Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 11. Late Night Flight.

Stars scattered the dark sky like distant fireflies and high above the city, the night air was cool as Keigo Takami soared through it, his powerful bright red wings slicing through the air at a steady pace, letting the feel of the wind and the freedom of flight calm his mind.

It had been a long day—a long few weeks, actually. Every day seemed to pile more stress onto his shoulders, and even for someone like him, the strain was starting to wear him down.

Being a top hero/spy coupled with the fact that he was tasked with finding  the three vigilantes suitable for Project Angel was too much responsibilities all at once.

It was already challenging being a double agent as every step he took demanded caution, every movement needed to be watched as he Infiltrated the dark society of their world to better gain information of what was happening in the shadows.

And then there was Project Angel—the Commissioner’s latest assignment which had been graciously given to him.

It wasn’t just any job. He knew that. The commissioner had her own agenda, she knew more about them than he did but she wished to see if Hawks still  deserved to be called the number 3 hero. It was a test, plain and simple, and one that Keigo could not afford to fail.

But so far, his search had turned up with nothing. No results whatsoever.

Those three appeared to be equivalent to ghosts. He had read through their files, tracked their movements and picked apart every scrap of information he could find, but it was like chasing well... a ghost.

They moved too quickly, disappeared too cleanly. Whoever the kids  were, they were competent enough to not leave incriminating trails behind.

He let out a long sigh, feeling the cool night air brush against his face, the wind sweeping away some of his frustration. Up above the ground it was easy to forget the worries that came with his responsibilities.

The never fading noise of the city, the endless chase, the secrets he kept close to his heart—all of it faded as he flew, leaving only the silence and the endless twinkling stars.

This was exactly what he needed tonight. Just a moment to clear his head, to let go of the stress that had been building inside him.

As he glided over the city, Hawks let his mind drift, focusing only on the feel of his wings cutting through the air. Flying had always meant freedom for him. A way to escape the burdens of the world, if only for a little while.

But even in the quiet, his thoughts inevitably circled back to his mission.

Those three pesky brats.

Each of them were different, with individually unique skills and motivations.

Vixen was known for his agility and ferocity, almost like a wild animal, taking down criminals and heroes with brutal efficiency.

Shadow was quieter, more calculated, using his quirk to neutralize threats without leaving a trace. His whole vide read angst teen.

And then the odd ball of the tiro,Hex. From what Keigo had gathered the rabbit hooded illegal hero was an information broker, a kid with a reputation for knowing everything and slipping through the cracks before anyone could catch him.

They were exactly the kind of candidates the Commissioner wanted for Project Angel. They were skilled, experienced despite their age and already operated outside the bounds of hero society.

The Commissioner had given him all the information she had, but even that had been sparse. It was almost as if she wanted to see him struggle, to see if he could still live up to his rank. He’d felt her eyes on him in the briefing, the silent judgment in her gaze, like she was waiting for him to make a mistake.