Aftermath (a BH6 crossover)

Chapter Thirty Six: Photo

Out of habit, Chloe flashed her badge the moment Cass Hamada opened the hotel room door. "Ms. Hamada, I wondered if we could come in. we have a few questions we'd like to ask your nephew."

Lucifer stood a pace or two back, waiting to see what Cass would say about this intrusion. She'd already been quite upset about the earlier ones, and with ample reason. And since he knew a lot more about what was going on than he'd let on, he wondered how this recent development would pan out.

Cass looked from Chloe to Lucifer and back to the detective. She frowned a bit as she purposely made them wait a few extra seconds, then she let out a sigh. "I supposed. But I still stand by my previous words. Hiro is innocent. He wasn't involved in anything illegal and unless you have proof, we really have nothing to say."

Lucifer decided to insert himself at that moment, sliding in front of his partner. "There actually has been a new development that does need some explaining," he admitted, ignoring the glare from the detective.

"Fine," Cass said with resignation in her voice. She moved to one side to let them both in, only giving a hint of a satisfied smile when Chloe paused at the sight of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. She quickly smoothed it over as she closed the door one more time.

Chloe headed straight towards Hiro, ignoring both Banner and Stark as she resisted the urge to bend slightly to shake his hand. She still held out her hand, but kept the other firmly holding her file to hide the growing stain on her pants. "Hiro Hamada, I'm Detective Chloe Decker. I wondered if I could ask you a few questions."

Hiro glanced over at his aunt, who now stood against the far wall, arms crossed over her chest. "Sure, I guess. So long as you're not still accusing me of killing that one competitor, or setting any bombs at the arena, cuz there's no way that was me." He wasn't sure why he said that last part but it somehow felt like it needed to be said.

"Should I be calling up a lawyer?" Tony asked as he took in the detective. If he recalled correctly, she was the same one who tried to accuse Hiro of murdering his opponent. Last he'd heard, there was doubt shed on that possibility but there was always also the possibility that she'd "found" something else that might disprove that as well.

The detective glanced over at Tony, not sure how he fit into everything, except that he somehow knew Hiro and seemed to be on at least friendly terms with him and his aunt. "I don't think will be necessary. I just have a few questions, nothing formal."

Tony raised his brows. "That's what they usually say before heading into dangerous territory." He pulled out his phone but didn't immediately activate the screen. Instead, he spoke at it, something that confused the detective, since she hadn't seen him do anything besides take it from his pocket. "JARVIS, have my lawyer on standby, would you? I want him ready to come over should the questions go in a direction I don't like."

"Of course, sir."

Cass didn't comment, silently approving Tony's move. It certainly put the detective on her toes, something she could see from the woman's posture. That or she just didn't like Stark, which she could also appreciate. The man was charming, helpful, and just outright infuriating in turns.

Only slightly taken back by this turn of events, Chloe dropped her out held hand and took the photo from the airport from her file instead. "I just wondered if you could explain how your image showed up on a photo taken from the airport surveillance system only minutes before the explosions there."

Hiro almost hesitantly took the photo, wondering the same. He didn't immediately see where they thought he was in the frame but realized where after a moment's study. "Hey, Baymax," he motioned the robot over. "Can you scan and enhance this for me?" Since he didn't have his usual computer, and other tools, Baymax was the best he could do.