Omni Boys

by AUfan62

While fighting both Kevin and Vilgax at Niagara Falls both them and Ben get sucked into a portal created by the Null Void projector. Only it’s not the Null Void they land. They land in a world where Superheroes are just a bunch of corporate puppets and think they can do whatever they want. But no it’s a real Hero’s Time.

8. Chapter 8: New Day, Information and Plan

Back again with another installment. Sorry it took so long, but parts kept getting deleted because of bad internet connection. Hope you enjoy it.

Enjoy!

Hospital

"What do you mean you're stuck at the border?" A medical director asked on the phone. "I was told you guys could get pass the border security with those papers." Pause. "Since when?" Huffs a sigh. "Just let me think of something." Pause. "Just buy me an hour please." Pause. "Thanks."

The medical director hangs up his phone with a sad sigh. He had gotten several diabetic patients who came in after trying to ration their insulin. Which had risen to a ridiculous amount, so he decided to purchase the same insulin for a fifth of the price in Canada. Unfortunately customs wouldn't allow that without a special permit.

A woosh was then heard. "Insulation delivery!" A voice exclaimed. The medical director looked and saw XLR8 with a box of insulin. "Hate to do this buddy but can I borrow a twenty, I wanna get some Canadian bacon when I get there." He requested.

Still staring at him the medical director requested a twenty from anyone nearby. One of the orderlies obliged and handed it to XLR8 who said. "Thanks." As he was about to leave he stops himself. "Oh by the way tell your guys to unpack the boxes, and cross the border on foot with one at a time and repack on US soil. You'll get around the FDA, PTA, FSD or whatever." Then takes off.

"Fucking shit." The medical director gasps.

"Did you get his autograph?" A Nurse asks.

Scene Cut

A news reporter was outside the same hospital XLR8 was delivering insulin. "For the past two hours the Shifter form known as XLR8 had been carrying boxes of insulin to this hospital, making the nearly two thousand mile trek in record time." She tells to her viewers then receives a message from her station on her ear piece. "He's just been spotted just entering Manhattan, maybe we'll see him shortly." She say's into the camera right before a vroom is heard.

"Phew I need to workout more." A semi exhausted A-Train says, breathing heavily as he checks his pulse with one hand and holding a box of insulin in another.

"A-Train what a surprise are you assisting Shifter in this heroic endeavor?" She asks, with slight confusion in her tone. She had prepared questions for Shifter if he stopped by.

"Not just me, Shock Wave and a few others are helping out." A-Train answers. "Heck even Marathon Man is helping out." He adds with a smile.

"Really?" The reporter asks shocked.

"Yup." A-Train replies. "Sorry I gotta go, need to help the people who save people." Then runs inside.

Scene Cut

XLR8 just delivered his last box of insulin, apparently the company that normally supplies the insulin for the hospital caved. Now they were gonna provide the life saving medication for a much more affordable price. Like they should've done in the first place. (Remember how the house rejected the price cap for insulin to be at 35 Dollars. Get those Vought's out of power)

As he was about to leave the medical director stopped him. "Thank you so much." He said with much appreciation.

XLR8 lifts up his mask and shrugs. "Just doing my job." He tried to downplay, then adds. "I know Homelander usually says this and doesn't mean it but I do." The medical director raises and eye brow and the alien puts a hand on his shoulder. "You guys are the real heroes." Then takes off.

Scene cut

A little girl, around two years old, was separated from her mother was about to cross the street into on coming traffic. The mother finally found her child but it was too late, a car was driving and didn't see her.

Or was it.

Just then a black and blue blur zoomed in just in time. The celebrity then felt wind blow by her and saw XLR8 holding the little girl. "I think this is yours." He commented handing the child over to the mother.

"Holy fuck thank you." The woman replied, grabbing her daughter and holding her tightly. "Oh I'm so sorry baby." She say's, closing her eyes and thanking God that her baby was safe. "Listen thank-." She was about to finish, but when she opened her eyes she saw XLR8 had already left.

Hideout

Ben was walking into the little dining area for breakfast when he was ambushed by a smiling Janine and Elena. Despite the stressful circumstances she seemed to have adjusted to being in hiding until who knows when. "What?" He asked confused.

"You saved Kutlure." Elena told him.

"Did you talk to Cardi!" Janine asks.

"Was she nice?" Elena questioned.

"You gotta get me an autograph." Janine added.

"What?" Ben repeats.

"Look!" Elena tells him shoving an Instagram post in his face. On it was the mother of the little girl he saved earlier. The caption read 'Shifter saved my baby' followed by a bunch of grateful emojis.

"Oh she's Cardi B?" Ben asks, looking at her profile. "She always has new hair and these celebrities never wear the same thing twice so it's hard to tell." He adds giving back her phone.

"So you didn't get an autograph." Janine say's disappointed.

"Sorry." Ben apologizes.

"If you meet Nicki Manaj though you better come get me." Janine warns

"Us." Elena clarifies.

"Can we eat now?" Ben asks, feeling hungry. They then walk to the table where Monique, after making Butcher and Frenchie get really expensive ingredients, made Pancakes, French Toasts and eggs. "Looks awesome."

As they sit down and start eating Ben noticed some people absent. "Uh where is everybody?"

"My mom is doing yoga in her room." Janine informed, as she cut up her toast. "Daddy and the Boys keep making her mad."

"Understandable." Elena comment as they recall what went down few nights ago.

Flashback

"Can anyone tell me what's going on?" Monique asks after finally getting over the initial shock enough. The explanations Butcher, Frenchie, MM and Hughie gave were conflicting.

"I got this." Ben volunteers.

"Maybe we should-" MM tried to stop him.

"I was in my universe's Niagara Falls fighting two of my worst enemies who teamed up to try and take me on." Ben begins. "When my grandpa was trying to send them to a prison dimension something happened zapping me to this dimension." Monique jaw drops even more. "Where I soon started kicking Vought butt, then Butcher finds me, makes me drop my Shake Shack, buys me a new one, says he has a crusade, I join we find Hughie and get him on bored. Then we captured Translucent after failing to bug Seven tower, met Frenchie, we get info out of Translucent and sort of get the CIA on board." Turns to Butcher. "Did they say yes on that helicopter yet?"

Pause as the human adults look at each other. "No." Ben concludes then goes back to explaining. "After that we find MM and spy on Popclaw and find out about compound V, a supe drug. I go all XLR8 on the race, but no V, we find Elena who ran away from Vought." Points to the girl in question. "Then they find out about the Female." Turns to the Female. "We really need to find out your actual name." Turns back to Monique. "While Me and Elena went upstate and stopped a supe thing called Herogasm which was an orgy which was disgusting." Both the children shiver.

"What!?" Monique shouts, but Ben pays no mind.

"We then go to the Believe Expo and get more information on compound V via blackmailing Ezekiel, Kevin attacks, Vought loses, my buddies and I win, Kevin is sleeping. Butcher and Frenchie get the V and then while we were celebrating you guys show up." Ben concludes. "That's about it."

Monique just stares. "Ok so what's with Ghostfreak?" Ben asks, pointing to Wraith.

"I do not know." Wraith explains. "I was held captive by Vought until she." Points to Elena. "Freed me and then I found refuge with Janine."

"Why do you keep calling him Ghostfreak?" Janine asks.

"That's what I named him when I could turn into him." Ben explained. "But my Ghostfreak tried to take control of my body to make himself whole. Until I burned him out of existence."

"Is that why you can't be out in the sun?" Janine asks the ghostly extra terrestrial. "You're not whole."

"I thought it was because of Vought's experiments." Wraith responded.

"So you've just been squatting in MM house?" Butcher asks.

"Well I did help out with the house work." Wraith said.

"So you're the one who's been doing the laundry, alphabetizing the DVD's and-" Monique lists off.

"Organized your kitchen, made that little tea triangle I saw on Reba." Wraith added. "I also made sure Janine cleaned her room and put things on your grocery list you forgot." He continues.

"He also helped me with my homework." Janine says, hoping it'll make him look better.

"Is that why you've been doing good in school?" The mother asks.

"I also did it for her." Wraith adds with confidence.

"Wraith!" Janine replies in a worried tone.

"You what?" Monique asks him to repeat.

"Oh." Wraith says, understanding that was something he was not supposed to say. He then turns to MM. "He lied about that special vacation to France he said he was planning for you, he was talking to some French women he was probably cheating on you with." He accuses.

"WHAT!" MM exclaims then turns to his wife. "Baby I was talking to Frenchie not a woman." He gestures to said Frenchman.

"So you're cheating on your beautiful loving wife with some French male prostitute." Wraith says, getting a chuckle out of Butcher.

"Woah hey now." MM say's.

"Please he could not afford me huh." Frenchie claims, full of confidence.

MM turns to Frenchie with a look of confusion. "Bro please you worth like what, two Penny's?" He estimates.

"You'd be lucky to have me!" Frenchie exclaims, offended by that price.

"Shut the fuck up both of you!" Monique shouts, then turns to her husband. "You're gonna get us outta here then I never wanna see you again." She tells him.

Flashback over

Turns out a meeting with Raynor couldn't be scheduled until 2 weeks later. Which was today. During which Monique and Janine shared a mattress on the floor. Thankfully MM made everyone clean the bathroom so at least there's that.

"If you have your own place why do you stay here a lot?" Elena questions, eating the last bit of her food.

"It was cool at first, but now." Ben answers, then drinks his OJ. "With Hughie, Butcher and Frenchie it can get crowded, plus Vought might track me if go there too often.

"Right." Elena say's understanding.

Janine then notices Chip hovering around Elena and has a question. "So what's that?" She wonders pointing at Chip.

"Oh Chip. He's a friend." Elena simply says with a smile. "My dad made him, not really sure why. But he helped me when I needed him."

Flashback

Elena was in her and her Mom's loft at Vought, just hours before she escaped. Bored and grounded for sneaking out to meet Starlight she began snooping through her parents room. Her mom didn't always sleep here, and once or twice she found someone else sleeping with her. But she has vague memories of her father here for some reason.

She goes through the usual stuff in the drawers, she even puts on her mom's fancy jewelry for a bit. Then suddenly she hears a faint 'tink tink tink' repeatedly. It's coming from the closest. Going over there she follows the sound to an old box and see's 2 small circular glass cases each containing a small device. Suddenly one starts talking to her in her head. "Well hi there." She greets.

Flashback over

"Hey everyone how was breakfast?" MM greets as he comes in with several bags. Ordinarily he'd ask if there's any left but knowing his wife, possibly soon to be Ex wife, he knew there wasn't. "Where's everyone else?" MM wonders, looking around.

