#saharascreams

Bakugo barely slowed as he swerved into The Horizon’s underground parking, the tires letting out a sharp screech before the car settled into place. The building loomed above him, all glass and steel, polished to perfection in a way that felt almost suffocating. He rolled his window down just enough for the scanner to catch his face, jaw tight as the red beam flickered across his features.

Face identified. Access granted.

“God, could this take any longer” he muttered, already irritated.

He stepped out, slamming the door behind him harder than necessary, exhaustion weighing on his body in a way he refused to acknowledge. It wasn’t just the mission, or lack of one. It was the night. The ring.

“Oi, Bakugo!”

He didn’t need to turn to know who it was, but he did anyway, already annoyed. Kirishima jogged up beside him, all easy smiles like he hadn’t just come back from work himself.

“I’m gone for two days and you forget about me already?” Kirishima laughed, reaching out like he expected a proper greeting.

Bakugo clicked his tongue, brushing past him. “Move. You’re in the way.”

“Man, you’re as friendly as ever,” Kirishima said, still grinning as he followed. “Good to have you back though.”

“Go do your fuckin work.”

He didn’t slow down, pushing straight into the main office.

The shift from the outside to the inside was immediate. The Horizon wasn’t just an agency ,it was a machine. Everything inside it was sharp, efficient, and calculated down to the smallest detail. Weapons lined the walls in perfect rows, each labeled and categorized, some sleek and minimal, others complex enough to take a minute just to understand. Screens flickered across the room, feeding constant streams of surveillance and data, the quiet hum of technology filling the silence.

Bakugo’s eyes skimmed over it all without much interest until they landed briefly on a modular weapon,blade, gun, shield. Simple. Practical. He could respect that.

The centerpiece, though, was impossible to ignore. An oversized axe-like weapon mounted at the center display, capable of adapting to multiple elements. Fire, ice, water, whatever the user needed. It doubled as a communication device, even a grappling system. Too many functions, in his opinion, too many moving parts.

Still, it had one thing going for it.

It had been stolen from The Viper.

And that alone made it valuable.

“Bakugo.”

His attention snapped forward instantly at the voice. Enji Todoroki, 'Endeavor' stood near the main table, flipping through files with a sharp expression that never really changed.

“You’re late.”

Bakugo’s jaw tightened slightly. “Got here as fast as I could.”

Endeavor didn’t look impressed, he rarely did, with a quiet exhale, he motioned to the side. “Mina. Show him.”

Across the room, Mina straightened, spinning lazily in her chair before tapping rapidly on her Nano-Tab. The screen behind her flickered to life, filling the room with grainy surveillance footage.

A figure moved through the corridors, fast. They didn’t hesitate though, they slipped past security like they’d mapped the entire system beforehand.

Bakugo’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched, arms crossing over his chest. “…They know what they’re doing.”

Mina nodded, unusually serious. “No facial recognition, no fingerprints, nothing. It’s like they erased themselves on the way in.”

Endeavor’s voice cut in, low and firm. “They accessed restricted files.”

A brief pause settled over the room before he added, “We suspect an internal connection.”

Bakugo’s gaze sharpened. “You think it’s one of us?”

“Or someone tied to us closely enough to know how we operate.”

That answer didn’t sit well, but he didn’t argue.

Instead, Endeavor turned fully toward him. “I want every log checked. Every entry and exit reviewed. Scan the system for any sign of tampering. You have two weeks.”

Bakugo didn’t hesitate. “Fine.”

He stepped closer to Mina, already focused. “Give me access to everything from the past week.”

She nodded quickly, fingers moving across the screen. “I’ll send it all over tonight,” she said, then hesitated just slightly, glancing up at him. “But Bakugo… be careful. This isn’t just some random breach.”

He scoffed, already turning away. “I’ll handle it.”

His expression darkened, irritation settling deeper in his chest.

“Tch.”

Meanwhile, you leaned back in your seat, the city stretching out in blurred lights as you drove. The adrenaline from earlier had long since faded, leaving behind a quiet kind of exhaustion that settled into your bones. Your fingers tapped absently against the steering wheel as your mind replayed the night,not the crowd though.

Him.

You frowned slightly, eyes fixed on the road. “He was decent,” you muttered under your breath, like saying it out loud would make it less significant.

