Chapter Text
Homelander walks around the room as he stares at the TV screens in the main meeting room. Faces of all Hughie, Frenchie, Butcher, Kimiko, M.M., and Ellis are on the screens. He stops to stare at Ellis and squints his eyes.
He looks back to Butcher and remember that he saw him at the race A-Train participated in. He stares at Butcher's picture in realization before smirking and goes to calls a meeting with the rest of the superheros to discuss some things.
"What's going on?" A-Train asks, walking in late. Everyone else is already here and sitting in their spots at the table minus Deep and Translucent.
"I missed you guys." Homelander walks up behind him and puts his hand on his shoulder, "Just wanted to see your smiling faces. Take a seat, buddy."
A-Train goes to sit at his seat.
Homelander slowly walks up to the table, "And, truth be known. I felt like we were overdue a little heart-to-heart. A rap session, maybe a little tough love."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Maeve scoffs.
Homelander huffs, "It means that lately, some of you have been, eh, a little out of sorts." He walks behind Starlight, "Erratic." He passed A-Train, "Unreliable." Then Maeve, "Downright sloppy."
He walks to his chair, "Not you, Noir. You've been great" He points to him. "But the rest of you...It is fair to say that I am disappointed. Got to keep your eye on the ball, guys. The enemies are storming the gates. I mean, we're not even The Seven anymore, we're down to five. We're dropping like fucking flies, but at least now I know why." I grabs the TV remote and points it at the TV to pull up a picture of Hughie.
"Uh...Why...Is this a joke? Why is Hughie up there?" Starlight says.
"I don't understand. Who is this guy?" Maeve asks.
"This guy is Hugh Campbell. He and Starlight are going steady. He's also one of the guys who killed Translucent." Homelander explains.
"Wait, what?" Starlight says in disbelief.
"As well as blackmailing Mesmer, Ezekiel, Popclaw, amd God knows who else." Homelander says moving around the room swiftly.
"Popclaw?" A-Train asks.
"No. No, no, no. You...That-that is insane." Starlight denies.
"Starlight, sticks and stones won't break my bones but words..." Homelander pits his hand on his chest like he's offended.
"No, sir. I'm sorry. I wasn't...It's just, he's not...I mean, why would he do that?" Starlight asks.
"Good question. A-Train, over to you." Homelander says.
"What?"
"Oh, boy. That little egg of yours is still scrambled, huh?" Homelander zooms out the picture of Hughie and it shows Hughie shaking hands with A-Train. "How about now?"
"Oh, shit. I know this guy." A-Traim says.
"You did smash through his girlfriend, so I should hope so. Robin s-something or other." Homelander says.
"I-I remember now, I-I've seen him outside of Popclaw's place. He was all in my face...You're fucking this guy!?" A-Train points to Starlight.
"S...Okay, slow down. I don't know what's going on, but Hughie is not capable of anything close to this." Starlight says.
"Well, that is true, actually. That's very true. He is just a man, and by the looks of it, not much of one. But...but hear me out. W-What if he was helped? Hmm? Say someone, I don't know, got him in to see Ezekiel and got rid of the Deep." Honelander says.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on." Starlight stands up and moves her hands up without ill intentions.
"Keep those hands down by your sides, missy." His eyes glow red. Starlight slowly puts her hands down. "Sit down." Homelander demands. She sits down. Her breathe is heavy and her eyes are glossy.
Homelander smiles and his eyes stops glowing. "Now...I know that you want to make this whole Deep thing an 'All the single ladies' moment. Power, right?" He punches her shoulder. "But really, what you've done is pulled off every criminal's wet dream. I mean, the Seven is down by two. I just can't help noticing that it all started when you came along, which makes me wonder, which one of us is next, hmm?" Homelander asks, making another lap around the room.
"You bitch." A-Train says.
"I didn't do anything." Starlight says.
"Enough! We're a different fucking breed. We shine with the golden light of providence, but you, you've been helping these fucking mud people to go against us." Homelander walks up to Starlight.
She has already stood up by now. "No." She says.
