The elevator ride is so smooth that its single passenger becomes lost in thought, without any notion that he's descending at all. Izuku Midoriya, owner of the company building, leans against the cubicle's back wall with one hand in a pocket and the other holding an envelope. Ordinarily, the boss wouldn't be carrying or delivering his own request form. However, what's enclosed is much too sensitive a matter to be passed off to a careless secretary. Midoriya is only willing to entrust Mei Hatsume with what's written inside, the woman he's heading down to the lower levels of Midoriya Enterprises to meet with.
As he waits, his mind wanders and thinks of the inventor under his employ. Without knowing it, she had created a vast margine of the gadgets and equipment he uses as Batman. He had considered sharing his secret with her, since the two had gotten relatively close, but decided against it. She's so consumed with her work that the reveal would probably go over her head anyways. Still, he can't help but be grateful for all the aid she's provided. She's a hard worker that he doesn't want to take for granted.
As a matter of fact, Hatsume has her own personal development studio separate from the others, upon request. It's a basement reinforced with a white metallic alloy, save for the black soot and ashes from explosions, but that's exactly the reason why the floor is crafted out of the special material. There, she can make inventions all day and night to her heart's content. When Midoriya arrives on the floor and steps off the elevator, he expects to find her still welding away at something.
What he finds instead, is another woman who has been on his mind as equally often. Melissa Shield, wearing a blazer and pencil skirt, surveys the development studio with a clipboard in her hand. "Melissa.. ?", the surprise of seeing her where he doesn't expect to slips through his mouth. The blonde turns to face him, as equally shocked to be encountering one another again so soon. "What are you doing here?", Midoriya asks, forgetting that she works alongside him for his company now.
"Running a maintenance check.", Shield shows him the clipboard by turning it over so he can read the manuscript, "It's mandatory." She pauses and then asks him back, "What are YOU doing here?"
Realizing that he's holding an envelope in his hand and that the blonde is eyeing it, Midoriya weighs it a bit like it's an option to acknowledge or not. "I just came to drop something off.", he replies a little too vaguely, though purposely. When Shield raises a brow, he shrugs in an attempt to avoid suspicion. The first lie that comes to mind is the excuse that he runs with, "It was getting a little stuffy in my office and I like to check up on my employees."
Unbeknown to the quirkless woman, the real reason that Midoriya stopped by Hatsume's studio was for a personal request. After taking damage from the riddler's bomb trap, and then its wearer reflecting on all the times it didn't hold up in combat against opponents like Deathstroke, it was determined that the armor which Batman wears requires an upgrade. Specifications, modifications, and requirements are listed in the letter that he wrote for the inventor. For that reason, it's for Hatsume's eyes only. Midoriya is much too paranoid that somebody else would be able to put two and two together if they get their hands on the envelope instead.
Shield tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear, playing coy as she teases, "You never check up on ME.." Had Midoriya not adopted a playboy personality and charm, he would have been reduced to a blushing and stammering mess. Fortunately, he's had years to grow up and mature. The only one blushing is the blonde herself.
Midoriya fixes her with a teasing glance, but replies with a completely deadpan tone, "We saw eachother just last night."
Shield matches the half joking and half stoic energy with her response, "You were bleeding all over my couch."
Which gets Midoriya to huff, just barely on the brink of an actual laugh. Shield's eyes widen behind her glasses. It's a rarity to see him genuinely amused. Her blush deepens, further allured by his natural charm more than the facade he puts on. "I'll make it up to you one of these times.", Midoriya halfheartedly promises.
Not wanting the vow to become an empty promise, Shield attempts to seize the opportunity by asking, "How about tonight?" Midoriya startles, doing a double take. Shield elaborates on the suggestion, hoping to convince him while he's caught off guard, "Would you like to come over? This time for dinner?"
"I- I wish I could, but..", Midoriya stammers as he processes the request and mulls over his plans for the night. Even if his mission as Batman weren't in the way, he has other arrangements. Midoriya remembers his appointment with Eri's principal, "I've got a meeting elsewhere after this and I'm not sure how long it'll run."
