A/N: We finally meet some of the members of the HPSC.

Kan checked his phone again with a puzzled frown. Nedzu's text of "Please come to my office" was cryptic enough without the sinking feeling in the pit of his gut.

There had been radio silence from the principal except for staff meetings, especially on the topic of what to do with the League. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this; Monoma had gotten injured during lunch… perhaps that injury was what he wanted to discuss?

Still, it's strange for him to ask for me directly, he mused as he stood outside the principal's door. One would think he would call for the guilty party too.

Regardless of whatever discomfort he felt in that moment, he gathered his confidence and knocked twice on the door.

The hushed conversation inside meandered to a stop as he heard Nedzu call, "Enter."

Oh, did he also call someone else for that incident? He wondered briefly as he opened the door.

Instead of the teacher and student he was expecting, seven middle-aged men in suits turned to stare at him, varying levels of discomfort in their faces.

"Um," he started, hesitating by the door.

"You haven't interrupted anything important, Vlad King. Please, come in and sit." Nedzu smiled patiently up at him from his desk. "In fact, we've all been waiting for you, so now that you're here we can begin this meeting."

"Yes, sir." He bowed to the men before taking a seat closest to the door, folding his hands in his lap.

"Pro Hero Vlad King, eh?" The third one to the window, a rotund man with salt-and-pepper-streaked hair slicked back tightly against his head, croaked, pausing to lean over and squint at him. "Are you sure he's the right guy for the job, Nedzu?"

"He's the only faculty that I trust with this plan," the principal replied plainly. "I trust that everything we discuss will not leave this room."

With a pointed glance his way, Kan felt obliged to nod. "Correct. Sir."

The man to the right of the one who had spoken, with graying strawberry hair and a mask covering his nose and mouth, glanced over for a moment before turning his seafoam eyes back to his superior. Something tightened his expression.

"Well then." The head of the group cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. "As the head of the Saitama branch of the Hero Public Safety Commission, I believe I am obligated to start. I admit I was a bit surprised that you reached out to us so soon, Nedzu; with the recent prison break and the loss of All For One, I never would have thought you would be considering pushing north. Why are you interested in another prefecture?"

"I have been in contact with the Shizuoka branch, but unfortunately there's very little ground to cover left," the stoat lamented. "I've begun speaking to other branches, but none of them have had the information I've wanted…" he leaned in. "... except for yours."

"Ours?" The older man questioned. "What information could we possibly possess?"

"You've had an increase in villain sightings around one of your larger cities that interestingly coincides with the immediate aftermath of the Tartarus outbreak late last month. Sightings that include that of noted villains Mr. Compress and Dabi, who have previously been thought to be hiding in Shizuoka."

"That is true," another spoke up. "We've since then had an increase in our hero assignments. You mean to insinuate that All For One is hiding in Saitama?"

"Among other suspects, yes," he confirmed. Then he glanced over at Kan. "Vlad King has been instrumental in closing in on his suspected whereabouts."

Kan's stomach churned in unease. "That is correct. I've been investigating Saitama-ken and I believe I've closed the gap on a handful of cities."

The head of the group stroked his chin, dark eyes narrowed. "Well, now isn't that interesting. If you don't mind sharing your personal theories…?"

"So far, I've narrowed the list to the north and south districts, but if I had to make a guess… my top three would be Saitama-shi, Besupin, and Shiraoka."

"Saitama, Besupin, Shiraoka…" the three were murmured amongst the businessmen. The middle one remained silent, his hands clenching into fists.

"Fujioka-senpai, are you well?" His junior whispered to him. With a terse nod, he was appeased.

"Most interesting indeed," the head of the group rasped. "You've got a good scout on your staff, Nedzu. I must say I'm impressed. All For One has evaded our sights for too long - yet you've already narrowed your options this much."

"I can speak for all of us when I say we want that criminal put away for good." Though his words were neutral, there was something dark in his eyes for a flicker of a second.

A mischievous smile curled the lip of the old man at the window, and he let out a wheezing chuckle. "I see, I see. Well. I'll have a list of minor offenders faxed to your office by the end of the week. Pick your favorites, and I'll send them out as soon as I can."

The sick feeling in the pit of Kan's gut began to rise.

"I think we have a deal." Nedzu sat back and smiled. "Thank you for your cooperation, gentlemen."

A sickly sour tang hit the back of his tongue. His stomach lurched.

"Excuse me, sir," he choked out as he rose from his chair.

He hardly registered the group staring at him as he rushed out of the office and to the bathroom down the hall. The door slammed shut behind him as he collapsed into the stall, tears blurring his vision as he gagged on bile and regret.

"Father."

"Shouto?" Enji's confused, gruff voice answered. "What are you doing, calling me right now? Aren't you in class?"

"It's lunchtime," he answered, leaning against the wall. He tilted his chin to stare at the ceiling.

"Oh. Well then, why aren't you eating?"

"I've finished already." He closed his eyes in mild irritation. "I have a question."

"What is it?"

"There's a private school in Saitama Prefecture that I've been researching lately. It's called Besupin Heroes' Alliance Academy. What do you know about it?"

"Saita- what? You aren't thinking of transferring from Yuuei, right?!"

"I never said that," Shouto snapped. "Just answer the question. What do you know about that school?"

"Besupin Academy…" his father mused quietly. "I can't say I know much about it. It's one of those secretive private schools that doesn't turn out very many top ten heroes. Most of them are around the middle fifty."

"Hm." Shouto opened his eyes and adjusted his stance.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just a hunch. Nothing you need to worry about." He turned to nod at a passing student before hanging up and slipping his phone back into his pocket with a sigh.

"If there's anywhere he would go," he mused to himself, "that very well could be it. I hope…"