Izuku typed away at the computer in front of him. A feeling of dread present over his shoulder as he tried to slow his breathing. Even since Nighteye had shown up he had been paranoid of being outed. Yet it didn't seem to happen.
He was seeing heroes with more regularity, He felt as though he was being watched.
He hadn't yet returned to the lair, he couldn't risk it. So using his phone he devised a back up way in, a rather dangerous way in. As he sat back and waited a new tunnel was being built from his lair to the warehouse by the Issue units. Thankfully he can still send commands with his phone, if any problem did occur while he was stuck away from the lab he could still solve it.
His phone buzzed and Izuku raised a brow. He wasn't expecting a call today, nor was there any emergency at the lair. He looked down, seeing that it was an unknown number calling him. Hesitantly he answered the phone; "Hello?" he asked. "Is this Midoriya Izuku? my name is Nedzu." was the response on the other side.
Izuku cursed internally, Nedzu The Principal of U.A. was calling him. "What do you wish to talk about?" Izuku asked. "Well young Midoriya I wish to purchase some of your Azure Models and test them in the U.S.J. I am more than willing to send you the footage of their results in the place in exchange for a discount." Nedzu surmised. Izuku paused, contemplating his next course of action. "How much of a discount, I can only go so low?" Izuku asked, prodding the rat.
"I was thinking of only a five percent discount. I just need three or four Azure Models." Nedzu replied. "I currently have ten in stock, is there a location you want them shipped?" Izuku asked. "Just too U.A., is there anything else Midoriya?" Nedzu said. "No, I can get you three Models in a couple days." Izuku said. "Pleasure doing business with you Midoriya." Nedzu said. "A Pleasure." Izuku responded before he ended the call.
Izuku pocketed his phone before leaning back and running a hand through his hair. "Good to see he isn't mad about me rejecting his offer for U.A." Izuku muttered before walked through his warehouse. Approaching the line of Azure Models he had already finished.
"So, we finally get some new toys?" Power Loader asked. Nedzu just nodded in response as he put his phone down. "You track his signal?" Nedzu asked. "Couldn't crack it. The Kids done some modifications to his phone that makes it almost impossible to trace." Power Loader replied. Nedzu frowned at this.
"If only he had accepted." he lamented as Power Loader just shook his head. "We can't get everyone, all we can do now is keep the HSPC away from him." Power Loader said. "I know, we just have to keep such a young man safe, but I have other ideas." Nedzu said. Power Loader gave him a curious look as Nedzu smiled.
Izuku looked down at the screen in front of him. His phone had just notified him that the Entiers were hard at work with their next set of 'Samples'. He doesn't know how many of those things are out there, who is making them, but he would rather see them all gone.
There was little that he could do about them though. Until he could knock out their center of creation, they would remain a problem.
He was already sending commands to the Entier units to create a counter measure against these things. How long it would take and how much it will take to create it is another issue. Until then the Entiers would be left to work on project 'Cell' on their own.
Izuku tucked his hair into the ball cap on his head as he walked down the street. Behind him was a flat cart being pulled by a pair of P.A.M.s, a tarp over top of it. He considered going for something rather high end in his disguise, but the P.A.M.s behind him gave most of it away.
Not far behind him a hero was tailing him, Snipe if he remembered correctly. He was acting as an escort for him while he delivered the Azure Models to U.A. Izuku didn't mind him, he knows the risks he's taking with his displays. He knows what the HSPC would do to him should they feel he's a threat to their 'ideal' society.
He pulled out his phone, checking to see the time and location. It wasn't much farther now. Izuku turned back, making sure that Snipe could see his eyes, and nodded.
Then he saw it, the gates to U.A. High school. It was around Mid day, few students would be outside to see him. As he stepped closer he could hear Snipe getting faster. Another hero stepped out of the gates, Thirteen, a rescue hero. She stepped outside, waving to him which Izuku returned.
"Young Midoriya, you have the bots for us?" She asked. Izuku nodded before he gestured to the P.A.M.s. The Droids followed suite, removing the tarp to reveal three inactive Azure Models. "As promised." Izuku replied as some U.A. robots drove out to take the cart.
"You know Midoriya, with skills like this you'd make a great hero." Thirteen said. "I've been told." Izuku replied as the P.A.M.s started folding up the cart. "Still Power Loader would love ta meet yah." Snipe chimed in as he walked past him. Izuku simply shrugged before turning back.
"Its been a pleasure doing business with you." Izuku said as he began walking away. The P.A.M.s followed after him. "Now kid, I can't just let yah walk back unprotected." Snipe said. "I know Snipe, I'm walking right now." Izuku replied as he continued onwards.
He didn't bother looking back, knowing that Snipe would continue watching his back until he returned to the warehouse. The P.A.M.s let out a faint hum, the folded up cart held between their hydraulic arms. People gave him little mind, the hero trailing him gaining more attention than his P.A.M.s.
