Capable Woman 19/28 Linderman, Victoria, Angela, Peter,Arthur, the 12

Chapter 19

Linderman, Angela, Arthur, Peter, Victoria, the 12.

When Daniel Linderman met Adam Monroe he knew nothing of art. The only things Daniel Linderman knew of the world came from books – the war changed that; Adam changed that. It was Adam who had taught young Daniel to appreciate that which came before him, to look at the artists of the past as almost the pre-cogs of their time - how, together, these artists had created a road map.

Over his almost four-hundred years of life Adam Monroe had gained a great appreciation for art and history, a collector and pontificator he passed this love, knowledge and unique “perspective” onto his young protégé, until the young man became obsessed.

Adam had helped Daniel decide upon and purchase his first piece of art . And by the time Adam Monroe was incarcerated for acts against the Company, Daniel Linderman had accumulated his own modest collection, but it just wasn’t enough - it never was.

Adam’s protégé would spend the next thirty years looking for the entirety of Adam’s collection, knowing only that it was housed in a warehouse somewhere in the world. Finding it would never be realized in Linderman's lifetime.

The more money Daniel Linderman made, the more art he acquired; paintings, artifacts - pieces from all walks of life - all with their own history and mythology . The hunt intrigued him and soon Daniel Linderman was known, not only for his dirty, mobster-like dealings, but for his massive collection of fine antiquities from around the world. For as much as he was known to the world at large as a villain, Daniel Linderman was known to the world of art as a humanitarian - that still didn't mean he didn't funnel a lot of his extra crash into government-funded exploits.

But soon, thanks to Daniel Linderman, many fine pieces of art and history were saved, restored, or captured from ruin. He was also known to foster the talents of an up-and-coming artist here and there – his henchman were always on the look out for new “talents”.

But it was the story of his greatest artifact that he most treasured. The story Daniel thought only he knew, but Angela knew, for Angela had seen it in her dream that night:

Nov 3, 1977

Daniel Linderman needed to be alone that night, that night they officially put Adam away; the night he felt they had stabbed Adam in the back. But that didn’t stop Daniel from picking and pillaging what he could before the disciples descended.

He found himself that night in Adam’s offices in Kirby Plaza. It was their headquarters of sort, Kaito’s company had an office there as did Arthur’s law firm. It was dark. No one was around and small shards of light peaked in and out of spaces in the room from hallways and the moonlight.

Daniel looked around, making sure he was alone, knowing what he was doing was wrong, but that didn’t stop him. I never did anymore, not since he had come home from war, not since he had become a founder, not since he had made his first kill on the home front - it was just the way it was, one learns to adapt to the hardships of life - Daniel Linderman was no different.

Daniel was a far cry away from becoming the man he would be before his death, but he was also far away from that quiet bookworm Arthur Petrelli had met in Vietnam - Daniel was still Daniel, but on his way to becoming Mr. Linderman.

Daniel found Adam’s door and it was open. There was no reason to lock it, other things that were meant to be locked were locked. He walked in and flipped on a small standing light, bringing a little light into the room, but not much. The room had the feeling of an late night study at the local library, or maybe that was just something from Daniel’s past. The boy with the broken dreams traveled alongside Adam’s desk, sending his fingers along the top of it, scooping up a small bauble with one gesture and putting it in his pocket as if it was no big deal.

Next Daniel opened up the drawers, looking for a key or something. Whatever it was, not finding it made Daniel upset and angry as he cursed the heavens around him and slammed the last drawer shut with a bang. Daniel, appearing fed up, reached forward to the edge of Adam’s desk and grabbed a large letter opener and walked at a quickened pace toward a large cabinet to his left.

With a single movement, Daniel opened the lock with the letter opener and pulled the cabinet doors open with both hands. There standing in front of him, on a bottom shelf was what Daniel had been looking for one of the oldest artifacts in Adam Monroe’s collection: the sword of Takezo Kensei – aka Adam Monroe. Even Kaito Nakamura himself didn’t know that Adam had the sword his possession, but then Kaito didn’t even know that Adam Monroe had once been Takezo Kensei, that his hero was not a hero at all.

Daniel took the sword in his fist, slammed the doors closed and walked out of Adam’s office in one large, forceful move. Not before sticking the letter opener deep into the desk with all his might, leaving it there like a dagger in the mahogany finish. Daniel Linderman then walked out of Adam Monroe’s office and never looked back.

The faces all around me they don't smile they just crack.

Waiting for our ship to come but our ships not coming back

We do have time like pennies in a jar

What are we saving for?

There's a smell of stale fear that's drinking from our skins.

The drinking never stops because the drinks absolveall our sins

We sit and throw our roots into the floor

What are we waiting for?

