Countdown to Zero

The countdown blared from the lab’s speakers, a shrill electronic scream that drilled into their skulls. Three minutes. The containment cylinder hummed in Deku’s arms, its liquid core swirling with a trapped energy that felt like a heartbeat. “Move, Deku!” Bakugo grabbed his shoulder, shoving him toward the loading bay’s exit. “That blast will vaporize the whole block!” They sprinted through the maze of pipes and catwalks, the red glow of emergency lights painting their faces. The cylinder was cold against Deku’s chest, but his hands were sweating. He could barely keep his grip. “Give it to me.” Bakugo didn’t wait for an answer. He snatched the cylinder and cradled it against his stomach, his palms crackling with controlled sparks. “You’re gonna drop it, nerd.” Deku’s jaw tightened. He wanted to argue, but the tremor in his legs made him shut up. Instead, he focused on the path ahead. The loading bay doors were still open from when they entered. Moonlight poured through the gap, a silver promise of escape. They burst out into the alley just as the plant’s roof caved in. A deep rumble shook the ground, and a plume of fire erupted behind them, punching through the walls with a deafening roar. Bakugo threw himself forward, shielding the cylinder with his body. Deku’s arm shot out instinctively, his quirk flaring green as he erected a shield of air currents to deflect the debris. “You’re welcome,” he muttered, panting. Bakugo glared at him, but there was no venom in it. “Don’t get sappy. We’re not done yet.” He was right. Across the street, a black sedan screeched to a halt. The door flew open, and a tall man in a trench coat stepped out. His eyes—hollow and mechanical—scanned them like a predator sizing up prey. A thin smile spread across his face. “I knew the bait would draw a couple of heroes. But Class 1-A? That’s a bonus.” He raised a hand, and the air around him shimmered. A dozen identical replicas of the containment cylinder appeared, floating in a circle. “You have my property. Return it, and I’ll let you walk away. Mostly.” Deku’s mind raced. The quirk-theft ring’s leader. He must have been monitoring the plant remotely. He remembered the notes—quirks that could duplicate objects, mimic signatures. This was their shot. Bakugo cracked his neck. “You think we’re giving this back? I’ll blow you and your fakes to hell.” “Bakugo, wait.” Deku stepped forward, voice low. “He’s stalling. The real one is in his left pocket. See the slight weight shift?” The leader’s smile flickered. Bakugo’s grin was feral. “Good eye, Deku.” He launched himself forward, explosions propelling him into the middle of the fake cylinders. They burst like soap bubbles as he aimed a direct blast at the man’s left side. The villain dodged, but the cylinder in his pocket clattered to the ground. Deku was already there, scooping it up. He pressed it against the real cylinder in Bakugo’s arms—the container hummed, and the trapped quirk flowed into its intended vessel, stabilizing. The duplicates vanished. “No!” The leader raised his hand, but Deku activated his full cowl, a burst of wind slamming the man into the sedan. Within minutes, police sirens wailed in the distance. Pro heroes descended from the sky—Best Jeanist and Edgeshot, called in by the precinct’s automated alert. The ring leader was cuffed, the quirk secured. Later, on the precinct’s rooftop, Deku and Bakugo sat side by side, watching the sunrise bleed orange over the city. The patrol car had just taken the villain away. Deku’s notebook was open on his knee, but he wasn’t writing. He was just staring at the sky. “You’re not going to write a report?” Bakugo asked, voice flat, but there was no sarcasm. “I will. Just… taking a moment.” Bakugo snorted. He pulled out a piece of paper—crumpled, handwritten—and tossed it onto Deku’s notebook. “My patrol notes. Don’t get used to it.” Deku stared. It was a detailed route map, with shorthand marks for suspicious activity and potential shelter points. Clean. Efficient. Professional. “You’re… actually good at this,” Deku said, looking up. “Shut up.” But Bakugo’s ears were red in the growing light. They sat in silence for a long moment. The city stirred below them. A new day. A successful mission. And, against all odds, a partnership that didn’t completely suck.