That’s all it was though. A good fight.

Nothing more.

Your phone buzzed beside you, lighting up with a message from The Viper’s group chat. A meet-up, with drinks. Sounds tempting, but you were drained.

You huffed softly, typing out a quick response.

"got my share of that alr, maybe tomorrow tho"

You tossed the phone back onto the seat, your gaze flicking forward again. For a moment, you considered reaching out to Keigo Takami, 'Hawks' your assigned supervision. The agency insisted on it in certain situations, though you’d never once felt like you needed it.

You decided against it.

Instead, you turned into the underground lot of your agency.

The Serpent.

To the outside world, it was just a hotel. Clean and completely normal. People checked in, stayed the night, left without ever realizing what sat beneath their feet.

Seven floors hidden underground, each one more secure than the last.

Getting in required more than just clearance. Codes, facial recognition, fingerprints, voice authentication, even puzzles designed to filter out anyone who didn’t belong.

You passed through it all without hesitation.

By the time you reached your room, the silence felt almost too heavy after the noise of earlier. The space was sleek and minimal, designed for function as much as comfort, every detail tailored for someone who might need to disappear at a moment’s notice.

You stepped inside, letting the door slide shut behind you.

For a moment, you just stood there, staring at your reflection.

“I should learn more about him…” you murmured quietly, tilting your head slightly.

“…Bakugo.”

The name felt strange on your tongue.

He was interesting.

but potentially useful.

If he could be trusted.

You changed without much thought, slipping into bed, the exhaustion finally getting to your head.

The next morning came too quickly, your phone’s sharp buzz cutting through the silence.

You groaned, reaching for it before forcing your eyes open.

New target identified.

"Finally.." you muttered

You sat up, scrolling through the encrypted file, your expression slowly tightening. The details were vague,but something about them felt off.

Familiar.

You frowned, shaking your head. “I'm overthinking it.”

Across the building, Hitoshi Shinso leaned back in his chair, reading the same file. A slow, knowing smile crept onto his face as he skimmed through the details.

“…This is going to be fun.”

The briefing room filled quickly, quiet conversations dying down as you took your seat. At the front stood Tsunagu Hakamada, 'Best Jeanist', posture straight.

“Pay close attention,” he began smoothly. “This target is not like our usual assignments.”

The screen behind him lit up with blurred images and incomplete data.

Then his tone shifted.

“And before we continue…”

“Your last mission was a failure.”

The room fell silent.

You didn’t react outwardly, but the words still landed. “You moved before the security cameras were fully disabled,” he continued calmly. “That was a miscalculation.”

“I thought—”

“You thought wrong.”

Disappointing.

A few glances flicked your way,

“Actions have consequences,” he said simply, before moving on.

But the damage was done. The Horizon had already blocked your access to their mainframe, because of your little slip up. Someone over there knew exactly what they were doing.

Standing outside the confinement room later, you weren’t surprised.

Best Jeanist was already there.

“I trust you understand,” he said.

You met his gaze without hesitation. “I do.”

“Four days. Solitude and reflection.”

You exhaled slowly. “…Right.”

“Think of it as rest.”

You almost laughed. The silence inside was suffocating at first. White walls, minimal furniture,nothing to distract you. Just your thoughts.

And they were loud enough on their own.

When the door finally opened days later, you stepped out without hesitation,only to stop when you saw her.

Camie leaned casually against the wall, a faint smirk on her lips.

“Well, you’re finally out,” she said lightly.

“Temporary doesn’t mean permanent.” you reacted, already tired of her antics

Her smile widened just slightly. “The team’s gotten used to me”

You stepped closer, unfazed “Then they’ll adjust again”

There was a brief pause as you held her gaze, tension settling quietly between you.

Then you moved past her. Her soft laugh followed you down the hall, but you didn’t look back. You didn’t need to.

Because if Camie Utsushimi wanted a fight?

You’d make sure she lost.

Days passed, and you finally got sick of being stuck in your own head.

You didn’t overthink it. You showered, got dressed, and picked something that made you feel like yourself again, a long, black dress, with a thigh slit. and the cutest serpenti bracelet!!

Makeup was quick, clean wing & mascara. You grabbed your bag and stepped out.

“Going somewhere?”

You didn’t even slow down. “Don’t talk to me.”

