The questioning and weekly paperwork was far more draining than I had anticipated, leading me to an inconvenient problem with the added fact of sleeping for 2 days, my sleep schedule. I was staying out every night now. Shortly after Nezu had left after talking about the work I needed to do that day I had too, slipping away after Yagi had left and Torino had gotten distracted. Only heading back to the gym to drop off the first pile of papers after I had finished them. Nezu had apparently taken the initiative to be extra helpful. Making one of the papers of the second stack a quest on its own, finding a bag in an abandoned warehouse waiting for me. The bag holding a laptop and a set of winter clothes. It would be annoying if it wasn't helpful, especially with the chilly weather setting in.
It led me to reaching out to some old contacts. Heading out of The Glades and into the better areas of Mustafar. A small computer shop with its front door tucked into a side alley. It was only after pulling my hood down that I entered, turning the open sign to close. I had come in my vigilante garb, and bringing my rope darts, the blades tucked against my wrists, even though I didn't expect any trouble here. I waited till the last of the customers left before approaching the counter.
"Do my eyes deceive me, or has Death just walked in my front door," The lady at the counter called out in greeting as I pulled my bag from my back. The woman standing up and letting me get a good look at her. The darkly tanned woman had a bright smile, her yellow hair cut short and styled to stand in spikes. Her arms littered in scars and a scar also along the side of her neck. Only having one flesh hand, as her left hand, for her right a mechanical prosthetic.
"Dao, it's good to see you," I greeted the technician in turn before setting the bag on her counter, watching as the woman came around and took my wrists. Looking me over carefully.
"You look good, look like you gained some fat," Dao let go of my wrists and reached up to pinch my cheek, I responded by attempting to nip her fingers only for her to tut.
"Had a place I was crashing for awhile, but that has fallen through, not why I'm here though, mind checking something out for me?" I asked her, gesturing to the backpack.
"Aw, Death always all business, you'd think when you left the Horsemen you would loose that stick up your ass." Dao sighed but turned to my bag, opening up and removing the laptop.
"Dao!" I wasn't sure of any other way to react other than flustard. The woman only laughed at my discomfort opening the laptop and as it powered on her quirk activated. Her eyes glowing red and her fingertips sparking as she accessed the system.
"Ohhh, you up for selling this, this has quite the set up," Dao seemed delighted by whatever she found.
"Just tell me if it has a tracer on it, same for the phone," I shook my head, while the money would be nice, it would likely be better not to spit in the face of Nezu so soon after being given such expensive gifts.
"Well, when you connect it to wifi it will of course be traceable, but there is a good amount of protection behind the firewall set up. There are a few back doors but you need the right stream of codes or it will vanish." Dao hummed, tilting her head to the side and smiling wide. "I'd love to tear the coding apart.
"So it's safe for me to use," I huff wanting to get to the point of the conversation, not really understanding all of the fire wall and back door. Dao sighed dramatically.
"Yes, it is safe for you to use, I've added another few layers to the firewall, it will throw off any attempts to find your IP address." Some other term I didn't understand, reaching out for the phone and holding it out to her before closing the lid of the laptop. Dao again used her quirk and crackled.
"Oh you have to sell me this!" She stepped away from me, moving around her counter.
"And why is that, Dao," curious about what was so interesting about this phone that she would insist rather than joke about it.
"Oh come now, it's hero grade, you even have access to some of the hero apps. Do you know how much this would go for," she gushed, tapping away on the phone and smiling down. I reached out and snatched back. Ignoring her whines as she made grabby motions. "Your no fun, Deathy," She whined, "Sitting on a gold mine and you won't let me fence it for you." She moped.
"It's not for sale, there gifts, and I am not in the mood to burn down bridges just yet." I hum, "The tracer."
"Only if you leave the location on, it's off now." She sighed, shaking her head. "Seriously, though Death your no fun." Crossing her arms and leaning against her counter as I packed my bag up again. Turning the phone back off just to be safe.
