Ch. 4: The Best Laid Plan
It had taken a couple of weeks filled with meticulous planning, but Izuku was finally here. Looking around at the abandoned subway tunnel he walked in with the motley collection of guards that marched on either side of him, though, he just wasn't sure if all that effort was worth the hassle. He wore his "meeting" mask today - the one that had less of an "intimidation" factor and a more "down to business" attitude - along with his normal suit, gloves, and coat. The mouth guard was absent, exposing his freckled skin. He also opted out of the shuttered lenses from his field mask. Izuku always felt that when it came to these visits, it was better to have his eyes visible. He found it put everyone at ease whenever he was present, made it easier to do his job. In his left hand was gripped his trusted umbrella.
A dim glow, emitted from the embedded lights above, fought weakly against the darkness of the tunnel. The ground underneath his boots crunched as he moved forward with unease. These meetings were always a crap shoot until you actually got to the damned spot with no guarantee that everyone would arrive. Or if they wouldn't leave in a body bag. He wore a bemused grimace as he looked around at his escorts. Given the state of their hygiene, maybe it would've been best if someone didn't show up. They were a group of mutated Quirk users with an assortment of "pointless" or "powerless" cosmetic mutations that they would be hard pressed to use in everyday society. But here in the underground, they were invaluable. A girl who was a hybrid of a rat and human who could use her superior senses to track people in the dark; a few brutes with mutations on their arms or knuckles that could muscle their way through any situation; one particularly bad illusionist that could summon clouds of vapid smoke for quick escapes. The remaining members of the procession all had a variety of the same Quirk: Orc/Goblin. They called themselves 'Greenskins' which was an obvious callback to their appearance but everyone else referred to them as The Oozers. He wasn't sure why the other gangs called them that. It was just something that stuck. Izuku eyed them a little warily as they pressed on in the darkly lit tunnels. They didn't wear anything but coarse hair loincloths, exposing their solid musculature to the elements. They had little to no hair and were ugly as sin. He refused to even acknowledge the odor that came from their bodies.
The Oozers were a fairly old crew that had immigrated into Japan around when Quirks started popping up. No one was certain where they had moved from but it didn't matter. Not now at least. They had risen to some prominence decades ago but had lost any clout once heroes started getting involved with law enforcement. They weren't exactly the strongest folks out there. He felt a strong mix of pity and righteous anger when he reflected on their history. They had been born this way: mutated and forced into the shadows because they weren't exactly presentable or useful. He had done some research and found that they were mostly inbred, stunting the family Quirk gene from evolving any further. Hence why every Oozer looked like they came straight out of a fantasy novel. It didn't surprise him. Given their appearance and social status, they didn't exactly have the best odds with dating, let alone fitting in with society. Izuku had a hell of a time digging up any dirt on them but he was sick to his stomach afterward. Just like the world to throw out people because of what they looked like or what they couldn't offer. Of course, all of his empathy went out the window when he'd learned something interesting about the Oozers the other day.
He would have normally avoided doing any business with low grade gangs like the Oozers. They were usually too much trouble for little pay off. This was a unique situation, however. Recently the Oozers had started encroaching on other people's turf and it was starting to upset some very short tempered bosses. He hadn't been sure what businesses they were interrupting though. The folks who called him in to handle it weren't exactly keen on giving out more information. Whatever. It couldn't have been that bad, right? Maybe some drug flow, maybe some racketerring. His attitude changed after his run-in with some traffickers a few days prior. That drop was supposed to have been a routine weapons sale. Nothing too out of the ordinary that didn't need his involvement. Except he had been tipped off to look into it by a confidant. He hadn't been sure why at the time but quickly found out: the dealers were selling people and their Quirks as weapons. In his ensuing raid, he managed to save a few lives, dodge Pro Hero Uravity, and get some information out some no name thug. According to his ever so helpful informant, the Oozers were helping this new small time gang bring in bodies for their own business ventures.