Shinso sighed behind you, falling into step anyway. “Still mad? You know I didn’t have a say in that.”

You stopped just long enough to shove his hand off your shoulder. “You didn’t have to agree either.”

“I didn’t—”

“Get lost”

You walked off before he could try again.

The drive wasn’t great. You missed a light or two. Someone yelled, you ignored it.

You just needed out of this chaos which seemed to be your life.

You pulled over near a bar that looked decent enough and stepped inside. The pinnacle, your favorite bar,is under renovation, the police made a crazy mess. So you'd have to settle for the second best.

“One vodka.”

Your voice sounded off.

The drink came, you barely touched it before you felt a hand on your shoulder.

You turned, unimpressed. “You again.”

Bakugo looked way too comfortable for someone who claimed he didn’t waste time in places like this. “You’ve got a habit of showing up where I am.” he snarled.

You gave him a look “Pretty sure it’s the other way around.”

He pulled out the seat next to you, without even asking.

“I thought you didn’t drink,” you said, taking your shot.

“I don’t,” he replied. “Often.”

“Then don’t start now.”

He huffed, almost like a laugh “You always this friendly?” a smirk creeped onto his face "I'm a stranger, you know that right?"

You rolled your eyes, grabbing your glass again. “Can we not do this?”

“Do what?”

“This.” You gestured vaguely between the two of you. “Talking. Just,sit there quietly”

He didn’t answer right away. Which, surprisingly meant he actually listened.

You exhaled, picking up your phone for distraction.

One new message From 'second best'

"Why the fuck is Camie texting me". You locked your screen immediately.

Not happening.

You set your phone down. “…You handle the bar situation?”

He glanced at you. “Yeah.”

“That’s it?”

“What, you want details?”

You shrugged. “You look like you’d make a big deal out of it.”

He clicked his tongue.

“So, tell me,what’d you do?”

“Kicked the officer n left.”

You stared at him for a second. “That’s it?”

“That’s it."

You huffed slightly, but it was… easier talking like this, not thinking about everything else. Which was exactly why you didn’t trust it.

You opened your mouth to say something else—

And then Bakugo went still. A second later, you felt it too, a hand, on his shoulder.

You both turned.

Camie Utsushimi stood there, smiling like she’d just walked into something entertaining, you could just hope that she didn't get the wrong impression of you and him in the same bar.

Then, she smiled wider. “I’m Camie,” she said, like this was normal. “I’m her friend.”

You let out a slow breath, dragging a hand down your face.

The silence in the ruined training room was thick, only broken by the distant, muffled echo of the sirens, and you and Camie just stood there, staring at the empty mat where the blonde guy had been slumped two minutes ago.

"Well," Camie breathed, finally breaking the quiet while she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, "the doors are actually open now thanks to the loudmouth, so should we just leave?"

You looked at the dented titanium door, then back up at the jagged hole in the ceiling where the insulation was still fluttering like snow. The sheer absurdity of the last hour finally hit, and a bubble of hysterical laughter escaped your throat, turning into a full-blown fit of giggles that made your ribs ache.

"Yeah," you wheezed, wiping a stray tear from your eye, "sure, let's get out of here before Hawks comes back and blames us"

"Exactly, my hair literally cannot handle another hour in this humidity," she joked, already stepping over a pile of plaster toward the exit.

As you both slipped into the hallway, she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, "what do you think we should tell 'em if they ask why we weren't there?"

"We can say we were out chasing the intruder," you said, your mind already spinning the lie into something believable, "we can describe him too, since we saw him, i am sure we'll be fine if we do all that, we just have to look like we actually tried."

You both moved through the halls with a practiced, casual speed, hitting the fingerprint scanners and the facial recognition hubs with perfectly steady hands. The green lights beeped in approval, the system blissfully unaware that its two top-tier residents were deserting their posts for the night.

Once you were safely tucked into Camie’s car and the engine roared to life, the neon glow of the city started to feel like a fever dream compared to the sterile white walls of the HQ.

"So," Camie asked, glancing at you while she pulled out of the parking structure, "should i head to The Pinnacle? isn't that the first place you met the cute guy?"

"Gosh shut up," you groaned, leaning your head against the cool glass of the window, but you couldn't hide the small smirk tugging at your lips.

