[rook]

Looking at the episode again and accepting that it was not an if history episode (Yes I know that is in dispute), it appears Bennett turned Candace, DL and Molly Walker to Homeland Security (Parkman) without the future Hiro's knowledge. When coming to Bennett, Hiro expected Bennett to get him help from the people he brought him (Candace, DL and Molly Walker).

Before invading Homeland Security with Peter's help, Hiro expected Candace to distract the guards with her powers of illusion and DL to walk them through the walls. He had no knowledge that Candace and DL were killed by Sylar. It suggests that Sylar might have been in league with Nathan as secret alies and that the killing of Nathan may have been recent. Sylar said to Peter that Nathan had already turned against his kind before he (Sylar) killed him. Nathan might have been using Sylar for most of the 5 years as a bodyguard to protect him in case Peter decided to fix things.

When Candace was brought to Nathan as President with Sylar perhaps in another room, Sylar gets the idea to kill them both since with Candace's power he no longer needs Nathan. I believe it shows the killing and assuming of Nathan and Candace's identity was recent. The evidence shows Hiro believes Candace and DL are still alive. I believe the harsh policies but not extermination on Heroes for 5 years gone were Nathan's. The switch to genocide became the plan after Sylar killed Nathan and became President. In addition the suggestion by Suresh that Hiro was trying to kill Sylar to change history provoked the genocide solution.

In that case, Sylar's mistake was his own sadism against Suresh. By choosing Suresh as the killer of Hiro, Sylar's decision botched the assasination. If this story is part of the timeline, we have three story lines.

The first story line is Claire is killed at homecoming and Hiro's stabbing of Sylar fails in the exploding man episode because Sylar regenerates. Hiro spends the next 5 years building a time line to alter the history.

The second story line is the 5 years gone episode. Claire is saved by future Hiro's warning to Peter but Hiro fails to teleport to the day and time he needs to kill Sylar. The misery that follows is the result of Hiro not finding the right time and place to kill Sylar.

The third story line with Hiro killing Sylar ends the season.

[The_Heroic_Loser]

I don't think Hiro expected Candice and DL to come help him and Peter.

[Mathsorcerer]

Interesting concepts. Unfortunately, the "Five Years Gone" reality was only possible because someone--Peter, in this case--exploded in the heart of NYC. In actuality no one exploded in the city, so that future is no longer possible and thus no longer exists, except as part of Hiro's memory.

[rook]

I replayed the 5 years gone episode that was repeated on the SCI Fi Channel. Future Hiro describes his plan to Ando to break the "other" Hiro out. That is where Hiro mentions Candace and DL to Ando. When Ando asks what happens to him in the future, future Hiro jokes about not telling him since Ando's impatience could destroy the space time continum.

Post Edit- BTW, it is clear Parkman has Molly Walker back. Hiro gave Candace, DL and Molly Walker to Bennett. Sylar kills and absorbs Candace and DL powers while Hiro who has hidden successfully for 5 years is found twice on the same day.