Chapter Thirty: Infiltration

The bright lights, the intense stares, the hunger in the eyes that looked upon her. Bubbles was sure that if journalists were animals, they'd have devoured her, whole, and left nothing behind. Standing in front of them as they salivated for a story had always made her queasy, but she'd dealt with worse.

Hawks mocked her all-girls hero school, but he could never know what it meant to brave a dormitory of girls, and the natural hierarchical structure that formed within that environment. It had served her well, learning to raise her chin, stand her ground, and not cave in under pressure.

She'd not signed up to work at the Hawks agency for an easy ride, and she rather felt she was proving her worth right now. It did help that she was standing beside the Symbol of Peace himself. From a distance, she'd always expected his presence to be intimidating and overwhelming, but now, being near the great hero, she felt nothing but security and warmth. He was like a setting sun. She wasn't sure why she thought his glow was diminishing—but—there was a soft, hazy quality, akin to a twilight about him that she'd have never noticed if she wasn't standing right beside him. And if she hadn't known Hawks, who could blaze with such ferocity that it felt like standing in the midday summer heat.

"All-Might, do you regret your decision to reveal your family so publicly, considering your daughter's life is now in danger." A reporter bustled with a question.

"The decision was not mine alone. There will always be villains lurking in the shadows, and we cannot live in fear of their actions and allow them to dictate our lives." Even in doubt, his answer was so assured.

"Do we know what these villains want?" Another journalist thrust a microphone forward.

"We have not yet received any demands." Bubbles quickly offered. "When we have information, we will share it, but for now, would you all please excuse us, we must get to work resolving this issue."

She bowed.

All-Might placed a large hand on her back and together they headed into the glow of the hotel. Security was doing an exceptional job keeping things locked down tight, but then again, there was a reason why this was the hotel the heroes were all housed in. Hawks had thought it a rather terrible idea to put all the heroes and sidekicks in one place.

In his mind, it was just asking for trouble.

And she had been left pondering what type of terrible situations did his mind cook up while he lay awake at night. When Rilo had mentioned that Hawks tended to fixate at three am in the morning, what was it that she had to contend with?

All-Might eased into the elevator beside her. "You handled that very well."

Bubbles clutched at the elevator's handrails, sagging in exhaustion as they headed upward. "They're like seagulls, squabbling about for food."

"An adequate assessment." All-Might sighed.

Bubbles nursed her head. "What are we supposed to do? The Bureau isn't going to ask for a ransom, or demands or…anything like that…wasn't announcing Rilo has your daughter supposed to stop them from doing something like this?"

The elevator eased to a stop. "Bigger pieces at play here, Bubbles dear."

She frowned as he eased out into the corridor, and they headed towards Hawks' room.

"Yagi!"

Bubbles paused at a voice from behind. She turned, watching as a woman, perhaps somewhere in her early forties, frantically ran down the long corridor of the hotel. She eased to a halt, clutching at her purse in an anxious, fidgeting movement.

This, Bubbles realised, had to be Inko Midoriya. The woman who had effectively become Hawks' mother-in-law.

How—

Interesting—

She was not at all what Bubbles had been expecting in the slightest. She was so small. Then again, she did tend to forget that as a hero, she wasn't entirely the average citizen.

All-Might stalled his long strides. He glanced down at her, and Bubbles swallowed. It was difficult to get used to, having the Number One's gaze focus on her. It was enough just to walk beside him, but actually speaking to him. It was something she'd hoped would happen someday. If only it had been under better circumstances.

"Apologies, Bubbles. I'll catch up."

"Of course, All-Might." Bubbles inclined her head to both the Number One, and Inko as she passed by. She pressed her way into Hawks' hotel suite. It was dark. Fitting for the oppressive weight that was on all their shoulders. In the small lounge room off-set from the bedroom, young Izuku sat beside his unconscious friend under a soft lamplight. If All-Might was a twilight, and Hawks was midday, then Izuku was a sunrise. Bright, intense and just beginning to burn. She could see why Hawks liked the boy. He was sweet, endearing and kind, but behind such a gentle smile was solid, iron resolve that would not move—not for anything, or anyone. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it yet. That iron resolve could end up detrimental if it wasn't handled carefully.

Bubbles crouched down, feeling young Bakugo's thready pulse. He'd shaved off skin from his landing on the road, as he'd come down hard, but, it was nothing some of Medusa's linin wrapping couldn't handle.

No. She was far more concerned about whatever drug both he and Hawks had been hit with. To take down Hawks, it had to have been something hideously strong, which meant whoever they were dealing with had shot a thirteen-year-old boy with something meant to take down a pro-hero.

His heart was terribly faint, and he barely breathed.

If she hadn't known any better, she'd have thought him dead.

"How's he doing?" Tsunagu asked from the doorway into the bedroom.

Bubbles looked up, removing her fingers from Bakugo's neck.

"I still think we should take them to the hospital. We're not equipped for this."

"Neither are they." Tsunagu glanced out a window. He held up Hawks' mobile. "One of Hawks' contacts sent through info on what they were hit with. I just figured out the code to his mobile."

Izuku looked up at Tsunagu. "Jeanie, you could have just asked."

"You know it?" Tsunagu looked surprised.

"Ah. Yeah." Izuku sighed. "I use it all the time."

"He lets you use his precious mobile? He keeps nudes on this."

"And sex tapes." Izuku held up a finger. "Don't forget those. Also, yes, I use it. Trying to teach Hawks' social media is like dragging nails down a chalk board."

"I do not envy you." Tsunagu sighed.

"Someone must make the sacrifice." Izuku shrugged.

Bubbles stood, interjecting. "It's not good news?"

Tsunagu shook his head. "The sedative they were both hit with is only used under extreme circumstances, usually through the authorisation of several board members at Tartarus."

"Tartarus?" Izuku sucked in a sharp breath.

Tsuangu nodded down at the boy.

"You're telling me they were hit with Tartarus grade tranquilizers, meant for villains." Bubbles hissed out the last word.

"Hopefully that part doesn't leak to the press." Tsunagu sighed.

She could agree on that. The public did not need to know that there was a massive breach in Tartarus security. It would not be taken well. The system was supposed to be tight.

Bubbles paced anxiously. "We should be doing something; we can't just be waiting for Hawks to wake up."

"There is very little we can do until he wakes up." Tsunagu idly played with Rilo's feather pendant. It was all they had, and they only had it thanks to young Bakugo.

"But…but then…what can we even do." Bubbles slumped down on the small marble coffee table. "Best Jeanist, it wasn't supposed to go this way—" she choked.

He had leant forward, his blue eyes sharp and clarified. "No, this was always the plan."

"What!" Bubbles spluttered. "You can't be serious."

Izuku lifted his head. "Sometimes, to draw out an infection you must let it rise to the surface, right?"

Tsunagu tipped his head to the boy. "Like washing a stain out of a good pair of jeans."

Bubbles flung out her arms. "Then what was even the point of all this!"

Tsunagu arched an eyebrow at her. "Try to see the bigger picture, Aiya."

"Well I would, Tsunagu. If someone would show me this picture!" Bubbles' hands went to her hips.

Tsunagu arched an eyebrow at her.

Oh—

She was irritating him.

Wow—

Apparently, it was possible to irritate Best Jeanist.

Duly noted.

Bubbles slumped forward, pressing her head between her knees. How was she ever going to spin this in the press? She'd managed to fend them off for now but that video of Hawks being carried by All-Might had gone viral. She gripped the marble table beneath her, hissing in frustration.

"Just when we'd made it…he goes and does this…heroes aren't supposed to be seen as weak."

"Is that what you think?" Izuku looked at her, utterly startled. "You think he looked weak?"

"Of course he looked weak."

"That isn't what I saw. Nor do I think that's how the public will see it either." Izuku shook his head. "Hawks knows that he is well liked, he also knows he's a bit of an enigma, since he hasn't got a merch line. And he just got announced on stage by All-Might as his son-in-law, and possible successor…and then his wife gets kidnapped? People aren't going to think he's weak, they're going to think—oh—who are these people who did this horrible thing? Who took down the number four hero and stole his wife under the nose of ten heroes and All-Might."

This kid could talk, and for some reason, Bubbles felt like she was getting lectured.

"I don't think you know Hawks' very well. He's terrified of drugs. He doesn't even drink alcohol. Coffee is like, the only thing he risks. He eats a really plain diet because whatever goes into his body can affect how his quirk operates. So, chicken and rice." Izuku held out his hands. "That's it. That's what he eats to not feel sick."

Bubbles blinked.

Wait—what?

Tsunagu cocked his head at Izuku. "You figured all that out on your own?"

"Er. Yeah. It's kind of obvious when you start looking into how his quirk is fuelled. When he and Rilo were sorta having their reciprocal flow going, he started eating differently because food wasn't his main source of fuel. When Rilo got sicker as the mod degraded her quirk, he also had to flip back to his old habits."

Izuku looked towards the bedroom. "He's not weak, Bubbles. If anything, for a hero to not act, is one of the hardest things for us to do."

Bubbles frowned. "I suppose I hadn't thought of it that way."

"And he had to not react, while also knowing he'd be knocked out, and his wife was being put in unknown danger." Izuku shrugged. "If Kaachan was in trouble. I couldn't do that. I'd react on instinct."

Tsunagu chuckled. "He's lucky to have you."

Izuku beamed. "Nah. I'm lucky to have him. He keeps me on my toes. Don't worry, Bubbles, Kaachan is strong, he'll be fine. I'm more worried about when he wakes up."

She wished she had the confidence of Hawks' little apprentice.

"I'm more worried about getting sued by his parents." Bubbles muttered.

