Syndicate

by InuKagomeLuver4Eva

The powerful Yakuza clan, Uraraka, has ruled Musutafu with an iron fist for hundreds of years. Now, when the first female heir is born, Ochaco Uraraka must take a stand as rightful ruler of the clan. A fateful encounter with a stranger who saved her life seemed nothing more than a one time event...until he shows up at her door looking for an in. Ochaco x Deku.

9. The Pawns Shift

Smoke emitting from the backside of the building was how they narrowed in. While Izuku and Ojiro attempted to find a way through the lower two levels, a heavy metal hatch had been locked shut with a large, industrial lock. Despite trying their best to pry it open it didn't budge. A large sledgehammer borrowed from nearby swung heavily against the hinges until they began cracking apart, ultimately splitting and dropping the plate heavily to the floor below. Izuku threw himself into the hatch, hands clinging tightly to the smooth metal before he lifted up on the floorboards. A fire extinguisher followed shortly after, the former detective immediately pulling the pin and aiming at the flames. Ojiro called for another fire extinguisher as their classmates and U.A. Police arrived on scene. Kirishima, Bakugo, and Todoroki gathered every firefighting source they could find, piling them beneath the hatch. The explosives expert reached the closest fire alarm and slammed a fist over the button, triggering the sprinklers.

Water exploded from the ceilings as a piercing alarm rang out. Izuku tossed aside the empty extinguisher as the sprinklers dumped over him, soaking the wood and snuffing the flames. With an arm over his mouth he traversed through the dampening smoke searching for her. There weren't any doors lining the corridor, just charred walls and creaking ashes of floorboards. It was like a long, enclosed hallway with one way in and out. The window where the smoke escaped caught his eye. Sheer temperature had blown the glass outward into the back gardens. A fast head poke examined the area. There was nothing nearby to indicate an easy route to the window, just the framing and roof a handful of feet above.

Had she jumped from the roof to escape? If cornered on the roof by multiple assailants, it made sense to abandon ship the fastest way possible. Ochaco was agile enough to climb down and slip through the window. Removing his tactical flashlight for better visibility, Izuku hurried forward. Even if there were enemies lying in wait the smoke and flames would've taken them out minutes ago. No one was left. A glint of metal caught his eye. A large, solid metal door at the end of the hallway…cracked open just a bit.

"Ojiro, there's a room up here! Call the paramedics," Izuku called back towards the hatch. A response was given yet unheard over the heavy pounding of his heart. Best care scenario…she was just holding out until the flames subsided.

Worst…

"Ochaco, can you hear me? Call out and let me know you're fine!" No response. Izuku prepared himself for the worst while grasping the door edge. It retracted almost immediately from the intense heat transfer. He blew on his hand to cool it down. Minor burns, nothing serious. "Shit. It got that hot in here?"

Instead of sacrificing more of his flesh, he used the sole of his boot to force the door open. It groaned loudly and after a hefty push gave way, swinging most of the way open. Light bounced around the immediate area to check for hidden threats in the dim environment. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except the creepy throne resting against the opposite wall, a flickering light above. It almost looked like…hands? "What the hell…"

Swinging the light around to clear the rest of the room, a gun appeared haphazardly tossed against the floor. Dread filled his throat. He knew that gun. Shifting the guide to the right he found her. A small pool of blood beneath chestnut locks, face turned away from the door. No movement. No noise. Nothing to indicate signs of life. The flashlight clattered to the ground; light aimed towards the throne as Izuku dropped to her side.

"Ochaco! Can you hear me? Hey, I need you to wake up for me!" He pled to deaf ears. The heiress was out cold, either from the impact or unseen injury, he didn't know yet. Both hands cupped her face gently, tilting it towards him. A good laceration above her right eye and multiple smaller ones, most likely from a blade. Two fingers pressed against the side of her neck, verifying life. Weak. Very weak. But still there. It was then he noticed the red markings against her neck…strangulation. A hand had latched on hard enough to bruise deeply. "Please…wake up. This can't be the end, not now. We're supposed to save the city together, right? Isn't that why you held out your hand to me?"

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, but Izuku didn't care if it was the enemy returning for more. He'd failed to protect her…his friend. It should've been him up here, not her. He should've stayed with her. Should've been there to support her actions. But he trusted her judgement as friends do. Ochaco knew it was a trap yet risked her life to protect Melissa. Tears plopped against her pale face lightly, trailing down both cheeks and diluting streaks of red. "Please…wake up…"

A hand planted heavily against his shoulder drawing teary eyes up. Aizawa had crouched beside him with face contorted into worry, the expression unusual for the stoic Yakuza. Instead of instantly moving to treat the heiress, he pulled the former detective's head against his shoulder, holding firmly. Izuku instantly responded by latching onto the man he'd once looked up to, releasing the pent up emotions. The room became a blur of paramedics, Yakuza, and even a mix of his friends who came clambering after him. Though he never noticed, too preoccupied with getting the pent up fear from his system.

Ochaco was the closest he'd ever gotten to losing someone in a matter of minutes. and it petrified Izuku.

"Midoriya, let's get you out of here. Ochaco's in good hands, I promise." Kirishima crouched next to the duo with a hand reaching out for his friend. Watering virescent shifted up to crimson filled with raw pain. An understanding yet quivering smile in return. "I'm sure she'll wake up soon; the paramedics don't think it's more than a concussion and minor laceration. She fought well and did her job in protecting Melissa."

"Go. I'll need to clean things up here, Midoriya. I'll catch up with you later." Aizawa affirmed with a nod, releasing his hold on the young man. The moment he saw him crying over Ochaco was when he became aware the walls were beginning to crumble. The war had only just begun yet emotions were straining thin. "Tell Ojiro to ride with her in my place, I won't be far behind."

"Sir," Kirishima responded as he pulled his friend up, slinging an arm over his shoulder. The two steadily made their way towards the exit as Shota stood and scanned over the area.

Whatever happened in this room had Ochaco caught off guard. Years of training should've prevented or at least delayed a one-sided pummeling, not to mention the gun. Grasping it from the floor before the police tossed it into evidence, he popped the magazine and quickly counted rounds. Two missing. Sliding the chamber back he noticed one jammed at the infeed. That meant one had been discharged. Why was the casing missing and where did the round hit? Scanning the floor with a light, Shota searched the area for any addition blood splatters that didn't belong to Ochaco. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary save for a small, nearly camouflaged red puddle residing in a damaged part of the floor. Removing a small bottle and swab from a pouch on his side, the Yakuza grabbed a hefty sample then sealed it tight. This would get sent off for immediate analysis.

"Now," He spoke aloud, dark gray eyes shifting to the creepy chair. "What are you hiding beneath those fingers?"

From afar it didn't seem out of the ordinary; odd, completely, but some people took art forms to the extreme. Yet the closer he got the faster he realized they weren't molds. They were varying stages of mummified hands severed at the wrist. He snapped multiple pictures and sent them off to Hizashi. Funny how the signal cleared up all of a sudden when black smoke began pouring from the building. He must've used the distraction to escape. Shota's jaw clenched tight enough to pop loudly. That bastard would pay dearly for what he'd done. If Kenji were here there wouldn't be a sewer left for that rat to crawl into. Staring at the chair only fueled his rage. A leg suddenly lashed out, striking the top segment of the chair and sending hands scattering. Again and again he struck, forcing all of his power behind the kicks. Any hands that remained whole were stomped into charcoal powder, ground into the concrete with the wrath of a thousand men.

A single cable caught his eye after all hands had been destroyed. It was attached to the framing of the chair, hidden beneath a rubber corner guard. Shota ripped off the rubber guard to reveal a spy camera no bigger than a charging block. Bingo. Crouching to be eye-level with the recording device, he stared intensely into the lens.

"You may think you've won this round, All for One, but know this; you've only fueled her desire to protect Musutafu. Sleep with one eye open. I'll see you soon." His knife stabbed through the camera hard enough to crack it completely in half, sparks zapping into the air. The memory card inside remained intact so he stashed it for later. Yamada could pull any other files from it. Ensuring the cable was torn up as well to prevent attaching future devices, Shota cleaned up the scene. Remnants of Ochaco's blood needed to be removed to prevent DNA theft though who knows how long she'd been alone in here with him.

"Sir, Miss Uraraka has stirred in the ambulance and is asking for your whereabouts." A thug reported to the higher ranking at his side, kneeling with head down.

"Finish this up for me. When you're done, burn everything in this room and make sure nothing remains. Don't give the Shigaraki gang a reason to return." Shota ordered firmly. The Yakuza nodded sharply and began to continue cleaning up the room feverishly. Yet as he stepped through the doorway, a small detail caught his attention. The man had instantly gone for the wire instead of the pool of Ochaco's blood. Grabbing the shoulder of one of the Yakuza standing guard, he pulled him in lowly. "Get rid of the rat."

