Ch.31

"Moving forward, we need another supe in the Seven. Hughie keep working on Starlight joining us. MM, Butcher, you two learn more about the Samaritan Embrace since Vought bankrolls it. Frenchie you keep Kimiko company and make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. I will contact Raynor to see if we can get some help in this cleanup," I say and then rub my eyes from the stress of our situation. 

Everyone nods their heads and moves to go complete the tasks I gave them. I walk outside and pull out my ghost phone before calling Raynor. After a few rings, she picks up. 

"Logan, didn't think I'd be hearing from you for a while, especially after Grace informed me of your leadership abilities," Raynor says after answering the phone. 

"Normally that would be the case… However, we have a situation. As I'm sure you are aware, Translucent has been gone for a couple of months now, and just last night Black Noir will be considered 'missing'," I say to her as I hear her sigh on the other end. 

"It won't be long before Vought and Homelander, find out about us. We need some help with the clean-up," I say to her as she goes quiet. 

"Listen, the higher-ups are pissed about what is happening since there is no solid evidence against Vought. So for now I can't help clean anything up, not until you get real evidence against them. Worse case you are untouchable since you work outside the common laws, while the rest of your team will be burned," Raynor says to me as I grunt in annoyance. 

"We are working on getting that evidence… However, until then I need you to pull some strings and get my team's family and friends under protection. They can't work if they think their families are at risk," I say to her hearing her let out another sigh. 

"Fine, get me the names of the people needing protection and I will grab them," Raynor says to me. 

"Will do," I say back before we hang up. 

I then text her the names and addresses of MM's wife and daughter, along with Hughie's Dad, and Frenchie's lover. Then I text the team to inform their loved ones that a CIA team is coming to pick them up for protection. They were very grateful for me informing them. 

'Logan, meet MM and me at Saint Mary's Hospital. We have a lead on the V,' Butcher texts me a few seconds after I texted the group about the CIA protection. 

I then grab the van, since the others took Butcher's car. Arriving there I see the two others and we walk inside. Butcher leads us to the section he believes has the Compound V. Entering it, we see several infants being held in hospital cribs while an IV is next to them putting the Compound V into their system. 

"Well, Shit… That explains a lot," I say looking around as the two others nod their heads. Butcher looks very excited as his mind swarms with thoughts. 

"Grab some V, then we need to leave," I say as MM nods his head walking over to one of the cribs and taking some of the Compound V lying nearby. 

"Hey, who are you?!" we all hear and see several security guards enter the place. 

"Fuck you!" Butcher says pulling his gun out and shooting at them killing one. 

While the other instantly reacts shooting back. MM dives behind a pillar while holding the baby who he was just looking at. The baby is laughing while gunshots are being exchanged. I let out a very annoyed sigh while glaring at Butcher, before rushing the guards who shoot me. 

However, the 9mm round barely pierce my skin now falling flat to the ground. Then I punch the closest one in the throat crushing his windpipe and making him suffocate to death. I grab the next one's head and with a quick jerk snap his neck like a twig and for the last one who now tried to run. I sweep his leg out and stomp his neck from behind snapping it in half too. 

"We need to leave now," I say turning to them as Butcher gives me a crazy grin while MM places the baby back down. 

MM grabs a full vial of Compound V before we quickly leave. We then rush back to my house, where I call Raynor on the way who told me her people picked up the people I texted her. I then inform her I have the Compound V and to meet us at the House. When we get home, we see Hughie, Frenchie, and Kimiko watching the news. 

"We have– shit this keeps getting better and better," Butcher says laughing and seeing the news which shows Starlight coming out and telling everyone how The Deep sexually assaulted her on her first day. 

"Don't look at me like that mate, I meant that another Seven has fallen. Shit there is what now, four left," Butcher says as Hughie gives him an angry look thinking he finds Starlight's sexual assault funny. 

"Logan, Kimiko has drawn some things while you were gone. She wants you to look at them," Frenchie says since I'm the only one who can communicate with her. Since she only signs with a special sign language, but also writes in Japanese. 

"What is it?" I ask as Kimiko leaves to grab it. Frenchie shrugs not knowing what it is. 

The picture shows a sun with two snakes running up the sides, while hissing looking right and left. I stare at the symbol for a while racking my brain for what it means, then my eyes widen as I stare at her. 

"Are you Shining Light Liberation Army?!" I ask her in Japanese so the others don't freak out if that is the case. Kimiko then waves her hand back and forth, meaning 'kinda'. 

From what I know, the Shining Light Liberation Army (SLLA) is a far-left terrorist organization based in the Philippines. Which even has ties over here in the USA, which explains how she was moved over here. 

