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CHAPTER START---
---Upstate New York, 7:00 PM...
"Not what you expected, right?" Law asks as he takes a seat in the small diner.
He places two trays on the table, each having a burger and fries, but the one opposite his also has a salad.
"I only ordered a salad," his date says, a gorgeous black woman with a large afro, bright golden eyes, and a Quirk that acts like a moving tattoo of golden ink across her skin, constantly moving and changing like the tides.
Her dress, black and gold, well-fitting and backless, matches his suit, and her eyes are impossible to track as they glow gold, yet he knows she's staring at him while he takes his seat opposite her.
"Women always order the salad, it's polite," Law says as he starts eating his fries. "But then they stare all night staring at your burger, regretting that decision."
"Well I suppose you'd be the expert, you are the international playboy, after all, Mr. Matani," she says, eyeing her burger before reaching for the fries.
"And you're the reporter who agreed to be my date, even knowing that, Alana."
"Already on a first-name basis?" she asks. "Are you always this polite, telling women what they should eat then assuming they're going to sleep with you just because you're," she gestures to all of him.
"Thank you?" Law smiles as he takes a sip of his drink.
She shakes her head, then continues eating her fries.
"Is this the first time you've had to agree to a 'completely business and not a date' type dinner?"
"No, but it's the first time I've been sent a dress and purse I could never hope to afford, only to be taken to a diner," she gestures to the empty diner around them. "Also, if you're trying to buy a woman, you really should add some jewelry."
Law chuckles "You don't need jewelry. You're my jewelry."
"Excuse me?" she sits back in her seat, folding her arms.
"You're a junior reporter to some reporting agency that's already bankrupt, won't even last until the end of next month, you've got no accolade, no experience, nothing to offer, except..." he points to her.
"My body?" she narrows her eyes at him.
"Your Quirk," Law says, pointing at her with a fry. "Dark skin and golden skin, matches the company colors, the family colors, you look good on me."
The woman scoffs, "Four years in college and the biggest opportunity of my life, is because he thinks my Quirk is pretty. You could have at least called me smart before you called me pretty."
"I'd never accuse you of being smart," Law says, jokingly. "Can't be smart if you spent four years studying journalism."
"Now you sound like my dad."
"Well I am a father to my people," Law says. "Ready to get started?"
"Halfway ready for this night to be over," She says while reaching into her purse and taking out a small notepad.
"So what would you like to know first?" Law asks.
"Your English is very good, by the way," she says.
"My American too."
"American isn't a language," she says.
"Every three states the people sound completely different," Law shrugs. "It's one of the charms only a country this big and divided can have."
"So have you been enjoying your stay over here, you've been seen at a few fundraisers and parties, but you're new headquarters stateside is the Manhattan Matani Tower, why?"
"Central Park is a nice view to wake up to," Law says. "Plus in New York, you can get anything you want...except a street with no noise or traffic."
"Well I can't attest to the former, but the latter is certainly true, which I'd imagine you dislike considering your car collection is ever-growing."
"Buying stupid things like that is a good way to meet people who have more money than they know what to do with," Law says as he takes a bite of his burger. "I'd rather you not put that part about my, associates, in your story."
"Got it," she scratches out her last note. "And now you're here, in America, enjoying your life and setting up some new businesses all of a sudden, why?"
"Growth is part of life, it's that simple."
"You make your employees in Japan nervous, over a hundred thousand people exist under the Matani banner, you being overseas scares them," Alana says. "But they have faith in you. You kept their pay coming when you weren't making any profits, you quite literally bought their trust and respect."
"Everything has a price," Law says. "Well, almost everything."
She raises a brow, "You believe there is something that can't be bought, like what, loyalty?"
"No, money buys opportunity, and one good opportunity is all it takes to earn loyalty," Law says, with a sad smile. "But the only thing I ever cared about can't be bought, after all, people always say money doesn't follow you to the grave."
