Author's Note: I'm so excited! I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own MHA or its characters. Original characters are mine but that's it. Story is rated for sensitive subject matter and content both mentioned and written. Includes but is not limited to child abuse, drugs, assault, rape, violence and more.
This chapter in particular mentions assault, rape and human trafficking. Please be warned while reading.
Chapter 72 - Revelations
Dabi sat at the bar so he had a perfect view of the entrance, as well as the booths where the brokers sat. He was keeping an eye on the broker he had seen Obi talking to before, waiting for an opportunity to speak to him when the guy didn't have someone in the booths with him. Also, Dabi was watching in case Obi came back in. Dabi knew how brokers worked, he worked directly for Giran after all. They made their money by creating a relationship between themselves and clients where the client had to come back to the broker for something. Information always had a piece withheld to be given at a later date, while items were always in pieces or required the broker for repairs and extra accessories.
Once Dabi got a chance to talk to the broker, he'd have an idea of what Obi was up to, and maybe find out when Takami would be back. He didn't like the idea of Keigo being afraid of his former parents, or Aunt Zumi being traumatized by the mere thought of them. It was too much like his own mother for his comfort, and Aunt Zumi, Uncle Soji, Keigo and Mila were more like family than his own blood. Sure, he missed his siblings, but Keigo and Jin made a point to encourage him to see them occasionally, even at a distance. Maybe one day, when that asshole sperm donor wasn't in the picture as much.
The client left the booth with the broker that he was waiting on and Dabi saw the man signal for a drink refill. Catching the bartender's eye, he held a hand out to take the refill over. The bartender didn't look like he really wanted to go to the booths, so he handed the drink to Dabi and went back to inventory on the shelves of booze. Dabi walked smoothly to the broker's booth and held up the drink. "You ordered a refill?" The broker narrowed his eyes at Dabi, knowing perfectly well who he was. Giran had made sure the flame user earned his reputation in spades, and wasn't shy about talking up Dabi's success while talking down his flashiness.
"Dabi, I did. Are you doing extra work as wait staff now? Or do we have business?" The broker kept both hands folded neatly on the tabletop as he watched Dabi set the drink on the center of the table. "I want to ask some questions about one of your clients. I'll owe you a favor if you answer them." The broker raised an eyebrow. A favor from Dabi was valuable, but if the questions were about a client. His reputation for discretion would go down the drain. "I don't give information about my clients. That's just bad business." Dabi leaned forward, eyes narrowed and practically glowing in the dim light. "I don't need information on him. Just what he was looking into. Obi Takami, feathers in his hair?"
The broker thought a moment before making his decision. "Obi asked for available jobs, information on a lawyer and his family, and some information about hero agencies." Dabi kept his face neutral. "And what did you give him?" The broker grinned, amused that Dabi knew the trade enough to know there was only so much the broker would have given him. "I gave him what I could on the hero agencies and the lawyer's home and business. Obi seemed more interested in the lawyer's family to be honest. Oh! And he was told about the theft jobs and a few of the trafficking orders. You know there's one that a lot of people are interested in. I wanted the cut from it so I offered that one. "
Dabi frowned and pulled his cell phone out. Starting a text as he let the broker keep talking. "I think it's from a big organization, maybe a pharmaceutical agency, but they're going through a lot of people to prevent their identity being outed. Also the pay is ridiculous for this sort of thing. Of course a healing quirk is super rare and valuable, but when you mix in that the target is a little girl with wings, it just makes it weird." Dabi looked up suddenly. "What did you say?" The broker raised both eyebrows. Maybe Dabi had a thing for little girls? It would make some sense because he never looked twice at women. "One of the jobs Obi took was a human trafficking job for a small girl, five or six years old with a healing quirk. The only identifying feature given was she has wings."
Dabi shoved his phone into a pocket. "When is Obi coming back?" The broker shrugged* "He said he would call or text when he needed me again." Dabi slid from the booth and headed for the bar entrance. "Hey, Dabi! Wait a second!" The broker pulled out a card and got up to hand it to the black haired clean up specialist. "Shoot me a text and I'll let you know when he makes contact again. That favor, we'll keep it between us." Dabi snatched the card and stuffed it in his pocket without looking at it before leaving the bar in such a hurry, the broker almost blinked and missed it.
