Chapter 12
The thin layer of grey clouds blanketing the Minnesota sky served as a foreboding warning to the events that were fated to happen today.
This was the big day, the confrontation with Soldier Boy and Butcher the final battle so to speak. I should be feeling weary, concerned, anxious but instead all I felt was satisfied.
'Played that bitch like an accordion'
Yes we did Echo, yes we did.
Good thing Victoria was a supe, a decently strong one at that, otherwise I would have crushed her spine. There's one thing to have the memories of fucking someone like Stormfront and actually fucking a supe the first time.
Let's just say control tends to slips in the moment.
I'm not going to pretend it was some romantic moment or anything like that, overwhelmed by our emotions or some other such nonsense.
We used each other.
She was a smart woman, she had come prepared for that eventuality and apparently when you are a secret supe and a young good looking congresswoman it's not exactly easy or good for optics to be hooking up with people.
Once the dam was loose she drank with much gusto.
We even had the dinner, talked over some more details about our plans and went again because why not she was already there.
Part of me wanted to fall back on old habits and lazy in bed this morning but Homelander's instincts basically compelled me to go see Ryan.
'Our son!'
I inwardly sighed. Yes our son. Your son, my son, what's the difference now really? Doesn't matter really he's going to be the one of the most powerful beings on the planet so I needed him to at least not dislike daddy dearest.
I saw him sporting a baseball mitt on his left hand preparing to throw with his right. Huh, is he playing catch with himself, did he figure out superspeed?
And I guess not, the ball went far, really far but he stayed in place. Hopefully it will land in some field instead of someone's brain.
"Whoa! I knew your fastball would come in sooner or later" I said with an excited smile as I gently landed.
"Stay away from him!" Mallory said bursting outside in her awkward gait. How the hell was she ever a badass agent and former director of the CIA?
"It's okay. I'm not here to cause trouble, hurt anyone. Just want to see my son." I replied firmly and casually.
That of course did nothing to change the look of desperation off of her face.
"And I had a heck of a time trying to find you, buddy, I..." I paused slightly and glanced at Mallory. "Even had to get a big, important congresswoman to help me."
"She been treating you all right?" I asked him while letting my face relax its features in a cold stare at her.
"Aunt Grace?" That instantly irked me and I felt a twitch in my features. "Yea she's nice."
"Aunt Grace?" I pushed down the bubbling feelings rising up inside me. "Okay. She may be nice Ryan but I don't think 'Aunt Grace' knows what is best for you. She has good intentions, I'm sure but she's not like us. Like you and me."
I fought the urge to laser her in half while I heard her ruffle around for her phone.
"I can hear those clumsy fingers of yours slipping around on that screen. Get rid of it now." I ordered her.
I have half a mind to laser that hand off if she doesn't comply.
'Do it!'
I really want to but then that would set Ryan against me…again.
Luckily for me she throws it to the ground.
"Listen, Ryan. Your mom, she wanted what's best for you. And so do I. You have a real family. I'm your father, I understand what you're going through, the changes that are happening to you. I went through the same thing myself."
He looks at me confused.
"But aren't you mad at me?...For what I did?"
Time to do some god dam parenting!
"No, no! Of course not! You know that wasn't your fault right?" I pause and let him absorb what I just said. In his mind he is still blaming himself for the death of his mother and probably Stormfront.
I slowly walk to him and stopped a foot or two before him.
"Son, when you are as strong as we are, accidents happen, things break, and sometimes they are the things you love the most." I pause as he looks at me pensive.
"But that's all it is an accident, and nobody knows that better than me."
"Nobody!" I said firmly.
"And what happened with Stormfront and with your mother, that, that" I sighed heavily paused and looked at him. "That was my fault. Not yours."
"You were put in a position no child should ever be put it and it's all my fault." I said pensively.
"I was angry, I was upset that you were being kept from me, and Stormfront, well I wish I could say I didn't see the signs of who she was and what she was doing but that would be lying and I don't want to lie to you."
"She was, well, we were" and I sighed again. "complicated." He looked conflicted I could tell.
I reached my hand out to put it on his shoulder he flinched out of reflex but accepted it.
"As you grow older and turn into a man you will find that things aren't always black and white and that what our heart desires and the actions we take aren't always noble or right."
"Now this is no excuse of course, not for my actions, not hers and not the position you were put in. Don't blame yourself, blame me, you were put in an impossible position and you did the best that you could in the moment.
It is not your fault, it was a simple accident. Do you understand?"
His eyes went up and down briefly, and I saw a glint of tears, before he nodded.
"And son, I want you to know that as your father I will always love you, I will try to be there for you no matter what happens! And I'm not going anywhere. I will always be here!" I finished firmly.
He looked at me and his lower lip and chin quivered and he lunged at me into a hug.
Poor kid, blaming himself for the death of his mother.
Considering he was my kid, Becca and Vought were absolute morons for not teaching him about his powers.
It was an accident waiting to happen.
Fucking Jonah, went the opposite of what he did to me, like that would absolve him of the shit he put me through.
"It's ok son, it's ok." I said as he sniffled a bit. "How about you come spend the day with me at the tower today eh? We can play some games, go to the training room, watch some movies make a day of it. Would you like that?"
The teary eyed boy sniffled once then regained his composure. "Yea." He said while nodding.
"Ok, why don't you go inside and pack a change of clothes and whatever else you need to take while I have a word with Aunty Grace here. Ok?" Ryan nodded and walked briskly past Mallory into the house.
"I won't let you take him." Mallory said standing defiantly in front of me.
I actually chuckled. "Like you could do anything to stop me and also I'm not taking him he's decided he wants to come with me, I'm not forcing him." I said with a smug smile.
