WARNING: This chapter contains mentions of rape to a minor. While it is not explicit, reader discretion is advised.

Song Inspiration: Rescue by Raine Wilder ft. Svrcina

TWENTY-FIVE | RESCUE

BioSyn's headquarters was located an hour outside of Los Angeles. Hawks had done a little research prior to coming to the facility, especially after David had told them about the former lead scientist, Rei Kazuma, having an affair with a test subject. All of that information had also been conveniently left out of the reports, however according to the coroner's files Rei Kazuma had also been three months pregnant at the time of her death. Furthermore, while the reports from BioSyn and the police had made it seem like a freak accident, Hawks believed it was more of a foul play situation.

The coroner stated in the documents that Rei Kazuma had severe head trauma and her hyoid had been damaged, meaning she was most likely strangled. That alone seemed weird for a freak accident. He believed there was a lot more going on than people involved wanted to let on, meaning Ms. Kazuma had been killed for specific reasons.

Hawks clicked his tongue, scrolling through the news reports of the incident. About two weeks after investigations concluded, everything relating to the case had been sealed. The information that did exist was surface level, merely acknowledging that it did happen. All the facts, evidence, and truths were hidden away. And as far as Hawks was concerned, if someone or some organization had nothing to hide then sealing a case wouldn't be necessary.

He put his phone away and glanced around the room. Endeavor sat beside him, permanent scowl etched on his face, clearly uncomfortable in his suit and tie. The man lived in his hero costume, but Hawks had insisted they dress more formally to not draw any unwanted attention to themselves. Across from them in the black leather chairs, Melissa and Deku sat still, eyes wandering around.

At breakfast, Hawks had asked more questions relating to Shield Corp. and BioSyn. He wanted to know how they worked together. David and Melissa both explained they only worked with them to create materials that could better support heroes.

The lobby of BioSyn screamed elegance. The interior decoration seemed more like a luxury hotel than a state of the art research facility. Floor to ceiling windows along the front wall, hanging sleek can lights, a polished white marble floor that gleamed like a thin layer of water lie over it, and then it was hard to ignore those pretty secretaries at the knotty wood desks in their pencil skirts and plunging necklines.

Hawks crossed one leg over the other, leaning back into the couch. Though stylish and expensive looking, it wasn't the most comfortable thing to sit on. He figured it was a tactic to make people want to leave while they wanted to speak with someone beyond the pretty ladies. His eyes flicked toward the other end of the room, where two security guards stood at the metal detectors, leading to the elevators and stairway.

An elevator dinged and as the doors parted a pudgy man stepped out. He didn't seem overly important, but he wore a name badge with an alphabet soup behind his name. As he approached them, he smoothed his royal purple tie that clashed with his beige suit. He stopped just outside of their seating area, the wrinkles at his eyes deepening as he smiled. "Ms. Shield, it's always good to see you."

"Mr. Caffrey." Melissa stood from her seat. She walked toward him and shook his hand. "It's good to see you as well," she said and turned toward Hawks, Endeavor, and Deku. "These three are heroes from Japan I mentioned to you on the phone yesterday."

"Yes, I recognize them," Mr. Caffrey said, bowing his head. "You are Hawks, Endeavor, and Deku, correct?"

"That's right," Deku said, stepping forward to shake the man's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Caffrey."

"Indeed," Mr. Caffrey said, then clasped his hands behind his back. "Well, let's head to my office, where we can talk in private. This way." He turned on his heels and walked in the direction of the elevators.

After clearing security, riding up to the eighth and final floor, Mr. Caffrey led them down a long corridor, taking them to the backside of the building, the wall a large panoramic view of the rest of the BioSyn facility. Hawks slowed to get a good look at the place: four buildings, including the one they were in, formed a diamond shape with a large courtyard in the center. A few people were out at the tables or sitting on the edge of the reflecting pool, having their lunches.

Hawks continued on down the corridor, entering the room at the end of the hall. He closed the door behind him and scanned the area. A security camera in the front corner of the room, a few awards and photographs hung on the left wall, while the right side was another large window viewing the building next door. The conference table was lined with rolling chairs that Mr. Caffrey encouraged them to sit in.

"So, what can I do for you all? Melissa told me this was about the files that went missing," Mr. Caffrey said as he pulled out a chair at the head of the table and sat down.

Melissa smiled and took a seat to his left while Deku and Endeavor sat to his right. Hawks opted to stay standing. His gut told him, even if they questioned him, the man wouldn't say much. Given his demeanor and appearance, he seemed to be the altogether-rule-follower. And given the dark past of BioSyn, it appeared he was rather light and truly interested in quirks from an honest stand point. The guy couldn't have been much older than thirty-five, he wouldn't have even worked here at the time of Rei Kazuma's death. If he had, he would have been an intern at best.