"Well, this is a very sorry sight." A voice Bubbles had never expected to hear sent a sharp, alarmed jolt straight through her.

"Madam President." Tsunagu stood from the arm of the couch he rested on.

Bubbles immediately sensed the rise in tension. The sleeves of Tsunagu's shirt had unravelled like hissing snakes.

Madam President—

What—

What was she doing here?

The woman walked on past them, straight into the main bedroom. Tsunagu pursued and Bubbles quickly followed, her heart racing.

"Utterly pathetic, Hawks." Madam strolled to the bedside. "All this fuss over a woman."

"It is a little more than that, Madam." Protectively, Tsunagu stepped up to the bed.

Hawks lying unconscious on the hotel bed was a sight that terrified Bubbles. She had no recollection of ever seeing him in such a state before. She hated being in this room, hated seeing him non-responsive. It wasn't how he was supposed to be. The Hawks' she knew was always alert, even when he didn't seem to be alert—he'd known she was there. She'd come to feel safe in the agency—even safe in Fukuoka itself—because a little part of her had known that Hawks was always alert.

Madam tossed a hand about flippantly. "Yes, yes." She reached into the pocket of her pinstripe suit, pulling out a small vial.

"It is the antidote to the tranquilizer." She held it out. "I only have one available, and I cannot guarantee that it will even be effective on him. His metabolic system is extremely sensitive—"

"I am aware, bitch." Tsuangu snatched the vial from her.

Bubbles sucked in a sharp breath. What—what had Best Jeanist just called the head of the Commission.

"That you're here means something big has transpired, yes?" Tsunagu pulled open the emergency medical kit, searching about for a syringe.

"Fukuoka has been plunged into a blackout." Madam did not seem phased by Tsunagu's behaviour in the slightest, if anything, she looked amused.

Tsuangu started laughing. "He really did it." He looked to Hawks fondly and gently brushed back his hair. "You're an utter maniac."

"This situation must be resolved without insistent, Best Jeanist. I am dispatching you to Fukuoka to handle the fallout."

Bubbles started to protest, though, she could not comprehend how she thought it sane to do so in front of the president. "No, we…we need to help Hawks—"

"You will be doing no such thing." Madam President's eyes were cold—lifeless—and Bubbles wondered how she'd ever thought them kind. "Anyone on the payroll of the Commission cannot interfere in this matter with the Bureau."

"How dare you." All-Might's voice was low.

Bubbles' muscles clenched up tight at the compressed rage that the Symbol of Peace was controlling as he stood in the doorway that barely contained his frame.

The President sent him a wiry smile.

She was not even flinching, nor trembling, nor folding, in what must have been the equivalent to standing in the direct path of a scorching sunbeam as All-Might stared directly at her.

"You do not think I can see the little game you are playing, All-Might. Do not ever think you can go around me, under me, or over me," she taunted.

"You fucking witch…" Hawks' voice was weak.

Bubbles snapped her head around.

Sitting up in the bed, hand raised to stall Tsunagu from inserting the syringe, Hawks was a heap of ruffled feathers, but his golden eyes were sharp. She might never have seen him look so weak, fighting to even breathe, but she'd also never seen his eyes so full of loathing and hatred as they faced Madam President.

"Hawks, dear, if you wish to take this fight up with the Bureau, you will need to do it without the aid of this so called…family…" Madam mockingly tossed the word up at All-Might. "No one who is on the payroll of the Commission can intervene. This I promised the President of the Bureau himself."

Hawks' arched an eyebrow. "Guess I won't get paid for this job."

Madam idly glanced at her nails. "You're the one who wanted to work freelance."

Hawks stood with a stagger, his wings rippling.

He took the syringe from Tsuangu.

"Izuku."

From behind All-Might the boy emerged like a little wraith. Honestly, Bubbles was finding it difficult to believe the kid didn't have a quirk.

Hawks held out the syringe with a trembling hand and Izuku slowly took it. "Wake up Katsuki, give him your spare set of gear."

Izuku nodded.

Madam spoke, "Hawks, I just said—"

"He's not on your payroll." Hawks caught himself on the bed's headboard. "You obviously didn't read his contract very well."

Tsunagu gave soft laugh, waggling a finger at Madam.

Hawks walked up to the president, his wings rattling as they calcified. "He has an apprenticeship, he is mine. He's on my payroll. See…" he spread his unsteady hands. "I learnt from you, Madam." Hawks mockingly held out his wrists, clinking them together. "Cuff them young."

"Do not mock me, Hawks."

"Oh fuck off, bitch." Hawks snapped back.

Bubbles flinched at the sharp, definite slap that caught Hawks across the cheek. Both Tsunagu and All-Might had stepped forward, only to halt at Madam's hand raising once more and Hawks' immediate tensing up in a learned flinch.

"Remember your place." Madam hissed. "I am not beyond stuffing you back in your isolation chamber for your utter lack of respect."

Izuku kicked her, and she yelped.

The boy's green eyes just seemed to burn in the dimness of the dark hotel room. "And I'm not beyond Detroit Smashing the entire Commission into oblivion." Izuku cocked his head. "Do not mistake me for my father."

Izuku turned, vanishing into the room next door.

Hawks' smile was small.

Madam looked up at All-Might. "You condone this villainous behaviour?"

"Madam, I do believe you're the one holding my son-in-law hostage." All-Might leant forward. "Some might call that villainous."

Madam gave a scoffing laugh. She flicked her gaze back to Hawks. "I am not amused by this Hawks."

"Yes, because I live to entertain you." Hawks muttered. He crouched by the bed, yanking out a gym bag and dumping its contents across the tangled sheets. "Did you enjoy putting me on that goddamn fucking stage like I'm your trophy son."

Bubbles stared at the assortment of weapons and gear he so swiftly changed into, as if none of them were standing in the room with him. It was all so foreign to anything she'd ever seen him use. She swallowed.

Freelance jobs.

Her hands twisted around the fabric of her dress.

"Lining up heroes is always entertaining. I will admit." Madam grinned. "Either against a wall, or on a stage."

Bubbles squeaked. All-Might's hand gently touched her shoulder and she stepped up against him as Madam's eyes momentarily flicked in her direction.

No—no—never—she never wanted the woman looking at her ever again.

No—

Stop—

"Hawks." Tsunagu held out the feather pendant. "Focus. She's just stalling you now for the fun of it."

Hawks took the pendant in shaking hands. He held it to his lips, closing his eyes.

"Can you sense her?" Tsuangu asked.

"Just barely." He glanced to the window. "She's unconscious."

"They haven't removed the feather yet. Take that as a good sign." Tsuangu offered.

"I don't understand?" Bubbles looked between the two men.

Hawks held up the feather pendant. "I made Rilo another one of these. It's a tradition that is mostly known in avian aviator circles, so, I figured it'd go unnoticed. It's a body chain, or the beginnings of one. You're supposed to add to the design over the years of marriage. I just added my feathers to the concept."

Oh. Wow. That was genius. Bubbles breathed out. "You'll know where they take her…oh my gosh…and if they…do anything…" Her stomach twisted.

"Yeah. Yeah, I will." His eyes narrowed.

"Hawks, dear, you're truly terrifying when you put your mind to it." Madam tossed the comment out. "But this is all speculation. She may already be dead."

"I'd know."

"Hm. Drugs do odd things to you." Madam arched an eyebrow. "You may be feeling only what you wish to feel. I have warned you, many times, about emotional attachment."

Bubbles had the urge to turn to the president and utterly rip into her, but she couldn't. The woman—the woman was—the president of the Commission.

Hostage.

The word rung in her mind like a bell.

She glanced between Tsunagu and All-Might. Two men that she'd have believed held the power to change reality, curtailed by a single, quirk-less woman with a sharp tongue.

Bile tainted her mouth.

How long had Hawks been a hostage?

How long had she been blissfully unaware of this darkness.

Izuku leant into the bedroom. "Hey, Hawks, should Kaachan call his Mum for permission to come?"

Hawks tipped his head back. "Ah, yeah. Better do that."

Izuku turned back around and shouted. "Kaachan, Hawks says to call your Mum."

"Alright! Fine! I'll call her!"

Bubbles winced at the loud reply.

Izuku happily bounced into the bedroom as Hawks' finished pulling on his lucky boots. The preteen twirled about on his heels in front of Best Jeanist.

"I love the gear, Jeanie. Thank you so much!"

Tsunagu ruffled Izuku's hair fondly. "Thank Hawks, it's his feathers you're currently wearing."

"What do you think, Dad?" Izuku puffed out his chest.

"It's very…dark." All-Might glanced to Hawks.

"This is just the armour base and its attachments. Izuku is free to come up with his own design for the outer costume when he's ready." Hawks headed for the balcony windows. His eyes settled on Bubbles, and she tensed up. Everything in his gaze was apologetic, and she wished she could him he had no need to apologise. That she was the one who was sorry. She hadn't understood any of this—

None of it at all—

"Bubbles, check on Canary when you can. He's probably beside himself by now."

"I will." Bubbles assured.

Bakugo stormed into the bedroom. "Mum said I can go, and to not fuck it up again."

"Alright, let's go then." Hawks swung himself up and over the banister. Bubbles held her breath, amazed at the sight of Izuku running and leaping so smoothly off the banister onto Hawks' back.

Bakugo took a running leap and vaulted over the balcony railing, blasting into the night with a powerful burst of his quirk.

They were gone.

All-Might breathed in deeply. "You have made this very difficult, Madam President."

Madam picked idly at her jacket. "You may join Tsunagu in his disdain for me, but it will do you no good." She leered up at the Symbol of Peace. "I have you both, figuratively, by the balls, so to say. If either of you step out of line, poof, hero licences revoked. Reputations demolished." She gave All-Might's arm a mocking pat. "And that's just the tip if the iceberg."