–Believe

by Bravery

The 12

The DeveauxRoof

2005

The camera was set up and they all smiled. Some hadn’t seen each other for years, weeks, days; it all depended on what was left of their relationships. They may have parted, they might have all moved on to new ideas or just stayed on the old ones, but at one point they had all been friends.

And so they had agreed to meet that day on the roof, and of all things take a picture for prosperity – a last memento of years gone away. Times some would look back on with nostalgia, “those were the good old days, “while others looked at it with silent resentment, bitterness and anger. Angela wondered if the latter was just her. Still, no matter what, a long time ago they had all been friends.

Angela hadn’t seen Charles in a few years and she was shocked to see him in a wheelchair. She knew he was ill and had sent him cards when he was in the hospital, but she had no idea. She showed Charles her painted on smile, never to show him how sorry she felt for him or sad, but Charles knew better, he knew her too well.

When he was out of earshot Angela took Linderman’s ear. “I know you two are at odds, but he’s our friend, I don’t see why you don’t just heal him...”

“Oh, haven’t you heard...” Linderman said as if it was old news. “He has a form of the virus. Even if I wanted to heal him, I just can’t.”

“Adam?”

“We’ve ran out of that dear...” He asserted. “And it’s not like he’s very willing to give us more of it.” It appeared to be a silent dig at Arthur. “ But then again, most of us have used up that trump card haven’t we?” Linderman eyed her. “If only we could find another regenerator.” He shook his head.

“Yes...” Angela agreed, keeping her secret close to her heart.

Linderman looked at Charles. “It really is a pity,” he said with a touch of condescension and walked away.

After drinks were served and the help was asked to leave, the group all assembled in the living room. There they found large red tarps over something that stood the length and height of one entire side of Charles’s living room.

“What’s this?” Charles asked.

“It’s a road map..” Linderman cooed. “Carlos’s son is a bit of an accomplished artist, isn’t he?” He motioned his head toward Carlos, who nodded his head toward Linderman with a sly smile.

“If we’re here to look at the art equivalent of your stamp collection, Daniel. I’m not in the mood.” Spoke Harry, still the jokester, but with a little less glee in his voice and demeanor.

Linderman grinned slyly with a slight bob of his head as he walked toward the tarp.

“I have brought you all here for a reason. We all started together for one common goal. And for one reason or another...” he looked over the faces of his old cohorts. “We broke off --fractioned away from ourselves. Some literally, some mentally, but we’ve all veered away from our common goal. Used our abilities for our own sakes, our own personal gains — forgotten our core values — what is really and truly important --forgotten our wants and desires. Some of us have given up on the good work we are doing. Some of us have just given up.” He paused. “What I am offering us–all of you... is a chance to get back on track. Get back on message. Because we’ve all learned the hard way that one man –or one woman cannot heal the world alone one person at a time. It just can’t be done. And no one knows that more than we do. We need something bigger. Something to pull it down on course. The world needs hope. We all need hope. Something to bring everyone together.” He paused. “What I offer you here is finally, after all our years of fighting this war... something bigger, something to believe in.” He was stern yet full of optimism. “What I offer you is the future.” And Linderman pulled off the tarp to reveal two huge walls of paintings of the events to come.

Angela didn’t have to believe. She already did.

Victoria Pratt & Angela Petrelli

The Deavoax Roof

Victoria looked at her reflection in the atrium window. She put her hand to her cheek, her scar was gone. It was the scar left by the mark Adam had given her when he had tried to release the virus; when he had tried to save the world. Save the world by killing it.

Victoria put her hand against her face and let her fingers touch the spot, unsure if it was real. It wasn’t that she wasn't use to seeing herself, or anyone, healed, it was just she had lived with that scar for a long time, and now it was no more.

Victoria was beginning to regret ever agreeing to attend the party that day. What had possessed her to come, nostalgia? A hope that everyone had changed? She had no idea. Hope was not something Victoria had inside of her for years. And if she was still looking for it, it wasn’t the kind of hope Daniel Linderman was talking about.

Suddenly, Victoria saw Angela’s image behind her in the window pain. “He healed me...” Victoria was in a state of disgusted shock.

“He was just trying to do something nice,” Angela retorted.

Victoria shot around and faced Angela. “I never asked him to!” Her voice was cold and angry. She walked closer to Angela with her head in a diffident stance. “I liked my scars. They remind me of what I’ve done.” She looked Angela up and down. “Do you really believe in all of that? That a bomb going off in New York City – that’s the way to heal the world...”

“We’ve tried to stop if for almost thirty years – I was having the dream even before that. It can’t be stopped. Life’s inevitable, it can’t be stopped. You know that.”

“So, you’d let it all just happen. Use it all for your own personal gain.” She threw Linderman’s words back at Angela. “ Peace on the heads of millions.”