"Now I want to know the name of the school he's attending and who his home teacher is." I asked crossing my arms in front of my chest.
Mallory looked confused and taken aback by my question. "School?" she asked. I raised an eyebrow in response.
"Yes, school, you know the place where they teach you things, math, history, literature, you know school?" I elaborated like she was dumb.
"He's not attending school, that would have been too risky too…" That immediately irked me even though I knew the answer.
"So you're homeschooling him yes? I want your lesson plan, I need to know what where he's at." I pressed on.
"Well, uh" she stumbled. Yea, I bet this is not the conversation she was prepared to have. Death threats an exchange of promises of how we are going to stop each other and get Ryan back blah blah blah, all the good typical 'good vs. evil' crap but not parenting and school work. "We are not exactly following a lesson plan. He's been following some courses on YouTube, he's a brilliant boy…"
"Of, course he's my son." I cut her off sharply. "But are you telling me that you're not letting him attend school to learn and socialize with children his age and you're also not teaching him at home? You're letting him spend ungodly amounts of time online without any structure or supervision?" I was almost yelling at her, a few droplets of spit definitely reached her face.
"Are you kidding me?" She actually looked quite guilty on that one. I calmed myself and let out a big sigh. "Ok then who are his friends, what are their names and the contact info for their parents?"
Mallory regained her composure and stiffened herself once more. "You know he's too dangerous, too strong to be around other kids, once wrong move and he could…"
"Then show me what training program and exercises you guys have gone through to help him control his powers?" I cut her off again because she was pissing me off.
Even though I knew what the answer was I couldn't help the rage building up inside of me.
"Well, we haven't exactly practiced a lot, it was quite dangerous to…"
"Unfucking believable." I yelled over her. "No school, no home teaching, no socializing with friends no training to make sure he doesn't accidentally hurt someone, great, great fucking parenting." I said throwing my hands up in frustration.
"I don't even know what I expected from our so called government agencies, maybe some fucking heart and competence. God dam it Grace!" I yell out once more then stop myself and rub the side of my head with my hands in frustration.
I can see guilt building up in the deep creases of her weathered face. Good, feel bad you dumb bitch. I let a sense of amusement and laughter fill me up as I start chuckling. She looks at me concerned.
"You know what the irony is here. You, Butcher and your government cronies are so scared Ryan's going to turn out a psychopath like me if I raise him yet you're the ones doing more than I ever would to turning him that way. Jonah would be proud." I finished spitefully.
I could now see the horror now fully on her face as she realizes what she's been doing in her dumbass attempt to keep Ryan locked up.
If he doesn't learn to interact and care for the world then you're just going to get a stronger and more cruel Homelander.
Fucking idiots.
Scene Break
His rough skinned thumb absently traced the blue strap of the overalls to the button holding the outfit of the dark skinned doll together.
His fingers really moved with a mind of their own as they slowly fidgeted with the toy and while his eyes were starring directly at the plastic face all M.M could see were the scared eyes of his daughter.
The scene constantly replayed in his head where he lost his cool and brutally knocked out Todd in front of her. He wanted to put the blame all on him but deep down inside he knew he couldn't. He was the one that lost his cool when he had promised himself that he wouldn't.
His lamentation and self-pity was broken by the squeaky sound of the door opening.
"Bonjour" Frenchie said as he and Kimiko walked in "I got you something". He pulled out of his backpack a bottle of Starlight Fragrance Perfume.
"Fuck is that?"
"Cost three Bugattis-worth of Starlight's money, but...a dose of Novichok. Our weapon against Soldier Boy." M.M flinched as he was touching the bottle. "And the only fucking dose on the eastern seaboard."
"You put the world's deadliest nerve agent in a ten-dollar bottle of Starlight's Wish?" he asked incredulously.
"I must say, the smell has improved." Frenchie remarked, while almost instantly Kimiko rolled her eyes.
"Great." Frenchie noticed the lack of excitement in his voice.
"So you lost your temper and hit a man. Oh, this is nothing. You know, I once took a Spaniard's ear for jabbering at a screening of 27 Dresses..."
"Frenchie, my whole point has always been to keep my fucked-up shit away from Janine. I lost control for one second, and for the rest of her life, she's gonna have an image of her daddy beating up her stepfather." M.M said and paused briefly to inhale. "I got to lock my shit down. I got to be stronger."
Frenchie relaxed and leaned back on the couch sinking in his seat.
"Out of all man's miseries, the most bitter is this. To know so much..." he said with a far away whist fullness filling his tone.
"And to control so little. I've read a fucking book, all right?" M.M remarked slightly annoyed and Frenchie scowled.
"You cannot keep the truth from your daughter that...that you are...a deeply...broken and fucked-up man." M.M started shaking his head but then saw Kimiko rapidly move her hands forming sings too quick for him to pick up.
"Cherie says that you are also a very good man, loving man, who cares deeply about his family and his friends!" Frenchie finished translating. "Eh, I have to say that I agree, you are the best of man I ever known you just need to let Janine see all of that!"
M.M sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"I'm not sure how to do that." He finally said and then put his hand up to cut the other two off from speaking. "But thank you. I will work on it." He said resolutely.
"Now what about you two. How are you feeling?" He asked them both though he mostly looked at Kimiko. "After yesterday…you getting your powers back?" He gently asked.
"Good, good?" Frenchie looked at him and then Kimiko looking to get her confirmation. She signed away and shrugged her shoulders. "She is good, no aftereffects that she can tell."
Frenchie could see that M.M was skeptical. "You think something is wrong?" His larger friends mouth and nose twitched and his hand went to rubbing his chin.