Ever since he had started brokering for the big wigs of the Underworld, he had one hundred percent clear: there were certain lines he was unwilling to barter in. And he expected everyone else to follow suit. Many gangs and crews had begrudgingly agreed to it and the ones that failed to get onboard disappeared mysteriously. So now that the Oozers (and likely other groups) were moving in this direction, he had a vested interest in this meeting. He needed to know how deep this went, who was involved, who knew about it. He had to end this, now.
"So, I gotta ask," the ratgirl squeaked out, shattering the quiet, "What's with the get up? And the umbrella? You expectin' rain?" Izuku chuckled. He opened his arms slightly and looked down to take in his crisp white shirt and loose red tie under his silken vest.
"I just think it's important to put your best foot forward. Look your best, you know? This meeting is kind of a big deal. Plus, you never know when an umbrella might come in handy."
"Wouldn't need this yuppie if ya rat bastards didn't get yer panties all bunched up," grumbled a surly looking Oozer on his left. He felt the tension electrify the air, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Glares and unspoken threats shot out from all sides. He sighed. There was always some fool who wanted to raise hell just before things got taken care of.
"Hey, hey," he drolled in an almost bored tone, "This right here is why I'm coming to this meeting. All this bad blood? That's no good for anyone. Let's just take a breath and move on."
While the smile he gave them meant to reassure them, he also made a point to grip the handle of his umbrella a little tighter. These thugs were out for blood. Just because they feared their bosses or were loyal to them didn't mean they'd keep to their orders. As the seconds ticked by, Izuku began to fear the worst until he watched their shoulders drop. They all grunted, turning their noses up at one another before marching on in silence once again. He did his best to conceal his surprise.
Could have sworn that was going to go South, quickly…
At long last they reached the meeting place. Located in a worn out crossing that opened up to allow more space for several trains to pass through, it had been ideal for any meetings between clans, gangs, and crews that didn't want to be out in the open. Or, in today's case, if they weren't allowed out in the open. Sitting in the middle of the criss-crossed rails was a makeshift table created with cinder blocks and a slab of plywood. Pikes with haphazard lanterns attached to their tips had been speared around. The lopsided illumination showed off some of the graffiti that littered the concrete walls surrounding them. Several groups had arrived, more than he expected. The Oozers were there, of course, along with their main rivals from Hosu. But what baffled him the most were the other people gathered. Izuku recognized a few distinguished members of the local Yakuza with their beefed up thugs; two Runners from a pirate band that preyed on incoming ships; and a solitary figure that was so out of place, he thought he was hallucinating. Dressed inconspicuously in a hoodie, jeans, and some sneakers was Egin "Halogin" Naosoma. Egin was not what Izuku would consider an attractive person. Thin and reedy with waxy, pale skin that was stretched taut all over, he looked out at the crowd past his platinum blonde bangs with pale blue eyes. Halogin, as he was known to respectable society, was a rookie hero who was quickly making a name for himself. He had graduated from U.A. two years ago as "one of their most promising alumni." Or, so Izuku had read somewhere. Halogin was eager to make a name for himself which was always a tell. Midoriya had encountered enough ambitious rookies to know what that eagerness meant: doing whatever it took to get noticed. He hated their kind. Attention seeking phonies at the expense of others lives or wellbeing, only in it for the money and fame. His old mentor would have murdered the young pro on the spot. Izuku wouldn't have gone that far. Maybe. Probably.
Breaking away from his escort as they dispersed to reconnect with their respective crews, Midoriya made a show of greeting the leaders present with handshakes and smiles. He always felt like a politician at these meetings. It never failed to creep him out a little.
"Good afternoon everyone," Izuku started, "You know why we're here and what we hope to do. I've been called in to help smooth things out. With that in mind, would you all kindly lay your weapons down on the table." The way he said it was not a request. He glanced over every single person there and waited patiently for them to pile on their arms. One by one, everyone set down a small arsenal of firearms, knives, and blunt objects that they had concealed on their persons. It would be easier to talk to each other knowing that none of them could instantly kill the others. When he was satisified that everyone had placed their weapons away, Izuku commenced the meeting.
"Great, so why don't we just clear the air really quick? From what I understand, the Oozer clan has been moving on your turf, Mr. Kobono?"
