3

IN THE HOSPITAL…

It was already night and it was raining heavily. The weather couldn’t have been worse. House looked at it for a while, then opened the sliding door to visit his patient, Nathan Petrelli for the first time. The congressman was awake and he looked at House. No one could tell what emotions Nathan was feeling behind his disfiguration. House took a seat.

“So, who did this to you?” House asked.

“…Pete…” Nathan replied weakly.

“Pee? You already are peeing! It’s going through the tube! Who was it?”

“…Peter… my brother…”

“He did this to you?” House frowned. “Wow. He’s better than I am.”

“H-he…didn’t mean…it…”

"Well, that’s a bit much of an accident.”

Nathan opened his mouth to try to say something. He choked up, not because he was going to cry, but he could not breathe. His back started arching and felt extreme shocks through his body. It was worse than the burn itself.

House paged the other doctors.

“Nurse! Get in here! We have a respiratory attack!” House shouted. “As well as something else worse…”

He watched the nurses give Nathan Petrelli the gas while Chase, Cameron and Foreman rushed in.

“BP’s dropping!” Foreman said.

Nathan Petrelli was still struggling and still receiving painful shocks. In less than a minute, he passed out.

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"Miller Fisher Syndrome," said Chase.

"Explains the shocks, but not the low white count, " Cameron said.

"Well, he's had a radiation. That could've caused the low white count," Foreman said his piece.

"But it wouldn't have-" Cameron said.

"It's bizarre," It was House. "I like bizarre. Nothing tells us anything."

"His immune system is down, so it could be an infection" Chase said.

"An infection he simply contracted here all of a sudden?" Foreman asked.

"Do an M.R.I," House said.

"But we did one and it was clean."

"Do it again. It won't be good news." House popped a Vicodin.

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IN THE COMPANY LAB...

Elle came in through the door and it was obvious she was unhappy and had stopped being clingy to Peter. She simply put the cup of pills on the table and turned to leave. Peter, on the other hand, was sitting on the bed.

"Not going to give me a little shock anymore?" Peter asked.

"Why should I?" Elle seemed irritated.

"Well, I guess I'm starting to like it."

She moved closer and Peter pulled her to the bed. He kissed her. She shocked her with the lips and it hurt. But she seemed happier. She moved closer for more, but Peter stood up and popped the pills into his mouth and passed the cup back to Elle. She smiled and walked out of the room.

Peter spit out the pills and threw them into the bin.

"Pretty little thing, eh?" said his nameless neighbour.

"It's been two weeks. I should have my abilities back now," Peter said.

"Good. Try them," the voice said behind the walls.

Peter gathered his energy and touched the walls. It didn't seem to be working but he persisted and tried harder. It was only a lack of practice as he finally put his hand through the wall and then walked right through it to the other side.

"It's good to finally meet you," Peter said. " I'm Peter."

"Adam. Adam Monroe," the blond Englishman shook hands with Peter. "Ready to save the world?"

Peter nodded and held Adam as the walked through the walls out of the cage they were in.

~Richie.