Hughie was still at the hospital with his dad. Annie had called him and asked if there had been any change, but Hughie said that there hadn't been. He had seemed slightly evasive, but Annie wasn't sure if that was just because he was dealing with his grief. She'd told him that she'd be there for him no matter what and to call if he needed anything.
The atmosphere in the office seemed slightly off. Frenchie wasn't himself and Annie wondered if it had anything to do with Colin going away. Kimiko also seemed not herself, but she'd used her phone to talk and told Annie she was fine. M.M. had been with his wife after his daughter had been excluded from school for fighting. Hughie wasn't with them. Alex was constantly on his phone, clicking on the latest news article that featured Victoria.
That morning, she'd been photographed going to the V-52 Expo. Apparently Homelander was due to star in a new film and it was being announced. The photo had been of her moving through the foyer of Vought Tower, head bowed and hair covering her face. She was wearing a long-sleeved red dress with black heels and was clearly trying to avoid the cameras. There was another image of her and Homelander in the article from the other night when they'd been at the restaurant. They'd been photographed leaving together, him holding the door open for her and then taking hold of her hand as she smiled up at him and he laughed at something she'd just said.
"They're not real," Annie said to him as she sat to his right-hand side.
Alex locked his phone and put it down on the surface of the desk. Running his hands down his face, he shook his head slowly. He didn't know how long he spent at night in his apartment looking over the images until they were engrained in his mind. Every smile and laugh for Homelander made his stomach churn. He knew they were fake. He kept telling himself it was all fake and for the cameras, but there were times when even he wasn't sure if he believed it.
"We sure about that?"
Butcher's voice interrupted them as he moved further into the office, coat hanging loose and open around his frame. His boots thudded on the floor and he was holding a mug of tea.
"Of course," Annie said, voice firm.
"Why do you say that?" Alex questioned back.
"Saw her yesterday and I'm not sure it is," Billy retorted. "I told her about something that we could use to get rid of Homelander and she wasn't entirely on board with it. Made me wonder if the smiling for the cameras…dangling off his arm…if it's all fake. Wouldn't surprise me if she had Stockholm Syndrome."
"Don't say that," Alex said, voice slightly terse.
"She's doing what she has to do to survive," Annie said. "And you fighting with her isn't going to help her. Don't you think she already feels so alone?"
"Not alone if she's sharing his bed."
"You really don't get it," Annie snapped. "You don't know what it's like for her. None of us know what it's like. We're doing our best to help, but she just needs to keep playing her part."
"Almost too fucking convincing," Billy retorted.
"Enough," Alex said, voice on edge now. He wasn't going to listen to it anymore. In his head he had plans and those plans involved a new life with Evelyn and Victoria. It involved them as a family and he wasn't going to believe that she was happy with Homelander. How could she be?
"What's going on?" M.M.'s voice suddenly entered the office.
"Yeah, and why was I summoned here?" Daniella's voice then followed. She was holding a briefcase by her side, dressed in an expensive pantsuit with a grey woollen coat. Her heels clicked on the floor and she tucked a hand into her pocket, looking chic and professional. "I take it this has something to do with Victoria? Or Annie being framed?"
"All roads lead back to my bloody sister," Billy complained.
"Yeah, thanks for that, by the way," Annie said, looking to Billy. "Letting me take the wrap for Ezekiel's death really is the cherry on top of everything."
"Better you than me," Billy retorted. "Besides, God's honest truth, I had no idea how I killed him. I blacked out and then woke up and he was all over the shop. But never mind that," Billy said, stretching his arms in front of him. "Because I have found it – the answer to all our prayers."
"And what might that be?" M.M. was the one to ask, standing up and folding his arms over his chest.
"Ah, not much," Billy said nonchalantly. "Just a…a virus that kills supes," he declared and took a slurp of his tea.
"Such a thing does not exist," Frenchie said.
"Did not exist. Does now," Billy replied. "You see, some clever cunts over at Godolkin University cooked up a bug that latches onto the V in their bloodstream. Now, it's completely harmless to humans, but to supes….fucking diabolical."
Annie was less excited and more apprehensive. "So, you shove this shit into me and Kimiko and we just…" she trailed off. "Drop dead?"
"Yep, that's the idea," Billy said almost gleefully.
For a moment, Alex counted himself lucky that he wasn't a supe anymore. He watched Annie and Kimiko exchange wide-eyed glances.
