Daughter of the Hero: The Lost Hero

The Black Rose Society

He'd tried to be as quiet as possible. But stealth wasn't exactly one of his strengths... He finally found the extra roll of gauze as Kat had instructed him to and was approaching the cot where the young hero he'd saved was lying unconscious, when she startled him.

Her bright green eyes are open. They're watching him.

She narrows her eyes, "I've never seen someone look so lost in their own home before," she observes, her words dripping with a sarcasm that makes him smirk.

"What makes ya think this is my home, darlin'? I'm merely visiting you here in Japan."

"Visiting me?" Her brows draw together as she sits up, but she winces and he rushes forward to ease her back down again.

"Careful – Kat said you bruised a few ribs. You've been unconscious for the past two days..."

Her eyes widen, "Two days- no! I have to get back to my dad!" She flips onto her side and hisses through her teeth as she struggles to sit up, only to realize they'd strapped her legs down to the cot she lay on. She stares daggers at him. "Let me go!"

"I don't think I will."

"I wasn't asking! You let me go right now otherwise I'll make you regret ever bringing me here!"

"Take a chill pill!" He hols his hands up and lets the roll of gauze drop to the floor. Her eyes shoot up to meet his gaze. Her stare is cold and angry. It sends a chill down my spine. "First of all! You're welcome for saving your life. And secondly, we're not going to hurt ya! But we had to strap you down while we stitched up that gash in your side because we had no other way of keeping you still!" He sucks in a sharp breath, lowering his hands. She is still tense, but she seems a little more willing to listen to him.

He shoves his fingers through his silver hair. "My name is Hunter Delevan. I part of a hero syndicate known in America as-"

"Let me guess," she snorts. "The Avengers?"

He laughs, "Nonsense, darlin'. They're not real." He sits at the very edge of her cot, "They call us The Black Rose Society. We're a small group of heroes that live in the outskirts of New York City. Our mission specialist picked up on a villain that managed to escape from one of our prisons, and he came here. We believe... we believe he's working with Freeze Zone."

She tilts her head, "So what do you need me for?"

"According to our intel on you, you have a history with Freeze Zone."

The raven-haired girl swallows but stays silent. He sighs and leans over and unstraps her legs. Maybe she will trust him for that...

She sits up, leaning against the wall behind her. "He killed my mother," she says simply. "I don't know much about him, and I would really, really just like to get back to my friends and father."

Hunter looks down and shakes his head, "I'm afraid that I have strict orders to keep you here. Until my higher-ups tell me otherwise... you'll stay right where you are... Astrid Aizawa."

"How do you-"

"We've been watching you for months, darlin'."

"Okay because that's not creepy at all." Astrid raises a brow, "but if you've been watching me, then you'd know I'm no match for Freeze Zone. I didn't take him alone last time. I had Todoroki and Bakugo to help me. I'm not going to be any use to you guys-"

Hunter let out a laugh, but not a warm one. His eyes hardened. His laugh was eerie. "Knowing people's worst fears is definitely useful, Astrid."

"Just because I know you're terrified of bunnies doesn't make me useful."

His eyes widen this time, "How did you- Never mind. You're either useful, or you will make yourself useful." That friendliness from before was gone. "Now get up. There's someone who wants to meet you." 

She struggles to her feet, and once she's somewhat balanced, he grabs her by elbow and leads her out of the room, his touch anything but gentle.