"Fun comes with unnecessary dangers, Dao," I huff, crossing my arms. "Need you to get the word out, I live another year." I picked up my bag, watching as Dao ran her fingers over the top of her computer screen, eyes flashing red before blinking in surprise.
"The Horsemen Conquest calls for aid," Dao frowned as she passed on the message.
"Conquest," I repeated, "His territory is in Hosu," Looking back at the woman, and she could only shrug. "Just passing it on. You Horsemen are weird as is." She moved towards the back of her area, pulling back a curtain to reveal a safe, opening it and pulling out a card.
"Here, this should cover the train," stepping up to me and holding it out. Taking the card it was a IC card, used for trains and most buses.
"You just keep these lying around," tucking the card away. It would speed up the travel a lot.
"Got to take care of our protectors you know," Dao smiled, "besides longer you are alive the less I got to worry about fighting Dullahan," She used the name that Stain bared when we were in public, even if the shop was empty. "Take this too," grabbing a business card from the counter and scribbled something down. "If you need anything call me."
"I'll keep that in mind," taking this card too, looking it over and seeing that she had scratched out the business number and put down a new one. "Keep an eye on the Glades for me."
"I'll pass on the word if something happens," Dao promised as she reached out offering her hand. We clasped wrists and with a nod to each other I turned and walked away. Leaving the store behind.
The train ride was a quiet affair, the IC card wasn't given a second glance nor was I, timing the train ride for when the schools let out. The train filled with kids. Finding an empty seat took some time, but once I was able I sat down and pulled out the laptop. Now that Dao had cleared the laptop I was willing to use it. The desktop blank so I started to look further. The files on the laptop held the lessons and as I looked them over I realized the value was more than just a good laptop. Nezu had given me a way to keep being on the move but also still work towards UA. Closing the laptop I smiled softly. It was one regret, being unable to continue studies. Though could it be considered a regret when the chance was taken from me.
"Deep in thought there, aren't you, Izuku?" I jumped a little looking up to see Dabi standing in front of me. His scars didn't look any better since I last saw him. He was dressed down for him, jeans and a sweatshirt with his hood up hiding most of his scars away.
"Dabi, it's been awhile," I greeted him, with a small duck of my head.
"You should be more alert, don't tell me living with a hero has dulled your senses," He snipped at me. Much like Stain had.
"Do not presume such things," Shoving the laptop into my bag. "Are we not both going to Hosu for the same reasons." Dabi's gaze shifted to a glare before softening.
"Look," Dabi started, reaching up to the bridge of his nose. "Are you bringing hero baggage with you?"
"No, I had Dao check on my things before even knowing of the meeting," I answered him.
"Then what has your senses dull so much, you used to be on a hair tigger," He moved now, from standing before me to sitting down next to me.
"I have been given a chance to pursue my education," I answered him, resting my hand over the bag in my lap.
"Oh," Dabi whispered softly. "Are… are you going to take it?"
"I don't know yet," I answered him just as softly. "It comes with the price of venturing far from the other Children."
"How far?" Dabi asked.
"UA," The answer was simple. "A hero found me in The Glades and wants to sponsor me." Dabi went incredibly tense and his fingers sparked with black fire before he could clench his fists quickly to suppress his quirk.
"UA, the top hero school, UA," he asked a clarifying question.
"Yes," I answered him, with a small dip of my head.
"Well that would explain this," He reached into his coat and pulled out a few badly folded and wrinkled papers, holding them out to me. Taking the papers I gently opened them up I frowned at what I was reading. I was a ward? Of a Sorahika Torino, an emergency foster, protective custody? Shifting to the next few reports, Inko had signed away rights? My blood felt like ice in my veins at the thought that they had seen Inko.
'That bitch is ALIVE!?' Oh, yeah, Fire was definitely back. The signs must have been showing of me about to use my fire cause Dabi dropped a hand on my head and his fire in my stomach shifted uncomfortably.
