Chapter 5: Teeth and ambitions
A/N
Hi everyone it's me the one and only the Mandalorian terminator coming to you with a brand new chapter! Now this one is going to be a little different. It's going to focus entirely on Mary/Ten. It's also going to be the "crossover" chapter with the Amazon Prime show The Boys as well as the movie Brightburn and Harry Potter. That's right Harry Potter will be included in this crossover world I intend to create. There will be a lot of world building in this chapter to connect the worlds of Stranger Things, the Boys and Harry Potter together. There's also going to be a LOT of swearing in this chapter so be warned. Hope you like it and please remember to read and review!
"Be king undisputed
Respected, saluted
And seen for the wonder I am
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!"-Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff's The Lion King
While Vought Tower was well known for being the headquarters for the Seven up on floor ninety nine, it was floor Eighty Second where the real decisions made by the company happened.
It wasn't just the heroes, but Vought International's many other endeavours and subsidiaries. It was also where one could find Stan Edgar, Vought's current CEO's office, who utilized an open door policy for his employees, be they on the business side of things or on one of the various hero teams sponsored by Vought. It was in this very office that an important meeting was taking place.
Stan Edgar was black skinned and appeared to be in good shape, being moderately built. He was near balding with grey hair, wore glasses and had green eyes and high cheekbones. He survived the group that sat around the table in front of him. To his left sat Dr. Ellie Staple (1) representing the Temps Commission (2). She had light orange hair and was dressed in a simple light business suit.
To his left was Mary. It had been Stan who had called her away from El and Hawkins much to her displeasure. Though she was fortunate to not be sitting next to Homelander.
The leader of the Seven Homelander stood at the far end of the table. He looked the perfect image of an Aryan with his blonde hair and blue eyes. The only difference of course was his costume: an all blue bodysuit and the American flag as his cape that trailed down to his feet.
To most people Homelander was the symbol of American patriotism, a hero to the people, their saviour. But just like mere mortals, even superheros have secrets.
Superheroes did exist of course. For years the US Government and many others around the world had denied their existence. It wasn't until the 70's that the existence of Superheroes became public knowledge.
In truth, however, most Supes as they were called were the results of children whom, with the permission of their parents, were heavily medicated with medium to high doses of Compound V; an alchemical super serum known to produce permanent superheroes in human subjects.
These children became the property of Vought International and were often marketed by the company to perform public services, such as rescue missions, in order to win popularity, love and admiration from the general public as a means for the company to later capitalize upon and profit from. Until recently, it was believed that all superheroes were born with their abilities and were "chosen by God". It was also believed that the United States of America was "the chosen land of God" since between the years 1950 and 2005 only American children were born with superpowers. To perpetuate these lies, the parents of the children were often compensated with financial hush money as well as being forced to sign a series of non-disclosure agreements.
Homelander was no exception. He had been experimented on with Compound V before birth, as a subject of Vought. As a result, he gained abilities such as super strength and super hearing, heat and x-ray vision and flight. At a young age, in Vought's experiments, he was raised in a lab, surrounded by doctors where he was subjected to hours of sitting in front of a projector, seeing images that were chosen to mould his personality, like the American flag, Jesus Christ and baseball. He had a mother figure, a female doctor, but she was killed by Homelander himself when he was young and innocent after he hugged her strongly, breaking her spine. Prior to her he had caused similar incidents to countless other tutors, a behaviour that was usually motivated by anger but this time caused by isolation induced depression.
To the public, in a cover-up of the truth, his origins was claimed as "crash-landed on Earth", like DC Comics Superman.
To the right of Homelander sat four different individuals. All dressed in expensive suits. Their names: Antonin Dolohov, Bartemius "Barty" Crouch Junior, Credence Barebone and Fenrir Greyback. They were not however superheroes but rather Wizards. Or to be more precise former Death Eaters.
Much like superheroes, wizards had also been around for centuries starting in Britain with the First Wizard Merlin who had served King Arthur and helped usher in the Age of Camelot. Following the death of Merlin, the Fall of Rome and Dark Ages, wizards created their own society to live and interact from the Muggle (non-wizarding as they called them) society. The two communities had been kept separate through the use of charms, spells and secrecy. Each country had a form of wizarding government to oversee magical affairs in their territory, such as a Ministry of Magic or a Council of Magic. (3)
The International Confederation of Wizards or better known as The White Council served as a wizarding intergovernmental organisation, roughly equivalent to the United Nations in the Muggle world. It was controlled by the Senior Council, comprised of seven of the oldest wizards in the White Council. When a member died, the next several eldest members of the White Council would be put forth as candidates and one would be selected to join. (4)
It was also a political and democratic organization seeking to unite wizards throughout the world, and could make or break treaties with the other supernatural powers as necessary. Due to the multitude of nationalities present, meetings of the Council would be traditionally conducted in Latin, a procedural point which had, not coincidentally, served to keep younger wizards from gaining too much standing or momentum by making it very difficult for them to speak eloquently or even coherently to the rest of the Council. The council meetings' dress code also required wizards to wear robes. Wizards and apprentices would be differentiated by the colour of their robes: black and brown respectively.
The Council was governed by a Senior Council of seven wizards, with the leader referred to as the Merlin; traditionally regarded as the most powerful wizard in the world.