"Oh and that one night? look he was cute, but, i wasnt really following you guys," she said, her voice suddenly turning a bit more serious as she navigated the late-night traffic, "i ended up there because the boss told me to keep an eye on you, since you were behaving off after that night in the ring"

You whipped your head around, eyes wide in the dim light of the dashboard. "Camie? what the hell?"

"Sorry!!! ahh it wasnt my choice!" she squealed, looking genuinely apologetic for a split second, "but hey, after tonight, i think we’re even, spying is way too much work anyway"

The tension that had been between you two for months finally seemed to melt away, replaced by a weird newfound friendship. By the time you reached the club, the bass was already thumping through the pavement, and you both headed straight for the bar.

The Pinnacle was packed, a sea of moving bodies and flashing lights that made everything feel blurry and perfect. You were a few drinks in, the heat of the crowd making you feel lightheaded and brave,

"Wait, wait, wait," Camie squinted through the crowd, her hand gripping your shoulder. "Is that… no way." your eyes followed her gaze, until you spotted a familiar shock of ash-blonde hair in the corner booth.

Bakugo looked like he had been through a blender. He was alone, nursing a drink with a scowl that could peel paint off the walls. After the chaos in the vents, Kirishima and Kaminari had basically staged a mutiny, insisting that they finish the main mission themselves and that he needed to "rest his nerves" before he actually murdered one of them. He had fought them on it, obviously, but eventually he just snapped and walked off to find the strongest drink in the city.

Drunken Camie spotted him and immediately lit up like a Christmas tree. "Go get him girl!" she shouted, giving you a massive, uncoordinated shove that sent you stumbling right toward his table.

You didn't even try to play it cool. You just ran to him and hugged him really tight, burying your face in the crook of his neck.

Bakugo froze, his whole body going rigid like a statue. He had dealt with high-stakes heists and lethal combat, but a drunk, clingy girl was a variable he hadn't accounted for.

"Hey! what the..let go!" he barked, though his hands stayed hovering awkwardly in the air, not quite pushing you away but not hugging back yet.

"Noooo," you mumbled against his skin, "you're warm and you smell like expensive laundry detergent"

"You're wasted" he grunted, finally sighing and letting one hand rest on your waist just to keep you from sliding off the seat, "fine, hug me, but while sitting, and dont you dare throw up on me"

He was being so awkward, his ears turning a bright shade of red that you could see even in the dim light. Camie was a few feet away, laughing her head off at his discomfort while she danced with some random guy, and Bakugo just flipped her off with his free hand.

"Hey," you whispered, pulling back just enough to look at his face, "how was your day?"

"It was okay," he muttered, his eyes darting around the room to avoid yours.

"You're not gonna ask for mine?" you pouted, leaning back into him.

He let out a long, weary sigh. "How was yours?"

"Booringgg," you drawled, dragging out the syllables, "was training alll day today, just constant drills."

Bakugo’s eyes sharpened instantly, the hunter in him waking up. "Training? for what?"

Before you could accidentally leak the location of a secret government facility, Camie appeared from the corner, grabbing your arm. "Oh! she means training WHEELS! she was helping this little girl ride a bike today and it was like, so moving, anyway we gotta go!"

She dragged you away toward the dance floor, and you just laughed, looking back at Bakugo who looked utterly baffled by the lie.

"Fuuckk," Camie hissed suddenly, staring at her phone, "its the boss, what do we do?"

"Girl just ignore it," you said, pulling her back into the crowd, "we can't show up drunk anyway, we’ll deal with it later"

"Yeah, you're right" she agreed, tossing her phone into her bag, "let's just have funnnnn!!"

You spent the rest of the night dancing until your feet went numb, eventually sneaking back into the HQ at dawn, your heart still racing as you bypassed the biometrics and collapsed into bed, the memory of that awkward hug the only thing on your mind before you finally passed out.

The morning sun was hitting the glass of the HQ. The air inside was way too quiet, no more sirens, just that clean, sterile smell that usually meant someone was about to get chewed out.

You hadn't even made it to the lockers to change out of your gear when a shadow cut across the floor.

"Briefing room. Immediately," a voice clipped out.

It was Best Jeanist, and he didn't even look back as he strode away, his posture so stiff it looked painful. You and Camie exchanged a look, the kind where you both knew that if you messed this up, you were going to be spending the next month in solitary.