"Frenchie is trying to understand what Kimiko is coloring." Elena answers.

"Hughie's in the living room." Ben adds, which was basically a couple of couches and chairs around a TV.

"And Wraith is weirding him out." Janine tells him.

Scene Cut

Frenchie was in another part of the hideout observing the female's drawings, but couldn't figure it out.

Meanwhile Hughie and Wraith were alone watching TV, earlier he'd come to watch some tv to at least forget some of his troubles. But then a ghost joining him and asking if he can watch 'Two and a Half Men' reruns kind of ruined it.

After a while of awkward silence Hughie clears his throat. "So... do you have like..." He starts then see's Wraith's eye moves along the black vains on his body to look at Hughie, who looks terrified. "Unfinished business?" He manages to finish.

"I'm actually not a ghost, I'm just an extra terrestrial species that happens to look like what people would call a ghost." Wraith corrects, though it's unclear if he was offended by that or not.

"Cool cool." Hughie replies.

Wraith then decides to carry on the conversation. "Do you have unfinished business?" He asks.

"Um.." Hughie starts then thinks about it. "Kinda." He eventually answers.

"Does that mean if you die you'll be a ghost?" Wraith questions, making Hughie even more uncomfortable if that was even possible.

Hughie gulps before replying "Never realy thought about that." Turns his head to another direction. "What was that?"

Wraith looks around and asks. "What was what?"

Hughie turns back to the ghost like alien and tells him. "Butchers calling me."

Wraith is confused by this. "I didnt hear anything" He tells the human.

"No definitely heard him calling, see you later." Hughie quickly walks out of the room trying not to break into a run. Wraith meanwhile just shrugged it off. Despite being aware Butcher has yet to arrive.

Vought Tower

In Madelyn Stillwell's Office the woman in question just finished her presentation to the heroes Shifter worked with to beat Chimera. Including the tragic Death of Translucent and a spot opening for the Seven. Each of them would go on a reality show to compete for the spot. She also spent at least a good twenty minutes of kissing up to them.

"So basically you want us to do an "American Ninja Warrior" thing to decide who gets the spot." Web-Weaver simplified.

'Gen-Z's' Madelyn thought with annoyance as she kept her composure. "That's the short version yes." She spoke then sat down at her desk. "I know you must have questions but..." She tried to drag on to add suspense, but that fails when.

"Pass." Groundhawk tells her, crossing his metal hands with a stern expression.

"I'm sorry what?" Madelyn asked, not believing what she heard.

"Pass." Groundhawk repeats. "If you think you can make me the Nubian's punching bag, fire me then after I start doing good try to use me again then." Chuckles a bit. "You dumb fucks are even dumber and fucker than I thought." He concludes before walking out.

"I guess that leaves you three." Stillwell said, still keeping her composure. "Now you just need to-." She was interrupted again.

By Ice Princess this time. "Actually I'm done to." She told the seated blonde.

"For what reason?" Stillwell wondered. "We've been so good to you I thought that-."

"Save the bullshit, just say I froze people's arms, legs and other parts and you covered it up. We just reached a settlement where I froze a guy's dick off." Ice Princess blatantly say's, though only Web-Weaver has a reaction, an audible gasp. "FYI I offered him triple if he doesn't sign and already went to the Times, Gaurdian, and I'm sure even Al-Jazeera and BBC and whatever the fuck are gonna report it tomorrow. I'm probably gonna be lucky if I don't get arrested." She informs.

"It was an accident." Madelyn tells her, going with the go to defense for collateral damage.

"I was a fucking shit who froze a guy's dick off because I wanted a good lay that my fake boyfriend wasn't giving me." Ice Princess replied and before Stillwell could continue. "I knew full well what could've happened, it's happened before, no warning to him or anything prior. I wasn't sorry then, but I am now." She adds.

"Why now?" Madelyn asks. "Like you said this isn't the first time."

"Two reasons." The ice themed supe began to explain. "First I was a piece fucking shit that thought she was great, but I realized I'm just a lucky fuck up bitch." She explained.

"And the second?" Stillwell said.

Ice Princess then pulls out her phone, which had been recording the whole time. "I wanted you to say you knew." Madelyn's eyes widen a little. "He get's his job back, double the pay, full back pay, a bonus, you'll pay for his surgery and you'll leave me the fuck alone when my contract is up next month." She tells her then starts to walk away. "If I wanna stop being a dweeb I gotta stop hanging around one's." Walks out.

Madelyn then looks to Silver Kincaid but before she can get a word out the Hijab wearing supe does. "I'm not joining a team that wants to change my name to Captain Al-Qaeda." This puts a worried look on Stillwell's face. "Don't worry there's no footage or anything and if I say something I'm gonna be accused of being racist." She informs her corporate superior which alleviates some of her worry.

"I'll just make this easy for you though." Kincaid tells her then simply walks outs. Leaving just Web-Weaver.

"Do you wanna hear my reason or should I just leave?" The arachnid themed hero asked.

"I'm sure we can come to some kind of agreement." Madelyn still tries to convince him.

"Sorry no." Web-Weaver says shaking his head. "My uncle told me to be careful who I turned into and I'd rather not turn into a sell out. With Great Power comes Great Responsibility." He adds then walks out, leaving a very annoyed and tired Stillwell behind.

Scene Cut with Maeve

The Amazon warrior checked her latest instagram post of her training which already got several hundred thousand likes. While the video depicted Maeve going through an intense training regiment it was just a month old video she had on her phone she never posted. She has a bunch of those.

Putting her phone down on the night stand she continued smoking her vape. Feeling the bed shift she saw the two Vought employees she spent the night with. Both seemed exhausted, guilt free and looked as if they were in pure bliss. Maeve was only one of those. With an annoyed sigh the supe gets out of bed, not bothering to put any clothes on, and goes to her fully stocked bar. She then opens the closest bottle she can find and started chugging the contents straight from the bottle. Didn't help.

Scene Cut with Homelander

The Seven leader was in his quarters looking at the TV which showed another report on Shifter being a great hero. Despite it angering him him he couldn't look away from it. Instead he pulled down the lower part of his suit and began stroking his member. "I am the greatest. I am the fucking greatest." He kept repeating until he was finally content.

Scene Cut with Deep

"I told him already. Twice!" Deep replied to Timothy, an octopus inside the large tank in his room. He then heard Timothy's advice. "Of course I'm fucking worried, but Homelander doesn't seem worried." Pause for a reply. Timothy's reply then causes Deep to gasp. "He's the best there is." Pause for reply. "Who gives a fuck about Shifter, guy's a pussy anyway."

Timothy then gives a lengthy response and causing Deep to ask. "What when?"

Flashback

Ripjaws was swimming away after stopping some criminals from using a boat to escape. As he was leaving he noticed a royal blue tag that looked suspiciously familiar swim next to him. Obviously he didn't speak fish but followed the fish anyway. Eventually he came upon an ocean floor littered with cans, bottles, plastics and even rubber tires. How rubber tires kept getting into the ocean is a great mystery.

Ripjaws picked up a rubber tire and flung it to the nearby beach. The fish alien the went back and forth bring all the waste from the water to the beach. Naturally this ruined people's beach day (If there was one, they don't give dates in the Boys) but soon some people started cleaning that up properly.

Flashback over

"So he helps a few of you guys one time, I've been here this whole time." Deep reminds him.

And while nobody else could understand him, anyone could clearly tell that Timothy's latest reply was along the lines of. "And you've done nothing to help." Before he swam away.

Scene Cut A-Train

A-Train was training by himself since his brother was out on 'a paid leave of absence' after the Chimera fiasco. Probably for the best in his opinion he would likely give him a long speech about how bad he was doing, how many calories he needed and blah blah blah.

Thanks to joining Shifter's little UPS campaign earlier his points shot up a bit, though not like Starlight. It's like she did better than before if he was being honest.

He wasn't even using his usual track since Shockwave had it booked for the near future. So instead he went back to his old neighborhood's track that looks almost the same as it did when he was in Highschool. And it wasn't that new back then.

As A-Train got back to his starting line to prepare for another lap a wave of nostalgia wafted through him. Teenage Kix, Popclaw and him being the hope for kids on the street. Seemed like a million years ago, but it also felt like it was yesterday.

As he was about to resume his workout a few kids started to run towards him. Smiling he walked towards him and did a mini photo op.

Scene Cut Black Noir

The Dark themed hero was training against one of the few other supes at Vought that actually tried to keep in shape. Blind spot, a millennial, and while the younger supe was no match for the veteran he still provided a good workout.

Scene cut Starlight

Annie was on another date with Hughie. Things had been going really well since he finally told her about his previous girlfriend. Then there was Vought giving her more freedom of movement. Which meant she was able to stop crimes like she did back in Des Moines, though with more frequency. But there was one thing dragging her mood down. The news.

"Two weeks since the Chimera attack the city is still reeling from the shock." The Cameron Coleman said in the camera. The footage then shifted to the Seven trying to stop Chimera, though it only showed their successful hits. Not of when Kevin beat them.

"Against overwhelming odds the hero's of Vought were able to weaken it enough before going to protect the vulnerable citizens of the city." Camera then shows Homelander stopping some rubble. "All while Shifter struggled to mop up the mess he made." Footage showing Diamondhead struggling to beat him.

"Until more Vought Heroes came to his aid and finally stopped him." Cameron added, footage going from Chimera's fall to his face. "Then, likely through manipulation, convinced the other heroes of Vought to release Chimera, or "Kevin" into the hands of the CIA." Scoffs at this. "When he should be in a secure facility only the Seven and Vought can provide."

Small pause as he listens to his ear piece. "Oh and get this." An image of Victoria Neuman's latest tweet appears. "Victoria Neuman's latest tweet. 'I thank the heroes for protecting the people of this great nation, and possibly the world, but it is clear Shifter clearly knows this Chimera individual, or Kevin. If he knew about it why didn't he say anything earlier. While Superheroes certainly can save lives, they are just loose canons without any control."

Pause. "Well it seems as if she's starting to see the light, but has the audacity to maintain the notion that inexperienced politicians should be in charge of the great saviors of America." Goes to commercial

"Unbelievable." Annie sighs. "We got our asses handed to us." She turns to Hughie with an upset look.

"You did pretty good, all things considered." Hughie tries to comfort, and he was right. "You and Noir got the most hits, and got hit the least."

"Still..." Annie drags. "Shifter was the only one who who actually was any good, still can't believe he formed a team so fast." She adds.

"You think they're a team?" Hughie asks. Knowing it was entirely unplanned group that miraculously came together like a cheesy Disney band on TV.

Starlight in disguise shrugs. "Maybe. They just worked really well together if they weren't." She replies.