Magic was honed through study, training and formal schooling. It included the practices of many cultures, nations and religions as well as many books and writings from ancient times. Depending upon the individual, some magicians practiced their power by certain belief systems, such as Druidism, Shamanism, Voodoo, or any number of other magical practices from other countries and cultures all around the world. While magic itself was entirely neutral (neither bad nor good), magic could often be used for either negative or positive purposes. Furthermore, unlike other forms of magic, Dark Magic was a form a sorcery that was malevolent by nature and cold only be used for malefic purposes.
The use of magic in a way which caused harm was a corrupting influence. Practitioners who regularly caused harm through magic would become twisted by the experience, gradually growing more power-hungry and insane, until there was no spark of humanity left in them.
Violating any of the Laws of Magic carried a lifetime sentence in a wizarding prison known as Azkaban.
The Magical Congress of the United States of America (often abbreviated MACUSA) was the magical body in charge of governing the wizarding community of the United States of America. It was led by the President of the Magical Congress. MACUSA was modelled on the Wizards' Council of Great Britain, which predated the Ministry of Magic. Representatives from magical communities all over North America were elected to MACUSA to create laws that both policed and protected American wizardkind.
Perhaps the only true prejudice in the wizarding community, which was very pervasive until 1998, existed towards those naturally unable to perform magic, as well as their relatives and descendants. Magic could not be performed by anyone, but only by those with inborn capacity carried by genetics. Thus, the Muggles (non-magical people) were subjugated because they lacked magical abilities, and Muggle-born wizards were also subjugated because their blood was considered foul. Half-bloods, wizards with both magic and non-magic relatives, received a varied treatment.
Blood status was, consequently, an important class indicator in the wizarding world for much of its history, especially before the fall of Lord Voldemort at the end of the Second Wizarding War in May 1998. Many pure-blood wizards and witches showed strong prejudice and despise towards Muggle-borns and people who support them. This went back to at least a thousand years before the war, since Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was against the admission of Muggle-borns to the school. Tensions between wizards and Muggles led to the introduction of the Statute of Secrecy in 1492.
Antonin Dolohov had a long, pale, twisted face with pale green eyes and dark hair.
Barty Crouch Jnr meanwhile was pale with slightly freckled skin and a mop of dark hair. He had a lined face and looked much older looking.
Credence Barebone was tall and thin, with a grey long beard and hair. Sitting next to his chair was a tall, thin cane which he used to walk with. Unknown to most especially muggles hidden inside the top was his wand. In his youth he had had black hair and pale skin.
Fenrir Greyback was a large, vicious-looking man with matted grey hair and whiskers. He had pointed teeth and long yellowish nails, adding to his bestial appearance.
And finally sitting opposite Stan was Dr. Chandra who wore a lab coat and spectacles.
"First let me start by thanking everyone for joining the meeting." Stan began causing both Mary and Homelander to roll their eyes while the rest listened, their expressions remaining neutral.
"First to Dr. Staple. How goes the Commission? I read your last report about the so-called "Umbrella Academy". What are your thoughts?"
"Just what the world needs. More meddlesome teenagers with powers." Mary remarked glaring at Homelander as she said it.
"I'm afraid based off my research this so-called "Umbrella Academy" is that I don't see them siding with Vought. They are quite independent." Dr. Staple said.
Stan nodded. "Then they will be marked for termination. We will discuss that at our next meeting. Dr. Chandra how's Project HAL going? Have the bugs been cleared after what happened on Discovery One? (5) That cost Vought millions of dollars after HAL's meltdown. It was an embarrassment for this company that almost ruined us."
Dr. Chandra learned forward. "Yes. That error and situation was…. problematic. I can assure you that we are currently working to ensure this particular error does not happen again."
"Space is the new frontier and we must ensure Vought not only capitalizes on it but leads the world in space. There can be no more repeats of what occurred on Discovery One. That includes Project Skynet (6). I trust it will not have any similar errors?" Stan inquired.
Dr. Chandra shock her head. "No I am certain of it. It will be ready for NORAD to use."
Turning to the darks wizards, Stan asked, "And Mr Dolohov you and your colleagues have been in hiding for some time. I believe you were once part of a group called Death Eaters?"
Antonin nodded. "Only a handful of us survived the Battle of Hogwarts after the death of Lord Voldemort. Most were either killed or taken to Azkaban."
"Azkaban?"
"Wizard prison." Barty Crouch Jnr spoke up. "A hellhole guarded by the worst creatures."
Homelander seemed to snicker. "What's that?"
Barty Crouch Jnr turned and stared Homelander in the eye and seemed to almost go pale when he answered, "Dementors."
Homelander laughed. "Afraid of Ghouls?"
"They are more than simple ghouls, you twit," Barty Crouch Jnr replied glaring at the hero. "Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places. They glory in decay and despair. They drain peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you."
"I'm Homelander. I can handle a few ghosts." The blonde superhero vainly declared.
"You wouldn't even last five seconds in Azkaban, muggle filth." Fenrir spat to Homelander. "The fact that we even have to work alongside you filth muggles disgusts me."
"I'm not a muggle, I'm a god. I can handle your bullshit little magic, Wolfy." Homelander retorted almost as if he were looking down at the werewolf.
Fenrir growled at the nickname and bared his teeth in anger. "What did you call me? You know I could rip your throat out without even trying."
