Chapter 27: Operation Light Speed Rescue
Everything had happened so fast that, to a normal person, it would have seemed like a blur. One moment, All Might was on stage as he began to give a speech. Then, the alarms sounded. From the ground, bands that glowed with bright blue energy shot towards the muscular man and wrapped themselves around his body. But it wasn't just him. The same thing happened to Endeavor, the Kamen Corps, the heroes from Detroit Mercy, and so many other heroes in the crowd. All of them bound before they all fell to the ground one thump at a time. Before any of the guests could ask what the hell was going on, the doors opened, revealing men with guns. Several shots were fired while one of the men told everyone to get on the ground.
As many of the people around him panicked, Hisashi stayed calm as he watched every scene unfold before his eyes. The reason he could do this was that he was slightly above a normal person. Sure, he had never become a fully-fledged member of the Flaming Sidekickers, but his time as a trainee had taught him lessons that were still fully ingrained in his system. And part of the reason those lessons had never become rusty was due to his job at Aybsswell, as he constantly went from one slightly dangerous insurance investigation to another that nearly put his life on the line. So he was able to stay calm even while shots were being fired.
Too bad the same couldn't be said about certain other people.
"What the hell is going on?!?" cried Ms. Pan. The dark-haired woman was looking around as she sat on her knees next to him, appearing frantic. "Why isn't the security system working on them?"
"Obviously, they hacked it," said Hisashi, his tone almost lazy and laid back as he continued to eye everyone. Right now, he counted ten villains all decked out in military level gear and masked faces. Judging by their stances, they were either ex-mercenaries or something close to it.
"B-But that's impossible?!?" cried Ms. Pan. "The security here is top-notch!"
"Apparently, they have equal or better talent working for them," sighed Hisashi, keeping his eyes lazy as he watched these goons. They were performing a sweep of the area, counting the number of heroes present while also removing any support gear they had on them. Some were even handcuffing the heroes, making doubly sure that they couldn't get out. They were taking no chances.
Meanwhile, Ms. Pan made a strained whining noise as she brought her hands to her head. "No. No, no, no," she said before looking over at Hisashi. "Who do you think the fault will lie with?"
"Seriously? That's what you're worried about?" replied Hisashi, unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes.
"Of course, that's what I'm worried about!" growled Ms. Pan. "My raise and possible promotion are on the line!"
To that, Hisashi just sighed as he gave his partner a deadpanned look. "Obviously, the villains will be at fault," he said, causing Ms. Pan's jaw to drop. Then, as Hisashi turned his attention back to the masked men with guns, he continued to talk in a low voice. "We already confirmed that I-Island was doing everything in its power to protect its investments. These guys have come prepared and found a way to bypass all their security. No doubt they have their hackers in the Security Office right now. It was how they were able to put out that terrorist bomb alarm and rig the system into thinking that the heroes are the threat. Right now, there's nothing anyone can do about it. Meaning, Abysswell is looking at a major loss in the billions, depending on what they take. Perhaps even the trillions if they really go to town here."
As the withered soul of Ms. Pan began to leave her body, a crash was heard that drew the startled attention of everyone in the room. It was All Might. Several of the armed men had rolled him off the stage and onto the ground, with him landing near Midoriya. With him so close, Hisashi could see that All Might was struggling against his bonds. But it was too slow and too noticeable as the armed men around him pointed their guns at the guests. That sent a clear message to All Might without having to say anything, causing him to stop.
"Wait, we have All Might," exclaimed Ms. Pan, suddenly noticing the hero. "Can't he break out and save everyone?"
"He could," replied Hisashi. "I'm willing to bet the moment he or any of the other heroes here try to break free, people like you and me are going to be filled with holes. He's putting the lives of everyone here first." As he spoke, Hisashi once again scanned the crowd. While he kept a calm appearance, a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face as his adrenaline-fueled brain scanned the crowd. Again, he didn't see his son, meaning he was hopefully running late and stuck in his hotel. But he did find Fuyumi and Natsuo. Both of them were dressed well for the event and were on the ground far away from their father. Hopefully, these thugs wouldn't realize they had additional leverage on Endeavor.