"Maybe he's just that good." Hughie suggested, knowing Ben was. He may just be a kid who wants to slack off whenever, but whenever it Hero time he's all business. With some of the kid showing off.

Seeing as how her mood went down Hughie decided to change the subject. "Hey. Eye of the tiger. You and me, we have a Panera gift card to win." He said with a smile. "No distractions. Come on."

"Ah, good one here. Before joining The Seven, which hero led a search-and-rescue team..." The game host asked, reading the next question. "after the 1994 Northridge earthquake?" He finished.

Noticing her struggle Hughie commented. "Isn't it like your job to know this?" He teased then seeing as how she wasn't figuring it out. "It's Lamplighter."

"Thank you." The female supe replies while writing down the answer.

"Yeah, I had all the trading cards." Hughie lamely tells her.

"Of course you did." Annie say's with a teasing smile.

"Hey can't you just like dress up and get us free Panera for life?" Hughie humorously questions, causing her to smile. "That way I can save up to take you on a less lame date." He adds.

"I don't think this is lame." Annie tells him honestly.

"Really?" Hughie replies with a tilt of the head, indicating he was slightly surprised. "I'd figure bowling alley, movie, bar trivia that seems a little a cliché."

"I like a little cliché." Annie admits. "Guys usually try to impress me with something dumb like buying me cars or earrings, my ex Drummer Boy even got a Ferrari to try and take me back." She tells him as if that was lame.

Hughie takes this in and replies. "Well I can assure you that I will never do that." He tells her. "Or be able too actually." He adds, causing her to chuckle.

Vought

Isabella smiled as she looked at the readings. Finally progress after all these years. Apparently her daughter taking the father chip and running away was a blessing in disguise. Turns out the Father Chip never deactivated, it was sending out small sonic waves keeping the Mother Chip in stasis.

Thanks to her work she almost has the mother chip fully active. And while her daughter still has control of the self destruct feature, she no longer is recognized as the master controller. She is now. Pretty soon Edgar's dream of controlling the supes will come true. Those bastards don't deserve the powers they were given.

Feeling like celebrating a bit and glancing at a pair of regular chips her eyes briefly glowed red. The Mother Chip and the other two then floated to her palm. She then proceeded to go find Termite and Doppelgänger. First she wanted to test if she could really control the supes with these and second she felt like have a night with The Rock, even if it wasn't him.

Scene Cut

Madelyn, after some day drinking to calm her nerves, headed towards Edgar's office. When she got to the door she glanced over her appearance one last time to make sure she looks okay. Then once satisfied with her appearance she walks in.

"Mister Edgar I'm afraid-." She begins to say until he interrupts her. Again.

"They said no." The CEO say's, as if knowing before hand, while burning a letter into ashes above an empty waste bin. "Figures." He added as the last of the letter burned.

Noticing his reaction Stillwell frowns. "You knew they would reject the offer." She say's and his lack of denial confirms her suspicions. "Then why'd you tell me to offer them a spot?" She asks, walking closer to Edgar's desk as he sits back.

"A few reasons." Stan begins. "First to see if on the off chance I was wrong then we wouldn't have to look into the wilderness to find Translucent's replacement." Pause. "Second you needed something to focus your mind on instead of being stressed out because of the Chimera incident." He adds.

Madelyn gulps. She was against the whole idea of having the Seven essentially being stripped of all of Vought resources. The resources that made people think they're gods. Starlight performed well sure, but the rest were ok at best. A-Train did get his points up though with the insulin runs and going to his old school's track field. "Is that all?"

"No." He tells her as he pulls out a manila folder. "I needed to keep you busy so I could work on your resignation." He finishes.

"My what?" Madelyn asks, not believing what she's hearing.

"Your resignation." Edgar repeats as he gets up and theatrically walks around his office. "It wasn't easy especially because of someone so dedicated to Vought as you." He continues. "But you're a mother now, your priorities change and you want to put your son first."

The blonde chuckles at this. "You wanna fire me because I have a kid?"

"No I wanna fire you because you're trying to take my position." Edgar clarifies. "And I said you'd be resigning not getting fired. Your kid is just a good excuse." He adds.

"This is ridiculous." Madelyn tries to play off. "Why would I want to take your place?" She questions.

"Get's you out of babysitting duty." Edgar answers. "At least you think it will. After all..." He drags on as he turns to her. "I've only gotten this involved personally because of Shifter."

"If this is about Shifter we'll get him." Stillwell assures.

"Let's put a pin in that for a moment." Edgar tells her as he goes over to a shelf with a few pictures. One with him and a man with a tacky Hawaiian shirt. "I find that focusing on one thing at a time guarantees success more."

"Fine." Madelyn agrees and still keeps her smile. "I'm not resigning." She tells him. "And you can't fire me for being a mother or the Seven's setbacks since you've made it clear they're to blame." She adds with full confidence. "And if you fire me with no reason, I'll sue for wrongful termination and you'll wish you just gave me your job." She finished as she sits down at one of the chairs by the desk, but still looking at Edgar, who was looking at another photo. This one of his father in his uniform with Wrench.

Edgar turns to her and replies. "How... naïve... do you think I am?" He questions, truly baffled by what she said. "Do you think me, a black man, who was only put in any kind of position of power, a position of which at the time was completely made up and served no purpose but to make this company look less white, would be able to get out of that dead end job, rise to my stature and be a complete and total idiot as to have this conversation without insuring all possible odds are in my favor?" He questions while taking slow and steady steps until he's almost towering over her.

"Nice try." Stillwell tells him, completely unfazed. "Good use of the discrimination card by the way, but I'm used to powerful men thinking they can bully me with just words." She adds.

"Look at my desk." Edgar tells her, with the same bored expression he's maintained the entire time.

Deciding to entertain him Stillwell looked and saw signed affidavits. Curious as to what they might be she began reading it and saw they were signed by other members of the board. All confirming she had met with them to discuss a "replacement" for Edgar should the board deem him unfit as CEO. There was also one from a private investigator she hired to dig up dirt on him.

"Judging by your lack of response you're either taking time to process this or trying to see if this is just a bluff." Edgar theorized. "It's not, in a few weeks you're going to ask for time off, after that you're going to accept a less strenuous position allowing for more time with your son. Or just accept the position now and fully resign with all your benefits in a year." He tells her.

"So either I demote myself, or I quit, or you fire me." Madelyn lists off her options.

"If you're worried about employment I'd be happy to write you a fantastic letter of recommendation to work anywhere else." Edgar offers.

"Except Vought." Stillwell adds.

"You have until the end of the quarter to decide which route you want to go with. Assuming you're still alive." Edgar tells her then adds. "Now would you please leave my office, I have work to do." And with that Stillwell gets up and leaves to contemplate her options.

The Boys Hideout

"Samaritan's Embrace." Mother's Milk began to speak, with a map of North America with pins on it to indicate locations. Next to him was several piles of neatly organized papers and folders with perfectly arranged markers and pens. "Led by Ezekiel but bankrolled by Vought, has been shipping Compound V to 53 hospitals across the country since 1971 and gift wrapping it..." He trails off as the Female comes over to grab several of his writing utensils.

He sucks in a breath briefly as she messes up his perfectly placed set up. "...gift wrapping it as polio vaccine." He finishes.

"Are you telling me." Butcher starts. "God's not reaching up the twats of American girls and blessing babies?" He questions, already knowing the answer.

"Butcher, can you leave God out of this?" MM requested with annoyance.

"H-Hold on, hold on." Hughie spoke up, processing what was said. "So, no hero was born? None of them? They're all just kids dosed with the blue shit." He asks, for confirmation. "I mean, even..." Hughie trails off as Butchef finishes for him.

"Even fucking Starlight." The Brit says, getting some weird looks from everyone.

Hughie decides to shrug this off and continues to ask. "Do you think... do you think they know... what really happened to 'em?"

"What about Homelander?" Butcher asks.

"Homelander's a black hole." MM tells Butcher with a frown. " Never had any public records and never will. However, every single other Supe..." Holds up some of the Compound V they got from the hospital. "Juiced-up lab rats." He finished.

As the Female knocks over some documents it finally tips MM over the edge. "My God. I'm trying to give a tremendous fucking TED Talk here, and this..." He gestures to the Asian.

"Frenchie, can you control her, please?" Mother's Milk requested.

"I do not control her." Frenchie replies, insulted by that accusation

"Do you see what I'm dealing with?" MM scoffed, looking towards Butcher as he gestured to Frenchie and the Female.

"Well, spot on, M.M." Butcher compliments with a smile as he walks towards the map. "We got Vought for child endangerment, drug trafficking, and possibly the largest fraud in fucking history." He lists off with glee. "Raynor's gonna love it."

"You better hope she does..." MM tells him.

"And she better!" Monique tells them, making her presence known. "How long until we can get out of here?" She demands to know, crossing her arms.

"Relax baby." MM tried to assure her.

"Don't you tell me to relax." Monique tells him and then looks around. "Where is Janine?" She asks.

"The children are just watching a film." Frenchie tells her, gesturing to the living area.

There the Female was drawing the same thing, a circle with some lines in it. It was obviously a symbol for something, but who, what, where and why were unknown. Meanwhile Ben, Elena, Janine and Wraith were watching John Wick killing a couple of agents with a pencil.

"Wow imagine if he had a pen." Ben told them impressed.

"Totally." Elena agreed, popping some popcorn in her mouth.

"So why did they want him dead again?" Janine asked, having never seen these movies before.

"Not sure." Elena answers.

"Should they be watching this?" Monique questions and was about to switch the TV off but was stopped by Butcher. "What?"

"Keep in mind we have a Casper that according to you took on A-Train and Noir, plus we have a very volatile female that tried to kill us when we first met her." Butcher tells her in a hushed tone, then after looking at kids Monique slaps him cause his head to jerk towards the left. "That was a little a uncalled for." He says.

"Get us the fuck out of here." Monique demands then walks away. Her husband, for now, follows her all while Wraith watches with an intrigued expression.

"Right, you lot stay out of trouble, I've got an appointment with Raynor." Butcher tells them as he puts on his jacket.

Hugie then asks. "So your gonna show up unannounced to piss her off."

Butcher smiles at this. "Now your learning." He compliments.

"You think she'll actually be happy to see you this time?" Frenchie asks.

"Happy might be a bit of a stretch." Butcher admits with reason. "But after all thats happened and with this shit, she'll be eating out of the palm of me hand." He adds.

Secret Location

Kevin was waking up, that much he could tell. But his vision blurred and he felt dizzy. "Uhh... what happened?" He groaned rubbing his head.

"Good your awake." A voice spoke up.

