Chương 234: Chapter 231 - NEWS FLASH
JAPAN TIMES Edition of Wednesday 7th December X317
"HAWKS IS NOT RECOVERING : HE'S IN PRISON"
It's been close to three months since the horrendous acts perpetrated by the terrorist All for One in Tokyo.
The human toll has been heavy : thousands of civilians died, and countless pro-Heroes were killed while performing their heroic duties. Pro Hero Hawks has not been seen since the tragic events that led to his impromptu disappearance.
The day after martial law had been imposed in the capital, the Heroic Commission announced his whereabouts : Hawks had risked his life by defending Tokyo and its inhabitants but had been seriously injured in the process. He was to recover in a private hospital – location undisclosed – and would resume his duties once he was back to full health.
Despite the concerns of numerous netizens and various organizations such as the Organization for the Well-Being of Heroes (formerly known as Heroes Enthusiasts, formerly known as Advocates For Heroes Rights, and formerly known as Japanese International Fan Club), no information was released concerning Pro Hero Hawks' health, except that he was "on the path of recovery".
Private details regarding Hawks's whereabouts have reached our journal Tuesday 6th December around 11 pm: a redacted document (see below) shows that Pro Hero Hawks has been recently incarcerated in Tartarus, one of the highest security prisons in the world and one of Japan's most controversial topic as, since its establishment, no NGO has been permitted on the premises to assess the living conditions of inmates. No reason for his imprisonment was brought forward.
Considering this decision was made under martial law, we are left to wonder if Pro Hero Hawks was given a trial or if his disappearance is the result of an undemocratic, arbitrary decision. Two names approved of Pro Hero Hawks' incarceration : Supreme Commander Shirai and the new President of the Commission, Nishimura Ryota.
Despite reaching out to the Heroic Commission and the military, they choose not to pronounce themselves.
Obvious zeal in this case makes us wonder to what extent General Shirai's supreme and absolute power over Tokyo was not so much for the security of the citizens but rather to implement a series of policies that no one would be able to contest…
*
In all of his career, Shirai had never seen so many people in Tokyo's streets.
Even when, close to a decade ago, the Minister of Home Affairs, Darmanin, had been accused of rape, there hadn't been as many protesters in the streets.
Shirai had been awakened by the screams and the sound of something loud hitting his window.
He'd pushed off the curtains and had seen hundreds of blurry faces pressing against the barriers of Defense's headquarters.
His soldiers had looked like they had trouble containing everyone.
He'd rubbed his eyes : the blurry people became angry faces.
They had huge signs with some guy's face plastered-
Shirai's grip on the curtain had tightened.
It was Hawks'face splattered everywhere.
And then, it had been as if something in his ears – previously permeated to the world – had popped, and he'd been able to distinguish what they were shouting.
"Jus-tice for Hawks ! Jus-tice for Hawks !"
Shirai's marveling eyes had roamed over the crowd.
A couple of people were wearing yellow t-shirts with "Free Hawks" written in bold, bloody letters : a group of girls on a promontory had fake wings and were raising handcuffed hands to the sky, tape shutting their mouths.
And on the far right were TV crews.
That's when someone had spotted him watching them.
A cup full of purple juice – certainly a smoothie – had hit his window, right in front of his face.
Shirai had jumped, surprised.
Squashed grapes were running down the window.
It had been followed by a couple of drinks, remnants of half-bitten food, and even a shoe.
That's when his assistant barged in.
"Sir", she'd said. "There are-"
"I know"
A couple of hours - and a security enhancement – later, he was on the phone with the Prime Minister.
The large screen of his private conference room was shared by various programs showing the protests that had risen throughout the country.
From the accounts, there were between 50,000 to 100,000 people protesting ; and it was only the beginning.
People were flooding Tokyo's streets, causing traffic jams and stopping construction sites from safely carrying on.
"What should we do ?", asked the Prime Minister
Shirai did not even have to ponder.
"We can't say Hawks has killed the Commission's President : they won't believe it"
People wouldn't even conceive that Hawks, their beloved Hero, may have hurt anyone.
It was too late to try to come out clean : no matter what they said, people would think they were lying.
"And we'll end up with a riot"
"People are already rioting", said the Prime Minister. "Everywhere around the country people are banging on government's official's doors and requesting answers"
"We can still manage the situation", said Shirai. "With a couple of PR statements, we can at least appease the tensions"
"What about making an announcement saying that Hawks was working for All for One ? Or that he trespassed the law and had to be dealt with accordingly ?"
"We can't possibly do that. They'll ask for proof and forging anything is a risk that we can't afford to take"
In other circumstances Shirai would've been all in to destroy Hawks' career and reputation to preserve public stability : yet in this particular case, he knew that if they tried to fool anyone, it would only be a matter of time before they were discovered.
"Then what ?, asked the PM. "We should wait ?"
Shirai heard him click his tongue disapprovingly.
"Elections are just around the corner. The left will use this against me"
Shirai's face was blank.
He was serving Japan ; whoever held the power during these fleeting four years was not his business.
"We need to let it die out."
The Prime Minister sighed, rubbing his wrinkled forehead with the back of his hand.
"We have to do something", he insisted. "Can't we at least find who's the leak ? We could discredit them"
For a moment, Shirai considered not saying a thing, but either way, it wouldn't change a thing.