"Who cares if a few people die?!?" yelled Ms. Pan, gaining the attention of not only the villains but the heroes as well. However, Hisashi was more drawn to the woman's hair. Did it just get a shade darker with black sparks dancing around it? "My raise is far more important! So long as stuff in the vaults is safe, then they can all die!"
Everyone just stared at her with horror written all across their faces. Then…
"Lady," exclaimed one of the villains, lowering his gun slightly as the sheer inhumanity of that statement struck him. "I'm a hired gun and even I think that's too much." That earned a series of nods from all the other villains.
This lax moment didn't last long as it was brought to an abrupt end when the doors opened once more. Hisashi turned his gaze to see who had walked end, his eyes narrowing. There were three of them. One was just some kid who looked to be around the same age as his son, striding around with a cocky skip to his step. Whoever this kid was, he was a fool for walking around without a mask, as they would be able to identify him once police examined the footage. But the other two, he recognized. The man in the metallic mask and the woman whose hair looked like a blue water droplet.
While he had never met them personally, they had indirectly crossed paths. A couple of years ago, Wolfram and his team staged a large-scale robbery of a museum that was heavily insured by Aybsswell. But, as Hisashi discovered, that had been just for show. Yes, they had broken into the museum and had even shot several people, killing them in the process. But what they had stolen were all counterfeit items. It was a double-dipping scheme thought up by Wolfram, who had brought his idea to the individual who owned all the items on display. The items would be brought to the museum, where they would then be certified. After that, the movers (all of whom were Wolfram's men) would swap out the priceless artifact and art with readied copies and move the real items back into the moving truck. There they would be on display until Wolfram and his crew came to take the fakes. Like this, they could sell the items on the black market while also getting a hefty sum from their claims. It had been Hisashi, who had reviewed the footage and had found one of the fakes they had dropped, who had blown the lid off the whole operation. True, the items were still stolen, but the owner was arrested, and the company didn't have to pay out.
As for Miss Drop, she was the source of many of the headaches Hisashi got whenever he visited Michigan. According to the rumors, she was the enforcer and right-hand woman of a crime boss within the state who was only known as The Friend. Who this Friend was, no one knew but from what Hisashi had heard the man was a lot like the Coachman from the old Pinocchio movie. Somehow he drew people, criminal and civilian alike, into his world filled of gambling, drugs, prostitution. Then, when the bill came due, he sent Miss Drop. She would bring them to him, kicking and screaming if the need arose. They were never killed, just used to commit more crimes. Several of these people had, before they meet The Friend, been upstanding individuals at well-respected companies. That is until they were forced to steal from the company in order to settle their debts. Or they would allow their homes and vehicles to be destroyed, handing The Friend the money from the claims checks. There were even some cases where the families gave The Friend one of their children who had a desirable quirk. And that was where Hisashi had come in.
As he watched the two adults move to the center of the room, their postures showing they were in complete control, and the kid moved to leer at all the tied up woman, Hisashi began to worry. The two groups that these villains worked for were very different. Both in the areas where they operated in and how they conducted their villainous acts. So to see them openly working together made him fear for what was to come.
"Ha!" came out a barked laugh which pulled Hisashi out from his thoughts. He, along with a few others, turned their attention to the source: the teen. Currently he was standing over an elderly man who was wrapped in the same energy bands as All Might and Endeavor. What was even more surprising was that the old man had the same amount of bands around him as the two heroes as all of the others just had one to three. This man had at least a dozen. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here. Robstone. Haven't seen you since your fucking ass burned my costume!"
Suddenly, the teen's expression twisted into rage before sending a powerful kick right into the elderly man's gut. Blood shot out of Robstone's mouth as he fell over, couching and wheezing. But, Hisashi could see that the elderly man never took his eyes off of the teen.
"Yes," breathed Robstone. "I was actually hoping to rectify that little problem before today. Only, unlike the last time, we would be face to face until I brought you to a cell where you belong."
"Fucking old man!" roared the teen, his anger tripling as he swung his foot into the man's gut over and over again. "You tried to ruin me! ME! The Great Hero Rockback!"