"Now, it ain't juiced enough to kill Homelander," Billy said. "But I reckon if we get our hands on some then we can try it out on our lovely V.P. elect."
M.M. also didn't seem entirely sold on the idea. "And why the hell are we just finding out about this shit, Butcher?"
"There's one small snag. When I went to God U to nick it, Neuman had gotten there before me. She pipped me to the post," Billy said.
Annie shook her head, hand slicing the air in front of her. "This is insane and desperate. Even for you," she said and he managed to turn to look at her. It was almost like looking her in the eye pained him.
"Well, insanely desperate is where we are, don't you think, love?" Billy retorted, sounding annoyed.
"Alright, alright," M.M. said before things could escalate. "Time out. Now, if this virus is as dangerous as Butcher says it is, do we really want it in Neuman's hands?"
Annie relented on that point and Kimiko nodded at her. They'd lost that argument and Billy knew it. The virus was far too dangerous to be with Neuman.
"Right, sorted then," Billy concluded. "But the one thing we do know is that we need someone to help us out…and for that…we need a really good lawyer."
"I take it that's where I step in?" Daniella asked, brow arching on her forehead.
"Why? Do you know one?" Billy asked and Daniella looked at him with an unamused expression fixed on her face. Billy chuckled to himself and took another sip of his tea. "Nah, you'll do," he said, "and what we need is a Presidential Pardon."
"Excuse me?" Daniella spluttered.
"For who?" Alex wondered.
"Stan Edgar."
"No fucking way," Annie said firmly.
"Have you lost your mind?" M.M. questioned.
"Jury's out," Billy replied. "But we need Edgar if we're going against Neuman. She betrayed him and had him thrown in jail. He'll work with us, especially when he finds out that precious little Zoe has been turned into a precious little monster."
Annie didn't agree with that. She didn't see supes as monsters like Butcher did and she hated how he spoke about them. She knew he didn't like her. She knew he only tolerated her because she had her uses and she was on his side when it came to helping Victoria.
"I don't like this," M.M. said.
"You don't need to like it. We just need to do it," Billy said.
"And does Homelander know about any of this?" Daniella queried and she moved further into the office, perching on the edge of a desk and dropping her briefcase to the floor. She tucked her red hair behind her ear, revealing her golden piercings. She folded her arms over her chest. "He went to that University a few months ago and stopped those kids."
"He knows," Billy confirmed. "But I don't think he knows that Neuman has the remaining virus."
"How do you know that?" Alex questioned.
"How do you think?" Billy snapped back.
"You told her?" Annie demanded.
"I told her fuck all because, right now, I don't trust her," Billy said, realising how that sounded. "She's too close to that blonde-haired prick and I don't trust her not to blab to him while they're engaging in a bit of pillow talk at night."
Alex's stomach churned slightly.
"What did she say?" Annie asked, still able to think rationally.
"She said that he thought he'd shut the virus down when he destroyed the lab. I didn't tell her about Neuman. She'll tell him that we're looking for it, but he won't know where to begin…he'll probably think we're clutching at straws anyway."
"He's not wrong, is he?" Frenchie muttered.
"Either way, she stays in the dark from now on," Billy said.
"How was she?" Daniella asked and there was silence then.
Billy placed his mug down on the desk and moved his hands to his hips. He sniffed once and just nodded his head. "Fine," was all he said because he didn't know what more he could say. And so he just walked away, moving to the bathroom and locking himself in there as he wondered just what it was he should be doing to make things right with his sister.
…
Victoria knew that she was running late for the Expo. She'd left Evelyn at nursery and Ryan had been in the penthouse playing on his game. Apparently, he had a meeting about the TV show later that afternoon. Victoria knew he didn't want to do it and he'd just taken the meeting to be polite. Victoria had told him that she would go with him if he wanted and he'd nodded enthusiastically. She'd ruffled his hair before running to the elevator.
She felt flustered as she made her way downstairs and towards the exhibition hall. She almost got lost, needing to ask for directions to backstage. The entire Tower was crawling with fans in costumes and Victoria found it almost distressing when she saw women dressed as Firecracker and men as Homelander.
Standing at the side of the stage, the lights cast a low shadow over Homelander's face. In the background, there was cheering and clapping as Cameron Coleman and Deep introduced themselves and the next phases that Vought were going to be delivering. Homelander just stared straight ahead, eyes fixed in front of him and lost in his own thoughts. He could still see The Bad Room. He could still feel the flames burning him. He could hear his screams inside of his mind.