You straightened your jacket, rubbed your eyes one last time, and tried to look like an elite agent instead of someone who had been hugging a stranger in a corner booth three hours ago.

The room was dim, dominated by a massive screen showing a high-res still of the training room door, which was currently hanging off its hinges like a piece of scrap metal. Jeanist stood at the head of the table, his back to you, watching the footage of the empty room.

"The lockdown was absolute," he started, his voice low and vibrating with that dangerous calm he got when he was genuinely furious, "the magnetic seals were hard-coded, yet I return to find the door battered from the inside, a high value prisoner missing, and my two most promising agents nowhere to be found."

He turned around slowly, his eyes pinning you both to the spot. "Explain yourselves, why did you desert your post when the facility was under a Tier 4 breach?"

Camie didn't even blink, she stepped forward with this perfect mask of professional outrage, her voice crisp and totally sober, "we didn't desert, sir, we adapted, when the power snapped, the intruder we had on the floor wasn't the only threat, we heard a second breach in the vents directly above us, a heavy-hitter."

You caught her drift and jumped in, keeping your voice steady and flat, "the door’s magnetic seal flickered for a microsecond when the electrical hub was pulled, we realized that if we stayed in that room, we were just waiting to be executed or taken hostage, so we used that window to force the door and intercept the extraction team."

"And where did this 'interception' lead you?" Jeanist asked, his eyes narrowing as he walked a slow, predatory circle around the table.

"We pursued them through the sub-level service tunnels," you lied, the words coming out smooth because you knew the layout of the building like the back of your hand, "they were using high-frequency jammers, which is why our comms went dark immediately, we chased them toward the North Exit, we saw the blonde one being hauled away by two others, one with a heavy build and another in tactical gear."

"We stayed on them for hours," Camie added, nodding like it was the most exhausting night of her life, "we followed the trail into the city to see if they were heading for a safehouse or a hand-off point, we ended up scouting the perimeter of the warehouse district until dawn just to make sure they hadn't looped back."

The silence that followed was heavy, you could literally hear the clock ticking on the wall. Jeanist stopped right in front of you, leaning in just enough that you could see the sharp reflection in his eyes. He was looking for a twitch, a smell of smoke or drink, any sign that you were lying through your teeth.

"You took it upon yourselves to leave the facility without a backup team or a working radio," he whispered, "do you realize how reckless that is?"

"We prioritized the intel, sir," you said, meeting his gaze without flinching, "if we stayed locked in that room, the trail would have been cold by the time the backup generators kicked in, this way, we saw their silhouettes, we saw their exit route, we have more than just a broken ceiling."

Jeanist stared at you for what felt like an eternity, his hand resting on the edge of the table. You could feel Camie holding her breath next to you. If he called for a blood test or checked the GPS on Camie's car, it was over.

Finally, he let out a sharp exhale and stood up straight, the tension in his shoulders dropping just a fraction.

"Your initiative was... extreme," he muttered, turning back to the screen, "but under the circumstances, I suppose I cannot fault the results of a pursuit, even an unsuccessful one, at least you didn't sit around waiting to be rescued."

"Thank you, sir," Camie said, her voice a perfect mix of relief and duty.

"Don't thank me yet," he clipped out, "I want full descriptions of the extraction team on my desk by 09:00, and if I find even a single contradiction in your reports, you'll be back in solitary."

"Clear, sir," you both said in unison.

The second the heavy doors hissed shut behind you, you both walked about ten feet before Camie collapsed against a concrete pillar, clutching her stomach.

"Holy... shit," she whispered, her voice shaking, "i actually thought he was going to see the glitter on my shoes from the club, i felt my soul leave my body for a second"

"He believed it," you breathed, leaning your head against the cool wall, the headache finally roaring back now that the fear was fading, "the North Exit lie worked, he thinks we're just over-eager instead of totally irresponsible"

"we are totally irresponsible" Camie giggled, pushing off the wall and checking her phone, which was now flooded with missed alerts, "but hey, we're alive, and we've got two hours to draw some fake sketches of your 'cute guy' and his friends, let's go"

After three long hours of describing the faces of the intruders you didnt totally DID see, you and Camie, finally realized that you're in a bit of a messy situation.

