- Imprisoned inside the super-secret 'Building 26' which is Nathan's base of operations to experiment and terminate people with abilities, Tracy struggles to survive various "heat" experiments as well as wait for an opportunity to try to escape. While the ruthless Hunter Davko obsessively continues to track down the heroes with the obsession of killing them all, Nathan deals with the President of the USA who begins to investigate Nathan's activities and tactics to hunt down the "targets". Meanwhile, Syler continues his quest to locate his biological father with both help and inference from Luke Campbell, as well as government agents now after both of them. Hiro, Ando, and Matt travel to India to find a new ally with abilities to help them survive. In California, Claire faces the wrath of her father.—Anonymous
- "Heroes" - "Building 26" - Feb. 16, 2009
Claire eats breakfast with the family. Mrs. Bennett hopes HRG will be home for awhile. Lyle wants to know what a consultant does. HRG goes into an explanation about strategies and consultations with businesses and the government. Claire has received a text message from "Rebel" saying they need help to warn a target. Sandra wants to hear about the college visits. Claire says there's nothing to tell. Sandra is surprised by this since Claire supposedly visited five of the best schools on the east coast. She asks which ones HRG liked. He says Brown. Claire gets up from the table. HRG says all this Ivy League talk is intimidating and that community college may be a better fit. HRG confronts Claire in her room, she says she can't lie anymore. HRG says lying is the way to keep Sandra and Lyle safe from the government baddies. HRG says she's already enrolled in classes at Costa Verde Community College and she better go or there will be hell to pay. He leaves. She gets a text message telling her warn Alex at her local Sam's Comics, right now.
We switch to a wall with photos of the fugitives - including Peter, Mohinder, Parkman, Hiro, Haitian, Molly, Monica, Sylar, and numerous others- reading "Targets". We are informed that that we are in Building 26 - Washington D.C. where Danko is explaining to a roomful of agents that the fugitives' accounts have been frozen and reports have gone out across the country etc. The Patriot Act has given them plenty of leeway. He tells them Claire has been granted a hands-off probation for now, which Nathan will confirm if he ever shows up from getting his coffee. Nathan is standing in the corner with his latte and says Claire is off-limits. He's sorry that they lost friends in the crash but not all of these people are dangerous, some are just scared. He says he's going to ask the President for a cash infusion so they can ramp up their efforts and have some progress to show for it. Nathan says the agents should know, track, and hunt their targets, but bring them in alive.
Sylar and Luke are on their road trip to see Sylar's dad and Luke is a little overexcited about the trip itself, listening to "Born to Be Wild" on the radio and saying they should stop at a skanky diner to get some pie. Unsurprisingly, this annoys Sylar who says they're not stopping. Luke says it's a long way to get to Pop. Sylar asks where he is. Luke says to just keep heading west. Sylar pulls over and wants a little more precise coordinates. Luke starts to lie about a cabin in Minnesota but Sylar calls him on it. Luke loves that particular power. Sylar is more insistent. Luke starts to tell another lie. Sylar grabs him by the throat and tells him that the reason he can tell when people are lying is because he rips open people's brains. Instead of fear, Luke seems jazzed by the idea that Sylar is a serial killer. Sylar says he's not. Luke points out that he has a pattern, goes after specific victims, takes mementos. In one of the series' funniest exchanges Sylar concedes "Okay. Technically, I'm a serial killer." He wonders why he shouldn't kill Luke now. Luke says he won't find his dad then. Sylar relents but makes clear that this is not a road trip. As he speeds off a traffic camera grabs a shot of him and his face is beamed back to Building 26. It seems they have a LOT of their information from PrimaTech, as Sylar's Assignment Tracker 2.0 pops up when the computer's facial recognition program gives them the heads up.