Homelander's eyes started to flash red with his heat vision. "And I can laser your fucking face off and make you look like a melted fucking candle." Homelander threatened in a much calmer tone.
Mary seemed to watch this display of chest beating with a mixture of disgust and amusement. She was by no means a fan of Homeland; the vain egotistically "hero" had annoyed her on many occasions and seeing him be taken down a notch would delight her. On the other hand even she knew Homelander's powers meant he was the most powerful member of the Seven and someone you didn't want to piss off.
For the moment anyway, she thought to herself as she silently watched the display, the tension between Homelander and Fenrir thick in the air.
Stan eyed Homelander, then said, "Enough of this! This bickering is pointless."
Both Homelander and Fenrir still eyeing one another slowly backed down, Homelander's laser vision returning to their normal blue and Fenrir taking his seat alongside his fellow Death Eaters.
"Thank you." Stan said eyeing both Homelander and Fenrir before turning to fully face Fenrir.
"I assume you have your own werewolf pack?"
Fenrir nodded. "Ready and waiting to strike." He simply replied.
"Good. And Mr Barebone?"
Credence Barebone learned forward. "As many of you know I am a Senator in The Magical Congress of the United States of America and gained a great deal of influence within MACUSA. It's why MACUSA did not help the British Ministry of Magic against Voldemort during the Second Wizarding War. I was able to use my considerable influence to ensure that MACUSA pursed a policy of non-intervention in the Second Wizarding War."
"And that influence continues?" Stan asked.
Credence nodded. "Although MACUSA is somewhat concerned about the many superheroes emerging because of Vought and the distribution of Compound They're worried about a possible war between wizardkind and superheroes erupting."
"Well we would win." Homelander said under his breath.
"We will keep abreast of any tensions that develop into any possible conflict. And you Miss Merriweather?" Stan now asked Mary.
"I've made contact with my sister. She's….stubborn at the moment but I'll wear her down eventually and make her understand things from my point of view." Mary explained as all eyes were now on her.
"And if she doesn't?"
Mary sighed. "Well then I guess I'll just have to kill her." She said dismissively.
Stan nodded. "Very well meeting adjourned."
As the group got up to leave, Stan called out to Mary, "If you could stay behind Miss Merriweather."
Everyone else continued leaving the room but Homelander, disgruntled, stayed behind lingering behind the door listening to what was being said.
"Have you had any luck in finding what we discussed earlier?" Stan said removing his glasses.
Of course that was what this was about. Three months ago Stan had called her in her a meeting where he had shown her satellite images of an apparently large spike of energy beyond anything captured located in Hawkins dating back from the late 70s. Vought had been unable to properly identity the energy at first.
It was only after gaining access to both UNIT and Torchwood files that Vought scientists had finally been able to identify the source of the reading: Artron energy.
"That can mean only one thing." Stan had said to her.
"Straight to the point dearie. Is that really why you dragged me to this meeting? To remind me to find your little keepsake?"
Stan took out a newspaper clipping that read "CHILDREN GO MISSING IN SMALL TOWN INDIANA POLICE BAFFLED."
"Cut the bullshit. You have been in Hawkins for six months doing this Peter Pan Lost Boys shit."
"Something you want to say to me that you can't say in front of everyone else, dearie?" Mary asked pointedly.
"You are wasting vulnerable time with this Peter Pan bullshit instead of focusing on the real reason why you're actually in Hawkins: finding the item." Stan said.
"I'm working on it." Mary snapped. "In case you've forgotten Hawkins may be a small town but it's a big area. It's simply taking longer to search. "
"I think your bullshiting. I don't think you've even searched at all since you got there instead your too busy playing mind games with the Wheeler Family."
"Now you're questioning if I'm telling the truth?"
"No I'm questioning whether I can even trust you at all." Stan replied starring pointedly at Mary from behind his desk.
"I know you and Homelander don't think much of me, Stan. But I do have an important role here at Vought or have you forgotten that? Too busy kissing ass with the fucking Death Eaters. Everyone else likes to pretend that I'm just the crazy doctor down in the basement but you and I both know that what I do down in the basement no one else would have the guts to do. Everyone else is too afraid but not me. Also I know the value of silence. I could easily make some noise about what Vought does but I don't. Instead I keep quiet and play my part. And as for "playing mind games" with Eleven's family trust me I'm doing a lot more than just that." Mary replied.
"I'm aware of your socialist views and I've tolerated them to an extent but unless you start focusing on searching for the item, I will bring in someone who can."
Mary laughed in reply. "Yeah? Who? Homelander? He's a man-child with the attention span of a retarred cat wrapped in the American flag. Also I prefer the term "socialist extremist"."
Homelander clenched his fist in anger upon hearing the remark.
"He and the Seven have their uses for Vought and no; I wouldn't send Homelander I'd send Black Noir. He's quiet, can get in and out of situations without a problem. If anyone can find the item it's him." Stan said.
Stan did have point. Black Noir was good at stealth. Plus the introduction of Black Noir would prove to be an interesting addition to the game especially if he and Lucas Sinclair were to meet, but that is another story for another time. (7)
No.
Too many players would ruin the game.
"No need. I'll get the item. Anything else to want to criticize me about, dearie?" Mary replied sharply.
"Just get me the item." Stan replied absentmindedly now focusing on some papers in front of him.
