Soldier Boy got up from where he was resting like a catapult all while hyperventilating. He looked around and saw that he was not in the Russian lab.
"What the fuck?" He asked, looking at his surroundings.
"Mr. Thomson." Amanda Waller said, her voice being used through an intercom.
"Who is this?" Soldier Boy asked. It had been a while since anyone called him by his last name.
"My name is Amanda Waller. My task force rescued you from your Earth's Russia." Waller explained.
"The fuck? What do you mean by my Earth?" Soldier Boy asked.
"You've been away for some time, roughly thirty years." Waller said. "I think it would be best for us to go over it slowly."
Soldier Boy frowned upon hearing this.
"Listen, cooze, no one tells me what I can and cannot handle." Soldier Boy told her.
There was a brief bit of silence.
"It involves the Multiverse. Your earth, Earth Seven, has been caught in some sort of dimensional fusion with my earth, Earth One." Waller explained as the television in the room turned on showing a depiction.
Soldier Boy was silent.
"I understand what you're saying." Soldier Boy lied. "What does this bullshit have to do with me?" He asked.
"I thought you would be a welcomed addition to our ranks. Seeing as how your employers have moved on." Waller said.
This time the television showed a picture of Homelander. Soldier Boy chuckled upon seeing him.
"Who's this supposed to be? My replacement?" Soldier Boy asked.
"Yes, he's known as Homelander. He is Vought's number-one hero and leader of the Seven, Payback's successors. However, it's likely that is not going to last." Waller said.
This time an image of The Justice League replaced Homelander.
"This is the Justice League. My world's premiere Superhero team." Waller informed Soldier Boy.
"And?" Soldier Boy asked, sounding irritated.
"The Justice League has been outperforming the Seven even without the various skeletons in the Seven and Vought's closet. Before you were abducted, Vought said that trip to Nicaragua was to showcase how Supes would benefit the armed forces. Am I correct?" Waller said.
"Yeah. Barring me it was a fucking disaster." Soldier Boy said not wanting to think about that day. His skin was practically blanched.
"Our intel states Vought is creating a new form of Compound V to give to the military. This formula grants the user superpowers for twenty-four hours." Waller explained.
Soldier Boy realized what this meant.
"So basically, Vought, is going to send all the supes home with a 'fuck you very much note' and put regular asswipes in their places with this new V dope?." Soldier Boy.
"Yes." Waller simply replied in a manner a disgruntled teacher would address a failing student.
"Alright, I'll join your little Task Force. On one condition." Soldier Boy said.
"Name it." Waller said.
Russian officials moved the bodies of the dead scientists out of the burned lab. One of them was the scientist who injected himself with Compound V. The officials put him in a body bag and didn't notice when a small device fell on it. The area was secluded and the officials left. Once the place was empty, Batman jumped out of the ceiling and analyzed what happened. He knew they were doing experiments with Compound V when a group tried to take the scientists hostage and one of them injected himself and got fire powers but was killed.
Batman found a technological disk mostly burned, some kind of blast hit whoever was holding it and went through a wall, there were ashes and dry blood, enough for collecting DNA.
Ryan sat on the couch in Homelander's apartment. The boy was deep in thought about his mother at the Fortress. He turned to his father.
"Hey Dad?" Ryan asked.
"Yeah?" Homelander asked.
"How come you don't want me to leave the Tower anymore?" Ryan questioned.
Homelander was taken aback by this.
"Excuse me?" Homelander asked.
"You never let me leave the tower or go to the Watchtower now. Why?" Ryan stated.
Homelander was silent trying to think of an answer.
"We don't want you to let the League make your future for you." Homelander said.
"The reason you argued with mom was that you didn't want me to be isolated, which is what you are doing now." Ryan said.
"It's completely different." Stormfront lied.
"You don't even let me speak with the other kids. They were right about you." Ryan muttered to himself.
"What did they say?" Homelander asked.
"Flash's daughter said that she thinks you're a phony." Ryan said.
Homelander's face tightened upon hearing that.
"You'll find better friends in the future." Stormfront said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Friends who are like you."
Ryan angrily looked up at his father's lover and said:
"You're not my mom." Ryan said.
Stormfront was taken aback by this as Ryan went elsewhere.