Hawks decided to take the lead. The case of Rei Kazuma's death was an important factor, but it was imperative they learned more about the missing research and data files that had been taken from BioSyn. He leaned back against the wall, eyes locking onto Mr. Caffrey. "We have a dangerous group at our door, and we think they are connected to the theft of files that happened here not too long ago."

Mr. Caffrey raised an eyebrow. "I see, so you want to know what they took then?"

"That's right," Hawks replied with a nod. "We need all the help we can get to figure out what they're after. Anything you tell us can be of help."

"Isn't it obvious?" Mr. Caffrey asked.

"Not to us," Hawks stated.

"Alright," Mr. Caffrey said, leaning forward on the table. "Majority of the files were information to our other facilities around the world. A few of them were also related to newly emerged quirk types we had been researching."

"What kind of quirks?" Deku asked.

Hawks recalled the kid had dealt with some rough stuff relating to quirking drugs when he was still in school. The League of Villains and Shie Hissaikai being responsible for a dangerous weapon capable of eliminating quirks by torturing a child. It was no secret that researchers around the world studied quirks and how to utilize them in other ways. And how they conducted their research wasn't always the most ethical.

"Medical based quirks," Mr. Caffrey answered. "Many based on cell activation, enhancements, and regeneration."

Hawks tried to piece the information together in his head. At one point in time the Daizen 7 operated strictly as organized crime, trying to earn a decent cash flow. All Might swoops in, puts their name on the map, and when the heroes get after them, they all but vanish into thin air as if they never existed. They make their return, killing those who ratted them out and those who stood in their way. Files on quirks were stolen from BioSyn, Fujimori is potentially linked to it all. He closed his eyes and tried to see the connection, but it was still unclear as to how it was all tied together. They need more concrete facts.

"Mr. Caffrey," Hawks said, coming to the table. "I have a couple of questions relating to Rei Kazuma. I understand that you may not be able to answer them seeing as the case has been sealed so I'm sure legally there is a lot of red tape, however it may very well tie into this situation."

"Dr. Kazuma never spoke to me when she was alive. I was just an intern subjected to scut work. I really don't know much about her or her research." Mr. Caffrey sat back in his seat and rubbed the back of his neck. "I doubt I'll be able to tell you much. BioSyn had buried that case as far down as they could. Those were not years they were proud of."

"They?" Endeavor repeated, eyeing Mr. Caffrey with intrigue. "Who is they?"

Mr. Caffrey cleared his throat. "The research board. They work directly with myself and the VP of BioSyn. Prior to Dr. Kazuma's death they were in control of everything that happened here."

"They were running experiments. Unethical ones," Hawks assumed, locking eyes with Mr. Caffrey, who immediately looked away and straightened his tie. "I can say we're not here about that. We're here to figure out who stole your files and I happen to believe it all ties back to Rei Kazuma."

"How do you figure?" Mr. Caffrey asked, still avoiding everyone's eyes.

"Deku," Hawks said. "Show him the sketch."

Deku pulled his phone from his pocket and pushed it toward Mr. Caffrey, who looked at Shinso's sketch. He grimaced and picked up the phone.

"Do you know who this is?" Deku asked.

"Seiji Fujimori," Mr. Caffrey answered, shaking his head. "He was the man Rei Kazuma was having an affair with."

"Was he a test subject for BioSyn?" Hawks asked.

"He was."

"Do you know what his quirk is?" Endeavor jumped in.

Mr. Caffrey nodded. "We called it Alchemist."

"And what did it allow him to do?" Hawks pulled out a chair and sat down.

"He could create living dolls."

"What happened to him after Dr. Kazuma's death?"

"He disappeared. I saw him at her funeral, but never again after that."

Endeavor and Hawks exchanged looks.

"Do you think he's the one who stole the files?" Mr. Caffrey asked.

"Yes," Hawks replied, meeting his gaze. "One more question, and I understand that you probably can't answer. Who killed Dr. Kazuma?"

Mr. Caffrey licked his lips and shook his head. "I don't know."

Hawks nodded. While the answer they received wasn't pointing them in any clear direction, his response shed light on two important details. First, Dr. Kazuma's death was not an accident at all, but murder. Second, Seiji Fujimori was not the one who killed her, but he probably knew who had.

"Dr. Kazuma wasn't married or anything at the time of her death, right?" Hawks inquired.