"Stop it Wroubel," yelled a woman near Robstone. Upon hearing this, the teen who called himself Rockback, paused before turning to look at an attractive woman who eyed him with an icy glare. Then, the teen kicked Robstone once more.
"Pack Master," he said. "Two people whom I really hate. What was it that made you sabotage me? Hmm? Was it my skill that easily overshadowed whatever your bitchy ass could do? Could you see just how popular I would be? Was that why you conspired to kick me out of that lame school?"
Pack Master gave him a defiant look. "There is no grand conspiracy around your academic probation," she said, not even flinching as Rockback grit his teeth tighter. "The only one to blame is yourself for not attending class or doing your homework. And if you think throwing another temper tantrum will fix-" Pack Master was cut off as the teen suddenly kicked the side of her head, knocking her to the ground.
"Shut up, you oriental filth!" roared Rockback, raising a foot as he prepared to stomp on her head. "I'll teach you! I'LL TEACH EVERYONE HERE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN-" Rockback was then cut off as a gun was pressed against the back of his head. Realization and fear caused the teen's features to go pale as he slowly turned to look at who held his life in their hands. It was Wolfram.
"The woman has a point," said the masked man, his eyes showing no amusement, nor did his voice carry any. It sounded more like he was tired of dealing with this teen and, judging by the fact that his finger was on the trigger, wanted to shoot Rockback right here and now. "No more hurting the hostages with your petty tantrums. Hinder my operation and I will…" The man didn't say anything more, just pressing his gun harder against the teen's head to show he was serious.
That's when Hisashi noticed something else. Rockback turned to look at Miss Drop. It was a pleading look, like he expected her to do or say something. But all she did was give him a dry look before turning away. Had she protected him before? If she had, she clearly regretted it and seemed to be done with him.
"My apologies," announced Wolfram loudly, lifting his gun away from Rockback's head as he turned to address the rest of the crowd. There was a calmer, more energetic tone to his voice, making it sound like he was ready to have fun. "So sorry to crash your party. But the price of tickets was just too damn expensive. Don't worry, we're just here to grab a few souvenirs from the gift shop. We'll grab what we want and, if everyone here are good billionaires, heroes, and scientists then we'll be out of your hair and no one will get hurt. Er, anyone else at least." At that, he chuckled while looking over at the two people the teen had assaulted.
While Wolfram was laughing it up, Hisashi's eyes moved towards Miss Drop as she brought a hand to her ear. "Hey Wolfram," she said. "The boys upstairs said their having some trouble bypassing the security in the vault. They're going to need some help." Upon hearing that, Hisashi narrowed his eyes.
"Well then," replied Wolfram as he began walking around the room. "Good thing we have plenty of I-Island scientists who will be more than willing to help. Unless they want blood on their hands." He then stopped and pointed at one scientist. "Hey you. Tubby. You're badge says that you work here, right?"
"Y-Yes," said the man whom Hisashi recognized as Sam.
"Good, then how about you put that brain to work for us," continued Wolfram with a grin. A grin that didn't fade as another scientist stood up. One who had been seated close to Hisashi.
"Wait a moment," said Dr. Shield as he approached the head villain, earning the attention of Hisashi's focused glare. "That man right there is my assistant. He doesn't have the authority to open anything."
"And who do we have here?" asked Wolfram as he turned to look at the man. "Why, if it isn't the world-famous Dr. David Shield. As I live and breathe." He then looked over at his men. "Take them both. Two big brains are better than one. And, if they try anything, we'll be sure to shoot a few hostages in front of them."
Hisashi kept his eyes narrowed, going over everything he had just seen in his head while Wolfram ordered Rockback to take the two scientists up to the Vault in order to get it open. There were a lot of things that weren't adding up. The first being having these armed villains coming down here in the first place. Clearly, they had control over the security systems and had detained all the guests in this building while also controlling the population of the rest of the island. So, why come down here in the first place? Glancing over at Wolfram, who had moved to sit on a table with his legs resting on All Might's body like a footrest, the obvious answer was ego stroking. Wolfram was more of your old-fashioned villain: evil for the sake of evil. He didn't crave the money or power he sought for some complex higher purpose or had some sad backstory. No, he was a sadist who wanted what he wanted and delighted in fear and destruction he created in his wake. So, when you took that into account, it made it easy to see why he was down here. He wanted the world to know that not only had he and his crew taken over I-Island but he had also humiliated Japan's Two top heroes with one of them still being viewed in high regards in America.
