Part Six - Influence - Part Four

DECEMBER 2, 2007

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

The camera frame opens on a close up of a digital alarm clock. It reads 6:59 AM. It changes to 7:00 AM. A song by Chaka Khan plays.

A man is sleeping on his stomach with a blanket half on. He is wearing a white, plain T-shirt and light blue boxers. He groans and mumbles something to himself. He maneuvers his left hand but knocks over the clock. It falls to the floor and keeps playing.

Bathroom. The man splashes water on his face. He towel dries his face, brushes his teeth, and shaves off his 5 day stubble. The shower curtain pulls over.

Nightstand. Picture frames are laying down. The man appears and checks his shave. He is dressed in black and gray with a scarf, cardigan, and slacks. He walks over and bends down and shuts off the clock (and the music). He makes his bed then pulls a pair of loafers from under the bed.

A small kitchen table. Close up on him eating a bowl of plain cereal. A glass of orange juice is nearby. The camera rotates to see what he is watching. It is a news channel replaying footage of the Nathan Petrelli flight crash. Words; Accident, Suicide, and Sabotage stream across the lower half of the television. He drinks the juice and sets it down. He stands up, puts the dishes in the sink, and rinses them.

The man walks to his door. He looks around at his apartment then locks the door.

DMV

The man stands in the renewal line. A photo flash goes off. He goes to the desk and gets his driver's license card back.

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

He returns several books to the front desk and pays a small fine.

The man walks up a sidewalk. He buys an apple from a corner open market, polishes it, and eats it. He throws the core away in the trash can despite abundant litter on the road. He checks his wristwatch then pulls his sleeve back down.

As he sees a crosswalk, it captures his attention and he speeds up his walking pace. He bumps past several people. He then bumps past Trevor. At the crosswalk, he holds his hand out. Two rings fall, in slow motion, the camera follows them downward. The rings clink as they hit the ground. The camera looks up at the man.

"Boom."

His eyes light red and an explosion erupts from his body.

Trevor reaches into his trench coat for his gun but it's too late. The blast reaches him and blows him backwards. The camera is pointed down on Trevor. There are cuts on his forehead, blood pooled around his ears, and a distorted ringing sound. He is shell shocked. Trevor looks around. He sees his cell phone ringing but can't hear the ring. He tries to reach for it but can't. Unknown time passes.

A paramedic arrives over him. Trevor's vision focuses on the man. It is Hesam, Peter Petrelli's partner.

Hesam - "Sir!! You've been in injured in a terrorist attack!! Tell me your name!!"

Trevor - "Can I be me?"

Hesam - "Do you know your name?! Your name!!"

Hesam is checking his vitals and unpacking his kit.

Hesam - "What do you do for a living?!"

Trevor - "I protect people."

Hesam - "You're a cop?!"

Suddenly Hesam is muted, Trevor can't hear him anymore. Someone walks behind Hesam. It is the man who blew up. His clothes are tattered. Trevor shakingly holds up his right hand in the shape of a gun and shoots. Trevor's arm drops to the ground. Trevor is dead. Hesam exhales. Then the screen pauses on Hesam's exhale. Time and the scene begin to rewind.

Trevor is back to kneeling down and holding a pinwheel. He pauses and looks around then at the pinwheel and the girl. He remembers the explosion.

Trevor - You're getting a fruit basket, John Mulligan.

Trevor blows the pinwheel and returns it to the girl. She runs back to where she came. Trevor walks on. The man comes into view. He begins to walk faster. Trevor presses his lips and makes a move.

Trevor - "Hey, Steve, is that you?! Class of '03? It's me, Todd!"

Ezekiel - "Sorry, you got the wrong guy."

Trevor - "My mistake. You look just like someone I went to high school with."

Ezekiel - "I get that a lot for some…"

Trevor leans into him and tasers him. The man faints onto Trevor. No one notices (or cares for that matter).

Trevor - "That's how to stop an exploding man."

ONE HOUR, 24 MINUTES, 37 SECONDS LATER

KAHO'OLAWE ISLAND, HAWAI'I

UNDAUNTED - in Heroes title font - graces across the panel.

