"It's so loco how you all came today," Ren said an hour or so later, as they had gathered into his dorm room, "Just yesterday I was thinking about this exact thing, and how I didn't want to be caught off guard again." 

He held up some schematics. "It's also super easy to disrupt this kind of signal, once you know the frequency. Of course, only the government is supposed to know that, but...let's just say I know people."

"Seriously, do you work for the mafia?" Spinner said.

Ren laughed. "I'll never tell.... Intelli helped me get the intel, but this is more my field than his. I do machines--he does internet.... The only problem is I only have enough supplies to build one or two of these things tops, and it would take me two hours at least."

Momo took a look at the schematics. "Can you give me a list of all the ingredients, the size and measurement of this, and the mass?"

"Uh...sure..." Ren said, "But why...?"

Momo pulled out some food. "I better stock up."

"That was boss as heck," Camie said.

* * *

Two hours and 20 minutes later, Momo had a run down of Ren's device. He designed it to look like a ring that would tighten to fit their fingers snugly automatically.

"I plan to use this for support items too," he said, "but...the thing about giving this to villains is, I'mma need it back later."

"Why?" Compress said.

"Because I don't want to be the reason you aren't arrested later," Ren said, "Plus, it's mine, and if you take it, that's stealing, and I'd take that personally."

He gave Shigaraki a warning look.

"We'll return them," Shigaraki said, "We won't need them anyway.... It's just so those d--- ninja can't stop us before we even get in the door."

"Right," Ren said, "Well, this is probably the craziest thing you've ever done, Rumi, and that's saying a lot."

"I think I made enough for all of us." Momo wiped her forehead and pulled out another energy bar. "But I think a few extra, maybe. Who did we call in for backup?"

"Not my dad, obviously," Shoto said, "Even if we wanted him to, he's too easy to recognize. But Miss Joke is Shine's friend, and we thought she'd like to know what's going on. Mr. Aizawa should know too, since this is dangerous."

"And Jiro and Kaminari wanted to come too," Camie said, "Said they felt bad for sitting the last one out. Also Pikachu said he needs his English tutor alive."

"Idiot," Bakugo said fondly. 

"4 more people isn't that much..." Hawks said, "but I don't know anyone else we could ask for help."

"Me." Someone came in the door. It was Kayla.

She looked different, more relaxed maybe.

"What are you doing her?" Mirko tilted her ears.

"I'm enrolled here now," Kayla said, "I decided to go back to college, learn how to do something else. I'm tired of travel agency work."

"But why are you here?" Mirko said.

Kayla reddened. "I don't know that many people yet...and Ren just texted me."

Ren looked sheepish. "She is our only insider source on the ninja..."

"But aren't you still kind of loyal to them?" Spinner asked.

Kayla tugged her hair. "I've had a lot of time to rethink that, and I'm not wholly sure yet, but I do know Miss Likstar and Mr. West were willing to trust me and help me leave when the rest of you weren't. They are harsh sometimes, but I know they meant it all well. I don't want the Originals to change them. Anyway, I saw what they can do. It would be foolish to let them get stolen away from you. I would think of this as helping them, not you."

"Good enough for us," Hawks said, "So how can you help?"

"You need to get in the door?" Kayla said, raising her eyebrows, "I assume your whole plan wasn't just to kick the door in or turn it to ash."

Shigaraki looked at the floor and Mirko at the ceiling.

"Of course not," Hawks said, way too casually, "but do you have a better one, out of curiosity?"

"Oh my gosh, you are all hopeless," Kayla said in English, but they kind of got it.

Then in Japanese again, she said, "If they haven't changed their clearance codes, I can get you inside. I've not been to their main base here, but all our bases are somewhat similar in a few key ways."

"We know--harder to get out than in," Mirko said.

"Yes," Kayla said. She picked up a note pad and pen. "But they are also all laid out in a spiral/circular pattern. It has something to do with this religious aspect of the cult. So even if the outer building looks normal, under that, everything twists inward." She drew a spiral for them. "And the more toward the center you go, the more important it is, so it will take the longest for any intruder to find it. If there are holding cells there, they are usually at the edge so the prisoners cannot get close to any tech if they do escape."

