Chapter 4

"You're watching that again?" Kasen asked his boss.

Dabi waved off his underling, and continued watching the TV. Kazue Matsushita was on screen. She was still a journalist but now had her own show, interviewing politicians and others of interest. She was dressed sharply in a tailored suit and sat in a trendy chair. Across the small table, sat Representative Imoku Kakurete. He wore a similarly tailored suit but wore it with such aplomb that he made it seem completely natural. Sitting beside Kazue, he was far more in control. The ribbon badge that marked him as a Representative was affixed to his left breast pocket where a rose might have sat if he'd been a normal businessman.

"I don't get why you watch that boss," Kasen said. He'd said it before when Dabi watched politics. For the Leader of the… Acting Leader of the League, he had a big interest in politics. "And Toga is here."

Dabi nodded. His underlings might not understand why he watched politics but he did. He did it to gain insight into Imoku and he couldn't do it in person. Anything the man told him had to be viewed from multiple angles. The only time Imoku was straight forward was with orders to the League. Dabi waved as Himiko walked in. She was spinning her large knife around one finger. It was a blatant hint that he hadn't yet replaced the blood vial in it. "Where have you been?" Dabi demanded.

"The boss wanted a couple of things," she replied.

Dabi jerked his eyes away from the screen. Kazue was just beginning the interview and it would be small talk for a while. His motion was enough for her to explain.

"He wanted to know about ExplodoKill the other day," she said. While Himiko was more than happy to call Imoku Izu, something Dabi didn't fully understand, she was always careful when others were around. Most didn't expect that. They saw the exuberant woman and never looked deeper. Dabi knew better. Toga was as much a villain, and as skilled as them all, in her own way.

Kasen looked fascinated. This was not the first time he'd heard one of the League's Executives refer to the boss, but it was always interesting how casual they were about it. He had no idea who the man might be. He wanted to know.

"You explained?"

Toga nodded. "As much as I could. He wasn't alone."

"He's never alone." As a Member of the House of Representatives Imoku was seldom alone. That's why Himiko worked with him the most. She could change her appearance to fit in and Dabi knew that Imoku had provided her with several blood slides to ensure she looked appropriate. She probably had a position as one of his staffers.

"It's still good that you got away." He said, referring to the other day. She'd sat in that chair then and he'd had it replaced since then. The smell of the sewer just did not wash out.

"He can't explodokill in a sewer," Himiko reminded him. "Though are you going to replace it?" She brought out her knife again.

"Maybe," was all he said. It was going to be annoying to replace the blood. High End did not like bleeding, except in the ring.

"Yeah… but there was something odd," Himiko said seriously. "I didn't tell you last time, 'cos I wanted to tell the boss first."

Dabi jerked his head at Kasen. The man looked disappointed but knew better than to complain. Dabi glanced to the TV. Imoku was still smiling and was answering something. From the way he was gesturing they were still talking about easy things. The door closed.

"What was odd?" he asked after he was sure Kasen was gone. This particular room was sound proofed, but he knew there were quirks that could get around that. He watched the shadow of the man move down the corridor.

"He knew about Imoku."

"What? How?" Dabi demanded, half rising.

This was bad. This was very bad.

Though… If the vigilante knew, why hadn't he told anyone? He might be a vigilante but Dabi was sure he had at least some legitimate contacts.

"I don't know. It's not like he was going to tell me!" Himiko replied.

Dabi nodded. Maybe this was why Imoku wanted ExplodoKill taken out. Actually, that made a lot of sense. And, as always with Imoku, there were layers that he could see. Having the League become active again taking out a vigilante meant that while the public would still see them as villains, initially they wouldn't be dangerous villains. It was a subtle difference but it would give them time.

"Did he say anything about why ExplodoKill would know him?" Dabi asked.

"No," Himiko replied. "Though Izu said the brat probably fished in the right places."

That didn't sound like Imoku but Dabi resolved to ask him himself. Later.

Dabi rolled his eyes. "Are you ever going to explain that?"