Stormfront was motionless she could almost feel tears coming from her eyes. Homelander on the other hand was mortified. He pulled Stormfront away to talk in private.
"They're turning him against me." Homelander quietly said.
"We have to do something." Stormfront said. "I'll hold another rally."
"Gee, that's an amazing idea, why have we never thought of something like that before?" Homelander sarcastically told her.
"What?" Stormfront asked.
"I am fucking done with having to talk, right now we need action." Homelander said.
"What are you going to do?" Stormfront asked.
Homelander knew what he needed to do.
Soldier Boy looked at himself in the mirror, his new suit looked just like the old one, he now had a haircut but still a bit long and had a beard. He put on his mask but didn't fit right with the long hair.
"I never liked this shit anyway." He said and ripped the cowl out of the suit. "You got the suit, what about my fucking shield?"
"The Justice League got the original," Amanda Waller said. "We made you a new one."
A guard standing next to Amanda Waller opened a bag and handed Soldier Boy the shield identical to his old one but he refused to take it.
"If your lapdog can carry it with one hand, you got it wrong." He said.
Waller pulled out a remote and pressed a button, the guard dropped the shield as it suddenly became heavy, so much its fall cracked the ground.
"It's made of inertron, a metal from a thousand years in our future. Superior to that piece of scrap you had in every way, try pressing the button on your left glove."
He did as she requested and the shield flew from the ground and attached to his arm.
"Man, starting to like the future. Gotta give it to you, cooze, this almost compensates for not having chop-socky oriental sauce."
"Don't flatter your Earth. Vought doesn't have a percentage of our resources."
"I still don't get it. It's all different when it comes to Vought and Supes but all the same in everything else? How come you had Cosby and Eisenhower but not me and Vought?"
"Ever read comics?"
"Do I look like Potsie Weber to you? I'm not a fucking nerd. But I follow it. I have to go back to the real world, to get payback."
"Take the job and we'll help you."
"What kind of job?"
"Leading a team, and these ones aren't betraying when they have bombs in their heads. There was a man who used to have this job, his name was Rick Flag. I've been trying to replace him but haven't found the right man. Until I read your file, you're a piece of a shit." Soldier Boy didn't like the remark but Waller just grinned. "Which is just what I need. More than that, you're a bulletproof piece of shit, which comes handy."
"Okay, nice pitching, but what do I need you for?"
"Do I have to draw a picture for you, soldier? You literally woke up in a different world, you have nothing. I can send you back to Earth Seven and you can get arrested by the Justice League on the first day. Even if you succeeded at killing the Payback by yourself, what then? You have no bank account, no address and have been legally dead for 30 years. But if you work for me, you can have a new identity and a job perfect for a man like you. You are swimming in uncharted waters, don't you want the sharks on your side?
A-Train left a store and just to face a paparazzi recording him and following him through the street.
"Hi, how are you doing?" The paparazzi said.
"Come on, man, let's stop that." A-Train said. "Bro, stop. It's Sunday, I wanna be left alone."
"I know it's Sunday, people want to see you every day. Did you thank the Flash for taking you to the hospital? Is it true you're banned from Godolkin events?"
"Why do you gotta ruin someone's Sunday? Why can't you just get your shot and leave?"
"It's a video, not a photo."
"Still sucks."
"You think the Flash is older than you? I mean, even the old Flash from the 40s is faster than you."
A-Train removed his glasses, the paparazzi put his camera.
"Look at me in the eyes like a man." A-Train said. "Right now you're like a bitch."
"Why don't you answer any of my questions?"
"Why don't you leave me the fuck alone?"
Suddenly, the paparazzi dropped the camera, his hand was burned and the camera was melting on the ground. A-Train looked up and saw Homelander flying in the sky, he pointed to a direction and flew there, A-Train ran in the same direction.
Homelander landed on a building and A-Train quickly entered from the door.
"Was'up?" A-Train said.
"I heard about your beef with the Flash, I mean, everybody heard. Yikes, that was not pretty, but he still saved your life, which is just further proof that he's faster than you."
"Listen, man, if you're thinking I'm telling anything to the Earth One narcs because of that I'm not."
