A/N: Alright, guys! This is the last chapter before the epilogue! Sorry for the long wait, but I'm really proud of this chapter!

[Chapter 16- Battle]

With the entire team working together, it took less than a week to design, construct, and practice with special suits just for them. They were purposefully different than the ones from Hiro's dream, partly so he couldn't get confused but mostly because they had a different plan.

GoGo, Tadashi and Fred were assigned to distract Callaghan. Honey Lemon and Wasabi would trap him. And Krei would evacuate the area and make sure everyone was safe.

Because of this, GoGo, Tadashi, Fred, and Krei's armor was the most protective. A new metal alloy from Krei's R&D department was used to make their suits, and it could deflect most attacks. Most of the technology they had was to help distract Callaghan and defend themselves, like flares, smoke bombs, or EMPs.

In contrast, Honey Lemon and Wasabi's suits were designed for stealth and speed. Invisibility mode, sonic roller blades, and chemical weapons. All of their attacks were designed to trap, wrapping around whatever they hit and encasing it in seconds.

Their plan was actually very simple, when it came down to it. And Hiro didn't even have to get involved. They designed and tested the suits easily, and gave Aunt Cass a reason to keep Hiro at home with her. (And a couple dozen body guards.) Then they helped set up the Krei Industries press conference and waited.

Just as Hiro predicted, a mass of microbots appeared, rearing to attack. But there was no portal. Instead, the microbots targeted the building and people alike; tendrils of the black mass caused more destruction than even the portal might have.

And there was no sign of Callaghan.

"Where is he?!" Tadashi panicked, trying to fight off a sharp attack and protect a trapped family all at once. He strained as the microbots slammed into him, trying to push him to the ground and crush him. He managed to slip out from under and cut the wild limb loose from the main mass. The appendage writhed for a moment before the microbots separated and slithered back to the black beast.

"This isn't what Hiro said at all!" Wasabi shrieked. He was helping Krei evacuate at this point; he raced back and forth between the battle zone and the newly formed police line. He scooped up a young child, protecting him with his body as he carried him back to a desperate father. He managed to snare a few of the dangerous microbot tentacles in one of their chemical bombs.

"Callaghan knew somehow!" GoGo snapped in realization. She threw a small bomb into the swirling mechanical mass, scattering a good chunk of microbots and disabling them. Feeling protected by the alloy, she began to charge at the limbs, punching them head-on.

"Then why is he still attacking?" Honey Lemon questioned. She sped around the building and trapped falling chunks with some of the chemical bombs. "If he knew that we knew-" She trailed off uncertainly, and a heavy feeling weighed started to weigh down their movements- dread.

"Guys! Guys!" Fred cried, sounding panicked. "It's a distraction!"

"Distraction for what?" GoGo demanded. "What else would he be doing?!"

Silence reigned as everyone thought for a moment.

"HIRO!" Tadashi suddenly screamed. "We left Hiro at home and Callaghan knows that Hiro's the only unpredictable variable that could have known his plan- Oh my gosh-"

"Wasabi, Honey Lemon," GoGo snagged their attention. "Go to Tadashi's house. See if he's right. Maybe you can still trap Callaghan!"

"Already going!" Honey Lemon grinned anxiously. Wasabi followed closely behind her. They raced through the streets, only stopping once or twice to ask Tadashi for directions.

Eventually, they reached the street in front of the cafe. Smoke billowed down the pavement, gun shots echoed through the city, and screaming customers ran past them.

"He's already in there!" Wasabi panicked.

"Guys, what's happeni-" Tadashi started, but the comm links began to cut out. Honey Lemon darted into the smoke. She dipped around an overturned car and into the Lucky Cat Cafe. Wasabi anxiously trailed behind her.

"Hey, Tadashi?" He whispered into the earphone. "GoGo? Fred? Someon- Krei? Anybody?"

"Something's jamming the signal," Honey Lemon interrupted. She motioned for him to stand still. They looked around the darkened cafe, seeing Krei's body guards strewn around the floor.

"W-We're... ZZzzzZZZ... -ay" GoGo's voice buzzed in their ears.

Plates were shattered across the floor, table were overturned, pictures had been knocked off the walls. Something in the kitchen was beeping faintly. The single light bulb flickered and went out.

Slow, even footsteps rounded the landing and began to victoriously tip tap their way down the stairs.

A faint groan sounded, but the footsteps didn't hesitate. Wasabi ducked around the counter and found Aunt Cass's limp form. The woman was surrounded by shattered glass and the remains of her cash register. The college student carefully maneuvered her to a safer area, so she wouldn't hurt herself while she was unconscious.

Tip. Tap.

Tip. Tap.

Tip.

Callaghan stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Hiro was held under his arm. The boy's face was blank, like some kind of doll. He barely seemed to be breathing.

The old professor's eyebrow arched at the sight of Honey Lemon, and he looked over her get-up with distain. He scoffed once, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Honestly," he sighed, shifting his weight. "I could expect Tadashi. But you? You've got such a bright future ahead of you! You're a smart girl. What are you doing here?"

"Tadashi is my friend," Honey Lemon grit out, holding herself back. She didn't know what she would do, though it felt suspiciously like punching Callaghan across that stupidly handsome jawline. "And Hiro... Hiro's my friend too."

She gulped and let chemical bombs slip down into her waiting hands.

"I won't let you get away with this," she declared. "No one is going to let you take Hiro."

"Listen," he smirked. "These men were armed much better than you and your little... costume. I'll give you one last chance. Go away. I'm taking Hiro with me, and you can't do anything." Microbots swarmed behind his shoulders like a tidal wave, ready to crash down on Honey at any moment.

