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Redemption's Just a Word (Ch 7-12)
Heroes | Sylar, Mohinder, Bob, Matt, OC
PG13-NC17 | 15645 words
Chapter 7
“I should kill you for keeping this from me.” He said, his eyes scanning up and down her body and Abby fidgeted. Fear began to rise in her stomach as she contemplated stepping back, “I swear I didn’t know anything about you until tonight.”
Sylar’s jaw clenched down at her statement, dropping the folder to the ground, “The only reason they’d be interested in you is if you have an ability.” He paused, raising an eyebrow before continuing, “Do you?”
She shook her head, her mind remembering just what made him a murderer, “No…” Her eyes diverted down and lingered there as silence built up in the room. The young girl brought her eyes back up, seeing him staring her down and she swallowed hard.
Her nerves caused her to back up but Sylar stayed where he was, his eyes fixed on her as if she was his prey. He lifted his hand and she panicked, stopping her retreat as one of the straps on her dress fell down her shoulder. She quickly pulled it back up, dismissing it until she looked back up at Sylar, a wide grin on plastered on his face.
His hand flicked slightly and the strap fell again, Abby finally caught on as she raised her head up, her voice shaky, “Stop…” A low laugh echoed in the dimmed room and her heart began to beat rapidly as he stepped out towards her. His footsteps were slow, paced perfectly as he advanced on her and she turned, running towards the bedroom in an attempt to escape him. The door shut closed on cue, the lock firmly latching into place as she jerked the handle roughly, panic full fledged in her system.
She let out a defeated sigh as she heard Sylar’s footsteps stop just behind her. Closing her eyes, she turned her body, opening them to find the young man standing inches from her. A smirk played on his lips as Abby felt the zipper of her dress slide down and she quickly slammed her back against the wall as if that would stop his actions.
Sylar stepped forward, the smirk still plastered on his face as he stood centimeters from her body. He lowered his face to her neck, his lips barely brushing over her skin as her voice murmured, “No… no, no, no…” She kept repeating the word softly as she brought her hands up, placing them against his chest to push him away but he laughed, his warm breath sending chills down her spine. Sylar grabbed her wrists, pulling them outward as he pinned them against the wall to her sides.
He pulled his head back, his face inches from hers as he smiled, “I can hear your heartbeat, you want this as much as I do.” Sylar moved forward towards her neck when Abby stopped him, maneuvering her face so their lips contacted.
He wasn’t expecting that and his hands loosened around her wrists, letting them go as she moved forward, pressing her body against his. Abby brought her hands up, placing her palms against his chest as she pushed him slowly backwards. Sylar complied, backing up until he felt his back connect with the kitchen counter.
The distraction seemed to work as she dipped her arm behind his back, reaching over the counter as she grabbed a knife from the butcher block. To squash any suspicion, she deepened the kiss, feeling his hands move up her bare back. She gripped the knife in her palm, bringing it up behind him when Sylar’s hands tightened around her shoulders, quickly flipping her against the counter. The action threw her off and she dropped the knife as it made a loud clash against the tile.
He had her back against the counter, the complete opposite position that they were in moments before as he drifted his gaze down to the blade on the floor, bringing it back up to her face. “That wasn’t very nice.”
Abby calmed her breathing, narrowing her blue-gray eyes as she spat, “Then leave.” Her outburst caused him to laugh, his amused tone melding with his accompanying statement, “I’m not leaving until I get what I want.”
“I told you I don’t have an ability.” She said; her response somewhat brisk. Sylar smiled, raising a hand up to slide gently down her cheek, his tone sounding less imposing, “I know that…” he paused as his fingers gripped her chin and she let out a small cry, “but there’s still something I can take from you.”
He dropped his hand, drifting it down her arm as he grasped her wrist, tugging her across the room. The girl grudgingly obeyed, dragged behind him as she kept her gaze down. She jumped at the sound of the bedroom door swinging open as Sylar pulled her arm, causing her to be flung towards him.
The rapid beating of her heart echoed in his ears and he smiled, lowering his face to hers as he overtook her lips in his own. Abby’s mind urged her to do something; scream, hit, struggle, but she had learned the hard way that anything she might do would quickly revert back to her. He moved forward, causing her to stumble back as her legs connected with the edge of the bed. She fell backwards, breaking the kiss; part of her mind wondering if Sylar knew this would happen as he straightened up.
He leaned forward and she took the opportunity, sending the heel of her boot into his stomach as she scrambled up from the bed. Before she had a chance to get her feet on the floor, Sylar had grabbed her arm, violently pulling her back down. She screamed and he clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling the sound as he forced himself on top of her. He shook the grimace from his face, his voice bitter, “Don’t ever try that again.”
His fingers traveled up her legs, pushing her dress roughly up her stomach as Sylar pulled the fabric down her legs and tossed it on the floor. Abby closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling down her face as he continued his pursuit. The absence of his hand over her mouth caused her to relax a bit until she held in a gasp, feeling him push inside her. Her eyes squeezed shut as her breathing quickened, his body rocking on top of her.
Sylar lowered his face down to her neck, sucking greedily at the skin as he continued to pump inside of her. A faint whimper escaped through her throat and he laughed, the air brushing against her neckline, causing her to shudder. Abby took a risk, bringing her hand up to his shoulder as she dug her nails into his skin but all he did was quicken his pace as he laughed again.
His amusement sickened her and she balled her hands into fists, pounding them against his chest until her body began to react to his actions. She buried her head back into the mattress as her hands gripped the front of his shirt, a scream tearing from her throat. Sylar felt the bind, pushing himself in deeper until his mouth fell open and a guttural yell emerged.
Keeping himself propped up above her body, he looked down at her just as a tear ran down her cheek. He brought his hand up to wipe it away, a sadistic smile curving on his lips, “Thanks.”
Abby diverted her eyes away from his face, unable to voice anything as he stood up, pushing himself back into his pants. He looked around the room, finally resting his gaze on the window as sunlight poured through the glass. The smile stayed on his face as his question got her attention, “Do you think they were watching?”
Sylar looked back at her, tilting his head slightly as if eager for an answer but all she did was stare at him with fear in her eyes. The young girl pulled herself up, her voice shaking as she replied, “I don’t know.”
He looked somewhat hurt but it passed within seconds as he playfully pouted, “That’s too bad, I’m sure it was a great show.” She avoided his gaze, pushing her dress back down to her knees but his hand found her arm and she was suddenly pulled upward.
“Why don’t I go and introduce myself.” He said, tugging her arm as he walked out of the bedroom, narrowing his eyes as he took one last glance at the open window.
Chapter 8
Abby held in a breath as they exited the building, the winter air sending chills over the ones already present on her skin. Sylar had kept quiet; the only change in his behavior was the obscure shift from her upper arm to her hand as he led her out the side door.
He looked around the alleyway before his attention was drawn to an upper level of the building across the street. The grip on her hand loosened as he turned around and her body was backed up against the wall.
“You can’t cry,” he said, bringing up a hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks, “not in public.” She shuddered against his touch, her eyes closing as his fingers slid down her face. Her eyes shot open when she heard a loud clamor, seeing Sylar’s head instantly turn towards the noise as his face contorted in grimace for a millisecond.
A couple trashcans lay sprawled out in the alleyway, their lids clashing with the concrete ground as Sylar returned his grip on Abby’s hand. The girl looked at the display before she was gently tugged towards the streets. She watched as he momentarily glared at the trashcans, his eyes moving back up towards the opposite building as he began to weave through mess of cars on the street.
To the unknown eye, they probably looked like a couple as he guided her across the road, but for all she knew, he was probably leading her to her death. Once they had reached the front doors to the building, he squeezed her hand tightly, getting her attention as she obediently smiled at the two men standing at the door.
The men nodded genuinely as they entered through the lobby, walking up the stairwell. Sylar continued to keep to himself, his eyes trained upwards as he tugged her along until they had climbed up to the 8th floor. As soon as they had stepped into the hallway, Abby’s heartbeat began to race a mile a minute.