"Right, your family," she says while taking some notes. "When I researched you, I learned about them. I'm sorry that happened."
"Accidents happen, it's not anyone's fault," Law says. "I just try to make the most of what they left me, help all the people I can."
"Using your inheritance and going public, growing the family business and brand, donating money as if you don't care about your personal account, I should have guessed you don't care about money," she says. "But do you care about yourself?"
Law gives her a strange look, "that's a new one. Hundreds of reporters and none have ever asked me that."
"People rarely ask heroes how they feel."
"Hero?" Law chuckles. "Sorry, I forgot to wear my cape."
"You quickly became a pillar in Japan, what else would you call that?"
Law sighs, "A man with no time on his hands."
"And a man that's good at avoiding questions," she says. "How do you feel, Law?"
Law stops for a moment, thinking about it, then smiles.
"Hopeful."
"Hopeful?"
"I feel stupid for it, but I have to be hopeful, otherwise," he pauses for a moment, thinking very clearly about the future. "Otherwise I don't know what I would become."
"Well, if you ever stop being hopeful, a hundred thousand people could suffer," Alana says.
Law smiles as he takes a sip of his drink, "Sure, just a hundred thousand. What about you, how are you feeling?"
"I'm on a date with one of the most rich and powerful people in the world, so I'm nervous."
"Date, I thought this was an interview?"
"That too," she quickly takes a deep breath to focus. "And what's your endgame?"
"No idea," Law admits, seeing her finally eating her burger. "I've got a lot of things I want to do, maybe be the messiah, maybe the devil, which should I be?"
"There are people calling you both, how about we flip a coin and you decide?"
"Nah, I know what I am, now we just wait," Law says, jokingly. "Enjoying your burger?"
"It feels wrong eating a burger on a da---interview."
"That just helps it taste better," Law shrugs.
After another half hour of talking, they both finish their meals and get up to leave, and Law leaves a thousand-dollar tip on the table.
"I wish more rich people were like you," Alana says as she notices the tip, before following him out of the diner. "Would make a lot of people working regular jobs happier."
"Most people care about the money they have," Law says. "But nothing I want has a price tag, unless you know someone who can resurrect people...do you?"
"Maybe you should get on Horizon's list, win the bid, and have him try his magic."
"It's not magic, it's just a strong Quirk," Law says. "Besides, already tried that. Two billion dollars for him to tell me it's impossible. If there is a god, it's not him..."
"Wow," Alana says as they arrive at his car, a sports car she doesn't recognize in the Matani colors, black and gold. "What kind of car is this?"
"It's custom, from the wheels and chassis to the engine and interior," Law says.
"Well, driving back to Manhattan does give us some open road for you to actually enjoy it, can't say I'm excited for the drive back," Alana gestures to her car parked nearby, a slightly worn down older car.
"About that," Law says as he takes out the keys and hands them to her.
"What?"
"You think I'd have someone this beautiful on my arm and not show you off?" he asks after handing her the keys.
"So the interview isn't done?"
"Not even close," Law walks over to the passenger seat. "And you're driving, someone will come by to get your car, it'll be waiting for you after breakfast. Now lets go, we've got a party to get to..."
END CHAPTER---
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pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene
CHAPTER START---
"This is the most ridiculous thing ever," Alana says as she drives over two hundred miles per hour -200kmph-, through the clear roads in a massive private area of Upstate New York.
"Which part?"
"All of it," Alana says. "If I crash I hope you know I can't pay for this."
"If we crash that's not gonna be a problem," Law says.
"Yeah, I was trying not to think about that."
"Anyway, we're close now so we should clear up some things," Law says. "Do you drink?"
"Only on special occasions," Alana says.
"No drinking tonight, you'll want to keep your head on straight around these people."
"And what kind of people are we talking about, because it sounds like I'm about to walk into a drug deal or something."
"Ha, you wish it was that simple," Law says. "We're about to party with a lot of dangerous people, people who drug dealers wish they could be compared to."