"Calm down brat, don't burn down the train." He sounded almost bored though I could hear the concern in his voice. "You really didn't know?" Keeping his hand on the top of my head as I wrinkled the papers in my hands. Resisting the urge to burn them. I couldn't risk getting us into trouble for public quirk usage.
"No, I didn't know," I hissed at Dabi, crumbling the papers in my hands after reading the part where I was an official ward of Torino's. Stuffing them into my pocket.
"I'm guessing that is the hero you had an argument with." Dabi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, he wasn't happy when I vanished after Dullhall left his marker at the end of my nightly run." I sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose.
"You tell him why," Dabi asked, a warning tone in his voice.
"No, I told him jack shit, told him to trust me and took off. Next time I see him, he's on top of the roof and my fight with Dull is over and I am getting patched up, only to be accused of being lazy and ungrateful when I wake up two days later," I hissed, trying to keep my voice low as Dabi hums thinking over my words himself.
"So he's a coward, didn't give you time to get back to your feet before showing his 'loving concern'." Dabi hissed and his affirmation that the situation was shit was enough to settle what little guilt laid in my bones.
"Thanks Dabi," taking a moment to lean back into the chair. Dabi huffed, putting his arms up on either side of him on the back of the seats. Pulling me into his side.
"We still got 2 hours, take a nap Lt. I'll keep a look out." He was letting his guard down and I was more than happy to let mine down as well. We may have broken apart 2 years ago, but I was glad to see we were at least still friends.
The train ride was peaceful and besides a few loud patrons the 2 hours went by in a doze. Shaken awake as we were coming into the station.
"Sleep good?" Dabi asked pleasantly enough as I stretched my arms over my head, yawning wide, going so far as to show off my fangs, before shaking myself a little. Getting a chuckle as he accepted that as his answer. The both of us getting up to our feet as the train came to a stop.
Grabbing my bag I was surprised to see Dabi grab a duffle from overhead.
"Was I really that out of it?" I asked him as we moved towards the door and off of the platform.
"Deep in that head of yours," he teased, while he knocked his knuckles lightly against my forehead. "Keep your head on a swivel kid, I don't need to warn you about what's out there."
"I know," and the walk from there was silent. Walking through the city, Dabi leading the way through the city, from the hustle and bustle towards the docks. Eventually coming to a rather rundown building.
"A bar, seriously, you know half of us aren't old enough to drink." I gave Dabi an unimpressed look.
"Hush up, Brat," he huffed, and we were walking in. The bar was hardly anything impressive. It wasn't very wide. A line of booths along one wall and the bar itself on the opposite side, with tables and chairs littering the middle in a single messy row. The bar tender, a slender man, who looked like he could use a good meal and comb, looked us over and frowned at me, but pointed to a door.
"Lizard boy is in there," The man grunted before turning away. A clear dismissal and show he was ignoring my presence. Dabi and I offered no further comment, going through the pointed out door to find Conquest, the one who called the meeting.
"Spinner," Dabi greeted, as Spinner was already looking up and smiling. The room was a pool table room. Three tables with space between each one to play the game. The one that Spinner had been standing over were covered in papers and pictures.
"Dabi, good to see you, Zuku," Spinner hesitated at seeing me before smiling again, he was standing before me now. "I'm glad to see you are still kicking around. How are the Glades?"
"Been getting loud, some heroes been poking around," I huff good naturedly, reaching out my hand and we clasped wrists.
"Wish you luck on that regard, the ones here are blood hounds," Spinner complained, "But I am glad you are here, I need both of your help, but your experience with this." Spinner looked back at the table. The both of us let go of the other's wrist and I stepped up looking at the table.
"What has you calling for help anyway, Spinner, your the best on not calling, so what has your tail in a twist?" Dabi moved to one of the chairs, pulling it over and sitting in it backwards as he watched the two of us.
