Izuku once recalled Tenya explaining to him about the importance of rule of thumb. Now, he was seeing it firsthand as the genius was sticking out his thumb to hitch for a ride. On the way to the hideout, the Uber driver surprised them with a tactic of his own. Apparently, Tsuyu's father didn't receive the memo that the driver wasn't only a foreigner, but of Valian origin. A semblance was produced, throwing Shouto off balanced. Unfortunately, Tsuyu and Tenya intervened with tactics of their own. Unfortunately, when having lovely bouts at over 100 miles per hour, accidents were high in their favor.
The car was spun off the road, resulting in their crashing into a ravine. However, the fighting continued as the car drove through the ravine into the nearby creek.
"Anybody on the road to Albuquerque? On the road to Albuquerque?" Tenya stuck out his thumb as he was trying to flag a passing vehicle. Praying for an elderly couple or a possibly lesbian couple to come and rescue them, the group has been stranded on the highway for nearly an hour. Fortunately, the Uber driver has been subdued as Toru and Shouto took him to the woods to further exalt their reasoning of 'calling it quits when it is time to call it quits.' Tsuyu sat on the ground as she began playing the harmonica. Izuku sat his head on her lap as the frog girl serenaded the group in somber harmony.
"Unless you got the legs of Ragdoll or Burnin', give it a rest, ribbit," said Tsuyu as she put the harmonica down. Feeling the rising temperature of the warm Spring afternoon, she began blowing her breath on Izuku to keep him cool. "Are you good, Izuku, ribbit?"
He nodded in agreement. "I am, Tsu! Thanks for being supportive of me. Sorry if I have been an inconvenience."
"Nonsense," she snapped. "We're friends! We're here for you." She placed her hand on his forehead, rubbing it affectionately. "That is what the Dekusquad is for. We protect our own. Your danger is our danger." She pouted her lips. "Even if she is the wannabe Misa Amane of Esdeath!"
"Easy, Akame." Tenya said as he lowered his cramped thumb. Needing a break, he accompanied Tsuyu and Izuku on the ground.
"The Uber driver had to make things difficult," said Tenya as he grabbed some pebbles. "Knowing there were four individuals with quirks that could overtake him." He lowered his head at Izuku. "No offense!"
"None taken," interjected Izuku. "If there is a consolation, I don't have the device beeping anymore."
"Wait a minute," retorted Tsuyu. "It made noises?"
"It was a low humming sound," answered Izuku. "Only dogs are capable of…." He stopped, finally realizing the comparison of himself and his canine counterparts. "Nevermind." He slapped his forehead. "God, do I feel stupid!"
"Don't be, ribbit," said the consoling Tsuyu as she was using her blouse to fan him. "No one can expect the ill-capabilities of a yandere. Anyone is dangerous when they are desperate. Even if she is a fiend. A fiend fiending for her fix, ribbit."
"We lost our phones, no trace of communication," said Tenya. "We are basically hay in a needlestack."
"Isn't that the other way around," questioned Tsuyu.
"Did you see who else shared that video," retorted Tenya. "If I recall, the Great Sensei (MrStealYourQuirk), Cinder Fall, (FallenIntoCin), and even Kotonoha (LoveMeSenpai) shared this on their Instagram, then you know this is trouble."
"All of this for $250,000?"
"$1,000,000."
Tenya, Tsuyu, and Izuku turned when seeing Toru and Shouto returning from the woods. The duo were covered in mud. So much so that one could see Toru's entire body frame. "What happened," questioned Tenya as he was adjusting his glasses. Seeing his friends covered in mud didn't show good news.
"Let's say that the Uber driver might need a new occupation," said Toru. "I don't think a semblance won't help after what we did." She sighed heavily. "And to think I wanted a therapist."
"Physical is more of his forte," said Shouto.
"What do you mean," questioned Izuku worriedly.
Shouto wrapped his knuckles tightly. The whiteness indicated some strong concern. Sighing heavily, he took a seat beside Izuku. Toru decided to do the same. He turned to Izuku. "Jesus, we got some bad news and we got some worst news." Toru began putting her index fingers together. "Which one do you want first?"
Izuku concerningly got up from Tsuyu. His wandering eyes couldn't focus on what Shouto and Toru had to tell him. "The bad news."
