Chapter 1 - lovely
She had thirty minutes.
Thirty minutes before they noticed the empty handcuffs and the open door.
Getting out of them was easy, a dislocated thumb and a piece of wire someone had tracked in was all she needed. The quirk suppressing collar, however, stayed in its place on her neck with irritating tiny needles that pricked at her skin.
She scrambled through the hallways trying to find a door, stairs, anything that could lead her to the outside world and out of this place. A lack of windows told her she must be underground but every turn, every alcove led to a dead end or a locked door. The only unlocked door she could locate opened into what looked to be a bedroom, unoccupied except for a desk that held a laptop computer. The glowing screen illuminating the otherwise darkened room.
They must have just left to check on me.
She quietly closed the door behind her and locked it. Quickly, she jumped on the computer and typed in the link for a video sharing website. Hearing approaching footsteps, she hit record.
The hallways were slowly emptying as students filtered back into class from lunch. In Class 1-A, the students were chattering in groups as they waited for their teacher to arrive. Only 2 students already occupied their desks, Katsuki Bakugou and Momo Yaoyorozu. While Bakugou appeared completely disinterested in what was going on in the classroom, a small group had begun to migrate towards Yaoyorozu's desk.
"Whoa! When did you get the new phone?!" Denki Kaminari leaned over Yaoyorozu's desk, pointing at the device in her hand.
"Oh, this one? I had to get a new one, I accidentally broke mine during training yesterday." she held up the sleek red phone, "I told my mom and dad that I could just make a new one, but they told me not to worry about it." Yaoyorozu smiled gently as Ochako Uraraka and Hanta Sero made their way over to see what the fuss was.
"It's state of the art. There are apps on here where I can track everything from my lipid intake to training hours." She swiped through the apps showing them to the group. "Oh! Look at this!" Yaoyorozu tapped on a familiar icon, "The video quality is unbelievable!" At this point, most of the class had crowded around Yaoyorozu's desk as she started playing a music video.
No one had noticed their sleepy-eyed teacher enter the room.
Shouta Aizawa cleared his throat. The class scattered to their seats as they finally noticed the entrance of their teacher. Yaoyorozu set the phone down on her desk.
"Today, you are going to…"
Aizawa was interrupted by a voice coming from Yaoyorozu's phone.
"If anyone can hear this…. (Loud bang on wood – possibly a door) …. I don't know wh…"
The audio stopped as Yaoyorozu quickly paused the phone.
"I'm sorry, sir."
Aizawa approached her desk, holding out his hand for the phone. Yaoyorozu placed it in his hand the image still frozen on the screen. A woman, possibly in her mid to late 20s, stared back frantically through the camera. The room behind her was dark but her face was completely illuminated. Her hair was barely distinguishable in the low light, but a few messy, unkempt curls framed her face. Wide hazel eyes reflected the image of the computer screen. Aizawa's face blanched even as he kept his expression flat and rewound the video.
"If anyone can hear this…. …. I don't know where exactly I am. It looks like a basement or something…"
(Muffled shouts – more banging, the woman shook her head like she was clearing her thoughts)
"My name is Aine Satterfield. I'm being held against my will."
(More muffled shouts, another loud bang followed by the sound of cracking wood)
"Any heroes out there, please get me out of here!"
The woman looked behind her, looking back to the computer as the sounds of more wood splintering echoed. Then the video was cut. Aizawa looked at the time stamp, the video had been posted only a couple of hours ago.
The classroom door flies open and Hizashi Yamada, Present Mic, burst into the room. His usual eccentric demeanor set and serious as he exchanges a glance with Aizawa. In the span of seconds, an entire conversation seems to go unspoken between the two pro-heroes before Aizawa hands the phone back to Yaoyorozu.
As he leaves the classroom, he pauses.
"I have to go make a phone call; class is dismissed for the afternoon."
Naomasa Tsukauchi hung up the phone and turned to his computer.
It didn't take him long to find the video Eraserhead had called him about. He pressed the intercom.
"Yes sir?"
"Can you send Manami in here? I need to see if she can trace a video for me."
The woman known as La Brava had recently begun working along side the police force. Between her and the man known as Gentle Criminal (now only calling himself Gentle), they had been helping expose security risks. Even the chief was impressed when they uncovered and helped to fix multiple failings in the department's security system.
Tsukauchi turned as the door to his office opened and the diminutive woman walked in. "You asked for me?"
Standing, he gestured to his computer, "I'm needing help locating where the IP address of this video leads to."
"Of course!" She immediately hopped into the vacant chair and went straight to work on the computer , fingers quickly clicking and typing away. "It's really simple to do, I'm surprised you can't do it yourself Detective!" In mere moments, she had brought up the address of a building, "Here you go!" The young woman turned the chair around and jumped down with a flourishing gesture and a broad grin.
"Thank you, La Brava. Give Gentle my regards,"
As Manami left waving, Tsukauchi turned his attention back to the computer screen and the coordinates for the IP address. It was a warehouse in the Lurker's Agency district.
She found all of this in a matter of moments?!
It was all there: blueprints, security system layout, even down to the specific computer that was used. He picked up the phone and dialed the agency. After turning over the details and what information he had to Edgeshot, he hung up and called the person who set everything in motion.
"Hello?"
"Hey Eraser, we found the building. Edgeshot, Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods are on their way there. I'm gathering a squad to meet them in case things go south."
A brief moment of silence passed, Tsukauchi could almost feel tension through the phone as the man on the other end of the line battled himself. "Keep me informed. Let me know the woman's condition as soon as possible."
"We could always use your help." Tsukauchi offered.
"I don't know if that would be the best idea in this situation."
"I hear you. I'll let you know as soon as we have her."
"Thank you" the line hung up.
Tsukauchi glanced at the phone in his hand.
That was unusual.
(UA Teacher's Lounge)
"Do you really think it is her?"
Aizawa looked at Yamada, "You saw the video. There's no question it is." 3 years, it's been 3 years. "Have you seen Nemuri yet? I can't imagine she has seen the video. She would have been right behind you in that doorway if she had."
Yamada shook his head, "She is still teaching, but I did message her to meet us in here when she finished." He walked over to a couch and unceremoniously flopped down into it, stretching, and putting his hands behind his head.
Resisting the urge to pace, Aizawa walked over to the window staring blankly out of it with his arms folded across his chest. The bell rang and within moments they could hear the sounds of a packed hallway of students just outside the door. Before long, the door opened and Nemuri Kayama, aka Pro-Hero Midnight, walked in cheerfully waving her phone.
"What's going on? Are you two about to finally confess your torrid love affair?" her teasing smile faltered as she took in the serious air of the two men in the room. She closed the door.
Aizawa didn't move from his position by the window. Yamada stood and walked over to where Nemuri was standing, fishing his phone from his pocket.
"There's something you need to see." he swiped on the screen and started playing the video. Nemuri's eyes grew wide, and a barely audible gasp escaped her throat.
"That can't be….after all this time?" She looked at Aizawa still staring out the window. "Shouta….are you going…."
He shook his head, "Tsukauchi and Edgeshot's agency are. They will update us as soon as they have more information."
The response seemed to take her by surprise, "But Shouta, this is Aine…."
"I know."