"I don't know. Something just doesn't feel right. He could have killed you both and blamed it on the Russians and yet he lets you go and heals you, gives you your powers back. Why? It doesn't make sense. I know he hates us."
They all looked at each other in silence until Frenchie shrugged. "Maybe he's doing it for the publicity, minimize deaths now that he's the big man of Vought or maybe he's just bored wants to fuck with our heads?"
M.M contemplated what he said but still let skepticism further darken his features.
"Maybe, but I still have a feeling that he's up to something." He sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Anyway if we want to use this." He said picking up the bottle "we need to find out where Soldier Boy first."
"Well, with Mindstorm dead, the only one left is Monsieur Noir. So that means Mr. Charcuterie and Hughie will be heading back here to restock and then probably the tower."
"So we either get them at Butcher's place or the tower." M.M said. "Regardless of where, the three of us are not enough, we need Starlight." He finished.
The other two nodded in agreement.
Scene Break
"Ah son of…" I stopped myself before saying the B word as Ryan looked at me. "..gun?"
He rolled his eyes at me. "I know what you were going to say…Bitch"
"Yea, well I get to say it because I'm the adult and I'm frustrated. I was in third and now I'm 9th, you see how it feels when you get hit by the ghost and the lightning…and I'm also tiny!"
"We all got hit by the lightning!" he responded as his body twisted with the turn, hoping the controller will add a little edge.
"Yea but you stayed in first."
"That's because I'm awesome! I'm going to win."
"Don't be so sure. I may not beat you but the computer could get lucky, there's half a lap left!"
It took us over 4 hours to fly the over thirteen hundred miles back to New York from Minnesota.
I took my time and we had some father and son bonding moments while I taught him how to maneuver through the air.
Dads teach their kids how to ride a bike I teach mine how break the sound barrier.
Honestly we could have made way better time but we took the scenic route as we were both enjoying ourselves. Plus Ryan simply wasn't dressed for supersonic flight, air drag was a bitch.
The elevator chimed indicating Ashley and Deep were about to enter. I heard them coming from a mile away, figuratively speaking, since they were only a few dozen floors below me when I tuned in, but I was more interested in the other figure that was also making his way up the tower, Noir.
"There you are!" Ashley said all excitedly. "We've been looking for you the whole morning!"
"Yea" Deep nodded.
I didn't bother standing and addressed them from the couch.
"We'll as you can see I was busy." I said and launched the red turtle shell that would put me back in forth place. "With my son." I finished, and put the controller down on the coffee table.
Ryan won, by a decent margin as well.
"Ryan, say hello to Ashley, the CEO of Vought, she's very important, she's the boss of everyone in this building." I said with a smile.
"Hi!" he said shyly.
"And this is Deep, lord of the seven seas."
"Hey" Deep responded.
They were both looking a quite awkward unsure what to say so I took the lead.
"So what is?"
"Your speech from yesterday…" Ashley started.
"If you're going to ask me to go on talk shows again to explain myself, not going to happened. Starlight should have been enough for that…"
"No, no that's just it!" she cut me off. "It worked, they loved it, the people loved it! Uh, not everyone but mostly everyone!"
My brow rose signaling my curiosity and for her to elaborate.
"Working class white males 24-60 both rural and urban loved it. Blue collar folks loved it, working class moms loved it. Black Americans loved it. I mean 'Truth, Justice and the American Way!' you scored high even with college educated white collar workers. You nailed it out of the park!" She said with a giant smile plastered on her face. I could see the excitement in her eyes.
"That whole bit about taking responsibility was fantastic. Women and mothers specifically loved that. Even 'Our Country, Our People' polled well though some are saying that was a dog whistle to, well, you know who." She said as though whispering, putting her hand to the side of her mouth.
"But we can work with that. The rural folks ate it all up. Your ratings have never been higher, combined you and Starlight are now probably the most influential people in America if not on the planet!"
"But the stock price dropped yesterday?"
"Yes, yes, but it bounced back towards the end of the day and it's almost at parity now to what it was before. Look the marketing team things we should…"
She didn't have a chance to finish as the new guest interrupted her. My features became stone cold.
"Noir, hey, Noir!" Deep said surprised.
I could tell the determination in his footsteps.
"I think, we should, uh, go." Ashley said.
"Wait!" I halted their tracks.
"Ryan" I said trying to sound as apologetic as possible to my son. "I need some private time for a while to take care of some sensitive work things. Why don't you go with Deep, he can show you the Crime Analytics Lab and all the cool computer stuff there. Right Deep?"
Deep looked at me and then at Ryan and luckily he caught that my question was actually an order.
"Yea, yea of course. Crazy stuff, they can like predict crime almost before it happens."
Ryan looked at me with a questioning look. "It won't be long, I just need about an hour and I'll catch up with you guys."
He nodded and left with them.
Noir didn't waste any time and unfolded his piece of pare.
"Soldier Boy will come. We Kill." It said.
I looked directly at him, past his helmet unto the real person behind the mask.
His eyes were filled with hate and fear for Soldier Boy.
I held the silence for a moment longer until I heard a slight spike in his heartbeat.
"Soldier Boy has the power to weaken us, to kill us." I said and started to slowly circle Noir, my eyes never leaving him. "He's more dangerous than anything we ever face before." I said reaching his backside.
Noir stood his ground but turned his body to face me. He nodded.
"In his misguided attempt for revenge he has betrayed us, killed us, his own kind." I continued as I turned to the side completing the circle.
I paused for a breath.
"Just in the same way he has betrayed you." An extra 'thump', the interruption of his rhythm told me everything I needed know.
"I know what he did…how he treated his team…what he did to you." I said as I slowly walked until I was less than arm's length away.
