Chapter 14
"Are we ready?"
"Ready on this end."
"All clear to go."
"Inspecting one last area here and then we will give the all-clear."
Izuku kept listening to the radio chatter in his ear, his heart hammering away in his chest. He was moments away from saving his partner and ending this nightmare.
But the trouble was that he wasn't sure where exactly he needed to go.
His eyes kept glancing at the surrounding buildings, his teeth biting into his lip. The address that the killer left had led them to the docs near the edge of the city. It was empty at this time of night. Only a few boats were tied to the docks.
The problem was that there were several cargo containers and other buildings in the area that encompassed the area.
Shouto could be anywhere.
Izuku sighed, slumping down against the wall that he was hiding behind. In any other normal circumstance, this should've been a really exciting mission. They all got to wear their stealth uniforms, dressed in all black.
But it just wasn't the same. Not when the situation was about rescuing someone they knew.
"Hey, hey, none of that, now."
He heard some shuffling, and then Kirishima had plopped down beside him, his body pressing close to Izuku's. He nudged Izuku's knee with his own and ducked his head to try to catch Izuku's eyes.
"We'll get him back. Don't you worry," Kirishima said.
Izuku sighed and ran his hand through his sweaty hair, his curls limp.
"I want to believe that, Kirishima," he said. "But what if…"
Izuku inhaled sharply as his eyes suddenly watered. No, he couldn't do this now. He had a job to do.
But he just couldn't keep it in. He blamed his mother for his overly sensitive demeanor.
"Deku, calm down. It'll be okay!" Uraraka plopped down on the other side of him and pushed against his shoulder. "From what you've told me about him, Todoroki's tough! He'll get out of this just fine."
"Indeed! You have nothing to fret over!" Iida said, chopping his hands in the air. "The killer's note said that he would give Todoroki over in exchange for Chief Todoroki."
While Izuku knew that Iida was right, he still felt his stomach clench. He wanted to smile, but his heart was too tight in his chest. It was too difficult to try to fake it today—not when his nerves were as shot as they were.
"I want to believe that. Really, I do. But what if the killer lied?" Izuku asked, looking to the three of them. "What if he decides to kill Sho—Todoroki anyway? What if he's already killed him, and we're doing all of this for no reason?"
"Oi, quit with that shit, would ya?"
Kacchan was leaning against the half wall, his elbows resting on the stone surface. His voice and words seemed harsh, but his expression was just as tightly wound as Izuku was.
"Bakugou!" Kirishima chastised. "C'mon, man, don't be like—"
"Oh, shut it. You're just as nervous as all of us here," Kacchan said, making Kirishima wince. Kacchan gazed back out towards the docks. "We can't keep thinkin' about the what-if's."
Izuku's eyes widened, clarity suddenly washing over him like a warm wave.
"Bakugou, you're being too harsh!" Uraraka chastised.
"No, no. He's right," Izuku said, pulling himself up. He gazed out at the docks and watched carefully. There were no signs of movement, but he couldn't give up. Not just yet. "Hypotheticals are just that. If we let it control us, then we'll get bogged down too quickly." He looked to Kacchan and nodded to him, and he received a nod back in return. "Let's just focus on the mission at hand."
The others joined him in observing beyond the wall, all of them listening to their earpieces. The other officers were still scouting the area, trying to be as discreet as possible.
"All clear on this end."
"We're secure here. Have eyes down on this street."
Aizawa's voice came next. "Okay. Chief, you are clear to enter the premises."
Izuku and his friends all took a collective breath and held it, watching as Chief Enji's car pulled down the road and stopped at the edge of the street. It was hard to see from the distance, but Izuku could make out the man's broad shoulders as he got out of the driver's seat.
"Don't look in any directions of our locations. We don't want to stir suspicion."
"Do you take me for a fool? I know what to do here," Enji grumbled. "Now cut the chatter. I'm working."
Kacchan muttered something under his breath, earning an elbow in his side from Kirishima.