Moving to stand next to him, Sage looked up to him but he didn't even seem to notice her there. She spoke in a low voice. "This turnout…they love the fuck out of you," she said, suspecting that might get his attention, but still nothing. "Talk about a braindead circus."
She said nothing else then, sensing that she was wasting her time. He just kept staring, clearly lost in his own world. But that was only until his wife arrived. Sage saw her moving from the other side of the stage, a runner pointing her in their direction. She thanked the man with a smile and then moved towards them. Sage watched her run a hand down Homelander's arm, her fingers finding his and his attention was instantly on her. The distracted look on his face disappeared and his gaze went straight to his wife, lips curling upwards.
"Sorry I'm late," she apologised and Homelander shook his head, moving his hand from hers and wrapping an arm around her waist instead. She moved her own arm around his underneath his cape and he kissed the top of her head.
"You haven't missed anything," he assured her. "Did Evelyn get off to nursery okay?"
"She caused a bit of fuss this morning, but she settled down when she got there," Victoria promised him.
Sage watched as the two of them stood there, watching the stage once more as The Deep launched into a speech about the next five upcoming Vought films. Sage noticed how Homelander's grip around his wife remained tight and how he would bury his chin against the top of her head, nose brushing her hair gently and his lips occasionally pressing against her temple. She didn't pull away from him. She just remained there, stood by his side and avoiding Sage's gaze. She had nothing to say to her after the stunt she'd pulled.
But it had been Victoria who had been the one to get his attention back. She had been the one who had caused him to snap out of whatever daydream he'd been in. It hadn't been Sage. She hadn't gotten through to him. She almost wondered if she'd underestimated Victoria and the sway she had on him. Clearly, she was the one who could get to him. It was always going to be her.
….
"We shouldn't be long," Homelander said to his wife as they moved through the exhibition hall together. Homelander waved when he had to and Victoria just kept herself quiet, only smiling at the passing crowd as they walked quickly towards the side room where they were due to be doing an interview. The crowds they walked through were parted by security, but Victoria still felt slightly overwhelmed at the screaming and fawning, fans holding posters of Homelander in the air, pleading for his signature and a selfie.
"Okay," Victoria said with a nod of her head as she clung tightly to his hand, almost scared that she'd get swept out into the sea of people if she didn't move with him. Homelander sensed her apprehension and moved his arm around her shoulders instead, keeping her tight to his side.
Moving towards the side room, Homelander finished waving and opened the wooden door to find Ashley already waiting for them. She was still loitering around all of the time, despite the fact that she now had no power.
"Dr Anderton!"
A voice shouted and Victoria looked around for the source. She had no idea what she was looking for, but then she saw it. Homelander kept holding the door open, but Victoria had frozen on the spot at the sight. Stood at the front of the crowd was a little girl. She had to have been eight or nine, but not that much older. Victoria's brow furrowed as the little girl peered up at her with a toothy smile. Her brown hair hung straight down her back and she was wearing a green dress and holding a book out in front of her.
"Hello," Victoria greeted her and Homelander let the door close and stood behind his wife as she crouched down to the girl's height.
"You're a lawyer, aren't you?" the little girl asked her and Victoria tucked her hair behind her ears.
"Not really," Victoria replied, "but I studied law."
"You save people, don't you?" the little girl asked and Homelander wondered just what was going on.
A woman stood behind her also bent over at the waist and spoke over the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm Mary Martins. I work at Amnesty…this is Daisy and she…well…I've told her about the work you did when you were there and how you helped change laws on asylum with your research. She's really in awe."
"Of me?" Victoria double-checked.
"I want to change the world one day," Daisy said proudly and Victoria felt her chest ache as the little girl continued beaming at her. Homelander remained behind her, not rushing her and letting her have a moment. He'd never known this to happen before. "I want to be a lawyer and be like you…help people who need help."
"Yeah?" Victoria checked with her. "Well, that is great to hear, Daisy, and I know that you'll do great things…but you know it's a lot of hard work, right?"
"I know," Daisy said with a firm nod of her head.
"You've got to do your homework on time," Victoria said. "And you've got to go to class."
"I like school."
"Well, that is a great start," Victoria confirmed with a nod of her head. "But do you know what is even more important?"
"What?"