"Understood, sir." The guard nodded, expression darkening as his finger slipped over the AR's trigger. He slipped into the room stealthily and within seconds a round fired. Returning to his position, the Yakuza nodded at the accomplishment. "The problem's been taken care of, sir."

"Anyone who fails to follow my command is to be immediately treated as a traitor. I will not tolerate back-stabbers in the clan this close to Ochaco's ascension. Burn his body after checking for wires or other recording devices."

"Sir!"

Shota watched from the doorway as two men dragged the freshly bleeding body away from the demolished throne, tossing him onto his back and digging through his clothing. Dark gray narrowed. Had Shigaraki infiltrated this deep into the clan already? That man didn't hesitate to go for the wire the moment he stepped through the doorway. Paid off or threatened. Either way, that was one less problem for the Yakuza to deal with.

Only a thousand more to go.

---

Kenji Uraraka suspected something was going on the moment the city 'officials' declared his permits invalid again. Everything went through the proper channel, verified multiple times by one of the local Uraraka file clerks, yet somehow it still wasn't right. By now his patience had worn beyond thin and was on the verge of snapping. Even Fumi had her doubts while attempting to negotiate the proper procedure to the angering official.

"And I'm telling you; this isn't the right revision for the zoning permit! Everything was just updated the last few weeks. See here? On the bottom? That's at least two updates past due. Come back to us with the proper documentation—"

"This is the proper form. There are no revised versions at the main office, on the website, or even in the archives; we've checked them all multiple times. They say the same thing over and over. This is the latest revision." Fumi tersely argued back, completely fed up with the man's antics. Before he could retort back louder she angrily stuck a finger in his grubby face. "If you try to argue this again, I'm going to drag you by the ear back to whatever cesspool you crawled from and shove the documents where the sun doesn't shine. Are we understood?"

"But—"

"Are we understood?" The man meekly nodded so the mob wife lowered her finger, partially satisfied. "Kenji, dear, I think a walk right about now sounds delightful. I hear there's some good Takoyaki nearby."

"Right you are, dear. Please escort him from the premises and ensure he doesn't return with more nonsense this week." Kenji waved a hand, and the man was ungracefully dragged from the room. As soon as he was gone and the guards returned, the façade disappeared, and a hardness washed over his expression. "I've had enough of this bullshit. Get us a return flight home, we're cancelling this deal."

"Yes, sir," One of the guards quickly stepped away to make a few calls leaving the Uraraka leader and his wife standing in the desolate warehouse. The other remaining guard seemed locked onto the man walking away, a suspicious look in his eyes. He shifted over to Kenji once the other man became preoccupied.

"Sir, I don't believe he is one of ours. I noticed the number he dialed; he wasn't connecting through a secure line."

"Take him out."

"Sir."

Kenji turned to Fumi as the wary guard quickly pursued the isolated guard. Bastards had infiltrated the local gang, and they were sending them his way. Pulling out his phone, he called the head of the local branch. Within one ring it connected.

"Oyabun, how may I assist you today?" Kuno Utamaro answered loyally, eager to assist his leader.

"I want you to explain to me why you send me tainted guards, Utamaro. One of my men caught him attempting to call an outside number using a non-secured line." Kenji replied coldly. He switched it to speaker moments before two gunshots rang out, the noise echoing through the vast space. "Do you hear that? That is what happens to those who betray me. Now more than ever it's imperative to weed out the traitors before Ochaco's ascension. If you cannot maintain top-notch security within your branch, I will have you removed both physically from the building and life."

"Forgive me, Oyabun! I was not aware there was a leak within the rankings. I will initiate a full cleanse. Shuzo, Tadaso; immediately head to the barracks to do a sweep for traitorous swine! Leave no man unquestioned! Oyabun, I will head that way immediately, with your permission. I will accept any punishment you serve with grateful arms." Utamaro's voice trembled with anger. Anger for allowing his leader to be endangered due to carelessness. Anger for allowing traitors to sweep through his rankings. Fear for his life now on the line.

"You have ten minutes." Kenji ended the call with a hard press of the screen. Just before he could put it away it began ringing with a familiar number. Fumi glanced at the number then latched onto her husband's arm anxiously. "Shota."

"That warehouse is nothing more than a diversion created by Shigaraki, Oyabun. It needs to be destroyed." Shota warned immediately. In the background the parents could hear people talking, sirens blaring, and pages being made. "Rankings across Japan have been infiltrated including the main base. Yamada has confirmed branches are being mentally swayed about Ochaco's reign. Someone got to them."

"Where's Ochaco, Shota? Why does it sound like a hospital in the background?" Kenji ignored the remarks and went straight to the topic of his daughter. Shota quietly spoke to someone else before returning to the phone.

"She's alive. I can't explain everything right now, but Ochaco's a bit beat up. She encountered the puppeteer behind Shigaraki—"

"What did you just say?" Kenji growled lowly, hand cracking the plastic casing of his phone. "Why the fuck didn't you say something sooner, Shota?!"

"Mass murders, that's why. Dozens caught up in an explosion then hit with hundreds of rounds before they could even have the mercy to burn to death. Shigaraki is going all out with the attacks now. They even took David Shield's daughter hostage in order to lure Ochaco in. I've got Chief Yagi and the news station up my ass currently; I can't say everything. Morimoto will reach out to you in a bit. Kenji…I'm in no way doubting Ochaco's leadership or decisions, but she needs you here."

"Shota, we're on our way back right now. We've got infiltration on this end as well." Fumi took the phone from her husband who practically had steam billowing from his brown locks. "Please, just stay and support her a little longer until we're home. Do whatever you must to protect her."

"Always, Ma'am. I'll see you soon."

The line disconnected. Fumi immediately began ordering guards to assemble an escort to their vehicle as Kenji stood motionless in one spot. Chaos erupted when higher ranking Yakuza ordered the pawns with barking authority, shouting at them to hurry up. It was all becoming white noise to the soon-to- be retired Yakuza leader. Everything was falling apart before his eyes. His city. The country. The clan he'd meticulously maintained the past few decades. Now his daughter was being attacked directly by the man himself, All for One. Whoever the hell his pawns were, they decided to let loose upon his civilians in the most gruesome of manners.

While he was out of town chasing his own tail for a fake factory.

Kenji Uraraka was a disgrace to the Uraraka name.

"We're moving," Fumi snapped at him with a sharp tug on his sleeve, yanking the Yakuza from his self-loathing. He'd only once before seen such a fierceness in his wife's eyes and that was the day Ochaco was born. The day she swore to protect her child from the world itself. "Focus on what needs to happen now, Kenji. Right now, you're still the leader of the Uraraka lineage. Act like it. Take charge of the situation with the heritage you were blessed with. Command those loyal to you."

"I want all men ready to fight their way out of this hellhole! Take down any man deemed a traitor to the Uraraka name! If you cannot vow your allegiance to me, I will strike you down myself! Do not let anyone halt our path!" Kenji boomed; arm thrown out as he addressed his men. Most immediately dropped to their knees yet those who failed to do so were promptly discarded by him, their hesitation evident to their lack of loyalty. "Evacuate the building then burn it to the ground. Send the warning message to Shigaraki, who dared to lay hands on my daughter; your future leader, that we will not sit idly as he destroys our home! We Uraraka shall persevere for another three hundred years!"

"Yes, Oyabun!"

Sirens sang in crescendo from outside of the warehouse. It was too soon for the gunshots to have been reported in judging by the numerous cars arriving. Kenji glowered. That phony official. No doubt they would surround and force him to submit. Turning on his heel the Yakuza leader confidently strolled towards the main doors, men lining up to create a pathway. Bent at forty-five degrees, hands sharply against their sides, still as statues. Those true to Uraraka lineage reacted in second nature. As soon as he passed they lined up in two rows behind, weapons readied for the fight ahead. Kenji stopped shy of the doors, two men awaiting his command. Turning back to his wife he grasped her hand gently, lifting it to his lips for a loving kiss.

"You've always been my support, Fumi, for that I am grateful. I won't force you into such a war."

"Til death do us part, Kenji." Fumi responded with an endearing smile. Kenji nodded, gently releasing his wife's hand to dig into his jacket. He pulled out his personal weapon of choice, a modified .44 AMP, then nodded to the guards.

Til death did them part.

---

Yamada stood beside his best friend in the hospital lobby as he helped direct injured civilians and Yakuza. There were too many casualties for the government to ignore. He'd bet his last good beer they were convening right now to put an end to both clans. Adjusting his sunglasses further on the bridge of his nose, Yamada turned his attention to the group of ducklings huddled in a corner. According to Shota they were Ochaco's friends. The green haired one, Midoriya, forced his way through the building first with Ojiro to find the heiress. Guess that's why he was the best detective on the force.

A beep alerted the blonde of a new notification on his phone. It showed a GPS location moving further north on the island. Without a word he showed it to Shota who was in the middle of chewing out a paramedic for blocking the hallway. A hand snatched it up immediately. "Seems they're on the move. Guess your pep talk did the job."

