HEROES - Volume 6: Brave New World

Chapter 18: Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable characters, just playing with Tim Kring's toys.

A/N - show canon; GN semi-canon/references. A couple OCs.

Epilogue I

Helix Base

Hiro teleported back into his last location on the base, but found the room deserted, the medical devices shut down, and broken window glass scattered on the floor.

He made a stop at the empty nurse's station to confirm the date, before exploring further. The entire floor was empty. Venturing downward, he found the entire building seemed empty, but he could hear an amplified voice coming from outside. As he approached the front doors, a voice called out behind him.

"Hello, Hiro."

The young samurai spun and drew his sword. "I have been training. I have no more fear of you," he warned.

"Haven't you heard? I'm working for the good guys, now," Gabriel Gray explained, leaning against a wall. "I'd tell you to ask Peter, but he's busy at the moment. In fact, follow me, I have something to show you."

"This is a trick?"

"No tricks, just a treat," he said, motioning Hiro to follow. He led the other man back upstairs to a front corner office again with it's windows shattered. "Can you hear?"

"What happened here?"

"Hm? Oh, Samuel Sullivan woke up and caused some trouble. I wouldn't worry about him right now. Listen," he pointed towards a small crowd just visible around the corner.

Hiro kept his sword drawn. "What is happening? Am I in the future again? Have we lost?"

Gabriel shrugged. "You missed Sullivan, yesterday, that's about it since you disappeared," he said. "And will you please put that sword away, before you put someone's eye out, waving it around like that?"

Hiro shook his head.

"Fine, just listen," he urged and pointed out the window.

He strained to hear, but the words were muffled over the distance. "What's going on?"

Gabriel shrugged. "News crew caught the damage Sullivan caused. Maury Parkman and Noah Bennet decided to make the Specials training here public. Russia, China, a few others had already done the same, if you haven't heard. Maury says they were supposed to wait for everyone else, though."

"What?"

"Something about a show of international cooperation or something?" he said casually. "You know how governments work, they always have to have the bigger, better guns," he smirked.

"I should join them," he insisted.

"You're not American."

"You are not a hero, like me," he challenged.

"I did my part against Sullivan, in Central Park and yesterday," Gray noted, glancing back out the window. "Currently, I'm working for Noah."

"I'm- wait, what?"

"Would you like to help?" he smiled.

Hiro eyed him warily. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You can't, but it is a simple task I'm asking."

"What? Deliver a letter, take a friend somewhere."

"Who?"

Gabriel Gray held up a thick manila envelope and smiled once more.

"How do I know this is not a trick?"

Gabriel sighed and held up the latest series of Doctor Who as an incentive. An instant later, Hiro was gone and Gray's hands were empty.

Epilogue II

I-64, an hour west of Louisville

"You and your friend don't say much, do ya?" the trucker inquired in his southern drawl.

"He's mute," the boy snapped.

"I noticed he hasn't done much of anything unless you ordered him to?"

"You talk to much."

"Boy, I am doing you a favor by letting you ride in my rig," the trucker scowled. "The police give big fines for picking up hitchers, these days."

"I'm doing you a favor by letting you keep your mind," he warned.

Hank gave him a leery side glance. "You what?"

"Just shut up and get me to Nevada."

"Boy, I done told you, they shut down that Area 51 nonsense after the internet drew too much attention to it!" he scolded the boy. "Don't you listen to Coast 2 Coast?"

"That's just what they want you to think," Lyle Bennet sneered. "Trust me, I know better. Once I get there, I'll have a whole army for my revenge!"

Hank shook his head. "Crazy kid. I told you I'll take you as far as St. Louis, but then I'm headed for- huh?"

A black SUV crossed lanes and swung too close in front of the 18 wheeler, causing Hank to downshift. "Crazy mother-! Don't these idjits know these big rigs can't stop on a dime?!"

His rant stopped short as the back windshield of the vehicle rolled down. A rifle barrel emerged from inside.

"Evasive action!" Lyle shouted, jumping for the wheel, but Hank pushed him off.

"Get off me!"

Ping! Ping!

"What in tarnation-?" he started to say, but then saw the SUV's back window slide back up. He was about to say something to the boy and his silent friend, when he glanced over to see they weren't moving. The passenger side windshield was now spider webbed with cracks, the wind whistling through one dime sized hole. There was a red trickle coming out of the left eye socket of both Lyle and Polsky.

