Chapter 4: The Blueprint
The "Trust Squad" gathered in a conference room, outlining the operation with a hushed intensity. I felt a surge of renewed confidence after my conversation with Bakugo.
“We need a complete understanding of Stopper’s quirk before we commit to any plan,” All Might stated, his voice resonating with authority.
“I’ve analyzed it, and I’ve developed a strategy. It occurred to me during lunch,” I said, pushing my glasses up my nose. “Stopper’s quirk is called Halt. He can freeze anyone within his line of sight, suspending their actions. If it’s a single target, he can maintain the effect for up to five hours. With multiple targets, he can hold them all simultaneously, as long as they remain within his vision. Like Aizawa’s quirk, there’s a limit. When Stopper breaks eye contact, his frozen subjects are released. Even a single strand of hair obstructing his view is enough. There’s another crucial element: he can focus on one person while simultaneously engaging others.”
A moment of silence hung in the air as everyone processed the information. “I think I understand enough to formulate a counter-strategy. So, what’s the plan?” Aizawa asked, his eyes narrowed in concentration.
“We bust in and kick his ass,” Bakugo declared, slamming his fist against his palm.
“That’s precisely the *wrong* approach,” I countered, shaking my head. “A frontal assault is suicide. The best option is infiltration. I can move through my routine tonight as usual. Stopper always returns home at precisely 10:00 PM—22:00 hours—and will check my room before settling in to watch TV with a beer. That’s when Aizawa will strike from behind, deploying his quirk. All Might and Bakugo can then subdue my father with restraints. If my father realizes he’s been ambushed, Aizawa must disable his quirk while simultaneously activating his own. That way, Stopper will be vulnerable to a full-scale attack, unable to react once he breaks eye contact.”
“Brilliant, young L/N!” All Might exclaimed, his voice laced with admiration. “Where will we position ourselves?”
“We must proceed with caution. The front door is monitored by a live security camera that he checks constantly. My window has an audio recording device, but Stopper only reviews the footage in the morning, so we’ll have ample time to enter. We’ll enter through my bedroom window. Aizawa will wait in the bathroom, swapping positions with me. Once Aizawa disables my father’s quirk, the ambush will commence.”
“What time will we enter?” Bakugo demanded, his voice gruff.
“8:45 PM, giving us an hour and fifteen minutes to spare. The latest we can arrive is 9:30 PM. Just text me five minutes before you arrive,” I instructed. I exchanged numbers with everyone present. Recovery Girl opted out, citing her already overwhelming workload. Bakugo and I returned to class, walking down the quiet hallway.
“Say nothing about this mission, and we’re clean. The school can’t afford to be implicated,” I warned him.
“You’ve changed. You were incredibly fragile, and now…you’re formidable,” Bakugo remarked, his eyes studying me with a strange intensity.
“Thank you? I suppose this is the real me when I’m not a nervous wreck,” I replied. “Hey, cowgirl, after this…I WANT A REMATCH!” He challenged, his voice laced with anger. An unexpected twist.
“Fine! But I’ll only fight you if you’ll be my friend,” I retorted, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.
“What?! No way in hell! I don’t want to befriend a nerd like you!” he roared, his face contorted in fury.
“Fine, I guess your fight will have to wait,” I snickered, pushing open the classroom door. The room was filled with students on break, who paused to stare at our entrance.
“F/N! You’re okay?” Toru asked, her voice filled with concern. “I’m fine now. Don’t bother asking me or Hedgehog what happened, because we can’t tell you.”
“WHO YOU CALLIN’ A HEDGEHOG, YOU COW BITCH!” Bakugo bellowed, his voice shaking the room. Things were returning to normal. Let’s hope they stay that way after tonight.