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"We do not have time for this." Izuku hissed, knuckles turning white as they gripped the bars of the holding cell he was shoved into. The officer nearby didn't even look up, continuing to do work instead. She probably didn't even hear him.
Not that it would matter if she did- he was quirkless. He'd have an easier time being listened to if he was mute.
But the point stood- he didn't have time for this. Kaachan and one of his classmates- Fumikage Tokoyami, Izuku was fairly sure- had been captured and the heroes were walking straight into a trap and so many people could die tonight. He was the only one that could stop it.
Minutes ticked by as he sat on the bench provided. He didn't like it, but he couldn't waste energy pacing. If tonight, by some miracle, started going right, he'd need all the energy he could get.
Another officer wandered in, ignored his plea, shared an annoyed look with his assigned watcher, grabbed whatever they came in for, and walked out. It was the third time it had happened, and Izuku was tempted to slam his face into a wall.
He needed a different approach. This obviously wasn't working.
Technically he should be legally allowed a phone-call, but he was quirkless, so why bother. He could start making hints about things he should know nothing about, but that might be just as likely to get him locked away forever as it was to get him an ear.
Besides, what could he even say? Secrets about the Commission or the Police were obviously just going to get him locked up tighter then UA. Secrets of pro heroes....he'd get listened to, maybe, but not fast enough. Secrets of underground heroes would be his best bet, except tonight was an 'all heroes on deck' sorta night, so they were preoccupied- evacuating the prefecture, last her heard, on rare request of one Aizawa Shota, though he hadn't been able to check in hours and he hated not knowing things-
A tall man in a tan coat with a watching hat walked in, muttering curses under his breathe. He tore through a desk for some paperwork and a pen. The man was vaguely familiar, Izuku thought, and his identity clicked in to place when he leaned his head up to pinch his nose. It was the detective that was in the background of dozens of All Might broadcasts, the one Izuku was fairly sure All Might had even called his friend before, though Izuku couldn't remember the man's name.
....Izuku had a terrible idea.
"Yagi Toshinori." He said, pushing as much desperate worry as he could into the words. It wasn't hard- he was in a desperate and worrying mood, after all.
The Detective's head snapped up to meet his eyes. The other officer's brow creased in worry as she watched the man.
"Detective, you have to help, he's in danger." Izuku pressed, walking back over to the bars of his cell. The detective's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Izuku felt his heart skip a fearful beat but more then that he didn't care, because someone was listening.
"What do you mean, danger?" The Detective almost growled. He was probably stressed, with the raid and everything, and Izuku was just adding to that. This was probably going to end poorly for him.
But there was nothing else to do. He couldn't just sit here. Not when he could help.
So he swallowed his nerves and nodded, standing up a little straighter.
"There's a man- a man that tried to kill him, a few years ago. One that almost did. And he's going to do it again."
The detective went stock still, color draining from his face as it went white with fear, and Izuku almost smiled because it was terrible and cruel, but it was true, and this just might work.
"....Is that a threat?" The Detective asked, voice tight. He took the file on Izuku that the other cop held out silently, reading the report that landed him in holding, before meeting Izuku's eyes again.
Izuku didn't look away. He just shook his head.
"No, sir. It's a warning." He corrected steadily. Izuku waited until the Detective got close enough to hear anything he said, and then continued in a whisper. "Kacchan and Tokoyami are bait, sir. Tomura's trying to keep him, but Sensei knows it's not gonna work. He just wants to get to All- Yagi. He wants to finish what he started, and if you don't want him too, you're going to need me." Izuku explained, forcing authority into his voice and expression.
There was a long moment of silence. The detective stood close enough that Izuku could see him tremble.
"wha- who are you, why- how-" The Detective muttered, and Izuku narrowed his eyes.
"Sir, we don't have time. The..the raid is in-" He glanced at a clock and felt a flash of discomfort because plans could have changed in the hours he'd been here- "It's only in a few hours, right? You don't have time to interrogate me, or officially falsify my fake ID, or do anything except take me with you and listen to me."
"Fake ID?" The Detective asked, scrutinizing the paper again. Izuku started to tap his foot impatiently.
"That's not the important thing here." Izuku insisted, trying desperately to cling to his surety. "The important thing is that I can help."
Another moment of silence- though, Izuku noted with cautious optimism, a much shorter one.
"Fine." The Detective sighed, sounding more tired then maybe anyone Izuku had heard before. He'd feel bad, probably, if he wasn't preoccupied. The other officer eyed them warily, but didn't do anything but sigh as she handed the detective the key to his cell and a pair of quirk-dampening-cuffs that made Izuku huff a small laugh.
He ignored the cautious look that earned him, and made no sound of protest as he was manhandled into them and a shock collar by the officer while the detective filed some paperwork and spent a little more time scowling at Izuku's report like it would give him some sort of answer.