"Shut your fucking mouth, young lady." He seethes. "If you were in my position...what would you do to you?"
"Please." Starlight gasps out.
"Homelander, that's enough." Maeve stands up.
"You got something to add, Maeve?" Homelander says, staring at Starlight.
"She didn't know."
"Well, she stinks of adrenaline and her heart's beating like a little rabbit." Homelander says.
"The only think she's guilty of is being fucking stupid. She obviously fell for this High Campbell guy and he's pumping her for information, so back off, leave her alone." Maeve says.
Homelander turns to look at her, "Wow. Starlight, you must be something special. Hmm? I can't remember the last time Maeve gave a shit ab...Well, gave a shit about anyone, really." He says, walking towards her. "And if I say no?" He says lowly to her.
"Come on. I got this. It's you and me, remember?"
He sighs, "Don't say I never do anything for you." He whispers to her before walking away. "All right. You want her you got her. She's your responsibility now. I just hope you're right about her, for both your sakes." He smiles at both of them. "Class dismissed." He clap his hands together.
___
The safe house is pretty quiet. Everyone is here minus Hughie. M.M. is fixing something on the couch while Frenchie and Kimiko are in the kitchen baking.
Butcher sits at a small table against the wall, eating breakfast. I'm in front of him with a plate of untouched food.
"What is it now?" He asks.
"I don't know. You tell me." I cross my arms and sink in my chair.
"You're still mad about that?"
"Yes, I'm still mad. You never apologized, B."
"Why are you offended so fuc- so much? You want me to apologize for smack talking about Supes?" He asks, avoiding curse words when talking to me.
Yes, I want him to apologize for talking bad about Supes. For talking bad about me. "No...I want you to apologize for yelling at me." I lie.
"...I'm sorry." He sighs.
"Forgiven." I smile and I can his lips quiver to try and stop himself from smiling as well.
The front door opens and Huggie walls in. Kimiko motions towards him. "She wants to know where you were." Frenchie says.
"That's a compelling fucking question." Butcher says and his face drops.
"Hey, can we talk?" Hughie walks over to us.
"That's what we're doing, innit?" Butcher continues to eat his food.
"No, I mean..." Hughie doesn't say to much.
"I'll leave." I get up but Butcher gives me a look so I sit back down.
"There ain't no secrets here, son. Spit it out." Butcher says.
"Stop being an asshole, just talk to the guy." M.M. says from the couch.
"Hughie doesn't mind. Do you, Hughie?" Butcher asks, stubbornly. He takes a sip from his mug. I watch silently. Something really got Butcher in a mood. Hughie looks around, "Ok, fine. I don't think I can do this anymore."
"Do what?" Butcher gets up to go put his dishes in the sink.
"This. I mean, Vought, whatever with Kimiko, it's-it's awful, and you got to spot it, but I can't." Hughie explains.
"Right. You just want to kick back, drink a few Mai Tais, and let us do all the work, is that it?" Butcher walks towards Hughie.
"You, know, I managed to go my whole life without seeing someone die horribly, and now I'm up to about a half dozen, so I think I'm good." Hughie says.
"Please. You're a fucking killer, Hughie, just like the fucking rest of us. Now, why don't you stop pissing around and tell everybody what this is really all about? Yeah?" Butcher says.
"Fine. Annie."
"Fuck." M.M. whispers.
"Okay? It's about Annie." Hughie reveals and Butcher begins clapping.
"Fucking finally. He's been sneaking off to give her one at Lincoln Grand." Butcher says. I shift in my sit.
"You've been following me?" Hughie asks.
"Like you gave me a choice." Butcher replies.
"She doesn't know anything, okay? I'm not gonna tell her anything. All right? We'll just..."
"Just what? Fuck off to Epcot? The Hamptons? Maybe pump out a few flying babies?" Butcher jokes.
"No. I...I don't know." Hughie raises his voice.
"No, you don't know 'cause you ain't thinking, except with your dick."
"You're wrong about her."
"That bitch is fucking playing you, and you're to fucking blind to see it." Butcher gets closer to his face before walking away from him.
