Interlude: Anything For My Daughter

It was quarter to six thirty pm as I parked my car at my designated parking spot.

Grabbing my briefcase from the passenger's seat, I switched off the car's engine and climbed down, adjusting the lines on my suit with my left hand.

I glanced at the sky. The sun was dipping into the horizon, painting the sky golden. It would be evening soon and soon, I'd have to get back to my family for dinner.

But not before I dealt with the precog...

I moved briskly towards the glass entrance of Primatech Limited, a cream-painted-story building that had its name fixed on top of it.

Upon entering, I nodded at the receptionist who replied in kind, and passing by some of the workers, I stepped into the elevator, and pressed the 'down' button.

The elevator hummed as the silver metal doors slid to a close and it began descending. In no time, the elevator halted with a ding and the doors slid apart.

I took a step into the brown-painted and carpet-floored narrow corridor that had several copper-colored doors lining the walls and walked towards the door at the end of it.

The sounds of the workers typing or making calls and the sounds of my footsteps echoed all over as my feet took me to the door, the briefcase clutched firmly in my right hand.

A dual authentication keypad was fixed on the wall on the doors right with a silver metal cabinet near it, holding potted plants.

Placing my briefcase on top of it, I unlocked it and took a slim yellow rectangular keyboard that had the logo of the company printed on it.

Inputting or typing the passcode on the keypad, I swiped the key card on the reader and instantaneously, a clicking sound came out of the door.

I closed my briefcase after placing the key card back into it, opened the door via the handle, and walked through it.

The familiar dark concrete-walled and floored underground storage unit came into view, the fluorescent lights that ran across the ceiling providing illumination.

In front of me, a few meters away, was a large and lit cubic building with windowsills. I strode to it leisurely and entered, finding myself inside a spacious hall divided into smaller furnished compartments.

Looking around, my eyes paused on the figure of Eden dressed in a black singlet and tight denim jeans with her hair pulled in a bun.

She was reading a book, one of her long legs crossed over the other, but the moment we made eye contact, she closed the book, put it away, and got up to meet me outside.

I glanced to my left and saw a fair-skinned skinny young man with Latino features, brown mullet hair, and a handsome shaven face seated on a single bed in a white round neck t-shirt and grey trousers.

He was Isaac Mendez. A painter and comic book artist from New York who could paint the future. A very interesting gift.

We'd been observing him for a while now, just like the rest of them, studying his gift and what he could do.

He was scheduled to be brought into the fold at a later date but unfortunately, he made a series of...overly special paintings that required his immediate presence here at the facility, paintings I was very much interested in...

He was extremely focused as he drew on the sketchbook that lay on his thighs, not noticing me as I stared at him through the slightly opened door.

My attention was swept back to Eden as she came out with her usual stoic face, her hands already slipping into her pockets.

I stepped closer to her, a warm smile creeping on my face.

"How is he?" I asked her gently, gesturing to Isaac with my head.

"The heroin is out of his system. His body doesn't want it anymore but his mind still does, like all drug addicts." She informed calmly.

"Is he at least coherent?"

"Very. Are you ready to meet him?"

I paused at this question, my smile disappearing as I caught sight of one of his paintings at the corner of my eye.

It was one of his paintings involving Claire...

Inhaling sharply, I looked into Eden's black eyes and nodded, "Yes."

She nodded and stepped towards the door and I followed. She opened the door fully and went inside his assigned room.

"Isaac...this is Mr. Bennet. The man I was telling you about." She introduced me to him with a faint smile, stepping to the side as I entered after her.

The room was small, clean, and white with a single bed in front of the north wall that had a blue and white fresco painting hanging on it, windowsills, chairs, and two nightstands placed near the bed.

Isaac looked up at me with his thin pale bony face and I flashed him a friendly smile.

"Hello Isaac," I greeted him gently as I moved to one of the chairs near his bed. "Drawing anything interesting?" I asked as I sat down, still smiling.

He stared at my face for a few seconds with suspicion in his black eyes and looked down to flip through the sketchbook with his fingers, "It's nothing."

"No that's not true. You have the ability to paint the future and that's something, something special." I complimented him and his suspicion vanished as his face changed.

"...Feels like a curse."

"No no, it's a blessing, don't let anybody tell you otherwise," I affirmed sternly. "And we're going to help you understand that."

When confronting people like him, it was best to remove any negative notion he or she had about his or her abilities to facilitate cooperation.

After all, a man or woman who saw his gift as evil, witchcraft, or in this case a curse, won't be compelled to render their services for the Company. Willingly at least...

He stared at me wordlessly for a couple of seconds and the corner of his pale lips rose slightly.

"...I'm thankful you're helping me but the problem is, I don't know why." He said thoughtfully.

"...To be a hundred percent honest with you, I need your help." I exhaled deeply and made my intentions known.

Isaac's face scrunched up in confusion.

I sighed and stood up, my gaze still on him.

"Please follow me," I said to him as I turned to walk out of his room and pass Eden, I saw her nodding at him.

The next moment, I heard his footsteps trailing behind me as Eden led the way to the other compartment

Good, she had his trust. With or without her powers, I could always count on Eden to wrap confused men around her finger. It always made the work easier...

We entered into another compartment where all of Isaac's remaining paintings had been moved to from his New York studio and I gestured for him to sit down on the only chair inside the room with my hand.

My eyes darted all over the room, at the vivid colorful paintings lying around the room as Eden paused at the door and my eyes widened in surprise when I observed some of them.

Two paintings showed a school bus and a train burning, the former happened in Israel while the latter happened here in Odessa.

A painting that showed a suicide bomber, and one that showed an earthquake in eighty-one, among others.