A man with frail, translucent wings stood himself up to his full height. His pointed face and ears made him appear as if his face had been pulled at birth. He glared at the Oozers standing a few yards away, their expression hard to decipher in the flickering light.
"You green fucks know that the Watashi district is ours! Why the hell do you bastards keep dealing on our turf?"
"Like we told you last time, you little shit," growled Hanako, the largest Oozer in attendance, "There ain't no lines drawn. This place is open game, ya understand?" Izuku coughed quietly and felt all eyes home in on himself. He gave them a brief smirk and spoke.
"From what I know, the Oozers moved to Hosu about four months ago. The last town you were kicked out of told me that you had the same problem respecting people's territory. Sound about right?"
A stunned quiet from Hanako was all the answer he needed. Izuku watched the others turn their hateful glares back to the green skinned people. There was murder in the air and he'd have to stamp it out quickly.
"So, did anyone from Mr. Kobono's crew come by to welcome you?" Izuku gave a brief side eye to the winged man who looked aghast, "Did any one else try? Hmm. That's what I figured. So here's what I propose:
"The Oozers will give up twenty percent of what they made, from four months ago to now, to me. I'll hand it out equally to all injured parties. If the Oozers want to continue working in this area, they'll need to give a cut of five to me, which I'll parse out again. No fighting, no ugliness. Just pure business ok?"
Everyone looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Ogling stares and scowls peered out at him from the dark. He humored them with another brilliant smile, despite the increasing pressure he felt rising up through his neck. Thankfully a distraction from above took away some of the heat. A rumbling above them shook the roof, loosening a cloud of dust over them. Izuku was the only one to keep his composure. The rest began to panic and dart their heads about, as if they could see past the meters of concrete and rebar hovering above them. Even Halogin looked about with some worry. Kobono was the first to react to the commotion.
"What the hell is that? Is it the heroes?"
"Well," Izuku explained sheepishly, rubbing his neck with a light hearted smile, "Yes and no. See I staged a fight to distract anyone trying to watch today's meeting. Nothing like a bunch rowdy crooks making a ruckus to pull the pro's attention off of us."
"But why did they have to fight right over us? That makes no sense!" asked a Yakuza thug. A few others audibly grumbled in agreement. Midoriya sighed, lifting his hands defensively. He shifted his stance, readying himself for a scrap if it came to it.
"Well, they won't be right over us the whole time," he answered, "Plus, the pro's wouldn't think to snoop around underneath the streets when the fighting took place up top. They aren't that smart. Everyone happy? Good. Now back to negotiations."
It wasn't a long conversation, thankfully. There were sharp words exchanged between the groups and a lot of grumbling about the cut the Oozers would have to pay out or allowing them to do business at all. Izuku became more curious as he watched the talks progress . The Runners and Yakuza started pushing for a bigger slice which Hanako only pushed back against lightly. The green skinned man's shoulders drooped slightly and he had an air of a kid being caught with their hand in the sweets jar when the demand for more out of his clan was brought up. Midoriya noticed Halogin and Kobono whispering at the edge of the group. In the end they had something that they were all happy with, so to speak, thanks to Deku's smooth intervention. The cut went up to twenty five percent up front and seven for ongoing business dealings. In turn, the Oozers were allowed free reign over Hosu. Meanwhile, Midoriya would be the one to oversee the exchange of money to ensure that no one tried to undercut the others. It wasn't exactly ideal from Izuku's end as he still had questions regarding what the Oozers were bringing in or doing. Unfortunately, the negotiations had been cut short by the fighting taking place on the surface. A young greenskin came padding through the dark, breathing heavily and sweating profusely just as the rumbling above them started to become more violent. The smell he produced was unbearable.
"B-boss... We got problems..." he wheezed, doubling over to catch his breath. Izuku took a peek at his smart watch, scrolling up the messages he had been ignoring throughout the meeting. One of the hired goons had been placed on the roof tops to keep watch of the fight. He had hired about seven other freelancers to engage in a fight, knowing full well that they were all going to be jailed. At least they could pay their bail with what he compensated with. Maybe. Izuku's face remained impassive as he scrolled through the messages. He read them quickly, with no intention of responding.