Bubbles watched in horror as Madam plucked one of Hawks' loose feathers from the bedsheets. She held it up with a smirk and snapped it.

Tsunagu flinched.

"You will not free him. He is my pet. He obeys me. I have gifted him his little wife, and I will let him pretend to be happy with you, because it benefits me…but if you ever…" Madam leaned in closer to All-Might. "Ever try to pry him loose, I will tighten my hold, and he will once again know only pain."

Madam President walked to the balcony, folding her hands behind her back. "Like you, I too am trying to shape the future. To do that, I need a sword."

All-Might shook his head. "Then I suppose we shall simply have to be his sheath against you, as best as we can."

Bubbles tied to repress the spike of fear that tweaked up her spine at the woman, stark in her pinstripe suit, standing against the night. She turned back to them, wearing a sinister grin. "You are all mine, do not ever forget that."

"Apparently not all of us." Tsunagu turned away.

"Indeed." All-Might chuckled as he left.

"Come, Bubbles." Tsunagu held out a hand to her. "We have a jet to catch and a city to look after."

She nodded. Briefly her gaze lingered on Madam President, and her stomach churned.

Hawks was caught up in a web—

And this woman was a spider.

As they headed to the elevator Bubbles struggled to contain the utterly frazzled state of her emotions. She hated uncertainty, and that was all that seemed to surround them right now. What would she give for something solid to grip hold of.

"I…I should…go and pack my bags."

"Nathan has that all handled." Tsunagu urged her gently into the elevator. "We need only meet him out front."

"Oh." That's right, she was dealing with Best Jeanist now. His way of dealing with things would be entirely different from Hawks.

Bubbles grabbed hold of the bar in the elevator, steadying her shaking legs. The vision of Madam President, silhouetted against the city lights, was going to haunt her nightmares for a long time. She'd held that woman in high esteem for a long time, and now—

The elevator pinged.

Tsunagu stepped out and she followed him into the main foyer of the hotel. How come the world that she'd entered just a day ago, which had been so vibrant and full of such colour and wonder, was now monochrome and drab.

Was this the true view behind the curtain?

Was this what heroes saw—

It was this just what someone like Hawks, and Tsunagu saw?

"Tsunagu, the President—"

He raised a hand. "I can't really talk about it, dear." Tsunagu shook his head. "And Hawks can't either. This is something you will have to investigate on your own, I'm afraid."

Bubbles rubbed at her eyes. Tsunagu paused from his long strides. He reached out and she was gently cradled. She'd never needed it so much, she realised. Her whole, perfect world was crumbling around her.

"It will be alright, Aiya." Tsunagu gently assured.

"She…she…she slapped him." Bubbles burst out. "Oh my gosh." Her knees felt weak.

Tsunagu caught her, holding her upright. "Right. You're not taking this well."

"It was terrifying." Bubbles choked out. "I've never felt so useless!"

"Then bottle that feeling up inside, and use it now." Tsunagu urged her forward. "Hawks needs us, your city needs you. Let's go."

Bubbles breathed in, steadying her breathing. "Yes. Yes, you're right."

"I always am." Tsunagu smiled, but it had none of his usual warmth and charm.

At the front desk of the hotel, young Nathan was having an intense discussion with the clerk. Tsunagu walked up to them.

"Problem?"

Nathan shook his head. "No, sir. Just sorting things out."

"Is it sorted?"

Nathan picked up his bag, shooting the clerk a huffed look. "Is it sorted?"

The clerk gave a defeated sigh. "Yes."

"Then let's go." Tsunagu turned away.

Bubbles followed the two blonds. She'd been unaware that Tsunagu could be so cold, and so blunt, but then again, she'd not known him that long, she'd only known his public persona. This weekend had been her first interaction with him beyond Hawks' stories, and watching press-junkets and the interactions she'd had with his numerous sidekicks.

Nathan shouldered his bag, looking back to include her in the conversation. "The car is waiting out front. It will take us directly to the airport. I contacted Medusa. I have some bad news."

Her hair was not coping with this. It kept drying out into a spongy mess. "More bad news?"

"I'm afraid so." Nathan sighed. "Canary had a run in with Porcupine."

"Oh my gosh—"

"He's fine." Nathan quickly flung out a hand, stalling her panic. "Pretty banged up according to Medusa, but fine…" Nathan glanced up at Tsunagu. "He also got hit with a tranquilizer. According to the guy who pulled him out of the situation, Porcupine seems to have been hired by the Bureau."

"The guy who pulled him out?" Bubbles crinkled her nose.

They stepped out into the night air. "Someone from the Underground that Hawks' had trailing Canary," Tsunagu offered.

"The Underground?" Bubbles whispered.

Nathan stared at her in shock. "You don't even know that?"

"Know what?" Bubbles spluttered.

"Give her some time, Nathan. Go on with your report." Tsunagu urged.

"Oh, right, well, according to Medusa things seem calm right now thanks to the lockdown you guys apparently implement for disasters like this. Which, honestly, is extremely impressive."

Bubbles frowned. The lockdown—of course—the lockdown. It was one of the very first things Hawks had ever put his foot down about with the mayor of Fukuoka. A city-wide lockdown that only the Hawks agency could use. They'd never had to enact it, as they'd never had disaster so wide ranging that would call for it.

But a blackout— "Oh my gosh." Bubbles shook her head in disbelief. "He planned this."

Tsunagu smiled as the car drove up to them. "He has plans on-top of plans. Eventually you just stop being surprised."

No, she doubted she ever would.

Her boss was an enigma she would never understand.

00000

All-Might eased into his hotel suite. Closing the door behind him. He sagged. It was taking all his energy reserves just to keep his All-Might form. He'd gone well over his three-hour limit, and that was only because he'd remained inactive all day. Had he exerted himself he doubted he'd have managed to keep up his hero form this long.

Watching Hawks leave with Izuku and young Bakugo had torn something up inside him. It wasn't just the presence of the president keeping him grounded, it was his own inabilities. He was supposed to be a father—

Fathers protected their children—

Yet he did not know how.

This was new to him, this feeling of inadequacy, and he did not like it.

"Yagi?"

Inko's voice lured him into the small sitting room with the suite. It was lit with several of the garnish lamps. A coffee waited him, as well as several ornate, cute cakes. His heart broke as he faced Mitsuki.

The woman nursed a thick, black coffee as she staired out the window into the night.

"I bought them for Rilo, to say thank you for looking after Katsuki today."

Inko's hand settled on his chest.

"It's okay, Yagi. I explained about our situation, about why you're really home with us." Inko breathed in. "Your injury."

She was indicating that she hadn't delved into anything else, that was all she'd disclosed. Even that much was dangerous enough, but he could not fault her, considering how long the two had been friends, it was likely they'd become each other's confidants over the years.

"It's why I let Katsuki go." Mitsuki sipped her coffee. "Those boys…they're our future. Our hope." She looked up at All-Might.

Like freeing a tight breath, All-Might released his hero form in a hiss of steam. Mitsuki blinked up at him as he wearily slumped down in an armchair.

"Oh my gosh."

"I know." All-Might sighed. "I can't even go to save my own daughter."

"You would, Yagi, if that disgusting woman…" Inko stomped past, several little objects floating around her. "No, no, she's not even a woman, she's some sort of monster masquerading around in a pinstripe suit."

"She's cute when she gets all worked up, yes?" Mitsuki waggled her eyebrow.

Yagi chuckled, though his gaze drifted solemnly to the dark sky.

"They'll get her back." Mitsuki assured.

He had great faith in Hawks. He would not have said what he had on stage if he did not believe the young man could weather the coming storms. That was not the problem he faced now. He only wished he could be standing in that storm, weathering it with him.

0000

Hawks frowned.

They'd flown out from Masutafu, heading for the mountains, and now the direction of Rilo's feather had altered. It had remained stationary since he'd managed to drag himself out of the tranquilizers grip on his limbs and force movement, but now he was sure it was moving.

"Hawks? What's wrong?" Izuku's voice crackled over his headset.

"The feather Rilo has on her, it's moving…but…"

It was difficult to pick up that one, single feather beyond jut knowing that it existed. It tranquilizer was dulling every aspect of his quirk and the effort it was taking to just fly with burning, screaming muscles was all consuming.

Not to mention, Katsuki had discovered his quirk wasn't that of an aviator. The kid could propel himself along in the air, yes, but a continuous flight path—no—that was something else entirely. In any other situation, it would have been amusing, but they were requiring speed. Katsuki was not pleased by the prospect of being lugged about like cargo by some feathers, but he put up with it. The kid seemed at least aware that he was only tagging along because of the technicalities involved, and that at least showed the ability to think introspectively, despite his wild temperament.

Hawks closed his eyes. He narrowed his sense quirk down and he dropped out of the sky. Izuku clutched to him as they fell, not reacting to the sudden plummet. In the darkness of his mind, he sough out the single feather, trying to peel back the murky mire that the tranquilizer had buried it in.

There was no heartbeat attacked to it. No skin contact. None of Rilo's familiar electrical current. Momentary dread washed over him. What had they done to her? How had they found the feather?

No—

He couldn't get distracted.

Hawks snapped back to attention, throwing out his wings and bursting into the air. Izuku's arms around his neck tightened and Hawks reached back, giving the preteen a gentle tap as he increased altitude once more to join a rather confused looking Katsuki.

"Well done for not reacting." Hawks offered.

"I…ah…I kind of figured you were doing something and not just randomly falling out of the sky." Izuku laughed.

"I'd have liked some warning!" Katsuki snapped. "I thought you'd been shot at."