"You know, they were all laid out like that," Monama recalled.

"Even the concentration camp one," Shigaraki remembered.

"If you split up, one group should focus on the center and one on the edge," Kayla said. 

"Wait, when you guys set those nomu lose, they convened at the center too," Mirko said, "Which was Likstar's idea, but also how they were released."

Kayla nodded. "Like I said, it's important. Our attack patterns are usually circular. It's why we spread out more the longer the fight goes on and surround you. I heard once it's based on the way some ancient African warlord fought. You circle in the prey, and they fall into your trap because they feel cornered."

"Wow," Ren said, "That's cool."

[I got this idea from the history of Shaka Zulu. It's called the Bull Horn Formation. Google it. ---https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaka---   I first read about in in the 39 Clues Series, Book 7, A Viper's Nest. I'm not using it that literally here. As Kayla said, it just inspired it. It's not a perfect replica of the technique.]

[Also, who noticed the theme of circles and spirals in the Originals' attacks? While at first it wasn't intentional, I later began doing it on purpose. I think it goes back to their name, and the feeling that circles is an old shape, like the Earth or the sun or moon are circular. Could be other implications, like the idea of infinity too. If you've seen Moana you also know the Spiral in that movie represents the creation goddess, so the idea of originality is there too.]

After some time spent going over what else they could look out for, Kayla finally concluded, "Do you have any questions that I didn't cover?"

"Just one," Compress said, "Are you and Ren dating?"

Kayla turned red and looked offended. "How is that relevant to the situation?"

"Oh, it's not. I was just wondering," Compress said.

Ren looked up. "Jealous?" he said smugly.

"Not really," Compress said, "I just take an interest. Not my type though."

"Really? Spies aren't your type?" Spinner said.

Compress turned him into a marble and held it up.

"Compress," Shigaraki warned, "drop him."

"But, sir, he deserves it," Compress said.

"Drop it," Mirko repeated, with a smug look at him, "now."

Compress tossed her the marble. "You keep him, then. I'm sure he'd just love that."

"Ew, no way!" Mirko handed it to Medea.

"I don't want him!" Medea said, "I have a boyfriend."

"What does that have to do with him decompressing?" Mirko said.

"Boss Man, you hold onto him," Medea said.

"Oh, sure, give it to the guy who disintegrates things," Bakugo said.

"Then you take it," Medea said.

"I don't want to carry some wimpy villain!" Bakugo said.

"For the love of..." Hawks snatched it. "I'll hold onto it if it's that big of a problem. What is wrong with all of you? Is this the time for this kind of arguing? And, Shigaraki, keep your dogs under control."

"What did you just say?" Shigaraki said.

"I said to keep your dogs under control," Hawks said.

"Do not refer to me as a dog," Compress said.

"Mirko literally just told you to drop it, and I'm the one you're mad at," Hawks said.

"But don't call him a dog," Mirko said, "That's flipping messed up, Hawks."

"What? You would absolutely do the same thing," Hawks said, "Why are you picking on me? Do you just want to?" 

Mirko shrugged. "Maybe."

"Don't refer to my members as pets," Shigaraki said, "They're followers--no, advisers, more like."

"I can't believe this," Hawks said.

"Dude, stop being mean to the League," Camie waved, "They're helping us out. Don't take out your massive guilt complex on them. It's not their fault, bro."

Silence.

"Wow....that was brutal..." Ren commented, "So, ready to gear up?"

* * *

When they'd all gotten as ready as they could, Ren had a word with Shigaraki before they left.

"I just wanted to say, I may not understand Rumi's decision, but I am gonna respect it," he said, "Sorry for any hard feelings. You know how it is. You know, you want to protect the people close to you...but you can't."

Shigaraki gave him a blank look.

"I guess you probably don't get that. You don't have a sister." Ren had no clue what a loaded subject that was. "But, you know, you just want to make sure nothing too bad happens to her."

Shigaraki's expression went to slightly panicked.

"But she's an adult, and it's not like I can make her do stuff... Goodness knows my parents can't," Ren shrugged, "Anyway, we've called off our little feud over it, and I don't want to make problems for her in the League, so just don't blame her, okay?"