Izuku wanted to roll his eyes, too, but he took a deep breath to keep his calm. He grabbed his binoculars from his bag and looked through them, spotting the Chief waiting with his arms folded across his chest. It was silent for a few tense moments—so quiet that Izuku could hear his heart pounding in his ears.
"What the hell is takin' this bastard so long?" Kacchan growled.
"It hasn't been that long, Bakugou," Uraraka said, peering around the docks.
Izuku kept searching, waiting.
Was this really just a setup?
Was Shouto even here?
"We've got movement coming from the east."
Izuku's heart did a strange jolt, and he quickly moved his binoculars a little to the right, and his breath caught in his throat.
There was a figure, tall and looming, sauntering towards Enji from the edge of the docks. He was walking in the dark shadows, so it was impossible to see his face.
"It's him," Izuku whispered. "It's the killer."
"Ahh, what's he look like?!" Kirishima asked.
"It's too dark to tell," Iida said.
"Damn it," Kacchan seethed. "I want to rip him a new one!"
"Dude, calm down," Kirishima said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Izuku leaned over the edge and scanned the buildings where the figure slithered from. There wasn't a building that stuck out to him, though. No doors left open, no lights. Nothing.
"Approaching from your right, Chief."
"Got it."
"He's alone. Officer Todoroki is not with him."
"Damn," Kacchan cursed.
Izuku swallowed. His stomach was swirling with nerves.
Chief Enji straightened his back and turned towards the figure, and the man walked up to him and stopped just a few steps away, keeping a respectable distance.
"Ah, nice to meet you, I guess, Chief Todoroki."
Izuku felt a tingle rush down his spine. The voice sounded so eerie.
"Have we met before?" Enji asked the man.
"Ha. That's a funny question," the killer responded. "I guess, yes… and no."
Enji didn't give him a response, which made Izuku feel anxious. What about Shouto? Someone get to Shouto, for crying out loud!
"Well. We're not here to chit-chat, right? You're here for your son."
Izuku furrowed his brows. The killer was the one to bring it up?
Why… would he do that?
"I am." Enji stood straighter. "Hand him over."
The killer gave a very audible sigh. "Well, I would, but I don't think you held up on your end of the bargain."
Izuku lowered his binoculars. His friends next to him froze and held their breath.
"Can… Can he see us?" Kirishima whispered.
"I… I'm not sure," Iida said.
"I don't know what you mean," Enji said. In the distance, Izuku could see him lifting up his arms. "I don't have any weapons. I'm the only one here."
"Ah, but that's where you're lying," the killer said. "You brought an entire task force with you, didn't you?"
"Shit," Kacchan cursed, bending his knees slightly to hide his body behind the wall. "He's figured it out."
"What do we do now?" Uraraka asked, panic obvious in her voice.
Izuku bit his lip and raised the binoculars again, spotting both Enji and the killer still standing in the same spot.
"Well, since you broke the rule, I guess I won't keep my end of the bargain," the killer said. He pulled out something from his pocket and lifted it to his ear. "Do it."
"Do it? Do what?" Uraraka asked.
Izuku opened his mouth to respond, but before he could even get a word out, a bright flash sparked from the corner of the docks. He lowered the binoculars again and watched as a giant fireball lifted up into the sky from one of the buildings.
The binoculars fell from his grasp as he sucked in a sharp breath.
Shouto.
Was Shouto… there? In that building?
No.
That… That couldn't be true.
Could it?
Izuku's heart raced.
He had to get out there.
He had to rescue him before he was burnt to a crisp.
His legs suddenly started to move, and he went from a walk to a run, and then into a sprint.
"Huh?! Deku, where are you going?!"
"Midoriya!"
"Damn it, you idiot! Get back here!"
But Izuku didn't listen.
Instead, he full-on sprinted towards the fiery building in the distance.
"Damn it!"
Shouto struggled against the restraints that bound him against the metal chair. His wrists were nearly worn raw from pulling so much against them, but he had to try something. If he didn't try to stop Touya, then he was going to do something that could completely change their lives forever.
As much as Shouto hated his father, he didn't want things to go down this way. Of all the people to end Enji's life, Touya had the right to do it.
