am going to let you steal that poster back?" Lee stared at him, startled. "Oh knock it off! Bobby told me how you left here all down yesterday, and that only happens when you get a piece taken from ya."

"Joe…please." Lee said, bouncing on his heels. "I know I can do a new one, better then what the boss has! Just let me go up there…"

Joe shook his head. "Would be real stupid of me if I did something like that, wouldn't? You know, my bosses would have my ass if I just let you go rummaging through other people's desks."

Lee sighed. "I know…I don't want you to get in trouble." Turning to leave, the artist had only gotten a step before he felt a strong arm grasp his shoulder.

"But…if I were to go investigate the floors…heard some strange noises and all that…well, they really couldn't blame me. And I can stop you if you want to tag along."

Lee's eyes widened as the older man, lifted himself from his chair with a groan. Joe was already hanging the sign letting everyone know he would be gone for a few minutes. Locking down his station, he looked over at the punk artist.

"You comin' or what?"

Lee grinned, hurrying after the guard and into the elevator.

&&&

(Carter Daniels- Flint)

"Carter…Carter, can you hear me? Say something…"

"Get…the catheter…out of me." Carter groaned, shifting slightly. "W-where am I?"

"You're at the hospital." The voice, which Carter identified now as his mother, Helena Daniels, said softly. "You gave us quite a scare."

Carter let out another groan. It felt like his head was full of rocks, and they kept rolling around and bashing into his skull. Every breath ached just a bit too much, and considering he was still having problems seeing, he wasn't surprised that he was in the hospital.

"W-what…what happened m-m-mom?"

Helena frowned. "Their not sure. They think those boys were beating you up in the stairwell…from the way they were acting, it looks like they have some mental problems and were taking it out on you."

Carter frowned, mulling that thought in his head, when a sudden burst of memory hit him.

&&&

(The Day before)

"So tell me Carter…what happened here on Monday? What did you do to me, huh? Drugs?" Hank punched him once more in the gut. "Come on Carter…you have to have something to say."

Carter slowly looked up, something in his brain finally snapping into place.

"Oh yea…" He whispered, hands beginning to glow. "I've got something to say, Hank."

"What the hell…" Hank whispered, eyes glued to Carter's hands.

"PANIC!" The young man shouted, the energy burst from his fingers and impacting the two men holding him in place. The result was instantaneous. Both were down on the floor, quivering in fear as Carter's suggestion took root. Snapping his head up, Carter held out his hands and focused on Hank. "You c-could just leave me a-a-alone, c-c-could you?"

"What the hell…" Hank repeated. "What did you do to them?"

"What's wrong Hank?" Carter asked. "Feeling scared?" He couldn't help but grin as Hank began to tremble, the energy slowly pouring into him. "Frightened? Terrified?" He turned towards the two that had been holding him. "They s-sure seem sc-scared!"

Instead his mind, a little voice screamed for him to stop. But the last remains of the more confident Carter demanded one final act, one final strike at those that had bullied him.

"Please…" Hank whispered, covering his head. "Don't…"

"Funny…you said the same th-th-thing a few days ago…and yet…" Carter held out his hands again, watching the glow. "Did you st-st-st-st…st-stop?" He finally managed to get out. "NO! You instead wanted me to fear you even more!" More energy shot from him. "Well, no m-m-more…" The little voice screamed, warning that they were pushing it too far. "Now…you're the ones that g-g-g-get to panic!"

The stairwell lit up like a Christmas tree, bathing the three men with the suggestive energy. Each began to cry out, begging for mercy.

But Carter didn't hear them.

HE didn't hear anything.

All he could feel was a heaviness. His body, weighed down. His head lowered and watched the light from his hands snuff out like candles, before darkness overtook his body and the last of the artificial feelings he'd given himself faded.

The little voice screamed, "I told you so."

&&&

"Carter?" Helena said softly. "Are you ok?"

Carter closed his eyes, trying to shut out the memories of what he had done. "Y-yea." He lied. "Just f-f-fine."

