183: A Midnight Swim

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Hours after your meeting with Hawks in his office, wind whips across your face, numbing it with its harsh chill. The moon briefly peeks out from behind the thick clouds of the night, illuminating the choppy water of the harbour. Boats rock in the waves, creaking and thumping eerily against the docks. The sounds of the city are distant and muted in the secluded harbour as the scent of saltwater and pungent algae fill your nose.

"You ready?" Hawks asks. His feathers are ruffled and puffed up in the cool night air, trying to retain some of his body heat without his signature tan fur lined hero costume. For tonight's mission, he's sporting a well worn black leather jacket and black trousers to keep him harder to spot.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." You nod as you adjust the settings on your helmet. It quietly whirs shut to encase your face, and the display indicates your oxygen tank is functioning normally. "You and Tsukuyomi should get going now. Don't worry, I won't get into trouble. I'll signal you two when I get into position." Seeing the worry on Tokoyami's face, you give him a reassuring smile and a pat on the back. "Seriously, don't worry about me. My part is easy. You guys have the hard part. You're the ones hiding right in front of them in the warehouse."

"Remain vigilant. Danger lurks within the shadows, Hydra." Tokoyami says seriously. His feathers covering his face are blown about in the biting wind, and he tugs his cape around him further.

"It's a good thing the biggest danger lurking in the shadows is connected to you, Tsukuyomi. Right Dark Shadow?" You place both hands on either side of Dark Shadow's face, rubbing him affectionately. "Listen to Tsukuyomi, and don't go on a rampage, okay? I'll sing your praises if you behave for him."

"Right!" Dark Shadow cheers. You and Hawks can't hold back quiet laughter, and Tokoyami shushes him softly. Another cold breeze comes from across the water, and Tokoyami and Hawks both shiver. Hawks' golden eyes flit up towards the moon as clouds briefly expose it, causing them to reflect the moonlight. After a few seconds, darkness befalls the harbour once more, and he clasps his hands together in front of his chest.

"All right! Let's get to work! Good luck, Hydra. Signal me ASAP if anything goes wrong, okay?" He's still smiling, but you can tell he's being serious. Your nod seems to satisfy him, and Tokoyami follows him to head out. He and Dark Shadow both give you a small wave before the three are consumed by the dark night. Turning back to the warping waves of the harbour, you crouch down at the edge of the wet docks, sitting down on the edge. Your wetsuit is much warmer than your costume, and grateful doesn't begin to cover how you feel about Hawks getting it for you with how cold the temperature of the water is reading on your display.

With a sigh, you slip into its frigid embrace, and it welcomes you into its turbid flow. A weaker swimmer would be quickly pulled to its depths, and you have to use your quirk to stabilize yourself as it swallows you whole. The water is dark and murky, but thankfully your helmet's night vision keeps you from swimming blind. Displayed on your visor is the route you need to take to the port outside of the warehouse, where the exchange is due to occur within the next hour. You close your eyes for a moment, letting yourself become immersed in the ebb and flow of the currents, until the water begins to feel like an extension of yourself. With a deep breath, you carefully push away from the dock's supports, and let yourself float freely, slowly reopening your eyes as the rhythm of the water dances around you like a second heartbeat.

Your visor illuminates the dark world surrounding you, revealing the bottoms of the boats still rocking in the waves, the plants and stones in the sand below, and the fish swimming curiously around you as you move forward. Junk litters the depths, but now isn't the time to be concerned with its impact on the ecosystem. Using your quirk, you carefully weave between the currents, avoiding any obstacles under the water. It feels otherworldly being submerged like this, connected fully to your environment and able to use your quirk without restraint. It's been quite a while since you felt so in control of your abilities and quirk. Not since Dabi burned you.

The wetsuit Hawks procured for you leaves the harsh temperature of the water a distant thought in the back of your head as you move, and the minutes go by without any worries clouding your mind. It's not long before you receive confirmation from Hawks and Tokoyami that they've arrived safely in position inside the warehouse. With a quick tap on the side of your helmet, you send them confirmation that you received their message and continue on your way. There's still a few more minutes until you're estimated to reach the warehouse yourself.

When you do, you scan the area above the water with your helmet, checking for signs of any people nearby. Thankfully, there's no one. Moving slowly, you come up to the surface against a large boat directly in front of the warehouse. Rusting shipping containers are stacked to the side of the decrepit building, and a tall crane looms above, creaking ominously in the wind. Once you've sent Hawks and Tokoyami confirmation of your arrival and they reply, you allow yourself a moment to relax and take in your surroundings.

The doors to the warehouse have gaps underneath them, which means you can pull water inside when you freeze it. Your visor highlights the locations of each door and window of the warehouse, and thankfully, this port is on the corner of the harbour, leaving two sides directly exposed to the water. Still hidden behind the large boat, you stretch to prepare your arms and body for the task ahead of you. It's going to take a lot of water to seal the warehouse, and you're going to have to be fast, which means it'll be ridiculously heavy to hold. Not to mention, you'll want to make sure you aren't accidentally including any fish in your attack.

With time to spare until the villains are due, you float within the waves, keeping them from pushing you against the boat you're stretching and hiding beside. The moon briefly illuminates the port, before you're swallowed by the darkness once more. 

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