"Right, so better to be loyal to a dead woman who doesn't know and doesn't care? How's that working out for you?" Hughie says. Butcher stops and slowly turns around. I don't even realize that I'm holding my breath.
Someone's phone starts ringing and Hughie takes out his phone to answer it. I'll have to make a note to talk to Hughie later.
"Hey, dad...Who's this?...Dad, are you ok?...A-Train, listen to me..."
"Oh, shit, if he's burned then I'm fucked." M.M. says and and runs towards the computer while Butcher takes out his phone. "My place is burned. They've got me." Butcher says.
"Oh, my God." M.M. puts his hand in his head. "All my bank accounts are frozen and flagged. Monique listen, when you get this, leave the house immediately. Lay low and call me." M.M. says on his phone.
I watch everyone move around frantically. If we're all burned. He knows about us. I finally get up help Kimiko.
"Well, I hope she was fucking worth it." Butcher says.
"It's not Annie. She doesn't know." Hughie sighs.
"It doesn't matter. I'm gonna fucking do her in. "
"The hell you will!" Hughie yells.
"Hey, hold on a second. She doesn't know. It wasn't her. She's never seen me before. Not once, not ever. So how did I get burned?" M.M. asks.
"Mesmer." I click my teeth.
"You fucking idiots had to go to Mesmer. Fuck me." Butcher walks away. Hughie walks over to M.M., "Thank you."
"That was not smart to sleep with her." M.M. says and walks away.
___
Hughie walks into his apartment and gently closes the door.
"Hughie." His dad gets up from the couch.
"Dad." Hughie quickly walks over to him.
"He's acting strange. You know, real jumpy." Hugh, Hughie's dad says.
"Where is he?" Hughie asks.
"I don't know, he..."
"Right here, sport." A-Train zooms into the dinning area. "Look what I got." He laughs and places a couple blue boxes on the dinning table. "Special 2016 Comic-Con edition? What, did they make, like, a few hundred of these?" He holds up his figurine and presses the button on it. "Watch out, A-Train coming." The figure says and he laughs.
"You were a fan! You were a fan, and not, like, a dabbler, no, you were super fan 99." He tells Hughie.
"Excuse me, sir. What is this about?" Hugh asks.
"Shut the fuck up." A-Train tells Hughie's dad. "Dad, it's gonna be ok." Hughie tells his dad then looks at A-Train, "Hey. I came alone. You let him go."
"Alone, huh?" A-Train speeds away and appears behind Hughie just as quickly. Hughie and his dad both scream.
"You really did come alone. Next time...there's not gonna be a next time, but next time have at least a few cards up your sleeve." A-Train breaths.
"Okay. You mean, um, you mean, like this?" Hughie takes out a syringe with Compound V in it and A-Train's face drops. "Jonesing for a little jet fuel?
"W-What is that?" Hugh points to it nervously.
"I don't know what that shit is." A-Train chuckles nervously.
"Oh, you don't? So you don't mind if I do this." Hughie squeezes the V out of the syringe onto the floor.
"No, fuck!" A-Train yells. "What the fuck is wrong with you!?"
"I have a bigger dose. I have a real dose hidden somewhere outside. Let him go, I hand it over, then you can do whatever you want with me." He negotiates. "So tell me what's better, the rush or knowing that, as long as you take it, you'll be the fastest?"
A-Train looks up and him, breathing heavily. "If you try anything, I can catch up to dear old daddy in a millisecond." A-Train points.
"Dad, time to go." Hughie says, staring at A-Train.
"Not without you."
"I'll be right behind you."
"I am not leaving you with him, all right. You're just a kid...You're my kid." Hugh says sternly.
"Dad! I'll be all right. I got this. Go."
Hugh lip quivers and he sighs before racing towards the door.
"All right, where is it?" A-Train asks.
"You know, this shit must be pretty good if it's worth running through a human being for." Hughie says.
"Oh, my god, man, that was an accident. Where the fuck is the V!?"
"That accident had a name."