"Explain what?"

"Izu? His name is Imoku!"

"Imoku is too formal!" Toga told him. "Izu is so much more fun!"

No. She wasn't going to explain it. He knew Izu was short for Izuku, since Himiko had once called him that but he didn't know anything else. Given Imoku's response that time and her chimed 'only in private' it must be a pet name… But he would like to know the origin. Not that badly though.

Dabi turned up the sound on the TV knowing he'd get nothing more. And if Himiko hadn't gotten away from ExplodoKill as cleanly - he winced at the thought of that word especially with the air fresheners still in the room to cover the sewer smell - then the vigilante would still have had to fight through his guards before getting here.

"-QERI?" Kazue said.

Himiko wasn't the only one to jerk at the word. It was fair to say that they both had the same reaction. When had that become public!?

On screen Imoku displayed no reaction. "Ah, the new initiative of the Justice Department," he said easily. "I believe young Toogata had been inflating the case somewhat. I think what the public should be focused on is the simple fact, that if they have done nothing wrong, then there is nothing to fear."

"But destroying quirks?" Kazue sounded horrified.

Imoku sat back in his chair. "QERI has been designed to be used only in the most heinous cases. Those of repeat offenders, where no amount of therapy or rehabilitation will work."

Dabi winced. He knew what that meant. Their cases. The Leagues. Except Imoku had given them immunity.

"And, we already have something like it," Imoku continued. "We have quirk suppressant drugs and quirk suppressant cuffs. There's even an implanted drug. QERI is merely the next step."

"So why don't we just go with those?" Kazue asked.

Imoku looked tired. "Because there have been cases where repeat offenders have been equipped with an implanted suppressant and they just cut it out," he said delicately. "QERI can't be cut out, it cannot be removed, and so the problem of a repeat quirk offender using their quirk to hurt anyone ever again is solved."

"You aren't afraid it will become something like the bullet that was used to suppress Sir Nighteye's quirk?"

Dabi snorted. Himiko wasn't as restrained. She chuckled. They remembered that.

"No, I'm not." He shook his head artfully. His green curls swayed with the movement. "While I am only peripherally involved with BioSimip Industries, I know that their security is good. They create QERI only when the Department of Justice orders a dose, and the formula is kept under lock and key. Unlike the unfortunate incident with Sir Nighteye, it will not be stolen."

"We should do it!" Himiko interrupted, almost singing the words.

"Do what?" Dabi asked. He knew if he ignored Toga when she was like this, he wouldn't hear anything of the interview. He touched the remote to record what was left. He'd have to watch it later, after Toga was gone.

"Steal the formula," she continued singing.

Dabi drew a long suffering breath. "That won't help his position," he pointed out.

Himiko giggled. "We won't actually steal it," she said. "I doubt we could get past the security."

He gave her a look. With the Noumu they could just ram straight through it.

"It's not a physical thing we want. We'd have to access the servers," Toga reminded him. They didn't have much skill in that.

"An attack won't actually help Imoku," Dabi pointed out again.

"A failed attack will."

He blinked. A failed attack. It went against everything he'd ever learned but… what would it do. It would highlight QERI but apparently someone was already doing that. It would show it was protected and it would reveal the League.

But they were about to reveal themselves anyway. Imoku had said they could go wild when they took out ExplodoKill, and given what he'd done to Himiko, Dabi had a feeling that would be sooner rather than later. He tapped his finger on the remote as he thought.

"I don't think Imoku would like one of his businesses attacked." It was an unspoken rule that in as far as possible, the League didn't attack the businesses Imoku owned. It wasn't a big problem. He didn't own that many they would be interested in.

"It would show that QERI is secure. It would also bring ExplodoKill's focus to us, which is what we want."

"He's already hunting us." Dabi felt obliged to point out. She had been sitting there a few days back, stinking of a sewer because of the fact he was hunting them.

"So we have to be seen every now and then, to keep his interest. Besides, it's not like it's going to be a true attack. We just have to be seen, raise a ruckus and then retreat."