Mary took that as a sign that the private meeting was now over. Turning towards the door she saw Homelander waiting for her. Great, she thought. What did this prick want?
"Listening in on conversations that don't concern you I see." Mary said not even bothering to hide her distain for the hero as she made her way towards the elevator. Homelander, much to her annoyance, followed her.
"As the leader of the Seven I should be kept apprised of all meetings, Mary. You know that." Homelander replied in that smug tone of voice that irritated her.
"Funny because I remember it being a private meeting or did you not get the memo?" Mary waited for the elevator door to open and walked inside. But instead of staying behind Homelander entered as well.
The elevator doors closed and Mary pressed the button marked "Basement". Homelander watched with a condensing smile on his face.
"You know I don't appreciate being stalked." Mary said with a withering glare as Homelander slowly approached her the already small space in the elevator getting smaller. He reached out and pressed the button marked "ninety nine".
"And I don't appreciate being ridiculed behind my back. What did you call me again?" He paused as if trying to think. "Oh that's right. A man-child with the attention span of a retarred cat." In a flash Homelander grabbed Mary by the throat and slammed her against the back of the elevator, his eyes glowing red his heat vision.
"In case you've forgotten, I'm the leader of the Seven. I'm the fucking Homelander. And I can do whatever the fuck I want." He said in a deliberate slow voice as if talking to a small child. A favourite tactic he liked to do to those that angered him, to show that he had all the power.
"I could for example burn your fucking face off right now if I wanted to. After all there's nothing fucking stopping me." He added.
But instead of being scared or begging, Mary laughed.
"Hahahaha. Is that your attempt to what put me in my place? Make me grovel at your feet with an apology? I survived Vietnam, you fucking blonde-haired cunt. Nothing scares me. For all your powers, you are nothing but a narcissistic child in a cape." Mary said simply and plainly.
Homelander's hand released Mary's throat, causing her to fell to the ground as air rushed back into her throat. She looked up at him and after taking a few deep breaths rose back to her feet glaring at him. "I wonder how the public would react when they learn the so-called "greatest superhero in the world" raped Becca Butcher. Or that you blew up the mayor of Baltimore's plane when he discovered the truth about Compound V. Or that you failed to save Transoceanic Flight 37. Not very heroic."
"In case you've forgotten I could snap your neck right here and now." Homelander warned his voice returning to its low threatening tone. But then Mary said something that took Homelander completely by surprise:
"Tell me how's Ryan doing?"
"What did you say?" He said taken aback.
"Your son Ryan. The one you had when you raped Becca Butcher remember? Maybe I'll pay him a little visit."
"Are you threatening my son?!"
"Oh that wasn't a threat. No it was a warning. No if I wanted to threaten your son I would cut his fingers off one by one. That is a threat, dearie."
Homelander was seething with anger. If he could he would have blasted her to oblivion.
In a flash, Mary's hand reached out and Homelander was immediately flooded with images of his childhood.
The coldness of the lab.
The doctors who had experimented on him and observed his powers.
How empty his childhood had been.
They all began to bubble up towards the surface of his mind.
Homelander stagged backwards, sweat dripping from his forehead. For the first time, he didn't look like his usual strong heroic self. He looked…..terrified.
Good, thought Mary. Goddamn right you should be scared of me. (8)
"Now that….that is what true intimation looks like, John. Fear is the ultimate power. And with it, I can do whatever I want. So be warned." Mary said using his real name just to add salt to the wound.
The elevator stopped at floor ninety nine and the doors opened. As Homelander got out he turned back to face Mary and whispered, "You won't always have Stan to protect you. And one day I will fucking kill you."
The elevator doors closed just as Mary replied back, "We'll see."
Now alone, Mary pressed the basement button and the elevator resumed going down. As she stood in silence, Mary noticed that the lights above her had started to flick. The flicking lights began to cause a memory to bubble its way up from the stygian depths of her mind.
"Papa please! I'll be good I promise! Please don't send me away! I did my duty! It's not my fault! PAPA!" Mary remembered shouting as two men in white doctor's uniforms started dragging her away. Brenner watched as Mary struggled against their grip. But he did nothing as the two doctors continued to drag her away. The last thing Mary saw was Brenner turn to the small little girl standing next to him.
Mary immediately snapped back into reality. It wasn't her fault. Why couldn't Papa see that? She had followed her orders and done her duty in the war. What had Eleven done? She had never been in a war; sure she'd killed people but only to protect herself, never in an actual combat situation.
Mary had. She had survived and returned home successfully. Papa should have held her up on a pedestal congregated her for the work she'd done.
Mary never knew her parents. The only father she had grown up knowing was Brenner or Papa as she called him. The only home she had known was the lab.
And the lessons Mary had been taught….Brenner had insisted on six hours' exercise a day, starting with a two-mile run through the snow. She had learned martial arts. She knew how to kill. Mary had been taught to shoot when she was nine years old and had killed for the first time when she was just eleven.
Brenner had also made a point of teaching her history, learning about Alexander the Great, Ramesses II, Napoleon, reading books like The Art of War.
But the true practical use of everything she had been taught would be tested in Vietnam. Mary had been deployed there in early '68, her head shaved and taught to speak in a deep male voice. She had been given command of her own unit and unleashed horror not only on the Vietcong but on her own unit as well. Using her powers of fear, Mary had driven many commanding officers and South Vietnamese officers alike insane, with most committing suicide in order to "get rid of the fear".
