Chapter 14: Meet of Hero and Stain.
When Izuku left the jail, he then started to search the ward, which was where his friend imprisoned. He couldn't help but worry about the prisoners he liberated. If they are okay. Fortunately, he heard the sounds of explosions, which tells him that they are okay. Now he can fully concentrate to finding Shoto.
Suddenly he sees in the corridor the small man, which is carrying many blueprints, that is really fits the description. Seeing that super-soldier glaring daggers at him makes Kurogiri run for his life in terror. Izuku wants to chase him but stops when he hears a familiar voice.
"Sergeant. 32557…" someone said.
"Shoto", said Izuku in recognition. He would recognize this voice anywhere. He walks in the room and finds Shoto strapped to a chair. He understood that this room is in one of the testing labs. He runs to his best friend and starts to unstrap him while trying to wake him up. "Shoto? Oh, my God. What they done to you!?"
"Is that…" started Todoroki while trying to wake up.
"It's me. It's Izuku", he answered with smile happy that his best friend is alive. However, he noticed that his face has multiple bruises. They decide that he would be easy to broke him up because of his age.
"Izuku?" Shoto asked in disbelief. He thought that he had been dreaming because of the short man experiments. But now he sees that person near him is real.
"Come on", said Izuku unstrapping the last strap.
"Izuku", said Shoto finally realizing his friend. Getting up from the chair he noticed that Izuku become bigger and taller. Taller than him. What's happened to him?
"I thought you were dead", commented Izuku helping him to stand when Shoto was falling. He still is weak from the experiments.
"I thought you were smaller", commented Shoto sharply back. The last time he saw him he was small, pale and sick. How did the change happen?
"Come on", said Izuku ignoring the question. They don't have time for a talk. Before exiting the lab Izuku sees the map, which shows the destination of many HYDRA bases. He remembers it.
"What happened to you?" continued to persist Shoto. He is not walking without the answers. Unfortunately, his tired body couldn't help but falling to the ground if not Izuku catching it.
"I joined the Army", answered Izuku the short version of his transformation. He wants to tell the Shoto everything. And he will. After they escape the factory.
"Did it hurt?" asked Shoto. He knows that his friend wouldn't tell him anything right now. But he wants to know the state of it.
"A little", answered Izuku. And he didn't lied in comparison to Erskine death the procedure hurt a little. And with these thoughts two friends were trying to exit this place before it's too late. Unknown to both of them that under them is bombs. They don't have enough time. At the same time, prisoners continue to attack the compound shooting every HYDRA soldier at their way coming closer to the main gate. Seeing the last obstacle at his way, the stolen tank obliterates it. Giving the prisoners exit from this nightmarish place. That's finally over. They are free. Now they only need to wait for their young saver. Where is he?
Izuku and Shoto continues to escape this factory. It's become easier when Shoto finally wake up and starts to walk by himself. They enters the main hall and they only need to cross it to exit this hell.
However before they could do it suddenly explosion started causing them almost to fall down. After the first explosion, another happens and another, and another. All of this explosions made the fire and stops their only passageway, which made them to climb higher on the stairs to find another way out. And they find it in the bridge at the highest area.
What both of them didn't expect that they were greeted by two unpleasant people. People who started HYDRA in the first place
"Captain America! How exciting! I'm a great fan of your films", greeted Chizome with sneer surprising two teens walking at the bridge.
Izuku never seen Akaguro in person but because of Erskine's past he learnt that this man is Stain of this world. When he finally met him, he is disgust with him. This man starts HYDRA, orders to kill many people included Dr. Erskine, enslave soldiers like an animals. He is not gonna get away from this.
"When I first learnt that the government lets a child be experimented and let them to fight their war. I understood that our society not only corrupted but also cowardly", continued Akaguro with disgust as Izuku is stepping on the bridge. Chizome still couldn't let go that they using Adolescents as weapons. Corrupted bastards. "So Dr. Erskine managed it after all. I still couldn't believe that he would chose a teenager Not exactly an improvement, but still impressive."
Izuku couldn't hold much longer. Dr. Erskine helped him to achieve his dream. He is good man. And he is not gonna let this sadist to insult his memories about him. Not on his watch. With theese thoughts Izuku runs to the Akaguro and suddenly punches him in the face saying, "You've got no idea. And don't you dare insult Dr. Erskine. He is better man than you ever was."
"Haven't I?" asked Chizome while nursing his cheek. The punch somehow moved Akaguro's skin and showing something red under his eye. This punch surprised Chizome however. He knew that kid is strong because of serum. He couldn't imagine that he so strong. It hurts. Well if kid wants to fight. He will get it.
