Hello! I hope you all have been doing well and reading lots of good fanfics. I'm super excited to continue this fic! Y'all's feedback has been insanely encouraging and has meant the world to me!

I do not own My Hero Academia.

Shinsou Hitoshi

His hands flew to his mouth at the thump that followed the gunshot. Bile rose up in his throat, leaving a burning trail in its wake. He shut his eyes and forced himself to inhale deeply through his nose.

He didn't…he didn't just kill her…she couldn't have been more than four years old. He can't possibly be that cruel….

The stunned silence that filled the lobby should've answered that for him. Mustering up the courage, he slightly leaned forward and cracked an eye open. Another wave of nausea crashed over him the second he caught sight of the young girl slumped on the ground next to her mother. Blood pooled around her head. Wide and vacant eyes seemed to stare right at him. His legs weakened, and it took all the strength he had to keep himself standing.

"She's a child! Why the hell did you—"

He looked to Shouta once he was cut off. His face was whiter than a ghost. Hitoshi had never seen the man so horrified. The villain had an arm wrapped around his throat and lifted him up enough to cut off his air.

"Despite being aware of the consequences, you failed to protect those civilians," Kayo observed. "I'm honestly surprised, Detective Tsukauchi. You have the top two heroes in all of Japan with you. Present Mic is there. If I had to guess, you have more heroes that I can't recognize in your midst. How can these people rely on you all now?"

Neither Naomasa or Hizashi said a word. Whipping his head toward the window, Hitoshi saw that the voice hero had turned away from the bank. From the looks of it, he was trying not to vomit. The detective opened his mouth, but couldn't seem to speak. Not that it mattered. Kayo seemed more than happy to fill the silence.

"I hope you all get yourselves together in the next hour. You know there's other kids in here. Are you going to fail them, or are you going to save them like they believe you will?"

He hung up the phone and tossed it to one of his men. He dropped Shouta to the ground. Grabbing the hero's injured ankle, he dragged him away from the door and toward the bank teller windows. The combination of his groans and gasps for air was the only sound in the lobby. Hitoshi swallowed, but he felt as though his throat were filled with cotton.

I shouldn't be surprised. It's not like he and his men haven't killed anyone before…but a child….

Fabric rustled next to him. Inko had gripped Izuku's arm and pulled him as close as he could to her, the other boy's eyes tightly clenched shut. He couldn't miss the green tint to his face, and he wasn't too sure his was fairing much better. Inko moved her hands down to Izuku's and held them. Hitoshi watched as his eyes slowly opened and met his mom's gaze. He gave a slight nod, and she gave his arm one last squeeze before she took a step away. Hitoshi's eyebrows rose at the metallic glint he caught when Izuku opened his hand.

With a quick glance over his shoulder, the other boy started stretching out the paperclip.

Uraraka Ochako

Her heart pounded with each step she took, desperate to keep up with Tenya. Shouto was right on her heels. Her throat burned, but she pushed through it. The three hadn't stopped running since leaving the mall. The amount of police swarming the train station did nothing to ease their worries and only forced them to take to the streets to get to the bank. The trio skidded to a stop when they rounded a corner to run into a crowd. Tenya stood up on the tips of his toes.

"I can't see anything," he updated. "There's too many people crowding the next couple blocks. I can't even see the police cars. We don't stand a chance of getting through to the bank."

"Then we go back."

Before either she or Tenya could ask him any questions, Shouto had turned and weaved through the people that had already started gathering behind them. Tenya wasted no time elbowing his way through with several muttered apologies. Nearly tripping over a few civilians flocking to the crowd, Ochako managed to catch up with her two classmates.

"Where are we going?" she huffed.

"There's no way we can get to the bank if we go down that street," Shouto explained. "Going back a few blocks is our best chance of getting in."

"You're right, Todoroki, but we have to remember we can't risk interfering with the police and heroes already on the scene…."

Ochako tuned out Iida's rambling when they rounded a corner of a nearly abandoned street. The articles flashing across her phone etched in her mind.

HOSTAGE SITUATION UNDER WAY AT SHOKO CHUKIN BANK

ALL MIGHT ON THE SCENE

STILL NO HOSTAGES RELEASED DESPITE ARRIVAL OF TOP HEROES

Her lips quirked into a frown when she recalled the most recent headline.