Kevins vision focused and he saw Susan standing infront of him, separated by several layers of reinforced glass. "Who the?" He tried to move but saw that his arms were chained to the center of his seemingly glass cage. "What the!?" He tried to break free but he felt sluggish and weak. "Whats going on!?"

"In short." Susan began. "You're in a CIA blacksite. you were taken in after attacking the city and several heroes." She sighed at the last part.

Kevin tried to use his powers but had trouble focusing. "What did you do to me?"

Susan smirked confidently. "We figured you'd be able to break free of whatever we tried to resitrain you with. So we've been pumping enough drugs into you to cause Kurt Cobain to over does 10 times over."

Not knowing who that is Kevin asked. "Who's Kurt Cobain?"

"Nirvana?" Susan simply replied as it was obvious.

Kevin just stared at her and blinked then shook his head. "Stop making up words and let me out!" He demanded.

"Not a chance fucker." Susan answered. "And if you're thinking about smashing your way out you can. But the moment you break your little dog leashes the gas goes from low to high and you'll go from feeling sluggish to to black out drunk." She explains. The CIA, nor any government agency, did not have a way to restrict him physically so they settled for the constant gas use. The chains and glass were just ways to slow him down, should he even gain enough strength to breakout.

"You're not getting out this, but answer some questions and we'll make it better." Susan adds then pauses then adds. "Unless you rather stare at walls all day."

"Isn't there supposed to be a good cop?" Kevin asked, watching enough cop shows to know that.

"Budget cuts." Susan simply replies. "All you get is hard ass bitch cop. Now, how do you know the Shifter?" She asks.

Kevin raises an eyebrow at this. "Who?"

Susan gets annoyed by this response. "Cut the shit Not only did you call him Tennyson and know about his watch, you talked like you two knew each other." She reminds him.

Knowing she was talking about Ben Kevin replied. "What's it to you?"

"Too many unanswered questions." Raynor tells him.

"Why don't you ask the hero." Kevin suggests. "I'm sure he'd love to tell you his life story." Then his brain gets working. "Unless you're afraid of him." He suggests and even with the glass separating them and her keeping a perfect composure he could see a slight shift. This was thanks to his Wildmutt senses, Grey Matter Brain and his other senses working together to analyze this.

"Tell you what." Kevin begins. "Let me go, show him to me and I'll take care of him for ya." He assures her.

"Please." The CIA deputy director says. "I'm not a fucking idiot. You wanna kill him, but can't, you lost to him before and will again

Chimera growls then tries to break his restraints, but Raynor signals the cameras and the red gas fills the cell. Eventually a large thud is heard and the deputy director sighs as she leaves. She knows it's a long shot but she has to try.

CIA

After leaving the blacklist site and returning to her office Susan entered her office she expected to Butcher to be standing there again. But to her surprise he actually called her and said he was waiting in her office.

"Hello Deputy Director." The Brit greeted with a smile as he sat at the chairs by her desk.

"Do you have the Compound V or not?" Raynor asked, wanting to get this over with.

"I've got the Compound V." Butcher begins as he pulls a sample as well as some files. "Along proof that Vought's injected babies right across the country, and... something even more fucking diabolical."

"Worse than dosing babies?" Raynor replied, baffled by this. "Like what?"

Butcher then scrunched his face as he answers. "Still working on it but with these cunts, there ain't no rock bottom."

"Let's get it to the lab." Raynor said as she tried to grab the V.

"Not so fast." Butcher says as he pulls back the sample and pulls out a list. "First things first, eh?"

"A list of your demands." Susan replies both amused and slightly annoyed. "How in character." She adds as he passes her his list. "Exorbitant salary. Same for your team. Office space, in the Flatiron Building, no less. Security clearance. Indemnity clause. Legal protection. A formal guarantee that Homelander will be prosecuted under the full extent of the law." She reads off list.

"Is that all?" She questions.

Butcher then smiles as he pulls out another list. "From the ankle biters, and one from MM." He informs.

Raynor rolls her eyes and reads it off. "Protection for his family." She reads off with understanding. "Helicopter privileges, of course. Hero Medals, which we don't have. Cool spy sunglasses, which don't shoot lasers. Official badges. Fancy looking expense pen. Face on the 10 dollar bill. Airplane with decent food on it when the time calls." Sighs as she reads there's more on the back.

Unlike the previous demands this one is not as ridiculous, at least not in the same category. "Vought to be taken down and all supes bared from being in the military and be declared criminals until they are proven innocent, must be done with the accused present and cannot be done in absentia, guilty or innocent." She reads then see's another line, the annoys her. "All authoritative parties must come forward, including the CIA, and admit they were idiots for not stopping the dweebs and doofuses of Vought."

"Was all them I swear." Butcher tells her with a smile. "Any of that a problem?"

"No, gonna pass it up the chain." She tells him then adds. "And, uh, while they hash it out, you and I go forward on good faith." Then she reaches again for the V and again Butcher pulls it back.

"Fresh out of good faith." The brit tells her. "Now, you and I both know that you can rubber-stamp all of that. So what's it gonna be... Deputy Director?"

Sighing Susan replied. "I can give you... everything you want on this list. Heck for the kid the only possible deal breaker is the last one."

"But that ain't it." Butcher say's then asks. "So what is it?" Though he knows the likely answer.

"Homelander." Raynor tells him, almost sympathetically.

Instead of lashing out in rage Butcher takes a breath and closes his eyes. "You know what he's done." He reminds her.

The deputy director then gets up with a sigh and sits on her desk by Butcher. "I sympathize. I really do." She tells him with honesty. "But it's suicide."

"Yeah, well." Butcher began finally looking at her again. "That's a small fucking price to pay, isn't it?"

"Not for you. For thousands of people if you push him too hard." She reminds him.

"You're fucking scared." Butcher replies, rage slowly building up.

"I'm fucking terrified." She admits then tells him. "And you should be, too."

"Why?" Butcher asks. "Shifty can take him on, he made him bleed." He again reminds her. "He pounded the shit out Vought's supes, all of the cunts in the Seven and that Chimera wanker." He lists off.

"But thanks to Ben Tennyson we have Chimera and whoever the fuck might've been with him." Susan counters. "Plus all the property damage he caused." Money is always a hot topic. "Plus since the kid used Supes to beat him people now think certain ones can join so long as they have good leaders."

"So?" Butcher questions.

"So..." Raynor begins to reply. "Tennyson may have a way to take down the supes but he hasn't killed them, we don't even know if he can." Susan points out. "Not to mention we don't have a way to stop them and Shifter is the only one with a fancy watch."

Butcher then takes the V and is about to walk out when Raynor calls. "Wait." And he stops. "If you can find something, actually find something that can kill the bastard and we can use it then..." She drags on.

"Yes to Homelander." Butcher finishes.

"Yes to all of that." She tells him then adds. "And I'll do everything I can to get you two alone in a room, a cell or a tropical island." She offers, he then thinks this over and leaves after a few seconds.

Hideout

Frenchie was watching TV when Kimiko came and sat on the couch to watch the Shark Week documentary. "Mon coeur. Would you like me to change it?" He asks and she shakes her head 'no.'

"I wonder if she lived by the water?" Frenchie questions, then he had an idea. Going towards MM he say down and began to speak softly in order not to get his wife's attention. "You know, you can't fool me." The Frenchman started. "Who is she? What does she want? Why is she here?"

"Listen." Mother's Milk replies. "My life is fucked up and my marriage is falling apart. Those are the last things on my mind."

"But she could be the key to it all." Frenchie reasons.

"That's what you think, huh?" The former prison worker asks.

"It's true." Frenchie replies then adds. "It torments you. It's okay. Listen, I got one word for you. It's a surefire way to solve this puzzle." Pauses for dramatic effect. "Mesmer."

"Mesmer?" Mother's Milk repeats. "You want help from a Supe?"

"He despises Vought, hates them, hates the other Supes." Frenchie reminds him. "And the enemy of your enemy..." He trails off.

"It's a bad idea Frenchie." MM tells him.

"Oh, come on. It's a quick trip. In, out, boom, bing." Frenchie replies.

"Boom, bing?" MM questions then adds Look, I'll tell you what I can do. I can... possibly maybe..." He trails off. "Tattoo "fuck no" on your ass."

"Daddy said a bad word!" Janine voice exclaimed from out of nowhere.

Frenchie and Mothers Milk look around shocked until they finally see her on the ceiling rafters. "Janine baby how'd you get up there?" The father asked with concern.

"When Wraith possesses me I can do cool things." Janine answers.

"Janine what are you doing up there?" Monique demands to know walking in and seeing her daughter too high.

"Hiding from Elena." She answers.

Speak of the Devil, said girl walks over and points up. "Found you."

Janine then let's go and flips down, much to the horror of her parents. Then when she lands Wraith comes out of her. "I can't believe you did this to us." She reminds her husband.

"Baby please." Mother's Milk tried to reply.

"Don't give me that crap about how you didn't want this." Monique tells him. "Cause if you didn't you should've told that British bastard no."

"That hurt." Butcher replied, announcing his presence. "And I thought we were all just starting to get along."

"Butcher you're back." Hughie said with excitement. "What'd she say?" The newbie wondered, hoping it was a yes.

"Yeah can we get them outta here?" MM asked too.

Butcher sighed. "No go." He told told disappointing them. "Unless..." He adds, getting their attention back, but doesn't finish.

"Unless what?" Hughie wonders.

"Unless." The Brit drags. "We find a way to stop Homelander or kill him." He informs them, fudging some of the facts.

"Butcher!" MM exclaimed.

"It wasn't my condition it was hers." Butcher tells them. "Without that it's too big a risk. Especially since Benji can't you know... finish the job if he could."

Multiple sounds of frustration and disappointment were then heard. "So what now?" Hughie asked.

Butcher smirked then told him. "You're (points to Hughie) coming with me." He orders as he starts to walk away. "Rest of you can fuck off for all I care." He adds as he and Hughie leave.

When they did Frenchie went back to MM. "He gave us the green light." He tells him.

"That's what you got from that?" MM questions.

"Green light for what?" Monique wants to know.

"You know..." Frenchie trails. "I've seen you eat ice cream."

"Oh, my God." MM groans.

"Ice Cream?" Monique questions

"Chunky Monkey, I believe." Frenchie continues.

"Where is this going?" Elena asks Janine who shrugs her shoulders.

"Well, you know you take a spoonful... a chunk of fudge, perhaps." Frenchie keeps going. "But then I see you with the surface is uneven. So what do you do? You take another scoop, you try to even it out, which, tragically, creates a corresponding divot. Ultimately, there is only but one choice for you, no?" Frenchie explains, while eating the imaginary ice cream. "To consume the entire pint. No, you don't want to, you don't want to. But you must."