Dabi walked quickly from the bar towards his apartment, the phone up to his ear as he tried to call Keigo. It went to voicemail, and he huffed an impatient sigh, having forgotten Keigo sent calls to voice-mail when he was about to do hero work, so he dialed Azumi's number. The phone rang for a while before going to voicemail and causing Dabi to let out a string of curses. He turned his walk into a run as he moved through the alleys and streets of Fukuoka, passing gutters of trash and homeless hang outs as he moved unseen by the main streets and police. His phone vibrated and Dabi paused to look at who was calling, standing in the entrance of an alley that would dump him at a park near Azumi's apartment building.
Jin calling…
Dabi hit enter and quickly looked down the alley. "Yeah." Jin sounded relieved, as if he too was having trouble reaching anyone. "Hey, are you near Aunt Thumi'th plathe? Or Uncle Thoji'th offithe?" Dabi frowned and started walking down the alley, not caring that he wasn't as silent as he wanted to be. "I'm closer to Aunty's. What's going on?" Jin continued to speak as Dabi heard someone page a doctor in the background. "Are you at the hospital? What happened?" Dabi was concerned that what he just learned had something to do with why he couldn't get anyone to pick up their phone.
"I got hurt on the job. Keigo came to check on me and then grandma got here. I've been releathed, but before we could leave, Aunt Thumi wath brought in. They thaid the collapthed at the park near her home. Keigo went to find Mila becauthe the perthon who called for the ambulanthe didn't mention Mila, and the wath with Aunt Thumi." Dabi frowned as he left the alley, looking around the park intently. "Is she ok? What about Uncle Soji?" There were a number of children playing, a few adults sitting around on benches and talking, as if nothing were wrong. Jin seemed to be talking to someone on his side of the phone before coming back to talk to Dabi.
"They're trying to reath Uncle Thoji but he ithn't picking up. Grandma thuggethted I go to hith offithe." Dabi saw a shadow fly overhead and pressed himself up against a tree as he glanced up through the branches. There was no mistaking the large red wings and beige outfit of Hawks. He seemed to be flying over the playground, looking for someone. Hoping he could get Keigo's attention, he stepped from the tree and put a hand up, smiling a bit when he saw Hawks bank around and come swooping down to land right in front of him. Forgetting Jin was on the phone, Dabi soon had an armful of Keigo as the blonde threw himself into Dabi's arms.
"Hey pretty bird." Dabi tried to be comforting as Keigo clung to him. "She's not here! I was about to use the GPS on her choker, but figured I would look here first and she's not here!" Dabi pulled away long enough to put a hand on Keigo's cheek and tried to look him in the eyes. "Breathe. Take a moment and breathe. We'll find her, and you need to know what I found out." Keigo looked at Dabi confused as the taller young man peered around to make sure they had privacy amidst the trees around the park. Dabi looked back to Keigo and saw the hero was opening an app on his phone.
"Obi Takami went to a broker about jobs and information on your mom and dad. One of the jobs he took was what the underground calls trafficking jobs. It's when a certain quirk is needed or wanted, the client describes the quirk, or the person they know to have the quirk. In this case, the order was for a healing quirk possessed by a winged little girl between five and six years old." Keigo frowned and his wings fluttered in panic. "How do they know that about Mila?" Dabi motioned between them. "According to the broker, the client is going through multiple intermediaries to hide their identity. We know an organization that would do that and has an entire program devoted to training children. Don't we?"
Keigo's eyes got dark as he snarled, his wings sharpening in his anger. "I warned them about coming after my family." Dabi shook his head. "It may not be them, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Any luck on the tracker?" Keigo nodded and looked down at his phone. "It's working, and she isn't moving, but the part of town is known for very little back up as far as hero agencies and sidekicks. Add to that still no response from dad and Jin is with mom and Sion." A glance at the phone and Dabi started walking in the direction they needed to go. "You've got me while Jin stays with Aunty in the hospital. You don't need any hero back up."