We left the mall just over an hour ago, so this whole situation has had to be going on for a couple hours at least. How have none of the hostages made it out? All Might and Endeavor are there. Those stories were posted in the last hour, though, so they haven't been there for long…but maybe something's stopping them….

She skidded to a stop.

"Guys…."

Shouto and Tenya paid her no mind. They didn't even seem to hear her, nor did they seem to notice the green glow illuminating over the tops of the buildings further down the street.

"Guys!"

The two suddenly stopped. They turned back to their classmate, who merely pointed up. It was impossible to miss the way the two boys tensed when they finally noticed the glow.

"What…what is that?" Shouto asked.

No one could answer him. A newfound tension grew amongst the three.

I don't know. Whatever it is, it can't be good.

Wordlessly, Ochako continued her sprint down the street, the other two right behind her.

Midoriya Izuku

"Here."

He barely heard the meek words. He probably wouldn't have at all if his mom hadn't pulled him so close to her. He peeled his eyes open when he felt something in his palm, small and metallic. Carefully opening his hand, he stared at the paperclip.

Where…how did mom get this?

He didn't have time to question it. Looking her in the eye, she simply nodded. Her hands returned to his arm, giving it a slight squeeze before she retracted her grip completely. He glanced over his shoulder. His fingers shook, but he managed to get a hold of one end of the paperclip and started straightening it out.

If I can just unlock these cuffs…but where will I go? One for All still doesn't make me immune from a bullet…and if any of these civilians get hurt….

He shook his head, casting the thoughts out of his mind.

Just unlock the cuffs now. I can figure something else later.

He risked another glance behind him once he completely straightened out the small piece of metal. As subtly as he could, he felt along the cuffs for a small opening. He internally sighed when he finally felt a spot for a key. Twisting the paperclip around in his hand, he carefully inserted it into the hole. He spared a quick look to Hitoshi, the other boy shifting closer to him.

Come on! It isn't this hard to unlock a pair of cuffs. Aizawa-sensei made us spend an entire class period learning how to do this. Why can't I….

He didn't even realize his hands were shaking until Hitoshi grabbed his forearm in a bruising grip. He leaned in even closer, closer than he ever thought brainwasher would be comfortable with.

"We're going to be okay," Hitoshi said, just slightly above a whisper. "All Might's here. He'll save us. You know that, right?"

Izuku forced himself to still. He took a deep breath. He closed his entire hand, hiding the paperclip. He slowly lowered his hands until they touched the top of his thigh. The grip on his forearm tightened while footsteps approached the two students. Izuku fought the urge to tense up while one of the villains wandered within their proximity.

Crap…hopefully no one noticed….

"You're right, Shinsou. If anyone could figure something out, All Might can."

Hitoshi winced when a hand slapped down and grabbed his shoulder.

"It's really sweet of you to comfort your friend, kid." Kayo's voice made his skin crawl. "It warms my heart. I really would've thought someone like you would make it into the hero course."

Kayo let go of Hitoshi's shoulder. He motioned the armed man behind them to follow him back toward Shouta. Hitoshi slowly loosened his grip and sighed while the footsteps retreated, but kept it tight enough to steady Izuku's arm. After a few more deep breaths, he wiped a hand off on his pants before grabbing the paperclip again.

I can't afford to drop this. I can't mess up this chance. I don't have any idea how mom managed to get this for me. If I screw this up….

He briefly shut his eyes before taking one last deep breath.

There's no "if."

With careful fingers, he inserted the tip of the paperclip back into the lock. With now-steady hands and arms, he twisted the metal until he heard a very faint click. Hitoshi immediately clamped a hand down on the cuff, preventing it from clattering on the ground. The two students held their breath and stiffened. Inko cast a quick glance over her shoulder.

"You're okay," she whispered.

His shoulders sagged.

One down. One more to go.

With adrenaline pumping through him, he maneuvered the paperclip into his other hand. Hitoshi maintained his grip on his arm to ground him. It didn't take near as much time to unlock the other cuff. One for All stirred within him, and he couldn't stop the relieved grin from spreading across his face.