Sylar paused for a second, a muffled laugh echoing in the hall before he started moving again, his eyes scanning the apartment doors. He stopped suddenly, his head tilting to the side as he tuned his ears to any sounds. The young girl froze as she hesitantly looked down the hallway, her heart beginning to beat faster.
Although she couldn’t see his face, she could feel the satisfaction flowing from his body as he lightly sighed. He gripped her hand suddenly, throwing out his opposite hand as the door to her right swung open violently. Abby let out a scream as she was pulled into the apartment, its occupants scrambling up from the window sill.
“Did you enjoy the show?” Sylar asked sadistically, the door creaking closed behind him. One of the men quickly lunged for the gun on the table but Sylar swung his arm, the man’s body flung against the wall. The plaster gave way beneath the force as he crumpled to the ground, his eyes fluttering shut from unconsciousness.
Abby pulled her hand away from Sylar’s relaxed grip as she tried to comprehend the situation in front of her. The other agent glanced down at his partner, lifting his gaze up to Sylar as he dropped his arm.
“Did you honestly think that because I’m injured, I’d be easier to catch?” he asked, amusement in his tone as he continued his tense stare with the man in front of him. A laugh echoed in the apartment as he raised an eyebrow, “Please, it didn’t work out the first time.”
As soon as he finished his sentence, the agent began gasping for air as Sylar lifted his hand up in his direction. Abby moved forward, seeing his face as a wide grin curved on his face. She watched as his fingers stiffened, the air squeezing from his victim’s lungs as he enjoyed watching him gasp and spit.
The girl panicked, grabbing a nearby vase as she slammed it against the back of Sylar’s head. The action caught him off guard and he dropped the man, his throat throwing out coughs and gasps as Sylar lingered.
The drawn out silence terrified Abby and Sylar finally turned around, his eyes narrowing at the coughing agent on the floor. She dropped the broken neck of the vase, instantly retreating backwards as Sylar glared at her, his expression ice cold.
A chill trickled over her vocal cords and she snapped her hand over her throat, feeling the sensation intensify. The cold continued as she tried to speak, her throat ripping apart from the frozen muscles. A slow smile spread on his face as he watched her gasp against his hold.
She backed up against the closed door, her fingers clawing at her neck as the ice burned her larynx. A faint moan was heard in the room but he chose to ignore it, his attention still on Abby as his eyes narrowed.
The girl dropped her gaze over Sylar’s shoulder as she saw the agent on floor stir. Sylar saw her eyes drift and he took notice, turning his head to glance behind him. There was a tense exchange between the two men as he faltered, trying to get up from the ground. Abby choked on the ice forming in her throat and he returned his focus on her, a low laugh echoing from his mouth. The silence in the room was deafening, the only sounds apparent were the faint gasps escaping from her throat.
The audile reserve ended abruptly when three shots rang out in the apartment.
Chapter 9
The metal of two tranquilizer darts clashed against the floor, one of them getting past his defenses as it lodged itself into the back of his neck. Sylar exhaled, the drugs entering his system as his eyes blinked unnaturally.
Fresh air instantly flowed into her lungs as she gasped, feeling the distinct release of his hold as he swayed. Abby dropped her hand, her eyes locking with his half-lidded ones until another shot was heard. His body jerked with the addition of another tranquilizer dart and the young girl directed her gaze to the man behind him.
The agent had the gun pointed at the back of Sylar’s head, his other hand rubbing his throat as he kept his arm steady. Sylar shifted and she brought her attention back on his face as he fell forward, his knees connecting with the ground as his body collapsed to the floor.
Feedback reverberated through the room as the agent pulled out a walkie-talkie, pressing a button as he spoke into it. He turned his head when he noticed his partner stir, a pained groan following. Abby glanced at the two, dropping her gaze back down to Sylar lying on the floor as she knelt down beside his body.
She reached a hand out to his arm when the agent’s demanding voice stopped her, “Don’t.” Retracting her hand back, she looked up at him and felt his boring gaze on her as he walked up, bending down to pull the darts from his Sylar’s neck. His body twitched as the needles were pricked from his skin.
Abby sighed, looking into Sylar’s eyes as he tried to keep them focused until the door opened behind her and Bob walked in. She quickly wiped the tears from her face, pushing herself up from the ground as she turned to face him. He looked down at the young man’s body before bringing his attention on Abby, a smile forming on his lips, “Nice work.”
She diverted her gaze down, her voice mumbling, “This wasn’t the plan.” Her statement got Bob’s attention as he added, “You’re right, it wasn’t our plan; but it worked out in the long run.” He moved forward, placing a hand gently on her shoulder as she lifted her head up, “We’ll make him pay for what he did to you. I promise you that.”
Nodding, she pulled away from his hand, walking out of the small apartment and into the hallway as she found a stream of guards walk past her. She pressed her back against the wall, observing the men walk in and out of the room until the sound of wheels against grungy tile echoed in the narrow passage. Her head turned, seeing the gurney roll down the hall, her eyes locking on the young man strapped to it.
“We have one more assignment for you.” Bob’s voice spoke as he walked up to her and smiled. Abby narrowed her eyes, looking at him as he placed his hand on her shoulder again, “I’m not going to Honduras.” He laughed, shaking his head to her reply, “That’s not the assignment.”
He outstretched his hand towards the hallway, “Let’s go.”
---
The ride from the dingy apartment to headquarters was the longest ride she had ever had to endure. She didn’t know how she had managed to convince Bob to let her ride in the back of the van, but there she was, sitting next to Sylar’s unconscious form while two other guards kept a nervous-inducing stare on her.
She snuck her hand up to the cot, placing her hand on Sylar’s when one of the guards cleared his throat purposefully. Obeying, she pulled her hand away when the van stopped, the two men quickly sitting up as the doors were opened and they pulled the gurney out into the alley.
Abby watched as he was rolled through the back doors of the building, her mind wondering if this whole situation was worth it as Bob walked up to her. “Where are they taking him?” she asked, pulling her arm away from his hand and he sighed, “To a holding room upstairs. Don’t worry, he’ll be heavily sedated and he won’t hurt anymore people. I swear.”
She let him finish his sentence but as soon as the last of the vowels left his lips, she immediately began to follow behind the line of guards into the building. They moved through the halls, finally reaching 6th floor of the building. Abby continued to follow until a guard swung around, holding her back as they entered through a large metal door.
“You will wait here.” He said, his voice stern and it caused Abby to get agitated, her mouth opening to voice her opinion but he stopped her, “Wait.” She backed off, letting him walk into the room until she took a few minutes before sneaking past the door.
She shuddered instantly seeing the cold metal plated walls of the corridor before directing her gaze to the wall of thick glass. Sylar had be moved to a cot in the middle of the room, his limp body strapped down tightly as two men proceeded to inject him with an unknown substance.
The metal door opened loudly, catching the young girl’s attention as she looked at the entrance. Bob walked into the small hallway, the door closing shut behind him.
Abby looked at him momentarily, returning her attention back on the thick glass, her arms crossed against her chest. The crowd of guards and doctors left the room and Bob moved forward, a clipboard in his hands, “I have your last assignment.”
She didn’t acknowledge him for a while, finally turning her head as she glared at him, rolling her eyes as she replied, “Let’s just get this over with.” He nodded, guiding his hand out towards the door as she walked past him. Walking through the long halls, Bob guided her back to his office as he entered first, striding up to his desk as he dropped the clipboard on its top.
Abby followed behind, walking through the doorway as she stopped short when the man’s gaze diverted to the side of the office, an accomplished smile on his face. She turned her head in his direction, noticing a tall, dark-skinned man standing against the far wall.
“What’s going on?” she said, drifting her eyes back to Bob as he sat down in the chair, flipping through the contents of a folder. The stranger stepped forward and she instinctively stepped back, but he kept his pace, advancing closer as Bob’s voice broke out in the office.
“Just try and stay calm Abigail. It’ll all be over soon.”
Chapter 10
The harsh ring of her alarm clock pulled her into the waking world. She groaned, stretching her hand out to whack at the snooze button as Oliver stirred at her feet. Pushing herself up, she extended her arms above her head as she yawned, finally pulling away from the covers as she got up.