"I don't like failing." It was bad for the League.

She gave him a look. It wasn't failing if it was helping Imoku, and if it was contributing to making sure ExplodoKill found them - when they were ready for it.

"All right," he sighed. "We'll do it." The fall out wouldn't be that bad.

"Yay!" Himiko cheered.

"Now, go away while I plan how we will lose this," Dabi ordered.

Toga grinned at him before she rose and left the room.

He huffed, and looked over to the TV and grimaced. The interview had ended. Sometimes Himiko had the worst timing.

-afop-

Katsuki was bored. He understood he needed to take some time to heal after that bitch put a knife through his hand, but he'd been checked out. Despite being in a sewer, he was clean. He'd caught nothing and in a few days his hand would be better. It was currently bandaged. They had no one with a healing quirk but there were acceleration drugs and he had managed to get some of them.

At least Aizawa had managed to find something for him to do, but it was boring. He was acting as a guard for some company called BioSimip Industries. He wasn't even an important guard. He got the foyer. That was it. The way the others looked at him, they thought he wasn't even worth that.

Eh, they were all extras. He was only staying here because BioSimip Industries produced quirk destroying drugs. Well… according to Mirio they did, but according to Deku they only did it when the government ordered it. He'd been far too smug when he'd said that. Bakugou had wanted to reach through the TV and explode him.

He comforted himself that Deku would fall. It would just take time and he was part of the team working on shortening that time.

That didn't make this any less boring.

If the League had any sense, they weren't going to attack here. It was too easily predicted. But the League were villains and villains were stupid. Except Deku… Deku was worthless but Katsuki had to begrudgingly admit that he wasn't stupid.

They weren't going to att-

The thought died as he glanced at the security screens. The foyer security point wasn't at reception. No one would want him on Reception anyway. He was honest enough to admit it, and he didn't want to be there either. Instead, the security room was behind reception, in a room lined with screens. Part of the wall behind reception was the door, and this entire room was designed like a panic room. The receptionist, if threatened could retreat here. And he could see everything outside.

Others could too. There were other security points with the same feeds but Katsuki was sure he was the first to see it.

On one of the feeds there was a man. Medium build. Blond. He had two day stubble and there was a scar or something running up his forehead. He looked stressed but not so stressed that anyone would notice him.

Bakugou remembered him. Twice.

He hit one of the silent alarms. It was not so much an alarm as a warning alarm. It sent a message to the main security point. While he was happy dealing with this himself, Aizawa had been insistent that he follow BioSimip's protocol.

The phone rang. "What is it?" the voice was bored. They were going through the motions.

"There's a member of the League outside," he report.

"For fucks sake, newbie, keep your reports real!"

Katsuki growled at the response. "Listen here, you shit, when you get kidnapped by those fuckers, you tend to remember them. One of them is outside, and where there is one, you can beat there are othe-"

He never finished the sentence. There was a huge roar from outside and something crashed through the front glass doors. Even in a world where people could be large, it was enormous, and black and strong… It was one of the fucking Noumu's! Bakugou didn't recognise it specifically but he knew what the exposed brain meant.

The receptionist screamed, and the rest of the rats that infested the reception scattered. At least they were that intelligent. As part of Hero Studies, they had to learn about crowd control and how, originally the moronic public had been hurt because they strayed too close. Eventually they'd been trained to keep their distance.

With the removal of Heroes, the public had quickly forgotten safe distances but when their arses were on the line, they could scurry like rats.

The Noumu wasn't interested in them. It seemed to have been used as a tank. Several members of the League followed in its wake. Dabi, Twice, the bitch, Spinner, Mustard… Shit! All the commanders were here. The only one he couldn't see was Kurogiri but there was another woman in the line up. That was probably Ujiko

Fuck, that meant they were attacking for real.

Bakugou hit the alarm. The real alarm. He couldn't be sure the fuck wits in the security room would have noticed. The receptionist finally remembered her job and dove into the room.

