CHAPTER 33: Fury and Fear

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Homelander's POV

The dim light from his private suite at Vought Tower reflected off the glass of the windows as Homelander stared out at the sprawling city beneath him. He had it all—fame, power, and control. Yet, in the past few weeks, something had begun gnawing at him. A single moment that had seared itself into his mind. That moment when Superman swooped in, saving a crashing plane in broad daylight—his plane. The one that should have been his triumph.

Homelander clenched his jaw, the pressure making the muscles in his face twitch. He had been so close to basking in the glory of a heroic rescue full of lies, only for Superman to show up at the last second, catching the plane mid-fall, while Homelander was left standing there, powerless and—worst of all—ignored. As if he were nothing.

That wasn't all. The memory of Superman stopping him from taking Ryan—the one thing Homelander cared about—stoked the flames of his hatred. Superman had humiliated him not once but twice.

And now this Marcus.

Homelander's eyes flickered as he recalled the recent headlines. Marcus, a rogue super, who had just taken out a military base like it was nothing. Rumors were already flying, some even daring to say Marcus was stronger than Homelander, even stronger than Superman. That was enough to push him over the edge, since he hits been compare to someone or something.

A sharp knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He turned, annoyed, his laser-blue eyes glaring at the man who stepped in—one of the higher-ups from the military, wearing a crisp, well-decorated uniform.

Homelander's lip curled. "You better have a good reason for barging in here."

The officer, to his credit, didn't flinch under Homelander's glare. "Homelander, we need your help."

"Need my help?" Homelander scoffed, turning back to the window. "You've got your little supers, your enhanced tactical units. Go ahead, use them. I'm sure they'll do just fine."

"They're no match for him. Marcus is unlike anything we've seen."

Homelander's interest was piqued. He turned his head slightly. "Marcus?"

The officer nodded. "Yes. Marcus. He's destroyed one of our bases, walked away from a direct missile strike. And now… well, now he's threatening the entire country with whatever power he's gotten his hands on."

Homelander sneered. "Sounds like you've got a mess on your hands."

The officer shifted uncomfortably. "We need someone with your… abilities. The public doesn't know the extent of the threat yet, but if Marcus continues, there's no telling what could happen. And there's no one more equipped to handle him than you."

Homelander took a moment, weighing the words. He'd be fighting for the military. He despised being their puppet. But then again, taking down Marcus would remind the world just who the real super was. And maybe—just maybe—he'd get the satisfaction of wiping that smug smile off Superman's face once and for all.

"Fine," he said, his voice sharp. "But this stays quiet. No cameras, no media, no glory-hogging generals trying to share my spotlight."

The officer nodded quickly. "Understood. We've already arranged a covert operation. You'll have the element of surprise."

Homelander's eyes flickered dangerously as he grinned, forgetting he has been whooped before by Marcus but with the army's backing maybe he got a chance. "Good. Because when I'm done with Marcus, there won't be anything left."

As the officer turned to leave, Homelander stopped him. "One more thing. A-Train."

"A-Train?" The officer raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

Homelander smirked. "Tell him to suit up. He's coming with me. We're gonna kick this guy's ass together."

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A-Train's POV

A-Train slouched on the couch of his lavish apartment, his mind only half-focused on the TV in front of him. It was playing the latest headlines about Marcus. Marcus this, Marcus that.The guy was everywhere now, and it was pissing him off.

He took a sip of his protein shake, glaring at the screen. "Man, this Marcus guy really thinks he's hot shit."

Before he could wallow any further in his annoyance, his phone buzzed. He grabbed it lazily, seeing Homelander's name flash on the screen. Instantly, his spine stiffened. Homelander didn't call unless it was important.

A-Train hesitated for a second before swiping to answer. "Yeah, Homelander?"

"Get your ass in gear. You're coming with me."

A-Train blinked, sitting up straighter. "Wait, what? Where?"

Homelander's voice was cold. "We've got a job to do. We're taking down Marcus."

A wave of confusion and disbelief washed over A-Train. "Marcus? You mean, like, the Marcus?"

"That's what I said. I'm about to put this wannabe in his place, and you're gonna help me do it."

A-Train's mind raced. Marcus had been all over the news. The guy was rumored to be stronger than even Superman—faster, too. A-Train didn't like where this was headed. "Uh, I don't know, man. That dude's a little outta my league. I mean, sure, I'm fast, but—"

"You're coming with me," Homelander interrupted, his tone ice cold. "I'm not asking. We're doing this, and you're gonna back me up."

A-Train swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't want to go up against Marcus. The guy had taken out a military base without breaking a sweat. A-Train knew he was fast, but he wasn't stupid.

"Look, Homelander," A-Train began, trying to sound calm. "Maybe this isn't the best—"

"You think I'm giving you a choice?" Homelander's voice dropped an octave, filled with menace. "You're going to help me take this guy down, or I'll make sure you're the next one who ends up as a goddamn headline."

A-Train's mouth went dry. He knew better than to argue when Homelander got like this. "Alright, alright, I'm in," he said quickly. "Just tell me where and when."

Homelander's voice softened slightly, but the underlying threat remained. "That's more like it. Meet me at Vought Tower in an hour. Don't be late."

The line went dead, and A-Train let out a shaky breath, staring down at his phone. His hands were trembling, and he couldn't shake the feeling of dread settling in his gut.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

He stood up, walking to the window and looking out over the city. Going up against Marcus? The guy was practically a god. But then again, so was Homelander—or at least, that's what everyone wanted to believe.

A-Train wasn't sure who scared him more—Marcus or the man he'd be fighting alongside. Either way, he was in for the fight of his life, and he knew deep down that when it was all over, nothing would be the same.