His rhythm gave all pretense of calm and was now 'thumping' with anxious energy.
I don't blame him. Those were hard memories for him.
My hands went to his helmet and he slightly flinched as his hands went up to stop me.
I gave him a hard stare and said "No. I want to see the real you."
Strap in things are about the get super fucking gay in here but I really need Noir on my side.
His hands dropped and let me remove his helmet.
There he was in all his glory, a man that should be in his seventies barely looked a day older than thirty, that's if you ignored the rippling waves of jagged scarred skin, a shade lighter than his chocolate color, droopy white eye and deformed healed over cranium.
He looked grotesque as fuck in that I can't stop staring kind of way.
"He mutilated you, he hurt you, it was more than this, wasn't it?" I said as my hand gently touched his scarred cheek. "It was here as well" My hand went to his chest "but most of all it was here." My hand went to his forehead.
I hope he got that I didn't mean the scar tissue or literally the brain damage but the mind itself.
Luckily he regardless of what he perceived it as, he nodded.
My hands went and grasped his shoulders.
"I'll make him pay. That I promise you. He won't hurt you again. I won't let him. Not you and not anyone else ever again!" I said strongly.
His heart continued its energetic beat.
"I'll put my life on the line for you Noir" I looked him straight in the eyes. "Out of everyone here, out of all of them you are the only one that is my equal, no more than that you are my brother." I said with as much heartfelt conviction as I could muster.
"I fought him Noir, I really did and he's strong, really strong." I said slowing my tempo. "Only together we can beat him only together we can succeed and not only him, everything else as well. The world is changing before our eyes, the media, the governments even our own kind are out there trying to hurt us, to bring us down, to not let us achieve our dreams."
Make a vague appeal to the dreams and hope he once had and how Soldier Boy stopped him.
"They want to hold us back, to kill us." My right hand suddenly grabbed the top of the back of his head and in a jerky motion pulled it forward.
The movement was too sudden for him to put any resistance but it didn't matter as his momentum was stopped by my forehead lightly crashing into his.
We were touching foreheads and our noses were hair breaths away. Yes super gay, I know.
"You're my brother and I'm going to put my life on the line for you Noir but I can't do this without you." My right hand was holding us together while my left hand went palm open back to his chest and covered his heart.
"I need to know that your my brother too, now and forever, I can't do this without you. I need to know Noir that you're with me. Not with Vought, not Stan not the government but with me all the way."
I could literally feel his heart racing now and I could smell his sweat pheromones all indicating a strong emotional response.
Good, for the strong and silent type the show showed me how much of a mess Noir really was.
People think they are all pure order and logic however the truth is we encode experiences and memories at lot better when there is an emotional response.
And there is nothing like 'imprinting' feelings of loyalty and brotherhood on one of the most deadliest people on the planet than when he is the most emotionally vulnerable.
Case in point Noir's right hand went up to the back of my head and pushed us harder while his left shot up to my chest mirroring me.
I could feel the nodding movement of his head on my own and I could smell the tears forming in his eyes.
I maneuvered our position into a bro hug, gave him a few more reassuring words and broke apart.
"We need to talk strategy." I said solemnly and he nodded.
For now Noir was mine.
Scene Break
"We have to stop them before they get to the tower." Annie said to the room.
"Our best bet is at Butcher's apartment." M.M said while packing his gun and multiple armaments supplies. "Any answer from them?"
"No, nothing from Hughie, totally dark." Annie replied.
"Even if we get to them at the apartment. How do you propose we give the Novochik?" Frenchie asked. "You and Kimoko are not enough to hold Soldier Boy down not if Hughie and Mr. Charcuterie are doped up on V. We need more help." He remarked.
"What about Maeve? Any chance we could get her on our side?" M.M asked Annie.
The blond paced around the messy living room.
"No, I saw her today. She's still recovering at the tower." She let out a big sigh. "Which is also why we need to stop them before they get to the tower. If he pulls another Herogasm thousands of people will die, Maeve included. That and…" She paused sighed "Homelander made it clear he'll kill Hughie if he's still with Soldier Boy."
"Hughie is a big boy. He's made his choice." M.M remarked. The tone in his voice left no question that he resented what they did to him and allying with the man that killed his family.
Kimiko's hands burst in a flurry of movements. "Cherrie says he is still our friend. We need to help him even if he doesn't think he needs help. He would do it for us….uh" Frenchie stumbled "you know if he was thinking straight."
M.M just shook his head as if not believing what he was hearing.
"Well I can't say I fully agree" Frenchie remarked in his distinct accent which immediately earned him a slap on the shoulder from Kimiko "auh!" he said rubbing his shoulder "oh, let me finish, I can't say I fully agree but I understand his desperation to kill Homelander it's really the same as you and Soldier Boy. Everything's gone wrong in his life since Homelander, uh, except you Starlight."
M.M stopped his packing as Frenchie's words registered. Him, Butcher and Hughie were all just chasing the same thing really. His obsessiveness was the same, he'd almost done anything to get to Soldier Boy.
"Fine. We'll stakeout the apartment. If they're there you all distract them and I'll smash the Novochik in Soldier Boy's face."
Kimiko immediately signed her hands in protest.
"No, she says, no. She will do it, if Soldier Boy hits her she can survive, you he will break, plus if you inhale the gass well…uh…that will be the end of that."
M.M looked at her and then at both Frenchie and Starlight. He could tell from their expressions they agreed with Kimiko, he was out numbered.
"Fine."
Scene Break
His body felt light as he walked to answer the door. The sweats and blurry vision were gone shortly after he re-upped on 24-V and he felt like he'd just hit the best homerun of his life.