"People like who?"
"Senators, judges, elected officials, Pro Heroes, some military people, private sector businessmen, that kind of thing," Law says. "It's a charity gala, but you can call it a...Kingmakers Ball, it's where the future of this country gets decided."
"The entire country?"
"One part," Law says. "This is the faction that recently lost, because they put all their chips on Sentinel."
"Sentinel!?" she slams both her feet on the brakes, bringing them to a screeching halt. "These people are working with those traitors?! And you want me to go there?!"
"Yes, because you're the only reporter I know they can't buy, since one of those traitors killed your dad when they attacked DC, he was just a police officer trying to do his job, and they put him down, and these people were backing them."
Alana grips the wheel so tightly that her knuckles whiten slightly, then rests her head on it.
"You expect me to party with the people who killed my father?" Alana asks.
"No, I expect you, to act as arm candy, a piece of ass they can ignore because that's all they'll think you are," Law says. "Listen, observe, learn, start writing a story that doesn't have my name in it, and take down their entire empire."
"And leave all their companies and connections on the table for you to take, right?"
"Well, someone has to," Law says. "But if you want to walk away right now and miss your chance, now is the time."
Alana takes a moment to collect her thoughts, then continues driving.
"They won't let me in there, I'm a reporter," she says.
"You're not big enough to be on their radar," Law says. "And they have this event every few months, they let their guard down, they're used to being able to speak freely."
"So I'll get everything without asking a single question," she says. "And when can I publish this story?"
"You'll have to wait until I confirm," Law says. "These people are dangerous and well connected, I'd rather be more established in America before you put a target on yourself."
They continue talking for a few minutes and she finally sees the estate in the distance, "and they say crime doesn't pay."
"It doesn't," Law says. "Sometimes it just takes longer to catch up to people, but now we're here."
---30 Minutes Later...
Standing in the extravagant ballroom, Alana is clinging to Law's arm as they chat with an older caucasian man and his wife.
The man has hair that glows green every few seconds while his wife appears completely normal.
"I was hoping Senator Heftran would have been here," Law says. "It's not very polite for the host to be fashionably late to his own party."
"Well when he gets here you'll have to get in line," the man says. "Everyone wants to talk to him after our last investment went belly up, which is why we invited you here, hoping to set up some more, concrete, infrastructure overseas. Mainly Japan."
"Well Colonel, I'm sure in that regard I can be of major assistance," Law says. "But I was rather surprised when I got the offer, after all, Horizon currently resides in Japan."
"Yes, for now," the man's wife says. "But we have sources that say Horizon and Skyline are in talks about him moving to America after graduating UA, these are just some, long-term investments."
"The type of investments you forget about until they become useful," Law says. "It makes sense, after all, America does seem to be more aligned with his...personality, than Japan."
As they continue speaking, Alana quietly observes, trying her best to remember every name, face, piece of useful information, and every name mentioned in passing.
All of it, clearing anything else from her mind as she gathers evidence for the story of a lifetime.
Ever so often she speaks, making her presence known but not adding anything of value, playing the role of an accessory for her wealthy and powerful date.
Going along with the persona he prepared for her, a wealthy heiress from overseas who shares in his ambitions.
As they're talking another man comes along and whispers something in the colonel's ear, leading to him and his wife excusing themselves from the conversation.
"What do you think that was about?" Alana asks, quietly.
"Not sure, let's get some air and wait for Heftran, he's the one I need to talk to," Law says as he leads her to the balcony.
"He looked really worried back there, and he wasn't the only one," Alana says as they walk onto the balcony, which was fortunately deserted.
"Well, whatever it was, I'm not part of their inner circle yet so hopefully it doesn't apply to me."
"I'm sure being here means you're too deep to be separated from them, which is why you want to control the story, right?"
"And I want to see these people brought down," Law says. "Expanding my reach along the way doesn't hurt though."