However, Hisashi dismissed that notion due to what happened with Miss Drop. Wolfram was an egotist, but he wasn't stupid. He always prioritized his payday over everything else. Meaning he would have secured whatever it was in the Vault first while ensuring he had a getaway plan all set up before he would come down here. After all, if he failed or messed up, then everyone around here would know he fumbled the ball at the last moment. So, why didn't they confirm whether or not they could hack the Vault before coming down here? And why make an announcement? In fact, why didn't the villains just contact Wolfram himself? It was like they wanted everyone to know what they were doing.
Then there was Dr. Shield himself. Hisashi already had a bad feeling about the man, something that only grew once the alarms sounded. When All Might had been wrapped in those bands, one would have thought that someone who clearly believed all that the world needed was said hero would cry out. To either refuse the reality of the moment and insist that All Might would break free soon or look on with horror that the man he put all his faith in had fallen. But neither of those things happened. He just quietly accepted this without barely blinking. Like he knew that would happen. Then there was the way the other villains had reacted. When Dr. Shield stood up, the villains raised their guns but Hisashi could tell just how relaxed they were even as the man approached their boss. Now that he thought about it, were any of their fingers on the triggers? Then there was Wolfram who didn't swing his gun around to point it at the man who approached him.
Wait, why did Wolfram target Sam first? There were men and women here at the party who were part of the scientific council who had much more authority in opening the Vault! The Wolfram that Hisashi had read about in his reports would have had a list of keep people to look out for and the council didn't keep their identities a secret.
Then, an idea hit Hisashi.
"Is that your game?" whispered Midoriya as he lifted his head towards the ceiling. Then, his eyes widened in shock at what he beheld. It was his son! Izuku was staring down at them along with that girl with the side ponytail, a girl with bun hair, a girl with horns, and several other teens! And then, as they pulled their heads away, Hisashi got another really bad feeling.
-x-
What Hisashi, as well as the rest of the partygoers, didn't know was that they were being watched almost the entire time.
"Guys, looks like villains have taken over the island," whispered Itsuka, her eyes focused on the scene below her as armed men entered the ballroom. The two groups of heroic students had made their way down here to this exact spot after getting some shocking news from Melissa. According to their new friend, the instructions that were being announced were the wrong ones for the declared situation, which caused her to become alarmed. Even more so when they discovered that none of them could make an outgoing call, not even to the I-Island security or emergency rescue. Add to the fact that the elevators had refused to work, putting all the young heroes on edge over what was going on.
Thankfully, Itsuka took charge. Rather than panicking, she suggested trying their best to make it to where the party was. If they could do that, the heroes and scientists would surely know what was going on. Or, if not, they would have a better plan of action. Sadly, according to Melissa, there was no way down without the elevators. That was when Izuku spoke up, asking if there was any way for them to at least get eyes on the party. If they could at least see what was going on, then it would calm everyone down. Thankfully, Melissa was able to lead them to a viewing area right above the party.
Unfortunately, what they saw did not calm them down.
"Not only that, but all the heroes have been captured," added in Izuku, his eyes focused on their teacher. "Including All Might. Whoever these villains are, it looks like they're in control." As he spoke, a cold feeling settled within the teen's gut. The fact that All Might had been taken down like this was something he never expected to see. And despite everything that All Might had said to him, seeing this still shocked Izuku to his core.
"Oh God, it's Will. I had hoped we'd never see that ogre ever again," growled Elven Prince as they watched the teen attack Principal Robstone, kicking him over and over again. As he spoke, that cold feeling that Izuku had been feeling temporarily vanished as he looked down at the teen with anger. That was the same guy who had harassed Pony! Glancing over at his friend, he could see her gripping the railing tightly while her eyes filled with hate.
