A large sigh left my lips as I slid down in a chair beside Emiko. People were beginning to file into the room for the meeting that was supposed to begin shortly. Everyone seemed more grim than they had the day of the mission as if a fog of despair had settled over the horizon. Part of me knew that it had something to do with me but I still didn't want to accept it.

Ignoring the not-so-subtle looks from the heroes and police force, I turned to look at my friend. Strands of her blue hair were falling in front of her face. Instantly I could tell that she was upset; Her usual upbeat attitude was gone and replaced with one of unsettling indifference.

"Emiko?" I whispered to her. "Is something wrong."

For a minute she was unresponsive. Her onyx eyes never left the table as her pink lips stayed glued in a straight line. Then as if she had a sudden realization she sighed. "You had me worried. We agreed that you wouldn't just run off and then you do it anyway. I was terrified when I woke up and you weren't there- no messages or voicemails." Every word was filled with distraught and sadness.

My heart yearned to tell her what happened this morning on the roof, but now wasn't the time nor the place. The people in this room didn't need to know about my interaction with Cane. All I had to do at this meeting was listen and answer any questions they had about the mission- Nothing more and nothing less. If they tried to pry for information I'd be sure to choose it carefully.

Help was something I've never been good at accepting. Even now when I was surrounded by good people willing to sacrifice themselves to take Phoenix down I just couldn't do it. Dragging them into this fight would be a bad play on my part. They could follow their rules and work their way and I'd do things my way. Phoenix was my fight so I'd do my best to keep it that way and away from the prying eyes of these heroes.

Across the table a blonde haired man slumped into a chair. His crimson wings spread to the sides of his chair for comfort. Tiredness radiated from his well-defined face from the likely long sleepless night he had. Bags found their way under his golden eyes but even so he still had enough strength to put on that smile I knew to be fake. For a moment he even managed to fool me with it but he faltered for the slightest second and I realized how much it hurt him to put up that smile.

Who wouldn't be hurting after the life he's endured.

"Good morning Hawks." I said. "Were you out all night patrolling?"

He gentle, drowsy motion that seemed to mimic the exhaustion written across his handsome face. "There's been a lot of activity since the raid on the fighting ring. Phoenix has been acting up a lot more, especially when it comes to the Zeramorphine."

That was to be expected. To make up for the loss of funds Cane would make Malik up the production of Zeramorphine. It was a simple plan but I hadn't expected their activity to rise so quickly in only two days. It was startling to know that Cane was still this on top of his organization. The heroes had their work cut out for them in the coming days if things continued on this way.

"You should be getting rest." My words were kept casual since the only person who knew of our relationship was Emiko. "It's not healthy for a person to stay awake for so long."

A small laugh escaped through his mouth. The gentle sound resonating through the air like a song in a quiet auditorium. "I'm used to it."

You probably are.

"Good morning everyone!" The chief of police walked into the room. His tall lanky form seems to drip with enthusiasm- Not something I'd usually see this early in the morning. "I'm sorry to call you all here today, but we've got several things to discuss."

"The recent rise in criminal activity?" Keigo asked as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. This was one of those few times where I could see just how serious he was. "With the retirement of All Might, this was to be expected. But for it to rise so quickly after the raid is no coincidence."

The police chief nodded as a solemn look made its way across his face. "Right to the point Hawks. Yes, we've tallied the recent sightings of Phoenix and they've more than tripled in only two days. That's why we need to get information."

That caught my attention. The police had Esther in their grasps, a high ranking member of Phoenix, so would they call a meeting to find out more information. Questioning would be difficult but not impossible. Esther may be trained to have tight-lipped but even she can break under the right amount of pressure.

"As you all know, we took several people into our custody after the raid on the fighting ring. One of which goes by the name of Esther." The police chief moved to the front of the room so that everyone could better see him. "After many attempts at getting her to speak we finally got something out of her."

"And that would be?" Endeavor asked, his loud voice boomed through the air and silenced any unwanted murmuring.

"She wants to speak to the birdie."

Everything stopped. People talked but their voices fell on deaf ears as thoughts clouded my mind and tore me away from the conversations happening around me. They didn't know that I was birdie, nor did they know of my previous relationship with Phoenix. If we wanted information I'd have to talk to Esther and in turn that would expose at least a little of who I truly am.

Emiko turned to me as her quirk scraped through my mind to understand the anxiety riddling my brain. Even using her quirk to calm me down didn't help much. As she attempted to soothe my thoughts, Keigo met my gaze. His golden eyes burning into my soul to try and understand what to do in this situation. We both knew I had to speak up but neither of us knew how things would end when I did.

"So we don't know who the birdie is." Miruko asked. Her presence in the meeting was just as strong as Endeavor. "And how do you propose we find out who that is when she won't tell us anything?"

The police chief looked at me, eyes following up and down my body as if he already knew every little detail about my life. "We have an idea of who it may be. If she'd like to come forward about it then we can devise a plan of action; If she doesn't then we can take matters into a more intemperate hand."

"Is that a threat I hear?" The police chief met my gaze in a harsh battle of command. He was a strong-willed older man whereas I was a young, fruitful woman. Though somehow I was the stronger one in this silent battle. "Because if it is then I find no reason for the birdie to speak out."

"She should know that the only reason we're taking such a headforward approach is because of Phoenix's newfound activity." Somehow he knew that it was me. He'd probably found out when he and Endeavor entered the ring that night. "We wouldn't want those criminals to continue their rampage when we have a way to stop them right in our grasp."

"Birdie likely wants protection. If you so happen to find out... illegal things, then she probably needs to be sure that you won't lock her up in a cell like you did with Esther." It felt strange to refer to myself as birdie. The name I'd dispersed for so long was foreign to my tongue.

He raised an eyebrow as if confused about what I could have done. If only he knew what'd I'd been forced to do for those sixteen years I was with Phoenix. "If the birdie agrees to help us then I will do everything within my power to keep her away from prison. But we need this information."

The room echoed with silence; One that smothered all sensibility out of me. Both of us needed information and I was the only one that could get it. Esther held the key to a door that would lead into the depths of the underground, and I was the price of the key. If I did do this then the police could find out everything and there was no telling they'd let me go after they discover all the people I killed.

"I'll help you." All eyes in the room were on me as though no one had actually expected me to admit that I was birdie. "On the condition that you don't pry. I'll get any information I can from Esther but you won't ask any questions about how I know them. Because that is for me to know and for you to not worry about."

"What if we arrest you and force the information out of you?" There was a tone of warning in the chief's voice. To him I was part of the enemy and not to be trusted.

A small, eerie smile crossed my lips. "You wouldn't get the chance."

"You've got a deal (Y/N)."