"Girl.." you hear Camie whisper to you while walking across the halls "What if they find the intruders, take a good look at their faces and realise.."

she suddenly stops in her tracks as she holds your shoulders.

"...THEY DONT LOOK ANYTHING LIKE OUR STUPID SKETCH!!" she cries

You quickly put a hand over her mouth, "Shhhh, you're drawing attention" you whisper, people already starting to murmur.

"I'm not sure Camie, what could we do?"

"We could go into hiding."

"No."

"We fight like the entire organization and then make a living off of stocks"

"Camie.."

"WAIT HOW ABOUT WE PAY ONE OF THOSE WITCHCRAFT LADIES TO PUT A SPELL ON US"

"CAMIE!"

"WHAT?!"

"How about we just find the intruders?" You sigh

"Oh, yeah that sounds good!" she chirps "But no more sneaking around, if we do it, I want permission from the Boss, he was so scary today!!"

You pause for a bit, and then "Okay, I have a plan"

a/n: haii guys! i hope u enjoyed the previous parts, im tryna make reader actually strong cause in all the fics i read she can never defend herself :( but trust! in this series she doesnt need a man to save her #WOOHOO!

"—Yeah so that's just the story of how I became friends with her!" Camie grinned as she winked at you.

Bakugo leaned back slightly, a faint scoff leaving him as he looked Camie over. She talked too comfortably,like none of this meant anything. It annoyed him more than it should have.

“Oi. Talk about yourself, not her.”

Camie tilted her head, smiling like it was all a joke. “Huh? Why so serious? We’re just talking.”

Bakugo’s eyes flicked toward you for a second. You weren’t buying it either. Good.

“Then talk to her. I’m not interested.”

Camie laughed under her breath, clearly not taking him seriously. She kept talking anyway, filling the space like silence didn’t exist to her.

“Me and you could totally hang out whenever.”

Bakugo rolled his eyes. “Yeah, no. Not happening.”

He gestured vaguely between the two of you. “She doesn't talk much. You don’t stop talking. That alone’s a problem.”

“I’m not trying to be rude,” he added flatly, not meaning it.

Time passed faster than he expected. Camie kept him distracted, even if he didn’t fully care for it. It was… easier than paying attention to you.

Then suddenly, you stood up.

Bakugo noticed immediately.

“Where are you going?”

He pushed past Camie without hesitation, following you outside before you could disappear.

The night air hit colder than expected. You had already stepped out onto the pavement, stopping just short of the street.

Bakugo slowed when he saw what you were looking at.

Your car.

Being towed.

“…Hah.”

A quiet, almost surprised laugh slipped out.

“Well, that’s rough.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing away for a second before looking back at you.

“How’re you getting home now?”

He pulled out his phone, staring at the screen briefly.

“Would’ve called you a cab, but my phone’s dead.”

You pretended not to see him try to hide the way his phone flickered with notifications.

“I’ll figure it out. You’re no help anyway.”

You were already pulling your own phone out, stepping away from him slightly. The distance wasn’t subtle.

Bakugo clicked his tongue but didn’t argue.

The cab arrived quickly, and you got in without another word, shutting the door behind you like that ended the interaction.

Bakugo stayed where he was, watching the car pull away.

“…There’s something off about her.”

He muttered it under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.

Inside the cab, the city blurred past the window. You barely registered it. Your focus was already somewhere else entirely.

Your phone rang. The name on the screen made your stomach drop.

Best Jeanist, your boss.

You hesitated for half a second,then answered.

Bakugo got into his car a moment later, starting the engine without thinking too much about it. The road stretched out ahead, quiet and dim.

He passed your cab not long after.

He didn’t look directly,but he saw enough.

You, in the back seat.

On the phone.

He squinted slightly, trying to get a small glimpse of the caller ID.

“The hell does that say?”

"Best..Jeans?"

"Big Jeans?"

"Newjeans..?" he scowled "The hell? i didn't know she knew famous people?"

His grip tightened slightly on the wheel.

“Tch.”

Before he could think further, he got a few notifications.

"heyy, u up for sum drinks like next week?" "or u could js come over" From Camie

He scowled, and typed out a quick "No."

Your cab came to a stop, and the driver turned halfway around, holding out the machine with little patience.

“That’ll be five.”