"I'm sure it do---" Alana stops talking as she sees dozens of fancy cars leaving the mansion. "Wow, they're in a hurry, something must have really spooked them."
"Clearly, take a look inside," Law says.
Alana walks away, back to the ballroom, and he takes the moment to close his eyes and activate Hand of God.
Hiding his glowing blue eyes he takes in everything, every word people are saying, their physical traits, every piece of paper every word every license plate.
Everything.
Before she returned he warps away for just a second before returning.
'That bug should be enough,' he thinks as she comes rushing back over to him.
"The entire room is empty, the last few people just rushed out," she says. "I guess they forgot we were here, but what could have scared them like that."
"Well, let's get to the helipad, we can find out on the way there," Law says as he holds her hand, giving her some sense of relief.
"Helipad?"
"Well it beats driving back to Manhattan, and I figured by now you'd want to get out of those heels."
"That was an hour ago," Alana says as she follows hit to collect their phones and get to the car.
He takes the driver's seat and begins driving away from the estate while she checks her phone.
"I found it," Alana says. "Oh my god, I just found Senator Heftran."
"Where is he?"
"Look," Alana swipes her screen, and the video is projected onto the dashboard screen for him to see. "Horizon posted this on his account, so it must have happened a few minutes ago."
"Oh my god," Law sees Horizon sitting standing behind a couple who were bloodied and tied to chairs, gagged and conscious for it all. "That's Senator Heftran, and his wife."
"Sorry about the mess," Horizon says, in English. "But I decided it was best not to hide anything from the American people, not about my intentions and resolve to deal with this current crisis of...loyalty.
This man, is Senator Heftran, and this woman, is his main accomplice, his wife. And they, along with many other politicians, were supporting the Evolutionists, Sentinel's deranged movement.
Some because they believed, most for profit, but regardless of why they supported it, they will be dealt with the same way."
Horizon steps forward and places his hand on the man's head, squeezing hard enough to make the man scream through the gag.
"Pain and suffering will meet these traitors before justice finds them, because President Skyline has given me permission to hunt you, with the full resources of the United States Of America supporting me.
He chose me, because he wants this to be public, to be a lesson, because the entire world will be watching. Because while some people do not appreciate how...aggressive, I am with villains, the majority, regardless of what they say to their friends and family to appear nicer than they really are.
They do support me, and my methods, after all, villains are monsters. But you people, the people who took the faith and trust of the public, of the people who gave you power with their votes.
The power you promised to use to help them, to lift them up to a better life.
You who decided to use that power like a knife and stab them in the back, there won't be anyone pretending to care about you, because you are worse than any Villain.
Because as much as we hate Villains, they are honest about the monsters they are.
Just as I am honest about what will happen to you, when I put my hands on you. I will make you talk, and the longer you refuse, the more you will be educated on how resilient the human body can be.
Your only option, is to go to the nearest police station and turn yourself in, give up anyone and anything you can, because the longer it takes for me to get you, the less patient, and gentle, I will be.
It's only a matter of time, after all, as of this moment no one holding public office is allowed to leave the country, so I'll see you soon..."
The video abruptly cuts off, leaving Alana speechless.
"Oh my god," she whispers. "I can't believe they really did this, with Horizon hunting them down they'll be handled in no time!" she says excitedly.
"Well, I'm glad you're excited about this."
"The people responsible for my dad dying have the most powerful, dangerous, psychopathic monster in the world hunting them, this is the best news I've gotten in a long time."
"Well, we can celebrate back at my place, and I can give you some more info for your story."
"Ahh," Alana melts into her seat slightly, feeling much more relaxed. "This night was full of surprises, but all good ones."
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it," Law says, happy this played out so well.
With his deal with President Skyline, he's only allowed to reveal certain people during his scare tactics campaign, but since Alana was here tonight she can fill in the gaps for the public, giving him some distance from it all.
Degrading public trust in politicians and their Pro Heroes even more, and transferring it all to Horizon...
END CHAPTER---
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