The isolation of the jungle helped her to hone her powers. Mary earned many titles throughout the War, such as "The Silent Shadow", "The Solider of the Unknown", and The Dark Reward". The Vietcong called her "The Predator". In Vietnam she came to release it was better to be feared than loved. And by god did the Vietcong fear her.
Of course she knew the peace agreement signed in Paris would be shaky at best but she had been just as shocked as everyone else when Saigon had fallen to the North Vietnam. If America's ally had fallen then it was because they were weak. This is what she had tried to explain to Papa before he had decided she was wholly responsible and a failure and had her taken to Pennhurst. (9)
How could he do that? After everything she had done in his name, Papa had just cast her aside. He didn't even visit her in Pennhurst during her incarnation throughout the late 70s and early 80s. It was only whilst in Pennhurst she had seen the newspaper articles detailing the death and cover-up of Barbara Holland.
Why would there have been any cover-up into her death…..unless she had seen something she shouldn't? Something connected to Papa possibly?
Then the year after that she had seen on television a news report about a small town called Hawkins having become the focal point of several conspiracy theories due to not only the death and cover-up of Barbara Holland, but a mysterious fire that had destroyed the brand new Starcourt Mall and killed several hundred people inside. The Mayor of Hawkins Kline had apparently been arrested following the disaster of the Starcourt Mall.
But it had been one name in particularly that had stood out to Mary: Jim Hopper, the Police Chief who had died in the fire of Starcourt Mall.
Jim Hopper.
Jim Hopper.
The same Jim Hopper would had been part of her unit in Vietnam. How unbelievable!
It was then that Mary realised that there was more to Hawkins then meet the eye. After escaping Pennhurst, she had managed to get her hands on the Hawkins High school files.
Apparently the deceased Barbara Holland had been friends with one Nancy Wheeler, whose brother one Mike Wheeler had apparently been harbouring a young bald Russian girl in his family's basement in November 1983.
Who was this Russian girl? Mary had thought. So she had delved deeper and discovered an adoption certificate for a girl called Jane Ives given to none other than Jim Hopper.
Ives. That last name had stood out to Mary. And then she discovered why. It had belonged to a woman called Terry Ives who had been part of Project MK-ULTRA in the 70s and apparently had her daughter stolen from her according to the newspaper article Mary had read.
This was the same girl that Jim Hopper had now apparently adopted. It wasn't until she had seen an old photograph of this "Jane" taken at the Snowball dance '84 standing next to a shy looking dark haired boy that she immediately realised.
It was the same girl she had seen standing next to Papa as she was being dragged away. She was younger then of course but it was definitely the same person. And now the puzzle pieces came together.
Janes Ives Hopper was Eleven. And no doubt the same "Russian" that Mike Wheeler had been hiding in his parent's basement.
And if she had been adopted then that might she must have escaped from the Lab. From Papa. That was why he had never visited Mary. Not because he had forsaken her but because Eleven had done something to him after she had escaped.
She later read that the Wheeler Family had mentioned they had been interviewed by a "gray-haired man in a dark suit". So Papa had tried to recapture the escaped Eleven.
Why?
Why would he waste all that time and resources on finding that little brat instead of going to see her, his true protégé.
Why?
Why?
WHY?!
Rage began to build inside Mary. Why had Eleven got to have the happy ending while Mary hadn't? The husband, the children, the nice house. Eleven did not understand that true love came from suffering. Mary would make her sister understand that and snap her out the fantasy she believed she was living in thanks to Mike Wheeler.
Mike Wheeler the so-called "knight in shining armour" who had "saved" Eleven from the "bad men".
And Jim Hopper, the doting father figure? If only Eleven knew the real Jim Hopper that Mary knew from Vietnam! He talked tough but he was all bite and no bark, a gutless coward who Mary had sought to "tougher up" while he had been a part of her unit.
Mary made her hands into fists and brought the down onto the elevator doors. Again. And again as she continued smashing her hands into the elevator door, not caring about the blood that was collecting on her knuckles.
It wasn't fair!
What had Eleven done to deserve Papa's full and complete attention instead of Mary?!
The elevator door opened and Mary stepped out, blood now dripping from her knuckles. This was where she worked in Vought, the basement. While Homelander and the Seven enjoyed luxury on floor ninety nine, Mary dwelled down here. Mostly forgotten by the rest of Vought staff who dismissed her as just "Crazy Mary in the Basement". Little did they know that the work she did in this basement was want kept Vought standing as a so-called "superhero company".
As she slipped her white lab coat on and tied her hair back, Mary noticed her left hand was, as it was when she had been in El's house, shaking. "Fuck!" She swore.
Mary wasn't an idiot. She knew what was causing it: a psychedelic drug called lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). When consumed, LSD altered a person's perception by creating hallucinations and heightening their sense of colour. The psychedelic experience brought on by LSD left users feeling euphoric and free; that they were able to see things in ways they weren't able to in a normal state of awareness.
LSD had been given to her forcibly at Pennhurst. When she had first arrived she had been screaming at the top of lungs for Papa, LSD was the only thing that would calm Mary down. The doctors took note of this and day after day they gave it to her.
"Assistant!" She screamed as she wiped the blood from her bruised knuckles.