"And I tell you why, my friend, because you cannot bear things out of order." Frenchie tells him then pauses to gesture towards the Asian female. "And she... she's out of order."

As MM considers this argument Janine chimes in. "Are we getting ice cream?" She asks, not understanding what Frenchie was talking about.

"No sweetie." Monique tells her daughter. "We can't cause Daddy made it so we can't leave without having a target on our backs.

"Ok that's it!" Wraith pipes in. "Frenchie go with the girls to find Mesmer while I deal with the couple. MM is burned anyway so I don't know why you're asking."

"I was trying to be polite." Frenchie told him.

"Mesmer?" Elena asked. "He's doing a panel, with Shock Wave along with some 90's stars." She informs. Thanks to Chip she basically has a bunch of Vought events in her head.

"My daughter is not leaving this place unless it's by the CIA." Monique tells Wraith.

The ghost then floats towards Monique and narrows his eye. "Fine then she can sneak out by herself when she gets bored and definitely endanger herself."

After a few seconds to consider this Monique relents with a. "Fine." But then adds. "She better be safe."

"Relax mademoiselle Monique we're professionals." Frenchie tells her as everyone but Wraith, MM and Monique leave the hideout.

"Meet me here in twenty minutes." Wraith requests as he goes through a wall.

"And that's the least fucked up thing here." MM says.

With Ben

The ten year old was getting a candy bar from the gas station when he noticed something on the Television.

"So earlier today, you met Shifter is that right?" A talk show host asked the celebrity guest. The celebrity guest was Cardi B.

"That's right, he uh saved my daughter!" She answered, then explained how paparazzi's distracted her and scared her daughter to almost crossing the street.

"And how grateful are you for that?" The host asks.

"So so very grateful." The rapper answers. "If he asked for me to suck his dick I'd do it." She adds rolling her tongue to make an 'rrrrrr' sound.

"What about Offset?"

"I don't care he can join or grab a camera ha ha!" Cardi replies with a smile and getting a reaction from the crowd.

Ben then decides to take out his phone and types a few keys.

"Oh that's me sorry." Cardi says when an alert is sounded in her phone.

"Is it from Shifter?" The host asks with hope.

"It is!" Cardi replies excited. "He's saying no to the dick sucking but wants me to meet some fans. Maybe he wants me to suck their's." She tells the host then gets another alert. "Oops." She says. "Sorry I didn't know they were your daughters."

'Why would she think that?" Ben thinks, then realizes nobody knows his age and he messaged her that he knows some fans and then their ages and gender. He was gonna add that they weren't his daughters, they were just friends. But he got another message.

"Help!" A message read for his DM's. Ordinarily he'd ignore them since a few times people requested help just so they could meet him. But it was one of the girls from the Herogasm thing. So with one last message to Cardi B he rushed out, nearly forgetting to pay.

"What's going on?" Ben asks.

"Turns out me and a bunch of other girls got hired to entertain Jack from Jupiter." The message read. "Just him." Another. "He's a fucking sexist that thinks women are his personal servant and sex toys."

"Need an address." Ben requests then when he gets it asks for some time. With the Omnitrix being used so much he needed time to recharge.

With Butcher and Hughie

"All right. You want to tell me where we're going?" Hughie requested, as he Butcher were walking.

"You don't do it anymore." Butcher tells Hughie.

Curious as to what he was talking about Hughie asks. "What?"

"You know that feeling you get when you tip your chair back too far, and you catch yourself just before you fall?" Butcher replies.

"Yeah?" Hughie answered, not sure where he was going with this

"You used to look like that all day long." The Brit tells him, then adds. "But now look at you, neck-deep in shit, cool as a cucumber." Pats his shoulder. "You ain't half the twat I thought you were, Hughie." He finishes with his version of a compliment.

"You know, you're always calling people "cunts" or "twats." But I just... I never really got how that's an insult?" Hughie replies. "They're flexible, take a pounding, and they're the reason behind, like, 98% of my life decisions." He adds.

"You're doing good, Hughie. And you're a good cunt." Butcher tells him as they arrive at their destination. "Well, here we are."

Confused that they were outside a church and knowing Butcher's stance on God Hughie replies. "Church?"

"Seek and ye shall find, me son. Come on." He instructs as they go inside.

Once inside they found themselves in a meeting of people who were considered by Vought as collateral damage. Like AA for supe victims. One woman in a wheelchair just finishing up about her experience involving Tek-Knight.

"Hi everyone I'm Seth." A guy who had no visual injuries greeted. "Many of you know about my uh injury down there." He begins while gesturing towards his crotch to indicate some idea. "Not exactly sure if I should say this but I can't say it anywhere else so um."

He seems to be nervous to speak until he finally says. "The Hero who did it to me and convinced Vought to pay for my surgery to uh replace it."

Pause.

"I just wanted to say thank you for your support, I'm lucky to have you and luckier then everyone here." He says with a bit of guilt, knowing that the other victims weren't injured by heroes more like Ice Princess.

"He should bloody thank the kid." Butcher whispers to Hughie, knowing he was responsible for her attitude adjustment. "But imagine what Starlight will do to ya when she finds out." He adds.

"You have something you'd like to share?" A woman asks, likely the head of the group.

"No, no. A-Apologies." Butcher say's. "Please do, uh, continue the sausage surgery." He adds.

"We don't make jokes or judgments here." The woman tells him. "Why don't you take the talking stick and tell us your story?" She requests.

"Nah, I'm good." Butcher replies with a hint of amusement.

"You know, I've seen guys like you before." She informs him.

"Oh, I seriously doubt that." Responds.

"The smirk, the jokes, it's all a defense mechanism." She lists off, likely using examples of her previous experience. "But you don't have to do that here. This is a safe space."

"I said I'm good." Butcher tells her, any sort of humor lost from his tone. "Time to move on."

"Go ahead, Seth. Give him the stick." She instructs Seth, who does just that.

But as he's about to pass it to Butcher, the brit rises up quickly with anger that his chair falls to the ground. "You, back off, or I'll shove this stick where your new dick is gonna be." He threatens with a murderous look and grabs the stick.

"You're a bunch of pathetic Supe-worshipping cunts." He tells the group. "I bet you'd thank a Supe if they shit on your mum's best china." He accuses. "Did it ever occur to you that they split your spine, chop your leg, or your arm or whatever the fuck just for a laugh?" He asks.

"Where's your fucking rage?! Your self-respect?!" He demands to know. "These cunts ain't God, they just a bunch of junkie twats who think they can get away with anything. And it's cause the lot of you are sitting here in your little share circle. Having a little whinge and a moan." He mocks.

"Fuck "letting go." You should be out there with a fucking chain saw, going after 'em!" He exclaims.

"Just a bunch of scared fucking rabbits." He tells them while throwing the stick to the ground. Then goes toward Hughie.

"Supes are all the same. Every fucking one of 'em." He tells him in low tone so only Hughie hears, then picks up his jacket as he leaves.

"Uh, he's, um... I'm sorry." Hughie tells with a stutter as he gets up then adds. "But he's kinda got a point." He leaves.

Outside

As Butcher and Hughie leave to go somewhere else Butcher gets a phone call. Seeing that it's Ben he picks it up and answers. "We're in the middle of something here."

"Are you beating someone up?" The ten year old asks.

Butcher takes a moment to reply. "...Not yet."

"Listen, what can you tell me about a guy called Jack from Jupiter?" Ben requests.

Butcher simply answers. "He's a right cunt."

Even though they can't see it Ben rolls his eyes. "Besides that."

"Talk to Hughie." Butcher suggests, then tosses his phone. "Jack from Jupiter Wikipedia page."

Hughie then starts to list off his powers. "Ok um he's pretty strong, can fly and has like a force field thing when he says carpo." He tells him.

"Cabo?" Ben replied.

"Carpo." Hughie tells him. "CA-ARP-OH" He emphasizes.

"That's it?" Ben asks, unimpressed. "No telekinesis or shapeshifting powers?"

"Uh no." Hughie answers.

Butcher then takes the phone back. "The cunt is a self centered bloke who who only cares about getting himself off. He's the reason Hefner died."

"He killed him?!" Hughie replies in shock.

"No." Butcher tells him. "Just convinced the old bloke to have more fun then he could handle. But what a way to go."

"Don't know who that is but okay." Ben hangs up and after Butcher and Hughie continue on.

Hideout

Monique and Mother's Milk were sitting on opposite ends of the couch while Wraith sat in a chair across from them. He was wearing a grey turtleneck and a brown sports coat, trying to look like a therapists.

"I'd like to thank you both for agreeing to come to this emergency couples thearpy session." Wraith tells them.

Monique just gives him a look. "How are you qualified for this?"

"I never said was qualified" The ghost like extra terrestrial answers.

This causes MM puts his hand on his face and sigh. "Why are you wearing a turtleneck and a sport's coat, but no pants?" He asks, once he uncovers his face.

"Well this is what therapists wear and I have no legs." He answers, the outs on a monocle. "They also don't make one eye'd eye glasses." Leans forward and takes off his monocle. "Let's talk."

"But the first thing to remember is that we need to keep calm and use our words." He tells them then looks towards Monique and adds. "There's no yelling here."

Monique noticed this and points it out. "You looked at me when you said that."

"Baby he only has one eye." MM reasons.

"I was also looking at her because she's the one who does all the yelling." Wraith informs them with honestly.

"I DON'T-." Monique begins then took a deep breath. "Do all the yelling." She finishes calmly.

Wraith picks up a notebook and writes in it before saying. "Now let us begin with a simple question who's mad and why?"

"That's two questions." Monique points out.

"You're avoiding the question." Wraith responds while writing in his notebook.

Monique sighs and answers. "I am mad because my husband lied to me."

Wraith nods approvingly. "Good we're getting somewhere. Mothers Milk." Turns to the husband. "Why did you lie to her?"

MM replies. "I wanted to protect her and Janine. I know how dangerous this stuff can be."

Monique scoffs at this. "Then why did you get back into it? For christ sake? Butcher apearing wasn't enough of a red flag?"

"He said things were different this time" The husband reasons.

"And you believed him!?" Monique exclaims, baffled by this.

"No yelling." Wraith reminds her.

"It was, is." MM answers. "We finally had a chance to fight fire with fire."

"Marvin, when you fight fire with fire." Monique begins to reply but pauses. "You just make more fire!" She adds as if it was obvious.

"Not necessarily." Wraith disagreed. "According to Ben when he accidentally started a forest fire when he first got the watch and he made another forest fire which burned each other out." He told them.

"You're point?" Monique asked.

