"Vengeance does not dull pain. It sustains it... Forever." - Celebrimbor, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
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Rumi gave Hawks an incredulous look as he finished explaining his plan to her.
"Are you fucking insane?!" Rumi said loudly in disbelief. "Hawks if you go through with this it is practically a death sentence! Did you even think about what would happen to the rest of us pro-heroes if you mess up?! Your mission is the perfect excuse the ministry is looking for to ban pro-heroes entirely!"
As the two heroes sat in Rumi's apartment, rain pelted against the windows as the sky took on a dull gray color. It seemed that the inclimate weather was going to stay for a while, as the weather channels all reported that the rain and storms would persist for at least another week.
Leaning forward, Hawks gave Rumi a pleading look with his gold-colored eyes. "That is why I am asking for your help! For this plan to work we need the best of the best, and that includes you. Out of all of us you know the Ministry of Defense best, from their tactics to their mindsets."
Rumi paused before shaking her head again. "I said I don't want anything to do with the ministry! This Zulu team sounds like bad news, and from what you are telling me I have a pretty good guess who the leader is."
Hawks paused. "Really? Who?"
Rumi snarled at the mere thought of the person she was thinking of. "Oscar, that guy that took Izuku away the last time we saw him. You don't know him like I do. The guy may seem like he is just a slimy creep, but he is much worse than that. Even Izuku called him a monster. That should be all the warning you need."
Hawks frowned as he stroked his goatee, the gears in his head obviously turning as he absorbed the new information. "Well that does make sense. If we could bypass Zulu team entirely and simply capture Oscar by himself that would make our job a lot easier. Any idea what he does on his time off?"
Rumi shook her head, causing her silver hair to sway slightly. "No clue, the guy is a ghost as far as I am concerned. The only time I see him is when he wants something with Izuku."
Leaning back in his metal folding chair, Hawks let out a heavy sigh. "Shit...so it sounds like our only choice is to bait out Zulu team if we want to catch him."
Rumi frowned and crossed her arms defiantly. "Not me, I am not getting involved with your suicide mission. I have better things to do than pick a fight with the entire Japanese government."
Hawks was silent for a few moments before giving Rumi an inquisitive stare. "You do realize that Oscar will probably know where Izuku is? I know for certain that you still have not given up on him."
Rumi snarled angrily and stood up, her muscles flexing as she barely restrained herself from punching Hawks in the mouth. "Don't you fucking dare use Izuku against me." She hissed venomously. "You are the entire reason we are in this situation in the first place. Yes, Izuku fucked up, but was it really necessary to talk to him like that? There are a dozen different ways you could have handled it, but you chose the most confrontational option."
Standing up, Hawks held up his hands placatingly. "Miruko you don't underst-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Rumi yelled angrily as pain filled her eyes. "You know what your problem is Hawks? You are so obsessed with getting results you never think about how it will affect the people around you!"
Hawks did not say anything, a hard look forming on his face as he stared at Rumi.
"So I take it your answer is still no?" He said quietly.
Instead of answering, Rumi simply walked over to her newly repaired apartment door and held it open. "I think it is time for you to leave Hawks."
His face a carefully maintained blank mask, Hawks nodded. "It seems it is." Walking over to the door, Hawks paused before speaking one last time. "If you ever change your mind you have my number. We would be really grateful if you joined us."
Closing the door behind Hawks after he left, Rumi sighed sadly and trudged over to the lone couch in her living room. Slumping down onto the soft cushions, Rumi looked out the nearest apartment window as she sighed longingly.
"Where are you Izuku? Please...come back..."
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Elsewhere in the city, Izuku rode in one of the black unmarked scout helicopters as it zipped past buildings and powerlines. Accompanied by a second scout helicopter carrying four Zulu team agents, Izuku was once again clad in his black body armor and sinister combat mask. Putting a finger up to his earpiece, Izuku listened attentively as his team was briefed by an intelligence officer.
