Chapter 5: Power Play I

The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Marcus's apartment, bathing him in its golden light. He sat on the floor, cross-legged, letting the warmth seep into his skin. Every day, he felt the changes within him—the surge of power, the heightened senses, and now, the sharpening of his mind. The system's notification had appeared early that morning, right before he awoke.

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**Current Ability: Superman (Basic)**

- Strength: 70%

- Speed: 70%

- Flight: 65%

- Durability: 70%

- Heat Vision: 60%

- Solar Absorption: 80%

- Mental Ability: 40%

*New ability unlocked*

-Photographic Memory: 100%

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Marcus closed his eyes, letting his mind process the new abilities. The world seemed clearer, sharper. Every detail around him was etched into his memory with perfect clarity. He could recall every event, every word spoken, with absolute precision. It was overwhelming at first, but Marcus quickly adapted, the mental upgrade allowing him to control the flood of information with ease.

The mental ability, however, was a revelation. Thoughts that had once taken minutes to form now crystallized in seconds. He could plan, strategize, and analyze at a level he had never imagined. His caution, once driven by a desire to stay hidden, was now reinforced by a deeper understanding of the stakes involved. He was no longer just playing a game—he was playing chess against a world full of dangerous, unpredictable opponents like Soldier Boy, that son of a gun, he thought.

As Marcus absorbed these changes, his mind drifted to the events that were soon to unfold. He had been tracking the movements of Homelander and the other members of The Seven closely. There was one particular event that had always stood out to him from the series—a test of Homelander's character, and the depths of his apathy towards humanity. The airplane.

It was an event that had haunted Marcus from the first time he watched it unfold in the show. Now, with his newfound abilities, he knew he had to intervene. He had to see if he could make a difference—if he could stand up to the man who had become the living embodiment of everything Superman was not.

He dressed quickly, donning his Superman suit. The dark blue fabric fit like a second skin, the crimson cape flowing behind him as he moved. It was time.

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Flying had become second nature to Marcus. He soared through the sky at speeds that blurred the world below him, his senses scanning the city as he moved. He had tracked Homelander's movements to a military airstrip, where a plane was set to take off on a routine flight. But Marcus knew better. This flight would soon become anything but routine.

He arrived at the scene just as the plane was taking off. Hovering high above the clouds, Marcus waited, watching as the plane ascended into the sky. His mind was a storm of thoughts, each one calculated and precise. He could hear the conversations of the passengers, the pilots, and most importantly, the voices of Homelander and Queen Maeve.

Homelander's voice, dripping with false confidence, cut through the air. "Alright, Maeve. Let's show these people what real heroes look like."

Marcus clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. He knew what was coming. He listened as Homelander and Maeve boarded the plane, feigning an effort to save the day.

The events unfolded just as they had in the show—Homelander's reckless attempt to save the plane went horribly wrong. His heat vision, uncontrolled and precise, destroyed the plane's control panel. Panic spread among the passengers as the plane began to lose altitude.

Queen Maeve's voice trembled, a rare crack in her usually stoic demeanor. "Homelander, we need to save them!"

But Homelander's reply was cold, his tone devoid of any real concern. "It's too late. We can't save them all. We need to get out of here before anyone sees us."

Marcus had heard enough. He shot through the sky, a blur of blue and red, and intercepted the plane just as Homelander was preparing to abandon it. The shock on both their faces was palpable as Marcus appeared in front of them, floating in mid-air, his cape billowing in the wind.

"What the fuck?" Homelander snarled, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of Marcus. "Who the hell are you supposed to be?"

Marcus's eyes locked onto Homelander's, his voice calm but laced with an underlying threat. "I'm someone who doesn't leave innocent people to die."

Queen Maeve stared at Marcus, her eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and fear. "Are you another one of Vought's experiments?"

Marcus shook his head, his gaze never leaving Homelander's. "I'm not with Vought. I'm not with anyone. I'm here to stop you from making a colossal mistake."