"That wasn't me," Shota replied evenly, tossing the phone back. "Kenji is the one who needed to make that decision. He's still the boss despite Ochaco filling in for the past few months."

"You think he's going to take down the big, bad wolf?"

"I guarantee he'll level the city in search of the bastard who hurt his daughter. Take over for a minute, I'm going to check in with the nurses."

"Roger, boss! Time for Present Mic to shine!" Yamada gave a radio smile then took charge of directing with a booming voice. Shota let out a stressed sigh. At least his obnoxiously loud voice was good for something right now.

Midoriya and his gaggle of friends occupied the corner, silent and seemingly zoned out. Yet his footsteps triggered at least three of the group no less than ten feet away. Midoriya, Ojiro, and Kirishima were the first to stand with anxious faces. Mina and Toru clung to each other fearfully, tears already welling in red eyes. Bakugo sat with both arms crossed though fully assessing the situation silently. Melissa Shield remained a few seats away with a guilty expression.

"How is she?" Izuku asked urgently.

"I'm about to go check in with the nurses. Last I knew she hadn't woken up yet. They said it was a mild concussion, minor lacerations, and strangulation. She's lucky to have survived facing off with the Demon Lord himself. Her saving grace was that gun you returned, Bakugo. Seems one round did enough damage to force him into leaving."

"Demon Lord?" Kirishima parroted, confused at the name. "That's gotta be a nickname, right?"

"That's what he goes by in the streets; his real name is Shigaraki, aka All for One. He's the true leader to the Shigaraki gang." Bakugo answered his friend. Aizawa nodded tightly in confirmation. Kid had done his research.

"I saw on the news earlier…how Ochaco threw herself back at the building after saving Melissa. Why did she go back?" Mina asked, worry obvious in her tone. "She didn't have to go after them again, she saved Melissa! Why put herself through all that?"

"Because of me," Shota stated simply. Those who knew looked away from the Yakuza, others staring at him in shock. No point in lying to them anymore; the whole city was probably about to be leveled. They'd be lucky to survive by the end of the week. "Back when I was attacked on top of the police station, a report was made with visual descriptions of the attackers. We don't have their full names due to no public records ever being created. Ochaco found that file in my office and went over it; I never told her who did it for business reasons. I know she went back up there because she wanted answers. The explosions downtown was also their work."

"She…wanted revenge?" Toru trembled out. Ojiro moved to comfort his girlfriend but she waved it off, standing and shifting closer to the black haired man. "How could she be so reckless? Her running into the building nearly got her killed!"

"That was Ochaco's choice to make; I can't force or stop her from acting. As the heiress to the Uraraka clan she has to do what benefits the clan above all else. The Shigaraki gang is a grave threat, she's witnessed that; she calculated out a plan then enacted upon that plan. Though hard to believe sometimes, Ochaco doesn't act recklessly."

"But what could she do against those five on the rooftop? That's the part I don't really understand," Izuku asked quietly. Shota scratched at his beard habitually though his eyes gave away the slight anxiety. He needed to go check on her. "I understand she's a force to be reckoned with…I've seen her in action on the mountainside. What she did earlier wasn't about eliminating an enemy; she was looking for answers."

"Bingo." Shota answered.

"What answers could she want about the Shigaraki gang?" Ojiro asked next.

"Whatever information she can gather, idiots. Now that she knows the main boss behind the gang she's going to find a way to take him down." Bakugo interjected with a snarky tone. "To take down a gang that large and lethal, you have to find a weak spot to strike over and over. We know who the boss is now. All that's left is to kill him—"

"Don't underestimate Shigaraki," Shota suddenly snapped, ushering them all into silence. "He's the most ruthless man alive and won't hesitate to stand on a mountain of corpses. His philosophy revolves around utilizing violence to gain power. The Yakuza code intertwines with violence though not without valid reason. Already he's violated countless territorial agreements, dozens of local laws, government treaties. Why do you think Chief Yagi had an early retirement?"

"I thought that was due to a side injury, in his younger patrolling days," Izuku remarked without thinking. It paid off to be a fanboy sometimes. "He got ambushed which resulted in a thug getting in a strike against his side. Even after countless surgeries his body never returned to normal."

"Wait, you're saying Shigaraki took Chief Yagi out of the field?" Kirishima asked incredulously. Shota pinched his nose tightly. They were just delaying him now with a hundred questions.

"Yes. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on Ochaco—"

"Not without us." Ojiro demanded, refusing to shrink at the withering look sent his way. "We're heavily involved in this Yakuza matter now; you can't get rid of us that easily. Besides, we're her friends and we're worried about her. Right now, more than ever, Ochaco needs people by her side and if that means challenging your authority…I'll gladly do so."

"Same here," Izuku seconded. "…sir."

"I'm with these two!" Kirishima joined in as Mina and Toru stepped forward. Bakugo finally got off his ass and stood just off to the side, shrugging his support.

"You damn kids," Shota groaned then swiped down his face. No point arguing with these kids right now. "Fine. Fine. Any signs of you distressing Ochaco and you're out."

"Sir!"

"Stop being so damn loud in a hospital!"

"Sorry!"

The first thing Ochaco noticed when consciousness finally came around was that her head hurt like hell. Not like a simple headache nor migraine; like she'd been run over with a steamroller. Then dropped from a hundred story building to land on a thousand cacti. The heiress tried to swallow but found herself wheezing as an unbearable pain rippled from her throat to chest. A hand raised to ease the pain, yet something latched onto mid-way, forcing Ochaco to squint open an eye.

Too bright.

Blurry.

Spinning…

"Ochaco? Are you waking up? Do you need anything? Water?" A feminine voice hushed urgently though it sounded like grating nails on a chalkboard. It felt like her face scrunched up but there was no way to tell since everything hurt. "Mr. Aizawa, is she…is she conscious?"

Too loud…

"Barely. Seems the effects of the concussion are hindering that. The noise and light are going to be a bitch for a while."

Aizawa…

"We're here for you, girlie," A second female voice chimed in barely above a whisper. Ochaco for sure felt her face scrunch up now. Two women and Aizawa? Where the hell was she?

"Do they have a prognosis on recovery?"

"They'll have a better idea once she wakes up completely. The biggest issues may be reoccurring symptoms of the concussion and strangulation. We're lucky there won't be more than bruising against her throat; he could've done permanent damage. If he really tried—"

"Turn off the damn lights already! Can't you see she's trying to wake up?"

Who the fuck was being loud…oh. Only one person she knew was that belligerent.

Bakugo. But why him?

If he was here…

"Come on, you can do it."

…Izuku…

Ochaco forced her eyes open. It was dark, barely any daylight seeping through the curtains, yet through blurry vision she could tell there were people surrounding her. It took a moment for her brain to kick into panic mode and the heiress shot forward with hand punching forward. Aizawa immediately latched onto her hand, lowering it back onto the bed with the other pushing against her shoulder. Panicked wheezing slipped out as Ochaco tried to fight her way out of the bed. She needed to leave, get away from him before he—

"Ochaco, you're safe; he's not here. You're in the hospital. Take it easy. Try to breathe through your nose," Shota lowly murmured as he eased the heiress back against the angled bed. Her mind must've snapped back to fight response once realizing what happened. Though she ultimately relaxed a bit, her body was trembling. Bastard.

"It must've been one hell of a fight she went through," Kirishima muttered against his palm, arms crossed tightly against his chest. He hated feeling so…useless. There had to be something he could do to help right now. Especially after how he talked badly about her at Yaomomo's house…

"That kind of reaction only comes from a one-sided annihilation. Bastard probably didn't even give her a chance to fight back." Bakugo replied tightly. While he didn't know the heiress that well, or honestly at all, she'd earned his respect that night in the mountains. Whatever he could do to help, he would. "Deku. Why did they use that Melissa girl as bait to lure her in?"

"That I actually can't figure out. Out of all of us correlated to Ochaco and the Uraraka clan, Melissa has zero connections. It doesn't make sense as to why she was kidnapped, two days ago no less."

"How did no one realize she'd been missing for two days?" Mina asked, fully aghast. "Seriously! I know she's not a full-time resident, but she's here enough to make a noticeable appearance. Not hard to miss out on a blonde American amongst Japanese."

"True…but things have been hectic since that official Uraraka broadcast," Kirishima pointed out, others nodding their agreements. "And she usually remains at the police station where we no longer have access to past the reception desk."

"There's something you all need to understand," Aizawa started with a hand still clutching a trembling one firmly. Dark gray shifted to them; expression strained in the dim light. "In order to preserve and protect the Uraraka clan and its secrets, we have to use the latest advances in technology to keep up with cyber-attacks and threats."

"You use Shield Industries," Izuku answered immediately, mouth gaping open. Shota nodded tightly. "So, that means you're using the top of the line equipment to maintain clan secrecy and privacy, but if it got out…David Shield could shut the system down."