Mr. Caffrey pressed his lips together, his knee bouncing under the table. "No."

"Can you send us the details of the quirk files that were taken?" Hawks asked.

"Of course."

"Then that concludes our questioning." Hawks pushed his chair back and stood. "Thank you for helping us."

The others followed in suit. After a few quick goodbyes, Mr. Caffrey guided them back out into the lobby. He told them he would send the files to Melissa as soon as he got back into his office. Bidding them another farewell, Mr. Caffrey bowed and walked back inside the building.

Hawks made his way down the stairs with Endeavor following behind him. "Don't you think we should have pressed for more information?"

"He wouldn't have been able to talk, but he gave us enough to work with." Hawks stuffed his hands into his blazer, heading across the parking lot.

Deku, who had been ahead of them and walking alongside Melissa, stopped and looked back at Hawks. "You don't think it was Mr. Fujimori, who killed Dr. Kazuma?"

"Definitely not," Hawks replied. They reached the car and Melissa unlocked the door. When everyone filed in, Hawks glanced back at the BioSyn facility. "According to the coroner report, Dr. Kazuma was pregnant. And I believe it was Mr. Fujimori's child."

Melissa drove out of the parking lot, heading down the two lane road toward the main highway back to Los Angeles. "She was pregnant?"

"That's what it said."

"It's safe to assume a lot of this is driven by revenge," Endeavor grumbled from the front seat. "So what are you thinking, Hawks?"

"I don't—"

CRASH!

The car flipped several times before finally slamming upside down in the field. Hawks groaned. His body contorted in the most uncomfortable way. Glass surrounded him and crunched as he tried to move. Blood dripped along the side of his face. He wriggled out through the window, until he reached the grass.

Despite the sharp pain shooting through his body, Hawks forced himself onto his feet. He staggered. His vision went spotty as he looked around. No other cars, no other people, just them in the field.

Hawks limped toward the front of the vehicle. "Endeavor," he huffed, kneeling to the ground. His friend still buckled into his seat was unconscious. "Hey, wake up." Hawks patted Endeavor's face.

"Ugh," Endeavor groaned, face scrunching. "Fuck. What happened?"

"Brace yourself," Hawks panted as he reached for the button to undo the seatbelt.

Endeavor caught himself before dropping into the roof of the car. He cried out in pain as he pulled himself through the windshield, tearing up his shirt. When he got out, Hawks helped him up and looked to the driver's side.

"Deku, Melissa," Hawks called out. " Are you two okay?" When neither answered, he staggered a few steps, but Endeavor caught his arm. "What? We gotta check on them."

"After we kill that thing," Endeavor said, pointing straight ahead.

Hawks breath hitched as he slowly turned around. He shook his head, laying eyes on a creature that never should have seen the light of day. The beast looked like it had crawled straight out of hell. It stood on cloven hooved feet, towering an easy twelve feet, spiraling horns protruded from its head. The creature snarled, saliva dripping from its razor sharp fangs. It stomped at the ground, red glowing eyes filled with hatred and pain. And Hawks wasn't sure if he was seeing things or not, but the creature's inky skin seemed to be melting away.

"The hell is that thing?" Hawks asked.

"No fucking clue," Endeavor replied, wiping the blood dripping from the gash on his head. "What's it doing?"

The beast threw its head up and let out a blood curdling screech. Hawks and Endeavor both covered their ears as it cried out, then thrashed around. The creature collapsed to the ground. Unmoving.

"Melissa," Deku coughed from behind them.

"You two alright?" Hawks asked, never taking his eyes off the big lump of flesh six meters out from where they stood. "Hey!"

"No," Deku replied. "Melissa's got a shard of glass in her eye."

"Is she conscious?" Hawks inquired, still staring at the beast, expecting it to jump up at any given moment.

"No," Deku said.

"Call for help," Hawks replied, finally looking back at the car.

Endeavor took in a deep breath and walked toward the beast. Hawks wasn't sure approaching it was the best idea, but if it was still alive they'd have to fight it one way or another. He remained back, his wings spread and ready to take off should he need too. Deku called for help, giving their location before telling them to hurry and hang up.

The beast twitched.

"Endeavor!" Hawks cried. The monster sprouted two muscled arms, its claws digging into Endeavor skin as it held him by the throat and roared in his face.

An eruption of flames shot from Endeavor and the beast screamed, but never let go despite being overtaken by fire. Hawks shook his head as the creature finally let go and fell back, bone exposed on its arm and chest as its flesh shriveled away. Endeavor grabbed his throat and fell to one knee, panting heavily.

"Now, it's dead," Endeavor said as Hawks flew to his side.