"Explain," I say in Japanese still as the others are looking at us confused about what is happening. 

Kimiko then grabs some more paper and begins writing down her past. She writes that growing up on the coast of Japan with a mother, father, and brother. She remembers looking at palm trees in the moonlight from her home country and then a group of terrorists from the Shining Light Liberation Army broke into her home and beat down and killed her parents. The soldiers nabbed her and her brother, forcing them to serve in their army in the war-torn Philippines for many years.

The last time she saw her brother was when he was ravenously eating through his small rations of food at their camp in a jungle. She quietly sneaks over to him and gives him the rest of her food. He refused and insisted that she eat. Kimiko affectionately pats him on the head and leaves. She eventually tried and managed to escape, but was recaptured however, taken prisoner by the terrorist group, and smuggled into the United States, where she was experimented on with Compound V provided by A-Train. 

"I see… Well shit, I'm sorry you had to go through that," I say to her in English this time, before explaining what she told me to the others. 

MM and Hughie give her an empathetic look hearing what she went through, while Butcher remains indifferent to the news. Frenchie however, gave her a very empathetic look before familiarly hugging her. During the short time, we knew her, Frenchie and her have grown very close, then again Frenchie loves misfits much like himself. Which would explain why he is the closest one to me in the group as well. 

"I'm here for you, though I'm sure we can get you back home if you want," Frenchie says to her while giving me a hopeful look. 

"Sure, I can pull some strings. If that is what you want," I say turning to Kimiko who gives Frenchie and me a long look shaking her head. However, Kimiko holds Frenchie's hand, admitting that she wants to stay with him.

"When is Raynor coming?" Butcher says. 

"Tomorrow night," I say to them. 

"So, can I leave then?" Hughie asks me and I nod my head. 

"Sure just be careful," I say nodding my head. 

"Yeah, don't let the fake feelings change you," Butcher says as Hughie shoots him a hard look. 

"I'm gonna make sure he is alright," Butcher says leaving a few minutes after Hughie to chase after him. 

"I'm gonna call my family," MM says walking to another room. 

I then head outside to have a cigar in peace, while Frenchie and Kimiko try to communicate. Frenchie is doing his best to learn the language Kimiko uses to sign with. Later Butcher comes back looking very annoyed, I just ignore him. Hughie doesn't come back which makes me assume he and Starlight are now sleeping together.

The following night Raynor arrives alone and MM hands her the Compound V explaining to her what we know. Afterward, Raynor leaves promising to use this to help keep our task force going and to ensure no one, outside me, can be prosecuted for acquiring this item. 

Like that the next few weeks go by with no issue, however, Hughie appears to be heading out every few days to meet with Starlight. He doesn't come back at night leaving us all to assume they are sleeping together, which was confirmed by Butcher confronting him.

"Why do you even care?" Hughie asks before heading back out again. 

"Because Homelander raped my wife!" Butcher says with deep hatred lacing his voice, making everyone turn to look at him. We knew this already but Hughie had no idea. 

"What?" Hughie says in surprise. 

"Back in 2011, my wife, Rebecca, and I were invited to a Christmas party at Vought Tower, since she was the Senior Director of Digital Marketing at Vought. At the party, I met Homelander for the first time and I felt something was off… Like he was interested in my wife more than he let on," Butcher says while having a hard look remembering the past. 

"A few days after the party, Becca met with Homelander in her office where he raped her… Then she went to the park and sat on a bench, for hours she sat there… Then she got up and was never seen again," Butcher says to him as he looked like he wanted to punch something. 

"That's why you can't trust any supe," Butcher says. 

"Yet, our boss is a supe and we have another in our team now too," Hughie says making Butcher glare at him. 

"There aren't supes. Logan is just a freak of nature and well… she is too," Butcher says gesturing to Kimiko who flips him off. Butcher looks ready to die on his hill of 'all supes are bastards'. 

"Whatever, Starlight is different too," Hughie says leaving before Butcher can continue to berate him. 

"Fucking wanker!" Butcher says after Hughie leaves. 

"Butcher, what are you doing?" MM says as we see Butcher walk back with a Barrett 50cal (12.7mm) sniper rifle. 

"Somethings off and I intend to stop it," Butcher says as we all give him a confused look. 

"Butcher–" I start to say. 

"Logan, I will shoot you too," Butcher says glaring at me. 

"Fine, but if you get caught you are on your own," I say stepping away since he wants to be an idiot it seems. 

"We'll see," Butcher says before quickly leaving after Hughie.