"I see the patient is awake." A doctor said as he entered the room. "I'm Dr. Malone. Now that you are awake, I wanted to see if I could ask some questions about what happened yesterday."

Carter frowned. "I…I don't know."

"You don't know if I can ask the questions?"

"No…" Carter said, ignoring the bad joke. "I…I don't re..remember…anything…about yesterday."

Dr. Malone sighed. "I feared as much. The trauma must have caused you to repress the memory…a shame, but little can be done about it."

"Is there anything else?" Helena asked.

"Yes…on Carter's medical history, much of the information was left out about his parents…"

Helena smiled softly. "If you are asking if Carter was adopted, then yes, he was. That information is what little we know about them."

Dr. Malone nodded. "I thought so. Well Carter, the good news is that you will recover just fine. Infact, we are thinking of releasing you tomorrow, if you are ok with that?"

Helena frowned. "So soon…his ribs…"

"Are merely bruised, and are a lot better from what they were yesterday. You're a lucky kid, Carter. It could have been a lot worse." Dr. Malone looked through the chart. "Mrs. Daniels, would you mind if we discussed your insurance policy right now…the hospital wasn't for sure what was covered."

"OF course…" Helena turned to her son. "You rest up Carter, ok? I'll be back in a little while."

"…Sure mom." Carter said softly, watching as his mother and the doctor left him with his thoughts.

&&&

(Lee Malion-Boston)

"Why are these offices so creepy?" Joe asked, the two of them walking towards Lee's boss' office. Just as he had promised, Lee had been able to draw a brand new poster in 10 minutes, this time without any errors. He would have still liked to make a few changes, but knew that it would be pushing it. His boss had seen the poster, and any design changes other then the no making the little line error would draw to much attention to himself.

"Just the low lights." Lee said.

"I hate working in these old buildings…always giving me the willies."

"The willies?"

"Shuddup." Joe snapped. "Let's just get this…"

Both men froze as they heard a low snarling noise echoing from the shadows in front of them.

"What was that?" Lee whispered.

"I don't know…damn old buildings, you think maybe we just…"

An ear-piercing howl filled the floor.

"No." Lee said. "We didn't just hear something…come on, let's just get the poster and go."

"And let some beast tear up the place…" Joe pulled out his gun. "No way in hell. Come on, Lee…let's go."

Lee frowned as the two of them crept towards the strange noises. "Said the man with the gun. What am I suppose to do, hit the monster with my poster?"

"Don't call it a monster!" Joe hissed. "You'll get me all jumpy."

"We're walking towards something that growls and roars and you want me to believe that it isn't a monster?"

"Stop calling…" Joe stood ramrod still, Lee looking over his shoulder. IN the darkness, Lee could just make out his boss' office, the torn off its hinges. And standing in the doorway, something with glowing yellow eyes stared at them. "SHIT!" Joe screamed, opening fire. 3 shots rang out, followed by a pain-filled yelp…then silence.

"What…" Lee whispered.

Joe walked towards the fallen form, frowning. "It's a dog." He said simply. "A big, ugly dog.." Bringing his gun up, Joe fired a shot right into the animal's skull. "Stay here, will yea…I'll radio for animal control to pick the body up." Before Lee could protest, the guard was gone, leaving him with the body.

Looking down at the creature, Lee couldn't help but stare at the animal…something wasn't right about it. The head and upper body were too big, the back too small. Its teeth were huge, and its jowls were almost comically disproportional. That, and the yellow eye…

"No…no way…" Lee whispered, leaning down and running his hand along the dead dog's forehead. "this…" Running straight up from the dog's eye was a hard, thin black object. It was unnatural, as if someone had inserted it.

Before he could even process what he was seeing, the dog's body began to shake, making the punk artist leap back. But the dog was not waking up. No, it was twisting…flattening…

"…before they are unable to change their path, and find themselves lost forever."

-Mohinder Suresh

…into the poster Lee had drawn yesterday.

Lee's jaw dropped. "Holy s…"