Oliver jumped off the bed, following on her heels as she walked into the bathroom. She ran the faucet, sticking her hands under the cool water as she splashed the liquid on her face, easing her tired eyes. Lifting her head up, Abby grabbed her brush, running the comb through her long auburn hair when her eyes noticed something in the reflection of the mirror.
She turned, pulling the brush away from her hair as she walked up to the opposite wall. Her hand found the dirty, tattered black coat hanging on a hook beside the door. Abby didn’t recognize it but her mind seemed to be familiar with it as her fingers traced over the fabric. She was entranced by the unfamiliar article when a loud rap at the door caused her to jump in surprise.
The young girl quickly checked her appearance in the mirror before exiting the bathroom, walking through the hallway to the front door. Her hand connected with the knob of the door as she opened it, finding a middle-aged man standing at the entryway.
“UNCLE MATT!” she exclaimed, throwing the door open as she rushed forward, throwing her arms around him in a hug. The man seemed startled by her expression, cringing before pulling her away. He hid the pain from his chest as she smiled, “What are you doing in New York?”
He narrowed his eyes in confusion to her question, as he walked into the apartment, “Abby, I’ve been here for couple weeks…” he paused as she tilted her head, “You saw me a few days ago.”
The look on her face was as if she was frozen, she stared at him with doe eyes until moments later when she cracked up laughing. “That’s really funny…” she said, walking into the open kitchen to grab a bottle of water.
Matt followed her, finding the situation way too familiar. “Abby, what day is it?” he asked, stopping at the opposite end of the island. She was still stifling laughter when she lifted her head up to him, noticing that he was intently looking at her. “Are you serious?” she asked, muffling the giggles escaping her lips. Matt nodded grimly and she bit her lip, finally answering, “November 3rd.”
Her answer caused him to frantically dig into his pocket as he extracted his cell phone, flipping it open as he turned it towards her. Abby raised an eyebrow, finally looking at the screen when she looked at the date on his phone.
November 15th
She seemed scared for a second but pushed past it, dismissing the odd situation as she responded, “That’s not possible.”
“What’s the last thing you remember?” he asked, stuffing the phone back into the pocket of his jacket. The girl pulled the water bottle away from her lips as she absently answered, “Leaving work and coming home.”
Matt frowned as he scrunched his face in thought, “Do you still work at that magazine?” He looked at the wall for a second, bringing his attention back on his niece as she shook her head, “No, I stopped working for them a couple months ago.”
The cop’s heartbeat started to beat quicker hearing her reply as he took a sigh, his tone slightly demanding, “Where do you work now?” Abby took a drink of water, swallowing as she nervously laughed, keeping her gaze away from his face. “You’re going to hate me,” she said, placing the bottle on the tabletop.
The man kept his eyes on her and she shrugged her shoulders, reluctantly answering as she braced herself for a scolding, “I don’t know really,” she paused, sneaking a look at his face, “I just take pictures…” He sighed, trying to keep his anger for the neglect of her wellbeing hidden as he calmly asked, “Pictures of what?”
Abby bit her lip, knowing he was in law enforcement and he would probably frown upon realizing his niece was taking pictures of dead people. She scanned the room, trying to find the folder of images but found it missing as she moved around the island. Heading into the hallway, she looked around the bedroom until she found her camera, fiddling with it as she re-emerged back in the living room.
“I’ll warn you though…” she said, walking up to the couch as she sat down next to her uncle. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons, turning the camera on as she handed it to him. Matt took it, pushing the buttons as he scanned the images on the screen, holding in his remarks for the familiarity until he came across crime scenes that he had been at personally.
He paused, “I know these…” Abby was caught off guard, tilting her head slightly as she looked at him, “What do you mean?” Matt pulled his thumb away from the button as he concentrated on the gruesome photo, “I’ve been to these crime scenes.”
The young girl glanced at him, confusion etched in her face as he mumbled a single word, “Sylar…” She heard him, narrowing her eyes at the slight familiarity of the name but she ignored it, “He did that?”
“He’s dead now,” he said, his finger pressing the next button on the camera as he continued to view the images. He froze when he noticed something familiar as he hesitated, seeing the date in the corner of the screen, “…at least that’s what I thought…”
Abby looked at him oddly, opening her mouth to ask but he turned the camera outward, the image in her view. She dropped her gaze to the screen, seeing an image of a young man sitting leisurely on her couch, his hand petting Oliver who slept next to his leg. Matt looked at her face as she blinked confused, clearly caught off guard, “I don’t know who that is…”
“That’s Sylar.” The man said, turning the camera back towards him as he examined the picture. The depiction on the screen confused him; the young man didn’t look menacing in any way, his attitude genuine as he was dressed in normal street clothes other than the long black coat he had been wearing for the most part of their encounters. Abby’s soft voice broke his concentration as she asked, “Did he make me forget?”
He brought his eyes up, shaking his head as he put the camera down on the coffee table, “No, I don’t think so.” Taking a quick glance at her face, he got up from the couch, digging in his pocket for his cell phone. “I think someone else made you forget,” he paused, flipping the phone open as he headed towards the front door, “I need to make a call.”
The door shut closed as he began speaking into the phone when she jumped, hearing a shrill ring coming from her purse. Abby stood up, cautiously looking at the closed front door as she picked her phone from her bag. It continued to ring in her hand as the word Work was sprawled on the front screen.
“Hello?” she asked, holding the cell to her ear as a masculine voice echoed through the receiver. “Abigail, we need you to come into the office today.” The young girl sighed, keeping her gaze on the front door as she nodded, “Of course, I’ll be in as soon as possible.”
She terminated the call, stuffing the phone back in her purse as she grabbed her camera, heading into her bedroom. Glancing at the fixed window, she had a millisecond of memory of the window broken as she shook the thought from her head. She opened the window, climbing through the opening when the sound of the front door opening again as she quickened her pace. Her feet hit the metal fire escape as she began climbing down the ladder towards the streets below.
Chapter 11
Cold air rushed past her, making her wish she had time to grab a jacket before sneaking out the window of her bedroom but she huddled her arms closer to her chest. It was early in the morning on a Saturday so the crowds of people usually clustered in the streets were absent, a few straggling crowds moving freely on the sidewalk.
Abby clutched her phone in her palm, glancing down at it periodically as her mind processed the information her uncle had presented to her earlier that day. She made her way across the street as she entered the tall building, maneuvering through a familiar routine until the elevator halted at the 7th floor and a young man entered the small transport.
“Hello Abby.” the british-accented voice echoed as he reached over and pressed the button for the 10th floor, finding the button already lit. She looked at him oddly, taking a moment to form words before she blatantly responded, “Do I know you?”
The young man was clearly caught off guard as his head tilted slightly before he let out an amused laugh, “Abby, it’s me, Mohinder.” He kept his gaze on her face, finding the expression glued to it keeping constant as she narrowed her eyes in confusion. She was about to speak when her phone went off, startling them both as she looked down at her hand.
Abby flipped the phone open and brought it up to her ear, knowing who it was as she answered it, “I’m in the elevator right now Bob.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Mohinder shift his stance and she glanced over quietly before nodding and stringing along a hushed sentence as she ended the call.
“You know Bob?” he asked and Abby lifted her head up after putting away her phone. “Yes…” she said, her voice hesitant, “Do you know him too?” Her eyes caught the confident smile that broke out on his face as he turned his head towards the elevator doors. “I was right.”
His statement confused Abby but before she could ask questions the doors opened to the 10th floor and he stepped out. She glanced at the console before weighing her options and rushing through the entrance to follow after him. “What do you mean, you were right?” Mohinder kept a steady pace as he walked through the long hallway, heading towards a pair of double doors as he replied, “That you work for the Company.”
Mohinder stopped when he heard the audible silence in the hallway, turning around to face the young girl as she stared at him. “Did I say something wrong?” he asked as he saw her snap out of her daze. She shook her head, “No, it’s just they always told me that the first rule of the business was…” she was cut off by his voice as he nodded in sarcasm, finishing her sentence off, “to not ask questions.”