-xXx-

Shinso and Kirishima walked along the main road of the old warehouse district. The sky was thick with gray clouds and the humidity was relentless. Even worse the smell of salty trash water seemed ten times stronger. It had been two days since they had run into Seri and those other two kids. They looked around the other day, but never saw them. Eraserhead and Iida were checking out the fish market as oftentimes a lot of kids hung around in that area.

5:48 PM. Shinso put his phone back into his pocket, glancing toward the ocean as the sun began to make its descent into the dusky hours. They'd been walking around for two hours, coming across a few homeless and boat workers from the repair shop near the main entrance. Oh and they came across a few dogs tearing into some trash too, but other than that no kids.

Kirishima sputtered as he plopped down on some old wooden crates. "These kids are never gonna show themselves."

Thunder rumbled in the distance and both of them looked toward the sky. The underbellies of the clouds grew darker by the second. Shinso clicked his tongue, they definitely wouldn't come out if it stormed. A strong wind blew by, taking along some empty bottles and tattered papers.

"Let's just walk for a bit longer," Shinso said, nodding down the main road. It curved back around a few buildings down, leading to the south entrance, which went right into the old loading docks for the big rigs. His phone rang in his pocket and he pulled it out. Aizawa flashed on the screen. Shinso hit the answer icon and put it to his ear. "Any luck?"

"The only thing we found out is that no has seen them in over twenty-four hours," Eraserhead said, the sound of sea gulls and crowds chattering filled the silence as Shinso pinched the bridge of his nose. Things were not going well for them at all. "Ingenium and I were going to head to a shanty town that's half between here and the warehouse district. Meet us there."

"Okay, we'll be there in about half an hour." Shinso hung up the phone and turned to Kirishima. "They didn't have any luck either, and no one has seen them in twenty-four hours."

Kirishima's brow creased. "Isn't that a little odd?"

"What do you mean?"

"These kids may not trust us, but surely they trust the locals." Kirishima stood and glanced down the road, turning his back to Shinso. "To not be seen by them is just weird, and I doubt anyone would lie and even if they did, you really think those kids told everyone to lie about not seeing them."

"You think something might have happened?"

Kirishima sighed. "Well, I hope not. Then again, we can't really rule anything out. You said yourself, that Seri girl looked like she wanted to talk."

"Fair point," Shinso agreed.

"Let's keep looking," Kirishima said and walked on.

Shinso lingered for a little longer. The warehouse district in itself was large and had plenty of places to hide. If the kids had been in the area for a while, it was likely they knew the ins and out better than anyone. He had to acknowledge Kirishima's point though, they'd have to go to the fish market in order to scavenge for food or work, if no one had seen them that didn't mean anything good. It was hard to believe their presence would have made the kids go into hiding.

"You coming?" Kirishima hollered, a few paces ahead.

"Yep, sorry," Shinso said. Kirishima continued on a few steps, but then froze mid step like he was a statue. Shinso raised an eyebrow, standing a step behind Kirishima, then walked around to the side. "What are you doing?"

"Can't move."

Shinso's eyes widened. "Seri."

"Definitely."

"Seri?" Shinso called out as he approached the alleyway across from them. Rain fell on them, pattering on the fractured asphalt, soaking the weeds poking through the cracks. Thunder boomed overhead, and Shinso looked up as the wind tousled his hair. They had to move fast before the storm got any worse. "Seri? You can come out. We won't hurt you." He stood at the mouth of the alley, which was filled with various debris like old oil drums, plastic crates, piles of warped boards.

"Whoa," Kirishima yelped, stumbling forward. "She let go."

"I don't see her," Shinso said and stepped into the alley, careful to avoid the trash and potholes. "Seri?"

Kirishima caught up to him, walking beside him. He pointed to an open door on the side of the metal building. Shinso nodded to him and Kirishima went inside to take a look.

"Seri?" Shinso called again as he neared a stack of old cardboard boxes. They were moldy and falling apart, not to mention the stench was awful. He stepped over some trash bags when he spotted a foot sticking out from the boxes. His eyes widened as he stepped forward, Seri laid on the ground, bloody and beaten, her pants were missing and her shirt was torn. "Kirishima!"

He removed his jacket and wrapped it around Seri. She was still breathing, but given her appearance she was in really bad shape. He hoped it was better than it appeared. Footsteps pounded behind him and Kirishima skidded to a halt beside him.

"Oh god," Kirishima breathed as he stared at Seri.

"Call for an ambulance." Shinso carefully put his arms around Seri and lifted her up. "Hang in there, okay. We got you." He walked toward the open door of the warehouse to keep her out of the rain.

