Ch.32

"You really just gonna let him go with that?" MM says seeing me let Butcher leave with the large caliber rifle. 

"Fuck it, fine," I say following after Butcher. 

I drive after Butcher who goes to one of the many parks in the city. Where I see him walk to Hughie who is currently talking to Starlight. Then the two seem to argue before she grabs Hughie's arm, then Butcher shoots her in the chest. Starlight is flung back and knocked on her ass, but starts to get up. 

Butcher then unloads several more rounds as people start screaming and running around. Then police sirens are heard, as Butcher yells at Hughie to run. With one final shot, Starlight is left rolling on the ground in pain. Butcher and Hughie get into his car before peeling off. 

'Well, shit. Now Starlight is definitely not a friend and knows who we are… we are fucked,' I think before running back to the van and heading back home too. 

After arriving back home, I see Butcher and Hughie have pulled in a few seconds before me. I get out as Hughie walks inside looking slightly dead inside, like he lost another loved one just now. Butcher is cursing to himself before getting out, then he turns to me with a complicated look. 

"Why are you helping us? I thought all supes would stick together?" Butcher says still trying to come to terms with Kimiko and I, being on their side. 

"Cause, I think the others have too much free rein. With little to no repercussions for their actions. No one should have that kind of freedom, not unless they have great self-control, which as we can see none of them do," I say to him while lighting up a cigarette. 

"And you do?" Butcher says to me while taking out the rifle from his car. 

"Yes, I believe I do. Especially considering my past, mistakes included," I say to him as he just grunts and walks inside not saying anything else. 

The rest of the day went by with everyone being fairly quiet as we waited for Raynor to get back to us. We all sat inside passing the time, then the following morning. Raynor called me as everyone listened in on the speaker. 

"Everyone here, what's going on?" I say as I place the phone down with everyone listening in the kitchen either eating some cereal or drinking coffee. 

"Nothing but bad news… First, Butcher that stunt you pulled in the park, has made you all wanted men. Even you Logan, however, should you get caught we'll make you disappear. The rest of you would be screwed, looking at treason charges," Raynor says as the group looks at one another with anger, panic, and nervousness. 

"Wait, what the fuck?! We gave you the Compound V! And why does Logan get special treatment?" Butcher says with anger lacing his voice. 

"They know about me," I say to Raynor since she goes quiet thinking of what to say. 

"Because Logan is one of the most important government assets. Our only real contingency plan against Homelander. As for the Compound V… that's the second bad news. The higher-ups are fine with keeping it under wraps to keep Vought happy," Raynor says as everyone looks ready to break something. 

"Our families?" MM says before Butcher can flip out. 

"They will remain safe, I promise you that… However, there is nothing I can do for you all," Raynor says with a regretful voice. 

"I'm really sorry… All I can say is get out while you can," Raynor says before hanging up. 

"What the fuck!! What do we do now?!?!" Hughie says freaking out. 

Frenchie has a darkened look on his face, while MM looks on the verge of a mental breakdown. While Butcher like Frenchie has a dark contemplative look on his face, like he is thinking about a suicide mission. I light up a cigarette again while rubbing my eyes feeling the stress hit me, as I try to think of a solution for my team. 

"We need to split up," MM says as Frenchie nods his head. 

"No… however, we have to assume my place is burned. Though Frenchie you have some connections you can pull to get us a new place to hide in?" I say as Frenchie nods his head. 

"Good then make some calls. Then we need another way to get more Compound V. Afterward, we leak it to the press. Vought will have no choice but to come to clean them," I say to them as everyone nods their heads as I prepare to grab everything of importance before we leave this place. 

"Fuck that! I have a better idea!" Butcher says as everyone looks at him. But Frenchie keeps making the calls. 

"What's that?" I say to him. 

"We take the fight directly to them. We force them to show who they really are in front of everyone," Butcher says as his rage is showing itself once again. 

"And how would you do that?" I say as MM and Frenchie now ignore him seeing Butcher is thinking crazy thoughts. 

"You and Kimiko can subdue them, while we grab the files from Vought exposing them to the world," Butcher says with desperation now. 

"That's insane. You are just thinking about your revenge against Homelander… We will get him, just not right now," I say to him as Butcher growls in anger. 

"Fucking when?! Cause we've been doing this for years now and we had them by the balls! Yet, they still managed to escape our grasp!" Butcher says waving his arms in anger. 

"Now we know that the proper channels won't work, which means we have to play dirty now," I say to him as he glares at me. 

"Are you all fine with this?" Butcher says as Frenchie and MM share a look before nodding their heads. Hughie is just staring off into the distance lost in thought. 

"Fuck you all then! I'm going on my own," Butcher says as Hughie jumps up to stop him. However, MM grabs Hughie stopping him. 