Hank looked back at the SUV only to see it speed ahead and take the next exit at Santa Claus, IN.

"Dammit, not again!" he grumbled to the corpses. "Why do I always get the crazies? My damned insurance better pay for that window this time, too!" He grabbed the CB mike off the dash. "This is Singer, I got me another pair of ShaG '87s, headed west on 64, I just passed North Pole. Can I get a little maid service out here? Holler back!"

Epilogue III

Somewhere along the coast

Patrick Markham looked out his kitchen window. The grass would need cutting this afternoon, he realized. Better sharpen the blades after I finish my coffee. He had begun to enjoy this simple life. Peace and quiet was all he wanted now. The only thing that would make this perfect would be-

No.

That life was over. Everything was behind him. Everything. There would never be any going back to that life. It was time to start over. No ties to the past. He finished his coffee in one gulp, then headed out to the garden shed to sharpen that blade.

An hour later, the mower was back together, gassed, oiled, and ready to go. He pushed it out to the corner he decided to start with today when he caught the flash of light off a car coming up the road. He paused. No one else was supposed to be driving down this road. He wiped his hands on the shop towel and reluctantly walked around to the front corner of the house, scratching at his week old scruff.

The car had tinted windows, but he could still see several people inside as it pulled up to his house.

He knew who the driver was before he turned off the engine.

"You shouldn't be here," he warned.

"You can't run forever," the newcomer said.

"Get out. Leave and never come back here again, or I'll-"

"I brought her. And him."

Patrick's face tightened. "I...I can't. No."

"Tell her that," he said and motioned to the car.

Markham turned away. He couldn't face her, not after everything that happened. "I said no."

With one word, she broke his resolve. "Dad?"

He turned to face her, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

She went to him and hugged his waist tight. "I missed you."

He hesitated to put his hand on her head, to comfort her. "I-I know. I'm sorry."

She pulled back. "What's wrong? Aren't you glad to see us?"

He glanced to the other man. "I-I can't. I'm sorry. You can't stay."

He might as well have slapped her. "W-what?"

"You can't stay here. Not with me. Y-you can't."

"Why not?"

He turned away and went to the backyard. He sat down on the picnic table. The man and girl followed.

"Why can't we stay?" she demanded, sitting next to him.

He fought the urge to get back up. To get away from her. He glanced to the other man again, his stern look of disapproval.

"I'm...I'm no good for you. Ever since you came into my life, it's been one disaster after another. I can't take that, anymore. I'm sorry."

She reached up and turned his prickly chin so he had to look at her. "You saved me."

"I- you- what?"

"You saved me, you big dummy."

He glanced up to the other man, who only turned away. The other occupants of the car came around the corner. "W-what is this-?"

Nathan carried the car seat. Kyle held the hand of the toddler.

"Dada!" the baby giggled.

If the girl hadn't broken his resolve, his son surely broke his heart as he dropped to his knees to greet his namesake. He knew he was a blubbering mess as he hugged his child tight.

She reached over and placed a hand on his head. He pulled her into the hug, as well. After a minute, he glanced up and saw the twins standing there.

"What are you two waiting for?" he asked. "I'm stuck with all of you, ain't I?" he smirked, pulling them into the group hug, as well. "All for one and one for all, right?"

A minute later, the slam of metal on metal distracted him and he looked up to see the other man had pulled all of their belongings out of the trunk and was now climbing back behind the wheel.

"Excuse me a minute guys?" he said, finally breaking the hug and giving chase to the other man with his son on his hip. "Four kids at once? You trying to drive me insane?" he asked, putting his free hand on the door as he leaned over to talk to the driver.

"You can do it. I believe in you," he said, putting his hand over the other man's in assurance. "Don't worry. She'll be running the place in no time."

"I don't- I just-" he fumbled.

"You're welcome. Patrick," he winked. Not much of a change, but not my choice, is it? he projected.

Blame Noah, and his friend who can alter features, he replied before saying "Thanks, Dan, just...thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. I'm sending the rest of their stuff COD," he smiled. "Watch your back, man."

"You, too, and...thanks."

Patrick stood back to let the other man leave, making his son wave bye-bye as he drove off.

Best of luck to you, Matt, Daniel Bloom thought as he drove off...his features dissolving to one the other man was more familiar with.

Thank you, Gabriel, Patrick Markham thought back.

End Volume Six.

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12/25/12