"Or Melissa if she has the knowledge to do so." Kirishima added on. His fist smacked against a palm, anger brewing. "Does that mean they forced information out of her regarding the systems her father controls? They could crumble the entire clan in one swoop!"

"Exactly. There's a reason I told you to avoid interacting with Melissa about this, Midoriya; she's a high value target for information and technology." Shota finished then turned back to Ochaco who was squinting, though he wasn't sure how much she was seeing. Concussions were one of the most debilitating injuries to suffer. She wasn't going anywhere for a week. "The fact that they know there's a correlation between you and her, it's bound to get worse from here on out. Considering no one has asked about it yet, you didn't tell them about earlier, right?"

"Earlier…oh, that. I…not with everything's that happened, no. I wasn't sure that was my place to mention either." Izuku scratched at the back of neck unsurely. Everyone gave him weird looks though Bakugo's just seemed murderous at withheld information.

"What? What are we missing?" Toru asked a little too loud, quickly clamping a hand over her mouth at the sharp look from Aizawa and a wince from Ochaco. "Sorry."

"Due to your association with the Uraraka clan and given the circumstances regarding your friendship with Ochaco, housing will be provided on the main site in order to better protect you. We can't guarantee safety from this point on and you're all targets. The only questionable choices are Katsuki Bakugo and Shoto Todoroki due to their professional connections. Though ultimately, the choices are yours." Shota informed the group without a hint of emotion. Like a robot relaying data. No one moved at his remark. A brow notched questioningly. This was an odd response…

Kirishima swiftly moved in to cover Mina's mouth, Ojiro to Toru's, as both girls looked at one another then took in deep breaths. Izuku just laughed nervously as Bakugo's glares felt hot enough to burn a hole in his head. Aizawa sighed heavily. This was the wrong place to tell them the news. A beeping of his phone alerted the Yakuza to an incoming call. Kenji. He needed to take this in a private setting.

"I need to take this. Do not be loud or disruptive and irritate Ochaco more. If you need to let it out, I'll arrange a guarded room. Am I clear?" Shota threatened with a stern gaze and pointed finger. Everyone nodded eagerly. Less than satisfied he slipped from the room with a finger hitting the answer button.

"Seriously?! No way! We're actually going to the Uraraka mansion? To live?" Mina gushed softly, hands latching onto Toru's tightly.

"It'd only be temporary," Izuku interjected to avoid letting the pinkette get her hopes all the way up. "Until this war is over, we're heavy targets to be held hostage for information."

"Yeah, yeah, but I want to see if her house is like on Love Without Boundaries! Like, how does she decorate? What clothes does she have in her closet? Does she have her own stylists and who are they? We must know!" Toru whispered loudly with gleaming eyes. Though as they turned to Ojiro a bit of excitement died at his solemn expression. "Ojiro? You…don't like the idea?"

"I understand being excited about something like this, Toru, but it's not a game. Japan has slipped into a war between two top Yakuza gangs. Thousands will die and countless others will be injured or go missing. This entire city could be flattened in a matter of days. And we haven't even calculated out if Kenji Uraraka is returning. If he finds out how Ochaco got injured—"

"There really won't be a city left." Izuku finished quietly. The room fell into solemn silence, the only sounds machines beeping softly to match Ochaco's vitals.

It was until Ochaco let out a wheezing gasp that everyone moved again, lurching forward at the noise. The heiress had her eyes partially open though closed them for long periods at a time to quell the vertigo. The right hand was still encapsulated by Mina, the pinkette squeezing for reassurances, and the left smacked against the bed framing as if looking for something. Izuku, being the closest, took the seat Aizawa had then carefully intercepted the wandering hand. She tapped against his open palm before shifting to blearily look his way. He kept his fingers spread to give her time to figure out who he was. Fingertips traced around his palm experimentally before tapping in sequence.

.- …. -

Izuku furrowed his brows as she waited a few seconds before repeating the sequence a bit harder. "I think she's trying to speak? I can't quite figure it out…"

"Morse code. Used in war times to relay information without alerting enemies." Bakugo pushed his way to stand beside Izuku, watching the pattern of the index finger moving. "She's asking 'who', more than likely asking who you are and who's here."

"It's Izuku, Ochaco. Kaach—Bakugo, Kirishima, Ojiro, Mina, and Toru are also here." The green haired man replied gently. Ochaco seemed to contemplate before tapping out another message, longer with more urgency. "What's she saying, Kaachan? I don't understand morse code."

.- .. -.. .- .- .-

"Give me a damn minute, nerd. A-i-z—she wants to know where Aizawa is."

"He stepped out for a call; he'll be back in a minute or so." Ochaco tried to nod though hissed in a raspy breath at the gesture. "Easy, don't try to move right now."

- -.- .- -.- ..-..

"Now she's asking if we're okay. Hell, you got the worst of that bastard, we should be asking you that." Bakugo snorted. A grimace appeared on the heiress' face, and she lifted her hand away from Izuku's palm, slowly turning a fist towards him. Fingers towards her, Ochaco let the middle finger pop up. The pyrotechnician chuckled with his own middle finger tapping against hers briefly. "Yeah, fuck you too."

"I didn't know Bakugo could understand morse code," Ojiro whispered to Kirishima as the brunette resumed tapping against Izuku's palm. The redhead merely shot him a confident grin.

"Bakubro's got hidden talents for sure beyond that explosive attitude and spiky hair."

"I can hear you," Said blonde shot a look in their direction which shut them both up. Shaking his head he returned to what he was doing. "Start over, those dumbasses distracted me."

- . .-.. .. … … .-

"Melissa was just down in the lobby a few minutes ago. She didn't want to come up here and see you like this. Seemed alright, maybe shaken up. Guilt's a bitch."

Ochaco blinked heavily a few times to clear the blurring vision, but it only increased. Only when warmth trailed down both cheeks did she realize it wasn't her eyes playing tricks. Heavier and heavier they flowed until her neck bandages became soaked, then the top of her gown. Auburn squeezed tight to quell the flow though it was pointless; the tears had a mind of their own and nothing was stopping them. Even if she wanted to cry out she couldn't. Right now she had no voice to give.

"It's alright, Ochaco, we're here. Let it all out," Mina cooed as Toru latched onto the hand her best friend clasped firmly.

Izuku felt himself tearing up at the agonized expression his friend donned. The guilt that everything was her fault must've felt overwhelming, not to mention getting other people involved in Uraraka business. She probably felt like a failure. The door opened as Aizawa slipped back into the room, yet before he could even shut it he was stepping back out. They needed the privacy at the moment rather than his desire to watch over her like a hawk. Ochaco needed friends more than anything right now.

"Things downstairs have quieted down, Shota. Can't tell you how many dead have been wheeled through the doors," Yamada plopped down on the bench beside his buddy with two drinks in hand. One was offered with a little shake, a hand taking it. Popping his own open the genius hacker took a hefty swig before letting out a satisfied sigh. "Ain't alcohol though I guess it's close enough for the moment."

"Don't even think about drinking right now," Shota warned weakly though he himself was prone to binge drinking every now and then, often with the blonde sitting beside him. "Kenji just called—"

"I'm linked into your phone, bro, I heard it all. At least that takes care of that problem for the time. Shouldn't be surprised about the local resistance; it's not hard for corrupt rats to sneak their way into police stations and political positions."

"Funny." Aizawa deadpanned as Yamada gave a half-assed shrug. "If everything pans out then they should be back within the next day or so. Depends on if the city shuts down the airport in an attempt to stop them from leaving. If that's the case, there are a handful of backup escape plans and whoever's left from Utamaro's branch. Bastard didn't even realize he had rats; I'm not getting my hopes too high on him."

"What about the one in the building?" Yamada asked with the can barely against his lips. Shota leaned back against the wall in a slump, drink still clenched between hands.

"Went straight for a hidden camera cable I destroyed instead of her blood. At least he made it easy to sniff him out, though he gave himself away by saying Ochaco had woken up in the ambulance coherent. Not possible considering she's barely conscious now." Shota dug around in his pouches then protruded a sample vial of blood. The blonde pursed his lips as it slipped into his hand then a pocket in the hectic hallway. "Get that rushed. It's his."

"Understood. I've got a contingency plan in place for cyber-attacks, though maybe telling those kids wasn't the best idea. Melissa Shield could've ratted out what she knows and then the whole system crumbles. I have to constantly rewrite the code to prevent Shield Industries from activating their firewall. Automation doesn't do justice in that department."

"You've been doing good, keep it up. Hopefully this will all be done with before the end of the month." Yamada snickered. "Something funny?"

"Yeah, actually. You're treating me like those kids in there; like a student. Aizawa-sensei."

"Fuck off."