"And what about Popclaw? She had a name, too. Charlotte! The only good thing in my life is gone now. What is this man? I kill your girlfriend and you kill mine?" A-Train says.
Hughie looks at him confused, "I didn't kill your girlfriend."
"You used her. You put her in danger, and then you threw her out to like she was fucking garbage. How does this not all start with you, Hughie! The only difference between you and me is that I made a mistake. The shit that you did was on purpose. So who's worse!?" He yells and points in Hughie's face.
Kimiko comes from around the corner with a bat and swings at A-Train's knee. A-Train yells and falls to the ground, "You bitch!" He holds just above his leg where a bone is sticking out of.
"You know, you're right. It would've been stupid to come alone." Hughie says and leaves right behind Kimiko.
___
"Monique, it's not safe here anymore. We got to go." M.M. says.
"You swore to me and to Jesus Christ that you were done with Billy Butcher." Monique breathes out.
"I know, I get it. Everything Butcher touches turns to flaming hot shit."
"No, I ain't blaming him. Last I checked, you're a grown ass man."
"It's my fault, okay? But we can't do this right now." M.M. says softly.
"You put us in danger without thinking twice, Marvin."
"Monique, just..."
"Daddy!" A little girl walks from down the stairs towards M.M. with a piece of paper in her hand.
"Hey, baby. Come here. Give me a hug. Oh." M.M. bends down and the little girl hugs him. "What have you been up to?"
"I was drawing you a picture."
"You were? Can I see? Oh, my goodness, this is beautiful. Thank you, baby." M.M. smiles.
"Janine, honey, Daddy's gonna take us on a sleepover. Can you help Mommy pack your toys?" Monique bends down next to M.M..
Janine nods. "Good girl." Monique says.
"Baby, we're running late. We don't have time to pack toys...We got to go."
___
Stillwell leans against her desk with the phone in her hand. Homelander patiently waits on the coach with his hands in his lap.
"I knew you'd vote your conscience, Senator. Thank you...Good-bye." She nods her head and hangs up. "Three votes to go." She says. Homelander claps his hands and she laughs.
"And the B.A. guys said that the Pentagon is shelling out $35 billion on the low end. That puts us ahead of Lockheed."
"Amazing. That's incredible. Edgar must be thrilled." Homelander says.
"Ugh, fuck Edgar. We did this, you and me. This is about us." Stillwell sits next to him on the couch and faces him.
Homelander smiles and looks at his hands in his lap. "Hey, you remember that marketing girl?"
"Ashley? Um, I'm sorry, I-I had to fire her, she..."
"No. No, no, no. Seven, eight years ago. Becca."
"Becca?" Stillwell says with a smile but she seems confused.
"Yes."
"Becca Butcher."
"That's it. Mm-hmm. Yeah, her." Homelander says.
"What about her?" Stillwell asks.
"Well, she's missing."
"What do you mean, missing?" Stillwell asks. Her smile slightly drops.
"I mean missing, as in missing, presumed dead."
"Wow."
"Yeah. I looked at her file, and the cops think it was suicide." Homelander explains.
"Mm."
"Yeah, it seems her husband...Well, he got pretty riled up. William Butcher." Homelander says. They both slowly nod there heads, staring at eachother.
"Am I supposed to know his name?" She asks
"No. Not specifically, but...I was just wondering if you know what happened to her." He voice cracks a little.
"No, I just assumed that she quit."
"Quit?" He questions.
"Is there any particular reason why you are asking all of these questions?"
"No, no. I'm just...curious. It's interesting, right? I mean, it's..."
"Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely sad."
"Yeah. Yes, very."
"You know, I was, I was thinking that maybe, um, I can get Maria to stay late with the baby and...maybe we could order in and...catch up. Just me and you." Stillwell shifts closer to him.
"You know what? That sounds amazing." He reaches his hand up to put his index finger on her cheek. "But you go be a mommy." He pats her thigh twice and gets up to leave.
___
Me and Butcher walk through the train station, looking for Mesmer. I thought he was a really nice guy that just want to see his daughter again. I guess I was wrong.