He flexed his bandaged hand, his eyes fixed on the screens. He could move well enough and, he grinned as small explosions danced on his palm, blowing away the bandage.

"Stand firm!" The order came from the security room.

Katsuki slammed one hand down on the comm. He didn't need noobs telling him what to do, except as he went to leave the room, he heard the lock slam home. "Let me fight," he screamed.

"Stand firm!" the order was repeated. This time though, Bakugou could see various rent-a-cops pouring into the reception. Where the hell had they been hiding?

The Noumu roared and charged forward, mowing them down. It was a slaughter and it was one he'd seen before. He focused on the League. The Noumu was just raw power.

They were just standing there. Mustard was surrounded by a haze of gas but the rest were… what where they playing at? Weren't they here to steal QERI? Or was their mission just to be seen? Why?

Why bring the focus on BioSimip? What was Deku playing at?

Most people saw Bakugou's rash and brash attitude, they didn't remember that to get into UA's hero course, he had to have a brain to go with his skills. And he hated not seeing the plan!

Or did Deku know he was here, and was showing off? Except… As much as he hated to admit it, Deku had never done that before. There was only that one time, when he'd learned the truth, when he'd confronted Imoku Kakurete and learned that he was Izuku Midoriya… Though now that he knew did Deku feel the need to show off?

He was going down.

"I have a quirk license!" Bakugou growled at the comm. He didn't actually have one but what did that fucker know wouldn't hurt now and if it got him out there, it didn't matter. He could deal with this crap. At the very least he could deal with the League, he could get them to talk which would answer some of his questions.

They were just standing there, almost posing while the Noumu made mince meat of the rent-a-cops.

"The police are on the way."

"And what the fuck are they going to do?" He demanded.

Against the Noumu, they were going to be meat bags, or like the receptionist who was cowering in the corner. She wasn't even looking at the screens. "Shut up woman!" Bakugou growled. She was whining.

"Newbie, you will stay there!"

On the screen Bakugou watched as Himiko turned to Dabi and said something. The fire villain released a few bouts of blue flame. Mustard helped, producing some sort of explosive gas and the room was filled with flame.

It still made no sense to him. They were just standing there. The woman he assumed was Ujiko said something after she looked back outside. Dabi yelled something.

The Noumu turned. On the screen he could see black swirls appearing.

Fuck! Katsuki knew what that meant. They were going to get away. He looked at the door. The receptionist was at least away from it. It would be a pain to actually have to drag her. It only took a step or two until he was standing at the door. Bakugou put both hands on it. He didn't have his gauntlets, but he had a lot of practice.

The door was reinforced but he was stronger. He knew a lot of people who were stronger. It exploded outwards. Bakugou ignored the way his injured hand stung. He'd reopened the wound. Instead he leapt through the hole he'd made and looked around.

There was noise and dust. Katsuki was prepared for that. He'd been gazing through smoke all his life. He could see the Noumu moving. It had reacted to his explosion and was turning, though it was still casually batting away the rent-a-cops. They really should have known better. The League was reacting as well. Dabi was half in one of Kurogiri's portals but was shouting something. Toga was nowhere to be seen. Not surprising. She had probably already left. Mustard was near Dabi and Twice…

Bakugou's eyes widened when he realised Twice was lying on the ground. Blood was pouring from a wound on his head. He was down. There was a chunk from the wall near him. He assumed it had hit the Villain.

Katsuki didn't even hesitate. He jumped towards the villain. Twice wasn't the one he wanted. He wanted that bitch. He wanted them all but Twice would be a beginning. He slammed one hand on the villain's neck, locking his legs around him and holding his other hand out. Bakugou grinned at the League, his red eyes meeting Dabi's blue. He could see the way Dabi's eyes widened.

"Try it!" Katsuki invited. Dabi could probably get him with fire, or Mustard could with gas, or even the Noumu but if they did… he had Twice. He knew villains didn't care about each other, but the League had been together for a long time. The Commanders at least tried not to kill one another.