"Apologises, Katsuki." Hawks continued heading in the direction of the feather's last location. "The feather we're following is now moving, but I don't think Rilo is with it. So, we'll head to its last location."

"What if it isn't there?" Katsuki offered from behind.

"We'll face that bridge when we come to it, but for now—"

Hawks snatched a feather, swinging it out in a fluid motion to halt the oncoming flame-storm. Dabi stopped just short of the sharp, calcified edge of the feather.

"Well, that's no way to greet a friend." Dabi reached out a finger, gently easing the feather away from his neck.

Hawks flicked the feather back amongst his wings. He cocked his head at Dabi in bafflement. It wasn't so much the sight of him in the air—that wasn't surprising, Endeavour had aviator abilities, so it was reasonable to presume a villain of the same calibre would also have such a skill—

No—

It was his presence entirely.

Fukuoka was—

No—

Dabi could have made that distance in the time he was unconscious.

What was more pressing was how he'd been tracked.

"I can see you're panicking inside." Dabi gave his head a mocking pat.

Hawks slapped him. "Don't fucking test me right now, Dabi. How did you track me?"

Dabi held up a phone.

Hawks gaped at it. It was Canary's.

"Aw, shite." Hawks hissed.

"This is a design flaw, birdie hero." Dabi tossed the phone in the air. "Terrible, terrible security on your part. I expected much better from you."

"It is not supposed to track me! It's supposed to track Canary." Hawks snatched for the phone.

Dabi held it high. "Nah, ah. Finders keepers, losers weepers."

Hawks bobbed in the air, popping his lips. "Fine. Whatever. I do not have time for this, but since you're here, you can carry Katsuki."

Hawks thrust Katsuki against Dabi and the two twirled about in the air.

He heard Izuku's muffled laugh against his shoulder as Katsuki swore up a storm at the treatment.

Dabi held the preteen out at arm's length, arching an eyebrow.

"Ah, what's this thing?"

"A very disgruntled boy who has discovered he's not actually an aviator." Hawks quipped.

"Ah." Dabi playfully kicked back in the air. "Not a pyromancer then."

"Do I look like a dumb-arse pyromancer to you?" Katsuki snapped.

"I donno, what do dumb-arse pyromancers look like?" Dabi pondered. He flipped Katsuki over his back. "Buckle up, kiddo. I think we're about to race a hawk."

Hawks wished that was the case. He'd have rather enjoyed a good race with the pyromancer right about now, just to see which one of them was the better version of a jet engine, but his wings were heavy and he felt sluggishly slow from the tranquilizer. Dabi didn't comment on it, so, it may have just been all in his own mind.

Eventually he was forced to land amongst dense forestry. There was barely any moonlight to work from, just a slither of the silver glow against the branches and undergrowth that they carefully tracked through. Hawks crouched. Izuku and Katsuki shuffled up beside him, both tucking up tightly beneath a wing. Dabi joined them, motioning to the kids with a tip of his head.

"So, who is broccoli-top and crackle-pop?"

"What the fuck did you just call—"

Hawks shot Katsuki a glare and he choked on his words.

"Hi." Izuku whispered. "I'm Izuku, apprentice, and this is Kaachan, not-apprentice."

"Bakugo." Katsuki hissed. "I'm Bakugo."

"Hello, Izuku, apprentice, and Bakuago, not-apprentice. I am Dabi, villain."

"Stop messing with them, Dabi." Hawks sent Dabi a weary glance.

"You don't look good, pretty birdie."

"Those Tartarus tranquilizers…they're no joke." Hawks murmured, focusing beyond the treeline, catching the glint of several lights flickering on to illume an old tunnel in the side of the mountain.

Dabi's hand was suddenly on his shoulder. Hawks snapped around to face him, his wings tensing up.

"Let go." He hissed. With his telepathic sense so weakened, any touch right now was agonizing. He had barely tolerated Izuku on his back.

"You fucking idiot. You didn't dodge it!"

"No."

"Are you insane."

"It has to be believable." Hawks rubbed at his stinging eyes. "Their first strike had to warrant my reaction. I gave them a warning, and they still thought they could get away with this." He slowly stood, looking down at Dabi. "I was forged to keep the government inline. So, here I am, doing just that."

Dabi smirked. "Even your own organization?"

Hawks tipped his head to one side, his pupils dilating. "Someday, hellfire will fall. Come, Izuku, Katsuki, time for a lesson on infiltration."

Izuku bounced up. "Yes!"

"Nope, he is way too excited about this." Dabi protested.

Hawks threw a grin over his shoulder. "He is a ray of sunshine."

"What about you, kid, what are you?" Dabi looked down at Katsuki.

"Death." Katsuki hissed.

Dabi snorted a laugh. "Yeah, okay. You're not as hardcore as you think you are, brat." He shoved Katsuki forward. "I have a feeling Hawks' has you coming along for a reason, you little piece of shite. Move it."

00000

There were numerous reasons why he did things, but, if he whittled most of them down to their basic, innate drive, Dabi had to admit, usually he did things just to stem of pure boredom and nihilism.

There was always the underlining desire for revenge—yes—and that simmered beneath his skin, keeping his flames constantly hot.

But it wasn't as though one could live off revenge.

It wasn't like hope.

At least—

That's how he'd rationalized it.

And then, he'd met the birdie hero in the neutral zone that was the tattoo parlour. If they'd encountered each other anywhere else in Fukuoka, he doubted he'd have been standing where he was right now.

Life hadn't been boring, and he did so like not being bored.

Hawks wasn't stealthily infiltrating the super-secret underground base.

Oh—no—no—

Sure, since meeting him, Dabi had suspected the Wing Hero had more than a few screws loose.

He just hadn't expected him to be a fucking slaughter machine.

And to be perfectly fine about teaching kids the fine art of how to kill.

Not what he'd expected from the hero who'd practically just been dubbed the successor of the Symbol of Peace.

Was he all in for it though—yup—he really had to know where this whole fiasco was leading. It was sparking off the endorphins in his brain with little happy pills galore.

"What do you see, Katsuki?" Hawks asked.

"A tunnel entrance, and two guards. I can take them."

"You think so?" Hawks arched an eyebrow. "So you haven't observed the five cameras and the eight other guards positioned inside the tunnel, not to mention the other three that are coming up behind us."

Dabi chuckled. Well—he had noticed the three coming up behind them, but he hadn't known about the ones inside the tunnel. He was going to chalk that up to the birdies sense quirk. The cameras were annoying, but only from the point of view that they'd get quality imagery of their movements.

"How would you deal with the cameras, Izuku?"

"Hm, depends on the quirk I had. If I was a pyromancer like Dabi, I'd heat up some rocks, and take them out with some well aimed, quick pellets. I don't think I have good enough aim with my knives yet…"

The three guards were almost upon them.

"Dabi?" Hawks glanced to him. "Can you deal with the cameras?"

"No problem." He scooped up a handful of rocks. The apprentice had good intuition.

"Izuku, Katsuki. I don't want either of you to engage unless you are attacked directly. Stick close to either myself or Dabi. Listen to our orders. If I tell you to fucking get down, get down."

"Yes sir." Izuku saluted.

The three men that had been obliviously approaching their position did not have time to either grab their weapons or call for backup. Dabi barely even registered the moment it happened, only the aftermath of their bodies splitting in half, cleaved entirely down the centre from head to groin. Guts and innards spilled out, seeping into the gravel and stones.

Hawks snatched his large flight feathers from the air.

"Now Dabi."

Dabi flicked out his hands, igniting the stones between the fingers and flinging them outward in the direction of the small red indicators that marked the glinting reflection of camera lenses in the night. Hawks was already across the distance to the tunnel entrance, body's lying in pieces around his ankles.

Damn, the man was fast, even when heavily drugged.

Hawks lazily flicked his large flight feathers back and forth as he stepped over the still twitching bodies. Blood splattered across the tunnel walls from the movements of the feather blades. He didn't even seem to notice that he was painting the walls like a prancing princess as he strolled on down the old tunnel.

Izuku trotted on after him, seemingly utterly unphased.

Dabi arched an eyebrow back at Katsuki, stuck at the tunnel entrance.

"If you're going to hurl, kid, best do it now."

Katsuki shook his head, swallowed, and dived into the tunnel as though it were an entrance into hell itself. Dabi grinned as skipped. He rather liked Hawks way of teaching. This was fun.

They reached the end of the tunnel, coming directly up against an elevator. Hawks held out a severed hand against the activation panel and Izuku bounced up to a button, giving it a few good, very enthusiastic pushes.

"Do you just keep severed hands around for kicks?" Dabi asked.

"Yeah. It's a hobby." Hawks quipped, throwing it over his shoulder. His attention snapped to the elevator doors.

"Izuku, Katsuki, get behind me. Now."

Dabi snatched up the two boys, diving behind the hero's wings as the elevator doors opened to immediate gunfire, none of which even reached them. The bullets dropped midair, clattering to the ground as several feathers whizzed past. The security guards slumped down, blood leaking from holes in their helmets.

Hawks staggered. "Shite."

"How about I handle the goons." Dabi offered as they stepped into the elevator. "You focus on where we go and all that."

The birdie hero slumped against the elevator's arm rests. His hands were trembling, and every so often, blood dripped from his nose. That was a sure sign he was stressing the telepathic link to the nerves of his feathers. The tranquilizer must have dulled that vital part of his triple threat quirk down considerably. That he was even on his feet was impressive.

"You should have taken the antidote and just left me behind…" Katsuki spoke up.

Hawks wiped at his bleeding nose. "Katsuki. You took a dose of a tranquilizer intended to knock out full-grown adult villains. I gave you the antidote because you needed it. Another hour or so and your body would have probably started shutting down entirely."