He told Homelander about my friends so not only does it ruin my plans but it is making a toxic and unsafe relationship between me and Homelander. I hate to say it but I'm scared for my friends life. They can't defend themselves against Homelander like I can, making them an easy target for Homelander to get through to reach me.
I spot Mesmer and smile at him. He stops in his tracks before dropping his things and running the opposite direction.
We walk towards him and watch him closely. He runs around the corner and we lose him.
I drown out all the voice in my head and focus on finding Mesmer. I hear his thought racing and the closer I am to him the louder it gets.
"We lost him." Butcher says, he pulls out his phone. I look at it a see Mesmer's exact location. I grab his arm and point towards the men's restroom and quietly enter.
I look at Butcher with a bored look. Mesmer couldn't be more obvious. I lean on the wall next to the sink. Butcher walks down to the last stall and kicks the door open, "Having a good growler, are we?"
Butcher goes into the stall, drags Mesmer out by his shirt and throws him on the ground.
"How did you...?"
"I stuck a little bug on you back at that shithole of yours." He digs in Mesmer's jacket pocket and pulls out the bug. "'Cause, you know, fuck you."
"No..." Mesmer says as Butcher grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him up. "What did you expect me to do? It was Homelander." Mesmer says and Butcher punches him in the cheek. Mesmer falls back into the wall behind him but he quickly turns around. "Wait, wait. No. I can help you." Mesmer says. Butcher uppercuts him in his jaw and he falls on the floor and places his hand on his mouth.
"Your wife. 'Cause she's missing? I can help you find her." He says.
I push myself off the wall and slowly walk towards them. "You read his mind. I don't take invasion of privacy lightly but if you really want to help us." I place my hands on each side of his head and think of what I what to do to him.
"No. Please I have a daughter!"
I yank his head towards the sinks and bash his head on one of them. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. And Again.
Butcher grabs my arm and I stop. I drop Mesmer's body on the ground and look at myself in the mirror.
Blood is splatter across my face and I frown. My frown turns into a smirk and my eyes glimmer. "We are alike in more ways you fail to admit, Ellis." My reflection says.
"Go away, Elowen." I scowl.
"...Who's Elowen?" I hear Butcher say.
I turn my attention to him and frown my eyebrows. "What?"
"Who's Elowen?" He asks again.
"No one. Let's get back to the safe house. I believe you should get in contact with that FBI agent of yours." I say and leave the bathroom.
___
We get back to the safe house and a few new people are temporarily added to the group.
"Mr. Campbell." Butcher says walking down the short steps.
"Ooh, yeah?" The older man quickly stands up.
"Please to meet you, Billy Butcher." He shakes his hand. "Oh, Hugh Campbell."
"You got a hell of a lad there." Butcher says, motioning to Hughie.
"Well, yeah. He's all mine." Hugh says. I shake his hand firmly. "Ellis." I say.
"Oh, hello."
"Hughie really is a good person. You raised him fantastically." I say. "Really? Thank you." Hugh says.
"Hello, hello, hello." Butcher says. I turn around and see a woman and a little girl sitting on the couch with M.M.. My eyes widen and I walk up to Butcher's side. How come I never knew M.M. has a daughter? Why didn't he tell us?
"What have we got here, then, eh? What's your name, sweetheart? You can call me Uncle Billy." Butcher says.
"He ain't your uncle, honey. He ain't nothing to you." Monique says and stands up.
"Monique..." She cuts Butcher off by slapping him in the face.
"Ah come on, don't be so mean." I say to her with a smile.
"You should clean your face, Evangeline." She says.
My face drops. "You really want me to bash your face in don't you?" I ask.
"Ellis, don't disrespect my wife." M.M. says.
"Relax. You just caught her at a bad time. We had to handle some business and she got a little upset." Butcher says.
"My apologies, Monique. Sorry, little one." I smile. I walk away from them to go wash my face in the sink. Butcher walks to the kitchen to fix himself a drink and M.M. follows after.
"Cold feet, huh?" M.M. says.
"What?" Butcher says.
"You said Raynor got cold feet."
"Yeah, that's what I said."