Keigo watched Dabi walk intently and realized he was lucky to have such a close friend. He only hoped he could keep him from incinerating Obi and Sara Takami, or whoever else was involved.
/
::
Nakamura Associated was closed today for a private meeting. Matsumoto was sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room. Akina, Soji and Nero Nakamura all sat around a table with paperwork scattered among them. The three young lawyers that now ran the law firm had required their father to go over the annual financial reports. This was also the opportunity Soji and Akina had chosen to talk to their father about Hasu Nakamura. Nero had been studying his two brothers as they finalized investments and purchases, their father getting authorization from the trio as a whole to pay for things the firm needed and work he did outside of Fukuoka. With Matsumoto's double check of their figures, it looked like they would all be able to hire more interns and potentially upgrade some things for the company and the primary work done by their father.
Once the reports were done and copies made to be filed, Matsumoto looked at each of his children. "Anything else for this family meeting? Nero, Soji, Akina?" He looked at each one in turn, and it was Akina who finally spoke up. "Dad, Soji and I need to talk about Hasu." Nero frowned and sat back, ready to hear more about a man he didn't know. Nero had been the last of the brothers to join the law firm, and at that time, it was already taken over by Akina and Soji. While their father still did consultations and private work, Nero knew their Uncle was in a clinic for the mentally insane. There weren't a lot of details, but his sanity, or lack thereof, was a major factor in the boys taking over the family business.
Now, hearing his older brother ask about him made Nero curious. More curious than he had ever been. Matsumoto looked at Soji, who was staring at the table, then the older sat back. "What about him? I cover his expenses." Soji shook his head. "It's not about his care and well being. I told you all I hired a private investigator to look into the death of Mila's mother and Azumi's assault all those years ago. We resolved Mila's Mother's case, but as far as Azumi's, there's a surveillance video that was available, and both Akina and myself saw it." Soji was stating facts, which told Nero he was nervous. Why shouldn't he be? This was his wife they were talking about. The entire family knew what happened to Azumi, it wasn't a secret.
"What does a surveillance video have to do with your uncle?" Matsumoto spoke as he looked directly at Soji. Akina didn't hesitate to pick up where Soji was faltering. "I listened to it, and it's not great quality visually. I mean, they're behind a bush so you really can't see too much
"We have it, if you need to see it, but the timing coincides with a few other assaults that are unresolved. The perpetrator never caught, and it would make sense if he had been committed to the asylum." Soji kept his tone in control. But Nero didn't need to see his memories to know his older brother was hurting. There was silence. For a long time. For Akina and Soji, it was a held breath as they waited for their father to say something about their accusations. For their father, it was deciding how to answer something only he could know. For Nero, it was processing what they had just said. He broke the silence when he saw no one speaking first.
"Wait a minute, you two are accusing Uncle Hasu of raping Azumi, who is now Soji's wife, and potentially other women? He's in the asylum for a reason. Poor fool can't even feed himself because his brain loops from quirk overuse." Nero pointed at the disk. "If we were to take this accusation as lawyers, a familiar voice on an old video wouldn't be enough to conflict." Matsumoto nodded. "I'd have to agree with Nero. I don't doubt it sounds familiar, Akina, but my understanding of the timeline, your Uncle was already committed to the asylum when Azumi would have been attacked." Akina shook his head. "I know I've heard that voice before. I could swear it's him." Soji checked a piece of paperwork and sighed. "Dad's right. I didn't think to check that, but Azumi's assault was November, Uncle Hasu was committed in August."
Their father took the disk and read the writing. "Let me take a look. I may not be able to determine anything of use, but more eyes can't hurt, can it?" Nero looked to Soji. "You know, this may just be one of those things you can't solve right now. Will it really bring Azumi peace of mind to know who attacked her? I would think she's having more issues over the Takamis right now." Soji looked tired as he started collecting the paperwork, letting his dad have the disk. "They are the bigger stress for her right now. She even admitted to me that she would be alright if she never found out who did it. I confess, some of it is my own desire to make sure my family is safe from the things that haunt them."