"I'm not here to threaten, A-Train. I mean, at this point, I'd just kill if I thought you were a threat. No, no, no, I want to offer a chance to be back with the Seven."
"Seriously?" A-Train incredulously asked.
"Dead serious. People need to remember who their heroes are, heroes from their world, they need the Seven, the Seven they know and love. The Flash is faster than you, fuck it, you're still A-Train, I have crowds of people on my side ready to love you. I already talked with Deep, he's in, I mean, he was desperate after the fiasco with Aquaman, that was just so sad."
"Doesn't your girlfriend have a problem with that?"
"Why would she?"
"Right, why would she?"
Soldier Boy walked into the darkroom and in the middle of it was his old sidekick Gunpowder tied to a chair. He looked bruised, and it seemed apparent that he was in the room for some time if his facial hair was anything to go by.
"Soldier Boy?" Gunpowder asked, sounding astonished and terrified at the same time.
Soldier Boy remained silent glaring at Gunpowder. There were a few seconds of confusion but as he realized what that situation meant, Gunpowder's fear escalated.
"I thought you were dead." Gunpowder let out.
Soldier Boy remained silent.
"They all told me that the reds killed you, I swear!" He pleaded all while trying to free himself from the chair.
Once more Soldier Boy remained silent.
"Look, you can help me break out! I know where they all live nowadays! I'm still big with Vought!" Gunpowder told Soldier Boy.
Soldier Boy was silent once more.
"Say something please!" Gunpowder asked as tears almost came out of his eyes.
Soldier Boy smirked.
"I believe you." Soldier Boy said.
Gunpowder looked relieved.
"This pussy didn't attack me that day. The only one who didn't have the balls for it." Soldier Boy said.
"So in other words he's dead weight?" Waller asked.
"No! No! I can help you!" Gunpowder pleaded.
"Really? Why didn't you help me out when Noir, the Twins, and Mindstorm attacked me?" Soldier Boy asked. "Swatto at least has the excuse of getting blown to shit, pussy." He added walking closer to his former sidekick.
"I don't remember, the Commies they were fuckin' everywhere! I lost track of everything before blacked out." Gunpowder said. "It was Mindstorm! It had to be him! Crazy fuck!"
"I'm not going to kill you." Soldier Boy said and Gunpowder sighed in relief. "But these people will." Soldier Boy added. "So die with some dignity, you dipshit."
"Crazy fuckin' Earth One Soroist bitch!" Gunpowder yelled.
"Have him, I'mma get a beer."." Soldier Boy said and walked out of the room.
"We already have the addresses of your former teammates. We already have members from your Earth with us. In fact, they helped bring you over here in the first place." Waller said.
Soldier Boy stopped walking and contemplated this.
"Alright, sounds good enough. See you never, Gunpowder." Soldier Boy said.
"No! Don't leave me!" Gunpowder pleaded.
As Soldier Boy exited the room, to his astonishment was a giant Shark man being led into the room.
"Hi." King Shark waved.
"What the fuck?" Soldier Boy quietly said to himself.
King Shark went inside the room and looked at Gunpowder who was trying to free himself.
"Num. Num." Nanaue said as he approached a screaming Gunpowder.
He grabbed Gunpowder and hoisted him head first in his mouth before biting. Within seconds, he devoured the member of Payback whole.
"So what can we expect to see from Dawn of the Seven following Starlight's betrayal?" A VNN reporter questioned Adam Bourke.
"I can only say it's a disappointment, we're currently trying to downsize her part in the narrative." Bourke said.
"In light of multiversal news will anything relating for the Justice League come into play?" The reporter asked.
"One of their own, Booster Gold, requested a cameo, but turned it down following the alleged Herogasm scandal." Bourke explained.
An explosion occurred at that moment, screams flooded the area. Out of the inferno, Black Manta walked out of the flames.
"Security!" Bourke yelled out.
Just then, a Security guard grabbed Adam Bourke by the throat. Bourke grabbed the guard's arm. Only for the guars' eyes to change to completely yellow. His body grew in size and transformed into a clay-like substance.
"You must be the director. I have to say films like yours only showcase the decay of modern cinema." Clayface told Bourke.
Not far, Manta and Cheetah spoke with Grodd.
"Have you found any?" Grodd asked them.