INFLUENCE - PART FOUR: FAMILIAR- in Heroes title font - pasted on the ground

Ezekiel wakes up in shock. The Sun beats down on him. He looks around.

Trevor - "No, we're not in New York, anymore."

Ezekiel turns around and sees Trevor leaning against a boulder.

Ezekiel - "You. You kidnapped me!"

Trevor - "You were going to kill a lot of people. Would you rather I take this gun, hold it out like this and pull the trigger?"

Ezekiel - "Kill people? I don't know what…"

Trevor readies his gun.

Ezekiel - "You're making me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

Trevor - "Are you going to turn green and pummel me?"

[Marvel Comics - The Hulk]

Ezekiel tries to use his power but nothing happens. Trevor shoots. No bullets loaded.

Ezekiel - "Are you crazy?!"

Trevor - "Yes."

Ezekiel - "…Terrific."

Trevor - "Crazy enough to spare your life, take you to the other side of the United States, and force feed you a special cocktail of pills. You have a power. The ability of self-detonation. I have a power, enhanced memory. You were in a high emotional state and wanted to just vent on an uncaring world."

Ezekiel - "How?"

Trevor tosses the two rings to him.

Trevor - "You killed me. But luckily, there happened to be a time manipulator with his own problems, too. He rewinded time a few minutes and luckily I remembered what happened and neutralized you before you could blow us all away."

Ezekiel - "Say I believe all this. What now?"

Trevor - "She wasn't worth it. Too immature. Doesn't know what she wants from life. Only cares about going out and losing herself in nightclubs. You deserve better. Try a brunette next time. You're also a size 12 and a half but since they're so hard to find, you force yourself to wear 12's."

Trevor tosses Ezekiel's wallet back to him. Ezekiel laughs.

Ezekiel - "Who are you?"

Trevor - "I am many things. Today, I'm your guardian angel. Are you ready to go back to your life and move forward?"

Ezekiel rests his head on his right hand and nods.

Trevor - "Good."

James Kelly comes up behind Ezekiel and tasers him. He faints again.

Trevor - "See, it is fun, isn't it?"

James - "Helping people?"

Trevor - "No, the tasering part."

James - "…"

Trevor - "Give it back."

They teleport back to New York into Ezekiel 's apartment. Trevor sits him down on a sofa.

James - "You can handle him from here, right? I have to go down to…"

Trevor - "The Lower East Side? Don't waste too much time. The meeting is at 8."

James - "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

James teleports away.

Trevor is about to leave when he sees the nightstand. He picks up one of the picture frames.

Trevor - "Like quicksilver in the hand."

[Dorothy Parker - "Love is like quicksilver in the hand. Leave the fingers open and it stays. Clutch it, and it darts away."]

Trevor puts down the frame and walks out the door. As he enters the hallway, Emma Coolidge walks past Trevor. She doesn't make eye contact at all.

Trevor - "Don't bother holding the elevator for me."

LOWER EAST SIDE, NEW YORK

Darren Summers, Ilja Vanderslagmolen, Daniel Stehlik, Maxxine Falcone, Amber Reed, Jennifer McAllister, Morgan Harvey, Chuck Cox, Erika Stevens, Brian Cain, and James Kelly are gathered in Kelly's apartment room. Trevor enters.

[HSG - New York and New Jersey-based members]

James - "Everyone made it."

Trevor - "Let's start then. You're needed elsewhere, too."

James - "Where are we going?"

Trevor - "Green River, Utah."

James presses Trevor for more.

James - "What's going to happen? Is Undaunted going active again or is Seal going to…"

The group looks on intently for Trevor's answer.

Trevor - "There is…one thing we can do. The happiest people are those who can do it to the limit of their ability. We can be completely present. We can be all here. We can…give all our attention to the opportunity before us. Let's not speculate."

[Mark Van Doren]

Trevor puts his right hand on James shoulder. The others walk toward James and place one of their hands on James as well. He closes his eyes with a smile.

James - "Let's not."

They teleport away.

TO BE CONTINUED…