But he couldn't let it happen. Not like this.
He pulled harder, making the skin on his wrist bleed from the effort. He grit his teeth and tried again, this time using his entire body to try to shake himself free. Or, at least try to knock over his chair so he could wriggle out of it somehow.
But even the chair was fastened to the ground, making it immobile.
"Ugh!" Shouto heaved out a breath, his chest moving up and down rapidly as he panted. He hung his head and stared at the ground beneath him.
How did things end up this way? How could he have missed so many signs that his brother was still alive?
He swallowed thickly and closed his eyes, trying to think back to that horrible day that his father came home and told him and his siblings the news.
Enji had been stoic about the ordeal. Just walked in and silently said that Touya wasn't going to make it.
Shouto remembered how much his siblings cried, and how he didn't really understand what had happened.
He hated that he was too small, too young to fully realize the impact of his father's blunt words that day.
"Touya!" Shouto shouted at the top of his lungs. "Touya, come back! Let's talk this over!"
His shouts were met with an eerie silence, but he tried again. And again. And once last time until he thought his voice would break.
And each and every time, he was met with the same resounding silence that seemed to mock him.
Shouto sighed and hunched forward, his hands gripping the armrests. His limbs began to shake.
If Touya was going after his father, then it was likely that Enji wouldn't be alone. What would happen then? Would they kill each other?
Damn this!
Damn this entire situation!
"Touya!" Shouto yelled. "You don't have to do this, Touya! Please!"
Suddenly, a loud explosion coming from the outside made him jump, and the building shook, causing some debris to fall to the ground.
Shouto frantically looked around.
What was that?
"Hey! Touya! What's going on?!"
No response.
Shouto's chest tightened, his arms trembling.
"Touya! Answer me!"
But once again, there was no response.
Izuku huffed as he skidded around the corner, the flames of the building quickly coming into view. He was close now, and he tried to concentrate on the task at hand, but he found it near impossible with all the chatter in his ear.
"Shit! What the hell?"
"Chief, abort the operation! There's something going on!"
Chief Enji snarled, "I'm not leaving without my son!"
"You're not going anywhere, Todoroki Enji!"
Izuku grit his teeth. What was the killer planning now?
"Damn it, the bastard's got a gun!"
"Can anyone get a shot on him?"
"Negative, he's too close to the Chief!"
Great. Now the killer had both the Chief and Shouto hostage. Would he just kill them both? What was his end game here?
Izuku shook his head and ran faster. He didn't have time to think about this. He had to get to that building and dig Shouto out before the flames could consume him.
He finally managed to make it to the burning building, skidding to a stop in front of it.
Izuku sucked in a sharp breath.
The entire building was engulfed by flames.
"Shouto…"
He fell to his knees and stared as the roof of the building collapsed, making the whole thing cave in and turn into one heap of rising flames.
He was too late.
Shouto was gone.
He was too damn late.
Tears fell down his cheeks, and he slapped a hand over his chest to try to make the pain go away. But there was nothing that could be said or done to ease the pain.
Izuku fell forward onto his hands, his fingers scraping into the dirt.
"Damn it… I'm sorry," he whimpered. He closed his eyes "Shouto… I'm so sorry… Shouto."
"Hey!"
Izuku's eyes snapped open. What was that?
He leaned up from the ground and glanced around, wondering if one of his friends had chased after him. But the docks were empty.
Izuku's shoulders slumped. He must've been hearing things.
"Hey! Touya, come back!"
Izuku gasped and whirled around, eyes widening as he noticed a red cargo container sitting just across the way from the burning building.
No way, Izuku thought. Could it…?
"Touya, answer me!"
He lifted himself from the ground and slowly made his way over to the container. As he got closer to the hatchway, he heard rustling and movement coming from inside.
"Izuku..."
Izuku's heart lurched inside of his chest, and he reached down to grab onto the latch. He threw it open and barged inside.
Shouto was exhausted from yelling so much.
It was over. He could be trapped here for the rest of his life.
He closed his eyes, feeling them stinging behind his eyelids.
He never even got to speak with Izuku one last time.
