Homelander's pupils shrank to pinpoints. His voice trembled slightly with excitement he could not contain. "This is the secret to your immortality?"
"That's right." Soldier Boy puffed out smoke. "This should be the last Original Compound left in the world."
Then he briefly explained what had happened with Bombsight.
Still reeling from shock and excitement, Homelander stared blankly at the vial of Original Compound.
Immortality...
What a tempting word!
Especially when I already have unrivaled power in this world. Most importantly... I can stay with Ryan and Soldier Boy forever!
"You're giving it to me?" Homelander finally looked up and asked.
Soldier Boy flicked off his ash. "What else? There's probably nobody in the world better suited to it than you."
The corner of Homelander's mouth twitched, and his nose stung. His father really did care about him most!
The warmth of family nourished a seed of gratitude, letting it take root and sprout in his heart. He clenched his fists. "Thank you... Father."
There was something else he kept inside: I'll never let you down. He did not say it aloud, but it had already become nourishment for that seed, etched into his soul.
Soldier Boy waved a hand. "Enough. We're father and son. What's there to thank me for? Don't be so formal with me."
Homelander picked up the vial of compound from the box, glanced at his arm, and prepared to inject it.
Soldier Boy's heart jolted, and he hurried to stop him.
He remembered how, in the original show, Homelander had briefly lost control of his powers after injecting this Original Compound. That savage, enhanced Heat Vision had nearly blasted a hole in the sky.
If he let him inject it inside Vought, wouldn't a lot of people die?
"Wait. Let's find somewhere open. This stuff