Homelander gently closed the office door.
The closed door and windows shut out the acrid smell of burning. Standing outside, Homelander took out his phone and dialed an unfamiliar number.
"Hello?" A gruff male voice answered.
"Is everything ready for what I told you to do last time?" Homelander asked.
"You want to do it now?" The man sounded taken aback.
"Now. This instant. Immediately." Homelander delivered the three words with deadly seriousness, then hung up.
At the other end, the man's expression turned grave as the busy tone sounded from his phone.
He knew what happened next would be explosive news, something that would leave a deep mark on the Federation's history.
The man was named Chrisman, and his hero title was Mind Catcher. Through a special method, he could plant a Trigger in a target's mind. The Trigger would activate under conditions he had set in advance, allowing him to control the target's mind from a distance for a short time.
Once activated, his power was nearly impossible to counter. But its conditions were so demanding that Chrisman had to spend a long time preparing each use.
If not for those severe restrictions, Chrisman could have ranked among the very best Supes. Instead, he remained obscure, taking orders from Homelander in secret.
Chrisman checked the time. Barring any surprises, citizens across the country—and even the world—would receive a bombshell piece of news around seven that evening.
After ending the call, Homelander turned toward the elevator.
The doors opened. When Madelyn's assistant Ashley saw Homelander waiting there, she immediately put on a bright smile and nodded in greeting.
Ashley had just greeted him and was about to head for Madelyn's office when Homelander reached out to stop her.
"Madelyn's been exhausted lately. She needs a good rest," Homelander said.