In a revealing sequence Meredith and Nathan talk about their daughter, Claire. We learn pretty quickly that Meredith certainly isn’t above using her daughter for her own personal gain as she intimates that a story about an illegitimate child coming out right before election would certainly hurt him. Nathan offers her $100,000 and she accepts. It’s intriguing that they don’t portray Meredith as black or white. She isn’t evil by any means, but she isn’t good either.

After Bennet returns home with Sandra, Claire gets snipey, digging in at her father blaming him for his mother’s neurological problems like her memory loss.

Jessica plans to fool DL by putting make up over her identifying tatoo of the symbol. I’m sorry but that is retarded. She gets a tattoo that pops up when she’s in bad ass personality? Whatever.

Matt gets ready for his new job, a private security man. Janice is worried when he straps the gun on but he puts her at east telling her that he’s a glorified babysitter that probably won’t even need the gun.

You think he’ll need the gun?

Micah tries to talk with his parents about their powers, saying they should be superheroes, but DL and Jessica/Niki aren’t ready for that. DL points out that there is a package waiting for Niki. She pulls out a picture of Aron Malsky and there’s a message from Linderman, stating he’s stolen money from him and needs to die.

So who do you think Matt is going to have to protect?

Hiro and Ando attempt to return to the casino to talk to Linderman. Ando says they’ll look for hope…when suddenly a crying woman gets their attention.

Matt picks up Aron and attempts to make small talk. Aron shuts him up and thinks to himself that Matt better know how to use his gun or else they’re dead.

I find it pretty coincidental that Aron uses Matt of all people for security, but I guess the interconnectedness that helps fuel the show can go a little far at times.

Mohinder is growing frustrated at the fact that no one on his list is returning his calls or even taking him seriously, until he gets a call from Zane Taylor who wants to meet with him.

Ando and Hiro find Hope…an exotic dancer with a long tale of an abusive boyfriend and a pink bag covered with rhinestones. Ando, as usual is suckered by a pretty face and wants to help. Hiro doesn’t want anything to do with her and we get a little of Ando’s resentment of Hiro never doing what he wants to. Fortunately for story purposes Hope can get them in touch with Linderman. She sends the upstairs to some high rollers apartment to steal it back.

Zane Taylor nervously awaits Suresh, when the doorbell rings…Sylar has beaten him to the punch. Sylar claims to be Suresh and gains admittance.

In another revealing sequence Angela shows her true character — again how far she’s come since her first apperance, tells Nathan that as far as Claire goes, he’s nothing more than a glorified sperm donor. She tries to convince him to pay them off and concentrate on the here and now.

Claire lashes out again at Bennet who is trying to reconnect with his daughter before he loses her completely but as of now, Claire ain’t having it. Instead she calls Meredith who tells her that her father is flying down. Claire wants to meet him but Meredith isn’t sure it’s a good idea.

Aron tries to exchange money for diamonds, when Matt hears the seller thinking that it didn’t matter and that Linderman’s guy would arrive soon and kill Aron.

Matt grabs Aron and tells him it’s a setup. He grills Aron about who Linderman is and why he’d want to kill him. Aron gets scared and freaked by Matt’s power, but gives him a diamond to help him escape. Matt feels that Jessica is in the elevator about to arrive, so he pulls his gun. When the elevator opens, Jessica doesn’t find anyone.

When Hiro goes to the dressing room to find Hope he overhears her telling someone how she duped the Chinese guys. Hiro confronts her but Hope punches him out after calling him Mr. Sulu.

Aron and Matt run down the stairs trying to escape. Matt hears both Jessica and Niki arguing with each other, and thinks that they are partners. He gets the drop on Jessica in the stairwell and handcuffs her to the stairs. He asks where her partner is and Jessica tells her that she’s probably killing Aron right now.

Matt runs back to Aron, but suddenly Jessica is behind him and throws him out the window, but he only falls down to a sign outside the building.

Meredith and Claire meet and Meredith tries to explain that her father doesn’t want to meet her. She does tell her that he’s sending $50,000 and that Claire is entitled to half. I like the subtle ways Meredith is characterized.

Matt climbs back in the window to find Aron snapped in half. The police are already there and he tells them he’s on the job.

Mohinder makes it to Zane’s, but Sylar is there to greet him, claiming to be Zane. Mohinder is suspicious that Sylar is a lot calmer than Zane was in his message, but Sylar just claims to have had an epiphany and he’s accepted his powers, which he shows Suresh by turning a toaster into liquid.

Nathan shows up at Meredith’s as Claire eavesdrops outside. Nathan is obviously not as callous as he wants to appear and even Meredith can hear it. He almost gives in to wanting to meet Claire, but is able to push through it. Claire gets angry and as he leaves, she throws a rock at his limo window. He turns back appearing emotional and blames it on some nearby kids playing.

Mohinder asks Sylar for a DNA sample, which makes him hesitant. Silently though he makes the tea kettle boil, giving him an excuse to go into the kitchen and swab the cheek of the dead Zane.
Ando finally is able to get the bag from the room and goes to find Hope. Hope is thrilled and wants to take Ando with her. When he asks about Hiro, she tells him that Hiro went on to Mr. Linderman’s without him. Ando expresses disbelief but Hope kisses him and Ando goes along with him.

Hiro is meanwhile trapped in a closet. He tries unsuccessfully to break down the door, when suddenly it opens revealing the man they stole the bag from. He claims to be a member of the State Gaming Commission. Hiro gives him the Vulcan salute and says he comes in peace.

While on the scene, Matt remembers the last thing Aron was thinking, and it leads him to find the diamonds. He’s about to turn them in for evidence, when he hears the detective thinking about what a loser Matt was and that he’d never wear the badge again. Matt has second thoughts and pockets the diamonds.

Again it’s good to see some grey in a usually black and white, good vs. evil television universe.

Claire comes home to find her mother acting very strangely. She calls Mr. Muggles a mangy thing and claims she doesn’t know him. She then claims she doesn’t know who Claire is. Claire is left shocked and bewildered.

Jessica gets another package with another “assignment”.

It’s Nathan.

Well at last Jessica/Niki is brought into the overall arc a bit more, but it still feels detached overall. I actually liked Jessica/Niki without her family to be honest. The Claire-Bennet sequence is gaining momentum and is really the driver of the show at this point. Hiro and Ando’s sequences are necessary because they are humorous but you can’t help wanting to get them more involved.

B-

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