The Wiccan Rede, the guiding philosophy of morality of Wicca, is “Do as ye will, as long as ye harm none.” Life is a path, a long succession of diverging roads where one must make a decision. Fight or flight. Love or loss. Step up or step off. The road less traveled by. Turn the other cheek. Join or die. Coffee or tea. Every moment, every second, every heartbeat, is an opportunity to take a stand against the wrongs of the world. Or to cower and retreat. Life is a test by fire. Can we know what choices we will make when the time comes? Surely not. But can we fight in the present, ruling the time we have now to be too precious? That, my friend, is the question we should be asking ourselves.
: : :
Monica and Lyle
Company agents Monica Dawson and Lyle Bennet drove down
“Why do you get all the notoriety?” Lyle asked from the passenger seat.
“I’m a hooded vigilante with cunning acrobatics. A guy in a gray suit with a taser ranks a bit lower on the notability scale. It’s your job to blend in. But if it’s important to you, I could start advertising about my sidekick.”
“Sidekick?!”
“What can I say? You lack style.”
“Style is overrated. I’ve got competence. Doesn’t anyone remember who trained me?”
“You’re new, Bennet. Why do you think your nickname is Peach Fuzz?”
“Peach Fuzz?”
Monica’s face reddened. “Did not realize that was a secret.”
Lyle sat dejectedly in his seat.
“Lyle, what we do, we’ve gotta do under the radar. All those civilians out there? They think these shots are just the newest trend. And that the whole ‘the next step in evolution’ slogan is just clever advertising. We’ve got to protect people from themselves. That includes our friends and our families and, heck, our leaders. You know the President thinks that he’s paying for me to go to college?”
“The President is my sister’s biological father. It kind of detracts from his mystique.”
“The guy’s my grandmother’s nephew’s wife’s sister’s husband. We practically have brunch every Sunday.”
After a brief silence, Lyle asked, “So, is Carlson always like that?”
“Yeah, one of the results of being the boss, I guess.”
“You would think she’d get us a flashier car than a three-year-old Toyota Camry.”
Monica had to chuckle at that. “Not that I don’t think that St. Joan should have some kind of flashy convertible, but you got to admit, it’s reliable.”
A tire popped. Monica cursed. She noted suspiciously, “It was a back tire.”
Lyle cocked his gun. Monica slipped on her hood.
But before either could react, Lyle lurched forward. Blood began to stain the front of his white dress shirt. Behind him, there was a bullet hole through his seat and into the back seat.
Monica cursed again and opened the door as a metallic-sounding burst came from the trunk. The trunk hood opened and Daniau scrambled out, his hands surprisingly free of the handcuffs. He took one look back the hooded St. Joan and raced off. Monica merely tossed her dagger using the aiming she’d learned from him. The knife inbedded itself into the back of his head and Monica glared from behind as Daniau’s body fell forward.
She raced over to the other side of the car and found Lyle gasping for breath. She peeled off her sweatshirt and pressed it against Lyle’s wound. She slipped her iPhone out of her pocket and called home base.
“Carlson? This is
She hung up and began using the device to open her collection of medical videos. She then got to work trying to keep her partner alive.
Within minutes, a Company medical team and Regional Director Amy Carlson showed up. Handing Monica a replacement sweatshirt, she stared the agent down with a stern expression. Carlson would not at first appear to be an imposing figure. She was barely five-three; perhaps a hundred-forty pounds, with a bob cut of plain brown hair and a face that might be described as cute if she were smiling, which she was not.
“
“The target was unconscious and handcuffed when we put him in the trunk. We emptied his pockets and made sure he didn’t have any ammo to throw. We weren’t thorough enough and it appears he founds some screws in the trunk to loosen. Don’t ask me how he achieved enough maneuverability to shoot a screw into his handcuffs, but he did, at great risk of personal injury, might I add. He proceeded to shoot out a tire and then into the cabin area. He made quick work of the trunk lock and attempted an escape. He got about fifteen feet.”
Carlson held up Monica’s kris. “I noticed. Pulled this from the back of his head. It pierced his brain stem.”
“He deserved as much.”
“You flubbed up, but your instincts were good and you handled the situation well. We’ll take Bennet to the Company hospital; see if we have any good regenerator blood on us.” Off Monica’s worried look, she commented, “He’ll be fine. You’re not getting us to assign you a new partner that easily.” She gave a little half-grin to Monica.
: : :
Ando
Tokyo
Ando put in a lot of effort into blending in. He wore non-descript clothing: a brown jacket over a white shirt with khaki pants. On his cell phone, he replied to a caller, “So, they lost the girl? That’s going to make finding him more difficult. Alright, I’m about to enter Yamagato Industries. He can’t hide for long.”
He smiled to the entrance guard, saying his was an old employee and needed to pick up some forgotten items. He took the elevator to the executive floor.
Once there, he fired several red blasts into the ceiling. In the ensuing chaos, as secretaries ran from their desks and executives hid under their desks, Ando easily made it to the thick wooden doors of the CEO’s office. A rather large blast sent them to the floor. He walked in, confident in his entrance.
The CEO was not impressed.