The room was quiet as they each got ready to gather their things and head out. Akina offered to stay and lock up with Matsumoto while Nero and Soji took the elevator down to the lobby. Nero looked conflicted before speaking to his older brother. "You know Soji, I could try going through the memories of that ex fiance the cat guy." Soji raised an eyebrow. "You mean Ren Hamada? Why?" Nero shrugged as Soji's phone rang. "I suspect he may be more involved than you think. His actions afterwards are more of guilt then disgust." Soji answered the phone and nodded agreement with Nero. "Hello, Soji Nakamura here….What? Is she ok?" Nero blinked and followed Soji off the elevator as the older stood looking at the younger, still speaking to whoever was on the phone. "She had a brain trauma related injury but that was corrected with surgery over a decade ago. Azumi hasn't had any blackouts or faints since the surgery…I can reach out to him to contact you. What about my daughter? She was with my wife…...No…No…...I'm on my way right now." Soji hung up and Nero held out a hand for all of Soji's files.
"Azumi collapsed at the park near our place and was taken to Fukuoka General Medical Center. Sion and Jin are with her right now. They think a pressure build up in her head caused it, but they also said there was no sign or mention of Mila. Keigo's off looking for her." Nero tossed his head towards the doors. "You go, I'll go back upstairs and tell Akina and dad what's going on." Soji nodded and took off across the lobby. His heart was pounding and he was already trying to connect the Takamis to this unfortunate circumstance. He'd tried to be lenient towards them and leave them be, but the timing on all of this was too much for him to ignore it.
Soji got outside the doors and started towards his car, clicking the unlock button when someone cleared their throat from behind him. When he turned, it was only because of his reflexes and quick assessment of what he saw thanks to his quirk that allowed him to grab for the gun aimed at him and push the arm up. The gun went off jarring his arm and the shooter grabbed Soji's raised arm with their free hand. A surge of electricity shot through his arms and Soji cried out, tightening his hold. He could see the muscles twitching on the man's neck and shoulders. If he let go, the man would shoot him, but if he didn't, the man was bringing that hand closer to his neck to shock him again.
Soji ran forward, pushing the assailant back into the wall and threw a fist into his face, trying to get power over him and either knock him out cold, or get the gun free. As he punched the heavily muscled man with plain black hair and a plain face, it struck Soji how this person blended so perfectly into the background. He didn't raise any flags to Soji, because was so worried about Azumi and Mila, he hadn't been looking or wondering about strangers lurking outside. The man brought a knee up to try and knee Soji in the stomach, but Soji saw the movement and quickly twisted to the side, still trying to wrestle the gun away with both hands. Another shot went off and Soji cried out in pain as the recoil jarred his already burned wrist from the shock before.
Taking the opening, the shooter grabbed Soji by the shoulder and sent a high voltage current into him, the young lawyer went rigid with a strained hiss of pain before he fell at the shooter's feet. Out of breath, the gun was leveled on Soji as the man readied to pull the trigger. A collapsing baton came down hard on his forearm, a loud crack signaling the bone was broken. Nero brought the baton up again and slammed it across the man's face with a murderous look in his eyes. The gun tumbled to the ground with the shooter as he spit blood and a few teeth onto the sidewalk, and Nero used his foot to step on the man's chest, baton held threateningly under his jaw as blood poured from his nose and mouth. "Move a muscle and I'll put my foot through your ribcage. Soji?"
The older brother groaned and scooted away so he could stand, a hand to his shoulder and was trying to get his breath back. "I'm ok." Nero nodded and pressed the baton into the man's throat as he glared down at him, applying some weight and pressure to the man's chest with his foot. "You are going to answer some questions before my brother leaves. I wouldn't lie if I were you." Soji watched as the assailant groaned in pain and nodded, disoriented from the attack. "Y-yes." Narrowing his eyes a bit, Soji started the interrogation. He wanted to get to Azumi as fast as possible, so for once, he wasn't going to question Nero's method of getting the truth from the man.