Akaguro goes to hit Izuku but Izuku protects himself with his shield making a large dent in there, which surprises the duo. The shield made from steel and he made such a large dent with one punch. Chizome's assault didn't ended with that. He then takes his katana and tries to slash his opponent. Fortunately Izuku blocks every swing of katana with his shield but the last swing makes him to fall. However Izuku grabbed hold of the bars and kicked HYDRA leader to send him flying off the other side stopping Akaguro from killing him.
As they fight, nobody noticed as Kurogiri pulls a leaver and the catwalk they are standing on retracts to either side separating them. Arnim thought that this fight could continue for hours. And both of sides didn't had a time to do it. They will blown up if they couldn't escape in time. He don't like Chizome however he is his only chance to survive. He wants to live you know.
Seeing that their battle is interrupted by Kurogiri Chizome decides to let Izuku know that he is true masterpiece.
"No matter what lies Erskine told you, you see I was his greatest success!" Chizome announced before doing something that nobody guessed. He peels off the skin on his face to reveal that his true face. It revealed that he had no nose, bald and his ears almost invisible. The most disturbing thing was his red skin. He truly wears the title Red Skull. Literally.
For the boys it was most horrifying they ever saw in their life. The more for Izuku. He heard that Chizome because of incomplete serum got some side-effects. But he couldn't imagine them being so terrifying. He really was lucky to keep his old skin.
"I no longer just Chizome Akaguro. I am Red Skull!" he announced not caring that he traumatized two boys for life while opening the case and showing them Tesseract. "And I will stain this world red with the Tesseract."
He thought that his speech will send terror to the heart of boys. However…
"You don't have one of those, do you?" asked Shoto his best friend not hearing the nonsense of Red Skull. Izuku only could simply shake his hand as 'no'. He was busy staring at the glowing blue cube. It thing was glowing the same light as HYDRA cartridges. He just understood that this thing was using as power source for all their weapons.
"You are deluded, Captain teen", he continued with sneer while walking towards elevator and throwing his face to the pit of fire. "You pretend to be a simple soldier, but in reality you are just afraid to admit that we have left humanity behind. Unlike you, I embrace it proudly. Without fear!"
"Then how come you're running?" Izuku asked with confidence seeing his opponent retreat.
"I am not running away Captain", answered Skull with smirk. "I am giving you an opportunity to live your life. You see despite some rumors about me. I always had a principle in my life. To never kill or hurt children. That's reason why I decide to let you go. To go away from the war. To enjoy your adolescence. Otherwise I wouldn't had a choice but to kill you."
With these words, the door of elevator closes. Taking HYDRA scientists away to escape.
Seeing that his enemies escaped Izuku understood that they're almost out of time. They need to go away from here and fast. "Come on, let's go up", he screamed to Shoto before both of them running to the higher area.
When they finally enter the elevator Kurogiri thought that he saved. That with Akaguro he is safe. Unfortunately he is wrong.
"Sir? Are we going to the roof?" he asked question to Skull who didn't even bothered to cover his face any longer. He didn't seen the need to do it. World must know what is perfection. The doors open to reveal a plane. That put Kurogiri in confusion. He knows that this plane have only one place. How will he escape? "What about me? Where will I sit?"
Red Skull didn't answers his question. He just gives Moya his car keys. The Doctor is too valuable to lose. He the threatened Kurogiri, "Not a scratch, Doctor. Not a scratch."
With these words both HYDRA scientists on their chosen vehicles escaping the factory thinking about their next step.
After their enemies left Izuku and Shoto get to the highest floor, beneath them everything is on fire, they have to reach the other side of the room fast. Seeing a thin gantry, they decides to use this it as a bridge. Unfortunately that thing is slowly falling to the fire. They need to hurry.
"Let's go. One at a time", commanded Izuku to Shoto. His friend needs freedom more than he does.
Shoto slowly and carefully walking on the gantry. He knows one wrong move and he is dead. Unfortunately on the halfway gantry starts slowly collapsing. Seeing that he only got seconds, he runs to the other side unscratched. However, the gantry finally slid down behind him. Closing only way out. Izuku stuck on the other side without way to escape.
"Gotta be a rope or something!" screamed Shoto frantically searching for something to help his friend.
"Just go! Get out of here!" ordered Izuku thinking for his way out.
"No! Not without you!" argued Shoto. His friend come to save him when he lost any hope to escape. He couldn't let Izuku die in this place. Both of them will return home. Together.
Izuku knows that his time slowly dropping away. He needs to act now. He doesn't have a choice. That's the reason he backed up all the way to the end and then run at full speed towards the edge and jumped off with great force. Then explosion happens at the same time. Dust and smoke covering him.