"I know perfectly well she doesn't control your actions any more than you control hers," Shigaraki sniffed.

"Well, gracias, amigo. I'm glad you could comprende where I'm coming from." Ren brightened. "And since we're on the subject, keep an eye on her, will you? Uh, I mean, as much as you can..."

"What are you doing?" Mirko startled both of them by poking her head back into the room. "Ren, I swear if you're starting something again, I'm kicking in your computer."

"That would be life or death, sis," Ren said dangerously, "And we're just chatting. Can't I do that? Why are you so possessive?"

"We're wasting time," Mirko frowned, "so stop chatting."

"Come on, you're going to do something super dangerous, and this is how you're acting?" Ren said.

Mirko rolled her eyes, then came up and hugged Ren from over the back of his chair. "You're such a pest..."

"Whoa, that worked?" Ren teased her, "I'm shocked....Don't tell me you're scared, big sis?"

"No, I'm just trying to get you in a headlock." Mirko tightened her grip.

"Ack! I give! I give!" Ren tapped out.

Shigaraki watched this with a mystified expression, then walked out of the room.

"He seems different..." Ren said, "I could almost swear he was human."

He got pinched for that.

"Ouch!"

"You shouldn't mess with him." Mirko straightened. "He's had a rough life."

"What? Are you actually being sympathetic?" Ren said.

Rumi frowned. "Don't act like I can't be nice."

"Sorry, I was just kidding," Ren amended, "Normally you hate being called nice... Sis...for real, are you sure you're not in too deep here?"

"Ren." Rumi's tone said "back the hifl off."

"I know, I know," Ren said, "I'd just hate to see you get actually hurt, inside. You know, you spend so much time pushing people away from you...for years... I didn't take that personally, I know Mom made it rough for you, and our sisters can be...well, are giant twits most of the time...and Dad's just not enough reason to come home that much. I got that. Hey, I don't reach out too much either. But, I always kind of wonder, maybe you try so hard because you're the most afraid of getting hurt if you do get close."

Rumi stared at the wall over his head. "Psych classes really got to you, huh?" she said flatly.

"I'm serious, Ru-chan," Ren said, "I consider myself an open minded person. You want to hang with villains, who am I to say it's any worse than other people...? But you know, at the end of the day, we are from different sides of the tracks, and even if you stopped caring about that, and I did, the rest of the world won't, and I don't think they will either. They got too much to lose. You can't expect to be more important to them than that."

Why did that make her so annoyed? Rumi wondered. She already knew that, and she didn't expect it to be different, but hearing it was just pissing her off.

"Not that they aren't likable, in their own bizarre ways," Ren said, "I'd totally hang with them if it wasn't, you know, always life or death. But I could do that and not really care. Can you? You never take things lightly, sis. It's always dead serious with you."

Rumi put her ears back. "Ren, this is not necessary. I know this. I'm not trying to ignore it. You think I'm like those sappy, idiotic people who think they'll change things by being nice? Or by making friends with enemies? Please. I've always hated that in fiction as much as real life. You know that."

"I also know that sometimes a deep hatred for something covers a cynicism for it that comes from being disappointed," Ren said, "I don't know, Rumi. Maybe you do laugh at that idea, but maybe that's because it sounds too good to be true, and the thing about that is, we tend to still want that to be true."

"Ren, stop."

"I'm not saying you have to do something, Rumi. I'm just asking you how well you think you know yourself," Ren said, "You've never been the self reflective type--it was part of your charm-- but now I kind of wish you would. Just think about it a little."

"I have to go," Rumi said, "Thanks for the help. If this goes well, I'll call you."

"Actually, I'm technically driving Kayla along with you," Ren said, "We're not missing this...even if it's just for technical support. Of course, I won't be close enough to actually talk to you, so you should probably still call."

"Shut up, Ren." Rumi exited the room anyway.

* * *

With Kayla's help and Compress' tracking chip, they soon found the phone company building that covered the base.

"You can't tell me the Original main HQ is under a phone company," Spinner said.