"Wait…what?" Katsuki sucked in a sharp breath.

"I was exposed to a lot of different drugs and chemicals as part of my training." Hawks murmured. "I can put up with a tranquilizer in my system."

Dabi frowned.

At some point, he was going to ask Hawks about his training.

It didn't seem very—

Er—

Ethical.

"Canary, is he alright?" Hawks suddenly asked him.

"Oh, oh yeah…he's fine." Heh. Well. The little puff-ball had been when he'd left him, but Hawks didn't need to know the details. "Little idiot almost got himself skewered by Porcupine. Won't be flying for a few weeks."

Hawks groaned.

"But hopefully he learnt his lesson." Dabi shrugged. "Though, if I have to save his cute little arse again, I am going to ask for his paycheck."

That got a snort of amusement out of the hero.

The elevator let them out into some sort of white foyer, it even had disgustingly annoying fake plants, and a nice signage on the back wall behind a pretty little receptionist and her desk. It was all very weird to find deep underground and came across as extremely creepy and corporate. The receptionist looked utterly bamboozled at the sight of them. Dabi wondered what was more confronting, Hawks dripping in blood, the two boys standing beside the hero, or his taller figure as a menacing shadow behind Hawks.

"You…you can't be here." She stood abruptly.

Hawks stepped forward.

The receptionist flung out a hand. "This is a private facility, and you need to leave."

Hawks simply did not stop, not even when two more guards emerged from a corridor. Dabi lunged at them, driving them into the floor, cracking their helmets and burning through their skulls. He clapped his hands on his thighs, cleaning them off, turning back around.

Hawks had cocked his head at the woman behind the desk.

"Tell me where my wife is." He ordered.

She scoffed. "No."

"Tell me where my wife is." Hawks stated again.

"You are not authorized beyond this point, and they are not women, as you are not a man."

Hawks gave a small smile. "I see. True Human purity at its finest."

Blood seeped from an invisible line around her neck.

Dabi blinked.

Wait a minute.

When had Hawks—

Her head slight slightly on her neck. She still blinked several times, her mouth opening in disbelief before her body collapsed with a thud and her head rolled away.

Holy—

Fuck—

Dabi swallowed.

Beside him, Izuku—the fucking kid—wasn't even flinching.

Katsuki had gone deathly white.

Yeah.

So, he was starting to wonder if he was truly the psychopath in this little merry gang.

Hawks walked around the body, kicking the chair aside from the front desk. He began tapping away at the computer console.

"Izuku, Katsuki."

"Yes sir." Izuku snapped to attention.

"I want the two of you to find a computer that's connected to the main system, and to plug this into it." Hawks handed Izuku a small black box. He looked to Katsuki. "Izuku is shite at computers, so, I'm trusting you, Katsuki, to understand what I'm looking for here."

"I do, sir."

"What if we run into resistance?" Izuku asked.

"You are authorized to use lethal force, but don't be an idiot about it." Hawks tapped Katsuki on the head lightly. "There is another main elevator about five stories down. Dabi and I will meet you there. You have thirty minutes. Get moving."

The two boys took an opposite corridor at a bolting run.

Dabi cracked his knuckles as Hawks came to stand beside him.

"There a reason you sent those two off alone?"

Hawks cocked his head. He pointed to both the elevator and the corridor the guards had come from. "We're about to have company."

A group of heavily armoured goons poured out of both the elevator and the tight corridor, surrounding them both in a tight circle.

Dabi grinned.

Who'd have thought that crashing on the couch of a reformist would lead to such an interesting way to pass the time.

This was fantastic.

"I'm here for my wife." Hawks offered. "If you take me to her, I will spare you. If you do not, I will see that as an act of aiding in the unwilful holding of a person."

"There are no people held here against their will." A single guard spoke up.

Dabi whistled. "Don't go down that track, twinkle-toes. Once on that train, you cannot get off it."

"Your actions here today, Hawks, are in direct violation of the hero's vigilante act. There are no people here for you to save."

"Really?" Hawks arched an eyebrow. "So your boss is that much of a fucking idiot that he fell for such an obvious trap. We're really going to have to pay him a visit, Dabi."

"Looking for to it."

"Are you going to move your arses or not?" Hawks' wings began rattling.

Dabi watched as the goons tensed up, their energy batons activated with red sparks. He'd seen those weapons before, villain-subjugation technology used by elite military squads, which he did not think these guys were at all. The goons would have to get close enough to hit either him or Hawks to knock either of them out, and both of their quirks were the type that didn't allow for any close combat if they didn't want it.

"This is getting boring." Dabi snapped his hands out, igniting them. "Let's split them, fifty-fifty."

"Sounds fine to me."

Dabi barely blinked, and suddenly, the men in front of him were cleaved in half as a feather whizzed past.

"I did not mean that literally, you wanker!" Dabi spluttered, rounding up on Hawks.

"Aw, sorry." Hawks wiped at his bleeding nose. "You're just so slow."

"Slow—"

Dabi ducked to one side as an ignited baton sailed past his head. He snapped around, grabbing at one of the remaining idiots that Hawks hadn't diced up. He twisted the arm he held, hearing a cry from behind the mask. "We were having a conversation. Kindly wait your fucking turn." He slammed the man into the ground, burning straight through his skull. He stood, grabbing a chain from his belt and flicking it out as it ignited in blue flames. The remaining goons dropped their batons, several reached for their lethal guns, some attempted to run. One made the bold move to attack.

None of them got far in their actions as the flaming whip slashed out, cleaving the entire room in a scorching blue flame.

"See." Dabi strolled up to Hawks, perched on the receptionist desk, patting at several of his scorched feathers. "I can do it too."

"You're just a sorry loser." Hawks tossed a hand about as he headed for the corridor, not bothering about the blood on his boots and the imprints he left behind on the floor. "Besides…" he sighed. "It's not like these poor idiots even have a chance."

Dabi glanced back at the bodies. "True. This security isn't designed with an a-class hero or villain in mind. Maybe they have their heads so far up their arses, they believe they can't be touched."

"It is possible, but it is more likely they believe they're protected by the regime itself. This will throw a cat amongst the pigeons." Hawks murmured. He rubbed at his eyes. "We need to get to the next elevator. I can't sense Rilo in any of these upper levels."

"You sure? You're rather drugged up. We should do a sweep just encase."

"I don't want to waste time."

Dabi opened a door, peering into an office. Several randoms in lab coats cowered under desks. He gave them a mocking wave. "As you were, folks."

He shut the door.

Hawks headed on down the corridor. "I'm pretty sure this area is just for the shareholders," he waved a hand about. "You know, the ones who don't know about the eugenics program and just think they're investing in the positive green energy of tomorrow."

"Wait…what…what eugenics program?" Dabi jerked to a halt.

Hawks looked back at him with a haunted look.

"Oh. Right…ah…guess I should start at the beginning and catch you up. So, lights…when you switch on a light, it's coming from…"

00000

It took them a lot longer to find a suitable computer than Izuku had first assumed it would take. Every time they found a laboratory, Kaachan would sit down and fiddled around with the computer for a while, deem the thing a piece of utter trash, and storm off in a furious fit.

Eventually, they found a locked room, and they were faced with the dilemma of how to get into the room that most likely held the computer Kaachan wanted. It could only be activated by biometrics.

"We need one of the lab techs." Kaachan glanced around. "Or, at least, their hand and their eye."

"Do they have to be alive to make it work?" Izuku asked.

"No…" Kaachan frowned. "Though the gel pad likely works with a heat signature as well, so—"

Izuku spun on his heels. "I saw some guys in one of the other rooms. I'll go fetch one."

"Wait, wait." Kaachan grabbed his shoulder. "You're seriously just going to go and murder someone!"

"Oh, Kaachan, I'm not going to murder them." Izuku smiled. "Stay here, I'll be back." He skipped off down the hall, searching for the door he'd seen slightly ajar. Finding it, he eased it open with a foot and peered in. Cowering under several work desk were several men and a few women, all in lab coats, though they had different coloured patches on their arms.

Izuku gave a wave. "Hi. I'm the apprentice of Hawks. My sister was taken by some villains, and I'm here to find her. I'd really appreciate some help." He tipped his head to one side, smiling. "I need to get into a locked room down the hall, would one of you be willing to lend me a hand?" He raised a knife.

A woman slowly stood. "If I let you in, will you let us go?"

"I would highly recommend that you evacuate, as soon as you can." Izuku jutted a thumb back the way he'd come. "You're in a villain's lair, after all."

"We're not villains."

"Oh, really?" Izuku put on a surprised face. "So you guys don't work for an evil governmental organization that is performing secret quirk experiments and holding people against their will?"

"They'd have to be considered human to be held against their will." The woman who'd stood approached him.

Izuku stared up at her. "You're lucky I'm not Hawks." He pointed down the corridor. "Everyone else can go, you, move."

She walked ahead of him, back towards the door where Kaachan was pacing back and forth. He spun around at their approach.

"You took your time, Deku!"

He ignored the irate hot-head and simply motioned to the door. "Open it."

The woman looked between both him and Kaachan. "You are children."

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" Kaachan raised his chin.

She stepped up to the biometrics pad. "I was simply stating a social observation of the meta-humans use to increasingly bring violence into the lives of their offspring."

Izuku arched an eyebrow.

"You're fucking weird, lady." Kaachan ploughed on into the room as the door swung open.

Izuku silently agreed. He removed a zip tie from his belt, motioning to the lady to get onto her knees. She did so.

"What you're doing here is also violent, you know that, right?" He offered. "You're causing terrible pain."