She smiled and he couldn’t help but smile in return as he jokingly added, “and keep your mouth shut.” They stood in the quiet hallway for a second before Mohinder looked at his watch, “I need to go attend to a patient.”
Nodding, Abby watched as he turned around and disappeared behind the double doors, emerging minutes later with a syringe and an id badge. She became curious as he walked past her, her voice halting him as he turned around, “Can I come?”
The young man shrugged his shoulders, seeing no harm in her observation as he replied, “I don’t see why not.” She smiled as she followed behind him, walking up to a large white door as he slid his badge through the side lock. The light turned from red to green and a loud clicking sound echoed as Mohinder opened the door into a small observation room.
“I don’t know who the patient is, but…” he trailed off, locating the light switch as he turned it on and found the patient clipboard hanging on the wall. Abby walked into the room, observing the cold metal tiles plated against the wall as she walked to the opposite wall. The door shut behind them and she placed her hands against the wall, feeling cool glass beneath her palms as the light illuminated the two rooms.
There was a stale silence in the room as Mohinder’s voice was heard, “My god…” It was counteracted by Abby’s reply as she stared at the patient in the adjoining room, “…Sylar?” The man behind the glass lifted his head up in response to the change in lighting as he glanced at the girl staring at him. Their eyes locked for split second before a flood of memories re-emerged in her mind.
She turned just in time to see Mohinder drop the clipboard to the floor, his eyes firmly fixed on the glass as he stared at Sylar with wide eyes. A few seconds passed and he snapped out of his daze, rushing over to grab Abby by the arm as he tugged her towards the door, leaving the syringe lying on the table. “We need to go.” He said, moving backwards but Abby jerked her arm back in his grasp.
“Why?” she asked, seeing him stop short as he stringed along his words in panic. “He shouldn’t be alive, he’s dangerous…” he was cut off when Abby narrowed her eyes and retorted, motioning a hand towards the metal surrounding the room, “He’s in a cage, what is he going to do?!”
Mohinder sucked in a breath, genuinely shocked by her sudden hostility as he sighed, nodding his head, “You’re right,” he said pausing before taking another glance at Sylar, who was now standing close to the glass, “I need to go find Bob.” Abby watched as he glanced at the glass again and turned, exiting the room.
“Come to see me suffer?” a low voice echoed behind her and she turned to face Sylar, her heartbeat steadily increasing. He was standing inches away from the glass, his dark eyes fixed on her face as he held a composed expression. Abby took a steady breath, shaking her head slightly as she locked her gaze with his, “No…”
Her reply caused him to smile as he tilted his head to the right, “Then why are you here?” his bottom lip jutted out slightly as he waited for her answer, “You are the reason I’m in this cage.”
The young girl dropped her gaze, staring at the floor tiles as she felt his gaze bore into her skull. Shifting her stance, she darted her eyes to door before grabbing the id badge lying on the table, swiping it through the lock. The door lock clicked and she paused, taking a deep sigh before opening the door.
Sylar had moved from the glass, curious of her actions as he walked up to the open door. A genuine smile formed on his face and Abby’s nerves relaxed seeing the expression she had last seen when he had lost all memory of his past. It quickly disappeared when he shifted his eyes to the door, hearing a group of footsteps nearing the room.
Before she had time to turn her head in response to his pulled attention, Sylar grabbed her arm, pushing her into the observation room as he reached for the syringe. The door opened as Bob walked through, followed behind by Mohinder and two guards, as they all stopped suddenly, seeing Sylar holding Abby around the shoulders, the tip of the syringe millimeters away from her neck.
He looked at the visitor’s faces, analyzing their expressions as he smiled, “Looks like the tables have turned.”
Chapter 12
She felt the tip of the needle graze her skin, her body rigid against his hold as she looked at Bob with pleading eyes. He never met her gaze, his eyes trained on Sylar as he kept the strong hold of her shoulders, periodically backing up in reaction to the guard’s movements.
Sylar stepped back and the needle moved carelessly, the tip digging into her skin until he pulled it away.
“This is pointless Sylar…” Bob said, after a long moment of silence. His statement caused the man to halt, another action Abby was regretting as the needle made contact with her neck for the countless time. “You don’t have your powers anymore… and she’s… well,” he paused; adjusting his glasses as he finally looked at the girl, “expendable.”
His dark eyes narrowed before surveying the room, his eyes resting on Mohinder standing in the corner. The professor swallowed hard seeing Sylar staring at him as he fidgeted behind Bob. He smiled, pulling the syringe away from Abby’s neck long enough to point it in Mohinder’s direction as he asked, “What about him? Is he valuable?”
Bob turned his head to subject pointed out as he returned his gaze to the young man, “Dr. Suresh?” The killer drew his lips flat into a straight line as his eyes narrowed, his expression anticipating an answer. “No.” he replied, “We’ve already gotten all of the information we need from him. He’s just here to help us out.”
“You’re really bad at lying.” Came the dry response as the man’s lips curled into a smirk. With a motion of his hand, the two guards flew into the metal wall behind them, crumpling to the floor as Bob stared at Sylar in shock. He kept a firm grip on Abby’s shoulders as he maneuvered the syringe in his hand, flicking his fingers out as Bob flew backwards; his back making contact with the wall. Mohinder panicked, rushing towards the large metal door but Sylar got to him first, loosening his grasp on the girl as he stalked over and grabbed the professor.
Sylar’s hand found his front collar, shoving him into the door as he tilted his head slightly, “It’s been a while, hasn’t it professor?” He was surprised to find out his old friend had grown a backbone in his absence, as he shoved him back. His hands dropped him as he moved back, a laugh erupting from his mouth but it was quickly muffled when he heard Bob move.
The arm came out of nowhere; hastily grasping the professor by his shoulders as Sylar flipped behind him and placed the needle against his neck. “Do you want to negotiate now?” he asked as he saw the company’s boss get up, his eyes looking at Abby momentarily before he sighed and met Sylar’s gaze.
“I’d highly doubt you’d want me to inject you’re precious doctor with…” he paused, looking down at the syringe and its label, “strain 318.” The look on everyone’s face in the room seemed to amuse him as his answers were made clear, drifting his gaze to Bob as he smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
The man took a deep sigh, regretting a negotiation with a serial killer as he muttered, “What do you want?”
“You know what I want.” He stated, keeping the needle steady against Mohinder’s neck as he eyed the older man. Bob set his jaw, anticipating the fallout of his actions, “Fine, we’ll hold back the guards and you can leave.” He looked up at him, expecting him to release the doctor and disappear but he loosened his grip slightly, pointing the syringe tip towards Abby, “She comes too.”
Abby looked at Sylar dumbfounded, drifting her gaze to Bob as soon as he nodded. The older man walked up to her, taking her arm gently as he encouraged her, secretly slipping an object in her hand before pushing her forward. She hesitantly walked up to Sylar as he pulled the needle away from Mohinder’s neck, grasping his shoulder as he pushed him to the middle of the room and grabbed the young girl.
The door opened and he smashed the glass vile against the wall before rushing out of the room and into the hallway. He dragged her down the long stairwell until they had reached the alleyway. Kicking open the door, he halted when he felt Abby jerk her arm back. “What’s wr…” he was cut off by the loud sound of gunfire as he snapped his neck towards the open alley.
Two bullets stood in midair, inches away from Sylar’s forehead as he looked at them, raising his eyes to see Matt’s gun pointed at him. He dropped his concentration and the bullets fell to the ground, a smile playing on his lips as he inquired, “I thought you learned your lesson the last time.” Abby saw him move forward as his hand slowly began to rise and she panicked, pulling her arm from behind her as she plunged the needle into the back of his neck.
Sylar faltered as she pulled the syringe from his neck, backing up as he turned slowly. He shot out his hand to steady himself against the wall, his eyes hazily locating the girl as his words became mumbled, “You brought me back just to kill me…”
Abby watched as he slumped down against the doorframe, the virus quickly running through his system as she hesitated, “I’m sorry.” The laugh that escaped his lips was faint but it still managed to send a chill down her spine as their eyes locked and he uttered his last words, “No you’re not.”