"No, not a single trace." Cheetah told them.
"We've been had." Manta said.
"We should leave before the Justice League arrive." Polaris said.
Grodd looked around.
"We've already made ourselves known, giving the League time to prepare and counterattack us." Grodd said.
He looked around and noticed all of the people still present.
"Or we can make them give it to us." Grodd said.
The coroner examined the body of a scientist in the morgue, his cranium had exploded, and there was a mark of injection on his shoulder. Unbeknown to the coroner, Batman was right behind, sprayed him with knockout gas, and sat the coroner on a chair. Batman took the tracking device he placed on the body bag and examined the body himself. It was partially burned, and the body's position left after his death caused the blast to scorch the dead scientist's leg. Batman attempted to take a sample of the burned and intact skin with a scalpel but his flesh was too hard on where he wasn't burned. Batman had to resort to a Batarang and a hammer.
"You invited them back!?" Stormfront asked.
She and Homelander were in his room at the Seven Tower. She was angry, Homelander just walked around with hands behind his cape completely unbothered.
"You said yourself, people gravitate towards their own." He said. "A-Train and Deep are their own."
"But not our own. We keep one or two of them around to look good for the masses, we don't put them in the same team as us. Now that we're finally getting ahead against the Zionist League we don't need them. How can you trust them not to fuck up? You saw his little breakdown at Godolkin's."
"Honey, they're not idiots. I mean, they are idiots, but not with me around because they know I'll rip their heads off in a heartbeat. There's a lot of stuff they could've snitched to the League or William's people or TMZ but didn't. They're not trouble."
"I know what they are."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"A coon and a hebe."
"Oh for fuck sake." Homelander spoke slower, gesticulating with his fingers. "That's not important. I told you, we don't need a fucking master race, I'm the master race! The only color you should care about is blue, like the Compound V in our veins, you know why? Because if we don't watch out, it's going to become obsolete and replaced with aliens, magic or any gadget bullshit the League has. Our way of life and everything we have is on the line as these fucking invaders come to our home and force their ways down our throats!"
"That's exactly what all the other races do! Why can't you see that?"
"Because I may not be a boy scout but I'm also not a moron. I made my decision, move on."
At the Watchtower, the DNA had a positive match on the criminal system, it belonged to Erik Needham, the Black Spider. The Atom entered the room where Batman was and showed the results for the other sample on the screen.
"You won't believe this, Batman." Atom said. "You said his skin was hard but the burned tissue was normal? Turns out whatever caused it was pure radiation and literally burned the Compound V out of his system."
"Burned out?" Batman questioned.
"Yes, the radiation did."
"Can you recreate it?"
"I can try."
Mr. Terrific appeared on the screen.
"Batman, Atom, I have the results of the disk you sent me." Mr. Terrific said. "It's government technology, one of their attempts to create Multiversial travel themselves."
"Waller." Batman deduced. "She sent the Suicide Squad to take the weapon that destroys Compound V."
"It's not a weapon, Batman." The Atom corrected. "There was foreign human DNA on the radiation, whatever created it, was biologically human."
A-Train and the Deep walked into the Seven's meeting room. There sitting at the table were Homelander, Stormfront, Noir, and a heavily intoxicated Maeve. Stormfront glared daggers at both of them, with only A-Train glaring back.
"A-Train, Deep, so glad you could make it. I want to clarify to you all that I am sorry." Homelander said.
A-Train was taken aback by this apology. Homelander would never apologize to anyone.
"Thanks." The Deep replied.
"What's this about?" A-Train asked.
"The Justice League." Homelander replied as he got up from his chair.
"Ever since they've arrived they have been making us look like a bunch of morons at best to fucking degenerates at worst. They are taking everything from us because they think we can't measure up to them." Homelander said.
"A-Train, racing is practically dead. The Flash has taken away your title. He's made you into a has-been." Homelander told A-Train.
A-Train nodded bitterly. He practically had nothing left, save for his brother and his family.
"Deep, Aquaman humiliated you after you offered him friendship." Homelander said.
"I know, my wife and I have been trying to call him. We tried to talk with his wife, but she practically hosed us with the ocean." The Deep said.
"They're ruining us. My own son is starting to think I'm a horrible person because I'm not like Superman. Well, fuck that and all of them." Homelander said.