"Endeavor"
"I beg your pardon ?"
"Endeavor's the leak"
The Prime Minister gasped, taking a sharp breath.
For a moment there was only the sound of his heavy breathing.
"Are you certain ?", he half-whispered
"He's using public opinion as a leverage against us. He wants the pressure to be so intense that we'll have no choice but to comply and free his son"
"I can't believe it", muttered the Prime Minister. "Barely a few weeks ago he, All Might, and I were shaking were sharing a meal like old friends"
Shirai frowned but said nothing.
How he despised politicians.
"What if we let the kid out ?"
Shirai scoffed, and although it may have offended him, he did not care.
Despite martial law being lifted, Tartarus was still under Shirai's authority.
The Prime Minister – or any of Endeavor's buddies – could ask for Endeavor's son to get freed, but they could not require it.
"It will be tantamount to telling everyone that they are right and that we indeed conducted deliberately unlawful trials"
This would be like opening Pandora's Box: if anyone smelt the slightest weakness, they would jump straight for their throat.
Chances were that the government, to save face, would start an internal investigation and that everything they did during these last three months – even what should stay buried very, very deep – could come to light.
They'd need a scapegoat, too.
Shirai's head would be the first to fall.
"But I wonder..."
"Yes ?"
"… Hawks truly was the one who killed the President's Commission, right ?", asked quietly the Prime Minister.
Shirai frowned so intensely that his face looked like a dehydrated grape.
"Of course he killed her. No one ordered a hit on her", he said, outraged.
"Oh, but I never implied...", mumbled the minister
What the hell had their country come to that the Prime Minister had to ask if they ordered a hit on one of their own ?
"PR statements it is", said the Prime Minister.
"Indeed. Both the Commission and I will give ours first, then the government will have to give theirs"
They hung up a few moments later.
Shirai's eyes focused on the displayed live news.
"… Hero hadn't been seen in weeks. Violent protests are breaking out nationwide: people are calling for Hawks' release. Naka Uzu, a lawyer specializing in Heroics laws, is with us today to answer our questions. Mrs Uzu, what do you think about the situation we are in ?"
"First thank you for inviting me. I want to say that those are very shocking news, and if true, could lead to a crisis of democracy in Japan. Hawks has been the most popular Japanese Hero abroad and in our country since his debut eight years ago. The Government still hasn't made any announcement is worrying. The reasons for Hawks' imprisonment being shrouded in darkness are worrys-"
Shirai turned off the screen.
One thing was for sure : Enji Todoroki wouldn't stop there.
*
ASAHI SHINBUN Edition of Thursday 8th December X317
"HE'S BEEN SENTENCED TO LIFETIME PRISON FOR TRYING TO RESCUE HAWKS"
A new light has been shed on Pro Hero Hawks' unlawful imprisonment.
Allegations concerning Pro Hero Hawks' imprisonment in Tartarus were made by the Japan Times, on Wednesday 7th, December X317. While we are still waiting for General Shirai's exceptional government in addition to the Heroic Commission to make a statement, the general frenzy concerning this scandal is increasing every hour.
As of Wednesday 7thevening, our journal has received complimentary information furthermore incriminating both General Shirai's unsupervised actions as well as the Heroic Commission. Friday 5th December X317, former Hawks' intern Shoto Todoroki learned about Pro Hero Hawks's unwarranted imprisonment.
Shoto Todoroki (First-year Yuei student, Yuei's Championship winner, who fought against All for One in both Tokyo's incidents, saving numerous lives through his heroic actions) did not think : as soon as he heard the news, he rushed to Tartarus, the only military-owned prison in the country. Shoto Todoroki fought countless soldiers to reach the Pro Hero Hawks' cell.
At last, he was captured by the military and sentenced to lifetime prison for trying to rescue Hawks.
Enji Todoroki (formerly known as Pro Hero Endeavor, The New Peace Symbol, and former Pro Hero All Might's partner), father of Shoto Todoroki, has agreed to answer our queries concerning the wrongful imprisonment of his son.
" [That day] I went out in the morning and came back very late : he never came home", explains Enji Todoroki. "I was extremely worried".
No one bothered informing him that his son, to this day sixteen-year-old Shoto Todoroki, had been forced to assist in his mock trial without a lawyer at his side before being sentenced to a lifetime of prison. "I couldn't believe he'd been imprisoned", said a tired Mr.Todoroki. "But at the same time, I was relieved because, you know… they could've sentenced him to death".
Mr. Todoroki does not see himself as a Hero appealing to the public's heart, but rather "as the father of a wronged child who has made a mistake". He "firmly contests" the judgment as well as the events that led to this decision; he insists that his son is "just a kid who tried to help".
He and Pro Hero Hawks were "very close". At remembering a fond memory, Mr. Todoroki smiled and said "He [Shoto Todoroki] even taught Keigo how to ride a bike".
Enji Todoroki asks for "the public's help" and hopes that "together we can force them to revoke this unlawful trial" to get "[his] son back home".
*
A/N :
Am I already late on my writing schedule ? Yes.
Am I gonna give everything I got to finish this story in the next three weeks ? Indeed.
This is saturday's chapter, I'll post sunday's tomorrow and monday's the day after (which basically mean you'll get one chapter a day for six days this week).
Enjoy everybody and as always, see you in the next update !
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