The moment he opened the door the mild euphoric felling was burst like a condom at a frat party.
"Annie! Uh, what are you doing…" He didn't get to finish as M.M turned the corner gun pointed right in his chin, immediately followed by Kimiko and Frenchie.
"Whoa, guys, what the hell!" He said.
"Fuck me!" Butcher said and put his scotch glass down. "If it isn't the Brady Bunch. What are you lot doing here?"
"What you think I didn't know where all the blind spots were?" M.M asked Butcher as he pushed Hughie, gun to his chin further back in the room.
"You on V Hughie? What happens if I pull the trigger?"
"M.M stop!" Annie yelled. "We're not here for them, it's Soldier Boy we want. Where is he?" M.M reluctantly put his weapon down.
"Annie…guys" Hughie started "Whatever you were thinking of doing...it's a bad idea."
"No Hughie, what you're doing is bad! Thousands of innocent people work in Vought tower, if Soldier Boy losses his shit they are all in danger."
"Who care's it's Vought fucking Tower." Butcher said filled with spite.
"Becca worked in the Tower." Frenchie replied automatically.
"Don't you dare bring up her name." Butcher replied.
"He's not going to lose his shit ok? We're only going after Homelander!" Hughie said amid the rising tensions.
"No we won't let you, I won't let you." Annie said resolutely as the lights started to flicker and her eyes glowed yellow.
"Annie, please, we got this, we don't want to hurt you." Hughie, his tone reluctant but his posture filled with 24-V enhanced confidence.
"Oh, but I will" The gruff voice said bringing everyone's attention to the new entrant in the room.
A frozen moment of silence as everyone went through the decision process of what to do next.
M.M acted first. "Annie NOW!" he yelled.
She gave Hughie a reluctant look then turned to Soldier Boy in attack mode, her arms already glowing.
Kimiko had already launched herself the instant M.M spoke towards him, hoping to get the timing right and smash the Novochik in his face at the same instant Annie knocked him down.
Time had slowed down for her as she was midair and ready to land on her 'victim'. The knockdown never came as she saw a yellow stream of light hit Starlight knocking her off her feet.
The slow motion perception reversed instantly as the the unencumbered Soldier Boy moved faster than expected punching her midair and launching her straight into the back wall using both his and her momentum against her to lad a devastating blow that left her grasping for air.
The deadly perfume launched out of her hand.
"Kimiko!" Frenchie yelled. "Annie!" Hughie echoed him and they both jumped to check on them. "Butcher what the hell." Hughie started but Butcher cut him off.
"Oh, grow some bollocks. She's a supe, barely a scratch on her." To his point Annie was already stirring.
"Now the rest of you, whatever you were thinking of doing ain't going to happen. So off into the vault with you or else Soldier Boy here will rip your arms off and I'm not sure I can stop him."
M.M looked at him with burning rage in his eyes, every instinct told him to shoot him but his rational brain told him it was futile.
This battle was lost. If they had caught them before dosing they may have stood a chance.
Scene Break
"We tried to stop them, Soldier Boy is coming to you. You have to evacuate the Tower! We're almost there." I paused the message and looked at my crew waiting to see what they would say.
Ashley looked like she was about to have a heart attack and A-Train looked unsure and conflicted.
The Deep was conveniently giving Ryan a tour of the studio at this time. Of course none of them knew I had planned for Butcher and Soldier Boy to arrive around this hour.
Luckily they were punctual.
"What do we do? Is he actually coming here?" Ashley asked, desperation evident in her tone.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"Of course he is. You heard our dearest Co-Captain, we need to evacuate the building." I replied with a tinge of sarcasm. "Ashley, you and A-Train will see to the evacuation. I will go get Deep and my son." I said and stood paused briefly and turned to A-Train.
"A-Train this will be an excellent opportunity for you to ear brownie points with, well, everyone but more than that I need you to represent the Seven tonight. They need to see that you're back, that WE have this under control. You have to make sure everyone in the building gets out safely." He was honestly looking at me confused.
The past few days we actually had very little contact and he was a bit behind on my sudden 'change of nature' so to speak. I didn't let him express his opinion and just continued talking.
"Ashley will be officially in charge but in we both know in moments of panic people are going to look to you. So I need you to work together with her got it?"
"Yea" he nodded reluctantly.
"And I don't want you anywhere near Soldier Boy, he's extremely dangerous and you aren't at full strength yet. If you see him Do Not Engage. Got it?"
I didn't want A-Train anywhere near this fight so sticking him with evacuation duty and crowd control was a good idea.
This was going to be a life and death situation and I simply didn't trust A-Train to have my back, not yet at least. One on one I could take him no problem but while facing Soldier Boy, Butcher and Hughie, no way was I going to risk having a super-fast knife at my back.
The man gave a confused and reluctant nod and went out with Ashley to ensure the building evacuation.
Scene Break
They say in life timing is everything so I conveniently took my time to get to Deep and Ryan and managed to stall just enough that Soldier Boy, Hughie and Butcher met us as we were going out.
Both Ryan and Butcher looked surprised.
"Ryan!" Butcher said. "What are you doing here?"
I put a hand on my son's shoulder as he was standing in front of me.
"My son" I said making sure to accentuate "is staying with me." I paused.
Butcher made to say something but I cut him off.
"Did you know he wasn't allowed to go to school? A boy his age, not allowed to have friends, to socialize, to learn. What kind of person would do that, deprive him of the joys of childhood all because of who he was? What kind of cruel man would do that to him? Hide him from the world like that?" I asked rhetorically.
"Ryan, you need to…" He didn't finish his sentence as Soldier Boy's gruff voice cut him off.
"Where's Noir?" My gaze turned to him.
