Despite the long length of the council board, an extensive line of chairs strewn along each end of the table, only five people are in attendance. At either end, two of which are seated, the representatives of whichever head faces the other. Aluminum blinds conceal their meeting by blacking out the broad window opposing their placement within the room. Sir Nighteye, one of the heads, adjusts his glasses when some sunlight slips through the seams of the window screen. Makima sits across from him with Hawks and Izuku occupying her right side. Meanwhile, the guy that had phased through the floor earlier shares Nighteye's side of the room.

Nighteye crosses his arms at the wrists, hands combing over eachother. "It goes without saying that everything discussed here won't be shared with anyone outside of this room", he adds to the serious demeanor by leaning forward as though to slightly invade some of the large space between he and the others.

"It's not like I have anyone to tell if I were even allowed to leave the building", Izuku grumbles his snarky comment just low enough that it goes unnoticed by most. Hawks, however, is well within ear shot. The boy's mentor prods his protege with an elbow, a subtle gesture to tell Izuku 'behave yourself'.

"Heroes can always rely on the HPSC", Makima matches Nighteye's triangular formation with her own arms. Except that hers is much more relaxed, her chin resting atop her knuckles as she leans her head forward rather than her body. "Besides … Secrets are our speciality", the woman shows a sly smile that makes it difficult for anyone to read whether she's joking or not.

Nighteye hums, humored nonetheless. "Then we have that in common at the very least", he delivers his own stoic statement. The blonde boy with him stifles a laugh. Nighteye leans back, uncrossing his arms, and sets his hands upon the elongated desk. "Shall we lay it all out on the table then?"

"May as well", Hawks shares a look with Makima who nods to convey her agreement. Izuku swallows down whatever words he could say and nods as well. Nighteye takes this as a sign of good faith, shooting a glance towards the blonde boy for one final confirmation, and then fully committing to the gathered arrangement.

"Bubble Girl", he signals for his secretary to enter the room momentarily. When she does, he has her pass out manilla folders. Izuku notes that all of the files are stuffed with documents. "These are summarizations of all that we gathered", the boy can only imagine what a detailed report would look like.

"What is it that you've gathered?", Hawks sneaks a peek into his own folder before glancing up to address everyone with a joke to lighten the mood, "For those of us who prefer picture books or manga rather than novels." The blonde boy chuckles, laughing at every single quip anybody makes apparently. Izuku rolls his eyes.

"For the past two weeks, the Nighteye Agency has been conducting an investigation of the designated villain group known as Shie Hassaikai", Nighteye begins breaking down the contents of the folders that have been handed out. Izuku peels open the cover of his own file to see all sorts of villain bios first and foremost. "It's to our knowledge that their organization's leader has fallen ill and the new young head Kai Chisaki is in line to take over", Nighteye covers the main two profiles first.

"They're a pretty nasty bunch", the hero's plus-one chimes in to regard the other members of the villain group. Regarded as the Eight Bullets, or the Precepts of Death, it seems Chisaki already has underlings beneath his own boss' underlings.

"The Commission has been aware of the Yakuza's activities here in Japan for awhile now", Makima slides her personal file aside with a dismissive sidelong stare. Without even bothering to open the folder, the HPSC Director disregards its contents. "Though they tend to fall under the radar, opting to operate in the cracks and crevices left behind from other villain groups rather than join the front lines", the woman has her own refined report of the organization anyways.

"Yes, well, the fights that create those cracks could get a little broader", Nighteye insists on sharing his agency's records though. He refers to his own collection of documents to present his findings, "Chisaki may be more willing to rear the Yakuza's ugly head."

Hawks snaps his fingers, catching on to the meaning of it all. "Ah! So that's what this is about – you wanna nip them in the bud before it's too late", he hasn't really looked through the folder either but he's at least paying attention.

"Precisely", Nighteye nods. Izuku flips through his folder, the only one still reading at this point. His eyes widen when he sees what else has been disclosed about the Yakuza. "They're already looking to expand their reach, contacting other criminal organizations to expand their empire."

"And then there's this", Nighteye's tagalong speaks up once more to add an even more alarming piece of input. The discount All Might produces a photo of a child, "Originally assumed to be part of a human trafficking front or similar standard abduction methods, we've discovered this young girl is apart of something bigger planned."

Izuku feels dread dredging up. The girl in the picture is covered in bandages. She's also clearly malnourished. He can't even imagine what kind of cruel treatment she's getting. "Any idea what?", but he still dares to ask anyway.

"Midoriya", Makima interjects before the boy can get an answer. She bores into him with her symmetrical stare. "While you pose a good question, it would be best that you remain silent and simply listen", her voice is soft spoken but sounds so heavy that it weighs him down.

"It's fine", fortunately Nighteye interposes with an assuring gaze behind his glasses, "We haven't gotten that far into the investigation just yet anyways."

Hawks closes his eyes, not so enthusiastic about the next epiphany he has, so he refrains from snapping his fingers. "That's why you came to us", his sigh is more of an exhale as he reopens his eyes to look towards his superior.

"Any other authority would decline a suggestion to raid an institution without further evidence", Makima puts it into layman's terms. She rests her cheek against a propped hand, lazily mulling over how to put it in even simpler words. "You're seeking a more discreet method of collapsing the Yakuza", her directness is a sharp statement that makes Nighteye sit up straight as though he's just been pricked.

