Fractured Wings

Article title: Unveiling Overhaul: A glimpse into the mob's horrors. 

Date: April 4, 2256

By: Kenta Kubo, The heroes insight. 

___________

For decades the underworld has been rife with whispers of powerful figures exploiting humanity's darker impulses. But Overhaul is a chilling embodiment of villainy that we have not seen in many years. Recent leaked information has shattered the veil of secrecy surrounding how he operates, revealing crimes so grotesque they defy comprehension. 

Human Experimentation. 

Leaked photographs have exposed a grim catalogue of Overhaul's experiments. The images are too graphic to reproduce here. Just know they depict grossly merged human beings: 

- Human's fused with other humans. Their limbs unnaturally elongated, faces distorted into grimaces of pain. 

- Animals spliced with humans, creating nightmarish hybrids that are neither fully human nor beast. 

- Merged animals, forming species that are in intense agony. Examples would include a Pitbull's body and legs with the head and wings of a crow, or the the arms of a bear and the neck of a giraffe, making creatures that look completely new and unfounded on this planet. 

These experiments are believed to be an exploit of Overhaul's quirk. His quirk on the other hand allows him to control matter, giving power to an already dangerous name. 

Trigger 

Yakuza venturing into the drug trade is never going to be surprising. But with Overhaul he deals Trigger, and even worse than that he has created a new strain that keeps people coming back until they eventually die from it. 

We have found out minor bits of information on how this new strain was made. 

He laces the quirk-enhancing drug with a substance called Delirium, after some research we have found out that the compound comes from overseas in Brazil. 

Delirium is a highly addictive compound that intensifies the affects of Trigger while creating a dependency that spirals users into continued use. 

The effects on the body after repeated use lead to a gruesome death caused by the rupture of blood vessels and or even the heart. Emergency room cases linked to these symptoms have skyrocketed in recent months, pointing to widespread distribution. 

The Boogeyman: Sōryū 

There is a new figure enforcing Overhaul's will and he goes by, Sōryū. 

This figure has reportedly orchestrated multiple kidnappings for the mob boss. Specifics of him remain unknown but his quirk is described to be related to wielding paper constructs. He is said to be likened to a "Living Storm". 

Sōryū's name is quickly making it's way across the underworld. 

A Call For Justice 

The revelations have ignited public outrage, citizens demand immediate action from the heroes and law enforcement. "This is a level of evil that should only exist in fiction." one Tokyo resident commented. Other's gave similar comments as well as pleas for Heroes to step up and bring these monsters to justice. 

While authorities remain tight-lipped all we can do is watch, wait and hope for justice. 

{Editorial note} 

We at the Heroes insight will continue to investigate and report on the Shie Hassaiki's activities. If you have information or tips, please contact us through secure channels. 

___

The conference room had buzzed with a tense sense of urgency, it was in a building belonging to the Heroes commission. The air charged with collective focus of some of the nation's strongest heroes. 

Yuki Arakawa, hero name Genesis, stood near the back, her arms crossed over her chest, Gang Orca's commanding presence resonating beside her. She had seen the hero article that went public in the early hours of the morning, even subscribed to the newsletter. 

Her stomach was twisting in knots. 

Her eyes roved over the faces around the table ignoring the one's stood further away in the large room, Ryukyu, her classmates Nejire Hado and Mirio Togata were also here. Kamui Woods, Mt. lady, Centipeder, and presiding over the gathering was the sharp-edged tactician, Sir Nighteye. Each had brought their expertise but Yuki couldn't shake the weight pressing her chest. 

Her heart felt heavy with a gnawing suspicion that had been growing like weeds since she first read the article exposing the Shie Hassaiki. She felt sick reading the descriptions of Overhaul's experimentation, as a hero, even an intern, she was able to see the photo's of what he had done. 

She swallowed hard not wanting to think too much on the parts about Sōryū. Sōryū, the name spoke with majesty, of an endless azure sky. Or a heavy storm that brings no rain but a spark of thunder. 

'A great change.' 

Yuki remembers reading the article, just the brief mention on what his quirk may be sent her reeling. Then she found out more about what he may look like, short and having normal human like features and of African descent due to his hair. Nothing on his face since it was covered by a mask. 

She felt like her mother should know, her mother was going through it now. 

'Is it really you Kobe?' 

She wanted to say no, but it wasn't a question for her to answer. She felt sick to her stomach, he little brother, a villain, working with the worst of the worst. A kidnapper, maybe even a murderer. 

Yuki could only think of their childhood, before everything had turned bad. 

Kobe was... a vibrant child, too full of emotion to contain it all. When he was happy, it was as if the whole house radiated with laughter. Their father, a towering man with a dark complexion was lazy but kind, he had a penchant for card games and often indulged in Kobe's antics. 

