A/N: Here it is! The next chapter of my story. The story is going to end pretty soon, probably 1-2 more chapters, so if you want to read more of my writing after it's done, you should follow me. I'm going to stick to one-shots after this story so that I can work more on my novel, but I won't leave FanFiction permanently. Enjoy this chapter, and please review! :)
Hiro groaned as he reached across the table for a screwdriver. He took his time screwing, in fact, he was taking his time with everything. Mostly due to the amount of pain he was in, but also partly to delay the completion of the project. Callaghan stood quietly to the side, watching him like a hawk. One wrong move, and Hiro knew it would be all over for him. His mind wandered, remembering the day before. Callaghan had practically told him that he was worthless, and when he had tried to stand up for himself, things had not gone well. Callaghan's fist comes down, repeatedly making contact with Hiro's midsection. He cries out in anguish, knowing he sounds weak, but in too much pain to care. He begs Callaghan to stop, feeling like a broken record. "Stop. Please stop. No. Please." Callaghan is relentless, and his beating is accentuated with hurtful words. Worthless. Weak. Good-for-nothing. Disgrace. Callaghan finally stops, wordlessly throwing the plate of uneaten, now cold, food down at the boy still whimpering. The plate turns upside down, causing its contents to relocate to the floor, but Hiro eats it anyway. He's too hungry to care. When he wakes up in the morning Callaghan is waiting to see if he's given up. He hangs his head in shame and starts to build a transmitter, mentally cursing himself and his weakness. Callaghan is right: he is a coward, and nobody will love him after this.
Tadashi was the last person to wake up in the morning, and was surprised and slightly frantic when he looked at the clock, which read 11:45 AM. He ran upstairs, and quickly dressed, then ran down to the cafe as quickly as he could. His friends were sitting down in the cafe, talking and eating pastries no doubt provided by his aunt. He jogged over to them.
"Are you guys ready to go?" he questioned breathlessly. "Because we have to hurry and get to Hiro be-" He was cut off by Honey Lemon's lips gently pressing against his.
"Shh," she whispered. "Eat something first mi amor. You need your strength." Aunt Cass came over to the table, with a small plate. On it was a cinnamon roll, obviously fresh out of the oven, and still steaming. Honey Lemon released him, and he turned from her, only to be wrapped firmly in his aunt's arms. She kissed him on the cheek.
"Eat," she commanded. "Then go get Hiro." At his look of shock, she added: "Yes, I know all about your rescue plans. You know I trust your judgment. Just be safe."
"Th-thank you so much for understanding," Tadashi wrapped his arms around her. "You're the best." He sat down next to his friends, and began to eat his cinnamon roll. He sighed in contentment. Aunt Cass was so amazing, as were his friends. He felt blessed to have them all, and was going to comment on it, when Baymax came downstairs with a message about Hiro.
"Tadashi, my scanners indicate that Hiro has sustained greater injuries since the time I last scanned him. He appears to be in a great deal of pain, and his neurotransmitter levels have not risen," the robot said.
"It's time to go," Tadashi said firmly. "This has to end. Now." Everyone stood up, the looks on their faces affirming that they were just as ready for the end to come.
Hiro coughed harshly. He had been coughing a lot since he had woken up this morning. His chest felt like it was on fire, and he felt a sharp pain every time he took a breath. His head was throbbing too, and he briefly wondered if one could die of the common cold. His eyelids felt like lead, as they drooped further closed. He forced them open once again, and vainly attempted to clear the haze out of his brain. Another cough rattled his chest. His eyes began to close again, and he started to drift off into oblivion, but was abruptly pulled back to reality with a splash of icy water.
"Can't have you sleeping on the job, Hiro," Callaghan said, his voice every bit as icy as the water when he added. "Let's try to work a little faster, hmm?" Hiro couldn't even muster up the energy to glare at Callaghan's condescending tone. He coughed again, multiple times in a row, and gasped to regain his breath. He looked at the unfinished transmitter in his hands. Where was he? He wondered. He had put the… thing in the... other thing, and connected them. Now he needed- he groaned, and shook his head, immediately regretting it after a sharp pain shot down his spine. He put his head in his hands, only for it to be jerked up again. Callaghan glared at him, then released his hair. Hiro groaned. It was going to be a long day. Suddenly, a loud alarm blared through the room. Callaghan scowled angrily. Just what he needed: another setback. He quickly put on his mask, withdrawing a small gun from within his cloak. He locked the restraints on Hiro's wrists, before storming out of the room. Whoever just broke into my fortress, is going to regret the day they were born.