Heroes | Sylar, Mohinder, Bob, Matt, OC
PG13-NC17 | 15645 words
Chapter 7
“I should kill you for keeping this from me.” He said, his eyes scanning up and down her body and Abby fidgeted. Fear began to rise in her stomach as she contemplated stepping back, “I swear I didn’t know anything about you until tonight.”
Sylar’s jaw clenched down at her statement, dropping the folder to the ground, “The only reason they’d be interested in you is if you have an ability.” He paused, raising an eyebrow before continuing, “Do you?”
She shook her head, her mind remembering just what made him a murderer, “No…” Her eyes diverted down and lingered there as silence built up in the room. The young girl brought her eyes back up, seeing him staring her down and she swallowed hard.
Her nerves caused her to back up but Sylar stayed where he was, his eyes fixed on her as if she was his prey. He lifted his hand and she panicked, stopping her retreat as one of the straps on her dress fell down her shoulder. She quickly pulled it back up, dismissing it until she looked back up at Sylar, a wide grin on plastered on his face.
His hand flicked slightly and the strap fell again, Abby finally caught on as she raised her head up, her voice shaky, “Stop…” A low laugh echoed in the dimmed room and her heart began to beat rapidly as he stepped out towards her. His footsteps were slow, paced perfectly as he advanced on her and she turned, running towards the bedroom in an attempt to escape him. The door shut closed on cue, the lock firmly latching into place as she jerked the handle roughly, panic full fledged in her system.
She let out a defeated sigh as she heard Sylar’s footsteps stop just behind her. Closing her eyes, she turned her body, opening them to find the young man standing inches from her. A smirk played on his lips as Abby felt the zipper of her dress slide down and she quickly slammed her back against the wall as if that would stop his actions.
Sylar stepped forward, the smirk still plastered on his face as he stood centimeters from her body. He lowered his face to her neck, his lips barely brushing over her skin as her voice murmured, “No… no, no, no…” She kept repeating the word softly as she brought her hands up, placing them against his chest to push him away but he laughed, his warm breath sending chills down her spine. Sylar grabbed her wrists, pulling them outward as he pinned them against the wall to her sides.
He pulled his head back, his face inches from hers as he smiled, “I can hear your heartbeat, you want this as much as I do.” Sylar moved forward towards her neck when Abby stopped him, maneuvering her face so their lips contacted.
He wasn’t expecting that and his hands loosened around her wrists, letting them go as she moved forward, pressing her body against his. Abby brought her hands up, placing her palms against his chest as she pushed him slowly backwards. Sylar complied, backing up until he felt his back connect with the kitchen counter.
The distraction seemed to work as she dipped her arm behind his back, reaching over the counter as she grabbed a knife from the butcher block. To squash any suspicion, she deepened the kiss, feeling his hands move up her bare back. She gripped the knife in her palm, bringing it up behind him when Sylar’s hands tightened around her shoulders, quickly flipping her against the counter. The action threw her off and she dropped the knife as it made a loud clash against the tile.
He had her back against the counter, the complete opposite position that they were in moments before as he drifted his gaze down to the blade on the floor, bringing it back up to her face. “That wasn’t very nice.”
Abby calmed her breathing, narrowing her blue-gray eyes as she spat, “Then leave.” Her outburst caused him to laugh, his amused tone melding with his accompanying statement, “I’m not leaving until I get what I want.”
“I told you I don’t have an ability.” She said; her response somewhat brisk. Sylar smiled, raising a hand up to slide gently down her cheek, his tone sounding less imposing, “I know that…” he paused as his fingers gripped her chin and she let out a small cry, “but there’s still something I can take from you.”
He dropped his hand, drifting it down her arm as he grasped her wrist, tugging her across the room. The girl grudgingly obeyed, dragged behind him as she kept her gaze down. She jumped at the sound of the bedroom door swinging open as Sylar pulled her arm, causing her to be flung towards him.
The rapid beating of her heart echoed in his ears and he smiled, lowering his face to hers as he overtook her lips in his own. Abby’s mind urged her to do something; scream, hit, struggle, but she had learned the hard way that anything she might do would quickly revert back to her. He moved forward, causing her to stumble back as her legs connected with the edge of the bed. She fell backwards, breaking the kiss; part of her mind wondering if Sylar knew this would happen as he straightened up.
He leaned forward and she took the opportunity, sending the heel of her boot into his stomach as she scrambled up from the bed. Before she had a chance to get her feet on the floor, Sylar had grabbed her arm, violently pulling her back down. She screamed and he clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling the sound as he forced himself on top of her. He shook the grimace from his face, his voice bitter, “Don’t ever try that again.”
His fingers traveled up her legs, pushing her dress roughly up her stomach as Sylar pulled the fabric down her legs and tossed it on the floor. Abby closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling down her face as he continued his pursuit. The absence of his hand over her mouth caused her to relax a bit until she held in a gasp, feeling him push inside her. Her eyes squeezed shut as her breathing quickened, his body rocking on top of her.
Sylar lowered his face down to her neck, sucking greedily at the skin as he continued to pump inside of her. A faint whimper escaped through her throat and he laughed, the air brushing against her neckline, causing her to shudder. Abby took a risk, bringing her hand up to his shoulder as she dug her nails into his skin but all he did was quicken his pace as he laughed again.
His amusement sickened her and she balled her hands into fists, pounding them against his chest until her body began to react to his actions. She buried her head back into the mattress as her hands gripped the front of his shirt, a scream tearing from her throat. Sylar felt the bind, pushing himself in deeper until his mouth fell open and a guttural yell emerged.
Keeping himself propped up above her body, he looked down at her just as a tear ran down her cheek. He brought his hand up to wipe it away, a sadistic smile curving on his lips, “Thanks.”
Abby diverted her eyes away from his face, unable to voice anything as he stood up, pushing himself back into his pants. He looked around the room, finally resting his gaze on the window as sunlight poured through the glass. The smile stayed on his face as his question got her attention, “Do you think they were watching?”
Sylar looked back at her, tilting his head slightly as if eager for an answer but all she did was stare at him with fear in her eyes. The young girl pulled herself up, her voice shaking as she replied, “I don’t know.”
He looked somewhat hurt but it passed within seconds as he playfully pouted, “That’s too bad, I’m sure it was a great show.” She avoided his gaze, pushing her dress back down to her knees but his hand found her arm and she was suddenly pulled upward.
“Why don’t I go and introduce myself.” He said, tugging her arm as he walked out of the bedroom, narrowing his eyes as he took one last glance at the open window.
Chapter 8
Abby held in a breath as they exited the building, the winter air sending chills over the ones already present on her skin. Sylar had kept quiet; the only change in his behavior was the obscure shift from her upper arm to her hand as he led her out the side door.
He looked around the alleyway before his attention was drawn to an upper level of the building across the street. The grip on her hand loosened as he turned around and her body was backed up against the wall.
“You can’t cry,” he said, bringing up a hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks, “not in public.” She shuddered against his touch, her eyes closing as his fingers slid down her face. Her eyes shot open when she heard a loud clamor, seeing Sylar’s head instantly turn towards the noise as his face contorted in grimace for a millisecond.
A couple trashcans lay sprawled out in the alleyway, their lids clashing with the concrete ground as Sylar returned his grip on Abby’s hand. The girl looked at the display before she was gently tugged towards the streets. She watched as he momentarily glared at the trashcans, his eyes moving back up towards the opposite building as he began to weave through mess of cars on the street.
To the unknown eye, they probably looked like a couple as he guided her across the road, but for all she knew, he was probably leading her to her death. Once they had reached the front doors to the building, he squeezed her hand tightly, getting her attention as she obediently smiled at the two men standing at the door.
The men nodded genuinely as they entered through the lobby, walking up the stairwell. Sylar continued to keep to himself, his eyes trained upwards as he tugged her along until they had climbed up to the 8th floor. As soon as they had stepped into the hallway, Abby’s heartbeat began to race a mile a minute.