"Noumu!" Dabi yelled.

The Noumu roared. Bakugou was already moving. He rose, hauling Twice up by the throat and using the villain as a shield. He backed up until was standing against a wall. He was pretty sure that Kurogiri couldn't open a warp gate behind him that way. To stop the warp villain opening a gate in front of him, Bakugou pulled one of Twice's legs back so that he was almost entwined around the villain. The Noumu stopped.

Katsuki grinned again at Dabi. "Check mate!" he hissed.

He knew the fire villain had heard from the glare directed at him. But Dabi was realistic. "Pull back!" he yelled at the Noumu.

The huge creature fixed Bakugou with one eye and he got the impression it was memorising him but it moved through the portal Kurogiri opened for it. The rest of the League disappeared and the warp gates vanished just as the screech of tyres sounded outside. The cops had finally arrived.

Bakugou threw Twice to the ground and against straddled him, pulling the villains arms back before he yelled at one of the still alive rent-a-cops. "Get me some cuffs!"

It wouldn't stop Twice's Quirk but it wouldn't hurt. He wasn't about to let this bastard get away.

-afop-

"Your hand is never going to heal if you keep blowing off the bandages," Midnight berated him as she re-dressed his wound.

Katsuki snorted, but left it at that. Nemuri was dressed as a civilian, so he could put up with her when she wasn't pulling that 18 plus crap.

"Twice has been taken for questioning," Aizawa told the gathering.

"Since Young Bakugou was on the clock, the arrest has been accepted," Toshinori said.

"They didn't bring up any vigilante crap?" Katsuki demanded.

"You were on the clock as a registered guard for BioSimip Industries," Yagi explained. "They didn't bring it up." There was a catch in his voice that told Bakugou more.

He snorted again. "They wanted to," he growled.

"Yes," Aizawa replied, "but getting a League member gift wrapped was too good for them, especially since they were attacking. But what I said stands, Katsuki."

"Yeah, yeah I know. Wrongful arrest by vigilante," he parroted the words from before. "Fuckers."

"So why were they there?" Mirio asked. He was still dressed in a suit from the day's campaigning.

When the group turned to him Bakugou glared. "How the fuck am I supposed to know?" he growled.

"You weren't working there because you wanted to," Sir Nighteye pointed out.

"They were after QERI," Hizashi said.

"No, they weren't," Bakugou retaliated immediately.

"What makes you think that, young Bakugou?" Yagi asked mildly.

"Because they barged in and then did jack shit but stand there," he replied immediately.

Aizawa nodded. "I saw the footage. The League burst through the doors but did not go further."

"Unless Kurogiri was there?" Sir Nighteye asked.

"That's not his style," Nemuri said as she packed away the first aid kit.

"What about the other teleporter?"

"She just stood there too," Bakugou said. "They were practically posing."

"So it was a distraction," Toshinori concluded. "But from what?"

The group was silent for a few minutes, thinking of anything else they knew about the time. There had been no other major reports from around the town.

"We are sure they didn't get the QERI formula? That it wasn't just a cover for one of their agents to get out?" Hizashi asked.

"We will have to check the footage," Aizawa said. It was definitely a possibility and explained why the League was happy to be seen. Katsuki was correct. The League did not seem to have any other purpose in this raid.

"You think that bastard will let you?" Bakugou barked.

"Who?" Yagi asked.

"That bastard Deku."

"For those of us who don't understand," Aizawa reminded him.

He huffed. "Imoku Kakurete," Katsuki spat the name. He really hated Deku.

"Why would the Representative have anything to do with it?" Hizashi asked.

"You didn't tell him?"

Aizawa sighed. "Representative Kakurete is the owner of BioSimip Industries but not the direct owner. There's enough shell companies involved so that he can't be accused of favouritism with the Department of Justice."

The radio presenter sighed.

