April 2007, Disagreement

[ellectrical]

It seems like she's deliberately trying to make as much noise as possible, as Elle slams down the lid of the trunk of her car and walks around to the driver's side door, heels snapping on the cement. The professor is waiting for her there – Maya Herrera and the Walker girl are still huddled in the doorway that opens out into the alley.

"We need to go." If she weren't expecting an argument, Elle would push Suresh out of the way and climb into the car. But she knows she can't expect the others to follow, and sure enough, the professor quickly protests –

"You have to listen to me, they don't have to go back there –"

"We let you keep Molly Walker if you'd keep her safe," Elle snaps, though her voice lowers. "You didn't."

"I can get her out of here." He doesn't say where, but she would have yelled at him if he had – they can't assume anything now, least of all that they're not being overheard, in a place as open and exposed as this. The professor continues, matching her tone, "I can get her some place safe, farther away than the Company."

"And she goes with her?"

Suresh stops speaking immediately, taking a long few moments of consideration before deciding on this response.

"She can go back to my –"

"Your apartment?" Elle has to work to keep her voice down now, as she nearly snarls it, folding her arms and leaning against the car. "Right, because Sylar has no idea where that –"

"Maya can control it." Even Elle can tell that it took nothing less than considerable daring from Suresh to interrupt her. His eyes don't meet hers, instead glancing around the alley, briefly back to the building. "I've seen it. She can use it for herself."

And Elle looks over her shoulder too, back at the open door, arms still folded and expression still set.

"I don't think so."

But she doesn't have much reason to doubt the professor now. There was no way he could have encountered the woman before this, and nothing indicated he had accessed the information the Company had collected about her before now. He could still be lying, just to –



It didn't line up with the Company's information, and whatever it was, she knew it was something she didn't want Sylar to have.

"Elle." It brings her attention back that he's speaking so directly to her, even leaning slightly toward her, though he only lasts a moment before stepping back again. "She doesn't have to go there."

She's about to answer, to refuse – what kind of answer is that, anyway?



"You didn't have to stay."

Her arms are uncrossing before she seems to realize it. Elle looks up to Suresh again, then over to the building, or maybe, really neither, before she turns away from both, and yanks her car door open.

"Wait," Suresh calls, not looking at all relieved at this. "What about Niki–?"

Elle doesn't answer.