D-Day

Nabu River was the same river where years ago Touya had burned alive. Here, Enji had believed for years, his oldest son had died. Now, a different son stood at the shore of the river waiting for his brother.

The park was surprisingly busy. This was the most precarious part of the mission. They hoped that Touya would arrive, and bring Natsuo to a secluded meeting spot – hopefully somewhere outside the busiest parts of the city. There, Natsuo would keep the villains occupied for as long as possible, while the heroes started the evacuation of the area. If that didn't happen…

If Touya came alone, and Natsuo couldn't convince him, that he wanted to join, then Touya would leave again, and maybe they could try another day. However, if Touya brought the rest of the League along, their mission would likely be a failure. They'd have to let them go, as they couldn't risk an engagement in this crowded park.

They'd thought a long time about evacuating the park, but of course, they all knew, that the League wouldn't fall for that. They'd notice the early evacuation. Not only would Natsuo's cover be blown, but it would be difficult to predict their reaction. They might pull back, they might attack the park, or they might target a different part of the city.

This was – in many ways – the moment upon which their entire plan hinged. It was also the moment for Natsuo to prove that Touya indeed trusted him as much as he'd told them.

Would Touya come alone, the way Natsuo had requested?

Would he bring Natsuo to a secret hiding spot, to meet with Shigaraki and the rest of the League the way they had agreed upon?

Or would Touya throw their agreements overboard and make his own unpredictable moves?

Lastly, this was the phase of the plan, where Natsuo was the least protected. However much Touya might trust Natsuo, they were certain that Touya wouldn't be naïve enough to blindly run into a trap. Surely, he'd scout out the area before meeting with Natsuo. He'd recognize any well-known heroes in the crowd. Which meant, all of them had to stay away… Most importantly, Enji had to keep his distance. The only heroes at the scene were unknown young heroes who were so low in the rankings that they wouldn't be recognized in civilian clothes. They would probably be able to hold Touya off for a while, should Touya decide to attack. But if Touya wasn't alone…

Currently, Enji watched the scene over a flickering TV screen. The video feed came from a hidden camera held by one of the disguised heroes. The image was grainy. Enji and the rest of the crew who were assigned to this part of the mission sat almost out of range for the transmission.

He watched Natsuo pacing in small circles at the shore. The view on screen was too narrow to get an overview of the situation in the park. Natsuo looked nervous. He was fiddling with the hem of his shirt, and he repeatedly looked over his shoulders. Every now and then he'd turn around to look directly into the camera, knowing it was there.

Then the view was disrupted by the edge of the newspaper the hero was holding, as a disguise. The page was turned, and the paper was lifted again. Natsuo still stood where he had before, nothing had changed.

They didn't wait long, though it felt like an eternity. Natsuo had arrived five minutes before the arranged meeting time. Ten minutes after it, he turned around to the bridge that was just out of view, but Enji knew it was there. His change in pose, the stiffening of the shoulders, and the halting of his pacing made it obvious: He had seen somebody.

The camera shifted a little, but not enough to see the bridge. Now Natsuo was only visible in the far-left corner of the video.

"It's him," Rocklock exclaimed, who stood next to Enji scrutinizing the video feed.

Indeed, there he was. Just before Rocklock spoke, Dabi had appeared on screen. He wasn't wearing his usual long black coat and skinny pants. Instead, he wore a high collared polo shirt with the collar all the way up to his nose, and a pair of sunglasses.

"He's trying to disguise himself," Brazen stated the obvious. He and Chargebolt were the only members of his agency that were with him in the room. The teen had been surprised when Enji told him to come. He had a special job for him.

"As if we wouldn't recognize him anywhere," Rocklock scoffed.

He was right of course. Dabi's stature and spiky black hair were enough to recognize him. Then again, they were expecting him. The same wasn't true for the other visitors of the park. Indeed, nobody even paid him any attention.

"He's covering up the scars," Brazen said. "Without them, he's difficult to identify." He was right. Rocklock was about to argue when Brazen continued. "We're expecting him. So of course, it's easy for us. He doesn't seem eager for a fight in any case. That's a good thing."

Rocklock's lips pinched. "I see." He gave in with another glance to the TV screen.

Natsuo and Touya were hugging now. Enji's brows furrowed at the open display of affection between his two sons. Would it be the last time for them to hug? Once Touya found out that Natsuo had turned against him, was even using his trust to help the heroes… Was there anything they could do to salvage this relationship?

Once more, he thought, it might have been a mistake. Touya would hate them. Not just Endeavor, who had abused him. Not just Shoto and Fuyumi who Touya thought had chosen their abuser over him, but Natsuo too. There was a naïve part in Enji that still hoped they could save Touya. But how could they, if Touya felt – one way or the other – betrayed by all of them? Enji utterly refused to kill his son, but if the only alternative was a lifetime locked in Tartarus...wouldn't death by kinder?