"Pain?" She scoffed. "I am furthering the knowledge of the True Humans. I am allowing us to have a chance to regain our world. The discoveries we make keep society from collapsing. We are the unknown heroes—"

"You're that bitter about not having a quirk, are you?" Izuku bound her wrists tight. "That'd you go so far as to cause people suffering."

"You are not a person." She spat into his face.

Izuku wiped at his face. "I'm quirk-less." He stood, staring down at her and her suddenly wide eyes.

"Guess I don't fit your narrative, heh?" He smacked the butt of his knife into her head, knocking her out. Stepping over her he headed into the eerily dark, cold room, searching for Kaachan. He found him in front of a set of weird looking screens and tall boxes with dozens of lights.

"Er…what is this?"

"Computer."

"Er."

"Just take my word for it, idiot." Kaachan snapped. "Hand me the device."

Izuku passed over the small black box and Kaachan crouched down, ducking beneath a desk and vanishing almost entirely until only his legs stuck out.

"How much time do we have left?"

Izuku checked his watch. "Thirteen minutes."

"Okay."

"Um. So. What does this device do?" Izuku asked, feeling incredibly stupid just having to ask. Hawks hadn't been wrong when he'd said he was bad at computers. He felt like if he just glanced at his laptop wrong, it died. He could learn so much from Hawks, but watching Hawks dismantle some old machine was laborious, and he just wanted to be outside jogging or, at the gym, or even reading.

"It'll link up with another device Hawks likely has on him, probably his mobile or something, and it'll run a program that will search and download specific information that he's designed it to look for." Kaachan's boots tapped the floor happily. "Then it will self-destruct."

"Really?" Izuku looked back at Kaachan as he pulled out from beneath the desk.

"It's unlikely Hawks would leave anything behind, so, yeah. It'd self-destruct once the signal is out of range."

"Wow." Izuku murmured. "You know a lot about this stuff."

"You're just an idiot." Kaachan scoffed. "Come on. We've still got to find that elevator—"

The door slammed shut.

They both jumped in shock at the boom that jolted the floor beneath them.

"I thought you knocked the woman out?!" Kaachan ran towards the door.

"I did." Izuku spluttered.

Well—

He thought he had.

Izuku stared at his knife. He really had to improve his ability to temper his strength. He either went all out, or didn't hit hard enough apparently, because standing there, in the little window of the door was the woman, smirking at them like she'd won some sort of game. Kaachan's hands crackled and popped. Izuku sighed heavily. Yeah—he wasn't the only idiot.

Kaachan slammed into the door, blasting it off its hinges. It flew across the corridor, hitting the corresponding wall in a gush of plaster and smoke.

The dust settled around them. Kaachan flicked his hands, making them spark as he turned towards the stunned woman, curled up in horror on the floor.

"Seriously! We used you because I didn't want to damage the infrastructure inside the room! Not because I couldn't bust down the damn door! What? Do you think I'm weak, heh? Heh?"

Izuku dropped his head back. "Let's go, Kaachan."

"We should kill her!"

"Kaachan! It's not worth it."

Kaachan stomped towards her. "Your people fucking shot me! I could have died! You made my Mum cry, you piece of shite!"

"Kaachan!" Izuku grabbed him by the ear. "She thinks we're inhuman. Just let her be."

"You're the inhuman one, wench." Kaachan hissed.

"Kaachan!" Izuku shouted. "We need to go!"

"Stop ordering me around, Deku."

00000

"You've been pretty quiet since I finished." Hawks idly tossed a loose eyeball up and down.

Dabi dragged the unfortunate man with the high security clearance along behind him, leaving a trail of blood behind them as they walked the corridor. Every so often, Hawks caught the sound of someone scurrying away. If they weren't fast enough, one of his idle feathers found them, but his reaction time was slowing.

"I was kinda raised knowing the world was fucked." Dabi motioned to himself. "Bit of a product of that, to be honest."

"No, really, I couldn't tell." Hawks drawled.

"So, your aim is not to plunge the whole of Japan into absolute anarchy by collapsing the entire energy grid? You just want your wife, right?"

"I'm a selfish man." Hawks shrugged.

"Heh, I can get behind that." Dabi scratched his scarred chin. "Still, pretty birdie, something tells me it ain't going go the way you think."

"Probably not."

"Sounds fun. I like fun. Fun is not boring…also, will you stop doing that with the eyeball, it's freaking me out."

Hawks flicked the eyeball into the air and it circled his head like a small moon.

Dabi dropped the body he was dragging. "I'm sorry, what the actual fuck?"

Hawks looked back at him. "What?"

"Why is it floating?"

"The eyeball? Because I linked it with my swarm."

"Oh, well that's fine." Dabi flung out his arms. "You just, fucking linked it with your…what?"

"It's my mother's quirk. It's how my sense quirk works, and how I control my feathers. She used eyeballs. Ghoulish, I know."

"You know what, I'm not even going to ask how she ended with them, cause after watching you just…" Dabi waved at him. "Be yourself…I think I know."

Hawks flicked the eyeball at him.

"Don't fucking do that." Dabi batted it away and it splattered against the wall with a small pop.

"Aww, is the pyromancer scared." Hawks flicked his wings. "Oh no, the poor little villain."

"Shut the fuck up." Dabi grabbed the body. "Or I'll make you drag this sorry arse around."

"I'm wounded and in pain." Hawks clutched his chest.

"Your wife does know who she married, right?"

"Oh, she is very aware."

"Does she know about the creepy floating eyeballs?"

"Pretty sure I told her about that." Hawks gave a smile. "I'm of the school of thought that to build trust and intimacy, you should be truthful in a relationship."

Dabi started gagging. "Sorry, I'm just allergic to therapy talk."

Hawks rolled his eyes.

"Hawks!" Izuku's shout came from down the corridor.

"Hey, they're alive. So disappointing." Dabi griped as they headed for the two boys standing front of the second major elevator. It was ominous looking in just how averagely bland it was.

"You're late." Katsuki grumbled.

"We had to hunt around for this guy." Dabi motioned to the body behind him. "Apparently he's the key to making this elevator run." He glanced to Hawks. "You sure this is the way down? You seem to know a bit about this place already."

"I did some prior research." Hawks tapped the elevator. "But I only found the layout of everything up until this point."

"Meaning everything they don't want us to know is below this point." Izuku frowned.

"Sis is down there." Katsuki's hands crackled.

Hawks hoped so. He swallowed the foul, sour taste in his mouth. If only Madam hadn't uttered those horrid words. If only they hadn't seeped into his mind like a little bit of doubt.

What if she was already dead—

Dabi's hand settled on his head, startling him. "This dungeon won't raid itself."

A dungeon.

An adequate descriptor.

With a sigh, he sliced the hand off the man Dabi had lugged along with them.

"Okay, see—" Katsuki hissed at Izuku. "That's what we should have done! It'd have saved us a lot of hassle."

"Hawks' only authorized lethal force if it was necessary, Kaachan. It wasn't necessary to kill the woman to get her hand, was it?"

Hawks looked back at them both with a curious tilt to his head. "I am glad to see you're assessing and using your judgement."

"Well, I'd had appreciated it if you'd have assessed and used your judgement." Dabi grabbed the detached hand from Hawks. "Why have me lug the whole arse body around when you were just going to lob his hand off."

"It needs to be warm. If you remove it too soon, the blood runs out and the scanner picks up on that." Hawks shrugged. He crouched down. "Ah, you two might want to look away for this one."

Izuku shuffled around. Upon noticing that Katsuki wasn't moving, he grabbed him and swung him around to face the wall.

Using a feather, Hawks dug out an eye. He stood and approached the door with Dabi. "Alright…"

Dabi slapped the hand down on the pad as Hawks held the eye up to the small scanner.

"Wanna bet you gotta be quirk-less to make this thing work." Dabi quipped.

"That'd be most likely." Hawks flicked the eyeball away as the elevator door opened.

They stepped inside. Hawks' wings fell around his ankles, and he thumped his head back in exhaustion.

"Shouldn't they have this place on full lockdown by now?" Katsuki asked.

Hawks kept his eyes closed. "There is a certain complacency that happens when a regime has been in power to long. They begin to feel secure. This can lead to a sense of false superiority. It is something that can be used." He slowly opened his eyes, despite how painful the overwhelming lights were, and faced the two boys in front of him. "I want you both to keep this in mind for the future."

"Yes sir." Izuku nodded.

Katsuki simply looked pensive.

Undoubtably, he'd given the preteen a lot to think about.

He'd thrown him into the deep end of a very murky pool, far faster than he'd even thrown Izuku into it.

The elevator eased to a halt.

Hawks dragged himself upright.

He could tell Dabi was—

Well—

Anxious as the wrong word entirely.

Dabi wouldn't have been anxious or concerned about him.

But the villain was very aware that he was beginning to wane. Now would have been a perfect time to kill him, but Dabi didn't seem that way inclined. No—he seemed far to curious about the events unfolding around him to kill a golden goose that was offering him a fun time.

He could at least trust in that with the man.

Hawks forced his wings up.

Come on—

He had to be close now—

Right—

He just had to keep moving.

When he stopped moving, that was when the tranquilizer felt like iron in his veins, weighing down every inch of his body as he sloshed through a thick mire.

Just keep moving.

The elevator doors opened.

He jerked to a halt.

Izuku and Katsuki grabbed for him—though Katsuki would likely never admit to it—both going for the protective cove of his wings.

Even Dabi halted in his forward stride.

"Aw, shite."

"What…what…what is this…" Izuku panicked voice broke Hawks out of his frozen horror.

Rilo—

Oh—

Oh fuck—

No—

He'd just thought they'd put her in a room.

