Undead Revolution (⛔☁️)

S8 - 1. [Wretched News]

Katsuki leant back in the worn-out chair of his friend's apartment, scrolling through a familiar list of jobs. His mind was only half-focused on the task at hand. He hadn't seen Teskai all day. 

Eri had told him that the teen had left to pick up something from the convenience store. Strange, but Katsuki had no reason to ask about it. Teskai probably just wanted a break from 'babysitting'. 

His phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a notification from one of his private dark web accounts; a site he only checked for high-priority hits and underworld intel. It wasn't common for him to get notifications unless something big was going down. Especially since it only notified him when someone reached out. 

Curiosity piqued, Katsuki clicked the notification. His eyes narrowed as the page loaded. The title of the video didn't give much away, just a series of random letters and numbers. But something about it felt off.

A video window appeared on the screen, and the footage flickered to life. The camera was shaky at first, adjusting to focus on a dark, concrete room. Katsuki's heart skipped a beat when the camera panned over to the figure tied to a chair in the center of the frame. His breathing stilled.

Teskai.

Bound, bruised, and gagged. His head hung low, barely conscious, but the heaving breaths confirmed that he was alive.

Katsuki's blood ran cold. He clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around the phone. A voice off-camera spoke up, low and mocking.

"He's been a slippery one, but we finally got him. This, everyone, is an informant for someone we all know. Deadpool, I know you're watching. We'll be waiting for you"

The camera zoomed in on Teskai's face, showing every bruise, every sign of the torture he'd endured. Katsuki's vision blurred at the edges, fury bubbling under his skin.

"If you want him back, you'll come get him. Alone. We'll give you twelve hours. Or... well, I don't have to tell you what happens next, do I?"

The screen went black, but an address flashed across the bottom for a split second before the video ended. It was a challenge. A trap. But there was no way Katsuki was going to let them keep Teskai.

His pulse quickened as he sat there, staring at the blank screen. The bastards thought they could bait him, draw him out with Teskai as leverage. They had no idea what kind of hell they'd just invited.

He couldn't just charge in, as much as he wanted to. This video had been addressing him, but it was public. It had definitely spread across the entirety of the underworld by now. 

If he waited too long, someone else could swoop in and take his friend. At the same time... if he just ran in, there may be too many unexpected surprises for him to properly get to Teskai. 

He pushed back from the desk, grabbing his gear bag and pulling on his jacket. His mind was already working through the plan, piecing together every move he needed to make. 

It didn't matter if it was a trap, he decided. He had to try.

Without another thought, Katsuki slipped his phone into his pocket and headed for the door. Teskai had covered for him more times than he could count. Now, it was his turn to return the favor.

"Eri, I'll be back soon"

"Promise?"

He gave her a firm nod. "I promise. I'll bring back Teskai and everything will be okay. The usual rules, don't let anyone in"

She grabbed and held up her knife with a determined look. "I won't let anyone come close!"

Katsuki nodded, tugging on his mask and leaving the apartment. He lingered long enough to hear the lock click before setting off. 

He had a friend to save. 

Word Count: 646