"Dead. I killed him." As soon as the words left my mouth I felt Ryan twich and look up at me. I squeezed his shoulder with my hand in response.
He stopped himself from saying anything and only gave me a troubling look.
'Yes son! Yes! Good!'
Yes Echo, he's a smart boy, he understood my signal no to say anything. I was happy about it not because it would have ruined my plans, no, they would work just as well even revealing that Noir was alive from the beginning.
I was happy because him not saying anything meant he was giving me the benefit of the doubt, he was starting to trust me more and more.
"Why?"
"Because he didn't tell me about you." I replied firmly then squeezed Ryan's shoulder again. "Ryan, meet your grandfather, Soldier Boy, heroes of heroes and my father."
Ryan looked confused at me and then at Soldier Boy. "He's my grandfather?"
"Oh yes, he's the reason me and you are so strong. We inherited it from him." I said with a cold smile while Ryan just looked conflicted.
Butcher and Hughie looked at Soldier Boy only to see a questioning gaze perched on his features.
"He ain't your kid!" Butcher reiterated loudly.
"Yes I am!" I responded calmly. "I'm your kid and this is your grandson. You have a real family. We don't have to fight. I just want to talk. Whatever Butcher told you or whatever deal Butcher offered you is not real. Surrender yourself now and I promise you won't do more than five years in prison." I said firmly.
"You were betrayed by your team, by Vought and by your government, the midtown explosion was an accident, a Soldier suffering from PTSD nothing more. We can play that up in the media and with my power, with Vought's power you won't stay more than five years in prison." I said with passion in my tone.
"Join me, join us and we can be unstoppable, but you have to end it here and now!" I did my best to sound passionate and heartfelt as I was lying through my teeth.
No fucking way was I going to let a loose cannon like Soldier Boy run loose plus I had already promised Noir I would end Soldier Boy.
If he accepted then I hoped to knock him out with a surprise attack but that was a small chance. Still for optics purposes I had to give the offer.
Can't have people saying I didn't try peace first.
"Don't listen to him!" Butcher replied. "He's lying." He then turned his gaze to Ryan. "Ryan you have to leave, leave the building."
I just snorted at him.
"See Ryan, this is what William does, he pitches father and son against each other, hoping we kill one another. He'll pretend to be your friend just so he can turn you against me. That's how deep his hate runs for us."
"Ryan don't listen to him, you need to get out of here now!"
I ignored him Butcher and turned back to Soldier Boy.
"Soldier Boy…Dad…choose peace and surrender for the sake of your Son and Grandson."
The attention was no back on him.
His head tilted to his right and his left eye twitched while his gaze stayed locked on me.
"No" He said and took a step forward. "You're lying, Noir isn't dead."
I let out the breath that I was holding. Violence it is.
'Kill him!' We will Echo we will.
"I see." I replied and paused for a split of a second, my hearing picking up Annie and her crew coming up. Huh, they made excellent timing and somehow avoided the police perimeter, then again she probably pulled the Starlight car.
Smart.
I pulled myself out of my thoughts and turned to Deep who has been silent and pale the whole time.
"Deep" I say bringing his attention to me. "Take Ryan and evacuate the building. I will not have my son in danger."
To my surprise the boy pushed my arm away in anger "No! I'm staying here with you!"
Dam son! Now is not the time to be a hero.
"No son, remember our discussion about situations you shouldn't be in? This is one of those. I need you to go with Deep and…"
I didn't manage to finish my sentence as a vice like grip suddenly grabbed me by the throat.
'FUCK!'
"No let go of him!" Ryan shouted.
"Where is he? Where's Noir?" Soldier Boy shouted as his vice like grip was holding me by the upper neck and jaw.
One moment of distraction that's all it took and he was on me.
Butcher and Hughie didn't waste one moment and they grabbed my hands.
"Ryan, you need to leave, get out of the building." Butcher yelled at him.
"Where is he?" Soldier Boy shouted and started to glow.
"Ryan leave now!"
"No leave him alone!" the little boy yelled and pulled furiously at Butcher's arms.
Deep you fucking useless shit do something! The moron was frozen in shock. I could feel the radiation permeating weakening me.
"AHHHH!" A large red beam hit Soldier Boy's abdomen knocking him to the side and stopping his beam of death.
Luckily his radiation was affecting Butcher and Hughie as well as I instantly threw both Hughie and Butcher off me.
They were Supes but they weren't close to my level, not without the element of surprise.
I knew what was coming and in slow motions I saw Soldier Boy rush shield first towards Ryan.
'Protect him!'
My mind went into overdrive and my body acted on its own. In an instant I disappeared from my stop and appeared in front of Ryan taking the brunt of the shield.
Normally Soldier Boy's momentum would have toppled me launching me into Ryan crashing us into a mess of limbs, tables, chairs and wall but there was nothing normal about me.
I can fly and create my own momentum without actually moving a physical muscle.
BANG!
The shield hit me with aloud echoing bang, my body tensed absorbing the energy and my invisible flight muscle instinctually created the opposite force required to stop him and not crash into Ryan.
My fee buckled and indented the cement floor and Soldier Boy's shield bent under the immovable pressure of my body.
"AHHHH!" I used his moment of surprise to overpower him and push him backwards again.
"DEEP! TAKE RYAN NOW!"
The discount Aquaman regained his senses and forcibly hoisted Ryan by the waist. The boy made to protest but Deep was to strong and with a few lunges he was half way down the stairs.
I didn't waste any time as Soldier Boy was getting himself unstuck from a pile of cubicle walls and desks.
I flew straight into Hughie to his surprise and buried my left in his gut.