Kirishima followed, giving their location to the police, he then called Eraserhead to inform him they found one of the kids.

Seri groaned, face contorting in pain as Shinso walked to a clear space to lay her down. She gripped his shirt, one eye swollen shut while the other looked up at him with tears. "He killed them."

Shinso didn't put her down, he only stared at her. Hoping that he hadn't heard her right.

She choked out a strangled cry, turning her face into his chest. "They're dead."

-xXx-

The beeps of a heart monitor pulled her from sleep. She opened her eyes, morning light from the window blinded her. When her vision cleared, Seri looked around the room. Pale walls surrounded her, plastic side rails framed the bed, and a metal IV stand with a saline drip was attached to her hand—a hospital room. She licked her lips, which were badly chapped. The window viewing the hall had the blinds closed, but she could still see the shadows of people walking past.

A faint scent of coffee lingered in the room, mixing in with the harsh stink of hand sanitizer. She tried to move, but pain crippled her. A groan escaped her as she laid back against the pillows and stared at the ceiling, swallowing the lump in her throat. The pain slithered throughout her entire body, fogging her mind. She remembered being in the warehouse district and the man with the purple hair.

The door creaked open. Seri turned toward the sound and sucked in a breath when her eyes landed on the purple haired man. He held a cup of coffee in his hand and he had bags under his eyes. When he closed the door, he brought the white styrofoam cup to his lips, but paused upon seeing her eyes on him.

"Seri," he said with a small smile. "I'm glad you're awake."

"Where am I?" she asked, voice raspy.

"Yokohama General."

"Who are you?"

"Hitoshi Shinso." He remained at the door. "May I come closer?"

Seri's lip trembled and a warmth rolled down her face. She touched her cheeks and sniffled, realizing she was crying. Her eyes drifted back to Shinso, who remained at the door unmoving, eyes filled with sadness.

"If you would prefer, I can get someone else to sit with you."

Seri licked her lips, tasting the saltiness of her tears. Her body shook and she looked away from him, drawing back into the pillows as she clenched the sheets. He hadn't hurt her, he had helped her. When they first crossed paths, she wanted to talk to him. She wanted to tell him about the man who had killed Kazuki and threatened to kill them if they didn't do as they were told. Something about him seemed kind like he wanted to help. Even the redhead who had been with him sounded genuine.

"Let me go get—"

"Are you a hero?" she asked, voice shaky as the tears fell from her eyes.

Shinso stared at her for a moment, studying her face. He nodded. "Yeah, I am." He took a deep breath and reached to put his coffee down on the end table by the couch beneath the window. "Would you like me to get someone else?"

Seri shook her head, brown curls falling into her face.

"Okay," he said gently and pointed toward the couch. "May I sit?"

She closed her eyes and nodded.

"If at any time, you want me to leave, just say so." Shinso took a seat on the couch. He placed his elbows on his knees, his expression soft and understanding. It was almost as if he knew exactly what she had been through. The horrific events she had suffered, the bloodshed she had witnessed. He stayed silent for a while longer, just being a sort of comfort that assured her she was safe. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Seri pressed her lips together. The memories flooded back to her mind. Flashes of moments that she'd rather forget. Tears silently fell as she stared ahead at the wall in front of her. It was a jumbled mess, but every moment of it was real and ripped her apart. She never knew pain as she felt it then. No words could describe what she was feeling and if there was she didn't know it. She was fifteen. What she went through, no one her age, or anyone for that matter should have had to experience it.

She wiped away her tears and let out a whimper. "They killed Shinji and Erika. I tried to stop them. It was two men," Seri sobbed, her tears dripped onto her hand and the pale blue sheets. "One left, then the other he…"

Shinso let his head fall between his shoulders. "Seri, I'm so sorry."

"He choked me, then he punched me. I fought, I tried so hard." Seri buried her face in her hands. "He kicked me and got on top of me. He bit my shoulder and I screamed, so he punched me again."

Shinso watched her with teary eyes.

"I gave up, because I thought it would stop if I did."

He closed his eyes and wiped his hand down his face. He didn't say a word, but the pain etched on his face made her feel better like someone cared about her.

"He took off my pants…"

Shinso covered his mouth and shook his head, a single tear rolled down his face.

"And then he raped me."

He wiped away his tear and scooted closer to the edge of the couch, his eyes locking with hers. "Seri," he said, softly. "I will do everything I can to catch the person who did this to you."

She nodded, fully believing his words. Everyone she loved had been taken from her, she had no one else. Wiping away her tears, Seri took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Thank you."