Homelander made trip after trip, his movements growing more practiced until he gradually went numb.
"I can't do it. I can't do it."
Even with all his strength, he had only saved a few dozen people, and a sense of defeat welled up inside him.
"Maybe he has a way?" Homelander still thought, hoping Soldier Boy could resolve this.
Meanwhile, at Vought Tower.
The large screen in the conference room showed live footage of the plane crash.
A tiny black dot, too fast to make out, appeared repeatedly. Everyone knew it was Homelander.
Soldier Boy stood with his brows deeply furrowed.
Fuck, I almost forgot. I crippled A-Train a few days ago, and Starlight hasn't awakened her ability to fly yet.
Watching Soldier Boy's increasingly dangerous gaze, A-Train felt a faint ache in his legs. "Sir, this really isn't my fault. The orthopedic surgeon said it'll be at least another ten days before I can use super speed."
Just then, an excited voice suddenly came from beside them. "I'll do it!"
Everyone turned.
Private Angel swayed her hips as she walked into the conference room just in time.
Soldier Boy breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing Private Angel had been refusing to leave his room these past few days.
"Ben, I saw you rush out before you were even properly dressed, so I followed you. Don't get any ideas."
Private Angel threw him a flirtatious wink, looking every bit a lecher.
"You watched me leave?" Soldier Boy asked in disbelief.
Was this woman peeping at me in the bath?
The corner of his mouth twitched. He wasn't put off; he just found it bizarre.
"Oh, what a strapping young man. Let me help you!" Private Angel's eyes sparkled as her fingers crept onto A-Train's chest.
A-Train was secretly delighted.
A moment later, his expression changed. "Wait, what are you doing? Why are you pinching me?!"
Private Angel hugged A-Train tightly. That wasn't much of a problem in itself, but her hands wouldn't behave. She was practically pinching his pecs swollen!
Alarm bells rang in A-Train's mind. She's a friend of Soldier Boy's. Could she possibly be a good person?
Ashley Barrett looked on as though enjoying a show, her eyes unblinking.
Five seconds later.
Private Angel released A-Train reluctantly and even licked her lips.
"All done."
A-Train froze. What's done?
He tried to turn to look at the others. As his upper body moved, his legs worked in coordination, extraordinarily agile.
Wait.
A-Train realized something was off. Looking down, he discovered that his muscles, which hadn't been exercised for several days, had returned to normal. On closer inspection, even his old injuries were gone.
He tried standing up, bounced twice, then sprinted in place.
A blue afterimage flashed past, stirring up a powerful gust that tousled Starlight's hair.
A-Train was dumbfounded. "Holy shit? I'm actually healed?"
"Of course." Private Angel planted her hands on her hips smugly. "I'm a professional."
An exclamation rang out in the conference room. Madelyn tilted her head slightly and asked probingly, "Are you the one from Vought's First Generation Team?"
At her reminder, everyone else began to find the blonde bombshell before them familiar.
Bold fashion, sweet looks, healing superpowers, the First Generation Team.
Put those terms together, and her identity was all but obvious.
Private Angel.
A superhero from the same era as Soldier Boy. She was simply hard to recognize without her classic Nurse Uniform Costume.
"A-Train, get your ass out there and support Homelander."
Soldier Boy frowned and patted A-Train's face, snapping him out of his shock.
"Yes, sir." A-Train agreed, then drove his legs forward and rushed toward the nearest fire station. There was bound to be an inflated rescue air cushion there.
Ashley Barrett came to her senses and immediately contacted the fire station and the United States Police to coordinate with A-Train.
News that a plane was about to crash not far from the urban area had long since sent the local authorities into a frantic panic.
But there was nothing they could do. Superheroes were their only hope, so naturally, no one stood in the way.
When A-Train ran to the fire station, police cars even cleared a path for him, leaving his route completely unobstructed.
"Ben, I'm only saving white people."
Stormfront gave Private Angel a provocative look. Purple-black electricity flickered around her as she shot into the sky. With precise control over her flight, she left through the open window to support Homelander.
"Oh God, I can't do anything at all." Starlight held her head and muttered under her breath.
Her wish had always been pure: to become a real superhero and help others.
The first grave incident since she joined the team was unfolding before her, and her light manipulation could do nothing.
She could only lower her head and stare at the tips of her shoes, not daring to watch the live satellite footage on the big screen.
"Annie." Soldier Boy noticed Starlight and cupped her head in his hands, forcing her to face the screen.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Soldier Boy. I-I really can't fly." Starlight resisted, trying to break free.
She couldn't watch the plane falling on the big screen. Every glance made her heart tremble, even though she hadn't done anything wrong.
After struggling for a while, Starlight gave up. Those two large hands held her fast like iron clamps.
"You can fly. You absolutely can." Soldier Boy's low voice sounded beside her ear.
"Think about your light manipulation. Try using it to propel your body."
Starlight knitted her brows tightly. Golden light burst from her pupils and palms at the same time, draining half the conference room's lights until they went dark.
She released powerful light energy for several seconds, but still couldn't find the sensation that would let her fly.
The hope in Starlight's heart shattered, and once again, she wanted to say she couldn't do it.
Soldier Boy clicked his tongue.
It was time to put some pressure on Starlight.
"Look, Starlight. Look at the screen."
"There are at least a hundred passengers still on that plane. Even with A-Train and Stormfront helping Homelander rescue them, they can only save another few dozen at most."
"The rest will all die, instantly vaporized by the intense heat. The suffering won't disappear with them. Their families will carry it on. There may be children and elderly people in there. Maybe they're all your fans."
"You could clearly save them."
"But you choose to run away like a featherless ostrich. It's because a spineless coward like you refuses to tap into her potential that tragedy will happen."
Starlight's lips trembled as she stared fixedly at the screen.
"Forget it. There's no time. Two minutes left. Just keep hiding for the rest of your life and be a screen star packaged by corporate money."
Soldier Boy shook his head in feigned disappointment, took out his phone, and placed a call.
The phone rang several times before it was answered.
Wind howled on the other end as Homelander shuttled numbly between the ground and high altitude.
"I think I'm going to screw this up."
Only after a long while did his voice come through, on the verge of breaking down. "I'm sorry. I, I, I..."
Homelander repeated "I" several times. He was afraid of failing Soldier Boy's expectations.
He was also afraid of the media's abuse afterward and a plunge in his fan numbers.
Answering this call had already drained every last bit of his resolve. At this point, even the slightest reproach from Soldier Boy might make him lose control on the spot.
"Listen, John."
Soldier Boy's steady voice rang out.
Before you continue