They couldn't understand what Natsuo and Touya were saying. Enji grabbed the walkie-talkie on the table. "Earphone Jack, do you copy?" he asked.

There was a static clacking sound, then: "Loud and clear, Endeavor."

"Dabi has arrived. Can you hear them?"

Earphone Jack was stationed a little bit away from Natsuo in the park, but just close enough that with her quirk she should be able to follow the conversation.

There was a short pause, then the young heroine replied. "I do. Give me a moment, I want to get a little closer." Enji waited. "Now."

"Please tell us everything."

"Roger. Natsuo is asking how Dabi arrived in the park. Dabi answered that he and Twice came by car."

"Twice?" Enji turned to the screen. There was nobody else visible aside from his sons.

"Natsuo asks whether it's just the two of them. Dabi confirms." Earphone Jack continued.

She continued relaying the conversation. Natsuo expressed his surprise that Touya hadn't come alone, while Touya insisted that he was technically alone and Twice was just waiting at the car.

Enji gave Brazen a quiet order to let the heroes in the park know to look for Twice. The younger hero quickly rushed out of the room, so his call wouldn't interrupt Earphone Jack's information. The girl was still following word for word the discussion between Natsuo and Touya.

Although Enji couldn't hear their voices and barely even see them on screen – so he didn't know how convincing Natsuo was – it seemed he was at least asking the right questions. He kept nagging Touya about Twice until the older brother revealed where exactly the car was parked and that Shigaraki had insisted that Touya shouldn't come alone.

It was what they had expected. Shigaraki seemed to be the least trusting of Natsuo and as the leader, he'd ordered Touya to take a precaution. Now, they also knew for a fact, that although Shigaraki had been in hiding for the last few weeks and Hawks didn't know his whereabouts, he was still around and in contact with the other League members.

Earphone Jack summarized the conversation over the walkie-talkie. Natsuo and Touya had started a bit of small talk. It took ten more minutes until Natsuo seemingly became impatient.

"Natsuo asks what they are waiting for," Earphone Jack's voice came through the speakers. "Dabi is glad that Natsuo wants to join them finally." For the sake of accuracy, she repeated even minor details, making sure they didn't miss anything. On the screen, Touya hugged his brother and comfortingly patted his shoulder, but the way Earphone Jack repeated his words to them, all the emotional weight was lost.

"They are moving," Chargebolt said when the Touya on-screen steered Natsuo towards the bridge and out of view of the camera.

"They want to meet the 'Bosss'. Has to be Shigaraki." Earphone Jack continued. "Natsuo is asking to make sure, the entire League will be there." Earphone Jack paused. "They are leaving."

"We can see," Enji replied pushing the talk button on the walkie-talkie. "Come and meet us here. Shrinking Girl will take care of the rest." His sidekick was hidden in the folds of Natsuo's clothes. It seemed too dangerous to bug Natsuo, as any tech might be easily detected upon entering their hideout – wherever that was. Shrinking Girl on the other hand could easily escape from her hiding place in Natsuo's clothes if it got dangerous. She would travel with Touya and Twice all the way to the hideout – and then inform Enji and the other heroes about their location as soon as possible. Shrinking Girl wasn't the only hero tailing Natsuo, but she was the last resort. A little bit behind the two brothers, Silent Tracker followed them in the form of a magpie.

For Enji it was now a waiting game. He hoped everything would go right, and in a few minutes, or maybe in an hour he'd have the location of the League's hideout. It had gone just right so far. Careful planning for weeks seemed to finally bear fruit. And yet, Natsuo was still in danger, Touya wasn't caught and the League could still ruin it all.

Enji fretted as he paced in the small room with the other heroes. "You know your job?" he asked Chargebolt, partly to make sure the boy knew what to do and partly because Enji had to ensure himself that he wasn't sitting idle for however long it took to locate the villains' hideout.

"Get as close as possible and cut any communication," Chargebolt repeated his orders dutifully. "I know." He tapped with his finger against the support item over his ear that would help him manipulate electrical devices in a certain area. He looked nervous, but he still managed a sheepish grin.

Enji nodded. "Correct. But don't get too close. I don't need you involved in the fighting."

Chargebolt grimaced. "Roger that. I don't intend to get involved." He looked a little pale at the mere suggestion. Enji was certain, that if he was needed, Chargebolt would still be willing to put his life on the line. However, he was relieved, that at least this kid wasn't as difficult to convince as Bakugou, Deku, or Shoto. Enji had made sure, that all three would be away from the action. As they were his sidekicks, they were supposed to stay in his vicinity, where he could – at least in theory – have an eye over him. Shoto aside – who was waiting for Enji to bring Natsuo to him, the other two would be part of the evacuation detail.

