2007-12-29: The Vision

contains Season 3 material

Starring:

Linderman_icon.gif Cass_icon.gif

Summary:

Linderman explains why Cass has been summoned to Pinehearst. There is a tour involved.

December 29th, 2007:

The Vision


Pinehearst - NJ

Previously on Heroes…

The camera pushes in for a close up so as to focus entirely on the moment when Cassandra's feminine hand greets Mariska's gloved one. It comes complete with a punctuating KRAK!! and when the camera pulls out and the shot widens to reveal the scenery, it's more than just a little bit obvious that they're not in Bat Country anymore. The Russian relocator doesn't say a word… nor does she stick around. Cass is left to stumble and recover from the overwhelming vertigo of her teleportation, (seemingly) alone on a concrete walkway in the middle of a frozen garden that leads up to a rather large and substantially impressive building.

Welcome to Fort Lee, New Jersey. Welcome to Pinehearst.

So, maybe Cass should have expected this. Or something similar. Maybe not a sudden teleport to somewhere else, but some sort of mystery play. That doesn't make the sudden strangeness and vertigo go away easily. There's no time to stick Mariska with the tranquilizer, nor does it look like there is anyone else there that she can take out her frustration about finding herself somewhere totally different. Stumbling backwards a few steps, she whirls around one way and the other, the gravel off the sidewalk almost making her tumble. Oh God, where is she. Suddenly, her lab coat is certainly not warm enough for the cold December weather and she wraps it protectively around herself, one hand in her pocket and wrapped decisively around that tranquilizer.

Near a beautiful arrangement of flowers in the center of the walkway, the older man few have come to known as Linderman stands admiring the wonderful bouquet. He brings a hand up to touch the petals of one, gently, a small smile spreading across his lips as he does so. The beauty of flowers is truly compelling.

At the sound of teleportation, Linderman turns in that direction and offers Cassandra a smile. "Ah, Miss Aldric," he says in that crisp British accent, extending his hands out to either side in a gesture of welcome. "Come in, come in," he continues, stepping to the side and motioning towards the door. "Let's get you out of this cold."

Insert here that Heroes music that always plays that takes us back to the action..

The grip on the tranquilizer only strengthens when this man she's never seen before knows her name. Cass doesn't exactly follow him quickly. Or at all at. Sure, she's cold and shivering, but this is some strange British guy and those are always the bad guys in movies. Especially when she's been teleported who knows where by some woman she's met only once before. "Who are you and where am I."

"I'm sorry to have had to whisk you away like this. I know Mariska's method of travel can be a bit disconcerting." Linderman's words are genial, and he sounds quite genuinely apologetic for any inconvenience placed upon Miss Aldric. There's a faint smile on his face all the while. "My name is Mister Linderman." A hand that he spread in a gesture of welcome now sweep toward the building that monopolizes the area. "And this … is Pinehearst. We're in New Jersey; Fort Lee, to be exact."

"Pinehearst." The name rings a bell for Cass. Even if Mister Linderman doesn't. "Disconcerting is right. Mostly the whole no choice in where I'm wanting to be going where I am." Slowly, she glances around her, not only because of the sweeping gesture, but because she's curious as to why she's here. She's trying to discern what kind of place this is to see why they might want her. "You left me a card. At Enlightenment Books. It had the name of this place on it and a website. Said this might be interesting to me. This is…a research facility?" Pulling her lab coat closer around her, she turns her focus back to Linderman. "Why am I here?"

Linderman allows Cass her concerns and reservations, giving a small, accepting nod, and another, and another, confirming her words. They left a card.. This is a research facility. And so much more. He then clasps his hands in front of him, and formal black shoes take him on a contemplative stroll — not closer to Cass, per se, but in a broad circle around her. It could be construed as predatory, but there's nothing ill-meaning in this man's nature, not today. "Because this is where you can do the best work." The gentleman smiles. "But why don't we step inside and let the beauty of Pinehearst explain itself."

The doors of the striking building of are conveniently already open, held by a doorstop. Welcoming, ushering them inside to what lies beyond. What lies beyond is a vast lobby of a scientific research company with a design that speaks of creative minds, power, and affluence.

This is certainly not what Cass had imagined would be happening today when she thought through her plans of the evening. Being teleported away like Star Trek or something and landing at a research facility of with what seems to be very generous donors was not what she was thinking about. Starting to shiver, Cass reluctantly follows behind Linderman. She has some very strong views about being made to do things without having a choice in the matter. As she steps through the open door, she glances around, curious despite herself. "Where I can do the best work? How do you even know who I am?"

Seeming quite at home surrounded by these walls, Linderman leads the way once they're inside. A cool breeze sweeps across the pristine floor from the door that remains open, but it's much more comfortable in here than outside. There's no obvious security. It looks like Cass could just run out whenever she wanted. Every now and then, an individual in a business suit or lab coat bustles by on a mission. Nearby, an LCD screen plays the company's video, expressing Pinehearst's purpose and philanthropic ideas for the future.

