Chapter 38

[Homelander's POV]

Concern.

That was what I observed on the faces of my colleagues and subordinates.

The news that Vought was producing some "Compound V" that could turn anyone into a superhuman shocked society.

Now, there wasn't a divine gift; it had become as magical as the bodies that couldn't be damaged.

It was just bones with skin bits stuffed into wax figures.

A miracle is no longer a miracle when there is an explanation for what happened.

The corporation's stock had plummeted and continued this disheartening trend.

If this continues, coupled with negative public opinion, everything will go wrong, and the corporation will suffer enormous losses. 

As far as I know, they need to make a statement to the press right now and either deny or confirm the information that they've been dosing children with some vile substance for decades.

This situation with Vought affected nearly all its employees, including superheroes.

Even the usually carefree Noir had a thoughtful look on his face, but he was the easiest to deal with.

The same was true for Maeve. She had become so tough over the years that this kind of news would only annoy her.

It wouldn't cause her any real trouble. The reaction of the others was ambiguous.

Starlight appeared pale and overly worried, with her vacant stare being the best indication of her state.

I needed to speak with her after the next urgent meeting which seemed to be increasing in frequency for some reason.

That is not a good sign.

Things were a bit better with the Deep.

He was clearly concerned about the situation, but not to the point of getting overly worked up.

He definitely wasn't the one who leaked information about the compound.

It would be out of character for him to work against the company that gives him so much money.

The real problem was with A-Train who was barely holding back the panic that was threatening to burst out.

I'd need to have an urgent private talk with him to calm him down.

The impact of the compound on him was the most severe among those present here aside from Noir.

Lastly, the newcomer because her attitude towards all of this was utterly indifferent, as if... well, no, who am I kidding?

She definitely knew about the compound before the news broke and was probably connected to some of Edgar's shady dealings that I'm not aware of.

This was deeply problematic, and I needed to find out how Stormfront was involved with Edgar.

"So, everyone's here."

Stan Edgar entered the room in person, looking unusually lively.

"First of all, I want to welcome you."

"Get to the point. I don't think you have much time, Stan."

I politely asked him to skip the pleasantries and get straight to the matter.

I didn't believe for a second that he'd come here just for moral support or anything like that.

He saw each member of the Seven as nothing more than a product that brought him money.

I was sure he was here to ask us for something because of the way he looked at us and gave a short nod.

"Yes, I don't visit this floor often, for which I apologize. But desperate times clarify many things, don't they?"

He picked up a tablet and displayed a photo of an Asian man, apparently taken in a supermarket.

The mention of Kenji immediately put everyone on edge.

Stan Edgar was certainly aware of the heightened tension and noticed every change in our expressions.

Clearly, Madelyn had briefed him thoroughly on the current situation, and he was fully informed about everything that was happening.

"We are all connected as partners... we are symbiotic organisms, part of an organism called Vought. This is how we overcome difficulties, as Vought said."

He said it with a well-practiced tone.

"Continue"

I cut through the awkward silence as Stan awaited our reaction.

"Capturing this fugitive supervillain is our priority, as it will shift the balance of power."

"So, we're supposed to catch him?"

A-Train nervously smiled, looking at him.

"Right now? We need to consult with lawyers and... PR people first. Without that, the public will tear us apart."

"We don't have time."

"Excuse me, but we shouldn't rush to find this "supervillain" just to cover up your mess."

Maeve said firmly, speaking up for the first time.

Starlight seemed at a loss for words, while the Deep was always the softest among us.

The situation with Black Noir was clear. He would side with whatever I decided without question.

The same went for almost everyone, and they were all waiting for my decision.

"I suggest you don't be so general."

Stan said with a condescending smile.

"Without Vought, you wouldn't have the privileges you have now."

This attitude clearly offended Maeve, and she was about to respond sharply when I intervened.

"Are you suggesting that we're in the same boat? That everything we have is solely thanks to Vought, is that right, Stan?"

He gave me a long look and nodded silently.

"Are you sure you're at the right address? I don't understand why you think any of us owe you anything. Given the news about the circumstances that were meticulously hidden... we at least have the right to set our own terms."

"Alright, what do you need?"

"Naturally, an increase in percentages for everyone present, let's say, by four percent. You can leave me out of the list as I have enough money."

"Me too."

Maeve joined in, eyeing me suspiciously.

Black Noir also raised his hand.

Stan looked at this with composure and turned his gaze back to me, waiting for more.

"Furthermore, Kenji will be held in the tower, on the lower floors. He might become one of the superheroes or simply a US citizen over time."

"That might be problematic."

"And that's clearly not our problem, Stan. You came here asking, not demanding. The Seven and Vought are partners. We'll catch him, but if our conditions are not met..."

"They will be met."

"I sincerely hope so. You may go now; we'll handle things here."