Hawks forced down the urge to hyperventilate. He swallowed bile. Slowly he stepped forward into a darkened chamber, full of glass cylinders that lifted out of the cold, metal floor. Each one hummed with an eerie, uncomfortable noise that was almost akin to a fish tank pump. Hawks twitched. He flicked his wings. The ambient energy in the air was reacting to his dulled sense quirk, and his feathers were expanding. While the chamber felt large, it wasn't—it was simply an illusion of the darkness that enveloped them.

Slowly they walked through the glass cylinders, the eerie green light growing ever more unpleasant in how unsettling it was. Hawks felt both a rising rage, and overwhelming, crushing sorrow at the women suspended in each eternal coffin.

This couldn't be real—

He'd walked into a nightmare, hadn't he?"

"I think we've found the super-villains lair." Dabi gave a sing-song quip.

Floating in the bubbling liquid hung women of varying ages, some Hawks suspected were well into their forties, perhaps even older, indicating they'd been there for some time. He stared at one of the screens that displayed their vitals.

Brain-dead.

Of course.

He covered his mouth.

Dabi caught him under an arm.

"Hold it in, Hawks. Don't fold yet. We gotta find you missus."

It took effort, but he managed to keep on his feet. He didn't thank the villain, and Dabi didn't say anything more as he released him.

He glanced down the aisle. Each woman was hooked up to a larger machine hanging above them in the ceiling, linked by their individual mod-hancers. Hawks' wings dripped to the floor in defeat. So, this was the missing piece then. Rilo's mod-hancer had been decaying because it had been designed to fit into this fucking thing.

Well—

Fine—

He'd just blow this one up too.

"Hawks, some of these pretty ladies are pregnant." Dabi pointed to one of them.

"Yeah. I know." Hawks didn't look in his direction. He didn't want too. He had to check each cylinder—

A thought struck him—

Was Rilo's mother amongst these women?

"This is fucking sick." Dabi dragged a hand through his hair.

"It's a production line." Hawks hissed. "It's not supposed to be humane."

"You know, my father was obsessed with making the perfect baby." Dabi scratched his chin. "He got into some creepy arse shite to try and create the kid he wanted…"

Hawks' brow furrowed as Dabi walked past him.

"Oh, yeah," Dabi flipped out a hand. "You'd be surprised about the doctors out there scooting the line on designer quirk babies." Dabi skipped about, pointing to him. "It amuses me to no end, that you're this natural, perfect triple threat that nature just popped out and my old-man fucked it up with each try, as if quirk evolution was just aiming a giant birdie at him." The pyromancer glanced around the chamber. "Quirk evolution is scared, Hawks. You don't mess with it."

Ah—

So he'd found Dabi's sore spot.

How interesting.

"These people, they're don't know what they're fucking with."

"No, they don't…" Hawks murmured.

"Hawks! It's Rilo!" Izuku's shout bunched up his wings. "We found Rilo! Hawks!"

Hawks ran through the cylinders towards the sound of Izuku's shout, skidding to a halt beside the two boys. He slapped his hands down the glass of the cylinder encasing her, expecting it to be cold—

It was warm.

And the charge send a pulsing spark through his wings and hair.

Hawks flinched back.

She was there.

Right in front of him. She was just floating in the liquid, her quirk's eerie illumed patterns twinkling in a galaxy design, all drawing back to the mod-hancer. She did not look peaceful. He knew that expression; it was pained.

What had they done to her?

No—

No—

He had to get her out. He needed to comfort her.

Katsuki's hands had made fists. "Do they have to all be naked. It's so insulting."

"They don't see them as human, kiddo." Dabi's hand settled on his shoulder. "You're trying to apply compassion and logic to super-villains. It ain't gonna work."

"But you're a villain." Katsuki glowered.

"Sure. That's why I know, these guys aren't the sort that care, and we shouldn't care about them."

Hawks snatched one of his flight feathers, holding it out to strike the glass.

"Whoa! Whoa! Birdie Hero!" Dabi grabbed his wrist, halting his downward swing. "Hold your quills! We have no idea if the machine is what is now keeping your missus alive."

Hawks staggered.

"Or…or…she…she might already be dead." Izuku choked out suddenly.

Hawks jerked towards him, eyes wide. That was extremely unusual for the brat, to be so unoptimistic. In fact, it was so unusual, that Katsuki whacked him hard over the head.

"Oie!" Katsuki snapped. "Don't be a piece of shite."

Izuku held up his hands. "I just…I just mean…the readings, on the other displays."

Hawks lowered his blade. "I know, Izuku. They're brain dead. I know." He glanced back at one of the unnerving, glowing cylinders, and the young woman within it, so similar to Rilo and yet, not her at all—

A sister—

Maybe—

His skin crawled.

Izuku struggled against tears.

Hawks glanced around. "We need one of the workers from down here."

"I'll go." Dabi skipped off. "Back in a tick."

Hawks placed a hand against the glass as he stared up at Rilo's pained expression.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured.

This had been her fate. This murky underworld, dripping in green death. Confined to a coffin until her mind slipped away, and nothing but a shell remained. He swallowed his urge to break down. Forcing the emotions into a box, locking the box, and setting it aside to process later.

He would break down later.

Gods—

He would shatter into pieces later.

His gaze flicked to the boys.

Izuku was not holding in his tears. Yeah. That was no surprise.

"Izuku, are you alright?" Hawks asked anyway.

"No." Izuku shook his head.

"Katsuki?"

"I'm fine."

Well—that was a lie.

Izuku looked up at him with shining tears. "This is awful, and I'm so angry…and I…I don't know how to…I…I want to…"

"I want to kill everyone." Katsuki vibrated on the spot.

"Yeah…" Izuku glanced away. "Something like that."

Hawks crouched down, placing a hand on either shoulder. "Close your eyes, and take a deep breath."

They followed his instructions.

"That anger you're feeling, that need and desire to quench your rage on someone your think is responsible of this, I want you to ball it up, as tight as it can go. Wrap it up, and keep wrapping."

Their uneasy breathing slowly eased.

"Then, picture that anger seeping out through your fingertips." Hawks gently ran his hands down from their shoulders, down their arms to clasp their fingers. "Just…let it drain away, until all that remains is your rational thoughts."

"Rational thoughts?" Izuku asked.

"You are heroes. Heroes save people. We are here to save Rilo."

Katsuki started, "Yeah but what about all this—"

"Yes, it's fucked up, but box it up, close the lid, and put it aside to think about later." Hawks held up a finger, shaking his head at Katsuki. "We do the job, and only the job. Okay."

The two nodded.

"Hey, oh!" Dabi called out. "I'm back! Did you miss me."

Hawks winced as he stood. He was really feeling the weight of his wings. Fuck his knees. Fuck all the times he'd made a shotty landing.

Down the line of cylinders, Dabi dragged a bleeding man in a lab coat, dumping him down on the ground directly in front of Hawks. Dabi crouched, igniting a single finger and bringing it close to the man's cheek.

"Look, this is the guy I was telling you about. He's very upset, cause you got his princess. I suggest you do exactly what he says, or he might just cleave you in half. It's very impressive. Head to groin in one nice smooth move." Dabi popped his lips. "Like butter."

There was loathing in the man's eyes as he looked up through a bloodied fridge. "You're not supposed to be here. We were told you weren't going to be a problem."

Hawks motioned to the cylinder that held Rilo. "How do I get her out?"

The man spat on his lucky boots. "As if I'd ever tell you anything, mutant."

Hawks stared down at the spit.

Rilo had fixed these boots.

His chest tightened as his wings flared out behind him.

Wait—nope

Hawks sighed. He looked over at Izuku and Katsuki. "I promised Rilo the other night that I was going to change my teaching tactics."

Izuku frowned. "You've been teaching me just fine."

"Apparently, you're young and impressionable. I don't have any real comprehension of this. So…I want both of you to turn around, walk ten paces, and cover your ears."

"What!" Katsuki spluttered. "No."

Izuku grabbed him and hauled him away. Hawks watched them go and stand, with their backs turned and ears covered. He arched an eyebrow at the man in front of him. Without warning, he snatched for the man's hand, twisting his fingers, breaking them in a single, swift movement. The shriek he admitted carried through the dark chamber. Hawks bent over him as he sobbed, spitting globs of saliva onto the floor.

"I will ask you again, how do I get her out, without killing her? If your answer is unsatisfactory, I will systematically break every bone in your body."

Heaving gasps of air as he clutched at his hand, the man peered up. "If…if you take it…it will die. It is long past its expiration date. The only thing it is now good for is incubation."

Hawks broke another finger.

The man lay on the floor, sweating profusely as he clutched his wrist to his chest and sobbed.

Hawks stared at him.

He wasn't sure what was making him numb—

The tranquilizer—

Or the man's words—

The complete disregard of the humanity right in front of them.

Actually, he wondered what it made him, a man capable of such horrendous actions.

Was he being a hypocritic.

Probably.

"It's just a few broken fingers. You'll live." He slapped the man's cheek a few times. "Now, how do I get her out, and if she dies…"

He bent forward. "I will let the pyromancer burn you alive."

"You'll let me go." The man hiccupped.

"Yep." Hawks smiled warmly. "I just want my wife."

Slowly the man crawled upright and began tapping at the display panel. Hawks' chest clenched as the attaching wires connected to the mod-hancer jostled, detaching into the ceiling and the cylinder began to drain.

The man shuffled away.

"It's out."

Hawks ignored him entirely. Rilo was collapsing into an unconscious heap on the bottom of the cylinder, which had still not opened. It only did so when the last of the liquid was siphoned away. A hiss erupted from the bottom and the thick glass lifted.

Hawks snatched Rilo up before she fell onto the floor.