"You know what I think it is? I think Raynor's plenty interested, only she didn't bring you Homelander's head on a plate, and you blew the whole fucking thing up. How am I doing so far?" M.M. explains.
"Nah, mate. Way off." Butcher says.
"That was a lie." I mumble.
"You see, Butcher." M.M. motions to me. "You're so hot for Homelander right now, Butcher, you're not gonna let anything get in your way, even if it's your own fucking friends, man. You promised me things would be different. Matter of fact, you swore it. But this is way worse, man. This is gonna be Mallory's family all over again, only this time it's gonna be my family and if something happens to them, Butcher...I don't know what happened with you and Raynor or how that situation got fucked up, but just please call her. Please." M.M. begs.
___
Homelander flies down and lands perfectly. He walks over to an old man playing with some dogs.
"Dr. Vogelbaum." Homelander says. The man stands up and watches Homelander get closer. "Surprise. Thought I'd drop in on you. You look well."
"How long's it been, John?" The Dr. Vogelbaum asks.
"Long enough that no one calls me John anymore." Homelander laughs. "...So what are these? Uh...pets?"
"No, just breeding them. German retrievers. I try not to get too attached to my subjects." He says.
Homelander nods, "Hmm. Well, that's true...Seems retirement suits you."
"Between this and 80-hour weeks at the lab, I'll take the lab. No contest" Dr. Vogelbaum says.
"So, you ever, uh...catch up with any of the old gang from Vought? What about your brother?" Homelander asks.
"Look, do you mind if we don't do this?"
"Do what?"
"This cat and mouse bullshit. You want to know about Rebecca Butcher. You went to Stillwell about it because you knew that's tip over the first domino. Well, it led to me. So just ask. I'll be honest." Vogelbaum says.
"Well, that would be a first."
They go inside and Vogelbaum didn't care to offer Homelander anything to drink and neither did Homelander. They sat in his office and Vogelbaum immediately began to talk.
"Eight years ago...Stillwell called me with quite an interesting challenge. Rebecca Butcher had come to her with a...completely unprecedented medical condition." Vogelbaum starts.
"What condition?" Homelander asks.
"She was pregnant. With your child."
Any expression that was on Honekandes face dropped. "Pregnant?" He asks, completely confused. He squint his eyebrows and tilted his head slightly. "Wh...B-But I thought I couldn't." He stutters.
"So did I. Apparently, nature is tenacious. The fetus was developing unnaturally fast. We told her we'd deliver the baby safely at a secure location, but she had to sign an NDA. Couldn't tell anyone. Not even her husband. You can imagine the size of the potential scandal. The birth was difficult. The baby clawed it's way out of her. The blood loss...no one could have survived. She died on the table."
"A-And the baby?" Homelander asks softly.
"Lived all of ten seconds. Drowned in its mother's blood."
Homelander's mouth was slightly ajar, "Was it a boy?"
"Does it matter?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"To protect you." Vogelbaum says as he stands up. "That's always job one at Vought, isn't it? Protect our most profitable asset?"
"So why are you telling me now?" Homelander asks.
"You don't understand. The thing about cross-breeding dogs, you get the right genes, you can get the perfect creation. But it doesn't matter how perfect they are. It's not enough. When I raise subjects without their mothers, they become violent. Aggressive. Downright hateful. You should have been raised in a home with a family who loved you. Not in a cold lab with doctors."
"And yet, I turned out great." Homelander says sarcastically.
"When I think what it's done to you, and what you can do now to everyone else...I'm sorry." Vogelbaum says.
"I don't want your fucking apology." Homelander stands up and heads towards the door.
"All this is my fault."
"What do you want?" He turns around to face Vogelbaum. "What? What do you want...forgiveness? Now?" He eyes starts to water amd his breathe is shaky. "After you raise me like a fucking lab rat?...No. Too little, too late."
"I don't want anything from you, John. I'm just an old man, thinking about his mistakes." Vogelbaum lightly shakes his head and looks at Homelander.
"I'm the world's greatest superhero."
"You're my greatest failure.
