{Chapter: 182 - The Rain, the Mind, and the Silence}
Noah Bennet stood frozen, his expression a mix of disbelief and dread. His usually calm demeanor—honed through years of manipulation, planning, and covert operations—shattered in an instant. His mind raced as he stared at the flames flickering harmlessly along Aiden's skin. Rene's powers had never failed. Not against any evolved human, not even the most dangerous ones. But now… now he was witnessing something terrifying. Something impossible.
He staggered back a step, muttering under his breath. "What are you?"
Aiden tilted his head and gave a slight grin, the fire licking across his shoulders dying down into a low simmer. "Just someone you should have left alone."
The realization hit Noah like a freight train. They hadn't just captured another ability user—they had awakened a monster they weren't prepared for. His instincts kicked in. Fight or flight. And Noah Bennet was a master of survival.
He turned on his heel and bolted.
Aiden raised a hand casually and with a flick of his wrist, the metal lab doors slammed shut with a thunderous clang, reinforced bolts twisting into place as though responding to his command. Noah ran into the door with a thud, stumbling back, wide-eyed.
Within seconds, Aiden moved like a shadow through the lab, his presence splitting the air. Scientists and technicians, people who had no idea what they had brought into their walls, dropped like dominoes. A burst of invisible force sent one flying into a console. Another simply collapsed as his consciousness was pressed down like a light switch flicked off.
Rene stumbled back, clutching his head. His power—his uncanny, spiritual ability to suppress others' gifts—flickered, then vanished. It didn't fail because it was overridden by brute force. It failed because he was outclassed.
What had appeared earlier as a successful tranquilization and capture had simply been Aiden playing possum, waiting for the right moment to make his move.
In truth, Rene's ability had been partially effective. Aiden could feel the edges of his freezing and telekinesis numbed, as if dulled by a thick fog. But his most dangerous abilities—his inferno-based ability, the so-called "Human Torch"—were simply too powerful, too deeply rooted, and too elemental to be suppressed by such a passive, faith-driven gift.
Not to mention, the Reality Ring and the Fear Daggers he carried were in a league of their own—artifacts that bent the rules of existence and terror respectively. No natural ability could counter them.
Aiden stood in the center of the carnage, surrounded by flickering lights, groaning staff, and shattered monitors.
"This power… it's far too useful to pass up," he murmured, stepping toward Rene.
Rene looked up, his normally calm and unreadable face betraying confusion. But before he could react, Aiden's eyes shimmered with violet light, and his mind pressed inward like an iron vice. Rene's expression slackened. His shoulders dropped.
Aiden wasn't taking full control—this wasn't possession. He wasn't a puppet master. What he did was far more subtle, far more sinister. He modified. He gently rewrote Rene's memories, replacing danger with loyalty, replacing suspicion with obedience. Just like he had done to Kira before.
Once he was finished, Aiden released his mental grip and Rene blinked, as if waking from a long nap. He stood up calmly, awaiting orders.
"You'll erase the others' memories," Aiden said quietly. "All except Noah's. I have plans for him."
Rene nodded wordlessly and moved to the nearest staff member, placing his fingers on their temples one by one, wiping away the truth like chalk on a blackboard.
As for Noah, Aiden approached him calmly, crouching beside the shaken agent. "You're not getting off that easy. I'm not erasing your mind—not entirely. I'm restructuring it."
Noah gritted his teeth, trying to look defiant, but the fear in his eyes betrayed him.
"You'll remember me," Aiden whispered. "But you'll remember me as someone you believe in. Someone who can change the world—for the better. Your allegiance to Primatech? That's history."
And with that, Noah's mind, too, was reshaped. Just enough to realign his priorities. Just enough to bend him without breaking him.
Aiden stood up and stretched. "Now then... take me on a tour of the place."
Without missing a beat, Noah got to his feet, his expression calm, almost eager. "Right this way," he said. Rene silently followed behind.
The halls of the institute were cold and metallic, filled with humming machinery and locked vault doors. Aiden's eyes scanned every corridor, every camera, every biometric scanner. It was a fortress. But now it was his.
As they walked, a familiar voice drifted from a nearby observation room. Aiden paused, peering through the glass.
Inside, an overweight man in a rumpled shirt sat at a desk, eyes closed, lips twitching slightly. A pair of agents were speaking in hushed tones nearby.
"Matt Parkman," Noah said. "Los Angeles PD. Ability to hear thoughts."
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "A mind-reader?"
"Yeah," Noah replied with a smirk. "He's one of the good ones… or tries to be. He got pulled into all this chasing Sylar."
Aiden nodded thoughtfully. He remembered Matt's arc—an honest man crushed under the weight of impossible truths. A man betrayed by his own wife. A man burdened with the knowledge of everyone else's secrets and none of the power to change them.
"A noble heart… but not immune to despair," Aiden mused aloud.
If he hadn't interfered after Sylar killed Molly's parents, Matt, who was responsible for the case, found Molly hiding.. As a result, he suspected it was Sylar's doing and investigated it with the FBI. It's a good ability to know what other people are thinking, but Matt later heard that his wife had an affair. Even though he didn't want to listen, Aiden could imagine how depressed he was.