Sylar paused for a second, a muffled laugh echoing in the hall before he started moving again, his eyes scanning the apartment doors. He stopped suddenly, his head tilting to the side as he tuned his ears to any sounds. The young girl froze as she hesitantly looked down the hallway, her heart beginning to beat faster.
Although she couldn’t see his face, she could feel the satisfaction flowing from his body as he lightly sighed. He gripped her hand suddenly, throwing out his opposite hand as the door to her right swung open violently. Abby let out a scream as she was pulled into the apartment, its occupants scrambling up from the window sill.
“Did you enjoy the show?” Sylar asked sadistically, the door creaking closed behind him. One of the men quickly lunged for the gun on the table but Sylar swung his arm, the man’s body flung against the wall. The plaster gave way beneath the force as he crumpled to the ground, his eyes fluttering shut from unconsciousness.
Abby pulled her hand away from Sylar’s relaxed grip as she tried to comprehend the situation in front of her. The other agent glanced down at his partner, lifting his gaze up to Sylar as he dropped his arm.
“Did you honestly think that because I’m injured, I’d be easier to catch?” he asked, amusement in his tone as he continued his tense stare with the man in front of him. A laugh echoed in the apartment as he raised an eyebrow, “Please, it didn’t work out the first time.”
As soon as he finished his sentence, the agent began gasping for air as Sylar lifted his hand up in his direction. Abby moved forward, seeing his face as a wide grin curved on his face. She watched as his fingers stiffened, the air squeezing from his victim’s lungs as he enjoyed watching him gasp and spit.
The girl panicked, grabbing a nearby vase as she slammed it against the back of Sylar’s head. The action caught him off guard and he dropped the man, his throat throwing out coughs and gasps as Sylar lingered.
The drawn out silence terrified Abby and Sylar finally turned around, his eyes narrowing at the coughing agent on the floor. She dropped the broken neck of the vase, instantly retreating backwards as Sylar glared at her, his expression ice cold.
A chill trickled over her vocal cords and she snapped her hand over her throat, feeling the sensation intensify. The cold continued as she tried to speak, her throat ripping apart from the frozen muscles. A slow smile spread on his face as he watched her gasp against his hold.
She backed up against the closed door, her fingers clawing at her neck as the ice burned her larynx. A faint moan was heard in the room but he chose to ignore it, his attention still on Abby as his eyes narrowed.
The girl dropped her gaze over Sylar’s shoulder as she saw the agent on floor stir. Sylar saw her eyes drift and he took notice, turning his head to glance behind him. There was a tense exchange between the two men as he faltered, trying to get up from the ground. Abby choked on the ice forming in her throat and he returned his focus on her, a low laugh echoing from his mouth. The silence in the room was deafening, the only sounds apparent were the faint gasps escaping from her throat.
The audile reserve ended abruptly when three shots rang out in the apartment.
Chapter 9
The metal of two tranquilizer darts clashed against the floor, one of them getting past his defenses as it lodged itself into the back of his neck. Sylar exhaled, the drugs entering his system as his eyes blinked unnaturally.
Fresh air instantly flowed into her lungs as she gasped, feeling the distinct release of his hold as he swayed. Abby dropped her hand, her eyes locking with his half-lidded ones until another shot was heard. His body jerked with the addition of another tranquilizer dart and the young girl directed her gaze to the man behind him.
The agent had the gun pointed at the back of Sylar’s head, his other hand rubbing his throat as he kept his arm steady. Sylar shifted and she brought her attention back on his face as he fell forward, his knees connecting with the ground as his body collapsed to the floor.
Feedback reverberated through the room as the agent pulled out a walkie-talkie, pressing a button as he spoke into it. He turned his head when he noticed his partner stir, a pained groan following. Abby glanced at the two, dropping her gaze back down to Sylar lying on the floor as she knelt down beside his body.
She reached a hand out to his arm when the agent’s demanding voice stopped her, “Don’t.” Retracting her hand back, she looked up at him and felt his boring gaze on her as he walked up, bending down to pull the darts from his Sylar’s neck. His body twitched as the needles were pricked from his skin.
Abby sighed, looking into Sylar’s eyes as he tried to keep them focused until the door opened behind her and Bob walked in. She quickly wiped the tears from her face, pushing herself up from the ground as she turned to face him. He looked down at the young man’s body before bringing his attention on Abby, a smile forming on his lips, “Nice work.”
She diverted her gaze down, her voice mumbling, “This wasn’t the plan.” Her statement got Bob’s attention as he added, “You’re right, it wasn’t our plan; but it worked out in the long run.” He moved forward, placing a hand gently on her shoulder as she lifted her head up, “We’ll make him pay for what he did to you. I promise you that.”
Nodding, she pulled away from his hand, walking out of the small apartment and into the hallway as she found a stream of guards walk past her. She pressed her back against the wall, observing the men walk in and out of the room until the sound of wheels against grungy tile echoed in the narrow passage. Her head turned, seeing the gurney roll down the hall, her eyes locking on the young man strapped to it.
“We have one more assignment for you.” Bob’s voice spoke as he walked up to her and smiled. Abby narrowed her eyes, looking at him as he placed his hand on her shoulder again, “I’m not going to Honduras.” He laughed, shaking his head to her reply, “That’s not the assignment.”
He outstretched his hand towards the hallway, “Let’s go.”
---
The ride from the dingy apartment to headquarters was the longest ride she had ever had to endure. She didn’t know how she had managed to convince Bob to let her ride in the back of the van, but there she was, sitting next to Sylar’s unconscious form while two other guards kept a nervous-inducing stare on her.
She snuck her hand up to the cot, placing her hand on Sylar’s when one of the guards cleared his throat purposefully. Obeying, she pulled her hand away when the van stopped, the two men quickly sitting up as the doors were opened and they pulled the gurney out into the alley.
Abby watched as he was rolled through the back doors of the building, her mind wondering if this whole situation was worth it as Bob walked up to her. “Where are they taking him?” she asked, pulling her arm away from his hand and he sighed, “To a holding room upstairs. Don’t worry, he’ll be heavily sedated and he won’t hurt anymore people. I swear.”
She let him finish his sentence but as soon as the last of the vowels left his lips, she immediately began to follow behind the line of guards into the building. They moved through the halls, finally reaching 6th floor of the building. Abby continued to follow until a guard swung around, holding her back as they entered through a large metal door.
“You will wait here.” He said, his voice stern and it caused Abby to get agitated, her mouth opening to voice her opinion but he stopped her, “Wait.” She backed off, letting him walk into the room until she took a few minutes before sneaking past the door.
She shuddered instantly seeing the cold metal plated walls of the corridor before directing her gaze to the wall of thick glass. Sylar had be moved to a cot in the middle of the room, his limp body strapped down tightly as two men proceeded to inject him with an unknown substance.
The metal door opened loudly, catching the young girl’s attention as she looked at the entrance. Bob walked into the small hallway, the door closing shut behind him.
Abby looked at him momentarily, returning her attention back on the thick glass, her arms crossed against her chest. The crowd of guards and doctors left the room and Bob moved forward, a clipboard in his hands, “I have your last assignment.”
She didn’t acknowledge him for a while, finally turning her head as she glared at him, rolling her eyes as she replied, “Let’s just get this over with.” He nodded, guiding his hand out towards the door as she walked past him. Walking through the long halls, Bob guided her back to his office as he entered first, striding up to his desk as he dropped the clipboard on its top.
Abby followed behind, walking through the doorway as she stopped short when the man’s gaze diverted to the side of the office, an accomplished smile on his face. She turned her head in his direction, noticing a tall, dark-skinned man standing against the far wall.
“What’s going on?” she said, drifting her eyes back to Bob as he sat down in the chair, flipping through the contents of a folder. The stranger stepped forward and she instinctively stepped back, but he kept his pace, advancing closer as Bob’s voice broke out in the office.
“Just try and stay calm Abigail. It’ll all be over soon.”
Chapter 10
The harsh ring of her alarm clock pulled her into the waking world. She groaned, stretching her hand out to whack at the snooze button as Oliver stirred at her feet. Pushing herself up, she extended her arms above her head as she yawned, finally pulling away from the covers as she got up.