Kimiko Nakamura, clad in an attractive blue pant suit stood at her desk, leaning backwards against it.
In a chipper tone of voice, she asked in her native tongue, “Mr. Masahashi, what can I do for you? We’ve missed you since your left Yamagato to pursue other opportunities.”
Ando scowled, “Drop the act, Kimiko. I need to find Hiro.”
Still showing no indication that anything out of the ordinary was going on, she replied, “I’m afraid I wouldn’t know the first place to find my brother. He and I live in separate worlds now.”
“He has stolen your father’s half of the formula. I fear he has malicious intent for it.”
“That half of the formula was given to him by my father. That hardly constitutes stealing.”
“The formula belongs to the public. It is their right to use it to improve themselves.”
“For a price, paid to the Pinehearst Company.” She gestured to the pin on his label.
“We have studied the formula for years. We provide genetic tests to assess how susceptible the recipient of the injection would be. We are responsible with it.”
Nodding, she stated, “You make a good case, Ando. You’ve grown a lot these past few years.”
“How could I not? If you had any idea what was on the horizon.”
“The Broken Earth Prophecies? Oh, I’m quite aware of them. They’re all my brother talks about.”
“So you admit you have contact with him?”
Kimiko approached Ando, standing very close to him. “And so what if I do?”
Ando inhaled deeply, feeling his head fog. “What’s going on?”
“Pheromone production.”
“You have an ability?”
“I’m the CEO of a powerful corporation. Pinehearst ships around the world.”
“Hypocrite! You criticize us for making money off of what amounts to be a patentable pharmaceutical drug, yet you use your status and wealth to obtain the shot while protecting your brother for subverting that very notion?”
She began to circle him, cat-like. “You have to admit, the power is useful. It’s quite a challenge to be a female CEO in
Ando stood resolutely. “You’re beautiful enough to do it without the Synthetic help.”
“Thank you. I’m impressed by your willpower. A few years ago, I could have had you in bed with a mere flip of the hair. Now, I can inundate your system with my chemical wiles and you stand firm.”
“I have a mission.”
She laughed, and sat back on her desk, raising a leg invitingly, “You’re beginning to sound like him. I’m not telling you where to find him. I love my brother.”
“I do not wish to hurt Hiro. He was my closest friend. He’s a loose cannon and I’m trying to save the world—and him—from this foolhardy pursuit.”
Kimiko ignored him, commenting curiously, “You must have an ability. Pinehearst only employs the out-of-the-ordinary. Show me.”
Ando resisted.
“Show me,” she whispered.
Ando inhaled deeply, his brain completely fogged over. He held up a tense fist and his hand began to glow with red, cackling energy.
“Beautiful… and dangerous,” she admired. “Is it always red?”
“Yes.”
She pouted playfully. “Aw, too bad, I was going to take it as a compliment.” She turned serious and invaded his personal space again. She whispered in his ear, “Promise me you won’t hurt him.”
“All I want is the formula.”
Kimiko, pleased, pressed her lips against Ando’s. Ando sent a blast into the ceiling, knocking out the lights, and illuminating them only by the outside streetlights in the dark night.
: : :
Peter and Matt
Fort Lee,
Peter woke up again, finding himself not only in the land of the living but the land of the waking.
Peter noted the pin on Matt’s suit jacket. “You’re one of them.” He held out his hand covered in blue electricity.
Matt removed the pin and threw it on the ground, “Had to join them to get to you. Trust me; they almost got my wife killed. I have no loyalty to them. Check me if you want; I’ll suppress my telepathy.”
“No need. Why bring me back to life if you don’t want me alive?”
“Walk with me.” Matt commented, trying to put ground between him and Pinehearst, “As long as we’re being honest, I ought to let you know my original plan was to lock you in a nightmare for your part in hurting Daphne.”
“Look, I’m sorry about Daphne, but it wasn’t me who went to Sylar’s house. It’s was my past self from 2007…”
Matt held up his hand to stop Peter, “No, I get it. But I need your help on something…”
“Look, I’d love to help, but the world is in trouble…”
Again, Matt held up his hand, “It’s far time you learned that I’m the one who brought that image of the shattered Earth to the
“How can a little girl help me?”
“One, she’s fourteen, not a little girl. And two, her ability is to find anyone anywhere.”
“Molly Walker is your daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a picture?”
Matt pulled out his wallet. “Yeah, right here, why?”
“I was around her at
Matt reached into his wallet. “And with the picture, you can also find out where she is.”
Peter stared at the image. His mind flashed back to 2007. It was a fleeting glance, but he remembered her, huddled with Niki and her husband and their son. All of a sudden, as if the memory had been planted in his head, he could see the location. “Isaac Mendez’s loft,” he said.
“The murdered painter?”
“He had a loft in
Matt nodded. “With the painting of a nuclear explosion on the floor? Mohinder Suresh has a lab there.”
“Why would she want to track down Suresh?”
“Because once upon a time, he was her second father.”
Peter took a hold of Matt’s arm and they disappeared into thin air.
: : :
Angela and Gabriel
Primatech Research Facility
Angela led her middle son down a long hallway. She remained silent; Gabriel was unnerved.