"So what do we do, sir?" The Deep asked.
"Next villain of theirs we run into, we kill them. I think I speak for all of us when their whole 'thou shalt not kill' rule is bullshit. I mean look at the Joker, how many times does he have to get a slap on the wrist after killing those people? We want respect, we start solving their issues." Homelander said.
"What about the League?" Stormfront asked.
"We make it a point that their methods suck when we are in front of the cameras." Homelander said.
Homelander looked around the room.
"Are we all in agreement?" Homelander asked.
"I am." Stormfront said.
"Sure." A-Train said.
"Will do." Deep said.
Noir showed him a note that said "Yes".
Maeve was silent.
"Maeve?" Homelander asked.
"Where's Elena?" She questioned him.
"Excuse me?" Homelander asked.
"She's gone." Maeve said.
"If you're accusing him of taking away your little…" Stormfront accused only for Maeve to bash her head against the table breaking a chunk of it. A-Train let out a little smirk upon seeing that.
"Easy. Easy." Homelander told her.
"Maeve, you've known me for a long time. If I did have Elena kidnapped, don't you think I would have brought it up during my speech?" Homelander said.
Maeve was shocked to hear this. Donna was right he didn't have a hand in this.
"I'll help so long as you help me find her after all this." Maeve said.
"Can do." Homelander said, smiling.
Ashley then barged into the room.
"You need to see this!" She told them as she turned on the TV.
On the news, was the Legion of Doom who were presently holding the set for Dawn of the Seven hostage.
Homelander smirked.
The Boys were sitting at a lunch table at Belle Reve. All except for Mother's Milk who angrily poked at his food.
"You okay?" Hughie asked, trying to alleviate the tension.
MM glared at Hughie not saying a single word. Hughie turned to Butcher who let out a sigh.
"Soldier Boy killed his grandparents when he was a kid." Butcher bluntly explained.
"Oh, so Soldier Boy was your A-Train and Homelander?" Hughie said.
"Except when I joined up with Mallory I assumed he was long dead." MM said.
"I'm pissed off at her too, but there's no way of knowing Soldier Boy was alive." Butcher said.
MM glared at Butcher again.
"What about that energy blast? I don't remember reading that Soldier Boy could do that." Hughie asked trying to turn the conversation to a different point.
"The Russians were experimenting on him for decades, likely wanted to have their own supe." Frenchie said.
"What do you think Waller is going to do with him?" MM asked Frenchie.
"Maybe continue the experiments to learn about Compound V?" Frenchie asked.
"She knew he was alive. Looks like she got another recruit." MM said.
"Someone on par with Homelander might not be much here, but it's still useful. Especially for someone who puts bombs in peoples' heads." Butcher said.
"So he's going to be another inmate?" Hughie asked.
"No, if anything he's probably going to become a security guard or something. We might not be from here, but we did break laws here. Him? He's only just been brought over." Frenchie said.
A guard approached them.
"Butcher, Waller requests you and your team." The guard said.
MM got up.
"Except for you, Milk, Miss Waller expects you to understand why." He told MM.
MM glared, it was the only thing he could do.
The Seven arrived at the shooting location. Bourke was in the grip of Grodd.
"Long way from the zoo aren't you?" Homelander taunted Grodd.
Grodd released Bourke who scurried away.
"You won't get close enough to rip my arm off." Grodd said.
Homelander looked surprised for a moment as that was his exact idea. Grodd pointed to his head.
"Telepathy, but your reaction makes it clear just how little you prepared yourself. You're an even bigger idiot than The Joker proved, Homelander." Grodd said.
Homelanders' eyes glowed red, but Grodd did not appear to be phased. Homelander fired, but in the path of the beams was Bizarro.
Cheetah leaped onto one of the trailers brandishing her claws. Giganta grew to colossal size not far from them. Black Manta walked out of a fire, the red eyes of his helmet appeared to be locked onto the Deep. Clayface formed from what appeared to be a sentient pile of mud. Doctor Polaris flew above several pieces of equipment hovering with him.
"Anyone have a preference?" Grodd asked his teammates.
"I'll take on their Wonder Woman." Cheetah said.
