33
Annie accompanied me to the third floor where Vought's archives were. It was open only Supes and higher senior members of Vought. The room was like a library with a mixture of files and CDs. Of course, once you walk in there was the front desk where Anita sat. She was an olive-skinned woman with brown hair pulled back in a tight bun and cat shaped glasses. She had a small brown mole above the right side of her lip and apparently, she was every man's wet dream when it came to a naughty librarian. As we approached she at first smiled before seeing me and gasping and looking away hiding her face then silently cursing herself for doing so.
"Starlight… Missknowitall." she replied slowly placing her hand down over her other and looking down at the desk. Word got around fast about what happened to Translucent. That was very quick. She must not have wanted me to see into her. I could respect that, I don't think I've looked inside her before. We approached the front desk with polite smiles.
"Hey Anita. We were wondering if you could gather some information-"
"No." I cut Annie off and she looked at me confused. I gave her a mild shrug and looked at Anita. "We need you to point us in the direction of ex-employees who are no longer working for Vought."
Anita cleared her throat and gave an uncomfortable laugh avoiding eye contact with me still. Her green eyes scanned all over the desk, her hands moving to straighten up paper work.
"That's a little broad. Besides supes are only allowed to see into their files once a year. Y- you haven't been here that long." she replied. That wasn't suspicious at all.
"Look I need either my file right now or my father, James William Laurent." I replied trying to keep my cool. She winced and shook her head as she typed into her computer.
"According to the system, he is dead and deceased employees are off limits to everyone except CEO Stan Edgar." she said. I could hear in her tone the more she spoke, the more fearful she became. Was that because of me or was there something else at work here. Once a year, supes can see their files? Why so Vought can continue to put their lies into the files so everyone believed what Vought wants them to believe. I lifted my head up at the large rows before me. Only this desk stood between me and the answers I wanted to know. No.
In one swift movement, I walked around the desk and speed waked toward the aisles.
"Wait you can't go back there!" Anita yelled standing up, but not moving from her chair. I went into one aisle and noticed everyone was labeled alphabetically by last name. I knew it was only a matter of time until security was called so I had to move fast. I hurried down the aisle, Annie finally catching up to me.
"Ayana what are you doing?" she asked following me as I finally found the L's.
"If you're dead what does it matter what's found out about you." I replied. My eyes scanned the rows. I was in the A's first and as I placed my fingers on each name I searched first for my name. I winced noticing I was already moving into the B's of first names.
"What?" I asked myself as I reversed and looked again. I took my time this time moving my finger through each first name with L as the last name. Annie looked over her shoulder as if keeping a look out. And once again I was finding myself moving into the B's. "This isn't right. I have no file." Annie looked at me stunned.
"What? The minute someone works for Vought a file is made." she replied and I nodded.
"I know." I replied moving down the aisle quickly to the L's with first names starting with J. I let my fingers move down the row slowly so I wouldn't miss my father's name. But like my own, I did not see his name. "Something isn't right."
"What?" Annie asked as I looked at her shaking my head.
"There's no file on my father either." I replied.
"Could the deceased employees have a section of their own?" she asked moving to look at the files herself. I shook my head.
"I don't know… but something isn't right here. I can feel it." I replied. Suddenly a flash of red, white and blue was in my peripheral and Annie and I froze and whipped our heads down the aisle to see Homelander himself giving a glare before smiling sadistically.
"Ladies. Library time is over." he said raising his hand up toward the direction of the doors as if to lead us out. Annie and I looked at each other worriedly before moving down the aisle and out of it. Annie passed him first then me and he began to follow, leaning into me. "I am very disappointed in you." I just tensed and said nothing. As we left the archives, Annie was told to keep it moving once she rounded the hall. Once she was out of sight, I felt Homelander's hand on my shoulder and immediately I was pinned to the wall, his eyes glaring low at me.
"You know you are in thin ice, missy. Very thin eyes. After what you did earlier today you'd do well to stay on my good side." he said. I swallowed sneering some.