"The Uber driver wasn't our Uber driver. Apparently, after a bit of our negotiation tactics, it turns out that he was a member of Yui's father's corporation. A corporation with ties to Vale."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"It means, sweetness, that Yui is playing with us," answered Toru. "We have been going in the opposite direction the entire time. We are nowhere near Aizawa's residence." She scoffed under her breath.
"Yui, from the get go, figured we would hatch an escape plan," said Shouto. "Being the crafty genius she is, she called her father to enable her access to any forms of transportation accessible for you." She snapped her fingers. "Thus, implicating Tsuyu's father's service. Sorry, Tsu!"
Tsuyu nodded in compliance. Unfortunately, she couldn't contact her father to warn the possibility of an attack from Yui and her cohorts.
"The million dollars," asked Izuku.
"Between the time of the video and the ambush," said Toru, "the Uber driver informed us that the quarter million was a ruse to make things exciting."
"Exciting," questioned Tsuyu.
"Each half-hour Izuku isn't found, she raises it by a quarter million," answered Toru.
"Immediately, villains like Sensei, Gentle Criminal & La Brava, Dabi, Cinder Fall, Salem, just to name a few contribute to the cause," said Shouto. "So, it means that although the million dollars is present, it is just the base."
"Meaning," questioned Izuku worriedly.
"Think of a waitress working at a restaurant. Instead of making measly, minimum wage, think of earning 1,000,000 dollars per hour." He snapped his fingers. "The villains are the tipsters, literally!"
Tenya scratched nervously under his chin. "So, basically, we are walking dead men?"
"I don't want to sound pessimistic, but we are basically wandering under a tiny microscope," said Shouto.
Izuku clenched his chest where his heart resided. Tsuyu noticed and took Izuku's hand. "Don't blame yourself, ribbit!"
"No, I do," replied Izuku. "It's my fault! It's my fault!" He covered his face. "This shouldn't have gone as far as it did. Now, there is a manhunt and you guys face danger if you are around me." He cursed under his breath. "Reiko's cousin is held hostage. Who knows what else is going on with Ochako and the others." His face contorted as he didn't finish the latter half of the conversation - the worst news. "Please don't tell me my other friends and family are in danger."
Shouto eyed Izuku momentarily before answering his question. "Your parents are fine. For now. I don't know any other detail. However, the worst news is there is somebody in our circle who isn't for us."
The entire group went quiet when hearing Shouto's ill-fated words. Tenya gasped loudly. Tsuyu swallowed a lump in her throat. Toru began producing sweat.
"The Uber driver was taking us to meet with a contact of Yui's for safekeeping," said Shouto. "But, someone has been leaking information to Yui to keep her updated." He patted his pants pocket. "It's obvious that Izuku's collar serves as a tracking device, but Yui needs someone for 'ground truth.'"
"Ground truth," questioned Tsuyu.
"In other words, a spy," answered Tenya.
"Exactly," concluded Shouto.
Izuku nervously put his finger to his lip. Hearing those words scared him. To think that there was a traitor in the mist. He began to nervously shake. "So, you're saying that one of you guys have been playing Benedict?"
"Whoa, whoa," retorted Tenya. "No one is saying that."
"I don't know, Tenya," said Tsuyu. "You have been kinda 'sus' from the beginning, ribbit!"
Tenya was taken aback. "Hold up! Time out! I am not the one who has been hands-on with the motherly approach!"
"What are you talking about?"
"At every glance I see you, you are comforting Izuku," retorted Tenya. "Being his lap pillow, cooing into his ear, being his personal chair! If anything," he said as he pointed at her. "You're sus!"
"Only someone as 'sus' as you would say 'sus' things, ribbit," said Tsuyu. "If anything, I saw you see me, see you glancing on social media and 'typing.' You could have dropped the location, ribbit!"
Toru decided to intervene. "Now, guys! Let's be calm, okay! We are not trying to play this."
"You, too," said Tenya. "Was it you that gave Shouto your phone about the video?" He clapped his hands. "Also, did your phone get taken away from Katsuki earlier? How did you acquire a new one?"
"I keep a spare," protested Toru, reeling in the surprise of being accused. "I am a bit of a klutz and Father keeps spares in case I lose one. Plus, each is prepaid and my email is my main way of reaching me." She began puffing her cheeks. "If anything, it is Shouto!"
Shouto pointed at himself. "Me?"
Tenya began humming while rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Level Headed, calm, cool, and collective. Always solution-oriented." He snapped his finger. "A probable cause!"
"What for? I have no reason to turn in Deku."
