Chapter 46

[Homelander's POV]

It was worth acknowledging that Victoria Neuman possessed not only exotic beauty but also the talent of a skilled speaker.

She had an exceptional ability to gauge the crowd's mood and steer it in a direction that personally benefited her.

It was intriguing to ponder whether she was taught this skill or if it was a natural talent.

Standing on the stage with a microphone in hand, she was the typical thorn in Vought's side, and it was very hard to get rid of her.

She made a lot of people uneasy because she wouldn't let herself be forgotten.

This woman had become a pain for me, and I needed to get rid of her as soon as possible. She was right when she said I had too much power, or rather, authority.

I agreed with this, but not when I was being used as a target to get to Vought.

I wouldn't tolerate such treatment and wait for a script to be handed to me to read in front of cameras.

I could handle what I had started myself.

The sound was loud when I landed from the tower's roof to the stage and got the attention of all the protesters.

Honestly, I initially just wanted to walk to the stage, catching the stares of the crowd.

But let's be honest, it wouldn't have looked as impressive.

Everyone fell silent.

Victoria stared at me in shock, clearly not expecting such moves from me.

She probably thought I would hide in the tower while dragged through the mud.

"Good afternoon."

I smiled openly, standing up and extending my hand to her.

"May I have the microphone?"

Still nervous, Victoria handed me her microphone.

What a coward.

I surveyed the gathered crowd and noticed a man in a military uniform who stood out.

He shut his lips together and stared at me stubbornly when he saw my gaze.

It seemed there were no other military personnel present.

"Thank you, Tori. You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

I asked, watching her freeze in place without responding.

"I'll take that as a yes."

I would have felt the same way if someone winked at me with red glowing eyes. 

I couldn't resist mocking her a little.

The crowd began to murmur discontentedly, clearly displeased with my treatment of their idol.

Understandable.

"Sorry to interrupt your event. You were just too loud for me to get any sleep."

I said with a smile that it was so sweet it could give someone diabetes.

The crowd's muttering grew louder, and people gradually voiced their complaints.

Their protests were somewhat weak, especially from those in the front rows.

I saw a thin young man I knew among them, watching the scene with real fear.

Hughie must have inherited his nervousness from his father, but his height clearly came from his mother.

"How delightful to be among such understanding people, you can't imagine."

I began.

"It's people like you who bring variety to the usual routine."

"Murderer!"

A loud shout from the back cut through the disgruntled muttering and made me wipe the smile off my face.

"Who else thinks so? Raise your hands."

I demanded with my intense gaze, causing the crowd to lose their fighting spirit and fall silent.

"I thought so, you all think that. And you know what? You're absolutely right!"

This probably wasn't what they expected from me, but it was exactly what they needed to hear.

It might not have been the best idea to smile while saying it as if I had seen something funny. It probably looked as inappropriate and outrageous as laughing at a funeral.

However, what could I do?

I had all the abilities I needed, but traveling back in time was beyond my reach.

"I am definitely a killer and have killed before. I had to."

I shrugged, watching the crowd's reaction.

"But this time, I don't feel like a murderer. I admit I did it, but not of my own will."

The rising murmur of discontent quieted again as I continued.

The people craved more, watching as I seemingly dug myself into a reputational pit from which it would be hard to escape.

"I'm not going to lead you on like most politicians or even Vought. They needed me to stay silent while they figured out what to tell you."

I smirked inwardly at my own words, surveying the audience.

"And honestly, I'm tired of staying silent."

The crowd's impatience was noticeable, almost tangible.

It was almost illegal to make them wait any longer, but I couldn't resist the satisfaction it brought.

"There was interference from a supervillain or superterrorist, whichever you prefer. A telepath managed to take control of me, albeit briefly. You know the result, and it's all over the internet despite Vought's efforts."

I now looked directly into one of the cameras.

"I'm being as honest as I can be with you because I have nothing to hide in this matter. And I won't and don't intend to apologize for actions I couldn't control."