"And it looks like he brought his friend," hissed Hyrdo Claw with venom. He then gestured to the woman with the blue, raindrop-shaped hairdo. "That's the same woman who broke him out during transit. Guess they're working with these guys."
"What's the deal with that Will kid?" asked Toga softly.
"He used to be our classmate," replied Lady Sting, her eyes locked onto the man with the mask as he walked around. "He used to walk around, all high and mighty, claiming how he would be a top hero. Had the muscle to back it up, but the personality…"
"He's also Bleak's brother," added Gel, her slime hair seeming to let out a hiss as she looked down. "We had hoped that there was someone else walking around the island with that bastardo's name. Seems we weren't lucky at all."
"Huh. Looks like you guys had your own version of Bakugo," commented Toga before turning her head to look at Bleak. Said teen hero in training was looking down at the scene, not saying a word. However, it was clear that his red, insect-like visor was a deeper shade of red at the moment. If Toga noticed this, she didn't show it as she merely tilted her head to the side. "I'm going to be honest with you, but I don't see the family resemblance."
"Toga, that's him," hissed Pony. "That's the guy who…" Her words trailed off, still fuming at seeing him again and now knowing that he was a villain. For a moment, Toga remained where she was with a blank expression…until the rage set in. A massive wave of bloodlust filled the hallway as her cat-like eyes became more pronounced, all while keeping that blank expression.
"I see," said Himiko at last, her voice devoid of any emotion at that moment, making her words feel a thousand times more terrifying.
"They're taking my Papa," cried Melissa, panic in her voice as she pointed to the scene below. Everyone's focus turned towards the scene of Dr. Shield being led away along with another man. With them was Will and a couple other men with guns. "We have to do something."
"That's easier said then done," replied Lady Sting as she pulled away from the railing. As she spoke, the calm and causal way she spoke was replaced with complete seriousness. "This place is pretty much locked down tight. We can't even call for help. Not like it would get here soon." She then breathed a sigh. "We don't even know where they are taking your dad. So, sorry if this sounds cold, but I'd rather us not go stumbling around without a plan. We'll just put more people in danger."
Hearing that, Izuku felt his fists tightening. He understood what Lady Sting was saying, he really did. But at the same time…
"We can't call ourselves heroes if we just stand here doing nothing," he said.
"I agree," said Bleak. He then turned to his classmate and seemed to look her dead in the eyes. "We're in costume right now. And that comes with certain responsibilities. You know that."
"An…Bleak, we're not full heroes yet!" stated Lady Sting, the scorpion tail on the back of her head twitching. "We're still freshmen! We won't get our Hero's Permit until the end of next year!"
"Oh, but that's in the U.S.A," commented Toga with a grin. "Did you know there are no legal restrictions on using your quirks here on I-Island. As long as you don't intentionally harm someone, you're free to use them however you want. If we get into trouble, we can just call it self defense."
"But Toga," began Itsuka, before pausing. She then looked from the blood loving blood to her green haired best friend with evident worry on her face. "You know that isn't going to fly back home. Remember, if you cause trouble, then it isn't just going to be you who suffers. Izuku is responsible for you. It was part of the conditions that allowed you to come here." She then turned all her focus onto Izuku. "And you know that U.A. will do far worse than just giving you a detention. We're talking expulsion at minimum! So lets just think this through."
"I," began Izuku, stumbling for a moment as the reality of Itsuka's words sank in. She was right. Principal Nezu made it perfectly clear that if Toga got into any trouble, then he would also be held responsible. He had finally started living his dream: getting into the Hero Course of U.A., having friends, winning the Sports Festival, and even getting to learn from All Might! Was he really willing to risk all that because, let's be real, there was no way he could tell Toga, one of the most skilled fighters he knew, to just sit back and do nothing?
Then the moment passed.
"I know," he finished. "And I'm sorry, but a hero should be willing to risk everything if it means saving others. If we can make a difference, then I say we should do it."
"Yeah, I agree," said Hydro Claw as he slammed a fist into his open palm. "These guys ruined what was supposed to be a pretty chill weekend trip. So, I say, let's show them what its like when someone ruins their plans. Plus, pretty sure saving some big-name heroes will even things out. Hopefully."
