Homelander stepped slowly out of the cabin, his expression grim.
His appearance drew all of Butcher's and Becca's attention.
Butcher said nothing, but his cigarette burned faster. The swirling smoke veiled his hate-filled face.
Becca could not help holding Ryan tighter as she watched Homelander nervously.
After a long silence, Homelander forced a smile. "Good afternoon, my two friends."
Butcher's eyes went wide, and he clenched his teeth, suppressing the urge to attack.
Becca looked troubled and asked quietly, "Homelander, are you really willing to let us go?"
"Of course." Homelander nodded. "What makes you two worth lying to over and over again?"
The arrogant remark left Becca speechless for a long moment.
Butcher said coldly, "Why does nothing but shit come out of your mouth? Is that blue bodysuit squeezing your balls?"
Homelander's gaze turned cold, and he instinctively listened to Butcher's heartbeat.
Its rhythm spoke of anger and contempt.
Instead, Homelander smiled. "Butcher, you're as interesting as ever. If I could, I'd really like to keep you alive forever."
The tense atmosphere left Ryan a little bewildered. He tugged at Becca's clothes and asked quietly, "Mom, why is Uncle Butcher insulting Dad?"
Becca immediately covered his mouth and spoke up at once to stop them. "Butcher, we didn't come here to argue, did we?"
Butcher softened and turned his head away rather than look at Homelander, shooting Ryan a glare in the process.
Ryan pouted in hurt and lowered his head without a word.
Becca crouched to meet Ryan's eyes and said softly, "Sweetheart, come with Mommy. I'll take you somewhere to start a new life."
Ryan said nothing. His mother was always so loving that he dared not imagine what life without her would be like.
Homelander said urgently, "Ryan, come back to Vought with me. That's