"Don't sell yourself short, Miss Aldric. You've had a number of worthy accomplishments this past year." The man turns in the center of the lobby, to face Cass. "Don't think someone wouldn't have noticed your potential. Your … aptitude for greatness in frontiers of science and technology that… you hold close to your heart already."

"The sorts of worthy accomplishments you're talking about aren't something that anyone would know about." Cass is quick to point out. "And I certainly wasn't the only one working on them. A lot of what happened wouldn't have if I were the only one working on it." Curious, but very wary, she frowns. "You're not someone my father sent, are you?" This would be some strange Company ploy, wouldn't it?

"Your father?" The white-haired gentleman shakes his head and strolls back the way he came a few paces, toward Cass. His shoes echo as they step, in the large space. "No, I can assure you, we are quite a different entity from the organization you're referring to." As for how they knew about Cass… well, Linderman smiles. "You've done well to keep your work under the radar. Let's just say … we have a very … fine-tuned radar. But I suspect you have some surprises in store yet, Miss Aldric."

"Enough beating around the bush," he goes on smoothly. "Wwhat this comes down to is the fact that you are simply meant to be here at this moment in time. You have traits that go beyond your … degree of higher learning. Your mind, your ideals. Tell me," Linderman places a hand in his pocket, and gestures at Cass with the other. "When you first discovered that there were people with extraordinary abilities, what inspired you to help them?"

Her ideals. Well. As for Cass' ideals, the woman stops in her steps and stares at Linderman for a moment. Radar. Unique radar. "So it's true. You were trying to spy on my store." The grip on her tranquilizing needle inside her pocket gets tighter. She's not going to be going any further into this lion's den without some answers. It's starting to make her very nervous. Spying, being taken here against her will, holding some child captive. "I did what I did because I wanted to help people and I seemed to be in the right place at the right time. But I didn't try to…spy on anyone and I certainly didn't whisk them away against their will because I thought they had good traits I wanted to talk to them about."

Here, Linderman's demeanour — calm, pleasant, and yet somehow powerful — falters. He was prepared to continue his speech, but this calls for an interlude. The look his pale blue eyes cast on Cass is nothing short of taken aback and confused, and deep lines wrinkle his aging features all the more. "Spy on your store…? I'm sorry, I think we must have had a misunderstanding…"

Hm. Cass is still suspicious. This guy could just be a good actor. "So, the fact that someone who was caught trying to spy on my store and was found to be linked to this very company, Pinehearst is….all a misunderstanding?" It's obvious she doesn't believe him. "The name Evie wouldn't ring a bell, either, would it?" There's a pause. "I'm sorry, maybe I'm being out of line, but I don't really take kidnapping very well."

The man's confused — and concerned — countenance doesn't change until midway through what he hears from Cass. Then, and only then, does he tip his head back in understanding and say, "Ah."

A mild, knowing smile is sent Miss Aldric's way. "You must have spoken to Mister Kensington. Promising young man. The whole picture is the sum of its parts — so yes, a misunderstanding. I believe you're simply missing some parts." A low chuckle escapes him. "We didn't send anyone to … spy on your store," he says, as if such a thing is beneath him, though he remains in good spirits despite the accusation; he simply gives Cass a mild correction. If only she knew who "Linderman" really was, what he was responsible for, their conversation would, perhaps, not even have gotten as far as it has. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about there. Our friend Evie, however… well, she likes to… observe. She can observe a great many things, with enough curiosity. It's part of what makes her special."

Cass' lips shift to one side of her face and it's obvious that she's not quite sure she believes this Linderman person. "How do you know about Gene?" Maybe spying on her store really is beneath him and maybe she just sounded a little, well, full of herself. "So you're not funding or in league with anybody who is anti…well. Who has something against people with special abilities?" But she trusts Gene's information and she trusts what he thinks. There's a frown and a shake of her head. "Why exactly did you bring me here?" She's still wary, but she has a feeling this man has an answer for everything. "And why is she here?"

Linderman does have an answer for everything, in fact. "You certainly ask a lot of questions." The way it's spoken … it's a compliment. "I have faith in you, Miss Aldric; so I'll tell you that one of the initiatives here at Pinehearst, not known quite so publically— " …yet. " —revolves around helping those with abilities. This is a place of nurture, of growth. We embrace those who are special, as do you. We have many answers for you. One step at a time. Why don't you follow me and I'll show you our state-of-the-art laboratories. I think you'll find them to be a step up from your hideaway beneath Seville Medical."

"Well, getting teleported to some random medical facility does that to me." Cass isn't really testy at the moment, she's still just totally wary. "Help people of abilities. But you're….not the Company?" And not working with/for/etc. with her father. Following along with him to see this state-of-the-art laboratories, even if she's not sure what this all is, even, she frowns in curiosity. "You know, they think they're helping people, too. They just think they can do it without their permission." And it's clear how much she doesn't like that.

"Everyone has their own vision of how the world should be," answers Linderman as he leads Cass through the halls of Pinehearst. He slows down at a corner, so that he may turn to Cass and say, "This is our vision," before leading her onward.

CONTINUED...

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