Starlight lashes out

"Yes, baby, you heard that right."

"Weren't you touched at tonight's press conference? Soldier Boy hit a reporter for you. I saw you secretly smiling."

Madelyn raised her phone. The smug curve of Homelander's lips had been captured perfectly on the screen.

"What are you trying to say?" Homelander frowned deeply.

"John, have you ever considered that Soldier Boy is taking your place?"

"You used to be the face of The Seven, the strongest supe wherever you went. But what about now?"

Homelander understood.

Madelyn was here to drive a wedge between them.

"Madelyn, I don't want to hear this." He took a deep breath, his tone somewhat hostile.

Madelyn showed no fear. "Soldier Boy threw a party tonight, didn't he? I've been president for so many years, and I can tell you plainly that this is a way to win people over."

"His standing in The Seven will far surpass yours. Don't forget that you're the captain of The Seven."

"Ha."

Homelander chuckled and waved a hand. "Madelyn, where were you when the press conference started?"

The question left Madelyn stunned.

"When those reporters surrounded me and asked those fucking questions, where were you?"

"John, at the time, I..."

Homelander interrupted her again. "Soldier Boy taught me something."

"It turns out I don't have to apologize to those weak ordinary people over every little thing."

"Only today did I realize what you see me as."

"A tool. A tool with no dignity."

Homelander lowered his voice, the disappointment in his eyes almost spilling over.

Startled, Madelyn softened her voice another notch. "John, you've misunderstood me."

Her heart pounded, as clear as a beating drum to Homelander's ears.

"Madelyn, you're afraid. That day you told me to get that fucking snake out of the sky, your heartbeat sounded exactly like it does today."

Homelander closed his eyes in some pain. "What was going on with that snake?"

It took only a moment of connecting the dots for him to know that Madelyn was inextricably linked to that giant king cobra.

"John, I don't know. Vought is already investigating it." Madelyn's expression remained normal, showing nothing unusual.

Homelander tilted his head to listen, and his heart went completely cold. He could tell from her heartbeat that Madelyn was still lying.

"Go. Stop hanging around in front of me. Better yet, leave Vought." Holding back his emotions, Homelander spoke through gritted teeth, his voice full of hatred.

Every sign pointed to the person he had once trusted most having betrayed him in secret.

Even so, Homelander's feelings for Madelyn were deeply complicated. He even hoped she would leave Vought.

Because he feared that once he learned more, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from killing her.

Madelyn was frightened by Homelander. It took her several seconds to recover before she finally remembered the next step of her plan.

"John, what's wrong? I don't think you should be a boy anymore." She slipped off her pantyhose, adopting a seductive air.

Homelander's face was expressionless. "Get out! Right now!"

This was the second time he had ordered Madelyn out. His expression looked as though he was ready to devour someone.

Madelyn's heart trembled. "All right, baby. I don't want you to be angry."

She hurried out of Homelander's room. From what she knew of him, if she didn't leave now, she would never leave.

Out in the hallway, her face alternated between livid and pale.

Her phone rang, and the caller spoke flippantly. "Hey, Madelyn, that chick in The Seven with eyes like light bulbs is pretty."

"You mean Starlight?"

"That's right. I watched the video of her flying. She's just my type, so..."

Madelyn scoffed. "Enough, Roger. The Seven are off-limits to you."

There was silence on the other end for a while. "Madelyn, my father is dead. I'm the one actually running the company now. If you can't make it happen, I'll withdraw every investment in Vought."

Madelyn choked with anger. "Are you insane?"

Roger sounded almost obsessive. "You know I'll do it."

Beep, beep, beep.

The call ended.

After one setback after another, Madelyn was so angry she wanted to smash her phone.

Roger's father had been New York's biggest advertising executive and had worked closely with Vought, but he had died in the plane crash a few days earlier.

As a result, Roger had taken over. He was a notorious rich delinquent, capable of anything.

Just then, an idea appeared in Madelyn's mind.

The Seven were gradually rallying around Soldier Boy and growing increasingly united.

Would that obstruct Edgar's plan?

Since she couldn't turn Homelander against him, she might as well reach for someone else.

She knew Starlight's background very well. Threatening her position in The Seven might work.

As long as she kept Soldier Boy out of the way and falsely claimed this was his idea, it was easy to imagine how disappointed Starlight would be.

Most importantly, she could keep that bastard Roger happy. Two birds with one stone!

She smiled and called him back. "I agree."

"Starlight, what have you been doing lately?"

Early the next morning, Ashley Barrett knocked urgently on Starlight's door.

"Just saving people, drinking, that sort of thing." Starlight was bleary-eyed and still had no idea what had happened.

Ashley Barrett frowned, looking somewhat puzzled. "Madelyn wants to see you. She seems to be in a hurry, and she's angry."

Starlight instantly woke up.

As far as Madelyn was concerned, she was, after all, just a newcomer who had only recently joined the team, and she held the vice president in great respect.

"What about?" she asked tentatively.

Ashley Barrett slapped her forehead. "Fuck, I don't know what she's up to this time either. Hurry up and go to her office. I've still got a mountain of things to deal with."

With that, she rushed off, leaving Starlight standing there in a daze.

After pondering for a long time, she called Soldier Boy, but no one answered. With no other choice, she headed to Madelyn's office first.

"Starlight, have a seat."

Madelyn politely poured her a cup of tea, but her expression was dark. A balding middle-aged man sat across from her.

Starlight didn't touch the tea. "Ma'am, what did you want to see me about?"

"You beat someone up in an alley a few nights ago?"

Madelyn played a video for Starlight.

Starlight glanced at it and immediately explained, "Those two bastards were threatening a girl..."

Before she could finish, Madelyn interrupted her. "Who can prove that? The video only shows you beating them."

"Your approval rating is very low right now. Too low for you to remain in The Seven."

Starlight's mind reeled. "Are you kicking me out?"

Madelyn chuckled. "Baby, there's still a way to turn this around. Mr. Roger here is willing to help you."

Only then did Starlight look the balding middle-aged man over. He gave her a sleazy smile.

Starlight had seen that smile on The Deep's face before.

She understood instantly. "Madelyn, I'm calling Soldier Boy right now."

"Baby, don't you understand yet? Soldier Boy has given this his tacit approval," Madelyn said.

Soldier Boy had caused such a commotion when he used Super Flight last night that she had received word long ago.

The citizens had thought it was a terrorist attack and had flooded Vought's helpline with calls. Although she didn't know why Soldier Boy could suddenly fly, that wasn't important. What mattered was that she could use it to send him away.

A fried chicken restaurant in eastern New York had become the scene of a supe disturbance, and Madelyn had put that information in front of Soldier Boy.

The novelty of his newly unlocked Super Flight still hadn't worn off. Soldier Boy had charged up on the spot and flown over to deal with it.

Madelyn had also had technicians hack into his phone and block incoming signals.

Madelyn looked utterly confident of victory. "Why else do you think Soldier Boy isn't answering your calls?"

She completely failed to notice the mockery on Starlight's face.

"Are you finished?" Starlight didn't believe a single word Madelyn had said. "The Deep said pretty much the same thing to me a few days ago."

Madelyn tilted her head in confusion, only to see Starlight's eyes and hands erupt with dazzling light at the same time.

The sudden turn of events left Roger and Madelyn no time to react.

Their eyes instinctively tried to close, but it was too late.

In an instant, an intense burning sensation seized their eyeballs, as though ten thousand red-hot iron needles had pierced them at once.