"I'm sure you saw the footage… I did nothing wrong." I replied and he growled leaning forward, eyes glowing red and I just watched for a momen. Even past the blazing fire that could kill me, I could see into him. I could see the frustration that was inside him every time I was around him. I nodded. "You want to know too what I really am. I know you do." He grit his teeth a bit in response. That's all I needed to know as I nodded. Slowly the red faded in his eyes and he shook his head.
"You're lucky Noir is my best friend or else you would not be standing right now." he threatened. I stared at him for a moment as he raised a finger to me. "Stay out of my head… or my body or whatever. As far as I am concerned you're a threat and I don't want to have to kill you but I will if I have to for the safety of this company." I stared at him for a moment wondering if how far I could go with this man, but honestly, I didn't want to find out right now. If he suspected I was trying to use whatever ability I had on him, then maybe he'd rip me a part. I just nodded.
"I understand." I replied carefully and he leaned back and didn't even nod.
"Good." he replied before turning and walking down the hall. Great now I had to be stay off of Homelander's radar as well. What did he have against me anyways? I wasn't a threat to him… or was I? I know killing Translucent heard the Seven's image and maybe that was something he took personally. Maybe he liked knowing everything and since I was something he couldn't figure out, everything I did got to him. I pressed my back up against the wall. I killed someone. It finally hit me that I killed someone. I ran my hand over my forehead now at the thought. I didn't mean to kill him I was just so scared and angry. I wonder what Noir would think of this. When was he coming back anyways?
Once again I had to push him from my mind so I could focus on what just happened in that archive room. Where were the files on my father and I. He had been gone for so long there shouldn't be a reason for his file to go missing. I knew Madelyn would know, but right now I had no real energy left to talk to her. I felt I had to stay out of her way as well after what happened with Translucent. I'm sure she's already aware that I was here if Homelander was called. Did Anita call him or did she call up to Madelyn who sent him?
So many questions and I knew where and who to start with, but I wasn't entirely confident since I had no real game plan. For now, I had to lie low with everything. I returned back to my room and remained there for the rest of the evening. As I relaxed in my bedroom flipping through channels I started to think of all those I had ever read in life. I thought of those who would constantly seek me out to look into themselves or a loved one because they wanted to know their hearts. Every human I have ever seen, I felt some slight connection to them. Their eyes were imprinted on my body. Even the supes left their marks on me except for one.
I moved to the kitchen and just drank a health shake. I didn't have an appetite due to earlier events. My phone vibrated on the counter top and I looked at it.
Black Noir.
My stomach tightened at the thought of him now. Now I couldn't avoid thoughts of him. I opened the text from him and my brow arched as I noticed they were picture of room upon room of dead bodies and blood painted on the walls. There was finally a text.
Bet you wish you were here.
I squinted a bit at his thoughts on why he would think that I would want to be there. The pictures were more grotesque of men who looked torn apart and decapitated, women too. I finally put the phone down. I thought about Annie's words about pushing past the threatening text from earlier in order to maintain my sanity. I sighed and knew deep down she was right. If I didn't regain control of myself in this messed up relationship or whatever it was we had, I would grow more and more miserable. I felt his text was a test. I picked up the phone and looked at the question again. He didn't sign his initials this time. I replied.
Why don't you come here and say that to my face!
That felt so unlike me to say, but the sudden knock on the door made me jump and I looked up at the door with wide eyes. I looked at the phone and then the door and then the phone again. No way. I moved around the counter and over to the door and paused for a second as I looked it over. I then slowly took hold of the door knob and opened it and standing there like a shadow himself was none other than Black Noir with a severed woman's head in his hand. Her eyes were frozen and open as her eyes were rolled upward. He held it up to me and my eyes widened as I noticed no blood fell from the gaping cut at the neck, but I realized now why held up the woman's head so close. There was a white gold necklace around her neck that was held up by his palm alone as it was presented to me and the pendent… was a beautiful circle with a tree of life inside. Each life shined and sparkled.
He brought me a necklace.