Oliver jumped off the bed, following on her heels as she walked into the bathroom. She ran the faucet, sticking her hands under the cool water as she splashed the liquid on her face, easing her tired eyes. Lifting her head up, Abby grabbed her brush, running the comb through her long auburn hair when her eyes noticed something in the reflection of the mirror.
She turned, pulling the brush away from her hair as she walked up to the opposite wall. Her hand found the dirty, tattered black coat hanging on a hook beside the door. Abby didn’t recognize it but her mind seemed to be familiar with it as her fingers traced over the fabric. She was entranced by the unfamiliar article when a loud rap at the door caused her to jump in surprise.
The young girl quickly checked her appearance in the mirror before exiting the bathroom, walking through the hallway to the front door. Her hand connected with the knob of the door as she opened it, finding a middle-aged man standing at the entryway.
“UNCLE MATT!” she exclaimed, throwing the door open as she rushed forward, throwing her arms around him in a hug. The man seemed startled by her expression, cringing before pulling her away. He hid the pain from his chest as she smiled, “What are you doing in New York?”
He narrowed his eyes in confusion to her question, as he walked into the apartment, “Abby, I’ve been here for couple weeks…” he paused as she tilted her head, “You saw me a few days ago.”
The look on her face was as if she was frozen, she stared at him with doe eyes until moments later when she cracked up laughing. “That’s really funny…” she said, walking into the open kitchen to grab a bottle of water.
Matt followed her, finding the situation way too familiar. “Abby, what day is it?” he asked, stopping at the opposite end of the island. She was still stifling laughter when she lifted her head up to him, noticing that he was intently looking at her. “Are you serious?” she asked, muffling the giggles escaping her lips. Matt nodded grimly and she bit her lip, finally answering, “November 3rd.”
Her answer caused him to frantically dig into his pocket as he extracted his cell phone, flipping it open as he turned it towards her. Abby raised an eyebrow, finally looking at the screen when she looked at the date on his phone.
November 15th
She seemed scared for a second but pushed past it, dismissing the odd situation as she responded, “That’s not possible.”
“What’s the last thing you remember?” he asked, stuffing the phone back into the pocket of his jacket. The girl pulled the water bottle away from her lips as she absently answered, “Leaving work and coming home.”
Matt frowned as he scrunched his face in thought, “Do you still work at that magazine?” He looked at the wall for a second, bringing his attention back on his niece as she shook her head, “No, I stopped working for them a couple months ago.”
The cop’s heartbeat started to beat quicker hearing her reply as he took a sigh, his tone slightly demanding, “Where do you work now?” Abby took a drink of water, swallowing as she nervously laughed, keeping her gaze away from his face. “You’re going to hate me,” she said, placing the bottle on the tabletop.
The man kept his eyes on her and she shrugged her shoulders, reluctantly answering as she braced herself for a scolding, “I don’t know really,” she paused, sneaking a look at his face, “I just take pictures…” He sighed, trying to keep his anger for the neglect of her wellbeing hidden as he calmly asked, “Pictures of what?”
Abby bit her lip, knowing he was in law enforcement and he would probably frown upon realizing his niece was taking pictures of dead people. She scanned the room, trying to find the folder of images but found it missing as she moved around the island. Heading into the hallway, she looked around the bedroom until she found her camera, fiddling with it as she re-emerged back in the living room.
“I’ll warn you though…” she said, walking up to the couch as she sat down next to her uncle. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons, turning the camera on as she handed it to him. Matt took it, pushing the buttons as he scanned the images on the screen, holding in his remarks for the familiarity until he came across crime scenes that he had been at personally.
He paused, “I know these…” Abby was caught off guard, tilting her head slightly as she looked at him, “What do you mean?” Matt pulled his thumb away from the button as he concentrated on the gruesome photo, “I’ve been to these crime scenes.”
The young girl glanced at him, confusion etched in her face as he mumbled a single word, “Sylar…” She heard him, narrowing her eyes at the slight familiarity of the name but she ignored it, “He did that?”
“He’s dead now,” he said, his finger pressing the next button on the camera as he continued to view the images. He froze when he noticed something familiar as he hesitated, seeing the date in the corner of the screen, “…at least that’s what I thought…”
Abby looked at him oddly, opening her mouth to ask but he turned the camera outward, the image in her view. She dropped her gaze to the screen, seeing an image of a young man sitting leisurely on her couch, his hand petting Oliver who slept next to his leg. Matt looked at her face as she blinked confused, clearly caught off guard, “I don’t know who that is…”
“That’s Sylar.” The man said, turning the camera back towards him as he examined the picture. The depiction on the screen confused him; the young man didn’t look menacing in any way, his attitude genuine as he was dressed in normal street clothes other than the long black coat he had been wearing for the most part of their encounters. Abby’s soft voice broke his concentration as she asked, “Did he make me forget?”
He brought his eyes up, shaking his head as he put the camera down on the coffee table, “No, I don’t think so.” Taking a quick glance at her face, he got up from the couch, digging in his pocket for his cell phone. “I think someone else made you forget,” he paused, flipping the phone open as he headed towards the front door, “I need to make a call.”
The door shut closed as he began speaking into the phone when she jumped, hearing a shrill ring coming from her purse. Abby stood up, cautiously looking at the closed front door as she picked her phone from her bag. It continued to ring in her hand as the word Work was sprawled on the front screen.
“Hello?” she asked, holding the cell to her ear as a masculine voice echoed through the receiver. “Abigail, we need you to come into the office today.” The young girl sighed, keeping her gaze on the front door as she nodded, “Of course, I’ll be in as soon as possible.”
She terminated the call, stuffing the phone back in her purse as she grabbed her camera, heading into her bedroom. Glancing at the fixed window, she had a millisecond of memory of the window broken as she shook the thought from her head. She opened the window, climbing through the opening when the sound of the front door opening again as she quickened her pace. Her feet hit the metal fire escape as she began climbing down the ladder towards the streets below.
Chapter 11
Cold air rushed past her, making her wish she had time to grab a jacket before sneaking out the window of her bedroom but she huddled her arms closer to her chest. It was early in the morning on a Saturday so the crowds of people usually clustered in the streets were absent, a few straggling crowds moving freely on the sidewalk.
Abby clutched her phone in her palm, glancing down at it periodically as her mind processed the information her uncle had presented to her earlier that day. She made her way across the street as she entered the tall building, maneuvering through a familiar routine until the elevator halted at the 7th floor and a young man entered the small transport.
“Hello Abby.” the british-accented voice echoed as he reached over and pressed the button for the 10th floor, finding the button already lit. She looked at him oddly, taking a moment to form words before she blatantly responded, “Do I know you?”
The young man was clearly caught off guard as his head tilted slightly before he let out an amused laugh, “Abby, it’s me, Mohinder.” He kept his gaze on her face, finding the expression glued to it keeping constant as she narrowed her eyes in confusion. She was about to speak when her phone went off, startling them both as she looked down at her hand.
Abby flipped the phone open and brought it up to her ear, knowing who it was as she answered it, “I’m in the elevator right now Bob.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Mohinder shift his stance and she glanced over quietly before nodding and stringing along a hushed sentence as she ended the call.
“You know Bob?” he asked and Abby lifted her head up after putting away her phone. “Yes…” she said, her voice hesitant, “Do you know him too?” Her eyes caught the confident smile that broke out on his face as he turned his head towards the elevator doors. “I was right.”
His statement confused Abby but before she could ask questions the doors opened to the 10th floor and he stepped out. She glanced at the console before weighing her options and rushing through the entrance to follow after him. “What do you mean, you were right?” Mohinder kept a steady pace as he walked through the long hallway, heading towards a pair of double doors as he replied, “That you work for the Company.”
Mohinder stopped when he heard the audible silence in the hallway, turning around to face the young girl as she stared at him. “Did I say something wrong?” he asked as he saw her snap out of her daze. She shook her head, “No, it’s just they always told me that the first rule of the business was…” she was cut off by his voice as he nodded in sarcasm, finishing her sentence off, “to not ask questions.”