Izuku looked to his mom, who returned her own gaze to him with a grim smile. Somehow, only then did he noticed the tear tracks on her cheeks. She pulled him down so her lips were right next to his ear.

"I heard you earlier, and I think you're right. There has to be a way out. I know you can find it, so when you get the chance, take Shinsou and get out of here."

Izuku's blood ran cold.

"But—"

"He'll be more helpful to you. I'll only slow you down if you take me, too. You can come back with the heroes and get us all out, okay?"

You know that's not going to happen. Even if we get a chance to escape, I don't think Kayo would hesitate to….

Tears welled in his eyes. He didn't want to think about what the villain would do. He rapidly blinked, determined not to let the tears fall.

"It's going to be all right, Izuku. I promise."

You know you can't promise that, but I guess it doesn't matter. I don't know what's changed, but nothing the heroes and police are doing now seem to be enough for Kayo. We're pretty much waiting to see who gets shot next.

His hands clenched into fists.

"All right, mom."

All of his muscles tensed. He took a deep breath and cleared his mind.

I have to be ready the second the opportunity presents itself. Unfortunately, it may not be the best plan, but it's the best shot we have of any of us making it out of here.

He carefully moved his hands into Hitoshi's and he slipped the paperclip into them.

Aizawa Shouta

His entire body shook, but the throbbing in his ankle was the only pain his mind could comprehend. He put all of his focus on it.

He just murdered a ch—Don't think about it. You can't. There are other civilians trapped here. They still need help. Don't think about it.

He managed to shift his upper body just enough to get a look at the bandage. Miraculously, it was still in place. The edges of the cloth were a little frayed, and a red splotch started to seep through, but it remained relatively intact. He plopped back down on the ground and scanned the back of the lobby for Shusaku. The villain hadn't paid him any mind since he dragged him back. The door next to the bank teller windows opened, and the villain emerged.

The corners of his mouth curved upward in a different manner than he'd seen since taking over the bank. Barely sparing the erasure hero a glance, he made his way toward the hostages. His heart pounded in his chest when he saw Hitoshi and Izuku freeze.

The paperclip…does one of the kids even have it? There's no way Shusaku could've noticed, could he? One of his men surely would've raised the issue….

His breath hitched in his throat when the blond clapped a hand down on Hitoshi's shoulder.

"It's really sweet of you to comfort your friend, kid. It warms my heart. I really would've thought someone like you would make it into the hero course."

Get away from him.

He turned over on his side, ignoring the agony flaring up from his ankle as he tried to sit himself up. Every bone in his body screamed with every move he made.

Get your hands off him.

He suddenly stilled when Shusaku let go of Hitoshi's shoulder and motioned for the closest guard to them to follow him. He whispered to his subordinate while they approached the injured hero. Completely bypassing him, Shusaku continued on to the bank teller windows while the other set of footsteps paused just beside him. A foot came crashing down on his already sore ribs. He bit his lip, but he didn't do anything to silence the grunt that escaped him.

What the hell is Shusaku doing….

Just as he felt another presence behind him, a piece of cloth was forced in between his teeth and tied around the back of his head. He could hear more footsteps approaching them. He tried to turn and look over his shoulder, but the foot on his side didn't waver and kept him in place.

"Do you all remember my orders?" Shusaku asked.

Without a verbal response, Shouta could only assume they nodded. The weight on his ribs disappeared, and he let out a sigh of relief through his nose; however, it didn't last long. A pair of strong arms under his back and legs hoisted him up. Another muffled grunt was ripped from him. His vision swam, and no amount of blinking seemed to clear it. Agony enveloped his entire body at the movement.

"You all are teaching a very valuable lesson. Your sacrifices will not be in vain. I promise you that. Our friend would be quite proud."

His eyes screwed shut when the person holding him started moving. He heard a door opening. It quietly clicked shut before he attempted to open his eyes again. Shusaku loomed over him. A giggle bubbled out of him, and a maniac grin plastered itself across his face.

"I'm afraid I can't let you go just yet, Eraserhead. Your assistance has been incredibly helpful, and I wish I could, but I can't let this opportunity pass while I still have you. It won't be much longer. We just need to ensure our escape. If it makes you feel any better, I did order my men to let those two boys go during the next phone call. I suppose it's the least I can do."