"Ok then," replied Lady Sting with a deadpanned expression. "Then tell me this: who here, other than Bleak, has ever had to deal with a hostage situation on any scale? Anyone? No one?" When no one spoke up, she let out a sigh. "Look, I get it. I hate the fact that I'm telling us to just stand around doing nothing. It really sucks. But the last thing I want is for us to mess up and get innocent people killed."
"Actually, there may be a way we can do this," said Melissa. "If we can take back the security, I can issue a reset to the systems operational processes. Meaning the security system will properly recognize who the heroes are and who the real threat is. I will also be able to get all robotic security droids to stand down as well as restore communications."
"Ok. And where do we have to go to do this?" asked Elven Prince.
"It's right here in this very building," replied Melissa as she looked up at the ceiling. "On the 200th floor." Hearing that, several of the heroes in training blanched. Lady Sting, on the other hand, turned to look at Bleak.
"Do you think it can be done?" she asked.
"It…It will be difficult but not impossible," said Bleak slowly while adopting a thinking position. Hearing that, Izuku couldn't help but smile. "Unlike when I did the entrance exam, we know where we have to go. That and there is no time limit. So, if we play our cards right, then we have a chance." Bleak then looked over at Izuku. "Our best option is for you to fly up there with…" Bleak paused for a moment, cocking his head to the side as he looked over at Melissa. For a moment, the two just stared at each other with the rest of the Detroit Mercy students looking annoyed. Then… "Ah, what's your name again?"
"Melissa Shield!" stated all of the American students at once while Melissa just stood there with a dumbfounded expression.
"Right. Right. Melissa," said Bleak quickly as he righted himself. "Anyways, if this is anything like the exam I took, then the villain's focus will be centered on the inside of the building. Patrolling hallways. Checking stairwells. Those kinds of things. But this is a big building, so with a limited amount of people to patrol it, they are probably going to focus more on the lower levels where the heroes are captured as well as the top floor where their center of operations is. I saw that guy with the green hair fling earlier. Given what I saw, without any obstacles getting in his way, he could take Melissa up to the top floor before any of the villains had time to blink. From there, the two of you will need to knock out the guards and then guard her while she takes back control over the systems."
"Alright, then we have a plan!" exclaimed Gel.
Bleak, however, raised a hand to stop her from saying anything else. "There is a problem," he added before turning to Melissa. "I don't know the exact number of people guarding security. If they have an overwhelming force up there, one person might not be able to handle it. And, if we can't get the systems back quick enough, then they might decide to use the hostages as leverage."
"Actually, I have the perfect tool to use in this situation back at my other lab," said Melissa, a smile appearing on her face. It didn't take long for Izuku to realize what Melissa was referring to. And he could see on the faces of Itsuka, Toga, and Pony that they understood as well. There was even a bit of excitement on their faces.
"So, if we can get you there, do you really think it will even the odds?" asked Itsuka.
Melissa nodded. "Not only will it help taking out anyone still stationed in the security room, but it will also help speed up the process of taking back the systems," she explained. Then her smile fell slightly. "But there is a bit of an issue. The streets will be crawling with security droids. They might cause a problem."
"Robots. Why is it always robots?" complained Lady Sting. As she said this, Izuku brought a hand to his chin as he began to go over everything he had heard as well as everything they had on hand. He knew the quirks and abilities of all his friends and he had seen most of the Detroit Mercy student's skills. However, the number of villains and their quirks were still unknowns which could put everyone in danger. But, if they were careful then…
"I think I have an idea," said Izuku at last. He then held up both hands with a single raise finger on each. "For us to have the best chance, we're going to need to split up. Team One will consist of myself, Battle Fist, Rocketti, and Shield. Our job will be to escort Shield to her lab to get the package she needs before heading up to the security room. Team Two will be Nobody, Lady Sting, Bleak, Gel, Hydro Claw, and Elven Prince. Our job will be to make to the security room on foot."
"Wait, hold on!" yelled Toga with an expression of utter disbelief. "Why am I the only one in our group not going?"