You reached into your bag without thinking, already knowing something was wrong before your hand came up empty. You checked again,slower this time,but it didn’t change anything.

“I don’t have any money on me.”

The driver’s expression hardened immediately.

“Then don’t get in a cab if you can’t pay.”

You pushed the door open and stepped out, the air cooler than before. He followed right after you, shutting the door harder than necessary.

“You don’t leave without paying.”

You exhaled slowly, jaw tightening.

“I said I’ll figure it out.”

“I’m not asking again.”

For a second, neither of you moved. The street felt too open, too exposed. This was the kind of situation you were trained to avoid.

Your hand curled slightly at your side.

You were already calculating how fast you could end this.

“Are you seriously about to start something over five bucks?”

The voice cut in before anything could escalate.

Shinso ran up to where you were standing, already pulling cash from his pocket.

“Take it.”

The driver hesitated, then took the money without another word. He muttered something under his breath before getting back into the car and driving off.

The street fell quiet again.

Shinso glanced at you briefly.

“You’re going to draw attention acting like that.”

“Then don’t get involved.”

You brushed past him before he could say anything else, your shoulder clipping his as you walked.

He didn’t follow.

But you could feel his eyes on you anyway.

The walk back felt longer than usual. Every step dragged just slightly, your mind still stuck on everything that had gone wrong.

By the time you reached your room, you didn’t stop.

You dropped your bag and kept moving.

Best Jeanist’s office door shut behind you with a soft click.

He didn’t turn immediately.

“I received a call today.”

You froze.

“…About what?”

He turned slowly, hands still behind his back.

“How did you return?”

“…A cab.”

The silence that followed was immediate.

“A cab?”

His tone sharpened instantly.

“Do you understand how reckless that is?”

You stayed quiet.

“There is a reason we provide transport.”

His gaze didn’t waver.

“You are on probation. Which means you are monitored.”

Your car being towed was not something you could hide.

“…It ends tomorrow afternoon.”

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding.

Relief came,but it didn’t last.

“You’ve been off.”

His voice lowered slightly.

“This is not the same operative Hawks recommended.”

You looked away.

“…I don’t know what changed.”

“Then correct it.”

He stepped slightly closer.

“Do not let distractions interfere with your work.”

“It’s not that.”

You shook your head.

“It’s Camie. She’s replacing me.”

Best Jeanist paused, studying you more carefully this time.

“…Then prove your worth.”

He gestured toward the door.

“The tests will decide.”

Elsewhere, Bakugo stood across from Endeavor, a file already open in his hands.

“We’ve got vulnerabilities,” Endeavor said casually.

Bakugo skimmed the contents quickly.

“You want me to break in to The Viper?”

“Retrieve intel. Don’t get caught.”

Endeavor's gaze sharpened slightly.

“Especially not by their top agents.”

Bakugo smirked.

“Sounds easy.”

Back at the agency, you stood outside the test room. Camie was beside you, quieter than usual for once. Neither of you spoke.

The door opened.

You stepped inside.

One table. One chair. One paper.

You sat down.

The invigilator’s voice was flat. “This test is theoretical.”

“I expect precision.”

The paper slid toward you,

You looked down

Agent Evaluation Test:

Candidate Name:_______________   

Date: _______________  

Instructions: Complete each section with attention to detail and decisiveness. Your responses should be as precise as possible.

Section 1: Situational Awareness and Tactical Decisions

1. You’re assigned to retrieve intel from a high-security facility. While en route, you’re alerted that a rival agent has taken an identical mission. List three critical decisions to ensure your success without compromise.

2. You’re unexpectedly ambushed while tailing a suspect. Outline your immediate course of action in the first 10 seconds, assuming no backup is nearby.

 Section 2: Psychological and Stress Resilience

1. You’re in an interrogation room with another agent. The examiner feeds you false information about the other agent's identity to test your loyalty. Write a response that maintains your professionalism without giving away any sensitive information.

2. Explain how you would mentally prepare for a 24-hour surveillance mission in isolation.

 Section 3: Codebreaking and Counterintelligence  

1. You receive a code that reads: "F43-LX2-5M8." Determine if this sequence indicates coordinates, a password, or an encrypted directive, explaining your reasoning.

2. Analyze this encrypted phrase for any hidden patterns or keywords that might reveal its meaning: "10-3-12-18-5-8." (Hint: Consider substitution ciphers or letter sequencing.)