She remembered it, she could see it all clearly. Kobe, no older than five, standing in the middle of their living room, arms outstretched and some poorly folded paper cranes fluttered through the air like a miniature flock. "Look Yuki!" He was so happy to call her, out she remembers the wide grin that felt as though it was big enough to crack the world. 

Smiles that glowed but couldn't hold in the dark. Their dad had left, that was what Yuki told him. Truth was their mother kicked him out for his growing gambling addiction, he had gambled their savings away and the household had become quiet. 

Kobe loved their mother, but he always had more of an affinity for their father. It was only natural. Yuki remembers their dad including him in everything and showing up for him in a way that other dad's couldn't or just didn't. 

So weeks after their dad leaving, when Kobe opened the door to police announcing his death to their mother, she had seen his face curl into untold grief. Grief so clear that she couldn't even envision the same glowing smile he had once had. 

He stopped smiling. 

No, that's not true. He still smiled, but there was something dangerous about it, it was more volatile. Every emotion he had spilled out like a hurricane. When he was sad, it was unbearable to be near him, when he was angry, he was someone unrecognizable. 

She closed her eyes, memories of the time he was in elementary school flashing through her mind like a broken reel of film. She remembers a crying Midoriya running to find her and gushing at the lip barely explaining himself properly. Kobe had attacked Bakugou. 

Bakugou was already making a name for himself as the strongest in the school, Kobe was easier to tick off after their father had died and Bakugou must have said something ignorant, Yuki had never asked. 

She ran as fast as she could, to the boys bathroom to see Bakugou unconscious and hung with a rope of paper that was wrapped around his neck. Blood was dripping from his head and she remember's Kobe sounding feral. 

She doesn't remember much of what happened next, she could only see red. She knows she got Bakugou down but after that she remembers continuously hitting flesh beneath her. 

By the time it was over, Bakugou had been hospitalized for a week, the principal had called it an "Incident bordering a homicide." 

Authorities visited again and their mother cried when she had agreed and signed the papers for Kobe to be sent to a behavioral facility. 

Yuki only watched, her heart ached, but her face was a mask of cold detachment as Kobe was dragged away with tears flowing out his eyes. 

"Genesis?" Gang Orca's voice cut through the reverie, snapping her back to the present. He rarely used her real name in these settings even though she said she would prefer it, "You've been quiet." 

"I'm always quiet." She straightened as she realized more eyes were on her. Her fingers twitched at her sides as she stood behind Gang Orca. 

She was about to speak... this is it. This is right. Her duty. 

"I believe Sōryū is my younger brother." The sentence stuttered out of her. She felt like she was about to burst in uncontrollable shakes on the spot. 

A ripple of murmurs cut through mainly from the sidekicks behind her, she got a look of Mirio and Nejire's shocked faces, there was a look of concern. One she didn't need. 

Sir Nighteye silenced everyone. "Explain." 

Yuki took a deep breath, when Kobe had been taken to the behavior facility he was only nine. He hadn't spent a lot of time developing his quirk or anything, but they both knew enough. 

"Sōryū's quirk matches my brothers. It hasn't been named but from the short descriptions I am sure it is his, there aren't many with similar quirks out there, I can fill in the blanks of what he can do to the best of my knowledge." she stayed quiet for a moment letting everyone factor in her resolve. "About two months ago now, he had left home without a trace. My mom reported it only a day later." 

Yuki didn't realize the little shake that was in her tone. 

Nejire, who was sat beside Ryukyu looked at Yuki with wide eyes. "Then what if he's being made to do these things because of Overhaul?" 

Yuki had seen Centipeder in her periphery shake weirdly. It was hard to tell what was going on with him. What Nejire said could have some truth to it. 

"There's always the possibility. But Kobe is capable of some really terrible things as he's shown in the past." 

There was a look of Nighteye showing that he wanted her to carry on. She sighed. 

"He got in an altercation in elementary school and had to be sent to a correctional facility for some years, so he only got back quite recently. A little over a year ago to be precise." she didn't need to explain the whole situation again, it was most likely in police records. 

There wouldn't be anytime to go over them today though. 

There were more mumblings, questions being asked one after another that Yuki couldn't even keep up. 

Sir Nighteye raised his hand and silenced them. "Regardless. This complicates things. But Genesis, Sōryū even if he is your brother, he has committed some serious crimes that won't be absolved." 

Yuki nodded, her jaw tightening. "I know. That's why I'm here. To make sure this is handled the right way. I won't let my feelings cloud my mission, I will do everything to bring him in." 

___

"Oh shit." 

I looked over the article on my phone, it was going viral online and I even got messages from previous contacts asking me if I'm Overhaul's boogeyman. 