“That’s what war is.” Angela was firm.

“You people still think you’re in some kind of war?!” She was shocked.

“You haven’t lived this life for thirty years, you don’t know.” Angela walked toward Victoria.

“Oh, I know...” Victoria insisted. “I think the question is, do you know anymore? Do you know anything that’s real anymore? Have you become so jaded and deluded, so broken and angry at the world not listening to you – that you would let this happen?”

“We are not letting this happen.” Angela demanded. “ It will happen no matter what we do. I’ve seen it all. For years and I’m tired of treading water, we all are. This bomb will happen. And we will be the ones to pick up the pieces. There is nothing any of us can do about it. So, why not do something about what comes next.” She put her arm firmly on Victoria’s arm.

“Believe. Can you believe?”

“You sound just like Adam!” Victoria pulled away.

“Adam wanted to kill everybody – cleanse the world--what we’re talking about is saving everyone. We’re not causing this bomb.”

“Just taking advantage of it,” she snarled.

“You know I’m right?”

“Still sounds like the same propaganda to me,” Victoria hissed. “You're killers, all of you. Nothing about this organization has changed; it’s just gotten a better shine and… higher-priced business cards.” Victoria was one of the only people who could go head-to-head with Angela. “And what about Nathan, all that talk years ago, about keeping him from this, keeping him from the fire and you’re throwing him right into the hearth– what happened to your plan, Angela? What happened to saving your family from this?”

“This is the only way to keep Nathan from the front lines. His life will have purpose...”

“No, you mean your life will have purpose. Looks to me like you're not helping your son, you're just using him...”

“Nathan will lead this country – Nathan will lead the world– bring it together. And my children and their children after that won’t be hunted --put in cages – other people’s children will have the chance to live in a world without fear. No one will. And to do that, we have to unite everyone toward a common goal. A common – commonality.”

“More fear...!”

“You have no idea the hell I have seen. The things I’ve witnessed. We are fixing the world, Victoria. Just like we set out to do. And if I damn my soul in the process, so be it, if my children and the world benefit I don’t care what happens to me. It is the right thing to do.”

“This is your plan for Nathan?”

“I told you I’d find a plan. “ She walked a few steps closer to Victoria. “Nathan will do what we were never able to do, what his parents were never able to do, save the world. I am keeping him from the front lines. I am keeping both my sons from the front lines. Where they will never have to deal with the life that we have lead.”

“I know I can’t stop you. I know I can’t stop any of you. But I can’t be part of this. I just want to be left alone.”

“You can’t hide from the Company, from our past; I’ve learned that the hard way, they always know where you are...”

“You mean you always know where I am,” she scoffed. “Don’t think I don’t know it was you who knew where I was, so they could find me for this little reunion from hell.” She breathed in through her nose. “You owe me, Angela. All those years ago, I knew you were working with Adam. Someone had to. And you and Arthur and Linderman and Maury – you were always his most devoted of disciples. Biting at his feet like rabid puppies. Maybe in the end you came to your senses and you warned Kaito, or maybe you always had your wits about you, I don’t know. But you, Arthur, Linderman, one of us-- told Adam where the virus was, someone had to tell him it existed. I sure as hell didn’t tell him. And believe me it’s been lovely catching up on old times, really, but you’ll excuse me if the talk of death and destruction doesn’t just leave my stomach a little full for dessert, but I want the hell out of this. A long time ago we were friends, Angela, we kept each other’s secrets and I actually, funny as it is, still treasure those moments, the few good ones that we had– but when it comes down to it, you owe me. In so many ways, Angela. You owe me.” She looked at Angela hard and cold. “Pay up,” she greeted. “I just want to be left alone."

Angela looked long and hard at Victoria, but said nothing. Angela nodded her head. Victoria didn’t need to thank Angela, for it was written on her face how she felt. Written all over Victoria’s face that the debt Angela owed her didn’t deserve to be expressed in pleasantries.

Victoria started to leave, but Angela grabbed her by the forearm and brought her in close so no one else could hear, her voice was filled with truth and concern.

“You need to change your name this time. Go off somewhere. Alone. Remote. It’s the only way out.”

“You can get out too, Angela. Leave this madness behind you.”

“Noooo.” Her voice was low and breathy. “I have to stay here and protect my family. I’m too entrenched in this. Death is my only way out. And even then...” She led her eyes to the side. “Who knows, even then...”

Victoria shook her head and pulled away. “You’re a killer, Angela. The whole lot of you,” she said soft and hard. “You may not pull the trigger, but you’re a killer just the same. ”And Victoria stormed off the roof through the atrium and she was gone.

