It had been hours, long after dark, but Black Noir's patience finally paid off.

Long after night had fallen, he heard the doors of the theater open. Glancing down over the edge, he found his target exiting, dressed in civilian clothes, along with a young blonde woman.

"Thanks for letting me leave early, Mr. Smythe!" The woman called into the theater through the door.

"No problem, Sam! Just be careful on the way home." A voice from inside the theater called back.

"Bye Sam!" Another voice inside the theater bid farewell to the newly named Sam.

"Bye Ellis!" Sam said, waving, before letting the door shut and walking towards Omni-Man.

"So, you ready to go home now?" Omni-Man smiled, looking at Sam, who nodded, a big grin on her face.

"Let's go!" She said as she began bouncing off down the street, Omni-Man followed her with a chuckle.

Black Noir had spent years honing his skills, so it was easy for him to jump and land from rooftop to rooftop without even Homelander catching him. He's snuck up on the blonde idiot a few times, actually.

So tailing Omni-Man and his companion was something he could do easily.

Granted, they could be flying out, so Black Noir's mission going to plan all depended on Omni-Man not deciding to fly off.

"So, I just want to warn you, my place is a bit of a mess…" Sam started, looking sheepish.

Omni-Man chuckled. "You're giving me a place to stay. I can't really complain."

Sam giggled. "Maybe not, but still, I just wanted to warn you in advance."

"Come on, it can't be that bad." Omni-Man said, raising an eyebrow at Sam.

Sam shook her head. "I'll let you be the judge of that."

So Omni-Man was living with this girl? Noir made note of that. Anything and everything that they could use against Omni-Man was an advantage.

"So, what did you guys do with Translucent? I know you said it's best not to ask, but I'm curious." Sam said, tilting her head as she looked at Omni-Man.

That caught Black Noir's attention. So Translucent, being the idiot he was, had went after Omni-Man? Alone? And from the sounds of it, Omni-Man wasn't working against Vought alone.

Omni-Man sighed. "I'm… really not sure you want to know."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "How bad could it be?"

Omni-Man sighed once more. "Are you going to keep asking?"

Sam smiled. "Yep!"

Omni-Man looked at her, then sighed. "He's dead."

That surprised both Sam and Black Noir.

"W-What?"

"He had seen the faces of my comrades, and unlike me, they are normal humans. Translucent would've ratted them out in a heartbeat if we had let him go." Omni-Man explained, a look of true regret on his face.

Sam looked at Nolan in shock. "Couldn't you have… like, contained him or something?"

Omni-Man shook his head. "He had a tracking chip implanted in him. I think all supes of this world do, considering the way they're made." He looked at Sam, sadness in his eyes. "It didn't matter where or how we contained him, he would've been found. We didn't have much options."

Sam looked away, somewhat shaken by the news, but she turned to smile at Omni-Man.

"It sounds like you didn't want to do it, and you've done more good than harm here." She said, smiling at Omni-Man. "I'm not going to judge you, especially since it sounds like you didn't want to do it.

Omni-Man smiled. "Thank you Sam."

Sam smiled, wrapped her arms around Omni-Man's chest, giving him a hug. "No problem, Nolan."

Omni-Man looked surprised by the gesture, but he returned it.

Meanwhile, Black Noir's brain was in overdrive.

Translucent was dead?

Omni-Man's real name was Nolan?

And what did he mean by how all supes were made?

Black Noir didn't know what was going one, but he knew one thing.

There was more to Omni-Man than meets the eye.

He continued to watch the two hug, before watching with intrigue as Omni-Man's face changed, at first to one of confusion, then to one of realization.

Then he froze, when Omni-Man's gaze snapped in his direction.

How?! How did he know?! Black Noir was doing so good!

Then he heard it. The ringing on his belt.

His communicator. Omni-Man must've heard it.

"Stay here, Sam!" Omni-Man ordered as he broke the embrace, pushing the surprised girl back. Black Noir had barely enough time to jump back, befor Omni-Man obliterated the edge of the roof he was standing on.

"How did you find me?" Omni-Man asked sternly. Rather than answer, Noir pulled a timed explosive, and threw it at Omni-Man, who allowed it land on his chest and detonate.

Black Noir didn't try to stick around. He had enough info, and his cover was destroyed. He pulled out his knives and jumped off the roof into a nearby alley, digging his knives in to slow his descent to the ground.

He landed with a thud and a silent grunt. He turned to look back up at the roof, and he had barely enough time to dodge before Omni-Man slammed into the wall behind him.

The explosive didn't slow him down. He'd have to try something else.

Pulling out another grenade, he chucked it at Omni-Man, this time aiming for his face.

Omni-Man rolled his eyes, only for them to go wide as the grenade exploded early, and instead of fire and gunpowder, it was a black, viscous sticky substance that stuck all over his face, blinding him and suffocating him.

The substance seemed to constantly expand, making it somewhat difficult for him to pull off.

Black Noir jumped to his feet, and looked out of the alley.

At the end of the alley, on the sidewalk, was the blonde girl, Sam, staring into the alley at the site within.

She was a witness.

Black Noir couldn't have witnesses.