After seeing off our two "supervisors," I turned to Maeve who could have drilled a hole through my skull with her heat vision if she'd had it.

"Is that all? We're just going to go along with his demands?"

"Yes, it seems so. I won't deny it."

I got up from my chair and walked calmly to the spot where Edgar had stood.

"We could have refused, but that would have made it easy for them to sabotage us. Let's not forget that the entire control department works for Vought and for Stan Edgar himself. I hope we all understand the consequences of such a rash move."

"Catching Kenji will be impossible, and we won't be able to effectively prevent high-profile crimes that will be covered by the media."

Starlight finally spoke up, quickly highlighting the potential consequences for those who might not be as sharp.

"Then let's get to work."

I clapped my hands together with a smile.

We'll need to take Kimiko with us to try to convince her younger brother to surrender.

If that doesn't work, we'll have to use force.

We'll have to hope that this doesn't result in too much damage.

...

[3rd POV]

Hughie rubbed his eyes vigorously, yawned repeatedly, and occasionally sipped the coffee he had bought at the airport.

He couldn't sleep on the plane for some reason, and now he was drinking a lot of strong coffee to stay awake.

He didn't like it, but he needed all the alertness he could get from this drink. He wished he could find a better alternative but disliked energy drinks even more.

The car moved slowly down the road, passing through pristine forests and farms where horses, cows, and donkeys fed.

On both sides of the road were the houses of local residents, mostly single-story and clad in weathered boards.

The view was decent.

The drive wasn't long enough to make him want to fall asleep, but it was enough to fully wake him up before the meeting.

After passing through an empty checkpoint, he drove up a small hill and parked in the visitors' lot designated for the prison.

Hughie got out of the car and looked around with interest.

The prison had several cell blocks, and the administrative building was closer to the parking lot, with large industrial air conditioners on its roof.

The yard to the right was surrounded by several rows of barbed wire, making it look like a prison yard for inmates to take their walks. 

He had seen places like this in many movies and TV shows when he could still watch television without care.

The visiting room was a space of just over two hundred square meters, with three rows of chairs and stools for the visitors.

The guard informed him that a chair numbered fourteen had been set aside for Billy.

He walked over and sat down next to the prisoner.

A group of prisoners was nearby, talking with family and friends while wearing the same red jumpsuits.

As soon as he entered the room, Butcher immediately noticed him. Hughie gave an awkward smile, but Butcher merely sighed.

It was clear that Hughie was the last person Butcher wanted to see.

As Hughie approached, Butcher ignored his outstretched hand and simply sat down opposite him.

Instead of saying anything, Butcher just stared.

"How are you holding up?"

Hughie began, breaking the heavy silence.

"Not bad. Getting my ass kicked regularly."

After Butcher's words and his crooked smirk, Hughie noticed new scars on his face that he hadn't seen before.

"Wait, they're beating you up? Did Vought set this up? If…"

"I did this to myself. Those punks don't give a damn about me, if you're talking about Vought,"

Butcher interrupted his rambling.

"But why are you here? Forget about me, live your own life."

"If I could, I'd do just that."

Hughie replied, pursing his lips.

"Do you need anything?"

"Cigarettes."

"Yeah, they're available here."

Hughie gave a shy smile, and Butcher crookedly smirked.

"What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just going to smoke them."

"Umm... alright."

Hughie almost whispered the answer as he found a cigarette vending machine and bought two packs of a certain brand.

Unfortunately, he didn't know much about what people liked to smoke.

It wasn't even worth asking if he knew what cigarettes Butcher smoked. He put both packs in front of Butcher when he returned.

"That'll do. How's Marvin? Does he have any problems?"

"He's doing great. We meet up sometimes for business."

Hughie's face brightened while Butcher frowned.

"Stop that. I'm not sitting here for you to hang a noose around your neck."

"We managed."

Hughie ignored his words.

"What did you manage?"

"Now everyone knows about Compound V. We managed to get it by blackmailing one of the supers..."

"And so? Are you proud of yourself?"

Butcher's smirk immediately made him fall silent.

Hughie frowned when realizing that Butcher didn't care about such an achievement.

"You can't even be happy for us."

"Living conditions don't allow for that. A tiny room with a small window you can't even fit your hand through."

Butcher snorted, looking at him with disappointment.

"That's what awaits you if you don't stop. And if Homelander decides to deal with you, you're screwed. You know what they're capable of."

"They'll pay for everything. But... legally. I got a job with Newman, the congresswoman who also wants this."

"Just don't go looking for trouble."

Hughie pressed his lips together again, silently watching him.

"Time's up."

A guard approached, taking Butcher back.

He calmly stood up, took the cigarettes, and headed towards the exit of the hall.

"See you around."

Hughie muttered, feeling like he had said enough for at least a few months.

...

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