"Why is it so shocking? Phones keep us connected. Great way to keep track of heroes and villains alike," Kayla said, eyeing the place warily, "I admit, I'm a little surprised too, though. This seems too easy to find... I guess it's true--the best place to hide something is in plain sight. And the Originals hide in plain sight in society too. I suppose they can't hide out in the wild here like in Canada. Too many villain groups use the country die to hide in too."

"Is that why it's always the city?" Camie wondered, "Wow... So...now that we're here...what's the plan?"

"My tracking chip only led me this far," Compress said, "I suppose the electromagnetic pulse signals inside are interfering with it. If they are still in there, we'll have to look for them the old fashioned way."

"Hmm," Miss Joke spoke. She and Aizawa and Kaminari and Jiro had joined them on the way there. "That sounds fun...but risky. Shouldn't we have a better strategy?"

"I want to help them," Aizawa said, "but this is insane. This is worse than when we rescued Eri-- both times. We know nothing about what to expect in there... How big would you say the place is?"

"Underground? Probably the size of a pro hero agency at least,"  Kayla said, "Maybe bigger if we're talking actual floor space. There might be levels to it, or it might all be one. It's probably under us even out here."

They all looked at the street.

"Maybe we could go in through the roof, then," Shoto said, "Could we dig in there?"

"Oh, that's not conspicuous at all," Compress said sarcastically, "Heroes are so direct. No finesse, no intrigue."

"I don't think the LOV have been models of either of those two things either," Shoto said, "You attacked us openly at camp and in the USJ."

"So we learned from it," Compress said.

"I think it's good idea. No, it's not," Twice said.

He and Toga had finally elected to come, though Toga expressed doubt as to how much she wanted to participate, unless she got to stab someone.

"That's not helping," Hawks muttered.

"Someone needs to make a decision," Aizawa said.

Momo bit her lip and rubbed her chin. "Maybe we should try to think like the DJs do. What's one thing they always do?"

"Something no one expects." Camie raised her finger sagely.

"That's not helpful," Spinner said, "We can't think of it if we wouldn't expect it."

"But, like, maybe there's a way they don't expect it," Camie said.

"I know we don't expect it," Momo said, "but they do... They pick out this option that none of us would do, either because it's not regulation, or it's not killing, or it's just this wild leap of faith. But it works. Perhaps we are trying too hard to do this in a way that makes sense."

"So you want us to try something that doesn't make sense?" Compress said blankly.

"Now, wait," Shigaraki objected, "Likstar may do crazy things, but she's perfectly capable of using logic also when necessary. Her plans are detailed. She thinks ahead."

"Seems to me," Ren spoke up, "that it's the combination of those two things, both attention to detail and a kind of unpredictable twist, that make her so hard to stop. Sort of combines her and West's strong points if you think about it. He's spontaneous, she's detailed, and she works with both those things because it's their dynamic, and then she applies it to all of you. Covers your bases. Also, she know how to use each member of her group. Who's good at that?"

"Momo," the UA kids said.

"Shigaraki," the LOV said.

"There you go," Ren said.

"Actually, my analysis of her is similar." Kayla was impressed. "Not bad. Sure you shouldn't have got that psych major?"

"Eh, inventing stuff is less stressful and more fun," Ren said.

"Okay, let's start with priorities," Momo said, "I think our primary objective is to rescue our friends. They wanted to gather intel, though, and let's assume they succeeded, so we don't need to worry about that. Our goal should be to get in and get out. We can use our quirks now, so our biggest obstacle is the sheer numbers and the amount of weapons and taps they will have inside."

"Wait, I can even the odds." Twice raised his hand.

"Ah, a little sleight of hand," Compress said, "A bait and switch. Just like at the camp."

"What?" Shoto said.

"Yes," Aizawa said, "I remember. You used decoys to get us off track...and tried to kill our students."

Awkward pause.

"Maybe we should focus on the helpful part," Mirko said, "What are you getting at?"

"That if Twice makes copies of us, he can get those ninja to attack them," Shigaraki said, "and then the rest of us could theoretically sneak in...but that wouldn't work without some way to be camouflaged."

"Yo, I got that," Camie said, "Like, I can help us get in unnoticed. They won't even see us. I'd need a good look at the inside but, you know, I can."