The liquid was more like slime and it slicked everywhere as he eased her free of the cylinder. Hawks edged down onto his knees, cradling her as she quivered.

She was losing heat fast.

It was like the atmosphere—the air itself—was sapping heat from her.

He wiped at her eyes, slopping back her hair.

She was slowly stirring, each breath a little stronger.

"Hey, hey, babe." He soothed.

"Ke…Keigo…" she choked, the green liquid seeping from her mouth.

"It's okay." He rocked her. "You're okay."

Izuku crouched beside them, sorting through his yellow backpack to pull out a silver heat blanket. He handed it to Hawks, who unravelled it, working on bundling her up. Izuku and Katsuki were being as discrete as boys could be in this situation, and Dabi just wasn't giving a fuck. He rather hoped Rilo wouldn't realise she was completely naked.

"There…there was this man…" Rilo struggled upright. "Everything about him was repulsive." She violently cringed back, her hands curling up protectively against her chest. "Oh, gosh, Keigo…what happened? Where…where am…I?"

Hawks glanced around the chamber. "I think this is where generators are made. You're a very expensive piece of machinery, hon. Expensive enough that they didn't listen to my warning."

Rilo grabbed his arm. "What if they did something—"

"Let's just focus on getting you safe—"

Her head dropped back suddenly.

"Rilo? Rilo!" Hawks grabbed her cheeks. Her eyes were frozen in a glassy, voided stare. "No. No. No…no…no…"

Dabi was immediately down by his side. "Shite! So it was keeping her alive."

Hawks gripped at her limp arms. "Fuck, babe. Don't do this, not right now!"

Was it even possible for him to generate enough energy in his current state to kickstart her? This whole time, he'd been so aware of the tranquilizer's gradual eroding of his strength. He'd been continuously pushing past his limit.

If he went further.

No—

What was he thinking—

He simply had no choice.

He gripped her around the chest, and forced the connection between them, shoving the pulse of kinetic energy down through his burning hands. She came awake in a spluttering gasp, turning to one side and vomiting the green slime.

Katsuki grabbed him as he slumped over, coughing out blood as he struggled to hold himself upright on quivering arms.

Dabi held up Rilo's head, stopping her from smacking it back as she fell into unconsciousness. He was almost relieved. She didn't need to see him like this.

Hawks spat out blood. "Carry her for me, will you. I…I can't…I just can't…maintain body-heat…and she…she needs to be kept warm."

Dabi frowned, but did as asked.

"Hawks!" Izuku's voice called out.

Hawks looked up.

He hadn't even noticed that Izuku had left. Katsuki was the one beside him.

Izuku ran towards them. "There are some scary looking guys coming out of the elevator."

Hawks heaved himself to his feet. "Dabi…I need…"

"Floral, right?" Dabi's brow lifted.

Hawks grabbed his feather blades from the air. His limbs felt like metal, and his blades were heavy, but he forced each movement. "Katsuki, go with Dabi. See this job through."

"But what about—"

"Do not argue with me." Hawks snapped.

"Come on, kiddo." Dabi cocked his head. "Let's move while we can."

"Dabi, I am trusting you." Hawks called out. "I'll meet you…I'll meet you there when I can. Please…"

"I'm flattered, hero." Dabi mocked. "Really, but you can pay me in cheap sake."

Hawks listened to their footsteps fade. That was the best he could do in his current state. Izuku stood beside him and his limp wings. The eerie, murky glow of the green cylinders surrounding them highlighted Izuku's watchful eyes studying the shadows.

Hawks laboured breathing filled in the silence. He finally spoke.

"Izuku, things are going to get violent, okay."

"I could have gone with Dabi and Kaachan." Izuku raised his chin. "But I am your apprentice. I accept whatever that entails."

The sound of dense boots echoed through the chamber. Hawks slowly raised his head, watching as the figures, armoured up in roughened sheets that displayed their many meta-human takedowns, slowly emerged through the glass cylinders. So proudly they displayed the Tartarus insignia, like it was some sort of powerful emblem.

"Izuku…" he tipped his head to his apprentice. "Let me introduce the finest in Japan's meta-human suppression force."

Hawks dragged his blades along the floor, shaking his head as his own boots hit the metal ground to a beat that matched the hissing of his calcified feathers.

"Really?" he mocked. "Just ten of you? Was that all Tartarus could spare or are you all the Bureau has managed to hire. Because ten is not nearly enough to supress me. You know that. You have my file."

"Hawks, you will come peacefully, and perhaps an arrangement can be worked out." One of the armoured figures stepped forward, lowering their energized weapon.

Hawks clicked his tongue. "No, see, I don't think you're quite getting the whole picture. I came here to rescue my wife from the clutches of this evil, villainous organization that tranquilized me and kidnapped her." He spread his blades. "Everything I have done is in reaction, and the whole of Japan will testify to that." He tipped to one side. "If you do not let me past, I will see your actions as aligned to these villains who even dared attack my city, and I will react in self-defence."

Weapons were raised.

He heard them whirring and clicking.

Sensed their activation.

Perhaps, if he hadn't been drugged up, he'd have fared better and managed to miss all of the energized bolts aimed directly at him but heat burned up his arm as the nerves and muscles reacted to contacting the edge of the shockwave.

By the time he stopped moving, landing back on his feet, limbs dropped around him in a scattered circle. Izuku popped out from beneath a wing, blinking in surprise.

Only a few of the suppression force remained.

Somewhere, an alarm started beeping in the eerie silence of the chamber.

Hawks arched an eyebrow at the remaining members of the squad. "I'd start running, and maybe…just maybe…you'll make it out before a feather gets you."

One of them scrambled away, and that was all it took to break the tableau. They all followed. Hawks dragged his feet forward, slowly trailing after them.

They were so fucking lucky he could barely lift a feather—otherwise they would all be dead.

Izuku skipped along beside him with all the energy of a little sunbeam.

He gave a weary smile, feeling oddly glad the brat was with him.

They came to the elevator and Hawks stalled Izuku from heading into it. He pulled out a grenade from its pouch on his belt.

"Okay, open the door, then press it again to send it up, run back to me and get behind my wings."

Izuku pressed the button.

Hawks popped the pin, gently tossing the grenade into the elevator. The doors clamped shut on the fourth second.

Hawks grabbed Izuku and stepped into fierce wing, sending them both a safe distance as the explosion ripped through the elevator shaft. Izuku pouted at the fiery scene.

"Okay, so, how are we supposed to get up now?"

"Stairs." Hawks sighed, shoving open a door. They both looked up at the looming, extensive climb. Hawks started up a flight, following along behind Izuku. He dismantled each stairwell as he went with several feathers flicking along behind him.

"Why are you destroying the stairs?" Izuku asked.

"So that everyone below us can't get out."

"Oh." Izuku blinked. "Ohhh."

When they finally emerged at the first junction point, they were met with a cluster of panicked researchers scrambling through corridors. Hawks drove a feather into his arm, using the flare of pain to activate the nerves in his swarm. Bodies collapsed around him.

He slipped onto a knee, heaving out bile.

Izuku grabbed him under the arm.

"Hawks!"

"I'm fine…I've been through worse."

"You should let me handle them." Izuku heaved him up. "That's why I am here."

"Sorry brat, don't think you're quite ready for combat yet."

"I can do this, Hawks."

"Don't fucking argue with me when I'm barely lucid." Hawks staggered.

"Hm, actually, seems like the best time to argue with you to be honest."

He smacked Izuku over the back of the head.

"Owe."

They retraced the path through the underground compound until they were back in the reception foyer, where the remaining members of the suppression force were gathered at the elevator.

Hawks grinned at them. "Oh, hey yo."

The elevator door pinged, slowly opening.

Izuku's knife hit one of them in the knee.

Okay. That was an impressive shot.

Hawks started laughing as the idiots did the stupidest thing possible, they scrambled to get into the elevator. Oh, come on—

Come on—

Surely they knew to never confront him in a tight space.

Surely that had to be on his file.

Oh—

Maybe it wasn't—

After all—

Not even Madam really knew just how dangerous he was in a tight space.

He stepped forward, and activated fierce wing, smashing into the small space with a rip of wind that shredded bodies, painting the elevator walls in blood and innards.

Izuku stood outside, staring at him with a wide, amazed look.

"Whoa that was…amazing!"

"These were people, Izuku." Hawks pointed a feather blade at him. "They probably have families."

Izuku bounced into the elevator to stand behind him. "Then why not let them go?"

"Because I'm tired of being nice. If they want a war, then they better be fucking prepared for the consequences of the nest they're stirring."

He breathed out as the door eased shut and the elevator headed up.

Idly he unlatched the pack of grenades from his kit and searched around for the puttied explosives somewhere in his assortment of gear. Izuku watched curiously as he worked. By the time the elevator reached its destination, he was finished and he stepped out, admiring the crude bomb. He flicked the timer and lobbed the thing into the elevator as the door pinged shut and with a bump of his hip on the button, he sent it back down.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five."

Izuku jumped onto his back as he started walking down the old tunnel. At five, he activated fierce wing, and tore down the tunnel, emerging outside. Several burnt bodies lay scattered about.

Dabi and Katsuki must have met resistance upon emerging.

Hopefully, it hadn't been too serious.

If he calculated right, he was about forty minutes behind the pyromancer. Wearily he clapped his trembling thighs.

Alright—it was time to burn fuel reserves that he simply did not have.

"Brace yourself, Izuku."

Izuku tightened his hold.

Hawks jetted into the air was the explosion ripped through the tunnel behind them. Hawks grinned, hearing Izuku's laughter. That was serotonin boosting. Hopefully the Bureau got the message this time.