2K Standard Scum

Alvin's calm and collected demeanor made the already suspicious Butcher hesitate.

CIA?

No, impossible!

Butcher dismissed the thought. He had a working relationship with the CIA, and they wouldn't go to such unnecessary lengths.

More importantly, even the CIA had no information on Rebecca's whereabouts.

That left only one possibility. Veins pulsed on Butcher's forehead, his expression shifting between fury and uncertainty. His voice was low and hoarse, laced with anger, "Are you sent by Vought International?"

"Mr. Butcher, I must remind you," Alvin said, lifting his leg to tap the unconscious Invisible Man beside them with his leather shoe. A meaningful smile played on his lips. "Just now, you and Mr. Hughie here assaulted one of The Seven, The Invisible Man. That's a crime, you know."

The words jolted the two men back to reality. Looking at the shattered glass strewn everywhere and the blood-stained Invisible Man, a critical question loomed before them!

The Invisible Man, one of The Seven, had discovered Hughie planting a bug at Vought International, and they had taken him down.

If Vought International found out, Butcher was certain they'd be chopped up and sunk in the Pacific the next day, with an official announcement of them dying by suicide due to guilt.

Especially Hughie. He was just an ordinary person, and being suddenly embroiled in such an incident, he immediately panicked.

"We're finished. We're dead, Butcher!"

Hughie was clearly an ordinary person with a weak psychological tolerance. The charge of assaulting a member of The Seven was enough to land him in prison for life.

"Give me a hand, move him into the trunk," Butcher glanced deeply at Alvin, then gestured to the stunned Hughie beside him. "Hey, can you stop standing there like an idiot? Hurry up and help. If anyone else finds out, we're in big trouble!"

"Wait, aren't you a Federal Agent?"

Hughie suddenly remembered something, grasping at a straw. He looked nervously at Butcher. "Quick, call the Federal Government. You guys should be good at handling this kind of thing, right?"

"Unfortunately, this Mr. Butcher isn't a Federal Agent."

Alvin watched the flustered Butcher and directly exposed his identity. "He's at most cooperating with the CIA, and it's all behind the scenes."

"Shut up!"

Butcher's face turned green with anger. He shot Alvin a venomous glare, then turned and yelled at Hughie, "Don't just stand there like a damn fool, come and help!"

"Friendly reminder, The Invisible Man isn't dead. He just got knocked out by electricity."

Alvin seemed to be enjoying the show.

"Thank God, that's great, he's not dead!"

Hughie was immediately relieved and let out a sigh of relief. "Butcher, did you hear that? He's not dead, we don't have to worry about him."

"Are you an idiot, Hughie?!"

Butcher couldn't hold back anymore and swore. "Think with your damn brain, man. He saw our faces. What do you think he'll do to us when he wakes up?"

"I'm guessing it won't be a problem that can be solved with an apology," Alvin chimed in from the side.

Hearing this, Hughie couldn't help but shiver.

He might be naive, but he wasn't stupid. He knew with his gut feeling that the outcome would likely not be good.

"Hey, you shut your mouth!" Butcher, already annoyed, glared at Alvin. "If you're not going to help, then get out of the way and don't bother us!"

"If you don't mind, I can provide a car."

Alvin tossed a set of car keys and smiled. "A Ford Escape. The trunk space is quite ample, I'm sure it will meet your needs."

Hughie took the keys, his eyes wide. "Th-thank you. You're actually quite nice."

Butcher: "."

He was already regretting bringing such an idiot into this. Would things really be okay?

To prevent The Invisible Man from breaking free halfway, and following Alvin's suggestion, Butcher and Hughie decided to take inspiration from Japanese rope bondage.

The poor Invisible Man was thus tied up like a mummy by the two men and thrown into the trunk of the Ford.

Butcher drove, a shaken Hughie sat in the back, and Alvin, naturally, took the front passenger seat.

"Where are we going?"

Hughie asked, trembling with fear.

"I know a guy, he'll know what to do."

Butcher gripped the steering wheel, but his peripheral vision kept darting towards the passenger seat.

"Mr. Butcher, please focus a little more on driving."

Alvin noticed his furtive glances and smiled. "I don't want to die young. Reckless driving brings tears to loved ones."

"I hope we can talk properly."

Butcher took a deep breath, trying to calm his face, which was contorted with rage.

If it weren't for the fact that Alvin might know Rebecca's whereabouts, he would have punched him by now. That mouth was just too damn punchable!

"Of course, Mr. Butcher."

Alvin nodded with a smile. "I'm very much looking forward to talking with you, but not now, and certainly not here."

Butcher had no objection to this. The most important thing right now was to deal with the "hot potato" in the trunk!

Soon, Butcher drove to a derelict factory area.

He parked the car, turned off the engine, and removed the key. He turned to Hughie and shouted, "Hughie, come inside with me."

Butcher dragged the still-dazed Hughie along and said to Alvin, "You wait here."

Then, the two of them entered the factory building.

Not long after, Butcher and Hughie came out of the factory, with a thin Frenchman following behind them.

"Fuck, you didn't tell me there was someone else!" The Frenchman's face showed a hint of vigilance upon seeing Alvin. "What's the deal with this guy?"

"Calm down, Frenchie, he's one of us for now."

Butcher really didn't know how to explain to Frenchie, so he just bluffed, "Come and see the gift I brought you."

As he spoke, he led Frenchie to the trunk and lifted the lid.

"Fuck, you sons of bitches are dead!"

The trunk appeared empty, but the beautiful national curse made Frenchie's eyes widen, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.

Before the Invisible Man could continue cursing, Butcher poked him with an electric baton.

Sparks crackled as electricity surged, and vaguely, a humanoid figure could be seen twisting and convulsing in the trunk.

"What the fuck!" Frenchie finally reacted, grabbing Butcher by the collar and roaring at him, "You motherfuckers stuffed the Invisible Man in the trunk?"

"Frenchie, isn't this a great gift?"

Butcher grinned triumphantly. "It's too late to regret it now, he's already seen your face, brother."

"Butcher, you son of a bitch!"

Frenchie cursed furiously, wishing he could shoot the bastard right then and there.

He had been completely screwed over by Butcher this time. What was that saying about 'I'll use my heart with my brother, and my brother will use his brain with me'?

He had actually thought Butcher had brought something good, but it turned out to be a huge problem!

"Mr. Butcher, from an objective standpoint, I must commend your low moral standards; they are truly comparable to those of the Seven." Alvin, who had been sitting in the passenger seat, had somehow gotten out and was leaning against the car door, looking at Frenchie with sympathy.

"Who the hell are you?" Frenchie, already angry, snapped at him.

"A merchant who happened to be passing by," Alvin replied with a smile.

"What are the Seven?" Hughie asked quietly.

"Uh, to put it in simple terms, they're a bunch of Standard Scum," Alvin explained.

Standard Scum?

Hughie and Frenchie silently looked at Butcher. The description was spot on.

"I need your help, Frenchie."

Butcher said "sincerely," completely unconcerned, "If you don't help me, I'll stay here. He has a chip inside him, and you don't want Homelander to find out, right?"

"This is the last time, Butcher."

Frenchie gave him a cold look, turned, and walked towards the factory without looking back. "Carry him inside. We need to block the chip in him, or he'll be discovered soon!"

At this point, there was nothing he could do but agree.

From the moment the Invisible Man saw his face, he had no other choice. He had to see this through with Butcher.