Claire enters Sam's Comics and comes upon a geek - but a TV geek who's actually really cute- excited to see a girl. She delivers "The Rebel's" warning. He laughs and says "Victor." He thinks his friend is pranking him. She tells him to listen up and that this is not a joke. He says she'll have to do a better job convincing him. She grabs a box cutter, cuts her hand, it bleeds than heals in front of him. The front door bell dings, she says his life is in danger. She leans to see who has come in and it's HRG. She tells Alex to move, now. They hide behind a row of comics as HRG looks around, heading down the other aisle. Claire says they need to escape, but his car is parked out back. Alex bumps into HRG who, in the lamest excuse EVER, claims he is with the County Clerk's office and Alex has some outstanding parking violations, could he step outside for a minute to clear things up. (Apparently, Haitian was the brains of that duo?) Claire calls HRG from one of the rows and distracts him. Alex dumps a comic book rack on him and runs out the front. Claire runs out the back. They jump in his car and speed off as HRG calls someone and says they'll need a team to come to the store.
A bumper tells we are now in New Delhi, India as we zoom in on Hiro looking at the drawing on his phone and matching it up with the landscape of a large tower. He thinks he needs to rescue a bride from her wedding at this spot. Ando thinks Hiro is crazy. Hiro says when destiny calls, you answer. Hiro runs off to see when the wedding starts so he won't be late to stop it. Ando doesn't think that makes sense. He sees a woman in the right dress but with the wrong color hair and follows her into the banquet hall. He confronts her and asks if she's okay. Her name is Annapurna and she says she's sad. He says it's supposed to be the happiest day of her life. She says that's what they say. Ando says she must call off the wedding. She thinks his name sounds familiar, but it's incredible that she's been asking for a sign from the heavens about whether she should go through with it. He makes some red sizzly energy with his hands and, instead of freaking out, she excitedly believes that he's the sign. Hiro enters and protests that it is in fact him that is the sign. She grabs Ando's hands and says with a tearful smile that the wedding is off.
Back at Building 26 Danko wants to know if there's been a response at the White House. Nathan says none yet. They approach a woman from behind who is appraising the Targets wall. "So these are bad guys?" she asks. She turns and introduces herself as Abby Collins from Homeland Security. The operation has been transferred to them and she's here to kick the tires. Nathan gives her a tour and says he's asked for more funding because their targets can't be captured and kept in a normal prison. She snarks "right, because they're all magic!" Nathan says it's clear she doesn't believe it and wonders who gave her the job. She says people close to the president want to limit his exposure on this wacky adventure. Nathan tries to impress upon her how serious it is, and that he can barely contain the prisoner he has. She is horrified that he's detaining someone without warrant or Miranda rights. Nathan says he wants to speak to the President. She says that won't be happening. She's the new sheriff and she wants to see his prisoner now.
Sylar and Luke pull up to a skanky diner. Luke is psyched. Sylar says he better stop trying to be his friend or he's going to have to kill him. Luke asks if Sylar likes birds because his dad used to take Luke birding all the time at 4 in the morning and pull him in a red wagon. Sylar remembers being pulled in that wagon also and gets all sentimental about it. Luke says his dad told him that he sold Sylar for money. Sylar wonders what kind of man does that and why would he tell Luke that? Luke ventures that he reminded the old man of Sylar himself and gets out.
Nathan ushers Abby in to see Tracy, who's being kept in a room with her arms shackled apart and surrounded by heat lamps. Nathan says it looks harsh but is necessary. Tracy recognizes Abby from her lobbying days. Abby is duly freaked out. Nathan insists Tracy is dangerous. Tracy begs for help. Abby says it's Tracy Strauss and he has her shackled to a chair. This, says Nathan, is why they need better funding. Abby says he's shutting the project down today and will be filing human rights violations against Nathan, that this is torture.
Alex and Claire have made it to the beach. He pulls over to debrief, saying he can't believe the government is just locking people up. Claire says he must be on some kind of list since she was sent to warn him. Alex wonders why. Claire asks if he has a power. He hesitates, then admits he can breathe underwater, like a fish. He says he discovered it in swim class and never told anyone, he didn't know there were others. Instead of being proud he says he felt like ... "a freak?" she asks. She tells him not to use his cell phone, credit cards, or go home and they'll figure something out. She notices in the passenger side mirror a car that has driven by twice. They ditch the car and run just as two cars drive up and surround it.
