"Why are you so obsessed with getting people to guard your door?" Homelander couldn't help asking.
Soldier Boy paused. "It's a habit, I guess. I had a dog called Big Yellow as a kid. Great at guarding the house, but he liked eating shit. Compared to him, Pete and Neuman are great value. They're straight-up upgraded versions of Big Yellow."
"Big Yellow?" Homelander repeated. "Do you mean a Carolina Dog?"
"An indigenous dog from the East," Soldier Boy explained.
That dog named Big Yellow had been Soldier Boy's only companion during his time at the orphanage before he crossed over.
He vaguely remembered always taking the dog along and forcing the other children at the orphanage to get on all fours and act as their canine underlings, while he and the dog ruled the orphanage.
The two walked at an easy pace, chatting as they entered the elevator. As the numbers on its display changed, they arrived at the third basement level.
A long, narrow corridor stretched ahead. The light from the elegant wall lamps was rather soft, falling across Soldier Boy's rugged face like a portrait.
Homelander stepped out of the elevator first, his cape swaying as his gaze swept both sides.
Ashley was in the holding cell at the very end.
Rather than a holding cell, it was more like a rudimentary bedroom temporarily converted into a cell.
"Shit... I'm going to be in prison forever." Ashley sat on the floor despite the cold, clutching her hair with both hands, looking utterly dejected.
Only after her emotions had settled somewhat did she realize how bad her situation was.
As president, Lucas had dared to lock her, the influential CEO of a hundred-billion-dollar corporation, in here. That meant he must have prepared to weather the public backlash, so his