"There's also the fact that we have no right to those recordings," Sir Nighteye pointed out the other minor detail. Since Heroes had been reintegrated, things like security recordings, which would usually have been provided to them for intelligence were no longer necessary, since they were no longer heroes.

"I can get them," Bakugou was positive, "but they aren't going to show anything. The League bastards were just there to be seen. They weren't there for QERI. If they want it, he'll just give it to them."

"So what purpose does this mission have, besides attracting attention?" Yagi asked.

They all had questions. Bakugou had to admit that was a good one. Why had the League attacked, when they really had no plan? It's like they wanted to fail.

"They were attracting attention to themselves," Mirio answered, "and possibly to QERI but Kakurete had been keeping that quiet until Sir Nighteye found out about it."

"And since Kakurete probably controls the League, it makes no sense for him to have them attack. It just makes him look bad," Nemuri mused.

Katsuki's lips pursed. "Not really," he murmured. It was an odd volume for him. It got attention. "Watch what he says in the next few days," Bakugou continued. "If he says anything about BioSimip's Security then he's trying to make a political point, that his protections are better than the governments."

"That could be one interpretation, but why would Representative Kakurete need to do that?" Yagi asked. Most only saw All Might as a man who was insanely strong, they tended to forget there was a brain behind him, one that was capable of running the still strong business empire. Heroes might be gone but having been Number One for so long, there was still some residual interest, especially in merchandising. "He has worked with the Government for the last few terms," he added.

"What's the polls like?" Nemuri asked.

"The opposition will probably win," Hizashi answered. He knew that. People all wanted to talk about it.

"That could explain it," Sir Nighteye nodded. "If Kakurete was trying to make a point that his facilities are stronger and that QERI is safe, then whoever wins may be less likely to reassess the program."

"It could be a number of reasons. Who knows why that fucking Deku does what he does?" Katsuki spat. "I'm more interested in questioning that fucking Twice."

"No chance," Mirio told him.

"The fuck?"

"No chance," Mirio repeated. "Twice has been taken to Tartarus. He'll be tried via video link."

"What?"

"I heard it today. It was thought that since Tartarus managed to keep the former boss contained, they would keep any high ranked member of the League there."

"That's bullshit!"

"That's what they are going to do," Mirio explained.

"It makes sense," Nemuri nodded to herself. "If Tartarus was enough to keep a man who could fight All Might equally contained, then Twice shouldn't be a problem."

"He stayed contained because he fucking wanted to," Bakugou growled.

"That may be," Yagi interrupted, "but that is the logic they are employing."

"Shit for brains," Katsuki grumbled.

No one bothered to censure him.

"So what do we do now?" Hizashi asked.

"Could you get an interview with Deku?"

"Why do you call him that?" Nemuri asked. She knew who the vigilante was referring to now but it still made no sense.

"Because he is!"

Aizawa sighed. "We have a theory that Imoku Kakurete is actually Izuku Midoriya, who has been aged somewhat, and given the position by the former Leader of the League."

Yagi's eyes went wide at the suggestion. It was odd to see it in such an emaciated face. "No one really knew what quirks he had," he murmured.

"So it could be possible?" Mirio asked.

Toshinori took a heavy breath. "It might be but… if he's been groomed by All For One, he's not going to admit it." The basic details of All For One were generally known. The fact that he could steal quirks, the rest of history, that of the struggle those who bore One For All took up, that was still known only to a subgroup.

And with All For One dead, there was a chance, the struggle was over. Except for his apprentices. Tomura Shigaraki was one, but he was also dead… and it appeared this Imoku Kakurete was another. And he was… very powerful.

"Can you get an interview?" Katsuki pushed with his usual single minded attitude.

"Maybe," Hizashi said. "My target audience doesn't care much for politics."

"Then make them interested! It's not that hard."

Hizashi's eyebrow raised at the suggestion. His audience was young. They were more interested in the latest fade over who ran the country.

"Make up some sort of segment," Bakugou continued. "Who looks like someone else? Or some shit like that. Mirio looks like All Might, Pop Step like Cutie Honey, Imoku Kakurete like Izuku Midoriya."