Shield lowers her head in disappointment, averting her gaze from Midoriya and to the clipboard in her hands, "Oh.."
Midoriya, seeing her downtrodden demeanor and sulking expression, feels a tug at his heart. So, hoping to make it up to her, he returns to the halfhearted promise and makes it full. "I'll take you up on that offer some other time though. If it's ever still on the table.", he gives her a sincere smile to let her know he means it.
Hearing him, Shield glances up from her clipboard. When she sees his smile, she becomes flustered, "O- Of course!" Diverting her gaze once more, she tries hiding her blush with the clipboard, "I don't mind waiting."
Relieved that she's no longer upset and willing to give him a chance, Midoriya lets out a small sigh. "Thanks for being patient with me. I know I'm a hard sell.", he internally wonders if she'd still be smitten if she knew just how true that statement was.
Shield laughs, taking the comment as a joke. "You? No way.", the blonde shakes her head as she sizes him up and down with her eyes. She doesn't need glasses to see that he's handsome and physically well defined.
Other women seem to think so too. "I know, right!? Look at these beefy arms!", Hatsume materializes out of seemingly nowhere to grab Midoriya's biceps. Giving them a firm squeeze, the inventor gawps, "Whoa, did they get beefier?!" Her salmon pink dreadlocks sway with the motion of her circling him as she exclaims, "Hunka hunka!"
Seeing how taken aback Shield is, Midoriya stops Hatsume in her tracks by whacking her on the head with the envelope in his hand. "No sucking up to the boss.", he takes a step back so that she'll stop groping his muscles, just for extra measure.
Undeterred by his response, the hyperactive grease monkey pauses only to lock on to the envelope, her quirk zooming in on it. "What's this?!," Hatsume snatches the letter from Midoriya before ripping it open and asking, "A new project?!"
"A private project. Keep it under wraps. You know the drill.", Midoriya shoots a quick glance in Shield's direction that he hopes only Hatsume will notice.
"Sure, sure!", the inventor extraordinaire waves the request off before making her own with that same hand outstretching to be given something, "Bring me my tools?"
Rather than oblige, he brushes off her demand in return. Midoriya glances down at the open palm before heading for the exit, "I'm going to that meeting now."
"But my tools!", Hatsume calls after him with a pleading tone.
When the pinkette turns towards Shield, the blonde follows after Midoriya. "Mind if I join you for the ride up at least?", she walks alongside him just before reaching the elevator.
"Not at all.", Midoriya presses the call button for them to leave.
Seeing that neither of her visitors are going to be of any help, Hatsume huffs and crosses her arms. "Fine! I'll get them myself!", the inventor whines only a little before getting to work.
With one meeting down, it's onto the next. Midoriya waits for Kurogiri to chauffeur, prepared to meet U.A's principal. Formerly a graduate from Seiai Academy, Saiko Intelli had replaced her predecessor on the school board. Her intellect had made her a perfect candidate closely comparable to U.A's first principal. That intelligence is also what makes her a suspect in the riddler case. Intelli's quirk, IQ, is essentially that her brain capacity increases when drinking tea. Considering the riddler's lair had a cup of tea present, it's not too far of a reach to suspect her. There's also the riddler's voice. It was high enough a pitch to be feminine and Intelli is female. The detective in Midoriya can't help but want to follow the potential lead to wherever it may go.
He also figures that even if Intelli winds up being a false lead, at least he'll have had a meeting with Eri's principal. For the little girl's sake, he hopes that Intelli is innocent. Then again, the sooner he catches whoever the riddler is, the more lives he'll be able to save. With Himiko Toga involved, the risk factor is very high. He can't imagine the danger level she's reached with her recent quirk evolution.
When Midoriya finally arrives at U.A, he's more on guard than ever. Only actually being on the campus does he fully realize the extremity of the situation if it turns out to be true. A villain would have infiltrated Japan's most prestigious hero school. He can't imagine why if not other than to run it into the ground and damage hero society. The status quo and position would allow her access to areas no other villain would be able to step foot at without breaking and entering. Unless, of course, that villain could morph or shapeshift into somebody else like Toga can. Two extremely dangerous psychopaths with power in more ways than one. He feels pressed for time to stop them more than ever.
