CHAPTER 26: Behind the Scenes

The boardroom of Neotech Industries was empty now, save for Marcus and Wang Ling. The room still hummed with the energy of the announcement, the air thick with the implications of what had just transpired. Marcus was already thinking ten steps ahead. He had set the board in motion, and now it was time to ensure every piece moved according to his design.

"Wang," Marcus said quietly, turning his gaze away from the sprawling skyline outside the window, "what's the status on our recruitment efforts?"

Wang Ling, always perceptive, immediately picked up on Marcus's urgency. "We're reaching out to potential candidates as we speak. I've sent feelers out to those who left Vought under... less than ideal circumstances. Also, a few freelance operatives who have stayed out of the spotlight but have a reputation for their integrity. And a few... less conventional choices. The kind you like."

Marcus nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "Good. Make sure they're briefed on the stakes. This isn't just about powers; it's about ideals. They need to understand that we're building something different here. Not just another version of The Seven."

"Understood," Wang replied. "And about the VR Capsule 3000, the military is almost desperate to sign exclusive contracts. They've seen the simulations, and they're practically throwing money at us."

Marcus chuckled softly. "Let them sweat a bit more. We want them to feel they need us more than we need them. But make sure we stay just out of their reach, just tempting enough for them to keep pushing their limits. The more desperate they are, the more leverage we have."

Wang's phone buzzed, a quick glance told him it was a high-priority message. "It's from our legal team," he said, looking up. "Butcher is here. He's asking for a meeting."

Marcus's expression remained calm, but his eyes narrowed slightly. "Interesting timing," he murmured. "Send him in."

A few moments later, the heavy oak doors of the boardroom swung open, and Billy Butcher strode in, his face set in a hard scowl. His usual swagger was tempered with something else today, something deeper, something more personal.

Marcus didn't rise but motioned for Butcher to sit. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Billy?" Marcus asked, his tone polite but guarded.

Butcher didn't sit. He remained standing, towering over the table, glaring down at Marcus. "Cut the crap, Marcus. We both know why I'm here."

Marcus leaned back in his chair, unperturbed by Butcher's aggressive stance. "Enlighten me."

Butcher's fists clenched at his sides. "I know you're still Lenny. I know...deep down, you're still my brother."

Marcus's face remained impassive, but his eyes sharpened. "You're mistaken," he replied coolly. "Marcus Hayes is who I am now. Whatever memories or remnants of Lenny there were are irrelevant. My purpose, my goals, are beyond whatever life you think we had."

Butcher slammed his fist down on the glass table, making it tremble. "Don't give me that rubbish! You remember. I know you do. You remember what Dad did to us, what he did to you. That's why you're doing all this. All this 'Sentinel Force' crap is just you trying to protect people, trying to save them like you couldn't save yourself back then."

For a moment, there was silence. Marcus stared at Butcher, a flicker of something—perhaps anger, perhaps sorrow—crossing his features. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"Maybe you're right, Butcher," Marcus finally said, his voice calm but firm. "Maybe there is a part of Lenny in me. But Lenny is dead. He died a long time ago. What I'm doing now, it's not about saving people. It's about creating a world where they don't need to be saved. A world where they can stand on their own. Without people like you, or Vought, or anyone else trying to control them."

Butcher shook his head, stepping closer. "You're kidding yourself, Marcus. This world you're trying to build, it's just a fantasy. And deep down, you know it. You think you can play God, but you're just setting yourself up to be just like the bastards you hate."

Marcus's eyes flared for a moment, a glimpse of the power and resolve beneath his composed exterior. "This isn't about hate, Butcher. It's about change. And if that means I have to play the part of a god to reshape this world, then so be it. Better me than someone like Homelander."

Wang, sensing the rising tension, stepped forward. "Butcher, maybe you should leave. It's clear this isn't going anywhere."

Butcher ignored Wang, his eyes locked on Marcus. "Just think about it, Marcus. Think about Lenny. About what he'd want. He wouldn't want this."

Marcus finally stood up, his presence dominating the room. "Lenny is dead," he repeated, his voice low but carrying a weight that silenced the room. "And what he would want is irrelevant. What matters now is what needs to be done."

Butcher's shoulders slumped slightly, a mixture of frustration and sadness crossing his face. "Right," he muttered, turning towards the door. "Guess there's no reasoning with a dead man, is there?"

Marcus watched as Butcher left, his face a mask of stone, but inside, his mind was racing. He couldn't afford to let old emotions of his predecessor cloud his judgment. Not now. Not when he was so close to changing everything.

After Butcher left, Wang spoke up. "He's not going to stop, you know. He's going to keep coming at you, trying to get through to… whatever part of you he thinks is still his brother."

Marcus turned away from the door, his expression unreadable. "Let him try. He's fighting a ghost. And I've got more important things to focus on."

Wang nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on Marcus. "What if he decides to fight back in other ways? We know Butcher has his methods."

Marcus's lips curved into a slight smile. "Then we deal with him accordingly. But for now, we stay the course. Sentinel Force is our priority. Butcher's just a distraction. A relic of a past that no longer exists."

Wang could see the cold determination in Marcus's eyes, the resolve that had driven him to build Neotech into what it was today. But there was something else there, something that he couldn't quite place. A hint of conflict, perhaps. Or maybe it was just the remnants of whatever Lenny had once been.

"Alright," Wang said finally. "I'll make sure everything is on track. And if Butcher becomes more than just a distraction…"

"I'll handle it," Marcus said sharply, cutting him off. "We've got bigger things to worry about than ghosts from the past."

As Wang left to continue his preparations, Marcus stood alone in the boardroom, his mind already turning over the next moves in his plan. He knew Butcher would be a problem, but he wasn't worried. He had faced bigger challenges than a man haunted by his own regrets.

He walked over to the large window overlooking the city, the skyline bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun. Below, the world moved on, unaware of the battle lines being drawn above them. Marcus felt a familiar twinge in his mind, his powers humming with latent energy.

He had a vision for this world, one where technology and power could coexist without the corruption that had plagued humanity for so long. And he would be the one to bring that vision to life, no matter what it took.

Butcher, Vought, Homelander—they were all obstacles in his path. And Marcus had never been one to let obstacles stand in his way.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the city, Marcus turned away from the window, a new determination set in his eyes. The world was changing, and he would be the one to shape its future.

The game had changed, but the rules were still his to make. And Marcus was always ten steps ahead.