This stunt made Shoto hold his breath in horror. He is surprised to see that Izuku can jump so high. He was afraid about the life of his friend. He didn't know if he alive or not after this explosion. He could only wait.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Did the fire burn him?
Suddenly the loud sound startled him making him look down and see that someone is grabbing the edge of the railing. He come closer and sees that this someone is Izuku. That makes him smile. He is alive.
"I told you. You are reckless", commented Shoto pulling him up.
"I know. Let's get out of here", he ordered before running away with Shoto behind him.
After some running, they finally exit to the compound to see many soldiers lying everywhere dead. Izuku understood that the prisoners truly give them hell. They need to find prisoners and show them the US base. It wouldn't be difficult to find them. You just need to choose the way where many destruction.
After escaping the base and going far away from it the prisoners decide to stop and catches their breath. However some of them decided to stay for someone else.
"Why we are stopped? We should continue to run. What we are waiting for?" commented one of the soldiers.
"Not for what. For who?" answered Dugan. He decides to wait for the teens to get back. "It's little we can do for him. After he saved us"
"But we don't know if he is alive, Dugan" said Gabe. "You saw the explosions at the factory. He probably have caught in them. I don't want to think like this. But you need to open your eyes. The Kid couldn't survive it."
Dugan didn't want to believe it but he couldn't help but agree with them. He's dead. The only thing they could do is to continue to go to the base and tell them about his sacrifice. It's pity. He wanted to be his friend. Fortunately the destiny on his side today.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Izuku called running with Shoto behind to them. His arrival surprised everyone. They thought that the kid dead but he survive. It's incredible. Some of the soldiers decided to greet him.
"Well, glad to see you alive, Captain", commented Dugan jokingly. Happy that they are alive. "Also Shoto is that your friend you told us about?"
"Yes, he is", answered Shoto. "Guys meet my best friend Izuku Midoriya."
At his greeting, Izuku only could to smile and wave shyly. Still couldn't use to large groups. Suddenly he felt like something is poking his shoulder making him look to the left and he sees that the poking person is Falsworth. "I thought that you just our hallucination. Or our dream", he explained making everyone to laugh.
"If this is a dream I don't want to wake up", commented Gabe with laugh. "When you told us about your friend. We thought that he is 17 years old. Not 25. When did he become so strong. Three years ago."
"I am 18 now. And some months ago", Izuku answered surprising all people around him. They couldn't believe he is so young but he had many accomplishments. "I explain everything when we will continue to move."
"Izuku, Shoto, Morita", said Jacques referring to their 'strange' names. "Where did you get these names?"
"From Japan", answered Jim before continuing on his home language. "And I happy that I am not the only Japanese man in the America. Glad to meet you both."
"Likewise", both Izuku and Shoto said in their native language.
"Hey stop talking on your language. We are on the move", said Dugan. He didn't like that they were talking at the language that only some could understand. What did they talk about. "What the plan, Cap?"
His question made every soldier to look at the Izuku with questionable glances. It was nerving him.
"Are you talking to m-me?" asked Izuku in disbelief. Why an overgrown man would ask a question to kid.
"No he talking to the tree. Of course he talking to you guy", answered Falsworth dryly.
"But I am just a guy", said Izuku to made them see that he just a normal guy who didn't know what to do. However, his words made something unexpected. It made them laugh but not at him. They are laughing as if he just told them the funniest joke in the world.
"Yeah we know that you are just a guy", said Dugan while laughing. "But you are the guy that can break into a secret base, break out the war prisoners, started a liberation and blew up an entire base. And I don't care if you are even a baby. You saved our butts back there. When nobody even thought to do it. That's why we asking 'What the plan, Cap?'"
These words made Izuku almost cry with happiness. Nobody told something so kind to him. Seeing the smiles on every soldier made Izuku understand that they agree with Dugan. They all believe in him. They don't care if he is kid. Because actions told louder than words. They accepted him as one of them. As a soldier.
"Okay. I can contact to the camp with that thing", he answered while pulling out a device. Only to be disappointed because the transponder is fried and burned. It looks like that this thing didn't survive the fire in the factory. "Okay. Then we should go as I told you back there. If we go to the northwest all night then we will get to the US base by the morning. Are you all ready?"
"YEAH!" all of them bellowed to their saver.
"Then let's go!" he continued with his new 'Cap' voice.
"YES!" they continued to cheer.
With the cheers, Izuku led prisoners to the base. But not as a guy. This mission changed him. He is not a boy anymore. He is a soldier. His dream is finally come true. Now only thing he needs to do is make sure that the war prisoners will come to the base. And become a court-marshalled for a treason. But he don't care about it. It will be tomorrow. Today he is soldier. And he is happy.