A second later, a tall thin woman came rushing in nervously fidgeting. She looked like a librarian or an old-style schoolmarm, with large eyeglasses and her fiery red hair in a bun. Like Mary she also wore a white lab coat.
"Yes ma'am?" She asked clearly intimidated.
"What is this?" Mary held up her shaking hand. "You said you would fix it!"
"Ugh ma'am unfortunately it is a…side effect of your…..continued use of LSD." The assistant replied nervously.
"Don't you think I already KNOW THAT?!" Mary shouted as she grabbed the assistant by her coat and slammed her into a wall.
"Please." The assistant timidly begged.
"This." Mary said referring to her still shaking hand. "Is distracting me from my work. I need it to stop understand?"
"Unfortunately ma'am as I've said before the only way to stop is rehab. You're becoming too reliant on the LSD to stop the…unfortunate hand shanking. Rehab is the only way. Otherwise you'll start to spiral out of control further into addiction and obsession. Soon it won't just be your hand shaking that you'll have to deal with." The assistant warned.
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. The usually composed Mary was unable to repress her anger anymore. "I AM NOT AN ADDICT! I AM NOT SOME JUNKIE! I survived Vietnam. I survived being locked up in Pennhurst. I am a survivor! Understand!?" Mary growled.
"I-I understand! Jesus!" The assistant agreed, having some panic and pain slip into her voice.
Pleased with hearing that, Mary removed her grip from her timid assistant. "I am in control of my mind. I will not lose myself to addiction." Mary declared.
Taking a few deep breaths, Mary beckoned her assistant to follow her as the two walked deeper into the windowless chamber. Row upon row of shelves lined with see-through tubes containing an unidentifiable red liquid stood on either side of the two.
Finally they reached a large open space. Seated in the middle was a lone figure his face obscured by the shadows surrounding the room. He was tall and well built. A red hood with eyeholes cut out as well as a bottom portion also cut out covered his face.
This was the true hero of Vought. In America his name had been Brendon. In Germany it had been Fredrick Vought, the founder of Vought International and the creator of Compound V.
And yet few knew his true origins. Far from being a simple ordinary German scientist as the public believed, he was actually from beyond the stars.
It had all began in 1920 when his spaceship had crashed in Brightburn, Kansas, where he was discovered by Tori and Kyle Breyer. The couple had longed for a child, but were unable to conceive on their own, so they took the infant, named him "Brandon," and raised him as their own.
From infancy to adolescence, Brandon grew up loved by both of his parents. He was told that he had been adopted but his parents kept the truth about his alien origin from him. His childhood was relatively normal, however, he never suffered any kind of injury such as a broken bone or even bled. Yet he grew to be a nice and friendly boy though by middle school, his abnormally high intellect and social awkwardness caused other children to see him as strange and they refused to spend time with him.
At the onset of puberty, Brandon started began to hear voices in his sleep and he also began to sleep-walk. One night, he sleep-walked to his family's barn where he aggressively tried to open the cellar but was woken out of it by his mother before he could. He freaked out as he didn't understand how he had gotten there but his mother Tori settled him down and brought him back to bed.
Soon after, his abilities and powers began to develop. For instance, when he attempted to start up the lawn mower, he accidentally threw it across the field. He approached it as it was still running and moved his hand in the path of the blade and saw it get dented while his hand didn't suffer a scratch. Later, when he was eating breakfast, he bit down on the fork and bent it out of shape.
Brandon's behaviour also started to shift a bit as he began getting more moody with his parents and then stalked and stared at his crush Caitlyn in her room before quickly returning back to his parents miles away with his newfound speed. She had seen him and that caused her to deliberately avoid catching him through a trust exercise at school. Brandon felt humiliated and got angry when Caitlyn called him a pervert in front of everyone. That made him squeeze her hand so hard that he broke it. His parents then got called in where he was suspended from school and he was kicked out and he was called an animal by Caitlyn's mother Erica.
Later on, he sleepwalked back to the barn just as before but was able to use his newfound strength to break the chains and get to the ship. Once he did, he began to float over it and went through a strange state that made him speak an unknown language. Discovering him, Tori tried to snap him out of the trance, causing him to fall and cut his hand on the metal of the spacecraft. Wondering who he really is, Tori explained to Brandon about how they found him and how they raised him. Brandon became incensed that his mother lied to him, went back home, and destroyed his family's photographs, screaming at her and his father about how they lied to him. Afterwards, he ran outside and began to speak the alien language whereupon he discovered that the voices were telling him to, "Take the world". Brandon then screamed as he unleashed his heat vision.
Shortly after, he surprised Caitlyn in her room and quickly told her not to scream. He had brought her flowers as an apology for what he had done to her. He then told her that he had learned that he was very special and said that she was the only one who knew how special he was and proclaimed that the rest of the world would know too someday. She then frightfully explained to Brandon that her mother told her not to talk to him. He then told her that he would 'take care of that' and then left her house to hunt her mother at the diner where she worked. He donned a red hood and a cape as he scared, terrorized and cornered Erica before he pounced and hid her away in the barn.
