[Whack] July - 026 - I put in a call
Jul. 29th, 2008 12:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
changehistoryPeter was gone. The thought kept echoing around and around in Adam's head. He didn't believe in him. He thought him a monster, like his mother before him had, and where she had helped lock him in a cell, the son had just tossed him aside. The promise to come back, the anguish in the boy's eyes, the emotion he knew he felt coming back at him, all of it meant nothing in the face of the desertion. It was as much a betrayal as those who had locked him up thirty one years before.
Reaching forward, he poured himself a glass of whiskey, a bottle such as he had sent Nathan for Christmas, anonymously. The world was not ending--again--he told himself. Elle was with child, and faithful by his side. Eden was strong, prospering, rising from the ashes like the phoenix, like he himself had. Even with the girl, with Suresh....even with what he had done, Nathan had not actually attacked. He'd tried diplomacy, as Adam would have, and not anything that would topple Adam's fledgling kingdom.
But now he had Peter, and Adam did not. Peter who was the one person who could stop him, the one person who could make him fall, make him crawl. If Peter decided he was right, that Adam was the monster of his nightmares instead of the hero of his dreams, would he act? Would he fight to bring Adam down, or would he just turn away, his back to him for eternity, blocking him without an outright attack. Was Peter capable of such an attack? Did he fully recognize what he could do with those powers at his command? A moment, a thought...Chills ran up and down Adam's spine, a flicker of fear amidst the pain and wretchedness of dashed dreams and haunted hopes.
No time to mourn the person he had allowed Peter to bring out in him, to grieve for talks by fires, soft promises of friendship given, hints of more awakening with a brush of fingertips. No time to grieve for what could have been. It was possible it could be, a small voice still whispered. Peter had said he would come back, maybe to stay, that voice insisted. Don't do anything rash, anything to give credence to his beliefs. Other than them being true? he thought, bitter and sardonic. His brave new world just might cost him the one thing he hadn't wanted to pay.
But he had learned long ago that getting everything you wanted was rare, and that sometimes you simply had to settle for almost everything.
He had to protect himself. With Peter on his side, if Nathan chose to launch an offensive, Adam would be hard pressed to defend himself, no matter Elle and Hiro and Eden--Sarah--and Candice's powers. They weren't a match for Peter who had them all at his command, and he couldn't be certain that they would stand against Peter anyway, if the choice came to it. It was pathetic how you couldn't trust people these days. Everyone was a potential snake in the grass, a knife in your back. If Peter could turn, any of them could.
Adam's fingers curled around the heavy glass and he stared into it for a long moment. There was only one answer that made strategic sense. One person who he wouldn't think to look to for loyalty, really, but one person, at the same time, who he could trust never to take the Petrelli's side. He couldn't kill Peter--Adam wouldn't allow it--but he could keep Adam safe if need be. He took a sip, then hurled the glass against the wall, watching it shatter, the liquid that remained flying everywhere.
He didn't like the choice. Hiro would have a fit, and he'd have to calm him down, but Hiro...he thought he could manage his loyalty, at least. He was the one always going on about Adam needing better security, and Adam had always pointed at Peter and asked who would dare come against him. Well, with Peter gone, Adam needed someone to fill that position, and his carp would just have to accept it.
With a grimace, he reached for the phone, dialing Eden--Sarah's--extension. He closed his eyes when she answered, taking a breath as he knew he was crossing a line he'd have to fight to hold on to.
"Get me Sylar."
Reaching forward, he poured himself a glass of whiskey, a bottle such as he had sent Nathan for Christmas, anonymously. The world was not ending--again--he told himself. Elle was with child, and faithful by his side. Eden was strong, prospering, rising from the ashes like the phoenix, like he himself had. Even with the girl, with Suresh....even with what he had done, Nathan had not actually attacked. He'd tried diplomacy, as Adam would have, and not anything that would topple Adam's fledgling kingdom.
But now he had Peter, and Adam did not. Peter who was the one person who could stop him, the one person who could make him fall, make him crawl. If Peter decided he was right, that Adam was the monster of his nightmares instead of the hero of his dreams, would he act? Would he fight to bring Adam down, or would he just turn away, his back to him for eternity, blocking him without an outright attack. Was Peter capable of such an attack? Did he fully recognize what he could do with those powers at his command? A moment, a thought...Chills ran up and down Adam's spine, a flicker of fear amidst the pain and wretchedness of dashed dreams and haunted hopes.
No time to mourn the person he had allowed Peter to bring out in him, to grieve for talks by fires, soft promises of friendship given, hints of more awakening with a brush of fingertips. No time to grieve for what could have been. It was possible it could be, a small voice still whispered. Peter had said he would come back, maybe to stay, that voice insisted. Don't do anything rash, anything to give credence to his beliefs. Other than them being true? he thought, bitter and sardonic. His brave new world just might cost him the one thing he hadn't wanted to pay.
But he had learned long ago that getting everything you wanted was rare, and that sometimes you simply had to settle for almost everything.
He had to protect himself. With Peter on his side, if Nathan chose to launch an offensive, Adam would be hard pressed to defend himself, no matter Elle and Hiro and Eden--Sarah--and Candice's powers. They weren't a match for Peter who had them all at his command, and he couldn't be certain that they would stand against Peter anyway, if the choice came to it. It was pathetic how you couldn't trust people these days. Everyone was a potential snake in the grass, a knife in your back. If Peter could turn, any of them could.
Adam's fingers curled around the heavy glass and he stared into it for a long moment. There was only one answer that made strategic sense. One person who he wouldn't think to look to for loyalty, really, but one person, at the same time, who he could trust never to take the Petrelli's side. He couldn't kill Peter--Adam wouldn't allow it--but he could keep Adam safe if need be. He took a sip, then hurled the glass against the wall, watching it shatter, the liquid that remained flying everywhere.
He didn't like the choice. Hiro would have a fit, and he'd have to calm him down, but Hiro...he thought he could manage his loyalty, at least. He was the one always going on about Adam needing better security, and Adam had always pointed at Peter and asked who would dare come against him. Well, with Peter gone, Adam needed someone to fill that position, and his carp would just have to accept it.
With a grimace, he reached for the phone, dialing Eden--Sarah's--extension. He closed his eyes when she answered, taking a breath as he knew he was crossing a line he'd have to fight to hold on to.
"Get me Sylar."