When the alarm sounded, a string of words ran through Tadashi's mind. All of them were words he would reprimand Hiro for daring to utter in his presence. Some of them were words even Hiro wouldn't say. He clamped his lips shut to avoid any of them leaking out. With the element of surprise out of the equation, he decided their next best strategy would be to find Hiro as quickly as possible. He relayed this information to everyone else, and their agreement was unanimous. They rounded a corner, and came face to face with a masked person.
"That's him," GoGo whispered into the headset. "That's the creep that took Hiro." In his hands, a pistol was raised, pointing directly at Tadashi.
"You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?" His voice was low and gravelly, obviously disguised. "I told you I would let him go when I was finished with him, but you just had to meddle. Had to stick your noses where they didn't belong. Now, I'll have to kill him. Along with all of you."
"Who are you?" Tadashi demanded.
"You want me to reveal my identity to you?" he shook his head. "Now where would the fun be in that?" Tadashi started to move towards the man, but stopped suddenly when he pulled back the hammer of his gun. Callaghan calmly walked over, and took hold of Honey Lemon's arm, pointing the gun at her head. She gasped quietly, but was silent other than that.
"You all come with me," he said. "And no funny business. One wrong move from any of you, and I shoot Aiko." Tadashi's brain raced. Who was he, and how did he know Honey's name? The mystery man started walking down the hallway, and they all numbly followed. They soon reached a metallic door. Callaghan entered a code on a small keypad, near it, then entered the small room within. Tadashi followed directly behind him. Inside the room, Hiro was strapped to a metal chair. Tadashi almost ran to him, but stopped when he remembered the masked man's warning from earlier.
"Yes, Tadashi," Callaghan said, his voice patronizing. "You can go hold your brother's hand." Tadashi ignored his condescending tone, and rushed over to Hiro's side.
"Hiro," he whispered, voice thick with tears. "A-are you okay?"
"Dashi-" Hiro coughed in reply. "Y-you came."
"Of course I came," Tadashi was heartbroken at the weakness of his younger brother's voice. He looked closer at the boy. Hiro's face sported a myriad of cuts and bruises, and his breathing was raspy and labored. He had dark circles under his eyes, indicating a lack of sleep, and his forehead was damp with a layer of sweat. Tadashi placed his hand on Hiro's forehead, and confirmed his fears. The onset of fever was apparent due to the heat radiating off his skin. "What did he do to you?" Tadashi whispered sadly.
"Tadashi, h-he wanted me to make him a-a t-transmitter, a-and I tried not to, but he- he-"
"Shh, don't talk," Tadashi murmured. "Just answer one question. Do you know who he is?"
"C-Callaghan," his voice was barely audible. Callaghan. Tadashi's mouth gaped wide in shock. That's impossible, he died in the showcase fire. He remembered the funeral. No remains had been found. In the reporters' words it was almost as if the professor had disappeared into thin air. Tadashi spun around to face the "dead" man.
"Take off your mask Callaghan. Unless you're too ashamed to," He sneered. Callaghan calmly removed the headpiece. Underneath, he was expressionless.
"Bravo Tadashi. You always were brilliant," Callaghan said. "It's too bad I have to kill you. You could have done a lot of good in the world."
"Guess what Hiro. I'm going to kill your brother first," Callaghan said. "Then your friends. Then I'll let you watch me destroy your brother's marshmallow. And finally, I'll kill you. Maybe I'll let you live for a little while longer. Then you can feel what it's like living after you have caused the death of so many people."
"P-please," Hiro begged. "Don't hurt any of them. Do whatever you want to me, but don't hurt them."
"Hurting you, obviously doesn't work," Callaghan said. "I've already tried that."
"Shut up you monster!" Tadashi growled, directing his words towards the professor. "You are really sick, you know that?"
"If Professor Callaghan is ill, I can assist him," Baymax piped up. The robot was ignored.
Callaghan had released Honey Lemon after entering the room, and she had relocated closer to Wasabi. A few silent tears were making tracks down her face. Wasabi caught hold of her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. GoGo was standing silently next to Fred, and was shaking with rage. When he worked up the courage to place his arms around her shoulders for comfort, he was surprised that she didn't shrug him off, and that rather, she seemed to lean into the touch. Baymax stood in between all of them and Tadashi. The confused robot was silent, trying hard to understand what was happening. Hiro coughed, his chest rattling dryly.
"Be quiet!" Callaghan demanded sternly. That was the last straw for GoGo, who pulled herself out of Fred's embrace and ran towards the professor. She grabbed his arm and hand, attempting to remove the gun from his grasp. Sounds of a struggle ensued, although both fighters were a mere blur. The sound of a shot rang out. Moments later, everything was silent. Both Callaghan and GoGo lay motionless on the ground. For a few seconds everyone was still, then Fred rushed to GoGo's side. When he saw the blood coating the floor, he thought he might puke.
Did you like my evil cliffhanger? Reviews are appreciated!