One even showed a waitress in casual clothing holding two food-filled plates with a sunny smile on her face.

But the ones that caught my attention were the ones about the boy and cheerleader whom Eden mentioned on the phone.

I knew who the cheerleader was but the boy was the surprise. I recognized the figure. It was Xander, Claire's new best friend...

Most of the paintings in the room were about him or related to him.

There was one where he was writing something on a desk. The next one showed him beating a boy twice his size to a bloody pulp.

That was probably Brody Mitchem. The imbecile I had The Haitian turn brain dead...

Another one showed him hugging a weeping Claire, the very next showed him in a face of against...I'm guessing Sylar in a school hallway, shielding Claire's path as she ran away in tears.

The last three ones showed Sylar in the hallway looking around for a disappeared Xander, Xander shooting Sylar with a pistol from the back, and a wounded Xander with his head on the thighs of Claire while a dark shadow loomed over them.

In that last particular painting Claire was looking straight at the shadow, with either fear or confusion, I couldn't tell from the way she was drawn.

Just by studying all these paintings, I discovered one interesting thing. Xander was just like Claire, a superhuman.

I had always wondered how Claire managed to become such close friends with Xander, someone who was her senior and who as far as I knew, had never spoken to her before.

Now, it all made sense...

"Mr. Bennet?" I was brought back to reality by Isaac's shallow voice and I realized I was glaring at the last painting, motionless like a statue.

This painting...I had to know what would happen next. Would Claire be safe or would something terrible happen to her?

This was why I was here today. To get answers...

"This girl, the one you've painted all here," I said, pointing at the figure of Claire on the paintings. "That's my daughter, Claire."

Isaac's droopy eyes lit up in surprise and I continued, "The boy on the other hand, the subject of most of your paintings here, is her close friend Xander."

Hearing this, Isaac leaned forward, wiping his face with his palms, and he let out a shallow laugh.

"Xander...so he was right huh?," He muttered, almost whispering, with a wry smile. "Hopefully he gets to him in time."

I paused as I heard his words and my eyes instinctively narrowed at him, "Is there something I should know?" I questioned seriously, confused.

What did he mean? Was something going on about all this that I didn't know?

He looked up at me, his smile disappearing, "Nothing. I'll explain later. Tell me about the guy in black." He said offhandedly and asked, leaning back into his chair.

Stopping a frown from drawing on my face, I glanced at Eden and gave her a meaningful look, one she instantly caught on to.

In the Company, information was as precious as gold so whatever he was withholding from us, we'd pry it from his mind. One way or the other...

"This man goes by the name of Sylar. A mass murderer. I have reason to believe that he's going to kill or attempt to kill Claire and Xander." I explained calmly to him as I stepped into the painting that showed his figure.

"Why?" He mused.

"Because they're special, like you, and that makes them a target, " I answered and he nodded in understanding.

"If you know who he is, then why haven't you guys already stopped him."

"Because nobody knows where he is. Now, we know where he's going to be," I glanced at the painting of him and Xander in Union Wells hallway. "That's why you're here Isaac. I need you to make another painting, I need to know what happens next after this." I pointed at the last painting.

He became silent, staring at the pointed painting, and then shook his head.

"...I'd love to help but sadly I can't," He stood up, his eyes showing how helpless he was. "Not without the drugs." He looked away in embarrassment.

I exhaled sharply, gazing at him as he fidgeted lightly, and then slipped my right hand into my back pocket.

...I wasn't leaving here without a definite answer. Thankfully, I came prepared.

Pulling out a bound leather bundle, I advanced to one of the small metallic counters in the room and spread the bundle on top of it.

He became wide-eyed when he saw its contents and I could feel the stink eye, Eden was giving me at the sides but I ignored it.

Fixed on the surface of the bundle were a syringe, a small brown rubber tube, and a small glass vial containing Heroin.

"...Look, I promise we'll help you use your abilities without using this but please right now, there just isn't time." I slowly moved closer to Isaac and said, my voice pleading.

He scoffed angrily and took a step back.

"Unbelievable. Do you know what I lost because of that? I lost the love of my life," He revealed, glaring at me. "Now, I'm here fighting to get my life back and you expect me to just throw it away!? No, I won't use it." He stated emotionally, crossing his arms on his chest.

I held his gaze silently, his words triggering something within me that made my blood run cold.

Any emotion or sympathy I had for him, disappeared almost instantly.

"Please reconsider."

"No." He replied abruptly, a frown settling on his face and at the corner of my eyes, I could see Eden fidgeting uneasily.

Looking at his resolute face, I removed my glasses, rubbed my eyes, and exhaled deeply as I wore them again, stepping back to the counter.

...All he had to do was sacrifice, just once, to help me protect my Claire and he refused. Even after all the hospitality and respect I had given him.

He was free to make his own choices, just like every human being on this planet. But so was I he would pay the consequences of his choice.

If he didn't want to willingly help me save my daughter from the danger that was coming her way, then I guess I'd have to get it forcefully.

Nothing was going to stop me from doing what I had to do for Claire.

Absolutely nothing...

Taking the syringe, I removed the cap, inserted the needle into the hole on the cap of the vial, and extracted all the liquid within despite the looks they were giving me.

"What do you think you're doing!? I told you I wasn't going to do it!" Isaac yelled furiously at me, unconsciously taking a step back, but I ignored him and swept my eyes to Eden.

I knew she wasn't going to like what I was about to make her do. She'd probably hate me after this because I was about to break the promise I made to her promise.

But it was going to be worth it. Anything I did for Claire was worth it...

"We tried it your way Eden," I said coldly, my hard gaze fixed on her as I walked to her face. "Now it's time for my way."

"...Do it..."