"Zulu team, your mission today is the apprehension of the pro-hero known as Gunhead. He is wanted for questioning and interrogation and is to be apprehended by force if needed. Target is being tracked by satellite and is currently located downtown. Be aware that you will most likely be in the presence of civilian bystanders, so lethal force is not authorized. Once Gunhead has surrendered or is incapacitated, call for extraction. Be warned, the target is proficient in multiple martial arts and has a projectile quirk that can easily incapacitate you if you are not prepared for it. He also has several employees under his command and might be accompanied by them. Command out."
As the transmission ended, Izuku looked over at Oscar who was sitting on the other side of the helicopter and gave him a thumbs up.
"You heard the lady, no killing in view of the civilians." Izuku stated flatly. "We need Gunhead alive, but that doesn't mean we can't rough him up if he resists."
Cracking his knuckles eagerly, Oscar's feral grin could be heard in his voice even though his face was hidden by a mask. "Sounds fun, let's hope he puts up a good fight. Who would have thought we would be getting paid to beat up pro-heroes in public?"
Chuckling in agreement, Izuku gripped his seat as the helicopter banked sharply and descended down to a busy street below. As the helicopters landed in the middle of a wide street, Izuku and Oscar hopped out of the aircraft and immediately spotted their target.
Gunhead was easy to spot in a crowd, the muscular pro-hero stood in front of a destroyed storefront as he interviewed the distressed store owner. Nearby, two of his interns sifted through the rubble of the store seemingly searching for clues.
As the helicopters blocked traffic and the rest of the Zulu team agents established a defensive perimeter, Izuku approached Gunhead and called out to him.
"Gunhead!" Izuku shouted commandingly.
Immediately the small crowd surrounding the projectile pro-hero turned around with confusion and fear on their faces. Stepping in front of the civilians protectively, Gunhead tilted his head curiously as he examined the mask-wearing Izuku and Oscar.
"By order of the Ministry of Defense you are to be detained for questioning regarding national security." Izuku continued as he slowly walked closer. "Put your hands behind your back and comply with any instructions given to you."
Crossing his arms defiantly, Gunhead shook his head. "First off, who exactly are you? You have no ID and simply riding around in helicopters does not give you authority over me. Secondly, I am in the middle of an investigation regarding a trio of criminals. I promise that once I am done with my investigation I will report to your nearest field office and you can ask me as many questions as you like."
Putting a hand on the metal stun baton clipped to his belt, Izuku put a little more steel in his voice. "I am not asking. Last chance, either come with us peacefully, or I will forcibly apprehend you."
Squaring his shoulders, Gunhead slightly shifted his feet into a discreet fighting stance. "Like I said. Once you can prove you have the authority to order me around I will comply. Until then, you will just have to wait until my business is finished."
Not caring about the growing number of bystanders recording the confrontation with their phones, Izuku drew his stun baton and activated it, causing a threatening crackle of electricity to dance across the blunt weapon. Following Izuku's lead, Oscar rolled his shoulders and adopted an almost predatory fighting stance.
"Fine, we do this the hard way then." Izuku said coldly as he and Oscar advanced. Circling Gunhead like two bloodthirsty wolves, Izuku and Oscar silently watched for Gunhead's reaction. Purposefully putting a group of civilians behind him so Gunhead could not use his quirk without risk of hitting bystanders, Izuku attacked.
Dashing forward, Izuku aimed to hit Gunhead's ribs with a swift strike but was immediately blocked by the pro-hero. At the same time, Oscar launched himself at Gunhead's back, only to receive a quick spinning backhand punch to the jaw. As Oscar stumbled from the force of the strike, Izuku pressed the attack with a quick flurry of baton strikes. Expertly dodging and weaving, Gunhead surprised Izuku by stepping inside his guard and delivering an open palm strike to his solar plexus that sent Izuku stumbling back. Seconds later, Oscar once again rushed forward to tackle Gunhead to the ground, only to get thrown to the ground by a perfectly executed judo throw.
As Izuku regained his footing, he was surprised by the feeling of someone attempting to put him in a chokehold.
"Leave our boss alone!" One of the interns yelled defiantly as he tenaciously clung to Izuku's back.