After a moment Linderman arrived on the roof, through the main doors, a drink in hand, he looked around as if he was expecting to find someone there.

“Where’s Victoria?” he questioned.

Angela looked at Linderman hard and resolute. Finally a small friendly smile came to her face. “I have no idea...” she gestured up with her shoulders. “I don’t know.” And she left the roof and returned to the party.

So give me something to believe

Cause I am living just to breathe

And I need something more

To keep on breathing for

So give me something to believe

-Believe

by Bravery

Angela & Arthur

One year later

The Petrelli Bedroom

Arthur Petrelli stuffed a few papers into a briefcase. He noticed a large, expensively wrapped basket of cheese sitting on the bed.

“What is that? It’s the size of Texas.” Arthur grumbled.

“It’s a basket for Peter.”

“And you don’t think its too…” he smirked. “Overpowering?

“No.” she said firmly. “No. I don’t.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” he mumbled. Arthur made sure he had all the paperwork and files he needed. “I have to see Linderman in Atlantic City tonight; I’ll be back early tomorrow.”

“Tonight? It’s Peter’s graduation party.” She turned to him as she set her earring in her ear. Peter had finally finished his degree in nursing from NYU.

“Is that tonight...” he seemed distracted as he checked his pockets to be sure he had his glasses, he did.

“I told you five times this week. He graduates this afternoon. The best we can do is go to his party. I promised him.”

“He’ll get over it.” Arthur closed his case. He grabbed a bag from the closet and threw it on the bed.

“You’re not his beck and call boy,” Angela said crossly. “You use to be the one who called the shots around this place.”

“It’s business, Angela. It’s important. I’m keeping this family afloat.” He threw a few things into a bag and was gone without a word.

And Angela was left with the feeling that her husband was hiding something from her. Angela seethed with anger and with all her might, which was plenty, Angela slammed closed the drawer to her vanity at full force - so hard she cracked the wood.

Angela Petrelli

Later That Night

“Ahhh!’ Angela woke up in a fright. Her arm outstretched in the air, reaching out for her son Nathan as he fell through the air to the ground below. She had seen it all. Linderman’s thugs chasing her son, Nathan flying away, the car crash and then Nathan falling to the ground. But Angela had woken up before she saw where or how Nathan had landed.

Angela had left Peter’s graduation party early, perhaps Nathan was still there. Perhaps she could still stop him. But, how? How could she stop Nathan without bringing suspicion on herself. It was a trick she knew well, but sometimes she was at a loss.

She called Peter.

“No, Mom, he just left.” Peter was picking up beer bottles and paper plates. “Do you wanna call him on his cell, he should be half way to Hyde Park by now.”

“Noo. Noo.” She said. “It can wait.” Angela held in every last thought or emotion that would give her away.

“Good night. Love you.” Peter said without hesitation.

“I really am proud of you today.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Angela hung up the phone and sucked in her emotion. There was nothing more she could do. Calling Nathan on the road would do no good. Everything was already in play. All she had to do was wait. After all, Angela knew he would live, but that didn’t mean she didn’t worry.

Angela got dressed, put her coat on, got her purse ready, her keys – the driver wasn’t on call at night, and she waited. As she waited the thoughts of the party ran in her head. It was nice to see her two boys together, it was nice to get out, Arthur never liked meeting new people anymore, but she understood – with their life it was hard to let anyone new in.

It was nice to dance again, really dance again. She had been fixing herself a drink when she heard the sounds of Elton John singing, it was a sound she hadn’t heard in a while. When one of Peter’s friends, one she knew, argued with another friend that the singer was not in fact Elton John, Angela had to chime in. The two men were shocked when they found out she was, in fact, right – it was the Scissors Sisters, but with Elton John.

“I was listening to Elton John long before either of you were born.” She raised one eyebrow at them.

Angela waited in her bedroom for two hours until finally her phone rang. It sent a lump into the base of her throat. She picked up the receiver with her slender hands and listened stoically to the person on the other end of the line. Nathan and Heidi had been taken to an area hospital half way between New Hyde Park and New York City.

“I’ll be right there...” She said softly. Angela put the phone back on its receiver and drove to the hospital.

Angela had no idea, that across town, her son Peter was having the same dream she had hours earlier, a delayed vision. He had manifested and like a baby chick emerging from the egg he didn’t have full use of his power yet, he didn't even have his training wheels. The nightmare was about to begin.

“I am hiding from some beast. But the beast was always here.

Watching without eyes because the beast is just my fear

--that I am just nothing -- Now its just what I've become.

What am I waiting for?

It’s already done

-Believe

by Bravery

Next Chapter: The Death and Funeral of Arthur Petrelli? Was it a heart attack? Suicide? Murder? Bob? Linderman? Angela? And is he even dead?