"Thank you for sharing the truth with us, Homelander."

Victoria Newman sounded in, holding another microphone.

It was remarkable how quickly Victoria Newman could switch from a combative stance to sympathy for the same person.

That definitely required talent, perhaps even an actor's talent.

She had a knack for gauging the crowd's mood, which now seemed either mostly on my side or hesitant to go against me.

She was an incredible woman, and watching her climb the career ladder would be interesting.

"So you feel no guilt for what you did?!"

The soldier who had been standing in the front rows shouted.

It seemed my speech hadn't touched or changed his attitude.

That was good because it would make things less boring.

It was too easy to convince a group of stupid people who were raised on social media and didn't use their own brains.

"I don't feel any guilt."

I shrugged, shocking the crowd to its core.

What had I just told them?

They had the memory of a goldfish.

"Do you think American lives are more important than others?! Who do you think you are?!"

Another protester yelled from the back rows, still not losing his "fighting" spirit.

"Of course, they're more important! If they weren't, you'd be the ones dead instead of them."

I stared intently at the overweight man in his forties.

"And who do you think you are to judge me? Who do you all think you are, sitting at home and discussing on the internet how bad Homelander is? You're lucky that you're still alive!"

Shouting this into their faces, I saw at least a flicker of realization mixed with fear.

It didn't fully satisfy me but at least it allowed me to calm down and think about my next words.

"If the telepath had used his power more seriously, this city would have been wiped off the face of the Earth yesterday."

I sighed quietly, stopping my frown.

"I'm doing everything in my power to prevent the irreversible, and you can do whatever you want. "Cancel" me if it makes you feel better. But when you beg for salvation, I won't be there. I've said everything."

Finishing my speech, I simply flew up and away, disappearing from view.

Honestly, to hell with it all.

If they want Homelander to stop his activities, then he will stop.

I have enough money for a couple hundred carefree lives, and I think I'll manage.

I finally have more time to spend with my son who needs my help growing up.

It would also be nice to move to a quiet place.

Kansas is an interesting place, and maybe I'll even buy a farm.

Unfortunately, this won't solve the problem that has arisen. If I ignore or do nothing, the enemy will have time to get ready.

This cannot be allowed as Stan Edgar wants.

We need to act decisively and as quickly as possible.

"Homelander?"

A-Train ran onto the roof, clearly agitated.

"Man, you really stirred things up! The whole internet is going to be talking about this."

"I think I got the reaction I needed."

I nodded to him, looking at him thoughtfully.

"But that's not why we're here."

"So... why?"

A-Train asked uncertainly, suspecting something was up.

"Don't worry so much."

I waved my hand, smiling warmly, and stepped closer to him, making him wary.

"I need to ask you something. Just be honest."

"Of course, sir."

He unconsciously straightened up, ready to answer as truthfully as possible.

"Who else did you sell the compound to besides those I mentioned?"

"I... didn't sell it to anyone else."

" I see. That complicates things."

I sighed, confirming the truth in his words.

"What happened?"

"We've cluelessly handed the compound to a gang that's much smarter and more radical than the terrorists."

I hurried to share the joyous news, feeling oddly euphoric about it.

"To whom?"

Reggie asked with some worry in his voice because he knew what gangs could do.

"That's what we need to find out."

"Have they made themselves known yet?"

"Yes, two days ago."

I answered him phlegmatically and added.

"And on the same day, they managed to steal a dozen containers of the compound."

"Shit!"

Reggie exclaimed, grabbing his head and realizing the mess we were in.

"That's why we need to act as quickly as possible, and you're the master at that."

"What should we do now?"

"Run, Reggie."

I said confidently, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"We need to track them down as soon as possible and deal with them while we still have time. And you're going to help me with that."

I think we can find something within a couple of days.

We need to check on those who haven't developed supes yet.

Even if they aren't involved, we can still take Compound V from them.

It'll be more useful than doing nothing, even if we don't accomplish much.

...

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