"Just let him go… He needs some space and time. He'll come around," MM says as Butcher jumps in his car before quickly driving off. 

"And if he doesn't?" Hughie says while watching him leave. 

"Then Butcher chose his own path," I say as Hughie stares after him. 

"I have a place," Frenchie says as we nod and throw our things into the van before piling in. 

Frenchie takes us to a place in downtown NY, where there is a street lined with an assortment of shops. He drives behind where a few men are waiting. Once we pull up Frenchie exchanges a few hushed words with them. Then we grabbed our things before walking past an old Asian man who pushed a button opening the back door and we headed into the basement of this old shop. 

Downstairs this place was a dirty shit hole, filled with drugs and guns. While several gang members go about thier business. We place our things in the back as Frenchie talks with the man who appears to be in charge of this place. Frenchie then walks back over to us. 

"So… we can stay here but on a few conditions. First, I will be helping with their guns. Second, MM you will have to be thier underground medic should they need you. Third, don't talk to anyone here or ask questions about what they do," Frenchie says as MM grumbles about being the medic. 

"Better than jail," I say as MM rolls his eyes nodding his head. 

The rest of the day went by with no hiccups, however, MM had already been put to work as some of the gang members came in with cuts that needed stitching. The following morning, we saw on the news with the crappy old box TV down here that Butcher was caught blowing up Madelyn Stillwell. Homelander was there and managed to arrive on time to save her baby. 

"Well fuck," I say out loud as everyone stares at the TV. 

"You think he killed himself?" Hughie says as we see a shitty reenactment of the explosion. 

"Doubt it… However, Homelander may have killed him or he is now locked up somewhere, where only Vought knows about," I say as MM and Frenchie shake their heads seeing this. 

"So what now?" Hughie says. 

"Now, we follow the same plan. Find a way to get more Compound V and then leak it to the press," I say to him as the other nod their heads. 

"After that?" Hughie says. 

"Then Vought is forced out of thier hidden deal with the government. Then Raynor can get you all back to being free people. After that… not sure," I say shrugging my shoulders. 

"Then we finish what we started," Frenchie says and MM nods his head. 

"Then we finish what we started," I say repeating Frenchie with a smile to them nodding my head. 

"I might be able to talk Starlight into getting us some Compound V," Hughie says breaking the silence that took place after seeing the news. 

"Hell no! Last you saw her, she tried to arrest you and Butcher shot her multiple times," MM says as we all nod our heads agreeing with him. 

"Then how do we get more V?" Hughie says giving us all a hopeless look. 

"Not sure… we just need some time to think on it," I say as everyone nods their heads. 

Everyone then splits up going about their day. Which now includes Frenchie helping with the gun maintenance, as MM is the medic. Kimiko either sits on her phone or watches TV. As Hughie sits on his phone watching weird old music videos which seem to calm him down. As I go into the corner smoking and thinking about where to get more Compound V. 

'Maybe Maggie can help,' I think looking at my new ghost phone which we got from the gang since we didn't trust the old ones. 

'Can you call me when you get the chance' I text Maggie and then close my eyes while enjoying some music in peace. 

"What's up?" Maggie says after calling me a few hours later. 

"I'm sure you saw the news… My team is burned, we are hiding. However, the way out for us is to get more Compound V and expose it to the news… You think you can get us some?" I say to her as she goes quiet. 

"Maybe… however that shit is under lock and key… You'll have to give me a few weeks at least or longer," Maggie says as I sigh internally. 

"I understand, let me know if you need anything," I say while rubbing my eyes again from the stress. 

"If it is any consolation. I'm sorry about Butcher," Maggie says. 

"Thanks… though I like to think he is still alive," I say to her. 

"Homelander isn't someone who… leaves loose ends," Maggie says with some pain in her voice. 

"You alright?" I say to her. 

"Just been a rough few weeks… Ever since Translucent and then Black Nior Homelander has become more and more paranoid. Now with Stillwell… it will only get worse," Maggie says with some well-hidden stress in her voice. 

"I'm sorry," I say since we are to blame for that environment. 

"You did what you had to do… I understand that, though now Homelander is becoming more unstable. I'm just afraid of what he'll do if he ever snaps," Maggie says with fear and nervousness now. 

"I'll make sure he is put down should that day come," I say with a confident voice. 

"Even if you manage to kill him… The damage he will cause before that will be catastrophic," Maggie says. 

"Then we need to take him down before then," I say back to her. She goes quiet for a few moments before speaking up. 

"Can you meet?" Maggie says and I can tell she wants to relieve stress the way we used to. 

"Where at?" I say to her. 

"I'll text you the address," Maggie says before hanging up and texting me the address. 

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AN: I'm back, thanks for the patience and understanding. I'm sorry but these last few weeks have just been hectic and I had to focus on my life issues. Things should be back to normal now. Hope everyone had a good couple of weeks.