Section 4: Behavioral Analysis and Perception

1. You’re tasked with observing two potential suspects at a party. Describe three nonverbal cues you’d look for that might indicate suspicious behavior.

2. If assigned to defuse a hostile confrontation between two agents without revealing your authority, explain how you would assess and approach each personality involved to calm the situation.

Section 5:

There is a place within your mind where every thought exists infinitely and concurrently. In this place, time doesn't move, and yet every second passes. You are standing in a hall of mirrors, each reflection showing a different version of you. You can only escape by identifying which of these reflections is your true self. But each time you think you've found it, another reflection changes slightly, making you question everything again. How do you find the real you?

End of Test

You were perplexed, not by the paper entirely, by the last question. What does that even mean?

You should probably start with the first one though.

You stared at the test paper, gripping your pen tightly. Your mind raced, each question designed to twist logic and shatter composure. The first few were straightforward, mental agility and memory tests you'd expected. Then came a section testing your ability to analyze codes, but each one seemed subtly off, almost mocking your efforts.

Finally, you reached the riddle at the end. The words seemed to pull you in, daring you to solve it, taunting your sanity. You took a deep breath, struggling to anchor yourself as the room seemed to close in.

“I don’t know.. you look at your facial features? but if they’re identical.. I don't know.. ugh!” you thought to yourself, while clenching her fists.

“10 minutes.” The invigilator coldly called out, while flipping through numerous pages, probably a new test paper to torture a new candidate.

You rested your shoulders on her table and kept your hands at the back of her head, as you hung your head low.

You glanced to the side, Camie looked just as confused as you were, if not more, it was best to assume you were on the same question. Camie was smart, you knew that. Your mind was flowing with negativity, whether Camie would score better than you and win one test, that would be absolutely devastating for you, you would lose your dignity, and your sanity, which you already were.

Suddenly, as you fell out of your daze, you noticed Camie pointing at the question and mouthing something.. At you.

"No way this bitch is trying to get the answers" you thought

"NO." you mouthed, as you shifted all your attention back to the test paper

You needed to think. How can a mere riddle startle you so much? you needed to get your act together, as you were engulfed in the paper, you heard a faint noise, a noise you recognised all too well. 

“4,4,4” The robotic voice repeated, loud . You didn’t expect Camie to understand it, she hadn’t been there long enough to know what it was.

"What the hell? The intruder alarm?" You thought to yourself.

It caught the attention of the invigilator too, he quickly turned his head to the side, confused. The noise was the alert spread around the headquarters when someone managed to break in. Through the intense security, that would probably be impossible, but somebody managed to do it.

Just as your eyes followed the invigilator walking over to the door,

Camie jumps to the opportunity.

She begins to point out the number "6" with her fingers, and whispers.

"Whats the answer?" Oh, she looked desperate.

You wished you had your phone to take a picture.

"NO." you whispered again to Camie "I haven't even done it yet"

You noticed the Invigilator returning, making the both of you straighten in your seat.

“Will someone turn that ringing off? I’m trying to pay attention, She must be disturbed too right?” She yelled, like some sort of sailor while gesturing at you, the last part had a hint of false sympathy but that was Camie for you, the invigilator simply said nothing.

You noticed that it was your final minute, you didn’t know what to do, you couldn’t think of anything, the stupid question didn’t make sense.

Then you got it. Not all questions need to have practical answers. She gripped her pen as she frantically wrote down “You don’t. Because in that hall of mirrors, no “true” self exists”

“Time is up, return your papers.” The invigilator sighed as he got up from his chair, Camie looked quite pleased, her lips curled into a smirk as she stretched out her hand to give him the paper.

You were pleased too, sort of, you just—

"Hand over the paper. Now." The invigilator said firmly, stood right in front of you.

"Yes, sorry.." you said, passing him your paper, earning a giggle from Camie.

"That little shit.." you muttered.

"You're dismissed." The invigilator said sternly as he attended to his paperwork.

You marched your way over to the door, wanting to get out of this hellhole as soon as possible.

"Good luck tomorrow" You heard from behind you, it was Camie, you didn't bother to turn around.

"Thanks"

She smirked, as she brushed past you.

No, you wouldn't let her win tomorrow.