She'd have to be taken care of.

Pulling out one of his knives, he rushed the girl, who jumped in fright as Black Noir closed the distance, his blade primed and ready to slit the girls throat.

His blade was inches from her throat when a strong hand wrapped itself around Noir's forearm, and Noir only had time to process that action before he found himself slammed against the wall by the throat a split second later, staring into the furious eyes of Omni-Man.

"Why did you follow me? How did you find me?!"

Even if Noir wanted to speak, he couldn't. Not with the grip around his throat.

He struggled against the hand around his throat, furiously and fruitlessly fighting against it as it.

Omni-Man seemed to notice this, and his grip got tighter. "Talk!"

At this point, Black Noir wasn't even focused on escaping, he was just trying to loosen the grip around his throat.

His vision was going hazy, he was slowly losing consciousness. Strength was leaving him, and the only thing he could see was Omni-Man's furious face, brows furrowed and teeth grit in anger.

Then, a miracle.

"Nolan, stop!"

Suddenly, the grip around his throat loosened, and he took in a big intake of breath as Omni-Man's gaze turned from his own to the owner, the blonde girl, Sam.

Omni-Man looked at her in shock as she approached the two. "But… he was going to kill you."

Sam nodded. "I know, but I don't want to watch you kill him."

Noir brought his own gaze to her, and he couldn't help the feeling of gratitude that welled up in him. He was about to kill this girl, leaving her choking on her own blood in the street.

And she possibly just saved his life.

"He's seen your Sam. If he lives, you'll be in danger." Omni-Man reasoned, his eyes softened.

Sam shook her head. "I don't care! I'll have you there with me and I won't watch you kill someone!" She looked into his eyes, serious. "Isn't that why you are here? To redeem yourself?"

"But… people are going to die… how do you think I'm going to stop Homelander?"

"He's not Homelander, Nolan." Sam reasoned, resting her hand on Nolan's wrist. Her eyes softened. "Let him go."

Omni-Man's gaze moved between Sam and Noir, before reluctantly, he lowered Noir to the ground.

Omni-Man turned to glare at Noir. "You may live another day, but you'll tell me how you found me."

Black Noir looked at Omni-Man, and realized that he didn't have any choice. This was not a foe he could beat.

Showing his hands to show that he surrendered, Noir slowly lowered his hands, and Omni-Man's face took on a look of shock as Noir pulled out a notepad and a pen.

Omni-Man watched in slight confusion as Black Noir began writing on the notepad, before, turning it to face him.

Radar

Omni-Man raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Black Noir wrote something else.

Air Radar. Monitor your flight pattern.

"But how did you find me?"

Landed at theater

Omni-Man's eyes widened at that, before he facepalmed. "I'm an idiot! I put the theater on Vought's radar!"

Behind him, Sam looked terrified.

Black Noir took one look at this girl, the girl who saved him. And he realized that he couldn't put her in danger.

He was loyal to Stan Edgar.

But he was not going to kill innocents.

Especially not one who saved his life.

The watched him write something else dawn, and they both went wide eyed at what it said.

Girl saved life. Owe her. Won't tell.

Omni-Man looked suspicious. "How do we know you aren't lying to us? We need more than that." He said sternly.

Black Noir slumped. What else could he give? He had nothing, absolutely nothing. And he couldn't speak, so convincing them would be even more-

Wait.

There was one thing.

But…

Omni-Man was the enemy. He couldn't show him that?

But truthfully…

…what choice did he have.

Both watched in confusion as his hands slowly raised into the air, before they planted themselves on the sides of his mask.

Sam gasped as he realized what he was about to do.

"You're gonna… take off your helmet?"

Black Noir didn't respond, he just continued his action, slowly taking off his helmet.

Once it was off, he laid it in his lap, and looked up at his two spectators.

Sam gasped, hand coming to her mouth in shock as she saw site under the mask.

Omni-Man's eyes went wide, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

Black Noir, meanwhile, was self conscious, as he bared his scarred visage to someone for the first time in decades.

The right side of his skull had a section of hair missing, replaced by a large scare. Meanwhile, his left eye was a dead milky white, signifying that he was blind, and considering that the entire left side of his face, all the way down to his throat, was covered in scarred cuts and burns, it was pretty easy to see why.

"Oh my god…" Despite what he planned on doing, Sam couldn't help the sympathy that well up within her at the site of his face.

"Did Vought do this to you?" Omni-Man asked, all earlier hostility gone.

Black Noir shook his head.

Omni-Man gazed at the scared man in front of him. "You carry that notepad because you physically can't speak, can you?"

Once more, Black Noir shook his head.

Omni-Man looked at Black Noir, then sighed, and stood to his feet.

"Get out of here." His face took on a stern look as he glared at Noir. "But if I catch you again, I will kill you." He said sternly.

Noir nodded, and put his helmet back on as he jumped to his feet. As he began walking away, he stopped for a moment and turned to face Sam.

Turning his whole body to face her, he placed his hands together, and bowed out of respect to her.

Sam was surprised by the gesture, but she smiled and nodded. "You're welcome."

With a nod, Black Noir turned and walked away, intent on returning to his home.