As soon as the large pair of french doors swing open, he's greeted by the principal in her office. "Ah, Mister Midoriya, I've been expecting you. Please, have a seat and relax.", she gestures to the chair across from her before asking, "Would you like a cup of tea?"
Midoriya glances at the tea, already suspecting it of being drugged or laced with poison. "No. Thank you.", he denies the offer before also doubting the chair. He remembers the contraption that Mindjack had been strapped to. "And I think I'd rather stand. I won't be taking too much of your time anyways.", besides, he figures he can inspect the room better without being confined to a seat.
Intelli purses her lips as she watches him examine her trophy case, "Oh? But isn't there much to discuss about your adoptive daughter?"
Hearing the mention of Eri has Midoriya glancing back in her direction. If she is who he suspects, the instinct to protect the little girl isn't misplaced. "What about her?", he tries to be subtle about the clenching of his fists at his sides but wouldn't be surprised if the principal notices.
Intelli tilts her head, seemingly mulling over Midoriya's reaction as much as her own response. "It's my job to read up on my prospective students. Eri is quite the remarkable young lady.", the principal shuffles a few papers on her desk that must be related to Eri.
Still protective of the girl that he's taken in, Midoriya turns to face Intelli. "Shouldn't her studies be left to her teachers?", he presses the issue just a bit to see her reaction.
Intelli doesn't waver. She simply shrugs before answering, "Well, yes, but then there would be no need for a principal if I didn't do my own part."
Midoriya's eyes narrow in suspicion. She's dancing around the subject and not giving any clear answers. He's not sure if it's paranoia, but he doesn't want to take any chances when it's Eri involved. "And what exactly is your part?", his eyes land on a chessboard that also occupies the desk. He remembers the riddler calling their crimes a game, which may very well make everyone pieces on the board. Midoriya stares at the pawns lined up on either side, "What do you make of your students?"
That gets Intelli to frown just a smidge. She tries to school her expression, hiding it behind a cup of tea as she takes a sip. Once she sets the cup down, she wears a fake smile. "You know, I also research parents.", her eyes meet Midoriya's, "Quirkless and orphaned. Do you resent U.A, Mister Midoriya? Or perhaps heroes in general?"
It's Midoriya's turn to frown. She's trying to hit a nerve. An eye for an eye. All that she's doing is further increasing his suspicions of her being the riddler, "This isn't about me. This meeting is about you."
Intelli hums before asking, "Not about your adoptive daughter?" Midoriya tenses when she then stands up and continues, "Mister Midoriya. You're well aware of Eri's history, are you not? And what's become of the Shie Hassaikai?"
He wasn't expecting her to be so direct. Bringing up the Yakuza only confirms it. He's about to retort when the dual doors behind him swing open. A familiar face enters the room, one that he hadn't been expecting.
"Izuku Midoriya.", Naomasa Tsukauchi addresses Midoriya directly as he strides further forward.
"Commissioner?", Midoriya turns to face the head of the police department. He sees that Tsukauchi is carrying a set of handcuffs with him. Perhaps Mindjack or somebody else figured out the riddler's identity too, he thinks.
But then, Tsukauchi is roughly grabbing Midoriya and spinning him around. "Please put your hands behind your back. You're under arrest for suspicion of first degree murder and kidnapping.", the cuffs latch around Midoriya's wrists as he's taken into custody.
"What?!", Midoriya tries looking over his shoulder to see Tsukauchi and get some kind of explanation but his gaze is drawn away when he hears Intelli giggling.
Intelli smirks as she steps around her desk. "Did you really think you would keep your secret from me, Mister Midoriya?", her eyes glimmer as they meet his and his widen. The possibility that she thought ahead and figured out his identity starts to register.
Intelli then moves the white queen in front of the black knight, claiming, "Checkmate."