Oh, man, Shouto thought. He is going to be so pissed at me for leaving him like this.
"Ha…" Shouto breathed out, disappointment flooding his entire body.
He wanted to see him again. Would he even get that chance? Maybe just before he dies of starvation, he would hallucinate and see him again.
"Izuku…" he said aloud, a tear streaking down his cheek.
He would give anything to see him one last time.
"Shouto?!"
Shouto gasped and snapped his head up when he heard the creaking of the door opening back up, and in walked the face he had longed to see.
Was he hallucinating?
He had to be. There was no way Izuku was actually here.
Izuku had tears running down his cheeks as the realization hit him, and then, he was running forward towards him.
"Shouto!" he yelled.
He threw his arms around Shouto's shoulders and squeezed tightly, making Shouto gasp as he felt the other man's warmth surrounding him.
"Shouto, you're all right!" Izuku sobbed into his ear. "Thank goodness you're all right!"
Shouto blinked for a moment, unable to say a word.
He could actually feel Izuku's breath tickling his ear. He could feel Izuku's heart hammering away against his chest. He could smell his shampoo…
Strawberries.
Izuku smelled like strawberries.
"Izuku?" he muttered, his voice almost not coming out.
Izuku leaned back and cupped Shouto's cheeks, his smile wobbly and cheeks wet.
"I'm so relieved," Izuku said. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Shouto's. "I thought I'd lost you."
"I-Izuku…" Shouto stuttered, his heart picking up. He tried to reach up and wrap his arms around his neck, but his arms were still locked in place. "Um… Izuku, can you…?"
Izuku blinked at him and then looked down at the bindings, his eyes widening.
"Oh, crap! Yeah, hang on!" Izuku said, kneeling down to the floor. He tugged out a small knife from his belt and started cutting away at the binds. "Geez, Shouto, you're bleeding!"
"Don't worry about it. It's not that bad," Shouto said. Once his limbs were free, he stood to his feet and rubbed his wrists. "Where are Touya and my father?"
Izuku furrowed his brows. "Touya?"
Shouto winced and shook his head. "I mean the killer. I'll explain everything else later."
Izuku still looked concerned or confused—Shouto wasn't sure which.
"Um. I think he took the Chief hostage. He was dragging him towards the edge of the docks the last I saw," Izuku said.
"Shit," Shouto cursed. "We've got to stop him."
Shouto hurried towards the door, his legs feeling like jelly from lack of use. He used the wall for support to catch his breath.
"Shouto!" Izuku called, hurrying by his side. "We need to get you to a hospital! Let the rest of us go after the Chief."
Shouto shook his head. "No, I have to go there myself," he said. "If I don't go, then he'll kill him."
"Don't worry, Shouto. We'll get your father to safety," Izuku said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"It's not my father I'm worried about. It's Touya," Shouto said. He winced at Izuku's confused look, and he shut his eyes for a moment to take a breath. "Izuku... the killer. He's… He's my big brother." He looked at Izuku desperately. "He's my brother, Touya."
Izuku's eyes widened, a breath sucking in between his teeth.
"W-What?" Izuku asked, shocked.
Shouto put a hand on his shoulder. "Izuku, I promise that I'll explain everything later, but right now, I really need to get to him before the officers kill him." He looked Izuku in the eyes, now pressing both hands to Izuku's shoulders. "Please. Can you point me in the direction of where they went?"
Izuku hesitated, looking conflicted at the choices laid in front of him. Shouto squeezed his shoulders, hoping his desperation would come across.
Finally, Izuku released a breath and nodded. "I can help you find them. But I am coming with you."
"Okay," Shouto said with a nod. "Just let me take the lead. He may be my brother, but he's still out of his mind."
They walked out of the small room together, Shouto glancing around at his surroundings. And the first thing he noticed was the large, burning building in front of him.
"What…?" he started to ask, but he shook his head. "Nevermind. Which way?"
Izuku pointed towards the waters. "That way."
Shouto nodded, and then, they took off. Izuku led the way towards the edge of the docks, both of them keeping their ears out for talking.
