The leak of Ryan's information instantly dropped to a tolerable level in Homelander's mind.
Carl had recovered a little by now. She struggled to lift her head and looked at the people seated all around the table, her heart pounding uneasily.
Oh, shit. How did I end up in the enemy spawn?
Her voice trembled. "I... I'm going to get a lawyer and sue you."
Ashley rolled her eyes and muttered, "Dumbass. If you get out of here alive, I'll take your last name."
Homelander glanced at her, and Ashley hurriedly covered her mouth.
Smack!
Soldier Boy strode halfway around the conference table, hauled Carl up, and slapped her across the face.
"A lawyer?" Soldier Boy sneered. "Ask around New York. What lawyer would dare take a case against us?"
Carl clutched her face, no longer daring to say a word.
She had already cursed the mysterious person on the phone to hell and back in her mind. If she had known Vought operated like the mob on the inside, she would never have gotten mixed up in this mess, even under pain of death.
Homelander gave Soldier Boy a somewhat helpless look. Carl was already badly hurt. What if he beat her to death?
He scanned Carl's entire body with X-Ray Vision, then let out a long breath.
"Don't hit her again. We still need her," Homelander urged.
Soldier Boy snorted. "I interrogated more people than I could count back on the battlefield. I'm more professional than you."
Stormfront froze in surprise. Ben had interrogated people?
That couldn't be right. Hadn't he used all those prisoners of war as punching bags until they died?
Then her eyes curved as she realized Soldier Boy was bullshitting.
``` [Ding.]
[Detected: your recklessness forced Homelander to think things through.]
[Reward: Ability Upgrade