"No, seriously! You've got a soft spot for kids, dude, that ain't an insult. I've seen how you treat Ochaco during lessons. You act all strict but end up giving in and guiding her down the right pathway. Same with these ducklings; you comforted Midoriya because you knew Ochaco would be handled. He was on the verge of breaking down due to fear and worrying about his friend." Hizashi swished around the remnants of his drink in thought. Though teasing his best friend, light hazel eyes stared hard at the floor through sunglasses. "I'm just a bit worried you may get too attached to them and something terrible happens. Ochaco is the obvious worry. Probably Midoriya since he worked under you. But you're softening towards the others, Shota. I don't want you to suffer like you did with Shirakumo."

"That won't happen again. I carry Oboro's death with me daily. I won't make another callous mistake, Hizashi." Shota swore firmly, finally shifting to look at the Yakuza. Though a finger pointed behind him had the dark haired assassin quickly turning back the other way. There stood Melissa Shield nervously twisting her hands together, glancing between anything but the two. "Miss Shield."

"I-I'm so sorry to interrupt," Melissa began in a trembling voice, finally shifting to look at the two men. Just their auras alone had the hair on her neck standing at attention. Though the blonde one seemed less intimidating, it was the other one she worried about. "But…I believe we need to have a chat."

---

"Oh, my poor Master! What have they done to you? Your pure blood has been spilled by that heathen of a Yakuza girl! And such damage done as well! But don't worry; I'll get you all fixed up and back into the field in no time!" A mousy, short and balding doctor wailed woefully as he examined the shoulder of All for One, vigorously bouncing between his supply cabinet and the medical tray set up. His boss merely sat with chin cusped in one hand, a grin of amusement donning a stony face.

"To think she actually managed to pull herself together enough to get a decent shot in. Surely Aizawa taught her well. I'm impressed with the lethality of these rounds," He mused while examining the spent casing. Definitely not Japanese. They'd made sure to get blank cartridges without serial numbers or markings to prevent tracing. Clever. "The Uraraka heiress nearly succumbed to my strength though something fueled her to fight. Question is; what gave her the drive to overcome such a one-sided battle and earn a saving grace?"

"Fight or flight instincts can induce a burst of adrenaline that temporarily enhances the body physically," The doctor gave his professional opinion while shining a light at the gaping hole in his patient's shoulder. Terrible damage though not irreparable. Maybe some limited motion in the shoulder as it hit the junction between his neck and shoulder, blasting straight through. "This is going to hurt a bit."

"Pain will only further fuel my drive to completely snuff out the light shining in that girl's eyes, Doctor Garaki. A reminder that there's still much to do before my ascension as supreme Yakuza leader."

"Excellent to see you in great spirits, Master! No bullet can keep you down for long! I expect a full recovery within a few weeks, maybe less if I can force your blood cells into overdrive. My experiment is nearing completion!" All for One smirked.

"Let's move ahead to the next phase of the plan."

---

Kenji lost count of how many rounds he fired as Shigaraki men continued to crawl from the depths of the sewers. Never enough of a match for the head Yakuza, it still hindered their progress to reach the airport to fly back. If they hadn't already planned ahead and downed their plane. Even Fumi was returning fire at a fast and steady rate right on his heels. Beautiful, smart, loyal, and good with a gun. What more could a guy ask for? His magazine emptied once more so he signaled for another one with a snap of his fingers. A guard tossed him two more while reloading his own. If it was Shigaraki's idea to keep them pinned down then they'd be sorely mistaken.

Already they'd pushed out of the warehouse district and towards the main route despite the police barriers, SWAT, and even a handful of military blocking the way. That dissolved real quick once they realized who they were dealing with and a call to their commanding officer. Never before had he seen the military disappear so quickly with their tails between their legs.

It would all come back to bite him in the end.

"It's like a cesspool of Shigaraki men," Fumi commented as they took cover behind a corner, allowing their men to return fire as they regrouped. A fast glance around the wall told the mob wife it was too hot to return fire. "My guess is they have nearly the amount of men we do."

"Any decrepit, tossed aside shun of society was picked up and promised their wildest dreams. It's a major problem in Japan that has yet to see a solution." Kenji replied, head on a swivel. No doubt someone would try to sneak past his guards or even one of them would turn in an instant. He couldn't trust any of them. "Shigaraki has the suave voice of a snake in disguise; anything he says people believe which means he can amass an army in the blink of an eye. Throw in decades of skirmishes, it's not surprising everything's come to a head right now."

"This will be a testament to Ochaco's iron will and steadfast ways. Though as parents we worry and fret, she's had a great teacher since day one." Fumi smiled at her husband who mirrored it. Shota was one of his closest friends, one whom he treasured dearly, and their bond was unbreakable. "I trust in Aizawa's ability to guide and nurture Ochaco to stay on the right pathway."

"When this is all over, he's getting the best damn vacation of his life! Maybe a visit to that cat café downtown…"

"Yes, yes, we can arrange that and a proper vacation, Kenji." Fumi chuckled as the gunfire died down. A guard signaled the all-clear, so they made a run for it. "The poor man needs a break or he's never going to get a decent night of sleep again."

"True as always, dear. Let's show these Shigaraki bastards who they're messing with!" Kenji commanded his army with strength, motivating the men to destroy those plotting against the Uraraka clan and ensure a safe journey back to Musutafu. "We Uraraka will persevere no matter what they throw our way!"

"Yes, Oyabun!"

-B-

Shota sat down in a private room with Melissa Shield sitting rather uncomfortably across from him. Not that he blamed her after explaining how she'd been captured for two days, interrogated endlessly, tossed around like a sack of potatoes. At one point she was literally in a burlap sack, though he digressed. It sounded like Shigaraki really only wanted to lure Ochaco out with her as the hostage despite knowing her background. Maybe they didn't truly understand who they had clasped in their claws, though the ragtag group seemed to be quite aware of everything going on around them.

"I appreciate you telling this all to me directly, Miss Shield. My condolences on your experience," Shota finally spoke up after the blonde spilled everything. At least nothing was spilled to Shigaraki; the poor thing was too terrified to lie straight to his face. "I would like to make you aware that you are now more likely to be ransomed and swayed by the Shigaraki gang since you briefly associated with them, forced or non. Those captured by Yakuza rarely get released without ties."

"That's something I'm still trying to come to terms with, but…I did want to mention something else overheard while I was taken hostage." Melissa caught his attention with that. While not obvious, it was the small widening of his eyes as he focused intently. "I heard them mention Shield Industries at least once. Though I couldn't catch all of it, I distinctly remember hearing about a Decay Virus."

"Decay Virus?" Shota questioned.

"Yes. While I don't fully understand what its functioning is, I have suspicion to believe it correlates to my father's security systems. While the coding and firewalls are practically impossible to penetrate via backdoor entrance, if someone were to deliver a thumb drive straight to the mainframe then it could be implemented into the system. Even then there are multiple high-end security protocols to pass through just to reach the server room. The USB slot is a remnant, last-resort restoration option if something were to ever corrupt the system."

"Did they do anything odd to you? Take pictures of your eyes, roll your fingers in ink, blood samples, hair samples?" Shota didn't like the sound of this Decay Virus. No doubt Hizashi was already remotely working on securing the system while listening in to their chat. When Melissa hesitated it only confirmed it. "That was the reason they kidnapped you; you weren't just a correlating person to Izuku Midoriya, they were after your credentials to gain access to the security systems."

"But they'd have to access that stuff at the main console or know how to remote in! Even that's difficult to do with all of the security protocols in place. How would they gain access to Shield Industries?"

"Is there anyone close to your father that would know the system inside and out?"

"Sam, my dad's assistant. I'm the only other person with full access to the security system. He's been with the company for nearly as long as my dad…but he wouldn't betray him like that! He's one of the nicest people there are!" Melissa protested as Shota stood to make a call. "It's not possible—"

"It's always possible to have a traitor within large corporations like your father's. I wouldn't be surprised if he already had the login data and was working on tearing down each live system. When people become desperate enough they'll do just about anything to get what they want. And who better to offer a sweet deal then the Demon Lord himself. Wait here."

"Wait…" Melissa's voice faltered as the Yakuza ignored her, leaving the blonde alone in the room. Lips pressed together tightly. Sam wouldn't betray her father, right? They were close friends, partners. He'd guided and watched her throughout the years as her father expanded his technologies. Shakily, the blonde reached for her phone to dial. One by one the numbers entered until a finger hovered over the call button. As it rang, she prayed the other end would pick-up.

And that she was wrong.

"Melissa? I just got word of what's happening over there from Toshinori; are you okay? What happened?!" Came the frantic voice of her father. She hadn't been in contact with him for a few days now, of course he was worried about his only child.

"It's a complicated story, dad. I'm sorry for not reaching out sooner, but I'm physically fine. Mentally, a little traumatized. Dad, I need to tell you something important first. It's about the Shield security system."

"What about the sys—I need to know you're fine, Melissa. I'm going to have Toshi pick you up and watch over you until I can get there to pick you up. Japan is in the middle of a war right now."