Rule #1 when fighting multiple opponents knock out the weak ones first to prevent them from hitting you from behind and even the numbers.
I felt my fist crushing his sternum and ribs the force lifting him off the ground then used my powerful right hook to knock him on the side of the head.
The same combo that took out Maeve, though probably not as powerful. He'll probably survive thanks to the V but he won't be getting up anytime soon.
I raise my guard up just in time so Butcher's beam hits my forearms knocking me back a bit.
"Hughie!" he yells but doesn't have time to check on the surrogate of his little brother as a Flying kick hits him in the back knocking him down.
"NOIR!" a recovered Soldier Boy yells.
God dam he has impeccable timing. He's just so bloody competent that I need to have him on my side. With the Hughie out of the way it was safe for Noir to come out of his hiding spot and even the odds.
You see as a teleporter Hughie presents a unique danger to anyone that can't fly. At any point in time he could have teleported Noir right outside the building and considering we are over sixty floors up I doubt even Noir would get back up after that kind of fall.
That would leave me i position which is not great, so regardless of how I played this Hughie was always the first one that had to go.
"Noir!" I yell back at him. "You take care of Butcher I'll take Soldier Boy!"
I rush daddy dearest with a straight left which he dodges with a duck under my flying form. I feel his body spring up in an uppercut to catch me straight in the abdomen but roll away to my left mid flight like a turbine and avoid it, landing to his right.
As my feet touch down my hands instantly raise to block a roundhouse kick. I step in with my right and straight kick him in the chest with my left, pushing him back and giving me a second to breath.
From the corner of my eye I catch Noir exchanging blows with Butcher and skillfully evading his laser yes even from up-close.
Hmm, something to keep in mind for the future.
"Homelander!" My gaze is distracted by Starlight's voice and my world is rocked by Soldier boy's right.
'Idiot!'
My vision goes blurry as my body slams into and immediately bounces off the floor away from Soldier Boy.
Fucking hell that hurt. I was so concentrated on Soldier Boy for a moment her voice surprised me.
"NOIR! YOU TRAITOROUS COWARD!"
With a kick Noir threw Butcher of him but Soldier Boy was already advancing with that eerie red glow.
M.M unloaded a shot gun into his face which did little to nothing as the Dean Winchester look alike barely flinched.
Kimiko rushed him with furious animalistic blows but he was too fast and skillfully blocked the first hit then caught her arm on the second hit and in one smooth motion broke it and pushed her away.
Fucking hell the man was a tank.
Even in my dazed state I could tell Noir was panicking as instead of his normal confident movements he was backing away in a stuttering step.
"Not him! Get Homelander!" I heard Butcher say as he was drunkenly standing up. Yea, Noir definitely knocked his shit around.
How many seconds has it been? I needed to move before he explodes. I took a deep breath and made to launch myself at him when the lights started flickering.
Starlight's body starts glowing and with a scream she launches her gathered energy at Soldier Boy, which I can only guess due to surprise pushes him back interrupting his power up moment, though he remains on his feet.
Fucking hell she really needs to work on charging up that power faster. It would have been better if she body rushed him.
"AAAAHHHH! ENOUGH! NO MORE INTERFERANCE!" Soldier Boy recovers just as fast turning towards Starlight, his body resuming his death glow brighter than before.
I see the look of horror on Annie's face and act.
"Annie!" I scream as I launch myself at the glowing hero. My flight stops me just as I grab him from behind. I can't go forward, there's too much building that way, I can't risk him toppling the tower.
No 9/11 on my watch.
My eyes briefly meets hers and I instantly launch myself backwards through where the windows behind me and up.
My whole body is hugging him, I feel the radiation seep into me, intensifying, burning me.
"AHHH!" I hear him scream and I let go.
A second that's all I had to put distance between us.
His twisting body release the energy in a wide read beam clipping the tops of the tower and a few other buildings around us.
I hadn't cleared enough space.
Two long seconds, an infinity.
That's how long it too for the beam to subside, his body still travelling upwards from pure momentum.
I felt my breathing, my body was hot with sweat, the blow to the head affecting me more than it should.
Fucking radiation.
Still now wasn't the time to rest.
My vision zoned in on Soldier Boy he looked dazed. I launched myself towards him picking up as much speed as I could.
BOOOM!
I break the sound barrier just as I hit him full force. This hurts us both. Me due to the radiation and him because he wasn't expecting it.
I don't break apart but continue my momentum with him, tackling him football style pushing us higher and higher in the atmosphere picking up speed.
This is my chance while he is dazed I need to gather speed and push him off planet. If I can't kill him there's no way I'm letting a government agency get the once weapon that could kill me.
I push faster and harder, past Mach 1, 2..3. I use the bright glow of the moon to guide me.
"AAAAHH LET GO!" Like thunder I feel a blow rocking my back, then an elbow in the back of my head. "YOU PIECE OF SHIT LET GO!" I ignore him and the pain but then I feel the heat…that blasted heat, I feel it exciting the radiation inside of me.
11
.
.
10
My right hand is holding him firmly secure to me so I use my left to deliver powerful kidney blows, hoping to stop his charge up.
Each blow he lands on me weakens me further. I push harder. It's hard to concentrate. How many seconds have passed? He needs 12.
7
.
.
6
I feel the heat intensify my shoulder burning, each breath I take stings.
5
.
.
With a mighty push I untangle us but not before he lands another right on my head which dazes me again.
We break apart like two ragdolls and like a giant Sith light saber his beam spins wildly with him.
Three, four, five seconds I take to regain my sense. Ironically his hit pushed me out of the way of the Death Beam.
The air is cold and thin but I feel burns on my neck, bubbling skin on my chest, the top of my burned away, partially melted in my flesh.
