Samaritan's Embrace

The Samaritan's Embrace charity event was postponed by one day.

The press conference had gone far better than Madelyne or anyone else at Vought International had imagined.

The man calling himself Superman had never shown up, effectively conceding Homelander and Maeve's version of events.

The trending hashtag "My Heart Breaks for Homelander" soon took over the headlines. People were more than willing to forgive this kindhearted big guy.

But beyond Vought International's maneuvering behind the scenes, something else had caught people's attention.

Who exactly was this "Superman"?

He had appeared only in a comic from a small publisher in the 1830s. Its writer had wanted to tell a story about an alien saving Earth.

But Soldier Boy, the most popular hero of the day, had been promoted everywhere. In every sense, he had crushed "Superman."

Young people seeing that antique comic today would probably laugh.

The powers were simple and formidable, but the imagination behind them was almost childish.

No wonder the comic had been canceled in the face of Soldier Boy, who had brought the American Dream to life for the public.

Now that Superman's image had returned, some people had begun to wonder:

What if superheroes weren't as powerful or as perfect as they seemed?

Once a question took root in someone's mind, it never stopped growing.

Watching the event's date shift back and forth, Rorschach had a fair idea of what Vought International was doing.

It would use the buzz around other events, perhaps including a major push for Stormfront later, to divert the public's attention.

As for television appearances, so long as the right people were taken care of, every question would be scripted.

Even reality shows and action scenes that looked like single, unbroken takes were nothing of the sort.

The Samaritan's Embrace event drew an unprecedented crowd.

The most fervent person there was Ezekiel, the man who was supposed to be its leader.

He was the charity's founder in name, but Vought International directed everything he did behind the scenes.

His power let him stretch parts of his body. He also had the superhuman physique that came standard with Supes.

Right... he sounded like a man who wanted to be king of the pirates.

Rorschach had come for two reasons. First, he wanted to draw Starlight closer, that foolish girl who was still lost in her dream of being a hero.

Second, he wanted to bring the truth to The Boys.

If he simply told them everything, it would do no good. They would never believe anything so absurd.

But if he gave them a nudge and let them uncover the truth themselves,

they would not only be certain it was real,

they would also accept it far more readily than if he had told them outright.

"If there's no God, how could The Deep become lord of the seven seas?"

"If there's no God, how could Homelander soar through the sky?"

"And if there's no God..."

He spread his arms, miming an enormous reach.

"Why was I given the power to embrace the whole world?"

"Believe, my friends! As long as you believe, the power God has bestowed on you will take shape within you!"

Even amid the crowd's fervor, Rorschach watched with dead eyes.

There were enough superheroes in New York alone to give him plenty of trouble.

Most could be dealt with by combining firepower with Kimiko's strength, but trickier ones, like A-Train as he neared retirement, would still be terrifying when cornered.

That included the white-haired man onstage in a tank top.

Ezekiel was bulletproof, and his reach in close combat was astonishing.

Until Rorschach learned Gum-Gum Gatling, he had no intention of clashing with him.

But it was precisely Ezekiel's fame as Vought International's voice on religion

that gave Rorschach leverage over him.

"Did you bring the video?" Rorschach asked, turning his head.

Without a word, Butcher handed him a phone. The security footage on the screen showed Ezekiel, that devout believer in God.

Most of the people who supported him believed in God too.

Yet the Bible expressly forbade same-sex relationships and sex before marriage.

Rorschach would have had no qualms about putting the video of Ezekiel with a muscular man under each arm on the big screen.

But that was not the point of this operation.

If he wanted to destroy this "religious Supe leader," Rorschach could talk him into the ground.

At worst, Ezekiel would denounce him as a heretic and have him burned alive in front of the crowd.

Then Rorschach could swap in another item and turn the tables.

But again, this operation was about showing these ignorant people a little of the truth, not deliberately ruining the event. Starlight was still here.

"Good. There's a private ceremony later. Someone can get a chance to speak with him alone."

"Then use this video to get everything out of him."

"I don't care which of you goes."

With that, Rorschach left the group to look for Starlight.

"There are guards at every entrance and exit. Outside, the cameras have almost no blind spots."

Marvin covered his mouth with a hand and spoke quietly beneath the crowd's cheers.

"Frenchie, keep an eye on her." Butcher meant Kimiko, of course, the only woman on their team.

He did not mean Frenchie should protect her. He meant Frenchie should keep her from hurting anyone.

Kimiko had been away from crowds for too long. An environment this noisy was bound to put her on edge.

After seeing her terrifying grip strength and speed, none of them dared treat her like an ordinary person.

They might as well think of her as a giant wolf three meters long.

"Who's going?" Butcher looked at Marvin. Frenchie was the only one among them who had learned sign language.

Rorschach, meanwhile, simply had Frenchie translate, or had Kimiko type what she wanted to say on her phone.

He certainly knew how to act like the boss.

And Frenchie had been acting strangely too. For days, his eyes had kept drifting toward Kimiko.

He had even picked up sign language at a remarkable pace. Though he still stumbled through it, he could at least communicate with her now.

"How was the flight?" Starlight asked her mother, who had come from Iowa, with a broad smile.

"Not great. Flight 37 has made everyone at the airport jumpy. I had to go through three rounds of searches by armed security guards before they let me board."

"Did you want an autograph?"

Noticing Rorschach beside Starlight, Donna looked at him curiously.

But she soon put it out of her mind. Her daughter stood out even among Supes. It would be no surprise if some talented young man in New York had taken an interest in her.

"No, Mom. He's my... friend."

At the word "friend," Starlight couldn't help smiling, a hint of shyness on her face.

This event was a little different, but she was still happy to attend it with her mother again, as they had done since she was a child.

"Starlight, stay hydrated."

Ashley came out of the tent and handed Starlight a bottle of water.

"Your youth roundtable starts in about fifteen minutes. Ready?"

"She was born ready. I can vouch for that—I was there."

Donna's little joke drew a round of polite laughter, and then she headed into the tent.

"Are you coming with me?"

Starlight edged closer to Rorschach. Throughout that conversation, he had made no attempt to distance himself from her.

She wanted to take out her compact and see whether her burning cheeks had turned red.

"I think I'll pass," Rorschach said with a smile. "I'm afraid I'd make them cry."

"Oh, right. Could you get me a pass to see Ezekiel? A friend of mine wants to meet him."