"Listen to your mum, okay? Because she'll help you…she'll always be there…and when you're a lawyer, I want you to write to me, yeah? I want you to tell me that you did it," Victoria said and Daisy nodded her head as a smile took on Mary's face. Victoria could tell that her mother didn't really want to be here. She seemed slightly uncomfortable and out of place.
"Can you sign my book?" Daisy asked.
"Of course," Victoria said and she took the pen from the little girl and scribbled her name before Mary asked her for a photo. Victoria moved her arm around Daisy's shoulders and smiled at the camera before wishing them both a good day and telling Mary to keep in touch.
Standing up again, Homelander pressed his hand to his wife's back and guided her into the side room. The door closed behind them and the noise muffled from the hall. Victoria had a smile on her face and Homelander knew that interaction had done her some good.
"Good, you're here," Ashley exclaimed. "The photoshoot is ready to go…Victoria…your makeup just needs touching up."
"Where do you want me?" she asked and Homelander let Ashley drag his wife away to the makeup chair.
He didn't entirely want to do this interview, but he knew he had no choice really. It would just be a quick sit-down talk with a bunch of magazines and a generic photoshoot. Homelander wandered around the beige carpeted room, hands behind his back as he looked at the posters on the walls advertising Vought's biggest films. His eyes landed on The Dawn of the Seven poster and he remembered the nightmare that had been to film.
"I think we're ready," Victoria suddenly said, pulling him out of his own thoughts.
"Alright," he said, forcing the wide smile onto his face.
The two of them stood against the green screen and did what the photographer asked. They stood in different poses, beaming at the camera and he could imagine the headlines: America's Golden Couple Stronger Than Ever; Homelander and Victoria…The Love Story Continues. But did any of that really matter to him anymore? He wasn't entirely too sure. Magazine covers and interviews weren't going to save America.
Once they'd finished the interview, they sat down on one of the sofas in the corner. Homelander leant back, arm moving over the back of the seat and Victoria sat to his side. His hand sat on her thigh and she let her own hand rest on top of his. The questions were all the same: generic and dull. They asked how their marriage had been since the trial. They asked about their holiday. They even asked if Victoria was enjoying working for Vought's charities. But then there had been one question that had left them unprepared.
"We had a source come forwards…apparently your father has been speaking out in London about you as a child, Victoria, and your last name isn't even Anderton…it's Butcher," a journalist in the pool suddenly said. She was stood to the side, her recorder in one hand and a notebook in the other. She was looking down at it and the notes she'd made. "He's been saying that apparently you disowned your parents as soon as you could…that they gave you everything you ever wanted growing up and you repay them by forgetting they exist as soon as you get an ounce of fame. How do you respond to these allegations?"
Victoria faltered then, her breathing changing and Homelander heard her heart beat like a drum. He took the lead, arm slipping off the back of the sofa and draping over her shoulders.
"Victoria is estranged from her parents," he confirmed on saying. "But that is because of a private family matter."
"Her father has also been reported as saying that in school she was a recluse and had no friends."
"He said that?" Victoria checked with the journalist and Homelander jumped in again before the journalist could respond.
"Well, as I said, her family is a private matter."
"He said that he's amazed she married the world's most famous man but that he wouldn't be surprised…because he always thought she'd marry for money," the journalist continued and Victoria felt sick. She could see it now. She imagined her dad had drunk one too many pints in the pub and his mouth had been let loose. One of his drinking buddies would've sold the story to the press for maybe a few hundred pounds. Victoria would have paid them more than that to keep quiet.
"Well, I have to say that is completely not true," Homelander said. "We're married because we love each other and the idea of Victoria using me for money is abhorrent. I think we should wrap this up now," he declared and stood up, holding his hand out to Victoria. She took it quickly and stood up, letting him haul her to her feet before he pressed a hand to the small of her back, urging her away from the journalists who were shouting more questions.
"When was the last time you spoke to your parents?"
"Why did you change your last name?"
"Who is Eddie Morell?"
Victoria froze then. Homelander turned around and looked at the press pack as Ashley told them to stand back and stop asking questions. Victoria's stomach churned and she felt light-headed. Someone had said his name. Someone knew who he was. How had they found out? She had been given anonymity. No one should know about that case. Had her father said something? Had he actually had the audacity to say something about Eddie?
Homelander knew that Victoria had frozen and he moved his arm around her waist. "Keep your head held high and we'll walk out of here," he said to her. "Come on, Victoria, I've got you…I've got you, sweetheart."