"Oh shit." 

Everything cut so deep. Some shit here was just outright crap, I hadn't kidnapped anyone. I freed them. This article was written by a man named Kenta Kubo, a journalist who wasn't described in the best light but had gotten a big break in his career because of this. 

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, forcing a steady breath into my lungs. No time to wallow. It was still early in the compound. The shie hassaiki were probably up, and it wouldn't take long before all of them and most of all Overhaul came barrelling down my neck. 

Sure it hadn't said that the leak was me, but with some of that information who else could it be. 

The time limit I gave myself was seven days, but screw that, today had to be the day. 

I sat cross-legged on the cold floor and summoned a sheet of paper, big enough to form into larger sizes but good enough to start off small and imperceptible. It hovered in the air, folding itself into a tiny serpent. Intricate creases turned it into a living a living construct, and as it slithered onto my open palm I blew and let it latch onto the wall and sneak around the compound as I left my room. 

Time was everything now. Originally I had planned to supply the heroes with enough information to close in on Overhaul and once they mounted their attack I was going to disappear with Eri while Overhaul and the rest of them were busy with the heroes. 

Now I got to hold them off on my own. 

___

The halls were quiet as the snake made it's way to the bunker underground labyrinthine corridors. I saw it's journey as faint impressions through my quirk's connection to it. Every turn, every shadow it slipped into fed back to me. It adjusted and shifted it's path to avoid any detection. 

When it finally reached Eri's room I had been confronted by Overhaul and the rest of the family, exposed. But outside his office. 

The snake slid under the crack under the door. She was curled up in the corner, her wide eyes were full of exhaustion. When the snake appeared, her gaze followed it, wary. 

It unfolded into a small round figure that resembled a teddy bear and waved at her to ease her fears. It then waddled to the door and jumped up high and pressed on the green button to high for her to reach. 

The door opened...

___

"Kobe," The smooth voice of Chronostasis called out to me from behind. 

I lifted my head up and turned to see them all, the Shie Hassaiki, surrounding me. 

Mimic spoke up this time, he was on the shoulder of Rappa. 

"Explain how the heroes and the media got their hands on so much information about us." It was a demand, behind him though was Overhaul.

I could see a vein protruding from his head. He was in rage. But he was outside his office, good. 

I tilted my head, a flicker of bemusement crossing my face. "You think I'm chatty enough to leak your little secrets?" My tone was light, dismissive, masking the sharp calculation in my mind. "Maybe you should look at your operational security." 

Chrnostasis sneered, his hand was in his coat but from the bulge I could see that he had a weapon, katana most likely. "You've been out of sight more often than not, that doesn't exactly inspire trust." 

Overhaul raised a gloved hand. He looked exhausted, there were dark circles around his eyes. "Enough!" his voice was as cold as steel. I could feel the enmity. "I'll ask the questions." 

Nemoto stepped forward with him, like a good lap dog. His presence stayed quiet. "Let me handle this boss." He said, his quirk already active. Overhaul nodded, granting him permission. 

Nemoto's gaze locked onto mine, his words cutting through the air. "Did you give any information about the Shie Hassaiki to any outside party that don't have out best interests?" 

My paper serpent had already reached Eri's door. I could feel it's feint presence pressing on the green button to safely open the exit without alerting the exit features. 

.

.

.

"Yes." I said simply. The word dropping like a stone into the room. 

The air grew heavy as everybody in the room stiffened. Nemoto's quirk didn't allow for deceit and they all knew that. 

Rappa stepped forward, his fists clenching. "This punk thinks that he can stab us in the back and stand here like nothing happened?" His voice boomed, the room practically shaking from his fury as well as his fists hitting together. "How dishonourable." 

Tengai placed a hand on Rappa's free shoulder. "Not yet. Lets hear how the boss wants it." 

Overhaul didn't speak for a moment. His golden eyes were fixed on me with a chilling calm. Then he chuckled softly, a sound devoid of humour. "You're really clever. Thinking you can play both sides like that, us and the heroes. But the article wouldn't be written like that if you really were double-crossing us. So... you're not with them either." 

The others in the room listened intently to their boss. 

"So where did you expect to go after ratting us out?... I brought you into my family, and this is how you repay me?" 

"You didn't bring me into a family." I replied evenly. "You brought me into a machine, and whether it's faulty or brand new, a machine will always run it's due course to failure." 

Overhaul's tone of mirth vanished and his gaze was a cold and hardening glare. "You Rat!" He said. "You're just a tool that think's is more than what you are. Let me remind you Kobe, of what happens to tools that break." 

His hands rose and his eyes blinked, a long moment with his eyes closed. "Capture him. Alive."