In India, Ando and Hiro are being showered with food by Annapurna and her friend at their bakery. She says she started the business against her grandfather's wishes, who believes women should be in the home. He's the one who arranged the marriage to Deepak she skipped out on. Her grandfather was frightened to turn down the proposal since Deepak is a powerful man. She departs to get them more food. This whole time Hiro has held his head on his fists and just passively observed. Ando smiles after her. He asks what's wrong with Hiro. He says they came all this way and Ando stole his chance to get his powers back. Ando says he only stopped the wedding like the drawing showed. Hiro says the drawing showed him doing it. Ando says he has a power now, he saw a woman in need and helped her. Hiro gripes that Ando did it wrong. Ando says not wrong, just his way and that's what is really eating Hiro, that he's Ando's sidekick now. An angry man walks in. It is Deepak. Hiro tells Ando to go be a hero. Ando enters the kitchen where the couple is fighting. Deepak raises a pot to brain Ando. Hiro hears the commotion and enters. Annapurna says Deepak carried Ando off.
HRG reports to Danko that they found Alex's car a few blocks from the store, still warm (apparently, it was a cold day in Costa Verde?). Danko says that for a local kid he's pretty savvy, oh and did he notice Claire's car parked a half-block away? HRG says she had to run some errands and "it's a small town." Danko says they'll talk and cuts the line.
In the diner Luke enjoys his soda. Sylar gets annoyed and wants to at least know whether they'll be driving for another hour or another week. Luke gets distracted by heating up another patron's glass of water. Sylar grabs his hand and tells him to ixnay on the owerspay in public. Sylar says their powers are not for amusement. Luke says he's never really talked to anyone about it. Luke wonders if Sylar only uses his for a reason. He says to know your endgame before you lift a hand. Luke asks for more advice. Sylar says to keep a clear head since emotions make you act sloppy and to always know your motivation. Luke asks what Sylar wants. Sylar says for him it's mostly been about acquiring abilities but lately it's been about finding his dad, to look the man who made him in the eyes. Luke wonders what he's hoping to see. "Where I came from," Sylar replies. Luke sighs and grabs a pen and writes down an address. It's a two day drive. Sylar says he shouldn't have done that since now there's nothing keeping Sylar from killing him. Luke says he hopes he won't. Just then two government types enter through the two diner entrances. Sylar tells Luke to walk, not run, for the emergency exit. As they walk, a whole Swat team enters and a guy sitting at the counter stands up and puts his muzzle to the back of Sylar's head, "the sweet spot." Luke starts begging them to keep Sylar from hurting him anymore as a distraction. Sylar throws off the man behind him with TK. He then gets shot a lot but then stands and busts a hole in the window through which he and Luke jump. Luke is thrilled. Sylar jumps in the car, thanks Luke for the address, and speeds off without him. Some pursue, others shoot a tranq dart into Luke.
At the bakery in India Annapurna tells Hiro that Deepak said he will let Ando go if she marries him. She prepares for the wedding. We cut to the ceremony and an unhappy Anna sitting on the altar. Hiro rushes in saying the wedding must stop, Anna is being forced into it and Deepak has kidnapped Ando. Deepak warns him and says it wasn't him that broke things off. Hiro says she doesn't want to marry him. Her grandfather stands and asks if this is true. She goes to him and says it is. She says a traditional marriage is not her destiny. (Wait, what?) Deepak grabs her and says the woman and the bakery belong to him. Hiro stops him, decks him, holds a cake knife to his face and demands the return of Ando. Deepak says she is too much trouble, the wedding is off, and Hiro can have his friend back. It is the tableau from the drawing except the woman has dark hair and I'm sure she was blond in the photo. (Or maybe it was just her gold veil.) Hiro realizes he's been a hero and does his happy hand thrust and exclamation move. "YATTA!"
Back in Costa Verde, Claire returns to her car and HRG confronts her. She says she was applying for a job at the coffee shop. Online. HRG calls her on the lie. She says she learned from the master. He reminds her she's not invincible. She might not be able to be injured but she can get caught. He asks if she knows what will happen if they think he can't handle her. "That's just it. you can't."