“Ma, you’re not talking.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, dear; it’s wonderful for you to be back with us at the Company. I hope you realize you’ll be expected to use your powers.”
“Understood,” Gabriel commented halfheartedly.
“I would like you to meet your partner.” She opened the door to a two-person office. At one desk, there was a tall, lean man with a conservative cut of dirty blond hair, looking at a folder. He looked up at the sound of the door. He stood up immediately and extended his hand. “You must be Gabe.”
“I prefer Gabriel, actually.” Gabriel shook the friendly agent’s hand.
He smiled amicably. “Fair enough.”
Angela bowed her head, “Well, I’ll leave you to get acquainted. I have to brief some other agents.”
Ryan at once mentioned, “So, I wasn’t permitted to look at your file. You used to work here?”
“A couple of years back. I had a kid and wanted to stay home with him.”
He nodded with understanding, “By the way, you called Mrs. Petrelli ‘Ma’ back there. Is she your mother?”
“Yes, she is.”
“Sorry for prodding, but your last name’s Gray?” He indicated the nameplate on Gabriel’s new desk.
“Angela is my biological mother. I was adopted out as a baby.”
“So, I’ve gotta ask. There’s this blond woman who’s name is Gray.”
“My wife.”
“Oh,” he seemed genuinely surprised.
“I’m guessing you’re wondering about her… off-kilter reputation?”
Attempting to seem as non-threatening as possible, Ryan defended, “I’m not judging.”
“No, it’s a valid point. I was Elle’s redemption and she was mine.”
“If you don’t mind me asking: I’m a ‘one of them,’ so I’m assuming you have some sort of ability?”
“They call it ‘intuitive aptitude.’ It’s a fancy way of saying I understand how things work.”
“Interesting…” he asked in a baiting tone.
“I can tell that the battery in your wristwatch is at 17% capacity, and you’re losing 12 seconds a year. I can tell by your demeanor that you were raised in the Midwest, but have spent a number of years in
“You’re like a mimic?”
“Kind of. To learn a new ability, I have to look at the brain. It’s rather fatal.”
Ryan looked like he was desperately hoping his new partner was pulling his leg.
“I used to have a bad habit of slicing open people’s heads,” Gabriel hinted.
“Sylar…”
“For what it’s worth, I’m about 93% reformed.”
“Well, it’s a lot to process, but I guess I can deal.”
This genuinely surprised Gabriel. “Seriously?”
“Look, I’m a big believer in second chances. Once upon a time, I was going through a pretty dark time in my life, and a special pulled me out of it.”
There was a knock at the door. Elle stood behind Bess Detskij. Detskij was a tall woman, towering over Elle, with long, straight, brown hair, in top physical shape, and with a rather commanding demeanor.
In a voice that couldn’t hide her Russian roots, Detskij stated, “Agent Gray, Agent Covington, looks like we’ll be teaming up today. We’ve got a report of two evolved humans reeking havoc in downtown LA.”
Gabriel was genuinely surprised, “They’re letting us work together?” He indicated his wife, who waved cheekily.
“I’m surprised they’re letting you work at all, Sylar.”
“I prefer to go by…”
“I know what you prefer. Doesn’t bring your victims back to life.”
Bess turned face and marched out. Elle gave Gabriel and Ryan a come-on head tilt.
“Take-charge woman. That’s an attractive trait.”
“She’s my wife,” Gabriel challenged.
“And you are a man in love. I meant the Russian.”
Director's Commentary: According to comments, people are liking the Monica/Lyle match-up. I thought these two underused characters would find a purpose together. And even though everyone knew it was coming, Hiro's death scene was still moving. I'm really sad to lose Masi. I'm hoping a Peter/Matt alliance will work out, because it's going to be central to the rest of the series. And Kristen and Zach continue to kill. Word on the set is that it's a tad awkward for them in their characters' budding romance scenes, but they seem a lot more comfortable here as flirty but stable married folk. Our biggest guest star is Olga Sosnovska. So, funny story. I needed a Russian character for my previously established but as of yet unseen character Bess Detskij. I told Alexis, my casting director, if it would be possible to get this one actress I'd seen on an episode of Criminal Minds. I was told, with a smile, that it would be very easy, as she played Angela's assistant on the show earlier this year on the parent show. I come to find out that I'd asked for Sendhil Ramamurthy's wife. If that's not fate, I don't know what is.
Written and Directed by Christopher VanDrey
Milo Ventimiglia ... Peter Petrelli
Zachary Quinto ... Gabriel Gray
Kristen Bell ... Elle Gray
Greg Grunberg ... Matt Parkman
Christine Rose ... Angela Petrelli
Masi Oka ... Hiro Nakamura
James Kyson Lee ... Ando Masahashi
Dana Davis ... Monica Dawson
Randall Bentley ... Lyle Bennet
Olga Sosnovska ... Bess Detskij
Chris Carmack ... Ryan Covington
Sean Maher ... Xavier Daniau
Marissa Jaret Winokur ... Amy Carlson
Seami Nakamura ... Kimiko Nakamura
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