"Dad! Listen, please! I overheard some information regarding a virus that could corrupt the entire system! You should go check on the main server room to verify. My credentials were possibly stolen to gain access. It's called the Decay Virus." Melissa pled as her father calculated to himself how long it would take to reach her in Japan. "DAD!"

"…okay. Okay. As long as you're okay until I get there. I'll go check on the server room and reset your profile, though you won't be able to gain access until I activate a new one. I'll call you back once I've verified everything is fine." David Shield relented at the urgency in his daughter's voice. He trusted her judgement over anything. If she said to delete her profile and check on the server room, then he was going to do it. "Please…try to stay safe until Toshi can get you away from the center of the fighting."

"I will. Thanks, dad. I love you."

"Love you too, Cupcake."

David Shield sprinted down the hallway to the server room with urgency, heart in his throat and access badge clenched tightly. After skimming through the security logs he'd found an unauthorized attempted login using Melissa's credentials just a few minutes ago at the main station. Two guards flanked either side armed with rifles. Security had to be top-notch at his company; over half the world functioned on his systems and a fatal breakdown of the precariously built walls could collapse multiple economies. The engineer had hoped his daughter was just experiencing trauma and being paranoid about the potential hack, yet she was right like always. Someone was trying to take down Shield Industries from the inside.

"Tell me who entered the main control room!" David demanded as he neared the guard standing patrol outside of the heavily secured door. The man seemed to fill with dread at his approaching boss and accompanying guards. "Who did you just let into the control room?!"

"S-Sam, sir. He mentioned needing to grab a file on your orders," The guard replied shakily as David began punching in the access code. It beeped loudly in error. Out of frustration he tried again only to receive the same response. "The door was working a minute ago—"

"Damnit, Sam, not you. Please not you…" David begged, slamming a fist against the keypad. Disabled from the inside. Now he knew it was an inside job. "Start the override procedure, lock down every door in this building! No one in or out! This is a level ten emergency! Prepare for a full system hack!"

"Sir!" The guard scrambled to his desk, frantically logging in to begin the override procedure as David paced back and forth in front of the door. Only certain staff had access to override an internal lock and he was one of them. "It's not even allowing me to bypass via the program, sir. I've been fully locked out of the system."

"Break these doors down then, I don't care! Most of the world is about to have their security systems hacked by a deadly virus!" David shouted with an arm thrown out in anger. Damnit! He should've been more careful! It would still take a while to bypass protocol and countless layers of firewall before a virus reached the core, yet it was time he didn't have right now. "Move, I'll use my credentials to trigger the alarms."

David nearly shoved the guard out of the way as fingers flew urgently across the keyboard, digging deeper into the system to bypass the internal disconnect. The only good thing about his credentials was that no one else knew what they were, not even Melissa; though after today that would change. A green light flashed on the main console keypad as access returned. "Stop him but don't destroy the servers!"

Both guards stormed the doors as they opened via David's override. Ensuring all doors were open, he immediately triggered an internal lockdown. All lights turned red as sirens initiated.

"A level ten emergency has been initiated. Please remain calm and await further instructions from management. Log out of all computers and disconnect the network access immediately. Do not hand out credentials to unauthorized persons. This is a level ten emergency—"

"Guard this door! No one else in!" David order as he skirted around the desk to run after the two guards. Maybe this was just a mistake and Sam was really looking for something he forgot, maybe paperwork. Maybe it was all just a nightmare that was nearly over. He'd have an explanation, right? There had to be an explanation!

The two guards had Sam at gunpoint, the stouter man facing them hands up and looking extremely nervous, guilty as David arrived with heaving breaths. On the main console screen was an initialization bar sitting at fifteen percent. It'd already begun. Stepping between the men the distraught engineer stared at his friend with a distressed, confused expression. Sam pursed his lips tightly to stop the quivering. No one wanted to start the painful conversation first, didn't want to be the one to admit the hacking was real and the situation was dangerous. But after a minute of silence and continuation of the initializing bar, David opened his mouth first.

"Sam…why?" Nothing else would come out. Just a simple why with the meaning of a thousand questions. Sam shook his head slowly, tears streaming down his face. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm sorry, David. I didn't mean for it to get this far," The ashy blonde man shakily responded with a nervous glance back at the console. Nearly twenty percent of the way there and already the screen was beginning to glitch. "It was too good of an offer to refuse—"

"Too good of an offer to refuse!?" David shouted angrily as his friend refused to look him in the eyes. How he wanted to strangle the man… "Do you realize what you've done? Your little friends over in Japan had Melissa kidnapped! They took her DNA to gain access to the security system! She just warned me about that virus you're probably uploading into my system! Your recklessness endangered my daughter, Sam!"

"I served you for so long, but you let your research be frozen so easily, and the honor and renown we were supposed to get all went away... If I didn't get at least some money, then it was a waste of my time!" Sam retorted back, stunning the inventor. Both hands clenched into fists at his side, trembling heavily. "How hard have we worked to get to this point, David? Then you threw it all away to work on supporting the system you already have! Your inventions can create billions of dollars in less than the span of a year! Why would you throw that away?!"

"Because it was never about the damn money! My inventions are for the sake of the people, not major corporations scrambling for full control and patents of my machinery! I want to be able to help people the best way I know how and that's providing them with functioning machinery, top-notch security systems, and fucking peace of mind! You're a selfish, entitled, little man who'd rather strive for financial wealth than selfless acts for humanity! This partnership is over!" David screamed while surging forward. Sam flinched in preparation for a fight though his now former friend merely swept past him to forcefully remove the thumb drive from the console. "Detain him. Don't let him leave this building."

Two gunshots rang out causing David to whirl on his heel. The guard from before kept his gun aimed on him as Sam shifted away. Both guards lay dead on the floor in pools of their own blood. David's jaw clenched tightly. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Following my orders, Mr. Shield." The guard replied firmly, readjusting his grip on the rifle. "Step away from the thumb drive."

"Are you serious? Sam! You traitorous bastard!" David swore with a step forward. The guard fired a round at his feet, halting his advance. He needed to pull the thumb drive out and terminate the upload before it became too late. Barely at thirty percent, there was still time! "How long have you planned this out? At least quell my curiosity before your henchman shoots me dead."

"Since you've been good to me, fine. I'll tell you. This all started a few months ago when you put an official end to producing new product to sell to the world. That conference you held shifted something in me; all this hard work and nothing to gain from it. No funds, no praise or recognition. You wanted to throw away everything to focus on what you had already created. I'm not against helping those in need, David, but sometimes it reaches a boiling point where you need to help yourself." Sam explained, hands palm up as he shrugged. David sent him a nasty glare. "I really didn't mean to get Melissa involved—"

"But you did. You got her involved with the most volatile gang there is in Japan. She'll never be safe again! If it was all about money you could've just talked to me, Sam! Not endanger my daughter and friends in Japan!"

"Enough of this. Move away from the console, Mr. Shield, or I'll be forced to shoot." Once more the guard threatened, stepping closer to the inventor. David glanced at the thumb drive. It was right there. Even a kick would damage it enough to dislodge from the port then within seconds he could purge the virus. Already the system was beginning to show signs of corruption though nothing beyond the local servers.

"W-wait, does he really need to be shot? Can't we just do this amicably?" Sam suddenly interjected, standing in front of the guard and reaching to shift the barrel of the rifle away. Instead of listening, the hired man simply pulled the trigger.

Sam flinched, awaiting the pain though it never followed. Jerking both eyes open he was just in time to see the crimson blossoming through the back of David Shield's jacket. Promptly he collapsed to the ground with a groan of pain, hand clutching at the right side of his chest. The guard snatched Sam by the front of his suit jacket and began dragging his protesting body from the room, leaving David to bleed out with the two corpses. Pain radiated through his chest and right arm as warmth overflowed.

"Move, Shield…don't let them win…" David grunted while forcing himself up to one elbow. Pain nearly had him crashing back down against the floor though he pushed past in order to reach the thumb drive a foot away. "Do it for Melissa…for Toshinori…for Japan!"

Inch by inch he crawled despite the streaks of blood trailing behind him. If he couldn't stop them now it'd be too late. The entire world would collapse in on itself and people would suffer more without his technologies. Stained fingers slipped off the thumb drive the first time. On the second shot they grasped hard, and the scientist ripped it from the port. An error message appeared on the screen warning that upload had failed. Even though he took the main source away, he still needed to initiate a system purge. Pulling himself up with the good arm David reached for the keys he needed to hit. It was slower going than he liked yet he was able to begin a purge of the system. A total wipe would protect the systems and could be backed up later to restore full functionality. Any affected networks would go into 'limp' mode; essentially running only on basic functions comparable to a computers safe mode.