She stumbled slightly as they walked, Homelander keeping her upright as they went through the fire escape and into the stairwell. Homelander closed the door behind them and reached for Victoria once more as she grabbed hold of the railing and bent over, breaths coming out in short and sharp pants as she hyperventilated.
"They can't know," Victoria said with a shake of her head. "How do they know? What has he been saying?"
"I'll sort it, Victoria," Homelander promised her. "I'll sort all of it…come on…I need you to breathe."
"They can't know," she continued saying, her breathing heavy and her pulse racing. She heaved and Homelander moved a hand to her back, rubbing it gently in circles. "No one can know what he did. I can't…I can't face that…everyone in the world knowing…talking about it…John…Evie…Ryan…I don't want them to know. Please…why would he do this to me? After everything he did…I can't have it come out. I just can't."
"It won't," Homelander said, voice firm. "Just sit down for a minute. Come on."
He managed to manhandle her to sit down on the concrete step. He crouched down in front of her, clasping hold of both of her hands. He hated that anyone could make her feel this way. He despised her parents for doing this to her. From what he knew about them, they were a waste of space, her father especially. He knew that they shouldn't have control over her like this. They shouldn't be able to hurt her in this way.
"Deep breaths, Vic," Homelander urged from his wife. "Come on…in…out…" he breathed with her and she looked him in the eye as she kept trying to control her breaths and he did it with her. He ran his thumbs over her knuckles gently and it took her a few minutes to calm down. Once she was calmer, he lifted a gloved hand to her cheek, cradling it in his palm.
"I'm going to sort this out," he promised her, voice stern. "Nothing is going to be published about any of this. I'm not going to let anyone know what happened, alright?"
"Do you promise?" she asked and he couldn't help but think about how small she sounded. Her voice was frightened and her eyes were wide, focusing on him and he knew that she needed him. She needed him to be her husband and stick up for her. She needed his protection.
Sitting down next to her on the step, he moved her so that she was draped over his lap. His arm went around her waist, his other arm over her thighs as she curled up against him, face pressing by his neck and eyes closing firmly. He kissed her forehead and let his chin sit there. "No one is ever going to hurt you," he whispered. "I promise you."
…
"Shit."
Alex was on his phone as they moved through the farm towards the barn. They'd gotten Edgar out of jail and were now at his country estate in the middle of nowhere. They were looking for a scientist who had gone missing. Blood had been found in the house and in the basement they'd found a lab that Neuman was using to test the virus on animals. They'd started a trek up to the barn to try and find Dr Sameer Shah and find if he was hiding there. No one was entirely certain if he was even alive judging by the blood in the barn.
As they walked, Alex looked at his phone and saw the news. Annie was walking by his side and he pointed the screen at her as she looked at the headline.
"Oh, fuck," she muttered. "How did they find out?"
Alex quickly scrolled the article for key details. "Her father spoke to a source in a pub in London," he said. "They've latched onto it and she…she ran out of an interview after Homelander cut it short."
"Say what you want about him, but he has nothing to do with this," Annie said. "He protects her from her past."
"Seems like her family don't," Alex retorted and then glanced behind to Billy who was with M.M. He knew that he'd see it eventually. Sighing, Alex nodded and steeled him. "Wish me luck," he said to Annie who just patted him on the back.
He moved over towards where Billy stood and handed him the phone without another word. Billy took hold of it and looked at the photo of his sister with Homelander urging her out of a room and the headline: 'Is Vought's Golden Girl a Golddigger?'
"What the fuck?" Billy muttered and scrolled through the article before he saw the source. "That fucking cunt," he muttered and shook his head firmly, unable to believe that his father would do something like this. Then again, why would it really surprise him? The man was outspoken. He wouldn't care who heard him. He wouldn't care about any of this. But then Billy saw that Eddie's name had been mentioned and he knew what that would do to Victoria.
"I take it that it's not good news?" M.M. said.
"I'll handle it," Billy said, knowing that he'd have to talk to his mum about it. He doubted that Victoria would. She had a habit of ignoring their parents, no matter if she needed them. "We need to think about what we're going to do to get out of here before I go and kill me dad," Butcher declared. "But the plan is for Starlight to blind the bitch, before she knows what's what, I'll jab her with a dose."
And then Billy saw it. The door to the barn was hanging slightly open. He handed Alex his phone back and moved towards the door, his mind still reeling over what his dad had done. Coming into the barn, Billy pulled his gun out and stepped inside. There was blood dotted on the ground, leaving a trail. Following it, Billy looked down at the body on the floor.