"Fire doesn't create fire from fire, it burns things, things that are flammable, which creates more fire. There are two ways to stop a forest fire, put it out with water, earth or foam, or make another fire and both burn each other out." He tells them.

"You think I'm gonna burn myself to burn Vought?" MM asked.

"Well you're definitely checking off the list for the path of self destruction, but that only correlates when you experienced a traumatic event." Wraith tells him. This response causes a small subtle shift in posture. "Which you did and obviously Vought is responsible." He adds.

"He gave up that vendetta cause of what happened last time." Monique tells Wraith.

"But with his OCD he can't." Wraith begins to reply, then adds. "And you shouldn't stop him."

This gets a reaction from both of them. "What?" Monique asks. "Shouldn't he avoid the path of self destruction."

"Yes he should avoid self destruction, but him not stopping Vought is worse." Wraith tells her. "He'll keep obsessing over this and agonizing about what he could've done differently and eventually get back in this." Gestures to the room. "But instead of setting a fire he should find water instead and you need to help him, otherwise you're just making him burn."

"ME!?" Monique exclaims.

"Fuck no!" MM rejects.

"Ok leave him then." Wraith dismisses with a shrug. "If you can't handle his involvement in this crusade he joined then anytime he quits before it's resolved is only gonna be temporary." He reasons. "He knows you don't approve so he did it secret, so it's not like he doesn't love you, he wants to take Vought down and protect his family."

"So either help him or leave him. Your choice." Wraith tells her.

"What if I just stop?" MM questions. "For good."

"Can you?" Monique questions with skepticism. She thought he gave up this crusade years ago, then he joined Butcher again. "What do I have to do to get you to stop?"

"Interesting..." Wraith drags as he writes yet another note about Monique. "You have control issues."

"Excuse me?" Monique asked.

"I can't believe I didn't think of this before." Wraith berates himself. "I mean no wonder you and Tamikia don't get along. You're"

"A psycho control freak?" Monique finished.

"I was gonna leave the 'psycho' and 'freak' and just call you 'controlling.'" Wraith responded, while writing down in his notebook. "Shows you're insecure about the topic. Let's talk about this." He adds getting a huff of frustration.

Scene Cut

At a Vought panel featuring Vought heroes the former child star Mesmer was signing autographs from his show in the 90's. The Mesmerizer. He was also taking photos with his signature catchphrase "There are no secrets from me." But after a while he needed to use the bathroom so he went.

Whistling as he washed his hands he heard the door open. "Bonjour." A man greeted with a small wave and a smile.

"Uh hi?" Mesmer replied.

"Mesmer right?" The Frenchman guessed accurately. "You still do that mind thing no?" He asked.

"Yeah?" Mesmer responded, hoping for someone to come in. Little did he know the Frenchman placed an out of order sign on the door before walking in. He had weird fans, some of them he even liked, but this was new.

"I need you to read someone for me." The French guy told him.

Oh he was one of those. A way Mesmer made money after his show was over, was to read people for a price. First it was small stuff like a wife who wanted to know if her husband was cheating, or answers to a test. Now a few months ago he read a stock broker and now the DOJ was on him.

"No way I don't do that stuff." Mesmer denied. Even though he got away with it, it was always better to deny unless he was sure. Especially since he wasn't a kid anymore.

"You will if you want to see your little one again." The French guy tells him as he was walking out.

Stopping dead in his tracks Mesmer asked. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Come with me and find out." Was the reply. "Unless you never want to your little girl again?"

Hotel Martinez

At a penthouse suite costing over 40,000 a night Jack from Jupiter spent at least three times that on entertainment. First for all the alcohol, next was the drugs modified so to give him a better high and last was the women. All were top quality. Apart from the Vought Supe there were no men, so the women were either drinking, smoking, doing drugs, engaging with the others or a combination.

"That fucking Bitch!" He grunted, as he thrusted into the back of an Asian girl, who was leaning forward on the back of a couch. "I should've... been... in the... Seven!" He added, not letting up.

"Oh ow oh!" The girl exclaimed, at least in partial pain.

"That's..." Jack grunts. "FUCK!" He grunts again as he finishes, then pushes her to the side with a thud. Not caring at all about the girl. The orange skinned supe then looks around the suite, where at least a dozen women he 'invited' are doing one thing or another.

As a naked red headed girl is walking by he roughly grabs her and forces her down to her knee's. She is then forced to suck him off as he places his hand on her head. "Fucking Bitch." He grunts again. "That spot should've been mine." He adds.

The girl's response is a series of. "Ugh ugh ugh." As her mouth is occupied.

"Yeah that's it." Jack tells her, leaning back. He then reaches for some pills and bottle of whiskey and swallows. "Faster." He orders and the girl tries to speed up. "Fuuuuuck!" He grunts as he thrusts into her mouth faster.

The girl tries to break away but her choked screams were ignored. "Uh!" Jack grunts as he releases and only pulls out when he see's a smiling bleach blonde girl with large breasts snorting powder off the chest of another. Both giggle before making out and the blonde guides her partner further down.

The girl he just threw down then coughs for several moments. "Are you okay?" Another girl, brunette this time, asks in concern.

"Fine." The red head replies. "You said he was gonna be here."

"He will." The brunette tells her.

"Tell me that spot should've been mine!" Jack requests as he aggressively lifts the girl to a nearby wall and thrusts.

"That spot... should be... ugh... yours! Oh!" The blonde obeyed.

"Fucking shiiiit!" Jack From Jupiter groans, still thrusting. "Who's the best?!" He asks, but he doesn't get a response as he starts choking her.

Just then the door bursts as Diamondhead runs in and pulls Jack off and throws him out on the balcony. "Get in the bedrooms." He orders as he runs out, and the girls immediately comply.

Outside

"THE FUCK!" Jack From Jupiter exclaims in anger. "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR!?" He shouts.

"Gee I don't know." The diamond alien shrugs. "Maybe cause you were gonna choke someone to death so you can get on!" He adds, then thinks over what he said. "Was it get on or get off?" He asks himself. "Never mind!"

"What do you want?" The orange man asked. "You wanna do some of them too? Cause I don't mind sharing if we can get back in there."

"Look can you just put some pants on please." Ben requests, putting a hand to cover his vision of the lower half of Jack from Jupiter's body. "I was tired of looking at you posers with those dumb costumes, but's it's even worse with nothing on."

"What? Think you're bigger than me?" Jack from Jupiter asked, feeling insulted.

"Dude it's obvious I'm bigger than you." Diamondhead replies, not knowing Jack is talking about a specific body part.

This angers the orange skinned supe, who flies at the Alien hero with a roar and tries to punch him. But this was easily caught by a left green crystalized hand. "Yes cause that always works." Ben says sarcastically then punches Jack with his free hand.

Jack is sent back farther than his previous position and is on the ground. As he recovers he see's Diamondhead charging at him. In response he claps his hands together and shouts. "CARPO!" And he becomes surrounded in a red toned force field that blocks the Petrosapien's attack.

"Ha!" Jack cheers. "Take that that fucker." He mocks.

"I can take it." Ben responded. "How long can you though?" He asks, before beginning a series of punches. Who's stamina would wear out first, Jack from Jupiter's or Shifter's?

Hideout

"I think that about covers today's session." Wraith said with a pleased expression, getting a scoff from Monique. "We discussed you his trauma and why he lied to you as well as your control issues and such. I'm sure Janine is happy you're not mad at her." He adds, going over his notes and reading it with his monocle.

"Has she been feeling that way?" Monique asks, suddenly concerned for her baby girl.

"Is this why you did all this?" Mother's Milk asks.

"That and I wanted to test out my methods before publishing my book." Wraith answers. "I'll send you a copy." He tells them as he takes off his therapist outfit.

"Where did you even get those?" MM asks.

"Borrowed them from a store." Wraith answers as he folds them.

"So you stole them." Monique clarified.

"Nooooo." Wraith dragged. "I borrowed them, that's why I left a note saying I was gonna return them." He tells her, then floats to a part of the room where a phone was placed.

"Were you recording us!?" Monique demanded to know.

"No of course not." Wraith replies. "This was giving live footage to Janine, who's in her room and was watching the whole thing." Ignoring their shocked expressions he adds. "Did you really think I would let her leave when Vought is after her. That'll be 150 dollars, by the way."

"You expect us to pay you?" Mother's Milk questions.

"You didn't think I was gonna do this for free did you?" Wraith replies, texting Janine. "I'm cheaper than anyone else, especially in this economy."

Mesmer's House

"So... she can't talk or won't talk?" Mesmer asked, taking off his jacket as he, Frenchie, the Female and Elena walked in.

"That is what you're gonna tell us." Frenchie answered.

"Anything in particular you want to know?" Mesmer questioned.

"Everything." Frenchie simply say's.

"Well, that narrows it down." Mesmer sighs, knowing that this could take a while. He sits down in front of a chair, presumably where the Female would sit.

"Mon coeur. Will you come? Have a seat." Frenchie requests gently, gesturing to the chair.

The Asian hesitates until Elena grabs her hand. "It's okay." She tries to reassure. "It's scary, but it will help."

The Female still hesitates. "Here I'll go first." Elena says as she sits down and grabs Mesmer's hand to show it wasn't painful.

Flashback

"Get off me!" Elena exclaimed while struggling to get a couple of Vought guards to let go of her. But they weren't budging one but, as she was being dragged to one of the labs.

"Then tell me how did you activate the chip." Her mother told her as punched in a passcode to the door.

"I don't know! He just turned on!" Elena tells her and as the grip on her tightens and she's pulled into the lab she exclaims. "Suéltame, me estás lastimando!" Just then Chip appears out of nowhere and goes the one of hands hurting her. Following this Elena runs out and Chip breaks the panel automatically locking the door.

Flashback over

"Woah." Mesmer say's impressed.

"See." Elena tells the Female. "Doesn't hurt." She simply shrugs.

The Female replies by pointing to her own eyes. Elena then realizes she started crying a little. "Might make you sad or mad." Elena tells her wiping away the tears.

The Female then takes a seat where Elena was, but before they could continue a knock was heard. All eyes are directed to where the door is as Frenchie asks. "Are you expecting company?"

"Oi cunts!" A familiar voice spoke. "I know you're in there so open the fucking door you good for nothing muppets."

Frenchie went to the door and opened it, revealing an annoyed Butcher and a confused Hughie. "What are you doing here?" Frenchie asks.

"Fuck what I'm doing do here. What the fuck are you doing here?" Butcher replied. As Frenchie was about to answer Butcher interrupted. "Fuck that to actually cause I figured you would try something like this, so I bugged all your phone."