I brushed a few of the pictures along to see more of them, now I understood why Spinner was glad I was here, even if my gut twisted.
"Trafficking, you are going after a trafficking ring," picking up a picture of a team of two shutting the trunk and a sad soul barely seen tied up in a trunk, "Quirk, or body trafficking?"
"There a difference," Spinner asked with a tilt of his head.
"Yes, there is a difference," putting the picture down. "Quirk is more likely to survive for a longer time, they'll be cared for, even if it is the bare minimum, body, they'll be shipped faster as they won't care to meet needs." Picking up some of the reports, I could tell this wasn't just Spinner's research, he must have brought in some of the others for this too.
"There any way to tell," Dabi asked carefully, and I picked up the pile of pictures. Shifting through different pictures. Seeing different guards and stations. A good look at what the base looks like. "It looks like a temporary operation, the crates as tables and chairs. No furniture or permanent fixtures. Once they cleared out," I stopped short as I saw a picture of 5 men, 2 seemed to be arguing with each other while the rest listened. "I can't help you," I whisper, dropping the pictures and stepping away. Trying to control my shaking.
"Zuku," Spinner spoke softly, concerned about lacing his tone as he moved to see what picture I had been on. "You know these men?" He asked.
"Ryu, the man with the tear tattoos under his eyes," I whispered softly, and Dabi perked up a bit. "The rest are his crew."
"Your old handler?" He questioned me, getting up himself and snatching the picture from Spinner.
"And his team," I whispered softly, Stain had beat it into us in our training to know the risks and that pushing the risks could be more than a little painful. So a team of skilled and experienced slavers was more than enough to take us out when one was still under their quirk. "There are at least two mental quirks, the moment one or two go out, he'll activate his quirk."
"Shit," Dabi grunted.
"That takes out a good chunk of our fire power," Spinner grunted, not even bothering to make use of his pun as he normally would.
"Will Toga be able to make it?" I asked looking between the two of them, my intel was very out of date.
"Toga is laying low, she had a frenzy, Dullhal is looking for her." Dabi grunted and I winced. Toga was always pushing Stain's buttons when it came to the rules.
"So we have no way to get close to take out the team," Spinner frowned at the sheet. Then he perked up, "What about the other vigilantes?" Dabi shook his head. "What about Knucklebuster?"
"No, too close to heroes or don't align with Dullhal's views." Dabi shook his head, and Spinner went down the list of a few other vigilantes and even a few low ranking heroes that Dabi all shot down.
"Well we can't do nothing," Moving to pace, hoping an idea could come to me. Shoving my hands into my pockets, my left hand touching the phone that Nezu had given me.
Merely give me the time, Nezu had said, pulling the phone out and turning on the screen and opening the contacts. There were a few miss calls and messages, ignoring them, I pulled up the contacts. The phone preloaded with Nezu, Yagi, and Torino's phone numbers.
"What if we make a bargain," I asked turning to the two of them, the two of them stopping in throwing names around.
"Explain," Dabi ordered as Spinner looked between the two of us frowning.
"The heroes want me, or at least a small group of them, I could-"
"Absolutely not, you left that life, Zuku, trading away your freedom no matter the side is still a loss." Dabi turned away from me back to the table.
"I'd rather loose my freedom to the heroes than any one person go through what I did, Dabi. And you know how my life went." Dabi was clenching his jaw in that way when he knows that he has lost.
"What heroes, Zu?" Spinner asked softly.
"Nezu, maybe Eraserhead, they would be a definite presence." I answered Spinner and while he seemed pensive.
"Eraserhead is a good hero, he abides by the rules of Stain, even if he does not know them," Spinner offered as he turned back to Dabi, who technically had final say.
"Fine, Zu, you are going to play face, the rest of us are staying off the radar. All three of us are meeting up to scout. Don't be late," Dabi turned away from the table and stormed out. He was mad, out of all of us. He hated heroes the most, even if we didn't know why.