"Please…work…this has to work…" David grunted as his strength began failing. Desperately he forced himself to his feet, holding tight against the console. The system accepted the override and began a full purge. A breathy laugh escaped. He did it. The system would now—

An error message popped up with an alarm pinging. A robotic voice read out. 'I won't be that easy to destroy, David Shield. Unless you destroy all servers you own, this virus will continue to purge every single system you operate in Japan. Within twenty-four hours it will begin to travel across the globe. The choice is yours.'

"No…" David breathed as footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing near the server room. "No! You bastards!"

'Shigaraki gives his thanks to Melissa Shield for her contribution.' The message ended and the initializing bar returned to normal, though now at nearly fifty percent corruption. A fist weakly slammed against the console. He'd been had! Sam single-handedly destroyed everything he'd worked so hard for!

"Mr. Shield, are you alright?! Sir, you're injured!" A fellow scientist followed by a plethora of guards exclaimed in horror, hands flying to her mouth. One of the guards swooped in to support the weakening man, lifting him up by the other arm. "We heard gunshots and came running—"

"Destroy the servers…" David coughed out. Blood splattered across the glowing keys. Damn. That's supposed to stay inside of his body. "We've been…hacked…virus is rampaging…against the Asian servers…"

"Destroy the servers? That'll take down dozens of countries!" The woman cried out in surprise. Never before had she imagined a day where all of their hard work would be destroyed. David motioned at the guard who resisted briefly, ultimately handing over a handgun. "Mr. Shield?!"

David aimed at the closest server and opened fire. Glass and sparks shot into the air as round after round eliminated decades of dedication, sleepless nights, and countless tears of frustration. Error tones began emitting loudly. Another one of the guards joined in, quickly tearing through the delicate electronics with brute firepower. All four guards took control of destroying all servers as David slumped to the ground, exhausted.

He'd have to leave it up to those in Japan now.

---

Hizashi sprinted through the hallways in a panic as computers began getting a blue screen of death. It was happening too fast, and he wasn't at his setup to stop the purge! Skidding around a corner the blonde shouted for people to get out of the way. While they had their own private communication lines for the estate, their systems still utilized Shield Industries for the most part. He'd need time to isolate the virus, rewrite the code, secure anti-virus—

"I need more fucking time!"

Shota heard a commotion going on in the hallway outside of Melissa's temporary holding cell, warily peeking around to scope the chaos. Computers were shutting down left and right, flashing blue screens of death with some dying completely. Snatching a nurse as she scurried by, he took her aside for questioning. "What's going on?"

"Our entire system shut down! We can't access anything! No records, no charts, no access to medicines, and we can't even utilize life-saving machines! It's like we've lost all connection to the network!" The nurse frantically let out before being flagged down by another nurse shouting about a code. Shota let her go. A cold sweat flooded his motionless body.

Oh.

Fuck.

"Shota, we've got a massive problem!" Hizashi shouted as soon as he saw his friend standing amidst the chaos. "They've done it! Everything's been hacked! Nothing electrical in this hospital is functional right now!"

"We need to leave and return to base. Get started on isolating our defenses, increase threat level to four encroaching five. Tell the men to stay and assist as needed. When they're done, recall all members for an emergency meeting. Call Kenji and warn him that we're going dark. I'm taking Ochaco and the kids back with me. Melissa Shield may be of some use in this situation right now, take her with you." Shota ordered while tossing a set of keys at his friend. A trembling had fingers curling tightly into a ball. This was bad. Shigaraki wasn't wasting any time in narrowing in on their location. Returning to base was the safest option since there were multiple escape routes and plenty of firepower. "Take my car. Go. Call me when you get there."

"Be safe out there, brother." Hizashi grabbed both of Shota's shoulders, squeezing hard before turning to grab Melissa from the guarded room a few doors down. Shota nodded tersely.

"You too."

The door to the room opened a little harder than necessary, startling the group inside. Shota didn't waste any time; he ripped the lines out of Ochaco's veins a little rougher than normal, quietly apologizing when she let out a small grunt of pain. He was pretty sure questions were being thrown at him; all he could hear right now was his heart pounding painfully in both ears. Once cleared and free of the tubing, Shota quickly tucked the blanket around her body. Searching for gauze and cotton balls, the Yakuza made a makeshift set of earplugs and blindfold to ease the symptoms of the concussion. Ochaco frantically tapped against his arm, searching for his palm.

.- …. .- - .-. … / …. .- .-. .-. . -. .. -. -. ..- -..

"Security breech. Shield Industries has been hacked." Shota quickly explained. "This hospital has completely shut down on the network side. It won't be long before other parts of the city follow in the collapse."

"What?! Already?" Izuku exclaimed as Ochaco was carefully lifted from the bed, cradled expertly by the top Yakuza. Aizawa ignored him and made for the door. "W-wait, where are you going with her?"

"Stop asking questions and just follow, Midoriya. The same for all of you. You're under my care from now on." Shota informed them sharply as he stepped into the busy hallway. Men instantly cleared the way to the exit shouting at people to stand against the wall. "Stay right on my heel and don't answer any questions from anyone, understand? Treat this as the most dangerous situation you've ever experienced. Your mother should already be picked up and headed towards the meeting point. It may not be what you're used to, but Ochaco personally ensured your accommodations were to your liking."

"Eijiro," Mina whimpered as he kept an arm over her shoulder, using his body to push through the panicking staff and civilians. A hand squeezed it reassuringly.

"Wait, what about our classmates?!" Toru asked, Ojiro dragging her between Bakugo and Kirishima. "What's going to happen to them?"

"Where are they staying?" Shota demanded. Damnit…more lives to keep an eye on, but they'd come looking for their friends sooner or later. "I'll see what I can do—"

"The Yaoyorozu manor." Bakugo supplied. Shota shot him a confirming look.

"Don't bother using your phones anymore; you have to assume they're also hacked. Especially yours, Midoriya. We slipped you one with a tracker inside."

"It's bugged?!"

"We've got other problems, Deku!"

"Both of you knock it off! Deal with your squabbling later when we're not in the middle of a massive cyber-attack!" Ojiro snapped irritably. Things were getting too intense for his liking. His nerves were still fried from Ochaco's earlier escapade into a known trap, the heiress nearly losing her life from the reckless move.

Shota quickly led the way out of the hospital via the docks towards a waiting delivery truck. It looked like nothing more than a floral box truck; simple logo on either side, innocent looking driver. But as soon as the doors opened the innards were revealed to be very different. It was like looking at a small infirmary; centered with a full-sized hospital bed, complete set of medical equipment, hefty supply of every imaginable type of medicine known to man. There were even two doctors and a nurse waiting. Shota didn't hesitate to use the steps that extended down, swiftly moving in and settling the heiress. Everyone just gawked until Shota turned back with an exasperated look.

"Get the fuck in."

Everyone clambered in, taking their seats as the doors closed behind them with a heavy mechanical lock engaging. The nurse redid the bandages over Ochaco's eyes in the dimmed light of the cabin as the diesel engine shuttered to life. Aizawa slipped to the front of the cabin through a camouflaged door, leaving the group of young adults in the makeshift infirmary. Mina and Toru sat closest to Ochaco, yet the nurse shooed them back when they shifted too close.

No one felt like talking.

It wasn't until the vehicle came to a stop and Aizawa opened the back doors did they realize the ride had come to an end. With a thumb he motioned for them to move out of the way as more nurses moved in to assist moving the heiress. They'd arrived to what appeared to be a legitimate warehouse; floral supplies were actually being sorted, processed, and shipped. While Ochaco was whisked away into the field of flowers, Shota led them to a block of offices. He waved a hand for them to sit or stand as he took a seat at the lone desk.

"I'm just going to get down to this. I have to do my due diligence in ensuring the Uraraka clan remains secure at any and all checkpoints. Regardless of your association to Ochaco, I have my rules to abide by. What's going to happen is you'll each be individually taken into interrogation rooms and questioned thoroughly. It should take about thirty minutes total. Once done, my associates will hand over their reports for me to verify. I suggest you be completely honest with your answers."

"Questioning shouldn't be too hard, right?" Mina asked, looking at her friends optimistically. "Let's get it over with so we can see Ochaco!"

"Hold up," Aizawa raised a hand to stop the cheer parade. "There's more to this than interrogations. You'll be isolated for twenty-four hours in your accommodations to ensure no lethal or harmful particles attached themselves to your clothing or skin. Fresh apparel will be waiting after a sanitation shower. All technology on your person will be sorted through for any possible leaks of information pertaining to the Uraraka clan. Once you've been cleared, then we move onto other testing."

"There's more? Wait, why wasn't this done when I was contracted? I've already stayed inside of the main house." Ojiro asked quizzically, recalling the contract signing and lack of thorough investigation. Shota crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair. Kid had a point.

"Because of Shigaraki you now have to isolate us out and check for signs of treason." Bakugo filled in with a sharp tongue. This shit was getting old. How the hell did he not know this? Why was everyone around him so stupid?