My instincts tell me to stop, to rest but I can't do that, not yet. I'm so close. I see him, his momentum slowing and rush towards him one more time.
I have to get him past low orbit, past the ISS, past the point where it will be easy for the government to get him.
I crash again into him carrying us further out, using every bit of energy I have to break us away from the gravity of this planet.
I get a few more seconds of respite than the first time, he's taking longer to recover as well, he's more tired. Good but I know in a fight of attrition I'm the looser so I push even harder.
I must be going past Mach 8 now. When suddenly a shock goes through my spine as I feel a deep blow to the back of my head.
The pain is so sudden my grip loses on him and we become tangled flying mess. I can't slow down, I have to push up. I grab him by the remaining fabric of his suit and continue propelling us upwards.
"I'LL KILL YOU! YOU SNIVELLING PIECE OF SHIT!"
Only through the corner of my eye I catch a glowing red fist my head turns with the punch but even I feel it's shattering strength. My jaw is cracked and my right cheek is burned.
This fucker is a genetic beast. His powers are evolving right in front of me. He was channeling his energy through his fists.
We're past the atmosphere now. It's easier to accelerate so I put energy into another burst.
I manage to knee him in the side and shift around to grab him by the throat with my left. His glowing left hand swings to hit me in the side of the head but I manage to partially block it with my right.
I relax my block thinking his hand was going to retreat. A mistake, instead he pushes further.
His glowing left hand grabs the right side of my face burning me, seeping radiation into my brain, his thumb finds my eye and digs in.
I desperately try to release his grip but my blows are weak, my energy being used to accelerate us further.
My mouth opens in a silent scream, we are past the atmosphere no, air for sound to travel. I feel his thumb burning my eye.
I can see he's holding his breath but how long can he do it for? He needs to breath but so do I! I need to fly back before we both pass out. I try to disentangle but the fucker won't let go!
'Pain! Stop him! Kill Him!'
THEN FUCKING HELP ME! YOU THINK I'M NOT TRYING! YOU KNOW THIS BODY BETTER THAN I DO! HELP ME!
My mind goes into overdrive as I hear Echo. Or maybe I'm just hallucinating from the pain. When did Soldier Boy's body start glowing again? How many seconds?
Fuck, this isn't how it was supposed to go down. My thoughts run back to the image of the truck that hit me, it's glaring bright headlights shining the light of death upon me.
With my left eye I see Soldier Boy's eyes are blood shoot no they are glowing red, his mouth is open and the dreaded light comes from there as well.
I almost resign to my fate when I suddenly feel a heat in my stomach, energy building and a hallowing thought echoing through my whole being.
'Together as one.'
The energy surges and I feel strength in my limbs. I forcefully push his glowing hand away from my face.
Release, sweet release.
I make to punch him but it's too late he's detonating. This is it life and death, standing at the edge, my vision focused, my perception slows down all around Soldier Boy I see a wave of red energy burst in as sphere all around him.
A beam I could have dodged but an omnidirectional wave I have nowhere to go.
This fucker he evolved his powers right in front me, live or die, then so can I.
I force the energy built in my belly outward, I only have a split of a second so I push with every fiber of my being to flood every cell of my body and break free, I feel it encompassing me just as Soldier Boy's wave hits me.
The ensuing blast from the two forces violently meeting blasts us apart adding to his momentum and slowing mine down.
I feel dazed and drain but I'm alive.
I can't help but silently chuckle. It worked it actually worked. It had to work, otherwise the harsh mistress that is space would have killed me.
I did it! I won!
It takes me a few seconds to zone in on Soldier Boy with my left eye. He's passed out, probably not dead, but he needs air to breath which he doesn't have anymore. So he's unconscious.
HAHAHAH! Have fun flying into the moon at over Mach 10 fucker.
AHHH! With the adrenaline rush gone the pain is coming back. My right eye is fucked, my face is a mess, I see melted flesh and bubbling skin and as I feel an all knowing impulse hit my brain I realize I also need to breath.
Fuck so much pain.
I reverse course and head to Earth at the maximum speed I can muster. In a few seconds I'll reach the atmosphere just have to hold on until then.
My vision gets blurry, and I see colorful spots in front my eyes. I feel the pull of gravity stronger as the world around me brightens.
I try to breath but the air is still too thin so I push faster.
The air around me starts to glow red and orange. I try once again to take a breath but I mostly get fire.
Fuck I'm going to fast now. I will myself to slow down but I can't tell if I'm flying or just free falling now. The exhaustion, pain and lack of air is simply too much.
With my last gasps of consciousness I will my eyes to focus and zoom in on New York and will myself to aim for a landing there.
Darkness overtakes me.
88888888
AN: Episode 8 done!
Hi Everyone,
Thank you for reading my story. This brings us to the conclusion of Season 3. From here one out the story will most likely deviate drastically from whatever is cannon in Season 4, because I have no idea what that is.
As well from this point on the format of the story will also change. Instead of a play by play format of how Homelander builds his space empire there will instead be short stories, journal entries, time skips, Newspaper stories, interviews and other snippets of events.
These are meant to world build and piece together a loose timeline of how the SI's story evolves. Please understand that I never meant to make this a long form story, as I said in the first chapter this was a writing exercise to flex the creative muscles as I took a break from working on my main story Stumbling Through Godhood. Please check it out if you have time.
Unfortunately this also means that updates will be slower going forward, most likely monthly.
I do have an immediate aftermath chapter for this fight which will be posted sometime later in the month as well with a possible alternate ending, mostly for shits and giggles.
Also some of you were really good and guessed exactly what Homelander did to Kimiko and Maeve.
Once again thank you for reading.