Homelander stood at the door, his red and blue uniform shining brightly under the light, with a hint of tiredness on his face that he deliberately showed.
"You..."
Jessica's voice was trembling. She wanted to rush up and punch him, but also wanted to rush into his arms and cry loudly.
But in the end, she just snorted, crossed her arms, and put on a nonchalant face.
"Hey, isn't this our missing person? I thought you died in outer space and were about to turn your office into a bar."
"I disappoint you." Homelander walked in with a smile, "The alien's food was too unpalatable, so I came back."
"Where have I been for more than a month?" Jessica grabbed the work badge on the table and threw it at Homelander, "Do you know how I spent this month? Do you know how difficult those old foxes on the board of directors are? Do you know how messed up that damn reality show is?!"
Homelander caught the badge easily and still looked at her with a smile.
"Just when you come back, I quit!" Jessica gritted his teeth, but his voice trembled slightly because of the pain, "This is your mess, you clean it up yourself! Pay me your salary, I want to go back to the apartment to sleep!"
After saying that, she endured the severe pain that Aether exploded in her body, pushed Homelander away and walked out.
She couldn't let him see her now.
Like a monster, like a bomb ready to explode.
"Jessica."
Homelander didn't let go, but grabbed her wrist.
"Let go!" Jessica struggled a bit, but the hand remained motionless like a pair of iron pliers.
"Your hands are very hot." Homelander's voice became deeper and he stopped joking.
"I have a fever, can't you? Let go!"
"You're in pain, aren't you?"
This sentence, like a needle, pierced Jessica's disguise.
Her struggling stopped.
Homelander gently took off the sunglasses on her face.
Her eyes were bloodshot, her eyes were glowing red, and her face was so haggard that it made people feel distressed.
Homelander sighed secretly and turned on the performance mode.
His eyes became extremely soft, even with a trace of... painful self-blame.
"I'm sorry, Jessica."
He stretched out his hand and gently stroked her cheek. The coolness from his fingertips made Jessica's hot skin feel slightly more comfortable.
"I'm late."
"You..." Jessica's eyes turned red. She bit her lip, trying not to let tears fall. "Why did you come back?"
"I've been looking for a way to treat you." Homelander sighed deeply, his eyes naturally showing a kind of fatigue that has gone through vicissitudes of life.
"I know that thing in your body is very dangerous. And as I expected, Asgard where that idiot Thor is can't do anything about it."
"So I broke into Odin's forbidden library, was put under house arrest by Odin, made a deal with the insidious Loki, and I even fought with Dark Elves..."
"Finally..." Homelander took out a golden apple out of thin air and shook it under the light. "I found a way to suppress it a little. Although it can't be eradicated, it can at least reduce your pain."
"Anthony... you... idiot." Jessica couldn't bear it anymore and ran into Homelander's arms and hugged him.
"Believe me, Jessica." He whispered in her ear, "Patience just a little longer. Soon... I will be able to take it out completely. At that time, you will be free."
"I believe you..."
Before he finished speaking, Jessica suddenly felt dizzy and his body fell backward uncontrollably.
But she didn't fall to the ground, a solid embrace caught her.
Homelander His left hand gently held her waist, and his right hand firmly supported her knees, hugging her horizontally.
"Let me go..." Jessica struggled weakly, but with that little strength, he was like a baby in front of Homelander.
"Don't move."
Homelander hugged her, walked to the sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, sat down, and let her lean in his arms.
Jessica doesn't want to show weakness. She is Jewel, and she is the tough guy from Hell's Kitchen.
But she couldn't help it.
I really couldn't hold it back.
She stretched out her hands, hugged Homelander's neck tightly, buried her face in his chest, and sobbed softly.
The fear and grievance that had been suppressed for a long time burst out at this moment.
Homelander didn't speak, just patted her back gently.
After a long time, Jessica's mood calmed down a little.
She seemed to realize that her behavior just now was too weak, and she pushed Homelander away violently, trying to stand up.
"Okay." She wiped her face and her eyes became cold again.
"Now that you're back, my temporary job is over. I'm going back to Brooklyn now."
After saying that, she turned around and left.
"Wait..."
Homelander held her shoulders and her eyes became serious.
"I know you really want to, but now, you can't leave."
"War is coming, Jessica."
"Those bastards who caused you so much pain... they're here."
Jessica's heart tightened. "What?"
"They are coming for you." Homelander looked directly into her eyes, "It should be said that they are coming for the thing in your body. That thing is called Aether. It is a weapon used by a group of evil aliens called Dark Elves to destroy the world."
"If you go back to Brooklyn now, within half an hour, your apartment will be in ruins, and your neighbor and the stray cat will all die."
"And..."
Homelander walked up to her and held her hand.
"Vought needs you. Those children who participate in reality shows need you. I... need you too."
"This is not only saving yourself, but also saving the world. This is what 'Jewel' should do."
Jessica looked at him, the severe pain in her body still existed, but at this moment, another force supported her.
"Okay." She took back her work badge and hung it back on her neck, her eyes becoming sharp again.
"Then do it. Once you kill those alien bastards, you have to give me double overtime pay."
"Deal."
The next day, public opinion Stormfront swept the United States.
White House Press Conference Hall.
The spokesman for White House stood solemnly in front of the podium, but the background behind him was not just the national flag, but the logo of Vought International and the national flag of United States side by side.
"... As everyone has guessed, the founder of Vought International and the leader of the Seven - Homelander, during the past period, carried out a top-secret space mission directly authorized by the president."
The reporters in the audience were in an uproar.
"During the mission, Homelander successfully intercepted key information: a hostile alien force - Dark Elves, is trying to launch a full-scale invasion of the earth!"
"This is the second major existential crisis faced by mankind after Battle of New York."
"But citizens, please rest assured!" the spokesperson raised his voice, "President Ellis has authorized Vought International and its superhero team to take full responsibility for this earth defense operation!"
At the same time, Vought International official and White House's Twitter account posted a pinned video.
In the video, Homelander is floating in the stratosphere, with the blue earth behind him.
"I'm back."
Just a short sentence.
But that's enough.
"Ding! Harvest Popularity Points +31252!"
"Ding! Harvest Popularity Points +26525!"
"Ding! Gain popularity..."
The whole network is abuzz.
"I knew it! Homelander is not dead! He went to outer space for reconnaissance!"
"Oh my God, it's an alien again? But with Homelander here, I'm not afraid at all."
"This is the plan! While a mysterious agency is still checking the water meter, Homelander is already in line with aliens in outer space!"