"Is that Sameer?" M.M. asked.
"It's his lab assistant," Victoria Neuman answered with a shake of her head before a chicken flew out of nowhere and attacked one of her secret service agents.
Shrieks echoed around the barn and Billy raised his gun as more chickens started to attack.
"It's a V'ed up chicken!" Frenchie yelled, standing next to Billy and shooting at them as quickly as possible and in quick succession. Gunfire echoed around and Alex also shot at the chickens. Billy soon realised that they weren't going to be able to kill them. He shook his head as he realised there were too many of them and they were moving too quickly.
"Fuck this," he decided on saying and ran towards the door.
They all followed and Billy quickly closed the door, barricading it and gathering his breath for a moment. And then he looked to Victoria as she stood there, coat askew over her shoulders and hair messed up in her face.
"You could've warned us that your pal Sameer was V-ing up a Kentucky Fried fucking massacre," Billy snapped at her.
"I didn't know," Victoria defended herself. "We have to find him."
"Yeah, right. And we're supposed to believe you. You eat, sleep and shit lies, don't you?" Billy retorted to her, snapping loudly.
"Yeah, and you're such a paragon of virtue," Victoria retorted, feeling blood drying against her cheek. "Did you tell your friends about the deal we made?" she asked from him.
"What does that mean?" Annie questioned.
"Said he'd steal all your files you had on me if I gave him Ryan, his sister and niece," Neuman declared.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Annie was the one to yell and Alex remained silent. He knew about the deal. He knew that Billy had planned it and he did nothing to stop him. In fact, he'd even tried to encourage it. But they'd backed out in the end.
"I didn't go through with it," Billy replied.
"When are we gonna learn? He's never gonna fucking change," Annie said, arms flapping by her side.
"You know, it's an absolute wonder to me that you've all managed to live this long," Stan said. "And did you truly think about the consequences of your actions, William? If you try and take Homelander's family away from him then I imagine you know what he would do. He would scorch anyone who got in his way in getting them back, but judging from the latest news, I think your sister might need him. There's only him and the power of Vought who can stop the press from talking about what Eddie Morell did to your sister."
Billy's face faltered at that and he shook his head quickly. "You don't know anything."
"I know Homelander killed him," Stan said. "I know that we had to work hard to clean his mess up. I read the case file. He requested it and he used to have nothing without my approval."
Billy swallowed hard and shook his head. "You know fuck all," he said to Stan.
"I know enough. We all know that Homelander is a Freudian cesspool of random impulse and deep insecurity. There is no one who can control him and that is why you're trying to kill him. What you don't know is that I think there is still one woman who might be able to control him, at least to some extent. I used to be able to, but my influence waned when she came into the picture."
"It's not her job to control him," Alex spoke up.
"No, but if you can't use this virus to control him or kill him then perhaps your only hope rests on her."
Stan walked off before they could say anything else and they headed in the direction of the other outhouse. Victoria fell into step next to him and Stan looked to her. He took in the sight of the woman he had raised as his own daughter. She betrayed him and he had to admit that a part of him was hurt that she'd done that. But he understood why she did it because he had raised her.
"They don't know, do they?"
"Know what?" Victoria wondered from him.
"That it was you who gave Homelander his wife's location."
She went quiet then and Edgar chuckled darkly, slipping his hands into his pockets.
"Of course not. If they knew then there is no chance they'd be…well…perhaps not cordial, but tolerant," Edgar said. "You know that you need to be careful with him. You can't control him. This virus isn't strong enough to do that."
"Then what do you suggest?" Victoria hissed. "He needs to be stopped."
"And I agree with that, but you need to be clever in how you do it. I've known him since he was a baby. I saw how he was raised and what he became. I understand how he operates. You've under-estimated him."
"Then what do I do?" Victoria questioned. "His own wife is struggling to control him now and you told me that she was the only one he used to listen to."
"There will be ways," Stan said. "You just need to know what to do."
They walked in silence for another few yards before Victoria spoke again.
"You didn't tell them that I was the one who gave Homelander that information?"
"I did not," he confirmed.
"Why not?" she wondered.
"I have my reasons," Stan decided on saying to her and she knew that, maybe deep down, there was a part of him that still cared for her despite how she betrayed him.
…
"I saw what happened out there."