Message 11:30
Everyone's ready. Just waiting
Message: 11:40
Its started
Message 11:45
Fighting going as planned. Pros on scene first
Message 12:05
Fight's got out a hand. Cops on scene finally
Message 12:15
Are you done yet? Its gotten really bad!
Message 12:18
You better not be ducking me deku! Where tf are you?!
Message 12:18
FUCKING AUTOCORRECT
Izuku bit back a laugh. He barely registered what the latest message said when an enormous roar swallowed them in a gust of wind and noise. They all ducked around, covering their ears as the earth above them splintered. A few moments later, Hanako's voice replaced the explosive ringing that echoed in the meeting space.
"Alright, I'm calling it! Meetin's over. Get the hell out of here," Hanako shouted waving everyone off as he rallied his men, "Deku! You comin' with me. Gotta pick yer brain."
Izuku nodded and started to make his way over to the Oozers through the scattered crowd that dispersed around him. He felt someone grip his elbow, pulling him down to his side so that he could listen to the young voice in his ear.
"Watch yourself, man. That little stunt you pulled the other day wasn't good for anyone. Interfering in peoples' business is a good way to get killed."
"And I gotta say," Deku hissed as he whipped his arm free from Halogin's grip, "Threatening me isn't a really smart idea either."
They exchanged glares for a moment. Izuku felt an electric burn in the held look and was taken out of it when he heard Hanako call out once more.
"You all set, Deku?" the greenskin leader asked.
"Yeah, just had to take care of some business before we headed out. Speaking of: we should walk and talk, yes?"
They took off into a run, alternating their pace between sprints and jogs so they could speak. Hanako explained that the tunnels kept the green skin clan safe. It provided shelter, an easy way to travel about the city, and ample opportunity to conduct business away from prying eyes. There had been a large explosion about a mile off from the clan's hideout entrance according to Hongu, the youngster that interrupted the negotiations. If the fight had gotten out of hand, their people were in grave danger.
Deku kept quiet, opting to appear like he was listening intently. The only reason he took so long in planning out today's meeting was due to finding a crew to create a diversion that would also interrupt the negotiations. What better way than to have Kamikaze on his team. True to his name, Kaze would blow himself up and create an opening near the Oozer's home door. He figured his best shot at getting any information out of Hanako was to get him alone after "working together" to keep the greenskins safe. Izuku smired as Hongu began explaining his own plan to him, oblivious to being played.
"I was looking for marks to pocket and then boom! The ceiling just starts to break and fall down. I only saw something like this once when I was up top. Thought it was that crazy pro with the blonde hair and red eyes... scared the hell outta me."
"Were there any people left in the subway?" Deku asked, doing his best to keep pace with the pack of outcasts.
"Yeah, plenty," Hongu went on, "I think one of 'em mighta spotted me."
Shit, Deku thought, Just what we need: witnesses. Ah, that should be easy enough to deal with. He discreetly fiddled with his umbrella as they followed the twisting path through the abandoned tracks, heaving in harsh gulps of breath as they pressed on in the dark. Through his gloved hands, Izuku silently confirmed that he had just enough sleep darts for some crowd control. At a certain point, the tracks simply disappeared underneath their feet and the tunnel continued to stretch out. They ran up to a fresh opening where another set of tracks crossed before them. To the left and up ahead, light poured in to illuminate the worn down steel rails nailed into the ground. Deku was about to head forward when Hanako held him back with a gentle draw of his arm. He looked at the hulking greenskin with a curious glance and stepped back. Hanako sent out two of his scouts to keep watch for what was happening before rounding on Deku.
"You and I have some quick business to tend to," he growled. Deku kept his wits about him, trying not to let the overpowering stench wafting up to sting his own eyes.
"Alright," Deku offered as he did his best to hold his breath, "What do you want?"
"Let's ignore everything else today. I might have heroes knocking on my front door right now. You help me get them out of my house, you keep my people safe, then we can talk more. I know there's stuff you're dying to ask me," Hanako gave with a sleazy gleam in his dark eyes. Deku bit back the urge to smile too quickly. The Oozers were a resilient, sturdy clan of misfits. Unfortunately, that didn't mean they were too bright. It was almost too easy to manipulate them. The thought put a slight edge in Deku's mind which he shook off as quickly as it came. This was easy because he was in charge of the game. Hard to lose a match when you set the rules.