"Ya know, these really aren't necessary, sir." He commented idly, sitting in the passenger seat of the Detective's car and fiddling with the handcuffs. He wasn't planning on saying anything, but the longer he spent in his head the more nervous and excited he got, and he had to say something.
The detective eyed him curiously, but made no move to remove them. Izuku shrugged.
He stared at the detective's watch out of the corner of his eye. Only an hour or two now, to the best of his knowledge. His skin crawled, watching the time tick down on the second-hand, but it really only hardened his resolve.
"I never caught your name." The detective pointed out, almost casually. Izuku shrugged.
"I didn't catch yours either." He returned fairly. The detective's eyes narrowed, and Izuku felt a flash of annoyance.
"What's your name, kid?"
Izuku sighed, and a few options flitted through his head.
'Deku' was first, unfortunately, and quickly dismissed. If he wanted to be taken seriously, he couldn't exactly tell people to call him useless. It was counterproductive, and suspicious.
'Akatani Mikumo' was next, of course. It wouldn't even really be a lie, given how long he'd been living by it and answering too it. It was the name his report was filed with, so the Detective would know it was bullshit, but he couldn't do anything about it. The ID was watertight- at this point, it would probably hold up better then the truth.
But....He didn't want to lie to heroes- not anymore, not more then he had to. And it's not like his identity would survive contact with Kacchan, anyway.
"Midoriya." He answered after a few seconds, because it'd be plain weird to be called by his given name by a bunch of strangers and potentially some of his Idols.
"Midoriya what?" The detective prodded, and Izuku rolled his eyes.
"Doesn't matter. It's irrelevant to the case." Izuku dismissed with a mutter, trying not to fidget too much as they approached the building. He had to give the Detective something to call him, and they'd almost definitely know his name by the end of all of this, but it was the principal of the matter. Information should never be freely given- it was one of the first things his mom had ever taught him, with a big caring smile and steely, warning eyes.
Always make sure you're getting something if you're giving something. Sometimes the other doesn't even have to know what they're giving you, but always make sure you break even, at least to yourself. Make sure it's not nothing.
For his last name, he got the Detective's assurance he's 'willing to compromise'. For his first name he'd get an iota of trust, and instantly loose all of his credibility because no one wants a quirkless consultant on anything.
Izuku was acutely aware of time in a way he had never been before, as he mentally planned around and obsessed over a handful of deadlines, figurative and literal. Hours until the ambush, not much longer after that until Kacchan, Tokoyami, All Might's safety, hopefully days until the fall of All for One, no more then a month from Izuku's own imminent death, a week more until his paid contact leaked information about the Eight Precepts of Death to the police and a handful of information-based Heroes, another week until they did so to the LoV should everyone else fail to take action. His only real worry was the League themselves, but their freedom couldn't be helped. He needed them to be a fallback for the little girl, and he couldn't very well keep updated information when he was dead.
The chips weren't down yet, but they were falling into place, and Izuku was all in. It was a bit terrible, but it was mostly wonderful, in an absurd sorta way.
This was it. He was going to end the 200 year reign of All for One, however indirectly. He was going to save Kacchan, and hopefully Tokoyami and All Might, and therefor least the majority of Kamino, or wherever else All for One would set up shop next.
Then Tomura was going to hunt him for sport- if he wasn't already- but at least it would be worth it. more then worth it.
(more then worth him.)
They entered the building, he realized a few steps too late. The Detective walked him into a room full of police and heroes, and Izuku tried not to vibrate with excitement when he saw so many heroes in a room. Now was not the time.
The Detective walked over to them and exchanged some words, just too quiet for Izuku to hear as he hung back a few respectful (careful) steps. Then Izuku was led to a windowless room with the detective and All Might (ohgodohgoditsAllMightAllMightitsAllMightohGOD!!!-), sat awkwardly on a couch too comfortable for the circumstance and small for his towering form.
In all reality, he really didn't want to do this, but that didn't really matter, so he didn't have time to stress over it anyway.
(He was still asking for an autograph though. At some point. Maybe as payment for helping? Whatever. It was going to happen. There was always time for an autograph from All Might, no matter the circumstances.
It didn't matter that he already had one, or that he wouldn't have long to cherish his. It was the principle of the thing.)
Izuku looked at the grim men across from him, and swallowed hard, reminding himself that he really didn't have time to stress over it.
"All for One is alive." He said frankly, because he didn't have time to delicately phrase it, either. All Might choked on his blood, and Izuku flinched, but didn't waver as he continued. "He's seriously deformed and living on medical aid, but he's alive, and he's masterminding the League of Villains- the same one that recently kidnapped Ka-" Izuku grimaced. "Two students of UA. Ideally they want to make them villains, but really they're just bait. All for One has been itching for a rematch with you, sir."
The two adults stared at him, a cacophony of emotions washing over their bone-white faces. Izuku bites his lip, and reluctantly lets them process the information.
His heart beats steadily in time with the quietly ticking clock on the wall, and he prays he'll have enough time.