"How in the world did he drag me all the way here?" Shouto wondered aloud. "He knocked me out at the hospital. That's miles away!"
Izuku shook his head. "I don't think he's working alone."
Shouto winced. Who else does he have wrapped up in all of this nonsense?
"Ah! I think they're headed towards the pier," Izuku said, his hand going up to his ear.
Shouto stared at him, bewildered. "What?"
"The Chief still has his earpiece in," Izuku said, tapping the device in his ear. He frowned and gave Shouto a worried look. "It sounds like Aizawa is about to give the order for the officers to move in."
Shouto grit his teeth. "Damn it!"
He picked up his speed, heading straight where Izuku had told him he would be. And as they got closer to the pier, Shouto could make out a few figures standing in the distance.
"It looks like he's going to try to escape by boat!" Izuku said.
"Not without killing my father first," Shouto said. "We have to stop him before that happens."
They came to a stop and ducked behind a stack of fishing gear, both of them peering around the edges and trying to catch their breath.
"Do you have a plan?" Izuku asked in between pants.
Shouto shook his head. "I want to end things peacefully. But I'm not sure if that's possible." He gazed down at the ground. "I don't understand it myself. They're both insane bastards, but… I don't want anyone getting hurt." He looked up at Izuku with shiny eyes. "Is that weird?"
Izuku shook his head and put his hand on Shouto's shoulder. "They're your family. It's understandable that you care about them," he said. "No matter how crazy they are."
Shouto managed a small smile and reached up to place his hand over Izuku's He gave him a firm nod in thanks, and Izuku gave a nod of his own.
"Okay, dear Enji. Here is where we part ways."
Shouto and Izuku snapped their heads to see Touya pointing his gun towards Enji's chest.
"You really think you can get away from this so easily?" Enji asked him. "You don't know the first thing about our operation. We will hunt you down and find you where you least expect it."
"On the contrary, I know a lot about ye olde police force, old man," Touya sneered. "I mean, c'mon. How do you think I've evaded you idiots for so long?"
Shouto frowned. He didn't want to startle Touya. He was already looking a bit manic, having the man who tormented the family for years right where he wanted him. It was only a matter of time before Touya pulled that trigger.
"What should we do here?" Izuku asked, looking concerned. His hand was up by his ear. "They're surrounding the area. It's only a matter of time."
Shouto swallowed, his face pulling into a grimace. He had to do it calmly or everything would spiral out of control in a heartbeat.
Calmly. Just do it calmly.
"Stay here," Shouto told Izuku as he stood to his feet.
"Huh?!" Izuku nearly shouted. "Shouto! What are you doing?!"
Shouto put up his hands and walked slowly towards them, trying to catch his brother's eyes. But his blue eyes were too focused on their father, which Shouto understood.
"Alright, old man. It's time to die," Touya said. "Say your last—"
"Stop!" Shouto called, making them both jump.
Touya's eyes widened as he locked them with Shouto, the gun in his grasp starting to tremble.
Enji slowly turned his head to look at him. "Shouto."
Shouto walked up to them, keeping his hands up in the air and his eyes on his brother.
"Touya, you don't have to do this," Shouto said. "We can find another way."
Enji made a strangled sound, his eyes flitting back to Touya.
"Touya?" he echoed.
Touya frowned, the gun in his grasp now shaking violently.
"I told you not to call me that!" Touya yelled.
Shouto took a step back as Touya now pointed the gun at him.
"I know you're angry. I know you're upset, and you have every right to be," Shouto said. "But this isn't the way. We can find a new way."
Touya kept the glare on his face, his gun still pointed at Shouto's head.
"And what way would that be, huh? A lifetime in jail?" Touya asked.
"It's the right thing to do," Shouto said calmly.
"Tch. What do you know about doing right?" Touya asked. He trained his gun on Enji again. "You followed in this bastard's footsteps."
"No! I didn't!" Shouto said, taking another step forward. "Well, I mean… maybe at first I did. But that's not my mission now."
He thought of Izuku, and how he'd been by his side through the good and the bad. Izuku, who would take a bullet for him, or push him out of the way of burning buildings for him.