Sam could safely say that this night had not turned out how she expected.

First, inviting Nolan to come stay with her.

Second, him accepting.

Third, Nolan finding Black Noir tailing him.

Fourth, Black Noir trying to kill her

Fifth, Her saving Black Noir from Nolan

And finally, seeing Black Noir without his mask.

This night was wild.

Sam looked at Nolan. "I know people are going to die during your thing with Vought, especially supes. But I couldn't sit there and watch you kill a man."

Nolan sighed as they were walking towards her home again. "I know, but I'm still a little uncomfortable with the fact that we let him go."

Sam smiled. "I think he'll keep his word. No one has ever seen Black Noir without his mask, and I can see why." She said as she looked at Nolan. "I don't think it's an act, I feel like he legitimately doesn't want anyone seeing him under that mask."

Nolan sighed. "I guess. It's just gonna be hard for me to relax with the knowledge that one of Vought's top supes, and one of the few who are actually efficient, knows your face, and the theater." He admitted, raising his hand to his head in frustration.

Sam smiled, and decided to pull his mind off the subject. "Well, my apartment's in this building right here, just follow me." She said, pulling out her keys as she and Nolan made it to the building a block from where the incident with Noir had just occurred.

Nolan smiled as she quickly opened the door, gesturing for Nolan to step inside as she held the door.

Complying, he stepped inside while Sam stepped in behind him, the door shutting as she led him down a nearby hallway.

"My apartment's just around the corner of this hallway." Sam said as Nolan followed her.

Nolan followed her around the corner, and she opened the very first door they came to, walking inside with him right behind her.

"Welcome to my humble abode, mi casa su casa." She said as Nolan shut the door behind him.

The apartment was a little dirty, with some empty pop bottles on the tables. The sink was full of dishes, and there were some empty cardboard boxes piled up in the corner of the kitchen.

"Like I said, it's a little dirty." Sam said, rubbing the back of her head with a sheepish smile.

Nolan chuckled. "You should've seen my son's room when he was nine. He would pull all his toys out, and then throw the biggest fit when it was bedtime and we made him clean up his toys before taking a bath."

Sam giggled. "I imagine he wasn't a happy camper."

Nolan laughed. "Are you kidding? His definition of cleaning was to throw everything in the closet and say 'I'm done!'. I'm not proud to say that he got away with it often."

Sam smiled at the story, before walking into the kitchen. "Well, take a seat. Remotes on the arm rest if you want to watch some TV. I'm gonna make dinner."

Nolan shook his head. "No, allow me. You're letting me stay here."

Sam refused adamantly. "Uh uh. I am not letting you clean my dishes, that's not your job. Just sit in here and relax, hero. I got this."

Nolan raised his hands in surrender as he backed away with a smile on his face. "Alright, your the boss."

Sam smirked. "That's right, and don't forget it!" She said jokingly as she disappeared into the kitchen, while Nolan plopped down on the couch, looking at his new home. Well a temporary home.

Nolan gazed around and looked at the place.

Despite the slight mess, it really wasn't a bad place. It definitely could've been a lot worse, based on how Sam described it.

As he observed the apartment, he heard a slight whooshing sound behind him, causing him to tense, but he relaxed immensely at the voice that followed.

"Nolan."

Nolan smiled as a familiar ghostly apparition came into view. "Clockwork."

Clockwork smiled as his form shifted to that of a child. "How are you enjoying your time here? Making progress?"

Nolan laughed. "Well, I met a couple people who are willing to help me take on Vought, and I already have a new job, made some new friends." Nolan looked slyly at Clockwork. "But you already knew all of that."

Clockwork chuckled. "I did."

Nolan sighed, smiling. "Honestly, it's been good. I'm enjoying my time here, despite the overall goal."

Clockwork nodded. "That's good. I'm glad you're enjoying your new life so far."

Nolan looked at Clockwork, raising an eyebrow. "It seems a bit early to be checking on me. Is there any particular reason?"

At this, Clockwork smirked slyly. "No, not really. Though I would suggest holding on to Miss Alcorn, she is certainly a keeper."

Nolan's brow furrowed in confusion at the remark. "What? But we're not-"

"Anyway, I came here with a bit of advice. Through events which I cannot tell you, you may have more allies within Vought than you know, if only you play your cards right." Clockwork interrupted Nolan, warning him with that piece of advice.

They both suddenly heard a ding coming from the kitchen, and Clockwork smiled.

"Well, I do believe dinner is about to be served, so I shall take my leave. Good night, Nolan." Clockwork said as he opened a portal and disappeared, leaving Nolan to his thoughts, right as Sam came through the door and back into the living room.

"So, did you find anything good?"

Nolan shook himself from his stupor, and smiled at Sam. "No. Admittedly, I was just admiring the place."

Sam snorted, and smiled at Nolan. "Well, you can admire this dump later, food's done, come get some."

Nolan chuckled, and stood up as he followed Sam into the kitchen to get some dinner. The whole time though, he couldn't help but let his mind wander back to Clockwork's advice.

He knew of Starlight…

Who else could he have at Vought as possible allies?