"We'll start with something easy. Why try to kill me and who asked you to?" The guy looked at Nero before mumbling around his broken jaw. "Obi paid me to put you in the hospital. Needs you and your wife out of the way." Soji frowned. "He caused my wife to collapse?" The guy tried to shrug. "I don't know. I only took the job to put you down, but he waa flashing a lot of money and parts to his plan." Nero spoke up. "Why get Soji and Azumi out of the picture?" The man looked confused as if they should know this. "They're doing a job to collect your little girl with the healing quirk. It's worth big money for the Takamis." Soji and Nero shared a glance before Nero put pressure on the man's chest. "If you don't want me to ensure you die here on the sidewalk, what useful information can you give us?" The man's eyes widened as he tried to shift away from Nero's foot, the pain from his face evident as he struggled to get a breath in.
"I have a meeting place to get paid when he's out of the picture. I'll give you whatever details you want, just let me breathe." Soji frowned as he checked his phone and crouched down to the man.
"Start telling me everything. Make it quick."
/
Obi walked into his apartment to see Sara sitting at their small table, an ice pack on her arm. He raised an eyebrow. "What happened to you?" She glared and pointed towards a closet, a broom handle wedged under the door knob with the handle on the floor. "That brat bit me and then kicked me when I got her away from the park." Obi looked less tired. "It worked?" Sara threw the ice pack at him before popping three pills. "Of course it worked! A little pressure applied to her skull while she sat and she collapsed almost immediately. Never thought of using my quirk like that until prison, but it was very efficient. I had more trouble keeping the brat in control while everyone else took care of the bitch."
There was a silent pause before Obi walked over to the closet door. "Now I'm curious. She sounds like a little spit fire. I know how to handle them." Sara stood, her face looked concerned. "Be careful. She might be a spit fire but she bites. I barely got her in there." Obi removed the broom from the door and held it, ready to use it as he opened the closet door. He peered down at the small framed girl. Her white hair was disheveled and her bright blue eyes were staring straight ahead. Mila was curled up hugging her knees with her blue wings wrapped around her like a shield. There was no scrapes or bruising on her, dirt on her knees and elbows from the struggle with Sara.
Obi narrowed his eyes and reached out with the bristles of the broom, poking at the shoes on her feet. Mila didn't move, staring straight ahead as if in shock. Obi smirked and turned to Sara. "It looks like time in the closet has calmed her down. She's smaller than I imagined." He was about to close the door when the broom was yanked out of his hands and he felt the end poking hard into his back, causing him to tumble back from the closet. Mila jumped out and swung the broom at Sara who had tried to get past her husband to shut the closet door. Because Mila had stepped out when she jumped forward, the door door stuck on the broom and she was already outside of the closet, eyes darting around as she saw the window and the door.
"Obi get up!" Sara grabbed the broom, expecting Mila to hold it and fight over it, but the little girl let go of the broom and Sara fell backwards right as Obi stood. Without waiting, she darted for the door with a panicked whistle. Her wings tight to her back as she got to the door knob and almost pulled it open before Obi grabbed her around the waist and lifted her. Mila thrashed and chirped, her wings smacking him in the face as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp. She was applying everything she had been told, kicking and making it difficult as Obi dragged her to the kitchen table. "Babe! Get me something to restrain these damn wings!"
Mila seemed to panic more and bit his hand hard, making him yell, but he held on as Sara managed to get some electrical tape. She had started towards them when Mila got a kick in between Obi's legs, resulting in a gasp and the grown man dropped to the ground. The second he let go, she ran to the window and was swinging it open so she could climb out. Sara didn't know who to go for, so she tried to grab Mila by the arm. The little girl swung her fists at the mean lady and even threw the nearest thing she could grab at Sara. As Sara ducked from the cooking pot flying at her, Mila threw herself out the window and screamed as she dropped from the third floor towards the ground, her wings out to try and slow the fall. Sara stared as Obi struggled to yell. "Go….. after her!"
Mila hit the ground and rolled, wincing at the scrapes and bumps on her arms and legs. Once she got to her feet she took off running in the first direction she could. Sara watched from the window and huffed before running for the door. "She's running down the alley! Obi, get up or we're going to lose her!" The grown man looked pissed as he managed to stand and stormed after his wife out the door.
"Wait until I get my hands on that little brat…."