Before Shouta could even begin to comprehend the villain's words, Shusaku disappeared from his line of sight. A creak broke through the silence now filling the room. He tried to adjust himself to get a look. The green glow from the force field illuminated the room. Pieces of concrete were scattered around the floor. His eyes widened when he noticed an opening just big enough to encompass a small door. Both men would have to stoop down a bit to get through it.

Is that a door? Who put that…where the hell does it go? Why is it here?

He screwed his eyes shut when the man carrying him moved again. Careful to step over the broken cement, the two maneuvered through the door, taking Shouta with them.

Midoriya Izuku

Hitoshi tensed up beside him. He turned to follow the other boy's gaze. A few of the villains had converged on the injured hero. One had a foot on his side. He couldn't help but wince.

Can't they just leave him alone? He's injured enough as it is.

Kayo knelt down behind Shouta, a piece cloth in hand. Izuku's eyebrows furrowed when he forced it between Shouta's teeth and tied it around his head. He risked a glance at Hitoshi. The boy's chest rapidly rose and fell. His mouth quirked into a thin line. His eyes were ablaze when a muffled grunt echoed through the lobby.

"Where the hell are they taking him?" Hitoshi muttered.

Kayo's subordinate carried Shouta through the door next to the bank teller windows, the villain followed right behind them.

This can't be good….

Izuku looked around at the rest of the hostages. Everyone except for his mom and Hitoshi seemed oblivious to the fact that Kayo disappeared, taking the erasure hero with him. The small group that had gathered at the back of the lobby dispersed. Another armed man headed toward the trio to replace the guard that had just left. Both boys quickly turned to face the windows. After a few minutes of silence, a peeked back over his shoulder.

The door didn't open, and his stomach flipped.

This can't be good at all. Why would he leave? Why would he take Aizawa-sensei with him? I don't feel good about this….

…but it does confirm there's a way out of the bank.

A slight movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. His mom's hands twitched. She shuffled a couple steps away from him, and her fingers moved again.

Is she using her quirk?

A small chunk of tile floated toward her. He noted a couple more pieces like it on the ground. He craned his neck back. Despite the green glow, he could see a couple holes in the ceiling.

That must be from the couple gunshots that went off before the villains manifested this shield….

The piece of tile was almost in her hands. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Once she opened them, the tile spun until sharpest point was angled toward her. With a flick of her wrist and a quick turn to the side, the piece of tile whizzed right past her and directly at the guard behind them, shooting up toward his face. If he would've blinked, he would've missed it.

How did she…I didn't know she could do that….

The enraged scream that came a second later jolted him out of his thoughts. Their guard had a hand clamped over his left eye. Blood seeped between his fingers. He staggered away from the trio. A couple other guards rushed to his aide. Izuku looked up to his mom. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out.

Go!

He broke his hands apart. The cuffs clattered to the floor, but it could barely be heard over the man's screams. One for All coursed through his veins. He grabbed Hitoshi's arm, the other boy's own cuffs finally falling off when he leaped straight for the door. He managed to brace himself before the two hit the back wall. Hitoshi wasted no time throwing the door open and bolting through it. Izuku was right on his heels. He quickly shut the door, keeping his hand on the knob and leaning back against it for the briefest second. His heart hammered inside his chest.

The green glow decorated the back wall of the small room. Hitoshi was running right for it, nearly tripping on the rubble scattered on the ground. Izuku's eyes widened when he saw a gap in the force field.

"You were right, Midoriya," Hitoshi said, slightly out of breath, but with the faintest hints of a grin on his face.

Izuku nodded and joined him. Hitoshi opened the door. Both boys froze when they could see a couple steps that descended into darkness.

"We have to go."

He nodded again. Hitoshi bent down to get under the door frame and started down the stairs. Izuku followed suit, slamming the door shut behind them.

And there it is! I do apologize for the insanely late update. I do hope a slightly longer chapter made it worth the wait! I'm already super excited for the next chapter. We'll get to see Inko's point of view and see a little more of what's going on outside the bank…which I guess, at this point now, is a lot! Until then