Chapter Eight: Don't Touch Her

Sylar's POV

“Sylar?”

I heard the fear in Eden's voice before I felt her hands against my chest.

“I'm fine.” I said calmly. 

Behind us, John collapsed to the floor with a bullet lodged in his chest.

I looked back briefly at James, who stood several feet away, his gun still raised.

“Clear,” James shouted. His eyes darted sharply as he observed the surroundings. 

I shifted my gaze back to Eden.

Her entire body trembled while her wrists were still bound tightly, and angry red marks covered her skin.

I pulled out my knife and cut the ropes.

“Did he hurt you?” I asked.

“I'm fine.” She answered, almost in a whisper. 

“That wasn't what I asked.” I said as I reached for her arm.

She flinched, causing my hand to hang in the air.

Something inside me snapped.

“What did he do to you?” My tone was stern.

“Nothing.” She leaned slightly away from me.

“Eden.” I pressed.

“I said nothing.” Her voice was sharper this time.

I stared at her, feeling something was amiss.

Before I could press further, another round of gunfire erupted somewhere behind us.

“Sir!” Mike rushed toward me. “Julian and the others are heading for the service tunnel. We can still cut them off.”

I looked down the corridor.

After years of conflict, Julian and I had unfinished business. 

For the first time in a while, I had him cornered. I wasn't going to let him slip from my fingers. 

But then my eyes fell back on Eden.

Her pale face and shaking body told me everything I needed to know.

“Let him go.” I ordered.

“Sir?” Mike stared at me.

“You heard me.” I said. 

“But we may not get another chance.” His tone was laced with confusion.

“Get Eden out of here.” My voice raised slightly.

“Yes, Sir.” Mike hesitated before giving a quick nod..

“Take her to the car.” I ordered James.

“No.” Eden's response came immediately.

“What?” I asked.

“I'm not going anywhere with anyone unless you're coming too.” She said.

I looked at her with a surprised expression.

Considering the way she'd just pulled away from my touch, I wasn't sure what to make of her words.

“I'll come with you.” I agreed.

Her shoulders relaxed slightly.

“Sir,” James interrupted. “We need to move. The building isn't secure.”

I nodded.

“Let's go.”

We moved quickly through the corridor while my men surrounded us as we made our way toward the exit.

I kept Eden close enough that no one could touch her without going through me first.

As we passed one of the intersections, I looked toward the service tunnel.

Julian and my mother were long gone.

I should have been furious, but instead, all I could think about was getting Eden out of the building.

We finally reached outside, and the cool air hit my face.

Several security vehicles surrounded the annex while my men moved around securing the perimeter.

I opened the back door of one of the SUVs for her, but Eden stopped right in front of it. 

“What?” I asked.

“Your mother offered me ten million dollars.” Her eyes locked with mine.

“For what?” My expression hardened.

“To leave you.” She said flatly. 

“And?” I studied her face.

“And what?” Her brows immediately furrowed.

“Did you accept?” I asked.

“If I had, would you have left me in there?” Her expression changed from disbelief to anger.

“No.” I quickly responded. The answer came before she'd even finished speaking.

Eden went silent as I held her gaze.

“Get in the car, Eden.” I ordered.

She climbed inside without another word.

James took the front passenger seat while another member of my security team drove.

For several minutes, silence enveloped the car, and neither of us spoke until she turned toward me.

“What exactly are you doing to Claire?” Her voice was tense.

A frown formed on my face as I stared at her. 

She seemed to hesitate for a moment. 

“What exactly is her treatment?” She pressed.

“We've discussed her treatment.” My tone was calm. 

“No.”She paused. “You told me you would save her, not what her treatment is.” Her eyes hardened.

“I intend to save your sister, Eden. I'm doing everything in pow–” 

“That's not what I asked.” Her tone rose as she cut me off.

I watched her carefully, wondering where the hostility suddenly came from.

“Is anything you're giving Claire experimental?” She asked.

Her question caught me off guard as my mind struggled to understand her and say the right words. 

Seeing me struggle to respond, Eden's expression changed.

“Some components of her treatment aren't part of the standard protocol.” I said after a moment’s hesitation.

“So it is experimental.” Eden's face paled instantly.

“That's an oversimplification.” I countered.

“Is it experimental or not, Sylar? Just tell me the truth.” Her tone almost cracked at the end. 

“Yes.” My voice was steady. 

Her lips parted slightly as her face tightened.

I could almost see the trust disappearing from her eyes, causing my chest to tighten.

“Who told you?” I asked.

“It doesn't matter.” She turned away 

“It matters to me.” I pressed.

She turned back to look at me.

“Did you authorize it?” Her eyes searched my face for an answer.

I remained silent for a moment.

“Yes.”

“Why did you never tell me?” She inhaled sharply as she spoke.

“Because Claire’s treatment was already authorized.” My voice was stern.