Victoria was sat in the corner. It had been closed off for the day, but was only open to Vought employees. Homelander had gone up to the penthouse to check on Ryan after Victoria insisted she was fine. He'd left her in the corner, urging Ashley not to let anyone bother her. He'd told her that he'd return in twenty minutes and that she didn't need to come to the meeting with him and Ryan. But she'd promised Ryan. She said she just needed a few minutes to compose herself and she'd be fine.
Ashley was already in touch with the legal team to try and get an injunction out. Victoria didn't know if it would be successful, but she just prayed that it might be. She didn't want to suffer Homelander's wrath on this. Plus, she could use it as a chance to prove that she could still do her job.
Victoria was nursing a cup of herbal tea that Ashley had left on the table for her when A-Train sat down across from her. He was wearing his supe suit but he'd taken his glasses off and laid them on the table.
"You okay?" A-Train asked her.
She nodded her head. "I'm fine," she assured him. "It's just…none of it's true…I'm not with him for money."
"You think anyone with any common sense would believe you were?" he asked her. "Homelander can sniff out a rat quicker than anyone else. If you were with him for money then he'd have been the first to know. He wouldn't be ambushed by reporters."
"Good point," Victoria agreed with him on that one. "It's just that there are times when people bring up my childhood and I want it left alone. It's in the past for a reason. I have a complex relationship with my family as it is."
"I know how that feels," A-Train scoffed.
"Siblings or parents?" Victoria wondered.
"Brother," A-Train replied. "Nephews too."
"I didn't know you had nephews," Victoria said.
"Two," he said with a nod. "Good kids."
"I don't doubt it," Victoria said.
Nodding, A-Train moved to stand up once more. "I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright," he said to her.
Victoria just nodded as he walked away from her and she wasn't entirely certain where any of this had come from. What was going on with A-Train? Annie had always told her that he couldn't be trusted and she understood why. He didn't have a great track record. But he seemed different somehow. He didn't seem like the supe Victoria saw on television. He almost seemed reserved.
"What was A-Train doing here?"
Homelander slipped onto the bench with Victoria, arm moving over the back of it.
"He just wanted to see if I was okay. I think he was just being nice," Victoria said to her husband. "Ashley said she's speaking to legal and she's going to see what they can do. What did Ryan say when you went up there?"
Homelander shifted on the seat slightly uncomfortably. "He'd seen the news," he answered her. "He'd seen the headlines and I…I told him they weren't true and turned the TV off. I just told him that you didn't get on with your parents." He didn't mention how he'd already told Ryan of what her dad used to do to her. "He's getting ready and we're meeting him there. You really don't have to come."
"I promised him I would," Victoria said. "I think he doesn't want to do it."
"And he doesn't have to," Homelander promised his wife. "I'm not going to make him do anything he doesn't want to…and then after we've wrapped up here, I'm going to pop over to London and sort this mess out."
"What?" Victoria asked. "No, John, no."
"Someone like him is not getting away with this," Homelander said. "After what he did to you? He needs to be taught a lesson."
"And lasering his head from his shoulders is going to teach him that?"
"It'll be what he deserves."
"I'm not going to disagree with you on that one, but I don't want you to do that. I don't want you to kill him for me, okay?" Victoria said to her husband and she turned her upper body towards him and moved a hand to his chest. "Besides, it'll look suspicious if he dies a day after these stories come out."
"Didn't you say he was on his way out?"
"So let the cancer do its job," Victoria urged from her husband. "I'm not pleading for his life. I don't give a shit about him…I left him when he tried to make amends with me and Billy because I don't want to make amends. I just don't want you to kill him. I don't want you to do that for me. Please."
Homelander wasn't entirely enthralled with the idea of letting her father go free. He would much prefer for him to suffer if possible. But as Victoria ran her fingers up his chest and to his neck, he glanced down to her and relented. Nodding his head once, he closed his eyes softly as she reached up and kissed him tenderly.
"Thank you," she whispered against his lips.
"Come here," Homelander urged from her, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you, Victoria. I love you more than anything."
He might have agreed not to kill her father, but that didn't mean he couldn't make him pay in other ways. And he would pay. No one hurt his family and got away with it. He saw to that.
...
A/N: So the next chapter is probably the longest I've written...a lot of things start coming to the surface! As always, would love to know what you think/might like to happen! Thanks so much for your support - I enjoy reading all your comments/messages!
