video;

[gabriel_gray]

[ On screen there is this very charismatic, neatly dressed newcomer. He might have some resemblance to some guy called Talbot, no idea who that is, or for others, perhaps, sounds a little bit like Iron Man. These things happen. But here he is, Nathan Petrelli, a pair of silver wings acting as his tie-pin and an American flag pin in his lapel, denoting his political office. He straightens his jacket briefly before addressing the network. ]

So what, no Kissinger? What I can't figure out is if this is real life, or we're starring in a version of reality where Tom Clancy was high when he wrote his Cold War novels. I mean, think about it, it could happen.

Kidnapping a US Senator, though. I'd like to say I'm impressed, but it's not like it would be the first time.

Okay, so I've got the basics. Superpowers, non-mandatory conscription, yadda yadda. Some information on the histori-political situation here would be a good start. Mostly I wanna know where it all went wrong. Did we do the Cuban Missile Crisis? 'Nam? Watergate?

[ Then, slightly more to himself: ] This time travel stuff is messed up... Uh-- [ Louder, and back to camera: ] One more thing, I'm dying for a decent cup of coffee. The swill they give you on a military base isn't even worth swallowing.

[ OOC: So this is Sylar, shapeshifted. He doesn't know he's not Nathan, thanks to certain telepaths funking with his brain, but if anyone's power is relevant please let me know! ]

Comments

[askedtobe]

[ Peter stares for a few seconds because it's been... well, a good long time. And he's been remaining oblivious to that fact because it was easier than focusing on the things that he was missing from back home. But it feels like he's about two seconds away from getting some serious heat over things he's done if he doesn't shape up and the whole 'Nathan is my father figure' thing is about to kick his ass.

First he has to get over the shock, though. ]

Nathan? [ Because he'd been avoiding you back home and somehow he feels like that'll be way harder to do here. So might as well out with it... but, still. Gawking. ]

[gabriel_gray]

[ And he would kick his ass. He would. If not for, you know, that whole character arc with the hugging and the fighting and the dying. But right now he's just relieved to see Peter in one piece. ]

Pete, you're alright! Thank God.

[askedtobe]

[ Yeah sure, that's a lie and a half. Nathan always kicks his ass for a varied and colorful number of reasons - Peter's pretty sure this fact is reality and not just the being a little brother syndrome associated feeling. ]

Yeah. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?

[gabriel_gray]

You're supposed to tell me, make me think I'm not imagining you. [ He gave his head a shake though. They were wasting time. ] The Sylar thing--at the hotel.

[askedtobe]

[ Peter goes quiet for a second because- can they not? ] Nathan, you're not.. imagining me. I'm right here. Talking to you. And don't worry about the Sylar thing, it's over with.

[gabriel_gray]

It can't be over with, Pete--it literally just happened. Did we stop him? Did we save the President? These aren't over with kinda questions, you know. They're with it questions. Like get with it. Seriously, you gonna keep me out in the cold on this?

[askedtobe]

Nathan- i've been here for months. It happened awhile ago for me, this isn't a recent thing anymore.

But the president's fine, everything's fine. All of us are. And yeah, we stopped him. He's here, somewhere around here because he's from before all of it, but back home? It's all been taken care of.

[gabriel_gray]

So what you're saying is I gotta respect the bullshit time traveling stuff.

Jesus, Pete. You've been here for months? I can't see you falling in line with a government thing like this.

[askedtobe]

You really want to talk about this over public broadcast?

But yeah, you gotta respect the time travel bullshit. Kind of a prerequisite around here.

[gabriel_gray]

You paranoid enough to think they're watching this?

[askedtobe]

[ ........... sigh. C'mon Nathan, Mr. Government. You should know the answer to these things. ]

Only because it's been proven that they are.

[gabriel_gray]

[ Big brother is always watching. He just wanted to call Peter paranoid. ]

Speaking of paranoid, they set me up with a bunch of powers that are...not as expected. You follow?

[askedtobe]

[ Such cruelty, geez. ]

Yeah, I didn't get mine either. What, they switch yours up with something else?

[gabriel_gray]

Something like that. Not something I wanna talk about on this thing.

Take me up on that cup of coffee?

[askedtobe]

Now who's paranoid.

Yeah, sure. I can come up with a few places. Where're you holed up?

[gabriel_gray]

Is it better you come to me? I don't know what you can do, but I can still - you know... [ Not at all subtle flying gesture. ]

[askedtobe]

[ WOW NATHAN. ] You pick up sign language recently?

But sure, long as you tell me where you are, I can get there in a minute.

[gabriel_gray]

This place in Heropa. Military. I declined the escort. So uh, let's see. [ He turns the screen. Beach beach beach lifeguard station fence. ] How's that for directions?

[askedtobe]

[ Uhhh okay squinting a little bit but trying to remember the image so that he can at least somewhat navigate to... there. ]

Give me an extra minute, but i'll find it. Stay put.

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[viced]

Well, I guess they're moving up. They already got a Mayor, why not a Senator too, right?

[ Or a Vice President but he won't share that. ]

Did you get that coffee? I know a couple of places.

[gabriel_gray]

[ It's a beautiful beachfront. Of course that was pretty much what the whole land spur that is Florida was. Limestone covered with sand stretched out for hundreds of miles. Some of it swamp, some of it covered with grass, and then miles upon miles upon miles of sand and more sand.

So okay, finding Nathan was a case of flying in one direction until he was seen, and how many guys in suits did you really see standing on a beach? Realistically? ]

[askedtobe]

[ But beachfront is beachfront! It all looks the same, to a certain extent. But Peter at least somewhat knows what he's doing directionally these days - or, well, he should. He's been here long enough to know what place Florida is and it only takes a certain amount of scanning from high up before he can spot Nathan from a distance. Because it's Nathan and knowing how to find him in a crowd was always important. So, without a crowd: easy.

Descending and skidding to a sandy halt, Peter jogs the last few yards over, brushing off. ]

You doing okay?

[gabriel_gray]

[ Nathan doesn't give Peter even a second to recover from the flight. Within moments his arms are around him, and he's squeezing him into a tight, brotherly hug. ] Yeah, Pete. Yeah I'm doing okay. You okay? God, it's good to see you.

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[gabriel_gray]

[ Or a President, but alternate futures don't count. But I mean--they kidnapped Superman. ]

I didn't get that coffee. Are you offering? Because this weather? A man could get thirsty.

[askedtobe]

[ Oh. A Nathan hug. Somehow that's intensely unexpected and Peter blinks a few times, having forgotten the feeling of familiarity. What it feels like to remember home, to remember Nathan. Which makes him feel a touch guilty until he squeezes Nathan back and simply knows what it is to be a brother again. ]

Yeah, you too. It's been awhile- i'm fine. Didn't even know how much I missed you.