Danko reports to Nathan that they caught Luke but Sylar got away. Abby returns with a cease-and-desist order. Nathan asks for five minutes. He tells her to suspend her disbelief and imagine people with powers. She says it still wouldn't justify torture. We cut to Tracy who's having some luck undoing her (now loosened) shackles from the floor. Cut back to Nathan and Abby and him explaining people who slice open heads with a finger, get inside your head. Abby can't believe that his argument is that they're so dangerous they have no rights. Tracy pulls the chains completely loose and gets up. Abby says there's no justification for treating people this way. Nathan says you can't pull the plug on a war until you've been to the front lines. An alarm goes off and guards go scurrying. Nathan and Abby follow. Tracy has a hostage. Abby sees this. Tracy realizes she's been played for Abby's benefit, so she flips her hostage around and freezes him solid (or at least his torso, as his legs still bend as he falls) and shatters his body against the wall. She is tasered into submission. Abby is shocked.
Abby reappraises the Targets wall. Nathan says he's sorry she had to witness that. Abby says she won't forget it and that he needn't worry, he'll have all the funding he needs.
At the Bennett house, Sandra asks if Claire and HRG had any fun at all on their trip. Claire says HRG was busy abducting innocent people. She can't lie to mom, so she spills all the beans. Sandra wonders if it's the Company. Claire says it's something else and explains about the plane. Sandra thinks it's starting all over again. Claire says it's worse since they're taking everyone, not just dangerous people, including "Matt, Dr. Suresh...Peter." Claire says she's sorry but she can't lie to her mother anymore. HRG arrives with Indian food. Sandra sends Claire upstairs. A teary Sandra tells HRG she can't take it anymore and he tries to defend what he's doing by saying he has no choice. She says there's always a choice. Claire listens to them argue. HRG says if he's not on board the government will take Claire. Sandra says not to make it about Claire.
Back in the hot room Nathan tells Tracy to get used to the heat. She says she knows he wanted her to escape - to make his point- and says next time she will.
At the diner, the spook team van is rolling out when a commotion begins inside it. The Building 26 folks overhear this and call for a response. A figure, dressed like an operative in mask, black pants etc, emerges from the back of the van. It's Sylar, who grabs a laptop and throws an unconscious Luke over his shoulders and begins walking away, leaving bloody footprints.
Ando and Hiro are back in the bakery. Ando says Hiro was right and that he shouldn't have interrupted destiny. Hiro says it's okay since he realizes he was sent to India not to get his powers back but to learn that he could be a hero without them. The friends smile. Anna finally realizes why Hiro and Ando's names sounded familiar. She got a fax addressed to them. It's from "Rebel," and reads "Save Matt Parkman." There's an address in L.A. Hiro thinks it's a message from destiny. (or half this episode has been brought to you on behalf of Prop 8.)
Back in Costa Verde, HRG enters Claire's bedroom with a suitcase. She thinks he's straightened things out with Sandra and is off on another abduction but it turns out that Sandra asked him to move out. Claire looks a little dismayed. (But really, what did she think would happen??) HRG thinks she's right and that he's going to try to be a better person, husband and father and not tell lies. He's choked up and says if they work hard to be honest with each other than maybe they can heal their wounds. He says he'll be around and that they'll get through this. He says he loves her. She hesitates, then they hug. He leaves. She cries. She grabs a sleeping bag and opens her closet and hands it to Alex.
On the road again, Luke thanks Sylar for coming back to get him. Sylar insists he came back for a computer that now sits in the backseat, which he thinks helped the government folk track him. Luke points out he could have left him at their mercy. Sylar snaps on the radio and "Psycho Killer" by the Talking Heads is on. Luke laughs. Sylar scowls.
In Building 26, Nathan comes in and tells Danko the name of the analyst killed by Tracy. He had a wife and two kids. Nathan accuses Danko of letting Tracy out. Danko says there are times in a war when someone has to fall on a grenade. Nathan says Danko threw him. Danko points out he saved Nathan's ass and the program and that it needed to be done. He's sorry a man had to die. Nathan tells him to apologize to the man's still warm bloodstain.
HRG is drinking in a bar and toying with his wedding ring. He tells the bartender he's looking for an apartment in town. She says she doesn't know of anything, but welcome to Costa Verde. He gets woozy from his drink and falls off his stool. As "Chills" from the show soundtrack plays, Parkman, Mohinder, and Peter waltz in and pick him up off the floor. You know Matt is thinking "Payback!" as he tells the bartender, "Looks like our friend here had about three too many." "Don't worry," Peter says, "we'll get him home safe." She frowns as they leave.
To Be Continued...
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