Chapter 23 - Enji's Request

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Noya and Tatsuo stared at the screen as Endeavor was forced to go through Tatsuo's rigorous screening process. Sadam #2 escorted him to the gate, letting him into the operating room, the hero's hulking mass standing slightly shorter than the Sadams and dwarfing everyone else in the room.

Noya smiled as he walked through the door, walking up to meet him. "Endeavor, what brings you to the PSIA?" She asked with a chipper smile, stretching out her hand to greet him. The heat emanating from his body was intense and obvious. He wanted to deter any contact. Noya smirked, pulling her hand back. "Come on in. No need to be so flared up. We're all friends here."

Endeavor completely ignored her, taking lumbering steps into the room towards Tatsuo who gripped his hand tightly around his cane and moved to obscure Lee out of view. The pro-hero noticed this, turning his burning gaze towards the bushy-browed boy.

"So... All-Might let you all go without so much as a scratch," he started. "Hard to deter villains when we treat them better than our own," he noted, his eyes darting around the pristine and clean room.

"Do you want something? Because I won't allow you to threaten my patients," Tatsuo stated, taking a single step forward, though the intense heat around the pro-hero definitely singed his brow. "The atmosphere in this room is highly regulated to ensure the quick recovery of my patients. I respectfully ask that you turn down your body heat."

Endeavor scoffed, looking down his nose at the shorter man. "Fine! But even a touch will burn," he stated, his message clearly directed at Noya who was still behind him. She walked up to join Tatsuo.

"So Enji, what brings you to the geek hole?"

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"So Enji, what brings you to the geek hole?"

"You were put in charge of analyzing the dead from yesterday's incidents to find out what quirks the enemy was using," he said, again disregarding Noya's existence.

"Yes. The Head of the PSIA, Haruki Noya, is in charge of debriefing everyone at this afternoon's meeting. She will be handling the official response," Tatsuo reminded him.

"I'm not planning to sit around wasting time with bureaucracy. Those villains are still out there so I need to know what you know."

"We'll also be discussing the logistics of Stain's transfer to Tartarus, amongst other things," Noya pointed out.

"I already did my part bringing that one in. Now my focus is on those out there."

"If I remember correctly, wasn't it your son and his friends who defeated Stain?" Noya reminded, Endeavor's eyes widening ever so slightly that Tatsuo didn't notice. Noya smiled. "I hear things as the Head of the PSIA and all," she said. "And speaking of that, Enji... can I call you Enji? Your sidekicks, Tatsuo, is one hell of a healer. He can have them fixed like that," she offered, snapping her fingers. "What do you say?"

She noticed his jaws and biceps stiffen, just barely. Endeavor focused his gaze on Tatsuo.

"I haven't run the tests yet as I was operating on the boy. The bodies are in the morgue. I could send you a copy of the...." Tatsuo stated, trying to defuse the tension between the two.

"Given the lives at stake, I don't want any delays in finding those villains. We will go now to the morgue."

"Again, as he said, I shall be handling the official response."

"Which you will give to those willing to sit around and waste their time."

Noya smiled again. "It seems your interest in this case is more out of vengeance than justice," she noted. "Understandable as your sidekicks got hurt. But maybe you should sit this one out," she suggested. "Hero work isn't a vehicle with which to carry out vendettas you know?"

Tatsuo grabbed her arm. "Noya, it's okay," he assured her, before looking in Endeavor's direction. "As the Number 2 hero said, we should prioritize our people. I will take him down with me and give him a firsthand account of my analysis."

"Fine! Then I'll tag along."

"No!" Tatsuo snapped almost instantly, jerking her shoulder with his hand. "I mean, we don't want to crowd the morgue," he explained. "Really unsanitary." Endeavor was keeping a close eye on this little interaction that unfolded, growing impatient by the second. "I will have my report sent to Keiichi after I'm done."

Noya wasn't sold, but was determined to make the most of this opportunity. "Well I'll take the boy back to his cell then."

"The boy stays with me," Tatsuo stated as a matter-of-factedly. "I... will take him back to his cell after I'm sure his recovery is complete. The walk to the morgue and back should be sufficient observation time."

Noya was now confused. She thought Tatsuo would have appreciated her shooing Endeavor away. And he wasn't one to cave in to aggressive demands either. Especially not within his sacred space! "I guess I'll head back and await that report!"

"Thank you for coming down, Lady Haruki," he said, stretching out his hand to greet her.

Noya did her best to hold back a smirk as they were under Endeavor's watchful eye.

"Sadam #1, please escort Lady Haruki back to the lobby, and bring along the patient's files. All the ones on the table. Have Merumi organize them," he ordered as he withdrew his hand.

The automated bodyguard did as instructed, gesturing for Noya to follow him.

"Oh, and Lady Haruki, don't forget to retrieve the items you checked in at the front desk," Tatsuo told her. "Merumi will know which ones!"

Noya nodded as she was ushered out by Sadam #1.

"Come on Lee. We're going for a walk," Tatsuo stated, beckoning to Lee with his free hand to come over.

"You're bringing him along? Isn't that information classified?" Endeavor asked.

"I don't feel comfortable leaving him with all my research. If he is truly a terrorist as you say, then nothing I say in there will be new to him. And if he tries anything, I'm sure the Number 2 hero can subdue him."

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