The man shifts uncomfortably. He adjusts his tie, smooths down his hair, and slides his glasses up. Nighteye's stiff posture slightly slackens as he admits to Makima being correct. "Time is of the essence, as it always typically is."

Hawks crosses his arms as he gauges the number of people in the room. "And that's why you're keeping this secluded to such a small circle", he muses aloud what he's reevaluated.

Makima blinks, slow and hard. "Involving a larger network of heroes would become too noticeable", she keeps her eyes on Nighteye nevertheless; she considers the man's reasoning for not involving other agencies like Fat Gum's or even reaching out to underground heroes like Eraserhead, "We'll have to make due with what's on deck."

"Our agency is merely requesting that you keep this operation low profile to avoid any legal trouble", Nighteye finds himself adjusting the collar of his suit while simultaneously loosening his tie as he nervously fidgets under the woman's gaze.

"Of course", Makima smiles as she watches the hero squirm. He breathes a sigh of relief when her sights switch to the people by her side. "While we can't provide Hawks to you, we do have our latest member" And it's their turn to wriggle around in their seats.

"I was wondering what was with the kid", Nighteye's apprentice glances in their direction as well. He thumbs his bottom lip while looking over Izuku, "Though I guess I'm not that much older to be talking."

Steeling himself, Nighteye sits up a little straighter. "This isn't an opportunity for you to field test a child", he hides his eyes behind the glare of his glasses when they meet Makima's stare.

Though, the woman bores directly through the glass with her ringed orbs for eyes. "Oh, but it is" She sweeps each hand in an equally broad manner of gesture. "In exchange for eachother's cooperation, I believe this makes for a decent compromise."

Nighteye falters. He finds himself staring down at the board table instead of at the other attendees of the meeting. "May I ask that we have the room to ourselves?", it's a request he regrets as soon as the question leaves his mouth but he knows this conversation needs to be a one-on-one session if it's now become a negotiation.

"Very well", Makima shows self satisfaction with her dismissive nod for everyone else to leave the room. Each of the hero apprentices hesitate to go, but Hawks manages to convince them with a shake of his head that it'd only be more troublesome to stay than helpful.

"Do you think he's gonna decide not to do the raid now?", it's not until they're out in the hallway that Izuku breaks the silence to ask the first of many questions that must be on his mind.

"Who knows", Hawks shrugs and sighs. He shoves his hands into the pockets of his coat, sulking in a sense, since he knows he likely doesn't have any answers for the other questions his protege might ask. Hawks hopes for a silver lining though, when he offers an assuring smile to the kid. "I guess that wouldn't be the worst case scenario, right?"

It's the boy's turn to shrug and sigh. "I dunno", he mirrors his mentor's hands-in-pockets demeanor, "I've changed my mind about being forced into this after seeing that little girl" Except, Izuku is clearly more resolute than sullen. "She needs saving", he hardens his stare when looking to Hawks.

The hero's parted mouth is unable to muster any words, a choked noise coming out instead. When his lips come back together, they close into a smile. "Good to know this place hasn't numbed you to anything like that yet", it turns out the kid is better at being assuring than he is.

"Maybe it has in other ways", Izuku looks away as though he's undeserving though. He's now sulking. "I thought meeting All Might's old sidekick was gonna be a lot cooler than that", it takes everything in the kid not to look back over his shoulder. Hawks fixes his gaze forward with the boy's instead, following the eyeline down a long empty corridor.

"Part of the business", Hawks can't help but share that same sentiment when considering his own idol and how joining the hero industry can kinda put a damper in things. Still, Izuku isn't an adult like he is. Maybe that childhood phase of hero worship is still somewhat salvageable. "Speaking of All Might's old associates though … I've got something to show you if you're up for a trip to the support shop", he tries treading that line carefully to rekindle something.

"Huh? A support item?", Izuku blinks with bewilderment.

"Sorta", the boy's confused expression makes Hawks laugh. "Not really but kinda", he moves his arms about to convey a vaguely odd example of what he means, "You'll see."

"Now you've got me interested", Izuku raises both of his eyebrows while he tries to make heads or tails of his mentor's brief bout of charades.

"Good", Hawks grins when he hears that he's got the kid hooked. It doesn't hurt to string him along a little more, he figures. "We got David Shield to come all the way from I-Island for this!"

"What?! THE David Shield?!", Izuku's jaw falls for the name drop harder than the name dropping.

"A special commission just for you", Hawks nods along. He can't help but beam a bit, pleased with himself for managing to goad such a reaction out of the kid.

"Wow", it's even better when he sees Izuku is still breathless just thinking about it.

"Depending on what happens with the Yakuza and Nighteye, who knows, you just might be able to give it a test run sooner than later", Hawks tops it off by making the silver lining part a little more evident. He hopes he can show Izuku that joining the HPSC has some perks and that it's not ALL bad.

Except, Hawks can't help but feel like whatever Makima has begun orchestrating can only be something bad.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

A little more foreboding setup this chapter. BUT, I hope I did raise a good question at the very least: What did David Shield make for Izuku? I'm excited to unveil it - probably not next chapter - but soon!