"Probably wants to bail his mother out of the looney bin," explained Tsuyu. "No offense!"
"I take offense," protested Tenya. "Selling out your dear friend to release your mother. She was the one that burned you and now you want to burn us?"
Shouto remained calm. The last thing he wanted to do was to catch a case. He stared at Tenya. "First of all, fuck yourself. Second of all, why would I want to turn in Izuku? Get real! I nearly cracked my jaw trying to subdue the Uber driver. Why get into a wild goose chase just for that?"
Toru bumped Tsuyu's elbow. "He could be like Light Yagami - playing innocent until the time is right."
Eventually, each of them began pondering, speculating, and arguing on which one was Yui's mole. Izuku stood there motionlessly. He couldn't believe that they were turning on each other. He tightly wrapped his fist. Anger brewing within his troubled mind. "All of you! Shut the hell up!" The voice barked loudly that it interrupted the bantering.
Each of them turned to the source as Izuku remained unmoved and unamused. "I can't believe how quickly you guys would turn on each other." He stomped his foot. "We're supposed to be friends and colleagues and automatically, we are pointing fingers at each other."
The group looked at each other. Moments of regret appeared on their faces.
"Nezu always tells us to speculate. Anything is suspect until proven and reason-thought," he said. "Who says this guy was telling the truth. For all we know, he did this to turn us against each other." Honestly, the emerald teen was lost. In his heart, the Uber driver was probably telling the truth. Nevertheless, he was doing this to test his friends' loyalty and devotion to him. A poker face, admittedly, but needed to see would they call his bluff.
"Let's say all of you guys are in it," said Izuku. "C'mon, a million dollars?! Hell, I would turn myself in for that kind of money. We're kids! Tsuyu could make sure her family can live well. Toru can buy as many kawaii things she can consume. Tenya could use that for Harvard and replace his brother's missing ball from his attack with Sensei. No offense!"
"None taken," retorted Tenya.
"Shouto could get his mother out and skip town. With money like that, to hell with his father," said Izuku. "All of you have probable cause. However, I can already tell that it is neither of you."
Each looked at each other before turning to Izuku. Tsuyu spoke. "How?"
"You four immediately came to my rescue after Yui placed the collar on me," said Izuku. "You guys didn't have to. You all put your life on the line for me. This wasn't planned or orchestrated. Yui wants me. She is relentless in wanting me. And she isn't going to stop until she claims her prize." He began to kneel. "Yui and I have had this troubled relationship over the past several weeks. Nearly three months to be exact. Since the day she had drugged me and raped me in her room, she has been unrelenting ever since.
She and her family have powerful connections. Her father is a powerful businessman. My father hopelessly begged and pleaded to get into her father's inner circle, which she allowed. However, it came with a price."
Shouto clicked his tongue as he rubbed his fingers through his hair. "What do you mean price?"
"My father was in debt with his agency. He made bad decisions with the stock market. We were running in the red and credit was running thin. Not sure it was a coincidence or fate, it was Yui's father that purchased my father's agency," said Izuku. "I wasn't sure if Yui knew or used this to her advantage, but my rights were given to Yui to become her boyfriend."
Tsuyu covered her mouth. Toru turned red. "You're saying that your father sold you out," questioned Toru.
Izuku nodded in agreement. "In so many words, yes!"
Shouto whistled loudly. "Damn! Just damn!"
"Wait a minute? Earlier you were concerned about your parents," said Toru. "But, now you are telling us that your father sold you out?"
Izuku nodded. "In my heart, I wanted to believe that he wouldn't do that. I thought when going to see my parents, he would have a change of heart. However, money can change people." He kicked the gravel. "My father and I share phone plans. So, I should have known that he would be tracking me." He looked to the others. "That's your ground truth, Shouto! My own damn father!" He cursed under his breath. "I was Yui's target from the beginning," said Izuku. "Her father and my father sealing the deal was the icing on the cake. Or in my case, the final nail to the coffin." He looked onto the sky. "I have been Yui's love slave and she reminds me every moment of it."
I love the slurping sounds you are making to my kitty, Midoriya!
There you go! Make it sound sexy! At least pretending that you are liking it, which I know you are. I wouldn't know what to do if you didn't.
Yes, Midoriya! Fill me up! Fill your girlfriend up! Yes! Yes! YES!
I am coming! Swallow it! Take the richness of my juices! Taste and feel my love!
IZUKU!
Izuku removed his t-shirt. He wrapped the shirt around his shoulder as he wanted to show his friends the evidence of Yui's "love."