"All this will only work if you get to that level," Kayla said, "and you have to go through that building, I'm guessing. I bet there will be an elevator. You can input the codes I gave you. If they work, your plan might get you enough time to spread out, but it won't be enough. They'll realize within a few minutes the clones are fakes."

"So from then on, we improvise," Bakugo said, "We can't prepare for what's in there. We don't know what it is. We're just going to have to figure it out, think on our feet. Real heroes have to do it everyday."

"True," Mirko said.

"But we prefer to know our opponent," Compress said, "and this idea sounds bad."

"Welcome to fighting on the right side," Mirko gestured, "or at least, not on the side that started it. You get to plan because you attack unprovoked. We have to think fast to fight back. Still think it's so much easier being a Pro?"

"I don't know that I ever said being a Pro was easy," Compress grumbled.

"Well, if this is what heroes go through, I think I prefer villainy," Spinner whined, "Because this is a bad idea."

"But you don't have a choice," Aizawa said, "unless you want to take days to research this."

"Maybe you should," Ren said, "Stake it out, you know. How long do you think they can hold out?"

"Even one day is too long," Medea said, "if Lethe is able to get to them...but if he can't, maybe a few days would be all right. The thing is, who wants to take that chance?"

Uncomfortable silence.

"Maybe we should, I don't know...go to the source?" Momo said, "That's also what they would do. It seems to work."

"For you," Spinner said.

"Well, we are here," Shoto said, "We might as well try."

"But how would you...?" Miss Joke asked.

"Just...ask for some sign..." Momo suggested.

Bakugo looked up. "Well...fine, we're asking for one."

Silence.

"Riveting," Compress said, "I really think we've seen a great wonder here, and---"

He was cut off suddenly by someone peering around the corner of the alley they were all hiding in.

They all froze.

The person, a small man with a nervous look in his eye, did a double take.

Compress started to move to compress him, but then the man looked over at Hawks. "Hey, it's you."

Hawk waved nervously.

"And the number 5 too..." the man said, "and..." he glanced at Shigaraki, "you... Wow...you're all here together... That can only mean one thing."

He swiftly looked behind him, then slipped into the alley.

"I know why you're here," he hissed, almost too low for anyone but Mirko to hear him, "and you're lucky. If anyone else saw you, it'd be too late. They'd think you followed them here, and they'd do something to them. It's a miracle I saw you here... I'd almost believe in God for this, but I'm not sure I can really be of much use... You want to get them out, right?"

"How do we know we can trust you?" Shoto asked.

"You..." The man shrugged helplessly. "I guess you don't know... Were any of you part of the submarine raid?"

"Yes, most of us," Momo said, risking it.

"Did the Sword Lady tell you a few of us followed her off the ship?" the man said.

"Yeah, and the ninja slaughtered you like sheep in prison," Mirko said, "All but 5..." She frowned.

"Yeah, one of them was that Karen girl," Hawks recalled. 

"You mean Akari? She's here too, but she won't help you, I don't think. She brought them in," the man said, "I wasn't to go near them anyway. I got sent to re-education after what happened. I'm not sure why I didn't just die like the others... Maybe they thought there was use in saving some of us...perhaps for bait, since Akari was able to find them..."

"Re-education?" Hawks said warily.

The man nodded. "Yes...and I'd sworn to myself to put aside what happened, but...I was in the data room while our Commander was talking to the lady, and she began to speak some strong words...and I started to remember what she said on the sub, and how I was sick of this life at the time... It just came back to me, like waking up from a spell...but then they took her, and I thought, maybe I'm just...you know, crazy." He shook his head. "I came out here...but here you are. It's like a sign of something. Maybe I'm supposed to leave them."

They all stared at him in disbelief.

"You're...joking." Compress was incredulous.

"No, I'm quite serious," the man said. He bowed. "The name is Shinjitsu Mi. Friends call me Shin."

[Shinjitsu or Shin can be spelt different ways in Japanese, and has a few variations of meaning. Shinjitsu means reality, or faithfulness, trustworthiness, etc. Shin means genuine, also a Buddhist Sect.  Mi means seed, fruit but can mean substance or reality. I'm guessing it's a common analogy.]