The Shape of Fire

Pieces of a Puzzle

"We'll take my car, come on." Inko is already out the door and Hawks runs after her. He feels wrong to leave his father's box behind, but Inko promises that he's welcome to pick it up anytime. The car ride is deathly silent and Hawks can't help but to pick at his sleeve. He shifts uncomfortably, the atmosphere is too foreboding and he feels like he's suffocating. There's no words to be said though, what can he even offer to say after being told of the death of one of his supervisors and one of Inko's friends?

As they reach the building, a crowd is gathered in front of the parking lot. There's already a news van camped out and a reporter stands in front of the building- giving a live report of the smoking building. Most of the people in the crowd have their phones out and taking videos, others are crying and some are shouting into their phones pleading the dispatch to send ambulances. Inko is forced to park down the block and they run towards the building. Hawks is gruffly thrown to the side as a throng of panicked office workers burst from the front doors. Screams arise when the building gives a thundering shake, support beams groan in protest and windows begin to crack. Fire begins to crawl up the sides of the building and the smoke turns the sky black. He loses Inko in the panicked crowd and he tries to find her, but the sudden evacuation of petrified office workers burst through the front doors.

Hawks feels his heart sink and he pushes through onlookers and workers alike, flashing his security officer badge to make them move. Most people don't listen and he has to shove his way towards the front of the crowd. He doesn't allow himself a beat of hesitation as the doors before him open.

He's greeted with more shouting from upstairs as the building begins to shake again. Pieces of debris and dust fall from the ceiling and land on his shoulders, the crackle of his radio transceiver flickers to life. Over the radio static, there's shouted orders and sobs. He breaks out into a sprint towards the flight of stairs in the back of the lobby.

He doesn't know what had happened to Sajin but judging from the smoke, he knows that Dabi has something to do with it. Hawks' feels a migraine blossom from behind his eyes. It's then that he notices that his transceiver has been too quiet for the short stretch of minutes it took for him to arrive in the basement of the building. Hawks pushes away the feeling of dread and runs down the long corridor. With the power out, he keeps to the wall. An occasional burst of fire shows him the right way.

Shigaraki is throwing himself against his door, hoping to get out of his cell again and Hawks continues past him. Jin is in his other form, his massive hands are restrained and he bellows out a scream that shakes the window of his cell. A large vein throbs in his forehead as Jin lunges towards window.

"We're gonna die!" Himiko shrieks and begs Hawks to let her free. He ignores her, they'll be safe in their cells he has to tell himself.

Passing by Kurogiri's cell, in the corner of his eye, he can see Kurogiri's misty form sputtering and popping with bursts of gold and violet as if he's trying to teleport out of the cell. Spinner is on the ground of his cell and has his eyes closed in deep concentration, he's mouthing something but Hawks doesn't have time to try to see what he's saying.

His footsteps pound against the concrete and from the other containment cells behind him, wails of the other subjects fill the air. They're momentarily drowned out by an inhuman shriek that shakes the walls and pieces of the ceiling begins to crumble in some places. Adrenaline pushes Hawks to run faster before a scorching wave of heat rushes down from Dabi's cell and throws Hawks back a few feet. Skidding backwards, he regains his balance. Instantly, his throat goes dry and he begins to cough. Continuing forward, he hears Rumi shouting something.

Finally, he turns the corner and the sight before him makes him stop dead in his tracks.

Bodies of charred scientists fill the corridor and everything smells like sulfur and death. Some remnants of blue hellfire clings to the lab coats and with each of Dabi's scream- the fire pulses and crackles. Slight movement catches his attention and to Hawks' horror, some of the burnt scientists are still alive. Blackened and cracked hands twitch and reach towards him, their ruined airways cause each breath and plea of theirs to come out in rasping clicks- singing the last of their death rattle.