Enji turned his phone on, checking the location of the tracker they had attached to Silent Tracker's claws. It was currently traveling fast over the highway out of Mustuafu. "Okay," Enji announced. "They have enough of a head start. Let's follow them!"

Five minutes later, they were on the highway themselves. Matsuura drove like a bat out of hell. He smashed the accelerator of the Mercedes down to the bottom, driving faster than the speed limit allowed. Enji in the passenger seat felt a little sick, gripping the roof handle over his head tightly. Brazen, Chargebolt, and Earphone Jack sat in the backseat looking pale.

Silent Tracker's location on Enji's phone in the front was guiding Matsuura. The villains and Natsuo were still on the road but they were catching up.

"Don't get too close," Enji warned frowning at the screen.

"We're still far enough away," Matsuura responded, eyes fixed on the street. "They've left Musutafu towards Tokyo."

Enji nodded. He had noticed that too. He had hoped that the League might be hiding in a remote area where evacuation could be done smoothly and in secret. If they were in Tokyo, that would make things difficult. It also meant Natsuo would have to keep them busy for far longer until the heroes had the area evacuated. They wanted to evacuate as many people as possible before the fight would start.

"Let's hope they take a turn soon," Enji prayed.

Just as he said it, the marker on the phone seemed to steer away from the road. For a moment Enji considered that Silent Tracker might just have been forced to evade a bridge, or that the signal might be a little off, but when the marker moved further away from the highway, he was certain.

"They are leaving the road. So, Yokohama?" His brows furrowed. The map on-screen moved to show the outer areas of the Yokohama suburbs. Then Silent Tracker's marker made a sharp turn. Enji had a sudden idea. "Turn around," he ordered sharply.

"What?" Matsuura asked confused. Taking his eyes off the road he glanced at the phone screen, before pointing at it. "They are still further ahead."

"They'll come back," Enji said. He didn't know why he was so certain, but he was. His instincts were telling him that he was right. It wasn't just instincts though… He had an odd sense of déjà vu. This was exactly what the League had done to him so many months ago. Sending him on a wild goose chase between Musutafu and Yokohama until he arrived back in Nasadaa after wasting hours taking half a dozen different trains.

He grabbed his phone and dialed to send a message to Hawks and Eraser Head. It didn't take long for Eraser Head to call him after that.

"What's the meaning of this?" the Erasure Hero asked over the car speakers. "The tracking signal is pointing to Yokohama."

Enji grunted. He couldn't really explain his certainty.

"Yes, I know. That's why I only messaged you and Hawks. The rest of the team will follow the signal just in case." As he spoke, he fumbled with the phone trying to open the map again, while keeping the phone call going. He misclicked several times opening the internet browser and a preinstalled fitness app that he didn't use. Brazen leaned forward from the backseat slapping his hand away.

"You think it's just a feint?" Eraser Head asked curiously.

Enji took his hand away from the phone to give Brazen access. "Yes, I'm sure of it. They did the same with me when they kidnapped Natsuo." When the map was visible again, he could see the tracking signal move back towards the highway. "Did you see Silent Tracker take the turn?"

"Yes, I saw." Eraser Head sounded thoughtful. "We can't be certain though."

"No, we can't." At that moment, Matsuura drove back onto the highway to Musutafu. "But we need to make the decision. If they are doing what I think they are doing, maybe they expect to be followed."

"Or it's just to confuse Natsuo," Eraser Head suggested.

"Possibly." But Enji wasn't sure about that. From what he could tell from Silent Tracker's signal, they weren't driving senseless circles. And they barely even drove into Yokohama. Natsuo was no child anymore. He'd easily remember such a simple route. "But they aren't trying very hard if that's the case," he observed.

"So if it's not to ensure that Natsuo doesn't know where he is…"

"And if they expect followers," Enji added, "it's not that easy to escape a hero on their trail... "

Aizawa sighed. The sound came distorted through the speakers. "I see… So the way they drive it's not enough to confuse Natsuo, nor to successfully shake off followers."

Do they know they are followed? Or is it just a precaution?

"At best, they could expect to buy some time this way." Enji's voice was hasty.

Eraser Head cursed. "And if they just want to buy time, it stands to reason that they're planning something. Damn!"

"Exactly." Enji grabbed onto the roof handle again, as Matsuura sped down the road. "We don't know for certain. If I'm wrong, it's just as well. But if they plan something… Whatever it is…An attack or maybe they want to use Ujiko's ability to teleport further away… If we fail to catch them before that…" He didn't want to think about it.

If the entire League was assembled in Mustuafu and they were only waiting for Touya, Twice and Natsuo to start an attack… Most Mustuafu heroes were out of the city. Either they were assigned to attack the different hideouts of the Paranormal Liberation Army or they were – like Enji – on the road between Musutafu and Yokohama. The only ones still stationed in the city were a few sidekicks under the leadership of Snipe and Ectoplasm. They were in no way equipped to handle an all-out assault by the League.