"Because that's where you're most needed," said Izuku simply. He then gave Toga a meaningful look. "Both myself and Rocketti are going because we can fly. Not only that, Rocketti can use her horns as projectile weapons to help mow down any robots we meet in the streets or in the air. And once we get inside, we will need people who are skilled at close ranged combat to protect Shield while she works. Out of all of us, Battle Fist is the best suited for something like that as she has the most experience."
Izuku then walked over to Toga where he then placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered into her ear. "Meanwhile, I need someone I can trust to help out the Detroit students," he continued in a tone low enough that he hoped only she could hear. "Also, if you get the chance, causing a little chaos like you did in the forest will help. That's something only Nobody can do." When Izuku pulled away, he saw the blush on the blood drinkers face as well as the beating hearts where her slit pupils should have been.
Thankfully, she seemed to snap out of it quickly as she gave him a nod to show she understood. If she could just get a little blood from these villains, she could slip behind enemy lines with ease. In fact, knowing her, he wouldn't be surprised if by the time they reached the top she was there waiting for them.
Still…
"Just," began Izuku, his breath hitching slightly as he averted his eyes. "If something happens that gets you in trouble…I…Just know that I'm sorry." As Izuku bit his lower lip, he tried to fight back the guilt he was feeling. Despite the confidence he had just shown, the teen was unable to bury the realization of what he was sending Toga into. The potential for her to lose her freedom.
"Hey," Toga said, lifting his head with the tips of her fingers so that he was looking at her. She was smiling, showing off her fangs as she did. "I don't plan on taking things too far. You're putting your trust in me, and that means more to me than anything. So the last thing I'd ever want is to hurt the people I care about. If something goes to hell, then at least I can say it was a good ride while it lasted. Heck, maybe we can all run away together." She laughed at that, allowing Izuku to feel a bit better.
"But, ah, when this is over, I'd like to ask you to do me a little favor," she said, blushing as she looked away in embarrassment.
"Oh…sure," replied Izuku without really thinking too much about it. After all, with everything Toga was risking right now, he did owe her something. He would do whatever she wanted and, if he couldn't do it right away, he'd ask if she could wait so he could figure something out.
Though he would admit that the look in her eyes, as well as the hungry expression on her face, was both adorable as well as worrisome. Was she going to ask him to take her out to an all-you-can-eat buffet?
You fool, came Alibion's voice in his head. You've doomed yourself again! She is more likely to get a helping of you!
-x-
As Toga's blush continued to grow with hearts appearing all around her, Lady Sting pulled Bleak off to the side. Far enough so that no one, not even Gel, could overhear what they were about to say. While having Gel around as backup for what she was about to say might have been a better idea, Lady Sting wanted to have a one-on-one conversation with her friend and not make him feel like they were ganging up on him.
"Bleak, are you sure you want to do this?" she began. She kept her eyes locked on that red visor, wishing for the first time that she could be looking into his eyes. Eyes she had not seen before, as he stayed in costume far more than anyone else.
"What do you mean?" he asked. If he was going to say anything more, it was cut short as her gaze hardened.
"Don't you dare pretend like you know what I'm talking about," she hissed. "That piece of garbage is out there, and he has never been subtle about how he feels about you. Do you even remember the last time you fought him, because I sure as hell do! He wasn't thinking, just lashing out like a cornered animal and hurting whoever got too close! And what's been happening to you since?!? Andrew, those-" She then paused and, when she spoke next, Sting's voice was softer. "Look, no one will think any less of you for hanging back. We can just tell Robstone and the others that you wanted to keep an eye on the hostages."
"Thanks…Bri," breathed Bleak, the sheer fact that he remembered her name surprising her. "Believe me, it's a tempting offer. But I don't think that true heroes get to pick and choose what villains they face. Not in situations like this." He then tilted his head to the side, as if someone was whispering in that ear. Then, he chuckled. "And knowing my parents, no matter what I do, they'll see it as embarrassing the family. Either I broke the rules and further destroyed the future of their favorite son, or I acted cowardly and hid. Can't win with them no matter what I do. So I might do the thing that would get me in trouble no matter what."