He turned away from the window. "I'll take his ability tomorrow. I want a clean mind before I dip into thoughts."
Later, Noah led Aiden to a private chamber. A secured room with reinforced walls, a simple bed, a desk, and a console for communication.
"You'll find everything you need here," Noah said. "If you require anything else—"
"I'll let you know," Aiden replied, then turned to Rene. "You're staying."
Rene nodded wordlessly and stepped inside the room.
Aiden looked him over. "Your ability is… fascinating. I want to study it. Understand its limits."
"Of course," Rene answered softly, as if that was the most natural response in the world.
Tomorrow, Matt Parkman.
Tonight, he will study the mystery of Rene power.
Aiden intends to rest here today and Tomorrow he will Devour Matt's ability before leaving.
Aiden was going to study the ability of blocking others ability.
---
The night passed swiftly, cloaked in sheets of cold rain that whispered against the windows like the quiet murmur of a dying world. Aiden lay in bed with his eyes closed, listening to the soft rhythm of the storm. His body felt... different. A sense of completeness pulsed through him, not just strength but a smoother flow of energy as if puzzle pieces had finally snapped into place inside him.
When morning arrived, the rain hadn't stopped—it had only grown bolder. Drops fell like drums on the roof as a grey dawn crept across the sky.
Aiden sat up slowly, opening his palm. He focused. Frost flickered to life, dancing along the lines of his fingers. It was faint, only a thin shimmer of crystalline ice, but yesterday he hadn't been able to manifest anything at all. The progress was obvious. He flexed his hand again, and the frost melted into his skin.
"Rene," he said, voice still tinged with sleep but carrying authority, "turn off your power suppression."
Rene, who had been standing quietly like a shadow near the door, nodded solemnly. His face, calm and unreadable, betrayed nothing—but his posture showed the deference of a man used to following orders from dangerous people.
As soon as Rene deactivated his ability, Aiden repeated the test. This time the ice flared more visibly across his palm before fading. He smiled faintly.
"It's working," Aiden murmured. "Freezing... and that spatial tracking ability... both are integrated properly by now."
He stood, pulling on his coat. The black leather creaked softly in the silence. "It's time."
Rene didn't ask where they were going. He simply followed.
---
Aiden marched through the hallway like a man with a purpose—and no patience for interference. The facility's lights flickered slightly as he passed, as if reacting to his presence. His destination was clear.
Matt Parkman.
The room wasn't locked. Matt was seated, hands cuffed to a steel chair. His expression was twisted with confusion and frustration, the kind of restrained panic only a man who once held power and lost it could truly understand.
As soon as Matt saw Aiden, he burst into a rapid-fire protest. "Hey! Who the hell are you?! I'm a cop! LAPD! This is illegal detention! You can't—"
"I'm not here to detain you," Aiden replied calmly. "This won't take long, Detective."
Matt narrowed his eyes, his cop instincts kicking in. "Where's Bennet? I want to speak to Noah. Or hell, even Mohinder. You can't just walk into this place like you own it—"
"But I do," Aiden said, smiling faintly.
Matt's mind raced. He looked at Rene, standing a few feet away, arms folded, silent like a sentinel. "You're with him? You're just letting this happen?"
Rene gave no reply.
"There are just two things I need from you," Aiden said, stepping closer, his voice low and measured. "Nothing more."
Matt pulled back against the chair, grimacing. "What things?"
"First," Aiden said, "I want you to try reading my mind."
Matt blinked, confused. "What?"
"You heard me. Focus on me. Try to hear what I'm thinking. Use your ability."
Rene silently nodded and deactivated his power-suppressing field.
Matt hesitated. Then, squinting slightly, he focused. The ability came naturally—it always had. He reached out mentally, a psychic ripple moving toward Aiden's thoughts.
And then… nothing.
Matt frowned. "That's... strange. I can't get through. It's like... a wall. A thick wall."
Aiden raised a hand and tapped his temple. 'Mental barrier. The Reality Ring I possess not only enhances illusions, it shields the mind. Your telepathy—while impressive—won't penetrate it.'
Matt looked unsettled but intrigued. "So... that's it? You just wanted to test my powers?"
"No," Aiden replied, stepping closer again. "That was the first thing. The second—well, you already know, don't you?"
Matt swallowed hard. "You want my ability."
Aiden nodded. "And since you read that in my mind... well, now you understand that I'm being honest with you. I'll take your ability, then I'll wipe your memory. You won't remember me, any of this, or that you ever lost your power. You'll go back to your life. Clean slate."
Matt paused. For a moment, it looked like he might argue, shout, resist. But then his shoulders sagged. Maybe it was exhaustion. Maybe it was resignation. Or maybe it was because, deep down, he sensed Aiden wasn't bluffing.
"Fine," he said. "Just… don't hurt anyone else."
Aiden's smile was almost kind. "I don't hurt people unless I need to."
With one swift movement, Aiden reached out, his hand glowing faintly with energy. Matt flinched—but it didn't hurt. There was only a cold pressure, like a vacuum pulling something vital from within.
It was over in seconds.
Matt slumped forward, unconscious.
Rene stepped forward wordlessly. But Aiden stopped him. "No need. I've absorbed enough now to do it myself."