“She's my sister, Sylar!” She yelled at me.

“And I'm responsible for her medical care.” I didn't back down.

“You promised me that you would save her.” Her expression almost like a plea.

“I promised I would give her the best chance I could.” I said coldly. 

She stayed silent for a heartbeat.

“Those aren't the same thing.” Her eyes glistened with anger.

I stared at her, knowing that my family had done something while they had her.

“What did my mother show you?” i asked.

Her expression froze.

That answered my question immediately.

“Patient records. People with HEMA-7.” She swallowed. “People who died under your care.”

My jaw tightened as everything became clear.

My mother hadn't just kidnapped Eden but actively tried to poison her against me.

“Whatever she showed you, you don't have the full story, Eden.” I said calmly.

“That's exactly what someone with something to hide would say.” A bitter laugh escaped her.

I fell silent, knowing fully well that she wasn't entirely wrong. There were secrets I had and many she wouldn't understand without the proper context, but now wasn't the place to explain them.

“I'm taking you to the hospital.” I said.

“No, I'm not going anywhere until I see Claire.” She shook her head.

“You've just been kidnapped and held hostage. That wasn't a request.” I countered.

“And Claire may be undergoing an experimental treatment I never knew about.” She crossed her arms and faced me.

“She is safe.” I said.

“You really expect me to take your word for that?” She countered.

My chest tightened at her question. A few hours ago, Eden would've trusted my word. 

“Fine.” I leaned toward the driver. “Take us to Claire.” I ordered.

We quickly arrived at my private research lab. 

Claire was fast asleep when we entered her room.

Eden immediately rushed to her bedside.

I stayed near the door, trying to give as much privacy as possible.

The monitors beside Claire displayed steady readings while an IV line ran into her arm.

Eden stared at it for a while before she looked at me.

“What is that?” She asked. 

“Part of her treatment.” 

“What treatment?” She pressed.

“Eden–” 

“Stop it.” She cut me off.

A deep frown formed on my face.

“Stop her treatment.” She ordered.

“No.” I said calmly.

“No?” She stood.

“I am not stopping medically necessary care for a patient because my mother showed you documents without context.”

“I don't know what you're putting into her.” She shook her head.

“Then I'll have the medical team explain every part of her treatment to you.” I took a step closer.

Her eyes moved back to Claire and then back to me.

“Until then, nothing experimental.” She stared hard at me.

I considered her words for a moment before looking at the nurse standing near the doorway.

“No new investigational component is to be administered until I've reviewed Claire's plan again.” I ordered.

“Yes, Dr. Wayne.” The nurse nodded.

“And nothing in her existing care is changed without my authorization. Continue anything medically necessary.” I added.

“Yes, Doctor.” 

“Happy?” I asked as I turned to Eden.

“No.” She said coldly.

“At least we're finally in agreement about something.” 

She ignored me and sat beside Claire. I watched her take her sister's hand with mixed expressions on her face.

For reasons I couldn't explain, seeing her hurt bothered me more than Julian escaping.

I walked out of the room to see James waiting in the corridor.

“Find out what happened while Eden was in that building. I want surveillance footage, audio, discarded documents.” I paused. “I want everything.” My eyes hardened.

“Yes, Sir.” James nodded and turned to leave. 

“And James?” My voice stopped his movements.

“Sir?” He asked.

“Find out exactly what my mother showed her.” 

It was almost an hour later when James found me in my study.

I'd changed my bloodstained clothes, but the throbbing in my head had only gotten worse.

He entered, carrying a tablet and a black bag.

“We were able to recover part of the annex surveillance system.” James said.

I sat forward immediately as he placed the tablet in front of me.

The footage was grainy but I could make out Eden tied to a chair.

My hands curled into fists as I watched John and then Julian interrogate her.

Then my mother entered with a folder in one hand and an envelope in the other.

The footage had no audio but I didn't need it. I could tell this was when she offered the ten million dollars as she sat opposite Eden.

I watched my mother proceed to remove document after document as Eden's expression slowly crumbled.

My jaw tightened

“What exactly did she show her?” My eyes shifted to James.

“We couldn't recover everything.” He said as he placed the bag on the desk.

My eyes caught a part of a torn document. 

I pulled it closer.

Claire's name was visible and so was my authorization.

My body froze.

“There's something else, Sir. We checked the authorization.” He said.

“What?” I looked up.

He hesitated for a moment but finally spoke.

“It wasn't forged, Sir.” 

I held his gaze for a heartbeat.

“I know.” I said coldly.

“Then why does it authorize an experimental HEMA-7 protocol for Claire?” His voice carried a hint of surprise.

I stared at the document as my expression hardened because there was one thing Eden didn't know.

One thing my mother had deliberately left out in order to manipulate her.

If Eden discovered it before I had a chance to explain, I might never earn her trust again.