It will be another hour until he was back at the warehouse, but he didn't mind. Walking through the city just served to remind him of why he's doing this. Why he chose to take part as a villain, why he steeled himself to bringing back that technological golden age.
The sight of a Hero fight against a random mugger, sections of the road being destroyed by their conflict. The image of a lone homeless man strumming a guitar in a desperate attempt to make money. Izuku tossed some yen his way as he passed the man.
He wanted to help people, he always did. Yet the world always shot him down, seeing him as this useless Deku. He will not let this stop him, if he has to defeat every hero and villain that gets in his way. If All Might himself stood as an obstacle in his path, he will find a way to move forward.
His internal monologue was stopped by something slamming into his legs. He looked down, seeing a small child with white hair and frightened eyes looking up at him. Snipe seemed to take notice of this as well, running up to him to inspect her. She looked up at him with fear in her eyes, a small horn on her forehead speaking out through her long hair.
Izuku could feel that fire in his heart, the same fire he could feel when the idea of the P.A.M. first settled in his mind, as he leaned downwards. The girl seemed to calm as Izuku looked into her red eyes with his cool green ones. "Please, don't let them take me back." She whispered as Izuku glanced over to Snipe.
Izuku knew what he had to do, sucking up any form of resentment he held. He wrapped his arms around her and began running back to U.A. Snipe and the P.A.M.s not far behind him. Snipe was already calling in to Nedzu, giving him a brief rundown of what just happened.
Another hero seemed to step out of U.A.'s gates. He gave them no mind as the gate beeped to allow him access, his P.A.M.s not far behind him. "Follow me, there's a short cut too the nurse's office." the hero said as Izuku just continued onwards. He looked down at the child in his arms, her eyes continued to star up at his own.
An abuse victim, a little girl who was abused by who knows what kind of monster. It was a bitter reminder of just how bad villains can be these days. He ran a hand through her hair, attempting to give her some form of comfort. She hadn't let him go since he picked her up, not that he would have denied her anyway.
The little girl was named Eri, no last name. The heroes of U.A., Recovery Girl especially, were hard at work brainstorming what to do about this recent development. Izuku just sighed, knowing that they might try to spin this in order to make him stay here. Eri seemed to perk up, Izuku just turned to her and let her lean in closer to him.
Recovery Girl had already spent time investigating her state of being. Izuku was just appalled at her condition; Malnourished, sleep deprived, abused both physically and mental, and who knows what else they had done to her. If he ever met the villains who did this, he wouldn't hesitate to fry them.
The door opened and Eri held him tighter. "Hello Young Midoriya, I am detective Tsukauchi. I was sent here to assist in the investigation on Young Eri's tormentors." The now introduced detective said. Izuku nodded as Eri tried to hide behind him. "Its ok little miss. We're going to stop the men who did this to you. We just need your help for this." the detective said.
Eri looked up to him; "It'll be ok." Izuku said to her. Eri looked back at him and tried to put on a brave face. "Good, now I need both of your statements. Recovery Girl already gave me a rundown of her condition so I just need your stories." The detective said. Izuku looked down at Eri, seeing that she was still rather uncomfortable, so he spoke up first."I was walking back home after making an exchange with U.A., three Azure Units in exchange for payment and footage of their success in U.S.J. testing. While I was walking Eri bumped into my leg and held on, then she said-" "Please don't let them take me back?" Eri interrupted him.
Izuku simply held her closer in a comforting hug. "So I ran back to U.A., Snipe was still escorting me so he followed after me. Its thanks to him that we managed to get her to the recovery room quickly." Izuku admitted as Eri rested her head on his shoulder.
The detective just shook his head and gave them a small smile. "Well young man, I'm happy that you weren't seen by the villains in question. That just means we'll have to hide the young Miss rather than your whole family." Tsukauchi said. Izuku nodded, knowing that he and his mother were at risk of being put under witness protection because of what he did.
"Has my mother been informed?" Izuku asked. "Yes, as we speak she's being escorted to U.A. by heroes." The detective replied. Izuku just sighed; 'Mom's gonna flip when she hears why they brought her here.' he thought. "Either way, I am happy to report that we can start building a case against Eri tormentors, maybe even get some heroes involved." Tsukauchi said. Izuku just nodded, not commenting on it.
"Still, once your mother arrives we will begin discussing what would be best for young Eri." Tsukauchi said before he stood up. "Have a good night officer." Izuku said as Tsukauchi just nodded before walking out the door. "Hey Eri." Izuku said as he gently shook the young girl. "Yeah?" She asked. "You're going to meet my mother, she's just as kind as I am, but she's more expressive." Izuku said before he began running a hand through Eri's hair again.
He continued this until his mother was brought in. Any questions she had ceased as she looked at the small child half asleep at her son's side. Izuku smiled as Inko neared Eri cautiously and held a hand out to her. Inko gave her a comforting smile as Eri looked at her, and took the out reached hand.