___
Hughie paces around, calling Annie every 10 seconds to see if she'll pick up.
I'm sitting in front on Kimiko on the floor, trying to teach her how to play patty cake. She isn't doing good but she's having fun.
Outside we hear car tires screech and we all jump up. Frenchie runs to the window and peak from the curtains. "Merde!"
Frenchie digs in a chest and throws M.M. a gun. "Butcher." M.M. says and take out his hand gun to give to him.
"Fucking hell. Calm down." Butcher throws his magazine on the table and gets up. Hughie leads his father and M.M.'s family to the back room. I stand behind Frenchie.
Butcher leaves the building and comes back. "All right, easy, lads. Easy." He says, motioning the boys to lower their weapons. Behind him is a woman and some FBI agents. I'm assuming she's Raynor.
"M.M." She says.
"Deputy Director." M.M. walks up to her.
"Your family's gonna be okay, you have my word." She says.
"Thank you."
She looks back at Butcher and walks into the back room.
"You called." M.M. tells Butcher.
"You are a human after all." I say.
"Well, let's not get too carried away." Butcher says and I help Kimiko down from the table she's been crouching on top off.
"Thank you, man." M.M. says.
The agents come from the room and Hughie and M.M. say goodbye to their families.
Raynor walks up to Butcher with her hand out, expecting something. "No Homelander." Butcher says.
"No Homelander." She confirms. "We had a deal. Everyone else is fair game. Do you want this or not?"
Butcher stares at her before reluctantly giving her a vial of Compound V. She takes it and leave.
Hughie phone rings and he quickly answers in. After talking for a bit he hangs up and quickly leave the safe house, leaving unnoticed by the others.
I follow after him. "Hey, where are you going?" I ask.
"I-I need fresh air. A change of scenery, I guess." He says.
"You're going to see Annie, aren't you?"
"No?" He answer comes out as more of a question.
I smile. "Come." I go to sit on the floor and lean against the building. He sits next to me and stare at the ground.
"I believe you when you say Annie is different." I say.
"Y-You do?"
"Yes, she's a Supe but dispite what Butcher thinks, not all Supes are the same. Not all Supes are bad. I should know because..." My words get stuck in my throat.
"Because?"
"...Pinky promise me you won't tell the others." I turn to look at him and hold out my pinky to him.
"I pinky promise." He intertwines his pinky with mines.
I drop my hand and let out a shaky breathe and I blink the tear out of my eyes. It's fine. I know if he doesn't like it I can just erase it from his mind but I still feel sadness that no one will accept who I am.
"I'm a Supe." I blurt out. My lip quivers.
"What?"
"I can control all aspects of time and the minds of living beings." I say and he stays silent. I can't even look at him. "This is where you yell profanities at me and tell Butcher to get rid of me." I say. I pull my knees to my chest and stare ahead of me, waiting for Hughie to say something. Anything.
"Is this what you've been keeping from everyone?"
I nod. "I'm-I'm scared that when I do tell the others...they'll hate me." I whisper.
"I don't hate you." He slids closer to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "I think it's cool that your one of the good guys. I don't know what the other might think but, me? I think you're the same person you have been and you will continue to be the same person you've always been. Your secret is safe with me."
I turn my head to look at Hughie. "Thank you."
He smiles and nods. "So, I'm the first person you told, huh?"
"Yeah, well actually M.M. found out on his own and he hated who I was and that I had lied to everyone about it. He threatened to tell Butcher. So I had to erase what happened." I say. I squint my eyes to stop my tears from falling.
"I'm sorry that happened to you. You shouldn't be hated for something you can't control." He rubs my back. "How long have you've known you were a Supe?"
"Since I was able to understand what was going on around me...I didn't grow up with my parents. I don't even know who they are. I grew up in a lab. I thought they were trying to take my powers away which is why I never put up a fight. But later I found out that they were dosing me up everyday with that blue substance. Now I know it's Compound V." I reveal.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know that's what you went through." He says. He goes to hug me but I stop him. I don't like physical affection like that from people. Not even Frenchie.