After her attempts at counselling her nephew failed, his aunt had threatened to call the police to handle the situation only to be on the receiving end of these threats by Brandon. Her husband Noah later tried to inform his parents only to be gruesomely murdered in his car by the alien boy. Realizing what he had done, Kyle took his adoptive son into the woods and shot him in the back of the head. Unfortunately, Brandon was immune to bullets, and he killed his adoptive father with his laser vision. His mother meanwhile found multiple drawings of the murders Brandon had committed and called the police. When the police arrived, they too would be brutally murdered by the villain. (10)
After killing his adopted mother too, Brandon would immigrate to Germany, where he would earn his medical degree in Munich under his new name Frederick Vought.
In 1939, Adolf Hitler appointed Vought the chief physician of the Dachau concentration camp. Vought's position at Dachau gave him access to human subjects that used to test his early prototypes of Compound V.
In early 1944, Vought lost faith in the Nazi's ability to win the war and defected to the Allied forces. Doctor Vought had developed a field-tested version of Compound V while his contemporary Dr. Oppenheimer was still developing the atomic bomb. Vought's serum led to the creation of heroes like Soldier Boy who were able to overwhelm Nazi forces. Vought's wartime achievements were so essential to the Allied victory that President Roosevelt chose to pardon him. He later went on to found Vought International. (11)
Unfortunately his success led to his fall. Vought International betrayed him, had lobotomized him claiming to the rest of the world that their founder had died. They had even as a sick joke after the lobotomy covered his face with the same hooded mask Brandon had worn during his rampage as if to hide their founder's face. Everyone else had forgotten him.
But not Mary.
Vought had chosen to lock him up in the basement, but keeping him alive because they needed him.
Or rather his blood/DNA.
That was the ingredient to Compound V that enabled ordinary people to develop superpowers in the first place. It was why Homelander's powers were so identical to Brandon's. And why Vought kept him alive: to drain his blood.
And they had selected Mary to be the person to do it.
"Hello Brandon." She said cheerfully as she approached him. As always he said nothing. The lobotomy had left Brandon mute and still. He couldn't talk or move but he was still conscious of what was going on around (probably thanks in part to his alien biology).
There were times when Mary believed Brandon (as she called him) recognized her or at least her voice anyway. She would often talk out loud to him, sharing her thoughts and views on everything from the current War on Terror to emerging technologies. It was nice to be able to vent out loud without being judged. She would even go as far as seeing she may have a….. connection with Brandon.
After all they were similar. Both had been adopted, both had been betrayed and cast aside by the very people who so desperately needed them.
Mary took out a syringe and also a remote control from her lab coat pocket. Pressing a button, music began to fill the room from the speakers that were set up on the walls around them. It was "Where Evil Grows", a 1971 song by the band The Peppy Family.
I like the way you smile at me.
I felt the heat that enveloped me.
And what I saw I liked to see.
I never knew where evil grows
I should have steered away from you
My friend told me to keep clear of you
But something drew me near to you
I never knew where evil grew.
Evil grows in the dark
Where the sun, it never shines
Evil grows in cracks and holes
And lives in people's minds
Evil grew, it's part of you
And now it seems to be,
That every time I look at you
Evil grows in me
While the song played Mary began drawing blood samples from Brandon's arms with the syringe and squirting the blood into several see-through tubes identical to the ones she had walked past. For Mary, this was a routine. It afforded her a position at Vought most could only dream about. It gave her access to memos and briefings she otherwise would not be able to see. Mary made the most of it. After all as Papa had taught her, knowledge was power.
Credence Barebone entered the room, hobbling along on his cane. Officially he wasn't supposed to be down here, but
"How's our friend doing?" Credence referring to Brandon.
"The usual." Mary said not looking up from her syringe.
"Well I have some news that will cheer him up."
"Oh?" Mary said her interest now pecked.
"It's taken a long time. But I have finally discovered that the Ministry of Magic has moved the Philosopher's Stone from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry back to the Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley following the Second Wizarding War." Credence said his old eyes twinkling with excitement.
"And the Philosopher's Stone concerns me how exactly?" Mary asked. She'd only become aware of the so-called "wizarding world" from joining Vought. An entire society with magic hidden away from sight. How weak of them. If they had power use it! Use their magic to help humanity end wars and cure sickness. Instead they turned their back on humanity, looked down on them, and called them "muggles". What cowards! She had often times imagined getting her hands on an actual wizard's wand. The power she could hold!
"The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal and can heal any injuries inflicted on the drinker." Credence further explained
"What are you saying?" Mary said, unsure if she should get her hopes up.
"With the stone in our hands, we can use the Elixir to cure Mr. Vought here of his lobotomy."
"Really?" Mary's eyes began to light up as well. Brendon's lobotomy had been something that Mary had sought to undone since she had first started working with Vought.
"As well as not only heal the cancer currently inflecting me but make me young again as well." Credence said.
"This "Elixir of Life" can actually fix a lobotomy?"
"The Elixir can heal and fix any wound, Mary." Credence explained. An evil-looking smirk spread across Credence's face. "Including the lobotomy of Miss Terry Ives."
Mary seemed to smile to herself, a devious plan forming in her mind. Terry was the key. As Eleven's mother she was the emotional leverage Mary needed to get to Eleven. And why stop there? With Brandon fixed and back to normal the two could crush the narcissistic Homelander and take back control over Vought! And then with Eleven by her side and with Vought under their control, Mary could lead the world into a global people's revolution!
The possibilities were endless.
"That is good news. Thank you, Credence you have just made my day." Mary said.