"That sounds like I'll be opening myself up for defamation."

"If that fucker sues you, then all it's proving is he's got something to hide." Katsuki shrugged. "Sell if off as a joke. It's not insulting, and it's just fucking kids with an opinion," he added.

Hizashi got the message. If Imoku sued him over that, it would be easy to make him look petty but it wasn't quite that simple. His station was one that Imoku didn't own, they couldn't really afford to be taking random pot shots at Representatives.

"What did Izuku look like?" Sir Nighteye asked. "If there is a genuine resemblance, then Bakugou is correct, such a segment could easily be passed off as a joke, assuming he even hears about it."

Aizawa picked up a tablet and tapped it a few times, before holding it up for the group to look at. There was a picture of Izuku Midoriya on it from his wanted poster. The smiling face of the fourteen year old looked out at them.

Sir Nighteye blew out. "There is a definite resemblance."

"That's because the fucker is him!" Katsuki growled.

"You actually want to go through with that?" Hizashi asked.

Sir Nighteye looked upwards, thinking. "Usually I would say no, given that we do not want to alert him to our presence, but he's already aware. And with an foe like this, one who will not slip up by himself, sometimes it's necessary to show part of your hand, so that he thinks you know more, and reacts to that."

"You want to try to force him to make a mistake?"

"I want to see his reaction," Sir Nighteye corrected. "As you say, Hizashi, you are not a political station. If you sell the segment as something to get youth into politics, then there is nothing to be offended about. As a Representative, he's meant to be interested in that. So, we'll find a whole heap of contemporary and historic political matches, and do it that way. If Kakurete gets offended, then he has something to hide. If he laughs it off, then-" Sir Nighteye sighed. "He's either a very good actor, or there is nothing to hide and Bakugou's theory is incorrect."

"I'm not wrong."

"I want to see his reaction," Sir Nighteye repeated, ignoring Katsuki. "Because with people like this, if we leave them to act, they will finish their plan. If we force a reaction then… that's different, that's not in the script, and that's where they make mistakes."

Hizashi nodded. The entire group nodded.

"If you want, I can come in for an interview," Mirio offered.

"No," Toshinori said before Sir Nighteye could. "Let's keep Hizashi's station completely free of politics for the moment. Maybe closer to the election," he added.

His former sidekick nodded and gave him a ghost of a smile. He had learned something in all that time.

"The fucker isn't going to react," Bakugou huffed. "But it's better than nothing. In the meantime, I'll keep hunting the League." He said it as if he was the only one doing work.

The group knew better than to take offense. All Might smiled at Katsuki. "You do that, young Bakugou," he encouraged. "Any lead you come up with is valuable," he added.

That much was definitely true. And in a world where heroes were reintegrated into society, they knew they needed all the leads they could get against a newly active League of Villains.

The danger wasn't past.

-afop-

Dabi should have expected to see Imoku waiting for him. Kurogiri was a black shadow behind him. His green eyes were sharp and glared at him.

"We lost Twice," Dabi informed him.

"I know," Imoku said in a measured tone. He was pissed. It was a state Dabi had only ever seen Imoku in a few times. He really wasn't feeling good that this time, it was directed to him. "Why did you attack?"

He couldn't say Himiko suggested it. He was the Acting Leader of the League. That meant the decision was his, as was the responsibility. "We were only going to show up, and then pretend we'd been driven off," he said, instead of explaining. "We didn't expect ExplodoKill to be there. Did you know he was there?"

"No," Imoku replied. "I'm not in charge of hiring," he reminded the fire villain. He owned BioSimip Industries but it was a tenuous ownership. He owned the company, that owned the company and so on. He took a deep breath. "You were trying to help," he said.

From the explanation Imoku knew what they had been trying to do. They were trying to show that BioSimip's security was better than the Government's. Of course it was! It was one of his companies. But they hadn't gone about it well.

"Yes," Dabi admitted softly.

