Be A Hero

Chapter 4

According to Miki, Callaghan was reproducing Hiro's micro-bots to use for his selfish gain. Nobody, except for Callaghan, knew exactly what he was planning to do with the micro-bots, but they could guess.

Tadashi did not like how this sounded so far. It had started to seem like he was in one of those superhero movies, one where the bad guy was all-powerful, and the good guys were weaker.

Those didn't always turn out well for some of the good guys.

More than anything, Tadashi wanted Hiro to be right next to him, helping him to solve the problem with that big brain of his. Knowing Hiro, he would probably invent a robot that would immediately get them out of the cell. And he would barely have to think about it.

But Tadashi wasn't as smart as his little brother.

He lay in his cell, having given up the fight of trying to escape. Tadashi had no idea where he was. He didn't know who the Fujitas really were, and Tadashi knew that he couldn't trust Callaghan at all.

Basically, he was powerless.

As Tadashi wallowed in self-pity, the door to the prison burst open, and Callaghan rushed in, followed closely by Kono, Raeden, Miki, and Tatsuo.

Tadashi sat up. "What's going on?"

"There's been a breach in security," Kono snapped, quickly slamming the door as soon as everyone was inside.

"Someone came for me?" Tadashi asked, his brown eyes lighting up with hope.

"You've been here for over a month," Callaghan said. "If anyone were going to come for you, they would have done it already." Callaghan clenched his mask in one hand as he adjusted his trench coat with the other.

"Guys, they are going to hear us," Raeden said, nodding her head at the ceiling. "Someone is probably right above us. They'll follow our voices."

"Yes," Callaghan said, "be quiet Tadashi."

Tadashi groaned and propped himself up against the dirty wall. "I'm going to scream if you don't let me go."

Callaghan turned his head to face Tadashi. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me," Tadashi said.

"If you scream," Callaghan said, "I'll send Tatsuo in with you. And I'm sure you wouldn't like that."

Tatsuo nodded his head sharply and cracked his knuckles, the popping sound echoing through the small room.

"If I scream, the person up there will free me," Tadashi said. "So why don't you let me go?"

"I already told you that I couldn't do that," Callaghan said, his eyes hardening. "But you won't listen."

"Right, 'cuz you're trying to help me because you're a 'good person,'" Tadashi said.

Callaghan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm just trying to help you."

"Seriously," Raeden said, her eyes wide, "they're going to hear us. Tadashi, please don't scream."

Lowering his eyes, Tadashi nodded once.

After a few seconds of tense silence, Callaghan finally lost it. He grabbed Miki's shoulder and pushed her toward the door. "Find out who is up there, and take care of them if necessary."

Miki nodded slowly, her eyes darting toward Raeden and Callaghan before looking at Callaghan. She slowly stepped toward the closed door and opened it tentatively.