"No one does, well, apart from you." I say.
"It must have been hard to grow up without people that love you."
"There was one person that helped me escape. She was like a mother to me." I smile, remembering the good memories of her. "I've been trying to find my real parents but I've been getting nowhere. I'm hoping that Vought has some idea of who they were. Some file or something."
"If you need any help don't be scared to come for it, ok?"
"You know my secret so I trust you wholeheartedly." I smile. He smiles back.
I stand up and dust off my pants. "Don't give up on Annie, ok?"
"Ok."
I look at him one last time before going inside the safe house.
___
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm not following." Stillwell says with a fake smile. She's sitting at a table in Raynor's office.
"You and your corporation are fucked. Unequivocally, unilaterally fucked. How was that? Is that clearer for you?" Raynor says from in front of her. Two other men sit on each side of her.
Stillwell's smile drop amd Raynor leans forward, putting her elbows on the table. "For the last half century, you have been feeding the American people the line that your superheroes are chosen by God." Raynor says. They stare at each other for a bit then Raynor pulls out the tube of Compound V Butcher gave to her.
"I mean, I get it. Jamming illegal drugs into babies' arms. I mean, that doesn't quite have the same ring, and that's not even the worst part." She pulls out a picture of Kimiko and slids it on the table towards Stillwell. "What did you do to this one, and why?"
"I've never seen her in my entire life."
"Uh-huh."
"What do you want?" Stillwell asks sternly.
"For starters, there are no superheroes in the U.S. Armed Forces."
"The bill's already gone down to the door. They're gonna vote on it any day now."
"And your pulling it." Raynor demands. "Retooling the concept for internal development. I don't give a shit, but the deal is dead. And we're gonna go back to status quo, where we're the government and the military, and you're just assholes running around in your capes."
"And if we refuse?"
"Everything goes public. Corruption story of the century. Vought shares go to zero. The civil suits, criminal prosecution, and you go bankrupt, and your cute little suit goes to a lovely shade of orange for 15 to 30."
"Ms. Raynor?" A woman walks into her office and hands her a peice of paper.
"Thank you, Micheala." She says. She reads the paper and Stillwell watches her closely. "We're done here." Raynor gets up.
"Everything okay, I hope?" Stillwell says as Raynor closes the door.
Raynor goes down to the surveillance and controls room and watch FBI agents stressed and some in a bit of panic.
"Someone tell me what the hell is going on." Raynor walks to the front of the room.
"About 12 minutes ago, Navy SEALs took out Abu Ressam about 15 miles outside of Damascus." A dark skinned man says with his hands on his hips.
"Right, as planned. So what's the problem?" Raynor asks.
"Watch." He picks up the remote and turns on the TV.
From the point of view of a Navy SEAL, he shoots his gun and a woman screams.
"We got two."
More shots went off, killing those two people. "Eyes on."
"Stop. That's our guy. Light him up."
"Great. The prick behind Flight 37 is dead. What am I missing?" Raynor asks.
"Just wait." The man says. He speeds up the camera footage, stops, and makes one of the camera screens full size.
"Step inside."
"Watch this." The man says.
The SEALs search through papers and files to find anything they can about the plane attack.
"We got movement!"
A shirtless man comes from out the shadows.
"Hey! Hey! Get down!" Everyone points there guns at him.
"Hey! Get down!"
"Get down, motherfucker!"
"Don't fucking move! I said get down!"
Their guns are still pointed at the man but the man stands up straight with confidence.
"What the fuck does that say?" Raynor asks, referring to the tattoo on the man's chest.
"Naqib."
The man begins to glow brighter and brighter until the camera footage goes all white. The TV changes to footage from outside the building and shows the whole building being blown up.
Raynor stares in shock and tilts her head down.
"That's not all." The man says. She looks at him in shock and he motions her to look back at the screen. They watch closely until a man walks out from the fire.
"How is that son of a bitch still alive?" Raynor asks. "Naqib means captain. We believe it's his...Supe name."
The man on footage looks around until he stares straight at the camera.
"Are you telling me they have a Supe terrorist?