Izuku, the one he wanted to be the best for.
"You are completely surrounded! Drop the weapon and surrender!"
Suddenly, lights shined down on them, and swat teams and other officers approached them, stopping a little ways away from them. Izuku was one of them, looking on nervously and fidgeting in place. He hadn't drawn his weapon like the others.
Shouto looked back to Touya, getting desperate.
"Let's resolve this. The right way," Shouto said, holding out his hand and gesturing towards the gun in Touya's. "I'll defend you every second of the way. I'll explain everything. I'll tell them how horrible your childhood was to make you become this way."
Touya hesitated, watching Shouto's every move. His eyes glanced up at the cops that surrounded the area. Shouto knew that his brother was trying to formulate an escape plan, but it was obvious that he was outnumbered and outgunned. There was no way he could escape this.
"Touya," Shouto said softly, grabbing his attention. "I will do what I can to protect you. But please," Shouto begged, "I don't want to lose you again. I just barely got to know you the first time."
Touya frowned harshly, his eyes narrowing. He took a moment to just breathe, and then he looked at Shouto in the eyes, and the sight made Shouto jump. The manic expression was gone, and all that was left was his brother. The brother who helped him build snowmen, the brother that healed his wounds, the brother that stood up for his family.
Touya's grip on the gun loosened ever so slightly, and Shouto's eyes shined. He stepped forward to try to grab it.
But that was an instant mistake.
"Shouto, watch out!"
Shouto heard Izuku's voice call out to him, and he turned around to see a few officers now standing in front of Enji, their weapons cocked and aiming towards Touya.
Shouto glanced back towards his brother, who was staring at the officers with a blank look on his face.
"Fire!" one cop yelled.
Shouto sucked in a breath.
Touya.
"Hey, Touya-nii?"
"Hm?"
"Are you sure you don't want to be a police officer?"
"Oh, yeah. I'm very sure. It's not for me, you know?"
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Because I want to be free."
"Oh. Then… is it okay if I want to be a police officer?"
"Hm. I guess it depends. Why do you want to be a cop, Sho?"
Shouto looked up at his brother, his hand reaching up to touch the bandage on Touya's cheek.
"I want to protect my family!"
Touya paused, and then he smiled sadly, wrapping his arms around Shouto.
"I can't wait for that to happen, little bro."
Shouto stepped in front of Touya and spread out his arms.
"Don't!" Shouto yelled desperately. He had to get through to them somehow. "Please! He's my bro—"
But it was too late.
A few gunshots went off.
Shouto stumbled back a step, feeling pain blooming from his side and shoulder.
He grit his teeth and fell to the ground, unable to move from the pain.
"What the hell?!"
"Officer Todoroki is down! Call an ambulance!"
"He just stepped in front of us, I don't know what happened!"
Shouto turned his head to look up at Touya, their eyes locking. Touya was staring down at him with a look of shock on his face. He looked suddenly torn.
"After him!" one cop shouted.
Touya jumped, his expression changing back to his manic state.
"Shit," he whispered, turning around and trying to flee.
Shouto heard footsteps as they chased him down the pier, and then there was a thud as people collapsed to the ground.
"We got him!" one shouted.
Shouto hissed, closing his eyes.
Damn it. He didn't want things to be this way.
"Shouto!"
Shouto opened his eyes and saw Izuku now kneeling by his side. His scarred hand cupped his cheek, eyes wet and worried.
"Hey, it's going to be okay," Izuku said. "You were shot, but it looks like nothing vital was hit."
Shouto tried to nod, but his body was suddenly starting to feel weak. His heart was hammering away inside of his chest and it was hard to breathe.
"Shit, he's going into shock!" Izuku yelled out.
His surroundings started to get fuzzy.
"Iz'ku…" Shouto slurred. His tongue felt too big for his mouth.
He felt Izuku's hand rub over his forehead. "It's okay. Just focus on breathing, okay? I'll take care of the rest."
Shouto tried to nod, but he wasn't sure if his body moved at all.
And then, his vision faded to black.
