See Me

FIVE: Echo

“Incoming call from : Rock Lock” My phone rang beside me, as I chewed my breakfast. I tapped on the screen to answer it.

“Hello?” I spoke.

“(L/n), you are needed to come in a little earlier for patrol today.” the voice spoke back.

Name: Ken Takagi
Alias: Rock Lock
Age: 32
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Brown
Height: 5’8 ft
Quirk: Lock Down; his fingers resemble keys, allowing him to lock objects into a particular point of space by touching them, making the object immobile, and releasing them at will. Does not affect living beings.

“Yes sir! I’ll be there right away.” I quickly finished my breakfast and grabbed my bag before making my way to the agency. I activated my quirk to get there as carefully as I could. Erushi had the day off to do her own Hero-ing, with The Fly, while I was at my work study, so she was not with me. I got to the building easily and changed into my costume. I waved at the receptionist and headed up to Rock Lock’s office. He opened the door before I could knock however. 

“There has been a Villain sighting and some suspicious activity a few blocks away, and we were asked to check it out, as it has to do with the case we are working on.” He filled me in on the rest of the information, as we walked towards our destination. The building we were doing surveillance on was a slightly run down and old apartment complex. One of the tenants had reported sightings of a tall man, with heavy face make-up and “piercings.” He entered a room, followed by shouting and glass breaking. Only he exited the room, and no one else seemed to be there. When a neighbor went by to check, the room smelled distinctly of smoke. The only Villain in the database, not arrested or deceased, who would fit the description is Dabi. The heavy make-up checks out to cover the scars, and “piercings,” well that spoke for itself.

“We are going to split up for patrol. I want you to focus on the left side of the street and building while I focus on the right.” I nodded. “We will meet up in two hours. If you need me, here.” Rock Lock handed me something. “It is an earpiece. Press the button on the side to turn it on. Keep me informed of anything suspicious.” 

“Yes Sir.” I nodded and put the earpiece in, turning it on. “Am I allowed to engage in combat?”

“Only if you need to.” With that he put in his own earpiece and headed off. Following suit, I started my patrol as well. “Be safe.” Rock Lock’s voice crackled through the earpiece. 

“You too.” I replied. 

Working with the number 4 Pro Hero was the biggest blessing. Though he’s hard on me, he’s fair, and considerate of my disability. Only this year did he start letting me work separate from him. I told him I felt comfortable and ready to work on my own, without aid, and he made me take Erushi with me the first few times. Now he is confident enough that I can do it on my own. Before that, I had to follow him around everywhere. I appreciated his concern but it’s like Vlad Sensei said, I can’t rely on Gian-San forever. Eventually I have to do things by myself. 

I pulled down my blindfold and opened my mind, to let the sounds of the street bounce around and form images. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. I bumped into an older couple and helped take their groceries to their car, put a bandaid on a child’s knee, and just smiled at others. The sun was hot on the black fabric over my eyes and I pulled it up before speaking. 

“Everything seems normal over here. Nothing out of the ordinary.” I heard a hum before the Pro spoke.

“Good. It’s quiet on my end as well. We will meet up at the bench, four buildings down from the complex, in 30 minutes.”

“Understood.” I closed my mind for a minute to focus my thoughts and really listen to the noise around me. A few cars passed by and someone laughed across the street. A bicycle bell rang and I moved to the side. Plastic grocery bags shifted and blew in the wind. I pulled my blindfold back down, opened my mind and activated my quirk once more, looking forwards at the building of interest. A figure with short hair and puffy shorts, with their back turned to me, entered the building. As I walked closer, I saw a broom, and notified Rock Lock.

“Someone entered the building. Puffy shorts and a broom in hand.” 

“Don’t follow them. Just go in and see if you can tell what floor they are going to.” 

I nodded to myself and walked the rest of the block to the entrance of the apartment building. I went in to find the lobby empty, and listened for the elevators and the stairwell. There were 11 floors to the building, and based on how well I could see it, I assumed one to be around floor 6, and the other stopped on ground level. The stairs were quiet, and no door shut. The moving elevator slowed down and stopped not long after. I waited about two minutes to see if it moved again. It didn’t, so I pressed the button, and counted the time it took to reach the bottom. I exited the building just as a woman and little girl stepped out of a car. 

“Hello there.” I waved and smiled at the girl. She waved back. “Have a great day.” I started walking toward the bench I was told to meet at and speak into the earpiece. “Eighth floor.”

“Good work.”

I got to the bench just as Rock Lock gots there as well. 

“You did well. We will go back to the agency, then resume our standard patrol after lunch.”

The receptionist handed Rock Lock a file when we entered, and he brought it up to the office. In the file were some papers and a hard drive. He plugged it into his computer and took out a bento. I grabbed my own food and sat in the chair facing his desk. 

“You said the elevator stopped on the eighth floor, correct?” he asked.

“Yes. There was no one in the stairwell, and the other elevator was stopped on the main floor. The figure was the only person I saw enter in the time it took me to get there. No other person had entered or exited the building within 5 minutes before or after them.” I explained.

“Hmm. I see. How tall would you have put the figure to be?”

“Not sure. 5’4 ft maybe. Short hair. Most likely female.”

“Puffy shorts, and broom?”

“Zookeeper, right?”

“I would say so. I wonder what business she is doing with The League.” He took a bite of his food and typed on his keyboard. We continued to eat in comfortable silence, before going back out for patrol.