Kill Him Socially First

"That was close. We nearly gave ourselves away."

Inside the bar, Sergei swept a thermal imager over every corner, inside and out.

They had rented out the bar earlier that day to do—absolutely nothing.

It was still open for business and charging customers as usual. Apart from a few things they had stored there, nothing had changed.

People stood out when they appeared somewhere they did not belong.

Like a single bean sitting all alone on a tabletop.

In a handful of beans, though, it would hardly be noticed.

There were countless ways to spot Translucent: sensors, colored liquids, thermal imaging, even the sound of his breathing...

But picking four unremarkable men out of a crowd swaying to the beat...

That would take some work.

"Move."

The others slipped off to separate corners, leaving Rorschach to mingle on the dance floor.

By the time Rorschach strolled out the back door, they were ready.

"You're sure he went to that club?"

New York had a club devoted to entertaining superhumans.

It did not get many customers, but it made up for that with quality and discretion.

Every desire could be satisfied there, and the staff who took on the risks of catering to them were paid handsomely.

Rorschach knew Butcher was familiar with the place.

After his attempt to take advantage of Starlight had failed, a frustrated The Deep would probably come here to blow off steam.

As they reached the entrance, they happened to see The Deep walk in, soaking wet.

"Looks like someone's already had his first round in the ocean."

Rorschach could not help laughing, but he was professional enough to take up a position high above the exit.

Masks on, they waited. Who knew when The Deep would leave the club?

He might sleep until dawn, or he might finish three rounds in under ten minutes, get dressed, and walk out satisfied.

And if Rorschach remembered correctly, there was an artificial lake nearby.

It was not large, but it would do.

"Seriously? We're going to sit here like idiots until dawn? What if he comes out and we can't make a move? How much longer will we have to wait?"

Marvin's voice sounded muffled beneath his mask.

"Ever been fishing?" Rorschach asked, apparently changing the subject.

"If you want to catch a fish, you bait the water first. Let them lower their guard, then tempt them into swallowing the hook."

"After that, the best part is the long struggle."

"Because only then, when the fish fights its way to the surface, can you enjoy the sight of it exhausted and gasping for air."

While Rorschach talked, The Deep rode the lingering pleasure the dolphin and manta ray had given him into a second round.

Two hours later, he emerged from the club looking thoroughly satisfied.

He had not only managed seven times in one night, but also gone swimming in a bathtub full of assorted liquors.

He had tried a new kind of magic powder, too, and it had done him a world of good.

The pressure that had built up over the past two days had been enormous. Tonight, he had let every last bit of it out.

Still muttering curses at Madelyne for making his life difficult, The Deep staggered along.

He was afraid—afraid of losing everything he had now.

The television interviews, the variety shows and documentaries, his own movie, and the chance to appear in The Seven's big films.

Becoming a patrol hero in a second-tier city would mean an easy life, but it would also mean losing all of that.

That was why he had always kept his head down around Homelander and Madelyne, the CEO.

Even with his other teammates, he could not bring himself to do what Translucent did—hide in a corner and spy on their private lives.

He called for environmental protection, held events to protect marine life, and posed for attractive photos.

He had been meek for so long. At last, a newcomer had joined the team, someone he could look down on for once.

It was all because—

Before he could finish the thought, a huge splash of water drenched him.

"The cameras around here are still broken from this afternoon. Nobody's reported them for repair."

Sergei's voice trembled. In other words, Vought's crime division would not see them getting away afterward.

"We can't kill him."

Rorschach looked at The Deep, unconscious from the ether, then bent down, pried his mouth open, and poured in another cup.

"What do you mean, we can't kill him? This might be our only chance!"

Marvin strode toward Rorschach in agitation, but Butcher caught hold of him.

"He's right."

The two men gradually cooled down and steadied their breathing.

Highly concentrated ether was evaporating into the air. Breathing in too much could take one of them out of action.

This was a major strike against The Seven. They could not afford a mistake.

"Butcher, help me drag him to the artificial lake. Marvin, Sergei, get everyone away from the area. I don't care how."

Rorschach gave the orders calmly. They had been together for less than a week, yet he had already become their leader.

"What exactly are you planning?"

Butcher was baffled.

If they were not going to kill The Deep, why keep him alive?

In less than a minute, they reached the nearby theme park.

Rorschach was not taking any chances. He poured more ether into The Deep's mouth.

Throughout it all, Rorschach breathed evenly, his pulse steady.

"Everything going smoothly?"

Sergei and Marvin arrived soon after. They had not been dragging a superhuman, so they had caught up quickly despite taking a route several times longer.

"That depends on what happens next."

Rorschach bent down, unzipped The Deep's vest, and took out a camera.

"Butcher, grab his feet, then push him into the lake."

"Marvin, pour two more bottles of ether where he was lying. Dump Sergei's supply in too."

"Sergei, give me some light."

Rorschach raised the camera. It was not one of those professional rigs weighing a dozen kilos, but its picture quality was excellent.

Sergei looked both ways. Once he had confirmed there was no one wandering nearby, he switched on his flashlight.

After Marvin poured out another three bottles of ether, Rorschach made sure none of the four of them would appear in the frame and started recording.

"Holy shit..."

Watching the gills on either side of The Deep's body move underwater made all three men feel sick.

But with gas masks on, all they could do was try to keep their breathing steady.

Less than a minute later, Rorschach lowered the camera.

"All right, everyone. Pour in the rest of the ether, take the bottles, and let's go."

It was terrifying.

Butcher and the other two had played a part, but throughout the operation, they had been little more than puppets in Rorschach's hands.

It had taken no extraordinary fighting skill, nor was it the result of some painstakingly elaborate scheme.

Yet they now had a scandal capable of destroying The Deep's public image.

They emptied four bottles of ether and promptly made their escape.

Once the masks came off, every one of them was grinning, though some grins were wider than others.

"Well, that was one hell of a job." Even Marvin, who had resisted the plan at first, could not hide his delight.

The Deep woke to the public relations team smacking him.

It was 8:45 in the morning, when people were starting their day and social media was at its busiest.

A short video went viral. Vought reacted at once, using its resources to suppress it, ban accounts, and take down the footage.

Even so, it spread at a staggering speed.

Still dazed, The Deep could not make out what his furious manager was saying. Then a phone was thrust into his hand.

On the screen, the gills he had always been ashamed of appeared in the video, opening and closing underwater.

The Deep fell apart.