Meeting Butcher

Seven Tower, 88th floor.

Inside Vought's CEO office.

Wearing reading glasses, Edgar looked at an email from the event organizers on his computer screen.

In the email, the organizers stated that Homelander had selected two Supers and personally designated them as new members of The Super Seven.

At the same time.

Homelander had personally eliminated an unknown girl.

"Annie."

"Nickname: Starlight. From the Midwest."

Edgar twirled his pen. "Why did he eliminate this naïve little girl? Does she pose a threat to him?"

"Or does this girl have some leverage over him?"

Edgar picked up the phone and called his secretary. "Have them bring Miss Annie, 'Starlight,' to see me under the pretext of special recruitment. The meeting time is—"

After giving the order, Edgar put down the receiver. Just then, a video call request appeared on his computer.

The next moment, a window appeared on the screen, showing a laboratory. A man in a white coat and glasses, with a sandy-brown beard and fleshy cheeks, stood in the center of the frame.

"Good evening, Mr. Edgar."

Edgar gave a slight nod. "Good evening, Mr. David."

"Has our Saint Project made any new progress?"

David gave an awkward dry cough. "I'm very sorry, sir."

"It's still the same."

"Although we cloned Homelander's cells, the Saints we cultivated are like other Supers. They possess only one talent ability, or two at most."

"They cannot possess multiple different Talents like Homelander."

"I believe Supers with composite Talents may be impossible to replicate."

"Homelander must have been an accident, even if we use the same formula."

As he spoke, David shook his head, making the fat on his face wobble like a rattle drum.

Edgar sighed. "Homelander is beginning to slip out of control."

"He killed Madelyn. I may be next."

"The only reason he hasn't acted yet is because he feels the time isn't ripe."

"He is selecting new members for The Seven. It's possible he'll replace the original members one by one."

"Do you know what that means?"

"Homelander wants to build a Super army that obeys him!"

"Once that force takes shape, there will be nothing left that can stop him."

"So before that happens, I need a trump card."

"A trump card that can control Homelander and put shackles on that beast. Do you understand?"

David bit his thick lip, then said, "Actually, I've had an idea these past two days."

"Rather than create a Super similar to Homelander, we should try a different approach."

"After all, even if we could cultivate another Homelander, at best he would only be evenly matched with him."

"But if we change our approach—for example, strip Homelander of his talent abilities—then once he becomes an ordinary person, even The Deep could defeat him."

Edgar raised his brows. "Is that possible?"

"Yes."

"As long as we can suppress Homelander's Superpower Factor or reduce its activity level, we can turn Homelander into an ordinary person—or a slightly unusual Super like The Deep."

Edgar nodded. "That's a good idea. Start researching it immediately. I'll provide research funding through other channels."

He would not use Vought's internal channels, for fear Homelander would discover it.

David nodded. "Then I'll get to work right away."

"Go."

*

*

*

Inside the electronics store.

Hughie was arranging merchandise when he heard the bell over the door. He turned around and saw a bearded man walk in.

"Looking for a nanny surveillance camera set?"

"We're having a promotion."

He said that because he saw the bearded man pick up a teddy bear.

The bearded man shook the teddy bear. "How many nannies do you think shake babies this hard?"

Hughie looked confused. "Sorry, what did you say?"

The bearded man vigorously shook the teddy bear. "You know, like you're trying to squeeze ketchup out of a bottle."

"One percent, maybe less?"

Hughie frowned. "I don't know."

The bearded man continued, "Funny thing is, they sell this garbage worldwide and made a billion dollars."

Hughie shook his head. "Sorry, I don't understand."

"Hughie." The bearded man curled his lips into a smile. "What happened to Robin was truly tragic."

"Who are you?" Hughie asked warily.

The bearded man pulled out an ID. "FBI agent Billy Butcher."

"I want to talk to you about Robin."

"Don't you want to do something for your girlfriend?"

Hughie took two steps back. "Listen, Agent, this is over."

"A-Train has received the punishment he deserved. It's over, okay?"

"Is it really over?"

Butcher shook his head, circling one finger above it. "Do you really think that guy flying around in the sky is protecting us?"

"It's all an act, a show, dear Hughie."

"Do you know how many people die because of Supers every year?"

"Robin definitely wasn't the first, and she won't be the last."

"Do you want to see more Robins die?"

Hughie shook his head. "I don't know. I don't know about any of that, Agent."

"But I know Homelander delivered justice that day. He was the one who punished A-Train."

"I saw everything he did. I saw it with my own eyes."

"What you're talking about—sorry, I haven't heard of it."

"If you don't intend to buy anything, could you please leave?"

"Please stop disturbing my life."

Butcher was about to say something else when the bell over the door rang again. Then someone chuckled and said, "I think he's right, Agent."

"If you're not here to buy anything, then you should leave."

Hughie's eyes immediately lit up, and a smile appeared on his face.

The bearded man's eyes widened in shock, then turned fierce. A roguish grin curled across his lips as he twisted around.

He looked at the blond man standing before a shelf, wearing the Azure Suit and draped in Stars and Stripes, selecting merchandise.

"And you? Are you here to buy something, sir?" Butcher asked with a smile.

"Of course."

Azu picked up a teddy bear and gave it a shake. "I think this one's pretty good."

Then he set it on the counter. "Please wrap it up. It's a gift."

Hughie nodded repeatedly. "Sure, please wait a moment, Homelander."

Azu smiled, turned around, and looked at Butcher. "Care to chat, Agent?"

"I'd love to, but I can't. At least not right now."

Butcher shook out his coat and headed for the door. "Next time, Mr. Homelander."

Azu said indifferently, "Is that so? I thought you'd be interested in 'Becca.'"

Butcher stopped at the door.