Bleak then paused and held out his hand. "Bri, no matter what happens, I'm probably not going to be in Detroit Mercy much longer," he said, his words causing the scorpion girl to lower her head. "So, before I go, I just want to say thank you. You've been one of the best friends I've ever had. Could you tell the others I'm going to miss them? Especially Gel? I'm…not strong enough to tell her…I'll just mess it up."
"Dummy," replied Lady Sting as she held out her fist. For a moment, Bleak just looked at it before giving her a fist bump. "You're not getting rid of us that easily."
-x-
Once everyone had agreed to the plan, there were a few minor details that needed to be ironed out. One such thing was how Toga and the Detroit Mercy students would be avoiding detection from security. This was handled mostly by Melissa who gave them the quickest rundown she could. Mainly sticking to the stairwells and, if you needed to leave for any reason do your best to stick to the hallways and not enter any other rooms. It wasn't great, but it would help.
Following that, Izuku and his team followed Melissa as she led them towards the safest way out into the streets via an underground parking garage. The moment they stepped in it, the three heroes had sparkles in their eyes at what they beheld. Because what they beheld weren't classic cars, the latest vehicles, or even the fanciest cars that the richest men in the world drove. No, these were heroic vehicles from all over the world with some being two hundred years old! One was a van that looked like it had random garbage wielded to its sides with the side doors open to reveal launching devices that fired manhole covers. Then they saw a purple hearse with the front looking like a clown's face. There was even a one seater helicopter shaped like a fox with the blades looking like a pair of tails.
But there was one that made Izuku's eyes sparkle while his heart wept. Off to the side was 'the' Allmobile! It was the first car All Might used back when he was starting in America as a hero when David Shield was his sidekick! A shiny red, two person vehicle that had a T-shape to it. All around it were the different modules that could attach to the car, allowing it different modes like flight, a boat mode, and even a submarine mode! Seeing this part of All Might history right before his eyes was a dream come true. If he wasn't in this current situation then he would have actually stopped and asked one of the girl to take a picture of him standing next to the Allmobile.
Then…
"Guys, I think this might go by faster if we, er, borrowed one of these," said Melissa as she stopped, taking off one of her high heeled shoes.
When he heard that, Izuku's eyes lit up as he looked over at the Allmobile. Instantly, he began to fantasize of him driving the car down the street, plowing down robots that looked like the one-pointer with Itsuka in the passenger side…No, wait. Itsuka would be the one driving with him, ready to either press the buttons that activated the weapons or to jump out and fight the robots.
Both cases are wrong, said Albion with a sigh. Since both you and Pony can fly, it would be more effective and practical for Itsuka to drive Melissa to her lab. Or, since she has her driver's license, for Melissa to drive.
"I know," sighed Izuku, shoulder sagging. "Just…Just let me dream a little."
Suddenly, Izuku heard a loud squee of joy. Looking up, he was surprised that it came from Itsuka of all people. She was hopping from foot to foot, her dress shoes being discarded, next to a motorcycle. The bike was a Harley-Davidson Panhead Chopper that was clearly custom-made. He knew this because it was one of Itsuka's favorite bikes and had about a dozen pictures of it.
"We have got to use this one," declared Itsuka, with sparkles in her eyes as she turned to look at their newest friend. "Melissa, do you think you can…"
"Already on it," replied the scientist girl as she moved towards the cycle. As she worked to hot wire it or whatever you would call starting a motorcycle without using the key, Izuku just watched alongside Pony. And, as he waited, he realized maybe this was for the best. The Allmobile was an important part of history and if something should happen to it, well, he doubted Melissa's dad would be happy with them. Same with All Might. Also, he had broken his promise to take Itsuka to the auto show here so letting her pick the ride she wanted to use to save the day was somehow the right thing to do.
It didn't take long for the roar of the motor to be heard. With a grin on her face, Itsuka hopped into her seat with her hands reaching for the handles while Melissa took up her spot in the sidecar. At the same time, Izuku activated Divine Dividing, causing his wings to appear while Pony shot a pair of horns out, which she then hopped onto once they circled around. Then, without needing to say anything, the group rode out into the streets.