"Holy Dio," blurted Tsuyu.
"Dear God," cried Toru.
"Damn," said Tenya.
"And I say my father's "love" was painful," said Shouto.
Hickey marks, scratches, and blemishes covered Izuku's chest and back. The remnants of Yui's lovemaking in the past several weeks. "Day after day, I have exerted my energy on Kodai. Or more so, she exerted her energy on me. There wasn't a place untouched - school, home, her home, in public, anywhere to remind me of my belonging to her." He pointed at the collar. "This collar was the final symbol of authority of this so-called love. Finally belonging to Yui as her husband."
"Husband," questioned Toru.
"Last night, I overheard her father talking to my father on the phone about marriage following high school. Since my father was in her father's pocket, he didn't mind giving me away to Yui for the sake of continuing his job. In my father's eyes, I was aiding the family," said Izuku. "However, I couldn't take it anymore. I had enough! No longer I was going to be viewed as property. So, when Yui and I were alone, I made it in my mind that we were going to end it."
The night before….
Yui, you are a cool girl. However, the thing is this has to stop.
What do you mean stop? We're lovers, Icchan!
Stop calling me Icchan! That's weird. But, I can't love a girl that I don't have feelings for.
What do you mean, Icchan?!
I don't have feelings for you. You can't force love on me. You can't allow yourself to do that. I am not a slave. I am not a piece of meat to be discarded after you get bored of me. I am not a toy, Yui Kodai. As much as I don't want to hurt your feelings, I can't do this anymore.
Icchan, don't do this! The contract! Father! You do love me, Izuku! You do love me! You do love me! You do love me! YOU DO LOVE ME, IZUKU MIDORIYA!
You're being delusional. Love isn't forcing me to have sex, raping me, and scaring off my friends who are girls. Isolating me even when I can't hang out with the guys. That isn't love. As for the contract, if I have to work a full-time job to pay off my father's debt, I will. No more shackles, no more chains, no more bondage! I want to be free, God damn it. And for who the Son sets free, is free indeed.
You're not going to leave me, Izuku!
Think what you want. But, after today, we are through!
Back to the present….
"As a coup de grace, we had goodbye sex," said Izuku. "Cold, very cold. To ease the blow. The final severance pop."
"Noble of you, ribbit," said Tsuyu. "Quite noble indeed."
"But, what was the reason for the collar," asked Toru. "if she said that you were her husband."
Izuku blushed heavily. "Cooling where it isn't safe."
"Huh," questioned Toru.
Izuku reached into his back pocket. It was a piece of paper that was folded into fours. He unwrapped the paper and passed it to Shouto. Shouto eyed the paper before his eyes became wide as saucers. He passed to Tenya and he unknowingly cursed. Tsuyu's hands were shaking. Toru let out a bleating sound.
Last night….
You're not going anywhere, Izuku! I won't allow it! I don't care what I have to do to keep you by my side. But you won't ever leave me. Any whore you get with will face the wrath of Yui Kodai. Besides, you won't leave me. Tee-hee!
No, Kodai! No Yui!
Yes, Icchan! You will never leave me! I am going to make you mine for sure!
Back to the present….
"She hid this from me and used it when the time was right," said Izuku.
Toru passed the piece of paper back to Izuku. "Jesus, Deku! How long?!"
"Since the first night she raped me in her bedroom," answered Izuku. "Clever girl!"
"Clever is right, ribbit," said Tsuyu. "Do you think she would use it to her advantage?"
"What's to stop her," said Izuku. "Especially if we are now on the second hour." He turned to Tenya. "Is your watch waterproof?"
"Yeah," said Tenya as he looked at his watch. "You're right. We are now into our second hour."
"And somebody is gonna be $1,250,000 richer," commented Izuku.
Meanwhile….
Hello! Yui Kodai speaking!
So, let's say I may know the whereabouts of your missing husband.
Let's say that I need a definite location.
Well, I can see him and his four little friends from the highway in the forest. Shall I send pics?
You better be serious!
Serious as the 1.25 million you are offering. The pic is coming!
OH MY GOD! THAT'S HIM! MY LOVER! MY LOVER! YOU FOUND MY LOVER!
What do you want me to do with the others?
Bring them back alive! I have use for them!
Okay, I will make my move. The next time we meet, have the money!
Don't worry about that. Have my Izuku with you when you grab him and the others.
To be continued….