[ video ]

[hostage]

So here's the thing, right. I mean, yeah, the Initiative kinda kidnapped us. But they say they didn't do it on purpose. And I believe them, 'cause nobody in their right mind would wanna recruit me into their army on purpose. Some junkie loser. Ask anybody who saw me my first few weeks here, okay, all shitting in my pants scared and useless with the shakes. I couldn't hold a gun steady if my life depended on it.

So they didn't exactly bring us here on purpose. But what do they do when we end up here?

[He raises his hand to the camera, counting off on his fingers:]

They patch us up, bring us back to life. Hey, that's a big deal for some of us, ain't it?

They give us some swanky ass apartments. Yeah, we got roommates, but do you see what the rest of everybody's living in? We got some damn nice cribs in comparison, yo.

They give us money. Just like that. Like, "here you go, go buy a sandwich."

They give us weapons. You ain't never been a prisoner if you think that's something they'd do if they meant to keep us prisoner. Okay, nobody arms a prisoner. They'd be taking away our weapons if they were trying to hurt us all on purpose. And look at this shit -

[He holds up his own gun for the camera, popping the magazine out so the poison darts inside are visible.]

- All high tech. They ain't just giving us sticks to go out and defend ourselves with. This is some quality craftsmanship.

[He sets the gun aside.]

And you hear how I said "defend ourselves"? Yeah. Those U.E. sons of bitches are coming after us. They bombed the shit outta this place we're living in like my first week here. I mean, look around. You can see what they done to this place. To the people in this world. And they got the technology to do that to our worlds, too, unless we do like the Initiative says and go on missions and fix this shit.

And you know what else? You got a problem with the Initiative, you can just talk to 'em. Yeah. They ain't gonna hurt you. I was having some problems when I got here, so I went and talked to them, and guess what? They gave me everything I asked for! That's all it took. So yeah, maybe they can't send you home right now. But they'll help you out best they can.

Look, we're pretty much their only hope here. They wanna do right by us. So just... stop talking about dumbass rebellions and start - I don't know - communicating.

Comments

[breakablegirl]

[Sylar's a creeper okay. She just does not wanna get into that. It's weird and embarrassing. But yes she is leaving out the key component here.]

Uh, telekinesis is the one he uses most. He's nearly un-killable, he's got this ability to heal really fast... He can touch things and absorb memories from them. He can shoot out bolts of electricity, and he can shape shift into anyone he touches once.

..There's probably more, but those are his go-tos. He gets more later.[Claire can't hide the bitterness in that. He gets the ability to fly from her biological father as he kills him.]

His basic ability, the one he had before his collecting spree.. It's kind of like.. He understands how things work? That's how he was able to do it.

[hostage]

Okay.

[That's... a lot. Godmode piece of shit. Jesse goes quiet for a minute, gnawing on his lower lip and just thinking about all that.]

[breakablegirl]

[Claire goes quiet too, looking down at the floor.

Eventually she looks back up.] His name is Sylar. But he's been going by Gabriel.

[Slow, deep sigh.] I really don't.. I told him I hadn't told anyone. It's just.. Really complicated. [A humorless hint of a smile. It fades as quickly as it comes.]

[hostage]

I won't do anything that'll get you in trouble. Won't say a word to him or anything.

But, like... I mean, this is a lot for you to be dealing with by yourself. And if he's a serial killer? I mean, it's like an addiction, right? He ain't gonna stop just 'cause you tell him to.

[breakablegirl]

[There's a moment there where she really looks at him for once. No guard. Eyes clear and observant. But it doesn't last, and she's looking down again.] Thanks.

...He does stop. He figures out he doesn't have to kill people to take their abilities.

I know he wants to be better. But yeah, it sucks that it's all on me.

[hostage]

He's telling you he wants to be better. That don't mean it's true.

But if it's about the powers, not the killing... I dunno. Did you tell him about that? Like, show him how he doesn't have to kill?

[breakablegirl]

I know it's true. [He hasn't said it.. Yet. He does in her timeline but the Sylar here..]

..I'm working on it.

[Claire suddenly looks like she's released a huge amount of weight on her shoulders.] God, I just wish I could get rid of his powers. Or. [Or kill him. Again.]

[hostage]

[Jesse drops his gaze, his hand going to the gun at his hip. He doesn't draw it, just rests his hand there while he considers the problem.]

I could, um... I could maybe take care of that. If you think that's the better way.

[breakablegirl]

[Claire's eyes wander down to his hip, confused.]

..A gun isn't going to kill him. Believe me, if it did..

[hostage]

I know. You said.

This ain't a regular gun, though. If I could get him by surprise, you know, so he couldn't use the TK to stop the dart, I bet I could make it so he can't use his powers at all. But I ain't tested it, so I don't know for sure...

[breakablegirl]

[Claire stares for a second, then sits up straighter.. And then she stands up again. She takes a step towards him.]

...How?

[hostage]

Not all the darts I got are poison. Some of them, what they're made for is power suppression. Just pop and then he's human. It's high tech, you know?

[breakablegirl]

[Gears turn in her head and she's regarding him, this new potential solution.. But her first thought isn't about Sylar. It's about her.

Then she thinks about Sylar.]

I.. Don't want you getting caught up in this more than you already are. You've been really nice and I just.

..I guess I'll keep it as a last resort. If you're actually offering. And I can do it. He won't see that coming no matter who is pulling the trigger.

[hostage]

Trust me... if there's one thing I can do right, it's shoot a gun. You ever decide that's what you wanna do, you just ask me and I'll take care of it.

[breakablegirl]

[Claire looks at him with confusion. She doesn't get why he's offering to do this, and she's not sure she wants him to. The fact that this gun, these darts are supposed to, what.. Nullify abilities? That's fascinating to her. Useful. But that's the gun, not him. He's not the gun. He's Jesse.]

Yeah, I guess I'll let you know.

[She shoves her hands in her pockets.] You'd need to test it first, though, right?

[hostage]

[It's funny, but the gun feels like it is him. Part of him. Which is a strange way to feel about a weapon. He usually hates them. He doesn't want to touch them, if he can help it, and he only carries them when they're necessary. But this particular gun is special. The idea of letting someone borrow it is out of the question.]

Yeah. I mean, I ain't even mentioned it to anybody, 'cause I know probably most superhumans would get all upset just thinking about it.

[Comics tell him so.]

And of course I wouldn't shoot some random person just to see if it'll work. So... I dunno what to do about that.

[breakablegirl]

You'd be surprised. [A shallow smile.

Then she's moving across her room, slowly, debating. Conflicted. Worried. She side-glances him and then looks away again.]

Can you tell me more about how it works? Can it be undone, or?

[hostage]

It's a computer chip. It, um... It sort of embeds itself under the skin, analyzes the body, then sends a signal that scrambles the whole system. I guess that's the best way to put it, really. If you know it's there, you can dig it out. Like, surgically remove it. But it ain't real obvious. He probably wouldn't even guess what did it. It's super tiny and it's injected through fluid, so it looks like my other darts.

[breakablegirl]

[Claire listens, intently. She nods.]

That's good. He'd probably eventually figure it out, but..

[She crosses her arms. And hesitantly, super hesitantly speaks.]

.... I know someone you can test it on.

[hostage]

Yeah? Who?

[breakablegirl]

...Me?

[hostage]

Haa, I knew it.

[breakablegirl]

[...] Nuh uh.

I was completely convincing.

[hostage]

Yeah. Right. Totally.

[Okay well she kind of convinced him but kind of not.]

So what is it? What's your power?

[breakablegirl]

[Time to find out just how much he was paying attention earlier.]

I heal.