The other option was almost equally as frightening for Enji. If the villains only waited to collect Natsuo to teleport him to a hideout further away, then his son would be lost to him. Natsuo would have to play the League's game until he could maybe find a way to escape – and Enji didn't think Natsuo would be able to convince Shigaraki of his loyalty for long. Maybe they'd find him again with the help of Shrinking Girl, but he could end up everywhere and too far away for Enji or any other hero to help him.

"Why Nasadaa, though?" Eraser Head asked after a while. "Is that a random guess, or…"

"That's where they lured me to. It makes sense," Enji reasoned. He didn't have solid arguments. He was following a hunch more than anything, but his hunches often turned out correct. "That's where they can hide easiest. Most people in Nasadaa wouldn't bat an eye at a few shady neighbors who don't show their faces. And even if they do – that's where they are most likely to find allies. There are also enough abandoned buildings to hide in. Hero presence and surveillance are low."

Eraser Head sighed. "Of course, you're right. If there's a place in Musutafu best suited to stay low… Damnit. That means they were right under our noses." Enji heard a muffled thud as the other hero hid the armrest or car door. "And now Musutafu is essentially unprotected, with them in the best situation to attack."

"Correct," Enji agreed. The League had already shown, that Musutafu was one of their preferred targets. UA, the high density of hero agencies, and All Might living there made it a suitable mark for them.

"I tell Ectoplasm to prepare the evacuation of Nasadaa." There was a small pause. "We have to be careful, that Twice and Dabi don't notice it upon arrival."

Enji agreed. When Aizawa finished the call, there was a small noise from the backseat. Chargebolt had made a worried almost-squeak.

"We'll fight in Musutafu," he said in a low voice. "Shit! How many people are there in Nasadaa?"

"Just over 400,000," Matsuura said in a calm voice. He looked at Enji, then back on the street. "It's the second most populated district."

Chargebolt cursed. "How will we evacuate so many people in time?"

"We won't" Matsuura responded bluntly, but Chargebolt's words had given Enji an idea. He called Hairo Sai next.

"If this is your weekly check-up on whether I ran away with your bail," Hairo greeted in a somewhat bored tone, "it's bad timing. I'm on a date with my wife."

Enji wondered how that could work out, as he knew for a fact, that Hairo's wife could barely leave the bed. Then he shoved the thought aside.

"You'll have to postpone that. Get your children and go to Nabu."

"What?" Hairo asked suspiciously. "What's going on."

"I don't know for sure," Enji admitted. "There might be a fight happening in Nasadaa. If you can, ask your neighbors, but do it quietly. Ask only those you know. Knock at their doors and tell them to leave. You can't risk a mass panic."

Hairo huffed on his end. "You don't seem to know this place, Endeavor. You don't go worrying for your neighbors here when it's your life on the line."

Oh, Enji knew. When something happened in Nasadaa people kept their heads down and waited for it to pass. Apparently, this hadn't changed since his youth. "No, I know," Enji retorted. "That's exactly why I think it'll work. Anywhere else, if somebody moved from house to house to tell them to leave, there would be a mass panic." He snorted with dry humor. "In Nasadaa people will calmly pack their bags and leave without telling anybody, only worrying about their own behinds."

He heard Hairo's heavy breathing. Then the other man huffed in acknowledgment.

"Listen I can't tell you much, yet. Heroes will likely arrive within the next ten minutes to start the evacuation, but I don't know if it will be safe until then. If we can reduce casualties like that, even by just a fraction…"

"Yeah, I see," Hairo responded tiredly. He probably had a thousand questions. Like why would it take so long for heroes to arrive? Why was it his job to protect his neighbors – especially if they had done nothing for him after his clash with the authorities in the months before? But thankfully he didn't ask. "I'll see you in half an hour, then?" he said and ended the call.

Enji looked at the phone, confused what the man was talking about. In half an hour, Enji would likely fight the villains. He wouldn't have time to look after Hairo and his family specifically. Maybe the mutant had just not considered that.

"Who was that?" Brazen asked curiously.

Enji didn't know how to explain the odd relationship he had with Hairo Sai. Eventually, he just settled on: "A friend."

I tell you, writing Enji, talking via walkie-talkie to Jirou who listens in on the conversation between Natsuo and Touya was the most frustrating thing.
At first, I had planned this whole thing to be an emotional scene, but then I couldn't quite make the dialogue work... and then it was just as well because even the few things I could come up with just got lost in translation with Jirou relaying it over the walkie-talkie...

Also... The Final Confrontation is underway...
I'm so nervous. I hope it will work out.