"We got a deal?" Hanako asked with a hand extended out. He smiled as he shook Hanako's hand. Satisfied, the Oozer and Midoriya stepped just out of the light's reach to watch the scene unfolding in the station ahead. Deku almost swore. While he had expected to deal with a few heroes trying to salvage the situation, he hadn't anticipated her.
In the cavernous station was a long slab of concrete that served as the waiting area for a number of injured and frightened passengers. Several mounds of broken earth, tarmac and rebar were scattered about the tracks that lined both sides of the platform. Amongst the fallen rubble were three women working quickly to clear the area. A familiar bob of chestnut brown hair caught his eye. Uravity was there, darting about with acrobatic grace and laser focus. Hanako began to chuckle, pulling Deku out of his glazed over viewing of the anti-gravity hero.
"Did they send anyone down here? Looks like a bunch of wannabes to me. Let's go boys. Deku, Hongu: you two stay put until you see a pro got it?"
Izuku watched on in confusion as the Oozers stepped out into the light. It looked like they hadn't recongnized Uravity yet but he wasn't sure how long that would hold up. Cries of shock from the civilians reached out to him in the dark and watched Uravity seize up. Even from his hiding spot, he could see that the hero was pushing her limit. Her breath was coming in ragged gulps and her knees buckled as she did her best to stand up. He silently prayed that she'd stand down, keeping a low profile so that Hanako's attention could just overlook her.
"Well, well... lookit what we got here. Easy pickin's boys. Go on! Get at it!" The greenskins barely moved an inch when another earth shattering quake rumbled through the area. Dust and loose rocks fell around Izuku as he held himself steady against the shaking wall nearby him, eyes shut in concentration. Uravity shouted something amidst the roar of the falling earth and Deku's eyes shot open. She wasn't facing towards him but Hanako's body shifted. A warning bell started going off in the back of Midoirya's mind. No. No, no, no…
"Say," Hanako pointed out as he heaved a gnarled finger towards Uraraka, "ain't that Uravity? Yeah... yeah, that's gotta be her! Oh we are in for a treat today! Take 'er out!" Shit! Couldn't she just stay low?
Deku stepped out to the threshold of the waiting area and watched Uraraka loosen her hold on a few pieces of rubble from a mountain that floated in the air. Understanding dawned on him as he looked up in awe, watching the large chunks of street fall in front of Hanako. It appeared that the hero had blocked any more debris from falling into the area by using what had already dropped. Hanako's men tripped over themselves as they narrowly avoided. Hongu started sprinting towards his boss. More people were screaming. Hanako was saying something but there was a rush in Izuku's ears. Deku hardly thought about raising up his umbrella and pulling the discreet trigger near the handle. It was quick. It was easy. He first shot Hanako with Hongu following suit, then the last three still on the ground. Hanako was the first to recognize what was happening. He swayed and cursed at Izuku before tumbling to the ground in a crumpled heap. Hongu's momentum kept him moving forward before he too succumbed to the darts' Izuku shot him with. Uraraka screamed as more rumbling shook the ceiling. His legs were pumping quickly, the wind whipping about him as he reached behind him to feel around for the "just-in-case" item he had nicked from his supplier. It was round with three trapezoidal feet, emitting a dim light until he pressed a button on the side. Izuku flung it out to the platform with some care, shouting at the people watching as he sped by.
"Get behind the shield! The rocks are going to start falling!"
A burst of blinding golden light engulfed the area, passing through everything with an electric sizzle. He shook off the strange feeling as he bent down next to the still struggling Uravity. Izuku did his best to cajole her into letting go of her quirk's hold, to relax after a job well done.
"It's ok, Uravity," he whispered to her as warmly as possible, "Just let go. It'll be ok."