Credence nodded. "I thought so. I'm on my way to Gringotts to get the Stone. Once I have it, I'll call you on that muggle communication device." He said as he turned and left the room.
"It's called a phone." Mary called out to him. But it hardly mattered. "Did you hear that Brandon? Soon you'll be able to move and speak again." She said to the silent face.
"What's your name, assistant?" Mary asked.
"Courtney, ma'am." The assistant-Courtney-answered.
"Pack your bags because you're coming with me back to Hawkins."
"Wow. I'm speechless, ma'am."
"You'll be there to monitor my condition. It's going to be so fun. Like a road trip with the crazy aunt. Except with a lot more death and destruction, baby."
"We're going to set the town on fire! Oh and speaking of fire…." Mary said as with a push of her remote control Billy Joel's "We didn't Start the Fire" began to play.
Oh yes. Terry was the key to everything. With Terry she would finally have her sister. Mary didn't even try to hide the triumphant sneer that had spread across her sly face.
A few hours later, a standard model DC-10 plane, famous and easily recognizable thanks to the third engine built into the tailfin, touched down at Indianapolis International Airport. The vehicle itself bore the colours of the American Airlines company, the sparkling sliver with red, white and blue stripes adding a sense of beauty to the aircraft. The DC-10 taxied towards the airport terminal and parked, allowing its many passengers to disembark.
The passengers were quickly filed out of the plane and taken through passport control so they could collect their bags and be on their way. One person stood out amongst the multiple passengers. She wore a long trench coat and a fedora that obscured most of her face. She waved down an incoming taxi.
"Where too?" The taxi driver asked as the woman took her seat and buckled in.
"Hawkins, please."
"Hawkins? I remember hearing stories from the 80s about that town. Government cover-ups, a mall getting destroyed in a fire, even the mayor arrested." The driver said.
"Just drive please." The woman replied sharply clearly not in a mood to talk.
"Fine. Whatever." The driver grumbled as he stared the car and it left the airport.
"What did you say your name by the way?" He asked.
The woman looked up so the driver could see her face in the mirror. "Professor River Song, archaeologist."
And scene! How was that huh! I know there's a LOT happening in this chapter. From more about Mary to Death Eaters and Superheroes oh my! Ok so same things to clarify timeline wise:
So Stranger Things obviously happens in the 80s
Harry Potter and the Wizarding War against Voldemort takes place in the 90s
The film 2001: A Space Odyssey did happen in this universe in 2001. HAL was created by Vought who as you've seen have their fingers in many pies.
So Mary is a much more complex and complicated figure. She refers to herself as a "socialist extremist". I see her as being a Bernie Sanders type person but on the extreme so instead of being a democratic socialist as Bernie Sanders is Mary is the extreme version of that who believes change can only happen through revolution akin to the French Revolution. She also deeply resents Eleven for in her mind having got the "happy ending" but at the same time she does what Eleven to stand by her. And she also knows about Jim Hopper having served with him in Vietnam. That will be important later on trust.
Now the Harry Potter wizarding world. Yes they are connected in this story. Yes the Philosopher's Stone will be appearing as will Harry Potter himself. Now this story takes place in 2005 so Harry is married. Ginny will also be introduced along with Harry. Sorry Ron and Hermione fans they will not be appearing.
Homelander and Vought are from The Boys, which is an Amazon Prime TV show about superheroes as celebrities and is a very interesting take on the superhero genre as a whole. If you can get past the swearing and violence I HIGHLY recommend it. Season 2 just finished. For those who have seen it and are wondering where this takes place, it's after the events of Season 1 but before Season 2 so Stormfront has not joined The Seven. And those that are wondering if Billy Butcher will be appearing the answer is he will be. Just in a later chapter.
And finally the ending. Yes that was River Song and yes Doctor Who is also part of this crossover.
Here are some endnotes that I must explain:
(1) Ellie Staple is the main antagonist from the Superhero film Glass
(2)The Temps Commission is referring to the main antagonists for the Netflix show Umbrella Academy. Again highly recommend you watch that show.
(3)That is all taken from Harry Potter
(4)TheWhite Council and all that information is taken from The Dresden Files series of novels
(5) Of course HAL and Discovery One refers to the events of the Sci-Fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey
(6) Skynet referring to the name of the AI antagonist from the Terminator series of films
(7)The phrase, "but that is another story for another time" foreshadows an incident in a later chapter that will, indeed, be told in the fullness of time. Some of these "other stories for other times" are told only a few chapters later, while others are not told for 20 chapters or more. This device is taken from The Sword of Shannara, where the phrase "but that is another story for another time" is a catchphrase of the Druid, Allanon whenever he mentions something that touches on the origin of the Elves.
(8)This is part of the lyrics from the song "Control" by Halsey which I think captures Mary quite well.
(9)Pennhurst was mentioned by Lucas as Eleven having possible escaped from there due to her shaved head. It is has showed up in set pictures for the upcoming Season 4 so I thought I'd give a nod to it as having been where Brenner sent Mary/Ten.
(10)This is all taken from the superhero horror film Brightburn
(11)This is taken from information told in Season 2 of The Boys. What I've done is merge the character of Frederick Vought from the Boys with the character of Brandon/Brightburn from Brightburn together so they are the same person. And made the events of the film happen in the early 30s instead of 2018 which is where the film takes place.