She smiled and he couldn’t help but smile in return as he jokingly added, “and keep your mouth shut.” They stood in the quiet hallway for a second before Mohinder looked at his watch, “I need to go attend to a patient.”
Nodding, Abby watched as he turned around and disappeared behind the double doors, emerging minutes later with a syringe and an id badge. She became curious as he walked past her, her voice halting him as he turned around, “Can I come?”
The young man shrugged his shoulders, seeing no harm in her observation as he replied, “I don’t see why not.” She smiled as she followed behind him, walking up to a large white door as he slid his badge through the side lock. The light turned from red to green and a loud clicking sound echoed as Mohinder opened the door into a small observation room.
“I don’t know who the patient is, but…” he trailed off, locating the light switch as he turned it on and found the patient clipboard hanging on the wall. Abby walked into the room, observing the cold metal tiles plated against the wall as she walked to the opposite wall. The door shut behind them and she placed her hands against the wall, feeling cool glass beneath her palms as the light illuminated the two rooms.
There was a stale silence in the room as Mohinder’s voice was heard, “My god…” It was counteracted by Abby’s reply as she stared at the patient in the adjoining room, “…Sylar?” The man behind the glass lifted his head up in response to the change in lighting as he glanced at the girl staring at him. Their eyes locked for split second before a flood of memories re-emerged in her mind.
She turned just in time to see Mohinder drop the clipboard to the floor, his eyes firmly fixed on the glass as he stared at Sylar with wide eyes. A few seconds passed and he snapped out of his daze, rushing over to grab Abby by the arm as he tugged her towards the door, leaving the syringe lying on the table. “We need to go.” He said, moving backwards but Abby jerked her arm back in his grasp.
“Why?” she asked, seeing him stop short as he stringed along his words in panic. “He shouldn’t be alive, he’s dangerous…” he was cut off when Abby narrowed her eyes and retorted, motioning a hand towards the metal surrounding the room, “He’s in a cage, what is he going to do?!”
Mohinder sucked in a breath, genuinely shocked by her sudden hostility as he sighed, nodding his head, “You’re right,” he said pausing before taking another glance at Sylar, who was now standing close to the glass, “I need to go find Bob.” Abby watched as he glanced at the glass again and turned, exiting the room.
“Come to see me suffer?” a low voice echoed behind her and she turned to face Sylar, her heartbeat steadily increasing. He was standing inches away from the glass, his dark eyes fixed on her face as he held a composed expression. Abby took a steady breath, shaking her head slightly as she locked her gaze with his, “No…”
Her reply caused him to smile as he tilted his head to the right, “Then why are you here?” his bottom lip jutted out slightly as he waited for her answer, “You are the reason I’m in this cage.”
The young girl dropped her gaze, staring at the floor tiles as she felt his gaze bore into her skull. Shifting her stance, she darted her eyes to door before grabbing the id badge lying on the table, swiping it through the lock. The door lock clicked and she paused, taking a deep sigh before opening the door.
Sylar had moved from the glass, curious of her actions as he walked up to the open door. A genuine smile formed on his face and Abby’s nerves relaxed seeing the expression she had last seen when he had lost all memory of his past. It quickly disappeared when he shifted his eyes to the door, hearing a group of footsteps nearing the room.
Before she had time to turn her head in response to his pulled attention, Sylar grabbed her arm, pushing her into the observation room as he reached for the syringe. The door opened as Bob walked through, followed behind by Mohinder and two guards, as they all stopped suddenly, seeing Sylar holding Abby around the shoulders, the tip of the syringe millimeters away from her neck.
He looked at the visitor’s faces, analyzing their expressions as he smiled, “Looks like the tables have turned.”
Chapter 12
She felt the tip of the needle graze her skin, her body rigid against his hold as she looked at Bob with pleading eyes. He never met her gaze, his eyes trained on Sylar as he kept the strong hold of her shoulders, periodically backing up in reaction to the guard’s movements.
Sylar stepped back and the needle moved carelessly, the tip digging into her skin until he pulled it away.
“This is pointless Sylar…” Bob said, after a long moment of silence. His statement caused the man to halt, another action Abby was regretting as the needle made contact with her neck for the countless time. “You don’t have your powers anymore… and she’s… well,” he paused; adjusting his glasses as he finally looked at the girl, “expendable.”
His dark eyes narrowed before surveying the room, his eyes resting on Mohinder standing in the corner. The professor swallowed hard seeing Sylar staring at him as he fidgeted behind Bob. He smiled, pulling the syringe away from Abby’s neck long enough to point it in Mohinder’s direction as he asked, “What about him? Is he valuable?”
Bob turned his head to subject pointed out as he returned his gaze to the young man, “Dr. Suresh?” The killer drew his lips flat into a straight line as his eyes narrowed, his expression anticipating an answer. “No.” he replied, “We’ve already gotten all of the information we need from him. He’s just here to help us out.”
“You’re really bad at lying.” Came the dry response as the man’s lips curled into a smirk. With a motion of his hand, the two guards flew into the metal wall behind them, crumpling to the floor as Bob stared at Sylar in shock. He kept a firm grip on Abby’s shoulders as he maneuvered the syringe in his hand, flicking his fingers out as Bob flew backwards; his back making contact with the wall. Mohinder panicked, rushing towards the large metal door but Sylar got to him first, loosening his grasp on the girl as he stalked over and grabbed the professor.
Sylar’s hand found his front collar, shoving him into the door as he tilted his head slightly, “It’s been a while, hasn’t it professor?” He was surprised to find out his old friend had grown a backbone in his absence, as he shoved him back. His hands dropped him as he moved back, a laugh erupting from his mouth but it was quickly muffled when he heard Bob move.
The arm came out of nowhere; hastily grasping the professor by his shoulders as Sylar flipped behind him and placed the needle against his neck. “Do you want to negotiate now?” he asked as he saw the company’s boss get up, his eyes looking at Abby momentarily before he sighed and met Sylar’s gaze.
“I’d highly doubt you’d want me to inject you’re precious doctor with…” he paused, looking down at the syringe and its label, “strain 318.” The look on everyone’s face in the room seemed to amuse him as his answers were made clear, drifting his gaze to Bob as he smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
The man took a deep sigh, regretting a negotiation with a serial killer as he muttered, “What do you want?”
“You know what I want.” He stated, keeping the needle steady against Mohinder’s neck as he eyed the older man. Bob set his jaw, anticipating the fallout of his actions, “Fine, we’ll hold back the guards and you can leave.” He looked up at him, expecting him to release the doctor and disappear but he loosened his grip slightly, pointing the syringe tip towards Abby, “She comes too.”
Abby looked at Sylar dumbfounded, drifting her gaze to Bob as soon as he nodded. The older man walked up to her, taking her arm gently as he encouraged her, secretly slipping an object in her hand before pushing her forward. She hesitantly walked up to Sylar as he pulled the needle away from Mohinder’s neck, grasping his shoulder as he pushed him to the middle of the room and grabbed the young girl.
The door opened and he smashed the glass vile against the wall before rushing out of the room and into the hallway. He dragged her down the long stairwell until they had reached the alleyway. Kicking open the door, he halted when he felt Abby jerk her arm back. “What’s wr…” he was cut off by the loud sound of gunfire as he snapped his neck towards the open alley.
Two bullets stood in midair, inches away from Sylar’s forehead as he looked at them, raising his eyes to see Matt’s gun pointed at him. He dropped his concentration and the bullets fell to the ground, a smile playing on his lips as he inquired, “I thought you learned your lesson the last time.” Abby saw him move forward as his hand slowly began to rise and she panicked, pulling her arm from behind her as she plunged the needle into the back of his neck.
Sylar faltered as she pulled the syringe from his neck, backing up as he turned slowly. He shot out his hand to steady himself against the wall, his eyes hazily locating the girl as his words became mumbled, “You brought me back just to kill me…”
Abby watched as he slumped down against the doorframe, the virus quickly running through his system as she hesitated, “I’m sorry.” The laugh that escaped his lips was faint but it still managed to send a chill down her spine as their eyes locked and he uttered his last words, “No you’re not.”