"A-all right... Re-release," Ochaco whimpered. She looked up at him with her soft, chocolate eyes as he picked her up as gently as possible. Soon he was rushing away from the flood of debris behind him as Uraraka's hold dissipated. Izuku managed to clear the nearest tunnel entrance as the cave in allowed darkness to swallow them both. He laid her down and sat next to her with a small huff.
The sudden silence and low visibility jarred him back to his senses. They couldn't just sit there and it looked like Uraraka needed help. He dug around his coat pockets and dejectedly pulled out a burner phone with a small manilla packet. Deku thumbed the buttons for a few moments, manually scrolling through his contacts until he found his target. His thumb hovered over the "Call" button until he gave in with a sigh. A few rings later, he was greeted with a hateful voice.
"What do you want?" He should have expected that. Izuku wasn't exactly welcomed in most circles. Especially not amongst the heroes.
"Hey, Lemillion," he spoke with little interest in engaging in a prolonged conversation, "I know you're in Hosu this week. Are you at that fight that took place above the subway?"
"How - how! - did you know about -"
"Right, so you are. Good. I'm calling in my favor. There are people still trapped here and I've got one who really needs help. When you get here, just come down to the Southeastern tunnel exit. I'm blocked off."
"Wait, Deku, hol-"
Click.
Deku threw the phone out into the dark, listening to it clink against the steel rail a few times before the echoes of its impact fade away. He pushed up his mask wistfully and looked down at his hands. Waiting was his least favorite activity but he would just have to grin and bear it until Mirio "Lemillion" Togata arrived. It took longer than he expected. He was just about to start moving the rocks by hand when he felt a figure standing behind him suddenly.
Lemillion was the picture of heroism. Even in the dark, Izuku could see his immaculate white costume and hero name emblazoned on his chest. His deep blue eyes glared out at him with disgust creasing the skin around the corners of his mouth. Lemillion began to step forward when Izuku reacted, flailing his arms wildly.
"Wait, careful!"
Mirio looked down to where Midorya was warning him. Rage melted into confusion and blossomed back to full on hate in the span of seconds. Lemillion was shaking, his clenched fists vibrating at his sides.
"What did you do to her?" Mirio hissed. Izuku watched as he scooped her up into his arms, lifting her as if she weighed less than a child. Deku felt a twinge of shame and jealousy wash over him as he spoke.
"She's my favor, Mirio," Midoirya explained, getting up and dusting himself off, "Please take her up as soon as possible. She needs help right away. Then you can get the other people trapped just outside of here."
Mirio blanched at Izuku. He sputtered a bit, shifting Uraraka slightly as he tried to wrap his head around what was happening.
"You mean to tell me that you're calling in your favor for her? Don't get me wrong, I'd save her just like anyone else but coming from you?"
"I get it," Deku drolled with a dismissive wave, "I'm not exactly a great person or whatever. But... she's different. She was fighting to save those people out there by herself. Uravity is always saving people. She's a true hero. Just like you. I couldn't just let her die."
Izuku looked away with a pointed gaze fixed on the graffiti painted above on the arching wall to his right. He couldn't bring himself to look at Lemillions gape of disbelief. Izuku almost scoffed in frustration. I'm a crook not a monster.
"Is there, uh... Is there anything else?" Lemillion offered hesitantly. He squatted down and was getting ready to take off. Izuku nodded with a smile and waved around the tan envelope in his hand.
"Yeah, there's one more thing. How about a trade? Favor for a favor. I met a U.A. student on the way here. She's visiting some folks in town but she really wanted to meet you. Her info's all on here. Take a look. I think you'll be interested. Maybe say hello."
"Where do you get all this? Where do you get off, spying on everyone?" Lemillion barked. Izuku smirked before turning away.
"C'mon now, Mirio," he offered with humor dripping in his voice, "You know better than to ask that."
There was a beat of silence before the hero whisked Uravity away. When the coast was clear, Izuku worked quickly to leave the packet lying on a rock. He broke a glow stick to shed some light on it for when Mirio returned. Even though it was a debt owed to Lemillion, Izuku was relieved to have some tether attached to the hero. Deku took off into a full out sprint, having no intention of being present when Mirio did eventually come looking for him.
