Heroes : The Nine Unknown Men

A Heroes Wiki theory:

The myth of The Nine Unknown Men has been around since 273 b.c. An elite group of men founded by the Indian Emperor Asoka, are believed to currently still exist. Evidence of their roles in the advancement of our world have been cited throughout history.

These Nine Unknown Men are said to have tremendous powers and knowledge well beyond anything we have ever seen. They are said to be the protectors of any and all knowledge that would be harmful to mankind, and they are also said to be the source of many of mankinds advances in all aspects of life.

The story and history of The Nine Unknown Men is very large, very rich, and embedded in conspiracy dating back to before Christ. An entire page could be dedicated to them alone, which is why I suggest for those who are interested to use a search engine or Wikipedia to look up The Nine Unknown Men. It has been said by writers of the show that the legend of The Nine Unknown Men has been the source of many of their ideas and plans for the future of the show.

More here.