"Even mine?" Hughie asks, but doesn't get a reply as Butcher walks in.

With Ben

A series of grunts were heard as Diamondhead was till punching Jack from Jupiter's red shield. But while Diamondhead seemed fresh as a daisy, Jack was sweating bullets. Under normal circumstances the shield was difficult enough to hold for a long period of time. But with constant attacks it becomes a herculean after a short time.

So now it started to visibly crack after a while. "Sweet dreams Joke from Jupiter." The Petrosapien said, before delivering one final punch with all his might. This breaks the shield and sends Jack to the terrace wall, while creating a small trench on the floor, rendering him unconscious.

After this Diamondhead proceeded to walk back inside, where he saw the girls huddled around the windows, where his Jack laid unmoving. "Sorry I'm late, my watch was off. Everyone ok?"

"Yes." One answers.

"Totally." Another adds.

"Thank you." Another one says.

"How can we repay you?" Someone asks.

"No need, just doing my job." Diamondhead tries to dismiss, while keeping his eyes on their eyes, rather than below.

The blonde with the large assets that Jack nearly choked then approaches. "Seriously I'll do anything to show how grateful." She insists, running her hands on him. "Anything." She repeats with a bite of her lip and a bat of her eyes.

"Uhhhhhhhh." Ben drags not knowing how to respond. It was almost as bad as the Kix Cave.

"Let's go." The girl who called for Ben ordered, while dragging her friend/co-worker.

"Oh come on." The blonde whined. "Is he small or something?"

"Not in the way you're thinking." Turns to Ben. "Thanks again, but you might wanna leave before anyone shows up."

"If he's short that won't bother me." The Blonde still insists.

"Just call the wife of that CFO guy back." Was the response.

"Can't today she's with the nanny who's gonna give her pictures so she can keep the house, the Benz and her." The blonde explains, and their voice fade out as they and the rest of the girls retire to rooms to change and plunder.

"Guess I'm done." Ben comments and as he leaves he see's a maid come in. "Uhhhhhh." He drags again then see's her holding out her hand and he gives her diamond of himself. "Come back in an hour." She nods and turns to leave, but not before grabbing some of the high priced decorations.

After that Ben leaves.

Mesmer's House

After discovering the Female's name, Kimiko, and that she was in the "Shining Light Liberation army" they assumed she was a terrorist. It was later discovered that she was kidnapped as a child and forced into it. Along with her brother. Following this she was taken by Vought and injected with Compound V in the hopes of making a supe terrorist. Giving reason to allow Vought 'hero's' in the armed forces.

"So in order to get their cunts in the army, the Vought cunts are creating suped up cunts so the political cunts can send the Vought cunts to take care of them." Butcher summarizes.

"Holy fuck, this is just... fuck." Hughie responds, absorbing.

"Should there really be a kid listening to this?" Mesmer asks, nursing his bruised hand. The first read with Kimiko she nearly broke it, but Elena was able to calm her down.

"Used to it." Elena tells him as she color's with Kimiko. "What's Ben doing, shouldn't he be here for this?" She asks.

"I'm sure he's doing something important." Hughie assumed.

With Ben

Wildmutt was running through the streets of Queens with an important cargo on his back. Heading to a place Ben would never dared to go, even for all the sumo slammer cards in the world. School.

"Take it easy, you don't come with seatbelts." His passenger, a young female middle schooler told him. Ben replied with a small roar as they approached their destination.

With an extra boost Wildmutt rushed to the doors and skidded to a stop. "Thanks." The middle schooler said before running inside for a science fair or whatever.

Scene Cut

Ben, as Fourarms, was taking a couch up the stairs of an apartment. "Ok pivot. Pivot." He says gently

"PIVOT!" Someone randomly says, as if in a mocking tone.

"It's not that serious." Fourarms tells the guy he's helping. "No need to yell."

"Friends?" The guy says as they continue to struggle.

"Ok stop, let's take off the cushions and the little legs. That should be easier. Worse case scenario I break down all the walls." The Tetramand replies.

Scene Cut

"The stolen funds from Vladimir's Putin's secret account in Cyprus along with funds from Yevgeny Prigozhin have been sent to the clinic." Grey Matter tells Lily during a video chat.

"You think they won't notice?" The lawyer asks with skepticism.

"They will when Putin invades Ukraine again, but it was just bribe money anyway." Grey Matter replies. "Plus Putin's health is deteriorating so he likely won't be mentally or physically stable long enough to find out." He reasons.

"Still we could be investigated." Lily reminds him.

"Of course." The shapeshifter tells her. "But none of them know and you're not obligated to tell anyone because it's protected by privilege. Even if I'm not being sued."

"That only applies to legal situations. Are you in one?"

"Yes actually. I recently stole hundreds of millions of dollars, but it was for a good cause and kept like less than 1% of it. What are my legal options to not go to jail?" The alien sarcastically asks.

"What was the cause?" Lily humors with a chuckle.

Scene Cut

Ben was sipping a soda as he walked away from a pair of criminals hung in the air, via Stinkfly goop, when he received a call. "Sussie how's it going?"

"I have your grandpa's file." Raynor tells him."

"Where is he then?" Ben asks.

"He was killed in Vietnam at the end of the war, during an ambush.." He hears, making him stop dead in his tracks. "I'm sorry." She tells him then hangs up.

Ben resumes walking.

Hideout

After getting the information about Kimiko, then destroying Mesmer's camera and the pictures of them and threatening him before breaking his arm they left. Now the Boys and 2 girls were just waiting for Ben.

"Hey." He simply greets as he walks in with a somber tone.

"You okay kid?" Butcher wonders. "You look like someone ran over your dog and took a piss on it."

"Yeah I just uh." Ben struggled to say. "I just found out that my grandpa Max here died." He informed.

"Sorry to hear that." Elena told him.

"Sorry kid." MM added.

"Je vous adresse mes condoléances." Frenchie spoke.

Kimiko just gave a sympathetic look.

"Sorry man." Hughie offered.

"How'd he go out?" Butcher asks out of curiosity.

"During some kind of ambush." Ben answers.

Butcher thinks this over for a second before saying. "Too bad. So what have you been up to." To distract him. Ben then recaps his day for them.

"What is wrong with you!?" Frenchie exclaims as Ben tells him about what transpired after beating Jack from Jupiter. "That is my dream." He adds.

"To punch some orange phony?" Ben questions.

As Frenchie was about to correct him Butcher stepped in. "Yeah but like the orange wanker Frenchie can't keep it up." He says with a chuckle, then checks his phone when it starts ringing. Items Raynor.

"What?" He asks.

"I have something for you. Put me on speaker." She tells him.

"Raynor's got something for us." Butcher speaks, getting their attention.

"Is it the helicopter?" Ben asks.

"And the plane?" Elena adds.

"It's on Homelander." She clarifies, stunning them. "I gotta do this fast, so listen. In the 1950's Fredrick Vought himself decided he needed to make basically a supe file room for all his heroes. And since then they've been putting files on every supe ever created, only one not in there is Wrench. On the 10th floor there's a secret entrance public enough so nobody would think to look there. Usually marketing stuff happens there, restaurant chains, sports drink and whatever. But one door leads to a secret staircase to the upper floors and hidden lower ones."

A pause sets in as some rustling is heard. "That was close. Anyway go up ten or twelve flights and it should be there. Maybe further, the files are old as shit so who know's if it leads you to a fucking bathroom. Good luck." She says before it cuts off.

"That was weird." Ben commented.

"Yeah she didn't say goodbye." Elena said.

"That's what was weird too you?" MM asks.

"Well that and the secret entrance. I already knew about the file room. It's under the research area which is the fiftieth floor, so it's a bit higher than where Sussie said." Elena informed. "Ashley showed me once when she had to find some old files on Liberty that needed to be digitized."

"Think that entrance still works, it has to be years old and sealed up." Hughie points out.

"Maybe the entrance, but if they were cheap the stairwell is probably still open." Ben suggested. "Wouldn't that mess with the structural stuff and what not."

"Structural integrity." Elena corrects, then her eyes glow blue as Chip communicates with her. "According to Chip it would cost them millions to completely rebuild those as part of Vought, so they were just incorporated into the emergency stairwells."

"So it's a bust?" Ben asks.

"Not necessarily." Elena replies, relating what Chip is telling her. "The stairs aren't used often, there's only a few camera's and should take us to the floor of the file room, or at least close to it." She informs.

"If the entrance is closed?" Frenchie asked.

"Well if she said it was a secret entrance maybe it's still opened?" Ben suggested.

"Say, on the fraction of a percentage point, all that works in our favor completely, how are we gonna get inside, get the information and get out without anyone knowing?" MM asks. "I'm burned, they could recognize Hughie, they'd definitely know Elena and we need her and Chip."

"You can just remote control him from here can't you? You did it at Cunt Casa delKix." Butcher reminded.

"Yeah but I was still close. Plus Chip won't go more than 50-60 Meters from me without coming back." Elena explains. "So I have to be there."

"So it's a bust." MM concludes.

"Whoopi Goldberg!" Frenchie exclaims, as if having eureka moment. "We just walk through the door and pretend we have an appointment. Then we go up." He tells them.

"Classic." Ben comments.

"Frenchie they check for that stuff." MM told him.

"I can hack us an appoint with a good computer." Elena suggests.

"And I can go Upgrade to give it to her." Ben adds.

"They'll flag us. Remember I'm burned, Hughie they know of plus ya'll (gestures to Butcher, Frenchie and Ben) don't look like the business type." MM said.

"No but I can see someone who does." Frenchie replies and looks towards Kimiko who is still drawing.

"In case you forgotten Vought's looking our former terrorist conscript." Butcher reminded.

"She also can't talk." Ben adds.

"Listen we dress her up, tell them she is a foreign businesswoman for a company, I'm her translator." Frenchie begins. "You two are her personal security." Points to Butcher and Mother's Milk. "Miss Elena is her ward, and petit Hughie is her personal pack mule." He finishes explaining with an opened mouth smile.

"Let's say on the fraction of a percentage point that it works." Mother's Milk starts. "What about the Supes?"

"MM's right, besides Homelander there's a building full of those cunts. Not all of them are daft enough for us to do what we need to do. Plus if get maid we'll be in a shitload of trouble." Butcher adds. "And no way Benji can take them all on."

"Plus Vought hasn't been going after me lately." Ben tells them. "Kinda lame if you ask me." Tilts his back on his hands.

"Well not physically." Hughie says. "They're still trying to make him look bad on Instagram and Twitter." He informs seeing several memes with Shifter being portrayed as a bad character.

"Then we do that." Elena suggests. "Ben goes around far and wide a smears a bunch of Vought hero's. Then Stillwell, or whoever will send them on some sort of PR tour. It worked with Eagle the Archer."