Growling in annoyance, Izuku swung his armored head back as hard as he could, and was rewarded with a satisfying crack as his reverse headbutt shattered the intern's nose. As the young man cried out in pain and loosened his grip, Izuku grabbed the offending teen's arm and brutally slammed him into the pavement. Not done, Izuku viciously curb stomped the boy's head a few times to ensure that the teen was down for the count.
An angry yell heralded Gunhead's arrival as he rushed forward and tackled Izuku to save his intern. Grinning behind his mask, Izuku rolled like a pro MMA fighter and escaped Gunhead's grab while delivering a sharp punch to the pro-heroes throat. As Gunhead gagged in pain the sound of a high-pitched scream brought everyone's attention over to Oscar who had just finished snapping one of the other intern's legs in half. Lifting the incapacitated teen up by the throat, the huking American silently slammed the girl's face into a nearby wall, causing teeth to go flying as the girl went limp.
"YOU BASTARDS!" Gunhead roared as he got to his feet and charged at Oscar.
But now, he was exactly where Izuku and Oscar wanted him.
Off balance, and blinded by emotion.
Ducking under Gunhead's wild haymaker, Oscar yanked the pro-hero off balance and delivered a bone breaking punch to his opponent's ribs. Staggering backwards, Gunhead was once again knocked off balance by Izuku dashing forward and delivering a spinning kick to his spine. Falling to his knees, Gunhead wheezed painfully as Izuku clipped his baton back to his belt.
"Let him get up, let him get up." Izuku said calmly.
Just as Gunhead staggered back to his feet, the sound of rushing footsteps preceded Oscar charging forward like a tank and delivering a running punch to Gunhead's jaw. The blow hit so hard it also broke off the lower half of Gunhead's mask.
Then the beatdown truly began.
As the dazed Gunhead stumbled towards him, Izuku followed up with a one-two punch to the pro-hero's exposed jaw and ribs.
"Pussy!" Oscar yelled condescendingly as he chained another brutal punch to Izuku's attack.
Swaying and stumbling like a drunkard, Gunhead cried out weakly as Izuku and Oscar dismantled him with their fists. Like two thugs jumping an old man in a dark alley, Oscar and Izuku stood on either side of Gunhead and made the pro-hero bounce back and forth like a pinball being hit between two walls made of flying fists.
As teeth and blood-tinged spit filled the air, all Gunhead could do was weakly try to hold his hands up to defend himself as Izuku and Oscar continued to pummel him into submission.
"Fight back!" Oscar crowed evilly as he struck mercilessly
"Fight back!" Izuku yelled angrily as he broke Gunhead's jaw with a spinning elbow.
"Fight back!" Oscar cackled as he broke Gunhead's ribs with a vicious knee strike.
"Stop it!" A bystander cried out fearfully as Gunhead bounced back and forth between strikes.
"Fight back!"
"Please stop it!"
"FIGHT BACK!"
Finally, Gunhead's legs gave out, making him crumple to the pavement in a motionless heap.
Wiping the blood off the knuckles of his gloves, Izuku put a finger to his earpiece and activated his radio. "Target has been incapcitated. Ready for extraction. Over."
"Copy that Zulu One." A stern female voice replied. "Extraction team will be on site in one mike. Bravo Zulu. Over"
Less than a minute later, one of the large Ministry of Defense gunships appeared in the sky above the street and quickly landed. As the gunship's cargo ramp lowered, Oscar grabbed the unmoving Gunhead by his spiky hair and dragged him over to the waiting aircraft. As Oscar uncaringly tossed the bloody and beaten Gunhead into the gunship, Izuku picked up the two incapacitated interns and threw them into the waiting helicopter as well.
"Package is secure." Izuku said over the buffeting wind of the spinning helicopter blades. "Zulu team will return to base for debriefing. Over."
"Copy that." The female officer replied. "Local JSDF elements en-route to secure the area."
Giving a hand signal to the rest of the Zulu team agents to depart, Izuku hopped back onto the scout helicopter he arrived on and slapped the fuselage to signal the pilot.
As the three aircraft ascended into the sky, Izuku could not help but grin as he felt the adrenaline pump through his veins.
"Just another day at the office."