Homelander's eyes flared with anger, his hands clenching into fists. "You think you can stop me? Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?"

"I know exactly who I'm dealing with," Marcus replied coolly. "A self-absorbed, power-hungry bastard who thinks he's above everyone else. But here's the thing, Homelander—I'm not afraid of you. And I'm certainly not letting you get away with this."

Homelander's lip curled into a sneer. "Big talk from someone who just showed up out of nowhere. You think you're Superman or something?"

Marcus didn't flinch. "Superman is an ideal. Something you clearly don't understand. He stands for truth, justice, and protecting the innocent. And right now, you're doing the exact opposite."

Queen Maeve took a step forward, her voice pleading. "Homelander, we need to save these people. We can't just leave them to die."

But Homelander shook his head, his expression hardening. "It's too late, Maeve. If we try to save them, we'll only make it worse. Besides, who's going to believe a bunch of dead passengers over us?"

Marcus felt a surge of anger, his fists tightening. This was the moment—this was where he had to make his stand. "You don't get to decide who lives and who dies, Homelander. Not today."

Without another word, Marcus flew past Homelander and Maeve who were now beside the plane, positioning himself beneath the falling plane. He braced himself, feeling the weight of the aircraft as he pushed against it, slowing its descent. The effort was immense, even with his enhanced abilities, but he wasn't about to give up.

Homelander watched in shock, his eyes widening as Marcus began to stabilize the plane. "How the fuck is he doing that?"

Marcus gritted his teeth, focusing every ounce of his strength on keeping the plane in the air. "This is what a real hero does, Homelander. You don't run away when things get tough. You don't abandon people to save your own ass."

Queen Maeve stared at Marcus in awe, the realization dawning on her that they were witnessing something truly extraordinary. "He's... he's actually doing it."

But Homelander wasn't about to be upstaged. His face twisted into a snarl as he shot toward Marcus, his eyes glowing with the power of his heat vision. "You think you're better than me? I'll show you who's really in charge here!"

Marcus saw the attack coming, his enhanced mind processing the situation in an instant. He released his heat vision, using it to block Homelander's heat vision. The impact was like a thunderclap, the force of it sending shockwaves through the air.

Homelander's eyes blazed with fury as he unleashed his heat vision again, but Marcus was ready. He countered with his own, the beams colliding in a brilliant explosion of light. For a moment, the two men were locked in a battle of wills, neither willing to back down.

But Marcus knew he couldn't afford to drag this out. The plane was still in danger, and every second counted. With a surge of another heat vision but a stronger one, he pushed Homelander back, the force of the blow sending the Supe tumbling through the sky.

"Enough!" Marcus shouted, his voice echoing like a thunderclap. "This isn't about you, Homelander. It's about saving lives!"

Homelander recovered quickly, rage contorting his features. "You think you're a hero? You think you're better than me? You're nothing! I'm Homelander! I'm the fucking best!"

Marcus didn't flinch. His mind was clear, his resolve unshakable. "No, you're just a bully with too much power. And you've forgotten what it means to be human."

He turned his attention back to the plane, redoubling his efforts to guide it to safety. Homelander, seething with anger, looked as though he was about to attack again, but something in Marcus's voice made him hesitate.

Queen Maeve who was now being held by Homelander, had been watching the confrontation in silence, finally spoke up. "Homelander, stop. He's right. We can't let these people die."

As people in the plane started taking videos and pictures of their confrontations, with some uploading them online.

Homelander's eyes flickered with indecision. For a moment, it looked as though he might attack again, but then he sneered, backing off. "Fine. But this isn't over. Not by a long shot."

With that, Homelander let go of Maeve turned and flew off, disappearing into the clouds. Marcus watched him go, feeling a sense of relief but also a lingering tension. He knew this wasn't the end. Homelander would be back, and next time, it would be dangerous either for him or Homelander.