2008-03-29: Lesser Of Two Evils

Starring:

Church_icon.gif Hiro_icon.gif

Summary: Hiro meets Church. Again, technically.

Date It Happened: March 29th, 2008

Lesser of Two Evils


Deveaux Building

Sunday afternoon- a lazy, rainy, foggy day in New York, and yet there are still a great many people commuting around outside to enjoy the non-winter weather. Umbrellas, raincoats, careful steps to avoid deceptive puddles- there are a myriad of ways to deal with the wetness. For Lawrence Church, that way is a big black umbrella in one hand, and a waterproof, rectangular sling case around his chest and shoulder, whatever is inside shifting against his hip over his coat. Under that, he's got on a suit and tie- and his face is meticulously done up so that he retains a deliberate sweep of stubble, yet doesn't present himself as unclean.

Making his way into the Deveaux building, it is hard for him to believe that the old man that had once owned it is long gone, his daughter gone, and now the entire place was bought out by Kaito's son. Enough to make a poor fella feel pretty damned old. Church stops outside of the familiar door of the penthouse, one hand on the umbrella's handle by his side, and the other one curling up into a fist to knock heavily upon the door. No fanfare with his knocking, this time.

It doesn't take Hiro more than a moment to get up from the table where he is scrawling down notes and to moves across the apartment to the door, opening it wide without checking because he is not in the least bit paranoid. He doesn't recognize the man on the other side of the door, brow furrowing as he tilts his head to one side, "Yes?"

Where does he know that chin from?

The metal tip of the umbrella slips closer when the door opens, putting itself beside the doorjamb when Church speaks. There is a smile on his face; not too wide, but not small enough to be natural. "Hiro! Been a damn long time. Nice to see you. We need to talk." The agent leans slightly forward, glancing into the penthouse past Hiro and back down to him. Whether or not Hiro remembers Lawrence from ever, it seems as if the strange man knows him.

"Have we met?" Hiro asks, accent thicker than usual given that he's rather unnerved by the whole situation. All the same, he moves aside to let Church in. It isn't like he can't freeze time and vanish if the need arises.

"Figures." Church indeed lets himself in. He knows that Hiro could just teleport him away at any given second, so being invasive really is not that big of a deal, is it? "A while ago, yes." He turns around again after making his way inside with a swagger in his step, and that smile is back.

"I knew your parents." There's one answer. "You know what your father did, right? Besides that whole… 'international corporation' nonsense." He's confident in the answer he's hoping to get, and it shows.

"Yes." No. Well, Hiro does know that his father was involved in the Company. But to what degree? Well, he's not sure. And if this guy is going to tell him then he isn't going to stop him.

"Good. Saves me explaining." Not that he would have spent a lot of time on that. "Well, we need your help." Yep. This guy is an agent, if that wasn't apparent the first go around. Lawrence brings up his arms to cross over his lower torso, the umbrella still clutched horizontally in one hand. His eyes settle on Hiro again after grazing the room once more. "Rescue mission. Do you want to hear more, or are you going to kick me out for asking?"

Hiro immediately sours a little at the question, although he's not moving to force the Agent out of his house straight away - which seems to indicate that he will at least hear him out. Plus, he feels like he should know him.

"Why should I help? You do terrible things to people. Make them scared all the time."

"'Terrible' is subjective, Hiro. We help people. The only ones that deserve the brunt of our 'terribleness' are villains that have no place putting others in danger. The only reason anyone would need to be scared of us would be if they did something bad and hope we never find out. Otherwise, we simply keep tabs and teach. Not all of us are Noah Bennet." Just so you know.

Lawrence takes a breath, watching the young Japanese man closely, with a disturbingly sharp gaze. "We're on the same side- we just have different methods. But our enemies are all the same, so does being fickle matter here? You wanna know why you should help? Pinehearst. That's why. They need stopped, and this is going to be step one."

"I agree that Pinehearst should be stopped," Hiro says with a nod, crossing his arms over his chest, "I am already working to do that. I will succeed."

"I thought as much." Lawrence lets out a breezy laugh. "Well, they have someone of ours that we want back. With your help, we could be in and out in a matter of minutes. I'm looking for others with similar abilities to yours, but I've not had a surplus of luck with …that." The older man peers down at the floor for a few seconds, a troubled expression moving over his features.

"«Hiro, I would not be coming for you for help if I had other options to exhaust. I know that you don't like us- but hopefully you can see my desperation because of my being here in the first place.»" His Japanese is perfect.

"<What do you want to take?>" Hiro asks, slipping back into Japanese as well since it is far easier, "<If I do help you, though. It won't mean I'm agreeing with what you do … I still think its wrong. But I agree that Pinehearst isn't the lesser of two evils.>"

"«I was hoping you'd come to that conclusion.»" Church has a weaker smile this time. He's the lesser of two evils- how hilarious. "«They've got Peter's mother, Angela. You've met her, haven't you? We need to get her back. Soon.»" And because it seems to fit: "«I had a visit from a future Peter. He gave me information on where she is, and now all we need to do is move on it. That's why I am here asking for your help. It would be good if we can make this as swift as we can, you see.»"

"<I will help,>" Hiro promises readily, still frowning over the idea, "<But no tricks. And I want you to promise you'll stay away from Kitty Hanner. For good. I know what you did to her.>"

I did nothing to Kitty Hanner. But, I can probably file her in the Do Not Touch area. I do a lot of paperwork.»" Lawrence says all of this gently in response. He only wishes to distance himself from acts that Hiro visibly disagrees with. And it is true- he had nothing to do with Ms. Hanner. "«I can promise no tricks from me. Not in a position to be tricky. As for terms, Noah Bennet wants to meet with you if you intend to lend your help. Hopefully only to go over strategy. But then again, he can be surprising. But, I was the one to bring you up, so maybe he'll be more tolerating…" The last few things are muttered to himself, but just loud enough.

"<Okay,>" Hiro nods his head, arms still folded, "<You should make the arrangements quickly then. Pinehearst has to be destroyed and if I'm going to help you get your boss back, then you're going to help me bring them down for good.>" It appears he's grown a pair.

And that in particular hasn't gone unnoticed. Church lifts his eyebrows enough to seem like he is taking Hiro as literally as possible. "«I'm sure that can be arranged.»" The agent's features sink a little again, into a furrowed brow and a straight line instead of a smiling mouth. "«It's gotten personal, so even if you don't get Bennet or his word for the agents- I'll be around. I'm Agent Church.»"

At this, the man holds out his hand to Hiro. "«Thank you for seeing me.»" Especially since he, y'know, bulldozed his way into the meeting.

Hiro simply nods in response, not saying anything more although he does extend a hand to shake Church's. He's committed the name and face to memory and he'll be sure to keep him in mind for any plans he has in the future. As for leaving … well, the door is still open.

"I'll be calling." Church bows his head slightly in another moment of manners, picking up his feet and heading for the door. Before he turns around the corner, however, he leans back into the doorway, voice low again.

"For what it's worth, your parents were amazing people, Hiro. They did a good job." Before there's really time for an answer, he has shut the door behind him.

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