"You want a fucking gold star?" Shota aimed the cold remark at the blonde with an intense stare. Bakugo scoffed, turning his head away and muttering about prissy Yakuza. "Stop acting like a smartass and let me do my job. Just for that, you go first, Katsuki Bakugo."

"Hah? Like that's a threat! Do your worst!" Bakugo taunted, clawing his hands eagerly. Shota merely gave an eerie smile that sent the rest of them into a worried frenzy. The Yakuza stood slowly. He walked up to the blonde without breaking eye contact, a bit shorter than him, and snatched the gun hiding in the demolition experts waist band. With a barrel shoved painfully into the bottom of his jaw, Bakugo glowered at the man who didn't even blink.

"Move."

As the door shut to one of three interrogation rooms, everyone let out a collective sigh. Bakugo was going to get someone killed with his explosive attitude. Mina and Toru sunk into side by side chairs, leaning against each other for support as Ojiro, Kirishima, and Izuku anxiously paced around the small room. There wasn't even anything in the sparse office save for some metal chairs and a desk that most likely didn't contain any items. It felt more like a prison cell with its false windows 'overlooking' the plant floor.

"Wait, what about Todoroki? Wasn't he directly involved that night in the mountains?" Ojiro suddenly remarked mid-stretching. Now that he noticed the two-toned officer wasn't hanging around anywhere, curiosities arose. "Shouldn't Aizawa be bringing him in?"

"That's true…but remember what he mentioned about connections? With his father being Enji Todoroki, it probably complicates things. I'm sure we'll be seeing him soon enough considering the Uraraka are collaborating with the U.A. Special Police Force." Izuku answered uneasily. Chief Yagi would be less than pleased to meet Aizawa once more. Would he arrest him on the spot? What about the other agencies involved?

"Which one of you is Mashirao Ojiro?" A voice interjected in the conversation. A Yakuza with short, greased back brown locks in a dark gray suit and white shirt stood just inside the room with a clipboard. Hard eyes crawled over the group until Ojiro raised a hand. "Come with me."

"See you guys in a bit," Ojiro shot a thumbs up before disappearing into the room beside Aizawa and Bakugo.

"Mina Ashido?" A female entered a minute later, donning the same clipboard though with a softer expression than her counterparts. Light brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and she too donned a gray suit though with a soft pink shirt.

"That would be me. I'll see you guys on the other side," Mina lightly waved the group farewell, shooting a reassuring look at Kirishima whose face scrunched in concern. The woman spoke softly to Mina before guiding her into the last room. Only Izuku, Kirishima, and Toru remained in the silent room.

"I really wish she hadn't said it like that," Kirishima sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly. "It almost sounds like she's dying and going to meet us on the other side of the pearly gates."

"I don't think we have to worry about that just yet—"

"Do you guys think we're safe here?" Toru cut off Izuku with a blurt. Both men turned to look at the blonde. She twisted both hands tightly together against her plaid skirt. "I know Ojiro seems comfortable with doing this…but after what we just witnessed…and what's about to happen, are we truly safe here?"

"If Ojiro believes it's safe then so do I. But I'm also more adjusted to this line of work than you are, Midoriya as well. I'll be honest; this situation isn't ideal for anyone right now. We're going to have to make the best of things until this war is over, and then we'll return to normal life." Kirishima did his best to reassure the girl though she remained unsure until Izuku sat beside her. If anyone could soothe out any worries, it was him.

"I wholeheartedly believe we're safest right here, Hagakure, because I've seen the lengths Ochaco and even Mr. Aizawa go to protect those precious to them. I understand the hesitation; we're swept up in the middle of a Yakuza war with one of the most ruthless men on earth. But the Uraraka clan has something they don't and that's going to be our winning advantage. Believe me when I say Ochaco has the citizens of Musutafu at the forefront of her heart. We're going to win this war." Toru responded with a confident nod.

"Wait, you know what their secret weapon is?!" Kirishima balked as Izuku stood back up, the former detective remaining positive regardless of the situation at hand. "Dude, why didn't you say something earlier?"

"Not sure there's really been a great time…"

"Tell me, dude!"

"I-it's not easy to explain…and it's better if Ochaco does it…"

"We don't know when she'll be able to speak again, Midoriya; tell us!" Toru joined in on ganging up on the green haired man. He quickly shook his hands, backing away from the advancing duo. Well, shit. He should've just kept his mouth shut. "Come on! I'm going to start guessing and you know how fast that spirals into the weird zone!"

"There's no need for the weird zone, Hagakure! I-I can't explain it very well! It's like…metaphorically? Spiritually? A motivational speech?"

"…Midoriya," Kirishima started in disbelief, staring at his friend who began spiraling into a ramble. "Are you saying it's not a physical weapon? But a…metaphorical one?"

"Something like that! Like a…how's the best way to put this…oh! Like when you have a small, kindled fire and add a reactive chemical to produce a bigger, more vibrant flame. That small fire has now become bigger, brighter, and a beacon of hope for some. Yeah. A beacon of hope that says, 'I am here!'" Izuku held a fist in the air, lifting it above his head donning a confident smile. Both friends stared at him for a solid twenty seconds and the green haired man began feeling the awkward tension, arm slowly lowering.

Until they both smiled widely.

"I am here!" Kirishima and Toru shouted with their left fist pumping into the air excitedly. Izuku couldn't help but laugh in relief; his friends were always supportive of his oddness.

"Hell yeah, Midoriya! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Kirishima gave a hearty shoulder slap that had Izuku wincing internally. "You're always looking towards the future and encouraging others; it's no surprise you managed to make friends with a Yakuza heiress. So, how does this work? What's the plan?"

"Yeah! Surely you've got something in mind, Midoriya! How do we take back out city?" Toru chirped in enthusiastically.

"I uh…I'm still working through the details, but essentially we need to outsmart the Shigaraki gang. While they tend to favor direct use of force to gain the upper hand and force others in submission, they lack reasoning behind their actions. Take for example; lower ranking members tend to callously break laws, attack civilians, and rob stores. But why? What do they get out of doing these things in the city they live in? Grocery stores are vital to everyone, not just others. Some of the people attacked could be relatives, friends, loved ones, coworkers. How do we know the group directly under Tomura Shigaraki has motive behind their actions?"

"Now that you point it out it makes more sense. I mean, I get why they kidnapped Melissa Shield; her credentials just allowed the hackers to take down Shield Industries! But that fire-dude seemed to be killing anyone within sight. Then you and Aizawa were nearly obliterated on the police rooftop in an explosion." Kirishima pointed out and Izuku nodded. "Motive against the Yakuza is obvious, they want to get rid of the competition, and I can see getting civilians involved in order to draw the Uraraka clan out. But why destroy everything when they want to take over the city? They'd have to start from complete scratch if they do that."

"Maybe…that's what they're counting on." Toru added quietly, both men turning to look at her. "If they wipe out anyone associated with the Uraraka clan then they can build a city how they want it. Why bother going to a new place when the infrastructure is already there?"

"If they have an understanding of the businesses the Uraraka clan manages then they'd have instant access to them after taking over. There'd be no need to begin anew," Izuku pinched his lips in thought, mind racing a thousand miles an hour. "Ochaco seemed to confirm that the latest acquisition was a ploy from the Shigaraki gang to get Kenji Uraraka out of the city and away from her. To reach the King, the pawns before it have to be taken out of the match. Yet when you remove the King via other methods—"

"A new one can move in."

Bakugo joined the ragtag group with hands shoved deep in his pockets, face seemingly a little paler than usual. Aizawa strolled past them whistling a cheerful tune, spinning the gun around between fingers. Izuku almost wanted to ask what happened though let it be; Kaachan seemed to have been put through the ringer by the nearly impassive expression and avoiding eyes. Were they all going to go through the same torture method?

"We can discuss business matters later. Midoriya, you're next." Shota advised his former pupil after locking the gun away inside the desk. Not that he was worried about any of them reaching for it, it was just procedure. "You two will be shortly after so don't get too comfortable.

"I'm ready for any questions you ask," Izuku said as Aizawa motioned for him to enter the room first, shutting the door behind him quietly. The Yakuza settled back into the chair with a clipboard and paperwork resting neatly beneath the clip. After a few tense moments the board was flipped over, effectively signaling a conclusion to the interview. Confused, Izuku stared questioningly at the haggard man. "Sir?"

"I'm not going to do the interview on you, Midoriya, that was for show. I already know your positioning on the matter at hand and since you seem to have an idea of what Shigaraki is planning, we're going to talk about that." Shota explained while leaning back in the chair, arms crossed comfortably over his chest. "Already we've been fooled by that bastard and even now our rankings have been infiltrated by their minions. If you've got theories, let's hear them."

Izuku nodded resolutely. Now it was time to bring his theories to light.

"Right."

---

Keep an eye out for official artwork for this series! I'm looking into commissioning an artist to make a cover photo for the story!