"No. I'd like to say that you'll have to get through me, but there's not even a 1% probability of that happening," she snapped. She raised one of her chemical bombs, ready to trap him and end this right now.

Something tugged on her ankle.

She glanced down. A tendril of microbots was wrapped just above her foot, and as soon as she noticed it, it tightened suddenly. It yanked harshly, dragging her feet out from under her.

With a yelp, Honey Lemon crashed to the ground. The chemical bombs rolled away. She scrambled for another one desperately but found that she'd used all the pre-prepared ones. Black spikes raised up above her, and Callaghan's crisp footsteps stopped at her heels.

"I hate to do this, really I do. But Hiro can help me fix what all of you have ruined. He's the key to getting my daughter back, and I won't have any of you brats in my way," Callaghan growled, face reddening. The attacks reared back to strike and-

Wasabi slammed into his side, knocking Callaghan and Hiro to the ground. Hiro rolled away, unresponsive. Callaghan, though- He got up, steaming like a bull. He huffed, and he puffed, and Wasabi awkwardly danced around several lashing microbot tentacles.

GoGo burst into cafe, slamming the door against the wall, and charged in to defend Wasabi. She picked up Aunt Cass's serving tray, and in one clean throw, cut through all of the offending limbs. Tadashi rushed to Honey Lemon's side and quickly helped her up.

"Where's Hiro?" He questioned, voice rough and breathless. Honey Lemon could barely speak, herself. She resorted to pointing, showing the mop of black hair peeking out from behind a table. Tadashi made a move for his brother, but Callaghan threw up his arm.

Walls of microbots formed a case around Hiro, trapping him in place.

Callaghan backed up against the stairs, his resources cut in half by the maneuver. He struck out violently. Attack after attack launched at the teens. They dodged and defended, met the attacks blow for blow.

This wasn't the big battle they had prepared for.

It was cramped in the cafe, with so many body trying to move around each other and the overturned furniture. There were too many people fighting in such a small space. Each round of attacks came slower and slower, until finally...

...they stopped.

"Please," the quiet voice came then, as the students eased their heaving chests and the dust began to settle. "I just... My daughter's out there."

"We know," Tadashi exhaled. He stepped in front of his friends as Wasabi went to check over them for injuries. "We... We know."

"We thought you were going to attack Krei," GoGo snapped. "And we weren't just going to sit back and watch."

"No... I..." Callaghan staggered and sank down. He buried his face in his hands. "It was a diversion. Originally, yes! I-I planned to get revenge. But then... But then, Hiro's microbots seemed like the perfect solution. I could give Krei a taste of his own medicine, show him exactly what it's like to loose everything to that- that portal!"

The man's eyes gleamed and flashed sharply.

"Of course, everything went wrong at the Science Hall. I tried to steal the microbots, but somehow... Hiro got there first... He used them to save big brother over there..." Callaghan waved his hand loosely in Tadashi's direction. "The neural transmitter was destroyed. I could remake the microbots, but it could take years to replicate that kind of brainwave technology. I needed Hiro to be able to fix it!"

"Yeah, okay, you're monologuing," Honey Lemon rolled her eyes. She let Wasabi take her arm, remove the armor, and begin to bandage the cut that dragged down to her wrist.

"So, when he was found," Callaghan rumbled irritably. "I went to the hospital. I wasn't allowed to see him at first, but I managed to get him alone-"

"What!" Tadashi screeched and snapped forward. He was yanked back by GoGo's arms around his chest.

"Hold your horses," Callaghan snorted. "I didn't do anything but ask him questions. He didn't seem aware of anything at the time, so he was happy to answer. He helped me fix the neural transmitter, but he also told me something amazing. Something I hadn't hoped for in my wildest dreams-"

"Your daughter was alive," Wasabi murmured.

"Yes," the professor murmured tiredly. "I had to save her. And I knew Hiro could help me. He had everything, right up here." The man gestured to his head. "But I couldn't take him then. I needed to wait."

"Why not then?" GoGo demanded. "He was vulnerable. It would have been easier."

"GoGo!" Tadashi cried.

"She's right but she's wrong," Callaghan leaned back, chin up and nose in the air. "I may be a genius, but I'm a robotics engineer, not a doctor! I haven't the faintest how to take care of someone in Hiro's... condition. I had to at least wait until he was better. And I needed to be stronger as well. I had burns all over my body, limiting my every movement."

"You seem to be doing fine," Tadashi sneered.

"So I waited," Callaghan pressed on, like the student hadn't said anything. "And I figured out what I would have done. And I changed it in just the right ways so I could take Hiro right out from under your noses. Then, I realized you had found my hideaway. I knew I had to act even more quickly than before. I was hoping I could scare you and slow your progress, give myself some kind of head-start." He shook his head and scoffed again. "That backfired, as you can see."

Silence settled over the cafe.

"What happens now?" Honey Lemon asked softly. She carefully pulled her arm away from Wasabi, and her big eyes slowly met with Tadashi's.

"What happens is Callaghan lets Hiro go, and we turn him in for destruction of property and attempted kidnapping," Tadashi declared, turning on his old professor. "I'd charge you with emotional damages as well, but I think you'll already have enough trouble rotting in prison."

"You won't take me that easi-" Callaghan started, but GoGo picked up one of the spheres at her feet and tossed it to him so casually he was startled into catching it. "What is-"

The chemical bomb exploded, instantly wrapping around him and hardening.

"Yeah, I don't think so."

-{[(*)]}-

A/N: GoGo is honestly amazing.

QUESTION OF THE UPDATE: In this fight, which armor would you prefer to have? Stealthy and quick? Or strong and heavy-hitting? I'd actually rather go for the more powerful suit, because it may be harder to get around, but it's also easier to defend against stuff.