Title: Frontrunner
Author: scy
Feedback: scynneh@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Not mine
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: none, gen
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Up through season 2.
Summary: Kaito wants answers, so he looks for someone to ask.
Author's Notes: History is an interesting force in this 'verse.
May 2008

Kaito made his excuses to his father and the board of directors and caught a flight to Las Vegas the day after he read an article about a man who was gathering people together with certain ideologies. The wording was particularly careful, and Kaito recognized something in the way things were being held back. He got off the plane and took a taxi out of town to a large house situated away from the rush of civilization, almost removed from it. He was waiting on the doorstep for half an hour and then a man came to the front door. He wiped his hands on his apron and smiled at Kaito.

"Mr. Nakamura?"

"Yes."

"I'm Daniel Linderman, please follow me."

"I am here to speak with Mr. Monroe," Kaito said. He had come for a specific reason, and didn't want to have this man try and sell him one meaningless word.

"Yes, I know, he's in through here," Linderman said and Kaito followed him into the house and he led the way to a large kitchen.

The man sitting on a stool by the sink had his sleeves rolled up as he sliced the top of a fruit neatly off and set it on a plate.

Linderman approached the man slowly and Kaito saw him reach out slowly to touch one dark sleeve as if it was a daring thing to do.

"Adam, this is Kaito Nakamura."

"Very good," the man said. "You may go, Daniel."

Flushing, Linderman nodded and bowed jerkily, as if he'd just learned how. "Let me know if you need anything," he said and left the room.

Adam Monroe sat back on the stool and wiped his hands. "You've come a long way, Mr. Nakamura, your trouble must be great."

"I have questions," Kaito said stiffly.

"No," Monroe said. "You know why you came." He raised his head, eyes locking on Kaito, and his attention was like a rush of air from a freezer. Like something that had been woken up, and the deep cold hadn't been shaken off yet and it clung to him. Then Monroe raised his eyebrows, and Kaito felt himself breathe warm air in relief. He felt though as if the passing chill had paralyzed his composure and when it was gone, it had left him bare to Monroe.

"Let me warn you, that it will be a waste of time to tell me that you have no idea what I'm talking about, you heard a rumor and decided to risk a great deal in order to learn whether it was true. It is, I can teach you how to use your abilities," Monroe said.

"What do you know of my risks?" Kaito asked.

"You are the only one son, no doubt expected to take up the family name and business." The man narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Kaito. "Whatever has driven you from home, it must be dire, otherwise you would not abandon your responsibilities."

"I am not being irresponsible," Kaito said and immediately regretted his outburst. This man was a stranger, and even if his words were disrespectful, Kaito had no reason to be angry at him.

"No, you have people who depend on what you do, but it's important that you include your ability in your education, even if you never share it with anyone else."

Kaito didn't speak, but doubt pushed at him, and it made him sway, almost ill with indecision.

"If you will trust that I know something of this and can lead you through it, I can teach you." Monroe sat still, hands clasped in his lap, waiting as if he had out waited mountains and Kaito's answer could come in its own time.

"Are there conditions to this lesson?" Kaito asked.

"If need be," Monroe said. "Discretion is one thing I know you need no prompting in, and any others will occur and be dealt with."

Kaito twisted his fingers together behind his back and put resolve into his spine and looked Monroe in the eye, refusing to retreat.

"I'm willing to learn from you, but I do not promise to accept without questions."

Monroe's smile was wide. "I wouldn't accept anything less, Kaito Nakamura." Monroe inclined his head in a small bow with a grace that Kaito sensed was deliberately revealing, and hinted at some ageless confidence. That surge of power, more subtle than a sword stroke, struck Kaito with the same force, and he returned the bow, more deeply, his knees nearly buckling. The other man rose from his stool and grasped Kaito's arms, preventing him from falling.

"It was good that you came to find me, Nakamura," Monroe said. "You must come to understand that what separates us from the rest of the world  isn't a disease or a curse," Monroe said, putting a hand on Kaito's shoulder and looked into the distance. "Someone told me once that people with gifts like us, are a part of evolution. It is up to us to show the world how much they need what we can offer."

-end