WHO: Nathan Petrelli, Cordelia Chase; later Heidi Petrelli, Willow Rosenberg, Peter Petrelli and TBD. Special guest appearances by Lindsey McDonald and Sarah Williams. WHERE: Hyperion, specifically the basement; later Wolfram & Hart, then back again WHEN: Sometimes after the end of the Gentleman attack; later - noon-ish/early afternoon WHAT: Arguments, tranquilizers, cages, guided tours, evil lawyer plots RATING: PG-13 at least for probable language STATUS: thread; in-progress
Under the assertion he wanted to see the protection in place with his own eyes, Nathan had promised Heidi he would return very soon and once more made his way to the basement. The hotel was quieter now, those not involved in seeing to the place having retired to rooms and, if possible, sleep, and if there weren't still things to be patched up, it might have seemed impossible that there had recently been a fight for many lives within its walls.
But it wasn't impossible and Nathan was now facing all of that, that Heidi had been cut open because the bad guys had wanted their sons. They had been targets and instead of being safe in the hotel, they had nearly been murdered. It was unacceptable to Nathan. He had accepted or tolerated many things, but no one, no one, came after his children without repayment and, in this case, reevaluating everything he had thought about their safety and security.
The basement was dim, and he thought unoccupied, as he entered. The barrier was hard to miss now, and he approached it, reached out. It was clearly solid, but partially transparent – milky enough to be somewhat obscure, but he could still see beyond it. It was here now, but where had it been before? Even more, would it hold? Were there other weak spots in the building just waiting to be exploited?
After a moment, he drew back his hand and finally let fly the string of vehement cursing that had been waiting to be vented, thorough and creative and revealing his time in service of his country had also given him the skills to swear better than a sailor.
It was only after that, as he turned away from the barrier, that he realized he wasn't alone.