"And Vought also has some announcement going on at Central Park so we can use that." Hughie adds, seeing the add. "Homelander and most of the Seven are gonna be there."

"And that's when go Hero on those Zero's!" Ben exclaims, punching the air in front of him. "How should I pound them? Fourarms, Diamondhead?"

"Hold your horses kid." Butcher tells him. "You don't need to actually win, we just need you to keep them and everyone's attention away from the tower. Put on a show and it needs to be a long one."

"So use someone more versatile. Like XLR8." Elena told him.

"Nah if I need to put on a show it can't be a repeat performance. Maybe I'll go Diamondhead or Fourarms. I'll think of something." Ben replied, while looking at the watch.

"This could work." Butcher comments, thinking everything over.

"One small little snag left." Elena chimed. "Unfortunately we still need a code to get to the files.

"Can't you just hack it?" Hughie asks.

"Well yeah, but that'll take longer since my Dad also made that security system specifically for that room." Elena answers. "Hacking it without the alarms will take forever and it's not a guarantee."

"So it's just easier for us to get the code." Ben concludes.

"How is that easier?" Hughie wonders.

"Ashley has it and I know her favorite place she likes to go after a stressful day, which is everyday." Elena informs, causing Butcher to smile.

Gun Range

At an indoor gun range, that was paid extra by Ashley to stay open late, Ashley fired a shotgun at a picture of Madelyn which was next to hole riddled pictures of other members of Vought, the Seven and the supes that helped Shifter beat Chimera.

After destroying Stillwells photo she laid the shotgun down and picked up the illegal machine gun from the establishments secret menu. As she was about to fire at a picture of Edgar she heard a thud.

Turning around she saw a scruffy looking guy of unquestionable descent (Frenchie, we know he's French or Algerian be the average person wouldn't guess either at first glance.) waving to her. "Bonjour." He spoke through the intercom in a French accent.

"The fuck." Was all Ashley had time to say before someone used her distracted state to grab her and place a cloth on her face.

"Night night." Was the last thing she heard before falling into unconsciousness.

Scene Cut

On the roof of a high building Ashley woke with a start. Looking around she knew she wasn't at the gun range, but didn't know where she was. Her head was throbbing and she felt stiff. So far the only plus side is that she's not tied up.

"Morning love." She hears and looks to see Butcher. "Have a nice little nap?" He asks, leaning on top one of the HVAC units and staring out towards the city.

Ashley looks at him, trying to seem confident and unafraid. "What is this? You're making a big mistake. Do you know who I work for?" She say's.

Butcher looks straight at the city with a neutral expression. "As a matter of fact I do. Thats why your here."

"Whatever this is I have powerful friends and they will-" Ashley begins to say when Butcher cuts her off.

"Do you like dogs?" The brit asks.

Ashley blinks and replies. "What?"

"Dogs?" Butcher repeats, then turns to her. "Barking, dragging their arses on the carpet little wankers. Do you like em?" He clarifies with some

Ashley just gives him a confused expression. "... Sure. Who doesnt?" She replies.

Butcher grins widely like the Grinch, before putting two fingers in his mouth and letting out a sharp, high pitched whistle. From behind the door rushs Wildmutt and charges at Ashley who screams and she crawls back in fear.

Wildmutt stops just short of her face and let's put a prolonged. "RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Roar in her face, shooting out some spit in her face.

"What do you say, best in show?" Butcher asked with a smile.

"You're-you're." Ashley stammered.

"In cahoots, yup and he'll do anything I say." Butcher says as he walks next to Wildmutt. "After all why do you think the Invisible Cunt hasn't been around?"

"Wha-wha-what do you want?" Ashley's asks. "I can get you money." She offers.

"This ain't about the money bitch." Butcher replied with annoyance. "You see, a little birdie told me you know a code to get inside the supe file room below the research floor."

"How do about that?" Ashely's asks.

"What are you deaf?" Butcher asks with a raised eyebrow. "Told you a little birdie. What's the code?" He demanded.

"They'll kill me." She tells him in the vain hope he releases her on that.

"Yeah, but they ain't here and that's if they find out." Butcher reminds her. "So imagine what'll happen to you if you don't give us the code." He tells her.

It was then the old Ashley started making her appearance. "You Fucking idiot if you wanted to do something you would've done it by now. So let me tell you something-"

"RAAAAAH!" Wildmutt interrupted as he grabbed her with one of paws and threw her in the air. She screamed as she flailed her arms and screamed even more as she began to fall towards the pavement. Only to still scream as the Vulpimancer bit down on the back of her shirt. Ashley kept screaming as she flailed her arms and legs.

"Let me tell you something you sniveling Vought gofer cunt." Butcher began, while walking over by the edge. "In case you haven't noticed he works for me, now killing a bunch of you yahoo's in public don't do me any good. But we ain't in public, we could drop you and have the ole bill think it's a suicide. And Vought would be none the wiser about what happened and what you said."

Ashley just takes fast ragged breaths.

"Preferably I'd rather you take door number two. Tell us the code, we leave you alive and Vought is none the wiser." Butcher explains. "This way you get to leave, go back to your fucking crappy life like before with a sense of gratitude for each minute of life."

"You better decide quick cause this is getting pretty tiresome. In fact-." Butcher continues, making a rolling motion at Wildmutt that Ashley can't see. "I think I feel yawn coming on." He then yawns to prove his point.

"Yawn?" Ashley murmers then feels Wildmutt open his jaw just a little so she slides down slightly. "OK OK OK. THE CODE IS 271205. 271205!" She screams and is rewarded with a toss back on top of the roof.

"See that wasn't so hard. Now remember tell anyone about our little chat and I won't have to kill you. Homelander will take care of that." Butcher comments, then briefly whistles again. Wildmutt then again roars, which makes Ashley scramble for the nearest door.

Once she leaves Ben transforms back and begins to laugh hysterically. "Did you see her face! Priceless!" He tells the smiling brit while leaning forward and holding his stomach. "Man that was great, especially making her think about why Translucent hasn't been around."

"Yeah." Butcher chuckled, then asked. "So did you hear the code? Cause I couldn't make out what the hell she was squawking." He asks, using his hand to simulate a mouth and opening and closing it to emphasize his point.

"Yup now let's go I promised Elena and Janine something." Ben told him as they began to leave.

"What was that?" Butcher asked, following.

Cardi B's Hotel Room

"Say 'Bad Bitches!'" The rapper said, lowering herself to wrap her arms around Elena and Janine's shoulders. All while XLR8 took a pictures.

"BAD BITCHES!" They all exclaimed with big smiles.

"Got em'." XLR8 said snapping the photo.

Earlier Ben had been contacted by the rapper for a meet and greet. So he asked if they could meet on the 'DL' and she agreed.

"How'd they come out?" Cardi asked.

"Pretty good." XLR8 answered, then handed the phone back to Elena.

"What should I caption this?" Cardi questions readying a post.

"Nope." XLR8 says in a moment of panic then steals the phone.

"The fuck!" The rapper exclaims.

"Yeah sorry no posting this cause um." XLR8 tried to explain.

"We're wanted by Vought and he's protecting us, but Vought doesn't know that and we wanna keep that a secret." Elena explains.

"Oh for real!?" The Bronx native questioned.

"Yeah." XLR8 added.

"I got attacked in my house and now I can't go back." Janine says a little sad.

"My mom works at Vought wants to kidnap me cause I ran away from the experiments she wanted to do on me?" Elena adds, more casually.

"Oh that's horrible." The rapper replies hugging the girls. "Can I do anything?" She asks, once she lets go of them.

"Just keep it to yourself." XLR8 told her then added. "And maybe share a video of me rapping."

"You can rap?" The three females asked at the same time. Though with different reasons.

"Well no. But I got a message from some guys who wrote some for me and they seem good." XLR8 answered. "Now can I get a photo?"

Vought

It was late and Stan Edgar was finishing up some paper work. The burdens of being the boss. First one in, last one out. As he completed the last bit of work he took a glance at his calendar for coming days. Normally an assistant, or secretary, or intern or any other sniveling underling would remind him of any events or projects. But this was more personal to him.

"This is gonna be a good show." Edgar says with a smile looking at the time and date for Homelander's announcement of Translucent's death, or disappearance.

As passed by the shelf of photo's he paused at the one of his father and Wrench. He then remembered his childhood when his father first told him his favorite story.

Flashback 1969

A much younger Stan Edgar was sitting next to his father as he showed him photos of him in the war. "Why are you wearing this?" The boy of age ten asked as he points to a photo of his father with a bunch of other men with similar skin tones, wearing a mechanics uniform. "I thought you were always a soldier?"

"Well at first I was assigned to repair tanks and cars because we weren't always allowed to fight." Elliot Edgar tells his son. "They didn't trust people who look like you and me."

Stan nodded having been educated by his mother, grandmother, grandfather and the pastor about all the racial inequality that has befallen the nation since before it's birth.

"But as I was fixing the car of some stuck up son of a bitch-" Elliot began to say.

"Language or Abigail is getting your slice of pie." Stan's mother and Elliot's wife, Rachel told him. "I don't wanna hear him talking like that again."

"It was one time, we didn't even know he could talk." Elliot reminded her.

"Yes and everyone who was at my sister's wedding will remember Stanley's first word rhymed with duck." She reminds him.

"Anyhow I as I was fixing the car when a bunch of tough looking white boys lined up close by and apparently they were in line to be part of Wrenches unit." Elliot continued.

"What happened next?" Stan wondered.

"Well another mechanic came out, only he wasn't a mechanic he was Wrench." The father told him.

"The hero?" The child asked eagerly, already knowing the answer though.

Elliot smiled at his son. "Yes." He answered. "Instead of choosing them to be part of his unit, he chose me to be his second in command." He informed him.

"I wish I saw their faces." Stan comments with a smile as he looks to another picture. This one of Wrench and Elliot with their arms on the other's shoulders. This time Elliot was wearing the uniform and rank of a sergeant.

"I did. They were like." Elliot responds making a funny over exaggerated shocked expression. They both had a laugh.

Flashback over

"You'd probably be proud of him." Edgar comments to himself before leaving. Leaving the picture of the two smiling war heroes where it was.

How was that? Again sorry for the wait, but I hope I made it worth it. No major fights this chapter, but you can expect some in the future. Also I am a Cardi B fan so that's why I added her. Guess who I'm gonna add in next. Here's a hint: She's the Queen.

Let me know what you think. Also who can tell me what the numbers for the code Ashley gave mean? Imaginary 67 dollars for whoever can tell me and a sneak peak of the next chapter.