"No fair!" Giganta said.
"Too late." Cheetah said.
"Fine, I'll take the lightning one." Giganta said.
Stormfront nervously looked at her opponent.
"What the fuck are you?" Homelander said, staring at the clone in front of him. A distorted Superman. Still, he could recognize Superman's face.
"Me am…" Before Bizarro could finish his sentence, Homelander punched him.
Homelander punched him again, and again. Angrier at every blow. But the punches didn't do anything, Bizarro didn't react. After more punches, Homelander stopped, his fists hurting. Bizarro punched Homelander's jaw and he flew up above the clouds. Bizarro flew up there and hit Homelander with his ice vision, secluding him in a giant crystal. The crystal fell from up above and was completely destroyed as it hit the ground, releasing a confused Homelander. Bizarro landed behind and Homelander crawled as Grodd stood in front of him.
"Me did bad!" Bizarro proudly stated. "Are enemies from Legion of Doom displeased?"
"No Bizarro," Grodd. "We are very displeased. But you can go closer."
Homelander glared his laser eyes at Grodd but before he shot, Bizarro broke Homelander's arm. His movements were now mechanical, lifeless as a machine being controlled. Homelander was thrown on the ground, his head sinking into the pavement, Bizarro kicked him, breaking his ribs.
Stormfront tried to rush in and save Homelander only to be stomped on by Giganta as though she were nothing more than a common cockroach. When Giganta lifted her foot, Stormfront looked to be injured with her arms and legs looking crooked.
Seeing her chance, Cheetah lunged at Maeve. Her claws embedded in her sternum before slashing Maeve in the face. Maeve screamed as Cheetah began to scratch the heroines' ribs.
"Don't worry this will be over soon." Cheetah told her as she readied her claws.
Noir threw a knife at Cheetah. Minerva dodged the blade only for Noir to be hit by a what looked to be a hammer made of clay. Noir was smacked down into one of the trailers creating a massive dent. Noir recovered and threw a smoke bomb at Clayface, once the smoke cleared Noir was gone. Clayface looked around only for Noir to embed two knives into the monster's back stabbing it repeatedly. Clayface let out a scream before smiling. Noir tried to free his knives from Clayface before he was pulled inside of the monster.
The Deep immediately hightailed away from the scene.
"Oh fuck! Oh fuck!" He said before he felt a great searing pain in his right arm causing him to trip. The Deep tried to pick himself up, but when he moved his right arm he only fell on the ground again. The Deep looked at his right arm and saw that it was gone with their only being a burned stump where it once was. He then noticed the shadow of Black Manta over looking him.
"I know you're not the real deal. Far from it, but I think a part of me will enjoy this." Manta told the Deep.
He pulled out what looked to be like a harpoon and stabbed The Deep in the kidney causing the Deep to scream.
A-Train looked around. He saw Homelander getting brutally beaten by Bizarro; Queen Maeve was on the ground bleeding, claw marks going from her cheek down to her ribs exposed by the deep cuts; The Deep lost one of his arms, Black Manta put his harpoon through his body; Black Noir was inside of Clayface's body struggling to get out but the villain was unbothered by his blades sticking out; Stormfront was being stomped by Giganta all the way down to the sewers. A-Train saw Homelander trying to punch Bizarro, this time, he held the punch and crushed his hand.
"Fuck this." A-Train said.
He tried to run but his legs were off the ground. A-Train was floating being held by his belt, his metal buckle. Doctor Polaris flew next to him and grinned. A-Train's feet hit the ground with so much power his shin bones snapped out of his legs. A-Train screamed in agony. Grodd went up to the downed speedster and picked him up by the head.
"Pathetic." The Gorilla simply told him.
"Why haven't you finished them?" Black Manta asked.
Cheetah licked the blood out of her paw, unbothered by the critically injured Maeve on the corner.
"Finish what?" She asked.
"We never have the time to play like that when it's the Justice League." Doctor Polaris answered. "You haven't killed yours either."
"His internal organs are in the wrong places." Black Manta explained. "No worries, his brain is the usual place."
Black Manta's helmet glared aiming at the Deep's head but before he shot, a batarang hit his head and exploded. Another batarang hit Grodd's hand as he prepared to devour A-Train's brain.