New Order

Vought Tower's entrance was packed with people.

More than three hundred media outlets had satellite vans parked along an entire street. Reporters held microphones, photographers carried equipment, and tens of thousands of people outside the barricades held up signs. Some shouted slogans. Some cried.

More than a dozen drones circled overhead, their cameras aimed at the podium. Four billion people around the world were watching the livestream.

Queen Maeve stood to the left of the podium in a dark blue uniform. The Vought logo was gone from her chest, replaced by a silver shield insignia. Starlight stood beside her in the same uniform, bruises from last night's battle still visible on her face.

Benjamin stood behind them in black combat gear, his hands clasped behind his back. Butcher, Hughie, Frenchie, and Mrs. M stood below the steps in the same black outfits, weapons hanging at their waists.

Queen Maeve stepped up to the microphone. The plaza fell silent.

"My name is Maeve. I was formerly the captain of The Seven." She looked into the cameras. "Over the past twelve years, I did many wrong things. I helped Vought lie. I helped put on shows. I helped package superhumans as gods."

The crowd stirred, and reporters raised their microphones.

"Yesterday, Homelander died. He wasn't killed by aliens, and he wasn't killed by some supervillain." She paused. "He was killed by ordinary people. That proves one thing—superhumans are not gods. We are merely people with special abilities. We can be hurt, we can bleed, and we can die."

Shouts erupted below the stage. Some people cheered, while others cursed.

Starlight stepped up to the microphone.

"Starting today, Vought International will be reorganized into the Superhuman Affairs Management Bureau." She took out a document and displayed it for the cameras. "These are the