"This is why I want ExplodoKill taken out," Imoku said. "He's interfering."

"Himiko followed him the other day."

"I heard about that," Imoku replied. She'd already told him. "The injury didn't seem to slow him down. That's why you have to kill him."

"We will," Dabi assured him. With Twice being captured, the entire League would be after ExplodoKill. They'd go after Twice if they thought they could but he'd already heard Twice wasn't being kept in remand, he was being kept in Tartarus, at least until his trial. He was getting a trial at least, so maybe there was an opportunity to retrieve him. He would have to see.

"I know," Imoku said. "I appreciate the gesture to help but it's not needed. Just focus on taking out ExplodoKill. As I said previously, go wild against him. Be seen, I don't care if it's fighting him… but just not at one of my facilities!"

Dabi couldn't help but smile at that. It was a quick twitch of his lips. "We'll get him boss."

Imoku looked at him. Dabi was happy to see that most of the anger had dissipated. Imoku was a reasonable man. "Good," he purred, before he rose and walked through Kurogiri.

The warp villain gave Dabi a look before he too disappeared.

The fire villain sighed. He couldn't help but feel he'd dodged a bullet there. He was grateful for that, but it didn't change the facts. They'd lost Twice. He balled his hands into fists.

The vigilante would pay.

-afop-

Did I do good, Izu Izu?

Imoku smiled down at his phone, even as he typed the reply. You did great, Hime.

It wasn't perfect. We barely got past the foyer

I know. It's not your fault. It was ExplodoKill's fault. It was Katsuki's fault. But it was also the League's for not noticing the vigilante was there. After all, he'd known Bakugou was staking out BioSimip, so really, it wasn't that hard to know, especially when you had the security cameras… which the League didn't. Such a pity that.

Two Time was taken.

Imoku nodded. I know. Tell TT that that I don't blame him and that he should concentrate on taking out ExplodoKing. He'd already told Dabi that, but it never hurt to reinforce his orders. If anyone ever got this phone open, it was biometrically locked, it would be dangerous but the nicknames meant that anyone who got a look at it would be confused.

You can't tell him yourself?

He could, but he'd already spoken to Dabi about the attack, and he didn't want to reveal that he knew more than he should about it. Paperwork. It was such a convenient excuse… and unfortunately true.

They need you to talk to the Noumu.

The messages came in fast succession but were separate. It had taken him a long time to train Toga not to jumble the topic of conversation into the one message. He sighed at the message though. He didn't really have time to go to the League. He'd had to make time especially to talk to Dabi. And they mentioned this now, via Toga. It probably meant the situation was getting serious.

Dabi had confirmed that the original Noumu had deteriorated over time. It was really only designed to be used, and then disposed of. They had kept it for far longer than its design life. It was no surprise that it was breaking down. Using his quirk, he was able to get the Noumu to trust him, to calm down. It was easy. The Noumu's might be an amalgamation of quirks but they still responded to them.

There was really only one way to deal with it. Let it go. They were Tomura's toys.

You're sure?

He was sure. Let it go.

Though… Imoku thought. If the original had deteriorated, would the others? He pursed his lips slightly, thinking. Dabi had said they were all not as lively. He knew roughly how the Noumu were created but he hadn't ever immersed himself in the notes the scientists had left. Though, to be fair, it was a stretch to call them scientists. Hacks is the term he'd use. Torturers if he wasn't feeling charitable. High End seemed to be fully functional but he'd have to check with Dabi.

Who would probably remind him that it would be nice of they could check with the Noumu's creators, except they were gone. Had been for years. It was really only good business sense to remove them. They were part of Tomura's League. They weren't necessary for his.

Still, they could release the Noumus as they became unusable or uncontrollable. It would give him a good gauge on the police and was one final service they could give to him.

You did great, Hime. She did great in getting the League to attack. And now, with Twice being taken, they'd focus even more on Bakugou. If they did want to run wild, then they would.

He did so hope Kacchan was up to it.

-afop-